Explore every episode of the podcast Common Faith
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israel at a Crossroads: The Future Is on the Ballot | 22 Oct 2026 | 00:50:48 | |
With Israel approaching what could be one of the most consequential elections in its history, the stakes extend far beyond who becomes the next prime minister. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome Avi Mayer, founder of The Jerusalem Journal and former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, to examine a nation at a crossroads. Three years after October 7, Israelis are confronting difficult questions about leadership, accountability, democracy, national security, and the future of their country. Can Benjamin Netanyahu maintain his grip on power? Could a new government repair Israel's fractured international standing? And what happens when Israelis begin questioning whether their children have a future in the country they love? Mayer explores the political divisions shaping the October 27 election, the growing debate over military service and economic responsibility, and the consequences of Israel's increasing isolation. He also examines the media's portrayal of Israel, rising antisemitism across the political spectrum, and why American Jews must look beyond the headlines to understand a country still living with the trauma of October 7.
Avi Mayer: Jerusalem Journal: https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| From the Pulpit: Taking Agency - Lessons from Yom Kippur | 15 Oct 2026 | 00:54:41 | |
In the second of two special High Holiday episodes, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel return to the pulpit, revisiting sermons delivered during Yom Kippur at Park Avenue Synagogue and discussing the personal experiences and ideas that shaped them. In “Taking Agency,” Rabbi Cosgrove considers one of Yom Kippur's most demanding lessons: even when we cannot control what happens to us, we remain responsible for how we respond. From the biblical story of Judah to the relationships and divisions of our own lives, he challenges us to stop focusing solely on what others have done wrong and instead ask, “How am I responsible? And what is mine to do?” Then, in his deeply personal Yizkor sermon, “Out of the Picture,” Rabbi Cosgrove remembers his late teacher and mentor, Michael Brooks, whose life was devoted to empowering others rather than placing himself at the center. His example becomes a meditation on memory, mentorship and mortality—and on how we honor those we've lost not simply by remembering them, but by carrying their values and unfinished work forward. Together, the sermons offer a challenge for the year ahead: take responsibility for the life you are living, recognize what you have been given, and consider what you will leave behind.
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| From the Pulpit: Rosh Hashanah Reflections | 08 Oct 2026 | 00:55:14 | |
What goes into a High Holiday sermon—and what happens when you return to its message weeks later? In this special episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel look back at Rosh Hashanah at Park Avenue Synagogue, sharing two sermons delivered over the past several weeks and discussing the ideas and experiences behind them. In his Erev Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Cosgrove turns to The Odyssey and its timeless story of homecoming. Like Odysseus returning from his journey changed by everything he has experienced, Rosh Hashanah invites us to come home—to tradition, community, God, and ourselves—carrying the wounds, wisdom, memories, and scars we've accumulated along the way. Then, in “All in the Jewish Family,” Rabbi Cosgrove draws on the 100-year history of Park Avenue Synagogue's sanctuary to confront a very contemporary question: How can Jews remain one family amid profound disagreements over Israel, Zionism, identity, and the Jewish future? Looking back at earlier generations of American Jews who wrestled with many of the same questions, he makes the case for staying in conversation, making room for disagreement, and remembering what binds us together even when we don't see the world the same way.
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Why We Love the Way We Do: Galit Atlas on Childhood Wounds and Adult Relationships | 01 Oct 2026 | 00:50:55 | |
We like to believe that we enter our adult relationships as fully formed people, freely choosing whom we love and how we love them. But what if the frightened, ashamed, guilty, invisible—or even “chosen”—children we once were are still quietly making some of those decisions? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome internationally renowned psychoanalyst and bestselling author Dr. Galit Atlas, whose new book, Come Closer: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy, examines the unconscious connection between our earliest relationships and our adult love lives. Atlas explains why we repeatedly return to what feels familiar—even when the familiar once hurt us—and how childhood survival strategies can become patterns that follow us into marriage, intimacy, and family life. The conversation also turns toward Jewish experience and inherited trauma. Born in Israel to parents from Iran and Syria, Atlas reflects on growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust and amid Israel's own layers of trauma. She discusses how October 7 reopened deeper wounds in the Jewish psyche and how those events have entered the therapy room—sometimes exposing profound differences within marriages and families. Ultimately, Atlas offers a hopeful idea: our past shapes us, but it does not have to dictate our future. By recognizing the different selves we carry and understanding where our patterns began, we may gain greater freedom to create something new—in ourselves and in the relationships that matter most.
Dr. Galit Atlas: Come Closer: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love: https://www.galitatlas.com/home-1-1
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Sukkot and the Jewish Experience with Rabbi Mark Wildes | 24 Sep 2026 | 00:50:32 | |
Sukkot may be one of Judaism’s most mysterious holidays. We leave the security of our homes for a temporary structure, welcome guests around the table, and are reminded that permanence may be more illusion than reality. Rabbi Mark Wildes joins Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel to unpack those ideas—and a particularly moving interpretation of the ushpizin: the biblical figures welcomed into the sukkah who lived in pursuit of dreams they themselves never saw fulfilled. For Wildes, welcoming people in is more than a Sukkot tradition—it has defined his life’s work. Inspired by a mother who taught her children to notice newcomers at synagogue and invite them home for Shabbat, Wildes went on to found Manhattan Jewish Experience, creating a place for Jews who may feel disconnected, intimidated, or unsure where they belong. He explains why warmth can bring someone through the door, but substance is what keeps them there. The conversation also explores Wildes’ book, The Jewish Experience: Discovering the Soul of Jewish Thought and Practice, and the renewed search for Jewish meaning following October 7. Wildes describes seeing more people walk through his doors asking fundamental questions: What does it mean to be Jewish? What do Jews believe about God and Torah? Why do we pray? For Wildes, the challenge—and opportunity—is not simply getting people interested in Judaism, but helping them discover that the tradition was theirs all along.
