Podcast
Judaism Unbound
Hosted by Institute for the Next Jewish Future · EN
Listen in as Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman analyze pressing issues for 21st century American Judaism. Mixing their own analysis with interviews of leading thinkers, practitioners, and even "regular Jews," Lex and Rena Yehuda look to push past the bounds of what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.
You can support Judaism Unbound at www.JudaismUnbound.com/donate.
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Rest to Return I: Belonging to Time
2d ago00:28:22Tap to summarizeRest to Return, a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We begin by gathering around a single question: What do we need in order to sustain our sacred purpose? I received Kohenet smicha from The Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute in July 2017. The chorus of voices affirming that I am a Kohenet was recorded during the ceremony. The Torah reference about ceasing from work comes from Breishit 2:2. My understanding of Jewish people as “people of the book, body, and earth” has been informed by a number of sources and teachers; notable among them is Rav Kohenet Taya Mâ. Though I have come to understand that many somatic therapists and practitioners have written about the way that trauma can cause people to dissociate from their bodies, I learned it from a variety of sources and forums, none of which credited a source. The Kabbalistic concept of the Four Worlds is outlined in greater depth here. Octavia Raheem is an embodied practitioner and author who you can learn more about here. Asher Yatzar by Dan Nichols Helen Marie is a psychotherapist who you can learn more about here. The story of Reb Zusha is paraphrased from Martin Buber's Tales of the Hasidim. I learned the concept of makom kavuah (our fixed place) from Rabbi David Jaffe, Founder of Kirva, during a session about the Mussar concept of anavah (being right-sized). This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including: View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog Join Keshira on retreat this August: Returning Anew Learn more about Keshira's latest class at IJS on Mindful Speech as a Spiritual Practice Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s) IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information. Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.
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Episode 538: Matir Asurim -- Judaism and Incarceration - Shir Lovett-Graff
1w ago00:49:49Tap to summarizeShir Lovett-Graff, a writer and community-organizer, is a founder and organizer with Matir Asurim: Jewish Care Network for Incarcerated People -- they also serve as executive director for the Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative. Lovett-Graff joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about incarceration through Jewish lenses. This episode is the 3rd in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes exploring Judaism through the framework of bodily autonomy. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here! --------------Apply for the UnYeshiva's Certificate Program for Unbound Judaism by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/certificate! The deadline is June 7th.
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Episode 537: Trans Jews Embody Holiness - Dubbs Weinblatt
2w ago00:50:04Tap to summarizeDubbs Weinblatt, an educator and facilitator whose work focuses on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and belonging, joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about the empowerment of Transgender people -- in Jewish spaces and in society more generally. This episode is the second in an ongoing Judaism Unbound mini-series exploring the intersection of Judaism and bodily autonomy. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here! --------------Apply for the UnYeshiva's Certificate Program for Unbound Judaism by heading to www.judaismunbound.com/certificate! The deadline is June 7th.
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Rest to Return Trailer
2w ago00:01:39Tap to summarizeWe are exhausted…not because we lack discipline but because we’ve lost our relationship to time. Rest to Return is a seven-episode podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat - an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is not a reward for finishing our work, but a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. Each episode gathers around questions we’ve been taught not to ask: What is work, really? Who decides when it’s time to stop? Why does rest feel like a transgression? What makes time sacred? And who might we become if we actually honored it? Rest to Return is not a productivity hack. Rest to Return is an invitation to slow down, to remember ourselves, and to reclaim time as a place of belonging. The first episode drops June 10. Join us for the journey and check out the live music video of the theme music written by Keshira.
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Shabbat Unbound I: Yedid Nefesh
3w ago00:28:45Tap to summarizeWelcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach us. Miriam Terlinchamp, Lex Rofeberg and an incredible group of musicians invite you to discover what happens when Shabbat slows down. The first episode focuses on Yedid Nefesh. [1] Check out the music video for Yedid Nefesh here. [2] All the music for the Shabbat Unbound podcast was recorded live at The Monastery Studios in Cincinnati, Ohio under the direction of Ric Hordinski. [3] Lex made AMAZING resources to accompany each episode of Shabbat Unbound, check out this page for further learning. [4] Molly Baigot, composer of this version of Yedid Nefesh, is a queer Jewish musician, educator, and activist living on Nipmuc & Pocumtuc land in Easthampton, MA. You can find out more about her on her website: mollybajgot.com [5] Reb’ Zalman’s translation of Yedid Nefesh can be found here [6] Check out this gorgeous article on the power of vulnerability through the lens of love, by Karen Erlichman. [7] The melody Healer of the Broken-Hearted for the prayer for healing comes from Shir Meira Feit. Learn more about their work at ShirMeira.com.
