Popular Shows by London School of Jewish Studies

1

(6) Can I be angry with G-d?

Sep 17, 2025

1:10:24

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. In this special episode Big Questions of Jewish Belief, I collaborated with Rabbi Scott Kahn of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast to produce a conversation that’s great for both of our podcasts at this time. Scott quizzes me on whether we can, and should, be angry with God. Can we argue with Him, and is there any point, if He’s ‘all knowing’? Recorded in the leadup to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and at a very difficult time for the State of Israel and the Jewish people, we crack open the issue of how to relate to a God with whom we may feel many reasons to be upset, annoyed or angry. You can listen to the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast here or read the Orthodox Conundrum Substack here.

2

(00) Welcome to Big Questions of Jewish Belief

Mar 13, 2024

2:22

This is Big Questions of Jewish Belief, the podcast where we face up to the challenges of religious faith. We all have questions about our faith. Questions about the truth of the Torah, the morality of its laws and what it teaches about having a relationship with God, So each week I’ll be inviting rigorous thinkers to challenge me with their questions on Belief. My name is Raphael Zarum - I’m the Dean of LSJS - the London School of Jewish Studies, where I hold the Rabbi Sacks Chair in Modern Jewish Thought, established by the Zandan family. I’m a rabbi and I have degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Education, and I’m fascinated by the relationship between general and Jewish thought and ideas. I explore these ideas further in a book called ‘Questioning Belief’ which is available on Amazon worldwide (Click here for the UK link). I don’t believe in quick responses that don’t stand up to scrutiny. I think we should take questions seriously as they reflect a real desire to understand our practices and beliefs in a deeper way. So you won’t get clever quips and cheap certainties from this podcast, what you’ll get is an honest and open discussion about challenging questions based on traditional sources and modern interpretations.

3

(33) Uncovering Halacha for Women Today, with Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash

Nov 6, 2025

57:04

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. I'm delighted to be joined by Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash, one of the most refreshing and challenging voices in contemporary Jewish learning. Based in Jerusalem, Nechama teaches Talmud and halachah at the Pardes Institute and Matan, where she's known for tackling some of the most complex questions around gender and relationships with honesty, warmth and depth. Her recently published book, Uncovered: Women's Roles, Mitzvot, and Sexuality in Jewish Law, offers a fearless, richly sourced exploration of women's ritual obligations, religious identity and sexuality in Jewish law. Nechama's teaching combines rigorous text study with a rare sensitivity to lived experience. Link to the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncovered-Womens-Mitzvot-Sexuality-Jewish/dp/9655243753

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(35) Danielle Chaimovitz: The well-travelled shlichim of Europe

Dec 2, 2025

44:01

Seasoned shlucha Danielle Chaimovitz has nurtured communities in Estonia, Poland and Germany. A daughter of olim, she was always drawn to communal roles in Jewish life, and she and her husband have made it their specialty to help small communities thrive. Danielle and I discuss the role of a shlucha - what does success look like? How much should your children be part of your work? Should you ever be advising your community to leave? I'm surprised and touched to learn the incredible ways the Munich community supported them through the October 7th war, and fascinated by the subtle differences she's discovered between communities, and how that's affected her leadership style. Our new beginner's Gemara course starts this Thursday, 4th December - a deep yet accessible course to help women feel confident navigating the Talmud. Find out more and book at In Depth Talmud: Studies in Sanhedrin. This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. NEW! Talk to us at [email protected] and tell us who you'd like to hear interviewed.

5

(05) Does Prayer Work?

Sep 30, 2024

35:29

Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Rabbi Zarum and other LSJS educators. Does God actually change reality in response to prayer - and if so, why does prayer so frequently seem to fail? What does it mean for God to answer our prayers? In what ways does prayer help us? Why is it meaningful to pray for others? These are questions which people of faith have confronted for millenia, and continue to struggle with today. Join Rafi and his good friend Adrian Weller as they dive deeply into this essential and powerful issue. For further study, Rafi’s book Questioning Belief is now available on Amazon.

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(26) Exposing and destigmatising sexual abuse, with Shana Aaronson of Magen

Jul 22, 2025

52:11

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. This week I am delighted to be joined by Shana Aaronson, Executive Director of Magen, where she first began as Social Services Coordinator, supporting families where children had been physically and sexually abused. Magen is dedicated to creating safer Jewish communities in Israel and around the world by developing and implementing programs that foster transparency, prioritizing the well-being of victims, holding perpetrators accountable, and eliminating the stigma surrounding sexual abuse. Their work spans advocacy, education, and direct support for survivors. Shana also volunteers as a Jewish marital law coach and birth assistant for women with histories of sexual and physical abuse. She lives with her family in Mateh Yehuda, Israel. We speak about the difficult but essential work of confronting abuse in religious communities, the role of communal silence, how to shift shame from victim to perpetrator, and what change could look like when survivors are believed and supported. This is a wide-ranging and powerful conversation about truth telling, accountability, and building safer futures. If you're affected by the issues discussed, please reach out for help. Some community resources are: Jewish Women’s Aid – Supporting Jewish women affected by domestic or sexual abuse Magen – Child protection and abuse prevention in religious communities

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(17) Suzy Goldberg: Matchmaking in the modern world

Mar 17, 2025

39:13

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Suzy Goldberg is a pillar of the London community who embodies humble leadership. She’s a mother, grandmother, shadchanit (Jewish matchmaker) and Torah teacher of over 30 years. She’s also a graduate of the LSJS BA and MA degree programmes in Jewish Education and she works today with an organisation called Shidduch.im, the UK’s branch of the fabulously-named Saw You at Sinai Jewish dating app, and she’s encouraged, counselled and guided many couples to the chuppah with incredible skill. We discuss the common thread connecting Jewish education and matchmaking, what it feels like to watch a couple you connected get married, our responsibility to help people find their other halves and of course, how to know if this is the right match for you!

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(15) Rebbetzin Dr Hadassah Fromson: Enhancing marriages with psychology and halacha

Feb 18, 2025

42:38

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. My dear friend Rebbetzen Dr Hadassah Fromson is rebbetzin of Golders Green United Synagogue here in the UK. She is a counselling psychologist who works with individuals and couples both privately and for Chana, a fertility charity in the UK. She’s also a yoetzet halacha and a teacher here at LSJS. We discuss the importance of strengthening your relationships, and what brings satisfaction - in work, in relationships and yes, even in the bedroom, based on her research into sexual satisfaction in long-term Jewish relationships, Learn with Hadassah in Unpacking Parasha at lsjs.ac.uk/parasha. Join us for Unlocking Talmud on Wednesday evenings at lsjs.ac.uk/talmud.

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(18) Strategic investing in Women’s Orthodox Torah Leadership with Ann Pava and Elizabeth Walder

Mar 31, 2025

48:06

Today, we’re live! I’m at the Orthodox Women’s Torah Leadership Convening with Ann Pava and Elizabeth Walder, trailblazers of Jewish philanthropy, strategically growing the field of Orthodox Jewish women’s Torah leadership. As we sit onstage at the Convening that Ann and Elizabeth made happen, they reveal how they choose where to invest, and how they go forward as partners with those organisations lucky enough to receive their help. We marvel at how far this field has come - programmes in learning and leadership that are now available for women and girls, and positions held by women that were traditionally reserved for men. We discuss the challenges for Orthodox women seeking a career in Torah leadership as well the hurdles we’ve overcome, and the work still to do in this field. Anne Pava is the president of Micah Philanthropies. An activist, philanthropist, thought leader and community builder, she loves to mentor and empower women, especially to lead, and to make the world a better place and has been pivotally to the Prizmah Centre for Jewish Day Schools, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Hebrew High School of New England and the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusets. She is involved in many other boards and has won an award for outstanding women philanthropists. Elizabeth Walder is president and executive director of the Walder Foundation and the board chair of Walder Operations. She is a lawyer by training and led a multicultural immigration law practise helping thousands of immigrants reach their full potential. Later she served as the chief sustainability officer at IDT before establishing The Walder Foundation with her husband. Through its Jewish Life pillar the Walder Foundation founds many initiatives to empower Orthodox women’s Torah leadership and Elizabeth was awarded the Hinda Institute’s Heroines of Hope award in 2022 given to a visionary broad-minded philanthropist who personifies leadership and compassion. Special thanks to Dr. Elana Stein Hain, who organized the convening. (You can hear Jo's Women's Gallery interview with her here.) Listen to Jo's interview with Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber here.

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(19) Pesach: The power of openness to change, with Tanya White

Apr 15, 2025

55:49

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Dr Tanya White is a much loved teacher at LSJS and Matan, and a lecturer in Jewish Philosophy at Bar Ilan University. Tanya lives in Israel with her husband and four girls, and she writes, teaches and lectures on Tanach and Jewish Philosophy. She has a very unique style that is both inspiring and intellectually stimulating and our students here at lsjs.ac.uk love her. I always learn so much from her approach and her take on ideas – really profound and really personal and authentic. We discuss bridging the gap between israel and the Diaspora, responding to October 7 as an educator, what’s next on the horizon for Orthodox Jewish women, and bringing Pesach Torah concepts to life. For more Pesach learning and other learning journeys, connect with us at lsjs.ac.uk/connect.

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(20) Szonja Komoroczy: Breathing life into Hungary’s enigmatic Jewish community

Apr 29, 2025

42:42

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. What’s it like to be part of the Jewish community in Hungary? Home to the second largest synagogue in the world yet a hidden Jewish population that no-one can count, how does it function and what will its future be? Jewish educator, historian and tour guide Szonja Komoroczy is Vice Rector at the Jewish University of Budapest and has lectured and published extensively in English, Hungarian, Hebrew, and Yiddish. As an educator, her passion is to tell the story behind the facts, and, as a tour guide, to show the stories behind various layers of a city or region - historical, social, and architectural, alike. Behind the scenes, she’s something of an unofficial ambassador of the community. With a PhD and two MA degrees from Oxford and Budapest, Szonja’s main field of research and interest is Hungarian Jewish history and cultural history, and she is especially intrigued by issues related to changes in national identity and language choice. I think Szonja’s story and that of Hungarian Jewry is not well enough known and I’m really happy for her to share it more widely on this podcast. For more Jewish learning journeys, connect with us at lsjs.ac.uk/connect.