Rabbi Mark Wildes: https://www.jewishexperience.org/our-team The Jewish Experience: Discovering the Soul of Jewish Thought and Practice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/159264712X?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Can We Repair What’s Broken? Grief, Yom Kippur, and the Scars We Carry | 17 Sep 2026 | 00:50:33 | |
Yom Kippur asks us to reflect, repent and repair—but what happens when repair cannot return us to what was? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin with the meaning and traditions of Judaism’s holiest day before welcoming Rabbis Nicole Guzik and Erez Sherman, the husband-and-wife co-senior rabbis of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles. Their conversation begins with their own preparation for Yom Kippur: the relationships that may never look the same, the stories that remain untold, and the possibility of making room for hope even when remorse or regret remains. That idea takes on deeper meaning through their book, Grieving a Child: A Companion Guide for Clergy. Born from years of conversations with a family that experienced the death of a child, the guide addresses what religious training and traditional rituals cannot always prepare clergy to face: what happens before, during and long after devastating loss. From navigating shiva and anniversaries to remembering milestones a child never reached, Guzik and Sherman argue that pastoral care cannot end when the formal mourning period does. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful image: the scar. Repair may be possible, Rabbi Guzik explains, but repair does not mean returning to what existed before. A scar remains; what can change is how we see it, carry it and allow it to become part of our lives. The rabbis also offer practical wisdom for anyone trying to comfort a grieving family: don't make their loss about your own experience, don't offer assurances, don't be afraid to speak about the child—and don't disappear once shiva ends. Sometimes the most meaningful words are simply, this is heartbreaking, and I'm still thinking about you. As Yom Kippur draws near, the conversation becomes ultimately not only about death, but about life: the people we remember, the relationships we carry, and the community that surrounds us as we enter another year.
Rabbi Nicole Guzik: https://www.sinaitemple.org/about/clergy-senior-staff/rabbi-nicole-guzik/ Rabbi Erez Sherman: https://www.sinaitemple.org/about/clergy-senior-staff/rabbi-erez-sherman/ Grieving a Child: A Companion Guide for Clergy:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Choosing Life: Rosh Hashanah with Rabbi Yitz Greenberg | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:52:02 | |
What does Rosh Hashanah ask of us beyond apples, honey and the promise of a new beginning? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin their Rosh Hashanah special with a candid conversation about the High Holidays—the joy of renewal, the weight of Yom Kippur and the difficult work of repairing relationships before we ever enter the synagogue. They are joined by renowned theologian, scholar and activist Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg, who reframes Rosh Hashanah as something even more fundamental: the holiday of creation. For Greenberg, recognizing that life is finite gives every human being a responsibility to decide how we will use the time we have. Every word, relationship and action presents a choice between forces that strengthen life and those that diminish it. That idea also sits at the heart of Greenberg’s new collection, Life Against Death. The conversation moves from the Holocaust and the renewal of Jewish life to October 7, Israel, Zionism and the increasingly difficult relationship between Israel and American Jewry. Greenberg and Cosgrove wrestle with how Jews can defend Jewish self-determination while remaining willing to criticize Israel and its government—and why a healthy Jewish community needs room for disagreement, competing voices and genuine pluralism. At the beginning of a new year, Greenberg ultimately offers both a challenge and a hopeful vision: human beings have extraordinary agency. We cannot perfect the world all at once, but moment by moment, choice by choice, we can move it toward life.
Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg: https://www.hadar.org/about/people/rabbi-yitz-greenberg Life Against Death:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rachel Goldberg-Polin on Grief, the High Holidays, and the Power of “Yet” | 03 Sep 2026 | 00:51:44 | |
The Jewish High Holidays are built around memory, renewal, and the passage of time. But what happens when time itself has broken? As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was taken hostage on October 7, 2023 and murdered in captivity after 328 days. Rachel’s new book, When We See You Again, gives voice not to recovery or closure, but to what she calls “packages of pain.” Rachel remembers Hersh as “the perfect ordinary, and the blessed ordinary”—a curious young man with a remarkable capacity to listen. She recalls the final moment she saw him, walking out the door after Shabbat dinner and turning back to say, “Love you. See you tomorrow.” Nearly three years later, Rachel remains frozen there even as the world moves forward. That collision between Jewish time and the timelessness of grief sits at the heart of the conversation. Yizkor commands Jews to remember, but Rachel remembers every waking second. Instead, she says she would prefer eight minutes of amnesia—a striking challenge to notions of faith, ritual, healing, and resilience. And yet, there is yet. Rachel speaks about the parts of her former life she cannot return to “yet,” and searches for a “why” powerful enough to help her bear the “how” of living without Hersh. This is not a conversation about moving on, but about what it means to keep moving at all.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin's Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GFSNF8GV?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Is College Football a Religion? Paul Finebaum on Faith, Football & the South | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:48:01 | |
College football has its sacred places, rituals, traditions, rivalries—and some very devoted believers. So when does fandom begin to look a little like faith? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome ESPN’s Paul Finebaum for a wide-ranging conversation about the two worlds that have shaped his life: Judaism and college football. Finebaum reflects on growing up Jewish in Memphis, attending an Orthodox synagogue, losing his father at a young age, and navigating a career in Southern sports while trying to maintain a connection to Jewish tradition. He recalls covering an Auburn game while fasting on Yom Kippur, searching out synagogues while traveling through SEC country, and the complicated ways he has continued Jewish practices in honor of his parents. Along the way, the three wrestle with questions that extend far beyond sports: What do we owe the communities and institutions we love? When does loyalty become idolatry? How much wrongdoing are we willing to overlook when our side keeps winning? And can the things that divide us also provide a common language that brings us together? Plus: Finebaum on the changing economics of college sports, the decline of the NCAA, the Big Ten versus the SEC, Michigan’s recent controversies, the traditions every college football fan should experience—and the three people he’d invite to his Yom Kippur break-fast.
Paul Finebaum: https://www.instagram.com/finebaumshow/?hl=en
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Back to School Special: Jewish Life on Campus - The Hillel Story | 20 Aug 2026 | 00:51:11 | |
What does it mean to be Jewish on a college campus right now? The headlines often tell a story of antisemitism, protests, polarization, and fear. Those realities matter—but they are not the whole story. In this back-to-school episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel are joined by three leaders whose campuses could hardly be more different: Rabbi Jessica Kirschner of Stanford University, Rabbi Rachel Isaacs of Colby College, and Rabbi Ari Israel of the University of Maryland. Together, they discuss what a Hillel rabbi actually does, how Jewish campus life has changed since October 7, and how students are responding to an atmosphere that can sometimes make Jewish identity feel contested. What emerges is a more complicated—and ultimately more hopeful—picture. Jewish students are not simply retreating. Many are searching for community, connection, knowledge, pride, and the confidence to engage rather than hide. From harvesting Maine lake ice for a mikvah to launching Tashlich into the stratosphere to bringing hundreds of Jewish students together through basketball, Hillel becomes something larger than a campus institution: a laboratory in which young Jews learn how to build Jewish life for themselves. The challenge, the rabbis suggest, is to acknowledge the oy without allowing it to eclipse the joy—and to prepare young Jews not merely to feel protected, but empowered.
