94 episodes
Life is a Sacred Story Juliet Elkind-Cruz
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- Religion & Spirituality
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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Life is short, as they say—sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter. As a rabbi, my attitude towards life and Torah involves both of these, plus a good helping of irreverence. I try to make this podcast both short and sweet, starting with my own life, my struggles, and those of the world today, and connecting to lessons I can take from Torah. There’s plenty to be bitter about, but living from that place is not healthy. My goal is to bring meaning I find with a new and relevant perspective as I discover it for myself, leaving you with a blessing for the week each time.
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Please Count Me In & Bamidbar
Why does it sometimes feel like when you don’t want to be counted as part of the “in” group, it’s so easy? Other times, when you do want to be counted as “in,” you’re out. Questions of inclusivity and exclusivity are so pertinent to Judaism and to the world, for the survival of all. If we don’t “get it” soon, what is the future of humanity?
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Walk With Me & B’har/B’khukotai
What does it mean when the Torah says God will walk amongst us? How do we know if we’re doing what God wants so God will walk with us? A couple of weeks ago another young gay person committed suicide. Because he felt that his brothers were not walking with him. And I’m getting so much pushback from other rabbis for co-officiating at these weddings! Walk with me and explore what it means to walk with God—as God will do with us!
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Blemishing Judaism & Emor
What is holiness? What is holy? Should perfection be associated with holiness, and why is it so in the Torah? This week I met with an Evangelical Christian pastor with whom I will be co-officiating at a wedding. It brought up many questions I had to answer for myself—again!
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An Imperfect Cup of Coffee (Acharei Mot/Kedoshim
Leviticus is full rules. The one I focus on here is The Golden Rule, perhaps the hardest thing. But being kind to others, even strangers, is more important and has more of an impact than we ever imagine.
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Solitude, Loneliness, & Tazria-Metsora
We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis due to an epidemic of loneliness. But we’re not helpless. Listen to some great ideas of small ways to help yourself and others.
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Bucket Brigades and Sh’mini
Passover can be about our personal freedom and leaving the narrow place of Egypt, but the focus is really on the collective. If living a holy life is what we seek, then how do we do it? This week’s parsha tells us a little bit about that.