Wholly Jewish
43 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 69 ratingsWhat do we all have in common? We all live - and balance - complex and nuanced identities, that, when braided together, make us wholly ourselves - and “Wholly Jewish.” Join April Baskin, the Union for Reform Judaism’s former vice president for audacious hospitality, as she speaks with Jews of Color who share their experiences, insights, and how their identities enrich and create a more vibrant Jewish community.
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Episodes
Noa: The Beauty of Taking Up Space
October 20, 2020 09:30 - 20 minutes - 47.6 MBOn the season finale of Wholly Jewish season 2, we are joined by NYU student and college organizer Noa Baron (they/them)! Noa shares the personal and Jewish and significance of their name (and their Jewish name-changing ceremony), the importance of deep listening to the queer community, their aspirations as a trans Jewish leader, and the beauty LGBTQ+ Jews bring to the Jewish community. “I think I’ve been able to shed a real sense of fear…and in this, I’ve been more myself in all the ways th...
Denis: Coming Out and Showing Up
October 06, 2020 09:30 - 19 minutes - 45.3 MBFor LGBTQ+ Jews, coming out stories differ from person to person, and the story of Denis Victorovich Kurmanov (he/him) is no exception. This week, Denis shares his experience immigrating from Moldova at a young age, the pressure he faced to present as straight, how Judaism strengthened him to come out as gay and work as at organizer in his Jewish community, and even a few samples of his poetry. “It was a very slow process of [realizing that]…if God is love, then why should I not have it [too...
Dara: From Parliament to the Bimah
September 15, 2020 09:30 - 24 minutes - 57 MBJewish innovation thrives on different perspectives, and it’s so vital that queer Jewish leaders be empowered to share their own. This week, Rabbi Dara Lithwick shares her experience wrestling both with God and coming out as a lesbian. She talks about her work with the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism and the Canadian Parliament, and embracing Torah through a lens of intersectionality. “When you bring different eyes and a different experience…to the study of Torah…it enables our tradition...
J: Breaking Down the Gates of Queer Judaism
September 01, 2020 09:30 - 21 minutes - 49.8 MBBeing queer and Jewish means something different to everyone, and those differences deserve to be celebrated. This week, J Collins (they/them) talks about being a Jewish storyteller and teacher; their connection, as a Jew-by-choice, to Rabbi Akiva’s teachings;, repairing the world in an oppressive political climate; and the dangers of “gatekeeping” in queer and Jewish spaces. “[I]n the transgender community, you're often hit with [the question] of, ‘Am I trans enough?,’…And I've been recog...
Laura: Creating Peace Out of Wholeness
August 18, 2020 15:00 - 20 minutes - 46.4 MBWith so much turmoil and uncertainty happening around us, finding wholeness – with oneself and one’s community – is especially important. This week’s guest, Cantor Laura Stein, shares her perspectives on how we can best care for those around us, the (lack of) tension between being Jewish and being a lesbian, and how her spiritual leadership inspires her social work at Mount Sinai Hospital's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery. “I see…my work with the patients as trying to bring whole...
Max Antman: The Queerness and Politics of Torah
August 11, 2020 09:30 - 21 minutes - 49.5 MBHow can we embrace Judaism from not only a queer perspective, but also a “political” one? Max Antman (he/him), a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, discusses how being a gay man influences his reading of Torah, how his Reform synagogue empowered his gay identity, and the sacred relationship between activism and studying Jewish text. “Judaism is inherently very intertwined with politics,” he says. “[I want] to push the Jewish community forward and…rally b...
Caroline: Forming a Sacred Queer Community
July 21, 2020 09:30 - 24 minutes - 56.1 MBBeing wholly Jewish means not having to hide parts of who we are when we enter Jewish spaces - including our queer identities. Caroline Dorn (she/her) discusses the importance of such a community; why Jewish congregations must hold intentional communities for marginalized folks; combining her improv skills with her “extracurricular Judaism"; and the importance of expanding our worldviews. "I think that the best resource that the Jewish community has is people," she says. "It's our relationsh...
