In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Adam Ferziger, a historian of modern Jewish movements, about how American Jews have helped shape the evolution of Israeli Judaism.

In this episode we discuss:

—Why are Jewish religious boundaries in Israel often “more porous” than those in America?
—Why did McDonald’s succeed in Israel while Starbucks failed?
—What can Israelis take from the thick communal culture of American Judaism?

Tune in to hear a conversation about Religious Zionism, American aliyah, and the emergence of a distinctly Israeli Judaism shaped by sovereignty, Hebrew culture, and modern religious life.

Interview begins at 9:32.

Professor Adam S. Ferziger is a historian of modern Jewish religious movements and responses to secularization. He holds the Samson Raphael Hirsch Chair at Bar-Ilan University and is a senior associate at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. He is the author of several influential books, including Beyond Sectarianism: The Realignment of American Orthodox Judaism, winner of the National Jewish Book Award.

References:

“Orthodoxy in American Jewish Life” by Charles S. Liebman

Beyond Sectarianism: The Realignment of American Orthodox Judaism by Adam S. Ferziger

Agents of Change: American Jews and the Transformation of Israeli Judaism by Adam S. Ferziger

The Israeli Century: How the Zionist Revolution Changed History and Reinvented Judaism by Yossi Shain

18Forty Podcast: “Shayna Goldberg: Inside Israel’s Religious Zionist Community”

“Conan O’Brien on Failure and Conviction”

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Alana Newhouse, the founder and editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine, about why seemingly everyone is arguing about Zionism. 

In this episode we discuss:

—What causes spikes in antisemitism?
—What is the role of rapid technological change in flattening the differences between people?
—What makes Israel a model for a nation that other countries should consider following?

Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can bring redemption through the Jewish People to the entire world.

Interview begins at 10:00.

Alana Newhouse is the founder and editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine, which she launched in 2009 after serving as a reporter and editor at The Forward and beginning her career with publicist David Garth. An editor who writes occasional essays for The New York Times and elsewhere, she is known for “Everything Is Broken” and “Brokenism.” Raised between the Five Towns and Sheepshead Bay, she is married to journalist David Samuels and serves as president of the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, whose work has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal.

References:

Take One

“Everything Is Broken” by Alana Newhouse

“Zionism for Everyone” by Alana Newhouse

Genesis 12:3

Pluribus

Idiocracy (2006)

Independence Day (1996)

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge M.D.

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This episode is sponsored by Brett and Susan Nadritch, who support creative initiatives that strengthen our love for and connection to the People and Land of Israel, in honor of all the lone soldiers in the most recent Hesder draft, the class of Nisan 5786. 

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Michael Olshin, educational director of Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem, about the purpose of the gap year in Israel.

In this episode we discuss: 

—What should our hopes and expectations be for the gap year in Israel?
—How can we improve students’ Hebrew proficiency?
—Is it time to reimagine what the gap year in Israel could be, with a focus on contributing to the State of Israel in addition to Torah learning?

Tune in to hear a conversation about our responsibility to create a Yiddishkeit that touches the lives of the wider world.

Interview begins at 14:40.

Rabbi Michael Olshin is the Educational Director of Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem, bringing over 25 years of teaching and leadership experience from roles at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim, Yeshivat Shaalvim, Bet Midrash L'Torah, and youth programs including NCSY, NCSY Kollel, and Camp Mesorah. He also serves as an educator and guide with Jroots, leading educational journeys across Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Ukraine. He lives in Bet Shemesh with his family, and his children have served in elite commando units of the Israel Defense Forces.

References:

If You're Reading These Words by Shlomo Kavas and Racheli Palant-Rozen

A Dreamer and A Fighter: Reflections and Journal Entries by Capt Amitai Zvi Granot

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In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Michael Eisenberg—a venture capitalist and Torah scholar—about the state of the Jewish People in Israel and the diaspora. 

In this episode we discuss:

—What lies ahead for the Jewish People amid the war with Iran?
—What can Israel and America teach one another about Jewish innovation?
—What should be the religious vision for “secular” Jews in Israel?

Tune in to hear a conversation about where we hope to go together, and how we can get there.

Interview begins at 6:13.