Rabbi Jessica Kirschner: Rabbi Rachel Isaacs: https://www.rabbirachelisaacs.com/ Rabbi Ari Israel: https://marylandhillel.org/staff/ari-israel/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Legacy on the Line: Wealth, Values, and What We Pass On | 13 Aug 2026 | 00:51:25 | |
What does it really mean to leave a legacy? Money may be one of the most difficult subjects for families to discuss, but what if conversations about wealth are really conversations about values? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin with a fundamental Jewish idea: what we do with our resources reflects what we believe. From tzedakah and Maimonides’ ladder of giving to the everyday decisions parents make about supporting their children, wealth raises questions about obligation, independence, fairness and responsibility. As Rabbi Cosgrove puts it, “a budget is a moral document.” Their guest, Andrea Baumann Lustig, knows those questions both professionally and personally. A sixth-generation descendant of a European banking family whose history was transformed by the Holocaust, Lustig has spent decades advising families about wealth and inheritance. Her book, Legacy on the Line, identifies the blind spots that keep families from talking openly about money—and argues that the most meaningful inheritance is not simply financial. From teaching children financial literacy to navigating philanthropy, trusts and prenups, the conversation ultimately asks a larger question: How do we pass along not only what we have, but who we are?
Andrea Baumann Lustig: Legacy on the Line book: https://legacyonthelinebook.com/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Shift: Ethan Kross on Managing Emotions in a Complex World | 06 Aug 2026 | 00:52:37 | |
Why do some emotions motivate us while others overwhelm us? Is anxiety always a problem, or can it actually help us prepare and perform? And what can Jewish tradition teach us about living with difficult feelings rather than suppressing them? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome psychologist, researcher, and bestselling author Ethan Kross to discuss his latest book, Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You. Together, they explore how emotions shape our decisions, relationships, and overall well-being—and why emotional health isn't about avoiding negative feelings but learning to manage them effectively. Drawing on cutting-edge psychological research, personal family stories rooted in Holocaust survival, and timeless Jewish wisdom, Kross explains why emotions are essential to being human, how rituals and community help regulate our emotional lives, and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to resilience. The conversation touches on anxiety, grief, leadership, faith, parenting, and the emotional tools available to all of us. From the power of music and sensory experiences to the role of religion and community, this episode offers practical insights for anyone looking to navigate life's challenges with greater awareness and balance. Ethan Kross:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Hollywood R.I.P.? David Mikics on Movies, Culture, and Jewish Identity | 30 Jul 2026 | 00:53:00 | |
What makes a movie Jewish? Is it the creator, the characters, the themes—or something deeper? In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the profound influence Jews have had on Hollywood and American culture. Drawing on a recent essay by author and professor David Mikics, they examine how Jewish immigrants helped build the movie industry, why explicit Jewish stories were often absent from early Hollywood films, and how generations of filmmakers shaped America’s cultural imagination. Together, they discuss iconic figures such as Louis B. Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn, Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and Ben Hecht, while wrestling with larger questions about identity, representation, and artistic responsibility. They also consider the changing cultural climate after October 7, the challenges facing Jewish artists today, and whether Hollywood’s golden age has given way to an algorithm-driven entertainment landscape. From The Jazz Singer and Casablanca to superhero movies and streaming platforms, this conversation explores how Jewish history, creativity, and values continue to shape the stories we tell—and the stories we choose not to tell.
David Mikics:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Wanderers: Uncovering Hidden Histories of Jewish Survival | 23 Jul 2026 | 00:50:55 | |
When Daniela Gerson and Talia Inlander met at a Los Angeles picnic, neither expected to uncover a remarkable connection: their families came from the same Polish town and survived World War II through a little-known path eastward into the Soviet Union. That discovery became the foundation for The Wanderers: A Story of Exile, Survival, and Unexpected Love in the Shadow of World War II. In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore a lesser-known chapter of Holocaust history—the story of the hundreds of thousands of Polish Jews who survived not through concentration camps or hiding, but through deportation, forced labor, and refuge in the Soviet Union. Daniela and Talia share their families' journeys, the challenges of uncovering buried histories, and the surprising ways their personal and professional lives have been shaped by stories of migration, displacement, and resilience. The conversation also examines how families remember trauma differently, what future generations should inherit from Holocaust memory, and why understanding complex histories may be more important than ever in a world still grappling with refugees, war, and identity.
Daniela Gerson: https://www.instagram.com/dhgerson/ Talia Inlander: https://zolberginstitute.org/person/talia-inlander/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Digital Dilemma: Judaism's Opportunities and Risks in an Age of AI | 16 Jul 2026 | 00:51:55 | |
Technology is reshaping every aspect of modern life, from how we study and worship to how we connect with one another. But as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly powerful, important questions emerge: Can technology deepen Jewish life? What happens when machines begin to replace human connection? And how do we combat the growing spread of hate online? In the first half of the episode, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel speak with Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone, Director of Social Media at Chabad.org and founder of Tech Tribe. Rabbi Lightstone shares how Jewish tradition embraces innovation while insisting that technology remain a tool in service of humanity. He discusses AI, digital community, the value of Shabbat as a break from constant connectivity, and why preserving authentic human relationships matters more than ever. In the second half, Daniel Kelley, Senior Director of the ADL’s Center for Technology and Society, examines the darker side of the digital revolution. He explains how antisemitism spreads online, how AI can amplify harmful content, and what technology companies can do to create safer digital spaces. Together, the guests offer a thoughtful look at the opportunities and challenges of living Jewishly in a rapidly evolving technological world.
Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone: Daniel Kelley: https://www.adl.org/research-centers/center-technology-society
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Maccabi USA: Uniting Jewish Athletes Worldwide | 09 Jul 2026 | 00:51:49 | |
For nearly a century, the Maccabi Games have brought Jewish athletes from around the world together to compete, connect, and celebrate their shared heritage. Often called the "Jewish Olympics," the Games are about far more than winning medals—they're about building community, strengthening Jewish identity, and creating lasting bonds with Israel. This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome Maccabi USA CEO Marshall Einhorn and Dr. Danny Cosgrove, a physician, longtime Maccabi athlete, coach, and Elliot's older brother. Together, they explore the history and mission of the Maccabi movement, the unique experience of competing in Israel, and the role sports can play in bridging cultural divides. The conversation also touches on family rivalry, the evolution of Jewish athletics, the growing popularity of sports like pickleball, and the profound impact the Games have had on participants—many of whom discover a deeper connection to Judaism and Israel through the experience. Whether you're an athlete, a sports fan, or simply interested in the many ways Jewish identity is expressed in the modern world, this episode offers an inspiring look at how competition can create community and strengthen peoplehood.
