Episodes

Aug 8, 2024

Every story has a beginning... Join us for this podcast series as we explore the twelve sections of Genesis, as divided in Jewish tradition. Christian actor and social media influencer Nathaniel Bouzlic discusses each part with Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm. • Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

Aug 1, 2024

Every story has a beginning... Join us for this podcast series as we explore the twelve sections of Genesis, as divided in Jewish tradition. Christian actor and social media influencer Nathaniel Bouzlic discusses each part with Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm. • Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

Jun 6, 2024

• Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

May 30, 2024

• Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

May 23, 2024

• Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

May 16, 2024

Every story has a beginning... Join us for this podcast series as we explore the twelve sections of Genesis, as divided in Jewish tradition. Christian actor and social media influencer Nathaniel Bouzlic discusses each part with Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm. • Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

May 9, 2024

Every story has a beginning... Join us for this podcast series as we explore the twelve sections of Genesis, as divided in Jewish tradition. Christian actor and social media influencer Nathaniel Bouzlic discusses each part with Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm. • Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. A leading religious public intellectual, Rabbi Lamm hosts the top-ranked podcast on the Bible and society, Good Faith Effort, and his popular Twitter threads on “Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?” have reached millions and been covered by major international news outlets. For his leadership in the world of Jewish ideas, The Jerusalem Post recently ranked him #37 on its list of the world’s 50 Most Influential Jews. • Nathaniel Buzolic is an acclaimed Australian Actor, best known for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," With a diverse background in acting, hosting, and a commitment to his Faith and Heritage.

May 2, 2024

About "Gen 12" "Every story has a beginning..." and so does our exploration into the foundational texts of the Bible. "Gen 12" aims to delve into the rich narratives and teachings of Genesis, bringing them to life through spirited discussions between Nathaniel Buzolic and Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm. Each episode will focus on one of the twelve sections, uncovering the timeless wisdom and relevance these scriptures hold in modern society. Meet the Hosts Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the Chief Executive of BZ Media and President of SoulShop. As a distinguished figure in religious public discourse, Rabbi Lamm brings his profound insight to "Gen 12." Known for his top-ranked podcast, Good Faith Effort, and viral Twitter threads such as "Why Read the Bible in Hebrew?", Rabbi Lamm has been recognized as one of the world's 50 Most Influential Jews by The Jerusalem Post. He holds a PhD in Religion from Princeton University and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. His thoughts and views are widely respected, appearing in publications like the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. Nathaniel Buzolic is a renowned Australian actor celebrated for his role as Kol Mikaelson in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals." With a rich acting career and a dedication to his Christian faith, Nathaniel brings a unique perspective to the discussions on "Gen 12."

Oct 3, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with Brooke Ashley Hall - one of the biggest creators on social media, across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube - about the opportunities and responsibilities of creating content for tens of millions of people on a daily basis. Along the way they talked about Brooke’s journey towards becoming an influencer; what an influencer’s day-to-day looks like; portraying motherhood from the Bible to TikTok; authenticity in traditional media vs. digital media; Arthur Clarke and scientific progress; how Brooke almost lost her son; the power of prayer and community; Brooke’s approach to comedy; Brooke’s advice for aspiring creators; and much more! Guest Quote: “It's incredible the amount of impact that you have, and I also think it's a great responsibility for what you share and the message that you're putting out. That's one thing that my husband and I decided whenever we started doing this, that we were going to stay on the line of being family friendly, maintaining our values, and always staying true to ourself in that way, because with great power comes great responsibility, right?” -Brooke Ashley Hall Time Stamps * (:01) Intro * (04:45) Brooke's creative journey * (11:23) Authenticity on social media * (13:41) Motherhood portrayed from the Bible to TikTok * (15:27) A day in Brooke’s life * (21:30) Technology as magic * (24:20) Influencers vs. celebrities * (27:46) Brooke's near-loss of her son * (39:37) The power of prayer and community * (44:49) Brooke’s comedic approach * (47:37) Brooke's inspirations * (49:57) Advice for aspiring content creators Good Faith Effort is a production of SoulShop, Bnai Zion, and Caspian Studios Links Follow Ari on Twitter Find out more about Brooke Brooke's Youtube Channel Brooke's TikTok Brooke's Instagram Watch on YouTube

Sep 19, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with the best-selling author and historian of English and American history Nick Bunker about the Mayflower Pilgrims and how the Hebrew intellectual and religious tradition shaped their world, and ultimately birthed the United States of America. Along the way they talked about how Nick, a Roman Catholic from London, spent his most formative years immersed in the Jewish community of the Upper West Side of Manhattan; the importance of King James I; the rise of English interest in Biblical Hebrew; the origins of the Puritans; why the Pilgrims were fascinated by the medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides; Nick’s career in investment banking and how it molded his work as a historian; and much more! Guest Quote “And one of the things you have to do as a historian is to show that process by which the events in one country and the other country interacted with each other. Information flowed back and forth, people flowed back and forth. There was a transatlantic economy that was created which linked England, New England, Virginia, the West Indies. And it was through these kind of interflows back and forth that this kind of Atlantic world was created. And that was how the United States eventually came into being from this process of kind of interaction.” - Nick Bunker Time Stamps * (:01) Intro * (04:49) Connection between American and English history * (07:13) Nick’s journey * (18:52) Significane of King James I * (21:39) Origins of the Puritans * (24:42) Biblical book of kings influence on non-conformists * (28:11) Decoding the Puritan Quadrilateral * (32:07) The rise of English interest in Biblical Hebrew * (36:19) Unmasking the original Thanksgiving * (37:04) Maimonides and the Pilgrims * (40:18) Judaic impact on history * (46:13) Jewish political and intellectual influence on England * (51:08) Fueling curiosity amidst demanding careers * (54:28) Sneak peek into Nick's new book Good Faith Effort is a production of SoulShop, Bnai Zion, and Caspian Studios Links Follow Ari on Twitter Find out more about Nick In the Shadow of Fear: America and the World in 1950 Making Haste from Babylon: The Mayflower Pilgrims and Their World: A New History An Empire on the Edge: How Britain Came to Fight America Watch on YouTube

Sep 5, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with the greatest character actor in the history of Hollywood, the legendary Stephen Tobolowsky, about his lifelong journey to understand the Hebrew Bible. Along the way they talked about growing up around members of the Nazi Party; Stephen’s love of Shakespeare; being comfortable with weirdness; Stephen getting held at gunpoint during a hostage situation; Deuteronomy and the Shema prayer; thinking about death; why Ned Ryerson is the most Jewish character in the history of American film; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop Guest Quote "There is such a positiveness in Judaism, that when you become a part of it, you realize how absolutely life-affirming it is. Even in death, it gets you through all the terrible transitions: from Genesis to Exodus, Leviticus to Numbers to Deuteronomy. It can get you through every one of those walls, every one of those challenges.“ - Stephen Tobolowsky Time Stamps * (5:06) Jordan Calhoun’s “Piccolo is Black”, and growing up without a Jewish Community * (11:23) Stephen opens the Pandora’s Box of rediscovering Judaism * (22:45) The 5 Books of Moses, as a story of life * (24:28) Californication, and Stephen’s decision to write a spiritual memoir * (30:57) Magic exists, and Stephen’s tale of finding God while being held hostage at the grocery store * (40:33) Visiting the Bible throughout your life * (44:44) Importance of saying the Shema * (54:55) Is Ned Ryerson the most Jewish movie character? Good Faith Effort is a production of SoulShop, Bnai Zion, and Caspian Studios Links Follow Ari on Twitter - https://twitter.com/AriLamm Find out more about Stephen: https://stephentobolowsky.com/ My Adventures With God, on Amazon Books: https://www.amazon.com/My-Adventures-God-Stephen-Tobolowsky/dp/1476766460 Watch on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GoodFaithEffort

Aug 22, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with Joshua Berman, Professor of Bible at Bar Ilan University and author of “Created Equal: How the Bible Broke With Ancient Political Thought”, about the revolution that the Bible introduced into human affairs. In a world dominated by some of the most renowned civilizations in history — from Mesopotamia to Egypt — how did the Bible re-envision the idea of the good society? Along the way they talked about the idea of “covenant” — both inside and outside the Bible; Plato vs. the Bible on universalism; monarchy in Biblical thought; why the Bible conceives of a particular land as holy; how the American Founders wrestled with Biblical political theory; the Biblical concept of atonement; and much more Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop Links Follow Ari on Twitter Check out Good Faith Effort on Youtube!

