18Forty Podcast

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rachel Goldberg-Polin—whose son, Hersh, was kidnapped by Hamas and is still held hostage in Gaza—about heading into Passover with our loved ones still captive. Normally, Intergenerational Divergence feels like something of a choice. But now, Jewish families have been split apart by force. In this episode we discuss: We hope wholeheartedly that this conversation about missing our children at the time of Passover will be made irrelevant and the hostages will soon return home. Interview begins at 7:17. References: “One Tiny Seed” by Rachel Goldberg-Polin “To the Boys in the Room” by Rachel Goldberg-Polin Sefer HaMenucha on Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 8:2 “A Prayer for Israel To Add to Your Pesach Seder” by Yosef Zvi Rimon

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to a Haredi mother named Dina about her two children who serve in the IDF, one of whom was critically wounded in the current war. Oct. 7 accelerated the already-complicated conversation about Haredi service in the army. Here, Dina shares with us her first-hand experience as a mother of chayalim. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might, as Dina puts it, be machmir about how we relate to others. Interview begins at 7:16. References: “A Mother’s Miracle” by Sara Bonchek Book Journeys are already back—and we're making them better than ever. We're partnering with Maggid Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers, to ship the books directly to you for an exclusive low price. Until April 24, all the books can be purchased and delivered to your home for $20 per book, or $60 for all three! Get your books and sign up on our website.

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by the incredible organization Osey Chail, a non-profit organization serving lone soldiers from Haredi and Hasidic homes who are serving in the IDF. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to four Haredi soldiers who served in the IDF about breaking from family and communal expectations by enlisting, and the subsequent Intergenerational implications. We also speak with Yael Ruzievich of the “adoptive family” of lone soldier David Mittelman, who was killed on Oct. 7. Hashem yikkom damo. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how to handle divisive debates—such as Haredim enlisting for Israeli military service—as a unified Jewish family. First soldier interview begins at 16:47. Second soldier interview begins at 26:06. Interview with Yael Ruzievich begins at 50:46. Third soldier interview begins at 1:32:01. Fourth soldier interview begins at 1:40:45. Haredi soldiers are in a difficult place, often struggling with a lack of social and familial support, due to their community’s stance on army service. The organization Osey Chail fills this gap, supporting soldiers from Haredi backgrounds with kosher food, foster families, apartments, and unity events, among other programs. We’re honored to speak to Haredi soldiers who were part of Osey Chail, as well as families that adopted them. References: Shomer Yisrael Osey Chail נגמר by Idan Amedi Donate Dog Tags Donate Toward Mittelman Park Pesach is approaching—and Twillory has what you need. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of orders of $139 or more. (Keep an eye out for their one-of-a-kind Air Suits.)

Our Intergenerational Divergence series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. A pre-Pesach message from our partners at Twillory: You can use the coupon code PESACH18 for $18 off all orders of $250 or more, or use the coupon code PESACH36 for $36 off all orders of $350 or more.. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we sit down with an intergenerational rabbinic pair: Rabbi Haskel Lookstein and his son, Rabbi Joshua Lookstein. Following in the footsteps of a successful parent can involve a crushing degree of pressure. In the Jewish world, perhaps the quintessential case of this is the challenge of being the scion of a prominent rabbinic family (what some might call a “dynasty”). In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can grapple wisely with professional divergence across generations. Interview begins at 12:53. Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein is the Rabbi Emeritus of Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan, where he served most of his entire rabbinic career. He was also the principal of the Ramaz School from 1966 through 2015. R. Lookstein has been highly involved in leadership in the Jewish community for decades. He serves as the Joseph H. Lookstein Professor of Homiletics at Yeshiva University, where he has taught since 1979. He also serves as a Vice President of the Bet Din of America. Rabbi Joshua Lookstein is the Associate Head of School at the Ramaz School. Rabbi Lookstein previously served as the Head of School at Westchester Day School and a Major Gifts Officer at UJA-Federation of New York, and as Executive Director of the S. Daniel Abraham Foundation. Rabbi Lookstein is responsible for ensuring the values of the school are sustained throughout a student’s education. References: “The Lookstein Legacy: An American Orthodox Rabbinical Dynasty?” by Adam S. Ferziger The Shawshank Redemption Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker This episode is sponsored in honor of Robert and Sandy April, loyal congregants and students of Rabbi Lookstein for many years. May they continue to learn from Rabbi Lookstein's lessons and actions for many years to come.

