HevriaCast: Talking With Awesome Creative Jews (Hevria)

It's episode 1 of Hevria's first podcast! In this episode, Elad chats with the fabulous artist Yitzchok Moully about everything from his work to what it really means to be a creative Jew to how to stand out as a creative. We can't wait for you to enjoy! Portrait by the great Marko Dashev. Music in the intro and outro by Darshan.

Painter, musician, awesome creative Jew. AKA: Noah Lubin. In episode 2 of HevriaCast, Elad and Noah talk about everything from what the essence of creativity is to the Little Prince to how to motivate ourselves as creatives.

MaNishtana joins HevriaCast for its third episode, in which he and Elad discuss how to balance politics and art, comic books, and when to listen to your audience (and when not to). And, of course, what IS this thing called Jewish creativity?

Rishe Groner, a writer who stirred things up quite a bit last year on the Hevria blog when she wrote about being harassed on the streets of Crown Heights, opens up about the piece some more, the difficulties that come with speaking up about the orthodox community, and being true to your beliefs.

Hasidic comedian Mendy Pellin gets serious (but not too serious) about his craft, dealing with criticism, and how to impact the world with your art.

Hannah Roodman used to produce films and campaigns for people like Alicia Keys and organizations like the UN. Today, she has radically redeveloped her approach to creativity by focusing on creating intimate in-person communities, most notably with her organization BeingWith_. Discover why Hannah has chosen to go from "big" to personal, why she feels the categories the world has put on us are far too limiting, and why she sees empowering others to be creative as a deeply spiritual act in this latest podcast.

Eli Schwebel, a musician who has made a huge mark on the orthodox Jewish world, joins us this week. In this HevriaCast, we discuss the difference between creativity and expression, how Jewish identity fits into creativity, and whether everyone can actually be creative or not.

Meet Amy Guterson, the founder and director of Tzohar, a Hasidic seminary for the arts. Hear how her program was started, how she found out that spirituality and the arts work together to make us better people, and how the Hasidic world is starting to embrace the arts, all in this powerful episode.

Leah Gottfried, creator of "Soon By You", joins us this week to talk about balancing an orthodox life in the secular creative world and a creative life in the orthodox world. Drawing on her experience acting on television as well as being determined to be an actress in a community that often discouraged her dreams, the conversation revolves around the importance of creative communities, how to grow as an artist even when faced with challenges, and more. Episode 4 of "Soon By You" premieres this Thursday! Catch up with the episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxDfmL4kiek&list=PLCGQM1zwcGG2x7qh_Hn2jSvSR6f7dNCjY And if you're in New York City, you can go to the premiere party this Wednesday! Find out more info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1817309771629527/

If you've ever read a piece on the hit Jewish parenting site Kveller, it probably passed through the careful and caring hands of Molly Tolsky, who until recently was its editor. She will soon be launching a new site in partnership with Kveller called Alma. The first half of this episode is devoted to discussing the challenges and joys of creating work for a less religiously engaged Jewish audience. And in the second half Elad and Molly discuss the power of fear in the creative process. Get a sneak peak of Alma on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/heyalmacom/ Read Kveller here: http://kveller.com

In this special episode of HevriaCast, Elad interviews Brad Hirschfield, the president of Clal. Clal is a pluralist Jewish organization that oversees projects like "Rabbis Without Borders". In addition, it happens to be where Elad works, and is the fiscal sponsor of Hevria. But that's not what this episode is about. Rather, it's an exploration into the deeper creative ideas behind Brad's work. Things like the idea of "service vs. sales" and how to create a Jewish world that becomes more focused on love than on fear. Brad has two podcasts you can follow: 1. "6 Minutes With Brad Hirschfield": https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1224330760 2."Cracking The Echo Chamber": https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cracking-the-echo-chamber/id1229222081?mt=2

Connecting revelation and creativity. Seeing how context affects the creative work we put out into the world. Exploring the spiritual power of bubblegum pop. All of this and more in this episode of HevriaCast featuring Miriam Brosseau. Miriam, whose LinkedIn bio calls out "Communication is an act of creation," is the Director of Engagement at See3. She also happens to be the lead singer of Stereo Sinai, a band she formed with her husband to explore the Torah through pop music. And she is a master of online communication. All this and more is what she brought to this episode. Enjoy!

"I find people to be the most beautiful things in the world." This quote from this week's HevriaCast is perhaps the best way to sum up our guest: Rochel Spangenthal. Rochel, the first regular Hevria writer to guest on Hevria's podcast, goes very deep into her way of looking at the world and how we can all improve our own. In this epic episode, Rochel discusses her world travels, how we can all become more present in our lives, and the power of holding on to the freshness of childhood.

