Dan and Lex are joined by Sarah Hurwitz, author of a recently-published book entitled As a Jew, which explores ways in which antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity -- and how Jews can reclaim their tradition. This episode is the second in a short mini-series on antisemitism, following up on a conversation last week with Daniel May. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com.

Daniel May, publisher of Jewish Currents, joins Dan and Lex for a conversation about anti-semitism. May is the author of a recent piece in Harper's Magazine entitled "An Outrage to Common Sense: On the Meanings of Anti-Semitism," a piece that serves as a great launching point into a discussion of antisemitism's history, its contemporary manifestations, along with debates about when it manifests and when it doesn't. If you've noticed that some parts of this description use a hyphen in "anti-semitism," and others use "antisemitism" with no hyphen, you're a sharp reader! That punctuation choice and its ramifications is part of this episode as well. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com.

Barbara Thiede (also known as Shulamit Sapir) is a multi-time guest on Judaism Unbound in the past, a key figure in our recent book Judaism Unbound...Bound, a past teacher in the UnYeshiva, and a major influence on Judaism Unbound in many respects over the years. She joins Dan and Lex for a conversation that extends a previous appearance of hers (Episode 101: Not Your Rabbis' Judaism), and continues a mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes where we look back on what has shifted in Jewish life since our founding ten years ago. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com.

David Kraemer is the author of a recent book entitled Embracing Exile: The Case for Jewish Diaspora, and the Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He joins Dan and Lex for a conversation that uses that book as a springboard into a conversation about diaspora and exile in the Jewish past, present, and future. Join the Judaism Unbound discord, where you can interact with fellow listeners all around the world, by heading to discord.judaismunbound.com!

This week, Judaism Unbound is thrilled to feature the 1st episode of Door to Door: A Pilgrimage Across Generations -- another podcast in Judaism Unbound's family of podcasts! Want to connect with Judaism Unbounders all around the world? Join our Discord server, which we have just opened to any and all Judaism Unbound listeners, all around the world! Just head to Discord.JudaismUnbound.com to join. ---------------------------- Door to Door is a deeply personal, five-part podcast series tracing one Jewish family’s multigenerational pilgrimage from a once-lost home in Wachenbuchen, Germany, to the present-day echoes of inherited memory, trauma, and resilience. Told through archival recordings, family reflections, and emotional returns to ancestral ground, this podcast chronicles the survival of Simon—a Holocaust survivor taken to Buchenwald Concentration Camp during Kristallnacht—and the generations that followed him. It's a story shaped by suffering, but defined by rebuilding, remembrance, and an enduring commitment to legacy. Door to Door invites listeners to witness what it means to reclaim identity from the wreckage—and to carry forward the names, the stories, and the truths nearly erased. If you’ve ever felt the weight of inherited memory, or the pull to understand where you come from — subscribe to Door to Door wherever you get your podcasts. Let this be part of your story, too.

Basya Schechter -- a songwriter, musician, performing artist, and cantor -- wants to remind everyone that you don't need to be in a synagogue to have powerful experiences with Jewish music. She joins Dan and Lex for a conversation about her evolutions as a musician, her experiences performing in contexts as different as a college dining hall and a sprawling concert venue, and so much more. This episode is the fourth in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes mobilizing Jewish music -- past, present, and future -- as a launching point into conversations about contemporary Jewish life and experience.

Benay Lappe, founder and rosh yeshiva of SVARA: a Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, returns to Judaism Unbound! She was our first ever guest on this show, in Episode 3: Exodus, and she's returned many times before -- but this time, she specifically is here to reflect on how American-Jewish life has transformed over the course of the past 10 years, since that first appearance. Love what you hear? You can listen to Benay Lappe in conversation with our co-host Dan Libenson, in another podcast that's part of the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts! It's called The Oral Talmud -- learn more about it and subscribe via judaismunbound.com/oraltalmud. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound at judaismunbound.com/donate!

On October 20th, 2025, Arthur Waskow – a revolutionary activist and teacher of Torah – died at the age of 92. He was an inspiration to our work at Judaism Unbound in more ways than we can articulate. Even as our organization was launched when he was already in his 80s, he found so many ways to collaborate with us and offer his unique forms of Torah to our audiences. He presented at 5 consecutive ShavuotLIVE gatherings, frequently moving attendees to tears, welcomed Judaism Unbound as a partner for many of his programs with The Shalom Center, and was twice a guest on this podcast. For those who would feel moved to hear from Arthur’s voice shortly after his passing, we wanted to re-release those two appearances of his on Judaism Unbound. The first is Episode 166, entitled The Freedom Seder, and the second is a bonus episode called Confronting Carbon Pharaohs. Well into his 90s, Arthur Waskow was committed in mind, spirit, and body to the betterment of our world. He reminded us, over and over, that the word Adamah – meaning earth or soil – and the word Adam – meaning earthling, are intertwined, meaning all of us as earthlings are inherently connected to the planet, earth, that we live on. May his memory be for a blessing and a revolution. ---------------------------------- Donations in honor of Arthur Waskow's life and legacy can be directed to The Shalom Center -- an organization he founded -- via https://theshalomcenter.org/legacyfund#legacyfunddonate .

