Customs, Conflicts, and Keeping the Faith

This week on edJEWcation, Jay and ChayaLeah sit down with Dr. Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, professor at the University of Pittsburgh and head of the Center for Governance and Markets, for a conversation that bounces from Uzbekistan to Squirrel Hill, from Hasidic wedding songs to Taliban tribal law.We explore:Why minhag Yisroel Torah hi (“Jewish custom is Torah”) resonates far beyond Jewish life.How customs in Afghanistan and Central Asia parallel Hasidic practices.The heartbreak of Tree of Life, the shock of October 7th, and the question Jews whisper now: do we belong here?Why making Judaism political is dangerous—and how joy and tradition may be the antidote.What Ukraine, Russia, and bomb shelters in Israel reveal about resilience.Plus: the great baby shower debate, whether Judaism is Western, Eastern, or something bigger, and why havruta (learning in pairs) might just save the next generation from their phones.It’s a journey through customs, community, and what keeps us Jewish—even when the world feels like it’s unraveling.