The Koren Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Go out and dance in the vineyards - Israel's wine and viniculture with Sam Baum Aug 09, 2022

Show notes

After the 9 Days and a pretty brutal week for Israel, we thought it might be nice to sit back with a nice glass of wine and talk about something a little lighter. With agriculture, and the grape harvest starting on or around Tu B'Av (15th Av), what better topic for an episode than Israel's growing wine industry!

Alex spent an afternoon strolling through the vineyards in the hills just outside Jerusalem with one of Israel's up-and-coming vintners, Sam Baum. Sam works at one of Israel's leading wine producers and has spent his adult life learning everything there is to know about growing and tending to the grapes in order to produce some truly fantastic wines.

Sam and his wife Rivky also launched their own label this year, Family Baum Winery with a view to producing Israel's best red wine.

The cultivation of grapes and the production of wine has always played an important role in the Holy Land and Sam is just the latest in a long line of world-class kosher vintners.

Sam's passion for wine production, the land, the people, and the God of Israel come through and inspire everything he does.

Listen now!

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Useful Links:

Family Baum Winery

Get 10% off your next order from www.korenpub.com with code PODCAST at checkout. If you would like to contact us you can reach us on social media @KorenPublishers or via email, at podcast@korenpub.com

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Themes of Hope with Dr. Yael Ziegler Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

The inimitable Dr. Yael Ziegler joined us to start preparing for Tisha B'Av.

We talked about Dr. Ziegler's new book Lamentations: Faith in a Turbulent World, messages we can take into Tisha B'Av, and lessons of hope we can take out.

We spoke about how we can learn lessons from recent tragedies to not only grapple with the sadness of the day but also give us a sense of the original hurbanot

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Useful Links:

Yesh Tikva - Free, professional psychological services and resources for those struggling with infertility.

ATIME - Providing personal guidance and support to couples experiencing fertility.

Bonei Olam - Providing means and resources to allow childless couples facing infertility the opportunity to pursue medical fertility treatment.

Chana (UK) - THe leading UK fertility support organization for the Jewish community providing emotional, practical, halachic, and financial assistance to couples facing challenges of infertility, baby loss, miscarriage, and any reproductive issues.

Puah (Israel) - Providing guidance, support, and resources to Jewish couples with their dreams of building a Jewish family.

Small Wonders (Canada) - A not- for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to provide emotional support, education, and financial assistance to Jewish couples experiencing infertility.

The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women at Nishmat

Nishmat's Golda Koschitzky Center for Yoatzot Halacha

Find a Yoetzet and other resources from the Yoatzot Halacha

Nishmat Ha-Bayit

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Kosher Fertility with Dr. Bat-Sheva Maslow, MD Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

The first mitzva in the Torah is to be fruitful and multiply but to some people, this is easier said than done. There are many couples for whom the dream of starting their family is a cause of anxiety and pain when things don't go as planned.

This week's guest, Dr. Bat-Sheva Maslow, MD works closely with couples facing difficulties in their journey to starting their families, with women looking to prolong fertility and, as an orthodox Jew and the Director of Medical Curriculum at Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center for North American Yoatzot Halacha, she works with halachic advisors and decision makers to look after, not just her patient's physical welfare, but their spiritual wellbeing as well.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues talked about in this episode, please find a (non-exhaustive) list of resources below.

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Useful Links:

Yesh Tikva - Free, professional psychological services and resources for those struggling with infertility.

ATIME - Providing personal guidance and support to couples experiencing fertility.

Bonei Olam - Providing means and resources to allow childless couples facing infertility the opportunity to pursue medical fertility treatment.

Puah (Israel) - Providing guidance, support, and resources to Jewish couples with their dreams of building a Jewish family.

Small Wonders (Canada) - A not- for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to provide emotional support, education, and financial assistance to Jewish couples experiencing infertility.

The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women at Nishmat

Nishmat's Golda Koschitzky Center for Yoatzot Halacha

Find a Yoetzet and other resources from the Yoatzot Halacha

Nishmat Ha-Bayit

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Live From Jerusalem, It's The Koren Podcast! Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

We were joined LIVE at Shavua HaSefer, Israel's national book week, at Jerusalem's First Station by 8 of our amazing authors to talk about their books, inspirations, recomendations, and more!
Listen in to our conversations with:

Shayna Goldberg (00:00:38-00:09:35)
Shira Lankin Sheps (00:09:39-00:15:42)
David Arnovitz (0015:57-00:29:42)
Dr. Nechemia Polen (00:29:42-00:36:48)
Oriya Mevorach (00:36:46-00:45:09)
Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair (00:45:10-00:49:42)
Rabbi Yakov Nagen (00:49:44-00:55:18)
Rabbi Dr. Sharon Zawede Shalom (00:55:19-01:08:40)

Get 10% off all of these author's incredible books from www.korenpub.com with code PODCAST at checkout.

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Useful Links:

What Do You Really Want? by Shayna Goldberg

Layers by Shira Lankin Sheps

The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Isread by David Arnovitz (ed.)

Stop, Look, Listen by Dr. Nechemia Polen

Mah At Mivakeshet by Oriya Mevorach

The Sabbath of the Land by Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair (translator)

The Soul of the Mishna by Rabbi Yakov Nagen

Dialogues of Love and Fear by Rabbi Dr. Shalom Zawede Shalom

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Immigrants, We Get the Job Done! - Modern Reflections on Megillat Rut with Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern May 31, 2022

Show notes

It's almost Shavuot! Alex and Aryeh sat down with our friend and colleague Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern to discuss some contemporary reflections on Megillat Rut, the book of Ruth.