While many of HevriaCast's recent guests have been discussing how to make Judaism more creative, Erika Dreifus's mission has been to make the creative world more Jewish. Erika has been blogging back before it was cool, both about writing and Jewish writing. And her thoughts expressed in this episode are an invaluable look into dealing with the tension between the desire to "succeed" in a secular setting while also embracing our personal identities. You can find Erika on her personal website: http://www.erikadreifus.com/ And on her two writing blogs: "Practicing Writing": http://www.erikadreifus.com/blogs/practicing-writing/ "My Machberet": http://www.erikadreifus.com/blogs/my-machberet/ Here are the links to some of the articles mentioned in this podcast: "After the MFA: Fantasy, Reality, and Lessons Learned": https://www.pw.org/content/after_the_mfa_fantasy_reality_and_lessons_learned Junot Diaz on "MFA vs. POC": http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/mfa-vs-poc Erika's poem about meeting deadlines early: http://www.sundaysalon.com/punktlichkeit.htm

What's the difference between being an artist making Jewish art and a Jew who does art? In this latest HevriaCast episode, Saul Sudin (co-producer of "Punk Jews" and co-founder of Jewish Art Now) explores his own journey exploring this question. You can find out more about Saul Sudin on his website: http://saulsudin.com Watch the complete "Punk Jews" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c29lJ3U_A0 Saul's latest photography project, Body Narratives, can now be viewed at Think Coffee on 73 8th Ave in Manhattan.

The Jewish Woodstock. That's what the Times of Israel calls Ian Leifer's fabulously ambitious Jewish music festival, The Camping Trip, taking place this weekend. And with a lineup including Matisyahu, Levi Robin, Zusha, and more, it would seem absolutely accurate. So, what inspired this project? How did Ian, someone who considers himself only having begun to take his Judaism "seriously" in the last 6 months, decide to commit to a project he's been building over the last few years? Find out in this latest episode of HevriaCast. Find out more about The Camping Trip and buy tickets on their website: http://thecampingtrip.net/

This week, Hevria's own Stephanie Wellen Levine joins Elad in the studio. And, if you know anything about Stephanie and Elad, you'll know exactly what the topic of this week was: death. From why no one else seems to be obsessed with it to contemplating the extinction of humanity, Elad and Stephanie go dark and yet somehow manage to be super joyful about the discussion itself. Enjoy! Or don't. We won't take it personally. You can buy Stephanie's first memoir about her time living in Crown Heights here: https://www.amazon.com/Mystics-Mavericks-Merrymakers-Intimate-Journey/dp/0814751970 And you can read her work on Hevria here: http://hevria.com/author/stephanielevine/

Dalia Shusterman, one of the two members of the revolutionary Bulletproof Stockings, a Hasidic band made up only of women that made a big splash when they started playing big venues with one requirement: only women could come. In this episode, Dalia tells the first part of her story: how it seemed that no matter what she did, she was drawn towards a life of music. Join us as we explore her fascinating quest, from leaving home at sixteen to devote herself to music to her constant feeling that her creative side and her spiritual side were in conflict.

Can politics and creativity coexist? And if they can, where do they meet in an authentic way? In this episode of HevriaCast, Chloé Valdary, an outspoken voice in the world of Zionism and someone known for her activism, discusses why she has "given up" politics and now sees her work as art. And it is in this change that she shares her answers to the questions above and much more. Find Chloe: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloesimonevaldary/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cvaldary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cvaldary/

What can Chassidus teach us about music? What can music teach us about Chassidus? And how does one make sure to tap into a holy part of themselves when they create any form of art? In this episode, Yisroel Arye Gootblatt of the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors joins Elad for a discussion about these issues and so much more. Go to the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors record release this Sunday! https://www.facebook.com/events/1485333948201814/ Find the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/brooklynjazzwarriors/ And check out Yisroel Arye's project, Sound Heights Records here: https://soundheightsrecords.com/

After taking a break for Tishrei, HevriaCast returns with its first second-time guest: Dalia Shusterman. In her first visit to HevriaCast, Dalia told us how she became a musician.  In this episode, she tells us how a rock star going on world tours started to explore Judaism, and take the road towards quitting her rock star life to get married, move to LA, and live the married observant life. Dalia Shusterman was one of the forces behind Bulletproof Stockings, a revolutionary Hasidic all-female band, who has recently started a new project called the New Moon All Stars Party Band, another Hasidic all-female band. Listen to Dalia's first visit to HevriaCast here: http://hevria.com/hevria/dalia-shusterman/ And find out about the New Moon All Stars Party Band here: https://www.facebook.com/NewMoonAllStars/

