18Forty Podcast

This series is sponsored by our friends, Daniel and Mira Stokar. This episode is sponsored by our friends, The Aleph Institute. On this episode of 18Forty, we have a deeply moving conversation with Mark Moskowitz, an author, speaker, and coach, to talk about his search for meaning in federal prison. After being incarcerated for defrauding his investors, Mark found meaning and himself in the least...

This series is sponsored by our friends, Daniel and Mira Stokar. On this episode of 18Forty, we have a wide ranging conversation with Shais Taub, a renowned Chabad scholar and author of the book God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction, about the mechanics of teshuva. It's hard to put Rabbi Taub in a box. He is a candid speaker and an eclectic thinker who brings au...

This series is sponsored by our friends, Daniel and Mira Stokar. On this episode of 18Forty, we have a frank conversation with author Kayla Haber-Goldstein about her personal, painful journey to find God. Kayla proudly describes herself as FFB/BT, a reference to her identifying as a ba’al teshuvah despite growing up in a religious, rabbinic home in Australia and Jerusalem. —How do you align Judais...

This series is sponsored by our friends, Daniel and Mira Stokar. In this episode of 18Forty, tech entrepreneur Antonio Garcia Martinez discusses his powerful “Why Judaism?” essay series, chronicling his conversion to Judaism and his views on the deficiencies of secular liberalism. A formerly Orthodox man who was moved to change his life after reading Martinez’s essays chimes in. —What is the toll...

In the first episode of our Teshuva series, R. Beryl Gershenfeld, one of the leaders of the Jewish outreach movement, joins us in talking about what we can learn about the process of transformation that occurs in Jewish outreach. - What can the Jewish world learn from Jewish outreach? - How do we engage in meaningful growth? This series has been generously sponsored by our friends Daniel and Mira...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen to voicemails sent in by you, our listeners, and reflect on the community we have built beyond our conversations. - Which episode is the favorite, or least favorite, of 18Forty listeners? - Why did David Bashevkin get outraged about pagination? - Is “undoubtably” a word in the English language? Tune in to hear a conversation between Batman and the...

Among the many questions we receive at 18Forty, there are some we find recurring: Who does 18Forty serve? What is its purpose? In this episode, 18Forty Founder Rabbi David Bashevkin reflects upon those questions—except he isn’t the one interviewing. Instead, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, host of the Jews You Should Know Podcast, interviews him. —What is the story of David’s personal religious development? —...

This episode is sponsored by our friends Victor and Jessica Kagan in honor of Rochel Mindel bas Noson Nuteh and Naftali ben Chaim Shraga Feivel. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Mirlana Morris about the loss of her son, Donny, and perpetuating the memory of a loved one. Mirlana lost her son, Donny, in last year’s Meron tragedy when he was 19 years old. Mirlana speaks about choosi...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Emanuel Feldman about writing styles. Rabbi Feldman has the unique gift to write in multiple voices for multiple audiences. He mixes his pitches so his readers never quite know what to expect. Rabbi Feldman joins us today to talk about the unique styles of Jewish writing. - What motivates a rabbi to begin a parallel career as a writer? - Why...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to our favorite librarian, Michelle Margolis. Michelle is no stranger to the 18Forty Podcast — she was one of our first guests, and today, she returns to debut our new Show & Tale series, and talk with us about the role of a librarian and the hidden world of Judaica and rare books. Show & Tale is a new 18Forty video series that will take you inside s...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to the heads of the three major Jewish publishing houses, Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz of ArtScroll Mesorah Publications, Matthew Miller of Koren Publishers, and Altie Karper of Schocken Books. Aside from all rejecting David Bashevkin’s work, these three pillars of Jewish publishing all share a common goal of contributing to Jewish scholarship in order t...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Shalom Carmy—philosophy and Jewish-studies professor at Yeshiva University and Editor Emeritus of Tradition—about how he grounds his faith. Rabbi Carmy joins us to discuss the anthropological, covenantal, and experiential bases for religious belief. •What should be the foundation of a person’s faith? •What is the role of personal experience...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Dr. Malka Simkovich—Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago—about Second Temple Judaism and how it can help us understand what it means to be a Jew in our own time. Malka explores the significance of belief and observance over the history of the Jewish people....

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Steven Gotlib, a fellow at Beit Midrash Zichron Dov and Rabbinic Educator at the Village Shul, about the relationship between first principles and how we are to live. Rabbi Gotlib is some rabbi who is a lot more than just some rabbi. Steven has thought long and hard about the truth claims of Judaism and the claim Judaism makes on individuals...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jeff Bloom about the assumptions that Orthodox Judaism makes about ideology, and how we ground our faith even if we don’t have irrefutable evidence. Jeff is some guy who is a lot more than just some guy. Jeff unpacks Leo Strauss’s defense of Orthodoxy and explains how our personal life stories dictate how we see the world. - Why have we designed a...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen to voicemails sent in by you, our listeners, and reflect on the community we have built beyond our conversations. - What do Pick-Up Sticks have in common with the sorites paradox? - How has wealth seeped into our subconscious Jewish intergenerational trauma?   - Does an accusation of abuse have the potential to ruin someone’s life even if they’re n...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Shira Berkovits, president and CEO of Sacred Spaces, about institutional abuse awareness and prevention. Shira is an attorney and psychologist, as well as the founder of Sacred Spaces, which partners with Jewish institutions to prevent and respond to sexual abuse and other abuses of power. Shira explains how Jewish institutions can better respond...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rahel Bayar, founder of The Bayar Group, about abuse awareness and education in faith-based communities. Due to the sensitive nature of this conversation, at times, this episode does contain mature language and listener discretion is advised. Rahel is a former assistant district attorney and now runs The Bayar Group, which provides abuse training...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to ADA Aharon Schrieber about what actually happens when you call the police to report a domestic violence or abuse crime. Due to the sensitive nature of this conversation, at times, this episode does contain mature language and listener discretion is advised. Aharon is an assistant district attorney in the Bronx County Domestic Violence Bureau where...

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by Ari Bergmann in appreciation of Adina's work and scholarship. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Eric and Dr. Adina Yoffie about their journey as a family through ideological differences. Rabbi Yoffie is the President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism and his daughter Adina is a Modern O...

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by our friend, Evan Goldenberg. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Moshe Weinberger, Rebbe of Kehillas Aish Kodesh and his son Asher, CEO of Swimply. Rav Moshe Weinberger is a chassidish Rebbe who raised his son Asher in the more modern world of the Five Towns. Join us as they discuss differing traj...

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by Camp Morasha in appreciation for Rabbi Rothwachs's tireless dedication to his family and ours. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Larry Rothwachs and his daughter Tzipora about the relationship of a father and daughter through distance while battling an eating disorder. Larry is the rabbi of a...

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author Bruce Feiler about family narratives. Bruce has authored many books and articles, including longtime 18Forty favorite, The Stories that Bind Us, which argues that resilience in families is built by developing a strong family narrative. - Does The Stories that Bind Us deliberately have a...

This series is sponsored by our friend, Danny Turkel. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to the families from our previous series on intergenerational divergence to follow up and see what they’re up to now. As we revisit the previous interviews, we continue the conversations where we left off, drawing from the experiences and wisdom of our guests. • What advice would our guests give t...

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David is joined by comedian Alex Edelman for a special Purim discussion exploring the place of humor and levity in a world that often demands our solemnity. A Modern Orthodox Jew from Brookline, Massachusetts, who’s “tried cocaine,” but has “never tried bacon,” Alex stars in the one-man Off Broadway show Just For Us, which has to be one of the only top-tier...