Orthodox Conundrum

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Why do some of our most deeply held truths end up pushing people away instead of drawing them closer? It's a question that comes up in all areas of religious life, but it becomes especially charged when we talk about aliyah. Few topics generate as much passion, and sometimes as much frustration, as the question of whether Jews living outside of Israel should move, and how people who sincerely believe that the answer is yes, should convey that message. Rabbi Efrem Goldberg argues that we need to carefully consider what we promote, and the way that we promote it. Even when we are right, we can still be ineffective, and sometimes even counterproductive. In this candid conversation, we examine how aliyah is often promoted, why certain approaches can alienate rather than inspire, and how some of Chazal's tough statements about those who do not make aliya should be interpreted today. We also ask whether there are legitimate reasons not to make aliyah, and what it really means to struggle seriously with that question, and whether someone's Judaism is lacking if he or she fails to consider aliya at all. From there, we widen the lens to explore a growing disconnect between Israeli and American Jews. We talk about questions of sacrifice, gratitude, and misunderstanding, and how the events of the past two and a half years have reshaped the conversation in ways that many of us are still trying to process. At its core, this episode asks a simple but difficult question. Do we want to be right, or do we want to be effective? To read Rabbi Goldberg's article, "Are you trying to inspire... but pushing people away?" click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! I'm joined by Rabbi Zach Truboff and Daniel Goldman for a conversation about the changing discourse within the Religious Zionist community. Before diving in, a brief warning of sorts: this is an episode that listeners are likely to react to in very different ways. This is not a critique from the outside. All of us are speaking from within the Religious Zionist world. And it is not a debate about whether Israel has the right or obligation to defend itself. Instead, we focus on something more subtle, and more difficult: discourse. How we speak, how we think, and what feels legitimate to say within our community today. Over the past couple of years, and especially since the war began, many have sensed a shift in tone, in language, and in the range of acceptable views. Others, however, would argue that nothing essential has changed, or that any shift reflects a necessary and even positive response to a changing reality. That tension is at the heart of this episode. This is not a conversation with easy answers. It is an attempt to surface a real disagreement, to articulate it honestly, and to ask whether we are still able, as a community, to listen to perspectives that challenge us, especially when they come from within our own camp. Some listeners will find this framing compelling. Others may disagree strongly, even vehemently. But if we care about the health of our community, and about the integrity of our moral and religious language, this is a conversation worth having. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! When people talk about emunah, faith, it is often framed as a simple question. Do you believe in God, or don't you? But what if that question misses the point? In this episode, Rabbi Simi Lerner argues that emunah is not a binary yes or no. It is not something a person simply has or lacks. It is something that develops over time, shaped by experience, thought, and personal struggle. Together, we explore why so many thoughtful people find themselves wrestling with faith, even when they genuinely want to believe. We discuss the difference between a more rational, philosophical approach to Judaism and an approach predicated upon a more Kabbalistic worldview, and whether those approaches are in tension or can work together. We also examine how the way emunah is often taught may be part of the problem, especially when it is presented in overly simplistic terms that do not reflect the complexity of real life. This is not a conversation about proving that God exists. It is a conversation about what it actually means to live with faith in the modern world, and how a more honest and nuanced understanding of emunah might open the door for people who feel stuck, uncertain, or disconnected. In a bonus segment for paid subscribers to Orthodox Conundrum Commentary, Simi tells the personal story behind his journey and how he arrived at the approach to emunah he lives by today. Make sure to check out Rav Simi's podcasts Judaism From Within and Two Rabbis, Three Opinions, as well as his online classes on Horeb and Kuzari. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Today's episode deals with a topic that many people have heard about, but far fewer people actually understand. Terms like get refusal or seruv are often mentioned, sometimes with strong reactions, but often without a clear sense of what they mean in practice. So in this conversation, we're going to take a step back and try to understand the system itself. What exactly is a seruv? How does the Beit Din process work when a couple is going through a divorce? At what point does a difficult or contentious situation cross the line into something more serious? And where does the system function as it is meant to, and where does it sometimes break down? My guests today are Jen Lankin, co-CEO of ORA, the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot, and Rabbi Jonathan Hefter, ORA's Director of Partnerships and Innovation. ORA works closely with individuals navigating some of the most complex and painful cases in the Jewish divorce system, and they bring both practical experience and a broader perspective on how these situations unfold. One of the important ideas you will hear in this episode is that these situations can become complicated very quickly, but that complexity does not change the underlying reality. When a get is being withheld or used as leverage, that is a serious problem. And understanding how and why that happens is essential if we want to address it effectively. We also talk about concepts that are not always part of the public conversation, like "get delay," the role of community responsibility, and an emerging view that the get may need to be given earlier in the process in order to avoid becoming a point of leverage. And just as importantly, we discuss the idea of survivor led advocacy. Public pressure, including rallies, protests, and communal action, can sometimes be effective, and ORA does use those tools. But they are not always the right approach, and even when they are, it is essential that the agunah herself is the one guiding that decision. The process matters, not just the outcome, and supporting someone through this kind of situation means ensuring that she retains agency over how her case is handled. This is a serious and sometimes uncomfortable topic. But it is also an opportunity to better understand how the system works, and to think more carefully about how we, as a community, respond when things do not go as they should. ORA website: https://www.getora.org/ The Get Guide: https://www.getora.org/getguide Jewish Divorce Helpline: (844) 673-5463 or [email protected] Email: [email protected] Social media: @OraAgunot Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

As Jewish people across the globe prepare for Pesach, we're pleased to re-release this classic episode of the Orthodox Conundrum, originally published in March, 2023. More than any other Jewish holiday, Pesach is associated with questions. That's obviously true for the Seder, but it's also true when it comes to the intense preparations that precede the chag. Jewish law regarding cleaning for Pesach is very extensive, and the misconceptions are often very prevalent. For that reason, we're proud to present a conversation with Rav Chayim Soloveichik shlit'a, where Scott asked some of the most common questions people ask as they prepare for Pesach. We thank Rav Chayim for generously giving his time and expertise, and hope that this episode can serve as a valuable resource and guide as people throughout the Jewish world get ready for Zman Cheiruteinu. Among the issues Rav Chayim addressed are: 8:54 - Crumbs and vacuuming 10:39 - Purchasing milk and eggs before Pesach 12:43 - Medicines on Pesach 14:29 - Defining "Nifsal M'achilat Kelev" (something inedible to a dog) 18:24 - New lipstick or ChapStick on Pesach 18:38 - Canola oil 20:28 - At what point do kitniyot become forbidden on Erev Pesach for Ashkenazi Jews, and can they be cooked in a kosher for Pesach pot 23:10 - Egg matzah 23:42 - Checking books for crumbs 24:50 - Selling chometz 27:46 - Preparing the house if you're going away for the entire holiday 29:33 - Roommates who jointly own chometz 30:10 - A car wash before Pesach 30:48 - Foods that don't require special Pesach certification 31:35 - Dismantling pots and pans before kashering them 31:57 - Kashering a pot with a stain 32:21 - Kashering a gas stove 33:55 - Kashering a non-self-cleaning oven 35:16 - The 24 hour rule regarding an urn used to kasher counters and sinks  35:50 - Lining the refrigerator 36:43 - Kashering a metal sink 36:58 - Kashering dishwashers Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers receive episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

