Radio Chavura

Maxwell and Dean Rotbart
Radio Chavura

A weekly radio program celebrating the Jewish Community in Colorado and around the world. Radio Chavura is broadcast Sundays at 6:30 pm on 990 KRKS AM in Denver. The program is hosted by father-son duo, Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

  1. 14/09/2014

    Preparing for the High Holidays 5775: "A Time to Refocus"

    Rabbi Daniel Rapp, whose permanent home is in New York, might be dubbed the "Commuter Rabbi," because he regularly shuttles between Manhattan and Denver in order to serve and enrich our community in his capacity as the Interim Rabbi at East Denver Orthodox Synagogue. Rabbi Rapp and his family were in Denver for much of this past summer and will return again soon so that he can help lead Yom Kippur services at EDOS. Rabbi Rapp is a recognized Torah scholar and a Dayan (judge) at the Beth Din of America.  His impressive credentials include serving as Associate Dean of Students of Undergraduate Torah Studies at Yeshiva University, where he is a visiting professor of Talmud.  Rabbi Rapp received his juris doctor from the Columbia University School of Law, where he was twice honored for academic excellence. In mid-August, shortly before he returned to New York, Rabbi Rapp sat with Radio Chavura co-host Dean Rotbart at The Jewish Experience Center to share his thoughts on how the Jewish community can prepare for the High Holidays this year.  The interview was not originally intended for broadcast and thus was not recorded in our regular radio studio.  (Which explains the music, voices and noise in the background.) "There is a spiritual gravity out there.  If you're not pushing up, you're sinking down." But the Rabbi's insights were so on target and valuable, we thought it best to let our readers and listeners hear what he had to say directly.   Our pre-Rosh Hashanah interview with Rabbi Rapp is the second in our series of 5775 conversations with prominent Colorado spiritual leaders on the topic of High Holidays preparations.

    22 min
  2. 01/09/2014

    Preparing for the High Holidays - Rabbi Evette Lutman, B'nai Havurah

    Beginning this week exclusively on Radio Chavura, we launch our annual series on preparing for the High Holidays. This year we are proud to feature another prominent group of Colorado spiritual leaders, starting with Rabbi Evette Lutman, the spiritual leader of B’nai Havurah, the Denver Reconstructionist Congregation that serves more than 240 households. B’nai Havurah is an egalitarian and participatory community, open to multiple perspectives and forms of religious expression. Rabbi Lutman, who is affectionately called “Rabbi Evette” by her congregants, was hired in July 2010 upon her rabbinic ordination for the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA.  She has a law degree from Ohio State University. Our interview with Rabbi Lutman was conducted in June 2014, just prior to her departure for Israel.  The rabbi is passionate about Israel and urges her congregants to visit and stay engaged. Rabbi Lutman discusses her personal and congregational preparations for the High Holidays, which begin this year on Wednesday evening, September 24th.   In future segments, we’ll feature Rabbi Daniel Rapp, visiting professor of Talmud and Associate Dean of Students at Yeshiva University (East Denver Orthodox Synagogue); Rabbi Raphael Leban, The Jewish Experience; and Rabbi Brian Field, Judaism Your Way. Although the rabbis represent a variety of approaches and Jewish denominations, each rabbi shares insights certain to make 5775 relevant and inspirational.  Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Fresh episodes of Radio Chavura are available on Sunday evenings at 6:30 pm at Chavura.com as well as from the iTunes store. The program is hosted and produced by Maxwell and Dean Rotbart.

