Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Bottom Up Torah: How Queer Jews Are Changing Orthodoxy

Imagine being told you belong to a faith that is fighting to keep you out—and refusing to leave. In this week's Madlik, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz welcome Rabbi Steve Greenberg, the first openly gay Orthodox-ordained rabbi, for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation. Key Takeaways 1. Vulnerability transforms the meaning of Torah. 2. Bottom-up change is reshaping Orthodoxy. 3. The tradition has the capacity — and the precedent — to grow. Timestamps [00:00:12] Rabbi Steve Greenberg's coming-out context and the question of LGBTQ+ Jews as teachers of Torah. [00:03:11] Steve's Yom Kippur aliyah story and being vulnerable to the text. [00:04:46] Confronting the biblical verses; reframing what Leviticus might mean. [00:06:22] Tamar's courage and parallels to LGBTQ+ belonging. [00:08:57] "Bottom-up Judaism": queer Jews staying, not leaving — shifting the halachic landscape. [00:11:39] Google rabbis, post-COVID authority shifts, and personal autonomy in community life. [00:15:08] Israeli changes: rejecting the Rabbanut, forming new models of partnership. [00:17:42] A painful role-play with a rabbi exposes how harmful "lifelong celibacy" messaging is for gay teens. [00:21:19] New data on LGBTQ+ rabbinical students and why queer spiritual sensitivity strengthens Jewish leadership. [00:24:56] Parents as powerful advocates: Orthodox families pushing shuls and schools to stop rejecting their children. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ [https://madlik.com/] Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/691629 [https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/691629] Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ [https://madlik.substack.com/] Eshel: https://www.eshelonline.org/ [https://www.eshelonline.org/]

The Jewish Future Israel Wants… But Fears to Admit

Beneath the surface, Israel is fighting for the soul of its religion — and most of us don't even see the battle lines. In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Professor Adam S. Ferziger to explore the quiet revolution reshaping Israeli Judaism. Drawing on his new book, Agents of Change, Ferziger reveals how American Modern Orthodoxy—its values, institutions, and worldview—has profoundly influenced Religious Zionism and the broader Israeli religious landscape. From the tension between nationalism and modernity to the emergence of a new Israel-born generation, we uncover the cultural, political, and spiritual crossroads Israel now faces. Beneath the surface, Israel is fighting for the soul of its religion—and American Jews are playing a bigger role than anyone expected. Key Takeaways 1. American Modern Orthodoxy Has Become a Quiet Force in Israeli Judaism 2. Israeli Religious Zionism Is Splitting Into Two Distinct Paths 3. Israel's Next Generation of Leaders Will Be Religious — But Neither Haredi or National Religious Timestamps * [00:00:00] Jacob returns from exile with wealth, family, and a new identity; exile reframed as productive, not just punishment. * [00:01:00] Intro to Professor Adam Ferziger and his book Agents of Change about American Jews reshaping Israeli Judaism. * [00:02:00] Host sets the frame: modern Orthodoxy's influence on Israeli religious life, education, feminism, and LGBTQ inclusion. * [00:03:00] Ferziger's personal story: gap year yeshiva, Aliyah in 1987, building family and rabbinic life in Kfar Saba. * [00:04:54] Early political snapshot: the failed "Meimad" experiment and how Anglo moderates felt marginal and deviant. * [00:06:36] Shift in the 2000s: religious-Zionist camp diversifies; modern Orthodox voices gain legitimacy and visibility. * [00:09:05] Explaining American Modern Orthodoxy: Torah plus general culture, YU, day schools, Rav Soloveitchik's synthetic model. * [00:14:10] Rise of "Hardal": nationalist-Haredi style religiosity, stricter halakha, and a more redemptive, messianic Zionism. * [00:21:45] The "agents of change": eight American rabbis/educators whose Israeli students indigenize and radicalize their ideas. * [00:34:15] Why this matters beyond religion: "Israeli Judaism" and how moderate Orthodox trends may shape Israel's future leadership. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ [https://madlik.com/] Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/692993 [https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/692993] Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ [https://madlik.substack.com/] Adam Ferziger's Book https://nyupress.org/9781479817559/agents-of-change/ [https://nyupress.org/9781479817559/agents-of-change/]

He's Christian. He Fights for Israel. He Speaks Talmudic Aramaic.

Ready to discover how reviving a lost language can reshape the whole Middle East? Ta Shma (come and hear) Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Shadi Khalloul—IDF paratrooper veteran, founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, and one of the world's most passionate advocates for reviving the Aramaic language. Together, they explore Parshat Vayetzei and the hidden "Rosetta Stone" moment in Genesis 31, where Jacob and Laban name the same monument in Hebrew and Aramaic. Key Takeaways 1. Aramaic is the Hidden Backbone of Jewish Life 2. Aramaic Once United the Ancient World—And Can Still Bridge Communities Today 3. Israel's Aramean Christians Are a Forgotten but Loyal Minority whose story will surprise and inspire you Timestamps [00:00:00] Opening: Jewish prayers written in Aramaic & introduction to Shadi Kaul [00:01:03] Shadi's unique role: soldier, educator, reviver of Aramaic culture [00:02:12] Shadi's background: identity, community history, and connection to Israel [00:03:47] Serving in the IDF and discovering his Aramaic purpose in the U.S. [00:05:32] Founding the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association & education initiatives [00:07:14] Plans for Aramaic towns, schools, and coexistence programs [00:09:22] Daily language reality: Arabic spoken, Aramaic preserved in prayer [00:11:48] Parallels with Jewish language revival and historical connections [00:14:27] Shadi's family displaced in 1948 and the ongoing struggle for recognition [00:32:41] Aramaic as the ancient international language—the "first internet" Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ [https://madlik.com/] Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/691050 [https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/691050] Israeli Christian Aramaic Association - http://www.aramaic-center.com/?lang=en [http://www.aramaic-center.com/?lang=en] A History of the First World Language - https://a.co/d/fjHe9C1 [https://a.co/d/fjHe9C1] Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ [https://madlik.substack.com/]

