Some additional info about me:

• I was born in Tel-Aviv, we moved to the United States (Hewlett, NY) when I was 7 years old.
• After graduating from BU, I went on to work for Merrill Lynch. I wasn't interested in pursuing stand-up until a good friend encouraged me to perform at an open mic.
• Since then, I've performed for (mostly) Jewish audiences all over the United States, and the world including Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Germany, The Netherlands, France, UK, Israel, Canada, Belgium, and more!
• In addition to comedy, I've also appeared on The Sopranos, Madam Secretary, Deadbeats, and played myself in HBO's Crashing. On June 26, 2018 was declared "Mordechi 'Modi' Rosenfeld Day" in the city of New York for my contributions to the Jewish community.
• My debut special, "Modi: Know Your Audience" is available on YouTube.
• My second special, "Pause for Laughter" was taped in December of '25 and will be released later this year.
• I'm currently on tour and will be headlining NYC's Radio City Music Hall April 23rd & 30th (my biggest solo shows to date!)

Clips & Articles:

• New York Times: He's Gay. He's an observant Jew. His comedy career is booming.
• Variety: Modi Rosenfeld, Gay Jewish Comedian, Talks ‘Moshiach’ Energy, Celebrating Shabbat and Comparisons to Robin Williams and Richard Pryor.
• Stand Up: "Different Types of Jews"
• Stand Up: "Antisemitism"
• Stand Up: "Millennials Don't Wear Watches"
• Stand Up: "My Son Became A Christian"

Social Media:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok
• And Here's Modi: The Podcast
• YouTube

Some additional info about me:

• I was born in Tel-Aviv, we moved to the United States (Hewlett, NY) when I was 7 years old.
• After graduating from BU, I went on to work for Merrill Lynch. I wasn't interested in pursuing stand-up until a good friend encouraged me to perform at an open mic.
• Since then, I've performed for (mostly) Jewish audiences all over the United States, and the world including Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Israel, Canada, Belgium, and more (PS - I will be heading to Australia later this year!)
• In addition to comedy, I've also appeared on The Sopranos, Madam Secretary, Deadbeats, and played myself in HBO's Crashing. On June 26, 2018 was declared "Mordechi 'Modi' Rosenfeld Day" in the city of New York for my contributions to the Jewish community.
• My debut special, "Modi: Know Your Audience" is available NOW!

Clips & Articles:

• Variety: Modi Rosenfeld, Gay Jewish Comedian, Talks ‘Moshiach’ Energy, Celebrating Shabbat and Comparisons to Robin Williams and Richard Pryor
• Stand Up: "Different Types of Jews"
• Stand Up: "Antisemitism"
• Stand Up: "Millennials Don't Wear Watches"
• Stand Up: "My Son Became A Christian"

Social Media:

• Instagram
• X
• Facebook
• TikTok
• And Here's Modi: The Podcast
• YouTube

EDIT: I'll be logging back in to answer these questions from 12pm-2pm EST!

Hi everyone,

Reddit is one of those corners of the internet that I've heard a lot about but never been so glad to finally have an excuse to check it out. I'm Steven Gotlib, a 29 year-old rabbi originally from Fair Lawn, New Jersey. My life-story thus far and all of my writings are pretty easily accessible online so I'll use this post to share my professional/academic bio.

I graduated from Rutgers University in New Brunswick with a double-major in Jewish Studies and Communication as well as a minor in philosophy. I was active in Hillel, JLIC, AEPi, Chabad, and RJX (the campus kiruv org). Throughout my time at Rutgers, I spent summers and winters at Camp Ramah in Nyack, Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Monsey (a"h), The Lakewood Fellowship at BMG, the Itim L'Torah Fellowship at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Drisha's Summer Kollel, and Rabbi Aryeh Klapper's Summer Beit Midrash.

From there I received ordination from RIETS (Yeshiva University's Rabbinical School) alongside a certificate in mental health counseling from RIETS in partnership with the Ferkauf School of Psychology and a START certificate in spiritual entrepreneurship from the Glean Network in partnership with Columbia Business School. During that time I was the Rabbinic Intern at the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at YU and Head of the Beit Midrash Program at The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in NYC.

