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Contact Chai - Podcast

Contact Chai

Contact Chai is Mishkan Chicago’s podcast feed, where you can hear our Shabbat sermons, Morning Minyans, interviews with Jewish thought leaders, and more.

Spirituality Judaism Conversation Wellness Inspiration Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality
Update frequency
every 4 days
Average duration
29 minutes
Episodes
318
Years Active
2020 - 2025
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The Mitzvah of Hope

The Mitzvah of Hope

Today is Tu B'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees when we celebrate the bounty of our leafy friends. But in a place like Chicago, there isn't a lot of greenery to go around. So how can we hold onto hop…

00:10:43  |   Wed 24 Jan 2024
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Bo

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Bo

We've all wondered why G-d hardened Pharaoh's heart. But have you ever wonder why G-d didn't harden Pharaoh's courtiers' hearts after saying G-d would? And what does "harden" really mean? We got into…

00:15:59  |   Thu 18 Jan 2024
Stories That Make Me Cry

Stories That Make Me Cry

Today’s episode is from our service on January 12th when Rabbi Steven delivered a powerful sermon processing the rising death toll in Gaza amidst the ongoing war. As we grapple with our own loss, how…

00:16:14  |   Wed 17 Jan 2024
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Va'era

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Va'era

Today's episode is from our Morning Minyan on Thursday, January 11th when we discussed Parashat Va'era. G-d steps in to save the Hebrews from bondage, but Rabbi Steven is left with a big question — w…

00:22:49  |   Thu 11 Jan 2024
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Shemot

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Shemot

Today's episode is from our lively Morning Minyan discussion on Thursday, January 4th about Parashat Shemot. Who is this new pharaoh in the opening of Exodus? Just some fallible, faulty figurehead pu…

00:19:50  |   Fri 05 Jan 2024
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Vayigash

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Steven — Parashat Vayigash

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. Our Thursday sessions are hosted by Mishkan's Founding Rabbi, Lizzi Heydemann. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the…

00:23:18  |   Fri 22 Dec 2023
Astrology, Mysticism, and the Jewish Calendar

Astrology, Mysticism, and the Jewish Calendar

How did astrology guide our ancestors? And how can astrology help us reexamine our calendar today? At our December 15th Virtual Friday Night Shabbat, Rabbi Steven dove into the surprisingly mystical …

00:12:50  |   Wed 20 Dec 2023
To Be a Light in the Darkness

To Be a Light in the Darkness

At our December 8th service, Rabbi Steven connected the ancient themes of Hanukkah to the present-day realities of antisemitism and hatred which we must overcome together.

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For upcoming Shabbat ser…

00:18:15  |   Thu 14 Dec 2023
Shedding Expectations of Who You Should Be — A Trans Reading of Esau

Shedding Expectations of Who You Should Be — A Trans Reading of Esau

In honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, we were honored to welcome special guest drasher Avery Komlofske to our Virtual Friday Night Shabbat service on November 17th. Avery is a graduate of Mishk…

00:16:17  |   Mon 20 Nov 2023
Empathy Is Not Endorsement

Empathy Is Not Endorsement

"Empathy is not endorsement. Empathizing with someone you profoundly disagree with does not suddenly compromise your own deeply held beliefs and endorse theirs.”
-Dylan Marron

This episode is a Shabba…

00:21:42  |   Wed 15 Nov 2023
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — From the Place Where We Are Right

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — From the Place Where We Are Right

Big programming note — Rabbi Lizzi is taking a well deserved sabbatical beginning next week! This means that while we will continue with our Morning Minyans every weekday and you'll still see service…

00:32:53  |   Fri 03 Nov 2023
Be More Like Abraham. Be More Human.

Be More Like Abraham. Be More Human.

When the world tries to rob us of our humanity, our response is to be more human.

This episode is a Shabbat Replay from our October 27th Friday Night Shabbat. 

Big programming note — Rabbi Lizzi is ta…

00:26:40  |   Mon 30 Oct 2023
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — Smashing Idols And Glass Ceilings

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — Smashing Idols And Glass Ceilings

What do Abraham and Debbie Friedman have in common? Find out in this episode taken from our October 26th minyan!

Big programming note — Rabbi Lizzi is taking a well deserved sabbatical. This means tha…

00:37:11  |   Fri 27 Oct 2023
Joel Braunold: Why Israel & Palestine Has Always Been A Playground for Global Powers

Joel Braunold: Why Israel & Palestine Has Always Been A Playground for Global Powers

At our October 21st Saturday morning Shabbat service, we welcomed community member Joel Braunold to give a talk on the present crisis in Israel in Gaza. Joel is the Managing Director of the S. Daniel…

00:38:58  |   Tue 24 Oct 2023
Tap Into The Angel You Could Be

Tap Into The Angel You Could Be

Don't tap that screen — tap into your best self! At our October 20th virtual service, Rabbi Lizzi delivered a drash connecting the themes of Parashat Noach to our own present catastrophe. Sometimes, …

00:20:15  |   Sat 21 Oct 2023
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — How Lovely The Ruins

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — How Lovely The Ruins

In this morning's virtual minyan, Rabbi Lizzi read from How Lovely the Ruins: Inspirational Poems and Words for Difficult Times, a poetry collection she has been turning to during this painful time. …

00:35:37  |   Thu 19 Oct 2023
Updates From Israel with Rachel Goldberg

Updates From Israel with Rachel Goldberg

Content Warning: This episode contents rocket sirens and frank discussions of war.

Today's episode is our virtual Morning Minyan from October 16th. Rabbi Lizzi led us in a celebration of Rosh Chodesh …

00:58:58  |   Thu 19 Oct 2023
This Is Our Power

This Is Our Power

Our October 13th service was something to behold. This was our first Friday Night Shabbat post High Holidays, and our community has been reaching out looking for a space to grieve and pray following …

00:25:35  |   Tue 17 Oct 2023
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — Praying & Processing Together

Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — Praying & Processing Together

At our Virtual Morning Minyan on October 12th, Rabbi Lizzi welcomed dozens of community members to pray for those impacted by the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, and to hold space for one anothe…

00:34:59  |   Thu 12 Oct 2023
Prayers For Peace In Israel with Rabbi Lizzi and Rachel Goldberg

Prayers For Peace In Israel with Rabbi Lizzi and Rachel Goldberg

On October 9th, just two days after the terror attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas, our regularly scheduled Monday Morning Minyan with Rachel Goldberg became a space for our community to process the…

00:54:22  |   Mon 09 Oct 2023
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