All Else is Commentary
All Else is Commentary is a podcast of Jewish ideas, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt. Elliott is part of the rabbinic team at Alyth Synagogue in London. In this podcast, he is joined by other rabbis, writers and academics to delve into texts as diverse as the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, to contemporary Jewish novels. All Else is Commentary takes deep dives into Jewish texts, considering how they responded to the times in which they were written, as well as what they might say to us today about what it means to live in the world. This is the ideal podcast for anyone who wants to explore Jewish texts and Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Coming Up on All Else is Commentary
We're taking a couple of weeks' break, so this is just a short episode to let you know what is coming up.
In particular, we are welcoming Rabbi Josh Levy and Rabbi Hannah Kingston to talk about two important sermons from the last 50 years. And we want to hear from you if there are sermons you heard or heard about, and would like us to discuss on the podcast. You can write to allelseis@alyth.org.uk – or join the conversation on Facebook, or Bluesky.
We are looking forward to all kinds of other episodes, which you can find out about here: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
All Else is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth, and we are grateful to the Shoreh Charitable Trust for a grant that will make the podcast sound as good as it can.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Progressive Sermons of the Last 50 Years: the healing power of ritual – with Rabbi Miriam Berger
In this episode, Elliott speaks to Rabbi Miriam Berger about a sermon she gave in 2017 about second-child infertility, and the power of ritual to help us nagivate those things in our lives over which we have no control. They speak about how rabbis are uniquely placed to accompany us through such moments, and to provide Jewish ways in which to frame life's journeys.
If you want to read Rabbi Miriam's sermon, click here. We are grateful to have been able to use (with permission) the recording of 'Ki Hinei Kachomer' by Daniel Cainer, sung by Cantor Zoe Jacobs.
Rabbi Miriam is the host of not one but two podcasts. The new series of 'Rabbiting On' is on now: https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/podcasts/rabbiting-on/
Find out about her other new podcast, 'Life Dunk' here: https://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/wellspring-uk-a-new-mikveh-and-a-new-podcast/
You can find out more about Wellspring UK here: https://www.wellspringuk.org/
If you have any comments or questions, or if there is a sermon that you remember that you would love us to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on our Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
LAG B'OMER SPECIAL: Rabbi Akiva and Rachel - with the Alyth YEH Team
A very different episode of the podcast, to mark Lag B'Omer.
Elliott is joined by Abi, Izzie and Phoebe, educators in the Alyth Youth and Education Hub (YEH) as they study a story from the Babylonian Talmud. We eavesdrop on their learning, snacking, banter and scholarly insights into the story of Rabbi Akiva and his wife, Rachel.
You can read along with us here: https://www.alyth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Rabbi-Akiva-and-Rachel.pdf
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
Next week: another Progressive Sermon from the last 50 years – this time I will be speaking to Rabbi Miriam Berger about a sermon that she gave just a few years ago about the power of ritual in our lives, and how that sermon has launched her latest project.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Art of the Book of Ruth - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris and Tilla Crowne
Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) for a series delving into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). Having read through the whole of the Book of Ruth, Elliott and Deborah take time to look at the artwork of the book - and welcome special guest Tilla Crowne, who provided the artwork for the cover of Deborah's book.
You can see the images they discuss in this episode here: https://www.alyth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Art-of-the-Book-of-Ruth.pdf
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.Next week: another Progressive Sermon from the last 50 years – this time I will be speaking to Rabbi Miriam Berger about a sermon that she gave just a few years ago about the power of ritual in our lives, and how that sermon has launched her latest project.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book of Ruth, Chapter 4 - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) for a series delving into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). This episode is on chapter 4, the final chapter.
You can read along with them in any bible, or you can use Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.4?lang=bi
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
Next week: We have not quite finished with Ruth, Naomi and Boaz, as next week Elliott and Deborah are joined by Tilla Crowne, artist and illustrator, to talk about the art of the Book of Ruth.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book of Ruth, Chapter 3 - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) for a series delving into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). This episode is on chapter 3.