This series is sponsored by our friends Sarala and Danny Turkel. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we pivot to Intergenerational Divergence by talking to Rachel Yehuda, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, about intergenerational trauma and intergenerational resilience. In many ways, Oct. 7 reactivated a sense of Jewish trauma that many of us had never experienced in our lifetimes. And yet, it was a feeling that we somehow felt we were returning to as Jews. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how, together, we find the courage to continue. Interview begins at 11:01. Dr. Rachel Yehuda is a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, the vice chair for veterans affairs in the psychiatry department, and the director of the traumatic stress studies division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Yehuda also established and directs the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research. Dr. Yehuda’s research on second-generation Holocaust survivors, showing the epigenetic effects of trauma across generations, has made her a seminal figure in the field of intergenerational trauma and resilience. References: “The Rabbi vs. the Jewish People” by David Bashevkin “Yonatan Adler: What Archeologists Find” “Hazon Ish on Textual Criticism and Halakhah” by Zvi A. Yehuda “Hazon Ish on the Future of the State of Israel” by Zvi A. Yehuda The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Herman “Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives” by Rachel Yehuda and more “What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” by Nathan Englander

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we wrap up our mental health series by talking to Dr. Yael Muskat, director of Yeshiva University’s Counseling Center, and her longtime colleague Dr. Martin Galla about the mental health challenges at the forefront of early adulthood. Young people in the Jewish community are not immune from today’s mental health crisis. They have their own, equally pressing versions of those same problems. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we can get to a place where sound mental health enables spiritual growth. Interview with Dr. Muskat begins at 7:13. Interview with Dr. Galla begins at 55:46. Dr. Yael Muskat, Psy.D., is the Director of the Counseling Center at Yeshiva University and has over 20 years of clinical experience. After graduating from Yeshiva University, she received a Master’s in Special Education from Columbia University and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University, C.W. Post. Dr. Muskat continued her clinical training by completing a Post Doctorate Leadership Fellowship at Westchester Institute for Human Development. Dr. Martin Galla is a former associate director at the Yeshiva University Counseling Center, where he worked for 13 years. References: Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide to Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Jon Hershfield and Tom Corboy Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman Berakhot 12b

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Regine Galanti—a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and behavior problems in children, teens, and adults—about mental health treatment among today's Jewish families. It’s a relatively recent phenomenon in Jewish history that our material needs are largely taken care of. While this is a tremendous blessing, it’s redirected our attention to the psychological needs toward the top of Maslow's hierarchy. This is a kind of suffering that many of us are still learning how to handle, and that we anguish over figuring out how to address in our children. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might go from doom-scrolling about mental health to taking meaningful action. Interview begins at 19:48. Dr. Regine Galanti, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and behavior problems in children, teens, and adults. She is an expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Dr Galanti is the founder of Long Island Behavioral Psychology, a therapy practice in Nassau County, Long Island, and is an Educational Consultant in the Psychiatry Department of Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the author of Anxiety Relief for Teens: Essential CBT Skills and Mindfulness Practices to Overcome Anxiety and Stress, as well as When Harley Has Anxiety: A Fun CBT Skills Activity Book for Overcoming Worries and Fears. References: “Why the Kids Aren't Alright” with Bari Weiss “How Anxiety Became Content” by Derek Thompson Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli R. Lebowitz The Explosive Child by Ross W Greene The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris 10% Happier by Dan Harris

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Twillory. New customers can use the coupon code 18Forty to get $18 off of all orders of $139 or more. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yoni Rosensweig, rabbi of the Netzah Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, about the intersection between mental health and halacha. It is tempting to sometimes see halacha and mental health as being at odds. But what if, with the right guidance, we could instead understand halacha to be a system that sees the fullness of our unideal circumstances and draws us closer to God in spite of it all? In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how halacha has more to offer us than we might expect. Interview begins at 12:25. Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig is rabbi of the Netzah Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, Israel. Previously, he served as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Shevut Yisrael in Efrat. Rabbi Rosensweig is the author of several books including the recent Nafshi Beshe’elati on Jewish law and mental health. References: נפשי בשאלתי - הלכות בריאות הנפש by Yoni Rosensweig The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk @tzvei_dinim

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by someone supporting 18Forty’s work. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen in on a conversation between David Bashevkin and his dear and longtime friend Elie Schulman about the value of therapy. In a culture in which we can feel we’re constantly being sized up and evaluated by others, accepting our own vulnerability can be one of the hardest things to do. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how seeking help can be a sign and source of strength. Interview begins at 11:29. References: Pirkei Avot 1:6 Curb Your Enthusiasm The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness by Pema Chodron The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Millerw Waking Up by Sam Harris David Bashevkin on That’s An Issue “Failure Goes to Yeshivah: What I’ve Learned From the Failure Narratives of My Students” by David Bashevkin “On Campus, Failure Is on the Syllabus” by Jessica Bennett

