Best 18Forty Podcasts (2024)

1
On Loss: Defending Israel on Oct. 7 2:22:26

2d ago2:22:26

2:22:26

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak to the Perez family, whose son Daniel, Hashem yikkom damo, was killed defending Israel and the Jewish People on October 7. We’re joined by Daniel’s father, Doron; his mother, Shelley; and his siblings, Shira, Adina, and Yonatan, to hear about Daniel’s courageous life and the unfathomable loss endured…

1
Rachelle Fraenkel: 'I had expectations from humanity' 1:01:17

2d ago1:01:17

1:01:17

Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel has expectations from humanity. It made October 7's horror all the more terrifying. The religious figure and educator has been a voice of faith, hope, and strength for Israel and the Jewish People since her own teenaged son, Naftali, Hashem yikkom damo, was abducted and killed with Eyal Yifrach and Gilad Shaer by Hamas te…

1
Gadi Taub: 'We should annex the north third of the Gaza Strip' 1:07:29

5h ago1:07:29

1:07:29

In Gadi Taub's eyes, Israel is hardly a democracy — "it's a juristocracy." The historian, activist, and public intellectual believes that there are many forces at play that threaten the Jewish state: progressivism, elitism, and Western ideals. Formerly on the left himself, Gadi is one of Israel's most popular conservative thinkers. Gadi co-hosts Ta…

1
Efraim Inbar: 'Israel doesn't use enough force' 44:40

9d ago44:40

44:40

Bullying isn't always a bad thing, Efraim Inbar says. In a tough neighborhood like the Middle East, sometimes it's necessary. President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and head of Shalem College’s program on Strategy, Diplomacy, and National Security, he speaks as a veteran Israeli political scientist and national security. In …

1
Yehoshua Pfeffer: 'The army is not ready for real Haredi participation' (18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers) 59:27

22d ago59:27

59:27

We're taking a week off from our main podcast, but we want to share with you an episode of our new podcast, 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers Subscribe to on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch the latest episode every Monday. The Israeli government’s draft of Haredi men is no simple matter—but Yehoshua Pfeffer has some ideas for moving forward. Rab…

1
Ronit Heyd: 'If Israel becomes less democratic, it will become less Jewish' 56:22

8d ago56:22

56:22

You cannot separate Israel’s democratic and Jewish identity, Ronit says. The two are interdependent in the Jewish state. Ronit Heyd is an Israeli social leader and activist who spent over 20 years leading initiatives dealing with Israel’s intimate and domestic issues—those outsiders often overlook because of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict’s large…

1
Eli Rubin: Is the Rebbe the Messiah? [Mysticism II 4/4] 1:43:02

23d ago1:43:02

1:43:02

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eli Rubin—a scholar, Lubavitcher Hasid, and author of the forthcoming book Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidism—about life’s big cosmic questions. Chabad and the Rebbe are so ubiquitous in Jewish life that we tend to overlook Chabad’s underlying philosoph…

1
Yehoshua Pfeffer: 'The army is not ready for real Haredi participation' 55:11

27d ago55:11

55:11

The Israeli government’s draft of Haredi men is no simple matter—but Yehoshua Pfeffer has some ideas for moving forward. Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer is a Haredi social thinker and activist intimately involved in Haredi affairs. He heads the Iyun Institute—which operates programs and publications in the Haredi space—is the founding editor of Tzarich Iyun…

1
Yosef Bronstein: Only for Chabad? Modern Orthodoxy and the Rebbe [Mysticism II 3/4] 1:57:19

1M ago1:57:19

1:57:19

Join our email list to receive, among other great 18Forty content, a coupon code for 10% off your Koren Publishers order, good through Aug. 31. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yosef Bronstein—a rabbi, writer, and scholar—about the philosophy of Chabad and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. For much of the Jewish world, the Chabad movement pl…

1
Anita Shapira: 'You cannot wipe out Hamas' 45:13

1M ago45:13

45:13

After Auschwitz, Anita Shapira says, Jews understood the necessity of power—and the necessity of statehood. A leading Israeli historian and author, she is professor emerita of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University and founder of the Yitzhak Rabin Center. When Anita Shapira speaks, her words are informed by acute expertise of Israeli and Jewish hist…

1
Chava Green: What Is Chabad’s Feminist Vision? [Mysticism II 2/4] 1:37:52

1M ago1:37:52

1:37:52

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Chava Green—an emerging scholar who wrote her doctoral dissertation on “the Hasidic face of feminism”—about how the Lubavitcher Rebbe infused American sensibilities with mystical sensitivities, paying particular attention to the role of women. Some stereotype mysticism as something out of this worl…

