Religion on the Mind The Jewish Renewal Movement with Rabbi Simcha Raphael (#399)
May 11, 2026
Rabbi Dr. Simcha Raphael, a rabbi and psychologist who has explored Jewish Renewal and contemplative spirituality for over 40 years. He traces a journey from traditional Montreal schooling to India and the San Francisco counterculture. Conversations cover Jewish Renewal, meeting Reb Zalman, contrasts between ecstatic and contemplative paths, and work on death, grief, and afterlife teachings.
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Montreal Hebrew School Shaped Early Jewish Learning
- Rabbi Dr. Simcha Raphael grew up in Montreal with a strong Hebrew day school education, reading Hebrew texts by age eight.
- His home was culturally Jewish but not strictly observant, so school learning and home practice often diverged, shaping his early religious formation.
Academic Study Broadened Religious Imagination
- University religious studies opened him beyond parochial Judaism into comparative religion, prompting a shift to history and philosophy of religion.
- A Jesuit biblical archaeology professor and courses on Hinduism and Buddhism ignited his comparative-religious curiosity.
Paid Research Led To Hands-On Meditation Study
- He did participant-observation research on yoga and meditation groups and attended a five-day Transcendental Meditation retreat as part of his project.
- The fellowship paid him to interview and join local meditation groups, giving him hands-on exposure to eastern practices.
