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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. 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. [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.

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. 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.” [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

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. 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. [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.

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

Part of belonging to a lineage is the act of finding ourselves within the story, claiming a particular link in the chain of inheritance, as testimony to our merit for inclusion. And then he’d say, "Jews are responsible for each other." We all heard that phrase from him. It was the partner to his positivity. Forgive in your heart, and take your inheritance of survival, your legacy of peoplehood, seriously.  And we did.  [1] We thought a lot about how this story ends. Is it with one of Miriam’s children, the next generation? Is it by returning to Simon’s voice? Who gets to hold the final piece of this turning of the story? And in the end, we decided that there is no end, it intentionally hangs, unbalanced, unfinished, a thread that both continues to be pulled and woven at the same time.  [2] What was it that we inherited? What gift came of this line of life that should never have been? We think it’s one another. The choice to continue to choose each other, to be one another’s best friends and learn to love each other as best as we can. In that spirit, we share a few sweet memories - of lives well lived, joys tangled with sorrows, and the freedom that comes with the birth of new branches on the tree of our family story.  Check out the website for additional resources and photos of events and people discussed in this episode.

“ I feel like I hold and carry a lot of the stories from my grandfather. I don't always know how to share those stories. I'm sometimes afraid of telling them wrong or making mistakes.” - Neal Strauss "It’s a surreal experience to watch strangers tell your story. For others to decide they are ready for you to reclaim your stolen lives." - Miriam Terlinchamp [1] The majority of this audio was taken on a small handheld audiorecorder and carried around by various family members on the trip. [2] Interested in learning more about Stoperstein? Here is a good resource. [3] Wondering what Herbert was referring to when he said some Jews don’t like the idea of Stoperstein? Here is an article that discusses dissent about the stones.   [4] Many photos were taken on the trip. Here is one of the Stoperstein in front of the house:  And one of David, Ralph and Nadine (children of Lou and Simon) at their grandfather’s grave.  And a photo of the ceremony in front of the house:

“Years later, I’ll know this feeling as a mother, hearing my baby wail from the other room, wondering, praying, hoping that she is ok. But tonight, I’m 25 in a loft apartment in Berlin, 5,000 miles from home, and it’s not a baby crying: It’s my 89-year-old grandfather, Simon, screaming.” - Miriam Terlinchamp “To choose, to actively to forgive. To find beauty in strangers paying homage to what you lost. To embrace the learning journey of others even at the expense of your own pain in having to tell and retell it…Well, that’s a whole other capacity to do so within the context of the very place where the trauma occurred.” - Marika Strauss [1] The audio used for Simon in this episode was recorded by his granddaughter Jennifer Melrose in 1999 as part of Jennifer’s research project for her masters in psychology.  [2] Fun fact about the above audio! Jennifer had recorded it on a cassette tape, which was then, 2 decades later transcribed onto a CD, and then, upon research for this project, did we all find out that it existed! Jennifer’s son, Simon’s great grandchild, worked tirelessly to turn it into an audio file that could be used for this piece, and is the first time that most of the family have heard this interview.  [3] Miriam refers to a Holocaust Museum in Cincinnati. It’s amazing! It’s proper name is the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center. You can learn more about their work on their website: www.holocaustandhumanity.org. But the most impactful element is the interactive exhibits where you can have an AI supported conversation with a survivor. Definitely worth a visit.   [4] Simon talks about his passport, the papers he needed to move freely. Here are a few pages from that passport, which now belong to Miriam.

I got out of the Frankfurt train station. I took a bus to Wachenbuchen.  At this time, remember, there’s no cellphone, no Google maps, none of that. I had an address and I got there early in the day and there it was. It was like seeing something,  you know,  like seeing a picture you've seen forever, right? - Mark Vane References in this episode: [1] Here is a photograph of Shane and Simon at Shane’s winging ceremony when he became a Navy pilot.  [2] Want to learn more from Rabbi Tirzah Firestone? Check out her book, “Wounds into Wisdom: Healing intergenerational Jewish trauma.” or listen to her recent interview on Judaism Unbound here. [3] The audio from Simon in this episode is from a recording made by Jennifer Melrose as part of her research for her masters in psychology. She interviewed Simon as part of her project. When we interviewed her, this was the first time we’d heard about the recording! Ohio Humanities made this episode of Door to Doorpossible. Door to Door is a production of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future and part of the family of podcasts of Judaism Unbound. Created by Miriam Terlinchamp, directed by Joey Taylor, produced at Monastery Studio, original music by Ric Hordinski, and art by Katie Kaestner.  We'd love to hear from you, so you can email us at [email protected] or find us at: www.judaismunbound.com/door-to-door