In a discussion that is bookended by Broadway references, Stu introduces ideas about the Jewish approach to immigrants, refugees, converts, antisemitism, biblical symmetry, and more.

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Useful Links:

Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth

Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land

The Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought

All books by Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

The Value of Friendship with Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz and Rabbi Shalom Rosner May 17, 2022

Show notes

We decided to dedicate an episode of The Koren Podcast to friendship. We all know that the mourning observed during Sefirat HaOmer is due to the lack of respect shown by the students of Rabbi Akiva to each other. Just in time for Lag BaOmer, we had the chance to speak with two people who live and breathe friendship as a Torah value. Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, director of Semicha at RIETS and Rabbi of Beis HaKnesses of North Woodmere, and Rabbi Shalom Rosner, Ram at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh and Rabbi of Kehillat Nofei HaShemesh, have been friends and hevrutot for more than 20 years.

Rabbis Rosner and Lebowitz, on top of their professional and pastoral duties, both deliver daf yomi shiurim online to thousands upon thousands of people every day, to say nothing of their respective halakha, parasha, tanakh, hashkafa, and many other shiurim besides.

We spoke about their friendship and its importance on their journeys to becoming leaders of Modern Orthodoxy today, their inspirations, the value of friendship in general, and what it takes to build successful, modern orthodox communities in America and in Israel.

It was such an honor to spend time in the presence of these two truly great friends as they shared words of inspiration, words of Torah, and teased each other just a little bit.

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Useful Links:

Shalom Rav: Insights on the Weekly Parasha volumes 1 and 2 by Rabbi Shalom Rosner

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz's Daf Yomi Shiur

Rabbi Shalom Rosner's Daf Yomi Shiur

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz on Twitter

Rabbi Rosner's recorded Shiurim

Rabbi Lebowitz's recorded Shiurim

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Building Independence with Asher Cailingold May 03, 2022

Show notes

Hag HaAtzma'Ut Sameah! Happy 74th Israel Independence Day!
It was a distinct privilege to be invited into the home of someone who played an active role in the creation of the State of Israel.

Asher Cailingold was born in London, England in 1930 to one of the few Religious Zionist families living there at the time and, inspired by the examples set for them by their parents, he and his two sisters all played active roles in the building of the Jewish State.

Tune in to hear the mind-blowing story of his life, and the lives of the now renowned Cailingold and Avner families. Asher's story is at times tragic and at others uplifting and inspiring.

This episode is certainly not one to be missed.

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Useful Links:

An Unlikely Heroine by Asher Cailingold

The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership by Yehuda Avner

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Cailingold

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Seder Night Chat with Rabbi Haim Jachter Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Start preparing for Seder night!

Alex and Aryeh are joined by Rabbi Haimer Jachter, author of Reason to Believe and Bridging Traditions, to share some of his insight as an Ashkenazi Rabbi leading a Sepharadi community.

Talk ranges from the importance of tradition, what binds all Jews together, what Pesah will be like in the Third Beit HaMikdash (the Third Temple in Jerusalem), and of course some beautiful ideas for Pesah to share at your Seder table (with only the briefest discussion about kitniot!)
Rabbi Jachter is a globally sought-after teacher, Rabbi, Dayan, Eiruv consultant, Get administrator, and author. He was raised in New York and educated in Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshiva University, and RIETS. He serves as the Rabbi of Sha'arei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck, NJ.

Rabbi Jachter has two books published by Maggid Books which discuss respectively the fundamental reasons for belief in an Orthodox Jewish tradition and the key differences between the two major Jewish communities and how those differences strengthen the Jewish people as a whole.

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Useful Links:

Books by Rabbi Haim Jachter

Books for your Seder

The Koren Podcast was written and hosted by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited and produced by Alex Drucker. Artwork by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Purim Special with Guest Host Dr. Daniel Rose Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

Purim Sameah!
Join guest host, Dr. Daniel Rose Ph.D., as he and his very special guests as they discuss the Torah values found amongst some other acronymous entities; the MCU, DC, EPL, NFL, and more!

****WARNING****

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!
Editors note

Tom Brady is referred to as having recently retired during the course of this episode. That statement was true at the time of recording.
The Koren Podcast is written and produced by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and edited by Alex Drucker. Our grateful thanks go to Dr. Daniel Rose as guest host for this episode. Episode artwork was created by Tani Bayer.

The Koren Podcast is a part of the Koren Podcast Network a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

The Ukrainian Refugee Crisis with Zak Jeffay Mar 13, 2022

Show notes

Far be it from us to offer explanations or analysis of the current conflict in Ukraine but the wave of refugees and displaced persons trying to escape the Russian invasion cannot but pull out our heartstrings.

We are so incredibly fortunate that our friend, Zak Jeffay, was able to take a few minutes to sit with us shortly after returning to Israel after spending more than a week on the Polish-Ukrainian border giving whatever help possible to the now more than 2.5million people coming over the border.

Zak is a Holocaust educator and tour guide for JRoots, who was leading a group in Poland when the invasion began. Inspired by one of his Polish colleagues, and the students he was with, Zak and JRoots director Tzvi Sperber mobilized their logistical network to find rooms, food, clothing, and other necessities for whoever they could.

We hear about the situation on the ground, what is needed most now, the possibility of a long term solution to one of the largest ever human displacements in history, and how Zak's experiences as an educator informed his experiences on the border, and how his experiences have brought to reality some of the lessons he has been teaching for years.

Zak will be heading back to the Ukrainian border in just a few days to distribute more aid to those who need it most - to donate to the JRoots campaign visit www.jroots.org/donate or follow the campaign on Facebook @jroots.journeys

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