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For years, Seth has been searching for a mystical experience that might reveal something extraordinary about his life. A Jewish educator and musician, he looks for encounters with the divine through music, prayer, and eventually psychedelic retreats, hoping for the kind of revelation that changed the lives of biblical prophets. But what happens when the experience you've been longing for turns out to be nothing like you imagined? A surprising and deeply personal story about the search for meaning, the desire for certainty, and what it takes to encounter the sacred. When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] Citation: Exodus 2:4 ““His sister stationed herself at a distance, to know what would befall him” [2] Citation: Leviticus 10:1 “Now Aaron’s sons Nadav and Abihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, laid incense in it and they offered before God (Esh Zara) alien fire, which had not been enjoined upon them.”  [3] Leviticus Rabbah discusses reasons for the death of Nadav and Abihu, among them, intoxication. Here is a strong article articulating the different stories around what the sages thought about Esh Zara and subsequent loss of life.  [4] Citation: Yerushalmi, Kiddushin 4:12 “You will one day give reckoning for everything your eyes saw which, although permissible, you did not enjoy" [5] ummm… tell me more about psychedelic retreats! Shefa, a Jewish psychedelic community, offers a variety of retreats that utilize psilocybin in therapeutic and responsible ways sourced in Jewish wisdom.    [6] Citation: 2 Kings 3:15 “Now then, get me a musician.As the musician played, GOD’s hand came upon him.”  [7] Citation on Miriam’s vision are a mashup between Sotah 13a and Exodus Rabbah 1:22 where we read, “"My mother is destined to give birth to a son who will save Israel from Egyptian bondage." Here’s a quick article outlining the different early stories about Miriam’s prophecies.  [8] If you want to learn more about Miriam as a prophet and leader of the Jewish people, you might enjoy Jericho Vincent’s podcast “Survival guide for a spiritual wilderness” [9] Citation: Genesis 28:16 “God was in this place and I did not know”  [10] Seth refers to the psilocybin retreats as “Journey work” here is a link to a place that uses the same terminology.  [11] Citation: Taanit 9a (Rashi on Numbers 20:2) “...during the entire forty years they had the “well” through Miriam’s merit.”  [12] Citation: Pirkei Avot 5:6 “Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight, and these are they: [1] the mouth of the earth, [2] the mouth of the well, [3] the mouth of the donkey, [4] the rainbow, [5] the manna, [6] the staff [of Moses], [7] the shamir, [8] the letters, [9] the writing, [10] and the tablets. And some say: also the demons, the grave of Moses, and the ram of Abraham, our father. And some say: and also tongs, made with tongs” [13] If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, consider Tikvah Center, a Jewish recovery center, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky's vast library of resources and Rami Shapiro’s book “Recovery- the sacred art- The 12 steps as a spiritual practice.”

Chag Sigd Sameach! (Happy Sigd -- a Jewish holiday taking place this year on November 8th through 9th). Sigd (ስግድ or סגד) is a festival taking place 7 weeks after Yom Kippur, historically marked by Beta Israel Jews (Jews from Ethiopia). They have encouraged Jews worldwide to take on this observance, and we are excited to join a growing movement of communities heeding that call. In this conversation, Lex and Rena Yehuda explore the festival of Sigd, and how it might be able to transform our collective Jewish relationship to the calendar -- and to diverse groups of Jews, across difference -- in meaningful ways. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming course, called Judaism in 2070: Co-Creating the American-Jewish Future, and taught by Becca Leviss! For anyone who needs it, financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