Trickery or Evolution? Rethinking Jacob's Stolen Blessing

What if one of the Torah's greatest heroes was actually its most scandalous trickster? In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Adam Mintz dive into one of the most provocative moments in the Torah: Jacob's audacious act of deception to secure his father Isaac's blessing in Parashat Toldot. Rather than smoothing over the ethical wrinkles, we sit with the discomfort, exploring why the Torah insists on portraying our third patriarch as a trickster—and what we're meant to learn from a hero whose virtues are tangled with flaws. Key Takeaways 1. The Torah Embraces Imperfect Heroes prompting readers to grapple with imperfection as part of the human and spiritual journey. 2. Biblical stories were shaped by and for public reading; audiences came with expectations based on oral traditions and prior knowledge. 3. Spiritual growth often requires confrontations with failure and the "divine ruse"—a process of growth through challenge, not perfection. Timestamps * [00:00:00] Geoffrey opens the episode and introduces the problem of Jacob stealing the blessing. * [00:00:25] He reframes the question: maybe the Torah wants us to sit with the discomfort. * [00:00:47] Overview of themes: ancient oil traditions, imperfect heroes, Maimonides on change. * [00:01:08] Show intro + housekeeping (YouTube, Substack, source sheet, reviews). * [00:01:27] Main question of the week: why portray Jacob this way, and are we projecting modern morality? * [00:02:18] Opening character analysis: Jacob's name, symbolism of "heel holder," zig-zag personality. * [00:04:01] Plot recap: Isaac asks Esau for hunted game, Rebecca overhears and initiates the plan. * [00:05:02] The key deception moment: Jacob tells Isaac, "I am Esau your firstborn." * [00:07:27] Esau's character through rabbinic commentary: glutton, outdoorsman vs. Jacob the tent-dweller. * [00:22:03] Jacob's consequences begin: exile, never seeing his mother again, being tricked by Laban. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ [https://madlik.com/] Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/689945 [https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/689945] Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ [https://madlik.substack.com/]

Sarah's Separation from Abraham | With Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler

What happens when women finally enter the conversation that's been about them all along? In this episode of Madlik: Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler — Sigmund Falk Professor of Modern Jewish Literature and Feminist Studies at HUC-JIR, ordained by Yeshivat Maharat, and author of Going Out with Knots: My Two Kaddish Years with Hebrew Poetry. Key Takeaways 1. Expect to rethink assumptions about primary biblical characters—especially the matriarchs—and appreciate the living tradition of midrash as a vehicle for creativity and challenge. 2. Hear how feminist perspectives and modern poetry revitalize Jewish text study, offering new interpretations for "the life of Sarah"—and the legacies that women shape. 3. Explore the argument that literary and artistic creation in Hebrew is as much a part of Jewish commentary as classic text study. Timestamps [00:00:00] Geoffrey introduces the episode and guest Rabbi Professor Wendy Zierler, setting up a feminist exploration of Sarah's story in Genesis. [00:02:31] Discussion begins on Sarah's laughter and how women's scholarship reframes her response and role in Torah narratives. [00:03:46] Wendy explains the irony of "Chayei Sarah" focusing on Sarah's death and how reading the gaps reveals her inner life. [00:05:36] They examine Abraham and Sarah's separation after the Akedah and what it reveals about love, obedience, and divine testing. [00:09:02] Wendy argues the Akedah causes a rupture—between Abraham and Sarah, Abraham and Isaac, and even Abraham and God. [00:12:40] The hosts explore new feminist midrash: Sarah's imagined agency, waiting for angels, and representing love over fear. [00:17:22] Conversation turns to Sarah's burial choice as an act of leadership that shaped the matriarchal roots of the Jewish story. [00:19:53] Transition to Wendy's book Going Out with Knots and how Hebrew poetry became her lens for mourning and feminist study. [00:21:41] Wendy teaches Leia Goldberg's reinterpretation of "the three pillars of the world," highlighting women's creative renewal of tradition. [00:26:42] Discussion closes with Yehuda Amichai's outsider voice, women's return to Hebrew literature, and modern creativity as living midrash. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ [https://madlik.com/] Sefaria Source Sheet:https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/688219 [https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/688219] Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ [https://madlik.substack.com/] Link to Wendy's Book: https://jps.org/books/going-out-with-knots/ [https://jps.org/books/going-out-with-knots/] Link to theTorah.com [http://thetorah.com/] article: https://www.thetorah.com/article/sarah-finally-separates-herself-from-abraham [https://www.thetorah.com/article/sarah-finally-separates-herself-from-abraham]