Chutzpod! (Chutzpod!)

Rabbi Shira and Hanna give advice on how to say you’re sorry, and really (sorta) mean it.

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We hear from a listener who spent a lifetime looking for love, hoping to become a parent. Now, single, childless and in his 70s he is asking WTF, God!?

Read the Book of Job

Read more about fate in Judaism

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Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Sarah Hurwitz. A senior speechwriter for President Obama, and head speechwriter for the First Lady, Sarah critiques Moses as a communicator in this week’s Torah portion, Chukat.


Episode Timecodes:

(10:20) Interview with Sarah Hurwitz

(46:20) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Hanna are really Jewish. Charlotte York Goldenblatt is really Jewish. But what about the many of us who live in the gray in-between? We answer this week’s listener question: who gets to be Jewish?

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Rabbi! Hanna! the parents ask. Tell us the magic words we can say to our children that will make them love and unequivocally support Israel. And we respond.

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As Sukkot approaches, we bring on a botanist to dig into the agricultural side of this underrated Jewish holiday.  Chutzpod! is joined by Holly Poole-Kavana from Little Red Bird Botanicals to talk about how plants are used for sacred traditions. What is the significance of the willow, myrtle, date palm, and of course the Etrog!  Plus, get a “peek” at Rabbi Shira’s backyard sukkah, featuring botanical murals by artist Mai-Han Nguyen (@nah_iam on Instagram).

Hope everyone had an easy fast!

Episode Timecodes:

(13:45) Interview with Holly Poole-Kavana

(38:10) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

As we celebrate Passover during the current climate, Rabbi Shira talks to Hanna about what Judaism says about violence, resistance and freedom. And they speak to a Jewish gun owner about his choice to protect himself. 

More on preventing harm and stumbling blocks in the Torah

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In between the movie and Chinese food, enjoy one of our favorite recent episodes.

Is a Jewish Santa kosher? Rabbi Shira & Hanna Rosin ponder the ethics of Christmas cosplay in this very merry episode. 

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I really love Judaism...should I be a rabbi? Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener decide whether to take the jump.

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What happens if you receive an unexpected inheritance from a person you’ve cut out of your life? Should you keep it? Give it away to charity? Join Rabbi Shira and Hanna as they balance the rules of Torah with the financial realities of life.

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In preparation for the start of Passover, Rabbi Shira and Josh (back from hiatus!) delve into the six--yes, six--senses of the seder. How do taste, smell, touch, sound, and sight help enhance the Jewish sixth sense: memory? How do your memories and traditions (new and old) enhance the seder experience? Listen today to learn more. 

Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to the show, to discuss antisemitism in general, and Whoopi Goldberg’s comments on the Holocaust in particular. Also, we talk about what we’re wearing, who we’re wearing, and why we’re wearing. And…our hosts welcome their spouses to the show!

Episode Timecodes:

(05:40) Melissa Merwin (Joshua’s wife & costumer) Interview on the performative nature of wearing clothing

(29:41) Jonathan Greenblatt Interview

(45:57) Russell Shaw (Shira’s husband) defines the Hebrew & Yiddish terms used in the episode

(48:40) Rabbi’s Shira’s Guided Meditation

For our foremothers Rachel and Leah (and Bilhah and Zilpah) it's all about what they said (or couldn't say). How does this week's Torah portion hold up against the Bechdel Test? We're also joined by New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor to discuss her Judaism, her work uncovering workplace harassment in Hollywood, and the new film She Said, out in theaters now.

Episode Timecodes:

(13:20) - Jodi Kantor Interview

(42:10) - Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

For our final episode of 5782, we bring you a longtime staple of Rosh Hashanah, the Rabbi's sermon. Rabbi Shira shares with Josh and all of us a touching testimony about life and difficult family experiences, which will help put you in the right frame of mind as we bring in the New Year.  "L' Shana Tova!"

Episode Timecodes:

(07:01) Rabbi Shira's sermon

Israel is destined to be top of mind during Passover this year. Rabbi Shira and Hanna give advice on how to have a meaningful (and less contentious) seder.