Aug 8, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with the extraordinary classical educator and University of Virginia professor Angel Adams Parham about the Black intellectual tradition and how it has been shaped by—and in turn can shape our contemporary understanding of—the classics. Along the way they talked about why Phillis Wheatley was fascinated by death; the importance of poetry in classical education; Frederick Douglass’s oratory; classical education for all; faith and providence in Martin Luther King Jr.’s thought; Biblical literacy in America; the Greek tradition vs. the Biblical tradition; the Book of Lamentations; and much more! Guest Quote “In so much of Western culture, we have focused on “truth”. Truth and goodness, but especially truth. We've taken these truth-first approaches to understanding what it means to be a good society. What about beauty? What if we were to flip that and take beauty at the beginning? Beauty as our root to truth and goodness, and not always have beauty last. There's something about the tradition of philosophical critique that's led us to where we are today, that seems to strip things down to their most kind of mechanically rational in a way that can become anti-human.” - Angel Adams Parham Time Stamps * (:01) Intro * (5:42) How Angel fell in love with the Classics * (14:09) Phyllis Wheatley, and the start of the African-American religious tradition * (21:33) Elegies and everyday poetry * (31:58) What’s a Classic anyways? * (37:55) Faith within the Black intellectual tradition * (45:24) The Bible as the basis for Western Literature Good Faith Effort is a production of SoulShop, Bnai Zion, and Caspian Studios Links Follow Ari on Twitter Find out more about Angel The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature on Amazon Books

Jul 25, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari sits down with Seth Rogovoy, writer, producer, cultural journalist, and author of Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet. On this episode, Ari and Seth dive into the life and history of Bob Dylan through the lens of Jewish spirituality. What are his songs really about? How does the Bible show up in the different eras of his song writing? How do protest and folk songs relate to the Jewish tradition? Dubbed as the number one Jewish Bob Dylan scholar, Seth carefully pulls apart the Biblical references through Dylan’s discography, and sheds light on how he’s artfully woven the Jewish tradition into his entire persona as an artist, and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Jul 11, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with Rainn Wilson, who’s not only the actor behind Dwight Schrute, one of the most iconic characters in TV history, but also the author of the magnificent new book on faith and culture, “SoulBoom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution” (Hachette Books). On today’s episode Ari and Rainn talked about some of life’s biggest questions. Why believe in a religion you got from your parents? How should you go about seeking truth? Why does willingness to travel have to do with faith? Is Dwight Schrute “millennial Fonzie”? What does The Office have to teach a spiritual seeker? What’s the most important verse in the Bible? What is sacredness? Why is religious ritual important? What did Rainn, a devout member of the Baháʼí Faith, learn from visiting a Baháʼí sacred site in Israel? What does religion have to say about technological advancement? Should religions have heroes? And much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Jun 12, 2023

Attention, Good Faith Fam! We've been on a brief hiatus, but the podcast is making a triumphant return! We’ll resume our deep dives into the amazing world of the Bible, from the profound to the perplexing. We're talking politics, pop culture, and everything in between. And... because you’ve all been so patient… just a cool little spoiler for you: our triumphant comeback will be with none other than Rainn Wilson - a.k.a. Dwight from The Office! Good Faith Effort is coming back soon, and it's ready to take your eardrums on a biblical rollercoaster ride. Don't miss it! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Jun 9, 2023

Attention, Good Faith Fam! We've been on a brief hiatus, but the podcast is making a triumphant return! We’ll resume our deep dives into the amazing world of the Bible, from the profound to the perplexing. We're talking politics, pop culture, and everything in between. And... because you’ve all been so patient… just a cool little spoiler for you: our triumphant comeback will be with none other than Rainn Wilson - a.k.a. Dwight from The Office! Good Faith Effort is coming back soon, and it's ready to take your eardrums on a biblical rollercoaster ride. Don't miss it! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Apr 4, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with renowned Bible teacher and scholar Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom about one of the most common question asked by Good Faith Effort listeners (or Why Read The Bible In Hebrew readers on Twitter!): what is the “Jewish” way of reading Scripture? Along the way they talked about developing a methodology for Scripture study; the difference between reading a text critically and “text criticism”; why it matters that the Biblical Hebrew vocabulary is relatively small; why the Bible cares about political history; the geography of the Joseph narrative; why you can’t read the later books of the Bible until you’ve read the earlier ones; how to find other excellent Bible teachers; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Mar 28, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with the University of Utah’s Dean of Humanities, and renowned historian of 19th century literature and society, Hollis Robbins to talk about the state of the humanities in American education. As Hollis explains, reports of the humanities demise are greatly exaggerated. But just as important as understanding why the humanities are, in fact, flourishing, is understanding where and under what conditions they are flourishing. What lessons can we learn from answering these questions? In a wide ranging discussion, Ari and Hollis spoke about the religious culture of Utah; secularism’s effect on the humanities; Orthodox Jewish pedagogy; Brandon Sanderson’s novels and AI; Effective Altruism and the collapse of FTX; the Tower of Babel; Borges; Dracula; whether Descartes really understood clocks; TV and book recommendations; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Mar 14, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with American Jewish University resident scholar Rick Richman about the land, people and polity of Israel in Hollywood’s imagination. What does Hollywood storytelling about Israel—from Exodus in 1960, to Top Gun: Maverick in 2022—tell us about America’s perspective on the Holy Land, and perhaps more strikingly, America’s perspective on itself. In a wide-ranging discussion, Ari and Rick talked about Exodus (1960); Munich (2005); Top Gun: Maverick (2022); Dara Horn’s “People Love Dead Jews”; Brooklyn-based Judaism in American cinema; the effect of American racial discourse on its view of the Near East; Montesquieu’s “Persian Letters”; the spouses of great political leaders; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Mar 8, 2023

On this week’s episode, Ari speaks with New York Times columnist and media personality David French about the future of American political and cultural virtue. What does it look like to stick to your principles in 2023, even if they’re unpopular? How do we escape the ideological traps of contemporary American political life? Along the way, they discussed the idea of an “exhausted majority”; the relationship between sports and politics; theological concepts like redemption and apocalypse and their role in political philosophy; John Adams and Frederick Douglass; George Washington and Micah 6:8; how it’s possible to “become” American; the cases for and against reparations; American masculinity; caring for grandparents and grandchildren; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop

Feb 28, 2023

On today’s episode, Ari spoke with political philosopher Yechiel Leiter about John Locke—the thinker whose work undergirds all of American political philosophy. If you were to read Locke, one of the first things you’ll notice is that he quotes and relies upon texts from the Hebrew Bible far more than (almost to the exclusion of) any other. And yet, for centuries, Locke scholars have almost entirely ignored his Hebraic influences. Together, Ari and Yechiel discussed how a Hebraic reading of Locke is crucial for explaining all of the most interesting and even revolutionary elements of Locke’s thought. GoodFaith10 is the 10% discount code at www.sedersalt.com Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Feb 14, 2023

Every minority—every ethnic or religious subgroup—has its own internal conversations. Often, in the modern age, that’s resulted in specialized journalistic outlets. Jewish newspapers; Christian TV stations; Muslims journals. But just as fascinating are journalists who take their particular identity, and use it as a lens through which to help general audiences view the world. What, indeed, does it mean for a reporter who is Jewish—or Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist—to write for The Atlantic, or Business Insider? To do original reporting in Ukraine, or Somalia or Syria? On today’s episode, Rabbi Lamm spoke to Tablet Magazin’s Armin Rosen about what it means to learn and write about the wide world Biblically and Jewishly. They talked world travel; music festivals; the connection between death and joy in popular culture; the intertextuality of hip hop; what makes Orthodox Jews different from and similar to other Jews; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2007 address at Columbia University; the importance of 1st century Rome and Jerusalem for understanding contemporary politics; novels about Brazil; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Feb 6, 2023

From ancient times until today, plagues and pandemics have played a transformational role in human history. And of all the intellectual and theological traditions that have reflected upon the significance of these devastating natural phenomena, perhaps the most famous and profound is the Bible. Just think, for example, of the narrative of the Ten Plagues in the Book of Exodus. So how have commentators on the Bible understood these reflections, and even developed them in new and surprising directions? In his most recent book—”The Eleventh Plague: Jews and Pandemics From the Bible to Covid-19”—Dr. Jeremy Brown (Director at the NIH and a historian of science) broke down how Jewish thinkers and communities in particular responded to widespread infectious diseases across history. And on this episode, Ari broke it all down with Dr. Brown. They discussed pandemics and the fall of Rome; humans and animals in the Book of Genesis; anti-Jewish canards during the Black Death; intellectual creativity during pandemics; responses to Edward Jenner’s invention of the smallpox vaccine; mysticism during the Scientific Revolution; “plague weddings”; new perspectives on the Ten Plagues; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jan 17, 2023

How should you read the Bible? Is the Bible just a collection of nice stories mixed in with a bunch of motivational poster one-liners? What’s the best way to plumb the artistic depths of this unparalleled literary and spiritual masterpiece? On this episode, Ari unpacked all of this with renowned podcaster and Biblical scholar Alastair Roberts. Over the course of this exciting, frenetic conversation, they talked about the Bible in the history and culture of England; why Alastair, a Protestant scholar, is a fan of Jewish Biblical commentator Rabbi David Fohrman; the connection between Noah’s Ark, the birth of Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea; the character of Miriam; the Creation narrative and the Tabernacle in Leviticus; why Martin Luther was wrong about the Book of Esther; how the stories of Genesis illuminate the stories of Samuel and Kings; the role of the tribe of Benjamin; the Israelites in Exile; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 27, 2022

One of the great differences between Athens and Jerusalem is that while Athens was the early master of philosophical inquiry, Jerusalem became the early master of storytelling. The Bible is the source for the greatest stories ever told—what Rabbi Sacks call “philosophy in the narrative mode”. And at least in terms of scale, perhaps the greatest storytelling civilization after ancient Israel is America since the invention of modern media. And, of course, it’s no accident that one of the most profound influences on American society is actually the texts, values and ideas of ancient Israel. So how should we understand this legacy of storytelling from ancient times to today? On this episode, Ari unpacked all of this with Jordan Gorfinkel, AKA Gorf, one of the great creators and writers for DC Comics—creator of the legendary No Man’s Land run in the Batman series; and creator of the Birds of Prey franchise—as well as author of the Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel . They talked the Good Faith Effort Drinking Game™; the influence of Genesis on one of the most iconic Batman comic runs; Gotham as Sodom and Gomorrah; the role of humor in great storytelling; the different eras of Batman; the creation of the Birds of Prey franchise; why Gorf had to skip dinner with Mark Hamill; whether pop culture can be sanctified; Rabbi Norman Lamm’s influence on comic books (!); and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 20, 2022

