Judaism Unbound

Institute for the Next Jewish Future

Listen in as Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman analyze pressing issues for 21st century American Judaism. Mixing their own analysis with interviews of leading thinkers, practitioners, and even "regular Jews," Lex and Rena Yehuda look to push past the bounds of what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century.

You can support Judaism Unbound at www.JudaismUnbound.com/donate.

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20 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 1 hr
Episode 546: Worlds to Come - Lexi Kohanski
Lexi Kohanski is a trans Jewish writer and educator, who recently created a Jewish TTRPG (table-top role-playing game) called Worlds to Come: The Hebrew Role-Playing Game. She is also a brand-new member of Judaism Unbound's staff team (our Education Content & Design Specialist)! Lexi joins Lex (confusing, we know!) and Rena Yehuda in this episode for a podcast diving into the power of Jewish play, the magic of weaving worlds through language. And, for the first time ever, Judaism Unbound itself
Wednesday · 2 min
Shabbat Dinner Party Trailer
Shabbat Dinner Party is an audio exploration through a Shabbat dinner from setting the intention, to making the dinner, to the dinner conversation — all with audio. Each week over five episodes, Kate Mishkin talks to people we wish were at the real Shabbat dinner table with us because they think carefully about what to put on the table and help us to understand how this ancient tradition remains relevant and necessary today. If you're looking to slow down and be more intentional in a fast-paced
July 24 · 24 min
Episode 545: Shabbat Unbound III - Ana B'Koach
Welcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach u
July 22 · 21 min
Episode VII: Woven Back Together Again
Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: Who do we become when we rest?
July 17 · 52 min
Episode 544: Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av) 2026 II - Andrue Kahn, Dania Rajendra
Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av) is an annual observance on the Jewish calendar, often understood as the saddest day of the year. It commemorates many different destructions and catastrophes throughout Jewish history, including (but not limited to) the destruction of the first and second temple in Jerusalem, thousands of years ago. Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman are joined by Andy Kahn, a rabbi and executive director of the American Council for Judaism, and Dania Rajendra, a community organizer a
July 15 · 23 min
Rest to Return VI: Making Time Sacred
Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: What makes time sacred?
July 10 · 47 min
Episode 543: Tisha B'Av (The 9th of Av) 2026 - Lex and Rena Yehuda
Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman discuss the history, shadow-sides, and positive possibilities for observing the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av) — understood by many to be the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. What is Tisha B'Av? How has it been observed -- and, often, not-observed -- in American-Jewish communities? How can it help us consider the flow of the Jewish calendar as a whole? This episode is a first in a two-part mini-series exploring the past, present, and future of
July 8 · 26 min
Rest to Return V: A Season for Everything
Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: What is sacred time?
July 3 · 57 min
Episode 542: Jewish Bodily Autonomy - Lex and Rena Yehuda
Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman conclude a mini-series of Judaism Unbound conversations that have been exploring the principle of bodily autonomy -- and how it intersects with Judaism. They bring new elements to previous conversations about abortion, the pill, mass incarceration, and gender, along with exploring what bodily autonomy looks like in Jewish rituals like fasting for Yom Kippur.
July 1 · 23 min
Rest to Return IV: Couplet Rhymes
Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: Where do we find permission to rest?
June 26 · 24 min
Episode 541: Shabbat Unbound II - Shiru L'Adonai
Welcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach u
June 24 · 29 min
Rest to Return III: Rhythm of Rest
Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: How do we know when to work and when to rest?
June 19 · 1 hr 9 min
Episode 540: AJWS and Global Responsibility
