Three Steps Forward is a podcast that helps us make and find practical paths in Judaism towards the things we need to build a better life for ourselves and the people we love.
We will develop the tools to help us pray meaningfully, be there for others in suffering, and create a Shabbat environment that lifts the people around us. The things we find will carry us through the week, no matter what comes.
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We all know that we're supposed to be nice to each other. In fact, we're supposed to get along with people that upset us. If we can't do that, we'll never get past the problems that led to the destruction of the Second Temple. But that is a whole lot easier said than done. Fortunately, Rabbi Eitan Kupietzky has a single bit of key advice to help us with this problem. Rabbi Eitan Kupietzky is managing director of the Gimmel Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in 1980. The foundation administers after-school clubs and camps in the south of Israel for needy children through a unique program of informal education specially developed by the Gimmel Foundation. Rav Kupietzky is also strategic advisor to contemporary, ground-breaking and innovative Rabbinic authorities and institutions including: Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon's Sulamot - Halacha Education Center, the Puah Institute, and Rav Uri Sherki's Brit Olam. Rav Kupietzky has published numerous articles in leading Halachic journals covering topics in Science, Medicine, Technology, and Psychology. You can learn more about the Gimmel Foundation and help support their work here: https://www.gimmelfoundation.org/
I've been looking for inspiration. That's part of the goal of this podcast. How do we capture inspiration and bottle it? "That kind of inspiration is beautiful but it doesn't last," says Rabbi David Katz. Well, what kind does? How can we connect the heart and the mind in our religious lives? Rabbi Katz tells us how to begin. First things first: don't downplay the importance of some ice cream at a Howard Johnson's in the 1980's. It can come in handy. Rabbi David Katz is the Dean of Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY) and has been with MMY since its inception 23 years ago. He studied at Yeshiva University in New York and Yeshivat Torat Moshe in Jerusalem. Rabbi Katz is an extremely popular teacher and has lectured extensively not only in seminary, but with teenagers and adults alike in communities and summer camps throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. Originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, Rabbi Katz made aliya in 1989, is a father of 6 and proud grandfather of 6, and presently lives with his family in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
In this episode, I asked Rabbi Bergman for a bit of advice in what remains a consistently difficult part of Jewish life: davening. How can we get good at prayer? You may recall that Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz gave us an excellent and useful bit of guidance in our very first episode. We are revisiting the question now and Rabbi Bergman gives us a bit of help that works not only in davening but, in fact, in a wide variety of challenging tasks. Take a few minutes to listen. Rabbi Sammy Bergman is the rabbi of the Young Israel of Fort Lee, a rebbe at TABC and Heichal HaTorah, and a good friend.
Is work supposed to be a religiously uplifting experience for Jewish people? What would that even look like on a day to day basis? What if I'm just a cog in a massive company where no one really takes note of my work? We discuss all of these questions- and more- with Yaakov Wolff, the host of the Shtark Tank podcast, which you can find here: https://open.spotify.com/show/34xll8GhTfu1BiRdhb8AyR?si=b4abjys_QiKEnaTrEJoeug%0A Shtark Tank is a podcast about the challenges and opportunities of being a Ben Torah in the workforce. The content is focused on profiling professionals on the ground and hearing their real experiences, successes and struggles. That is to say, he is the right person to be discussing these questions with. Yaakov is currently completing his rabbinical ordination at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, where he continues to study as a member of its kollel. He served in the IDF as part of the Hesder program and is studying business and marketing at Open University Israel. In this episode, we also discuss Yaakov's brother in law, Eli Moshe Zimbalist, who was recently killed in action in Gaza. Eli Moshe leaves behind a remarkable legacy and the podcast would be worthwhile just for the single tidbit we learn about him. On that note, it is worth pointing out that Eli Moshe built dozens of pieces of furniture for Rabbi Shalom Rosner's Nofei Hashemesh shul, and he dreamed of helping complete it. The Eli Moshe Zimbalist Beit Midrash will be built in his memory. Email Yaakov at yaakovwolff@gmail.com for more information about the beit midrash, the podcast, or the Shtark Tank whatsapp group.
What do we need to learn from Jerry Seinfeld? This is the question that the wonderful rabbi and halachist Rabbi Moshe Kurtz is asking us (surprisingly). Rabbi Kurtz is not a "chassid" of Seinfeld's - he is the consumate Litvak, for those keeping score- but he has some illuminating comments about passion, fascination, and, of course, everyone's favorite Jewish comedian. Rabbi Moshe Kurtz is the author of the book "Challenging Assumptions," a book that addresses contemporary issues facing Jewish society in light of both halachic and philosophical considerations. He is also the host of the "Shu"T First, Ask Questions Later" podcast, a podcast that puts the study of Torah front-and-center by inviting guest scholars to present, debate and provide listeners with a dynamic conversation regarding the responsum of their choice. His "Unpacking the Iggerot" series brings the classic letters of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein to new audiences for the Tradition Online website. Rabbi Kurtz serves as the Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Agudath Sholom. You can find his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Challenging-Assumptions-Rabbi-Moshe-Kurtz/dp/1957579951. I was a guest on Rabbi Kurtz's excellent podcast some time ago. You can find that episode, as well as all of the others, here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2VuXw0S44V5JvDHRgL4T71?si=9XfbkSPKSsSzu08FD_YqAQ Take fifteen minutes to learn some very interesting lessons from Rabbi Kurtz.