Episodi

  • Dovid Bashevkin: A Reform Rabbi Interviews an Orthodox Rabbi [Denominations 2/2]

    Dovid Bashevkin: A Reform Rabbi Interviews an Orthodox Rabbi [Denominations 2/2]
    Jan 13 2026
    This episode is sponsored by the podcast Women Talking Mitzvot.

    In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin answers questions from Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue, about denominations and Jewish Peoplehood.

    In this episode we discuss:
    • How did David become an Orthodox rabbi with an interest in the broader Jewish world?
    • Where does David get his sense of commandedness and obligation from?
    • How should Israel factor into our thinking about Jewish unity?
    Tune in to hear a conversation about what it would mean for us to speak Judaism as a “first language.”

    Interview begins at 29:05.

    Diana Fersko is the Senior Rabbi of The Village Temple, a Reform synagogue at the heart of downtown Jewish life in New York City. An internationally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader, she is a defining voice in the contemporary Jewish world, known for her clarity, compassion, and ability to bring Jewish tradition into meaningful dialogue with modern life.

    For more 18Forty:
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    References:

    “Judaism as a First Language” by Moshe Koppel

    Judaism Straight Up by Moshe Koppel

    Tzidkat HaTzadik 41

    Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin

    B'Rogez Rachem Tizkor by David Bashevkin

    Taanit 20a


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    1 ora e 39 min
  • An Orthodox Rabbi Interviews a Reform Rabbi [Denominations 1/2]

    An Orthodox Rabbi Interviews a Reform Rabbi [Denominations 1/2]
    Jan 6 2026
    In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue, about denominations and Jewish Peoplehood.

    In this episode we discuss:
    • How do we re-determine how to be Jews in America?
    • Is there really an “education gap” between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews?
    • How should we handle the question of “who is a Jew” across denominations?
    Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might see beyond our proverbial “three blocks."

    Interview begins at 22:11.

    Diana Fersko is the Senior Rabbi of The Village Temple, a Reform synagogue at the heart of downtown Jewish life in New York City. An internationally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader, she is a defining voice in the contemporary Jewish world, known for her clarity, compassion, and ability to bring Jewish tradition into meaningful dialogue with modern life.

    References:

    View of the World from 9th Avenue

    Tzidkat HaTzadik 54

    No Country for Old Men

    The Tapestry of Jewish Time: A Spiritual Guide to Holidays and Life-Cycle Events by Nina Beth Cardin

    A Letter in the Scroll by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

    For more 18Forty:
    NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
    CALL: (212) 582-1840
    EMAIL: info@18forty.org
    WEBSITE: 18forty.org
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    1 ora e 41 min
  • Yabloner Rebbe: The Rebbe of Change (Teshuva Re-Release)

    Yabloner Rebbe: The Rebbe of Change (Teshuva Re-Release)
    Dec 30 2025
    Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics.

    In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, originally released in 2021, we talk to Rabbi Pini Dunner and Rav Moshe Weinberger about the Yabloner Rebbe and his astounding story of teshuva.

    The Yabloner Rebbe was a chassidishe rebbe who helped found Kfar Chassidim. He disappeared and went to Los Angeles, where he went off the derech, but he later returned to Judaism and Kfar Chassidim in a remarkable example of teshuva.
    • Who was the Yabloner Rebbe?
    • Why did he leave his faith?
    • What inspired him to return?
    Tune in to hear a conversation about the astounding story of the Yabloner Rebbe.

    References:

    The God of Loneliness by Philip Schultz

    The Amazing Return of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner

    The Astonishing Story of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner

    Mavericks, Mystics & False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner

    Rabbi Pini Dunner Website

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    1 ora e 24 min
  • Shais Taub: A Vulnerable Conversation About Shame, Selfhood, and Authenticity [Mysticism III 3/3]

    Shais Taub: A Vulnerable Conversation About Shame, Selfhood, and Authenticity [Mysticism III 3/3]
    Dec 23 2025
    Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics.

    In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast—created in collaboration with Amudim—we speak with Shais Taub, the rabbi behind the organization SoulWords, about shame, selfhood, and authenticity.

    In this episode we discuss:
    • How are we to deal with the pain of embodiment and individuation?
    • How does one uncover their mission in the world and align their life with the transcendent?
    • How can we work to reorient our desires toward the right things?
    Tune in to hear a conversation about the interior experience of fragmentation from Ultimate Being.

    Interview begins at 10:28.

    Rabbi Shais Taub is a well-known figure in Jewish teachings and personal development and delivers Torah lectures and classes worldwide. He is renowned for his ability to make complex ideas accessible. He heads SoulWords.org and serves as scholar-in-residence at Chabad of the Five Towns in Long Island, New York.

    References:

    God of Our Understanding by Shais Taub

    Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin

    Top 5 by David Bashevkin

    Seinfeld: “The Soul Mate”

    "Eric Adams on Dyslexia, Trauma, and Fixing What's Broken in Politics”

    Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

    For more 18Forty:
    NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join
    CALL: (212) 582-1840
    EMAIL: info@18forty.org
    WEBSITE: 18forty.org
    IG: @18fortyX: @18_forty
    WhatsApp: join here


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    1 ora e 19 min
  • Philip Goff: Consciousness, Mysticism, and God [Mysticism III 2/3]

