What happens when five rabbis share their Jewish wisdom?
In this special BEST OF: Jewish Wisdom mashup, Rabbis David Wolpe, Angela Buchdahl, David Lichtenstein, Sharon Brous, and Manis Friedman tackle some very Jewish questions about faith, identity, meaning, Israel, and how to make sense of the world around us.
Rabbi David Wolpe explores whether you need to believe in God to be Jewish, why Jewish law evolves, and why Israel remains central to modern Jewish identity. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl challenges exclusion within Judaism and shares how Jewish wisdom, joy, and community can help us face moments of crisis. David Lichtenstein dives into ritual, faith, Torah study, and finding purpose through adversity. Rabbi Sharon Brous unpacks the complicated balance between criticizing Israel, supporting Palestinians, and living up to Jewish moral responsibility. And Rabbi Manis Friedman asks whether our modern anxiety comes from a deeper sense of meaninglessness, and what it means to be “needed” by God.
Five rabbis. Five perspectives. One very big question: What does it actually mean to be Jewish?
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
00:01:31 — Rabbi David Wolpe
00:09:18 — Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
00:17:11— Dovid Lichtenstein
00:27:15 — Rabbi Sharon Brous
00:36:28 — Rabbi Manis Friedman
Watch Rabbi David Wolpe's full episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdEvVUJSGMw
Watch Rabbi Angela Buchdahl's full episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2A1fy_rNgs
Watch David Lichtenstein's full episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5xHHAZFfRs
Watch Rabbi Sharon Brous's full episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYYI3VfvO5g
Watch Rabbi Manis Friedman's full episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9J2GQLE9UY
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CREDITS
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