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Episode 535: Shavuot 2026 - Lex Rofeberg, Rena Yehuda Newman, Miriam Terlinchamp
4w ago00:49:08Tap to summarizeShavuot! Is! Coming! As this episode is released, the festival of Shavuot is less than a week away. And with it, ShavuotLIVE: Judaism Unbound's 24-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and unlearning, approaches as well (begins Friday, May 22nd at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT)! Lex Rofeberg, Rena Yehuda Newman, and Miriam Terlinchamp dive into the wild twists and turns that have characterized Shavuot's journey from the Torah to the present-day. They explore how ShavuotLIVE serves as a continuation of Shavuot's past iterations, while also bringing some new energy to the festival as well. Also...they talk about Jewish time-travel! ----------------ShavuotLIVE will take place from Friday, May 22nd at 6 pm ET (3 pm PT) through Saturday, May 23rd at 6 pm ET (3 pm PT). Click here to register. It's free to attend! Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!
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Shabbat Unbound Trailer
May 1200:01:24Tap to summarizeStarting May 22nd, we're launching a new monthly series called Shabbat Unbound, an experiment in slowing Jewish prayer down. Once a month, in place of our regular interview on Friday, we'll release Shabbat Unbound here on the Judaism Unbound feed. Each episode of Shabbat Unbound focuses on one prayer through song, study, and story. Before the first episode drops on May 22nd, we wanted to share our trailer for the series with you now. ------------------------------------------------- ShavuotLIVE, Judaism Unbound's BIGGEST event of the year, is coming up! This 24-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and unlearning will take place on Friday, May 22nd through Saturday, May 23rd. Click here to register! If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!
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Episode 534: God Bless the Pill - Samira Mehta
May 800:47:54Tap to summarizeSamira Mehta is the author of a new book entitled God Bless the Pill: The Surprising History of Contraception and Sexuality in American Religion. She joins Lex and Rena Yehuda for a conversation exploring her book, along with what it can teach us about the history of American religion -- and about Jewish history in particular. This episode is the 1st in an ongoing unit of Judaism Unbound episodes exploring reproductive justice, bodily autonomy, and their intersections with the Jewish past, present, and future. For 30%-off on God Bless the Pill, just head to this link and enter the code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout! ------------------------------------------------- ShavuotLIVE, Judaism Unbound's BIGGEST event of the year, is coming up! This 24-hour extravaganza of Jewish learning and unlearning will take place on Friday, May 22nd through Saturday, May 23rd. Click here to register! Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!
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Episode 533: Yiddish Revolutionary Folksong - Chaia
May 100:49:27Tap to summarizeChaia is a composer known for her Yiddish techno music, sometimes known as "kleztronica" (klezmer + electronica). She joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation honoring May Day (International Workers' Day). Together they explore the intersection of Yiddish, revolution, and folksong -- which, as it turns out, is an extremely prolific and inspiring intersection! They also explore broader Jewish questions about how we understand oldness and newness in Jewish tradition. -------------------------------------------- Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here! Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out upcoming mini-courses in the UnYeshiva: Holy Chutzpah, and Rebbe Nachman of Bretslev! Financial aid is available via this link. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with Judaism Unbound's hosts, and with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com.
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Episode 532: ANNOUNCEMENT - Shabbat Podcasts
Apr 2400:49:14Tap to summarizeBIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Judaism Unbound is thrilled to be bringing you not one, not two, but THREE different Shabbat-focused podcasts over the coming months! They'll be called Shabbat Unbound, Rest to Return, and Shabbat Dinner Party. In this episode, Lex, Rena Yehuda, and Miriam explore what these podcasts will be, and why Judaism Unbound has chosen to make Shabbat such a big part of our programming moving forward. ------------------------------ Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here! Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out upcoming mini-courses in the UnYeshiva: Holy Chutzpah, and Rebbe Nachman of Bretslev! Financial aid is available via this link. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with Judaism Unbound's hosts, and with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com.
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