Secrets of the Scroll

Outsiders often become the heart of the story. Episode 16 with Rabbanit Jennifer Raskas and Adriana Fernandez, explores Rut as a model of loyalty, quiet courage, and belonging in a world of uncertainty. Watch Episode 16...

Hidden love is still love. Episode 15 looks at Shir HaShirim and the quiet intimacy between God and Israel that continues even when everything seems distant. Watch Episode 15 and feel the hidden closeness.

Wisdom Changes When the World Changes In this episode, together with Dr. Lisa Fredman, we see how Mishlei, Kohelet, and Iyov speak to a covenant that must survive distance, doubt, and complexity Watch Episode 14 now.

Sometimes redemption comes even when we resist it. In Episode 13 with Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble, we meet reluctant redeemers like Yonah and Esther, who must be pushed into their role in history. Watch Episode 13 now.

How do you keep faith when you no longer see God? Episode 12 explores the theology of exile, where God’s presence is felt not through visions, but through endurance, repentance, and moral courage. Watch Episode 12 and...

Empires rise and fall. God remains hidden but active. In Episode 11, the prophets teach us how to understand suffering, destruction, and survival in exile. Esther becomes the voice of a people learning how to live after...

What happens when the Temple is gone, but the covenant remains? Episode 10 continues our journey through Melakhim, showing how Jewish survival after sovereignty becomes the foundation of the Esther story. Watch Episode...

Royal courts are not neutral spaces. They are spiritual testing grounds. Episode 9 with Dr. Yael Ziegler explores how the palace can become a place of moral danger and quiet corruption, echoing stories from Melakhim and...

Power without legitimacy is always unstable. Episode 8 with Rabbanit Jennifer Raskas, we examine kingship, ego, and danger through the parallels between Shaul, David, and the Persian court. Haman emerges as the latest...

What does leadership look like when no one has full control? Episode 7 looks at Esther and Mordechai as leaders in a fragmented world, where power is uncertain and authority is never absolute. Watch Episode 7 to explore...

Victory does not always happen on the battlefield. In Episode 6 with Rabbanit Malke Bina, we explore how the story of Esther redefines what it means to win. Not through swords, but through law, strategy, and courage in...

“A scattered and divided people.” That is how Haman describes the Jews. Episode 4 explores what it means to live without stability, without land, and without certainty. Esther becomes the story of a wandering people...

When prophecy is silent, memory becomes sacred. In Episode 5, we see how Esther becomes a way of rereading Jewish history itself. Without God speaking openly, the people must remember, interpret, and take responsibility...

What happens to holiness when there is no Temple? In Episode 3, we uncover the surprising parallels between the Mishkan and the palace of Shushan. Feasting replaces sacrifice. Fasting replaces ritual. And Purim becomes...

Redemption does not always come with miracles. Sometimes it comes through politics, courage, and silence. In Episode 2, Rabbanit Shani Taragin shows how the story of Esther mirrors the Exodus but in a radically...