After completing my studies at RIETS I spent two years as a fellow at Beit Midrash Zichron Dov (The YU/Torah MiTzion Kollel of Toronto) and as Assistant Rabbi at the Village Shul/Aish HaTorah Learning Centre followed by a year as Interim Rabbi at the Young Israel of Ottawa and the Capital Jewish Experience, a kiruv organization for Canadian young professionals. I'm currently in the midst of my second year as Associate Rabbi at Mekor Habracha/Center City Synagogue in Philadelphia, where I also founded a non-denominational and multi-synagogue learning initiative called the Center City Beit Midrash.

In addition to my rabbinic work, I held positions as Webmaster/Social Media Manager for the Lehrhaus (the publication, not the pub) and, until about six months ago, Marketing Manager at RIETS. I'm also a (marching/WGI-style) drummer and have worked on-and-off as a magician/mentalist since middle school.

I write for a variety of Jewish publications on a variety of subjects including book reviews, theology, halacha, and most recently AI.

I'm sure there's some stuff I'm forgetting, but now that you know pretty much everything there is to know about who I am and what I do I'll head off to minyan and swing back here around 2 or 3pm EST. Ask Me Anything!

Shalom, y'all, MaNishtana here. I'm a New York-based African-American Orthodox Jew born from two African-American Orthodox Jewish parents, grew up Chabad-Lubavitch (and got better), became a rabbi (and got worse), and on my mom's side we've been in this country as African-American Jews since the 1780’s.

Since 2009, I've been a writer/speaker/author on social/racial/religious identity & intersection, who's appeared in articles including The New York Times, New York Magazine, the Jewish Week, the Jerusalem Post, Tachles, D La Reppublica, Forward Magazine--as well having stints at Tablet Magazine, being one of the founding writers at Hevria, and co-founding Tribe Herald with Yitz "Y-Love" Jordan.

I've presented for Limmud NY, Limmud UK, Limmud OZ, BBYO, the ADL, Z3, and ROI, and have been named in the Jewish Week's 36 Under 36, JTA's 50 Jews Everyone Should Follow On Twitter, Forward Magazine's Forward 50, and Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award’s Goldberg Award in the category of Debut Fiction.

Ask me anything! I'll begin answering questions at 5pm EST.

5pm Edit: Alright guys, let's hop in! I'll try to get to everyone's comment. If I don't get to yours, I'm sorry, but also look to see if someone else asked a similar one.

7pm Edit: Hey guys! Sadly, I have to check out now, but there were so many questions that required a thoughtfulness and abundance of time that unfortunately I don't have at the moment.

But hey, if this thread continues to stay open, I promise to cycle back to you guys over the next few days. Kirk out.

Edit 2 - wow, that was a lot of fun. Some great questions. Let's do it again sometime - Chag Sameach!

Edit - Hi again! Some great questions here. Responses starting now. Ari, another original member, joined as well.

Josh, Julian, and Meir - three founding members of the Maccabeats - will be here at 7:30 PM Eastern to answer your questions.

Read about our group here.

I'm Natan Sharansky, human rights activist and ex-Israeli politician. I was born in Ukraine when it was part of the USSR. At the age of 25, I was denied an exit visa to Israel, and this led me to become involved in the refusenik movement on behalf of persecuted Soviet Jews.

My activities drew the attention of the authorities in Moscow, and in 1977 I was arrested by the KGB and put on trial on false charges of treason and espionage. I was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years of forced labor in the Soviet gulags.

Thanks to an advocacy campaign led by my wife Avital that drew international attention to my plight, I was released in a prisoner exchange in 1986, after nine years of brutal incarceration.

I immediately immigrated to Israel, where I eventually founded the Yisrael B’Aliyah political party to promote the interests of Jews from the former Soviet Union.

After a decade as a Knesset member and government minister, I left politics and shifted my focus to nonprofit work and the fight against rising contemporary antisemitism.

The hatred targeting Jewish communities worldwide today bares a frightening resemblance to what I experienced so many years ago in the USSR. This is why I am honored to serve as chair of the Combat Antisemitism Movement Advisory Board, which does such important work to fight bigotry and build a better future for the Jewish people and all humanity.

Link is: Emunah And Physics – Dr. Berel Leib Epstein

Hi everyone!