Rachel Kann, one of Hevria's original writers, finally joins Elad in the studio for this episode of HevriaCast. Rachel brings her sparkling, powerful energy to this episode, discussing everything from how the feminine is spreading, what spirituality really is, and what makes art transcendent. Rachel Kann is a poet, dancer, Zumba teacher, writing teacher, priestess-in-training, podcaster, and much more. Find Rachel on her website: http://rachelkann.com/ On Hevria: http://hevria.com/author/rachel/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msrachelkann/ And on her podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/out-with-rachel/id1246306399

Is creativity just therapy? What does creativity offer to the world... and to creatives? Is there a way for creativity to truly be Jewish? In this episode, Yocheved Sidof, founder of Lamplighters Yeshivah and writer for Hevria, delves into these questions and more with Elad. Come listen. Find out more about Lamplighters: https://www.lamplightersyeshivah.org/ Read Yocheved's writing: http://hevria.com/yocheved/

What does it mean to be masculine? And to live that masculinity out in a Jewish way? These are the questions that led Eitan Press to found Aleph Male, a new beard balm company that's been making waves in the Jewish press. We explore these questions and much more, including how starting a business is an act of creative bravery, how to inspire people, and the power of living in Israel as a creative Jew, in the latest episode of HevriaCast.

Elad meets his match! In this episode of HevriaCast, Elad interviews and speaks with his wife, Rivka. Rivka is an artist, writer, and much more. In this episode, they discuss everything from how Chassidus is similar to creativity, why so many people have trouble producing art, and learning how to absorb critical comments without letting them destroy your creativity. Find Rivka's art here: http://www.rivka.gallery/ Read Rivka's writing here: http://hevria.com/author/rivka/ Learn more about ArtWarming here: https://www.artwarmingcards.com/

Jeremy Borovitz, leader of Base Berlin and Brooklyn Beit Midrash, drops in to speak with Elad about how he became orthodox, how the Talmud and creativity have so much in common, and how to balance being alone with the need to connect with others in order to truly be both spiritual and creative.

What started off as a friendly chat between two mutual admirers of each other's creativity quickly turned into something far more intense. As Jon Madof (lead guitarist of the band Zion80) started discussing how much of his music was inspired by Shlomo Carlebach, the talk turned into a discussion about the abuse allegations that have plagued Carlebach since his death. And, in turn, the responsibility of artists in the age of #MeToo. Find out more about Jon's band Zion80 here: https://zion80.com/ And find out about Jon's new record label, Chant Records, here: https://chantrecords.com/

A few months ago, the documentary "One of Us" came out on Netflix, and shook the orthodox world along with its release. The movie detailed the stories of three young Jews who had made the decision to leave their Hasidic communities, and the aftermath of their choices. One of those subjects was Ari Hershkowitz. In the movie, we see young Ari not just struggling with his own beliefs and place in the world, but also addiction and the trauma of sexual assault. In this episode, Ari discusses what his life has been like since the movie followed his life, the effect it had on his life, why he thinks many choose to leave their Hasidic lives, and much more. You can follow Ari on... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arih.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arihershkowitz/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/arihershkowitz

Asher Lovy, abuse advocate and writer, sits down with Elad to talk about how activism and creativity are connected, his road to choosing take on activism, whether you need negativity to inspire art, and how we as a Jewish community need to approach Carlebach. Find Asher's activist group for abuse victims in the orthodox world here: https://www.facebook.com/zaakah/ Read his blog here: https://hareiani.com/ And read his guest posts on Hevria here: http://hevria.com/author/asherlovy/

What happens when we start actually giving voice to those who don't fit with the prevailing mainstream narrative of a culture? What happens when it's a culture with a distinct narrative pushed by the mainstream... like the Jewish community? This is one of the biggest questions discussed in this episode, featuring Isaiah Rothstein, a young rabbi who grew up in a multiracial Chabad family in Monsey, ahd who now advocates for so many different voices through his work. Hear this, as well as Isaiah's beautiful rap, in this thoughtful new episode of HevriaCast. Find out more about Isaiah by following him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isaiah.y.rothstein Find out more about his organization "Union Street Sanctuary" here: https://www.facebook.com/UnionStreetSanctuary/ And find out about Be'chol Lashon, where Isaiah is a Rabbi-in-Residence here: https://www.facebook.com/bechollashon/