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. This episode is sponsored by Aleph Beta in light of their newly released season of the A Book Like No Other podcast. This podcast is a chance to learn alongside Aleph Beta Founder Rabbi David Fohrman, as he embarks on his most far-reaching and in-depth explorations of the Torah text. Aleph Beta takes the excitement of Torah learning to a whole new level! Become a member today and start listening— use code “18Forty” to get one month FREE! You will never see the Torah text the same way again. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yakov Danishefsky—a rabbi, author and licensed social worker—about our relationships and our mental health. We know from Tanakh that “[i]t is not good for man to be alone.” But, when it comes to understanding our relationships, this is just the beginning, as those of us surrounded by others can still be unhappy. Psychologists can explain this phenomenon in part with the study of what they call “attachment theory.” In this episode we discuss: really Tune in to hear a conversation about how our lives are in many ways defined by the relationships around us. Interview begins at 14:36. Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. He is the founder of Mind Body Therapy, a private group practice in Chicago. Yakov has semicha and a Master’s in Jewish Philosophy from Yeshiva University and is a popular speaker, teacher, and author on the intersection of spirituality, philosophy, and psychology. He is the author of a new book, Attached: Connecting to Our Creator: A Jewish Psychological Approach. References: The Office Pirkei Avot 5 Genesis 2:18 Attached: Connecting to Our Creator: A Jewish Psychological Approach by Rabbi Yaakov Danishefsky, LCSW What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture by Ben Horowitz The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness by Pema Chodron The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller "Souls as Mirrors" by Shlomo Kassierer

Our mental health series is sponsored by Terri and Andrew Herenstein. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin opens up about his mental health journey. Through the lenses of therapy, comedy, books, family history, and positive influences, David shares the experiences that have shaped the way he handles mental health challenges today. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a discussion about how one might “become friends with themself” despite life’s difficulties. Message from Dr. Sara Baris begins at 24:26. Conversation with Grandma Millie begins at 1:18:30. Conversation with Jay Richman begins at 1:24:08. David Bashevkin, is the director of education for NCSY, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union, and an instructor at Yeshiva University, where he teaches courses on public policy, religious crisis, and rabbinic thought. He completed rabbinic ordination at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, as well as a master’s degree at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies focusing on the thought of Rabbi Zadok of Lublin under the guidance of Dr. Yaakov Elman. He received a doctorate in Public Policy and Management at The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, focusing on crisis management. He has published two books, Sin·a·gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought, as well as a Hebrew work B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor (trans. In Anger, Remember Mercy). References: Stutz (2022) Comedian (2002) John Mulaney And Stephen Colbert Explore Each Other's Deepest Anxieties Introduction to Love's Executioner by Irvin D. Yalom The Wisdom of No Escape: and the Path of Loving-Kindness by Pema Chödrön How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind by Pema Chödrön The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we listen and respond to feedback from the 18Forty community on the conversations of our Israel at War topic. Jews live in two different worlds—one before Oct. 7, and one after. The last few months have transformed the Jewish People across denominations, communities, and countries. Prompted by your feedback, we reflect upon those changes. Together, we reflect on those changes. In this episode we discuss: Dati Leumi Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might continue forward in pursuit of being a unified Jewish People. Feedback messages begin: 9:28 References: Exodus 3:5 “Surfin' Slivovitz” by Andy Statman “Shomer Yisrael” by Omek Hadavar “Yossi Klein Halevi: What’s Next: The Future of Liberal Zionism” “Jonathan Gribetz: What’s Next: Teaching the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict”