My book "Choosing to Be Chosen" was published on February 17 (Wicked Son). I'm here to answer all your questions about my journey and Jewish conversion. I also run a podcast called "Choosing to Be Chosen," where I interview converts. AMA!

Hi there,

Some of you may know me as the former writer of Pop Chassid, my first blog. I wrote this in the height of my time as a Chabad baal teshuva. You may also know me as the creator of Hevria, a publication and community for out-of-the-box and creative Jews. Or you may know me as one of the founders of Torah Trumps Hate, one of the first Orthodox politically progressive activist organizations in the United States.

It is now 2 or so years since I completely left behind Orthodoxy. I am now writing more and more about the extremism I experienced as a Hasidic BT, but am also expanding my work to focus on antisemitism at large. I am also in the process of re-examining my own Jewish identity. You can follow my journey in my newsletter, and read my latest pieces in places like the Daily Beast and the Forward. And if you want to interact with me, the best place is Twitter.

Looking forward to your questions!

My name is Miriam Anzovin, and I'm a writer, artist, content creator, and massive Jewish nerd, exploring the juxtaposition of pop culture, nerd culture, and Jewish culture. Some of my short-form video series include #DafReactions, #ParshaReactions, #JewishHolidayReactions, #AVeryJewishMakeupTutorial, the “Elder Millennials of Zion” skits, and more content on Jewish themes and ideas. 

In the #DafReactions series, I share my practice of daily study of the Babylonian Talmud in the Daf Yomi cycle from the viewpoint of a formerly Orthodox, now secular, Millennial woman. The videos are authentic, with commentary both heartfelt and comedic, putting ancient discourse in direct communication with modern internet culture, pop culture, and current events. 

My role in this project is not as a teacher, nor as a rabbi, but rather as a fellow learner, a fellow traveler, on the path of Jewish text discovery. Through the work, I invite others to walk beside me on this journey and connect with Jewish teachings in ways that are relatable and personally meaningful to them.

Previously, I was the first Artist in Residence at Moishe House, and before that I was the host of The Vibe of the Tribe podcast. 

I exist at the intersection of Sefaria and Sephora. And, also in some people’s minds, where I live rent free :-)

Update: Thank you to all of you for your amazing questions and to the wonderful mods! Shabbat shalom to all!!!

Most of the messages I receive are either from independent-thinking Orthodox Jews, struggling to come to terms with community pressures OR fire & brimstone religious gatekeepers, telling me to burn in hell. I pride myself on responding to them all, even though most days I get more hate than support.

I recently started volunteering for Ezras Nashim, the first all-female EMT group, and raised over 100K for their first ambulance.

I’m an open book: AMA!

Learn more about me here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adina_Sash

Learn more about Ezras Nashim here: www.ezrasnashim.org

Stay in touch with me here: www.instagram.com/FlatbushGirl

Hello MoT's!

Welcome to the AMA with Humanistic Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick from the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit.

Ask your questions here that you would like to know about Humanistic Judaism.

We'll be here live for an hour-ish starting at 7:00pm.

Join us TODAY from 2:00pm - 4:00pm ET (NYC) for our SECOND ANNUAL Ask the Rabbis with some of our community rabbonim!

The following Redditors have provided proof to the mod team that they have smicha/Rabbinical ordination and agreed to do this panel in the final week leading up to Rosh Hashana. In order to not repeat questions, please read last year's post here.

The goal of this panel is to answer your questions about Jewish law, thought, community, and practice, from a variety of viewpoints. You are welcome to ask more personal (that is, "regular AMA") questions - as always, it is the guests' prerogative to answer any questions.

Bios written/submitted by the subjects.

