Introducing the Pluralist Podcast from Both Sides of the Ocean

What does it mean to be a Jewish pluralist in Israel—and why does it matter right now?In the launch episode of The Pluralist Podcast: From Both Sides of the Ocean, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Executive Director of ARZA and URJ Vice President for Israel & Reform Zionism, sit down in New York for an honest, thoughtful conversation about Israel, Jewish identity, and the future of pluralism.Together, they ask a deceptively simple question:What does Jewish pluralism look like in Israel today—and why is it so contested?Support IRAC’s work in Israel:👉 https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcastSign up for Orly’s weekly updates:👉 https://www.irac.org/sign-upSign up for Josh’s weekly updates:👉 https://cloud.email.rj.org/blankSubCenter?formid=701UG00000Is8uHYARIn this conversation, Orly and Josh explore:Why there isn’t really a Hebrew word for pluralism—and what that reveals about Israeli societyThe current status of Reform Judaism in Israel and how it is perceived by Israeli JewsShared struggles around women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and confronting racism in Israel and North AmericaThe evolving relationship between Israel and the Diaspora at a critical moment for Israel’s democratic futureThey also reflect on their personal Zionist journeys:Orly’s story—from a secular Israeli upbringing to discovering Reform Judaism through a preschool in Mevasseret Zion, and finding her life’s work at IRAC defending democracy and challenging religious extremism through lawJosh’s story—from a Chicago youth movement kid to rabbi and Zionist leader, shaped by the Oslo years, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and years of living and teaching in IsraelThis episode sets the tone for the entire season of The Pluralist Podcast:honest, nuanced, deeply rooted in love for Israel, and committed to liberal Jewish values—on both sides of the ocean.