Jewish Insights with Justin Pines

Can God be vulnerable? National Jewish Book Award winner Gila Fine explores the stunning talmudic tale of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha, who entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and was asked by God for a blessing (Berakhot 7a). What does it mean for an omnipotent God to ask a mortal for help? Through the lens of rabbinic literature, Shakespeare's King Lear, and modern philosophy, Fine reveals the difference between the God of the Bible and the God of the Talmud — and what divine vulnerability teaches us about the relationship between God and humanity. Gila Fine is a lecturer in rabbinic literature at Shalem College and the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and the author of "The Madwoman in the Rabbi's Attic: Rereading the Women of the Talmud," winner of the 74th National Jewish Book Award and the 2024 Rabbi Sacks Book Prize.

The Talmud is the foundational text of Judaism — every law, every debate, every dissenting opinion preserved across 2,711 pages. For centuries it was accessible only to scholars. That is changing. Rabbanit Michelle Farber is the founder of Hadran and the host of Daf Yomi for Women, the first and only women's daily Daf Yomi podcast. From her dining room table in Israel, she has built a worldwide movement — bringing daily Talmud study into the lives of thousands of women and men from all backgrounds. The story of how the Talmud went from the study halls of the few to the daily lives of the many is a story of extraordinary breakthroughs — from Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi writing down the Mishnah, to Rabbi Meir Shapiro's Daf Yomi, to ArtScroll and Koren making the text accessible in English, to Rabbanit Farber's own work opening the Talmud to women around the world. In this episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Rabbanit Farber shares her personal journey, what listeners can expect from her daily shiur, how Hadran has grown into a full ecosystem of women's Talmud learning, and why now is the time to start. She also teaches Justin some Talmud! A new Daf Yomi journey begins June 8, 2027. Whether you've never opened a Gemara or you've been learning for years, this episode is for you. Visit hadran.org.il to get started.

The Shema is Judaism's most iconic declaration — six words carried across thousands of years, countries, and circumstances. Now, a bold new initiative is inviting a million Jews to reclaim them. Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, founder of New Jewish Outreach Program, and Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff, co-founder of Simchat Torah Challenge, join Rabbi Justin Pines to discuss the Shema Initiative — a collaboration to inspire one million Jews to recite the Shema twice a day, with love. They explore the meaning behind these ancient words, whether it matters to say them in Hebrew, and how they're pairing inspiration with practical tools — including NJOP's legendary Hebrew Reading Crash Course — to make sure no Jew is left on the outside. Rabbi Buchwald is a student of Rabbi Soloveitchik, a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University, and one of the pioneers of the Jewish outreach movement in America. For fifty years — beginning with the legendary Beginners Service at Lincoln Square Synagogue — he has devoted his life to opening doors into Jewish life. Through NJOP, he has reached nearly 1.8 million Jews across more than 5,000 locations in 46 countries. Rabbi Hajioff is a beloved professor of Jewish philosophy and mysticism at Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University, where he was voted Professor of the Year in Judaic Studies. Originally from London, he came to Jewish education by way of Manchester University and MTV, and serves as a senior educator at the Edmund Safra Synagogue in Manhattan. In just two years, Simchat Torah Challenge's weekly newsletter has grown to nearly 50,000 subscribers, reaching Jews well beyond the Orthodox world. With Elul underway and Rosh Hashanah approaching, this conversation is a timely invitation to reconnect with the words at the heart of Jewish life. The Shema Initiative https://simchattorahchallenge.org/shema Simchat Torah Challenge: https://simchattorahchallenge.org/ National Jewish Outreach Program: https://njop.org/

