Ep. 40: Can We Do a Jewish Holidays Draft?

What if you could only keep five Jewish holidays for the rest of your life? Which would you choose—and which would you let go? In this fun, live episode recorded on Erev Shavuot, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe and Rabbi Leora Londy go head-to-head in a lively "draft pick" of annual Jewish holidays, revealing surprising priorities, personal stories, and the deeper values these days embody. From the foundational power of Passover, to the drama and debate over the best (and worst) festival foods, to the meaning behind both universally beloved and lesser-known holidays, this episode is full of insight, humor, and communal reflection. Plus: listeners get involved with live audience voting on the ultimate top 10 list—sparking debates about tradition, renewal, and the evolving Jewish calendar.Episode Overview:00:00 Welcome and episode introduction00:21 Setting up the live holiday draft and ground rules01:08 How the draft works: format confusion and competitive spirit04:08 First pick: Rabbi Leora Londy chooses Passover and explains its generational meaning06:03 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe reacts and shares the cultural richness of Passover07:01 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe drafts Rosh Hashanah, describing its sensory joys10:04 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe picks Sukkot: impermanence, outdoor celebration, and family12:51 Rabbi Leora Londy drafts Shavuot and why revelation and learning matter15:25 Shavuot’s food debate and differences between Israel and Diaspora17:51 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe drafts Hanukkah: joy, food, and resilience20:57 Rabbi Leora Londy picks Tisha B'Av: loss, destruction, and renewal23:00 Sparring over mourning days and fasting25:55 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe drafts Purim: strength, assimilation, and trauma28:02 Discussion: Purim memories, struggles, and Jewish identity29:30 Rabbi Leora Londy drafts Yom Kippur: hope, atonement, and community33:01 Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe drafts Simchat Torah: finishing and restarting the Torah cycle35:06 Rabbi Leora Londy closes with Yom Ha'atzmaut: Zionism, gratitude, and complexity38:31 Final reflections and the meaning behind Israel’s celebrations39:36 Outro and how to connect with the hosts and congregation