Maccabi USA:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| America at 250: The Jewish Contribution to America's Independence | 02 Jul 2026 | 00:51:46 | |
America's 250th birthday offers a chance to reflect on the ideals that shaped the nation—and the role Jews have played in its story from the very beginning. In this special Independence Day episode, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel discuss the significance of America's founding for Jewish communities seeking freedom, equality, and opportunity. From Jonas Phillips and the Declaration of Independence to family immigration stories and the enduring promise of religious liberty, they explore why America's founding remains deeply meaningful for American Jews today. Then, Dan Tadmor, President and CEO of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, joins the conversation to share the fascinating story behind the museum's new exhibition, The First Salute. He reveals how Jewish merchants on the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius helped supply the American Revolution, the little-known Jewish contributions to the Patriot cause, and how the Weitzman Museum is reimagining the American Jewish narrative for a new generation. As America celebrates 250 years, this conversation examines the intersection of faith, freedom, immigration, and identity—and asks what lessons the nation's founding still offers today.
The Weitzman Museum:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Knowledge Is Power: Understanding Breast Health and Genetic Testing with Dr. Elisa Port | 25 Jun 2026 | 00:52:42 | |
What do we owe ourselves when it comes to preventative healthcare? And how much do we really want to know about our future health risks? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System and author of The Breast Advice: All You Need to Know About Breast Health, Screening, and Treatment. The conversation begins with a candid discussion about why breast health is often treated as a women's issue when it impacts entire families and communities. Rabbi Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the anxieties surrounding screening, prevention, and genetic testing—and the Jewish value of choosing life through proactive care. Dr. Port explains how advances in breast cancer treatment and diagnostics have dramatically improved outcomes, while also addressing common misconceptions about mammograms, genetic testing, and hereditary cancer risk. She shares why knowledge can be empowering, especially for Ashkenazi Jews, who have a significantly higher likelihood of carrying BRCA gene mutations. Along the way, the discussion tackles difficult questions about fear, uncertainty, medical decision-making, and the balance between personal experience and professional expertise. Through stories from patients and lessons learned over decades of practice, Dr. Port offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating breast health concerns, supporting a loved one through treatment, or considering genetic testing. This is an essential conversation about health, responsibility, and the life-saving power of information.
Dr. Elisa Port: The Breast Advice: https://www.amazon.com/Breast-Advice-Health-Screening-Treatment/dp/0063492547
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| A Culinary Celebration of Jewish Culture with The Great Nosh & Joan Nathan | 18 Jun 2026 | 00:52:01 | |
What can a bowl of chicken soup, a family challah recipe, or a plate of brisket tell us about who we are? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the rich world of Jewish food with two extraordinary guests. First, Jewish Food Society founder Naama Shefi discusses The Great Nosh, a festival celebrating Jewish culture through food, storytelling, and community. Then acclaimed cookbook author and food journalist Joan Nathan reflects on a lifetime spent documenting the recipes, memories, and traditions that connect generations of Jews around the world. Together, they explore how food preserves identity, carries family history, and brings people together in ways few other traditions can. Whether it's a grandmother's handwritten recipe, a Shabbat dinner table, or a bustling food festival, this conversation reminds us that some of life's deepest connections begin with sharing a meal.
Naama Shefi: Joan Nathan:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The World Cup and the American Exception: Soccer, Identity, and Belonging | 11 Jun 2026 | 00:52:06 | |
Why is soccer the world's game—but still not America's? As North America prepares to host the largest World Cup in history, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel tackle a question that goes far beyond sports. Joined by acclaimed writer Franklin Foer and scholar Andrei Markovits, they explore why soccer became a global language of identity, nationalism, and belonging while America developed its own sporting culture. The conversation moves from packed stadiums in Europe and South America to suburban soccer fields across the United States, asking whether America's relationship with soccer is finally changing. Along the way, the guests examine globalization, immigration, fandom, and the ways sports become proxies for deeper cultural and political questions. The discussion also turns to Jewish identity, from Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax to the challenges facing Jews in contemporary public life. What role do athletes play in shaping communal belonging? And what can the World Cup teach us about the tension between universal connection and particular identity?
Franklin Foer: Andrei Markovits: https://www.andreimarkovits.com/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Hidden in Plain Sight: Susan Orlean and the Art of Storytelling | 04 Jun 2026 | 00:52:26 | |
Why do some stories stay with us forever? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with bestselling author and legendary New Yorker writer Susan Orlean to explore the art of storytelling and the human impulse to search for meaning in ordinary moments. From milkmen and librarians to taxidermists and grave diggers, Orlean has built a career uncovering the hidden worlds that exist all around us. Drawing from her memoir Joyride, Orlean reflects on journalism, curiosity, memory, and the way stories shape identity. The conversation moves between literature and lived experience, examining why certain narratives resonate so deeply and what it means to truly notice the people and places we often overlook. Along the way, the discussion turns personal: Orlean reflects on growing up Jewish in suburban Ohio, the influence of her parents, and the Jewish values that shaped her understanding of humanity, empathy, and storytelling itself. The result is a warm, thoughtful conversation about attention, connection, and the richness contained inside seemingly ordinary lives.
Susan Orlean: Joyride: A Memoir https://www.amazon.com/Joyride-Memoir-Susan-Orlean/dp/1982135166
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Inside the Haredi Community: Education, Identity, and Israel’s Future | 28 May 2026 | 00:53:19 | |
It’s easy to criticize—but much harder to build. In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin with a challenge: what if the real problem in Jewish life today isn’t disagreement—but a culture of critique without responsibility? From “kvetching” to self-reflection, they explore what Judaism actually demands when we call out what’s broken. Then, Rabbi Menachem Bombach joins the conversation—a Haredi educator and social entrepreneur working at the center of one of Israel’s most urgent and complex challenges: integrating the ultra-Orthodox community into broader Israeli society without compromising religious identity. Through his groundbreaking Netzach educational network, Bombach is building a new model—one that combines Torah study with secular education, opening pathways to higher education, careers, and national participation. This episode dives into the tensions shaping Israel today: religion and state, identity and economics, tradition and modernity—and asks whether a more integrated future is possible.
Rabbi Menachem Bombach: https://netzach.org.il/en/leadership-executive/ The Netzach Education Network https://netzach.org.il/en/home/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Exploring Shavuot: Reimagining Jewish Education with David Bryfman | 21 May 2026 | 00:52:24 | |
What does it mean to receive the Torah in the modern world? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the meaning of Shavuot—the holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah—and ask what Jewish education should look like in an age shaped by distraction, polarization, and personal choice. Rabbi Cosgrove reflects on the Torah as a “love letter” between God and the Jewish people: something inherited, wrestled with, and reinterpreted by every generation. They are joined by David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project and one of today’s leading voices in Jewish education. Drawing from his new book, Heroism and Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post-October 7th World, Bryfman challenges longstanding assumptions about Hebrew school, Israel education, and how Jewish identity is formed today. The conversation tackles everything from Jewish joy and experiential learning to campus antisemitism, social media, and the impact of October 7th on young Jews. Together, they explore whether Jewish education can move beyond fear and obligation toward something more enduring: curiosity, confidence, meaning, and belonging.