After October 7, Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer did something almost no Haredi rabbi has done: he put on a uniform. A community rabbi, he completed IDF basic training alongside soldiers half his age, served in the reserves during the Iran War — and his sons study in yeshiva and serve in the IDF. But Rabbi Pfeffer isn't just a soldier. He grew up Hasidic, spent a decade in Jerusalem's elite Lithuanian yeshivot under Rav Moshe Shapira and Rav Asher Weiss, clerked at Israel's Supreme Court, and teaches at Hebrew University's law school. He chairs the board of Netzach Yehudah — the organization supporting Haredi soldiers — and founded Tzarich Iyun, the journal asking the hardest questions about Haredi life from inside the community. In this episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Rav Pfeffer explains why most Haredi men really don't serve (it's not what you think), what the Chazon Ish's famous promise about Bnei Brak reveals about this moment in Jewish history, what secular Israelis get wrong about the ultra-Orthodox world, and what a Torah-rooted vision of Haredi civic responsibility actually looks like. Whether you're frustrated with the Haredi draft debate or trying to understand it — this is the conversation that cuts through the noise.

What is the true purpose of music? Is it merely to entertain, or is it a vessel designed to uncover the soul and connect us directly to the Divine? In this episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Justin sits down for a deeply personal, wide-ranging conversation with a true master of Jewish song and spirit, Eitan Katz. They trace Eitan’s transformative discovery of Reb Shlomo Carlebach’s legacy and his ongoing commitment to full-time yeshiva learning at Shor Yoshuv. Together, they explore how music acts as a bridge from spiritual distance to ultimate intimacy, a theme felt acutely as we enter the introspective season of Rosh Chodesh Elul. Eitan opens up about what it means to be a vessel for holiness rather than the "star of the show," and the spiritual roadmap behind three of his most iconic melodies: L’maancha: The raw, humble plea drawn from the depths of the Selichot liturgy Ki Karov: The joyful, upbeat reminder that closeness to Hashem is already within our hearts Elul Niggun: The wordless, meditative classic This episode is a masterclass in how authentic niggunim can help us all begin the journey back home.

How do you navigate grief and find true comfort after a devastating loss? In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Steven Exler, Senior Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale – The Bayit, to explore the raw human landscape of mourning, healing, and pastoral care. As the calendar pivots from the heavy collective mourning of Tisha B'Av to the promise of Shabbat Nachamu (the Sabbath of Consolation), Rav Steven shares profound insights drawn from guiding countless families through tragedy from the inside out, as well as navigating deep personal loss. Widely regarded as one of the most respected rabbinic leaders in the country, Rav Steven shares what it truly means to be a "shepherd" to a community. We discuss the everyday work of showing up for one another, the legacy of carrying the torch from his mentor Rabbi Avi Weiss, and why creating a radically inclusive, diverse community is the ultimate antidote to isolation and brokenness. In this episode, we discuss: The human and psychological necessity of sitting with sorrow before rushing to comfort. How facing personal tragedy shapes the way a leader counsels others through loss. The weight and reality of modern pastoral care and how to be truly present. Turning shared loss into an active framework for community, kindness, and personal growth. About Our Guest: Rabbi Steven Exler serves as Senior Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale – The Bayit, a large and welcoming Orthodox synagogue in the Bronx. He sits on the boards of the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, UJA-Federation of NY, and the Rabbinic Advisory Boards of Eshel, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and Yeshivat Maharat.

Auschwitz survivor Tova Friedman, author of the New York Times bestseller The Daughter of Auschwitz [link], recounts her arrival and experiences at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp and surviving a Nazi gas chamber. Tova shares the arduous journey of rebuilding her life and humanity after World War II. Later, she is joined by her grandson, Aron Goodman, to discuss "TovaTok"—their viral TikTok channel dedicated to Holocaust education and preserving her history for the next generation. https://www.tiktok.com/@tovafriedman?_r=1&_t=ZP-9804AVbZ8bm

Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman, author of the New York Times bestseller The Daughter of Auschwitz [link], shares her harrowing story of survival. In Part 1, Tova details her family's life before World War II and the unimaginable experience of surviving a Jewish ghetto and a Nazi labor camp as a young child. She also opens up about the complex role of faith and wrestling with God in the face of profound tragedy. https://www.tiktok.com/@tovafriedman?_r=1&_t=ZP-9804AVbZ8bm