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(21) Sara Wolkenfeld @ Sefaria: Opening up access to Torah in the digital age

May 13, 2025

41:27

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. I learn every day with my chavruta in Israel using Sefaria sources. So I’m delighted to be interviewing Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria, the online database and interface for Jewish texts. Sara is passionate about Talmud education and about expanding Jewish textual knowledge and its accessibility for all. She writes and teaches widely about Jewish texts and Jewish law, and her current projects focus on applying Talmudic ideas to questions of advancements in digital technology. We discuss ways she uses AI to improve accessibility on Sefaria, her goals for women’s learning in the future, and worrying trends in access to texts commonly cited by antisemites. Sara is also a member of Class Six of the Wexner Field Fellowship and an alumna of the David Hartman Center at the Hartman Institute of North America. She serves as Scholar-in-Residence at Ohev Sholom Congregation in Washington, DC and her research and writing focus on the intersection between Jewish ethics and advancements in technology. Sara’s writing has been published in The Atlantic, First Things, and Religion Dispatches, as well as numerous Jewish publications.

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(22) Can women do that? Nicole Duke, Kashrut Supervisor & Burial Advisor

May 27, 2025

42:23

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Rabbanit Nicole Duke is not an obvious leader, but her guidance behind the scenes at crucial times and life cycle events helps countless people through both difficult and wonderful times. First she is a shomeret, a kashrut supervisor enabling kosher functions to take place. She is also responsible for the chevra kadisha - the organisation dedicated to caring for the deceased and preparing them for burial - at the main Orthodox cemetery in London, and she single-handedly runs a hotline advising, guiding and arranging help for people who have just lost a loved one. We discuss the emergence of women into these roles and what women can bring to the world of kashrut in particular, as well as revealing some of the little known world of what happens when a person passes away.

14

(23) Finding common ground through feminine traits, with Sharon Rosen

Jun 10, 2025

48:06

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Today I’m honoured to welcome Sharon Rosen, a leader in interfaith peace building in Israel and around the world. Sharon served as Search for Common Ground’s Global Director of Religious Engagement from 2017 until recently. She also co-founded and directed Education for Life, an NGO that provides tools for the development and wellbeing of children within state educational systems. She was also a faculty member at the Jerusalem Center for Near East Studies, teaching courses on Bible, gender, and contemporary relevance. From her father’s survival as a prisoner of war and how that projected the family into Israel as some of the first olim, to the challenge of seeking female leaders to connect and build bridges with in the Muslim world, this conversation is really wide-ranging. Sharon is an expert on designing and implementing interreligious programming that builds collaboration across religions and promotes peace. She is also an experienced facilitator in conflict resolution and strategic planning. Her advice for women and for the world, to amplify feminine traits of caring, compassion, mediation and dialogue over dominance, strength, assertiveness and competition, demonstrates the decades of experience it comes from.

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(24) Preventing breast cancer through humour, with Gila Pfeffer

Jun 24, 2025

46:23

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Gila Pfeffer is an award winning author, breast cancer prevention advocate and mum of four. Her recent book, Nearly Departed: Adventures in Loss, Cancer, and Other Inconveniences, was the 2024 winner of the Gilda Women’s Book award and had me laughing hysterically and sobbing in equal measure. She describes it as “about losing both my parents to cancer, trying not to get cancer myself, then getting it anyway”. We answer questions like: why would you choose humour as a vessel for discussing breast cancer and loss? How do you navigate the publishing world as Jew in the current climate? What do you say at a shivah? And, why are there so many photos online of you holding up two large, round objects? To find out more about breast cancer awareness, take a look at the resources below: Cancer Research UK: cancerresearchuk.org The Breast Cancer Research Foundation: bcrf.org Jnetics - Improving the prevention and diagnosis of Jewish genetic disorders: jnetics.org Sharsheret - the Jewish breast and ovarian cancer community: sharsheret.org #FeelItOnTheFirst

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(25) Scaling the heights of halachic scholarship, with Rabbanit Chamutal Shoval

Jul 8, 2025

49:51

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/connect to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. I’m delighted to welcome Rabbanit Chamutal Shoval, Director of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halachic Leadership at Midreshet Lindenbaum, and a graduate of its rigorous five‑year program as a Morat Hora’a and Manhiga Ruchanit - empowering women with halachic authority and spiritual leadership and enabling female halachic leaders to claim their place in discourse, advisory roles, synagogues, schools, and more, both in Israel and abroad. She spent two transformative years, alongside her husband and five daughters, at Ohr Torah Stone in Springfield, NJ teaching Talmud and Jewish law at Rae Kushner Hebrew Academy. A WIHL alumna, Chamutal follows in the footsteps of trailblazer Rabbanit Devora Evron. I also reflect on my own journey through the IHSP flagship program and the privilege of learning under Chamutal’s emerging mission. We explore role models and trailblazing pathways, titles and recognition; how we create meaningful roles for women in the synagogue setting; and encouraging more women to write halacha, publish books, build communities and shape the next 20 years of Jewish life. Gain rare insight into the mindset and mission of this influential female halachic leader today - her vision for the future, her personal journey, and her impact on Jewish leadership globally.

