Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism

Many Jewish young adults reach their wedding night with almost no real guidance on intimacy and sexuality. Rabbi Scott Kahn and sex and relationship therapist Talli Rosenbaum open the series by explaining why these conversations need to start years before the chuppah, and what's ahead in the next nine episodes. The remaining nine episodes of Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults will drop this Saturday night, August 8th. Subscribe today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.  

In this uplifting final conversation, Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum bring together the themes of the series while exploring the foundations of healthy married intimacy, including consent, mutual respect, and open communication. They reflect on what listeners have learned, address common misconceptions, and offer guidance for continuing the journey toward meaningful, informed, and fulfilling relationships.

For many Orthodox young adults, navigating questions about sexual orientation can feel lonely and confusing. This episode addresses terminology, halacha, conversion therapy, and mixed-orientation marriage with honesty, nuance, and compassion.  

The laws of niddah are often learned under time pressure, leaving little room to explore their meaning, practical application, and impact on relationships. This episode explains what niddah actually requires, why the mikvah experience can be difficult for many women, and how these laws, approached honestly, can deepen a couple's connection.

Marriage in Judaism is a covenant, not a conquest. This episode explores what Kiddushin really means, why the Torah insists a spouse remain an ish rather than a ba'al (partner, not owner), and what makes a Jewish marriage more than a legal or romantic bond.

Many young adults encounter questions or challenges related to pornography, masturbation, or both, often in silence and shame. This episode addresses these topics directly: what Jewish law says, why they can be so difficult to navigate, and how to strive for growth without being crushed by shame.  

What exactly are the halachic red lines before marriage, and why? This episode breaks down shomer negiah, yichud, and physical boundaries honestly, including how couples navigate desire, disagreement, and consent when the ideal and the reality don't quite match.  

Many young adults enter marriage without knowing basic anatomy, or believing myths about virginity and gender differences. This episode provides real, accurate information on bodies, arousal, and consent, replacing shame and confusion with the confidence to communicate.

Judaism views sexuality as a sacred, joyful, and meaningful part of married life, with the potential to deepen love, connection, and exclusivity. This episode walks through six core values behind Jewish intimacy, from Tzelem Elokim (image of God) to Ahavah (love), and why they still offer real guidance for modern relationships.

Intimacy isn't  a set of rules or an activity that a couple learns about right before a wedding. Intimacy is experienced in close connections that are built through years of attachment, friendship, and self-awareness. This episode explores how  early attachments, childhood bonds and dating experiences shape one's capacity for feeling closeness, safety and trust.