Ep. 322 - Passover with Wendy Berelson

While this iteration of Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist might have come to a close, you can still always head to our website (www.drinkinganddrashing.com) to find past episodes, resources, drinks, and merchandise. We are so grateful to have learned with and from you and look forward to the new adventures that await us in the future! Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

We bring you this final podcast episode as an insider look at Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist. Hear about our proudest moments, our silliest giggles, some of the challenges we’ve faced and overcome, and some of our favorite fan stories that still make us smile. Thanks for the memories listeners—we wish you a Chag Shavuot Sameach (Happy Shavuot!) and hope that you’ll enjoy traveling down memory lane (as we come down Mt. Sinai together) as Amanda, Gabe, and Edon speak from the heart about this meaningful podcasting passion project. To continue the conversation: Drinking and Drashing Email: [email protected] Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

We begin the fourth book of the Torah—the book of Numbers—with its Hebrew primary parasha—B’midbar! (But, if you ask Amanda, there’s multiple ways you can say this! If you ask Gabe, Amanda’s wrong!) Rabbi Amanda K. Weiss, Canto (one more year until the R!) Gabe Snyder and “Chazanta!” Edon Valdman are thrilled to welcome back Rabbi Andrew A. Goodman to celebrate our penultimate parasha podcast (and Edon’s bar mitzvah portion). What did we talk about? Great question! Tune in to hear about active inclusion, continuous learning, how to ensure that people feel valued, how communities come together to create a working society, and how we can bring more equity into the systems we currently live in. Some source links: Chazante: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chazante Chazanta (the way Edon means it): the husband of a Chazzan (or cantor) To continue the conversation: Rabbi Andrew Goodman’s email: [email protected] HUC-JIR Website: www.huc.edu/explore Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

WOW!!! This week, you’re hearing for the first time ever on our podcast Master of Sacred Music Gabe Snyder and RABBI Amanda K. Weiss! Woohoo! (Chazak chazak v’nitchazek!) We’re not done learning yet! We still have the extraordinary Miranda Bass who walks us through the significance of service (both to the Temple and to your country). Navigating the political landscape is never an easy adventure, but it’s worthwhile to use our values as a compass and our community as a guide. How we treat each other makes a huge difference to where we end up—even when it’s just finding a common ground when we stand in disagreement with one another. Oh right! And don’t forget…rest is radical and holy. (Also…#crimedoesntpay against people OR institutions). Some source links: Robert Alter’s Translation: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393292497 Jubilee Year: https://myjewishlearning.com/article/sabbatical-year-shemitah-and-jubilee-year-yovel Ibn Ezra: https://myjewishlearning.com/article/abraham-ibn-ezra To continue the conversation: Miranda’s email: [email protected] Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

When we’re in the middle of counting the Omer (the time between Passover and Shavuot), it’s hard NOT to think about what counts—in our actions, our thoughts, and especially in our words. We were thrilled to welcome back (this time as featured guest!) Rabbi Becky Jaye, Program Manager for Emor: The Institute for Bold Jewish Thought (a project of T’ruah!). We discuss the importance of finding diverse ways to interpret Jewish texts (and practices), and how we might enable people to open up the space for all to share their thoughts safely and clearly. How might we pause when in conversation in an effort to really get to the core of someone else’s mindset? When we have meaningful and authentic discussions (say, like we do on this podcast), we are able to deeply hold each other in presence and relationships in beautiful and unexpected ways (even when it might be difficult). Some Links to What Rabbi Becky Jaye is Reading/Working On! T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights: www.Truah.org On Repentance and Repair (Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg): www.OnRepentance.com The Person You Mean to Be (Dolly Chugh): https://dollychugh.com/book/the-person-you-mean-to-be To continue the conversation: Rabbi Becky Jaye’s email: [email protected] Emor’s Website: https://emorinstitute.org/ Emor’s Instagram: @emor_institute Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

This is a short one, but a GREAT one! For our second double-portion in a row, we brought you the original trio to speak a bit about this week’s duality: how do we deal with life after death? Or even more so, how can we look at the relationships we hold in life and find ways to find holiness in every interaction? Of course, as always, there’s a run-down AND a special drink! Listen in with your favorite Drinking and Drashing team! Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

