“Every ancient tradition has a healing art… our ancient healing art is the Hebrew calendar — our sacred time.”
— Bluth

How can the passage of time help us strengthen our communities and faith, and become happier and more fulfilled?

Today’s episode is an introduction to Sacred Time, a new podcast from Living Jewishly hosted by Bluth and Ganga Devi. 

Released each month on the full moon, Sacred Time explores the healing art and wisdom of the Hebrew calendar as it relates to our day to day lives.

Our path through the Shabbats, new moons, and holidays brings us through a process of healing and growth. This journey guides us, individually and as a community, to better ourselves and gain a fuller understanding of our faith.

Through Sacred Time, we will honour the cycle of the calendar, letting the months themselves act as teachers and shape our discussions. The Kabbalistic symbols associated with each month guide rich and thoughtful discussions each episode. 

Sacred Time is for listeners at all points in the faith journey — in fact, you don’t even need to be Jewish. Its goal? To be a source of nourishment for the heart, mind, and body.

“Our intention for this podcast is that it be rooted in tradition, blossoming into relevance in the present moment, and lead us all into the ripening of a beautiful Jewish future.”
— Ganga Devi

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌
The 3 Rs framework that helps us to learn from the past, create a fruitful present, and plan for our best future
How the atrocities of World War II have fractured the collective human psyche — and its relationship with time  
The eclectic spiritual paths that Bluth and Ganga have travelled — and how social media brought them together
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
00:37  Welcome to Sacred Time
01:16  What is sacred about time?
02:16  Why months are meaningful
04:07  About Bluth
06:15  About Ganga Devi
08:12  Who is Sacred Time for?
09:15  Inner devotion & outer action
11:10  How Bluth & Ganga Devi met
18:04  Rogue religiosity
19:30  Human relationship with time
23:22  Sanctifying time & the art of healing
26:37  Chesed/lovingkindess
30:04  Buckminster Fuller  
33:55  Design Science Studio
37:19  The 3 Rs

Links:‌ ‌
Visit these websites to learn more about Bluth and Ganga Devi:
https://www.rbluth.com 
https://gangadevibraun.com 

Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann
https://www.samispeaks.com/samisstory 

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-sabbath/9780374529758-item.html 

God is a Verb by Rabbi David A. Cooper
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/348304/god-is-a-verb-by-david-cooper 

Buckminster Fuller
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/b/Buckminster_Fuller.htm 

Design Science Studio
https://www.designscience.studio 

To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Introducing Sacred Time

“Most of us are in favour of freedom, as long as your actions don’t hurt someone else. But, as Hamlet would say, there’s the rub.”
— Dr. Elliot Malamet

Should mask-wearing during a pandemic be universal public policy or a personal decision?

This episode of the Living Jewishly podcast introduces What Would You Do?, the new ethics podcast from Dr. Elliot Malamet.

This episode centres on a topic that has become hotly debated over the past year, sparking protests, violence, and countless conversations: what happens when public health policy seems to infringe on individual agency and choice?

Our society is experiencing a huge split in opinion over mask wearing, with one side arguing for the importance of civil liberty in democratic societies and the other side drawing the line at personal freedoms when one’s actions can harm someone else.

Anti-maskers often appeal to science and claim that masks are ineffective, but their true motivations lie in protecting what they see as their personal freedom.

And therein lies the rub: when personal freedoms result in harm to others, where do we draw the line?

When it comes to masks and morality, should individuals be able to opt-out of measures that protect the lives of those around them? And should we be heaping praise on people for simply choosing to behave in a minimally ethical way?

To answer these questions, Dr. Malamet looks at a Florida anti-masking trial, an Italian flu vaccination story, and the work of philosopher John Stuart Mill.

This‌ introductory ‌episode of What Would You Do? discusses:‌ ‌
Why we as a society are so hesitant to impose coercive policies, even when they’re designed to save lives
How we can apply the philosophy of John Stuart Mill to the modern act of mask-wearing
What kind of a world do we create when we consider basic morality to be newsworthy? 