You can read along with them in any bible, or you can use Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.3?lang=bi
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
You can listen to the song Elliott mentions here: https://open.spotify.com/track/7w4WB28CPszmOVQaHEcGhx
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book of Ruth, Chapter 2 - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) for a series delving into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). This episode is on chapter 2.
You can read along with them in any bible, or you can use Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.2?lang=bi
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
You can watch The Story of Ruth (1960) herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG5UASouE9k
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book of Ruth, Chapter 1, Part 2 - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) for the second in a series delving into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). This episode is the second installment of their discussion of chapter 1.
You can read along with them in any bible, or you can use Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.1?lang=bi
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We want to wish everyone Chag Pesach Sameach / Happy Passover.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book of Ruth: Chapter 1, Part 1 - with Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris
This is the first of a series in which Elliott is joined by his teacher Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College) to take a deep-dive into the Book of Ruth (the book that Jews traditionally read at Shavuot). They thought they could get through the whole of chapter 1 in just one episode, but it is so rich that they will actually need two. The second installment will be out on Thursday.
You can read along with them in any bible, or you can use Sefaria: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.1?lang=bi
You can find out more about Rabbi Deborah's book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666932102/Polyamory-and-Reading-the-Book-of-Ruth
If you want to find out more about Leo Baeck College, and what it takes to study for the rabbinate, and how you can support the college, please check out their website: www.lbc.ac.uk.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary. Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We want to wish everyone Chag Pesach Sameach / Happy Passover.
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PESACH SPECIAL: How did Moses know he was a Hebrew? - With Rabbi Jonathan Magonet
We're here on a Thursday for a special Pesach episode of All Else is Commentary. This week, Elliott is joined by another of his former teachers from Leo Baeck College, Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet, to discuss the question of when Moses knew he was a Hebrew.
You can buy Rabbi Jonathan's book here.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
We want to wish everyone Chag Pesach Sameach / Happy Passover, and to let you know that next week we will begin to finally put out episodes Elliott has been recording over the last few months with one of his other teachers from Leo Baeck College, Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris: four weeks on the four chapters of the Book of Ruth. The first of those episodes will be out on Monday.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Philip Roth's The Ghost Writer - with Toby Lloyd
This week, Elliott is joined by the author Toby Lloyd, to talk about one of Philip Roth's most Jewish novels: The Ghost Writer (1979).
There will be spoilers, so if you want to buy and read the book first, you can do so here.
You can find out more about Toby's own book, Fervour here.
If you're interested in reading Roth's article from 1963 on writing about Jews, you can do so here: https://www.commentary.org/articles/philip-roth/writing-about-jews/
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
On Thursday, look out for a special epsiode we are putting out for Pesach: Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet on how Moses knew he was a Hebrew.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Leo Baeck and the Essence of Judaism, Part 2: The Task of Progressive Judaism
This episode is a continuation of Elliott's lecture on Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck, including some of the things he wasn't able to get to in the original talk.
To read the sermon Elliott is referring to that he gave about Progressive Judaism, click here.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topics you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
On Thursday, look out for a special epsiode we are putting out for Pesach: Rabbi Professor Jonathan Magonet on how Moses knew he was a Hebrew.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Leo Baeck and the Essence of Judaism, Part 1
Back in February, Elliott gave a lecture to the Progressive Judaism Education Hub about Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck. This is a recording of the first part of that lecture, giving an account of Baeck's life and times. Next week will be an additional lecture that dives into Baeck's writings, specifically his most famous work, The Essence of Judaism (originally published 1905, then re-published in expanded form in 1922).
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topicx you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Abraham: The First Jew - with Anthony Julius
This week, Elliott is joined by Anthony Julius, the author of a new book on the biblical figure of Abraham. It's not just a biography though - the conversation gets to the heart of what it means to be a Jew.
