The College Commons Podcast

How can we move past fear to find respect and acceptance in our differences? And what does it mean to think about others when we have power? Dr. Marcie Lenk has devoted her intellectual life and career to organizing educational programs and teaching Jews and Christians (and people of other faiths) to understand and appreciate the basic texts, ideas, history and faith of the other. She lives in Jer...

How has American Judaism developed in the context of American Protestantism, and what have we learned from one another? Benjamin Sommer is Professor of Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary. The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz described Sommer as “a traditionalist and yet an iconoclast – he shatters idols and prejudices in order to nurture Jewish tradition and its applicability today” and characteri...

Examining the special relationship American Jews have had with the law, and tackling some of the thorniest controversies about the separation of Church and State. Dahlia Lithwick is a senior editor at Slate, and in that capacity, has been writing their "Supreme Court Dispatches" and "Jurisprudence" columns since 1999. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper’s, The New Yorker, The Washi...

In order to uncover the power and mystery of the Bible, we have to read it first. In this episode of the College Commons Podcast, learn some surprising and fascinating places where you can start. Marc Brettler is the Bernice and Morton Lerner Professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. He has also taught at Brandeis University, Yale University, Brown Univ...

A frank and lively conversation between unlikely partners in the work of religious thinking and living. Gregory Mobley is Visiting Professor of Hebrew Bible and Congressional Studies at Yale Divinity School. Previously he taught at Union Theological Seminary (NY) and Andover Newton Theological School in the Boston area. His books in Hebrew Bible include The Return of the Chaos Monsters—and Other B...

Religion and the religious experience through the lens of social sciences and evolutionary biology. Dr. Melvin Konner, MD, Ph. D. is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor at Emory University, where he teaches Anthropology, Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, and Jewish Studies. He attended Brooklyn College, CUNY, and his MD and PhD are from Harvard. Konner's books include: Unsettled: An Anthropology of...

With a growing divide between Israeli Jews and American Jews, can we utilize humor to find something compelling and deep about our shared experience? Natalie Marcus is a highly-acclaimed, award-winning, screenwriter based in Tel Aviv. For the past 10 years, Marcus has been in charge of some of Israel's top-rated shows. She is the creator and head writer of the acclaimed historically-themed sketch...

Our brains are not scientists, they’re lawyers. So, how do we view truth and evidence from a scientific perspective? Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman is the Founding Director of Sinai and Synapses, an organization that bridges the scientific and religious worlds, and is being incubated at Clal – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. His work has been supported by the John Templeton Fou...

Are we engaging religious tradition to explore pathways toward holiness and to illuminate human possibility—or are we using it as a tool to do the opposite? Rabbi Sharon Brous is a leading voice in reanimating religious life in America, working to develop a spiritual roadmap for soulful, multi-faith justice work in Los Angeles and around the country. Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR,...

Dr. Weiss' art and life are deeply grounded in Israel where she explores themes of femininity, holiness and Judaism. Dr. Ruhama Weiss is Parallel Associate Professor of Talmud and Spiritual Care, and Director of the Blaustein Center for Pastoral Care & Counseling, on the Jerusalem campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Dr. Weiss is also a poet, artist, and public intellectual...

From peace within to the glass ceiling, Rabbi Rabbi Amy Eilberg leads a thoughtful discussion on a life of service. Rabbi Amy Eilberg is the first woman ordained as a Conservative rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. She serves as the Coordinator of Jewish Engagement for Faith in Action Bay Area, a multi-faith, multi-racial social justice organization in the San Francisco Bay Area....

Rabbi David Saperstein discusses religious freedom, the Supreme Court, civil rights, the Religious Action Center and the midterms. Rabbi David Saperstein is the Director Emeritus, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Senior Advisor to the URJ for Policy and Strategy. Designated by Newsweek Magazine as the most influential rabbi in America and by the Washington Post as the “quintessent...

