Hashivenu

Series Finale: Rabbi Deborah Waxman & Incoming President Rabbi Elliott Tepperman

In the final episode of Hashivenu, Rabbi Deborah Waxman closes out her run as host, and thirteen years as president of Reconstructing Judaism, with her most frequent gues

Penultimate Episode: Looking Back at Hashivenu Through the Years with Producer Sam Wachs

Just weeks before her tenure as President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism comes to a close, Rabbi Deborah Waxman is joined by Hashivenu's longtime producer and editor S

The Jewish Way to a Good Life: A Conversation with Rabbi Shira Stutman

What does it really mean to live a good life and how can ancient Jewish practices help us get there? Rabbi Deborah Waxman sits down with her teacher, colleague, and frien

Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie returns to discuss Jewish chosenness, love, and his film Sabbath Queen

Rabbi Deborah Waxman continues her conversation with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, founder of Lab/Shul and subject of the documentary The Sabbath Queen. They explore how to ho

Hope Is a Muscle: The Hatikvah Slate with special guest Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie

Rabbi Deborah Waxman is joined by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie for a vital conversation about the complexities of Zionism, Israeli identity and progressive Jewish values. As d

Why Voting for the Hatkivah Slate in the World Zionist Congress Matters: A Conversation Across Generations

In this special episode of Hashivenu, Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Rabbi Jodie Siff and her son Aaron Siff-Scherr to discuss their deep personal and political commitment

Reconstructionist Values, Covenantal Community and War in the Middle East

In preparation for Reconstructing Judaism’s December 15 movement-wide virtual convening, Rabbi Elliott Tepperman and Rabbi Rachel Weiss join Rabbi Deborah Waxman for a de

Building Covenantal Community in the New Year and Beyond

With the High Holiday season underway, Deborah welcomes Justin Rosen Smolen, Reconstructing Judaism's Vice President for Thriving Communities and Partnerships, for a wide

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman recently announced that she will step down from her position as CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) in June after leading the

Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah

Rabbi Deborah Waxman welcomes Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah, for a wide-ranging conversation. The two longtime friends and hevrutah partners recall their early conversations

How to become our fullest, most expressive selves? Practice, practice, practice

Weeks ago, Rabbi Deborah Waxman and founder Yoshi Silverstein scheduled this discussion about embodied Jewish practice and antiracism. Did it make any sense to have this

Yom Kippur: A Celebration of Collective Release

In ancient times on Yom Kippur, the high priest of Israel presided over an elaborate, mystical service atop the Temple Mount. Today, many traditional synagogues recount t

S4 Ep. 9: Season of Reflection and Repentance

In this special episode, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D and Rabbi Sandra Lawson discuss their respective processes of preparing for the High Holidays. This isn’t about leadin

S4 Ep. 8: Songs of Joy and Mourning

Reconstructing Judaism board member and Tikkun Olam Commission co-chair Shahanna McKinney-Baldon opens up with Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D. and Rabbi Sandra Lawson about h

S4 Ep. 7: The Smooth River

On Sept. 3, 2019, Richard Cohen’s wife, Marcia Horowitz, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. Horowitz lived 160 more days. In his acclaimed 2021 book, The Sm

S4 Ep. 6: Being an Ally with Empathy, Humility and Courage

There’s an increasing focus in popular discourse on allyship, particularly when it comes to people of color and other marginalized groups. What does it mean to be an ally

S4 Ep. 5: JewAsian

Helen K. Kim is Professor of Sociology at Whitman College and in 2019 assumed the position of Associate Dean for Faculty Development. She is also the co-author of JewAsia

S4 Ep 4: In the Same Place, As the Same Person

Amanda Mbuvi, Ph.D., is the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College’s new vice president for academic affairs. Mbuvi, a Hebrew Bible scholar and nonprofit leader, is the fir

S4 Ep. 3: Creating a Jewish Community Where All Can Thrive

Marcella White Campbell is executive director of Be'chol Lashon -- a pioneering organization that strengthens Jewish identity by affirming the racial, ethnic, and cultura

S4 Ep 2: Paradox, Complexity and Liberation: A Conversation with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

We're joined by Professor Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, one of fewer than 100 Black American women to earn a doctorate in physics -- and a Reconstructionist! We discuss the i