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(27) A voice for the hostages with Dr. Haya Langerman

Aug 5, 2025

47:53

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. This week I am delighted to be joined by Dr. Haya Langerman. Haya is a medical advisor with a doctorate in diabetes who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 30 years. For the last 21 months she has been on the frontlines of support for hostage families and fighting for their return (after 669 days now), as a lead volunteer for the Hostage and Missing Families Forum. We discuss what prompted Haya to drop everything and take up this work when the war started, her decision not to go back to Israel at that time, how the Forum handles the rapidly changing situation, and what everyone can do to help the families of the hostages.

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(28) Following Your North Star, with Joanne Greenaway and Dr. Erica Brown

Aug 19, 2025

44:55

***1st Anniversary Edition!*** It’s our birthday! For this special anniversary edition the tables have been turned on me! Joanne Greenaway is Chief Executive of LSJS. Experienced International Arbitration lawyer and formerly Director of Get cases for the London Beth Din, she is part of Ohr Torah Stone’s International Halakha Scholars Program and a Sacks Scholar. One year ago, she launched THIS podcast to inspire women to find what they uniquely bring to the world and create roles for themselves to do so - by showcasing other women in Jewish leadership who’ve done just that. Dr. Erica Brown does a fantastic job of probing me and we discuss humanity, finding your north star, what it means to be role model, creating sisterhoods, career pivots, holding internal tensions and so much more. Many, many thanks to Erica for agreeing to interview me. Erica is Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and Founding Director of its Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership, as well as a prior guest on the podcast, friend and mentor. Erica’s book, Morning has Broken: Faith after October 7th is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morning-Has-Broken-Faith-October/dp/1592646832. This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you.

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(29) Innovation with patience: Jo Grose, CEO of the United Synagogue

Sep 4, 2025

44:57

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. I’m delighted to be joined by Jo Grose, the first ever female CEO of the United Synagogue. Jo stepped into the position in 2023, after many years of senior leadership within the organisation, as well as leadership roles at PaJeS and PJ Library and an earlier career in educational publishing. She is also an active member of her local community, where her passion for community-building began, and serves as a trustee of her local Jewish school trust. For those unfamiliar, the United Synagogue (US) is the main umbrella body of centrist Orthodoxy in the UK, an influential organisation with over 60 synagogues and responsibility for Jewish life “from cradle to grave.” We discuss how a CEO can find honest feedback and people who will stretch them, the value of developing skills outside the Jewish community, rapidly responding to October 7th, the male-female dynamic at the US including the more challenging informal moments, successfully professionalising the role of rebbetzens, allowing for innovation in a traditional framework, and so much more. Having had the privilege of working alongside Jo both at the US and in my role at LSJS, I know Jo as a consummate professional, an inspiring leader, and a wonderful person. It’s been eye opening to explore her journey, her vision for Jewish communal life, and her reflections on leadership.

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(30) Realistic teshuva with Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble

Sep 18, 2025

53:38

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. NEW! Talk to us at [email protected] and tell us about amazing women who you’d like to hear interviewed. This week, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble to the podcast—turning the tables a bit, since Yosefa herself is an accomplished host of not one, but three podcasts in both Hebrew and English. Her mellifluous voice and natural storytelling draw you in, but it’s her deep Torah insights and thoughtful reflections on personal growth that make this episode truly special. Yosefa teaches Tanach, Biblical Exegesis, and Jewish Thought at Migdal Oz Beit Midrash, lectures at Herzog College and Herzog Global, and serves as a Yoetzet Halacha and madrichat kallot. She’s also a member of the second cohort of Sacks Scholars and hosts a widely acclaimed weekly Parsha podcast for Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Study, alongside a new show on women and mitzvot with Shayna Goldberg. In our conversation, we dive into her journey from Albany, NY to Efrat, the mentors who shaped her, and how she balances spiritual growth, leadership, and daily life. We explore topics we’re all thinking about as we approach Rosh Hashana including personal growth, very practical methods for teshuva, habits that foster growth, differences between Israel and the diaspora regarding women's roles and leadership, and where we have and haven’t made progress in women’s learning. To learn about the parasha in Yosefa’s unique style, visit the Matan Parsha Podcast. Stretch your mind and soul through ideas based learning in free and paid classes, courses and events - visit the new LSJS website at www.lsjs.ac.uk.

