CSK-er George Schwartz and I are excited to premiere a brand new podcast, “Cooler Heads, Thoughtful Conversations on Complex Jewish Issues.” 
Here is our little blurb: “

Rabbi Scott and George Schwartz are like brothers from another mother—two minds, one mission. From the moment they met, their conversations have only grown deeper and more thought-provoking.

In today’s polarized media landscape, we believe it’s time for cooler heads to prevail. That’s why we created Cooler Heads, a brand-new podcast dedicated to lowering the temperature on divisive issues and fostering thoughtful, empirical, and less emotion-driven discussions.
Join us as we explore some of the Jewish world’s most complex and intractable conflicts with nuance, curiosity, and a commitment to deeper understanding.”

George and I will seek to produce “Cooler Heads” podcast episodes on topical issues that we believe need a bit more “digging deep” and “airing out.” We look forward to your feedback which you can offer via the comments section in the two formats with which we will share them: my podcast, "Conversations with the Rabbi" (available on Itunes) and the Congregation Shma Koleinu You Tube Channel.

Our first episode begins and ends with the lives and deaths of recently returned and deceased Israeli hostages, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. We discuss the situation from the breathtakingly broad intransigence that has enabled the violence in and around Israel to persevere and the breathtakingly narrow heartbreak in discovering what was done by Hamas to babies. Please give a listen and let us know what you think.

Rabbi Scott 


Cooler Heads - Episode 1

Celebrating Purim matters especially today, because the averted attacks on the Jews of Megillat Esther (scroll of Esther) were not averted on October 7, 2023. And that for reasons that I will never be able to fully grasp, there are a lot of people in the world who just don’t like Jews. They imagine we represent a threat to them, and we must keep our eyes open. It is true that we must never forget. But it’s not a matter of never forgetting the Holocaust. It’s a matter that we must never forget that we are a special people with a unique destiny and a unique relationship with God. This doesn’t necessarily make us better, but it does make who we are and what we have sacred enough to protect, preserve, and defend.

To protect, preserve and defend

Purim is tonight, and Passover is around the corner

What does free speech mean? Are there limits? What do American law and Jewish law say and how does it all apply to the latest uproars of anti-Semitism on the campus of Columbia? Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss and George Schwartz invite you for a 20+ minute take on these important issues and why we might understand them all with cooler heads. Please don't forget to "Like us" when you watch.

Cooler Heads Ep 2 - Campus Conflagrations

Where do we Normie's find ourselves in the debate about Mahmoud Khalil, the recently graduated Columbia University graduate student who is responsible for the dissemination of vile and vitriolic hate-speech, but for what else? That is what is being debated now.  What makes this question the hardest of all? Which decision would make us Jews safer?

Normies

Cooler Heads Ep 3

This blog is about the nexus of Hebrew grammar and life. For a side tangent, click this link to watch the video referenced above: https://www.tiktok.com/@ajewishguy/video/7164112988171980033

Wordly Connections

Clip from blog: With apologies to vegetarians, this is the most real Passover there is. Simple and to the point, this is “OG” Passover! (check this definition if you need to learn what “OG” stands for): Slaughter the lamb, put some of its blood on your doorpost, bbq, slice, and eat with a cracker and some hot but savory spice.  And that was Passover; that and not eating bread products for a week and remembering and retelling how once we were slaves, and now we are free.

Backyard BBQ

Here is a blurb, click to listen for more: It’s the middle of Passover, and I’m deep into my ancient Atkins-like, no-chametz regimen—basically, a protein-heavy, bread-free diet that, let's be honest, I should probably be following year-round. Still, let’s not pretend matzah feels like the “Bread of Freedom” when it’s more like the “Break of constant-anticipation for the end of Passover.” (And if you want a secret laugh, remove the last 3 letters of the first hyphenated word and the first 5 of the second. Ha!)

Finding freedom in the middle of Passover

Today is Yom HaShoah, the day we, the Jewish people, set aside to remember the Holocaust. 
There has long been debate over whether the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, was a direct response to the Holocaust. Some argue that in the wake of the unimaginable horrors – thoroughly reported and documented throughout the world, the usual default to anti-Semitism momentarily faltered. Amid that pause, the world acted on behalf of the Jewish people. I admit that this is a rather cynical characterization. Listen for more.

King David and the Holocaust

Join Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss from Congregation Shma Koleinu for "Conversations with the Rabbi", a podcast focused on world affairs, matters of the heart and how to view it all through a spiritual lens.

Purim is tonight, and Passover is around the corner

Congregation Shma Koleinu

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