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Intimate Judaism

Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn

Our monthly podcast, INTIMATE JUDAISM, addresses intimacy and healthy sexuality in the context of Jewish family life. We raise conflicts and challenges and candidly offer solutions while remaining firmly within the bounds of Torah and Halacha.

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22 episodes
monthly
Avg 53 min
English

Episodes 22

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S9 · E1
October 21 · 47 min
(72) Breathe Your Way to Climax: Kabbalah and the Female Orgasm
For some women, reaching orgasm can be challenging, while others have never experienced one. In this episode of Intimate Judaism, sex therapist Shely Rachel Esses shares practical tips to help women and their partners better understand female pleasure, enhance arousal, and make orgasm more accessible. Drawing on Kabbalistic wisdom, breathwork, and body awareness, we explore ways to overcome barriers to pleasure and deepen sexual intimacy.
September 6 · 39 min
Understanding Your Body and Sexuality (Special Re-Release of ISEA Episode 4)
This episode was originally released as part of our new miniseries, Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism. Although that series is designed for young adults between 18-25, we think that all Intimate Judaism listeners will enjoy it and learn from it - none more than this episode, which deals with a topic not yet addressed on Intimate Judaism. Listen to Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism on Spotify, Apple. or wherever you get your podcasts. Many young adults enter marriage without knowing basic anatomy, or believing myths about virginity and gender differences. This episode provides real, accurate information on bodies, arousal, and consent, replacing shame and confusion with the confidence to communicate.
August 3 · 28 min
Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults, Powered by Intimate Judaism: An Introduction
Many Jewish young adults reach their wedding night with almost no real guidance on intimacy and sexuality. Rabbi Scott Kahn and sex and relationship therapist Talli Rosenbaum open the series by explaining why these conversations need to start years before the chuppah, and what's ahead in the next nine episodes. The remaining nine episodes of Intimacy and Sexuality for Emerging Adults will drop this Saturday night, August 8th. Subscribe today on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.
S8 · E7
July 21 · 52 min
(71) Divorce With Dignity
As we observe the days of mourning before Tisha B'Av, we reflect on another profound experience of grief: the ending of a marriage. Divorce has its own mourning process, yet even when a marriage must end, it can end with dignity, compassion, and integrity. Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn speak with mediator and to'enet rabbanit Shoshie Goldstein about healthy co-parenting, navigating divorce in the Orthodox community, and finding a path toward healing.
S8 · E6
June 8 · 49 min
(70) Intimacy in an Age of Anxiety and Uncertainty: How Chronic Stress Changes Relationships
October 7 changed countless lives. But for many Jewish people across the world, the deeper challenge has been what came afterward: months and years of ongoing stress, uncertainty, grief, and vigilance. In this episode, Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn explore how chronic stress affects relationships, intimacy, and sexuality, and why connection remains one of our most important sources of resilience and healing. To access resources including articles, subsidized therapy, and workshops, go to the Intimate Judaism website.
S8 · E5
April 29 · 1 hr
(69) Between Halacha and Reality: Addressing Masturbation and Pornography with Orthodox Teenage Boys
How should Orthodox educators address masturbation with teenage boys—and what happens when the message is only about prohibition? Dr. Dan Jacobson offers a thoughtful, experience-based approach that balances halacha, mental health, and the lived reality of adolescents, focusing on reducing shame, fostering responsibility, and speaking about sexuality in a healthier, more honest way. To download a free copy of Dr. Jacobson's booklet, Light in the Darkness: Torani Psychological Perspectives on Shmirat HaBrit, go to drdanjacobson.com.
S8 · E4
March 8 · 56 min
(68) Don't Look, Don't Tell
When observing the laws pertaining to niddah, women are often taught not to look at their bodily discharges, to avoid becoming niddah. With our guests Lisa Septimus and Malka Chana Amichai, we explore the halachic logic behind "don't look," the tension it creates with body awareness, and whether halacha undermines or advances body literacy.
S8 · E3
January 21 · 52 min
(67) "Just Be Normal": Navigating conflicts between desire, intimacy, identity and Jewish law (an Intimate Judaism Q&A)
In this Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, we respond to honest questions about desire, restraint, identity, mental health, and intimacy within Jewish life. We touch on topics including bisexuality, workplace boundaries, what is permitted within marital intimacy, postpartum depression and low desire, shmirat einayim, and even whether leaving the lights on matters. Throughout, we focus on integrating emotional well-being with halachic integrity, rather than shame or self-erasure.
S8 · E2
Dec 16, 2025 · 48 min
(66) Sexless Marriage: Why Doesn't He Want Me?
In this episode, we explore the many reasons men may avoid sexual intimacy. Challenging the myth of the "always-ready" husband, this episode explores the physical, psychological, relational, and religious factors that shape male sexuality. We discuss she impact of sexual guilt, shame, performance anxiety and trauma on sexual motivation and function, and offer guidelines for reconnection with compassion and understanding.
S8 · E1
Nov 2, 2025 · 57 min
(65) Talking About Sex at School: A Conversation with Shuli Taubes
How can Jewish educators guide teens through questions about bodies, desire, and values without shame or fear? Talli and Scott sit down with Shuli Taubes to discuss why high school education about sex and sexual ethics matters, what healthy frameworks look like, and how schools can partner with parents to raise confident, thoughtful, and compassionate young adults.
