Contact Chai

This episode concludes a three-part series diving into the High Holidays. In this episode, Rabbi Deena Cowans is in conversation with her friend and mentor, Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay.  Rabbi Ruskay has made her career in the Jewish social justice sector, serving in leadership positions at the American Jewish World Service, Auburn Theological Seminary, and AVODAH Jewish Service Corps, just to name a few. She is an alumna of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s and Columbia University’s Joint Program, The Davidson School of Education and JTS The Rabbinical School. She currently serves as the Associate Dean of The Rabbinical School of JTS and the Executive Director of the Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, where she directs field education and entrepreneurial endeavors that raise the scope, skills and profile of justice work and community organizing for contemporary rabbis. Join Mishkan Chicago for the High Holidays in-person or via livestream! You can find a smorgasbord of a la carte options at this link: https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-fest/As always, you can find out more about Mishkan at MishkanChicago.org or by following us on social media @mishkanchicago. 

We continue our three-part series diving into the High Holidays. In this episode, Rabbi Steven Philp, the newest addition to our rabbinic team, is in conversation with his friend and sought-after writer, speaker and deep thinker, Casper ter Kuile. Casper is the author of The Power of Ritual, the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab and the co-creator of podcasts Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and The Real Question. He is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, Vice, NPR, Washington Post, on the Today Show, and on and on. Casper speaks and writes on community trends, ritual, and emerging spirituality.In this conversation, Rabbi Steven and Casper discuss the power of convening in person, and both the potential and pitfalls in digital community gathering in the 21st Century. As we look to the High Holidays, a time of communal atonement and reflection, we hope this conversation leaves you feeling inspired and curious about how to make your New Year experience as meaningful as possible, and start considering now who you might spend it with to make the most of that time.Join Mishkan Chicago for the High Holidays in-person or via livestream! You can find a smorgasbord of a la carte options at this link: https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-fest/As always, you can find out more about Mishkan at MishkanChicago.org or by following us on social media @mishkanchicago. 

This episode begins a three-part series diving into the High Holidays. Rabbi Lizzi is joined by Jay Michaelson, a writer who works at the intersection of politics and spirituality, to discuss the power, potential and pitfalls in mining our shared tradition's liturgy, practices and themes. Join Mishkan Chicago for the High Holidays in-person or via livestream! You can find a smorgasbord of a la carte options at this link: https://www.mishkanchicago.org/high-holy-fest/As always, you can find out more about Mishkan at MishkanChicago.org or by following us on social media @mishkanchicago. 

We are in the 7th, and final week of our Omer series featuring spiritual entrepreneurs, people who are bringing the wisdom of their own lived experience into their professional lives and carving new paths, making unique and much needed impact in the world. This week we dive into Malchut, Kingdom, Kingship.In this extended episode, Rabbi Lizzi speaks with Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg, the hosts of Judaism Unbound, a renowned and wildly popular podcast in the Jewish podcast universe that analyzes the most pressing and fascinating issues for 21st century American Jews and Judaism. About Dan LibensonDan is the founder and president of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future. He’s been the Executive Director of the University of Chicago Hillel and the Director of New Initiatives at Harvard Hillel. He is a 2009 AVI CHAI Fellow (sort of the Jewish McArthur Fellowship) and has also received the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence award, Hillel International's highest professional honor. In 2010, he was named a Jewish Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Jewish News- may its memory be a blessing. He is a Harvard alum, a lawyer, a writer, and a translator of The Orchard, a book by renowned Israeli novelist Yochi Brandes and the translation editor of The Secret Book of Kings by the same author.About Lex RofebergLex serves as Strategic Initiatives Coordinator of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future. He is a graduate of Brown University and a writer featured in in JTA, MyJewishLearning, Jewish Currents, Sh'ma Journal, New Voices, among others. He completed a two-year Education Fellowship at the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and joined the Judaism Unbound team in 2015. He has a certificate in Interfaith Family Jewish Engagement from Hebrew College and is ordained as a rabbi by Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Lex is an educator and an activist in Jewish movements for justice, which have included IfNotNow and Never Again Action. Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

