The Rest is Commentary with Shep Rosenman

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  • 5.0 (10)
  • Judaism
  • Updated Weekly

The Rest is Commentary is a podcast that explores connections through music, ancient wisdom, and conversations. Shep Rosenman is writing a song cycle inspired by the Psalms/Tehillim. In each episode, Shep offers one of his songs to a friend and they discuss whatever comes up, from the mundane to the sublime, the philosophical to the sophomoric, from dark and narrow places to wide open spaces of joy.

  1. Jun 24

    054: Jazz, Mystery, and the Search for God: A Conversation with Amy Guterson

    In this intimate and wide-ranging conversation, Shep sits with playwright and educator Amy Guterson to explore “Stay,” a song inspired by Psalm 31, and the mysterious places where jazz, mysticism, and creativity meet. Amy shares the path that led her to Hasidus and Kabbalah, her founding of Tzohar Seminary, and the way improvisation and art can open us to spiritual connection. Together, they wrestle with what it means to embrace the unknown, hold paradox, and find trust and gratitude even after trauma. It’s a moving conversation about music, faith, and becoming a vessel for light.

    1h 4m

  2. Jun 18

    053: Kvell Like a Champion: A Conversation with 10 x Xterra Champion Barbara Edelston Peterson

    Ready to discover how celebrating others can transform your life, your community, and even your performance under pressure? In this electrifying episode of The Rest is Commentary, host Shep Rosenman sits down with Barbara Edelston-Peterson—sports psychologist, acclaimed author, 10-time Xterra world champion, and founder of the Whole Champion Foundation—for a deeply inspiring conversation about the ancient Jewish practice of kvelling, the power of authentic passion, and how community shapes a life of meaning.   Barbara shares the story of her extraordinary athletic journey, a life-changing injury that forced her to refocus on purpose and service, and her groundbreaking book, Kvell, released about a year ago—a guide to celebrating others as a catalyst for connection, resilience, and positive action in schools, teams, and communities worldwide. Barbara and Shep dive into the inspiration behind Shep's song *“Black and White Photo”* (born from Psalm 78) and reveals how authenticity, passion, and kvelling can help anyone become a “whole champion” in their own life.   Whether you’re an athlete, educator, parent, coach, or simply someone seeking deeper connection and purpose, this episode will leave you motivated to start kvelling today—and to build the kind of resilient, joyful community that lifts everyone up.   **Tune in now** and join a conversation that proves celebrating others isn’t just nice—it’s transformative.

    1 hr

  3. Jun 10

    052: If Gd Sleeps, Humans Act: A Conversation with Stephen Hopkins

    What if a warlike psalm could become a song of empathetic resistance? Director Stephen Hopkins and host Shep Rosenman discuss "Time to Act" inspired by Psalm 76 and how the song flips aggression into care, using David Bowie–style electro-punk energy to confront injustice while honoring the people caught in it. The anchor idea—“Is God Asleep?”—turns divine wrath into human responsibility. Expect bold talking: how religion is weaponized vs. how cross-spiritual ethics can heal; why the real test of a government is whether it allows protest; and why the world seems to regress in misogyny, racism, and homophobia even as science explodes forward. We discuss Pope Francis’s underreported embrace of LGBTQ+ people, striking data about U.S. gun violence, and reveal that harsh biblical commands may just be  parables—not literal orders. New listeners: this is your hook. Old listeners: you’ll love the fresh angle. The bottom line: question dogma. A culture’s morality is measured by how it reacts when questioned.

    47 min

  4. May 19

    051: Architecture of the Heart: A Conversation with Naomi Langer Voss

    Uncover how love, faith, and community collide in this deep, honest conversation with Naomi Langer Voss and Shep Rosenman. Through Psalm 6 and the song it inspired Shep to write, “Have Mercy, Loretta,” they explore doubt, devotion, and whether our relationship with God is personal—or built through community and action. From the rhythms of Jewish prayer to practices like keeping kosher, they reframe spirituality as something lived daily: a mix of ritual, responsibility, and connection. Naomi also shares her work building creative, purpose-driven communities through ARC Scholars and her architecture studio. This episode invites you to rethink faith, love, and what it means to show up for each other-and even for Gd.

