Search for Meaning with Rabbi Yoshi

In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast , Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts Rabbi Susan Silverman, the founder of Second Nurture , a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a path from foster care to adoption. "I grew up in a family that fostered kids, so I saw that up close," Rabbi Silverman says. "Also, I'm a rabbi, and I really believe strongly...

In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast , Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts Jean-Claude Nkulikiyimfura, Shiri Sandler, and Fabrice Mpozenzei , the leadership team for the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda . In 2005, while attending a talk about the genocide against the Tutsi, Anne Heyman (z"l) learned that Rwanda had no systemic solution to support the...

In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast , Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts Matthew Waksman, a brand strategy partner at Ogilvy in Great Britain, one of the top marketing agencies in the world. Having experienced antisemitism as a young man growing up in London, Waksman wrote a stirring article about anti-Zionism and antisemitism in December of 2021: "When...

Note: This episode was recorded in February, 2022. In the latest edition of his Search for Meaning podcast , Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts cardiologist Dr. Afshine Emrani. Just 12 years old when the Revolution swept Iran, Dr. Emrani and his family moved to England, where he had a doorstep bar mitzvah, courtesy of the local Chabad. After three years, the family moved to Los...

In the latest edition of Search for Meaning, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts comedy writer Betsy Borns, best known for her work on hit television shows "Rosanne" and "Friends." Author of " Comic Lives: Inside the World of Stand-Up Comedy ," Borns is also the creator of the sitcom "All of Us," produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smit...

In the latest edition of Search for Meaning, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts Ken Lindner, a super-agent and author. In this wide-ranging discussion, Lindner—author of the recently-released book "Aspire Higher" —delves into his childhood struggle with weight and self esteem. He and Rabbi Yoshi examine how that struggle shaped not only Lindner's amateur athletic...

In celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback welcomes the first female native Farsi speaker to become a rabbi, Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh. A leader, a brilliant educator, and a trailblazer as a Persian female rabbi,  Rabbi Rabizadeh began both her educational and professional journey at Wise. The daughter of Iranian immigrants, she grew up at what was then Stephen S. Wise Templ...

After her soulful performance during Stephen Wise Temple's Friday-night Shabbat services, singer, songwriter, and composer Elana Arian joins Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback and Senior Cantor Emma Lutz for this edition of "Search for Meaning" to discuss her musical journey. From cassette recordings of four-part harmonies with her musical family during her days as a "faculty brat&quo...

 After a thought-provoking community read at Stephen Wise Temple last week, celebrated author Dara Horn sits down with Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback to discuss her latest book, "People Love Dead Jews." Regarding the book's popularity, Horn tells Rabbi Yoshi, “I wished people liked it a little less, because what I’ve discovered is that I was more right than I thought I was.” Join Rabbi...

Join Rabbi Yoshi for a conversation with Emmy and Peabody Award winning writer Jonathan Shapiro. After representing the United States as a prosecutor in the US Attorney's Office, then working in private practice and politics, Shapiro sent a script to David E. Kelly for consideration on one of his favorite shows, The Practice . Shapiro has collaborated with Kelly ever since, most recently on G...

 Yom Kippur Sermon, September, 2021

Not many spiritual communities boast their own artist-in-residence but Stephen Wise Temple is truly fortunate to have Mario M. Muller in that special role. In the latest Search for Meaning, Mario sits down with Rabbi Yoshi to discuss art, creativity, life, vision, and so much more. Check it out and be sure to visit MarioMuller.com to see Mario's inspiring work!

Search for Meaning with Rabbi Dr. Leon Wiener Dow and Rabbi Yoshi In a thought-provoking, inspiring, and joyful discussion with old friend and classmate Rabbi Dr. Leon Wiener Dow, Rabbi Yoshi probes the scholar and teacher on a number of subjects: Jewish philosophical takes on love and family; pluralism in Israel; personal growth and evolution during the pandemic; and much, much more. Tune in to t...

In the latest episode of "Search for Meaning," Rabbi Yoshi speaks with Moishe House's Chief Program Officer Tiffany Harris about building Jewish community and identity at any age, her time living and working in Israel, and about growing up Black and Jewish in America. 

Listen in on a friendly, lively conversation between old pals as Rabbi Yoshi sits down with college friend Mark Feuerstein, an actor and writer known for "Royal Pains," "Power," "Prison Break," and many more. Together they reflect on what inspired them down their respective paths during their formative years; the nature of creativity in a Jewish space; and their own J...

Donna Dubinsky is an American business leader who played an integral role in the development of personal digital assistants (PDAs) serving as CEO of Palm, Inc. and co-founding Handspring with Jeff Hawkins in 1995. She is also a Fellow of the Yale Corporation and is a Trustee of the Computer History Museum—in short, she knows more than a little something about leadership and vision. In the latest e...

Gary Rudoren is an actor and writer, known for A Really Lapsed Catholic (comedy special) (2020), Comedy by the Numbers (2009) and Brainwarp: The Baby Eater (1993). In the latest episode of Search for Meaning, he chats with Rabbi Yoshi about comedy, theatre, his time in Israel, and much more.

Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner is the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism - as such, he is the leading voice in our movement for tikkun olam, social justice, and for creating a better world. In a meaningful pre-High Holy Days discussion, Rabbi Pesner spoke with Rabbi Yoshi about Israel and the UAE, racial justice and engagement with Jews of color, voting rights in America, and so muc...

Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief of the Foward, spent 20 years with the New York Times -- some of that time as the Jerusalem bureau chief. In her discussion with Rabbi Yoshi she discusses her time there as a journalist; her transition to and the transformation of the Forward; and managing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In a fascinating, wide-ranging discussion on race in America, China and its Jewish history, and much more, Rabbi Yoshi speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Kaufman, author of The Last Kings of Shanghai and Director of the Northeastern University School of Journalism. 

Jeremy Ben-Ami, President of J Street, recently spoke with Rabbi Yoshi for a fascinating discussion about finding common ground among American Jewry when it comes to Israel. Together they cover the current, evolving landscape of Israeli politics and how Jews can come together no matter where they stand. 

Rabbi Yoshi continues his shelter-in-place series of interviews with members of his family. This week he chats with his daughter Naomi on her first forays into politics, her musical aspirations, and her experiences with the Pad Project that led to the Oscar-winning documentary Period. End of Sentence.

Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback chats with Dr. Dan Uslan, UCLA Health's Co-Chief Infection Prevention Officer, covering many of your frequently asked questions about the current crisis and how we can support health workers in their life-saving work.

As part of an ongoing quarantine-inspired series, Rabbi Yoshi searches for meaning with members of his own family. This week's guest is his daughter Ariela Zweiback, who speaks with him about her recent time in Kenya with Beyond Fistula, a nonprofit organization that helps Kenyan women who have survived obstetric fistula rebuild their lives after surgery through counseling, vocational trainin...

In the first of a series, Rabbi Yoshi searches for meaning with members of his own family. His first guest is his daughter Isa Zweiback, who shares a little bit about her recent experience becoming a bone marrow donor and takes a few trips down memory lane to her early years in Israel.