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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yosef Bronstein—a rabbi, writer, and scholar—about the philosophy of Chabad and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
For much of the Jewish world, the Chabad movement plays a part in our lives, but it’s not necessarily something we understand deeply. Rabbi Bronstein, author of the newly published Engaging the Essence: The Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Koren), helps us fix that. In this episode we discuss:
Heaven on Earth Reflections on the theology of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Faitel LevinHalakhic Man by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
18Forty Podcast: “Yosef Bronstein: Rav Tzadok & Rav Kook on Jewish History”
Open Secret by Elliot R. Wolfson
The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference by David Berger
“Bittul Torah or a Taste of the World To Come? Fathers and Young Children” by Yosef Bronstein
Transcripts are typically available the week an episode is released.
We talk to Elliot Kaufman about what happened inside Israel’s war room after October 7 and how Israel came to lose the battle over its own story.
We talk to Rabbi YY Jacobson about how each of us can experience redemptive consciousness by feeling Hashem’s infinite love and presence in this moment.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author Bruce Feiler about family narratives.
Rabbi Shmuel Braun joins us to discuss spirituality and free will.
Gedale Fenster joins us to discuss how to live a life of unshakeable faith and joy.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rav Moshe Weinberger, rabbi and educator, to discuss the role of mysticism in modern-day Judaism.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin opens up about his mental health journey.
In this episode, we talk to a father and daughter who were estranged and then reunited.
As a Haredi woman of the Israeli left, Nechumi Yaffe lives between a few different worlds—and she feels at home in Israel’s new “Religious Left” movement.
Talking about the “Haredi community” is a misnomer, Jonathan Rosenblum says, and simplifies its diversity of thought and perspectives.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Joey Rosenfeld, social worker and kabbalist, to talk about the differences between mysticism and rationalism and the roles they should play in our lives.
We talk to Michael Eisenberg about the state of the Jewish People in Israel and the diaspora.
Dovid Bashevkin and Nachi Weinstein discuss the ideas behind Bashevkin’s book ‘I Read This Over Shabbos.’
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Menachem Penner—dean of RIETS at Yeshiva University—and his son Gedalia—a musician, cantor-in-training, and member of the LGBTQ community—about their experience in reconciling their family’s religious tradition with Gedalia’s sexual orientation.
Sagui Dekel-Chen was held hostage in Gaza for 498 days—or 43 million seconds. He came home on Feb. 18.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Liel Leibovitz and Lisa Ann Sandell about what happens when one partner wants to increase their religious practice.
Haviv answers 18 questions on Israel.
Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer answers 18 questions on Israel, including the Haredi draft, Israel as a religious state, Messianism, and so much more.
Efraim Palvanov answers questions on misinformation, prayer as self-reflection, and every Jew’s role in bringing Mashiach.
The true enemy in Israel’s current war, Einat Wilf says, is what she calls “Palestinianism.”
We do our best to have transcripts available the week an episode is released.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ora Wiskind, professor and author, to discuss her life journey, both as a Jew and as an academic, and her attitude towards mysticism.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Daniel Grama—rabbi of Westside Shul and Valley Torah High School—and his daughter Aliza—a former Bais Yaakov student and recovered addict—about navigating their religious and other differences.
On this episode of 18Forty, we have a frank conversation with author Kayla Haber-Goldstein about her personal, painful journey to find God.
At some point, my husband and I will need to tell my children that I’m agnostic. But for now, we’re focused on…
What temporary spaces can reveal about attention, exposure, and the experience of not knowing.
Can Jewish fiction make sense of October 7?
Perhaps the most fundamental question any religious believer can ask is: “Does God exist?” It’s time we find good answers.
Silicon Valley promises ethical AI. But do we even know how to raise ethical children?
Parshat Shemot introduces the enduring question of what it means to remain a people when acceptance proves fragile.
Joy and meaning can be found not only despite the brokenness, but even because of the brokenness.
My family made aliyah over a decade ago. Navigating our lives as American immigrants in Israel is a day-to-day balance.
Children cannot truly avoid the consequences of estrangement. Their parents’ shadow will always follow.
Five takeaways from Parshat Bereishit—and what they reveal about faith and science
Rav Froman was a complicated character in Israel and in his own home city of Tekoa, as people from both the right…
Christianity’s focus on the afterlife historically discouraged Jews from discussing it—but Jews very much believe in it.
I consider the Rebbe to be my personal teacher, and I find this teaching particularly relevant for us now.
A 94-year-old Holocaust survivor, a lone soldier, and more. Here are seven olim sharing their stories of aliyah.
Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wears the mantle of Kahane in Israel. Many Orthodox Jews welcomed him with open arms.
To talk about the history of Jewish mysticism is in many ways to talk about the history of the mystical community.
If You’re Reading These Words is a book in which all the heroes have died, yet it overflows with life.
The Torah could have ended at Moshe’s grave. In Vezot HaBracha, it chooses to end with the Jewish People.
It isn’t only censorship that creates the narrative of our history, but it is every creative endeavor that we engage in.
Children don’t come with guarantees. Washing machines come with guarantees.
In Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, we learn that holiness requires moving beyond the letter of the law to its spirit.
In this episode, Liel Leibovitz reflects on falling in love with the Talmud precisely because it is so difficult—and on how its…
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi YY Jacobson, one of the foremost online teachers of Torah, about…
We speak with Naftuli Moster about how and why he changed his understanding of the values imparted by Judaism.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin answers questions from Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue,…
Talking about the “Haredi community” is a misnomer, Jonathan Rosenblum says, and simplifies its diversity of thought and perspectives. A Yale-trained lawyer…
On this 18Forty panel, we speak with Alex Jakubowski of Lightning Studios, Sara Wolkenfeld of Sefaria, and Ari Lamm of BZ Media…
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Shais Taub, the rabbi behind the organization SoulWords, about shame, selfhood, and…
As a Chabad Hasid, Rabbi Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidut and Kabbala.
Rabbi Moshe Gersht first encountered the world of Chassidus at the age of twenty, the beginning of what he terms his “spiritual…
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Etan Epstein, the founder of The 300 Club, a program of…
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