Why do celebrity advertisements work? Why do wars happen? What makes the story of Cain and Abel so compelling? What if I told you the answer to all of those questions was…the same? Enter Rene Girard, an atheist-turned-Catholic philosophical anthropologist who was also deeply influential on some of the people who have most shaped our world today—from the biggest tech founders, entrepreneurs and investors. In this episode, Ari unpacked Girard’s thought with Jonathan Bi, master teacher and creator of the popular and accessible YouTube series on Girard’s thought, “Interpreting Girard: Exegete of the Apocalypse”. Together they discussed misery in higher education; whether learning for its own sake is possible; the Reign of Terror and Vichy France; Emmanuel Levinas; William James and SoulCycle; Girard’s belief in the imminent arrival of the apocalypse; the Jewish concept of an “eruv”; Hebraic politics; Ari’s pushback on Girard’s account of Judaism; and much more! Don’t miss this exciting episode! And check out Jonathan Bi’s magnificent YouTube series: “Interpreting Girard: Exegete of the Apocalypse” Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 13, 2022

How did the American Founders read the Bible? What wisdom did they find there? How did their literary sensibilities interact with their political ones in reading the Bible? And how does this history stay with us today? To unpack all this, Ari spoke with Professor at the American University in Washington D.C., and author of “Reading The Bible With The Founding Fathers”, Daniel Dreisbach. They talked the Book of Deuteronomy in the Founding Era; political order in the Bible; the Bible on the fate of nations; television as a modern American lingua franca; the sermon as public intellectual genre; the first prayer in the history of Congress; George Washington’s favorite Biblical verse; Biblical law and the Constitution; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 6, 2022

The Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Scientific Revolution…this was when we finally kicked religion out of public life, right? In fact, it was precisely in these moments that Western thinkers were most expansive and ambitious in their curiosity about religion—its texts, ideas, and practical implications. This was famously true in the case of the Bible, the greater focus on which prompted the revival of Hebrew study throughout Europe. But it was also true of the study of Jewish mysticism, which drew the fascination of some of the most famous thinkers of the Renaissance and beyond. This had implications not only for the course of European thought, but—according to an excellent new book, “Kabbalah and the Founding of America”, by Rice University historian Brian Ogren—for the founding and development of America itself. On this episode, Ari unpacked all of this with Brian. They talked about misperceptions about science and religion during the Renaissance; why Renaissance thinkers were interested in mystical thought; John Adams and Jewish literature; the importance of Ezra Stiles, president of Yale during the American Revolution; the influence of an Orthodox rabbi from the Holy Land on the American experiment; the most important commencement address ever delivered in the history of American higher education; Madonna; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Nov 30, 2022

The Bible is the most important work in the history of literature, so it seems like a pretty important priority should be to figure out how to read it well! What strategies can your average person use to uncover the Biblical text’s meaning? Which commentaries are most important to consult? Are there new insights we can, perhaps, discover on our own? If so, how? To unpack all this, Ari spoke with the founder of Aleph Beta, the legendary Biblical interpreter and teacher Rabbi David Fohrman. In a wide-ranging conversation they discussed how to break down a text; the role of reading commentaries; the artistry behind the story of Jacob and Esau; the importance of reading Biblical names in their Hebrew original; the Biblical misanthrope Onan; literary allusions in the story of Ruth and Boaz; how to appreciate the Book of Leviticus; the future of Biblical commentary; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Nov 22, 2022

Why are stories important? What exactly makes them so powerful? How should great stories—whether you encounter them in literature, poetry, painting, the cinema—help human beings cultivate the good life? And can great stories, as such, really be an important part of the religious experience? To unpack this, Ari spoke with Jennifer Frey, host of the extremely popular literature, philosophy, and theology podcast “Sacred And Profane Love”, and professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina. They talked about the countercultural act of choosing religion in a secular age; Thomas Aquinas; sidekicks from the Bible to Shakespeare to Lord of the Rings; how literature can form character; oral and textual cultures; Iris Murdoch; studying the Bible in public schools; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Nov 15, 2022

Who’s the most influential figure in American political history? Washington? Lincoln? Martin Luther King? The answer, for any student of American history, should be clear: it’s Moses. But how does this influence pan out? And how do Moses, and other Biblical figures, help us tell our own stories…even today? To unpack all of this, Ari spoke with bestselling author and New York Times columnist Bruce Feiler, author of “America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story”. They talked about the Age of Exploration; Moses as lawgiver vs. Moses as liberator; Lincoln’s Second Inaugural; the Bible as text vs. the Bible as map; why Abraham’s story comes before Moses’; how to improve July 4th; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Nov 8, 2022

The Bible is the most important and influential work ever. And nothing has been more influential on the development of the English language over the last 500 years than the translation of the Bible into English. And whether from literary, political-institutional, cultural or religious perspectives, the Bible has been deeply formative in shaping the West as we know it. So how should we engage with this text? Some say we should heed its commands; others that we should try to understand it in the context of ancient history; still others say we should examine how it has influenced the world we live in. But probably the most underrated way to engage the Bible is just…to read it. So what would it look like to attune our ears to the Bible’s literary character? To unpack this Ari spoke with the most influential living Biblical scholar, and author of a magisterial translation of the entire Hebrew Bible, Robert Alter. In this epic conversation they spoke about what makes translation different than other types of interpretation; Biblical terms for physical relations; the King James Version of 1611; various “untranslatable” phenomena; the Biblical concept of “soul”; Samuel and Saul; whether the Bible thinks political order is possible; reader questions (!); Rashi; rabbinic midrash; Franz Kafka and Jewish mysticism; Moby Dick; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Oct 25, 2022

Why does American policy in the Middle East look the way it does? Has it always been this way? How is it intertwined with religious life and literacy in America? And how does the Jewish story—from the Bible to today—help us understand something important about the American story? To unpack all of this, Ari spoke to Walter Russel Mead—Global View columnist at the Wall Street Journal, Professor of Foreign Affairs at Bard College, and author of the fantastic new book “The Arc Of A Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People”. They spoke about John Adams’s proto-Zionism; the English Reformation; Erastianism and religious toleration; the two sides of nationalism; Balaji Srinavasan and Theodor Herzl; Cyrus the Great in both Iranian and American politics; Russian Middle East policy from Stalin to Putin; what rising antisemitism teaches about the health of the American republic; and how the American story properly understood relates to the fate of the Jewish people. You can find Walter’s latest book here: https://www.amazon.com/Arc-Covenant-United-States-Israel-ebook/dp/B01EQ2S3RY Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Oct 3, 2022

The Atlantic ’s Yair Rosenberg is one of the most prominent journalists on the planet covering global antisemitism. He’s also an excellent recording artist in the Jewish music space. How do these two things fit together? As Ari and Yair discuss together, this mix is deeply emblematic of the current moment in Jewish, American, and even world history -- both fraught with existential danger and brimming with creative and moral possibility. On the latest episode of Good Faith Effort, they unpack what this means together, discussing everything from Jewish historian Salo Baron; the Biblical Hebrew word for “Passover”; Lil Wayne; the Miami Boys Choir; whether Jews are a race; the place of Israel in the Western imagination; normie cultural sensibilities; Yair’s musical influences; singability in Jewish music; and much more! To listen to Yair’s latest album, “Az Yashir: Songs for Shabbat”, check it out on Spotify here . Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Sep 6, 2022

The American experiment—even the future of liberalism—feels exhausted. What’s a theologian to do about this? How can serious thinking about religion contribute uniquely to a flourishing political and moral discourse? How can it be done with both a sense of conviction, but also a spirit of humility? To unpack this, Rabbi Ari spoke to his good friend, fellow podcaster and professor of theology at Baylor University, Matthew L. Anderson. They talked: how to do public theology; is there an evangelical intellectual tradition?; religion and digital media; what you learn as a preacher’s kid (or grandkid!); pronatalism; the perils and value of nations; the future of liberalism; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Aug 30, 2022

“What’s the biggest problem with America these days?” Imagine if someone answered that question by saying that Americans don’t spend nearly enough time in…cemeteries? Well, on this episode of Good Faith Effort, it’s precisely that thesis that we try to defend! Rabbi Ari had on brilliant up-and-coming writer Chaya Sara Oppenheim to discuss the ‘cemetery culture’ that has grown up around the town of Monsey, New York, just 45 minutes north of Manhattan. Along the way they discuss why dead people are more important than you think; how prayer works; the importance of localism; some unexpected ways you can learn about the place you live; Fiddler on the Roof; Cynthia Ozick; the tension between homeland and diaspora; belief in miracles; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Aug 23, 2022