Priya Parker on the “Art of Gathering”

Why do you spill the wine?

On the interplay between Purim and Passover

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After her wife of more than two decades passed suddenly, our listener is struggling how to spend time by herself again, and how to tell her wonderful, well-meaning community to give her space.

More on being "alone"

More on Jewish Shiva rituals 

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In honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we discuss Lilith, Adam's supposed first wife, a demonized figure associated with stealing children and seducing men. But she is also an incredibly powerful and feminist figure. Who is Lilith really, and what can she tell us about the mixed multitudes of women today?

On this week's episode Joshua and Rabbi Shira dig into two important observances in Judaism: Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and counting the Omer. Learn more about the modern observance of Yom Hashoah, Jewish conversion during World War II, and what lessons we can learn for today. We also discuss Leopoldstadt, the Broadway play that Joshua now stars in, and how it's just as relevant as ever. Also learn about what the heck the Omer is, why we count it and how!

Rabbi Shira and Hanna are joined by Rabbi Sharon Brous to talk about what she calls the “The Amen Effect” – what it means to be heard and seen during times of joy and grief and how a deeper connection to the Jewish community can actually help us cross tribal lines. Rabbi Brous is the founder of IKAR, an influential progressive Jewish congregation in Los Angeles and the author of The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World.

See Chutzpod! live in D.C.! 

Read Mishnah Midot 2.2

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This week Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by Architectural Digest’s Mayer Rus. Together they look at the weekly Torah portion, Terumah, and consider the specificity of the instructions for constructing the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary for worship built by the Israelites in the desert.

Episode Timecodes:

(17:47) Mayer Rus Interview

(37:58) Phil LaMarr defines Hebrew/Yiddish terms used in the episode

(42:07) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

With the help of this week's double Torah portion (Mattot-Massei), and Hulu's new show "The Bear", Rabbi Shira explores with Joshua alternatives to violence when conflict arises.

Episode Timecode:

(33:40) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Israeli and Palestinian guests to the podcast to engage in an inclusive and nuanced conversation around Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut.

Episode Timecodes:

(6:15) Leah Solomon Interview

(38:18) Layla Alsheikh Interview

(60:45) Reading the names of those who recently were killed in the region

Rabbi Shira and Joshua go on a Hanukkah retrospective: how it started 2,200 years ago, how it's evolved through the Medieval era until today. It will have you rethinking the Hanukkah story you thought you knew. Is the oil the most important miracle of the holiday? Or is the true miracle that Shira had positive things to say about Hanukkah? Grab a jelly donut and a latke and tune in today.

Episode Timecodes:

(40:10) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at The Five Books. Join host Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen as she speaks with Rabbi Benjamin Resnick about his debut novel, Next Stop, a work of speculative fiction that explores the precariousness of Jewish American life through the lens of one family. He also discusses how the literature that’s meant the most to him throughout his life has also influenced his own work.

Listen and follow The Five Books here.

St. Paul's Temple of Aaron hosts the first-ever live taping of the show. The Minnesota Chutzsquad welcomes Rabbi Shira and Joshua for a lively conversation about the holiday of Tisha B'Av.

Episode Timecode:

(36:30) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

This week’s Torah Portion, “Bo,” mentions the “mixed multitude” that left Egypt with the Israelites. Who were these “others,” and who are the "others" in our own lives today?

Also, if Josh and Rabbi Shira went on a reality TV show together, which one would it be?

Episode Timecodes:

(32:46) Actor Josh Charles defines the Hebrew/Yiddish terms used on the podcast

(34:51) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

In this teaser episode, we give you a taste of what’s to come in Chutzpod!
Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss the Jewish approach to liminality — moving forward from the past, actually being present in the present, and turning gratefully to the future. We look at the Shehechiyanu blessing, which gives thanks to the Source of All for giving us life, sustaining us, and bringing us to new moments. Even the tough ones.

Rabbi Shira and Sarah Podemski discuss the (in)famous Torah passage "an eye for an eye." Wouldn't this make the whole world blind? We also discuss the importance of dual identities and what it means to be "half Jewish." Listen today!