American Jews have lately been sensing the end of their Golden Age — and asking whether the next century will be as kind to them and their children as the last one was. Dr. Mijal Bitton thinks we're asking the wrong question. A sociologist, spiritual leader, and public intellectual, Mijal is Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund, Rosh Kehilla of the Downtown Minyan in New York City, co-host of the podcast Wondering Jews and author of the Substack newsletter Committed. She recently published the landmark essay "The Future Is Sephardic," [ https://sapirjournal.org/aspiration-ii/2026/the-future-is-sephardic/ ] published in Sapir journal [ https://sapirjournal.org/ ] on the past and future of American Jewish life. In this conversation, we dig into what the Middle Eastern and North Africa Sephardic model — rooted in family, communal boundaries, an embodied spiritual life, and a confidence that doesn't depend on outside approval — can teach all American Jews as we reimagine our place in America's next century.

Happy 250th Birthday, America! To celebrate this massive milestone, Jewish Insights with Justin Pines goes on location to Philadelphia to uncover a foundational, untold story most Americans have completely forgotten: Jewish Americans have been fighting for, supporting, and shaping this nation since the very beginning. Located at the literal crossroads of freedom, just steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History and the historic Congregation Mikveh Israel sit at the very heart of the story of America and Jewish America, which are inextricably intertwined. In this special July 4th episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, we take you inside Weitzman's groundbreaking new exhibit, "The First Salute" and to Congregation Mikveh Israel. We trace the steps of the nation’s earliest Jewish communities—reminding us that Jewish roots in America are not recent, but stretch back to the original Sephardic arrivals who sought, fought for, and helped build a society anchored in multi-faith religious liberty and immigrant grit. Discover the incredible, high-impact individuals who put everything on the line for George Washington's army, and learn why every American Jew should stand incredibly proud of our role in the birth of the United States. 🏛️ Learn more about the Weitzman Museum: [https://theweitzman.org/] 🏛️ Learn more about the Congregation Mikveh Israel: [https://www.mikvehisrael.org/]

What do a ping-pong paddle, a global shoe empire, and Independence Mall in Philadelphia have in common? Stuart Weitzman. One of America's most celebrated designers, Stuart built a brand worn by Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Kate Middleton — and then went on to compete in the Maccabiah Games in Israel, carrying the American flag into the opening ceremony. He also made a transformative gift to save the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. In this conversation, Stuart talks about his Jewish identity, his love of the Maccabiah, his passion for philanthropy, and what it means to leave a lasting Jewish legacy in America's 250th anniversary year. Don't miss this inspiring conversation on Jewish Insights with Justin Pines.

He rebuilt Jewish life post-Holocaust and advised world leaders—but the Lubavitcher Rebbe was also a profound counselor to the human soul. Rabbi Levi Shmotkin, author of the global bestseller “Letters for Life: Guidance for Emotional Wellness from the Lubavitcher Rebbe” [ https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Life-Guidance-Emotional-Lubavitcher/dp/0826690149 ] investigated over 23,000 letters written by the rebbe and explains how the Rebbe's private correspondences mapped out a timeless framework for mental health, including positive psychology, and overcoming anxiety, bad moods and isolation.

He was called a “once-in-a-millennium scholar.” Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz z”l was a physicist by training who became a towering Torah authority — a prolific author of over 300 titles, an Israel Prize laureate, the first person since the medieval sage Rashi to produce a complete commentary on the entire Babylonian Talmud, and the first ever to translate it into modern Hebrew. It took him 45 years. In this conversation on Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, his son Rabbi Menachem “Meni” Even-Israel — CEO of the Steinsaltz Center in Jerusalem ( https://steinsaltz-center.org/ )— reflects on the man behind the mission: the scholar, the teacher, and the father. We also celebrate the release of a landmark new English edition of the Mishneh Torah ( https://korenpub.com/products/steinsaltz-rambam-mishne-torah-volume-1 ), the great legal code of Maimonides — produced by the Steinsaltz Center not simply as a translation, but as a full study companion with commentary, halachic discussion, diagrams, and context, designed to make this almost nine-hundred-year-old masterwork genuinely readable for the modern learner.

