For the Love of Judaism

Shana tova! What better way to usher in the new year than with a new season of For the Love of Judaism. On this episode you will hear two recent sermons given by Rabbi Pont, both of which are must listens to get you in the mood for the high holidays.

Richard Michelson is an award-winning  author, poet and artist who is well known for his contributions to the cannon of Jewish writing. His newest collection, Sleeping As Fast As I Can is a four-part book of poetry that is equal parts political and personal as it explores everything from gun violence and social justice, to his relationship with Judaism and the struggle of an aging parent. In this...

Throughout history Jews have been the victims of persecution and discrimination that has forced them from the places they've called home. While the stories associated with the Holocaust are often-told, the stories of the Jewish people in Cuba during the 1950s and 1960s are not as well known. And still, these stories are among the most harrowing, especially for the Polish Jews who had come to...

Breast cancer awareness is one of the most highly visible fundraising campaigns around. Most of us think that breast cancer is curable and so prevention is the key research priority. And yet, tens of thousands of people will die from breast cancer every year. 98% of those deaths are at the hands of metastatic breast cancer And yet, this MBC receives around 5% of the funding associated with this de...

In 1939, the USS St. Louis left Hamburg, Germany headed for Havana, Cuba with more than 900 European Jews aboard. Counting themselves among the lucky few to escape Hitler's Germany, they thought they were headed for refuge. The passengers happiness quickly turned to fear as they were denied entry to Cuba, followed by the United States, Canada and many other countries. With only four countries...

As Israel gets ready to celebrate its 75th birthday later this month, the only Democracy in the Middle East finds herself dealing with unprecedented internal strife. The judicial reform package being pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition has led to weeks of protests that involve hundreds of thousands of Israelis taking to the streets. The situation is rife with challenge, a...

We hope you had wonderful Seders filled with friends, family and an energetic retelling of the Passover story. This week, Rabbi Pont shares three stories about the ways in which we see God and understand the Torah that will surely help you have a very meaningful holiday!

As time goes on, there are fewer and fewer survivors of the Holocaust to share their stories of strife, courage, bravery and resilience. Fortunately, the world has women like Amy Goodman who is part of a growing movement of 3rd generation families that are sharing their grandparents stories.  This week Amy sat down with Rabbi Pont to talk about her family's story, her recent appearance on The...

On this week's podcast, Rabbi Pont shares two sermons he gave at Friday night services at Marlboro Jewish Center in recent months. The first uses Lionel Messi winning the world cup to teach a lesson about how we treat the elderly while the second shares the interesting origins of some famous Jewish (and not so Jewish) superstitions. 

All of you rabbinic podcast lovers unite! Rabbi Pont was recently interviewed by Rabbi Daniel Levine for his podcast JLife with Rabbi Daniel so it is our pleasure to play their full interview for the For the Love of Judaism audience this week.  Don't miss this great conversation between two conservative Rabbis about the state f conservative Judaism and how they see their place in the Jewish w...

Meet Jay Fisher. A remarkable 19 year old young man living a full and fantastic life with autism. This week, Rabbi Pont caught up with Jay, along with his parents, Debra and David, along with his younger sister Shoshana, to talk about how their lives have been impacted by Jay's diagnosis. Do not miss this inspiring story of a family who doesn't let a challenge stand in the way of living...

Since its destruction nearly 2,000 years ago, Jewish scholars have studied the second Holy Temple, which stood as the center of Jewish life until 70 C.E. Who would have thought that one of the foremost experts on the Temple and what it actually looked like would be a martial arts instructor and Expert LEGO® Builder from Minnesota.  Meet Yitzy Kasowitz, founder of JBrick, maker of custom Jewish LEG...

Israel has had an unprecedented number of elections over the past several years. Five times Israelis have headed to the polls in search of a stable government that can serve the needs of all Israelis. While this most recent election resulted in the first solid majority win in several years it comes at a heavy price for many secular Israelis. With a Prime Minister on trial and an alliance made with...