As a boy growing up in secular Israel, Shahar becomes convinced that there must be a formula for a meaningful life and that Judaism might hold the answer. His search for certainty leads him deep into Orthodox Jewish practice, until unexpected encounters begin to unravel everything he thought he knew. Years later, living in San Francisco, far from the religious world he once embraced, Shahar finds himself drawn toward something he thought he'd left behind. A story about belief, doubt, and the surprising ways the sacred finds us when we least expect it. When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] Here is the citation for the story about the Baal Shem Tov. It is a story made known by Elie Wiesel in his book, The Gates of the Forest (1966).  [2] Lecha Dodi is a prayer from the 16th century. Check out this page of resources on Lecha Dodi or this episode of Shabbat Unbound to learn more and to hear some of the many tunes!  [3] Gematria is Jewish numerology. The letters in the Hebrew alphabet are also numbers. Learn more about it here, calculate the numerology of your name or other words here.  [4] We share an abbreviated version of a sacred story, in Genesis Rabbah 1:1, about God looking into the Torah like a blueprint. Here is the full citation of that story.  [5] Shahar mentions getting into a car on Shabbat. This is a pretty extraordinary violation of Shabbat according to traditional Jews, which is why it was so hard for him to do.  [6] Here is the citation  (Numbers 15) for the consequence of Skifah, to be stoned to death, for violating the Sabbath.  [7] We told the classic David Foster Wallace parable about the fish in water. Here it is in his voice, where he shared it in a commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005.  [8] Are you interested in learning more about a Shabbat Service at Burning Man? You can see photos and watch videos about it here. Our friend, Rabbi Tzvika Krieger, is one of the co-creators of this Sabbath experience and leads the spiritual community of Chochmat Lev in Berkley, Ca.  [9] We mention the mystical practice of Hitboddedut (speaking aloud to God). To learn more about mystical practices, check out Kirva, an organization that leads folks spiritual action.

In Episode 557, Lex and Rena Yehuda explored the question "Does Judaism need halacha" (sometimes translated "Jewish law," and also sometimes translated "a Jewish path/way-of-walking in the world), using a format called the "anti-debate." Today, Stephanie Lepp -- the person who inspired that conversation by launching the anti-debate as a project -- joins them to look back on that conversation...and also ask big questions about Jewish debate throughout history. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming course, called Judaism in 2070: Co-Creating the American-Jewish Future, and taught by Becca Leviss! For anyone who needs it, financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

How much of who we are is shaped by the people who came before us, and how much do we get to choose? For Marika Strauss, that question has followed her from childhood conversations with her father and grandfather to unexpected encounters in her own adult life. Along the way, she discovers that Jewish identity has many faces, and that the people we love can become mirrors in which we see ourselves anew. A story about family, belonging, and the freedom to become someone our ancestors might never have imagined. When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] Read more about Marika and her journey on her substack. [2] We mention a two different sources here:  Genesis 33 (Jacob and Esau reuniting), Exodus 34 (Moses’s face)  [3] Emmanuel Levinas is brought up in passing. If you want to learn more about his life and work, here is a nice article on him. If you want to dig into his ontology on le visage, that philosophy first appears in his work, “Totality and Infinity” in 1961.  [4] If you’re like… wait a second… I’ve heard these names before… then, you’re right! You’ve probably listened to our Door to Door podcast, that follows the story of this family to Simon’s home in Germany.  [5] Marika talks about “Wabi Sabi Shabbat”. If you want to read a little more about Wabi Sabi, here is a nice article on it, and here is a brief sermonette by Ariel Stein on Wabi Sabi.  [6] Finding meaning and grounded identity through 23&Me (or other genetic tests) is a common experience. If this is you, you’re in good company. Here is a brief article on a similar experience.

Welcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach us. Miriam Terlinchamp, Lex Rofeberg and an incredible group of musicians invite you to discover what happens when Shabbat slows down. The fifth focuses on Shema/V'ahavta. [1] You can watch this entire episode in video format here. [2] Want to watch the music video of our version of "And You Shall Love"? Great you can find it here. [3] Love the song "And You Shall Love" by featured composers Jessalynn Levine and Annie Villareal-Belford? Great! Check out the original here.

What happens when the lessons that carried you through life suddenly aren't enough? For Todd an unexpected crisis sets him on a journey where he begins to discover new ways of understanding love, loss, and the sacred. In the third episode of Everyday Mystics, a story of grief, gratitude, and mysterious encounter invites us to wonder whether the people we love are ever really as far away as they seem. When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] We begin the episode with a reference to Moses and the burning bush. The moment where he turns and sees that is burning but not consumed. Exodus 3:2  [2] Todd mentions the works of Austrian-Israeli philosopher, Martin Buber. Buber is best known for his concept between the Divine and Humanity, I and Thou.  The existential framing of that meaning is defined by how we relate to one another. [3] Dayenu, a 9th century song that translates to “it would have been enough.” There are 15 stanzas rejoicing in the wonders that blessed the Israelite people (Exodus from Egypt, the gift of Shabbat, the Torah…ect). It is the most popular song to sing during a Passover Seder. Colloquillaly, Dayenu is used in an opposite way - more like, Enough already! Rather than the intent of the song as one immersed in uncountable blessings.  [4] Photo from Todd’s desk of his father, Lewis Brecher z”l.

