On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah

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Judaism #54

On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah, a podcast presented by ReformJudaism.org.Each week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union For Reform Judaism, will offer divrei Torah (insights into the weekly Torah portion) to help open up Jewish thought and its contemporary influence on your life. He condenses 2,000 years of Jewish wisdom into just 10 minutes of modern-day commentary.There are plenty of ways to interpret Torah and we want to hear what you think. You can weigh in on this week’s Torah portion by talking to us on Twitter @URJ or at Facebook.com/reformjudaism.

Recent Episodes
  • L’hitraot, for Now...
    Jun 15, 2020 – 01:51
  • The Antidote to Kvetching
    Jun 8, 2020 – 09:22
  • The Blessing of Blessing One Another
    Jun 1, 2020 – 10:05
  • How the Book of Ruth Connects Us All Today
    May 27, 2020 – 22:31
  • Where the Mishnah Meets the #MeToo Movement
    May 25, 2020 – 14:09
  • Our Multiracial Jewish Community
    May 18, 2020 – 14:27
  • Do You Really Care?
    May 11, 2020 – 10:31
  • What Is Blasphemy, Anyway?
    May 4, 2020 – 13:02
  • "Loving the Stranger" Isn't Always Intuitive
    Apr 27, 2020 – 10:59
  • Using Our Words to Heal, Not Hurt
    Apr 20, 2020 – 10:53
  • Go Ahead, Be an Innovator
    Apr 13, 2020 – 10:55
  • A Passover of Hope
    Apr 6, 2020 – 28:50
  • Following Their Lead
    Mar 30, 2020 – 12:15
  • The Laws of Leviticus, Choice, and A.J. Jacobs, the Gratitude Expert
    Mar 23, 2020 – 19:41
  • Special Episode: Announcing a New Format, Coming Soon!
    Mar 23, 2020 – 01:49
  • Three United Faiths, One Divine Presence
    Mar 16, 2020 – 18:27
  • Slowing Ourselves to Anger
    Mar 9, 2020 – 15:22
  • Let Your Eternal Light Shine
    Mar 2, 2020 – 17:11
  • Building Our Own Tabernacle Together
    Feb 24, 2020 – 19:50
  • Mindfulness, Being Present, and Having Heart
    Feb 17, 2020 – 13:09
  • Commanded to Honor, Compelled to Care
    Feb 10, 2020 – 15:17
  • Lifting Hands and Sharing Power
    Feb 3, 2020 – 12:24
  • The Sacred Pursuit for Reparations
    Jan 27, 2020 – 12:12
  • Reaching the Promised Land
    Jan 20, 2020 – 15:33
  • Born to Lead, Born to Serve
    Jan 13, 2020 – 16:29
  • The Jewishness of Healing
    Jan 6, 2020 – 15:08
  • Formed in the Wilderness
    Dec 30, 2019 – 18:18
  • The Meaning of Our Miracle
    Dec 23, 2019 – 14:51
  • Under the Sky
    Dec 16, 2019 – 27:29
  • A Place Unlike Any Other
    Dec 9, 2019 – 14:32
  • The Power of Jewish Meditation
    Dec 2, 2019 – 13:31
  • The Altar of Achievement
    Nov 25, 2019 – 13:00
  • Two Jews, Three Opinions, One Heart
    Nov 18, 2019 – 14:11
  • And You Shall Love...
    Nov 11, 2019 – 11:24
  • Dancing With Our Tradition
    Nov 4, 2019 – 14:49
  • Fruit of the Vine
    Oct 28, 2019 – 16:11
  • Creation and Co-Existence, with Special Guest David Broza
    Oct 20, 2019 – 23:58
  • Within These Three Walls
    Oct 13, 2019 – 13:22
  • Do What We Can
    Oct 7, 2019 – 12:04
  • Moving On And Letting Go
    Sep 29, 2019 – 13:46
  • A Little Drop of Sweetness
    Sep 23, 2019 – 14:31
  • The Commitment of Covenant
    Sep 16, 2019 – 13:31
  • Everyone Thinks They Are The Good Guys
    Sep 9, 2019 – 21:51
  • The Pursuit of Justice
    Sep 2, 2019 – 16:21
  • On The Road Again
    Aug 26, 2019 – 14:14
  • The Heart Of The Matter
    Aug 19, 2019 – 12:31
  • It Only Takes One
    Aug 12, 2019 – 13:52
  • Raising Our Voices
    Aug 5, 2019 – 13:24
  • Our Moral Compass
    Jul 29, 2019 – 14:39
  • Bridging The Divide
    Jul 22, 2019 – 14:19
Recent Reviews
  • Tomer reviews things
    Wonderful Jewish Podcast
    Man, I miss this podcast so much. It was so uplifting to listen to every week. I dip back into old episodes (and there are many gems), but it’s not the same as the when new parsha interpretations would come out every week. Rabbi Jacobs is phenomenal. And I love the “l’hitraot” at the end. I hope Rabbi Jacobs starts this back up!
