Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Jamie Simon, the first female CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp. Her organization is the only nonprofit whose singular mission is to grow, support, and strengthen the Jewish camp movement. We discuss the power of camp, the formation of Jewish role models, and creating a safe, healing place for Jewish children. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Sarah Levin, Executive Director of JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in 2002, JIMENA is the only organization in North America exclusively focused on educating and advocating on behalf of Jewish refugees and Mizrahi Jews from Arab countries. We discuss the reclaiming of the term "Mizrahi" in Judaism, Queen Esther's Persian background, and embracing the wholeness of your identity. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Jaimie Krass, newly appointed President and CEO of Keshet. Keshet is a national organization that envisions a world in which all LGBTQ+ Jews and families can live with full equality, justice, and dignity. We talk about countering the rise in anti-LGBTQ bias and legislation in the United States and the work we all must do to build an inclusive and just future. We will take a two-week break from the show as Rabbi Hirsch travels to Israel for the World Zionist Congress. More Just For This moments to come later this month. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Allison Tombros Korman. She is the founder and CEO of the Red Tent Fund, a nonprofit national abortion fund rooted in the Jewish values and teachings that affirm the right to abortion for all. The Red Tent Fund is a proud grantee of WRJ's philanthropic arm, the YES Fund. We discuss feeling comfortable in your identity in the workplace, reclaiming the faith-based perspective on abortion, and the importance of abortion funds themselves. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast You can also follow Chutzpod: @chutzpod_
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Chelsey Goldberg. She is a professional American ice hockey player. She brought women's ice hockey to the Maccabiah Games in Israel and was captain of the United States team in 2022. We talk about pursuing dreams, celebrating Jewish identity through athletics, and what it will take to achieve gender parity on and off the ice. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast You can also follow Chutzpod: @chutzpod_
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Senator Jacky Rosen. She has served as the junior senator for Nevada since 2019. She is also the first member of the senate to previously serve as a temple president. We discuss the dilemma of security expenses for synagogues and other houses of worship, the need for bipartisan support to combat hate, and a story of hope as we enter the new Jewish year. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is former Obama White House speechwriter and author Sarah Hurwitz. Her new book, "As A Jew," is now available for purchase. We discuss how Jewish history shapes our present moment and the power of owning our tradition and our legacy. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our season 4 premiere guest is Cantor Becky Mann. Becky serves as the Assistant Cantor at Temple Israel of Westport, CT, in addition to visiting Jewish communities across the country as an Artist in Residence. You can catch her on tour through Spring 2026. We discuss the power of mentorship, how songleading builds essential skills, and the evolution of egalitarianism in worship settings. Stay tuned for more Just For This moments as season 4 continues. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our season 3 finale guest is Mandy Gonzalez, Broadway actress and recording artist. Mandy originated the role of Nina Rosario in the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of the musical In the Heights. You can currently see her on Broadway as the alternate Norma Desmond in the Tony-winning revival of Sunset Boulevard. We discuss the importance of representation in the arts, how best to bring depth of yourself to every role you play, and how bravery and diversity can drive acceptance. Stay tuned for more Just For This moments next season. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. This week, we are joined by both Yochi Rappeport and Hallel Silverman. Yochi Rappeport is Executive Director of Women of the Wall, where she advocates for the right of Jewish women of all denominations to pray, wear prayer shawls, and read from the Torah at the Western Wall (Kotel). Women of the Wall is also a long-time grantee through the YES (Youth, Education, Special Projects) Fund, WRJ's philanthropic arm. Hallel Silverman is a leading content creator for Liberal Zionism across social media as @justhallel and a prominent figure in Israel's protest movement for democracy. In this moment when Israel is under continued threat, we stand with the people of Israel and must remember that the Jewish people are one people. We discuss the journeys that led Yochi and Hallel to Women of the Wall, the parallels between the fight for women's inclusion in religious spaces in Israel and the United States, and the importance that personal connections play in organizing. Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador for American Jewish World Service and former Manhattan Borough President. Ruth is also a past recipient of the Dr. Jane Evans "Pursuit of Justice" Award, Women of Reform Judaism's highest honor. We discuss the importance of moral courage when it comes to activism, female leadership within the Jewish world, and the current necessary work on immigration and refugee services. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. This week we welcome return guest Elana Arian. Elana is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader. Her new album, "If We Loved Like That," is available on all streaming platforms. We discuss the comfort of community through song and how songs can inspire bravery and hope. We also get a live preview of the new album. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Jen Fisher, wellness expert and founder and CEO of the Wellbeing Team. Her new book, "Hope IS the Strategy," will be available in early 2026. We discuss personal reflections on wellbeing in and outside of the office, the importance of flexible work environments, and the subjectivity of productivity. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Rachel Gildiner, Executive Director of SRE (Safety Respect Equity) Network. SRE encourages Jewish workplaces and communal spaces in becoming safe, respectful, and equitable through network building, resource sharing, and community investments. WRJ is a proud member organization and grantee of the network. We discuss the power of relationship-based engagement, different ways to address power-based abuse in the Jewish community, and what it takes to be committed to doing this challenging systemic work. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Annie Sklaver Orenstein, cultural researcher and author of "Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourner's Guide to Grief." Her book explores the deep and often diminished experience of sibling loss. We discuss the false correlation of closeness with grief, how grief is a true expression of love, and the power of shiva in Jewish tradition. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This, a new podcast. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. This week we are re-releasing an episode from our previous season featuring Analucía Lopezrevoredo, founder of Jewtina Y Co., an organization dedicated to celebrating and nurturing Latin-Jewish community, identity, and resilience. We discuss the importance of showing up for all parts of yourself, making the choice to be part of a chosen people. Check back next week for more Just For This moments. If you're enjoying Just For This, be sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Ariel Stein, founder of the blog, Ariel Loves, where she shares tips on Jewish living, home décor, and travel. Most importantly, she spreads Jewish joy in all of her work. You can follow Ariel on instagram @Ariel.Loves and @JewishFamilyMagic and check out her blog at ArielLoves.com. We discuss how to make Judaism accessible for young families, spreading positive Jewish content, and instilling Jewish pride in children. Just For This will be off next week, but still tune in for a special repeat episode from season 2! Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Orly Erez Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center(IRAC), the public and legal advocacy arm of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism. IRAC is also a long-standing grantee of Women of Reform Judaism's YES Fund. We discuss the importance of a liberal Jewish voice in Israel and the efforts toward a shared society between Arabs and Israelis, even as the war continues. We also discuss the importance of voting in the U.S. election to the World Zionist Congress; voting closes May 4, 2025. Visit www.zionistelection.org to vote or www.vote4reform.org to learn more about the importance of standing up for our Reform values in Israel. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is Rabbi Miriam Wajnberg, Director of Professional Development at 18Doors. 18Doors empowers people in interfaith relationships, individuals, couples, families, and their children to engage in Jewish life and make Jewish choices and encourages Jewish communities to welcome them in. We discuss the evolution of interfaith couples within the global Jewish community and how to best create a community of belonging, rather than othering individuals. Learn more about WRJ's recent constitutional revisions extending our membership parameters. Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast
Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment. Our guest this week is award-winning author Dara Horn. She has authored six books, including the best-seller, "People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present." She is the recipient of three National Jewish Book Awards, and has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. We discuss the success of "People Love Dead Jews," how retelling the Passover story helps us keep history and memory alive, and the inspiration for her newest book, her first for young readers, a Passover-themed graphic novel called "One Little Goat." Follow Just For This on instagram: @justforthispodcast