The Koren Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Speaking the Hebrew in English - Translating the Tanakh with Prof. Will Lee and Jessica Sacks Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

We're just months away from the release of the brand new Magerman Edition Koren Tanakh with an all-new English translation by Rabbi Lord Sacks zt"l, Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb shlit"a, and others.
We sat down with the literary editor of the Prophets and Writings (Nakh) sections, Prof. Will Lee (Associate Professor Emeritus) of Yeshiva University's English Faculty, and with Senior Translator, Jessica Sacks to talk about the challenges, surprises, and features of the new translation.
Prof. Lee talks about approaching the translation of the Hebrew Bible as an Ethical Humanist while retaining the Orthodox Jewish ideology of the translation. Why a translation of the core text of our faith needs a literary editor, and how working on the translation affected his own work as an English Literature professor and poetry lover.
Jessica Sacks, who featured on our memorial episode for her uncle, the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l, talks about her life-long dream to create a translation for the Tanakh that reflects the true poetry, drama, and music of the original Hebrew and, in so doing, how we can gain an even deeper understanding and forge a stronger connection to the text.
Make sure to subscribe to the Koren Publishers e-mail newsletter here to get all the latest information about the Tanakh.
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Season 2 Premiere! We The People (of the book) - The Tanakh in America with Guest Host Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

We're back for season 2 of The Koren Podcast and what an episode we have in store!
Although the First Amendment prohibits the state adoption of a single religion, the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, has been a core influence on the American people, Republic, and society ever since Christopher Columbus set sail across the ocean.
This week we are joined by a special guest host, Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern, Senior Advisor to the Provost and Senior Program Officer of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. Stu took on the task of educating our British native hosts, Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker, about how the ways in which the Tanakh has played such a key role in shaping America and Americans, both Jew and gentile.
We hear contributions from former US Deputy Secretary of HHS, Dr. Tevi Troy, acclaimed novelist and historian Dr. Dara Horn, educator Dr. Shaina Trapedo, and grandson of the late Rabbi Norman Lamm, Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm, about how Megillat Esther served as a touchstone for his grandfather and reflects the American Jewish experience.
Useful Links:
Rabbi Halpern's latest book Esther in America
In conversation with Dr. Erica Brown about Esther in America and Esther: Power, Fate, and Fragility in Exile
God at the Inauguration published in the Wall Street Journal by Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern and Dr. Tevi Troy.
The Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought have partnered with Maggid Books and Koren Publishers on several titles and other projects including exciting video series which can be found here.

Get 10% off your next order from www.korenpub.com with code PODCAST at checkout.
The Koren Podcast is written and produced by Aryeh Grossman and Alex Drucker and is edited by Alex Drucker. The Koren Podcast is part of the Koren Podcast Network, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

MST|Live part 2 Feb 07, 2021

Show notes

The audio recording from the second part of the MST|Live, A Deeper Look at the Maggid Studies in Tanakh Series.
Guest host, Sarah Rindner was joined by Dr. Tova Ganzel (Ezekiel), Rabbi Michael Hattin (Joshua and Judges), and Rabbi Yaakov Beasley (Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah) to talk about the methodologies and motivations behind their wonderful books and why we should invest time to learn more of their chosen sefer.
We are grateful to our partners 929, Herzog College, The Midrasha at Bar Ilan University, and Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
The Maggid Studies in Tanakh series is a groundbreaking collection of works by some of the world's leading Tanakh teachers from Israel and abroad. The series utilizes a synthesis of classical and modern biblical and literary scholarship methodologies to uncover the beauty and masterful authorship of the Jewish bible.
Available here: https://korenpub.com/collections/maggid-studies-in-tanakh

MST|Live part 1 Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

The audio recording from the first part of the MST|Live, A Deeper Look at the Maggid Studies in Tanakh Series.
Guest host, Sarah Rindner was joined by Prof. Nechama Price (Tribal Blueprints), Prof. Yoel Elitzur (Places in the Parasha), and Rabbi Benny Lau (Isaiah and Jeremiah) to talk about the methodologies and motivations behind their wonderful books.
Join us again on Sunday, January 31st for another installment of MST|Live with Dr. Tova Ganzel (Ezekiel), Rabbi Michael Hattin (Joshua and Judges), and Rabbi Yaakov Beasley (Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephania).
We are grateful to our partners 929, Herzog College, The Midrasha at Bar Ilan University, and Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.

Koren Behind the Scenes - Season Finale Dec 28, 2020

Show notes

It's our season finale!
Thank you to everyone who has made the first season of the Koren Podcast possible.
To close out season one we decided to take some time to answer your questions, how do we decide which books to publish, what makes us unique, what does the future of Koren look like, and more!
Featuring answers from a number of different people who make Koren tick, this special episode is a great way to close out what has been an amazing first season.
Don't hesitate to be in touch with more questions on social media @korenpublishers or via email podcast@korenpub.com
Useful links:
https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-mikraot-hadorot
https://korenpub.com/products/the-koren-lev-ladaat-humash
https://korenpub.com/products/the-koren-tanakh-of-the-land-of-israel-exodus

Women in the World of Jewish Education and Leadership with Dr. Shana Strauch Schick and Rabbanit Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