  • spamsiv
    Too heavily tranditional
    Hey, you need to get to the point. Cut to five minutes. Enough of this stuff that may work for your close congregation. What do you have to say that is of value re the torah portion. Follow the Prager U model.
  • MSeiderMD
    Great
    Finally a podcast that provides inspiration for jews like me. I am sorry that this podcast stopped over a year ago - I just found it! Fortunately there are lots of episodes to review. I hope they get back to it - the liberal Jewish community needs leadership and grounding more than ever = people who believe in the value of being Jewish and make it relevant and interesting in today’s world!
  • Marlene April
    Inspiring
    Rabbi Jacobs is very clear in his explanations and I feel he understands me as a multi ethnic Jewish women. After listening to him I always feel that I want to be a better person. I want to learn more about my Judaism and get closer to Hashem. And I want to try to make the world better for all people, places and animals.
  • Rabbiyoung
    Diversify to improve
    Listening to Rabbi Jacobs every week for the first few months was fine, but in the intro it says he will sometimes have a guest. With 900 congregations in the Reform Movement, there should be more guests. They say every rabbi really has one sermon to give. We’ve heard Rabbi Jacob’s sermon. How about inviting more rabbis?
  • MistakenLamb
    Wonderful insight
    As a deist who is exploring their Jewish ancestry and more about the Jewish faith and how it relations today. I find Rabbi Rick Jacobs a welcoming addition to my podcast feed weekly. He provides the Torah portion in a way this non-Jew can understand. Sometimes I have to wait till I am in the right mindset to listen, if I am stressed or distracted with work or other worries because I want to be able to reflect on the words clearly. I look foward to more years of this podcast and more from the URJ
  • Dransphd
    Parsha B'har
    Excellent explanation.
  • jkolmen50266
    Great thought provoking podcast
    I love to listen to this weekly podcast. I always come away with a new way of thinking about and understanding the weekly parsha.
  • Lidror
    Good Podcast, BUT......
    Not everyone lives in an area of the country or a part of the world where “stacks of matzah” are sitting on grocery market shelves beaconing us toward Passover. I was surprised that a Reformed podcast wasn’t more aware of this fact. In rural, eastern NC where we live, we are lucky to even find matzah (usually mingled among the Easter items, BTW). While my congregation is very small and survives thanks to the efforts of our lay-leaders, we should always remember that a candle burns even more brightly when surrounded by complete darkness. Happy Passover!
  • Blue8star8
    Wonderful taste of Torah!
    As a new student to Judaism and someone heading towards conversion, this podcast is more than helpful. Rabbi Jacobs’ take on the Torah portion of the week not only explain the stories but also connect them to today’s world. Thank you for this thoughtful and beautiful podcast!
  • ProfWormwood
    And I’m not even Jewish!
    But listening to Rabbi Jacobs makes me yearn for a greater understanding of my ancestors and their faith. His wisdom is priceless!
  • SarahPortland
    Enlightening
    Rabbi Rick Jacobs talks intelligently about Torah, God, the world, poetry, and more. I especially enjoyed his recent commentary on Robert Alter's translation of the Tanach.
  • Silvrfox24
    Thank you, Rabbi Jacobs
    I look forward to listening to On The Other Hand every week. Rabbi Jacobs talks about the Torah portion. For the week and then makes it relevant to my life. I appreciate the insight and learning he brings to the topic and his teaching ability.
  • Cupacoffee and a book
    Generosity of spirit (Episode - Oct 15 18)
    Two kindred spirits trying to reach the summit of Everest. One saves the other from death and brings him to safety at great risk and cost to himself. Fantastic. Commendable. But when you look at it, you see a young patriotic Israeli Jew helping a Turk, a Muslim at that! That’s sad. Think about it please. Reminds me of people I value who upon encountering me see a “Turk”, and a “Muslim,” not necessarily a fellow being, and God forbid, a friend. Stay well.
  • katiet11
    Organ Donation
    I listen to this podcast every week and the words consistently add meaning to my life. While I really appreciated the organ donation episode, as I prepare to donate my kidney a few days before Rosh Hashanah, I wish there were more discussion about the opportunity and need to be a living donor.