This week's episode is a little different. Instead of our usual format, I'm sharing a conversation where I'm the guest on Alana Gelnick's excellent Stream of Dreamearly podcast, in an episode entitled Ways to Make the Seder Matter: Being Your Authentic Self. As we prepare for Pesach, this discussion explores a simple but powerful idea: the Seder is not about getting everything right, but about creating a feeling, building connection, and giving our children experiences they will carry long after they forget the details. If this resonates, I encourage you to listen to the other episodes in this miniseries as well, including conversations with Rabbi Steve and Sharon Richter on choosing a Seder theme and Rabbi Yair Menchel on creating a meaningful Seder experience. I will also be rereleasing additional classic Orthodox Conundrum Pesach episodes in the coming days. Enjoy, and chag kasher v'sameach! Listen to Ways to Make the Seder Matter: Choosing a Theme, with Rabbi Steve and Sharon Richter on Spotify or Apple. Listen to Ways to Make the Seder Matter: Creating an Experience, with Rabbi Yair Menchel on Spotify or Apple. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers receive episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! In the wake of war, many Israelis have begun asking a difficult question: Have American Jews become more distant from Israel, or does it only feel that way? In this wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation, Rabbi David Fine and Dr. Laura Shaw Frank join me to explore what is really happening beneath the surface. Together, we examine shifting patterns of engagement, the emotional and psychological divide between Israeli and American Jewish experiences, and the uncomfortable reality that what strengthens one community can sometimes strain the other. From declining fundraising and "compassion fatigue," to rising antisemitism in the United States and divergent beliefs about the advisability of the current war, and the very different ways each community experiences this moment, this episode challenges easy assumptions. It also raises a deeper question: are we witnessing disengagement, or simply living in two very different Jewish realities? This is not a conversation about blame. It is an invitation to greater understanding, greater sensitivity, and a stronger sense of shared destiny. Find the Women's Gallery Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or anywhere you get your podcasts. To listen to the latest episode of Intimate Judaism, Don't Look, Don't Tell, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! What if the story we tell at the Seder was originally speaking directly to the world of Pharaoh? In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast, Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman of Bar Ilan University joins me to discuss his fascinating new Haggadah, Echoes of Egypt. Drawing on discoveries from Egyptology and the broader study of the ancient Near East, Rabbi Berman shows how the Torah often takes the language, imagery, and political assumptions of ancient Egypt and turns them on their head. Seen in this light, familiar phrases in the Haggadah take on new meaning. The Exodus becomes not only a story of liberation, but a profound challenge to the worldview of the ancient world, replacing the glorification of kings and power with a revolutionary vision of God, freedom, and the dignity of ordinary people. If you want to experience the story of the Exodus with fresh eyes this Pesach, this conversation may change the way you read the Haggadah—and the way you imagine the world from which it first emerged. Find the Women's Gallery Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or anywhere you get your podcasts. To listen to the latest episode of Intimate Judaism, Don't Look, Don't Tell, click here. To order Rabbi Dr. Berman's new Haggadah, Echoes of Egypt, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Over the past few years, and certainly over the past week, anxiety has become part of the background noise of Jewish life. People in Israel are living with sirens and uncertainty. People in the diaspora are following the news constantly, worrying about family, about Israel, about growing antisemitism, about the future and their place in the world. And even beyond the current moment, anxiety has become something many of us talk about openly in ways we didn't a generation ago. Usually when we talk about anxiety, the assumption is simple: anxiety is something to eliminate. Something to suppress. Something to cure. But what if that assumption is wrong? My guest today, Dr. David Rosmarin, is a clinical psychologist, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and the founder of the Center for Anxiety. He argues that while anxiety can be a disorder, it more often is nothing of the sort, and not even necessarily a problem. In fact, anxiety is actually a built-in human tool which can sharpen our awareness, deepen our relationships, strengthen resilience, and even push us toward greater spiritual growth.. In our conversation, we talk about how anxiety works, why modern culture may misunderstand it, and how Jewish ideas like emunah, bitachon, and even daily rituals like tefillah can help us engage anxiety in healthier and more productive ways. Dr. Rosmarin also shares a simple four-step framework for working with anxiety: identify it, share it with others, embrace the discomfort instead of running from it, and finally learn to let go of the illusion that we control everything. This isn't a conversation about pretending everything is fine. It's a conversation about how human beings, and particularly Jews with a long spiritual tradition, can live honestly with uncertainty while still moving forward. So if you've felt anxious lately — and honestly, who hasn't — I think you'll find this discussion both practical and deeply thoughtful. Visit Dr. Rosmarin on line at https://dhrosmarin.com/, and join his free webinar here. Find the Women's Gallery Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or anywhere you get your podcasts. To listen to the latest episode of Intimate Judaism, Don't Look, Don't Tell, click here. Check out the Stream of Dreamearly Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or any other podcast provider. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! When disturbing stories emerge from within a religious community, the instinctive response is often immediate: they don't represent us. But what comes after that? In recent weeks, incidents involving religious Jews, from violence connected to Israeli settlers to attacks that shocked fellow Orthodox communities, have forced difficult questions into the open. How should a religious society respond when wrongdoing appears within its own ranks? When does healthy skepticism become denial? And what responsibility do leaders and ordinary community members bear when disavowal alone feels insufficient? In this episode, Rabbi Yitzchak Blau joins me for a thoughtful and challenging conversation about moral responsibility, communal leadership, and the tension between loyalty and honesty, particularly within the Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist world. This is not a political discussion but a religious one. It is a conversation about truth, accountability, and what it means for a community to live up to its own values. To listen to the latest Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Let me begin with a slightly uncomfortable question. How much of what we believe, value, and even desire has been shaped not by Torah, not by education, but by advertising? Every year during the Super Bowl, companies spend many millions of dollars for a single minute of our attention. We laugh at the commercials, we quote them, many people look forward to them more than the game itself. But commercials are also doing something more; they are not neutral. They are carefully crafted arguments about happiness, success, identity, relationships, and what kind of life we are supposed to want. And that creates a real issue for people who live according to the values associated with a Torah lifestyle - particularly because the power of advertising often lies in its subtext, or the metamessage. These commercials show us a mirror of what society cares about, while at the same time shaping and teaching these values and concerns without our conscious knowledge. It can be frightening to realize that we are being powerfully affected by messages that we may not even notice. Sometimes these messages are beneficial, and often they're somewhat insidious. Either way, they help create the filter through which we see the world - and that's why it's so important to pay attention to them, and work to uncover what they're telling us about the world in which we live. Put differently: if the Torah speaks to every generation and every cultural reality, as Rav Soloveitchik famously said, then we cannot simply switch off our religious consciousness when the entertainment begins. At the same time, this isn't only an endeavor for Orthodox Jews. Anyone who lives in the modern world benefits from learning how to watch culture thoughtfully instead of passively. Rabbi Uri Cohen joins me today to do something unusual. We treat this year's Super Bowl commercials as texts to be interpreted. We'll laugh a little, analyze a lot, and explore what these ads reveal about modern anxieties, technology, materialism, identity, and even anti-Semitism. And honestly, part of what we're doing today is simply enjoying that experience together. This is a fun episode. These ads are clever, creative, and often genuinely entertaining. The goal is not to condemn popular culture. It's to understand it. Because a Torah Jew is meant to live thoughtfully within the world, not outside it, and sometimes even a Super Bowl commercial can become a starting point for serious reflection. So yes, this episode is entertaining. But after hearing Rabbi Cohen's insights, it may also change the way you watch the next commercial break.  To listen to the latest Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Since October 7th, something unexpected has been unfolding among young Jews in Israel and, in different ways, across the diaspora. It does not look like the teshuva movements we have seen before. It is not a mass rush toward full mitzvah observance. It is not simply people becoming more religious in the way our communities usually define that word. Instead, we are seeing a deeper, more complicated spiritual shift. Young soldiers with tattoos and piercings are asking rabbis how to recite a blessing after surviving battle. Secular officers are making brachot when fallen soldiers are brought home. Crowds sing "Ani Ma'amin" after Hatikvah, and no one is shocked that faith has entered the public square. Some young people are wearing tzitzit even if they are not shomer Shabbat. Others are joining public Kabbalat Shabbat davening, even if they head to the mall immediately afterwards. What ties all of this together is not nationalism alone, and not ritual alone. It is a felt encounter with God. Rabbi Kenny Brander of Ohr Torah Stone described standing at Har Herzl during funerals and feeling that it had become Har Sinai. He spoke about soldiers in Rafiah, Lebanon, and Syria who experienced what they believed to be divine presence, and how that pushed them toward meaning rather than away from it. At the same time, this awakening is bottom up, not top down. It is being shaped by young people themselves, not imposed by institutions. And that raises big questions. Is this moment temporary, born of trauma, or the beginning of a lasting transformation? Can Judaism endure with deep belief but partial practice? And how should religious communities respond without judging, shaming, or trying to control what is emerging? There is another layer as well. While many less observant Jews are moving closer to God, some observant Jews struggle to speak about God directly. We talk Torah, we talk halacha, we talk values, but God himself can feel strangely muted in our discourse. So are we witnessing a new chapter in Jewish faith, one that blurs old categories of religious and secular? And are we ready to listen to it? To explore all of this, I spoke with Rabbi Brander, who has spent these two years visiting soldiers, students, and communities across Israel. We discussed miracles in war, the power of sacrifice, the meaning of mitzvot as expressions of love, and how we might create new vessels for an ancient tradition. It's an important and essential conversation you won't want to miss. To listen to the latest Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! This episode of Orthodox Conundrum addresses an extremely painful and unsettling subject. Last week, we learned that Nechemya Weberman, who was convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing a minor, has had his prison sentence dramatically reduced. Although Weberman originally received a sentence of more than one hundred years, that sentence has now been cut to eighteen years, making him eligible for release in about two years. For many people, this news was shocking. For others, it felt like a confirmation of something they have feared for a long time. Because this is not only a legal story. It is a communal one. It forces us to ask not only what the court decided, but what happens when justice intersects with communal loyalty, religious authority, and the instinct to protect our own. This conversation is not about whether a crime occurred. That question was answered years ago in a court of law. The deeper question is what happens afterward. How communities respond. Whose voices are believed. And whose pain is ignored or exacerbated - sometimes consciously and openly - so that communal stability can be preserved. To help explore those questions, I am joined by three people who bring deeply informed and very different perspectives. Asher Lowy of Za'akah has followed the Weberman case for more than a decade and understands its history and its communal aftermath in ways few others do. Sarena Townsend is the attorney who represented the victim and worked to oppose the reduction of Weberman's sentence. And Shana Aaronson, the head of Magen in Israel, brings the essential perspective of victim safety, trauma, and what these decisions mean for survivors long after court proceedings end. Together, we discuss how and why the sentence was reduced, what remorse and rehabilitation are supposed to mean, and why in this case those concepts ring hollow for so many. But we also confront something even more uncomfortable. What does it say about a religious community when protection is extended more readily to perpetrators than to victims? And what happens when our drive to preserve our institutions and community structures leads us to abandon our internal moral compass? This is not an easy conversation. But it is one we cannot afford to avoid. To listen to the latest Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! Last week in Jerusalem, two babies lost their lives. The details are painful. The families are grieving. And out of basic decency, we are not here to dissect the specifics of what happened. But moments like these force a question that is deeply uncomfortable, yet absolutely unavoidable. When tragedy strikes, especially tragedy that may have been preventable, what are we supposed to do next? Too often, our instinct is to move quickly toward comfort. We say things like "it was the will of God," or "these things happen," or "this place had been used safely for years." And sometimes those words help people survive unbearable loss. But they can also become a way of shutting down responsibility. Because in real life, there is no rewind button. You don't get to go back and tighten a safety standard after something goes wrong. You don't get to undo a moment that lasted seconds but changed lives forever. In this episode of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast, I'm joined by Rabbi Yakov Horowitz and Rabbanit Dr. Yardaena Osband for a serious, honest, and at times difficult conversation about safety in the Orthodox world. We talk about why communities often confuse longevity with safety. Why "it never happened before" is not the same thing as "it can't happen." We explore the tension between faith and responsibility, between trust in God and our obligation to protect life using the knowledge and tools available to us. And we discuss what it means to build a culture where safety isn't treated as fear, but as an obligation. This is not a conversation about blame. It's a conversation about responsibility… before the next tragedy forces us to have it again. To listen to the latest Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, click here. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com    

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! One of the most difficult questions in religious life is also one of the most basic: how do we show genuine respect for Torah and its teachers while still taking responsibility for our own moral and halachic decisions? At what point does kavod, or respect, become healthy reverence, and at what point does it quietly turn into something more dangerous, a way of outsourcing thought, conscience, and responsibility? Many of us were raised with a strong emphasis on deference. Trust the rabbis. Follow the gedolim. Do not question authority. And yet at the same time, my guest today, Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, insists that Judaism does not allow a Nuremberg defense - that is, you cannot say I was only following orders. Every individual remains accountable for his or her choices. So how do those ideas live together? Does independent thinking strengthen Torah or threaten it? Is there such a thing as going too far in thinking for yourself? Who decides who actually has authority, and on what basis? And perhaps most provocatively, is the category of "gedolim" we frequently reference a religious reality, or merely a political one? In this conversation, Rabbi Klapper challenges many assumptions that are often taken for granted in Orthodox discourse. He speaks about the dangers of imposed respect, the psychological cost of receiving kavod, the limits of rabbinic authority, and the responsibility that no Jew can ever fully give away, even to the greatest scholar. This discussion was thoughtful, nuanced, and frequently surprising. It is not about tearing down Torah leadership, but about asking what real Torah responsibility actually demands from each of us. This is a conversation about authority, respect, when it's appropriate to surrender our own judgment, and what it truly means to live as a thinking Jew within a halachic system. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with early access and additional bonus content! One of the most common questions people ask about dating is a deceptively simple one: How do I know? How do I know whether to keep dating this person? How do I know whether this is the person I should marry? How do I know whether my doubts mean something is wrong, or whether I'm just afraid? For many people, dating becomes emotionally exhausting not because they lack options or insight, but because they believe that there must be a single, correct answer… and that getting that wrong would be catastrophic. That pressure often leads people to rush, to freeze, or to outsource responsibility to parents, rabbis, friends, or even strangers. My guest today, Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg, offers a very different (and deeply liberating) way of thinking about dating and decision making. Shayna is not a dating coach and not a therapist. She is a veteran educator who has spent decades teaching and listening to young adults as they navigate relationships, commitment, and uncertainty; she is also the author of What Do You Really Want? Trust and Fear in Decision Making at Life's Crossroads and in Everyday Living. What she brings to this conversation is not formulas or guarantees, but clarity. We talk about why the hardest decisions in life are rarely between right and wrong, but between multiple possibilities. We explore how fear quietly shapes many dating choices, whether it's fear of being alone, fear of hurting someone, or fear of committing. And we focus on two core questions that matter far more than any checklist: Do I respect this person? And do I trust this person? We also discuss how much weight to give chemistry, how to think about religious differences, when outside guidance helps and when it harms, and how parents can support their children without controlling their choices. If you've ever felt stuck, pressured, or overwhelmed in dating, or if you're a parent trying to help without violating boundaries, this conversation offers wisdom, perspective, and, I believe, a welcome sense of calm. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Write to [email protected] to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/ - and paid subscribers get this and other episodes of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast ad-free and with additional bonus content! There's a recurring pattern in parts of the Orthodox world - one that has always troubled me, but in recent years has become impossible to ignore. We take individuals who have committed serious wrongdoing, sometimes admitted it in court, sometimes even served jail time, and we nevertheless elevate them to the status of heroes - not necessarily despite their criminal behavior, but in some ways almost because of it. Just a couple of weeks ago, Mishpacha magazine ran a glowing feature calling Sholom Rubashkin "the emunah and bitachon rebbe of the entire Jewish world," as though the only relevant fact of his story is his early release from prison. But as the record makes clear, including extensive evidence presented at trial, Rubashkin was involved in significant fraud, money laundering, and the exploitation of undocumented workers. Was his sentence excessive and unfair? Absolutely. Was there government overreach? No question. But that's not the same thing as innocence, and certainly not a basis for turning someone into a moral authority. Let me be clear: many of us have done things that we're not proud of, and that we wish we had done differently. The fact that Rubashkin went to jail is not the issue, so much as the fact that despite the real evidence, much of the Orthodox world treats him as if he were an innocent man who did nothing wrong, rather than an example of someone who was both perpetrator and victim. If he presented himself as an example of a baal teshuva, I would have no complaint. I would be pleased and fully supportive if we looked at him as someone who committed crimes, but has repented and is now living an honest life. And if he acknowledged his conviction as just and also complained about government overreach, he would be in the right. But that's not what's happening - and the consequences for the Orthodox self-image and behavior are serious. And this is not just a Haredi phenomenon. In the Modern Orthodox world, Jonathan Pollard has long been held up as a heroic defender of Israel. But as Rabbi Jeremy Wieder points out in our conversation, Pollard betrayed the country of which he was a citizen, took large sums of money for his actions, and passed along intelligence, the scope of which none of us fully know. The fact that the U.S. government mishandled his sentencing - which is terrible - does not magically transform espionage into idealism. So why do we do this? Why does our community repeatedly turn criminals into role models—sometimes even into teachers of faith and morality? What psychological, sociological, and ideological needs are we trying to satisfy? And more importantly: what message are we sending to our children when we confuse suffering with righteousness, and denial with integrity? In today's episode, Rabbi Jeremy Wieder helps us unpack all of this. We discuss Rubashkin, Pollard, Aryeh Deri, the role of media and influencers, the dangers of denial and victimhood narratives, and the guardrails communities should adopt so that real role models—not the loudest, or the most dramatic, or the most persecuted—become the people we admire. It's an honest and necessary conversation about integrity, responsibility, and choosing heroes who actually reflect Torah values. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Enjoy this classic episode from May, 2023. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Tzniut is triggering. That became clear when the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast released episode 145 entitled, "The Challenges of Teaching Tzniut & the Challenges of Being Tzanua, with Shayna Goldberg." That episode, in which Scott asked Shayna to focus on issues related to tzniut (modesty) and clothing, addressed some of the most pressing concerns, and the conversation generated quite a bit of discussion. Today's conversation is again about tzniut, this time about tzniut as a whole, and from the perspectives of Bracha Poliakoff and Rabbi Anthony Manning, the authors of a very well-received new book entitled, Reclaiming Dignity: A Guide to Tzniut for Men and Women.  In this wide-ranging discussion, Scott spoke with his guests about some of the same issues discussed in the earlier podcast as well as some that are quite different. Among the topics are how to define tzniut, what has gone wrong in education for tzniut that so many people are turned off by the very word and the trauma some experience when it comes to tzniut, how to legitimize different approaches, the problem of weaponizing modesty in order to delegitimize others, how much of tzniut is subjective, the confusing of the terms tzniut and erva and the consequent problems, whether obsessing about modesty leads to oversexualization of women, the judgmentalism that seems to be part and parcel of typical thinking about tzniut, and much more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

