x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Orthodox Conundrum

The Orthodox Conundrum is a forum in which we look honestly at the Orthodox Jewish community, identifying what works well and what does not, so that, through an honest accounting, we can find solutions that will be successful. We will examine some of the major issues that affect the Orthodox world, without exaggeration, whitewashing, or pretending that they don"t exist. Our hope is that the Orthodox Conundrum will spark wider discussion that will enable Orthodox Judaism to continue moving forward

religion & spirituality judaism

All Episodes

51:29

The Orthodox Community's Obsession with Materialism:...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/02/15

Whether we’re talking about extraordinarily lavish weddings, or over-the-top Pesach programs, or the race to beat the next summer camp with trips to ever more glamorous locations, or even the clothes we wear, it’s hard to deny that many of us are caught in a trap of overemphasis on material goods and experiences - an overemphasis which is frankly at odds with Torah values. On the other hand, even saying this can be problematic. First of all, isn’t materialism in the eye of the beholder? It’s almost

en-us

46:35

The Fissures in Jewish Society: Is Bridging Them a...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/02/07

The lack of unity among the Jewish people is as obvious as it is troubling. We all know that it’s a problem, and has been a problem for as long as there have been Jews. But the normal way of addressing it is by saying that unity is achievable… just as soon as everyone agrees with my way of seeing things. Obviously, this isn’t a method that is destined to succeed. Sometimes it seems that the gaps are too big, the disagreements too intense, the self-righteousness of all sides too entrenched. JJ

en-us

59:00

The Yeshiva University Rape Scandal (97)

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/02/01

On August 25th, 2021 the student newspaper at Yeshiva University, The Commentator, published an anonymous opinion piece entitled, "I Thought Rape Culture Didn’t Exist at YU — Until I Was Raped." Its allegations were deeply troubling, and charged that the university was extremely negligent in its handling of the serious charge that a Yeshiva College student on the basketball team had raped a student from Stern College. In this episode, Scott interviews Shifra Lindenberg and Asher Lovy about the very

en-us

55:04

Daas Torah, Orthodox Culture, and Jewish History: A...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/01/24

Daas Torah can be broadly defined as the belief that great Torah scholars have unusual insight in all areas of human endeavor, and that the Orthodox community as a whole (as well as its individual members) would do well - or may even be required - to consult with these outstanding rabbis before undertaking any significant action. But is this actually a traditional Jewish belief, or is it a relatively recent innovation? How much does the Charedi public truly accept Daas Torah as normative? Where does

en-us

32:57

The Tragic Consequences of Daat Torah Done Wrong (95)

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/01/17

Accepting "Daat Torah" nowadays usually means believing that the greatest Torah scholars have unusual insight in areas outside of Jewish law and thought; for this reason, a person should or even must ask their opinion before doing… well, perhaps anything. Minimally, even communal matters that are not halachic issues per se require consultation with the authorities before moving forward. Scott discusses this concept and explains why he thinks that even people who can accept it in theory should reject

en-us

36:11

Understanding Chareidi Media: Do They Believe the...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/01/10

Apart from the horror that was engendered by the Chaim Walder revelations and his subsequent suicide, there has been significant discussion about the Chareidi media’s varied responses to the terrible situation. Some media outlets lauded Walder after his death, which apparently helped trigger the suicide of one of Walder’s victims. Ignoring truth for the sake of a supposed higher value has consequences, some potentially catastrophic. To better understand ultra-Orthodox media, Scott spoke to Dr. Yoel

en-us

01:12:30

The Crisis of Orthodox Leadership Reaches a Boiling...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2022/01/04

The news that convulsed the Jewish world last week about Chaim Walder’s suicide, following many credible accusations against him of sexual abuse and harassment, highlighted Orthodoxy's leadership crisis. Some prominent rabbis in different sectors of Orthodoxy said and did the right things; but many did not. Some of what these other leaders publicly asserted was ignorant, hurtful, and damaging. Some leaders even implicitly or explicitly showed honor to Walder... and last week, a victim of Walder's

en-us

48:57

Answering New Questions About the Chaim Walder...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/12/29

On December 27, celebrated children's author Chaim Walder was found dead after apparently shooting himself in a Petach Tikva cemetery. In November, Walder had been credibly accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment in an expose published by Haaretz; this was followed by the revelation that these particular accusations were only the tip of the iceberg. Walder, it turned out, was a monster. The news of Walder's suicide has rocked the Orthodox world. Scott asked Shana Aaronson, the executive

en-us

43:25

Fake Jewish Charities, and Real (but Really Corrupt)...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/12/27

Corruption. No transparency. Cover-ups. This, tragically, is too often the reality in the world of Orthodox Jewish charitable organizations. While some tzedaka funds are well-run, honest, and transparent, others are unprincipled and untrustworthy... and sometimes even worse. (Remember when you gave to help someone get a desperately needed kidney transplant? Are you sure the patient even exists?) Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt highlighted this issue in a twitter thread a couple of months ago, and Scott

en-us

01:03:01

The Christian Missionary Threat to Orthodox - Yes,...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/12/20

Jews who live in majority-Christian countries are used to being inundated with Christmas imagery during the month of December. But while that might be innocuous per se, it also raises a more serious question of whether Orthodox Jews need to be concerned about the attempts of some Christian missionaries to convert Jews to Christianity. Many of us likely believe that while we need to combat the conversion of any Jew, Orthodox or otherwise, the danger to Orthodox Jews is minimal, at worst. Rabbi Tovia

en-us

31:01

The Orthodox Parties' Proposed "War" in Defense of...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/12/13

Last week, Sam Sokol of Haaretz reported that, “Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties on Monday declared war on the 'Hellenists' in the government looking to upend the country’s religious status quo, promising to launch a joint national struggle to preserve the state’s Jewish character.” What changes are being suggested - and why do these changes make the Orthodox parties so angry? In order to discuss what the government would like to do, what the religious parties want instead, and what might actually

en-us

13:15

Shattering the Idols of Cowardice: A Message for...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/12/02

When many people think about Chanukah, they think about heroism. And that makes sense: the Maccabees were real heroes, defying the might of their Syrian Greek overlords and fighting for Jewish practice in the Land of Israel. At the same time, much of the Jewish world gets the meaning of heroism wrong... or gets it right and chooses to ignore it. What is heroism, where are we failing, and what can we do to start demonstrating real heroism in our Orthodox communities? Please listen to and share this

en-us

51:39

Domestic Violence is an Orthodox Problem: A...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/29

Thursday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, making this an especially appropriate time to reflect on the issue of domestic violence in the Orthodox world. Many assume that domestic violence is an issue with minimal relevance in Orthodox communities; Rachel Stomel of the Center for Women’s Justice, however, argues that this attitude is, sadly, very mistaken. She asserts that not only does domestic violence take place in our communities, but also that some of the

en-us

54:53

The Chaim Walder Case, and Protecting Our Children...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/22

Just over a week ago, we heard the very disturbing news that the well known and influential children’s author, Chaim Walder, was accused by multiple people of sexually abusing several girls between the ages of 13 and 20. Apart from his celebrity as an author, Walder has worked as a therapist, and is the founder of the Center for the Child and Family in Bnei Brak, a talk show host, and a columnist. After these allegations were published in Haaretz and other media outlets, his newspaper and radio

en-us

33:55

Coachella and Matan Torah: The Future of Outreach...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/17

Our last episode featured the first half of Scott's interview with Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, the rabbi of the Pico Shul in Los Angeles and the founder of Shabbat Tent. In that podcast they talked about the difference between kiruv and outreach, and why that difference matters. Today Rav Yonah explains why music and film festivals have provided him with amazing opportunities for healthy Jewish outreach. He even compares the experience of music festivals with that of Matan Torah, and asserts that this

en-us

33:43

Kiruv vs. Outreach: The Future of Outreach with Rabbi...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/15

The Orthodox world has often stressed the importance of kiruv - that is, working to help non-Orthodox Jews become Torah observant. But Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, the rabbi of the Pico Shul in Los Angeles, wants to make a distinction between kiruv and outreach; he personally stresses the latter in his important work with Jews across the spectrum of religiosity. What does that mean? How can we avoid being judgmental when we believe that Torah Judaism represents the proper way to actualize Judaism in our

en-us

41:09

"A Witch, Daughter of a Mamzer": Yael Braun, the Only...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/08

Yael Braun is a to'enet halacha, someone who goes to the beit din (rabbinic court) in order to advocate on behalf of her clients. In fact, she says that she is the first and only to'enet halacha in the United States. What is the role of a to'enet, and has she had problems stepping into a job normally occupied only by men? But alongside telling stories and explaining the importance of her job, Yael presents a rather hopeful picture of a number of different issues. She has had a very positive

en-us

46:28

"A Complete State of Chaos": Grieving the Loss of a...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/11/01

Last week Scott spoke with Rabbi Shalom Hammer about the changes that he feels we must make in order for Israeli society to better deal with mental illness in general, and suicidal ideation in particular. This week he spoke with Rabbi Hammer again, and they had a very difficult and emotional - but important - conversation. Rabbi Hammer's daughter Gila died by suicide almost two years ago; they will be commemorating her passing on chet kislev, which this year falls out on the twelfth of November. He

en-us

59:13

Time is Life: Preventing Suicide Instead of...

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/10/25

Less than two years ago, Gila Hammer died by suicide. Since that catastrophic tragedy, her father, Rabbi Shalom Hammer, has been working nonstop to advocate for important changes in the way that the Israeli establishment - medical and governmental - treats mental illness. Rabbi Hammer has also become an important advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. He does this in Gila’s memory, in order to do whatever is possible so that other families do not go through the horror that he,

en-us

44:45

Fighting The COVID Deniers with Dr. Blima Marcus (81)

Orthodox Conundrum ·

2021/10/18

Another episode about COVID-19? Yes - because we need to address the fact that Am Yisrael, which should be a light unto the nations, which should be at the forefront of caring about science and expert opinion, which should be loudly proclaiming to the world that pikuach nefesh - the saving of life - takes precedence over almost anything and everything, has not collectively risen to the challenge. Twenty months into the spread of the coronavirus, we still have large groups of openly Orthodox Jewish

en-us

306 results

Similar Podcasts

Jeff Haygood, Pastor

PodPoint

PASTOR ALVARO VALENCIA

Pastor Alvaro Valencia

Grace Life Church CT.

PodPoint

Pleasant View Church

Ted Nance

Christian Heritage Church"s Podcast

PodPoint