There has long been debate about the role and representation of women in Jewish education and in leadership roles. This discussion came to the fore again in recent months after a piece published The Lehrhaus titles Why Are There So Man "Manels" in Modern Orthodoxy?
We sat down with one of the authors of that piece, Dr. Shana Strauch Schick (Center for Israel Studies at Yeshiva University, Drisha Institute, and Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim in Jerusalem) to try and uncover why women might be underrepresented in the public element of Jewish education and leadership. We spoke about ways in which this imbalance can be rectified, what can be done on an institutional level, and what women can do to make sure their voices are being heard.
We were also privileged to speak with Rabbanit Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel (Nishmat, The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women, and Matan's Hilkhata Institute (Advanced Halakha Program) at Matan Women's Institute for Torah Studies.) We discussed differences in approach to women's education and women's leadership in Israel vs. the diaspora as well as her own experiences as a world-renowned Torah teacher in a career spanning two decades.
Make sure to subscribe to the Koren Podcast and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram - @KorenPublishers
Useful links:
https://thelehrhaus.com/commentary/why-are-there-so-many-manels-in-modern-orthodoxy/
https://thelehrhaus.com/commentary/response-to-manels-in-modern-orthodoxy/
https://www.nishmat.net/
https://www.matan.org.il/en/beit-midrash/hilkhata/
https://korenpub.com/products/parashahardcover
https://korenpub.com/collections/yemima-mizrachi
https://korenpub.com/collections/rabbi-shimon-gershon-rosenberg-shagar

Remembering Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

The sudden passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks earlier this month represents a huge loss, not only to modern and centrist orthodoxy but to Judaism and humanity at large.
Rabbi Sacks was sought out by people of all religions, and of none, as a source of guidance, ethical clarity, and inspiration throughout his tenure as the Cheif Rabbi of the United Kingdom and for the too few years following his retirement.
Koren Publishers are honored to have published his translation and commentary on the siddur and mahzorim as well as his thoughts on the weekly parasha and the holidays under the Maggid imprint. Although he did not live to see it published, Rabbi Sacks' groundbreaking translation of the five books of Moses was sent to press only days after his passing, and work continues on his commentary on the Humash.
We sat down with some of Rabbi Sacks' colleagues and friends from Koren ahead of the shloshim (30 days since his passing) to share memories, thoughts, and feelings about what it was like to work with Rabbi Sacks during his lifetime and our hopes for his legacy in the future. Our guests were publisher Matthew Miller, editor-in-chief of various projects and vice-president emeritus of the Orthodox Union Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, educator and author Dr. Daniel Rose, and editor, translator, and long time collaborator Jessica Sacks.
We were privileged to have been joined by Rabbi Sacks zt"l on the Koren Podcast before Rosh Hashana for what would turn out to be one of his final interviews, we had hoped to have hosted him again as a guest on the podcast but hope that his episode will go some way to provide comfort for his family, friends, colleagues, and all who benefited from his inimitable teachings throughout his life.

Creating Inclusive Communities with Rabbi Dr Benjy Leibowitz and Rabbi Kalman Samuels Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

For a long time, people with disabilities have been excluded from communal life, either due to an inability to physically access communal buildings and activities or due to other challenges that present themselves in communal and ritual life.
We sat down with Rabbi Dr. Benjy Leibowitz of Yachad, an international organization dedicated to enhancing the life opportunities of Jewish individuals with developmental disabilities or other learning challenges. As well as Rabbi Kalman Samuels, founder, and president of Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.
Rabbi Leibowitz is also the editor of the Koren Yachad Siddur, a siddur designed specifically for people with developmental and learning disabilities while Rabbi Samuels is the author of Dreams Never Dreamed which tells the story of his son Yossi and how he came to inspire the organization that has changed the lives of thousands of families in Israel.
Useful links:
https://www.yachad.org/
https://www.shalva.org/
Watch The Shalva Band perform at Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhRewe-uEIw
https://korenpub.com/products/the-koren-yachad-siddur
https://korenpub.com/products/dreams-never-dreamed

Giving Meaning to Yom Kippur with Dr. Erica Brown Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

As we do every year during this period Jews all over the world take time to introspect, reflect on the year that was, and think about our hopes and plans for the year ahead. It was our pleasure to sit down with Dr. Erica Brown (Return: Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe and Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet) ahead of Yom Kippur for some words of wisdom on how to get the most out of the Day of Atonement this year.
Dr. Erica Brown is the director of the Mayberg Center for Jewish Education and Leadership and an associate professor of curriculum and pedagogy at The George Washington University. She teaches and lectures all over the world and is a prolific and acclaimed author of several titles published by Maggid books and other publishers.
Get free shipping on all orders from www.korenpub.com until October 2nd 2020 with code Shana Tova
Useful Links:
Erica Brown: http://www.ericabrown.com/
Books by Erica Brown: https://korenpub.com/collections/dr-erica-brown
George Washing University: https://gsehd.gwu.edu/directory/erica-brown
Take Your Soul To Work Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/take-your-soul-to-work/id1521654394

Inspiration for Rosh Hashana with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

We were honored to speak with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks for some inspiration ahead of Rosh Hashana. We discussed what he will be focusing on this High Holiday period and into the year ahead, how his new books Judaism's Life-Changing Ideas, and Morality serve as sources of strength and solace during the tumultuous times in which we find ourselves, and what Judaism can teach us to help cope with life's challenges and can help us create a better future for ourselves.
All of us at the Koren Podcast would like to wish all of our listeners a shana tova u'metukka, and a year full of health and happiness.
Useful links:
Judaism's Life-Changing Ideas
Morality - Purchases in Israel only (visit your local bookstore for purchases in the rest of the world)
Get 10% off your next order at www.korenpub.com with promo code PODCAST at checkout.

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