Should we be reviving the Nazirite vow, a practice that is typically seen as "ancient," "outdated," or "antiquated?" Might it have liberatory potential for Judaism and the world? Xava De Cordova and Michael Sokolovsky of Xai, How are You? join Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman of Judaism Unbound for a crossover episode about Nazirite philosophy, rabbinic agendas, the Kol Nidrei declaration, and the metaphysical importance of vows! ----------------------------------- Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva, beginning in mid-late October. Amazing learning opportunities are available for registration exploring the book of Jubilees, Jewish Exile and Liberation, the Talmud, and Antisemitism Unbound! Financial aid is available. ----------------------------------- More about Xai, How are You?: Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system. You can subscribe to Xai How are You via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any of your other favorite podcast apps, so go give them a listen! For a previous combo episode of Judaism Unbound and Xai How are You, see Episode 269: Shabbetai Zevi -- Permitting the Forbidden.

Frequently you might hear someone claim that a particular Jewish melody is "mi-Sinai" (literally: "from Mount Sinai," implying "dating back to when Moses received the 10 commandments at Mount Sinai")? Mark Kligman, an ethnomusicologist who studies contemporary Jewish music across denominations and a wide variety of global communities, joins Dan and Lex to explore what this term illustrates. In doing so, they explore why "Jewish music" is such a challenging word to define -- along with what Jewish music does for people's lives. This episode is the third in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes mobilizing Jewish music -- past, present, and future -- as a launching point into conversations about contemporary Jewish life and experience. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva, beginning in mid-late October. Amazing learning opportunities are available for registration exploring the book of Jubilees, Jewish Exile and Liberation, the Talmud, and Antisemitism Unbound! Financial aid is available.

We’re thrilled to offer a bonus episode here on our feed, where we shout out an awesome new podcast created by friends of Judaism Unbound. It's called Aderaba: Jewish Studies on the Contrary and it’s co-hosted by Rafe Neis – a past teacher in Judaism Unbound’s UnYeshiva – and Gilah Kletenik. We’re featuring their second episode, entitled What’s Bad about Being in the Image of God, which connects to the mini-course that Rafe taught with us, entitled Untangling Tselem Elohim (the image of God). ------------------------------------------------------ Aderaba: Jewish Studies on the Contrary Description: Join Rafe Neis and Gilah Kletenik as they explore big questions through a diverse range of Jewish texts, ideas, and cultures. The conversations are sometimes clarifying but always contrarian. Come for their uncommon insights, stay for their critical takes on the fields of Rabbinics, Classics, History, Philosophy, Critical Theory, and more! Episode 2: What's Bad About Being in the Image of God? Description: Hosts Gilah Kletenik and Rafe Neis discuss the multifaceted and often contradictory Jewish notion that humans are created in the image of God. They explore the historical context of this idea in ancient near Eastern cultures and its interpretation through Jewish and Christian philosophical traditions. The hosts delve into the dark side of this notion, including its use in exclusionary ideologies, the hierarchies it inducts, and its potential pitfalls. They also debate whether alternative theological frameworks better address contemporary issues like climate change, ultimately suggesting a nuanced approach that balances the ideal of human dignity with a broader ecological responsibility. You can subscribe to Aderaba via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else podcasts are found. ------------------------------------------------------- Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva. Amazing learning opportunities are available for registration exploring the book of Jubilees, Jewish Exile and Liberation, the Talmud, and Antisemitism Unbound! Financial aid is available.

Is Jewish music a form of Torah (spiritual wisdom)? Joey Weisenberg, a musician, composer, and founder of Hadar’s Rising Song Institute, thinks so. He joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about contemporary singing communities, the history of wordless melodies (nigunim) and unbound approaches to prayer. This episode is the second in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes mobilizing Jewish music -- past, present, and future -- as a launching point into conversations about contemporary Jewish life and experience. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva. Amazing learning opportunities are available for registration exploring the book of Jubilees, Jewish Exile and Liberation, the Talmud, and Antisemitism Unbound! Financial aid is available.

Elana Arian, a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, is one of the most important voices in contemporary Jewish music. So when she emailed Judaism Unbound with an entire vision for a mini-series of episodes exploring Jewish music, we of course paid attention! She joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation about what the phrase "Jewish music" means, what sacred music does to/for us, and the extent to which there even is a real boundary between "Jewish music" and music more generally. This episode is the first in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes mobilizing Jewish music -- past, present, and future -- as a launching point into conversations about contemporary Jewish life and experience. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva. Amazing learning opportunities are available for registration exploring the book of Jubilees, Jewish Exile and Liberation, the Talmud, and Antisemitism Unbound! Financial aid is available.