How does one live creatively? How do we make our life a piece of art? And why is it so hard? These are the questions that form the basis for this discussion with Irwin Kula in this week's HevriaCast. Irwin Kula is a rabbi and the co-president of Clal (Hevria is fiscally sponsored by Clal). In 2008, Irwin was named the 7th most influential rabbi in America by Newsweek. It is this deep, creative wisdom he brings both to this discussion and to his work in Jewish innovation. Find out about Clal here: http://clal.org Find out about Irwin's latest project, the Glean incubator, here: http://clal.org/project/glean/

What the heck is music exactly? Why does it touch some part of us that feels beyond earthly? Why is it so connected to prayer? In this episode, the legendary Basya Schechter joins Elad to discuss all this and so much more. Check out Basya's new album "Raza" with Darshan (the band featured in our intro!) here: https://darshan.bandcamp.com/album/raza Learn more about Darshan here: http://www.darshanproject.com/ See Darshan perform in New York on March 21st: https://www.facebook.com/events/1952951351588930/

Eden Pearlstein of Darshan fame joins Elad to discuss what it means to be a fringe artist and Jew in a world where the fringe is often considered dangerous. Check out Eden's new album "Raza" with Darshan (the band featured in our intro!) here: https://darshan.bandcamp.com/album/raza Learn more about Darshan here: http://www.darshanproject.com/ See Darshan perform in New York on March 21st: https://www.facebook.com/events/1952951351588930/

Emilia Cataldo, also known by her stage name of Nehedar, talks about how acid led her to religion, the power of being an outsider as an artist, what artists and activists have in common, and so much more. Find Nehedar on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nehedarmusic/ And SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/nehedar

Can a businessman be creative? Can a business itself be creative? If so, what does all that reveal about creativity itself? In the latest episode of HevriaCast, Elad is joined by Naftali Hanau, founder and CEO of Grow and Behold, an organic kosher meat provider that has been making waves in the Jewish community. Enjoy! You can find Grow and Behold at the website: https://www.growandbehold.com/

Ever since her "Illustrated Pirkei Avot" took the Jewish world by storm, Jessica Deutsch has become one of the most well-known and groundbreaking artists in the Jewish world. It is no surprise, then, that she has a lot to share about creativity, and especially creativity in the Jewish world. From how illustrations can help us better navigate our ability to live as Jews to the power of process over product to why artists should do "secret projects," this discussion between Elad and Tamar is rich with discussions about all forms of spiritual creativity. Visit Jessica's website here: http://www.jessicatdeutsch.com/ Follow Jessica on Instagram here:https://www.instagram.com/jessica_tamar_deutsch/

Meet Rabbi Sam Reinstein, the rabbi at Congregation Kol Israel in Brooklyn. In recent years, Sam has helped CKI grow from an aging shul to a revitalized, modern, and creative one known for its art galleries, "Jewish Comic Con," and interfaith storytelling nights. In this episode, Sam and Elad discuss how he helped innovate these transformations, which then evolves into a discussion about the nature of creativity and why it even applies to the work of being a rabbi. Find out about CKI here: http://ckibrooklyn.org/ Follow CKI's art events here: https://www.facebook.com/brooklynjewishartgallery/ Read Sam's writing here: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/sam-reinstein/

How can artistic baalei teshuva find their way in the religious world? Is silencing ever the right option? How can they affect the world beyond? These questions and much more are the focus of a freewheeling conversation between Elad and Sruli Broocker and Gedaliah Aronson, both members of the band Chillent based in Pittsburgh. Find out more about Chillent on their website: http://www.chillentband.com/ Listen to and buy their albums on Bandcamp: https://chillentfunk.bandcamp.com/ And read David Karpel's review of their work on Hevria: http://hevria.com/davidkarpel/cookin-with-chillent/

Imagine a form of art that actually incorporates the audience, and that combines it all with the sacred texts of the world. This is exactly the kind of theater that Jon Adam Ross, founder of The In[heir]itance Project, has created. Hear about his vision, the power of diversity in creativity, and what sacred text even is in the latest HevriaCast episode.

HevriaCast is back! And this time, we're featuring two very special people. First is Henny Stern, a dancer leading the AccepDance movement. And second is our wonderful guest host, Rivka Nehorai! In this episode, they discuss the history behind somatic therapy and holistic dance, Henny's experiences of personal revelation in unexpected places, the Jewish relationship with the sensual world, and so much more. Enjoy!