1
David Horovitz: 'We need this state to survive' 48:22

1M ago48:22

48:22

No news outlet is utterly reliable these days, David Horovitz says. You always need one eyebrow raised. The founding editor of Time of Israel — with tens of millions of monthly readers, and ranked as the world’s fastest-growing news site in October and November — has worked in journalism for over 40 years, previously editing The Jerusalem Post and …

351
Rabbi YY Jacobson: How Did the Rebbe Revolutionize Judaism? [Mysticism II 1/4] 1:35:55

1M ago1:35:55

1:35:55

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to renowned Chabad speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson about Chassidus, Chabad, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. In honor the Rebbe’s 30th yahrtzeit, YY Jacobson helps us explore the purpose of Creation, our role in the world, and how the soul of the universe relates to the soul of the human being. In this episode we…

1
Sivan Rahav-Meir: 'When it comes to terrorism, you can't compromise' 45:25

2M ago45:25

45:25

Israel's fight against Hamas, Sivan Rahav-Meir says, is preventing another Oct. 7—and another Sept. 11. The Israeli religious journalist — voted Israel’s most popular media personality — grew up secular and part of the Israel left’s “Peace Now” movement, but she’s not quite there anymore. Now a journalist for Israel TV news, a columnist for Yediot …

1
Ammiel Hirsch: How To Understand Reform Judaism’s Anti-Zionist Crisis [Denominations Bonus Episode] 57:28

2M ago57:28

57:28

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we follow up with Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch to break down the anti-Zionist crisis facing the Reform Movement. As young Jews feel increasingly disconnected from the Jewish People, America’s non-Orthodox synagogues, summer camps, and …

1
Yakov Nagen: 'Jewish Messianism is a vision for all of humanity' 1:02:02

1M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

To Rabbi Yakov Nagen, the Jewish-Muslim fraternity will be the major breakthrough of the 21st century. This Religious Zionist rabbi is at the forefront of interfaith dialogue and peace work in Israel between Judaism, Islam, and Eastern Religions. The director of Ohr Torah Stone’s Blickle Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and its Beit Midrash for Ju…

1
Benny Morris: ‘We should have taken Rafah at the start’ (NEW 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers) 35:05

2M ago35:05

35:05

Subscribe to 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch the latest episode every Monday. — If you want to understand Israel, then you need to know Benny Morris. Prof. Benny Morris is a leading Israeli historian who revolutionized the field of Israeli history by digging into the government’s declassified archives in the …

1
Benny Morris: 'We should have taken Rafah at the start' 35:05

2M ago35:05

35:05

If you want to understand Israel, then you need to know Benny Morris. Prof. Benny Morris is a leading Israeli historian who revolutionized the field of Israeli history by digging into the government’s declassified archives in the ‘80s, ushering in the era of “New Historians” who challenged traditional views of Israel’s history. After peace talks fa…

1
Coming Soon: 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers 1:34

2M ago1:34

1:34

18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers is a new podcast by 18Forty interviewing Israel's leading voices to explore critical questions on Zionism, the Israel-Hamas War, democracy, morality, Judaism, peace, Israel’s future, and so much more. Every Monday, we introduce you to fresh perspectives and challenging ideas about Israel that you won’t find anywher…

1
Adam and Mia Raskin: Can Families Live with Denominational Differences? [Denominations 5/5] 57:28

2M ago57:28

57:28

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Adam J. Raskin—a Conservative rabbi in Maryland—and Mia Raskin, his Orthodox daughter. In discussing the ideological and sociological realities of Jewish denominations, we often lose sight of their real-world …

1
FROM THE VAULT: Samuel G. Freedman: Can Jew vs. Jew Ever Become Jew with Jew? 45:39

3M ago45:39

45:39

While we return to Jewish Denominations next week, enjoy this ever-necessary 2020 conversation about Jewish infighting, division, and unity—pulled from the 18Forty vault. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with Professor of Journalism at Columbia and author, Samuel G. Freedman, to talk about dissent not as a cause of ugliness and d…

1
Marc B. Shapiro: Where Does Orthodox Judaism Come From? [Denominations 4/5] 1:30:40

3M ago1:30:40

1:30:40

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author and historian Dr. Marc B. Shapiro about the blurry borders that distinguish Reform, Conservative, yeshivish, Modern Orthodox, and the many other Jewish sects from one another. We take today’s Jewish denominat…

1
Jack Wertheimer: A New American Judaism? The Sociology of Jewish Practice [Denominations 3/5] 1:40:23

3M ago1:40:23

1:40:23

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jack Wertheimer, a professor of American Jewish History at JTS, about the radical transformations of American Jewish practice over the last century. We can’t understand the Jewish People without a sobered look at wh…

