Talking Tachlis Podcast

Rashida Tlaib, freshman Congressmember from Michigan, is back in the news, this time for comments she made on Skullduggery, a Yahoo podcast, last week, speaking about Israel, Palestine, the one-state solution, and her ancestors' roles during the Holocaust. Her comments were blasted, but why? What did she actually say, and what did she mean? Were Tlaib's words taken out of context? Were they purposely false? Misleading? Inexcusably ignorant? Antisemitic? None of the above? All of the above? Tlaib on Skullduggery: https://play.acast.com/s/skullduggery/fromrashidawithlove Tlaib on The Daily: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/podcasts/the-daily/house-democrats-rashida-tlaib.html

This week, Uri and Rivky have a special guest, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, unusual Orthodox Jewish educator and author of new book, Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought. They talk about what it means to fail and sin in today's world - how should we cope with both our own failure, as individuals, and with leadership and rabbinic failure, as a community? They also dive into the difficulties and failures of Jewish organization and rabbis and ask, what are the goals of Jewish education? Check out Dovid's book: https://www.amazon.com/Sinagogue-Failure-Thought-Perspectives-Post-Rabbinic/dp/1618117963 And you gotta follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DBashIdeas

This week, Uri and Rivky have a special guest - friend of the show (and friend of the hosts), Rachael Fried, deputy executive director for JQY, Jewish Queer Youth, a nonprofit organization supporting and empowering LGBTQ youth in the Jewish community. They start by talking about Daniel and YCT. (For the last time, really! Well, probably not, let's be real.) Then they branch out, talking about what it looks like to be an LGBTQ member of the Modern Orthodox community and ask, will LGBTQ members of our community ever be fully accepted? What would that look like? How can marginalized groups be included? And honestly, what does/should it look like to be frum and gay in today's world? For listeners who want to learn more about JQY, check out JQYouth.org, or email info@jqyouth.org

This week, Uri and Rivky start by sharing some of the feedback from last week's episode about Chovevei and Daniel Atwood. Spoiler - some positive, some negative! They then dive into this week's topic: the current standout in the Democratic Party primary, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigeig. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to Mayor Pete, but Rivky and Uri focus specifically on his religion, which he is very vocal about. They ask, is his religion important? Who is the real Christian, Buttigeig or Mike Pence, who he attacks often? Is there a growing "religious left"? And, more globally, it even appropriate for presidential candidates to be speaking about religion in the first place? Read more here: https://www.jta.org/2019/04/12/politics/pete-buttigieg-keeps-calling-mike-pence-a-pharisee-heres-why-that-angers-jews https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/opinion/stacy-abrams-pete-buttigieg.html https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/02/opinions/buttigieg-and-religion-qa-beck/index.html

Last week, we read that Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a liberal Modern Orthodox rabbinic school in NY, will not be granting ordination to one of its 4th year students, Daniel Atwood, who is gay. The details of this particular case are depressing, confusing, and unclear - which didn't stop many in the community erupting in strong reactions - some firmly behind Rabbi Dov Linzer, the president and Rosh Yeshiva of Chovevei, and some very angry with him, others blaming Daniel, and others strongly supporting him. We don't know all the details about this particular situation - but let's step away from the specifics: what does this say about the larger questions? Do we still see a space for a gay Orthodox religious leader? What would that look like? Where does, or should, Orthodoxy draw the line? Read more about Passover seders: https://forward.com/food/397452/why-are-christians-starting-to-have-passover-seders/ http://www.schechter.edu/the-origins-of-the-seder/ Read more about YCT and Daniel Atwood: https:

Hope everyone is recovering well from Purim! This week, Uri and Rivky talk about two recent scandals from the past week - the allegations against megadonor, Michael Steinhardt, for sexual harassment, and against the Sackler family, who have begun to face criticism for their alleged role in creating the opioid crisis (as founders of Purdue Pharma, the distributors of OxyContin). They ask, how do we judge Steinhardt and the Sacklers? What is the responsibility of nonprofit organizations, especially Jewish nonprofit organizations, when it comes to donors? Does it matter how slimy they are, or their money is? (Big thanks to listener Arielle for the title suggestion!) Related links: White House press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90G89gK0iD0 Michael Steinhardt: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/nyregion/michael-steinhardt-sexual-harassment.html Sacklers and the opioid crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/health/opioids-purdue-pharma-oklahoma.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/arts/design/

This week, Uri and Rivky dive into discussion about the college cheating admissions scandal. They ask, cheating is bad, but how does it compare to legacy, affirmation action, tutoring, coaching, and a long, long list of ways we boost students? Links: Woman who got football scholarship for a men's team: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/28/sport/missouri-female-football-player-scholarship-spt-trnd/index.html College Admissions Scandal: https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/03/13/college-cheating-scandal-felicity-huffman-lori-laughlin-kaye-pkg-vpx.cnn NYT Snowplow Parents: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/16/style/snowplow-parenting-scandal.html Music: Talking Heads - Life During Wartime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLwZvg46jms

