Contact Chai

At our Rosh Hashanah 5787 service, Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann delivered a sermon on the lessons our ancestors provide us in this fraught political moment.Join us for the High Holy Days! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save your seat today!https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-days-5787/Transcript

In her inaugural High Holiday sermon at Mishkan, Rabbi Julie Fishbach delivered a surprising drash on the history of prayer.Join us for the High Holy Days! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save your seat today!https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-days-5787/Transcript

In this special episode recovered from The Mishkan Vault, Rabbi Lizzi speaks with renowned tech entrepreneur Harry Gottlieb about the spiritual technology of teshuvah and the power of the High Holidays in our modern world. ****Rosh Hashanah is this Saturday, September 12th! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save your seat today!https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-days-5787/Produced by Mishkan Chicago.Transcript

Rabbi Lizzi read a passage on Selichot from Rabbi Alan Lew's classic This is Real And You Are Completely Unprepared, prompting a vulnerable discussion on how hard it feels to enter the High Holidays this year.Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenRegistration is open for High Holidays at Mishkan! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save your seat today!https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-days-5787/Produced by Mishkan Chicago.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenRegistration is open for High Holidays at Mishkan! Whether you attend in-person or via our affordable, state-of-the-art livestream, you can count on Mishkan’s High Holiday services to strengthen and inspire you as we face a new year of challenges and opportunities. Tickets go fast, so save your seat today!https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-days-5787/Produced by Mishkan Chicago.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenThis episode features Achat Sha'alti (A Setting of Psalm 27) by Chava Mirel.youtube.com/watch?v=olqBdmrwkhQIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago.Transcript

Like the mighty Leviathan, Adira rises from the depths to sow adorable chaos. Plus, reflections on the Psalms, media consumption, and Parshat Shoftim.Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago.Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on August 7th, when we celebrated our graduating BluePrint students who explored Judaism this past year, many of them going on to choose conversion. We heard a drash from BluePrint graduate Manuel Gauto the allure of Judaism and how Mishkan has become a spiritual home. If Mishkan is your home, we encourage you to help us secure its future by joining or renewing your Buildership today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

When did ancient Paleo-Hebrew script start to look like modern Hebrew letters? When did Judaism as we know it begin to take shape? Rabbi Simcha (Steven) Bob joins Rabbi Lizzi to explore these and so many more questions found in his new book When Judaism Began: Exploring the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.The music that opens and ends this episode is Micah Shapiro's "Mah Gadlu/Mikolot Mayim Rabim." We will be singing this tune at services tonight (8/7/2026) and over the High Holidays!If you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Hello and welcome to Contact Chai. Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on Saturday, August 1st. We heard a guest drash from Irwin Lowenstein on the challenge of abundance. Sometimes, getting what we want is hard to accept, and harder still to accept that we didn’t really earn our blessings. If you’ve been blessed by this community, we ask you to consider giving out of a sense of abundance to sustain it by becoming a Builder. There’s a link to join or renew in the show notes.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/event/confronting-white-supremacy-facets-08-02-2026/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

This evening marks the beginning of Tisha b'Av, and in recognition, today's episode is a re-release of Rabbi Lizzi's Tisha b'Av sermon from 2022 at an interfaith service with our longtime partners, Lawndale Community Christian Church on the West Side of Chicago. On August 2nd, we will join our friends from Lawndale for a special screening of "A Time To Yell," an award-winning documentary about the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. As we remember this tragic episode, we will build solidarity between our communities, reflecting on the mutual threat white nationalists pose to the safety and thriving of Jewish and Black Americans. Following the film, we’ll have a discussion with Producer and Civil Rights Activist Daryl Davis and Rabbi Lizzi, plus a presentation from Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s Executive Director Cliff Nellis on The Deer Center, a powerful alternative to incarceration for young adults. We hope you will join us on August 2nd.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/event/confronting-white-supremacy-facets-08-02-2026/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our Pride Shabbat service on June 26th. We held an auf ruf for Team Mishkan’s own Michael Palmer and Jane Mintz. Then, we heard a special Pride guest drash from teen Daniel Kutcher and their parents (Matt Kutcher & Rebecca Richards). From all of us at Mishkan Chicago — happy Pride.01:09 — Auf Ruf of Michael Palmer & Jane Mintz09:35 — Lecha Dodi to Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen14:58 — Lecha Dodi to Born This Way by Lady Gagaa18:27 — Guest Drash by Daniel Kutcher, Matt Kutcher, and Rebecca RichardsIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on June 20th. Rabbi Steven reflected on Juneteenth and America’s history of slavery through the lens of Exodus. Moses is portrayed as exceptionally bold in making demands of those in power in his fight to liberate his people. Moses even stood up to God! Maybe we’re not quite up to that level of chutzpah. But how can we boldly speak up for the dignity of all?If you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://mishkan.shulcloud.com/form/reg-morning-minyan-evergreenIf you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.