There is a fundamental mistake that many people still make about Jews: they see Judaism exclusively as a faith, so they assume Jewish needs are basically religious accommodations, kosher food, holiday absences, maybe a space to pray. But my guest today, attorney Alyza Lewin, argues that if that's your starting point, you completely misunderstand the nature of Judaism, and what Jews are experiencing across the world. Because what we are watching on campuses, on Bondi Beach, and in the international vilification of Israel is the vilification and targeting of Jews as a people, on the basis of peoplehood, ancestral heritage, and our connection to the Land of Israel  - even though those who do so may not publicly acknowledge that this is their philosophy of Judaism. And that itself is part of the problem: people who are not Jewish who think that they can decide the definition of Judaism and Jewishness. This is a process that is happening now, but its antisemitic roots go back 800 years. That is part of why the chants and the intimidation land the way they do, and why the world's inability to even recognize the nature of the attack has left so many Jews feeling isolated. Strangely enough, Alyza argues that despite the pain, there is a silver lining: namely, the reinvigoration of Jewish identity, and faith in God, among many of those who, until October 7th, gave very little thought to their Jewish heritage. So in this conversation, we address a series of very practical questions, rather than dealing with antisemitism in the abstract. We ask how, in a society with broad legal protections for free speech, we should deal with the huge grey zone where speech has consequences the law may not address. How do we distinguish good faith political debate from the vilification of Jews, especially when universities watched this for years and still misread it as a normal dialogue? What should Jewish students do when activists demand that they shed Jewish peoplehood and connection to Israel in order to be accepted, and why does Alyza insist the answer is not to take the bait, but to say clearly: you have no right to tell me what it means to be Jewish? Should we retire the term Zionism, or reclaim it? And crucially, we also tackle one of the most emotionally charged pairings in today's discourse: antisemitism and Islamophobia, and how that framing often shapes, and sometimes distorts, the conversation in the public square. Ultimately, we are dealing with reinvigoration of Jewish peoplehood. Because if we do not name Jewish peoplehood clearly, we will keep losing the argument before it even begins. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

To what degree should we assimilate non Jewish thought and culture into our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual lives? And to what degree does that question affect the way that we celebrate Chanukah? Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch expressed this tension directly when he wrote the following words: Chanukah represents the clash of two doctrines, two views, two civilizations, capable of molding opinions, training and educating those who until this very day compete for the mastery of the world. Hellenism and Judaism: These are the two forces whose effect upon the nations mark the historical development of mankind, and which surfaced in Judea for the first time in the days of Mattathias. Hellenism and Judaism: when examined in depth they are the two leading forces which today again are struggling for mastery in the Jewish world. Today I'm honored to host two talmidei chachamim who identify as Hirschians: Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Raphael Zarum - and despite their shared reverence for the thought of Rav Hirsch, they approach this question, and their understanding of Chanukah, in very different ways. Rabbi Adlerstein leans into Chanukah as a celebration of Jewish individuality, the need for contrast and clarity. Only when we have a crystal clear awareness of the differences between Torah culture and Hellenic culture can we safely draw from the outside without losing ourselves. Chanukah, he says, is an expression of Jewish difference. Rabbi Zarum, in contrast, sees Chanukah quite differently. He believes that Chanukah highlights overlap as well as contrast. He points to the fact that we light candles at twilight right outside our homes - on the boundary between day and night, between our homes and the outside world - as emblematic of the challenge of going close to another culture without losing our own sense of self. He captures it by saying that we should assimilate it and not be assimilated by it. And then we move this discussion into a direction especially relevant to 2025, because engagement with culture today often refers to something very different from the best of Western thought. It is less Milton and more Netflix, which raises the stakes of this entire debate. So even if we agree that engaging with Western culture is a net positive, how much should we allow ourselves to be enriched by the low culture of movie ns and popular music rather than by the high culture of philosophy and classic literature?  While they bring very different perspectives, what makes this conversation such a pleasure is the tone. It is warm, lively, and respectful, even when the disagreement is sharp. Make sure to listen to the new Chanukah episode of the Tehillim Unveiled Podcast with Ari Levisohn and Rav Jeremy Tibbetts by clicking here.  Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

A tragic drunk driving case in Lakewood has pushed an uncomfortable question to the surface. What happens when "Toameha," kiddush clubs and casual drinking culture quietly normalize alcohol misuse in our homes and shuls, especially for the teenagers who are watching us... and what happens when that same culture is surrounded by designer logos, luxury Shabbat tables and endless talk about hotels and vacations? In this episode, I speak with Rabbi Jonathan Muskat and mental health counselor Rachel Tuchman about the growing Toameha phenomenon, problem drinking that does not always look like classic alcoholism, and conspicuous indulgence in luxury in the Orthodox world. Together we explore what all of this is teaching our children about Torah values, tzniut and success, and how parents, educators and communities can begin to change the conversation without pretending that any of us are immune. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