Episode Timecodes:

(41:45) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Spoiler alert: a guest co-host! Reservation Dogs actor Sarah Podemski joins Rabbi Shira and Josh to delve into Jethro's (the father-in-law, not the band) visit to Moses after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. What did Jethro teach Moses about how to lead his people and how to avoid burnout? What lessons can we learn, as well? We also discuss the new Netflix film You People.

Episode Time codes:

(03:50) Discussion of You People

(10:40) Diving into the Torah Portion of Yitro

(37:40) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

What to do when calling your mother is not just a pain, but painful. Rabbi Shira is back from Israel with insights and advice.

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Comedian, podcaster and “Subculture Vulture” Moshe Kasher joins Rabbi Shira and Hanna to help a listener pull (or not pull) a geographic.

More about Moshe Kasher

Listen to Moshe in conversation with Lauren Ober at Sixth & I.

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Saving seats at services is almost as old as Judaism itself. But should you do it?

A newly converted Jewish listener bristles at this convention and wonders if it’s ok to make her friends and family fend for themselves if they can’t make it on time. 

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As tragedies continue in Ukraine, Joshua & Rabbi Shira dedicate this episode to the 200K+ Jewish people who live there and are in harms way. The episode begins by letting people know the ways they can help and what Jewish relief organizations are lending their support. Then we are joined by Oksana Galkevich, born in Ukraine and as of the past few years living in Israel, who has assisted the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) with many operations in Ukraine and the Former Soviet Union.

Episode Timecodes:

(05:30) Rabbi Shira’s quick primer on the Jewish Worldwide Relief Organizations

(07:58) Interview with Oksana Galkevich

(27:40) Special Joint Meditation reading

A favorite from the archive!

Comedian, podcaster and “Subculture Vulture” Moshe Kasher joins Rabbi Shira and Hanna to help a listener pull (or not pull) a geographic.

More about Moshe Kasher

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Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are approaching and Rabbi Shira and Joshua want to help you prepare (and need to prepare ourselves).  We welcome Rabbi Toba Spitzer, author of "God is Here: Reimagining the Divine", to help figure out how to begin.

Episode Timecodes:

(07:35) Rabbi Toba Spitzer segment

(43:01) Rabba Tamar Elad-Appelbaum meditation

In March of 1922 in New York City, twelve year-old Judith Kaplan had the first ever Bat Mitzvah and we are here to celebrate this momentous occasion. Rabbi Shira tells Joshua about her own Bat Mitzvah and explains the reasoning for why this rite of passage occurs when it does. Our interview this episode is with Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Hermann, who works at SAJ, where Judith made history 100 years ago. We also sprinkle in other touching first-hand Bat Mitzvah stories for you to enjoy.

Episode Timecodes:

(05:17) Malina sisters share their Bat Mitzvah memories

(16:13) Interview with Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Hermann

(43:44) Rabbi Shira’s Bat Mitzvah Speech

On the eve of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Rabbi Shira asks a surprising question: Do we actually have to teach our kids about the Holocaust? (Spoiler Alert: She didn’t.)

She looks back at her own choices about Holocaust education and finds a way forward.

More resources for talking to your kids about the Holocaust and Antisemitism: 

Guidelines for Teaching The Holocaust 

Activities for Holocaust learning

Talking to Children About Antisemitism 

A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism

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Our first episode of 5783 is jam-packed. Rabbi Shira and Joshua open with author Nathan Englander, playwright Josh's new play, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank.

We then welcome Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World to help us figure out how to make things right with other human beings. Why are we so bad at saying sorry?

Episode Timecodes:

(00:30) Interview with Nathan Englander

(12:10) Interview with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

(50:20) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Joshua and Rabbi Shira reconvene after spending Passover seder with friends and family. As Yom HaShoah (Holocause Remembrance Day) approaches, we take this opportunity to hear an unforgettable family story from Esther Safran Foer and her son Franklin Foer about their ancestry that was affected by the Holocaust. Esther has written a book titled, “I Want You to Know We’re Still Here: A Post Holocaust Memoir” about her experiences.

Episode Timecodes:

(08:42) Interview with Esther and Franklin

(42:58) Rabbi Shira “Counts the Omer”

This week we step back and answer your questions. Listen to Rabbi Shira and Sarah Podemski dig into the ideas of spirituality, what it means to be Jewish, the tension between keeping kosher and protecting our environment, and "God's plan." A trigger warning: this podcast does discuss death by suicide at the 38:30 mark.

Episode Timecodes:

(50:15) - Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

A Bonus episode in which Josh and Rabbi Shira reflect upon this past weekend’s hostage situation at a synagogue in Texas.

…because on all other episodes we talk about what we want to talk about, but in THIS episode we talk about what you want to talk about! And never mind four, we answer SIX listener questions. Get your hosts’ takes on therapy, Luther, volunteerism, and more!

Episode Timecodes:

(40:05) Hrishikesh Hirway defines Hebrew & Yiddish terms used in our episode

(42:58) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Have you ever hid your Judaism? Whether for safety or comfort? A listener in France wonders if and when it’s ok to conceal your Jewish identity.

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The rabbi and Joshua get back to basics, taking a look at this week’s Torah portion, Nasso, and exploring Judaism’s perspectives on asceticism, charity, and humility.

Episode Timecode:

(34:08) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

What does Judaism (and the universe) have to say about dating and divorce? Dating BEFORE divorce? And are Jews better at New Year’s Resolutions? Rabbi Shira & Hanna are back to answer these questions and more.

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Live from Washington D.C.! 

Rabbi Shira and Hanna are answering your real life questions live at a special event in Washington D.C. – a city known for its scandal and intrigue. A married listener is having an affair and has no plans to stop. Should he still repent on Yom Kippur?

Special thanks to Adas Israel Congregation in Washington D.C.

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Do you suffer from Friendship FOMO? Heartburn, fatigue, painful stabs of jealousy while looking at Instagram? Rabbi Shira and Hanna will provide some relief. Podcast host and producer Lauren Ober writes in. And Shira lets out her inner mean girl.  

Biblical Moments of Jealousy: Exodus 20.5, Joseph & his brothers

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We're back to the beginning of the Chutzpod cycle with our second episode on Tu Bishvat! On this week's episode, Rabbi Shira and Joshua take on food insecurity and justice with Abby Leibman, CEO of MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger. Learn about the Israelites' hunger after crossing the Red Sea and what hunger looks like in today's America. Stick around at the end for a special teaching from Dr. Adrienne Krone from Allegheny College.

Episode Time codes:

(12:30) Abby Leibman Interview

(42:10) Dr. Krone Special Message

Are you Jewish enough? Too Jewish? Why are we Jews so judgy of one another? Rabbi Shira and Hanna receive a letter from a listener whose embrace of Judaism as an adult is making her less religious mother bristle.  

Read an example of Jewish judging in the Torah

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We'll be back with new episodes soon! But in the meantime, please enjoy this episode from last season. And keep your new questions coming! Email chutzpod@gmail.com if you need advice from Rabbi Shira and Hanna.

After her wife of more than two decades passed suddenly, our listener is struggling how to spend time by herself again, and how to tell her wonderful, well-meaning community to give her space.

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As you're buying gift after gift for Hannukah, enjoy this gem from our archives.

What to do when you want to teach your children gratitude, humility and the value of a dollar, but your mother’s “greatest joy in life” is spoiling them rotten. Rabbi Shira and Hanna talk about money myths, values and honoring thy father and mother. 

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Hanna asks the questions this week as we prepare for Passover. How do we tell and interpret the Passover story when it feels like we’re firmly stuck at the beginning of our own contemporary plight? Do we have the opportunity to have perhaps the most authentic seder any of us have had in our lived experience? Rabbi Shira has tips and wisdom for you as you prepare your own seders.

Add to your own Haggadot

And go out and learn!

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What is the purpose of a community? Rabbi Shira and Joshua look at this very simple yet complex question in this episode that aligns with the Torah portion “Vayakhel”. They are then joined by the esteemed author Wajahat Ali for his unique viewpoint on the subject.

