Jewish Quest
Each week, join us on an adventure as we deconstruct that week’s parasha, exploring new insights and meaning in the Torah. Hosted by Simon Eder and sponsored by the Louis Jacobs Foundation, a part of Masorti Judaism, Jewish Quest aims to honour the statement of R' Jacobs z"l who said: 'The quest for Torah is itself Torah.' Welcome to that Quest. Find out more about our work at louisjacobs.org and masorti.org.uk
Episodes
Professor James Diamond joins Simon as we open our fifth season to discuss the key questions of Bereishit.
Professor James A. Diamond is the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of Jewish Studies at the University of Waterloo and former director of the university’s Friedberg Genizah Project. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and Medieval Jewish Thought from the University of Toronto, and an LL.M. from New...
In a special interruption of our typical weekly programme, this week's episode is a recording of the 20th Annual Louis Jacobs Memorial Lecture, delivered by Rabbi Danny Nevins at New London Synagogue. Rabbi Danny discusses the question, 'Can Judaism Survive the AI Revolution?' and explores questions of agency, personhood, and halakhic precedent governing our interaction with artificial intelligence.
Rabbi Roni Tabick joins Simon to discuss Pinchas, zealotry, and his upcoming novel, Radiance.
Rabbi Roni Tabick is rabbi of New Stoke Newington Shul. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. With a Masters in Ancient Judaism, Roni specialises in Talmud, mysticism and Jewish Mythology, especially the Leviathan and other sea monsters.
Professor Eichler from Bar-Ilan University joins Simon to discuss the episode of Moses (and Aaron) hitting the rock, and the consequent punishment.
Prof. Raanan Eichler is an Associate Professor of Bible at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed fellowships at Harvard University and Tel Aviv University. He is the author of The Ark and the Cheru...
Rabbi Samuel Klein joins Simon to discuss Korach, Salcedo and Rothko – among others!
Rabbi Samuel Klein is Director of Jewish Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, where he leads strategic initiatives that build meaningful connections to Jewish life. He directs the Francine R. Loeb Leadership Institute, which empowers emerging Jewish leaders in Seattle, and Reset & Refresh, a nationa...
Professor Idan Dershowitz (Monash University) joins Simon to discuss Joshua Chapter 2, this week's Haftarah and the mysterious nature of the symbol 'ot' referenced in both the Parashah and Haftarah.
Idan Dorshav Dershowitz joined the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation (ACJC) at Monash University in 2024. Previously, he was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows and served as Director of...
Dr. Angela Roskop Erisman joins Simon to discuss the biblical text of Numbers 12, focusing on Miriam and Aaron's criticism of Moses for marrying a Kushite woman
Dr. Angela Roskop Erisman is owner of Angela Roskop Erisman Editorial and was the founding editorial director of the Marginalia Review of Books. She earned her M.A. in Hebrew and Northwest Semitics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Ph.D. in Bible...
Reverend Patrick Moriarty joins Simon to discuss the Ten Commandments and their significance for Western civilization. Rev Moriarty, who previously served as head teacher at JCOSS (Jewish Community Secondary School) from 2012 to 2022 and currently works as rector of the parish of Harpenden, explores how the Ten Commandments function as "moral grammar" in modern society, emphasising the value of faith-based education...
Rabbi Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism in the UK, joins Simon to talk about Bamidbar, the spiritual potential of the desert, the environment and ecology, and the wisdom of Rabbi Louis Jacobs and others for our current moment.
Jonathan Wittenberg was born into a family with a long rabbinical tradition going back several generations in Germany and Eastern Europe. Having earned his degree in literature ...
Newly-minted Rabbi Zachary Bernstein-Rothberg joins Simon to discuss Shemittah and agriculture as we focus in on Parashat Behar. Rabbi Bernstein-Rothberg has recently been appointed the rabbi of South Herts and Edgware Masorti (SHEMA) in the UK and will be moving to the UK with his husband this Summer.
Dr. Adriane Leveen received her Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from the University of California and her M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University. She served as Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at Hebrew Union College until June, 2024. She is the author of Biblical Narratives of Israelites and their Neighbors: Strangers at the Gate (2017) and Memory and Tradition in the Book of Numbers (2008) and has contributed essays to...
David Frankel is Associate Professor of Bible at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. He has been on the faculty since 1992. He earned his PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the direction of Prof. Moshe Weinfeld. His publications include “The Murmuring Stories of the Priestly School,” and “The Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel.” From 1991 to 1996, Frankel was...
Rabbi Ariel Abel discusses both the physical and spiritual implications of Tzara'at (leprosy)
Dr Rabbi Joshua Garroway discusses the rationale for the dietary laws at various junctures in Jewish history and he also asks whether personal interpretations remain secondary to the enduring act of obedience.
Dr. Rabbi Joshua Garroway is the Sol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judaeo-Christian Studies at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles. He holds a Ph.D. from the Religious Studies Department at Yale and ordination fr...
Rabbi Alex Matthews asks what the perpetual altar fire symbolises.
Rabbi Alex Matthews has been part of the Congregation Ahavas Achim in Newburyport since 2015 and has been serving as its congregational leader since 2019. Rabbi Matthews was ordained at Hebrew College in June 2023. He serves part-time as a staff chaplain at Beverly Hospital. He completed the 18 Doors Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship focused on interfai...
Dr Jeremy Tabick is senior editor and faculty at Hadar. Jeremy received his PhD in Talmud at JTS, writing "'Our Holy Rabbi': A Reassessment of the Historical Evidence about Rabbi, His Role in the Rabbinic Movement and in Reconstructing Late Antique Jewish History". He graduated from the University of Manchester (in the UK) with a Masters in Physics, and is an alumnus of Yeshivat Hadar and the Conservative Yeshiva in...
Professor Kenneth Seeskindiscusses how the luxurious design of the Tabernacle contrasts with simpler forms of worship described elsewhere in the book of Exodus.
Professor Kenneth Seeskin is Professor of Philosophy and Philip M. and Ethel Klutznick Professor of Jewish Civilization at Northwestern University. He received his Ph.D in Philosophy from Yale University in 1972 and has been at Northwestern ever since. ...
Rabbi Alex Matthews asks how we should understand the sin of the golden calf.
Rabbi Alex Matthews has been part of the Congregation Ahavas Achim in Newburyport since 2015 and has been serving as its congregational leader since 2019. Rabbi Matthews was ordained at Hebrew College in June 2023. He serves part-time as a staff chaplain at Beverly Hospital. He completed the 18 Doors Rukin Rabbinic Fellowship fo...
Rabbi Ariel Abel asks why the Torah moves so abruptly from the cosmic revelation of Sinai to the detailed civil laws outlined in Mishpatim.
Rabbi Abel encourages cooperation, discussion and debate across the spectrum of the Jewish community. He is a rabbinic graduate of Midrash Sephardi in Jerusalem. He is a practising lawyer and a Sandhurst graduate chaplain in the British Army.
Rabbi Ariel Abel encourages cooperation, discussion and debate across the spectrum of the Jewish community. He is a rabbinic graduate of Midrash Sephardi in Jerusalem. He is a practising solicitor and a Sandhurst graduate chaplain in the British Army.
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