Does Judaism need Halacha?** Lex and Rena Yehuda have some overlapping thoughts about that question, but also want to explore the ways that they disagree with one another. This question is one that Jews across many geographic contexts and denominational affiliations (or lack thereof) have debated for centuries -- and we think that it's a conversation worth continuing! In this conversation, your two Judaism Unbound co-hosts take on a format called the "anti-debate," as implemented by Stephanie Lepp (who will join the podcast as a guest in a couple weeks, to discuss further). It incorporates elements of traditional debate, along with steps to encourage each person to inhabit the perspective of the "other side."  ** Halacha is sometimes translated "Jewish law," and also sometimes translated "a Jewish path/way-of-walking in the world." It typically refers to traditions of rabbinic Jewish interpretation, as debated and applied over the past ~1800 years. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Jewish ritual objects, Medieval Jewish debates, Talmud for interfaith families and more! For anyone who needs it, financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

What if our deepest longing for love is also a longing for God? From a childhood encounter with the mysterious to an unexpected romance, Ayalon Eliach discovers that the search for human connection and the search for the Divine may not be two different journeys after all. In the second episode of Everyday Mystics, a story of loss, yearning, and second chances asks what it means to stop settling for something less than “The Real Thing.” When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] A little about Ayalon: Inspired by the Baal Shem Tov, Ayalon believes that individual, communal, and universal transformation all come through learning to unify seeming contradictions without erasing their differences—to embody ultimate oneness within real multiplicity, and connection in the midst of fragmentation. At different points in his life, Ayalon was drawn to what seemed like mutually exclusive options: soul or body, intimacy or boundaries, particularism or universalism, tradition or progress, God or science, compassion or justice. His search for ways to navigate these tensions has taken him through Orthodox yeshivot, Yale, Harvard Law School, the non-denominational Hebrew College Rabbinical School, the Shalom Hartman Institute, and more than 40 countries. But his deepest learning has come from putting inherited wisdom, especially Hasidic thought, into give-and-take conversation with everyday experience, particularly relationships and raising children. Through that conversation, he learned to see these apparent either/ors as both/ands. At the Lippman Kanfer Foundation For Living Torah, where he serves as “Chief Idea Officer” , he brings this approach to his thought partnership, research, writing, and teaching, helping others access and apply Jewish wisdom in ways that transform themselves, their communities, and the larger world. [2]  We mention the Ezekiel's vision, with the line: וְהַחַיּ֖וֹת רָצ֣וֹא וָשׁ֑וֹב כְּמַרְאֵ֖ה הַבָּזָֽק  “the angels ran and returned like a flash of lightning”, the citation is: Ezekiel 1:14  [3] Hinge vs. Bumble: Ayalon mentions two different dating apps. Hinge anyone can comment or reach out to one another, but it needs to be about something specific in the prospective dates profile. Bumble requires the female candidate to reach out to the opposite gender first, and the match expires after 24 hours.  [4] Interested in learning more about Rebbe Nachman of Bretslov? This is a great article that talks through who he was and an overview on his writings and theories, here is a poetic connection between Ezekiel and the concept, and, he is best known for his creative moral stories, this is a cute animated version of one of his famous parables.  [5] We mention a line in the biblical book of Genesis.  עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזׇב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃ “A person leaves their mother and father, cleaves to their partner, and the two become one flesh. Leaving and cleaving.” The citation is: Genesis 2:24

Sadeh Farm is a Jewish farm and environmental community centre, located just southeast of London, England. Because why wouldn't there be a Jewish farm just southeast of London?? Talia Chain, founder of Sadeh Farm, joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about Sadeh's work -- and about Jewish farming as a broader global phenomenon, dating all the way back to the Torah. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Jewish ritual objects, Medieval Jewish debates, Talmud for interfaith families and more! For anyone who needs it, financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!--------------------------------Support Sadeh's ongoing fundraiser, to help it exist long into the future, via this link.