Bruce Pearl built Auburn into a college basketball powerhouse — five SEC championships, two Final Four runs, and an NCAA Coach of the Year award. But for Pearl, the game has always been about something much bigger. In this episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Coach Pearl opens up about the Jewish grandfather who shaped everything — a plumber from Roxbury who came to America at age 11, housed Black tenants through hard times without charging rent, and made sure Bruce understood that this country saved their family's life. Pearl traces the through-line from that grandfather to the advocacy work he does today. He shares what it takes to build a winning program from scratch — how he gets players to trust him, sacrifice for the team, and handle defeat with grace. He tells the story of coaching Team USA at the Maccabiah Games, with his son as his power forward, his daughter as team manager, and Danny Grunfeld, Todd Golden, and nearly John Scheyer on the roster — and how he brought 13 Jewish boys to Israel and sent home 13 with a deep, lasting love for the land. Then there's the press conference. Walking off the court after beating Creighton to reach the Final Four, something moved Pearl to say a name into a national microphone — Edan Alexander, the last American hostage in Gaza. He explains how it happened, what Edan's father said the next day, and what followed in Atlanta. Pearl also discusses his work bringing Auburn, Kansas State, and Arizona to Israel, his role on the Executive Board of Athletes for Israel (https://www.athletesforisrael.org/about-us), and his chairmanship of the U.S.-Israel Education Association (https://www.usieducation.org)— which takes congressional leaders to Israel to learn the Jewish roots of their Christian faith, so they come back to Washington supporting Israel not for political reasons, but because they're biblically commanded to. Plus: the remarkable story behind the number 613 hanging in the rafters of Madison Square Garden — just as the Knicks return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. JBS is proud to be airing the Maccabiah Games this summer on cable TV or the JBS app — Opening Ceremony July 1st from Teddy Stadium, running through July 13th, with 10,000 Jewish athletes from 60 countries.

What does it mean to write about Jewish hope and renewal — and then lose your son a week later? Rav Dr. Tamir Granot is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Orot Shaul, a hesder yeshiva in the heart of south Tel Aviv. He is a Holocaust scholar, a student of Rav Amital and Rav Lichtenstein at Yeshivat Har Etzion, and the author of multiple books on Jewish thought. Days after October 7th he published a major theological essay arguing the massacre was a watershed moment demanding Jewish renewal — not despair. One week later, his son Amitai, a 24-year-old IDF officer who had just become engaged, was killed by a Hezbollah missile on the northern border. In this deeply moving conversation, Rav Granot joins Jewish Insights with Justin Pines to speak about faith under fire and the private spiritual journals of his son — published as A Dreamer and a Fighter: https://www.amazon.com/Dreamer-Fighter-Reflections-Journal-Entries/dp/9655841561

What makes the Book of Ruth one of the most beloved texts in the Jewish canon — and what does it have to say about the choices we face in our own lives? Dr. Raizi Chechik — founding Director of the Pava Center for Women’s Torah Scholarship at Yeshiva University ( https://go.yu.edu/pava ), Community Scholar at The Jewish Center of Manhattan, and veteran Jewish educator who has taught in over one hundred communities across the globe — offers a fresh and compelling reading of Megillat Ruth. She reveals what makes it unique in all of Tanach: a story with genuine heroes, but no villains at all. Every character stands at a crossroads — not between good and evil, but between the understandable human impulse to look out for oneself and the transcendent capacity to live for others. Their choices, she shows, are a mirror for our own, and offer inspiration at this crossroads in Jewish history which demands more of every individual. Part 3 of our 3-part Shavuot series on Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, made possible by Micah Philanthropies, Ann and Jeremy Pava, Trustees ( https://www.micahphilanthropies.org/ ).