In this special episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we introduce the topic of mental health with a conversation featuring world-famous Jewish singer Lipa Schmeltzer. While many people know Lipa’s songs, far fewer know his journey of mental health—a story he never expected to unfold. With raw vulnerability and beautiful passion, Lipa opens up about every step that led him to today. His lessons are immeasurably important. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about the radical honesty it takes to make progress on a mental health journey. Interview begins at 20:26. Lipa, once described as “the Lady Gaga of Hasidic music,” has 18 solo albums to date. He is a father, singer, writer, and visual artist. References: “My heartfelt message of personal growth & challenges before Matan Torah 5783” with Lipa Schmeltzer Making of a Godol by Nathan Kamenetsky Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rav Reuven and Rabbanit Shani Taragin, educational directors of World Mizrachi, about what comes next for Israel’s Dati Leumi (Religious Zionist) community. Additionally, we speak with Gideon Davis, a Religious Zionist soldier serving in Gaza. Mistakenly, we tend to think of the Dati Leumi community as Israel’s analog to Modern Orthodoxy. That makes us miss, however, that Religious Zionism is a rich worldview unto itself, and is something we all can learn from. In this episode we discuss: Dati LeumiDati Leumi Tune in to hear a conversation about how a religious mindset can expand beyond personal piety to include a deep commitment to the Jewish People and the world. Interview with Gideon Davis begins at 6:09. Interview with Reuven and Shani Taragin begins at 36:42. Rav Reuven Taragin is a former Wexner Fellow and Musmach of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Rav Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel where he is responsible for the program’s quality and message and the welfare of each of its talmidim. Rav Taragin is also the Rosh Beit Midrash at Camp Moshava (I.O.), and Rav of Kehillat Eretz Chemdah in Katamon. Rabbanit Shani Taragin is a noted author and teacher at Midreshet Lindenbaum, Midreshet Torah V’Avodah, MaTaN, Migdal Oz, Sha’alvim for Women, Lander College, and the Women’s’ Beit Midrash in Efrat and Ramat Shilo. The Taragins are the Educational Directors of World Mizrachi and the RZA (Religious Zionists of America), and they also serve as Roshei Beit Medrash for the Beit Medrash Program in Camp Moshava IO during the summer. They have six children and live in Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion. References: The Matrix Adjusting Sights by Haim Sabato Tanakh The Rav Speaks by Joseph B. Soleveitchik “How Will Redemption Begin?” by David Bashevkin Meshekh Chokhmah by Meir Simha HaKohen Dvinsk

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Harvard Divinity School visiting scholar Rabbi David Wolpe, MIT PhD student Talia Khan, and Harvard professor Steven Pinker about the new reality for Jews in higher education. Since Simchas Torah, the hostile discourse regarding Israel has become something that no Jewish student can ignore. Jewish families have been asking: Is it even worth it to send our sons and daughters to these colleges? In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might work toward a reimagined and refocused higher education. Interview with David Wolpe begins at 4:27. Interview with Talia Khan begins at 29:30. Interview with Steven Pinker begins at 1:05:12. Named The Most Influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek and one of the 50 Most Influential Jews in the World by The Jerusalem Post, David Wolpe is a visiting scholar at Harvard Divinity School and the Max Webb Rabbi Emeritus of Sinai Temple, a Conservative shul in Los Angeles. Rabbi Wolpe previously taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and UCLA. He is the author of eight books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times. His new book is titled David, the Divided Heart. Talia Khan is an MIT graduate student in mechanical engineering, the president of the MIT Israel Alliance, and a Fulbright Brazil alumna. Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. He conducts research on language, cognition, and social relations, writes for publications such as the New York Times, Time and The Atlantic, and is the author of twelve books, including The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate, The Stuff of Thought, The Better Angels of Our Nature, The Sense of Style, Enlightenment Now, and Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters. References: “On the Hatred of Jews” by David J. Wolpe Israel: An Echo of Eternity by Abraham Joshua Heschel O Jerusalem! by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre “When Calls for Jewish Genocide Can Cost a University Its Government Funding” by Michael A. Helfand “A five-point plan to save Harvard from itself” by Steven Pinker The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt The Canceling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jonathan Gribetz, a Princeton professor and scholar of Near Eastern and Judaic studies, about the history of Israel and Palestine. At a time in which we can feel as if we’re all at war, it may be helpful to take a step back and look at the full history between Arabs and Israelis, to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges we face in 2024. Jonathan Gribetz helps us do this. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how we might seek out the seeds of a reconciliation between the descendants of Isaac and the descendants of Ishmael. Interview begins at 4:50. Jonathan Marc Gribetz is Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Judaic Studies at Princeton University, where he teaches about the history of Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, and Jewish and Arab nationalisms. He is the author of Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter. References: Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter by Jonathan Marc Gribetz The Zionist Idea by Arthur Hertzberg Zionism: An Emotional State by Derek J. Penslar 1929: Year Zero of the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Hillel Cohen Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East by Abdel Monem Said Aly, Shai Feldman, and Khalil Shikaki Clima Twins Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism by Sarit Kattan Gribetz Genesis 15:15