Leonard: Creating Seats at the Queer Jewish Table
July 07, 2020 09:30 - 24 minutes - 56.9 MBJudaism is in a constant state of reform, and our approach to LGBTQ+ inclusivity should be, too. Leonard Slutsky (he/him), a Union for Reform Judaism lay leader and college admissions counselor, shares his experiences as a gay cisgender Jewish man; how Reform Jewish spaces affirmed his gay identity; how Judaism inspires his work as a suicide hotline volunteer; and how our communities can better serve queer Jews of all backgrounds. “I feel that it’s my role as someone who has a great deal of ...
Mo: Standing in the Closet Doorway
June 16, 2020 09:30 - 22 minutes - 51.2 MBBeing queer means something different to everyone who identifies this way. Mo Selkirk (she/her), a queer Jewish mother, spouse, and activist, to name a few, discusses how her grandparents inspired her to embrace Judaism, what it means to be in a queer family, and how presenting as straight has been a blessing and a curse. “My [queer] invisibility is my personal superpower,” she says, “because people will say things to me [when] they don’t know who they’re talking to, and…I have the have the ...
Standing in the Closet Doorway
June 16, 2020 09:30 - 22 minutes - 51.2 MBBeing queer means something different to everyone who identifies this way. Mo Selkirk (she/her), a queer Jewish mother, spouse, and activist, to name a few, discusses how her grandparents inspired her to embrace Judaism, what it means to be in a queer family, and how presenting as straight has been a blessing and a curse. “My [queer] invisibility is my personal superpower,” she says, “because people will say things to me [when] they don’t know who they’re talking to, and…I have the have the ...
The Secret to Eliana's Fabulous Hair
June 12, 2020 09:30 - 3 minutes - 8.04 MBDuring Shira’s conversation with Eliana Rubin (check out our June 2nd episode, if you missed it), many topics came up – including Eliana’s beautiful, curly hair! In case you couldn’t get enough from episode one, check out this bonus episode all about how she creates those perfect curls.
Eliana: Gender Diversity is So Jewish
June 09, 2020 09:30 - 21 minutes - 49.2 MBOn the premiere episode of Wholly Jewish: Season 2, we hear from Eliana Rubin (she/her). Eliana (who went by Elias at the time of this episode’s recording) talks about when she first connected with her nonbinary transfemme identity and her desire to create more queer-inclusive classrooms. "I find that identifying as a Reform Jew and a queer person...are two parts of me that are so integral now to my core identity," she says.
B'ruchim Haba'im - Welcome Back to Wholly Jewish: Season 2!
May 27, 2020 18:00 - 2 minutes - 5.72 MBWelcome to the first episode of Wholly Jewish: Season 2! Hosted by Jewish performance and ritual artist Shira Kline (she/her), a.k.a. ShirLaLa, this season features interviews with LGBTQIA+ Jews from the Union for Reform Judaism's JewV'Nation Fellowship. Follow along as they share their experiences in Jewish spaces, how their queerness and their Judaism intersect, and their visions of a more inclusive and equitable Jewish community.
Becky: Kimchi and Latkes
September 17, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 56.5 MBFashionista and future rabbi Becky Jaye talks about navigating the world as an Asian Jew – in rabbinical school, in Israel, in the broader Jewish community, and in society at large. “I'm probably the most confident I've ever been in my identity as a Reform Jew,” she says.
Kimchi and Latkes
September 17, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 56.5 MBThis week we meet Becky Jaye, who charms us by sharing everything from her various "ands" to the highs and lows of navigating the world as an Asian Rabbinical student in Israel and the larger Jewish community.
Intent vs Impact
September 03, 2019 09:00 - 23 minutes - 54.7 MBFull of both insight and advice, this week’s guest is an avid dancer and lifelong learner who talks about the energy, intentions, and relationships that differentiate deep and sometimes-uncomfortable conversations – about Judaism and beyond. Meet Erica Riddick.
