S2E23 What Does Jewish Music Sound Like Now? (with Eric Stein)

 To explore how music shapes Jewish cultural meaning, this week Rabbi Josh welcomes Eric Stein — mandolinist, bassist, and artistic director of Toronto's Ashkenaz Festival, one of the world's largest celebrations of Jewish music and culture. (And yes, it might be a little confusing — last week's guest was Eric Stern, another multitalented Jewish musician.) Eric Stein has spent more than 25 years redefining the sound of Jewish music through projects like Beyond the Pale and Tio Chorinho. In this wide-ranging conversation, he and Rabbi Josh talk about Jewish cultural identity, spiritual honesty, and the surprising affinities between klezmer music and the Grateful Dead. Eric shares his journey from secular musician to a leader in the global Jewish music revival, reflects on what it means to seek meaning in a world that often feels devoid of it, and offers a compelling defense of art as a form of cultural resistance.