In this thoughtful conversation, Imam Abdullah Antepli examines the parallels and differences between Muslim and Jewish experiences in America. Imam Antepli completed his basic training and education in his native Turkey. From 1996-2003 he worked on a variety of faith-based humanitarian and relief projects in Myanmar (Burma) and Malaysia with the Association of Social and Economic Solidarity with...

What is the power of questions? Rabbi Feigelson discusses how the right kind of questions can unlock conversation and community. Rabbi Joshua Feigelson is the Dean of Students at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Prior to joining the Divinity School, Feigelson founded and served as Executive Director of Ask Big Questions, a social startup venture of Hillel International dedicated to impro...

Rabbi Green discusses Neo-Hasidism, Kabbalah, the Zohar and the search for a contemporary Judaism. Dr. Arthur Green was the founding dean and is currently rector of the Rabbinical School and Irving Brudnick Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Religion at Hebrew College. He is Professor Emeritus at Brandeis University, where he occupied the distinguished Philip W. Lown Professorship of Jewish Though...

Cantor Dreskin takes us under the hood of her cantorial craft in this wide-ranging conversation on liturgy, country music, prayer and Reform Judaism. Cantor Ellen Dreskin is an innovative leader in the liberal Jewish movement. Her expertise extends from music to synagogue transformation, from experiential education to enlivened liturgy and mysticism. She has worked as a scholar-in-residence with J...

Rabbi Hartman explores the meaning of boundaries and their effect on Jewish identity in time and space. Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman is President of the Shalom Hartman Institute and holds the Richard and Sylvia Kaufman Family David Hartman Chair. He is author of the highly regarded 2016 book, "Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself." Rabbi Hartman is the founder of some of the most exte...

David Fleischer and volunteers engage in thoughtful conversations with voters as way to help them reflect on their cruelest opinions and consider revising them. Dave Fleischer has directed the Leadership LAB of the Los Angeles LGBT Center since 2010. Before that, he created and ran the national training program of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund (1993-98) and then the organizing and training depart...

In this musical interview, Daphna Rosenberg discusses her life's journey and sings selected songs from her latest album. After travelling the world for many years as a wandering troubadour, Daphna returned to Israel and reconnected to her Jewish roots through music. Daphna composes music to prayers and Israeli poetry, and is a main prayer leader in the Nava Tehila Jewish Renewal community in Jerus...

Opera singer and Jew by choice, Marques Hollie discusses his journey and musical inspiration. Operatic tenor Marques Hollie, whose voice has been noted for its power, range, and triumphant qualities, has been singing professionally since 2008. Since his debut in Opera Omaha’s production of Verdi’s Aïda, he has gone on to perform more than 20 roles in the operatic canon, including rarely performed...

Join Dan Nichols in a musical interview exploring his creative process and Jewish music today. Dan Nichols is a product of the URJ Jewish camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years. A classically trained singer, Dan received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina. In 1995, realizing the potential of...

Fundamentally, Jewish prayer doesn't come naturally; we have to learn it to "own" it and, thence, to benefit from it. Join Rabbi Comins, in an exploration of his book and online course, Making Prayer Real. Rabbi Mike Comins is author of Making Prayer Real: Leading Jewish Spiritual Voices on Why Prayer is Difficult and What to Do about It (Jewish Lights) and the Making Prayer Real Course hosted by...

From Kaddish to sexual harassment and Shakespeare, join Anita Diamant on a wide-ranging conversation about writing and giving voice to the voiceless. Anita Diamant was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1951, grew up in Newark, New Jersey until she was twelve years old when her family moved to Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in comparative literatur...

Rabbi Hahn explores the crossroads of Hebrew chant, kirtan, and Jewish prayer practice. Rabbi Andrew Hahn holds a Ph. D. in Jewish Thought from the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) and received rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Reform). He has also studied at the feet of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement....

Rabbi Hoffman examines why prayer is an art form and how it can transform and transport us. Dr. Lawrence A. Hoffman was ordained as a rabbi in 1969, received his Ph. D. in 1973, and has taught since then at the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, in New York. From 1984 to 1987, he directed its School of Sacred Music as well. In 2003, he was named the first Barbara and Stephen Frie...