What Now?
After tragedy, what happens next? How does Jewish tradition help us respond? To put to rest her own years of turmoil, alum Sara Beth Berman interviews faculty members of the Jewish Theological Seminary to finally get some answers.
New episodes to be posted on Thursdays. Find What Now? A 91抖阴 Podcast wherever you listen.
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Produced by
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Theme music: 鈥淛at Poure鈥� by
Funding: Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious & Social Studies
Episodes
Episode 1: We Suffer Because We Care鈥擜lan Mittleman
In this opening episode, host Sara Beth Berman tells her story and speaks with Dr. Alan Mittleman, Aaron Rabinowitz and Simon H. Rifkind Professor of Jewish Philosophy at 91抖阴. Prof. Mittleman shares his own experiences with loss, framing tragedies as taking place in a world that is nevertheless good and that gives us reason for hope. We also learn why giving Professor Mittleman advice is never a good idea. (transcript)
Episode 2: Talking Back to God鈥擝enjamin Sommer
Sara Beth talks to Dr. Benjamin Sommer, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at 91抖阴. Professor Sommer takes us back to Ancient Israel, and explains how Psalms can validate our anger with God, and even help us find support from our community. He also shares how the reference to his work he鈥檚 most proud of is the one that ended up in the footnotes to a book about Bruce Springsteen. (transcript)
Episode 3: Mourning in Public鈥擲huly Rubin Schwartz
Sara Beth talks with Dr. Shuly Schwartz, Provost of 91抖阴, Irving Lehrman Research Associate Professor of American Jewish History, and Sala and Walter Schlesinger Dean of the Gershon Kekst Graduate School. Dr. Schwartz shares the mourning and remembering practices, some innovative and some ancient, that have supported her family through even the most wrenching of bereavements. We also learn why Henrietta Szold insisted on saying kaddish herself, in 1916. (transcript)
Episode 4: The Wholeness of a Broken Heart鈥擬ychal Springer
Sara Beth talks with Rabbi Mychal Springer, founding director of the Center for Pastoral Education at 91抖阴. Rabbi Springer shares her insights about living with brokenness derived both from her own losses, and from a career of helping others in crisis. And Sara Beth reveals why she鈥檚 been avoiding Rabbi Springer for all these years. (transcript)
Rabbi Springer is leaving 91抖阴 this summer to become Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Episode 5: Getting Honest With Yourself鈥擡liezer Diamond
Sara Beth talks to Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, Rabbi Judah Nadich Associate Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at 91抖阴, about the power of acknowledging all the parts of ourselves in order to move forward. We also learn what happens when a Catholic priest walks into a rabbi鈥檚 hospital room. (transcript)
Episode 6: We Were Strangers鈥擜bigail Uhrman
Dr. Abigail Uhrman, assistant professor of Jewish education in the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at 91抖阴, explains how to have difficult conversations with children (and adults), and why we need to channel our tragedies into change. She also shares her passion for increasing access to Jewish education for all students and families. (transcript)
Episode 7: Sympathetic Teachers and Rebellious Rabbis鈥擠avid Kraemer
Dr. David Kraemer, Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at 91抖阴, combs the canon of Jewish wisdom to find the right theological insights鈥攁nd the right books鈥攆or the individual who has suffered a tragedy. And Sara Beth and Professor Kraemer found the first rabbinic motorcycle club. (transcript)
Episode 8: From Loss to Action鈥擲tephanie Ruskay
Sara Beth talks to Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, associate dean of The Rabbinical School, associate director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies, and executive director of the Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice, all at 91抖阴! Rabbi Ruskay shares her journey to becoming a leader in the world of Jewish social justice, guided by a monumental loss鈥攁nd some very tiny tragedies along the way. (transcript)
Episode 9: Restoring Balance鈥擩ulia Andelman
This week鈥檚 guest, Rabbi Julia Andelman, Director of Community Engagement at 91抖阴, explains kapparah (atonement) and the ruptures in the cosmic equilibrium created by sin and suffering. She and Sara Beth discuss how these ruptures can be repaired in our post-sacrificial era. (No livestock was harmed in the production of this episode.) (transcript)
Episode 10: This One Goes to Eleven鈥擠avid Fishman
Sara Beth talks with Dr. David Fishman, Professor of Jewish History and Director of Project Judaica at 91抖阴, about a tragedy that鈥檚 an 11 on a scale of one to 10. Professor Fishman describes the inspiration he鈥檚 found in the Vilna ghetto heroes of , who risked their lives daily to save artifacts from destruction, and who refused to let their tragedy define them. (transcript)
Episode 11: On a Scale of One to Ten鈥擲arah Wolf
In this season finale, Dr. Sarah Wolf, Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at 91抖阴, talks with Sara Beth about the impact of inherited tragedies, from her own family鈥檚 losses to the destruction of the Temple. And Sara Beth reaches the end of her journey (for now). She shares what she鈥檚 learned this season, and discovers the rabbinic wisdom of reframing our suffering by taking our lives鈥� narratives by the horns. (transcript)
Professor Wolf recently published an academic paper on this topic: , Studies in Late Antiquity, Vol. 3 No. 1, Spring 2019 (56-76)