We continue a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose.This week, we dive into the sixth theme of the Omer, yesod, or foundation, with Sandra Lawson.Rabbi Sandra Lawson is a spiritual leader whose work spans multi-media platforms, state lines, and denominations. Known as The TiKTok Rabbi (formerly the Snapchat Rabbi), R'Sandra has spent years building a following through social and digital media like Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. She’s been featured on various podcasts including Judaism Unbound and Tablet Magazine’s Unorthodox, as well as being a host for her own show Minutes of Torah. Rabbi Sandra’s writing has been featured in Times of Israel, Jewish Journal, The Forward, CNN, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and many other. She is Reconstructing Judaism’s Director of Racial Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and the recent founder of Kol HaPanim, an inclusive Jewish community that is relevant, accessible, rooted in Jewish tradition and centers the leadership of Jews of Color. Make donation to Kol HaPanim here!Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

We continue a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose.This week, we dive into the fifth theme of the Omer, hod, or humility, with Alexandra Corwin and Tani Prell — co-founders of Continued Learning Group.In this episode, Alexandra and Tani join Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann to talk about culturally sustaining pedagogy, identity, and the hard work of unpacking and unlearning white supremacy and racism. Alexandra and Tani bring personal experience as Jews of color, as well as academic and professional expertise to their work and their lives. Tune in for a conversation about humility the power of envisioning a better future for all.Books referenced in this episode:All About Love by Bell HooksMe & White Supremacy By Layla SaadSo You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma OluoBe sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Our GuestsAlexandra Corwin (she/her) is a graduate of DePaul University with a Bachelor's in Women's and Gender Studies and African Black Diaspora Studies. She has her Master's in Education from Harvard University, and has vast experience in Jewish children’s education. She is an adjunct instructor in education at The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and serves as a board member of Chicago YIVO Society, an organization that centers Yiddish learning for Chicagoans. She is also a Board Member at Mishkan. Tani Prell (she/her) is the Chicago Director for 18Doors, formerly Interfaith Family, an organization empowering 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. Tani is a former high school arts educator, synagogue education director, and fundraiser at the Art Institute of Chicago. She serves on the board of trustees for the Union for Reform Judaism, aiding in their commitments to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and in 2018 she was named one of the Jewish Federation of Chicago’s “36 Under 36.”About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

We continue a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose.This week, we dive into the fourth theme of the Omer, netzach, or endurance, with Ilana Gleicher-Bloom.Ilana is the Vision Director of Mensch Academy at Mishkan. In this episode she joins Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann to talk about her passion for Jewish education, and her desire to do it a little differently at Mishkan. She speaks on the hidden curriculum that informs her work at Mensch Academy and speaks to the power of making children feel heard as they study Torah. If you have an interest in early childhood education, parenting, radical inclusivity, implicit and explicit learning, then this episode is for you. Get to know the Omer, Ilana, and Mensch Academy in this 30-minute conversation!Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Our Guest: Ilana Gleicher-BloomIlana Ilana is a graduate of Brandeis University, a Pardes Fellow, and was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Melamdim Teacher Education MA Program at the Shalom Hartman Institute and Tel Aviv University. Before launching Mensch Academy, Ilana taught Talmud and Tanakh at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in Deerfield, IL, and before that at the Heschel High School in Manhattan. Ilana also taught Judaic Studies at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim, and the Beit Midrash Program at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Jewish Education at JTS and received the 2018 Pomegranate Prize from the Covenant Foundation for her work. Ilana is a true visionary who has had an enduring love for Judaism and education.About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