This week, Uri and Rivky discuss feedback about Ilhan Omar and antisemitism/islamaphobia. Then they dive into their main topic: the US Women's "institutionalized gender discrimination" lawsuit, fighting for better pay and better treatment. They ask, what's the basis for this lawsuit? Are they facing discrimination based on their gender? And what other issues might come into play here? As usual, Rivky begs Uri to be a fellow sports fan, because she's getting lonely over here. Related content: Jeanine Pirro Controversy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OW20SEcvlU Linda Sarsour on Sharia: https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/598327052727615488?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/719301817771892737?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/116922589967949824?lang=en https://twitter.com/lsarsour/status/534073703588700160 US Women's Soccer Law Suit: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/sports/sports-gender-disparity.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/sports/women-sports-equ

This week, Uri and Rivky break down the term "out of town," based on a tach-head listener email - Hi, Aaron! Next, they ask about Michael Cohen's testimony last week, and his teshuvah - real? Contrived? (And, is the red bendel amazing??) And, in their main topic, they discuss Representative Ilhan Omar and the controversies surrounding her anti-Israel (antisemitic?) comments. How bad are these statements? Is the reaction to her and her statements appropriate? Is latent Islamophobia responsible for some of her reaction? They also can't let the episode go without touching on Otzma Yehudit, internal Young Israel politics, and whether Bibi will escape unscathed. Related links: Michael Cohen Opening Statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9PuSd7EhVE Forward Article: https://forward.com/opinion/419730/if-you-called-out-the-womens-march-over-farrakhan-you-better-call-out/ Ilhan Omar's twitter: https://twitter.com/IlhanMN Omar's speech about "dual loyalty": http://jewishinsi

Welcome back! First, Uri and Rivky break down some great feedback they got about last week's episode about kashrut. (Bottom line, which they should have said last week: trust your own decision-making process to make kashrut decisions!) Then, Uri and Rivky discuss the depressing story of Jussie Smollett. They ask, what does this mean for our society and community, and the narratives we build around these incidents? How does this story impact the way we think of "victimhood"? And what exactly are hate crimes, anyway? Links: Chicago Police Briefing On Jussie Smollett Arrest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8syC9FDuDN4 Music: Uncle Moishy - Kosher Medley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BHhRTjv_sU

This week, Uri and Rivky are joined by a guest - Josh Wilensky, manager of NY Brat Factory and previous manager of Amsterdam Burger! Rivky, Uri and Josh talk about what the kosher industry is really like on the inside. Josh shares some funny stories from the restaurants, and we ask, why is it so hard to keep a kosher restaurant open? What's with the expenses, like the mashgiach - are they worth it? And are kosher consumers really as annoying as our reputation? Relevant links: Kish Kash: https://forward.com/food/403673/kish-kash-einat-admonys-newest-venture-finally-opens/ Why can't kosher restaurants stay open?: https://forward.com/food/416599/why-did-nyc-lose-15-kosher-restaurants-in-2018/ Exception that proves the rule: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule https://grammarist.com/phrase/the-exception-that-proves-the-rule/

This week, Rivky and Uri did a quick run-through of recent topics - Ilhan Omar and her tweets; the tragic killing of Ori Ansbacher; and more. They then discuss reactions to last week, and what makes a good rabbi - transitioning nicely into the current rabbinic controversy, the RCBC's recent decision to oust Rabbi Nati Helfgot, Rabbi of Netivot Shalom, in Teaneck, NJ, over their female rabbinic intern, a current student in Yeshivat Maharat. We ask, is the RCBC wrong? What is the role of rabbinic organizations? How much flexibility should individual shuls, and rabbis, get? With, undoubtably, a very unnatural transition, they then launch straight into a discussion of JOFA's recent panel on the women's march and antisemitism and ask, after hearing the moderator and panelist, have our concerns been assuaged? Have we solved this problem once and for all??? Relevant links: Rabbi Helfgot and RCBC: https://www.jta.org/2019/02/08/united-states/in-nj-orthodox-rabbis-vote-to-bar-a-colleague-for-training-fe

This week, Uri and Rivky discussed the current rabbinic search at Mt. Sinai Synagogue - and they asked, hey, what's the point of a synagogue rabbi, anyway? Do we even need a rabbi? What do we value in a rabbi? And, on the flip side, what makes someone a horrible rabbi? Relevant links: Julian Edelman in Israel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odynJMMu9HA R.E.M. - Welcome To The Occupation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XARqoTAJFuM Weird Al Yankovic - Pretty Fly For A Rabbi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usPkL2EQPYo