In the past two years many Jews have felt as if the world they thought they knew simply disappeared. Western democracies, universities, and social justice spaces that once seemed welcoming - or at least somewhat neutral - have turned openly hostile toward Israel and the Jewish people. At the center of much of this hatred is a familiar accusation: that Jews think they are chosen, and accordingly, Jews think they are better. While we wholeheartedly reject the antisemitism implicit in this assertion, we need to honestly confront what the idea of a chosen people means, and what it says about our role on the world stage. Equally important is the question of what the concept of chosenness implies about the other nations of the world which, presumably, are somehow not chosen. Does that mean they're rejected? And for that matter, why did God choose a people in the first place, rather than eliminating the concept altogether? In this episode I speak with Tanach scholar Yael Leibowitz about what chosenness actually means in the Bible, and what it does not mean. We look at the earliest stories in Bereishit from Cain and Hevel, to the Tower of Bavel, to Abraham, Sodom and Gemorrah, and Saul and Amalek and ask what they can teach us about Jewish distinctiveness, responsibility, and the rage that difference can provoke. We also talk about how Tanach should and should not be used as a guide to contemporary geopolitics; the danger of turning verses into an inappropriate defense of ultranationalism; and what it means to insist on moral clarity about evil like the atrocities of October 7, while retaining a sense of nuance and avoiding simplistic, reductionist thinking. In particular, I was fascinated by Yael's contention that the stories of Tanach represent repeating motifs that recur throughout human and Jewish history. In this way, Tanach teaches us as much about the present as about what happened millennia ago. At the same time, Yael openly addresses the flip side of that coin by talking about why certain events in Tanach cannot be seen as norms that should be implemented today.  If you have ever struggled with the idea of the chosen people, or wondered how to defend it in a world that uses it against us, this conversation is for you. To order Yael's new book Ezra-Nehemiah: Retrograde Revolution, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Back in August, I released a conversation with Rabbi Yakov Horowitz about Orthodox parents whose children come out as LGBTQ. The feedback to that episode was intense. Some listeners wrote that they finally felt seen. Others said that they were deeply uncomfortable. Quite a few parents asked what they should actually do when their son or daughter comes out to them, and how they can respond with genuine love while remaining faithful to halacha. Those questions are not theoretical. They are deeply personal, and they are coming from people who keep Shabbat, send their kids to day schools, sit in our shuls, and are trying to raise their families as loyal Torah Jews. Ignoring them does not make them go away. Today I am speaking with two people who have decided not to look away. Rabbi Menachem Penner is the former dean of RIETS and currently serves as the executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America. Together with his wife Adeena he founded Kesher Families, an organization that supports Orthodox parents of LGBTQ children. Rabbi Yakov Horowitz is the founder of Project YES and a co leader of Kesher Families, and he joined me for that earlier conversation. In this episode we talk about what moved the Penners to start Kesher Families, what it was like for Rabbi Penner to be a very public rabbinic figure when his son came out, and why they chose to share their family story with the broader community. We discuss the first things a parent should and should not say when a child comes out, the confusion that many young people feel as they try to understand their own sexual identity, and how parents can balance acceptance of what a child is telling them with the awareness that some parts of the story may still be unfolding. We also look at how attitudes in the Orthodox world have changed over the past decade, what has improved, what remains painful, and whether it is really possible to increase compassion and understanding without abandoning our mesorah. And finally, I ask both of my guests what single message they most want the Orthodox community to hear about LGBTQ children and their families. To learn more about all that Dreamearly does, go to https://dreamearly.co/. Make sure to check out the excellent recent episode of the Stream of Dreamearly Podcast with Dr. David Rosmarin. To contact Kesher Families, click here. Follow Rabbi Yakov Horowitz on Instagram - @yakovhorowitz and @brightbeginningsforum. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Zohran Mamdani - a politician who openly rejects Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, yet insists that this has nothing to do with antisemitism - is now the mayor-elect of New York City. He points to a small number of Jewish supporters as evidence, while promoting a worldview in which Israel is framed as a genocidal, apartheid project. New York is home to the largest Jewish community in the diaspora. When that city elects a proudly anti-Zionist mayor, it sends a message far beyond one municipality. It raises hard questions: What does it mean for Jewish security, for public discourse about Israel, and for the way younger Jews understand the connection between antisemitism and anti-Zionism? Does this moment push more Jews to consider aliyah, or does it demand that they stay and push back? And what does kiruv look like in an atmosphere saturated with hostility, confusion, and ideological pressure? My guest confronts these questions every day. Rabbi Mark Wildes is the founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience, which has spent decades helping unaffiliated Jews in their 20s and 30s build a deeper relationship with Torah, Shabbat, and the Jewish people. In our conversation, we talk about what he fears will tangibly change on the ground as a result of Mamdani's election, why the supposed split between anti-Zionism and antisemitism is so dangerous, and how Rabbi Wildes speaks to students who are center-left, skeptical about Israel, or openly anti-Zionist. We also discuss his new book, The Jewish Experience: why he chose to organize basic Judaism around the concepts of God, Torah, prayer, Shabbat, chesed, and tikkun olam; why Shabbat and Jewish wisdom are the best first steps for Jews who feel worn down by the headlines; and how to reclaim tikkun olam from its political distortions without abandoning the real Torah value behind it. We also look at "spreadsheet kiruv," which emphasizes metrics in determining how successful an outreach program is;  how outreach can avoid treating people as projects, and why one small act — a Shabbat meal, a class, even a moment of being pulled into a dance circle — can change a Jewish life in ways none of us may even recognize. This is a wide-ranging conversation that touches on so many aspects of kiruv, including ma'amarei Chazal, politics, Pet Sounds, and Sgt. Pepper. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

In recent weeks we have watched something many of us hoped we would not see in the United States: openly anti-Zionist and even openly antisemitic voices moving from the margins into the mainstream. Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York raises the chilling possibility that hostility to Israel is now an electoral asset. At the same time, parts of the American right are flirting with figures like Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier who says Jews do not belong in Western civilization. To make sense of this moment, I spoke with Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti Defamation League. We discussed why anti-Zionism is, in most cases, antisemitism; what Mamdani's rise should signal to American Jews; why some university leaders defend the indefensible; where the Jewish community itself has made mistakes in fighting antisemitism; how to confront hatred coming from both sides of the political spectrum without turning it into a partisan game; and more. This is a blunt, timely, and deeply important conversation for anyone who cares about Jewish security and moral clarity in public life. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Is Jewish unity even possible? In this urgent episode Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon faces the hardest questions raised by the draft crisis and by the widening gaps between Charedi, Dati Leumi, Modern Orthodox, Traditional, and Secular Jews. He explains why unity is not a slogan but a practical necessity and religious obligation with real consequences for security, community, and our shared future. With clarity and empathy he maps a path for principled disagreement, mutual responsibility, and practical steps that families, shuls, and schools can take right now. If you are tired of talking points and want a serious plan for healing rifts while staying true to conviction, this conversation is for you. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

What does the morning after really look like... when the dawn reveals not only light, but rubble and work? In this deeply personal conversation, Scott and Dr. Erica Brown ask how we craft a vision of where we're going when optimism feels naïve, unity is fragile, and joy and grief insist on sharing the same space. Drawing on Rabbi Sacks's distinction between optimism and hope, they explore how to build active hope through autonomy, giving, and purpose. They define Jewish unity as purposefulness rather than groupthink, wrestle with isolation and rising antisemitism in the diaspora, and consider Rav Kook's "songs" of soul, people, humanity, and world in a time when many Jews feel pushed out of humanity's choir. Along the way, Scott reflects on grandparenting amid loss; Erica introduces the idea of "prophetic social justice" and the power of a "destination postcard"—a concrete picture of a better future; and together they share practical ways families can bind their children's wounds through volunteering and virtue. This is the morning after—honest, unsentimental, and stubbornly hopeful. Subscribe to Dr. Erica Brown's wonderful new Substack, Sacred Stamina, by clicking here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

