Contact Chai

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Transcript

Hello and welcome to Contact Chai. Pride Shabbat was a beautiful celebration of what makes this community special, a place to bring our whole selves to something larger than ourselves. Rabbi Steven drashed on Pride, love, and our obligations to our fellow humans. We also kicked off Builder Drive 2025! Our community is only possible through the support of our Builders, and for years our Builders ha...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on Saturday, June 21st, when Rabbi Lizzi delivered a drash on that famous scene in which the spies come back with a less than rosy report on what they were up against in Canaan: "If we’re snagging that land, it might cost us our lives. Those guys are huge!"  Values like preserving our land or our lives may be useful, but they can limit o...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Become A Builder! https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/ Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on Friday, June 13th, when Rabbi Lizzi spoke about our ancestors’ harrowing experiences as they navigated the wilderness. How can learn from their wisdom and failure as we chart a course through our own uncertain time? Pride Shabbat is nearly here! We hope you will join us next Friday, June 27th, in Northcenter Town Square at 6:30 pm for a glitzy,...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our Saturday morning service on June 7th, when Rabbi Steven delivered a drash on how we can productively respond to violent antisemitism. Dwelling on our fear and succumbing to paranoia may not be a healthy reaction to hatred and violence, but there is no point in pretending that we are not afraid right now. So how can we live out God’s call to be a blessing,...

Andrew Rehfeld, President & Professor of Political Thought of Hebrew Union College, presents his findings on the state of American Judaism. Are seminaries in crisis? What can be done about the shortage of rabbis? View From The Top: A Discussion Series w/ Rabbi Lizzi Rabbis are on the front lines of leading communities, speaking out for moral clarity and Jewish values, and representing Jews in...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay from our Shavuot Shabbat service on May 30th. Caroline Miller, a Davening Team member, lay leader, and BluePrint class conversion graduate delivered a sermon about her experience rediscovering herself in Jewish community after years in a personal wilderness. For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar , and see our Accessibility & In...

Join Rabbi Lizzi and Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism, for a conversation about the state of American Judaism and the boldness and "Holy Chutzpah" in Reconstructing Judaism View From The Top: A Discussion Series w/ Rabbi Lizzi Rabbis are on the front lines of leading communities, speaking out for moral clarity and Jewish values, and representing Jews in m...

In this inaugural episode of a new interview series titled "The View From The Top," Rabbi Lizzi spoke with Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson about his perspective on the state of the present and future of American Judaism. R'Artson ( www.bradartson.com ) holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American J...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our Virtual Friday Night service on May 16th. Rabbi Lizzi was joined by Rabbi Adi Romem, one of the first female rabbis ordained by the Hartman Institute for Israeli rabbis. Together, they discussed blasphemy, in the Torah portion and in politics. Mark your calendars for our Pre-Shavuot Shabbat Pizza Picnic at Northcenter Town Square on May 30th featuring, pi...

"My response to trauma has to be to see everyone as human."  Rabbi Lizzi spoke with Alice Miller, the CEO of Natan Worldwide Disaster Relief, an Israeli organization providing all-volunteer medical, dental, and humanitarian support all over the world. Their conversation was wide-ranging, fascinating, and surprising.  Learn more about NATAN and support their work at https://natanrelief.or...

Today's episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on Friday, May 30th. Rabbi Steven delivered a passionate, vulnerable sermon on how it can feel to be Jewish in public at times — unwelcome and misunderstood. How can we boldly show up as our whole selves when even progressive interfaith spaces can sometimes harbor real, if less explicit, antisemitism? Mark your calendars for our Pre-Shavuot S...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Become A Builder! https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/ Transcript

Rabbi Lizzi spoke with representatives of the Standing Together movement, whose mission is to bring equality, political, and climate justice to all citizens of Israel, and peaceful coexistence with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. On the Eve of Yom HaAtzma’ut, which celebrates 77 years of Israeli independence, Itamar Avneri and Angela Mattar — a Jewish and Palestinian leader — spoke about t...

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai. https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreen Links referenced in today's episode: Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe's Omer song: https://soundcloud.com/ariel-root-wolpe/hineni-muchan-umzuman-i-am-ready...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on April 19th when Rabbi Steven drashed on the power and danger of anger. We can get pretty uncomfortable with this emotion these days, with good reason, and it can be awkward how present righteous anger is in the haggadah. How can we harness this potent feeling in a healthy way in pursuit of justice? This Sunday, April 27th, at 10:00 am, Mishkan...

Rabbi Lizzi is joined by her friend Rabbi Sarah Bassin, Rabbi in Residence for HIAS. R’Sarah has developed a curriculum titled “Reading Ezra in an Age of Mass Deportation,” and she shared her insights into this alarming moment with our Morning Minyan crew. Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and in...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on April 5th. Rabbi Steven drashed on the power of the seder to both ground us in history, reminding us that our people have survived tyranny before, and to uplift our spirits, eating and drinking and remembering the joyful dance of Miriam. If you are looking for a seder, you’re in luck. We are so excited to announce that thanks to the generosity...

Are you looking for a seder? We are so excited to announce that thanks to the generosity of Builder volunteers and our partners at OneTable, Mishkan is able to offer Community Hosted Seders this year. If you want to spend an inspired, down-to-earth evening with fellow Mishkanites, we would love to have you. These seders will be hosted in the homes of Builders all over the city (and one virtually)....

Sell your chametz with this handy form ! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeogC725eWYVK8mYF6SUuTzvUAQKXBjtU9VTAlmdsK6Cg593g/viewform Check out our Passover Programs, including "Ugh, I'm Bored!" a workshop with Rachel Mylan on engaging kids at your seder: https://www.mishkanchicago.org/events/category/holiday/ Join us for services at CJDS this Saturday, April 5th. Come early...

Today's minyan features a new song by former Mishkan Leadership Fellow and current rock sensation Ezra Furman! "Come Close" by Ezra Furman: https://open.spotify.com/track/6qUhcvhfcdH2HqeVg9gjdM?si=723e2aa086ee4d7e Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself , or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Cont...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our Friday service on March 21st. Mishkan’s former board chair, Mark Achler, shared his considerable depth of knowledge on artificial intelligence, examining the ethics of this emerging technology from a Jewish lens. What are the positive — even lifesaving — applications of A.I.? How is A.I. already being exploited by the powerful? And is there anything we ca...

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on March 15th. Rabbi Steven delivered a stirring drash. In this moment of rising antisemitism and encroaching tyranny when free speech is being suppressed in the name of our safety, how do we respond? **** For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar , and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our...