18Forty Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Yabloner Rebbe: The Rebbe of Change [Teshuva 5/5] Sep 12, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Pini Dunner and Rav Moshe Weinberger about the Yabloner Rebbe and his astounding story of teshuva.
The Yabloner Rebbe was a chassidishe rebbe who helped found Kfar Chassidim. He disappeared and went to Los Angeles, where he went off the derech, but he later returned to Judaism and Kfar Chassidim in a remarkable example of teshuva.
- Who was the Yabloner Rebbe?
- Why did he leave his faith?
- What inspired him to return?
Tune in to hear a conversation about the astounding story of the Yabloner Rebbe.
References:
The God of Loneliness by Philip Schultz https://www.amazon.com/God-Loneliness-Selected-New-Poems/dp/0547249659
The Amazing Return of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/amazing-yabloner-rebbe
The Astonishing Story of the Yabloner Rebbe by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://rabbidunner.com/the-astonishing-story-of-the-yabloner-rebbe/
Rabbi Pini Dunner Website https://rabbidunner.com/
Mavericks, Mystics & False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner https://www.amazon.com/Mavericks-Mystics-False-Messiahs-Episodes/dp/1592645100
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.
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Miriam Gisser: Recovery as Change [Teshuva 4/5] Sep 03, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Miriam Gisser about changing, or even rebuilding, one’s life.
Miriam’s husband passed away from a drug overdose, forcing her to rebuild her life for her and her family. She offers unique insight into how one can change and rebuild their life, whether after a tragedy, to do teshuva, or something else.
- What are the scariest parts of change?
- How can we find the inner courage necessary for change?
- How can we deal with and remember our past while looking to the future?
Tune in to hear a conversation about resilience and change.
References:
Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions https://www.amazon.com/Al-Anons-Twelve-Steps-Traditions/dp/0910034435
God of Our Understanding by Rabbi Shais Taub https://www.amazon.com/God-Our-Understanding-Spirituality-Addiction/dp/1602801533
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.
Miriam Gisser is a teacher, who currently resides in Ohio. Miriam’s first husband was an addict, and after his untimely death Miriam rebuilt her life from the ground up. Miriam joins 18Forty to speak about the complexities of her family’s path through life, growth, and change.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Agnes Callard: A Philosophy of Change [Teshuva 3/5] Aug 31, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Agnes Callard - professor of philosophy and author - about the philosophy of change.
Many decisions in life can be made by weighing our values: if an action accords with our values, then we do it, and if it doesn’t, then we don’t. But when it comes to deciding what our values should be, we may need a different paradigm.
- How do we make decisions in relation to our values?
- What decisions don’t function in this normal paradigm?
- How can we decide to change our values themselves?
Tune in to hear a conversation about the philosophy of change.
References:
Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming by Agnes Callard https://www.amazon.com/Aspiration-Agency-Becoming-Agnes-Callard/dp/0190639482
Transformative Experience by L. A. Paul https://www.amazon.com/Transformative-Experience-L-Paul/dp/0198777310
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce https://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Artist-As-Young-Man/dp/1503221431
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante https://www.amazon.com/The-Neapolitan-Novels-Boxed-Set/dp/1609455053
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.
Professor Agnes Callard is a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, specializing in ancient philosophy and ethics. Professor Callard received a Masters of Arts in Classics and a PhD in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. Unlike many academics of philosophy, her writing is powerfully accessible, making her a popular voice on issues of contemporary ideas. Agnes’s book Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming is a stunningly deep exploration of the foundational aspects of change, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy and psychology of personal growth. Agnes joins us to talk about self-creation, growth, and the philosophy of transformation.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Alex Clare: Changing in Public [Teshuva 2/5] Aug 23, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Alex Clare - singer and baal teshuva - about changing identity and what if questions.
Alex was a rising music star who left the music industry to pursue a religious life - what's known as a baal teshuva - then returned following international commercial success. He has faced many life-changing choices, and so has experience with navigating change in a healthy way.
- How can one ensure that the changes they make are navigated healthily?
- What if one regrets the choices they have made?
- Is it useful to think about what if questions?
Tune in to hear a conversation about healthy change and what if questions.
