While the Jewish people, and all people of good will, continue to face deep uncertainty about what’s happening in Israel and around the world – as I record this on Sunday afternoon, we are just beginning to process the end of Assad’s rule in Syria and trying to figure out if it’s a net positive or negative for democratic countries in general and Israel in particular – we all are in some ways looking for sources of resilience. What are the ways that we can move forward and figure out our roles, while trying to internalize a sense of hope, and without ignoring the sometimes harsh reality that surrounds us?
To learn more about potential sources of resilience, I was honored to speak to Rachel Sharansky Danziger. Hers was a very personal presentation, and I was deeply moved by her deep faith and learning, as well as her obvious wisdom. We talked about three key moments on October 7th and what they taught her about how to move forward; the manner in which Torah study and teaching Torah have been spiritual and emotional anchors for her and her students; the possibility of creating our own path to help expand God’s presence in the world, while simultaneously inviting God into partnership with us; the boldness of Chana and her prayer, and the message she has for us today; learning how to accept that even good choices may have negative consequences, and trying to let go of the guilt that accompanies those choices; imagining what the world can still become; and much more.
Check out the Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/. To read Scott’s reflections on his father’s life, click here.
Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108).
Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more – we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse.
Visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast.
Music: “Happy Rock” by bensound.com