episode list

 
 
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2.11 Facing the December Dilemma

We're deep into Hanukkah and Joshua and Rabbi Shira share listener stories and advice on how to navigate the December holidays as an interfaith family or couple. Should your child have to wear Christmas pajamas to school? How do you integrate traditions and food? How much egg nog ice cream can Josh's parents eat? Find out all this and more in this week's episode.

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2.10 Advertising the Miracle

Rabbi Shira and Joshua go on a Hanukkah retrospective: how it started 2,200 years ago, how it's evolved through the Medieval era until today. It will have you rethinking the Hanukkah story you thought you knew. Is the oil the most important miracle of the holiday? Or is the true miracle that Shira had positive things to say about Hanukkah? Grab a jelly donut and a latke and tune in today.

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2.09 “She Said” (with Jodi Kantor)

For our foremothers Rachel and Leah (and Bilhah and Zilpah) it's all about what they said (or couldn't say). How does this week's Torah portion hold up against the Bechdel Test? We're also joined by New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor to discuss her Judaism, her work uncovering workplace harassment in Hollywood, and the new film She Said, out in theaters now.

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2.08 "Chayei Sarah Sarah" (with Sarah Podemski)

In our final episode before Thanksgiving, we welcome Sarah Podemski, an award-winning Anishnaabe and Ashkenzai artist and actress (Reservation Dogs). Before we get to it, Joshua and Rabbi Shira discuss this week's Torah portion Chayei Sarah about the life (and really the death) of our matriarch, Sarah.

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2.07 It Could Be Worse (with Jodi Rudoren)

Rabbi Shira and Joshua react to Election Night and tie it into this week's Torah portion of Vayera. We also welcome on Jodi Rudoren, editor in chief of The Forward, to discuss how she handles criticism from all corners of the Internet, her experiences at the New York Times, and her take on the hamentashen vs. latke debate.

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2.06 A World Aflame

Rabbi Shira and Joshua get back to basics with a Torah discussion about parshat Lech Lecha on going forth. We discuss the duality of fire, the concept of being a blessing, and the dynamics between Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah).

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2.05 Shame & Shalom (with Letty Cottin Pogrebin)

Rabbi Shira and Joshua are hosting the Americans for Peace Now Annual Gala on Sunday 10/30. To prepare for the gig, we are joined by one of the honorees, Letty Cottin Pogrebin. Letty's accomplishments are too long to list, but we spend a lot of time focusing on her new book "Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy". We all have elements from our past we are ashamed of, but should we be? We also explore the significance of the number 40 in honor of our 40th episode and this week's Torah portion, the story of Noah and the ark.

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2.04 Synagogue President Goes to Washington (with Senator Jacky Rosen)

Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is the only person to ever serve as both synagogue president and U.S. Senator. She joins the Rabbi and Joshua this week to discuss navigating shul politics, the pursuit of Tikkun Olam, and even Broadway musicals. Before the interview, Chutzpod! addresses the recent comments by former President Trump on American Jews.

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2.03 - Fair Food Program (with Gerardo Reyes Chavez)

For our 2nd Sukkot themed episode, we examine the harvest side of the holiday as Rabbi Shira and Joshua welcome on Gerardo Reyes Chavez, a key leader for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida. Gerardo has been working in the fields since he was eleven years old and shares the difficult perspective of being a worker of the land and their continuing struggle for basic human rights.

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2.02 Backyard Lulaving (with Holly Poole-Kavana)

As Sukkot approaches, we bring on a botanist to dig into the agricultural side of this underrated Jewish holiday. Chutzpod! is joined by Holly Poole-Kavana from Little Red Bird Botanicals to talk about how plants are used for sacred traditions. What is the significance of the willow, myrtle, date palm, and of course the Etrog! Plus, get a “peek” at Rabbi Shira’s backyard sukkah, featuring botanical murals by artist Mai-Han Nguyen (@nah_iam on Instagram).

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2.01: Repairing the breach: How we can do better (with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg and Nathan Englander)

Our first episode of 5783 is jam-packed. Rabbi Shira and Joshua open with author Nathan Englander, playwright of Josh's new play, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank. We then welcome Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World, to help us figure out how to make things right with other human beings. Why are we so bad at saying sorry?

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1.35 Rosh Hashanah Sermon

For our final episode of 5782, we bring you a longtime staple of Rosh Hashanah, the Rabbi's sermon. Rabbi Shira shares with Josh and all of us a touching testimony about life and difficult family experiences, which will help put you in the right frame of mind as we bring in the New Year. “L’Shana Tova!”

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1.32 Tend Our Garden (with Ken Burns)

Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by award winning filmmaker Ken Burns to discuss his upcoming documentary called "The U.S. and the Holocaust" that will premiere on PBS on September 18th.

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1.31 The Fight Against White Supremacy (with Amy Spitalnick)

This past week saw the 5th Anniversary of the frightening and tragic "Unite the Right" Rally in Charlottesville, VA. Rabbi Shira and Joshua are joined by Amy Spitalnick.

Amy is the Integrity First for America’s Executive Director, the organization that successfully spearheaded the lawsuit and the broader fight against white supremacy and extremism at this crucial moment for democracy.

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1.30 CHUTZPOD! Live!

St. Paul's Temple of Aaron hosts the first-ever live taping of the show. The Minnesota Chutzsquad welcomes Rabbi Shira and Joshua for a lively conversation about the holiday of Tisha B'Av.

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1.29 Take it Down a Notch

With the help of this week's double Torah portion (Mattot-Massei), and Hulu's new show "The Bear", Rabbi Shira explores with Joshua alternatives to violence when conflict arises.

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1.28 Tough Love

What’s to be done when the Torah text we revere appears problematic? Dig deeper! Rabbi Shira guides Joshua through the challenges of this week’s portion, Pinchas, and what it has to say about interfaith marriages.

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1.27 Big Block of G'vina (Mailbag)

On our 2nd Mailbag Edition, Rabbi Shira and Joshua answer listener questions. Is chicken parm kosher? And how do we make circumcision cool again? These are just two examples of what you'll hear in this episode.

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