Latest Urj Podcast Episodes
The Middle Ground
Modern Torah - May 21, 2021 04:00 - 11 minutesThis episode was recorded in May 2021, and somehow never published. So I'm delivering it now, in November 2021, because the world can never have enough Torah. I’m not a rabbi, so every week, I look at our Torah portion and try to put it in conversation with the world around me. Judaism is rich ...
Despi Mayes Experiences Joy in the Act of Giving
Our Joy Project - May 19, 2021 12:48 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsDespi is an artist, marketing strategist, consultant, beekeeper, and amateur guitar player. For her, joy is being able to give kindness to someone else. She believes kindness is joyful because it’s an antidote to all of the ugliness and unkindness. She experiences joy a lot and apprecia...
Some Words About Israel
Modern Torah - May 14, 2021 18:00 - 9 minutesThis week, as the Torah returns to the theme of counting, in Parshat Bamidbar, the world seems to have more to count than ever—infection rates to be sure, but also global vaccine programs. And if you’re focused on Israel you might be tracking rockets fired from Gaza, interceptions by the Iron Do...
Jenn Edds believes we need to be intentional in creating the world we want to live in
Our Joy Project - May 14, 2021 09:30 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsJenn is the Head Broad in Charge at Brassy Broadcasting. She recently launched a podcast called the UkaDaily Dispatch – 365 days of affirming daily ditties and inspiration. She finds joy in singing, doing silly things, and putting good things out in the world. She believes joy is always...
Ann Wheat believes joy is an intentionally driven experience
Our Joy Project - May 12, 2021 09:30 - 18 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsAnn is the Executive Director of Duet AZ, an organization that provides vital services, free-of-charge, to homebound adults and family caregivers. Ann finds great joy in nature, her work, helping others, and being intentional and mindful in what’s going on around her. She believes deep ...
Jenna Streit finds joy in expressing gratitude (and babies!)
Our Joy Project - May 07, 2021 09:30 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsJenna is the Development Director for Indiana Milk Bank, the first and only donor human milk bank in Indiana keeping fragile infants alive and healthy. For Jenna, joy is a sense of connection and community. She shares joy in thinking about the people who have impacted her life and findi...
Giving & Returning
Modern Torah - May 07, 2021 08:00 - 9 minutesSome weeks it’s hard to wrap my head around the world, and how it seems to perfectly line up with the week’s Torah portion. This week was one of those weeks. I’ve been reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, in the same week the Torah presented the laws of shmitta in Parshat Behar....
Breakthroughs - 043
Generous Change - May 05, 2021 15:50 - 52 minutes ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsYou know that feeling when you've been thinking on something so hard your brain actually hurts? You've just been chewing on it and churning it over and over in your mind and then...wham!...you have a breakthrough 💡. And it feels like freedom and lightness and sunshine ☀️. On day 1219 of entrepre...
Lindsay Scott believes joy, peace, and love are real and pure
Our Joy Project - May 05, 2021 09:30 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsLindsay is the President & CEO of Kids Voice, so it’s no wonder she finds the purest form of joy in watching her staff, board, and volunteers give willingly to help save children from abusive situations. For her, joy is about being present and in the moment. Lindsay sparks joy in others...
For Some Things There Are No Wrong Seasons
Modern Torah - April 30, 2021 15:00 - 9 minutesI had a plan this week, to weave the complicated and problematic language we find in the Torah into a metaphor about the ebbs and flows of the Jewish people's eternal fight for social justice. But then I put off writing this for a few days, and I read the news instead, and it became harder and h...
Anne Dunlavy finds joy in winning over the struggle
Our Joy Project - April 30, 2021 13:10 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsAnne is the Market Director of Sales & Marketing at Marriott IndyPlace, a Purdue grad (go Boilers!), married to her high school sweetheart, and mother of two adult kids. She believes joy is an abundance of positive thoughts that culminate into happiness. For her, joy is also a feeling o...
Jenica Giffin finds joy from within (and in a donation of diapers)
Our Joy Project - April 28, 2021 16:25 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsJenica is a wife, mother to 3, the senior program manager at the Indiana Diaper Bank, and works in children’s ministry. She finds joy from within and in others. She believes we can share our joy by finding something we’re passionate about and sharing it with other people. Hear why she f...
The Man Behind the Curtain
Modern Torah - April 23, 2021 12:00 - 9 minutesThis week has been a full week, and to be honest, I'm shocked that this episode is actually being released. I wrote, recorded, and produced it in a single day, and I'm not even sure if it makes sense, so if you're reading this and you give it a listen, let me know! This week, the Torah offers a...
Taylor Shanklin finds joy when she’s at peace and everything feels right
Our Joy Project - April 23, 2021 09:30 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsTaylor is the CEO at Barlele, a TEDx Speaker, podcast host (SOAR), and a hopeless optimistic. For her, joy is being in a state of mind where you don’t feel stress and everything just feels right. Joy is when you’re at peace. Taylor shares joy by sharing “nonsense” on her social media ch...
Kate Thoene finds joy in gratitude and being a positive force for others
Our Joy Project - April 21, 2021 09:30 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsKate is the Executive Director at Waste Not – a food rescue organization in Arizona focused on collecting and distributing food (fyi: 40% of food goes into the landfills; Waste Note AZ rescues 3 ½ million meals each year). For Kate, joy is purposeful, rooted in circumstances, and is the...