Erika: Check Your Assumptions at the Door
September 03, 2019 09:00 - 23 minutes - 54.7 MBErica Riddick is a lifelong dancer, an avid learner, and a keen observer who talks about consistent curiosity, intent versus impact, how to have honest conversations, and more. “I like thinking about identity, like who I am and where I’m going in the world,” she says.
Destiny: Jews Like Us are Out Here
August 20, 2019 09:00 - 20 minutes - 46.4 MBMeet Destiny Karash Givens, a multiracial Jewish teacher and scientist who’s proving that she can do just about anything – including raising the profile and visibility of Jews of Color. “People automatically have this assumption of the ‘why’ about my Judaism,” she says.
Making a Statement
August 20, 2019 09:00 - 20 minutes - 46.4 MBThis dedicated teacher, scientist, multiracial and Jewish woman is proving that she can do just about anything. Meet Destiny Karash Givens.
Living With Wonder And Awesome
August 06, 2019 09:00 - 25 minutes - 57.8 MBTeacher, Disney Alum, father, Black man, and husband are only some of the many identities belonging to our guest this week! Meet Robin, a gentleman, a scholar and a delight to all who know him.
Robin: Driven by Curiosity and Joy
August 06, 2019 09:00 - 25 minutes - 57.8 MBRobin Harrison contains multitudes: This Black, Jewish, Disney-loving father, husband, and son tells us about his childhood in Compton, his family’s Jewish studies, and the sense of wonder he cultivates in adulthood. “I want to make a difference for someone,” he says.
Nothing Left Behind
July 16, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 55.3 MBWho runs the world? Chances are high that soon it will be Amanda Ryan, a Nebraskan Latina community bridge builder.
Amanda: Identities, Politics, and Spiritual A-Ha Moments
July 16, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 55.3 MBAmanda Ryan, a elected official in Nebraska, talks about what it means to her to identify with historically marginalized communities. "I'm pushing people to think outside of what is Jewish and or what is Latino."
Everlyn: Bring Your Whole Self to Everything
July 02, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 55.8 MBEverlyn Hunter, an honest, insightful West Coast psychologist, embraces her multi-faceted identity – Jewish, Black, multi-ethnic, a lesbian, and more. “All of who I am exists at all times and in every context.”
All Things at All Times
July 02, 2019 09:00 - 24 minutes - 55.8 MBMeet Everlyn Hunter, a west-coast psychologist who is insightful and honest, refreshingly real, and ready to stand-up and claim all of her "ands".
Tani: We Need Inclusive Jewish Spaces
June 18, 2019 09:00 - 25 minutes - 59.3 MBTani Prell Epstein, an artist, Jewish educator, and woman of Color, talks about what drew her to Judaism and how we can all embrace and move toward a fully inclusive Jewish world. “Judaism is the way that I think and love and learn,” she says.
The Case For Purposeful Inclusion
June 18, 2019 09:00 - 25 minutes - 59.3 MBFull of love and laughter, wisdom and wit, Tani Prell Epstein enchants us with her anecdotes and savvy perspectives on how to fully embrace and embody an inclusive Jewish world.
The Righteous Writer
June 04, 2019 09:00 - 17 minutes - 41.1 MBYou may know him as that talented author from ReformJudaism.org, but Chaim Ezra, or Chris Harrison in his byline, is also a bottomless well of Jewish knowledge and wonderful insights as a Jew by Choice, a networker extraordinaire and lover of all things Marvel and marvelous.
Chris: The Blessing of Telling My Stories
June 04, 2019 09:00 - 17 minutes - 41.1 MBReformJudaism.org’s own Chris Harrison, a skilled writer and editor, talks about life as a Black Jew-by-Choice, a networker extraordinaire, and lover of all things Marvel and marvelous. “I always knew I had a calling to communicate, to write, and to be my own authentic self.”
A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That, But Always 100% Me
May 21, 2019 09:00 - 23 minutes - 52.7 MBOy vey, have we got a special guest today! Come meet Alexandra Corwin, lover of the Yiddish language and Jewish educator, who teaches us that we are always 100% of all the aspects of our identity.