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(31) Truth Lived, Not Just Truth Learned: The Enduring Legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l, with Joanna Benarroch

Oct 1, 2025

55:02

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. NEW! Talk to us at [email protected] and tell us about amazing women who you’d like to hear interviewed. Joanna Benarroch joined Rabbi Sacks’ Office of the Chief Rabbi in 1997 and worked for Rabbi Sacks for the next 24 years, first as his Executive Director and then running his private office. Since his passing, Joanna has played a key role in establishing the Rabbi Sacks Legacy to perpetuate his values and teachings. We discuss what drove Rabbi Sacks to keep seeking and writing, the far-reaching plans he made and high standards he held himself to, as well as his relationship-first approach and genuine interest in people and what made them tick. Joanna Benarroch talks about her own trajectory as a behind-the-scenes leader and the privileged position she found herself in, as well the explosion in popularity of Rabbi Sacks right across Israeli society since his death and her mission now, post-aliyah The Rabbi Sacks & the Scholars LSJS course begins this November with a free taster class, Judaism at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. Discover the beauty and clarity of his teachings. More info and book at: www.lsjs.ac.uk/sacksandscholars.

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(32) Transforming the halachic landscape, with Nishmat founder Rabbanit Chana Henkin

Oct 22, 2025

43:00

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. NEW! Talk to us at [email protected] and tell us about amazing women who you’d like to hear interviewed. Joanne Greenaway is joined by Rabbanit Chana Henkin, founder of Nishmat: The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women in Jerusalem, and Head of its Research Institute. One of the great pioneers of women's Orthodox Torah scholarship, Rabbanit Henkin has transformed the landscape of women's halachic and spiritual leadership. Together with her late husband, Rav Yehuda Henkin ztz"l, she founded the Yoatzot Halacha programme, training women experts in Jewish law and women's health, whose work has changed the way halachic guidance is sought and given across the Orthodox world. A beloved teacher and visionary, Rabbanit Henkin has received honorary doctorates from both Bar-Ilan and Yeshiva Universities and was awarded Israel’s prestigious Agrest Prize for innovative religious education. She reflects on resilience amid personal loss, explains the vacuum that prompted her to start the Yoatzot Halacha programme, discusses continuing her late husband’s work on women in halacha and demonstrates how halacha has given agency to women. We discuss the difference between a yoetzet and a rabbi, and the changing relationships between women and rabbis in the information age, and she inspires us with a message about serving the community in the future. To access our full LSJS programme of learning, visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning. Our new women’s gemara course, A Taste of Talmud starts on Wed 22nd October. Book it for free here.

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(34) Holding a community - with Rebbetzen Yael Roodyn

Nov 18, 2025

45:56

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you. Who do you look after when you can't look after everyone? How does a leader react when she's the one in need of help? What do you do if you feel pidgeonholed by your education or career choices? Rebbetzen Yael Roodyn, much loved Rebbetzen of Finchley Federation synagogue, gives us insights into caring for and inspiring her close-knit community, bringing out the leadership in others and ensuring everyone feels part of the family. With a Master of Research in Computer Vision and Image Programming, Yael began her professional life at KPMG Tel Aviv as a trainee actuary. She later taught in several seminaries in Jerusalem and now, as well as being rebbetzen of her shul, handles Aish UK's Campus Follow Up for women. Yael and her husband are blessed with eight children. Our conversation reveals a deeply thought-through set of decisions which led Yael to where she is today, the theme of which is finding the right balance of caring for others, bringing up her family, and developing herself. Yael shares creative leadership guidance, self-care principles and wisdom that can help us all feel more balanced, productive and fulfilled.

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(5) Rabbanit Surale Rosen: Teaching Torah, Building Bridges

Sep 10, 2024

38:10

Rabbanit Surale Rosen is a graduate of Matan’s 5 year halacha programme and she founded their Women’s Online Halachic Responsa Project. For the past 2 years she’s led a new programme here at LSJS called Iyun, our highest level women’s learning programme, teaching women hilchot kashrut and now hilchot brachot. She’s really bringing opportunities to women in the UK that didn’t exist before, and it’s been a real privilege for me personally to have been able to connect our LSJS community to her. Surale’s also a certified Rabbinical Arbitrator, and she teaches Midrash, Talmud and Halacha. She’s invested in communal service on both local and national levels, and participates in the joint project of the UK Foreign Ministry and Search for Common Ground, in which leading Muslim and Jewish figures create a basis for religious dialogue in the Arab-Israeli conflict. We discuss access to Torah scholarship for women, and also what October 7 has meant for Surale’s ongoing relationships with Muslim leaders and the different, more fundamental questions she now feels she needs to ask. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators.

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(01) What does it mean to believe in G-d?

Mar 13, 2024

40:56

Two rigorous thinkers, Jonathan Gibson - Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics, and Sophia Bor – Cambridge Theology graduate and law student, challenge Rabbi Zarum in this episode on belief in God. Does Judaism require belief in God? Is God the same for everyone? Can we ‘prove’ He exists, and how? Both practising modern orthodox Jews, Sophia is unconvinced and Jonathan is still searching. Exploring nature, philosophy and modern and ancient Jewish literature, Rafi leads them and us through a fascinating tapestry of God theories in our own and other religions. For anyone who isn’t sure what they believe or wants to educate themselves in how to talk intelligently about Jewish belief in God. The content of this podcast is inspired by Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum’s book, Questioning Belief, available on Amazon. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Rabbi Zarum and other LSJS educators.

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(02) Does the Flood Story Hold Water?