Michael Eisenberg is Co-Founder and General Partner at Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund managing $850 million, where he has spent over 25 years partnering with Israeli entrepreneurs to build impactful global companies; since 2013, Aleph has invested in more than 50 startups, including Melio, Lemonade (NYSE: LMND), Bringg, JoyTunes, and Healthy.io. He writes the blog Six Kids and a Full Time Job and contributes to Calcalist and TheMarker, is the author of The Hummus Manifesto and five Hebrew books, and frequently lectures on venture capital, Israel, and entrepreneurship. He serves on the boards of Yeshivat Har Etzion and The Shomer Hachadash, and lives in Jerusalem with his wife and eight children.

References:

The Vanishing Jew: A Wake-Up Call From the Book of Esther by Michael Eisenberg

The Tree of Life and Prosperity: 21st Century Business Principles from the Book of Genesis by Michael Eisenberg

Meshekh Chokhmah, Bekhukotai

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Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a father and daughter who were estranged and then reunited. We also speak with Adam Pollock, the estrangement specialist who inspired them to reconcile. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• Are there specific struggles that lead to estrangement in the Orthodox Jewish world?
• How do we handle the tension between the need to heal and the need to be right? 
• How do we avoid regression once family members have been reunited? 

Tune in to hear a conversation about our essential and unchanging identities that transcend our circumstances.  

Interview begins at 20:50. 

Adam N. Pollock is the founder of Aaron’s Legacy, where he specializes in mediating family estrangement using a blend of ancient wisdom and modern conflict resolution techniques. Since 2015, he has helped individuals and families navigate some of their most painful relational fractures with compassion, rigor, and creativity. A former attorney and business executive, Adam brings decades of experience in negotiation, arbitration, and high-stakes decision-making to his work as an estrangement mediator. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from The George Washington University and a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, and is the author of Secrets From the Legal Pad (2023).

References:

Genesis 37:31

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Psalms 121

Titles by C.B. Weinfeld

Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict by Joshua Coleman PhD

Third-Party Peacemakers in Judaism: Text, Theory, and Practice by Daniel Roth

Exodus 13:19

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Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to philanthropist David Magerman and his daughter Sydney, who decided to make aliyah while on her gap year in Israel.  

In this episode we discuss:

• What should we do with the freedom we’ve been given?
• What is it like to make the journey toward Orthodoxy as a family? 
• What is it like to make aliyah when one’s family is in America?

Tune in for a conversation about building bridges and pipelines across generations and geography. 

Interview begins at 11:57.

David Magerman is the co-founder and managing partner of Differential Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on AI, machine learning, and data science. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University and brings over 25 years of experience in data-driven research and innovation. Previously, he was a founding member and head of production for the equities trading group at a quantitative hedge fund. 

References:

A Letter in the Scroll: Understanding Our Jewish Identity and Exploring the Legacy of the World's Oldest Religion by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

The Steinsaltz Tanya

Genesis 12:1

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Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Shaanan Gelman and his son Ziggy about the persistence of a parent-child relationship when the latter faces addiction.  

In this episode we discuss:

• How does habitual drug use evolve into addiction?
• How does a parent help a child struggling with substance abuse?
• How do such a parent and child manage the expectations and perceptions of the outside world? 

Tune in for a conversation about how a parent-child relationship survives and emerges resilient from a harrowing ordeal.

Interview begins at 15:05.

Shaanan Gelman, rabbi of Chovevei Tzion in Chicago, holds a degree in Computer Science from Yeshiva College and received semicha from RIETS at Yeshiva University. He studied in Israel at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Gruss Institute, and later served as a Kollel Fellow in Boca Raton, where he held leadership and educational roles. He is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America’s executive board, active in the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and serves on the board of Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago. A committed Zionist, he is active in AIPAC and has led initiatives supporting Israel.

References:

God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction by Shais Taub

“Being Kevin, Watching ‘Being Charlie’” by Kevin Jack McEnroe

The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath by Leslie Jamison

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big BookIn the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Maté 

Addict in the House: A No-Nonsense Family Guide Through Addiction and Recovery by Robin Barnett

Psalms 37

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Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yakov Danishefsky—a licensed clinical social worker and the author of The Attached Haggadah—about the imperfect ways in which we transmit the Jewish story. 

In this episode we discuss:

• How do we deal with the lived reality that the Passover Seder isn’t a perfect transmission of our foundational beliefs? 
• Why do some people try to leave Yiddishkeit while others stay in the community?
• What is the deeper significance of chametz and matza?

Tune in for a conversation about the role of broken expectations in the story of our redemption.

Interview begins at 12:29.

Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. He is the founder of Mind Body Therapy, a private group practice in Chicago. Yakov has semicha and a Master’s in Jewish Philosophy from Yeshiva University and is a popular speaker, teacher, and author on the intersection of spirituality, philosophy, and psychology. He is the author of Attached: Connecting to Our Creator: A Jewish Psychological Approach.