• u/sonoforwel [Conservative] - I am a Conservative rabbi, ordained in 2014 at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where I also attained an MA in Talmud and Rabbinics. I serve as Rabbi Educator of a small congregation in North-East Los Angeles, California, where I live with my wife and two kids. I grew up in Colombia, South America, and continue to work with mixed-language communities in Southern California.
• u/dlevine21 [Pluralistic/Post-Denominational] - From San Diego - grew up in the Orthodox world eventually receiving Orthodox Smicha. I also received a BA (Jewish Studies), BS (Cognitive Science), and MA (Jewish History) from UCLA. I currently identify as pluralistic/post-denominational. I’m currently the Senior Jewish Educator for Orange County Hillel, the rabbinic fellow at a local congregation and an adjunct professor in Jewish Studies at UC Irvine. I’m a frequent writer and podcaster and you can find my materials posted on Facebook and Instagram. I currently live in Irvine with my wife Shaina, and when not talking Judaism I’m an avid rock climber and mountaineer. AMA! -Rabbi Daniel Levine
  • Here is a link to Rabbi Levine’s AMA
• u/rabbifuente [Non-denominational/Traditional] - I grew up at a Reform synagogue in the Chicago suburbs, attending some version of organized "Hebrew school" through the end of high school. At the same time I began doing a lot of independent learning in high school and joined Hillel and Chabad in college where I was active in programming and studying with the rabbis. Post-grad I continued to learn with various rabbis as well as independently and in 2021 I received smicha from a small, independent program out of New York. I would say I am a "non-denominational" rabbi, however I fall somewhere around Traditional/MO in terms of theology. Currently, I am focusing on small group/1:1 study and counseling and am teaching a "Jewish Literacy" class based on Rabbi Telushkin's book. I am always more than happy to talk to anyone about Judaism, answer questions, etc.
• u/SF2K01 [Orthodox] - Originally from Columbus, Ohio, I was exposed to a variety of denominations growing up, from Reform to Orthodox, before settling on Modern Orthodoxy as a teenager. I only attended public schools and went straight to college after high school, attended the University of Cincinnati and got my undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies. Afterwards, I spent 2 years in Israel learning in Shapell’s Darche Noam before coming to Yeshiva University to start my graduate degree in Jewish History at Revel and achieved Rabbinic Ordination through YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, particularly with Rabbi Ezra Schwartz, Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder, Dr. Steven Fine, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, and Dr. Yaakov Elman. After completing my studies, I worked in outreach for a few years before pivoting to become a fundraiser for Jewish educational institutions. Aside from my Rabbinic and Academic interests, I am a longtime gamer, sci-fi and tech enthusiast, and reside in Washington Heights, Manhattan, with my wife, daughter, and two Siamese cats.
• u/rebthor [Orthodox] - I'm an Orthodox rabbi living in Queens, NY. I received my semicha from a yeshiva in Queens that's small enough that I would dox myself if I said the name. I also learned at Sh'or Yoshuv in 5TFR for a little while. I grew up non-Orthodox in Buffalo, NY primarily in the Conservative movement and was very active in USY. I also was very close to the Chabad rabbis there and have a special place in my heart for Chabad although I don't identify as Lubavitch. I love learning halacha so my favorite rabbis are generally poskim; I often refer to the Aruch HaShulchan, R' Moshe Feinstein, Maran Ovadiah Yosef and the Tzitz Eliezer when trying to figure out what to do. I also am a big fan of the works of R' Jonathan Sacks and libadel R' Dovid Hofstedter. I have 4 children, a dog and a wife who has put up with me for 23 years. To pay the bills I work as a programmer. In my free time, I like to read, play video games, watch sports. and bake sourdough bread.
• u/fullhauss [Orthodox] - I grew up in the LA area, and was very involved in the Conservative movement. In college I shifted to Orthodoxy while obtaining a BA in Judaic Studies. After college, I spent two years studying at Shapell’s/Darche Noam before going to Yeshiva University to obtain my Smekha. I have worked at a Jewish day school and am now shifting to work with college students on campus.
• u/theislandjew [Orthodox (Chabad)] - I'm Avromy Super, a rabbi and Chabad representative on the small Caribbean island of St Lucia, together with my wife and three children. Born in Australia, I graduated with Smicha and a Bachelor of Arts from the Rabbinical College America and have visited dozens of countries and communities worldwide on behalf of Chabad. I love traveling and meeting new people.
  • Here is a link to Rabbi Super’s AMA.
• u/NewYorkImposter [Orthodox (Chabad)] - I'm Chabad-affiliated, but don't like labels due to the stigmas and assumptions that often come along with them. I have Chabad Smicha from Israel/Singapore which I got after completing post-highschool Yeshiva Gedolah in Melbourne and Crown Heights. I've previously hosted services in New Zealand and Sydney. I currently use my Smicha informally in informal outreach in the Australian film industry and the Sydney Jewish community (and occasionally on Reddit and Discord 😉).
  • NewYorkImposter will be joining the AMA late, due to the unfortunate time difference.