    44 min

  5. May 12

    050: Groove, Gd, and Letting Go: A Conversation with Guitarist Jon Madof

    Episode 50 of The Rest is Commentary isn’t just a milestone—it’s a deep dive into what really makes music come alive. Jazz guitarist and composer Jon Madof joins us for a conversation that goes far beyond chops and technique, exploring the tension between control and surrender, and how that very struggle can unlock your truest creative voice. Through stories from his path in avant-garde jazz and Jewish musical expression, Jon opens up about the spiritual undercurrent of his work—where discipline meets intuition, and where something greater than the self begins to guide the music. This isn’t just about how to play—it’s about how to listen, how to feel, and how to get out of your own way. We also explore the deeper forces behind creativity: groove as a vehicle for truth, emotion as the engine of connection, and even angels as a metaphor for those flashes of inspiration that cut through doubt and resistance. If you’ve ever wrestled with perfectionism, ego, or the inner critic, this conversation will hit home in a real way. We talk about Jon's new album, "Turn of Events" out August 14, 2026 on Tzadik. Plus, you’ll get a first listen to “Angels Do My Bidding,” a powerful preview from my upcoming EP, which is rooted in the story of King David and resonant with the emotional weight of October 7th.  The music is part of a larger journey—one that invites you to create, live, and feel with deeper intention.

    59 min

  6. May 5

    049: Laughing Among Ruins: A Conversation with Raymond Simonson

    Raymond Simonson, founding CEO of JW3 in London, joins us for a powerful conversation about what happens when music, protest, and community collide. At the heart of this episode is Fire Drill Fridays, a song born out of Limmud North America's eFestival during COVID—written collaboratively and shaped by the real stories of participants navigating isolation, uncertainty, and hope. From that starting point, the conversation opens into something much bigger: how collective creativity becomes a form of resistance. We explore the emotional force of protest imagery—starting with Jane Fonda’s arrest to other symbolic acts—and how these moments echo ancient texts like Psalm 102, reframing activism as both deeply personal and profoundly communal. We reflect on the role of Jewish tradition, community-building, and even humor in sustaining people through crisis. This episode is about resilience in real time: singing together in uncertainty, finding meaning in collective struggle, and refusing to accept that any challenge is “too big.” If you care about activism, creative expression, or the future of community in a fractured world, this conversation will shift how you see your role—and remind you why hope is something we build together.

    52 min
  7. 048: Learning to Dance Without You: A Conversation with Rosie Wolkind in Memory of Ivan Wolkind

    Apr 17

    048: Learning to Dance Without You: A Conversation with Rosie Wolkind in Memory of Ivan Wolkind

    Grief isn’t just about what we’ve lost—it’s about how we choose to live after loss. In this episode, Shep Rosenman sits down with Rosie Wolkind to explore how loss can reshape a life with deeper meaning, empathy, and even joy. Through the lens of her father Ivan’s legacy—his kindness, wisdom, and community—Rosie shares how grief and gratitude can coexist, from everyday moments to life’s biggest milestones. This is a conversation inspired by the song, Here I Am, which itself was inspired by Psalm 30, about carrying love forward: building new traditions, honoring memory through action, and learning how sorrow can soften us instead of harden us. If you’ve ever wondered how to live more fully in the face of loss, this episode will stay with you.

    50 min

  8. Apr 7

    047: Algorithms and Anti-Semitism: A Conversation with Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor and Eli Ovits

    When a songwriter sits with an ancient psalm, what happens when those words collide with the wild, unseen machinery of the internet? In this episode of The Rest is Commentary, host Shep Rosenman brings together Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, founder of CyberWell, and Eli Ovitz to talk about “Windstorms,” a song drawn from Psalm 64, and what it reveals about the power of language in the digital age.   Tal-Or traces her path from the world of law to building CyberWell, the first live, open database of online antisemitism, using data, AI, and trust-and-safety partnerships to push social platforms toward real accountability. She and Eli walk us through how algorithms, engagement incentives, and policy enforcement decisions can turn a single post into a storm—amplifying hate, distorting public debate, and spilling over into real-world harm.   From protests in Iran and the shadow of the IRGC to the long arc of movements across the Middle East, the conversation widens into a story about democracy, extremism, and how our digital public square is being shaped in real time. Along the way, our guests ask what it would take—for platforms, policymakers, and ordinary users—to build a healthier information ecosystem, rooted in better digital literacy, smarter regulation, and public support.   If you want to go deeper or get involved, you can learn more about CyberWell’s work at cyberwell.org.

    43 min
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About

The Rest is Commentary is a podcast that explores connections through music, ancient wisdom, and conversations. Shep Rosenman is writing a song cycle inspired by the Psalms/Tehillim. In each episode, Shep offers one of his songs to a friend and they discuss whatever comes up, from the mundane to the sublime, the philosophical to the sophomoric, from dark and narrow places to wide open spaces of joy.

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