Shabbat Gathering: Jewish podcasts, part 2.

Brian D. Johnson

15 May 2026 • 5 min read

Gud Shabbos Khaveyrim, as is our custom, we will gather tonight at 5.45p ct to welcome Shabbat. These are the coordinates:

Zoom
Meeting ID: 883 8469 4181
Password: 822665
Phone: +1 312 626 6799

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Note. The last newsletter on podcasts struck a nerve. It was a topic of conversation during last week’s Shabbat Gathering and then, on Tuesday, I got an email from a reader offering me their own suggestions for Jewish podcasts. Without further ado, here's what they sent me.

Here we go.

Judaism Unbound
Dan Libenson just left this show and now it's co-hosted by Lex Rofberg and former Madisonian Rena Yehuda Newman. It's mostly interviews and topics that really range! They publish new episodes often, and I listen to probably 1/3 of their episodes. They're doing spin-offs too! I love them.

Jewish Ideas to Change the World
This one is a wild find. It's the podcast version of guest lectures in either Arizona or Colorado, I think, as part of an organization called Valley Beit Midrash. Rabbi Shmuley Yanklowitz runs the org and usually introduces the speakers, but for the most part, it's guest lectures.

On The Nose
The Jewish Currents podcast. It's not my favorite podcast ever, and sometimes I feel like it's just one of the essays they published rehashed, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

2 Queers 4 Questions
This podcast isn't being updated, but while it was, it was Liz (Ezra) Furman and Agnes Borinsky doing a weekly 10ish minute drash through a queer and trans (and honestly, indie rock) lens. They recently published the transcripts as a book as well.

Evolve
The rarely updated but always great podcast from Reconstructing Judaism. Their latest is a 35 minute long episode called "How Two American Jews Navigate Fundamental Disagreement about Israel with Love and Respect."

Intimate Judaism
This is a Judaism and sexuality podcast that I think is absolutely fantastic. They discuss sex, sex ed, and sexuality within the context of Torah, Halacha, and intimate relationships. The hosts, Talli Rosenbaum and Rabbi Scott Kahn, are both knowledgeable in different ways, respectful of each other and their listeners, and don't shy away from difficult conflicts. I don't think there's another podcast quite like this one.

Jewitches
This one is a well-researched podcast with short episodes on topics in Jewish magic. I don't love the sound quality or delivery style, and Jewish magic isn't my favorite topic, but I'm always happy to see these topics addressed by a Jew rather than in a pan-religious context.

Kabbalah for Everyone
This one took some time to grow on me, but at this point, I have come to really appreciate Rabbi Bernath's style. He calls himself "the Love Rabbi" in other places and works, among other things, as a relationship coach and matchmaker. He does a lot of different things in this podcast – storytelling, didactic teaching, history, coaching questions. I like it.

Survival Guide for a Spiritual Wilderness
This is one of the spin-offs from Judaism Unbound. It's a 5 part series by Rabbi Jericho Vincent that delves into stories about Miriam. I loved these 5 episodes.

The Light Lab
Eliana Light's podcast on the intricacies of tefilah. She goes through prayer services bit by loving bit with her signature excitement. No longer updated, but I'm currently re-listening to her series on the Amidah.

Inward with Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld
This podcast is way too erudite for me, but I love it anyway so I had to include it. It reminds me of listening to my dad, aunts, and uncles talking when I was a kid.

Thank you, gentle reader, for your contribution, and may it be for all of us a blessing.

See you tonight!
Mit vareme grusn,
(With warm regards,)

All my love,
brian.