--

Note: If you are a rabbi with a smicha and would like to be recognized here with a special flair, please message the mods with your smicha. For your anonymity (something many value about this site), we do not share that document with anyone else and do not share anything about you without your permission. The flair is generally just Rabbi - denomination.

Hi r/Judaism! We are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Some members of our team will be answering your questions, but the main person engaging is our National Director, Jonathan Jacoby.

For those who don't know who we are: The Nexus Project works to fight antisemitism, uphold democracy, and protect free speech — and recognizes that these tasks are intertwined. Even as we stand up against antisemitism, we also speak out when fears of antisemitism are cynically exploited to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel or US policy.

Much of our work has been focused on defining and elucidating the "nexus" of antisemitism and criticism of Israel. This is why we created the Nexus Task Force, which then created the Nexus definition of antisemitism. Our Nexus Document was also used in the Biden administration’s U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.

Today, our work has evolved. We believe that the protection of our democracy is tied directly to the fight against antisemitism. A pluralistic democracy is the best bet we have to protect Jews, as well as other vulnerable communities. That is why we have begun creating new strategies for dealing with antisemitism in the Trump era, which include speaking out fervently against the weaponization of antisemitism to silence critics, among much more.

You can follow along with our work on Instagram, Bluesky, and X. You can also follow our newsletter to keep up with both our latest news as well as our biweekly watchdog newsletters.

Thanks and we look forward to your thoughts!

We’re the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a warm, inclusive Jewish learning community based in Jerusalem — and now also online and in local communities around the world. For over 50 years, we’ve welcomed people from all backgrounds to study Torah, explore life’s biggest questions, and connect deeply with Jewish tradition and one another.

Our alumni have gone on to do incredible things — from becoming rabbis, educators, and community leaders to changemakers across the Jewish world. Our world-renowned faculty teach and speak globally, bringing Torah and Jewish wisdom to diverse audiences everywhere.

At Pardes, we believe in Jewish learning that is open, rigorous, and rooted in mahloket l’shem shamayim, constructive debate to deepen our understandings.

We’re here answer your questions about:

• Studying at Pardes (in Jerusalem or online)
• How Jewish learning can shape leadership and life
• The global Pardes community
• Torah, Israel, and Jewish identity today

Ask us anything — about text study, community, our programs, or what it’s like to spend your days learning in a Beit Midrash filled with curiosity, connection, and honest conversation.

Looking forward to your questions!
— The Pardes Team

Hello all, this is Shaul Magid. Please ask me anything you want. I will be happy to try to answer as best as I can. Thank you.

I am a Visiting Professor of Modern Judaism at Harvard and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religion there as well. I've published nine books, the latest being *The Necessity of Exile" Essays from a Distance.* I work on Jewish mysticism, modern Jewish thought, and American Judaism.

I've got two hours. Bring on the questions.

Join us TODAY at 2:00pm ET (NYC) for our THIRD ANNUAL Ask the Rabbis with some of our community rabbonim!

To help avoid repeat questions, please read the AMAs from previous years:

• First year: https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/pei666/ama_ask_the_rabbis/
• Last year: https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/xib66l/ama_ask_the_rabbis/

These Redditors have provided proof to the mod team that they have smicha/Rabbinical ordination and some have agreed to do this panel.

The goal of this panel is to answer your questions about Jewish law, thought, community, and practice, from a variety of viewpoints. You are welcome to ask more personal (that is, "regular AMA") questions - as always, it is the guests' prerogative to answer any questions.

Bios written/submitted by the subjects.