We're back for season 2! And in honor of our return, we're so honored to bring Leah Gottfried of "Soon By You" fame back to the show. In this episode Leah and Elad discuss how art can model healthy communication. And, of course, how it can save the world. Enjoy!

Frum Instagram star Adina Miles (aka Flatbush Girl) made a splash when she spoke out against women being erased from orthodox publications. Since then, she has continued to raise controversy in the orthodox world in her own funny, unique way. In this episode of HevriaCast, Elad speaks with her about the reasons she approaches her social media presence in this way, and how her creative approach has made an impact that others haven't. You can follow Flatbush Girl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flatbushgirl/ And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flatbushgirl/

Bram Presser, the mind behind the Jewish band Yidcore, is now exploring a new avenue of his creativity: his writing. His debut novel, "The Book of Dirt" has reached critical acclaim in Australia, and is now coming to the US. Hear all about his life as a punk rocker where Hasidim, secular Jews, and skinheads would come together to watch his shows. And hear about the unique process he went through to create his novel. Enjoy!

Emily Zimmer has been making music for as long as she can remember. In this episode of HevriaCast, she talks to guest host, Rivka Nehorai about the release of her first EP, the extraordinary power of music, and how her struggle with Kol Isha almost ended her singing career. Listen to the complete EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/70nvrNm62A9LbW4bvxAdLx?fbclid=IwAR1AttUdD8ulzOsbc-9IUfoeru5CkZ5IaOuI4O4h3KdaWaHEkWzuN7liamA Find more of Emily's music on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyCreatesMusic/ Read Emily's Hevria pieces: http://hevria.com/author/emilyzimmer/

For almost a decade, Chani Lisbon has been delighting audiences with her quirky brand of stand up comedy. In this episode, she talks to Elad about what it means to be a queer, Jewish woman, her constant battle with loneliness, and how telling jokes on stage is one of her favorite forms of therapy. Follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/chani_lisbon/ Check out her monthly comedy show at: http://donyc.com/events/2018/11/19/chani-and-cher-show-stand-up-comedy

Chanan and Elisheva Maister are a former married couple who remain close friends. In this episode, they speak with Elad about the roles that both Orthodoxy and creativity played in their marriage and eventual divorce.

Rivka teams up with writer Merri Ukraincik on a deep roller coaster of thought, discussing everything from being gilgulim, the everlasting power of physical objects, Jewish life in turbulent times, and why the Orthodox world needs to show women's faces. Find Merri's writing on her personal website: https://merriukraincik.com/ Photo credit to Shira Lankin Sheps and The Layers Project.

Rivka and Annita discuss the swerving journey of an artist unexpectedly finding her creative path, and duke it out over how to educate people in the arts and the strengths and limitations of being in a creative community. Learn more about Annita's work on the upcoming animated film, Milkweed: http://www.milkweedthemovie.com/ Find out more about all the amazing things that Annita does here: http://www.annitasoble.com/new/

Director Paula Eiselt talks about the experience of making 93 Queen, how she used the "hurdles" of being an observant woman as her strengths, and how creating the movie helped her realize the importance of making changes from within the Hasidic world. To learn more about 93 Queen: https://www.93queen.com/ Watch the movie here: http://www.pbs.org/pov/93queen/video-93queen/ To support Ezras Nashim: https://www.ezras-nashim.org/ Follow Paula Eiselt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulaeiselt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizelt/?hl=en And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=832716 Photo Credit: https://thelayersprojectmagazine.com/

Singer/Songwriter Taali talks about how music brought her back to Judaism, making songs that touch the soul, and the secret to her longevity. Follow Taali online: Website: https://www.taalimusic.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5SkhihNXZNPmooUcbSVZho Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musictaali Instagram: http://instagram.com/taalimusic

Elad talks to Jeremy Borovitz, leader of Base Berlin, about the difficulties of making real friends later in life and how to form relationships with people of different political and ideological viewpoints. For more on Jeremy and Base Berlin: https://baseberlin.wordpress.com/about/

Lenore Mizrachi Cohen is a Syrian-American Jewish conceptual artist whose latest exhibition, Culture Shock, discusses the ways in which people weave together their past and traditional values with their present and contemporary culture. Rivka and Lenore also discuss the dynamics of the Brooklyn Syrian-Jewish community, negative and positive reactions to Lenore's work, and how to embrace doing conceptual, out-of-the-ordinary artwork. Find out more about Lenore and her work: https://www.lenorecohen.com/