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
Peace-Loving Robots with Ola Mohajer
Can AI save us from ourselves? Would computer algorithms, properly trained, be able to prevent wars and mediate conflicts? Ola Mohajer thinks so!
Ola is the Founder and CEO of Transcend. Founded in 2023, Ola combined her experience as a refugee and survivor of war with more than ten years of her professional experience in peace, government, and international development.
Visit https://missiontranscend.ai to learn more.
Currently, Ola is part of the leadership team at the United States Institute of Peace's Africa Center. She has served in the Ontario Public Service in Canada as a senior policy advisor, specializing in international trade as well as government transparency with datasets and information. Ola has worked with the United Nations to solve refugee employment barriers in Jordan and on strategy and coordination for the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Zimbabwe. She holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University and completed a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science simultaneously at the University of Calgary. Her interests include civic inclusion and leadership in peace processes and the future of peacebuilding through AI. Ola holds numerous awards and honors and is a devoted wife and mother.