References:

Home Is Where We Start From: Essays by a Psychoanalyst by D. W. Winnicott

Reb Meilech on the Haggadah by Yisroel Besser

The Attached Haggadah by Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky

Attached: Connecting to Our Creator: A Jewish Psychological Approach by Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky

Berakhot 3a

Tzidkat HaTzadik 154

The Baderech Haggadah by Rav Judah Mischel

18Forty Podcast: Yakov Danishefsky: Religion and Mental Health: God and Us

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This week of learning is sponsored by Zachary Schreiber in honor of Tova Bashevkin, because behind every great man is an even greater woman.

In this special Purim episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin speaks about the late, great comedian Garry Shandling in honor of his 10th yahrzeit, which is this Purim.

In this episode we discuss:

• What does pop culture tell us about the Torah of our time?
• What can Garry Shalndling teach us about Purim?
• What does it mean to see divinity and significance within one another? 

Tune in for a conversation about how we find joy and inspiration in this impossible life. 

References:

It's Garry Shandling's Show

The Larry Sanders Show

The Office

30 Rock

The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling

“It’s Garry Shandling’s Shpiel” by David Bashevkin 

“Garry Shandling's Knockout First Appearance | Carson Tonight Show”

Iron Man 2

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Book of Esther

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This month of learning is sponsored by our dear friends Matt and Mollie Landes of Riverdale for the neshama of Dovid Yehonatan ben Yitzchak Yehuda.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Yehuda Geberer—a researcher, educator, and tour guide—about the history of the yeshiva world.

In this episode we discuss:

• How did we get from the start of the Lithuanian yeshiva movement to the American yeshiva world of today?
• What were the premodern precursors to yeshivas? 
• What effect did the Vietnam War have on the development of the American yeshiva world?

Tune in for a conversation about “change in service of perpetuating the eternal.” 

Interview begins at 22:43.

Yehuda Geberer is a Jewish history researcher, educator, and licensed tour guide who leads heritage tours in Europe and Israel focused on the modern Jewish story. He guides at Yad Vashem, where he also interviews Holocaust survivors, lectures internationally, hosts the popular Jewish History Soundbites podcast, and writes the “For the Record” column for Mishpacha Magazine. A former Mir Yeshiva student with a business degree from Ono Academic College, he is currently studying Jewish history at Hebrew University and lives in Beit Shemesh with his family.

References:

Jew Vs Jew: The Struggle For The Soul Of American Jewry by Samuel G. Freedman

The Jewish Self by Jeremy Kagan 

Lithuanian Yeshivas of the Nineteenth Century: Creating a Tradition of Learning by Shaul Stampfer

Making of a Godol by Nathan Kamenetsky

Psalms 89

Jewish History Soundbites

The Golden Age of the Lithuanian Yeshivas by Ben-Tsiyon Klibansky

The World of the Yeshiva: An Intimate Portrait of Orthodox Jewry by William B. Helmreich

Bava Batra 21a

For more 18Forty:
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This month of learning is sponsored by our dear friends Matt and Mollie Landes of Riverdale for the neshama of Dovid Yehonatan ben Yitzchak Yehuda.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we speak with Rabbi Aaron Kotler, president of the Beth Medrash Govoha and a grandson of Rav Aharon Kotler, about the beginnings of the American yeshiva world.

In this episode we discuss:

• What is the difference between “Modern Orthodox” and “American yeshivish”?
• What does it mean to truly learn Torah lishmah?
• Why did Lakewood become the center of the yeshiva world over New York City?

Tune in for a conversation about how the entire Jewish community can build on the successes of the yeshiva world. 

Interview begins at 28:07.

Rabbi Aaron Kotler is the president of the Beth Medrash Govoha, also known as the Lakewood Yeshiva. As Lakewood has grown, Rabbi Kotler has been active in public policy matters, serving on various boards devoted to the expansion of regional health care, transportation, housing, education, and economic development. He is the son of Rav Shneur Kotler zt”l and grandson of Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l.

References:

“Bret Stephens' State of World Jewry Address” 

“A Moving Appeal for Kosher Food for Jewish Soldiers in the Polish Army With the Signature of Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin”

World of the Yeshiva: An Intimate Portrait of Orthodox Jewry by William B. Helmreich

Field of Dreams (1989)

The Talmud

“Overklalified” by Avigdor Goldberger

For more 18Forty:
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