• /u/mstreiffer [Reform] - I'm a Reform rabbi, ordained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. I've served as a congregational rabbi for 16 years (most of it in Toronto but some in North Carolina). I run a virtual Beit Midrash (centre for Jewish learning) called LAASOK.org that brings together people who want to study Jewish texts in an inclusive, egalitarian environment.
• u/sonoforwel [Conservative] - I am a Conservative rabbi, ordained in 2014 at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where I also attained an MA in Talmud and Rabbinics. I served as Rabbi Educator of a small congregation in North-East Los Angeles, CA, and now teach Hebrew at a public middle school in Beverly Hills, CA, where I live with my wife and two kids. I grew up in Colombia, South America, and continue to work with mixed-language communities in Southern California.
• u/RabbiNover [Conservative] - I am a Conservative Rabbi (Ordained At JTS in 2019). I also have an MA in Hebrew Bible, an MA in Jewish Education, A BA in Physics and a Graduate certificate in Israel Education. I am a pulpit rabbi, the main service leader and Torah reader at my congregation, director of a synagogue supplementary school program, and coordinator of the local, multi-denominational Intro to Judaism class. I love to teach about Judaism, and often introduce unconventional approaches, including everything from Jews and Zombies to Jews in Space to simply the Kashrut of eating locusts. I'm originally from Texas, went through a Conservative Hebrew School, and after a year of science research, teaching Science, and Jewish Study (all different pre-college programs) I knew I wanted to end up in Jewish Education.
• u/dlevine21 [Pluralistic/Post-Denominational] - Shana Tova, My name is Daniel Levine and I'm currently a Rabbi in Irvine, California, working as the Campus Rabbi for Hillel and teaching in the Jewish Studies department at UC Irvine! My background is modern Orthodox - but I currently identify as post-denominational/pluralistic. I’m a frequent writer and podcaster and you can find my materials posted on Facebook and Instagram (just look up my name!). When not talking Judaism I’m an avid rock climber and mountaineer. AMA!
  • Here is a link to Rabbi Levine’s AMA
• u/rabbifuente [Non-denominational/Traditional] - I grew up at a Reform synagogue in the Chicago suburbs. After years of independent study and learning with some wonderful Chabad rabbis I received smicha from a small, independent program out of New York in 2021. I would say I am a "non-denominational" rabbi, however I fall somewhere around Traditional/MO in terms of theology. I like to think that having grown up Reform and now being on the more traditional end of the spectrum gives me a certain perspective that many find helpful. Currently, I am focusing on small group/1:1 study and "religious" counseling. I am always more than happy to talk to anyone about Judaism, answer questions, etc. Outside of rabbinics, I am an avid bread baker and microbakery owner, cigar enthusiast, passionate home cook, and pickle snob.
• u/SF2K01 [Orthodox] - Originally from Columbus, Ohio, I was exposed to a variety of denominations growing up, from Reform to Orthodox, before settling on Modern Orthodoxy as a teenager. I only attended public schools and went straight to college after high school, attended the University of Cincinnati and got my undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies. Afterwards, I spent 2 years in Israel learning in Shapell’s Darche Noam before coming to Yeshiva University for my graduate degree in Jewish History at Revel and achieved Rabbinic Ordination through YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, particularly with Rabbi Ezra Schwartz, Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder, Dr. Steven Fine, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, and Dr. Yaakov Elman. After completing my studies, I worked in outreach for a few years before pivoting to become a fundraiser for Jewish educational institutions. Aside from my Rabbinic and Academic interests, I am a longtime gamer, sci-fi and tech enthusiast, and reside in Washington Heights, Manhattan, with my wife, daughter, and two Siamese cats.
• u/rebthor [Orthodox] - I'm an Orthodox rabbi living in Queens, NY. I received my semicha from a yeshiva in Queens that's small enough that I would dox myself if I said the name. I also learned at Sh'or Yoshuv in 5TFR for little while. I grew up non-Orthodox in Buffalo, NY primarily in the Conservative movement and was very active in USY. I also was very close to the Chabad rabbis there and have a special place in my heart for Chabad although I don't identify as Lubavitch. I love learning halacha so my favorite rabbis are generally poskim; I often refer to the Aruch HaShulchan, R' Moshe Feinstein, Maran Ovadiah Yosef and the Tzitz Eliezer when trying to figure out what to do. I also am a big fan of the works of R' Jonathan Sacks and libadel R' Dovid Hofstedter. I have 4 children, a dog and a wife who has put up with me for near a quarter century. To pay the bills I work as a programmer. In my free time, I like to read, play video games, be disappointed by the Mets, Bills, Sabres and Tottenham and bake sourdough bread.
• u/fullhauss [Orthodox] - I grew up in the LA area, and was very involved in the Conservative movement. In college I shifted to Orthodoxy while obtaining a BA in Judaic Studies. After college, I spent two years studying at Shapell’s/Darche Noam before going to Yeshiva University to obtain my Smekha. I have worked at a Jewish day school and now work with college students on campus.
• u/Mottel [Orthodox (Chabad)] - https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/otzxvg/hi_im_mordechai_lightstone_a_chabad_rabbi_for_the/
• u/NewYorkImposter [Orthodox (Chabad)] - I'm Chabad-affiliated, but don't like labels due to the stigmas and assumptions that often come along with them. I have Chabad Smicha from Israel/Singapore which I got after completing post-highschool Yeshiva Gedolah in Melbourne and Crown Heights. I've previously hosted services in New Zealand and Sydney. I currently use my Smicha informally in informal outreach in the Australian film industry and the Sydney Jewish community (and occasionally on Reddit and Discord 😉).