This episode is dedicated to the complete recovery of יהונתן איתן בן בת שבע ברכה. How do we move from private anguish to collective strength? In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Leo Dee shares the story of the day his wife and two daughters were murdered, and the seven-facet framework he built to keep living with faith and purpose. We walk through Family, Friends, Fitness, Frumkeit (spiritual life), Function (purpose), Finances (trust and control), and Fun (simcha/growth)... first as practices for an individual in pain, and then as a national toolkit for a people living through ongoing trauma. Instead of drilling into tactics, we explore the principles that make the Seven Facets portable, from the home to the community to the nation: how language and presence matter, how practice can carry belief, how purposeful action restores dignity, how trusting what we can't control quiets anxiety, and how measured joy can coexist with memory. This episode is for anyone who refuses to let grief have the last word—and wants concrete, Torah-true ways to help themselves, their family, and Am Yisrael heal. Click here to order Rabbi Dee's wonderful new book, The Seven Facets of Healing.  Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Charlie Kirk's assassination is a shocking, tragic act of violence. Murder is a desecration of the image of God, full stop. We condemn it unequivocally, and we pray for comfort for his family and for all who were harmed. At the same time, Charlie Kirk was a complicated public figure. He was outspokenly pro-Israel and often advocated for Jewish safety; he also voiced criticisms of Israel's current government. He advanced positions that many in the Orthodox world consider essential, and others consider deeply problematic. He defended Israel vigorously, and he also gave a platform to voices widely regarded as openly antisemitic. All of that can be true at once, and ignoring any part of that picture does our community no favors. In the days since his death, we've seen Orthodox individuals and organizations release statements ranging from restrained condolences to sweeping praise that some would call over-the-top. Today we're going to step back and ask, dispassionately and honestly: what should Charlie Kirk's legacy be for Orthodox Jews? This is neither a eulogy nor an indictment. Our aim is to slow the rush to hot takes and consider how a mature community remembers someone who meant very different things to different people. I have three guests on today's episode: Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, Rabbi Benjamin Kelsen, and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki. Together we'll explore where they agree, where they diverge, and what that means for real life: how institutions and leaders speak publicly, and how we keep our disagreements from corroding relationships. Above all, we'll try to conduct this conversation in a way that is truthful, proportionate, and humane. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Is it possible—maybe even Jewish—to be angry at God? From Abraham's challenge at Sodom to Job's cries of despair, Tanach is filled with voices that confront the Divine. But what does that mean for us today, when we struggle with personal tragedy, global antisemitism, and the ongoing pain of the seemingly endless war against Hamas? In this wide-ranging conversation on the Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks with Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies, about whether anger at God is heresy or a profound act of faith. Along the way, they discuss biblical protest, repentance, the Shoah, the morality of Israel's current war, the themes of Rosh Hashanah, contemporary crises, and whether confronting God can actually bring us closer to Him. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

This episode is partially a detective story, partially an analysis of daring ideas, and partially an invitation to discover new methodolgies of confronting challenges to Orthodox Judaism. Rav Kook drafted L'Nevuchei HaDor over a century ago—then the manuscript largely disappeared from view, resurfaced piecemeal, and sparked debates about redaction and "censorship." In this follow-up to our popular episode with Professor Marc Shapiro, I speak with Rabbi Aryeh Sklar, translator of the new English edition, to unpack both the history of the text (why it was sidelined, what changed between versions, and who may have been protecting whom) and the ideas that make it urgent now: how Rav Kook navigates tensions between moral intuition and Torah; his approach to challenges from writings of the ancient Near East; why heresy can refine faith; his respectful stance toward other religions; and much more. As we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we ask what this early, daring Rav Kook can offer a polarized 2025 about creative teshuva, intellectual honesty, and religious confidence without fear. Check out the wonderful new podcast, Women Talking Mitzvot, co-produced by Deracheha.org and Beit Midrash Migdal Oz, with Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg and Rabbanit Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble. To listen, click here (Apple) or here (Spotify). Exclusive deal for Orthodox Conundrum listeners: code perplexed20 will give 20% off if they pre-order L'Nevuchei HaDor through kodeshpress.com. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

As one 929 cycle ends and the next begins, Scott talks with Rabbi Benny Lau—founder of 929—about why the project started, what it hopes to change in Jewish life, and what a shared, chapter-a-day cadence can build across communities. They also tackle the harder questions: the risks of using Tanach as a direct guidebook without the mediating lens of the Oral Tradition, how to engage ethically with challenging passages, and where pluralism meets red lines. Practical takeaways included: how beginners can start this week, and what to do when you fall behind. Whether you're all-in on 929 or cautious about it, this episode is about reading Tanach deeply—and responsibly. Check out the wonderful new podcast, Women Talking Mitzvot, co-produced by Deracheha.org and Beit Midrash Migdal Oz, with Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg and Rabbanit Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble. To listen, click here (Apple) or here (Spotify). We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

When a child shares something deeply personal about his or her sexual orientation, Orthodox parents can feel love, concern, and uncertainty all at once. In this conversation, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz reflects on what he's learned working with families and communal leaders: how to approach the first conversations, which words can prevent hurt, and where halacha and mesorah guide our choices. We also consider what he's heard from senior rabbinic figures, how different communities navigate these moments, and what hope might look like over time. This is a tender, honest discussion meant to help listeners think carefully, speak gently, and consider their next steps with dignity—whatever they may be. Check out Tehillim Unveiled with Ari Levisohn and Rav Jeremy Tibbetts on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify - with a new three-part series on Tehillim 27, L'David Hashem Ori, dropping just in time for Elul! To contact Kesher Families, click here. Follow Rabbi Yakov Horowitz on Instagram - @yakovhorowitz and @brightbeginningsforum. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Why do so many young Modern Orthodox and National Religious Jews embrace the community but drift from halacha? In this episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Rabbi David Stav, head of Tzohar, joins Scott to confront the growing gap between identity and observance. Together they tackle the hard questions: Are we teaching halacha in ways that feel lifeless and irrelevant? Has secular society — from college to army service to technology — reshaped how youth see mitzvot? And most importantly, how can parents and educators reignite passion for Torah and halacha, showing a new generation that Jewish law is not just obligation, but a path to joy, meaning, and belonging? Check out the wonderful new podcast, Women Talking Mitzvot, co-produced by Deracheha.org and Beit Midrash Migdal Oz, with Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg and Rabbanit Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble. To listen, click here (Apple) or here (Spotify). We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

From biblical lions to the bizarre "Zionist crocodile plot," Israel's wildlife tells a story that shatters modern anti-Israel myths. In his new book Lions of Zion, Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin reveals how the animals of the Land of Israel — past and present — reflect the Jewish people's deep, indigenous connection to their homeland. Scott and Rabbi Slifkin tackle false narratives about "settler colonialism," "greenwashing," and cultural appropriation, and explore how creatures like sunbirds, jackals, and even poppies have been weaponized in the propaganda war against Israel. This eye-opening conversation blends Bible, zoology, and politics to show that in Israel, even the animals have a story to tell. To order The Lions of Zion: Biblical Natural History and the Significance of Israel, click here. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