References:
Love’s Executioner by Irvin Yalom
https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Executioner-Other-Tales-Psychotherapy/dp/0465020119
Grendel by John Gardner https://www.amazon.com/Grendel-John-Gardner/dp/0679723110
What Ifs of Jewish History by Gavriel Rosenfeld https://www.amazon.com/What-Ifs-Jewish-History-Abraham/dp/110703762X
A Student's Obligation by the Piaseczno rebbe https://www.amazon.com/Students-Obligation-Advice-Warsaw-Ghetto/dp/1568215177
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel https://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Classics-Abraham-Joshua-Heschel/dp/0374529752
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/teshuva.
Alex Clare is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer. His song “Too Close” went double platinum in the United States and was in the top-ten in five different countries. Alex, a native of the UK, made the decision to become a religious Jew several years ago, and now resides in Jerusalem, where he creates music inspired by his spiritual life. Alex’s personal path to religion, and his decision to become an Orthodox Jew, has intrigued many, and he joins us to talk about music, religion, and the complex road to growth.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Rav Judah Mischel: A Change in Progress [Teshuva 1/5] Aug 17, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Judah Mischel - executive director of Camp HASC and founder of Tzama Nafshi - about change and teshuva.
Change is one of the most difficult things in life. We often wish we could snap our fingers and choose to live differently, but change usually takes time. We can think of change as a journey rather than a destination.
- How can one appreciate the process of change, the ride, as much as we appreciate the destination?
- How can we navigate the waters between hoping for change and embracing ourselves as we are?
Tune in to hear a conversation on change and teshuva, today.
References:
Tzidkas HaTzadik by Rav Tzadok HaKohen MiLublin https://www.sefaria.org/Tzidkat_HaTzadik.4?lang=bi
Baderech: Along The Path of Teshuvah by Rav Judah Mischel https://mosaicapress.com/product/baderech/
Peninei Halakha by Rav Eliezar Melamed https://www.amazon.com/Peninei-Halakha-Laws-Shabbat-Vol/dp/1592644473
For more, visit https://18forty.org/teshuva/.
Rav Judah Mischel is the executive director of Camp HASC, the founder of Tzama Nafshi, and a widely beloved teacher and travel guide to the soul of Jewish life. Rav Judah’s new book, Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva, is a poignant road map to the pathways of penitence, so check it out now. Rav Judah joins 18Forty to talk about change, authenticity, and what teshuva means to him.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Summer Unwind: Documentary Film [Summer Unwind 3/3] Aug 09, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rachel Grady - documentary filmmaker of One of Us and Jesus Camp - about the expressive power of documentaries.
While fiction and non-fiction literature are powerful creative tools to explore an issue, documentaries have a unique power to portray communities from the inside. And while these portrayals may be uniquely powerful, they can also be uniquely controversial.
- What can documentaries achieve that other mediums can’t?
- How can documentaries help their audiences explore unfamiliar communities?
- How are documentaries suited to exploring religious communities specifically?
Tune in to hear a conversation on documentary filmmaking, and for Rachel's recommendations for which documentaries you should watch next.
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/rachel-grady-documentary-film/.
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Summer Unwind: Fiction [Summer Unwind 2/3] Aug 03, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to David Hopen - law student and author of The Orchard - about finding truth in fiction, and particularly in myths.
Though fiction and myths are by definition not true, they can still have great significance. Religious stories in particular can help guide us regardless of whether or not they’re literally true. In his book The Orchard, David tries to illustrate this, using fiction to tell deep truths about the place myth can have in the modern world.
- How can fiction tell truths despite it not being true by definition?
- How can myths help forge our identities?
- What truths did David try to tell in The Orchard?
Tune in to hear a conversation on fiction and myths.