One of the climactic moments of the Renaissance was the European rediscovery of the Hebrew language. Knowledge of Hebrew—and intensive study of both the Hebrew Bible and Jewish rabbinic literature—would sweep across Europe, and end up fundamentally reshaping everything from personal spirituality to the nature and structure of politics in the West. And yet, at the very same time all of this was underway, a plot was hatched to completely eradicate Judaism forever in the Holy Roman Empire—a plot that, had it succeeded, could have swept across the rest of Europe as well. Only one person was prepared to take a principled stand against it. That man was a Christian scholar named Johannes Reuchlin. And his fight to defend Jews and Jewish learning would shape the moral and political trajectory of the West to this very day. Reuchlin studied Hebrew and Jewish literature with some of the legendary figures in Jewish history—including Rabbi Obadiah Sforno—and would be remembered by towering figures of later periods as one of “the righteous among the nations”. But few people today know his story. So on this episode, Rabbi Ari unpacked it together with the Vanderbilt University historian, David Price, who literally wrote the book on Reuchlin! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Aug 16, 2022

How do we navigate in an age where our access to information is limitless? How do we read better? How do we write well? How do we seek out valuable new things? And why is it also more important than ever to hold on to—or discover!—the virtues of ancient wisdom? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari spoke with David Perell—one of the most prolific writers, teachers and podcasters in the world of new media; host of the North Star podcast; author of the “Friday Finds” and “Monday Musings” newsletters; and teacher of the legendary masterclass for online writers, “Write of Passage”. They talked about how to cope with information overload; the virtues of orality vs. writtenness; informational monotheism vs. informational paganism; why Westerners should read the Bible; the value and perils of a canon; Cain and Abel; the Tree of Knowledge; VCs and prophecy; how to be productive in the digital age; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Aug 2, 2022

If you want to tell the story of popular music globally in the last century, you really can’t do it without telling the story of American pop music. And if you want to tell the story of AMERICAN pop music, well, that story begins and ends with the Black American community: jazz, the blues, gospel music, rock n’ roll, R&B, and hip-hop. And if you want to tell the story of that community, you also need to understand the Bible—the Exodus, the prophets, and beyond. But who could possibly tell this entire story from start to finish? Basically only one person: multiple Grammy award winning artist and producer Warryn Campbell. He’s worked and won awards with the biggest names in music, from Kanye and Alicia Keys, to Mary Mary and Missy Elliott, and more. And he’s also an ordained pastor out in California who has a deep understanding of faith and spirituality in American life. This week Ari and Warryn talked about the history of American music; what it means to bear the divine image; religious and secular music; the backstory behind one of Kanye’s earliest hit singles; Abraham and counterculture; what we can learn from Dr. Dre; Moses in the Jewish and Black American communities; and the next great artist you need to keep your eye on! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jul 26, 2022

Say you’re one of the biggest stars in the world. You’re making hit TV shows and huge movies. You’re influencing millions upon millions of people. And you’re a kid. How do you deal with the challenges, and how might you seize the opportunities? Is it possible to be deeply mission-driven in such a world? This week, Rabbi Ari spoke with Kel Mitchell, the two-time Emmy-nominated actor and comedian who starred in massive shows like Kenan and Kel and All That , and hit films like Good Burger . And who now, in addition to his continued success in the entertainment business, is the youth pastor at Spirit Food Christian Center in Winnetka, California. They talked about Kel’s story; how you balance between inspiration and consistency in faith; why kids’ TV in the 90s had a lot more depth than it does today; why the Bible sees young people as capable of heroism; why social media is so important; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jul 12, 2022

Human equality. Justice for all. Political liberty. Hope in the face of despair. We take all of these for granted as essential components of a good life and virtuous society. But where do they come from? Will you find them in Plato and Aristotle? In Cicero or Plotinus? What if we can’t? On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari sat down with Dru Johnson, Professor of Biblical Studies and Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought at the King’s College, to talk about why the world we live in is incomprehensible without the Hebrew Bible. They talked what’s wrong with the Greek philosophers; what the Hebraic world is all about; what ritual can teach us; why it’s important to fold your underwear; what punk rock has to do with the Bible; whether our body is something we should try to escape; the greatest Biblical story you’ve never heard of; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jul 5, 2022

When we think of the Biblical story, we usually think of a beleaguered population of former slaves fleeing for their lives into a desert. But if you read the Bible’s account of the Israelite story, you’ll see that they’re consistently called upon to take up arms in their own defense. What insight could we gain from interpreting the Bible from a military perspective? On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari talked unpacked all this with the 40th Inspector General of the entire U.S. Navy—and highest ranking Jew on the Seas—former Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski. They spoke about what it means to be a warrior; whether the United States should adopt a mandatory national service program; what it means to be a part of Jewish history as an immigrant; the reason why sailors of all backgrounds love Passover; President Harry Truman’s Torah scroll; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jun 28, 2022

The emperors of Rome traditionally promoted themselves as deities—as human beings who had ascended to godhood by virtue of their political might. In America, of course, we do not have god-kings, nor do we deify the great leaders of our past. But if there were any political figure in American history about whom it could be said that he had achieved some sort of genuine transcendence beyond the usual political acclaim, it would be Abraham Lincoln. So what made Lincoln great? What were his flaws and triumphs? What does the success of the Lincoln presidency tell us about the American story at large? How, in particular, did his unusual embrace of the American Jewish community make sense within the wider context of the American experiment? On this week’s episode, Rabbi Ari talked unpacked all this with legendary historian at Brandeis, and author of several books on the Lincoln era, Jonathan Sarna. They spoke about Lincoln’s leadership; his attitude towards antisemitism; his Biblical wit and wisdom and his relationship with the Holy Land; whether it’s a hindrance or a help to have political heroes; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jun 22, 2022

America has now gone through this multi-decade long period where the fashionable belief was that people are at their best when living unfettered lives. Things like community, tradition, religion, are mostly—in this view—just hokey, backward relics of a bygone, credulous era. And while living without these things may make us kind of miserable…at least it’s safe and comfortable! If there’s one thing we know how to do well in America today, it’s cheap, shallow, unthreatening culture. But what would our society look like if we aspired to something much greater, albeit scarier. What if we took a chance on commitment to something obligatory; to building community with people we may not particularly like; to experiencing wonder in a de-mystified world? To unpack all of this, Ari Lamm brought on writer and podcaster extraordinaire, Kylie Unell, to talk about God; 19th century philosophy; race and identity politics; “the universe” in pop culture; and what Spinoza got wrong.

Jun 14, 2022

John Selden. A name most people today have never heard. But at one of the most crucial political turning points in the history of the West —17th century England — he was widely known as the most brilliant man in Europe, England’s most accomplished lawyer, and a leading Member of Parliament so respected that both sides of the English Civil War desperately sought to recruit him to their side. His ideas were deeply influential on the future of Western liberty, and to this day remain the best alternative to the secular materialism of thinkers like Thomas Hobbes. He was also the most rabbinically learned non-Jew in world history, and a vocal proponent of ancient rabbinic tradition as the best basis for a virtuous political system. Who was this fascinating thinker? What was his story? And why are his ideas so critical today? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari brought on historian Ofir Haivry, author of John Selden and the Western Political Tradition . Haivry is also Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Herzl Institute, and Director of its National Strategy Initiative. They talked all things Selden — the most important Western thinker you’ve never heard of! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

May 24, 2022

What will it take to build a dynamic future for our society? We talk a lot about infrastructure, manufacturing, supply chains, defense, biotech. But what about restoring a sense of mission, purpose, community and shared values? A truly bright future needs a new Great Awakening—it needs faith. But how do we build that in the world of digital media and tech? To unpack all this, Rabbi Ari brought on Matthew Potter, co-founder of Pray.com , the #1 daily prayer app on the entire planet. They spoke about building out of tragedy; what differentiates faith from other group activities; how faith fits in Silicon Valley; single-player vs. multi-player prayer; what makes a company worth building; the future of faith in Gen Z; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

May 10, 2022

If there’s one thing Western society needs right now, it’s the rejuvenation of community. But what does it take to rebuild community out of the ashes of COVID, and in the face of a loneliness epidemic sweeping across America and the West at large? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Ari spoke to a man who quite literally does this for a living — David Siegel, CEO of Meetup, the largest social media platform for building in-real-life community in the world, and author of the new book “Decide and Conquer,” out now. They spoke about how to beat loneliness; why Rousseau is wrong; lessons learned from the rise and fall of WeWork; whether community can survive the trajectory of American liberalism; the threat that social media culture poses to community in 2022; and much more!

