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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.