Mar 26, 2024

35:41

We’ve known the story of Noah and the Ark since we were babies. Do we as Jews believe it really happened? And if it didn’t, why is it in the Torah? Armed with studies in classics and science, Jonathan and Sophia join Rafi to challenge the veracity of the flood and discover a surprising message for today’s #climatecrisis era. For further study, Rafi’s book Questioning Belief contains a chapter dedicated to the story of the flood, as well as more chapters exploring the veracity of other Torah stories. It’s available on Amazon by Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Rabbi Zarum and other LSJS educators.

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(03) Collective Punishment

Apr 2, 2024

31:22

Rafi takes Jonathan and Sophia along a fascinating route which takes in collective punishment in Sodom and Gomorrah, shooting Orcs in Star Wars, and the Israel Defence Force’s policy on terrorists. If that’s not enough for you, you’ll find a whole chapter on Collective Punishment and whether it’s fair, in the book Questioning Belief by Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, available on Amazon. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Rabbi Zarum and other LSJS educators.

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(04) The Chosen People

Apr 9, 2024

35:02

Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Rabbi Zarum and other LSJS educators. Jews have long been proud to call themselves the Chosen People. But isn’t that a little bit racist? Rabbi Zarum is joined by Jonathan and Sophia who bring their own experiences and knowledge to the journey of discovering what exactly ‘chosen’ means and what exactly we’ve been chosen for. For further study, Rafi’s book Questioning Belief is now available on Amazon.

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Welcome to Women's Gallery!

Jul 18, 2024

2:28

This podcast is powered by LSJS - the London School of Jewish Studies. Connect with our Jewish education courses, tours and events, online and in person, via lsjs.ac.uk/connect. “I’ve seen the difference it makes when women’s voices and talents are included at all levels,” says Joanne Greenaway, CEO at the London School of Jewish Studies, who as well as being a communal leader and educator is also an international lawyer who spent 10 years developing expertise in resolving Jewish divorce cases individually and systemically. For this reason, Women’s Gallery Podcast will spotlight incredible female leaders making a mark in the Jewish community. Interviewing a different woman leader in each episode, Women’s Gallery will explore different models of leadership in the context of schools, shuls, universities, batei din and every place where we can find incredible female leaders, showcasing the women defining Jewish leadership today.

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(1) Dr. Mijal Bitton: Spiritual entrepreneurship & building an ideal form of Jewish life

Jul 18, 2024

38:53

I think of Mijal Bitton as a spiritual entrepreneur - she's the Rosh Kehilla, spiritual leader, of the Downtown Minyan in New York City, where she's building vibrant traditional Jewish life. She's also a Torah teacher, a thought leader, and a sociologist with a current research focus on Sefardic Jews. Mijal has really pivoted her energies lately to leading at this time of need in the Jewish world, speaking at the huge Stand with Israel Washington rally, working in the interfaith world and dealing with antisemitism on campus. I have so much respect for her, and I can't wait to introduce you to her. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators. Link: Wandering Jews Podcast Link Downtown Minyan NYC

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(2) Keshet Starr, Esq.: Sustainable female leadership and picking our battles

Jul 22, 2024

42:03

Let me introduce you to Keshet Starr. Keshet leads ORA, a non profit organisation addressing domestic abuse in the Jewish divorce process worldwide. She’s also a prolific writer, reader and Jewish educator as well as being a lawyer like me, and I had the privilege of working very closely with Keshet and getting to know her while I was managing get (Jewish divorce) cases at the London Beit Din, and I still turn to Keshet for advice. Keshet and I had a great chat about showing up as a female in a very male-dominated space, how to give control and autonomy to others, picking your battles, and sustainable female leadership - having it all (but not necessarily at the same time). Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators.

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(3) Tal Bassali: Uniting Far-Flung European Communities Through Education

Aug 6, 2024

37:17

We're meeting Tal Bassali in this episode, a passionate, ambitious individual whose vision was to create something “so beautiful that it united people together but enabled them to remain individuals.” Enter the Zehud school, a Jewish online school teaching Hebrew and Judaic Studies to Jewish children. Living in Venice, Tal quickly realized that the type of Jewish education she wanted for her children wasn't available locally. In creating what she needed for her children, she's enabled hundreds of other Jewish children in far flung communities to join her community and receive a powerful, joyous Jewish education wherever they are in the world. In addition to education, Tal and I discuss the weight of our collective European memory, being a reluctant public speaker, and how to grow into your role - all in this episode of Women's Gallery. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators. You can access a women's high level learning course at LSJS at https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/courses-and-events.php?category=33

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(4) Dr. Elana Stein Hain: Jewish Law, Loopholes, and Legal Integrity

Aug 23, 2024

55:00

Elana Stein Hain and I talk about why finding legal loopholes in Jewish law isn’t cheating the system but rather completely in line with what Jewish law is designed for. She is Rosh Beit Midrash and Senior Research fellow at the Shalom Hartman institute of North America and author of a book on halachic loopholes entitled Circumventing the Law: Rabbinic Perspectives on Loopholes and Legal Integrity. Passionate about bringing Rabbinic thought into the conversation with contemporary life, Elana hosts the TEXTing podcast where she brings to light issues relevant to Jewish life through classical and modern textual sources. She's also a regular contributor to the For Heaven’s Sake podcast, which recently became the most listened to Jewish podcast internationally. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators.