“In today’s world, just doing the ordinarily right thing is apparently a cause for celebration.”
— Dr. Elliot Malamet
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
00:40  Introducing What Would You Do?
01:52  Personal liberty v. social harm
03:08  The Piedmont flu vaccinations
04:16  Praising v. state intervention
05:56  Vaccination requirements & consequences
07:32  John Stuart Mill & the Florida mask lawsuit
11:03  Freedom stops where harm begins
13:03  ‘Crossing the unsafe bridge’
16:14  Teenagers & judgment
19:42  What can we do?
21:46  Responsibility to disclose

Links:‌ ‌
To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Masks and Morality

Crossing The Sea

The High Holy Days are a season of opportunity — the opportunity to change, grow, and forgive. But how we approach the season may determine how fruitful our efforts to change may be. 

Noah Tile, host of the Change Talk podcast, believes that expecting or aiming for a drastic transformation is not the most effective way to create a lasting transformation. 

He makes an effort throughout the year to make necessary changes, and focuses on very small, meaningful professional, interpersonal, and spiritual areas of his life during the season. Rather than looking to achieve a 180-degree turn, he aims to get 1-2% better. 

“I used to come into this season with a lot of expectations and I’ve really narrowed that down,” he explains. “At this time, perhaps I’m going to choose very, very small areas… and try my best to make it even an inch better than it was.”

For example, Noah wants to learn how to slow down during his week, which is filled with a number of meaningful projects for which he holds great passion. He wakes up on edge, filled with excitement for his work, but wants to take time for breath and mindfulness. His goal? To take just a few minutes each day, before his prayers, to focus on his breath. 

Just two to three minutes, each day. Not a large change, but an effective and achievable one.

Once that habit is set in place, who knows how it will grow? 

In this episode of Living Jewishly, Noah speaks to Dr. Malamet about strategies for effective change, proactive reconciliation, and how to overcome the barriers to forgiveness.

“I am so passionate about the concept of change. It’s how I do my podcast — I interview people about very, very, very small things that they want to change in their life. Bite-sized things that they want to make an improvement on. And I find that that really creates breakthroughs, when we really reduce the complexity.” 
— Noah Tile

In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you’ll discover:‌ ‌
Why narrowing your focus will help you achieve effective change
How to re-assess and repair relationships that aren’t serving you well
What to do when the ‘forgiveness scene’ doesn’t live up to your expectations 
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
00:41  The experience of the High Holy Days
02:00  Think small, focused changes
05:51  Proactive reconciliation
09:01  The forgiveness scene
12:43  Pain and spirituality
 
Links:‌ ‌
Change Talk podcast
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/change-talk-noah-tile-BXD18MaPkFG
 ‌
To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: Living Jewishly
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Part Three: Millennials in the Contemporary Jewish World with Noah Tile

“Religion is the expression of what your values are. Religion on its own is nothing."
— Rabbi Yossi Sapirman


What happens when you ask a room full of Jewish people to finish the following sentence: “The thing that is wrong with Judaism is…”?

Chances are, you’ll receive a collection of insightful answers that really make you think.

Living Jewishly did just that, and this episode is the first of a three-part series exploring the discussion that followed.

While the family-centric nature of Judaism helps to strengthen familial bonds while underscoring spiritual belonging, this focus on family is a challenge for people who aren’t part of a nuclear family or are estranged or otherwise have difficulty relating to their kin. 

This focus on family can make many people feel excluded or “less than.” It’s an exclusion that can feel as though it comes from both within and without. A greater emphasis on relationship-building and openness within the community would help to lessen this feeling, creating a greater sense of belonging.

Exclusion is also an issue for those who are in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. With so much funding and effort focused on the 20s and 30s age groups, it’s important to create more events and roles for those outside of those groups. 

How do Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Elliot Malamet believe we can create a more tight-knit, inclusive community? Listen to the episode to find out.

“I think the role of G-d has to change… Rabbis are conveying the word of G-d, so to speak, and I actually think people talk about G-d too much.” 
— Rabbi Yossi Sapirman

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌
How the role of the Rabbi needs to adapt in a world where most questions are answered by Google
Why the family-centric spirit of Judaism can be alienating for those who are travelling on different paths
How the use of funding in Jewish communities can leave certain age groups out in the cold 
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
00:55  “The thing that is wrong with Judaism is…”
03:08  The role of the Rabbi & the role of G-d
06:05  “Too much G-d and not enough food”
08:12  Relationship-building & age inclusivity 
12:52  Denominational & shul differences
15:23  Growing up secular & the issues of Orthodoxy
 
Links:‌ ‌
 ‌To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: Living Jewishly
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Have we made it harder than it should be to be Jewish?