Episode Timecodes:

(17:32) Wajahat Ali Interview

(41:07) Dule Hill & Jazmyn Simon define the Hebrew & Yiddish (and even Aramaic) terms used in our episode

(43:37) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

This week we finish our two-part series in partnership with Encounter honoring Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. We share stories from American Jews who found moments of humanity and mutual respect and understanding with Palestinians, helping to bridge the distance between cultures, countries, and continents. We also bid l'hitraot (see you soon!) to Josh as he leaves Chutzpod for other projects.

For our 2nd Sukkot themed episode, we examine the harvest side of the holiday as Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome on Gerardo Reyes Chavez, a key leader for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida. Gerardo has been working in the fields since he was eleven years old and shares the difficult perspective of being a worker of the land and their continuing struggle for basic human rights.

Episode Timecodes:

(07:05) Interview with Gerardo Reyes Chavez

(37:10) Rabbi's Shira's Guided Meditation

With the week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, as a guide, Rabbi Shira and Josh probe the Jewish take on lying — is it ever acceptable? And we are joined by Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who discusses his new book “Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy”.

Episode Timecodes:

(25:01) Mary McCormack defines Hebrew & Yiddish terms we mentioned

(28:02) Congressman Jamie Raskin Interview

(46:35) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

The Rabbi and Joshua welcome editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss his fascinating sit-down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his compound in Kyiv. Goldberg explains the similarities that Zelensky shares with many American Jews and why it is so noteworthy that Ukraine's President is Jewish at this particular time.

(09:02) Jeffrey Goldberg Interview

(33:47) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation as we count the Omer

We've begun the book of Exodus just in time to mark Martin Luther King Jr's birthday and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. This first parsha packs a lot in: Moses' birth, growing up Egyptian, the burning bush, and starting to fight against oppression. But it's the Hebrew and Egyptian women who really spark the first acts of civil disobedience--getting into good trouble. Learn more about the connections between MLK and the Civil Rights Movement and Exodus by listening today!

Episode Timecode:

(39:00) Guided Meditation by Rabbinic Student Evan Traylor

A special episode on October 7th:

A year after the attack by Hamas on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza, Rabbi Shira and Hanna mourn the loss of life and talk about what else has been lost in the trauma of ongoing war with an uncertain future. 

A young Jewish listener asks for advice on how to navigate tension between her two friend groups on opposite sides of the Israel debate.

Read Can We Talk About Israel by Dan Sokatch

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In our final episode before Thanksgiving, we welcome Sarah Podemski, an award-winning Anishnaabe and Ashkenzai artist and actress (Reservation Dogs). Before we get to it, Joshua and Rabbi Shira discuss this week's Torah portion Chayei Sarah about the life (and really the death) of our matriarch Sarah.

Episode Timecodes:

(6:15) Sarah Podemski Interview

(33:10) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

The next best thing to being in the synagogue with Rabbi Shira…Tune in to Rabbi Shira’s sermon for this year’s Yom Kippur. 

We want to live in a world of the everlasting yes--but what do we do when we get the terminal no, instead?

Read about the death and burial of Moses

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We're deep into Hanukkah and Joshua and Rabbi Shira share listener stories and advice on how to navigate the December holidays as an interfaith family or couple. Should your child have to wear Christmas pajamas to school? How do you integrate traditions and food? How much egg nog ice cream can Josh's parents eat? Find out all this and more in this week's episode.

Episode Time codes:

(03:30) Diving into Listener questions

(42:10) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Joshua get back to basics with a Torah discussion about parshat Lech Lecha on going forth. We discuss the duality of fire, the concept of being a blessing, and the dynamics between Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah).   


Episode Timecode:

(36:15) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

We've got a double parsha week everyone!  Join Rabbi Shira and Josh as they discuss Tazria-Metzora, one of the...grosser sections of the Torah. But worry not, this episode is not about skin disease but about gossip. Learn how the two are related, about the nature of gossip (hint: it's everywhere!), and when it's ok to talk about others.

Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss the giving of the Ten Commandments, and what it takes to be prepared for “revelation” in our lives. Then they kick back with actor-writer-director David Wain to discuss his connection to Judaism, and the Ten Commandments-inspired film he co-wrote and directed, “The Ten”.

