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O.M.f.G, what a wonderful four letter word. Those four letters can say so much in so little time, whether expressing joy or grief, excitement or disappointment, delight and sorrow, impatience or urgency - truly the breadth of human experience. As rabbis, we know that when the stories of our lives meet the stories of Jewish tradition, transformation/growth/something awesome occurs.
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A Dram & A Drash

Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz

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Where the 'Water of Life' meets the 'Tree of Life'. A podcast for all things whisky and Jewish, hosted by Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz. With monthly guests from the Jewish and Whisky worlds. Come, share a dram, and listen to the stories.
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Season 4: Episode 4, the kids are allright In this special episode of OMfG, the rabbis JG are thrilled to welcome to very special guest hosts, Aliza and Mia, two of the Berkshires' finest recent high school grads. Aliza and Mia share their experiences as Jewish American teens, reflecting on the challenges of their unique high school experiences , t…
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OMfG Season 4, Ep: 3 Here we are, stuck in the middle with you. It's been more than 100 days since the horrific events of October 7, and the rabbis JG are checking in. In this terribly challenging moment, it feels like we are in the middle of a story that we wish we knew had a happy ending. This week, we're talking comfort food, comfort tv (clear e…
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This episode of Season 2 of 'A Dram and a Drash' departs from the normal format as we take some time with members of my family (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law) who both do remarkable work in Israel. In this episode we start with the 'drash' and reflect on the experience inside Israel since October 7, 2023. This episode was recorded on Friday, …
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OMfG Season 4 Episode 2: The Israel Episode Since the terrifying events of October 7, we've been struggling to find the words for this moment. After nearly seven weeks of watching so much pain and horror unfold, the rabbis JG got together for a long talk about what makes this moment so singularly difficult. From fragmentation to unity, or from doub…
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In the first episode of Season 2 of A Dram and a Drash, Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz is joined by Joshua Mann, founder of Jews and Booze - an online whiskey and single barrel picks community - and co-founder of a new venture, The First Cut Barrel Company, making single barrel whiskey creation available to a wider audience. Learn about Joshua's journey int…
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Omfg it's almost 5784! The Hebrew month of Elul has arrived and the rabbis JG are getting ready! But we could never get ready alone- we get by with a little help from our friends. And so, with gratitude to Rabbi Rachael Pass and Jodie's URJ Eisner Camp tzofim and Olim limud groups, we present to you a little Elul Torah of Swift. From collective eff…
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We're talking Auchentoshen three wood as our dram this month with Dr. Hal Lewis. https://www.auchentoshan.com/whiskies/three-wood-single-malt-scotch-whisky Hal has extensive experience as a leader of Jewish organizations and has shared that expertise through the lectures and courses he has given on the topic of Jewish leadership. Come and take a ma…
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OMFG: We’re at a Christian Retreat Center! Live from Middleburg, Virginia (well, live when we recorded it…) the rabbis JG are back together again, and reflecting on themes of rest, renewal and retreat. With gratitude to our friends and teachers, join us for a different kind of episode as we think out loud about where we’ve been, and where we’re goi…
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This month our dram is an Old Fashioned and we're talking cocktails. Rabbi Jen Gubitz lives and works in the Boston area and specializes in working with young adults. She runs Modern JewISH Couples which supports committed partners on the pathway to marriage and beyond through essential conversations and couples retreats. Jen is the co-host of the …
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This month, A Dram and a Drash was recorded on location at the M&H distillery in Tel Aviv. Just a few weeks ago, M&H won the best single malt world whisky award and a double gold at the San Francisco whisky awards for its Elements Sherry cask expression. We got to taste that, and a whole lot more at our tasting and tour during our congregational tr…
