The Pluralist Podcast - with Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg

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Latest Episodes:

Rabbi Rick Jacobs: What Real Partnership Between Israel and the Diaspora Looks Like Jan 08, 2026

What happens to the Israel–Diaspora relationship when solidarity isn’t enough—and silence isn’t an option?

In this episode of The Pluralist Podcast: From Both Sides of the Ocean, Orly Erez-Likhovski (Executive Director of IRAC) and Rabbi Josh Weinberg (URJ VP for Israel & Reform Zionism, Director of ARZA) sit down with Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, for a wide-ranging, values-driven conversation on Israel, Zionism, and what it means to be in community through crisis.

“This moment demands more than solidarity. It demands partnership.”

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Together, they ask:

How do we show up for Israel—and each other—when the stakes are this high?

🎧 In this episode, Rick, Orly, and Josh explore:

• Why liberal Jews must not stay silent on Israeli policy: “To criticize the policies of the State of Israel? It’s not only permitted — it’s required.”

• A generation struggling with false binaries: “What have we done wrong, that Jewish students don’t know they can say both: I’m a Zionist and I care about Palestinian dignity?”

• A shifting paradigm: “We’ve been living near each other for decades. But now, finally, we’re meeting.”

• Showing up beyond solidarity: “We’re not just here to give Israel a hug when it’s hurting. We’re here to agitate, to participate, to be real partners.”

They also reflect on moments that shaped their leadership—from college in Jerusalem after the Yom Kippur War, to the streets of Tel Aviv during the pro-democracy protests, to campus conversations and congregational tensions across North America.

“I’m a Zionist, 100%. And yes, I believe in the dignity and rights of Palestinians. These are not contradictions.”

This episode is for anyone navigating Jewish identity, moral clarity, and the hope of a more just future—on both sides of the ocean.

Introducing the Pluralist Podcast from Both Sides of the Ocean Dec 25, 2025

What does it mean to be a Jewish pluralist in Israel—and why does it matter right now?

In the launch episode of The Pluralist Podcast: From Both Sides of the Ocean, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Executive Director of ARZA and URJ Vice President for Israel & Reform Zionism, sit down in New York for an honest, thoughtful conversation about Israel, Jewish identity, and the future of pluralism.

Together, they ask a deceptively simple question:
What does Jewish pluralism look like in Israel today—and why is it so contested?

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In this conversation, Orly and Josh explore:

Why there isn’t really a Hebrew word for pluralism—and what that reveals about Israeli society
The current status of Reform Judaism in Israel and how it is perceived by Israeli Jews
Shared struggles around women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and confronting racism in Israel and North America
The evolving relationship between Israel and the Diaspora at a critical moment for Israel’s democratic future

They also reflect on their personal Zionist journeys:

Orly’s story—from a secular Israeli upbringing to discovering Reform Judaism through a preschool in Mevasseret Zion, and finding her life’s work at IRAC defending democracy and challenging religious extremism through law
Josh’s story—from a Chicago youth movement kid to rabbi and Zionist leader, shaped by the Oslo years, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and years of living and teaching in Israel

This episode sets the tone for the entire season of The Pluralist Podcast:
honest, nuanced, deeply rooted in love for Israel, and committed to liberal Jewish values—on both sides of the ocean.

Defending Israeli Democracy in the name of Judaism - Rabbi Talia Avnon-Benveniste Apr 03, 2025

In this powerful opening episode of The Pluralist Podcast, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, sits down with Rabbi Talia Avnon-Benveniste, head of the Reform Rabbinical Seminary at Hebrew Union College, to explore the deep connection between Judaism and democracy — and why both are under threat in today’s Israel.

Together, they reflect on how the current government, dominated by religious extremists, is weaponizing Judaism to justify anti-democratic policies, including attacks on the judiciary and the abandonment of core Jewish values like human dignity and the sanctity of life. But the conversation is also one of hope: Talia and Orly speak about the unprecedented awakening of Israel’s liberal public, the growing demand for spiritual meaning, and how Reform Judaism is offering an inclusive, egalitarian alternative rooted in tradition.

From Talia’s personal journey from a secular kibbutz to becoming a Reform rabbi, to the responsibility we all share in reclaiming Jewish texts and values from the margins, this episode is both a call to action and a vision for a more pluralistic, democratic future — in Israel and beyond.

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Law, Power, and Democracy: Lessons from Israel and the U.S. | Dahlia Lithwick Oct 26, 2025

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What happens when courts stop protecting us—and start protecting power?