May 4, 2022

We often think of religion as this thing you learn about through texts. Through studying in a seminary. Through quiet contemplation. But as far as the Bible is concerned, religion is so much more than that! It’s embodied, it’s traditional, it reaches every single nook and cranny of our lives. And it’s deeply sensory. It’s about sights, sounds…even smells and tastes! So what can we learn about religion, about culture—about life—from the world of food? To unpack this, Rabbi Ari spoke with celebrity food writer and influencer Adeena Sussman, author (and co-author along with Chrissy Teigen, Candace Nelson, and others) of numerous NYT-bestselling cookbooks. They talked about the revolution in Jewish and Israeli cuisine in the last decade; what you can uniquely learn about a culture through food; the insight cooking gives you into the immigrant experience; the role the Sabbath plays in shaping Jewish cuisine; what Adeena learned from sharing Jewish cuisine with Chrissy Teigen; where she’d eat in Israel if she only had one place to choose; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Apr 12, 2022

What does it take to produce one of the most popular podcasts in the world? Especially when it's about the Bible? Rabbi Ari spoke to Tara Leigh Cobble, host of The Bible Recap podcast, about the importance of daily study; the most underrated characters in the Book of Judges; the Bible's political wisdom; the importance of experiencing the Bible in Hebrew (even for those who don't speak or read it!); what doing her podcast has taught her about pedagogy and setting goals; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Apr 5, 2022

An Orthodox Jewish rabbi, a Coptic Christian from Egypt, and a Syrian-Lebanese Jew from Mexico City walk into a bar… On this episode Ari talks to the hosts of his new favorite podcast “American-ish”, a show bringing together first-generation immigrant women from two very different (yet strikingly similar!) Middle Eastern communities to discuss culture, love, religion, politics…and everything in between. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ari, Adela, and Mariam cover what Middle Eastern culture has to teach America; what Adela and Mariam have been most surprised to learn about each other; how their appreciation for each other’s communities has deepened; why it’s important to be able to talk about difference without trying to erase it; and much, much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Mar 28, 2022

Both grew up in Long Island, both grew up in strong religious traditions, both have a love for the liberal arts. But where Ari grew up an Orthodox Jew, Scott grew up Catholic. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ari and Scott reflect on the self-contained dignity and beauty of their respective traditions, and think about what they can bring to the wider world of learning.

Mar 8, 2022

When we think of the roots of American liberty and attitudes towards monarchy, we usually think of classically trained statesmen pondering the glories of Athens and Rome. But what if I told you that in fact, the two most important sources undergirding the American Founding were: the Bible…and the Talmud? In today’s episode, Rabbi Ari brought on Harvard’s Eric Nelson to talk about the revival of Hebrew learning among Christians during the Renaissance; the origins of the idea, popular during the American Revolution, that monarchy is idolatry; the role that royalism played in American thought; the benefits and pitfalls of technocracy in contemporary America; how to study important texts that seem inaccessible; and much more!

Mar 1, 2022

How does a minority community that has long suffered state-sanctioned oppression take control of its own destiny, build wealth, invest in education about its past, and promote pride in its distinctive culture? This is a question that applies equally to the historical Jewish experience AND the experience of the Black community in America. So this week Rabbi Ari brought on thinker, entrepreneur, and political activist Felecia Killings of the Conscious Black Conservative movement, whose political star has been rising across the country. They talked about Black history; securing Black wealth; the role of faith and the Bible in the Black experience; how to win elections; the case for reparations; solving the criminal justice system; and much more!

Feb 22, 2022

Did you ever grow up watching a show as a kid and think “Oh yeah, I identify with THAT character”... even if that character seemed to have nothing to do with you at all? In his gorgeous new book “Piccolo Is Black,” Jordan Calhoun of The Atlantic tackles the joys, challenges, and ultimately the depth of meaning in the pop culture we all loved as kids, and continue to love as adults. Along the way, Rabbi Ari and Jordan discuss their favorite shows from the 80s and 90s; cultural confidence in minority communities; why animation is underrated; the relationship between religion and community; whether Tommy was cooler as the Green Ranger or White Ranger; and why Gargoyles was perfect. Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Feb 15, 2022

One of the most common questions by far that I get from listeners to this podcast is: “I know you’re an Orthodox Jew, and you mention it a lot on the pod, but…what does that actually mean?”In this episode, I brought on fellow Orthodox Jewish podcaster Rabbi Scott Kahn to unpack this. Along the way we talked about our go-to explanations for people who aren’t Jewish about what Orthodox Judaism is; the challenge of feeling excitement during prayer; why Orthodox Jews seem to spend so much time engaged in ritual after ritual; what’s more interesting: dogma or practice?; the unique perspective that Jewish sages have brought to the study of the Bible; what valuable lessons American society might be able to take from the Orthodox Jewish experience; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Feb 8, 2022

If you had to look for one of the most spiritually and religiously exciting places in the world, you might not think the place to go would be…Silicon Valley. And yet it’s precisely there that Rabbi Noa Kushner created one of the most exciting experiments in communal entrepreneurship in the world: The Kitchen. On this episode, Ari spoke to Rabbi Kushner about the challenges and opportunities of leading a religious revival in the heart of Tech World; what it takes to be a religious entrepreneur and how to get more of it; how to think about religious conversion; why it’s bad to think about religion purely in terms of project-market fit; why the Tower of Babel is such an important story for modern society; how to do community not just be in a community; and much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Feb 1, 2022

It’s become overwhelmingly common to think of the Bible primarily as a text—a book full of words that we read. But while this is an important way of interacting with the Bible, it only develops later. If you look at how the Bible expects itself to be taught and studied, it’s much more about passing wisdom from parent to child, or from teacher to student. The Bible is something we’re supposed to perform or experience , not just read it. Living in the Digital Age, what opportunities do we have for doing this at a high level? To unpack all of this, Ari spoke with Jon Collins, one of the founders of the international phenomenon, The Bible Project, which has now reached over 100 million people across platforms with visual storytelling about the Bible. They spoke about how visual art can help teaching Biblical texts and ideas; why it’s important for readers to understand the Bible in its Hebraic context; what creative influences Jon brings to his artistic work on The Bible Project; why shared storytelling is so important for American society at this point in time; what the word “Shalom” means to Jon; and so much more! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jan 25, 2022

How do we expand learning and idea generation to broader populations? How do we create communities around ideas? Can traditional community and individual excellence coexist? Rabbi Lamm spoke about all of this to Anna Gát, one of the most exciting intellectual entrepreneurs in the world about her quest to do exactly this. To learn more about the community Rabbi Lamm and Anna talked about, visit https://interintellect.com/ Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jan 18, 2022

Human societies are built on stories, and there are few domains of public life as ripe with storytelling potential as sports. Now, often the kinds of stories we tell around sports involve heroes, conquest, getting to the mountaintop and seeing the promised land. It’s much rarer to tell stories about striving mightily before accepting defeat, and learning to live with and grow from failure. So that’s why Ari brought on Sport Illustrated’s Chris Herring to talk about the most famous teams ever…that didn’t make it: the 1990s New York Knicks. Along the way they talk about resilience, the spiritual value of sports fandom, the importance of tradition, Chris’s own spiritual journey, the reason why NBA players seem so disproportionately faith-inclined, the trajectory of hip hop in Chicago, and much more! You can order a copy of Chris’s new book today: Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jan 11, 2022

Eli Lake is one of the best journalists and foreign affairs commentators in America. This week he joins Ari to talk about American foreign policy; the defense industry; the case for gangsta rap; the most underrated hip hop city; why Van Morrison is amazing; how to talk about Israel in this generation…and then turns the tables and interviews Ari about Judaism and politics! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Jan 4, 2022

Russ Roberts is one of the greatest educators alive. He hosts one of the most legendary, popular educational podcasts of all time—EconTalk, on economics, culture, politics—he’s a well-known academic, and even produces viral hip hop videos viewed millions of times about great economic debates. And at the apex of this remarkable career…he picked himself up and moved to a foreign country, Israel, where he took over as President of a college dedicated to studying great texts and asking big questions. Why? On this episode, Ari spoke with Russ about his journey. They talked about pronatalism in Israel; the narrative thrust of the Book of Genesis; a political economy perspective on Deuteronomy; where Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek and the Bible converge; why Jewish tradition would be helpful in the era of crypto; the role of oral tradition in Russ’s creative work and society at large; and so much more.

Dec 30, 2021

How do we ensure that our society is educating well? How can we transmit to the next generation the wisdom they need to be thinkers and the practical knowledge they need to be builders? And crucially, how do we avoid siloing these two essential components of a healthy civilization? To unpack this, Rabbi Lamm spoke to one of America’s preeminent thinkers and builders -- the Founder and CEO of Signature Bank and bestselling public thinker about everything from religion, to education, to culture: Scott Shay! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 22, 2021

Can the NBA teach us something about real life? Why has the political culture around sports gotten so insane? And seriously why did everyone hate that Kevin Durant-era Warriors team? This week Ari spoke about all this and more with sports journalist Ethan Strauss, formerly the Warriors beat writer for ESPN and The Athletic, and now the proprietor of the fantastic SubStack, House of Strauss! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 14, 2021

Disability. It’s one of those things many Americans just don’t like to talk about. And yet, not only should justice impel society to engage with disability, legendary disability rights activist Judy Heumann makes the point that actually all of us, at some point or another, will experience disability. So we better get to thinking about it! Ari and Judy sat down this week to unpack all this and much more on a moving, insightful episode. Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Dec 7, 2021

Are comedy and Biblical tradition in opposition to each other? Is humor an obstacle or an aid to a serious life, or a life of faith? This week Rabbi Lamm spoke to Columbia University professor Jeremy Dauber about the history and future of comedy in American society. They talked about individualism and community in the comedy business; how comedy can help shed light on some of the most important stories in the Biblical tradition; the role of animation and weirdness more broadly in pop culture; and, of course, the British Office vs. the American Office! Good Faith Effort is a production of Bnai Zion and SoulShop.

Nov 30, 2021

When comedy comes from a super specific, unique perspective, does that make it inaccessible? Or, on the contrary, is that exactly what people are searching for: authenticity. To unpack all this, Rabbi Lamm spoke to stand-up, actor and comedic genius MODI. Along the way they talked about how the purpose of comedy, what Hasidic Jews have to teach the world, the evolution of the Jewish voice in comedy from Jackie Mason to today, where antisemitism appears in the entertainment industry, and, of course, why Ari needs to ask shorter questions!

