One Way Or . . . Jewish Questions & Musings

As a Jew, one is in the river or at least on its banks. What makes up the river? How do we appreciate the tributary we've chosen to navigate? How do we appreciate those that others have chosen to travel? What is the destination? We draw heavily from Rav Abraham Isaac Kook in this adventure.

On one hand, Sarah lived a charmed, unique life as matriarch, leaving the land of her ancestors, with Abraham, and being desired for her beauty by kings. On the other hand, her story is rife with the struggle of humanity: barren until old age, humiliated by her servant, and worried about the inheritance of her son of old age. Who is Sarah to you?

It is common in Western thought to judge desire, which could lead to evil acts, as bad. But hell and the devil are not Jewish concepts. Our ancestors found that a world without desire is a sterile one. Let's look together at Yetzer haRa (the evil inclination) and Yetzer haTov (the good instinct).

Following our redemption episode, we spoke to author Jonathan Papernick about his new release of THE BOOK OF STONE with its nihilistic themes. We explore extremism and violence, how reading and writing stories opens a window to shared humanity. We discussed how these issues manifest for Jews in particular, and the role Israel plays in modern Jewish identity.

There are Jews who have been waiting their entire lives for the arrival of mashiah, the messiah. And there are those that the idea of messianism is as foreign as can be. Join us as we explore the meaning and relevance of the concept.

We're in the final decades during which we can still expect to receive new personal testimony of the Holocaust, the Shoah. How do we teach future generations other than passive remembering? And without overdoing it? How can the memories empower us to live more fully, more engaged, more kind?

The core mitzvah of re-telling the story of Israelite freedom from slavery, our traversing through the split sea, and our celebration on the far shore, is the story of our birth as a nation. How do we experience the exodus as participants? And how to we engage our children?

Amanda Wright's willingness to travel to wherever there is need derived from her nomadic lifestyle and curiosity. As well as faraway places, her journey brought her into healing crises and, ultimately, into Japanese Yoga, and Food as Medicine. Amanda's personal experience serves her Jewish practice and clients well.

What is Jewish humor? When did it begin? What purposes does it serve? Join us as we explore sources of Jewish humor including Torah and Talmud, as well as inspirations from the Borscht Belt and modern film.

Through discussion of his formative experiences in Hartford, inside and outside the Jewish community, guest Elliott Tertes describes how innovative thinking and engagement brings Jews together for the long term.