We don’t know the story for a long time. And, even after we learn it, the story continues to unfold. Each generation adding new information, unlocking new mysteries, and trying it’s best to weave something whole out of a family history shredded by trauma. - Miriam Terlinchamp References in this episode: [1] Wow! That’s a lot of voices! Here is a family tree from the Strauss family to get a sense of how we are all connected.  [2] This audio was taken from an interview made by the Houston Holocaust Center. You can watch the full video of the interview here: Collections Search - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (ushmm.org) [3] Dr. Sarah Crane, visiting professor in the Judaics Program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies at University of Cincinnati and scholar in residence at the Cincinnati Holocaust and Humanity Center. Ohio Humanities made this episode of Door to Door possible. Door to Door is a production of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future and part of the family of podcasts of Judaism Unbound. Created by Miriam Terlinchamp, directed by Joey Taylor, produced at Monastery Studio, original music by Ric Hordinski, and art by Katie Kaestner.  We'd love to hear from you, so you can email us at [email protected] or find us at: www.judaismunbound.com/door-to-door

Thanks for journeying with us through Season 1 of Tales of the Unbound. We’re thrilled to return with Season 2: Door to Door—a five-episode, multi-generational exploration of memory, trauma, and identity, launching July 23, 2025. For accessibility, our podcast feed will temporarily change its name to Door to Door, but you’ll still find the same heart, the same mission, and a powerful new chorus of voices.

Hey everyone, it's Miriam Terlinchamp.  Thank you so much for listening to Season One of Tales of the Unbound! When we first created this podcast feed we knew that we wanted to tell transformational stories around awakened becoming stories that focused on the struggle to define identity, search for meaning, and connect ourselves to the greater whole. Hearing how others have navigated life allows us, the listeners, to expand our own perspectives, thereby opening up new personal and communal paths of possibility. And so it is with great joy that we bring you our second season. Season Two is called Door to Door, A Multi-generational Story of Memory, Trauma, and Identity. This is a five-episode series that drops on July 23, 2025. Just a note - while season two is still new, we'll be changing the name of our feed to Door to Door for increased accessibility. So if you're looking for Tales of the Unbound you're in the right place for season one and season two. It's the same feed with the same ethos, with a new set of voices, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Here's the trailer.

[1] We reference a definition of chevrutah as listed in Berakhot 63b:12, “Make many groups and study Torah, For the Torah is only acquired through study in a group.”  You can find the full text here. [2]  Malcolm Gladwell socialized the Tipping Point theory in his book “The Tipping Point”. [3] We sing “Veshamru,” a Jewish liturgical prayer that celebrates the observance of the Sabbath as a people. The tune is by Moshe Rothblum. Though there are many renditions of this liturgy, this is the tune many people think is “THE” way to sing this prayer. [4] Miriam quotes Ruth 1:16. The Book of Ruth is historically read on the holiday of Shavuot as the story is set during the festival gathering season. Ruth is also generally understood as the first person who converts to Judaism. In the Talmud pieces that Tales of the Unbound has cited, there are rituals (beit din, milah and mikvah) that affirm Jewish identity. Here, in the Book of Ruth, dated much earlier than the Talmud, we only see a vow as the mode by which someone might join the Jewish people. It’s possible that there were other versions of joining and that the vow-only process was somehow not a full conversion, but Ruth goes on to be accepted and integrated fully into Jewish life after she makes this vow. [5] Padraig O’Tuama is a poet, theologian, and poetry podcaster. We love his memoir/autobiography “In the Shelter”. [6] Miriam mentions Peter Block. Peter is well known for his community organizing and leadership training. Check him out here, or pick up this book, “Activating the Common Good.”  Joey (Tales Producer) also produces Peter’s podcast, The Common Good, which Miriam sometimes helps with. Here’s an interesting one with Miriam Terlinchamp and Reverend Ben McBride on the “slow practice of belonging.” [7] Sabbath in Time – Miriam shouts this out as a call for hope, turning Abraham Joshua Heschel’s description of Sabbath – as a palace in time – on its head. In a place where all there is is time, hopefully, there can be spaces, moments that feel like Sabbath. [8]  You can listen to the song “Iron Sharpens Iron” by Ric Hordinski here on the Shabbatish album “Now and Eternity”