Content Warning: This episode briefly addresses sexual assault from minutes 23:00-25:00. We continue a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose.Two weeks ago, we began with chesed, “kindness” with guest Rena Rosen. Last week, we dove into the second theme of the Omer, gevurah, discipline or strength, with two very special guests: Mark Achler and Harry Gottlieb. And this week, for week three, we have Jo-Ann Finkelstein on the show to talk about gender, psychology, her work creating The Feminist Parent, an online resource for equity-oriented parenting, and more. We also discuss the third theme of the Omer, tiferet, or integration or balance.Links referenced in the show:The Feminist Parent WebsiteThe Feminist Parent InstagramJo-Ann's TwitterJo-Ann's Psychology Today ProfileJo-Ann's Medium Profile The NYT article: It’s OK to Watch 'Schitt’s Creek’ With Your KidsBe sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Our Guest: Jo-Ann FinkelsteinJo-Ann is a practicing counselor with a Masters in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern. She’s also a parent who is dedicated to raising inclusive, confident, empathetic and kind people in the face of our culture’s sexist messaging and patriarchal systems. She is a mental health and social justice advocate, and like the other spiritual entrepreneurs featured on this series, has used her professional life and her personal values to launch something completely unique: The Feminist Parent, a website and resource for parents trying to raise kids who know they deserve to reach their full potential (regardless of gender).About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

We continue a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose.Last week, we began with chesed, “kindness” with guest Rena Rosen (if you missed it, go back and take a listen). This week, we dive into the second theme of the Omer, gevurah, discipline or strength, with two very special guests: Mark Achler and Harry Gottlieb. Both of these entrepreneurs have spent decades earning their reputations for creativity, problem solving, innovation but importantly, menchie-ness, in business, and specifically in the tech universe. These guys are both the real deal; they practice what they preach, and they’re not above giving and receiving kind and loving feedback. Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you.And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Our GuestsMark Achler is Managing Director of MATH Venture Partners. Prior to MATH, Mark was the Senior Vice President of New Business, Strategy and Innovation for Redbox. He is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded four companies as well being a partner in an earlier venture fund called Kettle Partners. Mark has an undergraduate degree in Social Studies Education from Purdue University and is a frequent speaker, resource and ardent champion for the entrepreneurial community. He also teaches Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business. Finally, full disclosure: Mark is Mishkan’s outgoing Board Chair and is a quiet, behind the scenes, pillar of our community.Harry Gottlieb is the founder of Jellyvision and Jackbox Games. Specializing in user-experience technology, Harry created a product called ALEX®, which is now used by companies to help millions of employees select medical insurance and other employee benefits in a way that is simple and engaging. In his most recent venture, Unify America, Harry’s goal is nothing short of saving democracy. About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

This week we begin a period on the Jewish calendar called the Omer — the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot that our tradition observes through a practice of counting, day by day, week by week. We imbue these days with meaning by assigning a different theme to each week that encourages self-reflection and self-improvement for the betterment of the whole community. In that spirit, we’re doing a series of interviews featuring people who have made their life’s work an extension of their lives’ purpose. The first week's theme is chesed (loving-kindness) and we are kicking off the series with the incredibly inspirational ambassador for kindness herself, Rena Rosen. Links referenced in the show:Knit for a Unique FitThe Courage to Be KindArt of Compassion Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you. And to stay connected, follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about us here!About Our Guest:Rena Rosen is the Inclusion Coordinator for JCC Chicago. She also works as an Early Childhood teacher at Bernard Weinger JCC in Northbrook where she spends her days donning clothes with “Be Kind” emblazoned across the front, teaching kids her life’s mission, which is building kind, inclusive, accepting community. Rena is the founder of Art of Compassion, a platform building a kind, inclusive and accepting community for people of all differences and abilities. As a self-identified kid of the 90s born with craniofacial differences, Rena works from a center of compassion, kindness and courage to bring inclusion into the 21st century. She is the co-author of a children’s book The Courage to Be Kind. And most recently the creator of a Facebook Group Knit for a Unique Fit.About Mishkan ChicagoMishkan is a spiritual community in Chicago reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence. Not bound by a particular location, we create radically inclusive spaces for Jewish spiritual practice and community, engaging, educating, and empowering people across the spectrum of identity, background, age, and belief.

