The Straw Hat

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld is joined by Dr. Rachel Weinerman, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility physician in Cleveland, Ohio. She explains her work, including the ways that helping her patients grow their families is predicated on reproductive freedom and how her practice can be affected by public policy and the law.

Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-...

This week we look forward to a wonderful opportunity to have Dr. Erica Brown visit ASBI! It will also be Rabbanit Goldie’s last drasha at ASBI and she and Rabbi Wolkenfeld discuss the pros and cons of sharing Torah in a drasha versus a shiur. They also dive into some of the issues that will affect our community post-Roe v. Wade with the potential for a radically changed legal regime, including assistive reproductive technologies, I...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie reflect on Passover and Rabbanit Goldie shares her experience attending a Mimouna. They detail all the reasons to join us at our Annual Soiree on May 23rd and also explore the history and consequences of the recent dynamic of the parashas read in Israel and the Diaspora becoming out of sync. Rabbi Wolkenfeld shares some of the recent learning in Daf Yomi – the Talmud’s treatment of th...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie explain why everyone should join our second night Community Seder at shul and also share some of their own family seder traditions. They also offer some ways to approach the issues of the seder’s late start time – what to do if you are invited to a seder with an early start time and accommodating kids at the seder. Rabbi Wolkenfeld shares some of the compelling metaphors for faithfuln...

This week, in addition to the excitement of Purim, it’s also a time of anxiety and sadness as we listen to the news out of Ukraine. Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie talk about the situation there and the work that people are doing to help—and also debate the appropriateness of rabbinic delegations to help with refugee resettlement. As is very timely and relevant to these current events, they share some of the insights from Rabb...

This week, we wish a hearty Mazal Tov to Rabbanit Goldie on her engagement and also share the bittersweet news that she will be leaving ASBI this summer. In light of a greater ability to gather together once again, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie look to some of what’s new at ASBI: Women’s Kabbalat Shabbat; professional development for our madrichim; our Purim Extravaganza, and our Advanced Halakhah Reading Group.

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This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie reflect on Pastor Donovan Price’s visit to ASBI last Shabbat and the power of this show of solidarity as well how we, as an urban orthodox congregation, have a duty to support our neighbors. They also delve deeper into many of the learning that has been happening at the shul and what’s ahead on our calendar: the halacha of a Bar Mitzvah boy with dyslexia who can’t read from the Torah ...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie talk about our Mishnah Club program and share some of the Torah they have been learning—plus interview Mishnah Club participant and ASBI Member Shira Berkowitz! They also talk about Parshat Mishpatim, give an introduction to our Scholar-in-Residence this Shabbat, Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier, and mourn the loss of Rabbi Simcha Krauss, reflecting on his impact on American Modern Orthodoxy....

Looking to this week’s Torah portion and Haftorah, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie talk about Devorah both as a person and as an example in halakhic literature. Rabbanit Goldie also gives a preview of her upcoming shiurim on forgiveness in the Talmud and the reason these classes are particularly timely in our socially distant age. They also share some wisdom from recent learning at shul on when the restrictions of shabbat come...

In this episode, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie talk about some of the practical halachot covered in Masechet Megillah, which just began in Daf Yomi (and in particular, how it can be applied to our shul). Rabbi Wolkenfeld also gives a preview of his upcoming “Judaism & Peacemaking” shiur and Rabbanit Goldie gives some thoughts on Parshat Vayechi and the practice of creating ethical wills. Music credit: “Three” from the alb...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie reflect on Masechet Rosh Hashanah, which was recently completed in Daf Yomi, and the many relevant topics it covers, including the laws and practices of tefillah. They also celebrate the return of inviting kids up onto the bima Shabbat morning and the joys of this bit of return to normalcy. Lastly, Rabbanit Goldie shares an interpretation of this week’s parsha, Parshat Vayishlach.

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The clocks are about to change and Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie explore some of the opportunities to engage in mitzvot in ways that are uniquely available during this time of year. In particular, they present some ways to engage kids Jewishly and orient them to shul life beyond Shabbat morning. They also give an overview and a bit of a taste of what will be explored in our upcoming Middle School Mishnah Club and our ASBI Gl...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie discuss some of the themes and interpretations of Parshat Vayera. They also talk about an idea that has come up in Daf Yomi of adding some of the holy to the mundane. Finally, they share some of the pedagogy they explored in this week’s Parent-Child learning session about rooting ourselves in the text.

Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Crea...

In this episode, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie discuss the unique perspective of Sefer Devarim, which begins this week. Rabbi Wolkenfeld also shares some of the insights from his Shabbat afternoon shiur on Gesher Hachaim by Rabbi Tucazinsky, and Rabbanit Goldie relates her experience doing chaplaincy work in a hospital and how that has affected her.

Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a C...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie discuss the Three Weeks and explore how the messages of unity and coming together during this time can be at odds with the way we’ve been living during the pandemic. They discuss how a generosity of spirit can help get us back into the habit of communal life and help us work through the pain and baggage we all bring with us. Rabbanit Goldie also shares some of her recent research as p...

This week, Rabbi Wolkenfeld and Rabbanit Goldie discuss Parshat Korach and explore the question of if every Jew is inherently holy or if holiness is the product of Mitzvot. They also discuss the art of drasha writing and share an update on some of the exciting ways that things are re-opening at the shul.

Music credit: “Three” from the album Proverbs, by Les Hayden, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivativ...