Podcasts

Rabbi Josh Feigelson reflects on the Jewish value of “gevura” and offers a mindfulness practice for setting limits with awareness and self-compassion.

You probably know the story of Israeli independence: Ben-Gurion declared a Jewish state on May 14, 1948. The next day, multiple Arab armies invaded. And though the war was long and brutal, the Jewish state emerged victorious. That story is true, but it’s incomplete. The war for Israel didn’t start on May 15, 1948. It started back in November of 1947, the morning after the UN voted to partition Palestine into two states. If you want to understand Israeli history, you have to understand the six bloody months that preceded its creation.

Rabbi Josh Feigelson shares how awareness and intentional practice of “hesed,” or a loving connection, can help us navigate overwhelming moments with kindness and empathy.

The modern state of Israel is only 75 years old. But the Israeli identity was forged long before the partition vote of 1947 or the War of Liberation in 1948, in the earliest decades of the 20th century. The three figures we’ll talk about today were not Israelis. They died before they ever saw an independent Jewish state. But their stories shaped the country we know today.

Overstressed, overworked, overstimulated? Close your eyes, take a deep breath and tune in. In each episode Rabbi Josh Feigelson will guide with ancient wisdom and modern mindfulness practices to help center your soul and ease you into your week.

Soulful Jewish Living: Mindful Practices for Every Day is a production of Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media, and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

November 19, 1977. It was perhaps the most unusual Shabbat in Israel’s history. Because after the havdala service, Israeli families glued themselves to their TVs or radios, waiting anxiously for a visitor they never dreamed would arrive. Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, had come to Jerusalem to speak of peace. What happened next changed the Middle East forever.