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We're back after a winter hiatus. This episode launched at the end of Pesach, so if you are celebrating with a dram, then enjoy it with the guidance of whiskey reviewer and tasting seminar leader, Jeff Schwartz, aka the Whiskeyfellow! This episode is all about whiskey. We kick off with a detailed analysis of all the ways to encounter whiskey to tas…
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OMfG! It's almost Passover! The rabbis JG are getting ready for Passover and hope you'll give a listen as we tackle important questions like "what spiritual chametz are you hoping to rid yourself of this year" and "how long is too long to keep matzah meal"? We're bringing in the wisdom of our rabbis as we get ready for the festival of freedom, so s…
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Tu BiShevat is here, and we're here for the trees (even if they are currently covered in icicles here in the "coldest place on the planet"). Join the rabbis JG for an unexpected twist on the New Year of the Trees, a mystical moment on the Jewish calendar which we hope to make a bit less mystifying. So grab your favorite tree-grown fruit (we love a …
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Rabbi Dr. Denise Handlarski is Rabbi of the online Humanistic Judaism community, Secular Synagogue Last year she convened a conference called Gathering to bring together the best research and practical examples of how Jewish community engagement can better address the loneliness epidemic. You can learn more about Denise here In this episode, our dr…
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This month we are talking about Makers Mark with Rabbi Charles Arian. https://www.makersmark.com/ Rabbi Arian is a bourbon and whiskey enthusiast who has even tried his hand at barrel aging whiskey at home: https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/rabbi-arian-shares-the-spirit-of-bourbon/ He is the Rabbi of Kehilat Shalom in Gaithersburg, MD. You can l…
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Season 3 Episode 4: On Darkness It's almost Chanukah! We're counting down to the Festival of Lights, because, well- the world is kinda dark right now. The rabbis JG hope you'll join them in a different kind of holiday prep as we think about some of the earth-based traditions that coincide with Chanukah, like Tekufat Tevet. This Chanukah, we're doub…
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This month I welcome Rabbi Drew Kaplan, whose podcast 'The Jewish Drinking Show' covers all aspects of drinking and all genres of alcoholic beverages in his podcast which has now aired over 110 episodes over the past 4 years. Drew's dram is Ardbeg's 'Wee Beastie' His podcast and website are found at The Jewish Drinking Show During the podcast he re…
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Happy Cheshvan! It's that time of year again-- no major festivals, just a whole month of regular everyday life, and we are here for it. Cheshvan is a time for settling in, and taking time to just be. Our kind of month! So, sink into your favorite corner of the couch, grab a seltzer, and join the rabbis JG for what we like to call "The Torah of Noth…
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You thought those holidays were over once you sunk your teeth into that first bagel at break-fast? No way! Whether you’ve got a serious sukkah in your backyard, or are scratching your head wondering “what holidays?”- this episode has it all. Join the rabbis JG as we talk Shemini Atzeret (Shemini At-what?)—— a somewhat obscure observance that might …
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This month my guest is Joshua Hatton. He is founder of Single Cask Nation https://singlecasknation.com/ His podcast is One Nation Under Whisky https://onenationunderwhisky.com/ He is a National Sales Director for IMPEX Beverages https://impexbev.com/ Our dram is M&H single cask nation peated whisky. In our drash, we'll learn about Joshua's journey …
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Welcome to A Dram & A Drash - where the 'water of life' meets the 'tree of life'. Season 1, Episode 1 features Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, President of CLAL. We're talking about family history, what is Jewish pluralism, and more. Brad's Bio: https://www.clal.org/team/brad/ This month's dram is Dalwhinnie: https://www.malts.com/en-row/distilleries/dalwh…
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The rabbis JG are back, with a whole new season of OMfG. It's been awhile, so we're welcoming you all back with the chance to catch up and reconnect. We're excited to move through the year with all of you, as we share wit, wisdom, and poetry inspired by the Jewish calendar, with a healthy dose of snark. On Preparation: we're kicking off season 3 as…