Hello and welcome to Contact Chai. Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on June 12th when Rabbi Steven delivered a sermon deflating the naive notion that progress is inevitable rather than the product of hard fought victories, like our spiritual ancestors setting out to vanquish Canaan who we read about in the parsha or our queer ancestors who struggled against bigotry who we honor during Pride month. How will we promise to carry forward a legacy of courage?If you value this down-to-earth Jewish wisdom, help us create more inspiration and community by becoming a Builder. Mishkan Chicago relies on Builders, people who have chosen to invest in the longterm sustainability of our community. If you’ve been checking out the community, we invite you to take the next step and become a Builder to help us welcome even more people into a space to bring their whole selves and be part of something larger than themselves.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/builder-drive-2026/***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on June 6th. If you somehow missed the news, Rabbi Lizzi met the pope. The Vatican is not short supply of lavish iconography, and it got her thinking about the different relationships our traditions have with religious imagery. Because while Judaism is on guard against anything that smacks of idolatry, we have sacred symbols of our own. Can our reverence for these symbols as Jewish people or Americans border on idolatry?***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Today’s sermon is a Shabbat Replay of our Shavuot Shabbat service. We were joined by acclaimed author Rodger Kamenetz who served as our scholar-in-residence during Shavuot. Rodger delivered a sermon on the poetry of Torah. What sacred meaning can we uncover when we appreciate the artistic flourishes in the TaNaKh?***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Today's episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on May 16th in which Rabbi Lizzi drashed on the Counting of the Omer and the lead-up to Shavuot. Unfortunately, we had some technical problems at the service, but R' Lizzi was kind enough to re-record!***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Following Morning Minyan, Rabbi Lizzi sat down with Nigel Savage to discuss Jewish Climate Trust, a new initiative to organize the resources of the Jewish community toward meeting the moment on climate change.Nigel is the founding CEO of Jewish Climate Trust, a “think-and-do tank” working to catalyze the Jewish community’s response to the climate crisis; he was previously the founder of Hazon (now Adamah) which under his leadership became the largest environmental organization in the Jewish community. He has twice been named a member of the Forward 50 and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Jewish Theological Seminary.****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Transcript

Rabbi Lizzi sits down with Alan Morinis, author of the enormously popular and profound "Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar."Read more about Alan and purchase his latest book "The Shabbat Effect" at the link below.https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/shabbat-effect-9798881807870/****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on May 8th when we heard a guest drash from Builder Ricky Halle-Podell. As part of our Sober Shabbat in which we had a sober kiddush, Ricky spoke on his own sobriety journey, offering insights into the spiritual practices of recovery programs which we can all learn from.***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Rodger Kamenetz is the award-winning author of The Jew In The Lotus, and he will be joining us in two weeks for Shavuot to teach several programs on spirituality, creativity, and encountering the divine in our daily lives. Rabbi Lizzi spoke with Rodger during Morning Minyan — this is your chance to get to know him before he joins us in-person May 21st - 23rd!Read more about and purchase Rodger's latest book, Seeing Into the Life of Things, to prepare for our learning with him:https://kamenetz.com/seeing-into-the-life-of-things/See our Shavuot Programming:https://www.mishkanchicago.org/shabbat-holidays/holidays/****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay of our service on May 2nd. Rabbi Lizzi delivered a drash on a criminal trial recorded in the Torah. The judgment was capital punishment, but new light is shed on the accused’s motivation and state of mind by later Rabbinic commentary, reminding us to interrogate our assumptions and seek a second opinion.We could use your judgment, commentary, and opinion. Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!***For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

In this special Morning Minyan, Rabbi Lizzi is joined by Jerusalem-based thought leader, spiritual activist, and author Yiscah Smith for a discussion of her new book, Planting Seeds of the Divine: Torah Commentaries. Yiscah will be returning to Chicago for Pride Weekend in June and doing an in-person talk at Mishkan, so this minyan is a teaser for that visit, as well as a spiritual boost to enliven your day!****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. To support Mishkan's important work of creating radically inclusive, down-to-earth, inspired Judaism, we invite you to join as a Builder or donate today.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/be-a-builder/https://www.mishkanchicago.org/support/makeyourgift/Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript