Jewish Insights with Justin Pines

In a world of constant stress and uncertainty, how do we build a life of purpose and emotional stability? Discover how a former combat commander uses ancient wisdom to build modern resilience and unbreakable character. Rabbi Binny Freedman is the Rosh Yeshiva of Orayta in Jerusalem and a former Company Commander in the IDF. Having survived the 2001 Sbarro bombing, Rabbi Binny’s teachings on gratit...

We think we know the story of Hanukkah: The weak few against the mighty many, the oil that lasted eight days. But the historical records tell a much wilder, deeper, and more miraculous story. In Part 2 of this special Hanukkah series on Jewish Insights, Dr. Malka Simkovich returns to reveal the "real" story of the Maccabean revolt. From the "passive-aggressive" letters sent between Jerusalem and E...

What does it mean to be a Jew outside of Israel? Long before the Maccabees, the Jewish people faced a crisis that would shape their identity forever: the choice to remain in the Diaspora. In Part 1 of this special Chanukah series on Jewish Insights, Justin is joined by Dr. Malka Simkovich to explore the "Second Temple Era" not just as a time of rebuilding, but as the birth of a global Jewish peopl...

From the Teddy Bear to Barbie, Superman to Star Wars action figures, the American toy industry was largely built by first-generation Jewish immigrants. In this special Chanukah episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines sits down with sociologist and author Michael Kimmel (Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America) to uncover how Jewish entrepreneurs created the mo...

If truth is one of the foundational pillars of any stable society, how do we navigate a world which often feels post-truth? In this special JI episode in honor of Jewish Book Month’s 100th anniversary, Justin sits down with Tali Rosenblatt Cohen, host of The Five Books podcast. They begin by exploring Tali’s own mission for The Five Books Podcast: the profound power of Jewish literature to foster...

We spend most of our lives living in the past or worrying about the future. But what if the deepest spiritual connection—and the greatest psychological relief—can only be found right here, right now? In this episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Justin sits down with Rabbi Dr. Benjy Epstein, a clinical psychologist and author of Living in the Presence: A Jewish Mindfulness Guide for Everyd...

How does the largest local Jewish philanthropy in the world navigate a decade defined by crisis? In this episode of Jewish Insights, Justin sits down with Eric Goldstein, the outgoing CEO of UJA-Federation of New York, for a candid and profound reflection on his 12-year tenure. From leaving a prestigious legal career to leading the Jewish community through the 2014 Gaza War, the COVID-19 pandemic,...

What’s holding Israel together after so much pain and division? Rabbi David Stav, founder of Tzohar, joins Justin to share how faith is helping Israelis reconnect — and how a new spirit of unity is reshaping the nation’s soul. In a time of war, loss, and rebuilding, few voices speak more powerfully about Jewish unity than Rabbi David Stav — founder and chairman of Tzohar, one of Israel’s most infl...

Jennifer Apple, the star of the show "Hannah Senesh," presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, joins Justin to discuss taking on this role, and the impact and legacy of Hannah Senesh. Jennifer originated the role of Anna in the Tony Award-winning "The Band’s Visit" First National Tour and received an Elliott Norton Award for Outstanding Lead Performance as Dina in the Huntington/Speak...

Rabbi Mark Wildes, founder of the Manhattan Jewish Experience, a Jewish outreach organization in New York and Tel Aviv with over 20,000 young adult attendees each year, joins Justin to discuss how he brings people into Jewish community, and his new book, The Jewish Experience: Discovering the Soul of Jewish Thought and Practice. Together they explore God, Torah, Prayer, Compassion, Shabbat and Tik...

On October 13, 2025, Israel and Hamas reached a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that brought homeall twenty surviving Israeli hostages and freed nearly two thousand Palestinian prisoners. What does this deal really mean — for Israel’s security, for the region, and for the future of U.S.-Israel relations? In this exclusive conversation, Ambassador David Friedman — former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a key...

The relatively unknown Biblical book of Ezra–Nehemiah isn’t just ancient history. Yael Leibowitz, author of "Ezra-Nehemiah: Retrograde Revolution," explores how the return from exile, the rebuilding of Jewish life, and the struggles of identity in these biblical books speak directly to the challenges we face today.

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz joins Jewish Insights with Justin Pines to explore the lessons of Sukkot, the call to justice, and the future of Jewish life. Discover how joy, humility, and activism intersect in Jewish tradition today. Rabbi Yanklowitz is President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, founder of Uri L’Tzedek, Shamayim, and YATOM, and the author of 30 books on Jewish ethics.

In this special Yom Kippur episode, Justin is joined Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, Chief Rabbi of Gush Etzion, President of the World Mizrachi Movement, and one of the most transformative rabbinic visionaries of our time to discuss the value and impact of Torah, his approach to social change for Israel’s most vulnerable communities, his role in supporting IDF soldiers, and his faith-based approach to nav...

In this special Rosh Hashanah episode, former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz joins Justin to discuss her bold new book "As a Jew." Together they explore how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity—and how we can break free of its grip to uncover the divine light within, reclaiming the fullness of what it means to live as a Jew today.

What does it mean to interpret Torah in today’s world? On the occasion of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’ fifth yahrzeit, Justin sits down with Dr. Erica Brown to explore the legacy of Rabbi Sacks and the launch of the Magerman Edition Koren Shalem Humash, featuring his new Torah translation and commentary. Dr. Brown — scholar, author, and Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University —...

Justin is joined by Elana Stein Hain, Rosh Beit Midrash and Senior Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, in anticipation of the JBS premiere of TEXTing, her popular series that addresses issues of our day through the lens of classical Jewish texts.

Ilana Kurshan, award-winning author of the memoir "If All the Seas Were Ink," joins Justin to discuss her next book, "Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together," which explores her experience of reading Jewish and secular books with her children, and the cumulative impact on her and her family. You can learn more at ilanakurshan.com

What are the different models of Jewish leadership? How do leaders activate other leaders in their community while still leading their community? Rabbi Elie Weinstock joins Justin to discuss his style of leadership through generosity of spirit. Rabbi Elie Weinstock is Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach on Long Island, serves as a Nassau County Police Department Chaplain and is Imm...

Why is Tu B’Av—just six days after Tisha B’Av—one of the happiest days in the Jewish calendar? What do white dresses, vineyard dances, and ancient tribal unity have to teach us today? Gila Fine, award-winning author of The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic, returns to to Jewish Insights with Justin Pines to explore the mysterious holiday of Tu B’Av. With her signature depth, clarity, and soul, Gila un...

Why do we still mourn the destruction of the Temple thousands of years later? What does Tisha B’Av mean for Jews today—and how can this day of national sorrow inspire healing and hope? In this special Tisha B’Av episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines is joined by historian and teacher Rabbi Dr. J.J. Schacter for a powerful conversation about Jewish suffering, memory, and resilience. From the des...

After the Second Temple’s destruction, how did the Jewish people not only survive—but shape world history? In Part II of this epic journey through Jewish history, Rabbi Ken Spiro joins Justin to explore 2,000 years of exile, persecution, and perseverance—from Rome to the Enlightenment, from Inquisition to Zionism. A gripping look at how Jewish continuity defied the odds—and set the stage for a mod...

How did a small tribal people become a spiritual superpower? In Part I of this epic journey through Jewish history, historian Rabbi Ken Spiro joins Justin to trace the rise of the Jewish people—from Abraham to the unification under King David to the glory of the First and Second Temples, and finally to the tightening grip of Roman rule. Discover how ancient Jewish identity was forged and what forc...

What do iconic Jewish women from across the centuries teach us about leadership, faith, and inner strength? Justin sits with Dr. Aliza Lavie—author, scholar, and former Member of Knesset—to explore her groundbreaking new book Iconic Jewish Women, a collection of 59 remarkable stories of Jewish heroines, from Bruriah and Sarah Schenirer to Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Doña Gracia Nasi, as well as her bo...

What role have Jews played in shaping America’s constitutional conversation? And how do core American values—like free speech, religious liberty, and anti-discrimination—intersect with Jewish values? In this special July 4th episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, legal scholar Professor Michael (Avi) Helfand joins us for a powerful exploration of how Jews contribute to—and are shaped by—the...