As we approach Tisha B'Av — a day that mourns the devastating consequences of internal strife and baseless hatred — we must ask: is there a Torah model for constructive conflict resolution? Rabbi Alex Israel joins Scott to explore a striking example in Bamidbar chapter 32, where Moses engages the tribes of Reuben and Gad in what Rabbi Jonathan Sacks called, "a model illustration of positive negotiation and conflict resolution." What does this biblical conversation teach us about how to mediate conflict, preserve unity, and build a stronger community — even when we disagree? Scott and Rabbi Israel then apply these lessons to modern conflicts that divide the Jewish people in Israel and around the world. This episode offers a timely and hopeful message: disagreement doesn't have to lead to division, and conflict can become a source of growth — if we learn to listen, negotiate, and speak with respect. Check out the Tehillim Unveiled Podcast! Their episode on Tehillim 89 is especially relevant in the days leading up to Tisha B'Av - you can find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. We're excited to announce that we at Jewish Coffee House are continuing to expand the conversation by bringing you—our listeners—into the mix. Introducing JCH Q&A, an exciting new podcast where listener-submitted questions are answered in a thoughtful, honest, and engaging way. We plan to dive deep into your pressing hashkafic, political, and philosophical questions. We will address the ideas that matter, the issues that challange us, and the topics that spark real curiosity. To submit a question for our first episode, you must be a member of the JCH Podcast WhatsApp Community. (Join here.) No question is off limits, and all submissions will remain anonymous. We're looking forward to answering your questions on our first episode! To read my article on Jewish Unity from last month, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

What is kiruv really about—and what should it be about? In this thought-provoking conversation, Scott speaks with Rabbi Simi Lerner, a kiruv professional who challenges conventional assumptions about Orthodox Jewish outreach. They explore the core goals of kiruv, the philosophical and ethical pitfalls it can fall into, and how to ensure it respects the dignity and autonomy of every individual. Is the point to make people religious? Should every Jew be Shomer Shabbat? What happens when outreach causes regret—or even harm? They also discuss whether kiruv professionals objectify people, the bad habit exhibited by some kiruv professionals (and the problem with having "kivurv professionals"), and how to navigate halacha with integrity in the face of complex realities. Rav Simi emphasizes that many kiruv workers do tremendous and holy work in a careful and sensitive manner... and others do not. This is a candid and essential conversation about one of the most idealistic—and sometimes problematic—projects in the Jewish world. Check out the Tehillim Unveiled Podcast! Their episode on Tehillim 89 is especially relevant in the days leading up to Tisha B'Av - you can find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Links for Rav Simi Lerner: Judaism From Within Podcast Two Rabbis, Three Opinions Podcast Horeb: Philosophy of law and observances from Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch Classes on Kuzari at Yeshivat Darche Noam Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Obesity is now responsible for more deaths in the United States than smoking—yet the Orthodox Jewish community rarely addresses it as either a public health emergency or a halachic concern. In this eye-opening episode, Scott speaks with Dr. Sharon Grossman to explore the medical, hashkafic, and halachic dimensions of obesity, overeating, and eating disorders. They discuss startling statistics about caloric intake on Shabbat, whether extravagant kiddushes and wedding meals reflect a violation of Torah values, and how halacha approaches issues like achilat gasa, guarding one's health, and weight loss surgery. They also tackle the other extreme—unhealthy preoccupations with appearance, the dangers of anorexia, and the rise of drugs like Ozempic. Can Judaism offer a healthy, balanced view of eating, body image, and self-care? This conversation challenges us to rethink how we relate to food, our health, and our values. Jewish Coffee House - the company of which Orthodox Conundrum Commentary is a part - has plans to grow and provide additional exceptional content… and to do that right, we need your help. Our summer intern, Nathan Shapiro, put together a survey so that we can better provide the podcasts, articles, live events, and online presentations that will speak to you. We plan to produce content that will be meaningful, stimulating, and entertaining - and we need your input so that we can create the best possible version of Jewish Coffee House. We want to hear from you. Please take this short survey today! Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Is the Charedi community prepared to confront the demands of real life—economic, civic, and national—or has it built a worldview that prizes withdrawal over responsibility? In this provocative and thoughtful episode, Dayan Yehoshua Pfeffer joins Scott to explore what happens when religious ideology collides with practical reality. Drawing on his influential Sapir essay and other writings, Dayan Pfeffer explains how parts of Charedi society have defined religious life through a lens that minimizes human effort and places near-exclusive trust in divine outcomes—an attitude that discourages participation in Israel's workforce, civic institutions, and national service. But is this mindset sustainable in a modern state? And how do Charedi thinkers reconcile it with halachic sources, economic necessity, and lived experience? Scott and Dayan Pfeffer also delve into the social, theological, and ideological obstacles to change—particularly the way certain ideas have become "untouchable" within the community. Can Charedim pursue professional careers, engage with broader society, and still maintain fidelity to Charedi identity? Or does such a shift inevitably bring them closer to the Modern Orthodox world? This is a challenging, respectful, and essential conversation for anyone concerned about the future of Torah Judaism in Israel and throughout the world. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

In the wake of Israel's stunning victory over Iran—an event many have called miraculous—Jews around the world are reflecting on the nature of divine intervention and the power of prayer. Can we, and should we, pray for miracles? In this deeply thoughtful episode, Rabbi Shlomo Brody joins Scott to explore the halachic and emotional dimensions of tefillah in desperate times. What does it mean to ask for something that defies natural law? Is there a spiritual cost to praying for impossible outcomes? And how should we respond when a loved one is terminally ill—when a cure seems impossible, but giving up feels like betrayal? They also tackle a more uncomfortable question: Does excessive reliance on prayer risk becoming a substitute for human responsibility—such as voting, civic engagement, or taking necessary action in the real world? Can asking God for a miracle ever become a way of avoiding the hard work of confronting reality? This wide-ranging and nuanced conversation explores how to balance faith, hope, and the knowledge that God can do anything, with realism and the recognition that He has discouraged praying for that which is outside the realm of possibility; when to pray for mercy instead of outcomes; and how to maintain emunah without falling into magical thinking. It's essential listening for anyone grappling with what it means to live—and pray—with integrity in the face of uncertainty and crisis. Check out the Tehillim Unveiled Podcast! Their episode on Tehillim 20 is especially relevant today - you can find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

When the United States bombed Iran's nuclear sites this week, the Middle East—and the world—entered a new phase of conflict. In this urgent episode, Scott speaks once again with Yaakov Katz, former editor of The Jerusalem Post, about what these strikes mean for Israel's war effort, the potential consequences of regime change in Iran, the risks of escalation, and how this moment may redefine the geopolitical landscape. This is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand what's really happening beyond the headlines. Check out the Tehillim Unveiled Podcast! Their episode on Tehillim 20 is especially relevant today - you can find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. To preorder While Israel Slept by Yaakov Katz, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Two Israeli embassy staffers shot in Washington. Jewish activists burned in Boulder. A mayoral candidate in New York who refused to condemn the Holocaust gaining momentum. Antisemitism in the United States is no longer hiding in the shadows — it's on the march, in broad daylight. In this urgent bonus episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks with Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz and Andy Weiss about the troubling rise in antisemitic violence and rhetoric, the mainstreaming of hate, and how American Jews are responding — with concern, activism, and a growing sense of alarm. From Zohran Mamdani's alarming candidacy to the broader cultural shift that's making Jew-hatred acceptable again, this is a frank and timely conversation every Jew needs to hear — whether or not you live in New York. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