You can buy Anthony's new book here: https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300266801/abraham/
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any particular topicx you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Over the next two weeks we will be putting out a two-part lecture from Elliott about Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PURIM SPECIAL: Esther in Victorian Literature - with Dr Sherry Ashworth
We are here on a Thursday to bring you a special Purim episode! Elliott is joined by Dr Sherry Ashworth, who has recently finished her PhD in the study of the story of Esther and how the characters from Purim seem to pop up all over the place in Victorian novels.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any biblical stories you would like us to about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
Next week in our regular slot, Elliott speaks to the lawyer and writer Anthony Julius about his new book, Abraham: The First Jew.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
We are incredibly grateful to be supported by the Shoresh Charitable Trust.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rabbinic Power in the Talmud, Q & A - with Rabbi Kath Vardi
Rabbi Kath Vardi returns for a Question and Answer session on all the rabbinic legends she and Elliott have talked about over the last few months. Together they respond to questions posed by listeners, as well as returning to some of the disagreements they had in the first four episodes.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any talmudic stories you would love Elliott and Kath to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
Next week in our regular slot, Elliott speaks to the lawyer and writer Anthony Julius about his new book, Abraham: The First Jew. Before that, a Purim special with Dr Sherry Ashworth, exploring the story of Esther, and the way in which it resurfaces in Victorian literature.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Please visit our website: https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Everyday Jews - with Keith Kahn-Harris
This week, Elliott is joined by Keith Kahn-Harris, sociologist, Jewish researcher, and one of Elliott's teachers from his time at Leo Baeck College. Keith is here to talk about his new book: Everyday Jews. He argues that we should be celebrating the mundane, and not be so obsessed with the search for grander meaning.
You can find out more about Keith on his website: https://kahn-harris.org/
And you can still book for his book launch event at JW3 here: https://www.jw3.org.uk/whats-on/celebrating-everyday-jewishness-seriously-playful-evening
A reminder that on 4 March Elliott will be recording another episode with Rabbi Kath Vardi – a Q&A about the stories they have been studying together from the Talmud. If you have any questions for the two of them, please email: allelseis@alyth.org.uk – either as text or you can send us a voice note if you want to hear your voice on the podcast. You can also join the conversation on Facebook or Bluesky.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else is Commentary.
All Else is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Coming Up on All Else is Commentary
We’re taking a break from regular episodes this week, but we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about some of the exciting things that are coming up.
In particular, in March we welcome back Rabbi Kath Vardi for a Q & A about rabbinic power in the Talmud – and it is not too late to submit your questions for that. You can write to allelseis@alyth.org.uk – or join the conversation on Facebook, or Bluesky. We would really love to hear your questions.
This week, Elliott will be teaching a session as part of the Progressive Judaism Education Hub, about Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck (President of Alyth 1946-1956). You can sign up to attend these Zoom sessions here.
Next week: Elliott speaks to Keith Kahn-Harris about his new book, Everyday Jews.
All Else is Commentary is brought you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ritzpah - with Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen
This week, Elliott is joined by Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen, rabbi, podcaster, and academic, to talk about the biblical character of Ritzpah. They talk about the story of this courageous woman, its biblical context, and how it is relevant to politics today.
You can follow the story on Sefaria by clicking here.
You can find out more about Rabbi Robyn's podcast, 'Rabbiting On' (which she co-hosts with Rabbi Miriam Berger and Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers) by clicking here.
Next week we are taking a break – there won’t be a full podcast, but we will be posting a short episode with details of what is coming up over the next few months. In particular, a reminder that on 4 March Elliott will be recording another episode with Rabbi Kath Vardi – a Q&A about the stories we have been studying together from the Talmud. If you have any questions for the two of us, please email: allelseis@alyth.org.uk – either as text or you can send us a voice note if you want to hear your voice on the podcast. You can also join the conversation on Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else is Commentary.
All Else is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Progressive Sermons of the Last 50 Years: The Falklands Crisis - with Rabbi Colin Eimer
In this episode, we are moving away from the texts of the ancient Jewish world, and jumping to the twentieth century. Elliott speaks to Rabbi Colin Eimer about a sermon he gave back in 1982, at the height of the Falklands Crisis. They talk about the context in which the sermon was given and how we go about writing our sermons. We think about what remains relevant today, and also how this sermon might have been different if it had been delivered in 2025.