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Welcome to A Dram and A Drash - where the Water of Life meets the Tree of Life. Coming in September 2022. Your host, Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz, introduces herself and shares a dram and a drash. Each month will bring a guest, in conversation with Rachel, sharing their own dram and a drash - a story from their own life experiences that offers a window in…
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How do we know when enough is enough, or maybe even too much when it comes to fulfilling our obligations to the world around us? As we make our way to seder tables for Passover 2022, the narrative of a perilous journey to freedom is literal for more than 2 million Ukrainian refugees around the world.Join the rabbis JG for an open and honest convers…
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This episode is your official rabbinic permission slip- to just get through. Forget unprecedented- it's hard not to feel like the world is downright unhinged these days. Join the rabbis JG for a reminder that sometimes, one foot in front of another is all we need to do. ** This episode was recorded before the events at Beth Israel in Colleyville, T…
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the rabbis JG are here for it. Come for the Home Alone and Chinese food references, and stay to find out which famous Jewish leader had a Christmas tree in his home, and how a Christmas tree saved the lives of one Jewish family in the 1930’s. Shout outs to Rabbi Joshua Plaut and his book: A Kosher Ch…
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The Vibe of the Tribe recently asked you, our listeners and members of the community, what questions you’ve always had about Judaism. Turns out, you had a lot of questions, like: Where do Jewish prayers come from? What really makes food kosher? What’s the difference between Jewish denominations? Why do many Jews cover their heads, and why such a sa…
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No matter how you spell it, we could all use a little light and a miracle or two as we make our way to the end of 2021. Join the Rabbis JG for a special Chanukah episode- as we "go under the hood" of the story as you might know it, and shine a light on some of the lesser known stories and customs of Chanukah. Let's just say there's plenty of salty …
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When she was a child, human rights activist and educator Dr. Shula Mola and her family fled Ethiopia for Israel. As they and other members of the Beta Israel Ethiopian Jewish community embarked on this harrowing journey through Sudan, Dr. Mola dreamed of their goal—a return to Jerusalem, and reuniting in community with other Jews at the Beit HaMikd…
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Spooky season is upon us, and that means it’s time for The Vibe of the Tribe’s annual Halloween episode with author and occult and sci-fi expert Peter Bebergal! This year, we’ve left our usual haunted graveyards and golem attics to explore the horror themes, Jewish parallels and otherworldly allure of science fiction for Jewish writers and creators…
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It's Cheshvan, the Hebrew month when rabbis heave a sigh of relief and thank God for a lighter calendar. And speaking of a lighter calendar, the rabbis JG are kicking of season 2 with a dive into the wisdom behind Shmita, the practice of a once-every-seven-years sabbatical. So, take a break (no pun intended) and join us for an energetic conversatio…
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How much do we really know about the lives of our parents and the secrets they’ve kept in their past? How do we delineate fiction from fact in our family histories? What parts are real and what parts have we needed to be real? Many people may wonder, but few actually embark on a quest to uncover the truth. Judy Bolton-Fasman, one among the rare few…
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In “a long-expected” episode, The Vibe of the Tribe celebrates the 20th anniversary of the cinematic release of the iconic fantasy film “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Join Miriam and guest Jesse Ulrich of Pod4Good as they harness the power of their mutual nerd interests (Judaism and fantasy literature) to set forth on a quest …
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Its almost Rosh Hashanah 5782 and the Rabbis JG are back from a very OMfG Summer! This week we're talking about the final glimmers of summer, how Dar Williams is our Rabbi, and the Torah of Monarch Butterflies! Come for the laughter, stay for the Cool Ranch recommendation! Wishing you a happy, healthy and sweet new year!…
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We exist in an era when the Jewish rituals around mourning—such as sitting shiva and saying kaddish—make frequent appearances in popular culture, from Marvel TV shows to films to Broadway plays. There is, however, significantly less attention paid to the other rituals around death, ones that are fundamental to understanding how Judaism sees the rol…