In this spontaneous and unfiltered episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott shares heartfelt reflections on Israel's war against Iran—not from a political or military perspective, but through personal experience and the lens of faith. What does it mean to believe in Divine providence during a time of fear and uncertainty? How should we grapple with the moral and spiritual implications of war? Without a script or agenda, this episode wrestles with the difficult questions that arise when religious conviction meets the harsh realities of conflict. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Twenty months into the war with Hamas, many Israelis and supporters abroad are asking the same urgent question: how will this end? In this in-depth episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn is joined by Yaakov Katz, one of Israel's most respected journalists and author of While Israel Slept, to examine whether Israel's military goals are still realistic — or even defined. They discuss the uncertain state of the war, Netanyahu's political maneuvering, the role of the Chareidi parties, international pressure, and the trust gap between the government and the public. It's a sobering but essential conversation for anyone who cares about Israel's future. To preorder While Israel Slept, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Megilat Rut — the Book of Ruth — is one of the most beloved and widely read books in the Hebrew Bible. Because we read it annually on Shavuot, many people are familiar with its basic storyline. But its very familiarity can sometimes obscure its most powerful messages. In this episode, I'm joined by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman of Bar Ilan University, who offers a fascinating lens through which to revisit Ruth's story: the world's most popular fairytale — Cinderella. By comparing the two narratives, Rabbi Berman uncovers striking parallels and, more importantly, profound differences that highlight essential Torah values. This conversation will change how you read Megilat Rut and offer fresh insight into the values that give Jewish life depth, direction, and meaning. Listen to the Tehillim Unveiled podcast here or wherever you find your podcasts. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Can science be a vehicle to get closer to God? The Rambam famously answered in the affirmative. In the second of the 1000 chapters of his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah chapter 2, the Rambam writes, "What is the method towards loving and fearing God? At the moment that a person investigates His wondrous and massive actions and creations, and sees through them His endless and infinite wisdom, he immediately loves, praises, and extols, and desires tremendously to know the great Name. In the words of David, 'My soul thirsts for God, the living divine.' And when he thinks about these things themselves, he immediately recoils backward and is awestruck and fears, realizing that he is a small, lowly, and beclouded creature, with minimal and superficial knowledge compared to God's perfect intellect. As David said, 'When I see your heavens… what is man that You should acknowledge him?' According to these ideas I will clarify important principles of the works of the Master of the worlds so that they will be an introduction to one who understands in order to love God. As the Sages said with regard to love, from this you recognize the One who spoke and the world came into being." The Rambam then proceeds to give an introduction to the Aristotelian world view that was presumed true in his time. While we no longer accept the Rambam's science as accurate, his principle that knowledge of the universe is a vehicle to loving and fearing God remains an essential principle. What about using science to demonstrate God's existence? The Rambam, again, was willing to use philosophical arguments for this purpose; but others recoil from the concept. Many people have no interest in examining theories such as intelligent design and creationism, and find them absurd. There's a different but somewhat similar phenomenon which Professor David Shatz calls "bold concordism," where scientists attempt to demonstrate that the first chapter of Bereshit and modern physics are in complete agreement, as long as the words of the Torah are read in a literal, albeit non-obvious way. Some people find this inspiring and helpful, while others dismiss it altogether. My guests today, Rabbi Aaron Zimmer and Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, propose something quite different. They use established scientific facts based on up-to-date physics - scientific facts, that is, which no one denies - and argue that the most logical conclusion from this science is that the universe was created by an intelligent designer. This has nothing to do with the argument of intelligent design from biology, and is not based on any verses in the Torah. It doesn't even deal with questions around divine providence or other aspects of Jewish belief. Instead, they argue that modern physics has offered a brand new and extremely compelling version of the argument from design: that the values of the constants are so unusual and so inherently unlikely, that the most obvious conclusion by far is that they were designed so that our complex universe, which includes atoms, molecules, stars, galaxies, and life, would come into existence. As they explain, almost all serious physicists were bothered by the problem of why the constants are what they are; physicists almost universally acknowledge that the reason that the constants have the values that they do is a huge mystery. Elie and Aaron only differ with most other physicists in that many others try to solve this mystery by positing the existence of a multiverse - that is, infinitely many worlds, each with different values of the constants; whereas my guests argue that this is far more unlikely than the obvious answer: that something with intelligence chose these constants for a reason. Regardless of whether you like the idea of using science to demonstrate God's existence or disagree with the enterprise, Elie and Aaron's argument demands serious attention. I'm honored to present it today, and look forward to hearing what you think. To learn more about Physics to God, to listen to the podcast, or to watch it on YouTube, click here. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Please note that this episode discusses sensitive topics and uses explicit language. Listener discretion is advised. Today, the Orthodox Conundrum is releasing a new episode of Intimate Judaism that my Intimate Judaism co-host, Talli Rosenbaum, and I recorded with Yonina Rubinstein, where we explore how parents can approach conversations about sexuality with sensitivity, clarity, and confidence. How can we talk to kids about sex in a way that's honest, healthy, and grounded in Jewish values? Yonina offers practical strategies for different ages and stages, explains the importance of modeling a positive attitude toward intimacy, and discusses how halacha and tradition can serve as a guide—not a barrier—to raising sexually healthy children. Whether you're a parent, educator, or just thinking ahead, this episode offers an essential roadmap for both navigating and redefining "The Talk" in a way that's both open and deeply rooted in Jewish life. This episode is being released simultaneously on Intimate Judaism and the Orthodox Conundrum. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Last Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago became Pope Leo XIV. While Jews may believe that this shouldn't matter to us at all, this is most likely false. The pope commands the allegiance of well over a billion Roman Catholics worldwide, and his ability to help shape their opinions about the Jewish people and Israel should not be underestimated. To discuss what his election means for the Jewish people, and to review his predecessor Pope Francis's record towards Jews and the Jewish state, I was honored to speak to Dr. Malka Simkovich. Malka has an interesting vantage point, as she is not only a well-known expert in Jewish-Christian relations, but she also spent ten years as the Chair of Jewish Studies at the Catholic Theological Union, which is where the pope studied in the early 1980s.  This Tuesday night, the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast will release a regular episode - co-produced with Intimate Judaism - about how parents should talk about sex and intimacy with their kids. So look for that 48 hours after this bonus episode drops. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

The thought of Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, who died in 1935, remains extremely influential today in religious Zionist circles. Rav Kook's ideology, particularly as interpreted by his son, Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, in books like Orot, has helped to set the agenda for much of the dati leumi world. Over the past couple of decades, however, additional works written by Rav Kook have been published, and some of the ideas they contain are extraordinarily fascinating and at times radical, even as they often have little to do with the Land of Israel or Zionism. These ideas, far from being dated, speak to Orthodox Jews today and often palpably address areas that concern us in 2025. Rav Kook addresses issues such as the limits of Talmud study in forming the religious character of yeshiva students, the importance of establishing a broad curriculum of both holy and secular studies in yeshivot, the possibility that following Jewish law may not be the highest form of spiritual achievement, the wisdom of the masses that at times supersedes that of scholars, the place of natural law and innate morality when it contradicts our understanding of the Torah, whether certain narratives in the Torah need to be taken literally or even may use the prevailing scientific assumptions of those who received the Torah in order to convey a deeper message, the possibility that other religions may be divinely inspired, and much more. I'm encouraged by thinkers who move boldly in directions that others are reluctant to go; the combination of absolute commitment to God, Torah, and the Jewish people alongside heroic courage and honesty is both indispensable and atypical. Both in terms of his ideas, and in his willingness to ask questions, Rav Kook embodied this commitment and courage, and can serve as a role model for Orthodox Jews today.  For that reason, I was honored to speak with Professor Marc Shapiro, author of the new book Renewing the Old, Sanctifying the New: The Unique Vision of Rav Kook, to learn more about Rav Kook's ideas, and their application to the Orthodox world today. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

Colonel John Spencer, one of the world's leading experts on urban warfare, joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about Israel's war against Hamas. We dive deep into the realities of modern combat, the strict standards of international law, and the false accusations of "genocide" being leveled against Israel. Colonel Spencer also shares insights from his recent high-profile debate alongside Dave Smith on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where he pushed back against the misinformation dominating media narratives. We talk about the dangers of influencer-driven disinformation, the moral challenges Israel faces on the battlefield, and what the world gets wrong about the rules of war. We also discuss whether Israel is succeeding in its stated goals, and how the war can conclude without turning into an endless quagmire. No matter your stage of life, Nishmat's Summer Beit Midrash is the place for you. This program offers transformative Torah learning for women of all backgrounds, in the heart of Jerusalem. Visit nishmat.net/summer-beit-midrash to learn more. Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com