18Forty Podcast

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Meir Triebitz – Rosh Yeshiva, PhD, and expert on matters of science and the Torah – to discuss what kind of science we can learn from the Torah. The Torah, and especially the Talmud, addresses a wide subject matter including theology, morality, metaphysics, and science. It is sometimes said to contain all knowledge – meaning that we co...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi David Fohrman - author, lecturer, and founder of the Aleph Beta Academy - to discuss in what genre the Torah is meant to be, and how that should influence the way we think about it. There are many approaches one could take when confronted with science that seem to contradict parts of the Torah. Some, including Nathan Aviezer, orchestra...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Professor Allison Coudert, of the Department of Religious Studies at UC Davis, to discuss the historical interplay of science with religion, and specifically with Kabbalah. During a 1917 lecture talking about the rational mindset underlying science, Max Weber famously declared that “This means that the world is disenchanted.” Though this sen...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jeremy England, physicist and biologist, to discuss his lives as a Jew and an academic, and how, if at all, those lives interact. Jeremy grew up a barely-affiliated Jew and obtained a degree in biochemistry from Harvard, but discovered his love for Judaism and began reading authors like Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Ruth Weiss. He is an accom...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rav Moshe Weinberger, rabbi and educator, to discuss the role of mysticism in modern-day Judaism. Rav Weinberger grew up Modern Orthodox and became attracted to Chassidus at a young age. Though he is a fan of the yeshiva system and believes that Halakha cannot be compromised, he has long watched with anguish as countless products of the syst...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ora Wiskind, professor and author, to discuss her life journey, both as a Jew and as an academic, and her attitude towards mysticism. Ora grew up in a Reform family in Ohio, receiving a top-notch secular education but a minimal Jewish one. After studying in France and Germany she found herself in Israel, eventually becoming Orthodox desp...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Joey Rosenfeld, social worker and kabbalist, to talk about the differences between mysticism and rationalism and the roles they should play in our lives. Mysticism is often misunderstood and dismissed by rationalists without much thought, but what is mysticism? One might define it by what it’s not: reductionism, which combined with complexit...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Professor of Journalism at Columbia and author, Samuel G. Freedman, to talk about dissent not as a cause of ugliness and divide, but of beauty and unity. Some would say that disagreement isn’t a bug of the Jewish community, but a feature. We have a rich history of debate in the Talmud and haven’t been able to shake this dubious quality even...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with conservative journalist and cultural commentator, Bethany S. Mandel, to talk about the entrances and exits of her life, reconstructing Jewish identity, and creating a Jewish home outside of the Jewish community. Bethany has written for the New York Times and Washington Post, and now serves as an opinion columnist for the Forward, a contribut...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Laura E. Adkins, the JTA’s opinion editor and an adjunct professor of journalism at Stern College for Women, to talk about how she stays grounded while engaging with so many disparate viewpoints. Many people live in a perpetual bubble, never allowing themselves to step too far from the lifestyle they feel is comfortable. They may only ever e...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rav Aaron Lopiansky, Rosh HaYeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, to talk about the challenges facing American Orthodoxy, life-long education, and value education. Rav Lopiansky speaks the language of the particular; much of his insight is situated for those in the Yeshiva-oriented Jewish communities, but his thought is important for...

18Forty launched in May 2020 and since then we’ve explored Talmud, OTD: Leaving Religion, Comedy, and Biblical Criticism. As we take a two-week break before exploring our next topic, we want to spend some time reflecting on what we’ve learned. Learn more at https://18forty.org/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David sits down with Gil Student, an infamous blogger who created Torah Musings, to talk about the credibility of modern Biblical scholarship. Gil grew up learning the Bible from the perspective of Biblical criticism, but its conclusions never jived with him. Though many are quick to note places where the Torah uses inconsistent characterizations as evidence...

As we confront the questions that Biblical criticism has presented, we must ask ourselves how we can keep that transcendent, atemporal view of the Torah. Perhaps considering the seemingly temporal idiosyncrasies of the Torah can actually strengthen our appreciation of its timelessness. For more, visit https://18Forty.org/bible . Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David sits down with Joshua Berman, a professor of Bible at Bar-Ilan University, to talk about the relationship between Orthodox Judaism and Biblical criticism. Many Orthodox educators avoid dealing with Biblical criticism, leaving their students feeling that they’ve been duped. Religious Bible critics are a minority in the field, giving some the impression...

David explains how, despite his initial apprehensiveness towards the topic, he has come to appreciate the different approaches to Biblical criticism offered by this month’s three guests: Joshua Berman, Gil Student, and Sara Susswein Tesler. For more, visit https://18Forty.org/bible . Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David sits down with Rabbi Daniel Feldman, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University and an author to discuss the role of comedy in Jewish thought and practice. We usually think of learning Torah as something serious and of comedy as incompatible with it. It is therefore natural to assume that comedy doesn’t have value, or at least that it doesn’t have inherent v...

As we live through the ups and downs of life, laughter begins to play an invaluable role in our mental well-being. Perhaps comedy can provide a helpful lens through which to view the sometimes stressful responsibilities of our life. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David sits down with Leah Forster, an ex-Hasidic comedian to talk about how her journey has affected her comedy. Leah found comedy at a young age and pioneered comedy by women for women in the ultra-Orthodox world. She realized that the ultra-Orthodox life she grew up with caused a deep conflict within herself and she left to remain true to her authentic sel...

This episode is sponsored by Louis and Debby Flancbaum In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David sits down with Gary Gulman, a world-famous comedian with comedy specials on Netflix and HBO, to talk about the relationship between comedy and the art of living. Gary grew up with a close relationship to God and was deeply depressed as a child. He thought he would be happy if he mastered something,...

David explains how comedy and humor can uncover a mystical oneness that allows us to construct meaning and community from mundane occurrences. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support .

In this episode of the 18Forty podcast, David invites a man who goes by the pseudonym Philo Judaeus – former member of the Orthodox Jewish community and moderator of the ambitious Frum/OTD Dialogue Facebook group – to discuss the intersection of philosophy and religiosity. According to Philo, even most of the greatest atheistic cosmologists would concede that there are compelling arguments for the...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David discusses with special guest and former member of the Ultra-Orthodox community, Shulem Deen, the struggle and importance of balancing one’s individual needs with those of the community. Though many of us are aware of the extreme disconnect that exists between the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and the secular world, the result of this unfortunate dyna...