Torah Across Generations by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 45 by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 44 by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 43 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

🎙️ Episode 5: "Is it Time to Make Aliyah?" This episode grew directly out of our recent visit to the United States. Everywhere we went, people were asking the same urgent question: “Is it time to make Aliyah?” For many, the rise in antisemitism is only part of the story. More deeply, there is a sense that the ground is shifting beneath our feet, politically, socially, and spiritually. Jewish communities that once felt stable now feel uncertain. 🔹 Episode Summary In this episode, Rabbi Shurin explores: • How to understand the global climate through a Torah lens • What practical and communal responses make sense • How to decide where to focus our energy: safety? activism? strengthening communities? • When it’s right to begin making concrete plans for Aliyah and when it’s not • How to think about the real challenges of moving to Israel: family, finances, kids, safety • What guidance Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky zt"l might offer in a moment like this 🧠 About the Podcast “Rebbi, I Have a Question” is a podcast from Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, where host Dana Margolis brings your real-life questions to Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin. Drawing from Torah wisdom and decades of experience, Rabbi Shurin offers thoughtful, grounded responses to questions from students and alumni navigating life, relationships, and Jewish growth. 📩 Send Us a Question Have a question you'd like Rabbi Shurin to answer on the show? Email us at questions@darchenoam.org. 🌐 Learn More To learn more about Shapell’s or Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, visit us online at https://darchenoam.org/. 🎧 Subscribe & Share If this conversation resonates, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast so others can join the learning. And please consider supporting our work at Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya. Your donation helps us make Torah like this available to our community and most importantly, to educate this generation of students who have chosen to learn in Israel at a time when the world is pushing against it. https://darchenoam.org/donate/

🎙️ Episode 4: “I Fought So Hard to Be Religious. Why Does Life Still Feel So Hard?” When the Dream Doesn’t Match the Reality Start the new year feeling strengthened and inspired with Episode 4 of "Rebbi, I Have a Question". Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin shares guidance for navigating the struggle to maintain faith and clarity when life doesn’t turn out the way we originally dreamed it would. 🔹 Episode Summary In this honest and super inspiring episode of “Rebbi, I Have a Question”, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin addresses a struggle many baalei teshuva face: “When I became religious, I fought so hard for what I felt was right. But now, the life I imagined hasn’t turned out the way I thought. Meanwhile, my siblings, who didn’t make the same religious choices, seem to be thriving — their children are happy, balanced, and well-rounded, while my family is struggling. Sometimes I wonder: what did I fight so hard for?” ❓ Questions Discussed: • When someone chooses a religious life, they often imagine a certain outcome: joy, fulfillment, stability. What can we do when reality doesn’t match the dream we fought so hard for? • How do we hold onto faith and commitment when we feel let down by the reality of what our religious life looks like? • It’s hard not to compare our struggles with the apparent “success” of our siblings or friends who didn’t make the same religious choices. How can we process those feelings without falling into resentment or despair? 🧠 About the Podcast “Rebbi, I Have a Question” is a podcast from Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, where host Dana Margolis brings your real-life questions to Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin. Drawing from Torah wisdom and decades of experience, Rabbi Shurin offers thoughtful, grounded responses to questions from students and alumni navigating life, relationships, and Jewish growth. 🔗 Related Link Rabbi Shurin mentions a video of Steven Hill, the Mission Impossible actor who becomes orthodox, dancing at his grandson’s bar mitzvah. You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AACL3v3jMtE 📩 Send Us a Question Have a question you'd like Rabbi Shurin to answer on the show? Email us at questions@darchenoam.org. 🌐 Learn More To learn more about Shapell’s or Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, visit us online at https://darchenoam.org/. 🎧 Subscribe & Share If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe, and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

