The Rabbi Avi Show

Show Notes: The Rabbi Avi Show, Episode 22 Episode Overview In this powerful and timely episode, Rabbi Avi unpacks a profound tectonic shift currently altering the collective Jewish psyche in the wake of October 7th. Tracing a direct narrative arc over recent conversations, the show explores what it truly means to wake up to history when comfortable diaspora illusions of security begin to shatter....

Show Notes Ep. 21 In this comprehensive, long-form conversation, Rabbi Avi Alpert sits down with Dr. Zuhdi Jasser —a U.S. Navy veteran, practicing Phoenix physician and cardiologist, founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), and candidate for U.S. Congress in Arizona's 4th District. Together, they go far beyond the standard political talking points to diagnose the deep systemic p...

Show Notes | The Rabbi Avi Show Episode 20 Episode Summary In this powerful continuation of our exploration into modern political and cultural shifts, Rabbi Avi sits down with Dr. Molly Dunn , a critical criminologist and former university professor whose life story reads like a roadmap of our current intellectual landscape. Following up on our recent conversation with Chloe Loos regarding journey...

Show Notes In this installment of The Rabbi Avi Show , Rabbi Avi Alpert sits down with Chloe Loos , the Director of Arts and Culture at the Tucson JCC. Chloe shares her profound journey of "de-assimilation," tracing her path from a secular upbringing in Flagstaff to becoming a dedicated Jewish communal professional in the wake of personal and collective trauma. The conversation explores the "Octob...

Show Notes: In this episode, Rabbi Avi bridges the distance between the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and the Negev Desert of Israel to sit down with Eden Achituv . Many in the Tucson community remember Eden and her husband Netanel from their time as shlichim (emissaries) at the Tucson Hebrew Academy. Today, Eden shares her perspective from her home in Retamim, a small community near Be'er Sheva, offe...

Show Notes: In this deeply personal episode, Rabbi Avi Alpert sits down with his longtime friend, colleague, and "partner in crime," Rabbi Yosef Lopez . Together, they trace Yosef’s journey from the independent environment of Tucson to the intense yeshivot of Israel, exploring the intellectual frictions that led him away from modern reactionary models and back to the classical, rationalist traditi...

In this thought-provoking episode, Rabbi Avi sits down with Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and legendary journalist Roger Simon . From the heart of secular Hollywood to becoming a leading voice in conservative journalism, Roger discusses the personal and geopolitical catalysts—including 9/11 and the events of October 7th—that shaped his spiritual and political evolution. The conversation cen...

Guest: Peter Berkowitz, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution In this episode, Rabbi Avi Alpert sits down with Peter Berkowitz , a distinguished scholar at the intersection of political philosophy and high-stakes statecraft. Formerly the Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department, Peter brings a unique blend of academic rigor and practical diplomatic experience to the table. Rabbi...

Show Notes: In this episode, Rabbi Avi sits down with Professor David Graizbord , Director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Arizona. A world-class historian and a beloved member of Congregation Bet Shalom in Tucson, Graizbord brings a unique vantage point to the modern Jewish experience. Born in Boston and raised in Mexico City, his academic expertise in the 17th-centu...

Featuring Special Guest: Rabbi Dr. Bennett Blum In this deeply personal episode, Rabbi Avi and Rabbi Blum honor the life and legacy of their mentor, Rabbi Elijah Schochet, Zecher Tzadik L'ivracha (1935–2026). A descendant of the Vilna Gaon and a student of legendary scholars like Abraham Joshua Heschel and Saul Lieberman, Rabbi Schochet was a "Rabbi’s Rabbi" whose influence spanned the globe. This...

Featured Guest Oleg Cohen: A theoretical nuclear physicist, MBA, and tech entrepreneur. Originally from Irkutsk, Siberia, Oleg is a black belt in American Kenpo and a dedicated instructor of self-defense for the Jewish community. Episode Summary They say history repeats itself, but for Oleg Cohen, the future is already knocking at the door. Born in Irkutsk, Siberia, Oleg grew up in a society where...

Show Notes: Guest: Rabbi Daniel Levine In this episode, Rabbi Avi sits down with Rabbi Daniel Levine, the Senior Jewish Educator for Hillel at UC Irvine and a lecturer in Jewish Studies. They dive deep into the intellectual and spiritual evolution of a modern rabbi, the challenges facing Jewish students on campus today, and the delicate balance of maintaining a "principled centrist" identity in a...