This conversation explores how American Jewish World Service understands global justice as an expression of human dignity, solidarity, and the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to live a full and flourishing life. Through stories from Uganda, Kenya, and beyond, Joannine Nanyange describes how AJWS partners with grassroots movements fighting for LGBTQ rights, health access, democracy, and human rights, emphasizing accompaniment rather than charity and agency rather than dependency
June 17 · 26 min
Rest to Return II: Weaving the World to Come
Rest to Return, a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: What is my sacred purpose?
June 12 · 50 min
Episode 539: Judaism and Abortion, Beyond 'Choice' - Danya Ruttenberg
Danya Ruttenberg is a rabbi, writer, and activist who has been on the front-lines fighting for reproductive justice, through Jewish lenses, for many years. She joins Lex and Rena Yehuda for a conversation about abortion, the framework of bodily autonomy, and how we might best conceptualize what it means to relate to these issues Jewishly. This episode is the 4th in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes exploring Judaism through the framework of bodily autonomy. ---------------- App
June 10 · 28 min
Rest to Return I: Belonging to Time
Rest to Return, a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We begin by gathering around a single question: What do we need in order to sustain our sacred purpose?
June 5 · 49 min
Episode 538: Matir Asurim -- Judaism and Incarceration - Shir Lovett-Graff
Shir Lovett-Graff, a writer and community-organizer, is a founder and organizer with Matir Asurim: Jewish Care Network for Incarcerated People -- they also serve as executive director for the Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative. Lovett-Graff joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about incarceration through Jewish lenses. This episode is the 3rd in an ongoing mini-series of Judaism Unbound episodes exploring Judaism through the framework of bodily autonomy. ------------
May 29 · 50 min
Episode 537: Trans Jews Embody Holiness - Dubbs Weinblatt
Dubbs Weinblatt, an educator and facilitator whose work focuses on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and belonging, joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about the empowerment of Transgender people -- in Jewish spaces and in society more generally. This episode is the second in an ongoing Judaism Unbound mini-series exploring the intersection of Judaism and bodily autonomy. ------------- Apply for the UnYeshiva's Certificate Program for Unbound Judaism by heading to www.judaismunbound.co
May 27 · 1 min
Rest to Return Trailer
Rest to Return, hosted by Keshira haLev Fife, is a seven episode series exploring the balance between ancient Shabbat practices and what is needed for us to feel well and whole in this time, making the case for the transformative power of rest, rooted in Jewish wisdom while expansive enough to meet the modern moment. By bridging traditional Sabbath wisdom with awareness of what each of us needs to thrive, we invite listeners to cultivate personal rest practices through contemporary application o
May 22 · 28 min
Episode 536: Shabbat Unbound I - Yedid Nefesh
Welcome to Shabbat Unbound, the world's longest Friday night Sabbath service, stretching over eight episodes. Instead of rushing through all the Friday night Shabbat prayers in one sitting, like we might in a classical synagogue environment, we're taking our time diving deep into one prayer each episode through song study and sacred conversation. It's the most original and traditional way to engage in the transition into Shabbat, taking each prayer as its own world with its own Torah to teach us

Judaism Unbound

Episode 546: Worlds to Come - Lexi Kohanski

Shabbat Dinner Party Trailer

Episode 545: Shabbat Unbound III - Ana B'Koach

Episode VII: Woven Back Together Again

Episode 544: Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av) 2026 II - Andrue Kahn, Dania Rajendra

Rest to Return VI: Making Time Sacred

Episode 543: Tisha B'Av (The 9th of Av) 2026 - Lex and Rena Yehuda

Rest to Return V: A Season for Everything

Episode 542: Jewish Bodily Autonomy - Lex and Rena Yehuda

Rest to Return IV: Couplet Rhymes

Episode 541: Shabbat Unbound II - Shiru L'Adonai

Rest to Return III: Rhythm of Rest

Episode 540: AJWS and Global Responsibility

Rest to Return II: Weaving the World to Come

Episode 539: Judaism and Abortion, Beyond 'Choice' - Danya Ruttenberg

Rest to Return I: Belonging to Time

Episode 538: Matir Asurim -- Judaism and Incarceration - Shir Lovett-Graff

Episode 537: Trans Jews Embody Holiness - Dubbs Weinblatt

Rest to Return Trailer

Episode 536: Shabbat Unbound I - Yedid Nefesh