    27 min
  3. 20/07/2014

    Jewish Family Service of Colorado Showcases the Best of the Jewish People

    This week on Radio Chavura, we speak with Yana Vishnitsky, president and CEO of Jewish Family Service of Colorado, about the important role that JFS plays in our community. As an immigrant, Yana, herself, has a special connection to JFS, which she explains during our interview. Begun in 1872 as the Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent Society, today JFS of Colorado directly serves 23,000 Coloradans annually – both Jews and non-Jews. Working with the elderly (in-home meals and cleaning); mentally endangered (kids with difficult home lives and adults suffering from depression); special needs (people with Down Syndrome, traumatic brain injuries and others who cannot live independently); and impoverished members of our society (unable to afford sufficient food, rent, and medical care), JFS provides care based on the Jewish values of repairing the world and engaging in acts of loving kindness. JFS’s much lauded Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Food Pantry provides meals for 1,600 people each month; that’s in addition to the 3,200 nutritious meals that JFS’s Lunchbox Express program delivers weekly to children when school is not in session. Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} With 850 volunteers and a dedicated staff headed by Yana, Jewish Family Service of Colorado showcases the best of the Jewish people.

    37 min
  4. 31/05/2014

    Jewish Values Make For Great Business Values - Safe Systems' Larry Halpern

    Larry and Cindy Halpern have built their company, Safe Systems, Inc., into Colorado's largest locally owned security provider by following a Jewish-inspired philosophy of treating customers like members of the family. Safe Systems, which began in 1982, faithfully serves more than 10,000 residential and business customers in Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Ft. Collins, and all along the Front Range.   Larry is the featured guest this week on both Radio Chavura and on 710 KNUS AM's weekly Business Unconventional broadcast.  Joining Larry is Tim Watson, director of sales and marketing. Larry's joint appearance on the two audio programs arises because the story of Safe Systems's phenomenal success is one of interest to both the Jewish community - where Larry and Cindy have long been supportive of many fine nonprofit programs and institutions - and to the secular community, which admires his company's growth, service record and remarkable hiring practices. Indeed, Larry tells Dean Rotbart, co-host of both Radio Chavura and Business Unconventional, that the secret to Safe Systems's growth has been the quality of employees the company has hired and retained.  Today, Safe Systems employs more than 70 workers who share Larry and Cindy's mission: "to ensure your family or business's on-going safety with the most advanced, custom-designed security systems." Whether you are a member of the Jewish community who knows Larry and Cindy and appreciates all that they've done; whether you're a homeowner or business professional who might benefit from the great services provided by Safe Systems; or whether you're an owner or entrepreneur who hopes to glean some success insights from Larry, you won't want to miss this insightful interview. Business Unconventional, featuring Dean Rotbart and co-host David Biondo, airs each Sunday from 8 am to 9 am on 710 KNUS AM, and is also simulcast on the Internet at www.710KNUS.com.

  5. 07/04/2014

    Paula Burger Writes a Book About Her Holocaust Survival with the Bielski Partisans

    Paula's Window: Papa, the Bielski Partisans, and A Life Unexpected By Paula Burger (As told to Andrea Jacobs)    Purchase Paula's Window on Amazon     Paula Burger was only a child when she and her younger brother, Denver's beloved Cantor Isaac Koll, survived the Holocaust with the Bielski partisans.    Now Paula, an accomplished painter and grandmother, has written an account of her harrowing childhood experiences and the heroic efforts of her father, Wolf Koladicki (z'l), to protect his children under the most trying of circumstances.  On this week's edition of Radio Chavura, Paula explains her reasoning for writing with book and the lessons it provides.     Writes Robert Bielski in the foreword to the book: "Paula's story brings the pain and suffering of her experience to the forefront so that her family, students and all generations to come will learn of the evil brutality that Paula, her brother Isaac and her father Wolf endured."   [Note: Those who read Paula's Window will immediately recognize the skilled and moving writing of Andrea Jacobs, the senior writer at the Intermountain Jewish News.  For 2 1/2 years, Andrea meet weekly with Paula to capture and relay Paula's experiences.  Andrea "possesses a rare and beautiful gift - a heart that hears," Paula writes in the book's acknowledgements.  "Without her talent, dedication, sensitivity and compassion, this book would not exist."   Paula will be featured at a BMH-BJ luncheon on Sunday, June 8th.  Come hear her speak and purchase a signed copy of her book.

    29 min

About

A weekly radio program celebrating the Jewish Community in Colorado and around the world. Radio Chavura is broadcast Sundays at 6:30 pm on 990 KRKS AM in Denver. The program is hosted by father-son duo, Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

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