Rabbinic Sex Scandals and Jewish Viral Videos
This month on the podcast we’re talking about Marc Gafni, Barry Freundel, and the sexual misdeeds of rabbis. How can our communities appropriately respond to sexual predators, and how can we prevent them from getting positions of power in the first place? In our second segment, we’ll be talking about something much lighter–Jewish viral videos.
Further reading
Rabbinic Sex Scandals
Who’s Investigating the Rabbis Who Cross the Line? from the Forward
How to Spot a Sexual Predator from Hevria
A Spiritual Leader Gains Stature, Trailed by a Troubled Past from the New York Times
Understanding the Marc Gafni Story, Part II from Tablet
Marc Gafni Defends Return to Spotlight as Backlash Gathers Steam, from the Forward
How to Stop Shul Sexual Abuse Before It Starts, The Joy of Text
Jewish Viral Video
L’cha by The Chevre
Just Had Chametz by Kol Ish
Non-Observant Jews Try Going Kosher for a Week from Buzzfeed
The Jewish Food Taste Test from Buzzfeed
The Aveirah Song
Dip Your Apple by The Fountainheads
Candlelight by the Maccabeats
Jew in the City: Freeda Wig Makeover
18 Things Orthodox Jewish Feminists Are Tired of Hearing
Mazel Tov by ZEA
I am Jewish by Andrew Lustig
Shushan Funk
Endorsements
Zahava recommends
The Center for Modern Torah Leadership, and the writing of Rabbi Aryeh Klapper
Mimi recommends
Season 2 of Transparent, and Cholent!: The Game
Tamar recommends
The Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
19 Holocaust Comparisons and the Story of Judith
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about Holocaust comparisons–are they ever okay? If so, when? If not, why not? And we’re talking about the story of Judith, a complex Hanukkah heroine.
Further reading
Holocaust comparisons
Why the Syrian Refugge Crisis Encourages Me to Talk About My least Favorite Subject by dlevy at Jewschool
The Story of Judith
The Story of Judith
Hanukka Heroines of Yore by Rachel Adelman for the Jerusalem Post
Heroines of Hanukkah and Our Own Times” from Moving Traditions
Endorsements
Mimi endorsed Alicia Jo Rabins and her band Girls in Trouble
Zahava requests that filmmakers make some Hanukkah movies already (Full Court Miracle and A Rugrats Chanukah noted), and endorses the Torah commentary of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsh (buy it here).
Tamar endorsed You’re Doing it All Wrong-How to Make Latkes.
18 Halloween and Parental Leave in Jewish Organizations
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about Halloween, and the sad state of parental leave in Jewish organizations.
Further reading
Halloween
4 Jewish Halloween Lessons From a Family Who Doesn’t Do Halloween by Ilana Garber at Kveller
Parental Leave
Advancing Women Professionals And the Jewish Community
Better Work, Better Life Campaign
Endorsements
Mimi endorsed Maus and Maus II, and a request for good Holocaust related fiction for young adults
Zahava endorsed group singing.
Tamar endorsed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and
the Nerd with a Voice youtube channel, including her song about the RCA’s recent statement about women, and her video about coming out to your Orthodox family.
Suicide in the Jewish Community, and Who Sets the Table?
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about how the Jewish community responds to and works to prevent suicide. We spoke with Rella Kaplowitz, of Elijah’s Journey, a Jewish Response to Suicide for that segment. Our second topic is Who Sets the Table, a series of surveys and articles in the Forward that examines who does the work for Jewish home life, from the seder to Shabbat to Rosh Hashanah.
Further reading
Jewish Suicide
Breaking the Jewish Community’s Silence Around Suicide
Who Sets the Table
Who Sets the Table
Who Sets the Table on Shabbat
Average Minutes Per Day Men and Women Spent in Household Activities Bureau of Labor Statistics
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed
David Tzvi’s Beard Mitzvah
Zahava endorsed
A message from Mayanot High School’s principal, Mrs. Rivka Kahan in response to Rabbi Mordechai Willig’s assertion that women learning Torah is a slippery slope to undermining the foundation of Jewish law.
Mimi Endorsed
V’Haer by the Jewish a capella group Kol Echad
The Pathology Plaguing American Jews by Gal Beckerman
17 The State of Jewish Media, and Breastfeeding in Shul
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about the Jewish media landscape–how does it work, and what do we wish it did better? Our second topic is breastfeeding in shul. A new blog allows people to submit their experiences at various synagogues, but is it appropriate? For that segment, we will be joined by our friend Yael Kalman. Yael is many wonderful things, including a mother to two young children, one of whom is currently breastfeeding.