Episode Timecodes:

(26:01) David Wain Interview

(46:30) Ken Marino defines the Hebrew & Yiddish terms we mentioned

(48:09) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Happy New Year and welcome back to Chutzpod! Rabbi Shira and Joshua wrap up the Joseph narrative and conclude the Book of Genesis. Will Joseph be able to forgive his brothers? Does restitution only come from honesty? We also discuss your response to our December Dilemma episode and the beauty of crying.

Episode Timecodes:

(36:00) Rabbis Shira's Guided Meditation

This past week saw the 5th Anniversary of the frightening and tragic "Unite the Right" Rally in Charlottesville, VA. Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by Amy Spitalnick.

Amy is the Integrity First for America’s Executive Director, the organization that successfully spearheaded the lawsuit and the broader fight against white supremacy and extremism at this crucial moment for democracy.

Episode Timecodes:

(12:03) Amy Spitalnick interview

(45:05) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira Stutman and Hanna Rosin are back with new episodes for Season 5 of Chutzpod. They kick things off by answering a question from a listener named Moshe. His mother insisted he receive a “super Jewy name,” but what does Judaism say about this? What makes a name Jewish? And can we just name our kids Tom, Dick or Harry?

Read about Sarah naming Isaac

Read about Leah naming her children

Read about the Jewish concept of three names

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Friendsgiving plans got you down? Enjoy one of our favorite recent episodes...

While you listen, please make a contribution to support this podcast you love! 

Do you suffer from Friendship FOMO? Heartburn, fatigue, painful stabs of jealousy while looking at Instagram? Rabbi Shira and Hanna will provide some relief. Podcast host and producer Lauren Ober writes in. And Shira lets out her inner mean girl.  

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Is a Jewish Santa kosher? Rabbi Shira & Hanna Rosin ponder the ethics of Christmas cosplay in this very merry episode.

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Hanna talks to Rabbi Shira about her new book The Jewish Way to a Good Life. She distills thousands of years of Jewish wisdom into practical, time-tested strategies for living a more meaningful life and reminds us: You don’t have to be Jewish to do Jewish. And she tells us how.

Get Shira’s book!

See Shira in conversation with David Brooks 

Read the story about crashing your rabbi's marital bed

Read more about Shabbat and rest

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Join Rabbi Shira and Hanna Rosin in a short discussion on the fraught politics of seeking comfort if you are mourning for Israel. Why, in social justice circles, is expressing sympathy for Israelis, even in a tragic moment like this, complicated? Where should you seek comfort? If you're an ally how should you provide it? Can you feel for both Israelis and Palestinians?

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Rabbi Shira and Hanna talk with Franklin Foer about his cover story for The Atlantic, which argues that Anti-Semitism is threatening to end a “Golden Era” for Jewish Americans.

Read Frank’s piece

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Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by award winning filmmaker Ken Burns to discuss his upcoming documentary called "The U.S. and the Holocaust" that will premiere on PBS on September 18th.

Episode Timecode:

(05:02) Ken Burns Interview

(32:30) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

Our hosts welcome the Queen of TikTok Talmud to the show, and they discuss the Golden Calf, feeling lost without a leader, and the rabbi under your bed.

Episode Timecodes:

(18:20) Miriam Anzovin Interview

(39:21) James Roday Rodriguez defines Hebrew/Yiddish terms used in the episode

(42:18) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

The decision to have children is often difficult, but what about the decision to have MORE children? Rabbi Shira and Hanna advise a listener on what they think and Judaism says about having a third kid, and whether they regret having their own (spoiler: they don’t).

More:

Genesis 1:28

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A listener’s friend insists that the Jews killed Jesus. How should she respond? And why does this myth continue to hurt? Rabbi Shira and Hanna talk about weaponizing myths, conspiracies, and the always helpful “I” statements.

More on dispelling that myth

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Ever wondered what an actual rabbi thinks about the temple board? What makes some temple communities work and others fail? Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener figure out whether or not to join her temple board.