“Until Jewish communities see it as a global village issue, education won’t be affordable.”
— Dr. Elliot Malamet

What happens when you ask a room full of Jewish people to finish the following sentence: “The thing that is challenging about being Jewish…”?

Chances are, you’ll receive insightful answers that make you think.

Living Jewishly did just that, and this episode is the second of a three-part series exploring the discussion that followed.

Is it too expensive to be Jewish? Have we unintentionally created too-high a cost of entry for living a Jewish lifestyle? 

Many of the larger and more robust Jewish communities are found within cities that have high costs of living. But even apart from that, the cost of belonging to a synagogue or opting for Jewish education can become a hardship for many young Jewish families.

The truth is that while Jewish mega-donors (people who donate upwards of $10 million for a single gift) give very generously to institutional causes, including museums, art galleries, and hospitals, Jewish education is not the priority it once was. Perhaps a change in this regard might be timely.

How do Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Elliot Malamet believe we can create an affordable, accessible, and inclusive Jewish lifestyle? Listen to the episode to find out.

“It’s really a conversation about priorities.”
— Rabbi Yossi Sapirman

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌
Whether politics belong in the sanctuary and whether Rabbis should address them during prayer
Why engaging in Jewish community life is so expensive — and how to radically decrease these costs
How Jewish governance and certifications are holding the community back from creating new spaces
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
00:56  Politics in the sanctuary
04:32  Judaism in the United Kingdom
05:00  Is it too expensive to be Jewish?
08:52  A re-communalizing revolution
12:23  Foregoing elite Jewish community life
13:18  The issues of Jewish governance
 
Links:‌ ‌
 ‌
To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: Living Jewishly
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Have we made it more expensive than it should be to be Jewish?

What happens when you ask a room full of Jewish people to finish the following sentence: “The thing that is challenging about being Jewish…”?

Living Jewishly did just that, and this episode is the last of a three-part series exploring the discussion that followed.

The question about whether it is necessary to enrol Jewish children in Jewish schools is a long-standing one — and one that has sparked many lively debates.

Is a religious education a requirement when it comes to raising children who will remain faithful, stay and marry within the community, and commit to raising their children within the faith?

Or can Jewish children thrive and develop (and maintain) a strong relationship to their faith even when enrolled in public school?

Or does the debate over schooling ignore the most important factor — what happens in the home?

The truth is that Jewish children who grow up and remain connected to their culture tend to grow up in households that celebrate their Jewishness through traditions and ritual.

Jewish schools certainly do a wonderful job passing down the fundamental rudiments of Jewish education — but perhaps schools should be a supplement to the Jewish experience they have at home.

Find out how Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Elliot Malamet advise parents to approach their children’s cultural and religious education in this episode of the Living Jewishly podcast.

“Rabbi Yossi and I believe very strongly that for many years, a generation not of kids, but of parents, were neglected in terms of the Jewish education.”
— Dr. Elliot Malamet

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌
Whether sending your child to an expensive Jewish day school will really make a difference in their spiritual growth and engagement in Jewish life 
Why it is so important to attend shul for the right reasons, rather than the wrong ones 
How choosing the wrong JCC or shul for your family can actually create an obstacle for your children to fully embrace their faith 
 ‌
Highlights:‌ ‌
01:00  Judaism by proxy
01:24  Jewish school v public school
02:49  The wrong reasons to go to shul
03:55  Choose the right JCC and shul


Links:‌ ‌
To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:
Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org 
Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly
Watch us on YouTube: Living Jewishly
or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. 

Shalom!

Are Jewish schools as important as we think?

We welcome the new moon and the month of adar with this poetic/melodic collab! Put on headphones, and enjoy the journey. Through poetry, chanting and niggun in a beautiful collaboration created by Rabbi Bluth and Galittas Healing. This audio piece takes you on a journey to feel into the month of adar, and to understand it’s themes as they relate to today. It is a melodic experience to welcome the Joy of Adar, a Joy that emerges as resistance and healing to the difficult times we are in.

Living Jewishly

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