David Bryfman: His Book: https://www.amazon.com/Heroism-Hope-Recharging-Education-Post-October/dp/B0GZBH6QLL
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Beyond Borders: Water, Power & Peace in the Middle East with Gidon Bromberg | 14 May 2026 | 00:52:18 | |
In a world where borders divide and conflict dominates headlines, what if the most powerful path to peace isn’t political—but environmental? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel are joined by Gidon Bromberg, co-founder of EcoPeace Middle East, an organization bringing together Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian leaders around a shared reality: the environment knows no borders. From water scarcity and climate change to renewable energy and economic interdependence, Bromberg makes the case that cooperation isn’t idealism—it’s survival. In a region where access to water can define daily life, and where the Jordan River itself reflects decades of neglect, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The conversation moves between the personal and the geopolitical—beginning with reflections on global Jewish identity and perspective, and expanding into a bold reimagining of peace built not through diplomacy alone, but through shared necessity. At a time when fear and division dominate, this episode offers a counter-narrative: that even in conflict, there are opportunities to build something lasting—together.
EcoPeace Middle East Gidon Bromberg: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/environmental-peacebuilding-31years-strong/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Battle Beyond the Battlefield: Israel, Narrative & Power with Benjamin Anthony | 07 May 2026 | 00:52:44 | |
This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with Benjamin Anthony to unpack the complexities of the current Middle East conflict and its ripple effects far beyond the region. Drawing on his experience as an IDF combat veteran and policy leader, Anthony reflects on the evolving nature of modern warfare—not only in physical terms, but in the battle for public opinion taking place across campuses, media platforms, and political institutions. In the first half of the conversation, Anthony traces the rise of polarization and antisemitism in global discourse, arguing that the struggle over Israel’s legitimacy has been building for decades. In the second half, the focus shifts to the strategic and human realities on the ground—from Hezbollah and Iran to the fragile coordination between the U.S. and Israel. Together, the episode explores a central tension: what it means to fight for security and survival in a world where narratives can be as consequential as weapons.
The MirYam Institute: https://www.miryaminstitute.org/ Benjamin Anthony: https://www.miryaminstitute.org/benjamin Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Devil Wears Prada 2 with David Frankel & B.J. Novak | 30 Apr 2026 | 00:53:53 | |
In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel are joined by director David Frankel and actor-writer B.J. Novak for a conversation about storytelling, success, and what changes—and what doesn’t—over time. With The Devil Wears Prada returning nearly two decades later in The Devil Wears Prada 2, Frankel reflects on why he long resisted making a sequel and what ultimately made this story worth revisiting. The discussion touches on how the media and workplace landscapes have evolved, and how those shifts shape the characters in the new film. Novak shares insights from his own path as a writer and performer, including how Jewish humor and storytelling traditions have influenced his work, from The Office to his current projects. As the conversation unfolds, it moves beyond film to consider questions about ambition, leadership, and the tradeoffs that often come with success. In a particularly thoughtful moment, Novak reframes the idea of idolatry in modern terms—asking what we place at the center of our lives, and why.
B.J. Novak: https://www.instagram.com/bjnovak/ David Frankel: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291205/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| From Questions to Convictions: Judea Pearl on Zionophobia and Coexistence | 23 Apr 2026 | 00:51:59 | |
This week on Common Faith, hosts Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin with a candid and personal conversation about the nature of Jewish inquiry. Why is Judaism rooted in questioning, yet sermons remain one-directional? What does it mean for a rabbi to share not just ideas, but vulnerability? And where do spiritual leaders turn when they themselves are searching for answers? In the second segment, they are joined by renowned AI pioneer and public intellectual Dr. Judea Pearl. Drawing from his new book Coexistence and Other Fighting Words, Pearl offers a bold framework for understanding modern antisemitism, the rise of anti-Zionism, and the challenges of coexistence in today’s world. From the philosophy of “Jewish normalcy” to the dangers of misinformation in the age of artificial intelligence, this conversation pushes beyond easy answers. Pearl challenges listeners to think more rigorously, speak more assertively, and confront difficult truths with clarity and conviction.
Dr. Judea Pearl: https://bayes.cs.ucla.edu/jp_home.html The book: Coexistence and Other Fighting Words: https://www.amazon.com/Coexistence-Other-Fighting-Words-2002-2025/dp/1895131731
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Siach Shalom: Talking Internal Peace for Israel’s Independence | 16 Apr 2026 | 00:52:33 | |
What does it mean for a nation to move from mourning to celebration—while still struggling within itself? In this powerful episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel begin with one of the most emotionally charged passages in the Jewish calendar: the transition from Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtzmaut. In Israel, these days unfold back-to-back—shifting from collective grief and remembrance to the celebration of statehood and independence. They are contiguous not only on the calendar, but in the heart of Israeli identity. And yet, as this episode makes clear, unity cannot be taken for granted. Recorded during a moment of war—when sirens interrupt daily life and Israelis are forced into shelters—this conversation turns inward, asking a more difficult question: What happens when the deepest divisions are not external, but internal? Featuring Dr. Alick Isaacs, Rabba Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, and Keren Sokoloff of Siach Shalom, the episode introduces a bold and deeply human approach to conflict. Rather than trying to resolve disagreements, their work focuses on healing relationships—bringing together Israelis from across ideological, religious, and cultural divides, including some of the most painful fault lines in society today. Through remarkable stories—like conversations between ultra-Orthodox women and military families during wartime—listeners witness what becomes possible when people choose not to persuade, but to listen. Not to win, but to understand. At a time when polarization defines so much of public life—not just in Israel, but around the world—this episode offers a profound insight: that true peace is not the absence of disagreement, but the ability to hold difference without losing one another. In the space between memory and independence, between sirens and silence, the question remains: Can a divided people still become whole?
