Episode 65: Peter Himmelman: From Rock Star to Spiritual Leader

Sometimes the most meaningful conversations begin with the most unexpected connections.Fifteen years ago, during a Cleveland snowstorm, Dr. Weiss and his wife Jessica couldn't make it to a Peter Himmelman concert. But Peter—Grammy and Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter, visual artist, and Bob Dylan's son-in-law—took a phone call from their cousin in the middle of his performance and dedicated his song "Closer" to them anyway.That song became the soundtrack to their relationship and, for Dr. Weiss, a teaching tool about prayer and seeking closeness to God. Now, years later, these two finally sit down for an extraordinary conversation about faith, music, and finding the sacred in the everyday.Peter opens up about his spiritual awakening at 25—how meeting a Lubavitcher rabbi in Crown Heights transformed him from secular rock musician to observant Jew overnight. He shares the moment that changed everything: learning that "the entirety of existence is miraculous," from walking on earth to flying 50 feet above it.Since October 7th, Peter has written 68 essays and poems, using his platform not to change minds but to strengthen Jewish unity. He talks about touching the Kotel at age 8 and crying without knowing why, touring the Soviet Union with tefillin in 1988, and why he believes we're emerging from darkness into light.This isn't just a conversation about music—it's about radical amazement, authentic relationships, and using your gifts to illuminate the world. As Peter reminds us: "We are the light."