Bereshit with James Diamond

Send us Fan MailDr Anna Urowitz-Freudenstein joins Simon on the podcast to discuss Rebecca as a Knight of Faith. She explores the particularly challenging theological question: what happens when someone believes they know the will of God, but fulfilling it appears to require them to act against the very moral principles that ordinarily govern human relationships?Dr. Anna Urowitz-Freudenstein received both her Ph.D. in Midrash and her M.A. in Ancient Judaism from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Her dissertation investigated the workings of Midrash, focusing on texts that mention individual women. She has taught university courses both in person and online and was a contributor to The Torah: A Women's Commentary. She currently teaches at TanenbaumCHAT. In addition to classes on Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Philosophy, one of the courses she teaches and developed is “Gender and Judaism.” 

Send us Fan MailRabbi Gabriel Botnick explores questions of identity, the boundaries between God's will and human agency and the legacies left unresolved in the Parashah. Rabbi Gabriel Botnick joined Belsize Square Synagogue in April 2021, becoming just the 5th Rabbi in their 80 year history. He was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, also subsequently serving as part of their faculty. He sits on the Masorti Bet Din in the UK. 

Send us Fan MailRabbi Yerach Meiersdorf guides us through the notion of hospitality (hachnasat orchim) as spiritual practice which is so crucial to Abraham's development. Rabbi Yerach Meiersdorf is rabbi at Adath Israel in Toronto. He is the author of a book on educating spirituality, and this year is publishing a new book on Hebrew Shamanism, exploring the spiritual and mystical traditions of Judaism in a fresh and insightful way. His teachings combine traditional wisdom with contemporary insights, making Jewish learning accessible, engaging, and transformative.

Send us Fan MailRabbi Alex Matthews explores the relationship between universal faith and a particular covenant. Rabbi Alex Matthews has been congregational leader of Ahavas Achim in Newburyport, Massachusetts since 2019. Rabbi Matthews was ordained at Hebrew College in June 2023. He completed the 18 Doors Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship focused on interfaith engagement, as well as the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies Machloket Matters fellowship, focused on working toward and through constructive disagreement.

Send us Fan MailThis week, Simon speaks with Dr Lisbeth Fried, who asks: "Who wrote the story of Noah and when?"Dr. Lisbeth S. Fried is Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan’s Department of Middle East Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies from NYU and another in psychology from University of Michigan. Among her many publications are The Priest and the Great King: Temple-Palace Relations in the Persian Empire, Ezra and the Law in History and Tradition, Ezra, a Commentary (Sheffield Academic Press, 2015), Nehemiah: A Commentary (Sheffield Academic Press, 2021), and Ruth a Commentary (Sheffield Academic Press, 2023).

Send us Fan MailProfessor James Diamond joins Simon as we open our fifth season to discuss the key questions of Bereishit. Professor James A. Diamond is the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of Jewish Studies at the University of Waterloo and former director of the university’s Friedberg Genizah Project. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Medieval Jewish Thought from the University of Toronto, and an LL.M. from New York University’s Law School. He is the author of Maimonides and the Hermeneutics of Concealment, Converts, Heretics and Lepers: Maimonides and the Outsider and, Maimonides and the Shaping of the Jewish Canon.

Send us Fan MailIn a special interruption of our typical weekly programme, this week's episode is a recording of the 20th Annual Louis Jacobs Memorial Lecture, delivered by Rabbi Danny Nevins at New London Synagogue. Rabbi Danny discusses the question, 'Can Judaism Survive the AI Revolution?' and explores questions of agency, personhood, and halakhic precedent governing our interaction with artificial intelligence. 

Send us Fan MailRabbi Roni Tabick joins Simon to discuss Pinchas, zealotry, and his upcoming novel, Radiance. Rabbi Roni Tabick is rabbi of New Stoke Newington Shul. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. With a Masters in Ancient Judaism, Roni specialises in Talmud, mysticism and Jewish Mythology, especially the Leviathan and other sea monsters.

Send us Fan MailProfessor Eichler from Bar-Ilan University joins Simon to discuss the episode of Moses (and Aaron) hitting the rock, and the consequent punishment. Prof. Raanan Eichler is an Associate Professor of Bible at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed fellowships at Harvard University and Tel Aviv University. He is the author of The Ark and the Cherubim (Mohr Siebeck, 2021) and many academic articles.

Send us Fan MailRabbi Samuel Klein joins Simon to discuss Korach, Salcedo and Rothko – among others! Rabbi Samuel Klein is Director of Jewish Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, where he leads strategic initiatives that build meaningful connections to Jewish life. He directs the Francine R. Loeb Leadership Institute, which empowers emerging Jewish leaders in Seattle, and Reset & Refresh, a nationally scaled learning experience for mixed-heritage couples, developed in collaboration with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Rabbi Klein also currently serves as Rabbinic Advisor to Togethering, a new initiative that supports young, modern couples across North America as they explore how Jewish values, traditions, and culture can bring meaning to the lives they build together. Rabbi Klein holds advanced degrees in Theology (Cambridge University), History of Art (University College London), and Jewish Studies (Spertus Institute), and completed teaching artist training at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, with a focus on museum-based education.