[1] “There are no words” is a poem Miriam wrote on January 6, 2021.  [2] “You are Not Alone” by Ric Hordinski; you can watch this gorgeous rendition here. [3] Psalm 23, we used the same translation here as we did in Ari’s episode, which is the poetic and non-gendered translation by Rabbi Richard Levy.  But, Miriam was reading from the JPS translation of Psalm 23 at the time, which you can find here. [4] Miriam mentions the funeral and shiva minyan. Typically, in a traditional Jewish burial, the funeral is followed by seven days of mourning, marked by “minyanim” services in your home to share in the grief. Learn more about the content and role of shiva minyanim here. [5] She also mentions Kugel. Yum! Here are some favorite savory, and sweet recipes and seven other variations. Kugel is a diverse dish with many options! [6] This episode mentions Jonah's story —his call to speak truth in Nineveh and his avoidance of that call. It’s worth reading if you haven’t done so in a while; you can find it here or watch a 4-minute animated version here! [7] When Miriam says there is no hierarchy in Jewish practice and that none is more Jewish than the other… that’s just her opinion. And, Judaism Unbounds! But it isn’t necessarily a mainstream understanding of Jewish organizational practice.  [8] Miriam off-handedly drops the line that she made movies with her congregation. Just so we’re on the same page, that’s … very out of the box. Most synagogues are not creating movies about Jewish organizational theory. Interested? There are close to 60 different videos, but here are a few links to our favorites: The way we’ve always done it demon, The Little Table, Be Someone Else, Our Vision, “The Musical.” [9] Miriam uses the word tribe a lot in this episode, which makes us think of this awesome movie by Tiffany Shlain, “The Tribe.” Trust us, it will be the best 18 minutes you’ll have all week!  [10] We can’t get enough of Benay’s crash theory up in this house! Watch it over and over, we do. Here’s the long version.

Love the opening song? Check out Pitchu Li by Jacob Spike Kraus. [1] Miriam talks about what a Mikvah looks like in traditional communal spaces. If you haven’t yet checked out Mayyim Hayyim, we’re so excited for you to discover it. There’s a video-guided tour with details on how to prepare and where to find local places to immerse near you. You might also like ImmerseNYC or you can DIY your mikvah with some great resources from Ritual Well. Also, there’s a neat storytelling venture called “Mikvah Stories” through Mikvah.org if you want to hear personal accounts. If you’re mikvah curious, call up your local mikvah and talk to them about it. Look into mikvah training at Mayyim Hayyim, or head down to your local living water and offer your own ritual. [2] Mikvah baths in Temple times were critical to the sacrificial culture. They provided purification rituals before entering the sanctified areas of the Temple. There are 200 mikvah baths in the old city of Jerusalem that date back to the 2nd century, 50 of which are around the Temple Mount. Read more about it here.  [3] Our ancient texts have all kinds of regulations and directions on how to build a mikvah. Here is a great study resource from the book “Gray Matter” by Chaim Jachter if you want to get waaaay into the details.  [4] We know you want to see some Mikvah pop culture clips!  2003 Sex in the city with Charlotte’s conversion, Season 6 episode 3 2012 Oprah in Brooklyn studying the ultra-orthodox culture 2015 Sex in the City, with Cindy’s conversion Season 3, Episode 13 Transparent, Off the Grid, Season 1, Episode 6 and Season 3, Episode 9 Weeds, “Red in tooth and claw” Season 8, Episode 5  [5] Miriam talks about how much water needs to be in a mikvah. A whole tractate in the Mishnah called Mishnah Mikvaot deals with how much water, when and how to immerse, and contingencies. It also has different modes for measurements than we do now, hence why Miriam says “40 se-ah,” which is roughly 575 liters. A “se-ah” is a unit of measurement from the Bible that we think is somewhere between 7-12 liters. The BDB gets more precise, stating that a Se-ah is 1/3 of an ephah, which is 12.148 liters. Regardless, it’s a lot of water that needs to allow for your entire body to submerge.  [6] Want to know more about the procedure for a bris? JewBelong.com has a nice set of explanations and even a printable booklet to accompany the ritual. This is also a quick and sweet video about a bris. Here’s some information about Tipat Dam and it’s role in Conversions. And finally, if you want to see how the Reform movement talks about Tipat Dam, here you’ll find archives of responsa (legal decisions based on case studies) around ritual circumcision.  [7] Circumcision?!?!? No thanks! There are also plenty of resources out there for Jews and Jews by choice who are anti-circumcision.  It’s not for everyone, it’s a choice. Here’s an article about the “circumcision debate” with links to many articles. Also, there’s an alternative that people are doing with Hatipat Dam with a drop of blood from the heel.  [8] Here is the link to the Trans Halacha project on circumcision through SVARA that Miriam mentions. It also has amazing resources for gender transition in the mikvah and trans approaches to conversion.  [9] The Shehechianu Prayer (Lex Rofeberg beautifully sings our version) is sung or said at times of deep gratitude, when experiencing something for the first time, to mark a positive lifecycle moment, and when seeing a friend after a prolonged period of time.  [10] Ari and Josh chose very traditional books for their community: Midrash Raba and the Mishnah. These are also sets that would be included in traditional Jewish libraries. [11] Miriam mentions the story of opening the gate in Brachot 28a. For a deep dive into a great analysis, listen to Dan Libenson and Benay Lappe study this text on the Oral Talmud.