Alexandra: 100% Jewish, 100% Latina
May 21, 2019 09:00 - 23 minutes - 52.7 MBCome schmooze with Alexandra Corwin, a dedicated Jewish educator, a proud Latina woman, and a lover of Yiddish: “Those identities fill me spiritually and culturally,” she says. We discuss antiracism work, her evolution as a Jewish leader, and teaching social justice to students.
Yolanda: Forging Connections Through Conversations
May 07, 2019 09:00 - 26 minutes - 61.6 MBYolanda Savage-Narva is a Jewish woman of Color, a mother, an activist, an educator, and so much more: “Jewish identity, for me, is multifaceted,” she said. She teaches us to be kind but strong, patient but firm, and always fair, just, and humble.
Everyone Has a Story
May 07, 2019 09:00 - 26 minutes - 61.6 MBWhat is Yolanda Savage Narva's story? Come listen and learn as she shares her tips with us for being kind but strong, patient but firm, and always fair, just, and humble.
Anjelica: Dia de los Muertos Meets Yom Kippur
April 16, 2019 09:00 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBAnjelica Ruiz, a Jewish educator with Hispanic-Filipino heritage, shares personal stories and classroom experiences from the heartbreaking to the heartwarming. “I want to keep teaching and keep bettering myself as a Jew,” she says.
Golems and Zombies
April 16, 2019 09:00 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBWhat happens when Dia de los Muertos meets Yom Kippur and Golems meet Zombies? Anjelica Ruiz, this week’s featured guest, shares some of her most memorable, educational, heart-breaking and heart-warming moments.
Jordan: Black, Jewish, and Bettering the World
April 02, 2019 09:00 - 19 minutes - 44.6 MBMeet Jordan Berg Powers, a social justice leader, family man, and all-around mensch striving to create a world of awareness and kindness. His number-one rule? Leave the world better than you found it. “I come from a long line of activists making change for the better,” he says.
Better Than We Found It
April 02, 2019 09:00 - 19 minutes - 44.6 MBMeet Jordan, a social justice leader, a loving family man and a mensch, who consistently and persistently strives to create a world that is steeped in awareness and kindness. Jordan reminds us to always follow the #1 rule when it comes to our world and our community – always try to leave it better than you found it.
Gina: The Path I’ve Chosen
March 19, 2019 09:00 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBGina Drangel is a trained opera singer and devoted mother who recently became a bat mitzvah. “Feeling so whole with my Jewishness and my Blackness, it completes me,” she says of her beautiful, ongoing journey.
Let’s Talk About It: Getting to Know Gina
March 19, 2019 09:00 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBMeet Gina: opera singer, recent bat mitzvah, mother and so much more, as she shares her ups and downs on the merry-go-round of her beautiful journey of Judaism.
Unambiguously Kelly
March 05, 2019 10:00 - 23 minutes - 54.1 MBWoman and Black and Queer and Lover of Camp. Fiercely proud and powerful Kelly Whitehead narrates how she navigates the world while encompassing her multitude of “ands”.
Kelly: I Have a Right to Be Here
March 05, 2019 10:00 - 23 minutes - 54.1 MBFierce, proud, and powerful, Kelly Whitehead navigates the world as queer, Black, Jewish woman – oh, yeah, and a lifelong lover of Jewish summer camp! “I think a lot about who I am because I'm often in exclusively white spaces or mostly exclusively Jewish spaces,” she says.
Bryant: From Tennessee to Iraq and Back
February 02, 2019 19:19 - 24 minutes - 55 MBMeet Bryant Heinzelman, a congregational leader, U.S. Army veteran, and former intelligence analyst: “I promised myself if I made it back alive, I would get serious about Judaism,” he says. He shares stories from his Jewish journey and how it has shaped and strengthened his identity. Read the transcript.
From Tennessee to Iraq and Back
February 02, 2019 19:19 - 24 minutes - 55 MBThis week we meet veteran Bryant Heinzelman, who shares powerful and impactful moments of his journey as a Jewish man as he travels the world, and how every step along the way has shaped and strengthened his identity. Read the transcript.