Wine in Judaism isn’t just a drink—it’s a ritual, a symbol, and a story poured into every glass. From the vineyards of ancient Israel to today’s award-winning boutique wineries, wine has played a sacred and celebratory role in Jewish life for millennia. But how did Israel go from kiddush wine to world-class vintages? And what makes Israeli wine so special? Grab a glass as we explore the past, present, and future of Jewish wine culture. L'Chaim.

Additional reading:

https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/judaism/the-value-of-wine

https://www.sefaria.org.il/sheets/601017?lang=bi

https://www.timeout.com/israel/things-to-do/the-israeli-wine-list

https://www.ice.edu/blog/wines-of-israel

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The planet Earth may not be able to support the billions who call it home. Even in the wealthiest countries, too many people are hungry. We zoom in on the Jewish experience of issues connected with food justice – from the days of the Bible and before, to modern Israeli food innovation, and including the non-profits striving to provide those in need with that most basic of rights – the right to go to sleep and wake up without hunger. Our special guest today is Joseph Gitler, the founder of Leket – a leading NGO aspiring to implement Jewish values around food access towards a healthier society in body and soul.

Links for Additional Reading (And Ways For You To Help…)

Latet - Combating poverty and food insecurity in Israel

Leket Israel - Rescuing nutritious surplus food for those in need

Pantry Packers - Providing nutritional support to Israel's neediest families

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Tel Aviv is sometimes described as just another city with no story to call its own. Today we will pull back the curtain to share the many stories and the foundational narratives that Tel Aviv told about itself through the years and the connections between story and symbol and urban planning, architecture, and design. Whether you want to call it ‘The White City’ or ‘The Big Orange’ or ‘The City That Never Stops’ – join us for a behind the scenes look at Tel Aviv and its celebration of the Zionist new normal.

Links for Additional Reading:

How Did Tel Aviv Become a Beacon For Stunning Bauhaus Architecture? Elizabeth Warkentin, Architecture + Design, 25 September 2019,

The Mythography of Tel Aviv, Maoz Azaryahu and Jonathan Silver. Mosaic, 17 November 20222

Tel Aviv: Israel's Cultural and Financial Capital, History of Israel Explained, Unpacked

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Mount Hermon – the eyes of Israel – has been witness to thousands of generations telling their stories throughout the ages. This single, towering peak bears the weight of countless narratives — stories of history, culture, faith from ancient times until today. Hermon is not just a place to go skiing; it’s a place where the sacred intersects with the strategic, where ancient traditions meet the present day, and where diverse communities—Jewish, Druze, Christian, and Muslim—leave their imprints on its slopes.

Links for Additional Reading

Mount Hermon – A General Overview

Mount Hermon – Jewish Virtual Library

Druze Lives Matter | Real Talk Marissa Streit sits with Rania Dean and Omar Nasser

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Much of our consumer experience in the 21st century is antiseptic and impersonal. Visiting Jerusalem’s open air market at Mahane Yehuda is a chance to engage all of our senses, to get out and about, and see a slice of Jerusalem as it lives and breathes in all of its colors, flavors, and tastes. In this episode, we will visit the streets and alleys of Mahane Yehuda – a bit of history, a bit of culinary, and a bit of the human mosaic that makes Mahane Yehuda an exciting classroom for understanding Israeli society.

Links For Additional Reading

The Complete Guide to the Machane Yehuda Market

100 Years Of Photographs At Machane Yehuda Market, Israel21C, Naama Barak, 23 July 2023

Zooming In On The History Of Jerusalem's Iconic Machane Yehuda Market, i24NewsEnglish

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High in the mountains in a land shrouded in mystery for most of us live the indigenous peoples of North Africa – the Berbers. And alongside these proud tribespeople who call themselves – ‘the free men’ – lived the Jews of the Atlas Mountains, of the North African Berbers. Wandering Jews shares the history and stories of this unique episode in the Jewish experience and invite you to consider the borders between history and legend, and the place where these stories become part of our own Jewish memory.

Links for Additional Reading:

The Muslim And The Lost Jews Of Morocco, YNET News

Habrera Hativit, World Music Central

The Caliph’s House, Tahir Shah

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We define our symbols and our symbols define us. When considering the Star of David as a Jewish symbol, one has to head out on a journey through the centuries and across the globe to understand how a widespread geometric configuration became such a powerful defining image of the Jewish people – to our enemies and to ourselves. Join us from Jerusalem to Rome to Morocco to Prague to Basle, Switzerland as we explore the Star of David and our Jewish journeys.

Links for Additional Reading

The Curious History Of The Six-Pointed Star: How The “Magen David” Became The Jewish Symbol, Gershom Scholem, Commentary, September 1949

Star of David: Birth of a Symbol – Legends vs. Facts, ANU – The Museum of the Jewish People, 1 February 2018

Star Of David, Erin Parfet, Shalom Learning Center, 4 April 2024

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Considered by Jewish tradition as one of the holy cities of the Land of Israel, Tsfat’s alleys and hills welcome visitors to explore the Jewish mystical tradition as it was formulated and taught by a unique circle of 16th-century teachers, philosophers, and visionaries, including ‘The Lion’ Rabbi Isaac Luria. The “Wandering Jews” will walk with you through Tsfat and together we will uncover the secrets of a religious approach that continues to be meaningful 500 years after Tsfat’s heyday. What is mysticism? And how did a concept drawn from Jewish texts and mystical tomes become a major calling card for Judaism in the late 20th and 21st centuries?

Links for Additional Reading:

An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism, Michael Howald, Sefaria

Kabbalah: An Overview, Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Virtual Library

The Mystics of Safed, Dan Cohn-Sherbok, My Jewish Learning

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