In this episode of the18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yossi Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, about what it means to be a Zionist and a Jew post-October 7. Since Simchas Torah, we’ve spent lots of time airing our political differences with others. What might be harder, though, is asking the uncomfortable questions about our own beliefs. Our guest today has decades of experience with this kind of soul-searching. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about the tensions that come with trying to uphold the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians. Interview begins at 6:54. Yossi Klein Halevi is a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Together with Imam Abdullah Antepli of Duke University, he co-directs the Institute's Muslim Leadership Initiative (MLI), which teaches emerging young Muslim American leaders about Judaism, Jewish identity and Israel. Halevi’s 2013 book, Like Dreamers, won the Jewish Book Council's Everett Book of the Year Award. His latest book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, is a New York Times bestseller. He writes for leading op-ed pages in the US, including the Times and the Wall Street Journal, and is a former contributing editor to the New Republic. References: “What Israelis Fear the World Does Not Understand” with Ezra Klein and Yossi Klein Halevi Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor by Yossi Klein Halevi Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation by Yossi Klein Halevi Arab Strategies and Israel's Response by Yehoshafat Harkabi

In this minisode of the 18Forty Podcast, we reflect upon a year beyond words (and numbers). At every stop of the process in the wild journey that has been 18Forty, we’ve been motivated by our fantastic community members who have pushed us to ask deeper questions, to be more honest with ourselves, and to think more sharply and profoundly about what it means to be a Jew today. We’ve grown with you and for you, and we’re so thankful to be able to provide everything we can for you all. More than anything, organic growth inspires us—people finding out about 18Forty from a friend who can’t stop thinking about a recent interview they listened to, articles and podcasts shared in Whatsapp groups and discussed around Shabbos tables across the world, with feedback streaming in from every corner of the Jewish world. To another year of more growth, curiosity, and asking better questions—for everything, thank you!

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Eli Paley, the publisher of Mishpacha magazine, about the role of Haredi society at this pivotal moment in Israel’s history. As we emerge from a time when Israel’s Haredi and secular cultures have experienced an upswell of unity, the Jewish People will move forward (in some way) forever changed. And Eli Paley is particularly equipped to understand the segments and the wholeness of Israeli society. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about the transformation and rebirth that Israel is undergoing. Interview begins at 12:09. Eli Paley, an alumnus of the Chevron Yeshiva, is owner of Mishpacha Media Group and publisher of the Mishpacha weekly magazine for the Haredi and Dati sectors, in Israel and abroad, in Hebrew and English. He is a businessman and social activist, and is chairman of the Paley Family Foundation which supports and promotes Torah centers and social initiatives in the Haredi community. He is a member of the Jewish Funders Network and is active in several philanthropic organizations. References: Book Journey: What is the Essence of Antisemitism? “Mirror, Mirror of The Fall” by Maureen Dowd Mishpacha The Machon Hacharedi Real Jews: Secular Versus Ultra- Orthodox: The Struggle For Jewish Identity In Israel by Noah Efron

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Michael Eisenberg, a venture capitalist and staunch defender of Israel, about how the people of Israel have risen to the occasion by creating a “civic revolution.” With all that is at stake for the Jewish People right now, we’ve been forced to reconsider what our personal goals and collective mission ought to be. And Michael has been at the forefront of that discourse. In this episode we discuss: Tune in to hear a conversation about how, together, we summon the agency to transform our lives and uplift the world. Interview begins at 4:35. Michael Eisenberg is a General Partner at Aleph, an early-stage venture capital fund with $850M under management. Since 2006, he has been writing the blog “Six Kids and a Full Time Job,” on topics ranging from politics to technology, Judaism, and macroeconomics. Michael has also published numerous books, including The Tree of Life and Prosperity, The Vanishing Jew, and Ben Barukh. In 2020, he established the Nevo Network, a first-of-its-kind fellowship program to elevate olim (immigrants to Israel) working in high-tech and serves as the organization’s chairman. Michael lives in Jerusalem with his wife and eight children. References: “Israel, Version 3.0” by Rabbi Moshe Taragin Michael Eisenberg and Elon Musk on X (Twitter) Altneuland: The Old-New-Land by Theodor Herzl “Transactional thinking can only take humanity so far” by Michael Eisenberg Parshat Shoftim Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein Red Notice by Bill Browder Halakhic Man by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Sotah 49b Reading Jewish History in the Parsha with David Bashevkin Book Journey with Malka Simkovich