🎙️ Episode 3: “Does Authenticity in Relationships Mean Sharing It All?” 🔹 Episode Summary In this episode of Rebbi, I Have a Question, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin addresses a sensitive and practical struggle many baalot teshuva face: “How much of my past do I need to share—with friends, a potential spouse, my husband, or even my kids?” Together we explore the balance between honesty and privacy, how to respond when asked directly about the past, and the role of openness in dating and marriage. We also touch on the bigger question of how parents can relate to their pasts when raising children—whether to hide, share, or use those experiences as teaching tools. ❓ Questions Discussed • How important is it to share about my past at all, or is it better to keep it private? • If someone asks me directly about my past, do I need to tell the full truth? • In dating and marriage, when does sharing build trust, and when does it cross into over-sharing? • How should a woman relate to her past when raising children? Should she hide it or use it? 🧠 About the Podcast Rebbi, I Have a Question is a podcast from Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, where host, Dana Margolis, brings real-life questions to Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin. Drawing from deep Torah wisdom and decades of experience, Rabbi Shurin offers thoughtful, grounded responses to questions from students and alumni navigating life, relationships, and Jewish growth. 📩 Send Us a Question Have a question you'd like Rabbi Shurin to answer on the show? Email us at Questions@darchenoam.org. 🌐 Learn More To learn more about Shapell’s or Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, visit us online at www.darchenoam.org. 🎧 Subscribe & Share If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe—and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

🎙 Episode 2: I Chose a Religious Life. What Do I Do With My Past? 🔹 Episode Summary In this deeply personal episode of Rebbi, I Have a Question, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin explores an issue faced by almost everyone who made the choice to take on a more observant lifestyle: I Chose a Religious Life. What Do I Do With My Past? “How should I relate to the version of myself that existed before I was religious? Can I bring parts of her with me, or do I have to leave her behind?” Rabbi Shurin addresses the emotional and spiritual questions that arise when we look back on who we used to be: What do we do with shame? With old interests and hobbies? With relationships and memories that don’t seem to fit our current lives? And how do we know when holding on is healthy, and when it’s not? ❓ Questions Discussed • Should I distance myself from who I was before becoming religious or try to integrate her? • Is teshuva meant to erase the past, or transform it? • Can I keep old interests like music, travel, or books that were part of my former lifestyle? • What about friendships or relationships from before—are they still okay? • How can I tell when the past is enriching me versus pulling me backward? 🧠 About the Podcast Rebbi, I Have a Question is a podcast from Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, where host Dana Margolis brings your questions about real-life challenges to Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin. Drawing from deep Torah wisdom and decades of experience, Rabbi Shurin offers thoughtful, grounded responses to questions from students and alumni navigating life, relationships, and Jewish growth. 📩 Send Us a Question Have a question you'd like Rabbi Shurin to answer on the show? Email us at questions@darchenoam.org 🌐 Learn More To learn more about Shapell’s or Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, visit us online at www.darchenoam.org. 🎧 Subscribe & Share If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe—and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

🎙 Episode 1: My Brother Is Marrying Out 🔹 Episode Summary In this first episode of Rebbi, I Have a Question, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin responds to a complex situation posed by a listener: “My brother is getting married to a non-Jewish woman. She has only ever been kind and warm to me and my family. How do I relate to her—and how do I model the right approach for my kids?” With over 45 years of experience guiding baalei teshuva, Rabbi Shurin shares Torah-based guidance on how to navigate family relationships with clarity, compassion, and integrity. This conversation touches on honoring your values, staying connected to siblings, and being thoughtful about the messages we pass on to the next generation. ❓ Questions Discussed • How do I hold strong values while showing basic respect to someone outside the fold? • How do I stay in relationship with a sibling making different life choices? • What’s the Torah-appropriate way to relate to a non-Jewish fiancée? • How can I model a Torah based approach to my kids? • What can I do spiritually or emotionally when the situation is out of my hands? 🧠 About the Podcast Rebbi, I Have a Question is a podcast from Shapell’s and Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, where host Dana Margolis brings your questions about real-life challenges to Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin. Drawing from deep Torah wisdom and decades of experience, Rabbi Shurin offers thoughtful, grounded responses to questions from students and alumni navigating life, relationships, and Jewish growth. 📩 Send Us a Question Have a question you'd like Rabbi Shurin to answer on the show? Email us at questions@darchenoam.org 🌐 Learn More To learn more about Shapell’s or Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya, visit us online at www.darchenoam.org. 🎧 Subscribe & Share If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe—and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 29 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

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A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 26 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

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A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 23 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 22 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 21 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 20 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 19 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin

A Grandson’s Lens: Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky’s Writings On Tanach - Episode 18 By Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin by Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin