Vayakhel 5782: Reptiles are Friends, Not Food

In this episode, Rabbi Wolkenfeld welcomes back to the podcast Rabbi Zachary Truboff—the Director of Rabbinic Education for the International Beit Din—who shares his insights into how Jewish divorce works today. On the occasion of Rabbi Wolkenfeld’s last Straw Hat podcast and the end of his time at ASBI, they also discuss the challenges and joys of being a congregational rabbi. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld is joined by ASBI Member Joel Braunold, the managing director of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, who shares his perspective of the ongoing turmoil and protests happening in Israel. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld is joined by Rabbi Zachary Truboff, to discuss his recently published book, “Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar”. Learn about the book here. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld is joined by Dr. Rachel Weinerman, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility physician in Cleveland, Ohio. She explains her work, including the ways that helping her patients grow their families is predicated on reproductive freedom and how her practice can be affected by public policy and the law. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week marks Rabbanit Goldie’s final episode of The Straw Hat as ASBI’s Director of Religious Engagement! She and Rabbi Wolkenfeld reflect on her time at ASBI – the unexpected joys and challenges, what she’s learned, and also what’s on the horizon for her.   Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week we look forward to a wonderful opportunity to have Dr. Erica Brown visit ASBI! It will also be Rabbanit Goldie’s last drasha at ASBI and she and Rabbi Wolkenfeld discuss the pros and cons of sharing Torah in a drasha versus a shiur. They also dive into some of the issues that will affect our community post-Roe v. Wade with the potential for a radically changed legal regime, including assistive reproductive technologies, IUDs, and ectopic pregnancies. Finally, they share all of the reasons you should mark your calendars and spend Shavuot in Lakeview. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie reflect on Passover and Rabbanit Goldie shares her experience attending a Mimouna. They detail all the reasons to join us at our Annual Soiree on May 23rd and also explore the history and consequences of the recent dynamic of the parashas read in Israel and the Diaspora becoming out of sync. Rabbi Wolkenfeld shares some of the recent learning in Daf Yomi – the Talmud’s treatment of the conversion to Judaism and the ways it differs from modern conversion (click here to see the source). Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie explain why everyone should join our second night Community Seder at shul and also share some of their own family seder traditions. They also offer some ways to approach the issues of the seder’s late start time – what to do if you are invited to a seder with an early start time and accommodating kids at the seder. Rabbi Wolkenfeld shares some of the compelling metaphors for faithfulness to halakhah being studied in his Shabbat afternoon shiur, and we reflect on the joyous Purim we just celebrated and the reasons to make coming to shul a part of your weekly routine. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, in addition to the excitement of Purim, it’s also a time of anxiety and sadness as we listen to the news out of Ukraine. Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie talk about the situation there and the work that people are doing to help—and also debate the appropriateness of rabbinic delegations to help with refugee resettlement. As is very timely and relevant to these current events, they share some of the insights from Rabbanit Goldie’s Shabbat Zachor shiur, exploring militarism as one facet of our understanding of Amalek. They also talk about Matanot leEvuneem—should your donations on Purim go to those in need in Ukraine or to your neighbors?   Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. 

This week, we wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Rabbanit Goldie on her engagement and also share the bittersweet news that she will be leaving ASBI this summer. In light of a greater ability to gather together once again, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie look to some of what’s new at ASBI: Women’s Kabbalat Shabbat; professional development for our madrichim; our Purim Extravaganza, and our Advanced Halakhah Reading Group. Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.