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Antisemitism: What’s new with the oldest hatred? It’s a difficult question to ask, but we did it anyway. Dr. Rachel Fish (https://rachelfish.com), a nationally recognized expert on how to confront Jew hate, joins us on The Vibe of the Tribe as Greater Boston and the rest of the country have experienced a surge in anti-Israel actions and hate crimes…
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It's mid July and the Rabbis JG are special guests on JewishBoston.com's The Vibe of the Tribe Podcast, where we spend a lively 60 minutes... talking about our 30 minute podcast. Co-hosted by Miriam Anzovin and Dan Seligson, we're talking Torah cafe carts, feminist Torah super heroes, dress codes for revelation for Mt. Sinai (Desert Cocktail Recomm…
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As a Jewish podcast, it’s only natural we want to be BFFs with other Jewish podcasts. After all, we’re a small corner of the podcast universe, and us Jewish podcasters need to stick together!On this episode, we welcome local rabbis Jen Gubitz and Jodie Gordon, co-hosts of the new podcast “OMfG: Jewish Wisdom for Unprecedented Times,” a project that…
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Get your trunks packed and your sunscreen ready because OMfG it's time for summer camp. From the hill, to the lake, to the Gaga pit, this episode is dedicated to the magic of Jewish sleep away camp. We'll dive into the history and have the chance to reflect on this unique summer with special guests Ben Cutler and Sara Beth Berman. With gratitude to…
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To say that we all collectively could use a laugh is a vast understatement. Luckily, rabbi, humorist, author, interfaith leader, academic, community activist and “disciple of joy” Reb Moshe Waldoks joins us to lift our spirits.The author of the classic and comprehensive “The Big Book of Jewish Humor,” Reb Moshe takes The Vibe of the Tribe mic (and …
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School's out for the summer and wow (!) are we thankful to teachers, educators, administrators, support staff, cafeteria and maintenance workers - and obviously Hebrew school teachers, too. Join the Rabbis JG as we hear from Math educator and administrator, Jenny Rittberg, about what it was like to be on the frontlines of education this past year. …
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From the time she wrote her 2015 essay that went viral, “A Letter to My Son Jacob on His 5th Birthday,” Mimi Lemay became more than the mother of a young trans boy—she became an activist, fighting for his rights and thousands of others facing misunderstanding at best and outright harassment and discrimination at worst.Her son Jacob, born “Em” (a ps…
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The most underrated Jewish festival is here (come on! Cheesecake and Torah?) and we're celebrating Shavuot with a trek through Torah. Join the rabbis JG as we talk Torah in all it's forms - Torah as our cornerstone for how to live a life of meaning, and Torah as a pretty special pajama party guest (you'll have to listen for more on that story!) Wit…
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Did you know that much of Judaism’s calendar cycle, rituals and practices grew from ancient Israel’s agricultural rhythms? As Jews in New England, we can sometimes feel disconnected from those seasonal patterns (lookin’ at you, Tu BiShvat in January!). Luckily, Leora Mallach, co-founder and executive director of Beantown Jewish Gardens, is here to …
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This week the Rabbis JG are talking about the ritual of counting the Omer, a sacred bridging of the time from Passover to Shavuot, pessimism and optimism, as well as speaking to a particular painful reckoning in the Reform Movement with regard to abuse of power. Are you a count “upper” or count “downer?” How do you sustain the time it takes to reac…
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Jake Cohen loves food. We love food. And we love Jake Cohen. Hailed as “the creative, youthful future of Jewish food” by icon Joan Nathan, Cohen is known for, among many other things, his zesty Instagram presence and blending his Ashkenazi food heritage with his husband’s Persian Iraqi Jewish traditions.The nice Jewish boy, culinary creative genius…
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It has taken the Jewish communal world a long time to reckon with intermarriage. And the evolution of attitude—from gloom and doom to gradual, partial acceptance—has been decades in the making and is ongoing.For generations, the health of the Jewish population in America was measured largely by one statistic—the percentage of Jews intermarrying. An…
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