Who doesn’t love a bargain? This week we’re getting an excellent guest to take on not one, but two parashiyot (well, at least a two-in-one because this week we have a double portion!). We are so thrilled to have Samantha Klipstein join us and walk us through what this week’s portion can look like through the lens of modern-day healthcare. How can we provide care and destigmatize diagnoses? How can we ensure that our medical providers are treated with honor and respect? How can we do it all without a sacrificial system? We know that this episode will be for all, for each according to their ability (hey that’s from this week’s portion!). Hebrew Terms Used in This Conversation: V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha: Love your neighbor as yourself Kavod habriyot: Respect for all creation G’milut chasadim: Acts of loving-kindness Bikkur cholim: Visiting the sickness To continue the conversation: Samantha’s TikTok: @fatcharlidamelio Samantha’s Instagram: @samanthaklip Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

What does it look like to treat those who die with dignity? How can Jewish leaders mourn for and alongside their communities while maintaining the sacred mantle of leadership? In this week’s episode, we were blessed to learn with and from Cantor Yugend-Green, the current Cantor of Oak Park Temple (a special place for Executive Producer, Edon Valdman!). We look at the role of the Chevra Kadisha, the special Jewish burial laws and practices, and what it means to maintain silence (or even what NOT to say) in the face of great adversity. Hebrew Terms Used in This Conversation: Chevra Kadisha: a burial society, literally “holy friend,” who prepare the deceased for burial Met/Metah: the deceased (m and f forms) Taharah: purifying the body for burial, pouring water Kavannah: intent “Vayidom Aharon”: And Aaron was silent (Lev. 10:3) Rosh: the head of the ritural M'chilah: a prayer asking for forgiveness (for inadvertent indignity caused by taharah) R'chitzah: gentle cleansing of the deceased Halbashah B’Tachrichim: dressing of the deceased in burial garments Tuma/tamei: impure, unclean or “vulnerable” Tahor: pure, clean, or “whole” “Baruch Dayan haEmet.”: “Blessed is the true Judge” “Hamakom Yenachem Etchem B’toch Sh’ar Avelei Tzion Viyrushalayim”: “May God comfort all of you among the rest of the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.” To continue the conversation: Cantor Julie Yugend-Green’s email: [email protected] Past Episode on Death/Chevra Kadisha: Vayechi with Sarit Wishnevski: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/XiowZ3dwOyb Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

Mitzrayim — Hebrew for Egypt — literally means “Narrow Place,” and we found our listenership just a bit too narrow… That is, until we were redeemed by the power of Wyoming. That’s right: we got Wyoming, finally getting the last state in our quest for listeners from all across the country. In honor of that achievement, we are thrilled to celebrate this special Passover episode with Wendy Berelson, a leader in the Laramie, Wyoming Jewish community. Wendy has stepped up in multiple capacities to serve her small-but-mighty community and help it thrive. We talk Passover, tradition, community work, and, of course, Jewish life in Wyoming. Listen in and enjoy. Pesach Sameach! To continue the conversation: Wendy’s email: [email protected] Laramie JCC Email: [email protected] Laramie Jewish Community Website: https://laramiejcc.weebly.com/ Instagram for LJCC: @LaramieJewishCommunity Instagram for UW Hillel: @uwyo_hillel Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano

How can we look at the opportunities and goals that are constantly changing in the Jewish landscape to help us amplify what success can look like? Innovator, transformer, and community collector, Lisa Colton walks us through the importance of always adapting and adjusting with intention—and ensuring that our values can support those quick and necessary pivots. In this episode we check our preservationist impulses that might keep us stuck (“…but we’ve always done it that way!), and aim to seek how we might be able to celebrate new choices. To continue the conversation: Darim Website: www.darim.org Lisa’s Email: [email protected] Lisa’s Instagram: @lisa.colton Find us on social media: Facebook: Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist Instagram: @DrinkingandDrashing Website: www.drinkinganddrashing.com Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/xeeghhpSy3 Show the love with some Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist merchandise at store.drinkinganddrashing.com, and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Apple Podcasts—it’s a great way to help our show grow! Edited by Michael Iaciofano