In "Tales of the Unbound: Season 1, Episode 4: Do Good Time," the podcast explores the concept of "Good Time" within the context of Jewish conversion in a prison setting. Ari, the central figure in this episode, reflects on his journey from initial moral failings to embracing opportunities for self-improvement through education, religion and community engagement. Ari shares his experience of learning multiple languages, pursuing academic degrees, and discovering artistic talents while incarcerated. And how all those skills set him up to lead and support his Jewish community behind bars. Ari's transformation highlights his proactive approach to rehabilitation and deepening commitment to Judaism, paralleled with his aspirations to contribute positively to society upon release. The episode underscores themes of resilience, personal agency, and the transformative power of education and faith within the confines of a correctional facility. [1] Meritorious Time, also known as: Good Time, Gain Time, Earned Time, and Merit Time, are all ways of talking about participation in programs for personal improvement, working in inclement weather, serving as a medical test person, giving blood, helping out in an emergency and no incidents of violence or write-ups that allow the state to award time credits to incarcerated folks to shorten the time serving their sentence before becoming parole eligible. How much time varies state by state, as do the standards for meritorious time. There are various opinions about these policies, here is a helpful article about effective strategies for managing long sentences and improving life behind bars to benefit society at large.  [2] Miriam talks about needing a teacher, friend, neighbor, or in Ari’s case, a guard to help spark a new way of looking at the world and time. This feels very similar to episode 3 with Josh and the importance of chevrutah, a study companion. In Pirkei Avot 1:6, we are to “find for yourself a teacher.”  All of us need guidance and support to take new steps.  [3] Ari mentions the Second Chance Pell Grant, which extends access to education for incarcerated individuals. Here is an article about the change in 2015, when the government made these programs free in prisons.  [4] Ari paints all kinds of things. He works with folks in the administration to paint murals that they like. Even the superintendent (warden) commissioned an Ari painting for her office. In Monroe, and just about any prison where Ari has resided, the walls have been transformed by his art.  [5] Miriam talks about “Ari’s signature move” – the deep dive into subjects that he wants to learn. On the outside, he was like that too. He loved to scuba dive and was really advanced in his martial arts practice  [6] Ari lived a lot of his life traveling – his parents were standup comedians, and he grew up watching them hone their craft, learned how to read people, and learned by doing. We mention in previous episodes how Ari teaches himself Hebrew, but for those who don’t know, Ari works in the library in prison, and during slow times, he listens to Hebrew pronunciation on cassette tapes or CDs, working his way through old workbooks. He had a friend who was raised Jewish and Ari would bring what he learned back to him, and they would practice. Once Amy was on scene, his learning flourished, and with Marvin and Amy’s attention, his Hebrew and prayerbook engagement was able to deepen.  [7] We love the image of Ari discovering Judaism by first reading Psalms to his cellie. He was then surprised by their resonance and chose to share the words both with his fellows and with his guards. It’s a beautiful vision – that in a dark place, his inclination was to learn and share learning, not to explain it, but to shine a light on the beauty that he was discovering. We wanted to start our episode the same way, with a reading of psalms. We chose Psalm 23 for a few reasons. First, it’s recognizable. Second, psalm 23 uses “I” 17 times; it’s a reflection that is both personal and engages with our relationship with God and revelation.  Third, it teaches the three-fold process of Ari’s journey: 1: I am ok and am trying my best to walk righteously 2: I am in the shadow lands, I am lost and hurt 3: I have found my peace and my place with the Divine. And Miriam’s favorite Ric Hordinski song is just a single line from psalm 23 ‘Ki Ata Imadhi” “For you are with me”, you can listen to that here. That’s not the only song of psalm 23! There are so many renditions of Psalm 23 such as: •        Psalm 23, Bobby McFerrin •       Too Many Tears, 2Pac •       Ripple, Grateful Dead  •       Psalm 23, Leonard Bernstein •       Psalm 23, Judy Collins •       Psalm 23, Nechama Carlebach  •       Psalm 23, traditional  •       Psalm 23 (I am not alone), People and Songs  •       Der Herr Ist Mein Getreur Hirt (Psalm 23), Bach •       Gangsters Paradise, Coolio  [8] Ari cites the failings of characters in the Bible: Moses for manslaughter (Exodus 2:12), King David for accessory to murder, (II Samuel 11) and Joseph being used for good while he’s imprisoned (Genesis 40:1-23).  [9] Rabbi Benay Lappe, sigh… amazing, right? Listen to her whole video here, or even better, check out her amazing organization, SVARA here.  [10] Ari mentions his certificates that are on his wall in his cell. The Jewish one declares his Hebrew name (Ari ben Avraham v’Sarah) and has the signatures of his beit din: Miriam, Marvin and Amy. A copy was also sent to the American Jewish Archives.  [11] Ari fights for his right to kindle lights, he refuses to accept the solution of electric lights as a substitute. According to Orthodox halacha (legal code) it is a violation of the sabbath and a holiday to turn on, off or dim an electric light. However, there are plenty of reasons why we may need to use electronic lights in lieu of paraffin or oil. In hospitals, or if you have oxygen in your home, or if it’s just you have on hand and it’s the only way to acknowledge the start of Shabbat. Here is an Orthodox take on why we might or might not use electronic lights. Here is an Conservative one, that addresses computers, ipads and electronic lights. If you haven’t listened to Judaism Unbound Podcast with Brett Lockspeiser, creator of Sefaria, the largest Jewish digital library in the world, you’ll love it! He has a gorgeous take on the use of technology as a sacred practice.   [12] We have some “insider” words in this episode. So here are a few translations: daven is a Yiddish term for praying, typically referring to the traditional three times of day prayers that happen in a traditional observant practice.  Tefillin are phylacteries, the leather boxes and wraps that bind the covenantal prayers to our bodies while we pray.  Rav is an affectionate term for Rabbi. One might learn or pray with many rabbis in one’s life, but your Rav or your Rebbe, your rabbi, is the person that you turn to or orient towards for moral leadership.  [13] Ari talks about the fall of the Second Temple in 70 CE. You can learn more here about the impact of the loss of the Temple as the place where Jews practiced their Judaism.  [14] Ari briefly mentions Tana visiting and feeling connected to her. We will talk more about this in later episodes, but for now, Ari is referring to a Chanukah celebration they had within the walls of the prison where rabbis and community members and in this case, Congressional Representative Tana Senn joined the guys for Chanukah.