Nov 23, 2021

What is the relationship between religion and crime? What impact does faith have on and in America’s prison system? What role does faith have in accomplishing the goals of the criminal justice system? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Lamm spoke with the world expert on religion and criminology, Baylor University’s Byron Johnson. They talked about what the data tell us about the impact of religion on crime and criminality, what role faith can and does play in the prison system itself, how to bring the values of repentance and personal redemption deeper into American life, whether in the context of life-after-prison or even cancel culture, what we can learn from the fact that the Bible doesn’t use incarceration as a punishment, and much more!

Nov 16, 2021

We’re living in a time of great upheaval , from the biological (a pandemic), to the social (the state of faith in America), to the political (deep polarization). It can be tempting to give into the darkness and just assume we’re all doomed. But is there a case for optimism and hope that the next generation might even be better than the current one? Rabbi Lamm had on the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, #1 New York Times best-selling author, and amazing friend of the pod, Pastor Sam Rodriguez to talk about all this. Along the way they covered the the state of faith in America, the continued relevance of the Book of Kings, the role of pop culture in religious life, why Dune has killed it at the box office, and how the Hispanic community is changing the face of American culture for the better!

Nov 9, 2021

If you’re an immigrant to a new society, one of the first things you need to do is learn the local language. So what happens when humans immigrate into the world of machines? Rabbi Lamm spoke about this with Ami Dror the founder of the world’s largest edtech company teaching kids to code, LeapLearner. Along the way, they talked about the divine image in the Book of Genesis; what you can understand about a society by studying its cultural heroes; what ancient Hebrew and modern computer code have to do with each other; why India is going to play a massive positive role in the global future; and the importance of both local and international travel

Nov 2, 2021

In a world moving at breakneck speed, there’s nothing more important, more essential, than deep thinking and learning. Is this even possible any longer in a world of social media, where the old 24 hour news cycle seems like a golden age of serious attention spans? In a world where the highest pleasure is the dopamine hit of getting quick likes on Instagram or TikTok? ...Or maybe is the doom and gloom overstated, and our new world supplies possibilities for doing serious thought that weren’t possible in prior eras? Either way, Good Faith Effort is the pod to get to the bottom of it, so Rabbi Lamm had on the most interesting person on Twitter, theological entrepreneur Zohar Atkins, to unpack all of this. They talked about using Twitter for good; what poetry is about; why the thinker Maimonides is essential for today’s world; the role that Kabbalah played during the Scientific Revolution; and the eternal clash (or is it?!) between Athens and Jerusalem

Oct 25, 2021

Today is the anniversary of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’s passing. To commemorate his life and legacy, Rabbi Lamm spoke with one of the last people to ever be in public conversation with him: Professor Amy Chua of Yale Law School, and author of the runaway international bestseller Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother . They spoke about what’s going wrong on elite college campuses, why the educational system is so slow to adapt, both the dangers and potential opportunities facing minority groups like Asians and Jews today, how to talk about sins in the American past, and why Succession is the best show on TV right now!

Oct 19, 2021

After the year and a half we just had, how do we find happiness? How do we, a generation more overloaded with information and emotional stimuli than ever, go about living lives of goodness and joy? To unpack this, Rabbi Lamm spoke to bestselling author, and internationally renowned expert on Happiness Studies, Tal Ben Shahar. In this fascinating, wide ranging conversation they talked about the relationship between Happiness and Goodness, the evolution of education, what we can learn from the Books of Genesis and Exodus, why you might feel the urge to flip someone off if they cut you off in traffic, the importance of gratitude, the mind vs. body problem, and the joys of getting coffee!

Oct 12, 2021

Why are stories important? What can you learn about a society from the stories it tells, both to itself and about itself? And why is it essential to understand the stories that Jews and Christians tell if we want to know where America is right now, and where it might go from here? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Lamm spoke to the incomparable Antonio García Martínez, technologist, startup founder, one of America’s best public thinkers, author of the popular Substack, The Pull Request ...and recent convert to Judaism.

Oct 5, 2021

It’s been a WILD first season of Good Faith Effort, and so we decided to count down our favorite episodes of Season 1. Join Rabbi Lamm as he takes you through all his favorite moments, and explains what he loved about them. Thank you so much to all of our incredible listeners! Keep listening and hitting us up on social media. And spread the word!

Sep 30, 2021

If you’re a tech entrepreneur, or an aspiring startup founder, and you have one book to read, why should it be the Bible? On this episode, one of Israel’s leading venture capitalists, Michael Eisenberg, makes the case for the Book of Genesis as essential for building the next generation of prosperity, virtue and human flourishing. Along the way, Rabbi Lamm and Michael Eisenberg talked about: Prophets vs. Entrepreneurs Whether immortality is good or bad Judaism vs. Christianity on whether man is fallen Why is Joseph the first entrepreneur? Is Egypt good actually? Why you need to read the Bible in order, rather than by topic

Aug 31, 2021

Why is being human better than being a robot? That’s really the defining question of the Digital Era. And it’s the one we’re going to need to answer if we’re to promote human flourishing in an age where our rate of technological progress threatens to outstrip the rate at which we can grapple seriously with new and challenging moral questions. This week, Rabbi Lamm unpacks all of this with James Poulos, Executive Editor of The American Mind. They talk about the different moral and political implications of TVs vs. smartphones, whether Alexis de Tocqueville foresaw America’s current problems, why religion will be crucial in the coming era, and much more.

Aug 24, 2021

What will be the challenges and opportunities of telling the American story in the coming generation? And why is the Bible essential for that national telling and re-telling? Rabbi Lamm is joined by New York Times columnist David Brooks to discuss: America’s unique relationship with the Book of Exodus Why the Hebrew prophets are essential for understanding race and racism in American history Why Bruce Springsteen is one of the great American Biblical commentators What the Bible might have to say about space billionaires And So Much more! 1:53

Aug 18, 2021

American policymakers tend to treat faith, community and local belonging as dispensable luxuries that can and should be sacrificed to maximize some other metrics, like GDP, mobility, or net worth. What are the consequences of this kind of thinking? Is this trend reversible? How would this impact the most vulnerable among us? To unpack all of this, Rabbi Lamm spoke with Chris Arnade, the best-selling author of Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America , to talk about why faith, tradition and community are essential elements of the good life for Americans of all sorts.

Aug 10, 2021

How do we confront the new antisemitism in American life, including the rise of anti-Israel animus on the New Left? Rabbi Lamm has actor and comedian Elon Gold join him, to do a deep dive. They talk Elon’s own experiences with antisemitism; the rise of social media-based anti-Jewishness; Elon’s confrontation with Seth Rogen; why " In The Heights" and "Ramy" are much better Jewish film and TV than "American Pickle" and "My Unorthodox Life"; and so much more! Be sure to catch Elon, in his recurring role on the upcoming season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Aug 3, 2021

American society is deeply in need of a moral and cultural revival. Any successful version of that is going to need to be both revolutionary enough to ignite the imagination and true enough to the stories and values of our past, to the liberty and freedom embedded in the promise of America to keep us grounded. What resource can we possibly uncover that could satisfy these conditions? This week, Rabbi Lamm unpacked all of this with returning guest Sohrab Ahmari, op-ed editor of the NY Post and bestselling author of “The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos.” They spoke about the different approaches to Western history found in Catholicism and Judaism; Sohrab’s perspective on the legendary Jewish thinker Rabbi Jonathan Sacks; Bob Dylan’s music; the significance of religious conversion; why Jesus’s Jewishness matters; what wokeness gets right and what it gets wrong; the ongoing relevance of “Fight Club”; and much more!

Jul 27, 2021

Digital tech isn’t just another tool for humans to use, no different than a bow and arrow, or a fork. It fundamentally shapes who we are. So what do we do in an era where all information is available to us at the click of a button? Should we want to keep more things secret? Or are secrets debilitating things, and our task should be to find more productive ways to tell them? At the heart of this remarkable conversation between Rabbi Lamm and MIT’s Sherry Turkle is the question of how to always tell the truth virtuously and faithfully.

Jul 20, 2021

We live in a society where it’s considered impolite, gauche, or just downright unsophisticated to talk about God and religion in public spaces, or with strangers. So what would it take to ignore all those social conventions? What kind of person does the “weird” thing and talks about God with others? And how might other people, from totally different traditions, get comfortable doing the same as well? This week, Rabbi Lamm broke this down with evangelist, and Founder of Pulse, Nick Hall.

Jul 13, 2021

We talk a lot on this podcast about the future of faith and technology, but what does it look like to actually be the one building that future? This week, Rabbi Lamm spoke to Alex Jones, Founder and CEO of Hallow, the #1 Catholic app, devoted to connecting people to prayer. They spoke about different journeys towards faith; what it’s like to be a person of faith in Silicon Valley; what it takes to build faith in the Digital Age; and much more.

Jul 6, 2021

Howard University in Washington, D.C., is the nation’s only historically Black university with a Classics department, but in May of this year it eliminated it. Dr. Anika Prather, who taught Classics at Howard, joined Rabbi Lamm to unpack the consequences of this decision. They explored what Classics have meant to Black identity and liberty in America. How the Jewish perspective on Classical civilization, the Greeks and Romans are the villains! can be helpful. And how to create a community around the study of ancient Greek and Latin, similar to the community that has arisen around the study of ancient Hebrew.