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(16) Hadassah Ben Ari: Connecting with your inner hero

Mar 4, 2025

41:07

This podcast is powered by LSJS - the London School of Jewish Studies. Connect with our Jewish education courses, tours and events, online and in person, via lsjs.ac.uk/connect. Hadassa and I met over Chanukah when she was in London promoting her new book - a book which has made a huge impression on both me and my daughter. Hadassah started this book project in the wake of October 7th to help parents talk about the trauma of that terrible day, and to cope with the trauma that developed in its wake. Hadassah has emerged as a genuine role model in that sense, and I'm very excited to talk with her more about the book and its impact, as well as about her life, her world, and particularly about parenting. She’s a mother of seven which, as a mother of four, sounds impressive! We talk mother to mother about parenting in the digital age, setting digital boundaries, self regulation, the power of stories, and resilience. We also focus on taking social responsibility and connecting with your inner hero, and discover the surprising truth about when she learned English! The Heroes of October 7th may be purchased in the UK here, and in the US here.

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(6) Dr. Yardaena Osband: Creating a Leadership Pipeline

Sep 24, 2024

38:55

We’re meeting Dr Yardaena Osband in this episode, who’s quite challenging to introduce because she wears so many hats! She’s a founding member of the Orthodox Leadership Project, which empowers Orthodox Jewish women’s leadership as a way of strengthening Jewish communities through professional development, education and partnerships. She’s also a paediatrician, teacher, co-host of the Daf Yomi podcast Talking Talmud, and board member of ORA and the Eden Center. With so much to choose from, we spoke about women’s leadership in the Orthodox world, touching on the education of our girls and whether that helps us to grow female leaders, and the issue of recognition, and whether or not women need a professional title. Visit lsjs.ac.uk to continue learning with Joanne Greenaway and other LSJS educators. Visit the International Halacha Scholars Programme at https://ots.org.il/program/international-halakha-scholars-program/

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(7) Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll: Warrior with a Pen

Oct 14, 2024

46:30

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/ for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. Shoshana Keats-Jaskoll is a warrior with a pen and she fights, she really fights, for a better Judaism. Raised in Lakewood, she moved to Israel with her family, where she witnessed the damaging effects of extremism on the community. She co-founded Chochmat Nashim, which enables her to write, speak, and campaign to change policy and communal behaviour to create a healthier, more balanced society, highlighting where things go wrong and working on change on the ground. We’ve worked together on Get refusal, systemic change and teaching, so I know what a fearless advocate Shoshana is and I totally admire her fierce intellect and unique methods, tackling issues head-on from within the system which I think is what makes her so powerful. We discuss regulating Batei Din (ratemybeitdin.com) the unique perspective of coming from a non-observant home, the problem of outsourcing knowledge in the Jewish community and practical tips for social activism.

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(8) Dr. Rachel Levmore: Influencing the Rabbinic Courts

Oct 31, 2024

42:10

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/ for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. Dr Rachel Levmore has spent decades bridging the world of Jewish Law, academia and social activism to help people from all walks of life negotiate the difficult process of Jewish divorce. That makes her one of my real mentors professionally and my inspiration for the work that I’ve done in Get refusal. She’s a veteran who has dedicated her life to this issue. Rachel is a Rabbinical Court Advocate, and the director of the Aguna Prevention Project. She lives in Efrat and has a PHD in Talmud and Jewish Law from Bar Ilan University. For more information on these topics, listen to our episode with Keshet Starr on Get refusal, our episode with Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll on social activism, and read Rachel’s article, [article title]. If you’re a woman who wants to improve her own halachic knowledge, you can join our Iyun Women’s Halacha Programme. To read Rachel Levmore's article, "Agunot, Follow These Instructions," click here.

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(9) Sarah-Jane Landsman: How to lead a kibbutz in exile

Nov 20, 2024

40:58

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. This week I’m delighted and humbled to have with me Sarah-Jane Landsman of Kibbutz Alumim. In 2022, when there was no-one else to step up, Sarah-Jane took on a second term as Mazkirah (Director) of the kibbutz. That was how, on October 7th, she found herself in a very pivotal role, a role that really no training can provide any preparation for, and since then she’s relocated the whole kibbutz and cared for the different needs of that displaced community. Sarah-Jane and I met in July when I was privileged to visit Kibbutz Alumim and hear her incredible story, which has really stayed with me over these difficult months. This is the story of the last 400 days.

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(10) Dr. Erica Brown: Directing creative leadership energy

Dec 4, 2024

46:07

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. Dr. Erica Brown is Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and Founding Director of its Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership. An award winning author who writes extremely widely on Jewish Ethics, Bible and leadership, Erica’s new book, Morning has Broken: Faith after October 7th is out now. Previously she served as the director of the Mayberg Centre for Jewish Education and Leadership and was Associate Professor of Curriculum Pedagogy at the George Washington University. She’s a veteran of Jewish education and leadership who’s paved the way for so many people and continues to be a role model to me and many others in the world of Jewish education and leadership. Erica and I discuss how to choose where and when to apply our creative energy in leadership, an immersive approach to getting things done, getting women into writing, and carrying ourselves and others across the historical and difficult times we’re experiencing.