Siach Shalom:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Last Twins: A Story of Humanity Inside Auschwitz for Holocaust Remembrance | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:53:52 | |
What does it mean to remember the Holocaust—especially as we approach a world without survivors to tell the story? In this powerful episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the meaning of Yom HaShoah and the evolving nature of Holocaust remembrance. From the origins of the day itself to the role of ritual, storytelling, and memory, the conversation asks urgent questions: How do we preserve history? Who gets to tell the story? And what happens when memory becomes something we inherit rather than witness? The discussion then turns to The Last Twins, a deeply moving documentary that uncovers a remarkable and previously untold story from Auschwitz. Featuring filmmakers Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill, along with Judith Richter, daughter of Holocaust survivor Erno "Zvi" Spiegel, the episode brings listeners into a story not just of survival—but of moral courage. At the heart of the film is a profound question: What does it mean to choose humanity in a system designed to strip it away? As the last generation of survivors fades, this episode challenges us to carry forward not only the memory of the Holocaust, but the values it demands of us today.
The Last Twins: The Last Twins will become available to stream on Monday, April 13 on pbs.org and the PBS App, with a broadcast premiere on Monday, June 15 at 10/9c.
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Passover, Responsibility, and Repair: World Jewish Relief in Action | 02 Apr 2026 | 00:52:33 | |
What does it mean to be Jewish in a world filled with suffering—especially when that suffering extends far beyond our own community? In this Passover episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore one of Judaism’s most enduring tensions: the balance between particularism and universalism. As the Passover story reminds us, we are commanded to remember our own liberation—but also to empathize with the stranger, the vulnerable, and the oppressed. This conversation comes to life through a powerful interview with David Weisberg, Executive Director of World Jewish Relief USA, and Maurice Helfgott, Chair of Trustees of World Jewish Relief. Together, they share how an organization rooted in Jewish history and values now serves both Jews and non-Jews across the globe—from war-torn Ukraine to refugee communities worldwide. Their work raises urgent questions: Where should our attention—and our resources—go? How do we prioritize in a world of endless need? And can we truly care for others without first caring for our own? At a time when the Jewish world itself is in pain, this episode challenges listeners to consider whether compassion is a limited resource—or a defining feature of Jewish identity. With moving personal stories, moral clarity, and a deep sense of purpose, this conversation invites us to rethink what it means to live out our values in real time.
World Jewish Relief, USA: https://usa.worldjewishrelief.org/ David Weisberg and Maurice Helfgott: https://www.worldjewishrelief.org/who-we-are/our-people/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Lessons from Pittsburgh: Resilience and Rebuilding with Tree of Life | 26 Mar 2026 | 00:52:05 | |
In October 2018, the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh became the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. But the story of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community is not defined by tragedy alone. In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliott Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the past, present, and future of Jewish life in Pittsburgh. First, they’re joined by historian Dr. Barbara Burstin, a leading authority on Pittsburgh Jewry, who reflects on the city’s unique Jewish community—its deep sense of unity, its history, and the profound shock that reverberated through the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill on that devastating day. Then the conversation turns to the future with Carole Zawatsky, CEO of the Tree of Life organization, who is leading the effort to transform the site of the attack into a national memorial, museum, and education center. She shares how the new Tree of Life will honor the eleven victims, confront the history of antisemitism in America, and create a space for learning, remembrance, and Jewish life. Together, the conversations ask urgent questions:
Dr. Barbara Burstin: https://history.pitt.edu/people/barbara-s-burstin Carole Zawatsky: https://www.thetreeoflife.org/chief-executive-officer Tree of Life: https://www.thetreeoflife.org/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Inside the Jewish Book Council and Why Jewish Stories Matter | 19 Mar 2026 | 00:52:06 | |
This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award-winning journalist Jon Frankel welcome Naomi Firestone-Teeter, CEO of the Jewish Book Council, to reflect on the power of Jewish literature and the work of nurturing Jewish voices in an ever-changing world. Naomi brings a deep commitment to Jewish storytelling. Since joining the Jewish Book Council in 2006 — eventually becoming its executive director and now CEO — she has helped build out the organization’s digital presence, launched national initiatives like Unpacking the Book: Jewish Writers in Conversation and the Visiting Scribe series, and nurtured a network connecting authors to Jewish organizations across North America. In this episode, the conversation moves between practical and philosophical: Why does Jewish culture place such importance on books? How can literature open doors into Jewish identity for readers of every background? What are the opportunities and challenges of sustaining Jewish storytelling in the 21st century? And what does it mean to read Jewishly — both within and beyond traditional religious frameworks? Along the way, we explore how the Jewish Book Council supports authors, festivals, book clubs, and readers; how literary culture builds bridges across Jewish communities; and why the act of reading together remains one of the most fundamental ways Jews connect to our past and imagine our future.
Naomi Firestone-Teeter: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/naomi-firestone-teeter Jewish Book Council: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/75th-national-jewish-book-award-winners
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Tzedakah in Action: Andres Spokoiny on Jewish Philanthropy | 12 Mar 2026 | 00:52:36 | |
What does it mean to give—and why does Jewish tradition place such deep emphasis on tzedakah? In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy-Award-winning journalist Jon Frankel explore the Jewish ethics of giving and the real-world challenges of philanthropy today. From childhood memories of the classic blue-and-white tzedakah box to questions about how we teach generosity to the next generation, the conversation examines how giving shapes both personal character and communal responsibility. They’re joined by Andres Spokoiny, President and CEO of the Jewish Funders Network, who works with philanthropists around the world to expand and strengthen Jewish giving. Spokoiny shares insights from his global perspective on philanthropy—from the importance of strategic giving and collaboration to the challenges of fighting antisemitism, supporting Jewish education, and preparing the next generation of Jewish leaders. Along the way, the conversation tackles big questions: From ancient teachings to modern strategy, this episode explores how tzedakah isn’t just about charity—it’s about responsibility, leadership, and shaping the world we want to live in.
Jewish Funders Network Andres Spokoiny: Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Half-Jew, Full Life: Georgette Bennett on Identity, Survival, and the American Dream | 05 Mar 2026 | 00:53:08 | |
What does it mean to choose an identity — especially when that identity places you in danger? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award-winning journalist Jon Frankel sit down with sociologist, author, and humanitarian leader Dr. Georgette Bennett to discuss her moving new book, Half-Jew–Full Life: The Unlikely Journey of a Voluntary Jew from Nazi Persecution to the American Dream. The book traces the life of Gary “Pips” Phillips — born to a Jewish father and Aryan mother in Berlin — who could have avoided deportation under Nazi racial laws. Instead, he insisted on embracing a Jewish identity. “Hitler made me a Jew,” he would later say. Pips went underground in Berlin, was arrested four times, escaped three times, and survived through a combination of ingenuity, unlikely mercy, and relentless will to live. But this conversation goes deeper than biography. Georgette Bennett shares her personal connection to Pips — who became a surrogate father to her after her own family escaped postwar Hungary — and reflects on the moral ambiguities she faced in telling his story. The episode explores survivor consciousness without romanticizing survival, the difference between survivor’s guilt and survival as resistance, and how trauma echoes across generations. Rabbi Cosgrove and Jon Frankel also examine how Jewish identity today must be rooted in more than Holocaust memory — in dignity, responsibility, and the biblical commandment to care for the stranger. In a time of renewed antisemitism and polarized politics, Bennett argues that Jews are not defined only by victimhood, but by civilizational contributions and moral imagination. A story of darkness, resilience, and full-hearted living.
