Rabbis Rena Singer and Noah Westreich

Hebrew School Dropouts

Religion EN ↓ 3 episodes

Welcome to Hebrew School Dropouts! You don't need to have actually dropped out of Hebrew school to be a Hebrew School Dropout . Maybe you went for a few years and had a bar or bat mitzvah before calling it quits. Maybe you skipped the whole thing entirely. Maybe you're exploring Jewish identity for the first time after a 23andMe surprise. What matters is the mentality: you're skeptical of easy answers, allergic to platitudes, and curious whether Judaism might have more to offer than you assumed. Our show is for secular, spiritual-but-not-religious, unaffiliated, and questioning people who want...

Author

Rabbis Rena Singer and Noah Westreich

Episodes

What’s Going on with All that Anti-Semitism? 19.02.2026 56:18

The anti-semitism episode in which rabbis Noah and Rena sit down with journalist Arno Rosenfeld of The Forward- America’s oldest Jewish newspaper. Arno has been reporting on anti-semitism for the last few years and helps us understand how to think about it in a nuanced way. Is anti-semitism a virus? How is anti-semitism similar to and different from racism? How should Hebrew school drop outs think...

What does it mean to "do" Hanukkah / Chanukah / Hanukah? 20.12.2025 33:22

Note: this episode was recorded before the horrifying shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia. The Chanukkah / Hanukkah / Chanuka episode... in which the rabbis discuss rebellious b'nai mitzvah children, receiving underwear gifts for Hanukkah, and the right way to light the candles. In this episode, hosts Noah and Rena get into our modern celebration of Hanukkah. The history, rituals and traditions,...

"There's no such things as an off-duty rabbi" | Welcome to Hebrew School Dropouts 17.12.2025 29:32

In the pilot episode of Hebrew School Dropouts, hosts and rabbis Noah Westreich and Rena Singer introduce us to the concept of being a Hebrew school dropout. They emphasize that it's more about a mindset than actual credentials. You don't have to have actually dropped out — or gone to Hebrew school at all — to enjoy this show. Rabbis Noah and Rena introduce the structure of the podcast, which incl...