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"Whenever truly terrible things happen in the world, I think to myself, 'Maybe I should try being religious.'"

With all of Mishkan's rabbis off duty or under the weather, self-described "fifth string …

Rabbi Lizzi is joined by Arya Marvazy, the Senior Director of Programs for the Jews of Color Initiative.⁠ Arya (he/him) is a first-generation American born to Iranian-Jewish immigrants from Tehran. F…

A lot of us are (correctly!) furious about the right-wing attack on our bodily autonomy.  In fact, Mishkan is joining the march this Saturday in support of abortion rights. Yet the same Torah and tra…

During the Omer, we pray "for the sake of the unification of God." But isn't God already One? Rabbi Lizzi drops some drash.

Today's episode is sponsored by Broadway In Chicago. Tickets are available n…

We've made it through the Narrow Place, but are we fully free, yet? Builder couple Martin Friedman and Felicia Savage Friedman — expert facilitators in racial justice and Raja yoga — join Rabbi Steve…

This message was originally delivered at the Mishkan's virtual seder on April 16th, 2022. You can watch the whole thing on our YouTube channel. Mishkan also invites you to our post-Passover party, Th…

Passover is a story about freedom. But what even is freedom? Rabbi Deena breaks it down ahead of Mishkan's virtual Passover seder.

Today's episode is sponsored by Broadway In Chicago. Tickets to The P…

Are your spirits getting stale? Is your soul feeling a little overproved? Toss out that chametz and tune into Rabbi Deena's drash on the benefits of a spiritual spring cleaning.

Today's episode is sp…

"I have to be honest, I am sitting with a lot of feelings that are making it hard to lean into the peace of Shabbat."

In the wake of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill and Texas Governor Greg Abbott's thr…

What can each of us do to repair the world during this year of Shmita? Rabbi Lizzi welcomes Jakir Manela, CEO of Hazon: The Jewish Lab for Sustainability, for a conversation about how we can create a…

The Shabbat before Purim is Shabbat Zachor — the Shabbat of Remembering. Specifically, we remember the pain inflicted on our people by Amalek, ancestral line of Purim villain Haman (boo!). But why ar…

"History may repeat itself, but it doesn't have to. The story isn’t finished, and we get to choose the role we want to play in this unfolding drama."

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rabbi L…

"I had a big gap from age 7 until 21 doing anything Jewish — except for coming home and watching Sanford And Son for Yom Kippur."

Jared Jackson shares how his multi-heritage African American and Ashke…

"I don’t think it’s accidental that Whoopi Goldberg, both Black and female, was punished with silence when many people, generally White and male, have said much worse with no consequence. And I am gr…

What is God's love language? Here's a hint: it isn't receiving gifts — at least, not according to  Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Rabbi Deena explores how God's clear instructions for building the sanctu…

"...Halfway through the presidency of George W. Bush,  I stood on the Washington Mall and I held my sign. It said: Another Jewish woman who loves life and kids for choice."

In a time when abortion acc…

Ruben Shimonov is the National Director of Sephardi House and Young Leadership at the American Sephardi Federation. He is also the founder of the Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network, a space for queer Jews o…

Just as Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggle for voting rights didn't end with the passage of the Voting Rights Act, Moshe's fight for liberation didn't end when the Israelites packed their bags full of…

After Pharaoh loses his firstborn son, he finally lets the Israelites leave. But not before asking Moses and Aaron: "Bless me, too." It's a strange little moment — just three words! — so, of course, …

For five weeks, Mishkanites gathered for a discussion-filled study of "Can We Talk About Israel? A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted." This thought-provoking book exploring one of the w…