If you want to read Rabbi Colin's sermon, including some explanatory footnotes, click here.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there is a sermon that you remember that you would love us to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you. You can also join the conversation on our Facebook page, and we have just arrived on Bluesky, so please head over there to give us a follow as well.
Next week, we are going back into the Hebrew Bible – Elliott is joined by Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen to talk about the figure of Ritzpah.
All Else is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Talmud, Emmanuel Levinas, and Messianic Times – with Rabbi Daniel Lichman
In this episode, Elliott sits down with Rabbi Daniel Lichman to talk about a particular Talmudic reading by the French Jewish philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas. They talk about the question of when to expect the messiah, and what we are being called to do during these extreme times.
If you want to read the section of Levinas's work that Elliott and Daniel are talking about, you can find it here.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are parts of the Jewish rabbinic or philosophical tradition you would love us to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk. You can also join the discussion on our Facebook page, and on Bluesky. We would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Next Week: Elliott sits down with his colleague, Rabbi Colin Eimer, to talk about a sermon that Rabbi Colin gave in 1982 at the height of the Falklands Crisis. They will be discussing the context in which the sermon was given, who rabbis talk to about their sermons, and what might be different about that sermon today.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rabbinic Power in the Talmud, part 4 - with Rabbi Kath Vardi
This episode is the second part of Elliott's discussion with Rabbi Kath Vardi about the legend of Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish. Together they address the human desire for autonomy, the Rabbis' use and abuse of Scripture, and whether the rabbis really like the idea of disagreement.
Click here to read the legend on Sefaria.org.
This is Elliott's last discussion with Rabbi Kath until the beginning of March, when they will be back with a special Question and Answer episode - so please email in your questions to: allelseis@alyth.org.uk. You can send it either as a text email or as a voice note. We would really love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Next week we are back to weekly episodes coming out on a Monday. We are sticking with the Talmud, but the next episode will be very, very different. I’ll be speaking to Rabbi Daniel Lichman about a particular reading of the Talmud by the philosopher Emmanual Levinas, and the way in which we conceive of the Jewish messiah.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
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Rabbinic Power in the Talmud, Part 3 - with Rabbi Kath Vardi
In this episode, Rabbi Kath Vardi returns for a discussion about one of the most famous stories in the Babylonian Talmud: the legend of Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish.
We were hoping to get through the whole episode in one sitting, but time got the better of us, so we will be bringing out Part 2 of this episode on Thursday.
Click here to read the legend on Sefaria.org.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any talmudic stories you would love Elliott and Kath to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rabbis who kill with their eyes
All Else Is Commentary is a podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this special solo episode, Elliott delves into legends from the Talmud in which rabbis kill with their eyes, and considers what it says about rabbinic power, and whether there is a possibility that – in a small way at least – the rabbis are laughing at themselves.
Click here for a source sheet to accompany this episode.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any talmudic stories you would love Elliott and Kath to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Next time: Rabbi Kath is back, as we consider another story about Rabbi Yochanan, this time it will be the famous story of Rabbi Yochanan and his relationship with Reish Lakish.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Devorah and Yael - with Student Rabbi Yael Tischler
All Else Is Commentary is a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this episode, Elliott is once again joined by Kohenet Yael Tischler, who is a student rabbi in her fourth year at Leo Baeck College in London. After the last two episodes, Elliott asked Yael if they could talk about some women who fought back. Yael thought about it, and these were the two women she chose: Devorah and Yael.
Click here for a source sheet with the texts they discuss in this episode. If you want to follow the story on Sefaria, click here.
Next week, Rabbi Kath Vardi returns for another conversation about rabbinic power dynamics. Before that, on Thursday, a solo episode from Elliott on a related subject he recently taught about at Limmud: Rabbis who kill with their eyes.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any biblical stories or any biblical women you would love us to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
You can also now join the conversation on Facebook and Bluesky.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
She'ilah bat Yiftach - with Student Rabbi Yael Tischler
All Else Is Commentary is a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this episode, Elliott is once again joined by Kohenet Yael Tischler, who is a student rabbi in her fourth year at Leo Baeck College in London. They discuss the story of She'ilah, the daughter of Yiftach, who is sacrificed by her own father after he makes a frivilous vow to God. They talk about the way in which her story has been told and retold, and why it’s important to us today.
