We're In This Shift Together
As a rabbi, Matthew Ponak knows the significance of community in the good times and the bad. We’re in this Shift Together explores the meeting place between ancient spiritual teachings, cutting-edge research and innovation, and the needs of our era. The conversations cover insights and experiences that improve our world and give us hope during these tumultuous times. In our secular society, millions of people are dedicating themselves to the work of innovation. Simultaneously, camps of traditionally religious people are tending the fires of insights and practices which have sustained them for thousands of years. Leaders and thinkers from all arenas benefit from cross-pollination and there is much more common ground between these two camps than is often acknowledged. When approaching any new problem today, religious and spiritual insights can offer a sense of how our ancestors grappled with similar issues. At the same time, inherited wisdom is, by definition, from a prior era. In dialogue with scientific expertise and new circumstances, the storehouses of human knowledge inevitably grow and mature. Together these different perspectives help us navigate our transitioning world. Host Rabbi Matthew Ponak is a teacher of embodied mysticism, a spiritual counsellor, and the co-founder of the Mekorah Institute — an online spiritual centre. Also holding an MA in Contemplative Religions from the Buddhist-inspired Naropa University, Rabbi Matthew weaves world wisdom with ancient Jewish insights. He received ordination from Hebrew College where he specialized in the study of Hasidic spirituality and Kabbalah. Visit matthewponak.com to learn more.
We're In This Shift Together
Shabbat on a Sunday!? A Reverse Interview with Rabbi Joel Goldstein
We're changing things up in this episode! Our guest Rabbi Joel Goldstein asks the questions — challenging Rabbi Matthew about the experimental home ritual "Oasis Time." This innovative practice is inspired by Shabbat but not bound by its traditional customs. Rabbi Matthew and his family have been testing it out in an effort to capture the essence of spiritual refreshment in a shareable way for our time. Join us for thought-provoking dialogue about the edges of religious evolution between two scholars who come from very different places along the spectrum of Jewish practice. We are also briefly joined by Joel's dog!
Rabbi Joel Goldstein is a former engineer turned Rabbi who brings his love for Torah, education, curiosity, and deep Jewish knowledge to all aspects of life. Rabbi Joel received ordination from Hebrew College and from Rabbi Daniel Landes. He is currently an instructor in Jewish legal codes for semikha (ordination) students at Yashrut. He is the former Campus Rabbi at Syracuse University and spent his last year in Rabbinical school serving as the Rabbi of the only year round synagogue in Hull, MA. In his free time, Rabbi Joel loves spending time with his family and creating source sheets on various Jewish topics.
This episode was recorded on April 7, 2022.