Show Notes: Guest: Rabbi Daniel Levine In this episode, Rabbi Avi sits down with Rabbi Daniel Levine, the Senior Jewish Educator for Hillel at UC Irvine and a lecturer in Jewish Studies. They dive deep into the intellectual and spiritual evolution of a modern rabbi, the challenges facing Jewish students on campus today, and the delicate balance of maintaining a "principled centrist" identity in a...

Episode Summary: They say if you want to see the future of the Jewish people, don’t look at a spreadsheet of statistics—look at who is sitting around your Shabbat table. In this episode, Rabbi Avi is joined by four dynamic young Jewish leaders—Shoshana Levine, Jacob Sandler, Ed Gelernt, and Aleeza Schoenberg—for a conversation that started as a Friday night dinner and turned into a high-energy deb...

Call to Action If you found this story of "Beshert" inspiring, please subscribe and leave a review at patreon.com/horizontalmedia We began this series in the most vulnerable of places: the hospital room. We sat with my friend Adam Fox, exploring what it means to show up for one another when life hangs in the balance. We continued that conversation with Dr. David Dierks, an ER physician who gave us...

Show Notes: Guest: E.C. Stilson (Elisa Magagna) 🎙️ Episode Summary In this profound and deeply personal conversation, Rabbi Avi welcomes back author E.C. Stilson (Elisa Magagna) to discuss her new novel, The Unfinished Business of Opal Bloom . Born from Elisa's own face-to-face encounters with mortality while battling Stage IV melanoma, the book explores the "spiritual architecture" of the afterli...

In this conversation, Alma Hernandez shares her journey as a Mexican-American Jew and her experiences in reclaiming her Jewish heritage. She discusses her political aspirations, the challenges she faced, and her commitment to advocating for her community. Alma reflects on her personal trauma and how it has shaped her resilience and dedication to public service. She emphasizes the importance of Hol...

Follow & Support The Rabbi Avi Show and Horizontal Media Please like, rate, sharer and subscribe to The Rabbi Avi Show on your favorite podcast platform. This helps spread the word to new listeners To support the show financially, please visit Horizontal Media here: patreon.com/horizontalmedia 🎙️ Show Notes: Beyond the Band Room: A Rabbi and an ER Doc Guest: Dr. David Dierks Rabbi Avi sits dow...

Episode Description: This is a very special episode of The Rabbi Avi Show, recorded not in a studio, but on location in a hospital room at Tucson Medical Center. Rabbi Avi sits down with Adam Fox, a young, dynamic Jewish leader he had only recently met. What began as a pastoral visit transformed into a profound and raw conversation. From his hospital bed, Adam shares his remarkable journey: from h...

https://privatechefcookbook.com/ Episode Show Notes: Private Chef Rabbi Avi sits down with one of his dearest friends of 25 years, Chef Yair Luria. This is a reflective and heartfelt conversation about legacy, friendship, and the profound stories we tell through food. Yair shares the deeply personal origin of his new cookbook, "Private Chef" , which began as a way to create a legacy for his family...

patreon.com/horizontal media Guest: Rabbi Yossi Etz-Hasadeh Description What does it take for a man to leave a quiet life on a 1,500-acre sheep farm in New Zealand for a hilltop community in the biblical heartland of Hebron? Today, Rabbi Avi reconnects with his dear friend, Rabbi Yossi Etz-Hasadeh, for an honest, on-the-ground perspective of what life is really like in Israel—especially in the pla...

Show Notes: Episode Summary What does it mean to live on the front lines of Jewish history today? In this powerful episode, Rabbi Avi sits down with Rabbi Yaron Buki, the grandson of Holocaust survivors who left a comfortable life in California to move his family to Katzrin in the Golan Heights. Rabbi Buki shares the deep spiritual conviction that led him to believe the ultimate fulfillment of bei...

Welcome to The Rabbi Avi Show , the podcast that explores the full spectrum of human connection. Each episode, Rabbi Avi Alpert brings his wisdom, humor, and unique perspective to a new conversation about the relationships that shape our lives and our world. From the bonds of marriage and family to the dynamics of friendship , community , and even our relationship with ourselves, Rabbi Avi and his...