Community cookbooks have been a part of Synagogue culture for decades. More than just recipes, they are the through line of generations past to the future of Jewish families around the world. Few, if any, know more about Jewish cookbooks than PhD candidate Natalie Ross who is writing her dissertation on the people behind Jewish cookbooks. Natalie, who has more than 300 community cookbooks in her p...

Need some last minute prayers for the big game? Rabbi Pont has you covered. Whether you are rooting for the Chiefs or the Eagles, you'll want to listen to three minutes of why the talmud thinks your team is gonna life the Lombardi Trophy at game's end. 

The fastest growing sport in the United States is a sport that most people had never heard of before 2020. From senior communities to youth leagues, pickleball has taken the country by storm. Today, more than 36 million Americans have played pickleball at least once and more courts are being built every day! This week, Rabbi Pont sat down with Erica and Mike Rosenberg, founders of the  Pickleball...

Since 1981, Fred and Murray's Kosher Delicatessen has been a staple of high quality kosher food in central New Jersey. From their Freehold, New Jersey deli they serve customer favorites like the pastrami and corned beef to other staples like knishes, french fries and desserts to the delight of thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish families each year. This week Rabbi Pont sat down with owners Kur...

It has been said that we are living through the second golden age of television. The amount of content available everywhere from Netflix to Amazon, Hulu, Paramount and on network tv is unparalelled to any time in the industry's history.  It is an amazing time to be a television writer. This week, Rabbi Pont catches up with Sam Block, a Marlboro native and writer on the hit drama NCIS Los Ange...

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired generations of Americans to fight for what is right...to do the hard work of making the world a better place...to do tikkun olam. In honor of Martin Luther King Day, Rabbi Pont sat down with Naomi Eisenberger, founding executive director of The Good People Fund . Don't miss a chance to hear about this unique organization making a massive impact across the U...

Every few years, the United States Postal Service commissions an artist to create its Hanukkah postage stamp. This year, a new stamp was unveiled, designed by world-renowned Judaica artist, Jeanette Kuvin Oren. Jeanette's work can be seen at over 400 Synagogues, community centers, schools and camps everywhere from Pittsburgh, to Miami, to Prague.  This week, Jeanette sat down with Rabbi Pont...

Six13 is a groundbreaking, six-man a cappella vocal band that is bringing an unprecedented style and energy to Jewish music, with nothing but the power of the human voice. The band is uniquely comprised of members from varied Jewish denominations and upbringings, creating an entertainment experience that has been universally acclaimed across the globe by Jewish organizations and individuals from e...

It doesn't take a scientist to know that the past three years have been anything but ordinary for our children. Research is now beginning to shed light on what pediatricians and developmental pediatricians knew all along...that the impact of COVID-19 restrictons on our children is significant and serious. But it wasn't all bad! This week, Rabbi Pont is joined by Dr. Allison Smoller, a de...

It's our Thanksgiving episode! We can think of no better way to honor the spirit of this holiday than to talk to Marisa Kraus, Senior Nutrition Coordinator for Jewish Family & Children Services in Monmouth County.  Every month, Marisa coordinates the Meals on Wheels program which has nearly tripled in size since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In her busy schedule, she took a few minu...

Did you know that one organ and tissue donation can save the lives of up to 8 people and enhance the lives of up to 75 more? More importantly, did you know that all branches of Judaism support organ and tissue donation unequivically? Organ and tissue donation is one of the greatest mitzvot that any person can do.  In honor of National Donor Sabbath, celebrated this Shabbat at Marlboro Jewish Cente...

On Monday, November 7th, Marlboro Jewish Center hosted a unique panel discussion in commemoration of Kristallnacht. It included special guest and former Davidson College basketball coach Bob McKillop who joined us to share his experience taking his team to Auschwitz with Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor (z"l). Their journey is part of a new book, Unbracketed: Big-time College Basketball Done...