1
Ammiel Hirsch: 'What Did We Do Wrong?' Peoplehood and the Reform Movement [Denominations 2/5] 1:22:33

3M ago1:22:33

1:22:33

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue and a leader of the Reform Movement, about the way Jewish Peoplehood is understood among the non-Orthodox majority of American Jews. Rabbi Hirsch is k…

1
Zev Eleff: Is This the End of American Judaism? [Denominations 1/5] 2:07:55

4M ago2:07:55

2:07:55

This series is sponsored by Joel and Lynn Mael in memory of Estelle and Nysen Mael. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we begin our Denominations series by talking to Zev Eleff—historian, author, and the president of Gratz College—about the development of the denominations of Judaism we have in America today. We’ve been occupied for months wit…

1
Rachel Goldberg-Polin: A Hostage’s Mother Fighting for His Freedom [Divergence 5/5] 51:12

4M ago51:12

51:12

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rachel Goldberg-Polin—whose son, Hersh, was kidnapped by Hamas and is still held hostage in Gaza—about heading into Passover with our loved ones still captive. Normally, Intergenerational Divergence…

1
A Haredi Mother Sending Her Children To Serve [Divergence 4/5] 1:08:08

4M ago1:08:08

1:08:08

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a Haredi mother named Dina about her two children who serve in the IDF, one of whom was critically wounded in the current war. Oct. 7 accelerated the already-complicated conversation about Haredi service in…

1
Finding a Home for Haredi IDF Soldiers [Divergence 3/5] 2:16:29

5M ago2:16:29

2:16:29

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by the incredible organization Osey Chail, a non-profit organization serving lone soldiers from Haredi and Hasidic homes who are serving in the IDF. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to four Haredi soldiers who served…

1
Haskel and Josh Lookstein: Finding Your Path in a Rabbinic Dynasty [Divergence 2/5] 1:17:09

5M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. A pre-Pesach message from our partners at Twillory: You can use the coupon code PESACH18 for $18 off all orders of $250 or more, or use the coupon code PESACH36 for $36 off all orders of $350 or more.. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down wit…

1
Rachel Yehuda: Intergenerational Trauma and Healing [Divergence 1/5] 57:29

5M ago57:29

57:29

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we pivot to Intergenerational Divergence by talking to Rachel Yehuda, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, …

1
Yael Muskat and Martin Galla: Entering Adulthood: Inside a College Counseling Center 1:58:40

5M ago1:58:40

1:58:40

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we wrap up our mental health series by talking to Dr. Yael Muskat, director of Yeshiva University’s Counseling Center, and her longtime colleague Dr. Martin Galla about the mental health challenges at the forefront of early adulthood. Young…

1
Regine Galanti: Childhood: Addressing Children’s Mental Health [Mental Health 5/6] 1:20:16

6M ago1:20:16

1:20:16

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Regine Galanti—a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and behavior prob…

1
Yoni Rosensweig: How Does Mental Health Affect Halacha? [Mental Health 4/6] 1:04:43

6M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yoni Rosensweig, rabbi of the Netzah Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, about the intersection bet…

1
Elie Schulman: Does Therapy Work? A Patient’s Journey [Mental Health 3/6] 1:15:54

6M ago1:15:54

1:15:54

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by someone supporting 18Forty’s work. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen in on a conversation between David Bashevkin and his dear and longtime friend Elie Schulman about the value of therapy. In a culture in which we can feel we’re consta…

1
Yakov Danishefsky: Religion and Mental Health: God and Us [Mental Health 2/6] 1:24:46

6M ago1:24:46

1:24:46

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Aleph Beta in light of their newly released season of the A Book Like No Other podcast. This podcast is a chance to learn alongside Aleph Beta Founder Rabbi David Fohrman, as he embarks on his most far-reaching and in-depth explorations of the Torah t…

1
David Bashevkin: My Mental Health Journey [Mental Health 1/6] 1:46:23

7M ago1:46:23

1:46:23

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin opens up about his mental health journey. Through the lenses of therapy, comedy, books, family history, and positive influences, David shares the experiences that have shaped the way he handles mental health challenges today…

1
Listener Feedback: Israel at War 1:30:35

7M ago1:30:35

1:30:35

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen and respond to feedback from the 18Forty community on the conversations of our Israel at War topic. Jews live in two different worlds—one before Oct. 7, and one after. The last few months have transformed the Jewish People across denominations, communities, and countries. Prompted by your feedback, …

1
Lipa Schmeltzer: How to Heal: A Personal Journey of Mental Health 1:10:40

7M ago1:10:40

1:10:40

In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we introduce the topic of mental health with a conversation featuring world-famous Jewish singer Lipa Schmeltzer. While many people know Lipa’s songs, far fewer know his journey of mental health—a story he never expected to unfold. With raw vulnerability and beautiful passion, Lipa opens up about ever…

