The Orthonomics Podcast

Mark Trencher
The Orthonomics Podcast

The Orthonomics Podcast explores issues of importance to the Orthodox Jewish community, through the dual lenses of data – drawn from a wide range of sources – and informed conversations with knowledgeable and often opinionated experts. Each episode also includes a segment titled “What do you want to know about the Orthodox community?” In which our guest, as well as our listeners, get to pose their questions on issues that intrigue them, and we answer your questions.

  1. 1 HR. AGO

    (26) The First-Ever Community Middot Report Card

    Middot (and we’re talking mainly about interpersonal behaviors) are so important, especially in these stressful days. So we are pleased to present this as a dual-platform episode, being released on both Orthonomics and The Franciska Show … both covering important issues in the Orthodox Jewish world, and both available at all podcast platforms. Much of this episode deals with findings from the recent survey: The Middot “Report Card”: How We See Our Community and How We See Ourselves Across 19 Middot “Bein Adam L’chavero.”   This episode is being co-hosted by Mark Trencher of Orthonomics, and David Sheril, a member of the Franciska Show Discussion Group. (Thanks to Franciska for recommending David to participate.)    David Sheril grew up in Chigwell, a suburb of London. His family became baalei teshuvah when he was nine years old.  When David was eleven, his family moved to the Bayit Vagan in Jerusalem. He moved to the U.S. at age 22, in 2005. David’s yeshivah education includes Mir Yerushalayim and Ner Yisroel. He served as a rebbe at a Russian-American Jewish high school in Brooklyn for several years before going to law school. He is currently General Counsel for a privately-held real estate transactional, management, and lending company. David resides in Clifton, New Jersey, with his wife Miriam (formerly an officer at the Federal Reserve Bank and now Head of Product at an international fintech startup) and their three children.

    37 min
  2. AUG 8

    (23) The Issues We Raise; the Questions We Ask … with Halachah Headlines Author and Podcaster Dovid Lichtenstein

    Dovid Lichtenstein is the founder and host of the Halacha Headlines podcast, an amazing and very popular podcast with a huge listenership that is indeed "The most listened to Torah Program in the world.”   Halacha Headlines delves into contemporary issues and current events through the lens of Torah and Halacha (Jewish law). Each episode features discussions with Rabbis, lay leaders, and professionals from around the world, covering a wide range of topics, and the lineup of personalities interviewed includes both Haredi and Modern Orthodox leaders. Those with a deeper background in Jewish text study will gain more from the podcast but I believe everyone will find it interesting.  Just a few examples from its 476 episodes to date include dealing with traumatic times, raising unspoiled children in a spoiled world, Alexa and electronics on Shabbat, assassinations and targeted killings in Halacha, Shemirat Einayin – including issues of young people and access to pornography, the issue of Israeli Haredim serving in the military, people frum on the outside and struggling on the inside, and much much more! He has also authored several volumes of a series titled "Mishna Acharonah" on the "Mishna Berura" as well as the "Headlines" book series based on the podcast, and is involved in many charitable projects and organizations​. In our conversation, you’ll get a taste of his huge Jewish knowledge. Finally, Dovid Lichtenstein is the founder and CEO of the Lightstone Group, one of the largest privately-held real estate companies in the United States, and he is a highly respected business and civic leader.   Here is a link to an article “Nishma v'Naaseh?” which was published in early 2023, and discusses some of the issues mentioning in this podcast episode.

    26 min
  3. 11/28/2023

    (19) Baruch Lytle – African-American Convert, Satmar Hasid, and Award-Winning Jewish World Journalist

    Baruch Lytle is an African American Orthodox Jew from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and he identifies as a Satmar Chasid.  He describes his conversion to Judaism as the defining moment of his life and greatest accomplishment.  He is also an award-winning journalist, having written nearly 200 articles for the largest Jewish newspaper in America, The Jewish Press.    In 2023, he won the Simon Rockower Award – the Jewish journalism version of the Pulitzer – for Excellence in Journalism. His favorite writing assignments deal with self- improvement, and he has worked extensively with the developmentally disabled at agencies throughout New York State.  In this episode we discuss his personal religious journey, and some of the interesting issues in the Orthodox community that he has covered.  Baruch and I also discussed our recent Orthodox Political survey, and I discussed the variations within Modern Orthodoxy and the “silo effect”:  Report – A Survey of Orthodox Jewish Political Attitudes and Behaviors: Haredi and Modern Orthodox Sectors  Article – Despite What Some Want to Believe, Modern Orthodoxy is Indeed Politically Split   Some of Baruch Lytle’s Jewish Press articles referenced in this podcast:  Study Finds Frum Jews Financially Secure – And Stretched  The State of Orthodox Singles: It's Complicated  Interview with Middle East Intelligence Expert Avi Melamed  Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Antisemitism

    33 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Orthonomics Podcast explores issues of importance to the Orthodox Jewish community, through the dual lenses of data – drawn from a wide range of sources – and informed conversations with knowledgeable and often opinionated experts. Each episode also includes a segment titled “What do you want to know about the Orthodox community?” In which our guest, as well as our listeners, get to pose their questions on issues that intrigue them, and we answer your questions.

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