Rabbi Jon's Podcasts

Responding to Anti-Semitism After October 7 With Esther as a Guide

#purim #october7 #megillah

The Megillah (the biblical Book of Esther) is a story of anti-Semitism set in the Diaspora in a multiethnic empire where Jews were living in peace. How did the Jews of the story see themselves in biblical Persia, according to the biblical text? What were the various ways they responded to being a minority and to anti-Semitism, and how did that unfold? How in particular did Esther view herself, act, adjust in real time? How should we take the end of the Megillah, the forceful and violent Jewish response described there?

All of this hits us differently after October 7. Rabbi Jon Spira-Savett and Rabbi Dr. Karen G. Reiss Medwed walk through each part of the biblical story and reflect on how different parts resonate today and might answer some of the dilemmas we are facing. We recorded this conversation on March 17, 2024, a week before Purim, and much of it reflects the year and also the particular moment during this war.

To listen or view on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/MNYk9UXV8Ek

To read the biblical book of Esther (the Megillah): https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.1?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS&lang=bi

To continue this conversation with us, e-mail rabbijon@tbanashua.org and/or RabbiReissMedwed@gmail.com, and feel free to comment as well.

Conversations Toward Purim: Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy

#purim #october7 #megillah
Introducing Adar Conversations, a series about themes of the Jewish festival of Purim and the Megillah, the biblical story of Esther. I recorded this in March 2024, as we approach the first Purim after the atrocities of October 7 and as the war continues. How can we celebrate, and maybe more importantly what can this book and this time in the Jewish year offer us as an "Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy"?

To read this talk: https://www.rabbijon.net/rabbijon/2024/03/conversations-toward-purim-esther-informed-spiritual-therapy-for-5784-and-beyond.html

To watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XqZ42GLTIaQ

To view the Talmudic text I refer to: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/545387?lang=bi

To read the biblical book of Esther (the Megillah): https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.1?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS&lang=bi

To continue this conversation with me, e-mail rabbijon@tbanashua.org.

Reproductive Rights and Judaism -- May 22, 2022

Panel discussion at Temple Beth Abraham with Rabbi Robin Nafshi (Temple Beth Jacob, Concord NH), Rabbi Leora Kling Perkins (Temple Emunah, Lexington MA), and Rabbi Jon Spira-Savett (Temple Beth Abraham, Nashua NH). Moderated by Sheryl Rich-Kern of Temple Beth Abraham.

Parashat Bo: Redemption is God's True Power

This is about a ten-minute D'var Torah, exploring the dimension of God known through the Exodus, rather than the creation of the universe.

Prayer Podcast: Shma, Part 1

Learn why and how you can deepen your experience of Jewish prayer and services by thinking about the prayer texts.  Hear some opening thoughts on the meaning of the Shma.

A Jewish Dialogue with Michael Sandel's "Justice" -- Part 2

Second part of the workshop.

A Jewish Dialogue with Michael Sandel's "Justice" -- Part 1

This is the first part of the recording of a session I led at LimmudBoston on Oct 31, 2010.  This podcast is geared to those who are interested in political theory.  The workshop looked at Jewish texts that overlap in some ways the philosophers in Michael Sandel's recent book Justice, which is itself based on a course that he teaches at Harvard and which was made into a PBS series as well (you can see his teaching at justiceharvard.org and many of his readings as well).  There is a source sheet that accompanies this session at http://rabbijon.typepad.com/files/limmudjustice.pdf.  Where there is back and forth between me and the group some of the participants may sound muted but it's actually not too bad.

Background of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Part 2

Here's the second part.  It overlaps by a few seconds with Part 1.

Background of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Part 1

Here is the first half of a 40-minute talk, plus some Q&A, about the general history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.  I gave this presentation August 4, 2010 at the Huntington in Nashua.  I make reference to a series of maps, which you can find in a single pdf file at: http://rabbijon.typepad.com/files/overview-with-maps----israel-palestine-conflict.pdf

End of Life Dilemmas Pt 2

This is the second half of the presentation and discussion, with myself and Dr. Stephanie Wolf-Rosenblum.  (At some points the sound is fainter as we hear some questions and respond as two people near a single microphone; turn up the volume when necessary.  The quiet parts are not more than a few seconds.)