1
Reuven and Shani Taragin: What’s Next: The Future of Religious Zionism 2:01:57

7M ago2:01:57

2:01:57

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Reuven and Rabbanit Shani Taragin, educational directors of World Mizrachi, about what comes next for Israel’s Dati Leumi (Religious Zionist) community. Additionally, we speak with Gideon Davis, a Religious Zionist soldier serving in Gaza. Mistakenly, we tend to think of the Dati Leumi communit…

1
What’s Next: Higher Education for Jews: David Wolpe, Talia Khan, and Steven Pinker 1:36:48

8M ago1:36:48

1:36:48

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Harvard Divinity School visiting scholar Rabbi David Wolpe, MIT PhD student Talia Khan, and Harvard professor Steven Pinker about the new reality for Jews in higher education. Since Simchas Torah, the hostile discourse regarding Israel has become something that no Jewish student can ignore. Jewish …

1
Jonathan Gribetz: What’s Next: Teaching the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict 1:17:57

8M ago1:17:57

1:17:57

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jonathan Gribetz, a Princeton professor and scholar of Near Eastern and Judaic studies, about the history of Israel and Palestine. At a time in which we can feel as if we’re all at war, it may be helpful to take a step back and look at the full history between Arabs and Israelis, to gain a deeper u…

1
Yossi Klein Halevi: What’s Next: The Future of Liberal Zionism 1:16:37

8M ago1:16:37

1:16:37

In this episode of the18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yossi Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, about what it means to be a Zionist and a Jew post-October 7. Since Simchas Torah, we’ve spent lots of time airing our political differences with others. What might be harder, though, is asking the uncomfortable questions about our…

1
Before We Say Goodbye to 2023 26:25

8M ago26:25

26:25

In this minisode of the 18Forty Podcast, we reflect upon a year beyond words (and numbers). At every stop of the process in the wild journey that has been 18Forty, we’ve been motivated by our fantastic community members who have pushed us to ask deeper questions, to be more honest with ourselves, and to think more sharply and profoundly about what …

1
Eli Paley: What’s Next: The Future of Israel’s Haredi Community 1:00:00

8M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eli Paley, the publisher of Mishpacha magazine, about the role of Haredi society at this pivotal moment in Israel’s history. As we emerge from a time when Israel’s Haredi and secular cultures have experienced an upswell of unity, the Jewish People will move forward (in some way) forever changed. An…

1
Michael Eisenberg: What’s Next: The Civic Revolution in Israel 1:09:54

9M ago1:09:54

1:09:54

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Michael Eisenberg, a venture capitalist and staunch defender of Israel, about how the people of Israel have risen to the occasion by creating a “civic revolution.” With all that is at stake for the Jewish People right now, we’ve been forced to reconsider what our personal goals and collective missi…

1
Noa Lewis: How Can We Help Israel? Finding Our Purpose 52:47

9M ago52:47

52:47

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Noa Lewis, CEO of Echad and a volunteer with the IDF’s women’s casualty-treatment unit, about the sense of purpose it takes to unify the Jewish People with the Land of Israel. In dire times, we are compelled to move collectively closer to fulfilling the redemptive vision of every Jew living up to t…

1
The Opportunity and Difficulty of Unity: On the Israel March 1:35:20

9M ago1:35:20

1:35:20

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eric Fingerhut—president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America—and Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff, a scholar and professor at Yeshiva University, about the need for Jewish unity and the barriers to achieving it. In recent weeks, the Jewish community has been confronted with questions of…

1
Doron Perez: Our Heart: One Child Married, One Child Missing 59:29

9M ago59:29

59:29

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Doron Perez, executive chairman of the Mizrachi World Movement, about the sacrifices the Jewish People must make to preserve the precious gift of the State of Israel. In a single day, Rabbi Doron Perez found out that his son Yonatan had been shot and injured in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks…

1
Yosef Zvi Rimon: What Happens To Jewish Law During War? 1:04:50

10M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, the esteemed Israeli posek, about the role of halacha during a war. Additionally, we are joined by Rabbi Shmuel Ismach, a rebbe at Yeshiva University and a rabbi at Young Israel of Great Neck. Amid the darkest and most chaotic times, we require the guidance of halacha even mo…

1
What Is Happening With Jewish Students and Antisemitism? 1:50:00

10M ago1:50:00

1:50:00

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to journalist Matti Friedman, author of Who By Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai, about how the Israel-Hamas war is (mis)understood globally. Additionally, we speak to a series of students and educators about the state of antisemitism on school campuses. Special thanks to these guests: Moshe, Micah Gre…

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