8 East Ramapo and Transparent
In this month’s episode we discuss the school board controversy in East Ramapo New York, and the television show Transparent, available on Amazon Prime. Share your thoughts about this episode at tish@openquorum.org.
Further Reading
A Not So Simple Majority, This American Life
Seeking Common Ground: School and Ethnic Tensions in Rockland CountyWNYC
The Blame Game, Tablet Magazine
The Lost Children of Wilder: The Epic Struggle to Save Foster Care by Nina Bernstein
Nothing’s Sacred in Jeffrey Tambor’s New Show ‘Transparent’, Haaretz
Local Artist Tackles Jews and Sex in ‘Transparent’ With Jeffrey Tambor, Jewish Journal
Jill Soloway’s Transparent, Forward
Mimi recommends Of Birds and Boundaries, an episode of the Love + Radio podcast, and Simchat Torah dancing with the kids at the Reform Hebrew school where she teaches.
Zahava recommends breakfast for dinner on Simchat Torah night.
Tamar recommends Higher Ground, starring Vera Farmiga.
Exciting note: We will be recording our next episode LIVE at the JOFA Unconference in New York City on Sunday November 23rd, 2014. Please join us at the JOFA Unconference by registering to attend here.
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweither.
7 Jewish Social Justice? & Sex Education
In this month’s episode we discuss the way the social justice and Judaism are often billed as interchangeable terms, and best practices for sex and relationship education for pre-teens and teens in Jewish schools. Share your thoughts about this episode.
Further reading
The Future of Liberal Jewry in a Nutshell by Jonathan S Tobin for Commentary Magazine
Uri L’Tzedek Orthodox Social Justice
Sex Education in Orthodox High Schools by Shmuly Yanklowitz at Jewish Journal
Teaching Sex Ed To Young Modern Orthodox Women by Sarah Epstein at Jewesses With Attitude
Why Jewish Kids Need Values Based Sex Ed by Mara Yacobi in the Jewish Week
Demystifying Sex and Teaching Halacha: Kallah Teachers Workshop at Jewish Orthodox Feminst Alliance
Moving Traditions monthly programming for teen girls and boys
Mimi’s endorsement: Rosh Hashanah foods that aren’t sweet
Tamar’s endorsement: Shabbat zemirot as lullabyes
Zahava’s endorsement: Limited engagement chevruta, especially for Elul
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweither.
Photograph: First grade classroom on Israel’s 25th anniversary. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 Generic.
6 Burka Ban & Talking about Israel on Facebook and Twitter
In this month’s episode we discuss the burka ban in France, and its implications for Jewish hair-coverers. Then we talk to guest Beth Wolf about her secret facebook group, Undercover Beauties for women of all religions and backgrounds who cover their hair. Finally, we talk about why we haven’t been talking about Israel on our social media feeds, and close with some endorsements. Share your thoughts about this episode at tish@openquorum.org.
Further Reading
Reasonable Acommodation report from Quebec
Mimi’s recommendation:
Tamar’s recommendation: She Goes Covered by Julia Sherman at Triple Canopy
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweither.
5 The Three Weeks & Jewish Weddings
In this month’s episode we discuss the three weeks of mourning leading up to Tisha B’Av, and the Jewish wedding ceremony and how it’s changing (or not changing) with guest Naomi Socher-Lerner. We close with some Jewish endorsements. Share your thoughts about this episode at tish@openquorum.org.
Further Reading
Rabbi Soloveitchik on the three weeks as reverse mourning for a parent
Rabbi Doz Linzer’s responsa on double ring ceremonies (pdf)
Tamar’s endorsement: Summarizing each parashah of the Torah in one word
Mimi’s endorsement: Fake bacon
Zahava’s endorsement: Da Voice from Israel
Naomi’s endorsement: The Pocket Torah app for smartphones
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweither and “Eros Vibraphone” by The Books.
4 Jewish Singles & Jewish Summer Camp
In this month’s episode we discuss how the Jewish community can better serve single people, and the joys and oys of Jewish summer camp. We close with some Jewish endorsements. Share your thoughts about this episode at tish@openquorum.org.
Music credit: Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweiter and “The General” (cover) by Joshua Jebamony
3 Anti-Semitism & Fiddler on the Roof
We discuss modern antisemitism in the context of the recent violence in Ukraine, the significance of Fiddler on the Roof 50 years later, and share a Jewish win and an endorsement. Share your thoughts about this episode at tish@openquorum.org.
Further reading:
“The Cossacks” by Linda Pastan: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/cossacks
The radio project “This I Believe:” http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/76024/this-i-believe-vt—lisa-furmanski/
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweiter and “Eros Vibraphone” by The Books.
2 Obamacare & Kosher stores
We discuss the Jewish response to the Hobby Lobby case that was recently heard by the Supreme Court, and our own takes on kosher stores. We closed with a recent Jewish win and fail. Featuring Tamar Fox, Mimi Lewis, and Zahava Stadler.
Further reading:
A statement by JSPAN, cited in the middle of this survey of Jewish takes on the Hobby Lobby case, as well as the OU’s statement, the RCA’s statement. An amicus brief filed by a number of Orthodox organizations is available as a PDF here.
A recent Kveller article about kosher stores.
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweiter and “Eros Vibraphone” by The Books.
1 Prayer Spaces
On the first episode of Talking in Shul, we talked about prayer spaces–what makes for a good place to pray, and what doesn’t, plus some odd prayer spaces we have known. Featuring Tamar Fox, Mimi Lewis, and Zahava Stadler.
Music credit: “Mircoobee” by Keinzweiter.