Click here for a source sheet with the texts they discuss in this episode.
To find out more about Dirshuni, the collection of modern midrashim that is mentioned in this episode, click this link: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/D/bo156863971.html
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any biblical stories you would love Elliott to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shelomit bat Dibri - with Student Rabbi Yael Tischler
All Else Is Commentary is a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this episode, Elliott is joined by Kohenet Yael Tischler, who is a student rabbi in her fourth year at Leo Baeck College in London. They discuss the story of Shelomit bat Dibri, the only woman to be named in the book of Leviticus. They talk about the way in which her story has been told and retold, and why it’s important to us today.
Click here for a source sheet with all the texts they discuss in this episode.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any biblical stories you would love Elliott to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rabbinic Power in the Talmud, part 2 - with Rabbi Kath Vardi
All Else Is Commentary is a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this episode, Elliott is again joined by Rabbi Kath Vardi, in the second episode looking at rabbinic legends in the Babylonian Talmud - legends that cause us to reflect on the power of the rabbis and the boundaries they put in place around learning. This week, Elliott and Kath read the story of Rabbi Eliezer, who is excommunicated by the other rabbis. It’s a story about what happens when an individual challenges the majority, and as ever there is much to learn for our contemporary lives.
Click here to read the legend on Sefaria.org.
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any talmudic stories you would love Elliott and Kath to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
Next time: Elliott is joined by Student Rabbi Yael Tischler, and they will be discussing the only woman to be named in the Book of Leviticus: Shelomit bat Dibri.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rabbinic Power in the Talmud, Part 1 - with Rabbi Kath Vardi
All Else Is Commentary is a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective, hosted by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt.
In this episode, Elliott is joined by Rabbi Kath Vardi, in the first in a series of episodes looking at rabbinic legends in the Babylonian Talmud - legends that cause us to reflect on the power of the rabbis and the boundaries they put in place around learning. This week, Elliott and Kath read the story of Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabban Gamliel. It’s a story about what happens when individual leaders can become too powerful; it’s about the way in which we can get stuck when we put narrow limits on who can learn and who can be involved in decision-making; and it’s a profound commentary on how communities should operate and thrive (or not).
Click here to read the legend on Sefaria.org.
If you are heading back to this episode for an explanation of what the Talmud is, there's a time stamp for that!
1:48: What is the Talmud?
If you have any comments or questions, or if there are any talmudic stories you would love Elliott and Kath to talk about, please be in touch with us at allelseis@alyth.org.uk – we would love to hear from you.
If there are people in your life who you think would be interested, please tell them about All Else Is Commentary.
All Else Is Commentary is brought to you by Alyth.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Toby Lloyd
This is the very first episode of All Else is Commentary, a new podcast of Jewish ideas from a curious, progressive and critical perspective and presented by Rabbi Elliott Karstadt, and in this first episode he is joined by the author, Toby Lloyd, to talk about his highly acclaimed new book, Fervour, described by Jonathan Coe as 'A fearless look into the dark heart of family politics' and by the New York Times as 'Magnificent, indelible [...] a lasting allegory of our dark historical time.' It’s a book full of Jewish references from biblical stories to the Zohar. Elliott and Toby talk about all those, and they also get into issues of antisemitism and mental health.
You can find out more about Toby's book here: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/toby-lloyd/fervour/9781399724616/
There will be more discussions like this in the future. A reminder of what we have coming up: I’m excited to speak to the lawyer Anthony Julius about his new book on the biblical figure of Abraham. I’m going to be discussing with Rabbi Kath Vardi the way in which the rabbis of the Talmud drew boundaries around learning, and Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris and I are in the process of recording a four-part series on the Book of Ruth.
If you have enjoyed this episode and want to know more about what’s coming up, you can visit our website (https://www.alyth.org.uk/learn-us/adult-learning/all-else-is-commentary/), and you can get in touch with Elliott at allelseis@alyth.org.uk
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Introducing All Else is Commentary
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.