Elana and Robin welcome their colleague and friend, char hersh, who in addition to being the Director of Administration, has worked in Jewish education for many years. They talk about everything from kippot to tzitzit, the rituals, the reasons, and the origins.

Show Notes:

  • char hersh’s bio
  • Vocabulary
    • Here are some words mentioned during this episode and their definitions:
      • Bimah: the podium or platform in a synagogue from which the Torah and Prophets are read.
      • Gentile: a person who is not Jewish.
      • Halacha: Jewish law and jurisprudence, based on the Talmud.
      • HaShem: (literally, ‘the Name’) is used to refer to God when avoiding God’s more formal title, Adonai
      • Hineni: Hebrew for “here I am.”
      • Kippah/Kippot: a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered.
      • Mitzvah: a precept or commandment.
      • Pagan: holding or constituting religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions.
      • Payes/payot: the Hebrew term for sidelocks or sideburns.
      • Tallit: a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews.
      • Tallit katan: a fringed garment traditionally worn either under or over one’s clothing.
      • Talmud: (literally, “study”) is the generic term for the documents that comment and expand upon the Mishnah, the first work of rabbinic law, published around the year 200 CE.
      • Tzitzit: the fringes or tassels worn on the four corners of the tallit as reminders of the commandments of Deuteronomy 22:12 and Numbers 15:37–41.
  • Further Reading

Transcript:

Elana
Hey, Robin. 

Robin
Hi. I love how we always begin these episodes like we just stumbled on one another in the office. 

Elana
Yes, in our large cavernous office.

Robin
I definitely feel like we should always be carrying around a recorder all the time. 

Elana
You and I just had an impromptu conversation this morning about the evolution and future of the Jewish movements before you even put your bag down!

Robin
Yeah, I like walked in. Good morning. Let’s talk about this philosophical question. And we didn’t record it!

Elana
We didn’t. All right. Well maybe that’s maybe for another time. 

Robin
Maybe that question will come up. Okay. There’s so many conversations and questions. More than—

Elana
Don’t say it. 

Robin
Oh, I’m, I have to say it. There’s more than four. Ahh! 

Elana
Okay. I guess we have to get it into each episode at least once. 

Robin
Yeah. I mean