We conclude our Hanukkah podcast series, Lies & Lessons, with Rabbi Shira Stutman from Sixth & I in Washington D.C.  In this conversation, Rabbi Lizzi and Rabbi Shira discuss why many Jews have a love-hate relationship to the widely celebrated, and marketed, holiday of Hanukkah. Tune in for a conversation that addresses the complicated historical roots of the holiday, while offering a reminder to grab ahold of joy and the hopeful spirit of the season.Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you (and it helps people find us!).Follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about Mishkan Chicago. Learn more about Rabbi Shira and Sixth & I!Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.

We continue our Hanukkah podcast series, Lies & Lessons, with Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer.  In this conversation, Rabbi Lizzi and Rabbi Jessica discuss the lesser known Hanukkah songs, as well as the classics that ring out year after year. As a student of sacred Jewish music from Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions, and a performer throughout the US and Israel, Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer offers unique insight and beautiful vocals to this episode. To enjoy the accompanying Hanukkah Mixtape, curated by Rabbi Jessica, click here. Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you (and it helps people find us!).Follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about Mishkan Chicago. Learn more about Rabbi Jessica and The Kitchen!

We begin our Hanukkah podcast series, Lies & Lessons, with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.  In this conversation, Rabbi Lizzi and Rabbi Amichai consider the mythology, the liturgy, the symbolism and the history of the Hanukkah lights.Be sure to subscribe, rate the show and leave a review. As always, we want to hear from you. Follow Mishkan Chicago on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about Mishkan Chicago. Learn more about Rabbi Amichai and Lab/Shul NYC. 

What does it mean to reimagine and reconsider ancient Jewish traditions? How can a lens of "otherness" uncover new or forgotten meaning in familiar texts?To close out our three-part series about Tisha B'Av, Rabbi Lizzi speaks with Rabbi Benay Lappe, the founder and Rosh Yeshiva of SVARA, a traditionally radical yeshiva dedicated to the study of Talmud through the lens of queer experience. In this conversation, R'Lizzi and R'Benay discuss the shortcomings of tradition and the opportunity of new spiritual practices. To learn more about Rabbi Benay Lappe's work, check out her now iconic Eli Talk "An Unrecognizable Jewish Future: A Queer Talmudic Take."

Join R'Lizzi in conversation with Jonathan Brooks, or "Pastah J" the Senior Pastor at West Englewood's Canaan Community Church, as they discuss falling in love with exile, tikkun olam, and what it takes to become part of a movement instead of just a moment. Pastah J is a faith leader, an activist, a musician, an entrepreneur, a husband and father. You can read his recent book, or learn more about his work on his website.The second in our three-part series leading up to Tisha B'Av, this conversation touches on historical and present day destruction, trauma, and the promise of a world one day pieced back together. 

When a person, a community, or a nation face rock bottom, how do they rebuild, if at all? The upcoming Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av offers a spiritual starting place for this timely question. Join Rabbi Lizzi in conversation with Reverend Lola Wright as they consider personal responsibility, coronavirus and the fight for civil rights — as well as the potential of "this now moment."You can learn more about Lola through her website, or by checking out her new seven-week course, Normal White People, that asks participants to uncover biases and shift habituated patterns around race from drama to curiosity.

Contact Chai with Rabbi Lizzi is a new podcast from Mishkan Chicago that explores Jewish ideas in unlikely places with fascinating people. In this episode, Rabbi Lizzi and guest continue the conversation on endurance and healing through the lenses of Judaism and affective psychotherapy.

Contact Chai with Rabbi Lizzi is a new podcast from Mishkan Chicago that explores Jewish ideas in unlikely places with fascinating people, many of whom happen to be part of Mishkan's community. In this episode, join Rabbi Lizzi to explore how we can connect the science of resilience, healing and change with our Seder experience and the Season of Passover.

Today’s episode is a Shabbat Replay from our Saturday morning service on April 20th. Rabbi Lizzi delivered a sermon imploring us to retell not only the triumphal tale of liberation in the Passover story, but also the nuanced, disturbing, and thought-provokingly complicated parts of the story as well.****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates.Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan.  You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.https://www.mishkanchicago.org/series/morning-minyan-spring-2024/****For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates.Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.Transcript