Jun 29, 2021

Whenever humanity manages to build something worth preserving, whether a family, a community or an entire society, the biggest threat to its future is simply forgetting how you built it in the first place! Forgetting the values and ideas that lie at its foundation. That’s the challenge we have today: we, as a country, got here through the wisdom of the Hebrew Bible and Hebrew civilization. What do we lose by forgetting that? And what can we gain by recapturing that spiritual heritage?

Jun 22, 2021

The limits of AI make it clear that humans aren’t about to be replaced by robots. But anyone who reads the Bible understands that humans have a lot of room to improve and even transform themselves! And increasingly, we’re learning that the best way for humans to become better is for us to become closer , and that means more discussion, more conversation, even more disagreement ! So how do we get better disagreement? How do we bring the genius of scriptural and philosophical traditions into conversation with the know how of Silicon Valley (or Tel Aviv)? To unpack all this, Rabbi Lamm spoke with Joab Rosenberg, the Founder and CEO of ment.io , which has been called “Israel’s most philosophical startup.”

Jun 15, 2021

We’re living in a golden age of using big data to understand and change our world. So how does the Biblical tradition think about data and it’s benefits and dangers for society? This week Rabbi Lamm unpacked all this with Princeton economist Leah Boustan, one of the world experts on innovative uses of data, and a serious religious thinker.They talked the Biblical attitude towards the census; immigration and identity from the Bible through today; Jewish Twitter; and Leah’s project of daily Talmud study.

Jun 8, 2021

If the last few decades have felt like a narrative about the slow, agonizing death of togetherness, right now feels like the most exciting moment you could think of for re-imagining the future of community, and re-articulating old wisdom for a new world. So how do we go about doing this? Kinsey Grant, Co-Founder and host of Thinking is Cool joins Rabbi Lamm to talk about all of this, from her experience helping to build Morning Brew, to her latest, exciting venture.

Jun 1, 2021

From Numbers 13 to the America in 2021, reporting on what’s happening in Israel, a land so close to the hearts of so many across the globe, has been a fundamental challenge. How should we navigate it, especially during a time of rising antisemitism on social media and in the streets? And what are Westerners missing in their picture of the current round of conflict between Israel and Hamas? Friend of the show, Lahav Harkov of The Jerusalem Post, joins Rabbi Ari again to unpack all of this. This episode is supported by the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Students. Register today at www.yu.edu/revel to study with top professors of Bible, Talmudic Studies, Jewish Philosophy, and Jewish History. Studying any of these topics will give you the foundation for a career in law, business, education, and community service! Enter the code "Faith" to waive the registration fee and receive 15% off the course! Additional financial aid is available too.

May 25, 2021

There are times in life when we could use a little more stability. And In the wake of a pandemic it seems like stability is just what we need. But these days, we may actually have the opposite problem: complacency and decadence. Society is getting older, we’re having fewer kids, we’re more risk-averse, the rate of entrepreneurship is down, our political institutions and arrangements increasingly feel like they were permanently locked in during the 80s or even the 60s. Terrible injustices in society feel like they keep going longer and longer without being solved. And just as it feels like people need religion the most, the old ways of delivering that to people are increasingly unattractive -- old-school church attendance just dropped below 50% for the first time in American history. Now, at the same time, more young Americans than at any time in a decade or more (according to Pew) say they’re searching for spiritual fulfillment -- but who’s meeting that need? It’s clear that what we need right now, is not just the stability of religion in response to the pandemic, but also the revolutionary spirit of religion, if we’re going to build a society that we, and more importantly God, can be proud of. To unpack this, Rabbi Lamm got into it with one of the most passionate, innovative faith leaders in the country: Pastor Michael JT Fisher, the pastor of Greater Zion Church Family, a gospel artist, and an amazing voice for faith in America. This episode is supported by the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Students. Register today at www.yu.edu/revel to study with top professors of Bible, Talmudic Studies, Jewish Philosophy, and Jewish History. Studying any of these topics will give you the foundation for a career in law, business, education, and community service! Enter the code "Faith" to waive the registration fee and receive 15% off the course! Additional financial aid is available too.

May 20, 2021

Throughout American history, prophetic “outsider” voices have been major drivers of our moral, social, and even technological progress. We’ve needed folks who are willing, or in some cases have been forced to see the world differently, and who can then communicate their insights back to the rest of society. In the coming generation, those voices will be essential if we’re going to shake ourselves out of our cultural malaise. But where will they come from? Deeply religious thinkers? Crazy-in-the-best-way technologists? Thinkers from minority communities, whether Jews, Catholics, Black thinkers, Hispanic thinkers, thinkers from India? Or maybe just people who care about knowledge for more than just instrumental reasons? To figure this all out, Rabbi Ari spoke with Professor Hollis Robbins, one of the country’s leading scholars of African American history and literature. This episode is supported by the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Students. Register today at www.yu.edu/revel to study with top professors of Bible, Talmudic Studies, Jewish Philosophy, and Jewish History. Studying any of these topics will give you the foundation for a career in law, business, education, and community service! Enter the code "Faith" to waive the registration fee and receive 15% off the course! Additional financial aid is available too.

May 13, 2021

You don’t usually hear about big movie stars leading Bible studies, or major business moguls fasting for religious reasons. But somehow, when it comes to sports, some of the biggest stars in the world are constantly thanking God, praying, studying religion, or otherwise proudly living out their faith. Ever wondered why this is? This week Rabbi Lamm speaks to NBA star Enes Kanter, of the Portland Trail Blazers, They talk about taking religious obligations seriously, Enes’s Islamic faith, what he’s learned about Christianity during his time in the NBA, opportunities for friendship between Jews and Muslims, and why the NBA often feels so, well, religious!

Apr 29, 2021

Especially in the wake of a terribly stressful and lonely year for so many, now is a critical time to talk about mental health. What role can faith communities and resources play in supporting good mental health? To discuss this, Rabbi Lamm invited on Heather Sells, anchor for CBN’s Newswatch, and co-author of a forthcoming book on church and culture collaboration to address mental health.

Apr 22, 2021

We live in a culture that teaches that if you’re not pursuing some practical end — say, wealth, a career, social advancement, physical fitness — you’re wasting your time. So it’s unsurprising that so many of us end up feeling horribly empty, caught in an infinite loop of winning money, power and friends…so that we can win more money, power and friends. How often do we stop and ask ourselves: what has ultimate meaning in life? What are we doing during our short time on this earth that we can be truly proud of? This week, Rabbi Lamm speaks to Zena Hitz of St. John’s College — author of “Lost In Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of An Intellectual Life”, to talk about how to cultivate a love of learning; what differentiates Greek and Hebrew civilization; why “leisure” time is so crucial; whether we owe Shakespeare our attention; and whether your average person should see learning as an “obligation.”

Mar 25, 2021

If you’re a consumer of pop culture, the Exodus story seems like something you can easily file away in a box under “freedom” or “liberty.” But the truth is, the Book of Exodus -- and the Jewish holiday of Passover that it birthed -- contains the Bible and Judaism’s answers to so many of the most important questions in life. So if you want to understand what it means to be a Jew, or a believer in the Bible, or an American, or a leader, or even just a good human being in the most fundamental sense -- this is the place to start! As this week, Rabbi Lamm spoke with best-selling author of The Telling, Mark Gerson, all about these major issues.

Mar 18, 2021

As tech expands our ability to do both great and terrible things, how do we use the lessons of tradition and faith to exercise wise and virtuous moral leadership? Can religious wisdom help us navigate especially fraught areas of human affairs like the defense sector? Can the tools of tech be a net positive for traditional moral thinking? And why is it important to watch Star Wars and read Rene Girard? This week Rabbi Lamm speaks about all of this and more with Trae Stephens, a Partner at Founders Fund, and Chairman of Anduril Industries, a defense technology company

Mar 11, 2021

If we learn anything from the books of Genesis and Exodus, it’s that when it comes to creating the world, God does that for us on His own. But when it comes to creating a society, God demands that we partner with Him in building it. So what will it take for us to do that work? To answer that question Rabbi Lamm spoke with Pastor Sam Rodriguez, the President of the the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (the largest Hispanic Evangelical Coalition in the world) and a #1 New York Times bestselling author.They talked about the legacies of Billy Graham and Martin Luther King Jr., how Hispanic Americans can help unlock the potential of American society, and how the Jewish and Latin American Christian communities are going to be powerful allies in the generation to come.

Mar 4, 2021

We live in a culture that encourages us to live in the moment and forget about tomorrow. In contrast, the Bible taught humanity that societies are strongest when they’re willing to think in long time horizons. When we’re willing to see ourselves as just one moment on a long continuum from past to future -- from our great-grandparents, to our great-grandchildren — we’re able to invest in society’s long-term health. Have we forgotten this in America? Are there those who still remember? And either way, how can we recover this sense of long term thinking for the next generation? This week Rabbi Lamm spoke about all this with the incomparable Jonathan Silver, Editor of Mosaic, and host of the Tikvah Podcast.

Feb 25, 2021

February 2021 is both Black History Month and the month during which Jews celebrate the holiday of Purim. So it’s a month during which both the Black and Jewish communities in America will reflect on a past marked both by deep pain and injustice, and courage in the face of oppression. What can we teach each other about this process? And what can we, together, teach America? This week, Rabbi Lamm speaks with Van Lathan of The Ringer and the Higher Learning podcast about all of this and more in a fun, fascinating, raw and powerful conversation. Topic Index: 3:11 - What divides and unites the Jewish and Black communities in America? 11:36 - Bringing authentic culture out into the mainstream. 14:33 - No other cultural tradition is as born and made in America as Black American culture. 19:00 - What can Jewish culture do for America? 23:17 - If you want the wildest, blockbuster stories you’ve ever heard. Read the Bible. 26:26 - Is it even possible to tell the American story as a whole in a way that both faces up to our sins and evils and also brings us together around a common American purpose and destiny? Van thinks so, but it’s hard! 36:13 - Van explains why idol worship is a major problem in American society, and how we need to find a way to fight it. 43:40 - One of the most radical innovations in the Bible is: heroes are and always will be imperfect! 49:01 - ›Is there any way for us to bring a sense of objective virtue into our most powerful public institutions in America, whether the market, the state, or pop culture? Van argues that it’s possible, but we need to redefine everything our culture assumes about right and wrong.

Feb 18, 2021

One of the great blessings of the digital age is that we can connect to more people, and have access to more information, than any other time in history. So our core challenge today is not letting this embarrassment of riches overwhelm us. Yes, we can know anything we want to know, but is knowledge the same thing as wisdom? Yes, we can connect to anyone in the world, but is a retweet the same as a real relationship? How do we make sure we’re committing to the ideas and people that will actually enrich our lives, and help us enrich the lives of others? This week, Rabbi Lamm spoke about all this with leading author and pastor Van Moody, of the Worship Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

Feb 12, 2021

On today's installment: The Song of Songs, and growing closer to God by loving those who are radically different from you. This week people all over America and the world will start planning for St. Valentine's Day. You might not expect a Rabbi to care. Instead, we decided to drop four special episodes each covering a different angle on love, the Bible, and, of course, the Beatles. Sign up for more events here: https://thejoshuaproject.com/love

Feb 11, 2021

On today's installment: David and Bathsheba, and the value of healthy self-love. This week people all over America and the world will start planning for St. Valentine's Day. You might not expect a Rabbi to care. Instead, we decided to drop four special episodes each covering a different angle on love, the Bible, and, of course, the Beatles. Sign up for more events here: https://thejoshuaproject.com/love

Feb 11, 2021

Nowadays, it’s common to think of Silicon Valley and traditional religion as the new Athens vs. Jerusalem. But in many ways this betrays a failure of imagination. These are the only two major forces, certainly in American life, with ambitious visions — which seem crazy to everyone else — for transforming the world that is into the world that ought to be. So what are the factors driving these two things apart, which ones might be bringing them together, and what’s the best way to move forward? This week, Rabbi Ari Lamm speaks about all this with the amazing Katherine Boyle, partner at General Catalyst.

Feb 10, 2021

On today's installment: Jeremiah, the end of days, and the love of family and community. This week people all over America and the world will start planning for St. Valentine's Day. You might not expect a Rabbi to care. Instead, we decided to drop four special episodes each covering a different angle on love, the Bible, and, of course, the Beatles. Sign up for more events here: https://thejoshuaproject.com/love

Feb 9, 2021

On today's installment: Jacob, Rachel, and love that runs deeper than mere attraction and romance. This week people all over America and the world will start planning for St. Valentine's Day. You might not expect a Rabbi to care. Instead, we decided to drop four special episodes each covering a different angle on love, the Bible, and, of course, the Beatles. Sign up for more events here: https://thejoshuaproject.com/love

Feb 4, 2021

The Exodus is justly celebrated as the earliest triumph for freedom in human history. But as everyone from the American founders, to Frederick Douglass, to Cecil B. DeMille understood, the story of Israel’s freedom—and the American freedom modeled on it—would be incomplete without the Ten Commandments. Because what the Revelation at Sinai introduced to civilization was the idea that there is no lasting freedom without obligation. So this week, Rabbi Lamm spoke with Nellie Bowles of the New York Times about unchosen obligations, converting to Judaism, and why what America needs right now is…tradition!

Jan 28, 2021

For some, “almost” doesn’t count. But America takes the mantle of being “an almost chosen people” with pride. So what sort of obligations come with being “almost” chosen? This week Rabbi Lamm speaks to the CEO of the Christian Broadcast Network, Gordon Robertson, about identifying the ways we can follow in the footsteps of the Biblical chosen people.

Jan 21, 2021

Whether the challenges we’re facing are personal, communal or even national, how do we make sure we each take an active role in addressing them, while at the same time realizing that we can’t do everything on our own, and that we need the support of a community to get us through? This week Rabbi Lamm speaks to cancer survivor, legendary healthcare advocate, and Host of the Out Of Patients podcast, Matthew Zachary, about doing just that. Along the way they talk about everything from the Exodus from Egypt, to 90s pop culture, to what’s missing in the era of social media.

Jan 14, 2021

It’s a pretty scary time in American life. We’re suffering with a bout of physical, civic, and maybe even spiritual sickness. Is there a way out of this? Is there a way for us to remember our values and rediscover a common moral language during a time of fear? Rabbi Lamm speaks to award-winning author Cambria Gordon - whose new novel, The Poetry of Secrets, is due out in February - to find out!

Jan 8, 2021

We Americans live in a place and time of incredible plenty. But just beneath the surface, you can see this incredible loneliness at the heart of American life. But what if there were a way to be surrounded by people who love you and care for you and would do anything for you? Rabbi Lamm speaks with investigative journalist and author Annika Hernroth Rothstein about how she traveled to far-flung countries, survived kidnappings and secret police, all to find out the answer.

Dec 31, 2020

The Golden Rule of modern life is: be yourself. You don’t have any obligations unless you choose them. Is this just good self-care…or a recipe for loneliness and misery? To think through what we owe to our past, to our children, and to each other, Rabbi Ari Lamm is joined by Michael Brendan Dougherty, author of “My Father Left Me Ireland,” senior writer for National Review, and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. They talk about fatherhood, nationalism, how to raise children in a world of no attachments, dual loyalty, and much more!

Dec 28, 2020

We often think about the worlds of technological progress, and ancient tradition and faith, as being in opposition. The battle of Silicon Valley and Jerusalem, you might say. But do they have to be? In this week’s episode, Rabbi Lamm talks this out with Tommy Collison , the Lambda School’s Head of Comms and Business Development, and creator of Interintellect.’s “Reading the Greats” series.

Dec 13, 2020

Can we still dream big dreams even in such dark and lonely times? This week Rabbi Ari Lamm talks to two major journalists - one Israeli, one Arab - about how big dreams are even now reshaping the Middle East and the wider world of faith as we know it.

Dec 4, 2020

America’s facing a lot of problems these days, from loneliness to the loss of community. If we want to fix these problems, one thing we definitely need is a few good men. So in this week’s episode, Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm speaks with acclaimed actor and author Michael Ian Black about his new book on being a better man.

Nov 25, 2020

We’re living through some difficult times here in America. How do we get in the Thanksgiving spirit at a moment like this one? In this week’s episode, Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm discusses the practice of gratitude with author and Biblical scholar Dr. Erica Brown.

Nov 20, 2020

Nothing illustrates difference in the Bible more than the story of Jacob and Esau, whose life choices led them down different paths. In the United States today, despite us being part of the same American family, we’re letting ourselves be torn apart. Hear Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm discuss how to bring us back together with David French, Senior Editor of The Dispatch .

Nov 13, 2020

What is kindness, and what does it have to do with faith? How can being kind change your life and change the world? In this week’s episode, Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm and Professor Karen Swallow Prior break down the importance of kindness.

Nov 6, 2020

What would you do if God asked you to sacrifice the thing you hold most dear? How would you reconcile what God wants with your desires? In this Episode, listen to Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm speak with Professor James Goodman about the binding of Isaac and putting faith to the test as we drive down the highway of life.

Oct 29, 2020

What would prompt you to deviate from the status quo and start a revolution? Would a message from God? Would the idea of a new music genre? Hear Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm get the inside scoop from Bill Adler, formerly of Def Jam Recordings, on the similarities and lessons to be learned from Abraham's story in Lech Lecha and the 1980s hip hop scene as they illustrate how staying true to oneself can have long-lasting effects.

Oct 22, 2020

What would you do if God told you to jump on a boat and prepare for the rest of humanity to be destroyed? Would you try to warn your friends and neighbors? Would you risk your life to save strangers? The Biblical Noah didn't, but a young Polish girl named Stefania did: Sharon Cameron, the author of the new critically acclaimed novel The Light in Hidden Places, joins us to tell us this unsung hero's inspiring story of how one person's courage and faith can change the entire world.

Oct 16, 2020

As far as creation stories go, the Bible’s, let’s admit it, is messy: in the first few chapters alone, we see trials and redos, sin and murder, and much more failure than success. What can this deeply flawed account of the beginning of all things teach us about ourselves? Sohrab Ahmari , prominent writer and opinion editor for the New York Post, joins us to tell the story of his own recreation, which took him from Iran to New York and from Islam to Marxism and, finally, to a deep commitment to the Catholic faith.