Further reading
Jewish Media
What’s Behind the Mass Layoffs at the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent
Breastfeeding in Shul
Nursing at Shul the blog where people can submit a community’s policy around breastfeeding in synagogue
Breastfeeding and Showing Affection in Shul, a responsum by Rabbi Ysoscher Katz
Breastfeeding at Synagogue in the Forward
I was Shamed for Breastfeeding in Synagogue from Kveller
Rabbi Ysoscher Katz and Rabbi Ozer Glickman Rounds One and Two from Kavanah
Five Places Where Breastfeeding in Certainly Inappropriate
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed
In Israel Sexism Starts Early by Shoshana Kordova in the Forward
My Face Book
Zahava endorsed
Evelyn Fuchter’s RCA Convention Speech
Mimi Endorsed
This is Not the Charleston I Know by Robert N. Rosen
Don’t Whitewash Charleston’s Troubled Racial History by Adam D. Mendelsohn
Yael endorsed
The Bebe Au Lait nursing cover
All Who Go Do Not Return: A Memoir by Shulem Deen
16 Can Poor People Convert to Judaism?
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about how expensive it is to be a Jew, and whether or not expense should be a limiting actor for those wishing to convert. In our second segment we’ll be discussing the new movie Felix and Meira, about a Hasidic woman in Montreal deciding if she wants to stay in the Hasidic community.
Further reading
Expense of Jewish Life
After Freundel Scandal, Converts in Waiting Complain of Unexpected Obstacles
A Cost Benefit Analysis of Being Jewish by Carmel Chiswick
Grappling With The Rising Cost of Being Orthodox by Asher Elbein
Felix and Meira
Felix and Meira Official Website
‘Felix and Meira,’ a Portrait of a Tempted Hasidic Wife, The New York Times
RogerEbert.com review
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed
The music from Felix and Meira, including After Laughter by Wendy Rene, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing Didn’t it Rain.
Zahava endorsed
Fill the Void
Mimi Endorsed
Shavuot–a holiday that is often overlooked.
15 How to Pick A Great Synagogue
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about shul shopping–how do you find a synagogue or Jewish community you like? What do you look for and what do you avoid? Our second topic is the ever-elusive Shabbat atmosphere. How does one create it? What’s in, and what’s out?
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed
Zeta Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Hot Peppers
The web series High Maintenance, especially the Elijah and Esme episodes
Zahava endorsed
Little White Lie, a film by Lacey Schwartz
An interview with Lacey Schwartz on KCRW’s The Business
Lacey Schwartz and her mother on Morning Edition
Mimi endorsed
Going to Ikea to shop for your Passover kitchen needs
Buying a Passover blender, and using it to make smoothies for breakfast
13 Haggadah Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
In this month’s very special episode the Talking in Shul gang discusses our favorite haggadot, and reveals what we think makes for a good seder.
Further reading
Tamar brought her own personal Haggadah created on Haggadot.com and
A Night to Remember: The Haggadah of Contemporary Voices by Noam Zion and Mishael Zion.
Zahava brought The Abarbanel’s Commentary on the Haggadah and the Lieberman Open Orthodox Haggadah.
Mimi brought A Passover Haggadah: The New Union Haggadah.
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed getting Haggadot from your public library and the best Pesach muffins. Here is the recipe:
Sweet Vegetable Kugel (24 muffins)
2 c. grated apple
2 c. rated raw sweet potato
(1 swt pot.=2 cups)
2 c. grated carrot
1/2 cup margarine or less
2/3 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 c. cake meal
Mix all ingredients. Bake in greased muffin cups at 325 for 30 minutes.
Zahava endorsed
The Rugrats Passover episode
Mimi’s endorsement was more of a question about how one should furnish a Passover kitchen. What supplies do you need and how do you limit for space and monetary concerns?
12 Premarital Sex in the Orthodox Community / Is Purim Really for Kids?
This month on Talking in Shul we’re talking about sex and the single Jewish Orthodox woman, and about Purim, a holiday that’s often billed as kid friendly. Is it really kid friendly, and what makes a holiday or a Jewish community kid friendly anyway?
Further reading
What Happens to Sexually Active Orthodox Singles The Sisterhood
Birth Control, Jewish Law Collide at Stern The Jewish Week
Endorsements
Tamar endorsed
The Shomer Negiah Blog
The Best Hamantaschen recipe end of discussion
Zahava endorsed
The Dawn, by Yoram Hazony
Agata Kulesza‘s performance in the Oscar-winning movie Ida
Mimi endorsed
“toward the vindication of vashti,” by Aryeh Bernstein
Lauren endorsed
John Legend and Common’s Oscar speech
POWER Philadelphia