Some floods destroy. Others carry us somewhere we never expected to go. In the first episode of Everyday Mystics, Play Steinberg’s journey through grief, addiction, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and queer identity asks what it means to keep building an ark when the waters rise and whether the very thing that threatens to overwhelm us might also become a flood of love. When Moses turned and saw the bush that burned but was not consumed, it wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, it was a map. Maybe the bush had always been burning. It just took someone willing to turn, to notice, to say this is sacred ground. Everyday Mystics tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. References [1] Play is an incredible artist, composer and teacher. Run don’t walk to their substack to read their current writings. Also, their comic, “Father. Mother. God.” is a gorgeous graphic comic about their relationship with their parents and the Divine.  [2] Miriam begins by referencing the biblical story about the Flood in Genesis 6-9 [3] Play mentions their connection to Buddhist Sangha. Sangha means community of people who practice Buddhism. Typically this term is used to refer to a monastery, Buddhist objects/refuges, the fourfold community (laypeople, nuns and monks) or in Western society it tends to mean the group of people who meditate and study the dharma/Buddhist teachings together.  [4] SO…. is Play Jewish, Christian, Buddhist? How can they be all the things at the same time? It all comes down to how one sees identity. Is it enough for you that Play is born Jewish? Do they need to be raised Jewish or practice Judaism to the exclusion of all other faiths? Not for Play. And not for us at Judaism Unbound, either. Play, like all of us, draws their practice from the multitude of life experiences, weaving and integrating them to form a life of meaning. Play, just happens to be exposed to a multitude of faith communities, and so their path is broader than most.  [5] When Play says they don’t want to deny God three times and be like Peter, perhaps you had a different reference for a three fold denial of faith. In Judaism, we often hear that when a seeker chooses to convert, they must approach the rabbi on three separate occasions and be denied before being accepted into study for conversion. In this story - we hear seeking - Play denying that particular path to God, while also deeply striving for belonging and nearness to the Divine.  [6] A church picnic on Tisha B’Av? Now, that’s nondualism. Tisha B’Av is a holy fast day in Jewish practice where we lament, sit on the floor, weep, read Ecclesiastes and mourn for the destruction of the Second Temple and the many martyrs and sufferings of the Jewish people.  [7] Play talks about going to Divorce Camp. Divorce and Discovery was founded by Rabbi Deborah Newbrun as an act to reimagine the communal response and care for those going through divorce. You can learn more about the retreat here. For Jewish resources on divorce, you can read this ritual for separation, Judaism Your Way , Jews Get Divorce and The Adventure Rabbi offer direct support, and since you’re a podcast person, you might enjoy the podcast, The Jewish Divorce Podcast.  [8] Play tells the story of the two sets of tablets. In the Talmud, Baba Batra 14b we read, “the broken fragments of the first tablets were placed in the Ark alongside the second whole tablets." This is a often taught as a symbol of God’s forgiveness and humility. In healing circles and communities, this is taught as a metaphor for our own lives, we carry both the broken and the whole with us. Each component is considered holy.  [9] During the festival of Sukkot, we are commanded to build a Sukkah, a temporary shelter that is susceptible to the elements, where we can eat and sleep and be present to the physical realities of our internal life. An apt place for a personal revelation.

In this episode, Lex Rofeberg and Miriam Terlinchamp introduce Everyday Mystics, a new podcast launching on this feed on October 7th, which tells the real stories of people who have had that turning. Small, ordinary moments that cracked open into something larger. Their stories of transformation weave Jewish wisdom bringing forward an old/ new way of understanding mystical experience and the everyday. These are stories of when the ordinary becomes sacred, the familiar becomes mysterious, and Judaism becomes beautifully unbound. Miriam and Lex unpack what it means to be an “everyday mystic,” arguing that mystical experience doesn’t have to be extraordinary, it can emerge in a blood donation, a walk through a cemetery, or any moment when the boundary between the ordinary and something larger suddenly feels thinner. They share their own stories of finding Jewish meaning in unexpected experiences, illustrating how ancient wisdom can give language and practice to something we may already intuitively feel. Ultimately, Everyday Mystics invites listeners to recognize their own “burning bush” moments and discover how sharing those stories can become a source of Jewish wisdom for others. Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Judaism Inbound (our intro to Judaism course) begins in just a few days, and four other amazing learning opportunities begin in October! Financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

Welcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach us. Miriam Terlinchamp, Lex Rofeberg and an incredible group of musicians invite you to discover what happens when Shabbat slows down. The fourth episode focuses on Lecha Dodi. [1] Source for writing Lecha Dodi.  Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543-1620),  student of  Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria, 1534-1572), writes in his Pri Etz Chaim (Sha’ar Shabbat) the Arizal’s precise procedure for Kabbalat Shabbat: He would go out into the fields and first recite Psalm 29 (‘Mizmor l’David’). Then he would say bo’i kallah three times, followed by Psalm 92 (‘Mizmor Shir l’Yom haShabbat’). That was it! The Arizal would then return home, and had another set of rituals around the meal table. One of these was to recite the words Zachor v’shamor b’dibbur echad ne’emru, to recall the mitzvah of Shabbat in the Ten Commandments. Recall that in the first passage of the Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus, God says zachor et yom haShabbat, to “commemorate” the Sabbath day, while in the second passage of the Ten Commandments in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses recorded it as shamor et yom haShabbat, to “safeguard” the Sabbath day. Our Sages explained that God had said both words simultaneously—the people heard zachor v’shamor b’dibbur echad, to “commemorate” and “safeguard” in a single utterance. [2] Miriam mentions bridal imagery in Lecha Dodi and Sabbath practices in general. Here is a sweet article about mystic love by Sara Crispe in her www.myjewishlearning.com essay, “Love Lessons from Lecha Dodi.”  [3] Love this rendition of Lecha Dodi? Great! Check out Batya Levine’s other recordings and compositions on her website www.batyalevine.com. Batya’s newest album “Yivarechecha” focuses on blessings and is a downright magical compilation of gorgeous and resonant music.  [4] If you want to listen to some of the other nearly 1,000 tunes for Lecha Dodi, we have a few special one’s highlighted on our website at: www.judaismunbound.com/shabbat5785. There’s one set to “All of me” by John Legend, another by “The Jews of Uganda”, a Bretzlover chasidic tune, and more!   [5] Want to watch the music video of our version of Lecha Dodi? Great you can find it here.

Yom Kippur is here! For the past few years, Yom Kippur has been the single most popular day — all year — for folks to listen to the Judaism Unbound podcast. So to those of you incorporating our podcast into your observance of this holiday, wishing you a beautiful and unbound Yom Kippur. In this episode, Brad Lander -- a candidate for Congress in New York's 10th district -- joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about observing Yom Kippur in 2026. Together they explore topics ranging from Un'taneh Tokef (the 'Who by Fire' prayer), to the book of Isaiah, to Yiddish curses, all in the interest of building a world that "distributes suffering less unequally." Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Judaism Inbound (our intro to Judaism course) begins in just a few days, and four other amazing learning opportunities begin in October! Financial aid is available. Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

There’s a biblical story about Moses encountering a bush that burns but is never consumed. He stops. He turns and looks closer. And through that turning, he finds his call, and transforms the future of his people. That moment, was not just a once upon a time moment. But rather, an everyday moment.  We believe burning bushes are still everywhere. They are the moments that interrupt us. Awaken us. Break us open. The experiences of untold wonder that shape who we become and change how we see what we thought we already knew. Your host is Miriam Terlinchamp, and on Everyday Mystics, we tell the stories of Jewish people who stumble across their own burning bushes and come away seeing themselves, their lives, and Judaism differently. These are stories about the moments when the everyday becomes sacred. When the familiar becomes mysterious. When something we thought we understood, Judaism, becomes beautifully unbound. Because sometimes, the miracle isn’t that the bush is burning. It’s that we stop long enough to notice. The first episode of the 10 episode series drops October 7