References:
The Orchard by David Hopen https://www.amazon.com/Orchard-Novel-David-Hopen/dp/0062974742
The Client by John Grisham https://www.amazon.com/Client-Novel-John-Grisham/dp/0345531922
Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? By Louis Sachar https://www.amazon.com/Why-Pick-Marvin-Redpost-paper/dp/0679819479
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar https://www.amazon.com/Sideways-Stories-Wayside-School-Sachar/dp/0380731487
Matilda by Roald Dahl https://www.amazon.com/Matilda-Roald-Dahl/dp/0670824399
Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, Jennifer Bricking https://www.amazon.com/Mollys-Pilgrim-Barbara-Cohen/dp/0062870947
The Secret History by Donna Tartt https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Donna-Tartt/dp/1400031702
Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer https://www.amazon.com/Here-Am-Jonathan-Safran-Foer/dp/1250135753
On Beauty by Zadie Smith https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Novel-Zadie-Smith/dp/0143037749
With All My Heart, With All My Soul by B. D. Da’Ehu https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Heart-Soul/dp/1880880016
Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Jews-Joshua-Harmon/dp/0573702578
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Frank/dp/0307949605
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver https://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Love/dp/0679723056
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/david-hopen-fiction/.
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Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt: Non-Fiction [Summer Unwind 1/3] Jul 27, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt - journalist - about her relationship with writing.
Having appeared in publications like the New York Times and Haaretz, Avital is an accomplished author. Writing since her childhood, she has found inspiration in a variety of arenas, like reporting, Judaism, and advocacy.
- What inspired Avital to start writing, and how did she turn it into a career?
- What are some of the challenges of publishing in the public eye?
- How does Avital get ideas about what to write about?
- Why does she find it meaningful?
Tune in to hear a conversation on non-fiction writing, and to hear about her favorite non-fiction reads.
References:
Tefillin in a Brown Paper Bag by Rabbi Emanuel Feldman https://traditiononline.org/tefillin-in-a-brown-paper-bag/
For more, visit https://18forty.org/podcast/avital-chizhik-goldschmidt-non-fiction/.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

On Loss: A Parent Jul 16, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Dani Ritholtz - rabbi and author - about the loss of his father to further explore Tisha B’Av’s relationship to loss.
Dani Ritholtz lost his father to Pancreatic cancer in 2014. As part of his grieving process, he wrote a book exploring the development of his relationship to his loss throughout the ordeal. Here Dani talks about the book and its subject matter: how he dealt with the loss of his father.
- How does it feel for a family member to battle a possibly fatal illness?
- How did Dani and those around him cope with their loss?
- What effects did it have on their mental health?
- Why did Dani write his book?
Tune in to hear a conversation on grief and coping.
Musical Credit:
Eim Eshkachech by Itzhak Azulai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0tldz_-0yU
References:
As a Ram Yearns for the Brook by Dani Ritholtz https://www.amazon.com/As-Ram-Yearns-Brook-Journey-ebook/dp/B08FBCX11Z
Time Travel: A History by James Gleick https://www.amazon.com/Time-Travel-History-James-Gleick/dp/0307908798
Kol Dodi Dofek by Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik https://www.amazon.com/Kol-Dodi-Dofek-Listen-Beloved/dp/0881258970
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

On Loss: A Spouse Jul 13, 2021

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Josh Grajower - rabbi and educator - about the loss of his wife, as well as the loss that Tisha B’Av represents for the Jewish People.
The Jewish people mourn every year on Tisha B’Av, but it can still be hard to connect with the feelings of the day. Mourning is felt most strongly with those closest to us, and while the things we mourn on Tisha B’Av are of great religious and historical significance, they can feel foreign. Rabbi Grajower lost his wife, Danielle Grajower, giving him intense insight into the mourning process.
- How does it feel to lose someone close to you?
- How do you deal with the finality?
- How does time affect the emotional wound?
- How can your loss affect your relationship with God?
Tune in to hear a conversation on loss and mourning.
Musical Credit:
Eim Eshkachech by Itzhak Azulai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0tldz_-0yU
References:
Holocaust Commemoration and Tish'a be-Av: The Debate Over "Yom ha-Sho'a" by Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter https://www.jstor.org/stable/23263711
A Grief Observed by CS Lewis https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Observed-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652381
It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine https://www.amazon.com/Its-That-Youre-Not-Understand/dp/1622039076
The Unwinding of a Miracle by Julie Yip-Williams
https://www.amazon.com/Unwinding-Miracle-Memoir-Death-Everything/dp/0525511350
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

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