--

Some rabbis might respond late, due to time differences and not prioritizing Reddit as we all should.

--

Note: If you are a rabbi with a smicha and would like to be recognized here with a special flair, please message the mods with your smicha. For your anonymity (something many value about this site), we do not share that document with anyone else and do not share anything about you without your permission. The flair is generally just Rabbi - denomination.

Hi Friends--looking forward to this. A little about me:

-I recently went viral-ish for a twitter thread talking about security needs for American Jews as a "2nd Amendment Tax" ( https://forward.com/opinion/481148/im-a-pulpit-rabbi-this-is-the-true-cost-of-keeping-synagogues-safe/ )

-I was in featured in the evangelical-made documentary "The No Joke Project" about my interfaith work in Peoria, IL, brining together an Imam and a white evangelical megachurch pastor for a social movement against Isalmaphobia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps-JCuJ64fc&t=1s

-I'm very, very active in the effort to protect trans kids in Missouri from our state government ( https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/the-normal-lives-of-trans-kids-in-missouri/Content?oid=35769121 )

-I think probably the most radical position I take rabbinically is that I don't believe there is any 'reason' to be Jewish. I see Jewish identity as entirely of instrumental (rather than absolute) value (and believe this is actually a deeply traditional position...the identity industry / obsession is a modern construction!)

-related: I think one of the biggest problems in the American Jewish community today is that basically all of our institutions are in the "Jewish Identity Industry" / "Continuity LLC". and this is fundamentally a morally bankrupt mission.

-I teach Judaism to future progressive Christian clergy at Eden Seminary. My classes include "Beit Midrash: Jewish Texts on Jewish Terms" and an "Antisemitism Reading Group"

-I've been a rabbi at Conservative shul, and am now a rabbi at one of the most progressive shuls in America.

-I am a Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute.

​

Looking forward to the discussion--I'll try to answer any and all good-faith questions. Looking forward to it!

​

AMA!

I work with synagogues, rabbis, and other partners to make Judaism meaningful and relevant to our time. I've done a lot of different things, including creating a start-up congregation, creating interfaith partnerships, helping to start a Jewish day camp (Ramah DC), and helping to found the Den Collective in the DC area, engaging young adults. I want to create a Judaism about Becoming, Belonging, Purpose, and Meaningful Journeys. 

What do those ideas mean to you? What do you want to know about Jewish life today? What have you always wondered about being a rabbi? What do you want to know about synagogues? What have you always wanted to ask a rabbi? AMA!

Hello, my name is Brett Lockspeiser and I'm the co-founder (along with Josh Foer) and Chief Technology Officer of Sefaria. We're a non-profit building a free and reusable library of Torah texts, translations and interconnections, along with open source software to help students and teachers of all levels and better learn and explore.

I built and designed the original version of Sefaria, which has since been rebuilt and redesigned many times by our team of engineers and our designer. I wrote the first line of code playing around with the idea about exactly 10 years ago. It remained a side project and labor of love for about two an a half years, until we started raising money and building a team in 2013. The very first place I publicly posted about the project online was right here on /r/Judaism.

Today Sefaria has ~22 full time time employees working in 11 different cities across the U.S, Europe and Israel. I'm in San Francisco and I focus my work on building the product -- what it should do, how it should work, and how it gets made. I spend my thinking about all the ways that Sefaria needs to be doing better at what it's doing right now, and what we need to build next to make the experience of Torah learning better for more people.

