On the Water I Disappear with Rabbi Chel Mendell

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we sit down with Rabbi Chel Mendell, a queer gender expansive Jew from the San Francisco Bay Area. Rabbi Chel, (they/them) is the founder and creative director of the Tzimtzum community, located on the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. Chel is dedicated to reimagining Jewish community through creative ritual and envisioning how Judaism can evolve for the future. They are a curator of alternative Jewish community spaces. They received smicha from the Academy for Jewish Religion CA and an interdisciplinary MFA from Sierra Nevada University. They can be found at the ocean’s edge checking the surf or making pottery in their free time. 

We discuss their journey in reimagining the Jewish community landscape through creative Jewish practices and delve into the intersection of religion, spirituality, and surfing, which is particularly explored in their film 'On the Water I Disappear,' which will be featured at the 'Shredding: A New Lens in Surf Filmmaking' festival. Our conversation covers their rabbinic thesis on water, surfing, and God, the challenges and joys of being a queer, trans rabbi, and the importance of inclusivity and social justice in their work. Tune in for an insightful discussion blending faith, activism, and the ocean.


To Learn more about Shredding: A New Lens in Surf filmmaker go check out:https://digitalgym.org/movies/shredding-a-new-lens-in-surf-filmmaking/ 

To Learn more about Rabbi Chel’s TzimTzum Collective, you can go check out: https://www.tzimtzumcommunity.com/ 

To follow Rabbi Chel on Instagram go to: @notnotyourrabbi 

The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network. 

For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com 

Music: 
Artist: Silver Jews
Song: The Wild Kindness
Album: American Water

00:00 Introduction to the Swell Season Surf Podcast
01:14 Meet Rabbi Chel Mendell
01:58 On the Water I Disappear: A Film Overview
03:59 Exploring Surfing and Spirituality
06:36 The Intersection of Surfing and Shabbat
13:20 Chel's Journey: From Skateboarding to Surfing
18:56 Researching the Thesis on Surfing and Judaism
24:20 Creating Inclusive Jewish Spaces
9:37 The Jedi Program and Social Justice
44:41 The Role and Responsibilities of a Rabbi
45:41 Teaching and Leading in the Jewish Community
46:54 Personal Reflections and Community Engagement
48:11 The Impact of October 7th and Jewish-Palestinian Relations
56:20 Navigating Complex Conversations and Activism
01:01:50 The Journey to Anti-Zionism
01:13:27 Building Inclusive Jewish Communities
01:16:03 Surfing, Filmmaking, and Community Building
01:18:50 Final Thoughts and Farewell

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