Read more about Jewish responsibility to the community

Read more about Jewish leadership

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This season on Chutzpod! Rabbi Shira Stutman and Hanna Rosin dive into all things high holidays. How do you really start over in the new year. How can you forgive others if you can't forgive yourself on Yom Kippur. And what should we think about snakes (and dogs) on a plane? 

New episodes launch September 4th. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss a thing. 

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As Purim begins at sunset on Wednesday, “Chutzpod!” follows suit. This is a unique episode as you will hear a live Zoom taping where Joshua & Shira were joined by a legion of the “Chutzsquad”. Multiple guests came by as we do our best to fulfill all of the Purim Mitzvot (Commandments). Coming your way are Megillah Readings, the “Jewish or Antisemitic” game show, virtual costume changes, drinking games, Larry David stories, raising money to feed the less fortunate, and so much more all in under an hour.

Episode Timecodes:

(00:00) Purim Shpiel

(08:57) First Megillah Reading by Scott Weiner

(09:46) Elon Gold (Actor) swings by

(23:11) Second Megillah Reading by Scott Weiner

(25:30) Eitan Levine (Comedian) leads “Jewish or Antisemitic” Game Show

(35:10) Third Megilah Reading by Scott Weiner

(39:45) Fourth Megillah Reading by Scott Weiner

(43:18) Joshua’s Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a couple navigate the decision to donate their embryos. They’d like to give the gift to a Jewish family. They’d like to maintain close contact. Are mitzvahs still mitzvahs if you have an ulterior motive?

More on Judaism & Fertility

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Rabbi Shira and Hanna read a letter from a listener who has been nagging her husband to go to the doctor for over a decade. What does Judaism say about being responsible for your partner? And are we commanded to be good patients?

Read more Maimonides on medicine

Read more on health care in Judaism

Read about the commandments to take care of yourself

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What’s to be done when the Torah text we revere appears problematic? Dig deeper! Rabbi Shira guides Joshua through the challenges of this week’s portion, Pinchas, and what it has to say about interfaith marriages.

Episode Timecode:

(36:15) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Mediation

On this week's episode of Chutzpod, Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome Korin Arkin of the National Human Trafficking Hotline and Noel Gomez of the Organization for Prostitution Survivors to learn about what human trafficking and modern day slavery look like. It's a heavy episode, but important listening to understand that the Exodus story is not a thing of the past. Listen today to learn more about what is happening all around us and what you can do to help.

Episode Timecodes:

(06:00) Interview with Noel Gomez & Korin Arkin

(35:00) Closing Nigun by Yosef Goldman

As Passover has arrived, we welcome to the Chutzpod! Seder Table a very different Jewish background and perspective from Shira & Joshua. Rabbi Sandra Lawson is one of the world’s first African American, queer, female rabbis. She works with Reconstructing Judaism to help it realize its deeply held aspiration of becoming an anti-racist organization and movement.

Episode Timecodes:

(03:51) Rabbi Sandra Lawson Interview

(34:42) Rabbi Shira’s Reads a Moving Speech from Alla Gutnikova

The Exodus story continues, and with it, questions about what oppression does to both the oppressed and the oppressor, and the importance of breath in pushing back against injustice. We also coin the term "vicious squiggles," critically important for understanding any religious or political movement in history.

Our hosts discuss the upcoming festival of Passover, and the symbols and goals of a meaningful seder. Plus, Rabbi Shira chats with The Sporkful's Dan Pashman about Passovers past, and a spiritual connection to eating.

Episode Timecodes:

(20:32) Dan Pashman Interview

(39:27) John Ross Bowie defines Hebrew & Yiddish terms used in our episode

(44:35) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Joshua shine a spotlight on the surprisingly esoteric Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which is coming up in early June. A tradition of the holiday is to stay up all night studying Torah and in that spirit, we welcome on Rabba Yaffa Epstein and Rabbi David Schuck.