This week, Uri and Rivky review the story we can't shake, about the Covington high school students in DC. They then dive into last week's opinion piece by Michelle Alexander, opinion columnist for the NY Times, entitled, "Time to Break the Silence on Palestine," in which Alexander argues that, though Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was clearly pro-Israel when he was alive, if he were still alive, he would clearly be distraught at what Israel, and the occupation, has become. Uri and Rivky ask, is she right? What do we think of her arguments? And, if she is right, what does it mean for us today? Relevant links: David Brooks: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/opinion/call-out-social-justice.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/21/opinion/covington-march-for-life.html Nick Sandmann interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ZhDGaQMS4 Nathan Phillips interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-9-qmN0Hmw Michelle Alexander: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/opinion/sunday/martin-luther-king-pale

This week, Rivky and Uri tackle "call out" culture - or, the phenomenon of publicly denouncing people who are engaging in something we think of as evil. Last week, David Brooks published in the NY Times that he is not a fan: "Really? Do we really think cycles of cruelty do more to advance civilization than cycles of wisdom and empathy?" Only a day later, we saw the conflict in DC: boys in MAGA hands, Native American activists, Black Hebrew protestors, and we couldn't wait to call everyone out. And, on top of that - a bagel store in Passaic throws a menu with sexist overtones into the mix. What a week! Uri and Rivky ask, is David Brooks right? And if he is, what's the solution? Should we just ignore injustice? Relevant links: David Brooks: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/opinion/call-out-social-justice.html Run-down of the Confrontation in DC with videos: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/01/22/native-american-maga-teen-confrontation-washington-dc Bagels in Passaic: https://for

This week, Uri and Rivky discuss a recent flurry of articles discussing the relationship between American Jews and Israeli Jews. In the Forward, Peter Beinart warns that American Jews reject Birthright if they don't address, head on, Israel's fraught relationship with the Palestinians. In the New York Times, Jonathan Weisman warns that American Jews are facing a division between their brethren and their values. And in Times of Israel, Daniel Gordis, responding to Beinart and Weisman, tells American Jews to take a step back and have some hubris in their approach to Israel. After reading all three, Rivky and Uri have to ask, who's right? If this problem is real, is it fixable, or is the breakup inevitable? And do American Jews, or Israeli Jews, really think it's a problem that they care to fix? Relevant links: Peter Beinart on Birthright: https://forward.com/opinion/416968/birthright-will-fail-if-it-cant-adapt-to-the-needs-of-young-jews-that/ Jonathan Weisman on the potential split: https://

Rivky's back! (Took her long enough.) And this week, after Rivky and Uri's quick recaps of the last two weeks of their lives, they dive into this week's topic, Shira Hanau's recent article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin: High Stakes For Politically Liberal Modern Orthodox Jews. They ask, is it truly so hard being a liberal Modern Orthodox Jew? What about being a conservative Modern Orthodox Jew? Let's be honest - do we want a more mixed community, or do we want others to be more like us? And what do the arguments in this article say about the state of the Modern Orthodox community? Relevant links: Shira Hanau article: https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/articles/autumnwinter2018/high-stakes-politically-liberal-modern-orthodox-jews Orthodox Union and Jeff Sessions: https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/justice-justice-you-shall-pursue-on-the-ou-honoring-jeff-sessions/ Liberals can't stand Trump supporters: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/the-fix/wp/2017/07/20/half-of-lib

This week Uri is joined by another very special guest, the amazing Aliza Abrams-Konig! They start off with a discussion about the future of lab grown meat, which gets them into kosher certification and its boundaries, including this week's controversy surrounding comedian Leah Forster. They then talk about the recent controversy surrounding an anti-Semitic Instagram post from Lebron James. Finally, Aliza and Uri discuss their shared experiences on service learning trips, and conclude with a discussion about some of Aliza's recent personal challenges. Links: WSJ video about lab grown meat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjSe-0vSRMY 15 Kosher restaurants closed down last year: https://forward.com/food/416599/why-did-nyc-lose-15-kosher-restaurants-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0gI3IH4WCbocg_UW7_PNNytGpP_hswwv72g3pc0SVhQC10xyqpwg96XN4 Leah Forster allowed to perform: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-jewish-lesbian-comic-20181231-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2ukVEnt_H0WCoNVJ6Ov99QdvkPrQyHWFaTSTdommaviSijexc

This week Uri has a conversation with the amazing Abbie Wasserman AKA Abbie Sophia. They discuss Abbie's unconventional background, the challenges of starting a business, proper social media etiquette, some surprising aspects of being a photographer in the Jewish community, and much more! There is also a cameo appearance from one of the youngest Tach-Heads out there. Music: Bonnie Raitt - Something To Talk About https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQLpRBDrhn8 Jackson Browne - Running On Empty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WhDTS2AeLw

This week, Uri and Rivky dive into a sensitive and difficult topic: why Jewish law? Is it because God commanded it? Because it's moral? Because it impacts the world? (None of the above?) Why do we have the Torah’s laws? Music: Talk Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHnOBlwU3A