    Philip Goff: Consciousness, Mysticism, and God [Mysticism III 2/3]
    Dec 16 2025
    Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Philip Goff—a philosophy professor who devotes much of his work to investigating the ultimate nature of reality—about consciousness, mysticism, and God. We also hear from Rabbi Eli Rubin about the possibility of “Jewish panpsychism.”In this episode we discuss:What is the relationship between consciousness and scientific observation?How should people find purpose in their lives?How does a secular philosopher make the decision to turn to religion?Tune in to hear a conversation about whether mysticism has scientific credibility. Interview begins at 9:22.Philip Goff is a philosophy professor at Durham University, UK, where he devotes much of his work to investigating the ultimate nature of reality. He publishes weekly interviews and articles on his Substack. Goff is known for defending panpsychism as the best available theory of consciousness; his TEDx talk, "Is there consciousness beyond the brain?" presents this view to a wider audience. His recent book, Why? The Purpose of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2023), explores panpsychism as a middle ground between traditional belief in God and secular atheism. He is a recent convert to a form of “heretical Christianity".References:Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity by Eli RubinGalileo's Error by Philip GoffMy Bright Abyss by Christian WimanThe Varieties of Religious Experience by William JamesGödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas R. HofstadterTanya Chapter 2Why? The Purpose of the Universe by Philip GoffMind & Cosmos by Thomas NagelPurpose in the Universe by Tim Mulgan​​Universes by John LeslieFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.
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    1 ora e 26 min
  • Alon Shalev: How Rav Hutner Found Existential Meaning [Mysticism III 1/3]

    Alon Shalev: How Rav Hutner Found Existential Meaning [Mysticism III 1/3]
    Dec 9 2025
    Check out our new series in partnership with SHARE, 18 Questions, 40 Jewish Mystics. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Alon Shalev, a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, about how Rav Hutner found existential meaning.In this episode we discuss:How do we find and build purpose within our short lives?What is the role of individualism and self-expression in Jewish life? How should we respond to the crisis of perceived meaninglessness in the modern world? Tune in to hear a conversation about the coming together of machshavah, nigleh, and nistar.Interview begins at 23:20.Alon Shalev is a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and a Research Associate at the Jonathan Sacks Institute at Bar-Ilan University. He holds a doctorate in Jewish Thought from the Hebrew University. He deals with the question of meaning in life in Jewish thought and philosophy, ethics, and political philosophy. His book Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner’s Theology of Meaning was published by Brill. Alon lives in Tzur Hadassah, and is married with three children.References:Terror in Black September: The First Eyewitness Account of the Infamous 1970 Hijackings by David RaabPachad Yitzchak Shavuos by Rav Yitzchok HutnerPachad Yitzchak Purim by Rav Yitzchok Hutner“Letters of Love and Rebuke From Rav Yitzchok Hutner” by David BashevkinBerakhot Chapter 2Between Berlin and Slobodka: Jewish Transition Figures from Eastern Europe by Hillel GoldbergGreat Jewish Letters by Moshe BambergerProverbs 24:16Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner’s Theology of Meaning by Alon ShalevHeidegger and Kabbalah by Elliot R. WolfsonHeidegger and His Jewish Reception by Daniel M. HerskowitzMesillat Yesharim by Moses Chaim LuzzattoWho Is Man? by Abraham J. HeschelHalakhic Man by Rabbi Joseph B. SoloveitchikDr. Alon Shalev on The Podcast of Jewish IdeasPachad Yitzchok Chanukah Rav Yitzchok HutnerFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.
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    1 ora e 48 min
  • NEW: 18 Questions, 40 Mystics with Joey Rosenfeld

    NEW: 18 Questions, 40 Mystics with Joey Rosenfeld
    Dec 2 2025
    This podcast is in partnership with Rabbi Benji Levy and Share. Learn more at 40mystics.com.
    Rav Joey Rosenfeld’s entryway into mystical thought began with the writings of Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. Discussing Jewish mysticism with Rav Joey is not just a conversation about ancient texts and ideas, but it is a journey into the soul, wherein he describes how mystical principles can transform relationships, heal trauma, and guide us in a modern world.Rav Joey Rosenfeld is a practicing psychotherapist in the field of addiction, focusing on the interface between philosophy, spirituality, and psychology. He regularly gives shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Kabbalah, and the inner workings of the human soul. Here, he sits down to discuss 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including the various dimensions of redemption and the paradoxical nature of God.

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    1 ora e 31 min
  • What To Do When Families Become Estranged [Re-Release]

    What To Do When Families Become Estranged [Re-Release]
    Nov 25 2025
    This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by Dr. Leah Younger of Younger Psychology.

    In 2023, we talked to psychologist Dr. Joshua Coleman, about the nuances of familial estrangement and reconciliation.

    We also heard from mindset coach Jason Blau and translator Izzy Posen about how these issues play out within the Jewish community. In this episode we discuss:

    • What strategies can be employed by families carrying the burden of strife and negativity?
    • What are the common triggers of family estrangement, and how can those in strained relationships move forward?
    • What is the role of family in a world of optionality?
    Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can make peace with the “ghosts” of our past.

    Interview with Joshua Coleman begins at 8:54.
    Interview with Jason Blau begins at 54:42.
    Interview with Izzy Posen begins at 1:15:42.

    Dr. Joshua Coleman is a psychologist in private practice and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, an organization of sociologists, historians, psychologists and demographers dedicated to providing the public with the latest research and best practice findings about American families. He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and other publications, and often speaks on television about issues of estrangement, relationships, and families. Dr. Coleman also writes music for television which has been used on many shows.

    References:

    “Of Ghosts and Ancestors” by Ari Berman

    “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown

    Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day by Anne Katherine

    Why Won't You Apologize?: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts by Harriet Lerner

    The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships by Harriet Lerner

    Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict by Joshua Coleman

    When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along by Joshua Coleman

    “The Family Reunion” by Izzy Posen

    Genesis 46

    “הַמַּלְאָךְ" by Izzy Posen

    "Daddy Come Home" by The Yeshiva Boys Choir

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    1 ora e 50 min