In this urgent episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski is joined by award-winning journalist and legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick to explore the fragile state of democracy in Israel and the United States. From the refusal to appoint justices in Israel to the partisan tilt of the U.S. Supreme Court, the two legal minds unpack what Princeton Professor Kim Lane Scheppele calls “autocratic legalism”—when leaders use the law itself to dismantle democracy from within.

📌 Topics include:

– The erosion of judicial independence in Israel and the U.S.

– How Netanyahu and Trump use legal systems to consolidate power

– Why the courts must be both respected and defended

– The public’s role in protecting democracy

– What IRAC is doing on the legal front lines in Israel

🎧 The Pluralist Podcast is where Jewish values meet the struggle for a just, equal, and inclusive Israel.

Israeli Reform Judaism: A Story for Today, A Vision for Tomorrow May 22, 2025

In this episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski sits down with Anna Kislanski, CEO of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, for a candid and moving conversation about the state of liberal Judaism in Israel today.From Anna’s personal journey—from a secular Soviet upbringing to becoming a leading voice for Reform Judaism in Israel—to the challenges of rising extremism and attacks on religious freedom, this episode explores what it means to lead with hope in a time of fear. Together, Orly and Anna discuss the dramatic rise in public support for Reform Judaism, the trauma and resilience following October 7, and the role our movement is playing in defending democracy, building community, and offering spiritual refuge to a hurting nation.Whether you’re in Tel Aviv or Toronto, this conversation will leave you inspired by the courage of those fighting for a more just, equal, and inclusive Israel.Listen now—because there is more than one way to be Jewish.

Choosing Judaism is no Simple Act of Faith with Rabbi Galia Sadan Jun 03, 2025

Every Shavuot, we read the Book of Ruth—the ancient story of a woman who chose to join the Jewish people with the words: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” But in today’s Israel, conversion is no simple act of faith. It’s a legal, political, and deeply personal challenge.

In this special Shavuot episode of The Pluralist, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, reflects on her own connection to Ruth’s story and the ongoing struggle for inclusive conversion in Israel. She’s joined by Rabbi Galia Sadan, head of the Reform Movement’s Beit Din for Conversion and rabbi at Congregation Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv.

Together, they explore:

Why the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly on conversion excludes so many
How the Reform Movement provides a meaningful, welcoming path to Judaism
What recent Supreme Court victories mean for converts—and what challenges remain
The real-life stories behind the headlines

🎧 Tune in to hear how the spirit of Ruth is alive today—and why keeping the gates open matters more than ever.

*TRAILER* Defending Israeli Democracy in the name of Judaism: Rabbi Talia Avnon-Benveniste Mar 25, 2025

Coming Soon:

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A Queer Rabbi in Israel: Faith, Identity, and the Fight for Belonging with Rabbi Efrat Rotem Jun 10, 2025

What does it mean to be queer, religious, and Israeli in 2025? In this powerful Pride Month episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski speaks with Rabbi Efrat Rotem—an LGBTQ+ activist, liturgist, and the head of Maram, the Reform rabbinic council in Israel.Together, they explore:🌈 Rabbi Efrat’s journey from secular upbringing to queer Reform rabbi🕊 How the Reform Movement creates space for LGBTQ+ Jews in Israel📜 What it means to reinterpret Judaism with values of love and equality🔥 The growing backlash against LGBTQ+ rights—and why visibility matters more than ever💬 How queer rabbis are rewriting Jewish liturgy to reflect real, sacred livesThis is more than a Pride story. It’s a story about reclaiming faith, resisting erasure, and building a Judaism where everyone belongs.

Against Racism, For Hope: A Jewish Vision for Shared Society with Rabbi Oded Mazor Apr 28, 2025

In this powerful episode, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski sits down with @Rabbi Oded Mazor, spiritual leader of @Kol HaNeshama in Jerusalem, to explore how Jewish values can—and must—be used to fight racism and build a shared society between Jews and Arabs in Israel. From raising his children in a bilingual Hebrew-Arabic school, to leading interfaith initiatives during wartime, Rabbi Mazor speaks candidly about the challenges and necessity of hope in times of deep division. Together, they discuss the troubling rise of racism in Israel, the legal battles IRAC is leading against hate, and how faith can serve as a bridge instead of a barrier.

💬 “We are citizens of a country yet to be formed,” Rabbi Mazor says. This episode is a testament to those actively working to shape that country with dignity, courage, and compassion.

🎙 Listen now for a conversation about Judaism, justice, and the radical act of believing in a better future.

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode to amplify a Jewish voice for democracy, equality, and shared society.