  • Christina Nashville
    Concise, insightful, wise
    In the last year, I’ve been reading the Parshah. It’s been a good journey, but adding this podcast as part of my weekly pattern has been a lovely addition. Rabbi Rick Jacobs is extremely intelligent, articulate, and weaves in to his commentary not just relevant sections from the Mishnah or haftorah portions but real life issues facing us today. Enjoy!
  • cmcbrc
    Such a gift in my week
    I’m so delighted I found this podcast. In my crazy busy week with young children - I now have time to listen and learn and I find every week so valuable.
  • Nkrug
    I eases
    From
  • Baxter6147
    Great!
    I've been thinking about conforming to Reform Judaism, and this is helps me to really take the time to think about what I believe in. It's quite moving, and with every episode I listen to, I'm becoming more and more educated on Reform Judaism. It really makes me feel connected to the religion. Thank you for making this!
  • AlFromMA
    Keep up the good work
    I listen every Friday as a way to kick off Shabbat on the way home from work. Inspiring without being preachy or judgmental.
  • syd nyc
    Excellent and Inspiring
    I look forward to Rabbi Jacobs weekly podcast and really enjoy how he puts the weekly parsha into modern terms with practical applications. Thank you for your weekly uplifting message and education.
  • RJL64
    Love
    Perfect to listen to while preparing for Shabbat!
  • bob123!#W
    bad move
    completely fake
  • Dr Beacon
    Excellent weekly ritual
    What a great weekly morsel of wisdom and inspiration. Highly recommended! It's impactful as you go through your week and and connects you in a meaningful way with Torah that is in keeping with Reform Judaism. Not dogmatic but thought provoking.
  • Morgan Hyatt
    Weekly Jewish inspiration and thought
    Absolutely amazing podcast!!!! Makes my week so much brighter and helps me to better understand Torah and think deeply about the week's portion.
  • Steve Kubitz
    Excellent podcast
    This podcast is very good. Just genuinely enjoyable and really helps you understand the meaning behind Reform Judaism. Really recommend it to Jews, Gentiles, or anyone looking to learn about Judaism.
  • JM in Park Slope
    Well worth a download
    This podcast is unique because it allows me to learn about the weekly Torah portion while connecting it to smart and timely commentary about the world around me.
  • Great insights in short order
    Concise and compelling
    Easy to understand and follow. Very well done.
  • Meadow1774
    Perfect for bringing the holy to the every day
    I love getting to spend even just a few minutes contemplating Torah in such cases an accessible and modern way. I always look forward to it.
  • Globaldonnica
    Torah and today
    This has been such a good podcast that brings Torah home and in a usable context ...
  • inNYC01
    Finally
    So nice to hear a modern take on Jewish texts. Can Rabbi Jacobs be my rabbi?
  • Commuter Mom
    Great for a morning listen
    Both soothing and uplifting. Really easy way to make important ancient teachings relevant to my life today! Good way to start the day, and I find I continue to think about these themes much later too.
  • SadieDC
    Great for those on the go!
    An easy listen for a weekly dose of Torah. Love Rabbi Jacobs' enthusiasm for the topics! Will definitely keep listening
  • Leorakaye1
    A good way to refocus
    With such busy weeks - realistically or perceived - this podcast is a very good way to slow everything down a bit and reconnect with ideas that help refocus on what is important.
  • mksilver1971
    Fantastic
    Fantastic addition to available ways to access Torah
  • CIF23
    Great addition to podcast library!
    This podcast provides thoughtful and engaging commentary and I look forward to hearing Rabbi Jacobs’ insight and reflections on the weekly parsha!
  • esaslaw
    Nice addition
    I have been reading the "Ten Minutes" for about a year now, but much happier havng it read to me on my way to or from work. Thanks again to the URJ
  • Jenna Everton
    Modern, thoughtful and fun
    I love the way this podcast brings the Torah into my life in a modern and convenient way — the 10 minute snapshots are an awesome start to my day. Highly recommend!
  • SKBinCLE
    Great addition to the Jewish world!
    This new podcast is a great addition to the woefully underpopulated world of Jewish podcasting. Rabbi Rick Jacobs conveys his passion for (and deep knowledge of) Torah, while maintaining the miodern insights and elements that have made Reform Judaism the largest Jewish denomination in North America.
  • JPBrooklyn
    Inspiring
    I'm really looking forward to listening to this every week. Rabbi Jacobs is engaging and interesting, and it's a great way for me to connect with the weekly parsha and do a little Torah study on the go.
  • BWSSuperStar
    Worthwhile and relevant
    A great podcast that captures the depth of the Torah and connects tradition to our lives today.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.