Soulful Shalom

Moving From Fear to Awe: Navigating Modern Politics Through Jewish Wisdom

In this episode, we explore the concept of yirah in Judaism, which encompasses both fear and awe, through the story of Moses at the burning bush. We discuss how this duality can guide our responses to challenges in the modern political landscape. Instead of allowing fear to drive division and exclusion, we can choose awe—embracing humility, reverence, and a sense of interconnectedness. By choosing awe over fear, we align our actions with Jewish values, leading to more just and compassionate decisions in both personal and political spheres

Jewish Values and the Power of Voting: A Call to Civic Responsibility

Judaism has a rich tradition of valuing community and justice. Judaism teaches us that being part of a community means contributing to its well-being. The Talmud emphasizes the importance of communal responsibility, stating that all of us are responsible for one another.

Unity, Not Competition: Dismantling Hate Through Solidarity

Hey Family, In this podcast episode, I discuss the harmful effects of comparing the struggles of different marginalized groups, particularly antisemitism and anti-Black racism. While we can acknowledge the pain of antisemitism, we must emphasize that these comparisons minimize the unique suffering of Black individuals and communities, oversimplify complex issues, and create unnecessary competition. I advocate for empathy, solidarity, and open dialogue between communities as a better way forward to fight against all forms of hate and discrimination. I also wrote about this in more detail in a May edition of my newsletter; the link is below. https://open.substack.com/pub/rabbisandra/p/unity-not-competition-dismantling-394

The Ten Commandments

The state of Louisiana passed a law requiring schools to display the 10 Commandments in public schools.

Gratitude in the Morning: We Need to Wake Up with Gratitude

This episode focuses on the transformative power of starting each day with gratitude, a key aspect of Jewish tradition. It discusses the challenge of maintaining a routine of daily prayers and offers a simpler approach: choosing one meaningful prayer to cultivate a mindset of thankfulness from the day's start. The episode highlights how this practice leads to greater optimism and resilience, positively influencing the entire day. It also touches on the role of gratitude in Jewish morning prayers, encouraging listeners to adopt this practice for a more fulfilled and serene life.