THE LIVING JEWISHLY BLOG
The Ten Commandments for our Time
Dr. Elliot Malamet interprets how the Ten Commandments translate into modern times.
Episode 32 - What Would You Do?: "The Best Policy?” A Discussion.
Is honesty the best policy? Studies have shown that almost everyone lies on a weekly (or even daily) basis. In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet and Professor Muchnik dig deeply into the ethics of lying and cheating.
The Counting
As the planet enters its second year of pandemic, the story of Rabbi Akiva’s students cannot help but conjure up images of spreading devastation and agonizing helplessness. In a time where we have all felt visceral insecurity in the mundane acts of touching, talking, breathing, Lag Ba’omer reaffirms that there is joy beyond mourning and redemption that rises from loss.
Life is Elsewhere? The Israel of Fantasy and Reality.
In the imagination of many people, Israel engenders hypersized fantasies, where each day respresents—depending on your point of view--the potential for violence and bravery and heroism; a haven from persecution or a fresh start for Jewish dreamers; Start-Up Nation mixed with spiritual elation; brutal occupation and ethnic discrimination.
Masks and Morality
Should mask-wearing during a pandemic be universal public policy or a personal decision? This episode of the Living Jewishly podcast introduces What Would You Do?, the new ethics podcast from Dr. Elliot Malamet.
Freedom is A Verb
Freedom is certainly not felt identically by all sectors of society. This Passover, along with cherishing our own self-determination, let us reach out and help those who are not truly free, harassed and threatened not for anything that have done, but simply for who they are, what they look like, whom they love.
Jewish Practice and Core Beliefs with Ruth Chitiz
In this episode of the Living Jewishly podcast, Dr. Elliott Malamet interviews Ruth Chitiz about how she learned to own and reinterpret her own Judaism, how we can make the High Holy Days more enriching, spiritually meaningful experiences, and why so many people feel that the liturgy feels out of step with what they need emotionally.
When Slavery Is Not Just In Your Head
Many people have commented about feeling “confined” during the pandemic while at the same time according to the International Labour Organization, at least 40 million people are virtually owned by others right now around the world.
Behind the Mask: The Lives We Don’t Lead
For centuries Purim has been labelled “the holiday of masks”. In our latest blog post, Dr. Elliott Malamet dives into the meaning of the "holiday of masks" and discusses how the era of Covid-19 has caused us to put on both physical and emotional masks distancing us from those we love.
The Plague of Darkness: Waking up to Depression
Through these difficult times, many of us have been struggling with our mental health. May we all find the grace and strength to see each other through these troubling times and look out for one another, so that, as day breaks, we can get up and start to live, one step at a time.
Are Jewish Schools as Important as we Think? - Part Three
The question about whether it is necessary to enrol Jewish children in Jewish schools is a long-standing one — and one that has sparked many lively debates. Find out how Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Elliot Malamet advise parents to approach their children’s religious education in this episode of the Living Jewishly podcast.
Have we made it more expensive than it should be to be Jewish? - Part Two
Have we unintentionally created a too-high cost of entry for living a Jewish lifestyle? How can we create a Jewish lifestyle that is affordable, accessible, and inclusive? Listen to the latest episode of the Living Jewishly podcast to find out.
Have we made it harder than it should be to be Jewish? - Part One
Have we made it hard to be Jewish? How do Rabbi Yossi Sapirman and Dr. Elliot Malamet believe we can create a more tight-knit, inclusive community? Listen to the episode to find out.
Hope “Twenty-One” is Going to Be a Good Year. Mitzvot are recommended.
2020 has brought us many challenges that we have endured with strength and bravery. May we have hope that 2021 will be a year of making things better for everyone.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and the Key to Eternity
May Rabbi Sacks’ memory be a blessing, because surely his accomplishments and his contributions have already brought enormous blessing to Judaism, and grace and dignity, faith and hope, to a fractured world.
A Prayer of Light
The glow of the menorah has a special power, one that binds families together and communicates a message of love and faith in a culture where despair has become routine. As Chunakah grows nearer we are reminded of the value of light in our lives, whether the spark is derived from candles, oil, or emotional insight and belief in the future.
The Wandering Eye, The Restless Heart
To listen to the heart or the head? The problem here is that the very thing which brings us to love and joy and freedom also can be the wrecking ball that swings through our lives and leaves everything in tatters.
Life Unlived
If life is a narrative, many of us find ourselves wandering for much of the book, not sure how to proceed or even what story we are telling. We need to stop and find ourselves and take back control of our lives.
Twelve Steps to Inner Peace
It is a fairly common complaint that Judaism is a religion of rules and regulations that is heavy on structure, but light on facilitating serenity and joy. Here is a modest 12 step program towards inner peace, based primarily on Jewish teachings.
Prayer As A Cover: Part Two
In this episode, Rabbi Yossi and Dr. Malamet discuss the pros and cons of the virtual Shul experience we’ve come to expect during the pandemic. Will people come back to Shul after COVID? And can we ever undo the fact that we’ve found a new way to deliver something that people really want?