About this episode
In this episode of Common Faith , Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel dive into the meaning of Simchat Torah —the joyful festival that celebrates completing the annual Torah reading cycle. Together, they explore how rereading sacred texts each year reveals new layers of meaning and shapes Jewish identity and community. They are joined by Reverend A.R. Bernard, founder of the Christian Cultural Center and one of New York’s most influential faith leaders. Reverend Bernard shares his remarkable spiritual journey—from banking to ministry, Catholicism to Protestantism, even a period in the Nation of Islam—and reflects on the power of scripture, curiosity, and bridge-building across faith traditions. The conversation ranges from the shared scriptural roots of Judaism and Christianity to the challenges of identity in modern society, the impact of technology on community, and what it means to live with dignity, purpose, and faith in a divided world. Reverend A.R. Bernard https://arbernardnews.com/ Christian Cultural Center https://www.cccinfo.org/ Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.pasyn.org https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove https://x.com/RabbiCosgrove Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.