Dr. Georgette Bennett: Half-Jew – Full Life:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue: https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Jon Frankel: https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Purim and the ADL: Jonathan Greenblatt on Facing the Oldest Hatred | 26 Feb 2026 | 00:49:48 | |
Purim is known as Judaism’s most joyful holiday — costumes, hamantaschen, and celebration. But beneath the revelry lies a sobering truth: it is the story of an ancient antisemitic decree and the courage required to confront it.
Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt https://www.adl.org/who-we-are/leadership/staff/jonathan-greenblatt Never is Now:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/#
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Faith on the Field: Jewish Athletes in America | 19 Feb 2026 | 00:53:45 | |
What happens when faith and Friday night lights collide? In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore what it means to live proudly Jewish lives at the highest levels of college athletics. In the first segment, they speak with Zevi Eckhaus, Division I quarterback and NFL hopeful, who shares what it’s like to navigate locker rooms where he may be the only observant Jew — and how he honored Yom Kippur while preparing for a college football game. From wearing both Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin to training for his pro day, Zevi reflects on loyalty, identity, and what it means to be an ambassador for Judaism in a sport that rarely sees Jewish representation. In the second segment, they’re joined by Elie Kligman, widely believed to be the first Orthodox Jewish player in Division I baseball. Ellie discusses navigating recruiting conversations about Shabbat observance, missing games for Jewish holidays, and explaining mezuzahs and kashrut to curious teammates. He reflects on what it means to represent not just himself, but the broader Jewish community — and why faith doesn’t have to be sacrificed for excellence. Together, these conversations raise larger questions: In a world that often pressures people to choose between identity and success, Zevi and Elie offer a different model — one of integration, pride, and quiet courage.
Zevi Eckhaus: https://x.com/zevi_eckhaus?lang=en Elie Kligman: https://mgoblue.com/sports/baseball/roster/elie-kligman/27514 https://www.instagram.com/eklig.6/?hl=en Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rabbi Angela Buchdahl: The Unlikely Voice of Faith and Belonging | 12 Feb 2026 | 00:52:42 | |
What does it mean to belong—especially when you’ve spent much of your life feeling like an outsider? This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel welcome one of the most influential Jewish leaders in America, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue and author of the bestselling memoir Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging. Born in Korea, raised in the United States, and long made to feel like an “unlikely” Jew, Rabbi Buchdahl reflects on a lifetime of navigating identity, faith, and difference—both inside and outside the Jewish community. In a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, she shares how feeling like a stranger ultimately shaped her theology, her leadership, and her understanding of what Jewish tradition demands of us today. Together, the hosts explore the Jewish imperative to care for the outsider, the tension between belonging and exclusion, and how American Jews are once again grappling with feeling “othered” in spaces that once felt like home. The conversation also examines pluralism, political division within Jewish life, and the responsibility of religious leaders to hold diverse—and often conflicting—communities together with humility and moral clarity. At a moment when so many people feel unmoored, Rabbi Buchdahl offers a powerful reframing: that knowing the heart of the stranger is not a weakness, but a core Jewish strength—and a blueprint for empathy, resilience, and shared humanity.
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl: https://www.instagram.com/rabbibuchdahl/?hl=en Her Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697350/heart-of-a-stranger-by-angela-buchdahl/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Being Jewish in Public: Jonah Platt on Identity, Advocacy, and Culture | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:53:13 | |
In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel sit down with Jonah Platt—actor, musician, producer, Jewish advocate, and host of the hit podcast Being Jewish—for an honest conversation about Jewish identity, pride, and public life in a post–October 7 world.
Jonah Platt’s Podcast: https://beingjewishpodcast.com Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Amy Spitalnick on Jewish Safety, Democracy, and the Work of JCPA | 29 Jan 2026 | 00:53:18 | |
In a moment when Jewish identity, democracy, and political loyalty feel increasingly put at odds, Common Faith asks a necessary and urgent question: Can Jewish safety and universal democratic values truly coexist?
Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA): https://jewishpublicaffairs.org Amy Spitalnick – CEO, JCPA: https://jewishpublicaffairs.org/our-team/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Kathrin Meyer on Holocaust Remembrance and Moral Responsibility | 22 Jan 2026 | 00:52:32 | |
As the generation of Holocaust survivors dwindles and antisemitism resurges across the globe, the work of remembrance has never been more urgent—or more complex. On this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel are joined by Kathrin Meyer, current Board Member for The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI), former Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and recipient of the 2025 Anne Frank Special Recognition Award. They share in a timely and essential conversation about Holocaust memory and moral responsibility today. Meyer reflects on what Holocaust remembrance means in a rapidly changing world—one marked by historical distortion, political polarization, and the erosion of shared truth. She discusses the challenges of preserving accurate Holocaust education across borders, combating denial and trivialization, and helping younger generations understand why this history still matters. The conversation moves beyond memory as commemoration alone, asking what remembrance demands of us now. How should the lessons of the Holocaust inform civic life, human rights, and the fight against antisemitism in the present? And how can remembrance remain meaningful when history feels increasingly contested? This episode is a sober, thoughtful exploration of memory not as the past—but as a living moral obligation.
