The Hock

In 2020, many prominent rabbis died. Who will take their place? Will the nature of leadership change in the coming years? With the recent political maneuvers to bring "Otzma Yehudit" into religious Zionist political parties, alongside the embrace of Trumpism by certain elements of the Orthodox community, the question emerges: to what extent can one go to win political battles or elections by partnering with figures who hold despicable views?  

Episode Description:   With recent developments in the pandemic and election, we have seen important developments that bear on the Orthodox community. What were the positive and negative impacts of the SCOTUS decision, or was it a moot issue? How have social media platforms and other communal developments allowed for conspiracy theories in the health and political realms to run rampant? With vaccine distribution on the horizon, what issues might arise - halakhic and communal? Hockammendations: Shlomo Brody: Moshe Koppel, Judaism Straight Up - A great new book by Prof. Moshe Koppel about what religion does for us and society. Shlomo Zuckier: Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow - This book considers upcoming trends in human life as technology becomes more central to our lives. I don't agree with everything he says, but these are essential questions to grapple with, including and especially from a Jewish perspective.  Avital Chizhik-Goldschimdt: Shlomo Zuckier, "American Orthodoxy's Twilight of Authority," Mosaic - This article walks through the history of the past months, charting the vacuum of rabbinic leadership in parts of American Orthodox and how philanthropists and charismatic outsiders have filled the void.

Against the backdrop of the recent uptick in Coronavirus cases, both in the US (especially the NY area) and Israel, alongside political fighting and even some rioting in recent weeks, we will consider some aspects of Jewish identity as they have been playing themselves out.  In the first half, we discuss how to understand the political causes and implications of the animosity toward Corona restrictions in some parts of the Orthodox community.  In the second half, we discuss whether the wide range of responses to Corona restrictions will lead to lasting tensions within Orthodoxy

For our second episode, we discuss the challenges that communities will face this High Holiday season, what the long-term effects may be of those changes, as well as the differences in how various frum communities view the pandemic and take precautions.

For our first episode, we discuss trends that schools, Shuls, and communities are facing in the shadow of COVID, as well as the increasing adoption of Trumpism as a political orthodoxy of much of Orthodox Judaism. The Hock - Shlomo Brody - Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt - Shlomo Zuckier