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The Zal

By: Jewish Profundity (Sometimes)
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  • Summary

  • What did the Chassidic Rabbi say to the Jewish guy who grew up with Matzo and Easter eggs? The Zal is an informal conversation on (usually?) profound ideas found in and beyond Jewish life and traditions. Tune in with Adam Valen Levinson, Sociology Fellow at Yale, and Dovid Grossbaum, Rabbi at Chabad of Indiana. The Zal is sponsored in part by grants from The Bananaschewitz Foundation and Schmendl's Herring Deodorant.
    Jewish Profundity (Sometimes)
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Episodes
  • 50. Adam's Siddur

    50. Adam's Siddur
    May 6 2024

    A family heirloom made its way into Adam’s possession: a Siddur (prayer-book) that’s around 150 years old.


    In this jubilee episode we discuss the provenance of this Siddur and its original owner, the meaning of a small selection of prayers and what a 30-something-not-typically-a-prayer-book-user is meant to do with this priceless book.


    Music from this joyous Klezmer ensemble and Prince (who doesn't need our humble link).
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    38 mins
  • 49. Anonymity w/ Reddit Moderators

    49. Anonymity w/ Reddit Moderators
    Apr 1 2024

    The Reddit forum r/Judaism is the world's largest anonymous Jewish community. If you know the internet, and you've ever been in a comment section, you might think this faceless space would be cesspool of crazies, haters and pedants.

    And it sure would be if it weren’t for a handful of committed moderators: our guests in The Zal.

    We ask what it takes to maintain a forum whose mandate includes everything from complex legal clarification to Jewish feelings of loneliness to baby-Yoda Purim costumes.

    Together, we (try to) define anonymity, and ways to prevent its pitfalls while promoting its perks.

    "Got myself a Jew" from Uncle Mel

    Music by Stephanie Chou
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    45 mins
  • 48. Bigger Than Jordan w/ Tamir Goodman

    48. Bigger Than Jordan w/ Tamir Goodman
    Mar 12 2024
    Tamir Goodman is the only basketball player in history to play at a D1 level while fully observing Shabbat. It’s a story that includes shocks, setbacks and lots of uplifting moments. Glancing at the Wikipedia version of Tamir’s story would lead most to exclaim “Yoshke! This guy sacrificed a lot to keep Shabbat!” But this isn’t how Tamir sees it. Shabbat kept him. The ups and downs of Tamir’s path were received with a sage-like equanimity which he attributes to wearing G-d’s jersey. Videos: Tamir's background; and the 1999 SNL skit with Jerry Seinfeld playing the "Jewish Michael Jordan" (16:30). Music by Flint — "Cloudy Skies," "Glitch Flop."
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    34 mins
Judaism Spirituality
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