Central Synagogue Podcast

You’ve probably heard of the Talmud–but what is it really, and how do/can contemporary Jews relate to this crucial text? In this session, Rabbinic Intern Rebecca Thau will discuss all things Talmud with Rabbi Ethan Tucker, PhD, President and Rosh Yeshiva at Hadar.A renowned expert in Jewish law,  Rabbi Tucker was ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and earned a doctorate in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary and a B.A. from Harvard College. Co-founder of Kehilat Hadar and winner of the first Grinspoon Foundation Social Entrepreneur Fellowship, Rabbi Tucker was named one of America’s Top 50 Rabbis by Newsweek in 2011 and 2012. He is the co-author of Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Law and hosts the podcast Responsa Radio.

Sermon by Rabbi Ari Lorge, "A Namesake of Jacob or Israel?"December 19, 2025

Sermon by Rabbi Hilly Haber, "The Light of Courage and Hope: Hanukkah 5786"December 12, 2025

Sermon by Rabbinic Intern Brooklyn Michalowicz, "Healing Apart, Coming Together"December 5, 2025

Jews have been using “midrash” as an interpretive tool for centuries. So, what is “midrash,” and how can we relate to it today?Join Rabbinic Intern Rebecca Thau for an exciting conversation with Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD, where they will delve into these topics and beyond. Author, teacher, midrashist, mystic, poet, essayist, and priestess, Rabbi Hammer is committed to an earth-based and wildly mythic view of the world in which nature, ritual, and story connect us to the body of the cosmos and to ourselves. She is the co-founder of the Kohenet Institute and the Director of Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion. Rabbi Hammer is the author of nine books and numerous articles, poems, and stories–including compilations of contemporary women’s midrash.

Sermon by Rabbi Rachael Houser, "Giving Our Rachels Their Due"November 28, 2025

Sermon by Rabbi Sivan Rotholz, "From Crisis to Clarity: Why We Study Torah"November 21, 2025

Sermon by Rabbi Ari Lorge, "Children of Abraham"November 7, 2025

Sermon by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, "Parshat Lech Lecha: To a Place You Do Not Know"October 31, 2025

Jews are known as the “People of the Book," but which books take up space on our storied “Jewish bookshelf,” and how can we relate to them as Reform Jews today?Throughout 5786, Rabbinic Intern Rebecca Thau will host eight impactful conversations with experts in the field who will help us explore our sacred texts. In this stirring kickoff program to our yearlong "The Jewish Bookshelf" series, join Rebecca in conversation with Rabbi Robert A. Harris, PhD, about the Hebrew Bible.Rabbi Robert A. Harris, PhD, is a professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, teaching courses in biblical literature and commentary, particularly medieval Jewish biblical exegesis. He has published widely on the Bible and the commentators whose interpretations continue to shape our understanding of Scripture.