Legislating Away Our Own Worst Instincts
Modern Torah - April 16, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutesRecently, the Arkansas legislature overrode their conservative Christian governor's veto of a bill, now state law, that criminalizes gender-affirming healthcare for children. The state government, effectively, has legislated away the ability of compassionate healthcare providers to support trans...
Trena Roudebush finds joy in shared energy and achieving perceived limitations
Our Joy Project - April 15, 2021 18:41 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsTrena describes herself as a communicator, a connector, and an enabler. She’s a lifelong Indy resident, a long-distance runner (50 miles in a day) and is someone who finds joy by being around other people and making things happen. For Trena, joy is a sense of contentment and a feeling o...
Jessica Gershman finds joy through wellness and by riding the waves
Our Joy Project - April 14, 2021 17:24 - 15 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsJessica is a mom of 4, yogi, chef, wine lover, podcaster (Mom, Slow Down), and self-love advocate. She finds joy in combining all her passions – yoga, cooking, and wellness – to help other women find their free-floating happiness. She shares joy by being mindful, present in the moment, ...
That's The Way The World Goes Round
Modern Torah - April 09, 2021 17:00 - 8 minutesJohn Prine died a year ago this week, and I wrote this week's episode on the anniversary of his death. This week's Torah portion, Parshat Shmini, features the deaths of Nadav and Avihu who, as Ibn Ezra comments, died before G-d doing something they thought was acceptable before G-d. They had mad...
Dr. Roseann finds joy by bringing levity and caring wherever she goes
Our Joy Project - April 09, 2021 12:23 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsDr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is an award-winning children’s mental health expert and author of Teletherapy Toolkit and It’s Gonna Be Ok! She’s the mom of a special needs teenager who knows how to have fun and bust a move on her “disco drive”. For Dr. Roseann, joy is a feeling from the insi...
Dustin Homan finds joy by asking about people’s passion and how he can help
Our Joy Project - April 07, 2021 09:30 - 18 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsDustin is a husband, father, runner, Ohio sports fan, lover of history, and is “aspiring to help youth thrive so they can solve our world’s wicked problems”. Professionally, he’s the 4-H Youth Development Educator for Purdue Extension Marion County. For Dustin, joy has three elements: s...
Keisha Gray finds joy in making the right choices and showing up for others
Our Joy Project - April 02, 2021 10:00 - 8 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsKeisha is the new Executive Director of the Indianapolis City Market. She finds joy in making a conscious choice to show up and be a part of someone’s life. For Keisha, joy is being able to make the best decision based on the choices she has in front of her. She shares her joy by lettin...
Don't Shut the...Door
Modern Torah - April 02, 2021 04:00 - 7 minutesBy the time this episode airs, we'll have already celebrated our second year of socially distanced Seders. Passover is all about seeing yourself as a participant in the exodus from Egypt, and applying that experience to improving our world today. That intention has led to a slew of games, toys, ...
Samantha Cross finds joy in living in the moment and being more present
Our Joy Project - March 31, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsSamantha is the Director of Administration for IGT Indiana (on behalf of the Hoosier Lottery), a lifelong Hoosier, dedicated community volunteer, and an all-around great person. For her, joy is an emotion sparked by happiness. Samantha spreads joy by being more reflective and purposeful...
Tamara Winfrey-Harris finds joy in letters to black girls and uplifting others
Our Joy Project - March 26, 2021 13:59 - 18 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsTamara talks about the joy of launching her latest book, “Dear Black Girl: Letters From Your Sisters on Stepping Into Your Power”, and the joy of giving girls their rightness right now. In addition to being an author, she’s the vice president of community leadership and effective philan...
Keep the Fire Burning
Modern Torah - March 26, 2021 03:00 - 6 minutesAs they wandered the desert, the Israelites carried the Tabernacle, and all its holy objects, so they could offer the sacrifices G-d had required of them. The Tabernacle provided a venue for these offerings, as the priests burned some or all of the sacrifices brought to them by the people. F...
Danielle Rothchild finds joy in collecting bread tags and helping people in need
Our Joy Project - March 24, 2021 13:07 - 14 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsDanielle attends Purdue University and runs a nonprofit that she started when she was 16. Through Danielle Cares for Chairs, she has collected and recycled 3,500,000 bread tags, and uses the proceeds to buy wheelchairs for people who need them. For her, joy means happiness. She spreads ...
Renewal - 042
Generous Change - March 23, 2021 14:30 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsThis winter has been brutal! If you're feeling like a starving, sleepy bear coming out of hibernation, you're not alone. On day 1191 of entrepreneurship, we're overly excited about spring and exploring 4 ways we're experiencing renewal - physically in our diet and exercise 🏋️♀️ (here's a sweet ...
The Trouble with Calling
Modern Torah - March 19, 2021 17:00 - 10 minutesThis week's Torah portion, Vayikra, kicks off the Book of Leviticus with a familiar feeling theme—G-d calling to Moses and delivering a set of instructions. In this case, G-d delivers detailed instructions for the sacrifices Aaron, his sons, and their priestly descendants will perform on behalf ...
Brittany Smith finds joy in pausing and putting things in perspective
Our Joy Project - March 19, 2021 09:30 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsBrittany is the Senior Regional Lead of Community + Marketing at Yelp. She spends her days loving on Indianapolis and Indiana, while cheering on Midwest community managers. For her, joy is finding the bright spots in the simplest things. During COVID, this extreme adventurer changed her...
Related Urj Topics
- Judaism 4
- Jewish 4
- Entrepreneur 3
- Entrepreneurship 2
- Reform 2
- Jersey 2
- Reform judaism 2
- Jew 2