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(11) Hadassah Shemtov: The modern-day Sarah Schnierer?

Dec 18, 2024

40:31

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. This week we’re meeting Hadassah Shemtov. Hadassah lives in LA where she teaches Gemara and Chumash to high school girls, particularly within the Chabad community. Hadassah noticed amongst the women in her community an underlying ‘estrangement from the source of our tradition’. She saw that many high school students were unfamiliar with the evolutionary process of halacha and thought it to be arbitrary rules. She found a low expectation for rigorous scholarship within Torah study that led peers to seek intellectual satisfaction elsewhere. So she co-founded the Batsheva Learning Center in 2015, and has spearheaded numerous innovative learning opportunities for women there, primarily in the New York area but also across the US. Hadassah and I discuss standing on the shoulders of giants such as Sarah Schnierer, what Chabad schools teach that others don’t, and the leadership advantage that Chabad ‘shluchot’ have over other female leaders. Women's Gallery Episode 10 with Dr. Erica Brown Women's Gallery Episode 4 with Dr. Elana Stein Hain Listen to Hadassah's podcast Real Women, Real Torah, and read her Substack.

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(12) Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber: Pioneering the women’s Talmud revolution

Jan 8, 2025

47:56

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk for our full Jewish learning programme & find something that suits you. Rabbanit Michelle Cohen Farber is the founder of Hadran, advancing Talmud study and Daf Yomi for women. Michelle studied Talmud at Bar Ilan University and at Midreshet Lindenbaum Scholars’ Programme. She’s taught gemara and halacha in Pelech Jerusalem, Midreshset Lindenbaum and Matan Hasharon. Together with her husband, she founded and leads Kehilat Netivot in Ra’anana where they live with their 5 children. We discuss how the anchor of Daf Yomi kept her going through the traumas we’ve been through as a people, why she focuses on women learning Talmud rather than Tanach, and how, while peers left studying for teaching, she continued to invest in her own learning until she judged the right time to move to teaching, and the difference that’s made for her and for others. Links: Women's Gallery Episode with Dr. Rachel Levmore LSJS Masters Degree in Jewish Education: lsjs.ac.uk/ma The Iyun Programme: Advanced Halacha Learning for Women: lsjs.ac.uk/iyun Unlocking Talmud: lsjs.ac.uk/talmud Unpacking Parasha: In-depth, text based learning for women: lsjs.ac.uk/parasha Hadran

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(13) Esty Shushan: Choosing the feminism that's right for you

Jan 21, 2025

36:13

Esty is a Chareidi Mizrachi social activist, entrepreneur and trailblazer. We met when she was in London screening Woman of Valour, a documentary film about her life and activism, and I was blown away by her bravery and her achievements. In 2012, she launched No Voice, No Vote, a social media-based protest movement calling on ultra orthodox Chareidi women not to vote for parties that barred women from their ranks, and on the back of that she founded Nivcharot, which raises awareness on women’s rights in Chareidi society. She’s a pioneer establishing all sorts of online forums promoting an honest exchange of views on subjects like divorce, birth control, sexual harassment, abuse and arranged marriages, all of which are to some extent still taboo in the Chareidi world. Esty has a new podcast in Israel called Chareidit Meduberet (Spoken Chareidi) where she interviews people who share this fresh approach and voice to discuss challenging issues in a new, open way. We speak about change management, using a pseudonym to write about politics as a Chareidi woman, and shifting practises away from that, the potential dangers of the future of Israeli politics, how not to feed the monster of social media, and struggling with the F word - feminism. Click here to learn about Esty's film, Akara.

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(14) Rabbanit Yafit Clymer: Dealing with the emotional fallout of war in school

Feb 4, 2025

48:36

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk for our full Jewish learning programme, including Rabbanit Yafit Clymer, & find something that suits you. How do we help our children cope with the emotional fallout of war? This is just one of Rabbanit Yafit Clymer’s current roles, achieved as Rabbanit Beit Sefer of Midreshet Amit Girls High School in Modiin where, through Yafit’s unique blend of pastoral and spiritual guidance, she’s helping girls deal with loss caused by the war, anger with God, and how to pray in these times. Having a school rabbanit, a role that doesn't exist all over the world, has been vital and we discuss what the role means and why it’s needed. Also a teacher of Tanach & Talmud at Matan and LSJS, Rabbanit Yafit is currently studying for a doctorate in Jewish Philosophy at Bar Ilan University. We consider how to find the right balance in a syllabus between factual knowledge and spiritual awareness, and touch on Meshivat Nefesh, a responsa website where men and women answer halachic questions in all areas. Then, in explaining how to see God talking to us through history, Rabbanit Yafit delivers a powerfully real message that I think can uplift us all in these incredibly testing times. Catch Rabbanit Yafit on Covenant and Continuity: Rabbi Sacks’ wisdom, taught by his students. Book at lsjs.ac.uk/shemot.

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