Dr. Kathrin Meyer: The Anne Frank Award: https://holocaustremembrance.com/news/kathrin-meyer-2025-anne-frank-award Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| What Israel Needs Now: A Conversation with Einat Wilf | 15 Jan 2026 | 00:53:00 | |
Since October 7, the meanings of Jewish identity, solidarity, and the future of Israel have been in flux. On this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel sit down with Dr. Einat Wilf — former member of the Israeli Knesset, author, educator, and founder of the Oz Party — for a deep, provocative conversation about the state of Zionism, Israel’s existential challenges, and the ideas shaping Jewish life in Israel and the diaspora. Wilf brings a unique lens shaped by history, policy, and political engagement. Together, they explore how Israel’s leaders and citizens are grappling with security, ideology, and identity after October 7. The discussion moves from diaspora solidarity and the moral complexities of presence and power to Wilf’s own political project: a vision that seeks to redefine peace as rooted in Arab and Palestinian embrace of Zionism, equal civic responsibility, and a transition from an “exile mindset” to sovereign conduct. Wilf shares how her experiences in Israeli politics, academia, and strategic advisory roles inform her belief that Israel’s next chapter demands courage, clarity, and a reexamination of long-held assumptions about peace, power, and national purpose. This episode doesn’t offer easy answers — but it does offer essential, thoughtful engagement with some of the toughest questions facing Jews and Israel today. Dr. Einat Wilf: https://www.wilf.org/en/home-en/ https://www.instagram.com/einatwilf/ Oz Party: https://ozparty.co.il/en/home/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rediscovering Constructive Disagreement: A Jewish Perspective with Daniel Taub | 08 Jan 2026 | 00:52:56 | |
In an age of polarization, outrage, and echo chambers, how do we disagree without tearing one another apart? Daniel Taub: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Dispute-Rediscovering-Constructive-Disagreement/dp/1399815067 https://rabbisacks.org/about-us/trustees/daniel-taub/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Resolutions or Renewal: The Work of Change with Rabbi Mark Borowitz | 01 Jan 2026 | 00:52:32 | |
What’s the difference between a resolution and a wish—and why does it matter?
Rabbi Mark Borowitz: Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Cardinal Dolan's Christmas Blessing: A Shared Journey | 25 Dec 2025 | 00:53:01 | |
What does Christmas mean beyond the lights, music, and traditions—and what can it teach us about faith, generosity, and shared humanity? In this special holiday episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel are joined by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan for a rich and deeply human conversation recorded during the Christmas season. Together, they explore the spiritual heart of Christmas, the experience of being a religious minority in a majority culture, and the surprising places where Jewish and Catholic traditions meet. From reflections on joy, reconciliation, and generosity to deeply personal stories of vocation, pastoral care, and interfaith friendship, Cardinal Dolan offers a moving portrait of Christmas as a celebration of light in dark times—one that resonates far beyond any single tradition. Rabbi Cosgrove reflects on the “December dilemma,” while Jon Frankel shares moments of navigating faith, friendship, and belonging across religious lines. Thoughtful, warm, and often humorous, this episode is a reminder that in a divided world, shared values—faith, compassion, forgiveness, and hope—still have the power to bring us together.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan: https://archny.org/about/cardinal-dolan/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Exploring the Future of Rabbis: Insights from Atra | 18 Dec 2025 | 00:54:30 | |
What does the future of rabbinic leadership look like—and why does it matter for all of us?
https://www.instagram.com/atrarabbis https://www.facebook.com/atrarabbis/?_rdr Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Hanukkah Unwrapped: From Brooklyn to Jerusalem with Yossi Klein Halevi | 11 Dec 2025 | 00:52:53 | |
This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel unwrap the deeper meaning of Hanukkah—beyond latkes, dreidels, and eight nights of gifts. Joining them is renowned writer and public intellectual Yossi Klein Halevi, whose personal journey from Brooklyn to Jerusalem illuminates the holiday’s layered history and its evolving place in Jewish identity. Together, they explore the many versions of the Hanukkah story: the miracle of the oil, the military victory of the Maccabees, the struggle against assimilation, and the celebration of reclaimed Jewish sovereignty. Yossi reflects on growing up as the son of Holocaust survivors, his early attraction to Jewish extremism, and the decades-long transformation that led him toward a more expansive, nuanced understanding of Judaism, Israel, and power. From public menorahs in Israeli town squares to quiet candle-lighting in American homes, the conversation traces how Hanukkah is celebrated across cultures—and how October 7th has reshaped Jewish vulnerability, resilience, and collective memory worldwide. With candor, humor, and heart, Elliot, Jon, and Yossi hold space for the tensions, debates, and hopes pulsing through Jewish life today. A moving and timely episode that reminds us: Hanukkah isn’t just a holiday—it’s a lens on identity, history, and the stories we choose to pass on.
Yossi Klein Halevi https://www.facebook.com/YossiKleinHalevi/ Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Light Within: Joel Mesler on Art, Faith & Recovery | 04 Dec 2025 | 00:50:48 | |
In this deeply human and unexpectedly joyful episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel sit down with celebrated artist Joel Mesler, whose vibrant, pop-infused works have become synonymous with healing, humor, and Jewish identity. Through Mesler’s remarkable life story — from a turbulent childhood in Beverly Hills to an intense yeshiva experience, to addiction, recovery, and artistic rebirth — the trio explores what it means to wrestle with your past while still choosing light. Mesler speaks candidly about nine years of sobriety, the lies we tell ourselves in our own voice, and the moment he realized he needed help. He shares how art became both expression and salvation, and how Judaism organically re-entered his life through painting anonymous old “rabbi portraits” that no one wanted — until he transformed them into sought-after pieces of contemporary Judaica. An inspiring conversation about creativity, faith, identity, recovery, and choosing light in a world that doesn’t always make it easy.
Joel Mesler https://www.instagram.com/joelmesler/?hl=en Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Faith, Food, and Phil Rosenthal: A Thanksgiving Special | 27 Nov 2025 | 00:53:12 | |
It’s the season of gratitude — and good food. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel welcome legendary creator and host Phil Rosenthal (Everybody Loves Raymond, Somebody Feed Phil) for a conversation that blends faith, food, and funny family traditions.
Phil Rosenthal Everybody Loves Raymond Somebody Feed Phil Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Building Bridges: How Black and Jewish Communities Found Common Ground | 20 Nov 2025 | 00:53:52 | |
In this powerful episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel welcome Rabbi Michael Siegel of Anshe Emet Synagogue and Pastor Chris Harris of Bright Star Church and St. James Ministries in Chicago — two spiritual leaders who turned an unlikely friendship into a national model for faith-based partnership and healing.
Pastor Chris Harris https://www.instagram.com/pastorharris/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/Pastor.Chris.Harris.Sr/ https://www.stjamesministrieschicago.com/pastorchrisharris
Rabbi Michael Siegel
American Friends of Natal
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove
Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/#
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The NFL: America’s Religion Explored with Adam Schefter | 13 Nov 2025 | 00:53:14 | |
Is football America’s true religion? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel sit down with ESPN’s Adam Schefter—who they dub as the “Pope” of NFL information—to explore the game’s unmatched hold on American life. From the gridiron to the pulpit, they discuss how football has eclipsed baseball as the nation’s pastime, what it says about our shared culture, and how faith, fandom, and identity intertwine every Sunday.
Adam Schefter https://x.com/AdamSchefter?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/adamschefter/?hl=en
ESPN football:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove: https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove
Park Avenue Synagogue https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/# Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||