Sep 16, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Relationship Renewal: Commitment and Forgiveness in Elul (Bonus Episode)
In this premiere episode of the eighth season of Intimate Judaism, we collaborated with Together in Happiness, an organization dedicated to helping couples navigate marriage. Together, we are releasing a recording of a lecture delivered by cohost Talli Rosenbaum. In this talk, Talli discusses how Jewish marriage mirrors the relationship of the Jewish people with God, and draws upon the concepts of teshuva to provide a template for relational repair in marriage. To learn more about Together in Happiness, visit their website here.
S7 · E8
Jun 22, 2025 · 47 min
(64) ⁠From Shame to Self: Navigating Sexuality After Leaving Orthodoxy
Dr. Sara Glass, author of "Kissing Girls on Shabbat" was raised in the Hasidic community of Gur. Today, she is trauma therapist, identifies as queer, and though she is no longer religious herself, works with women along the religious and LGBTQ spectrum. We spoke to Sara about the risks and dangers of sexual experimentation when leaving religious life, and the complexities of integrating being gay and religious.
S7 · E7
May 14, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
(63) Having "The Talk": How Should Jewish Parents Talk to Kids About Sex?
How do we talk to our kids about sex in a way that's honest, healthy, and grounded in Jewish values? In this episode of Intimate Judaism, Talli and Scott speak with Yonina Rubinstein to explore how parents can approach conversations about sexuality with sensitivity, clarity, and confidence. We discuss practical strategies for different ages and stages, the importance of modeling a positive attitude toward intimacy, and how halacha (Jewish law) and tradition can serve as a guide—not a barrier—to raising sexually healthy children. Whether you're a parent, educator, or just thinking ahead, this episode offers an essential roadmap for navigating "the Talk" in a way that's both open and deeply rooted in Jewish life.
Apr 27, 2025 · 45 min
Tzniut: Modesty, Female Masturbation, and the Media (CLASSIC EPISODE)
Orthodox girls and women are traditionally taught to dress modestly in order to avoid attracting the male gaze and to keep men from sinful thoughts or behaviors. These messages, according to Rabbanit Oriya Mevorach, an educator and doctoral student of Gender and Philosophy, objectify and sexualize women and girls, and are actually influenced by Western society's sexuality discourse. Moreover, the effect of these messages present men as sexual beings while female sexuality is ignored. Rabbanit Mevorach, who studies sexuality and culture, presents an alternate approach to teaching modesty to young women in their teenage and young adult years. She also discusses what Jewish law has to say about female masturbation.
S7 · E6
Mar 26, 2025 · 56 min
(62) Love on the spectrum: Navigating intimacy with a neurodivergent spouse
If you are on the autism spectrum, or know or suspect your spouse may be, intimacy and communication may present challenges. In this episode, Talli and Rabbi Scott speak with Tzippora Price, an expert on neurodivergent couples, to learn more. They identify some of the behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as some challenges that may occur when one spouse is neurodivergent (and whether these problems can likely be avoided if both spouses have ASD). They also address problems unique to Orthodox Jews on the spectrum, how these issues affect a couple's sex life, and some mechanisms for overcoming these challenges.
S7 · E5
Feb 9, 2025 · 51 min
(61) Did I Marry the Wrong Person?
In this episode, Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn blend Jewish wisdom with modern psychology to explore marital doubt, intimacy challenges, and when to stay or go. Tune in for practical insights on transforming even the most challenging relationships.
S7 · E4
Jan 14, 2025 · 47 min
(60) "Happy Wife, Happy Life"?
Many contemporary how-to guides to Jewish marriage in the Orthodox world encourage husbands to shoulder full responsibility for their wives' happiness at the expense of their own. In the yeshiva world this is known as "being mevater." Though teaching young men to be unconditionally kind and respectful to their wives sounds progressive, Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum discuss the potential problems with this approach.
S7 · E3
Dec 8, 2024 · 54 min
(59) Will I Marry the Wrong Person?
Choosing a marriage partner is one of the most important decisions one makes in life. Yet the process of dating, building a relationship and deciding to marry requires time and good relational skills. Listen as Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum discuss dating and getting engaged.
S7 · E2
Oct 30, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
(58) Why not a Threesome, Sex in the Dark, Hating Nidah Laws and More: An Intimate Judaism Q&A
In our latest Q&A episode, Talli and Scott address some of the many questions submitted by listeners regarding Judaism and intimacy. Among the issues they discuss are repairing sexuality after 15 years of "doing it wrong," consensual threesomes, sex therapy versus couples therapy, when a wife wants sex more than her husband, tubal ligation, looking at porn to get in the mood, and much more. To watch Talli's webinar on Relationship Renewal, Commitment, & Forgiveness in Elul, click here. Visit IntimateJudaism.com for the full podcast archive, shownotes, a free men's mikvah checklist, and more.
S7 · E1
Sep 10, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
(57) Hugging with a shinui: Halachic leniency in times of distress
According to Rav Yoni Rosensweig, founder of Maagalei Nefesh, an organization that confronts issues pertaining to mental health and halacha, "Jewish law is not meant to cause harm." War, mental health concerns, and emotional and relational distress are factors that contribute to the need to seek leniencies in halachic practice in a way that reduces, rather than increases, potential harm. Listen to the premiere episode of Season 7 of Intimate Judaism as Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum discuss mental health, intimacy and Halacha with our guest, Rav Yoni Rosensweig.

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