The Tower of Babel ( Genesis 11:1-9 ) is one of the Torah's most familiar yet mysterious stories. In this episode of Jewish Insights, host Justin Pines is joined by Ms. Shuli Taubes — educator, scholar, and chair of the Jewish Thought department at SAR High School — who takes us back to Migdal Bavel and uncovers something in the text that most of us have never noticed. What is G-d actually worried about? And what does the answer reveal about the nature of the divine-human relationship? This is Torah learning that will surprise you. This episode is part of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines' special three-part Shavuot series Illuminating Torah, featuring Rabba Yaffa Epstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsIcob5UqrM&t=310s , Ms. Shuli Taubes, and Ms. Raizi Chechik, made possible in part by Micah Philanthropies, Ann and Jeremy Pava, Trustees. About Shuli Taubes: Shuli Taubes chairs the Jewish Thought department at SAR High School, where she also serves as the Director of Educational Programming and teaches Tanakh and Comparative Religion. She is the author of This Too is Torah, a book and curriculum on Jewish sexual ethics published through Machon Siach, the research arm of SAR. Shuli received her Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Harvard Divinity School and her BA in History from Barnard College. Part 2 of 3 — Illuminating Torah: A Shavuot Series Don't miss the full series! Like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss Parts 1 & 3. #Shavuot #TorahStudy #JewishInsights #YaffaEpstein #TalmudTorah #JewishLearning #OralTorah #MountSinai #RabbiAkiva #ShavuotTorah

What does it really mean to receive the Torah — and is it actually designed for imperfect people? In this illuminating first installment of our special three-part Shavuot Torah series, Jewish Insights host Justin Pines sits down with Rabba Yaffa Epstein to explore two extraordinary stories from the Babylonian Talmud that reveal the behind-the-scenes drama of Moses ascending to receive the Torah at Sinai. From Moses' epic battle with the angels (Tractate Shabbat 88b–89a) to his humbling time-travel into Rabbi Akiva's study hall (Tractate Menachot 29b), these ancient stories carry a radical and deeply human message: the Torah was not given despiteour imperfections — it was given because of them. About Rabba Yaffa Epstein: Rabba Yaffa Epstein is Senior Scholar and Educator in Residence at the Jewish Education Project - https://www.jewishedproject.org/elevating-bold-ideas-jewish-education , with decades of experience as a teacher, scholar, and institutional leader. She previously served as Director of the Wexner Heritage Program, and as Director of Education, North America for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, where she was also a faculty member. She has taught at Yeshivat Maharat and the Drisha Institute, and has partnered with organizations including the Jewish Federations of North America, UJA New York, the Covenant Foundation, Repair the World, and Hillel. A sought-after Scholar and Educator in Residence, she has lectured at Limmud events worldwide and created educational programming for communities across the denominational spectrum. Rabba Epstein holds Orthodox Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Maharat and an additional private Orthodox Ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes. She earned a Law Degree from Bar-Ilan University and studied Talmud at Hebrew University. In 2024, she received the prestigious Covenant Award for outstanding contributions to Jewish education. Her writing has appeared in the SAPIR Journal, the Jerusalem Post, and numerous Jewish publications. Part 1 of 3 — Illuminating Torah: A Shavuot Series Don't miss the full series! Like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss Parts 2 & 3.

Dr. Tal Becker — architect of the Abraham Accords, Israel's voice at the Hague, former Legal Adviser to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, senior peace negotiator across multiple rounds of talks, and Vice President of the Shalom Hartman Institute ( https://www.hartman.org.il/person/tal-becker/ ) — joins Jewish Insights with Justin Pines for a conversation about Jewish identity, how we talk about Israel, and the evolving organizing narrative of the Jewish people in a fractured moment. He brings to this conversation not the week's headlines, but something harder to find: wisdom.

Every year, Israel moves in a single day from its deepest grief to its greatest celebration — from Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day for fallen soldiers, to Yom Ha'atzmaut, Independence Day. How do we hold both? And what does it mean to love Israel from across the ocean? Rabbi Sam Klibanoff — spiritual leader of Congregation Etz Chaim in Livingston, NJ ( https://www.etzchaimnj.org/about-us/clergy/ ), and one of the most passionate advocates for Israel in the American rabbinate — joins Jewish Insights with Justin Pines for a wide-ranging conversation about memory, resilience, solidarity, and the enduring bond between the Jewish people and the land of Israel.