Yom Kippur is here! For the past few years, Yom Kippur has been the single most popular day — all year — for folks to listen to Judaism Unbound. To those of you incorporating our podcast into your observance of this holiday, wishing you a beautiful and unbound Yom Kippur. In this episode, Angela Buchdahl -- senior rabbi at Central Synagogue in New York City -- joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation exploring the holiday of Yom Kippur, in conversation with her upcoming book entitled Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Judaism Inbound (our intro to Judaism course) begins in just a few days, and four other amazing learning opportunities begin a few weeks later! Financial aid is available.

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this final Elul episode of 2025 (and 5785), Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the month (and the upcoming holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) through the prism of echoes -- the literal sounds they make, the metaphors they are used to illustrate, and more. This Elul podcast is the final in a mini-series of four that were released as part of Elul Unbound 2025 (our 26th-29th Elul episodes overall).

500!!!! We made it. Somehow, someway, a wild idea that was once a figment of our imagination...has now been around for 500 weeks. In this episode, Dan, Lex, and Miriam celebrate that incredible number -- and take this as an opportunity to look back on the founding and evolution of Judaism Unbound, first as a podcast and then as an organization with many other facets. Miriam, Judaism Unbound's executive director, hosts the first portion of the episode -- with Dan and Lex switching from their typical role of co-hosts to co-guests -- and then she becomes a combination host-and-guest for the latter portion. Come for some behind the scenes lore about the history of our organization, stay for....a mystery Easter-Egg (Afikoman?) at the end! If you've enjoyed Judaism Unbound, consider celebrating this 500th episode with a one-time or monthly donation with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound at www.judaismunbound.com/donate !

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this episode, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the notion of chiasm (for "what is a 'chiasm' -- which is a great question -- head to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiastic_structure), along with what it has to do with the month of Elul and the broader 7-year Shmita cycle. This Elul podcast is the third in a mini-series of four that are being released as part of Elul Unbound 2025 (our 26th-29th Elul episodes overall). Head to JudaismUnbound.com/elul2025 to sign up for our bi-weekly journey through Elul, and to be kept in the loop about our Shabbat gatherings throughout this month.

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this episode, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash explore the 13 attributes of mercy, traditionally associated with Elul and the High Holidays. This Elul podcast is the second in a mini-series of four that will be released as part of Elul Unbound 2025 (our 26th-29th Elul episodes overall).

Elul is the 12th and final month of the Jewish calendar year. Elul Unbound is a Judaism Unbound initiative all about making Elul meaningful, through creative digital modalities. In this conversation, Lex Rofeberg and Wendie Bernstein Lash kick off this year's Elul Unbound experience. This Elul bonus episode is the first in a series of four that will be released as part of Elul Unbound 2025 (our 26th-29th Elul episodes overall). -------------------------------------- Energized about Jewish learning and unlearning? Dive into our upcoming 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva! Classes include Elul: Your On-Ramp into Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Anti-Fascist Mussar, The Siddur (Prayer-Book) Unbound, and Comix Midrash: Drawing the Orchards (Pardes) of Elul. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to learn more! Financial aid is available for all who need it. And register for Elul Unbound, a month-long Judaism Unbound journey through this month of introspection, by heading to JudaismUnbound.com/elul2025!

Miriam’s well sustained her people step by step in the wilderness. In this episode of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness (featuring Judaism Unbound Gemara/commentary from Lex and Rena Yehuda), to tap into this wellspring of belonging. In addition, connect to the Tao de Ching, what it means to be a “Miriam person,” twilight creations, the mystical meaning of wells, Lakewood New Jersey, and a practice for bringing Miriam’s wisdom to life. ---------------------------------- We are proud to introduce the 3rd podcast in the Judaism Unbound family of podcasts: Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness, hosted by Jericho Vincent. "We are the ancestors of the future." This new podcast offers a spiritual home for listeners seeking to connect Jewish ancestral, feminist wisdom with their own svara: moral intuition. Each episode of this limited series delves into a different story of our ancestor Miriam, illuminating her mystical teachings and offering practical tools for navigating and flourishing in personal or political spiritual wildernesses. We're thrilled to periodically feature episodes of Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness here on Judaism Unbound. But we don't only feature those episodes alone. Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman, two members of Judaism Unbound's team, supplement each episode with some gemara (commentary) as well. We hope that our ideas will help spur you to form your own gemara, and channel your unique teachings -- about this podcast and beyond -- into the world. Subscribe to Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness anywhere that podcasts are found! ----------------------------------- Energized about Jewish learning and unlearning? Dive into our upcoming 3-week mini-courses in the UnYeshiva! Classes include Anti-Fascist Mussar, Elul: Your On-Ramp into Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, The Siddur (Prayer-Book) Unbound, and Comix Midrash: Drawing the Orchards (Pardes) of Elul. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to learn more! Financial aid is available for all who need it. -------------------------------------