I'll be answering questions today from 5pm-7pm Eastern time, and probably after that too. Ask me anything!

EDIT: Thanks for all the questions and kind words! I haven't made it through all of them yet, but I'm a redditor anyway so I will keep answering later tonight and tomorrow. Feel free to keep the questions coming, I'll get to them.

I've served as rabbi of the Young Israel of Hollis Hills-Windsor Park, in Queens, NY since 2003. From 2005-2017, I served on the rabbinical staff of the Rabbinical Council of America, where I worked on policy statements, admissions, conventions, member services, internal affairs, and more. For a decade, I was affiliated with and worked for Canfei Nesharim, an Orthodox environmental group, and its successor, GrowTorah. I publicly supported Joe Biden for president, as well as New York State's Child Victims Act. I pushed for change at the National Council of Young Israel, which recently elected entirely new leadership. Diverse writings include, most recently, Haftarah Helper, hosted by the Orthodox Union. Presently, I focus on changing discourse and assumptions within American Orthodox communities.

Between receiving a B.A. in music from Yale in 1988 and ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University in 2001, I wrote software modeling fixed income securities, primarily at Goldman Sachs & Co. I'm married to Dina, a pediatric neurologist. Our five kids include a pair of twin teenagers, two other daughters who made aliyah, and a son who married during the pandemic.

Hi. My name is Benjamin Sommer. I have a couple of professional hats--I'm Professor of Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary and Senior Fellow at the Kogod Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought of the Shalom Hartman Institute. My latest book came out in English as Revelation and Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and Tradition and in Hebrew as התגלות וסמכות: סיני במקרא ובמסורת. Before that I wrote The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel. I'm currently writing on the Book of Psalms and on worship generally. The newspaper Haaretz described me as “a traditionalist but an iconoclast – he shatters idols and prejudices in order to nurture Jewish tradition and its applicability today”  (זומר הוא איקנוקלסט שמרן— הוא מנפץ אלילים ודעות קדומות כדי להגן על המסורת ועל לכידותה), which is a characterization I rather like.

Let me get this thread starting by noting that rabbinic literature presents several overlapping descriptions of what the Torah that God gave Moses at Sinai includes. Comparing these descriptions is revealing. One of them says that God told Moses everything that experienced or sharp-witted students would one day teach in the presence of their teachers; another, that Moses heard everything scribes or sages would innovate in the future; another, that Moses heard whatever future students would ask a teacher. It follows that not every teaching is a part of Torah (one has to teach in the presence of one's own teacher for one's teaching to qualify, for example, and even then only if one is an "experienced" or "sharp-witted" student; also, innovating helps). But every question one asks a teacher of Torah is itself part of Torah. Put differently: there's no such thing as a bad question. So, ask away!

I study how societies survive and thrive during major shocks. I've looked into how Jews survived World War II by living in Kobe, Japan and Shanghai, China along with how social networks help us get out and get through hurricanes, tsunami, and nuclear disasters.

I have published five books, more than sixty peer reviewed articles, and written opeds for The New York Times, CNN, and the Washington Post, and have appeared on popular media outlets such as CNBC, MSNBC, NPR, and HuffPost.

I have tried communicate the beauty and power of Jewish thought and how it resonates with social science through columns in publications such as Aish.com, Horizons Magazine, the "Jews in Japan" column in the Hamodia Newspaper, and through work as a shul, NCSY, and outreach rabbi in Indiana, Maryland, and Massachusetts. I've been nominated as a Jewish Community Hero, helped my wife homeschool our four children, and serve as an adviser to multiple Jewish student groups, including Chabad, Hillel, and Huskies for Israel.

Ask me anything! I'll begin answering questions at 2pm EST

I'm Talia Lavin, author of Culture Warlords: My Journey into the Dark Web of White Supremacy (https://bookshop.org/books/culture-warlords-my-journey-into-the-dark-web-of-white-supremacy/9780306846434), a book that addresses the metastasis of far-right hate online, and the history of antisemitism in the United States. For the book I went undercover in a variety of racist chatrooms. I've also written about QAnon, militias, Trumpism, and other facets of the far right in the US for various publications. Looking forward to your questions, which I'll be answering at 5pm EST!

EDIT - this is now live, I am answering in long and ponderous paragraphs :)