Episode Timecodes:

(00:00) Rabbi Shira’s thoughts after the shooting in Texas

(13:44) Rabba Yaffa Epstein and Rabbis David Schuck join the show

(46:01) Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation and Counting of the Omer

Dogs on a plane are kosher, but are they annoying? Rabbi Shira and Hanna kick off a new season and Elul with a Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot celebration. What are the Jewish ethics around animals? Is the Torah ableist? Bring your apples, honey, and dog biscuits and tune in.

See Chutzpod! live in D.C.! 

Read more about Jewish pet names

Read more about Rosh Hahanah LaBehemah 

Learn about ableism in the Torah 

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Rabbi Shira and Hanna fire through a bunch of your letters and voice memos. Shira imagines having an audience with the Pope. Hanna reimagines her concept of Jewish power. And, yet another plug for the mikvah. 

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We are thankful for YOU! Enjoy this recent episode with gratitude. And if you're thankful for Chutzpod please consider making a donation to support the show.

Rabbi Shira and Hanna are joined by Rabbi Sharon Brous to talk about what she calls the “The Amen Effect” – what it means to be heard and seen during times of joy and grief and how a deeper connection to the Jewish community can actually help us cross tribal lines. Rabbi Brous is the founder of IKAR, an influential progressive Jewish congregation in Los Angeles and the author of The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World.

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A pastor expresses private support for his Jewish friends, but they ask him to make it public. He is squeamish…he could alienate members of his own congregation. How does he say no without ruining a friendship? And is he being antisemitic? Join Rabbi Shira and Hanna Rosin as they dive into when it’s ok to say no, and what is and isn’t antisemitic.

Read: How to tell when criticism of Israel is actually anti-Semitism

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This week is our first of two episodes in partnership with Encounter in honor of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israeli Memorial Day and Independence Day, respectively). We share the stories of two Israelis and two Palestinians on their experience seeing "the other," and how it has helped them believe a different future is possible. This is a must-listen episode; we hope you return to it again and again. 

Can three be the magic number in a Jewish marriage? Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener understand what Judaism says about marriage and polyamory. 

More about Jewish polyamory

Rachel Adler’s Brit Ahuvim

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There's something titillating about secrets in Judaism, but should we have them? Rabbi Shira and Hanna help a listener who wants to unburden a big secret with her father.

More on secrets of the Torah

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Rabbi Shira makes a passionate plea to reclaim the holiday of Purim away from just the kids. But what does Jewish debauchery even look like? And why does it give Hanna the ick? 

Rabbi Shira and Hanna talk to “Sabbath Queen” Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, co-founder of LabShul,  about his family story, drag and finding Jewish joy in dark times…even for us adults.

See Sabbath Queen

Read The Book of Esther

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Don’t pack away those NYE decorations just yet! Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss Tu Bishvat, the Jewish “New Year of the Trees.”  They’ll help you spruce up your observance with new ways to celebrate an ancient holiday. Also, we book our first guest, and it’s Santa Claus. No, really.

Episode Timecodes:

(15:30) Mark Donovan Interview

(48:10) Scott Foley defines Hebrew/Yiddish terms used on the podcast

(51:05) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Rabbi Shira and Joshua react to Election Night and tie it into this week's Torah portion of Vayera. We also welcome on Jodi Rudoren, editor in chief of The Forward, to discuss how she handles criticism from all corners of the Internet, her experiences at the New York Times, and her take on the hamentashen vs. latke debate.

Episode Timecodes:

(15:30) - Jodi Rudoren Interview

(41:45) - Rabbi Shira's Guided Meditation

A Grandma asks Rabbi Shira and Hanna how to share Jewish traditions with her grandchildren. How can she share these traditions without overstepping? How can she be a Jewish grandparent at a distance?

Resources for Jewish grandparents: 

Jewish Grandparents Network

PJ Library

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What to do when you want to teach your children gratitude, humility and the value of a dollar, but your mother’s “greatest joy in life” is spoiling them rotten. Rabbi Shira and Hanna talk about money myths, values and honoring thy father and mother.

The Torah on Money 

Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Kiddushin 31b

Rav Asi had an elderly mother. She said to him: “I want jewelry.” He made jewelry for her. “I want a man,” and he said: I will seek one for you. “I want a husband who is as handsome as you.” He left her…and went to Israel.

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