Living Our Beliefs: Exploring Faith & Religion in Daily Life – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode 76.
In part one, we talk about her Jewish practice at UMass Amherst, where she is now a senior. Part two will cover her engagement on campus in support of Israel and the need for bridge building. Given the tensions on many campuses last year around the Israel/Palestine situation, talking to some college students is timely. I am eager to also speak with a Muslim student who can share their experience, so if you or someone you know is interested, please get in touch. You can reach me through my website – www.talkingwithgodproject.org.

Bio:
Aviva graduated from Gann Academy, the Jewish day school in Waltham MA, in 2021, and is now a senior at UMass Amherst, majoring in Food Science. At UMass, Aviva is involved in both the Food Science Department and in Hillel, the campus organization supporting Jewish students.

Aviva serves on various executive boards and committees related to both Food Science and Jewish life, and has earned numerous awards for her work. Most recently she received the 2023-2024 StandWithUs Movement Builder Award for Creativity and Impact, an award based on her deep understanding of the campus climate.

Highlights:
00:00 Modern Orthodox students need place to observe Shabbat.

05:53 Balancing Shabbat observance with secular relationships.

08:52 Disconnecting from phones fosters real-life community interactions.

10:25 Hillel supports Jewish college students' diverse needs.

14:28 Gender roles provide clear, valued community participation.

20:15 Finding other ways to feel valued, contributing

22:29 Valuing everyone fosters belonging across all identities.

Social Media links for Aviva:
UMass Hillel website – https://www.umasshillel.org
StandWithUs website – https://www.standwithus.com
UMass Food Science website – https://www.umass.edu/food-science/
StandWithUs Instagram @StandWithUs and @StandWithUs_Campus 

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project website
LinkedIn – Meli Solomon
Facebook – Meli Solomon


Transcript on Buzzsprout  

Other episodes with young(ish) guests:

• Katrina Kincade
• R. Bec Richman
• Emi Fermin

Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 75.
In celebration of my 75th podcast episode, I am highlighting three different ways that people live their ancient religion today. I talk about keeping Kosher (Jewish dietary laws), Sue Howard shares her evangelical Christian tenet of the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and Katrina Kincade explains her conversion or reversion to Islam and starting to wear a hijab (Muslim veil) at work. 

Highlights:
·       Daily practice makes abstract concepts real. 

·       We live into our religion over time. It evolves as we learn and change. 

·       Meli – Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) infuses daily life with holiness.

·       Sue – Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit gifts.

·       Sue – Pursuing spiritual life leads to bring peace and joy, blessing and love.

·       Katrina – Finding balance and peace in Islam during tumultuous times.

·       Katrina – Starting to wear a hijab at work. 

References:
Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23] – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  NIV 

Mussar, a Jewish practice – https://mussarinstitute.org

Sue Howard's podcast episode 'A Gift from God for a Christian' 

Katrina Kincade's podcast episode 'A New Public Muslim Face'


Social Media links for Sue:
LinkedIn – Sue Howard
Holistic Leadership website
Grove Books, collection on spirituality
The Vineyard Church 

Social Media links for Katrina:   
LinkedIn – Katrina Kincade
Instagram – @katrinakincade
Twitter – @katrinaknews
TikTok – @katrinatheereporter 

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project website
LinkedIn – Meli Solomon
Facebook – Meli Solomon


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/1851013/episodes/15619902-are-ancient-religions-relevant-today-meli-solomon-sue-howard-and-katrina-kincade


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 66. 
Lindsay shares her experiences as an Orthodox Jewish woman, discussing her deep engagement with Orthodox Judaism, the challenges and frustrations she faces within her community, and her efforts in advocating for women's inclusion and agency in religious practices. This is a fitting conversation during the Jewish holiday of Passover, with its themes of journeys, change, and relationship with God. Also, one of the key elements of the Passover Seder just held around the world, is asking questions. Lindsey, in her ongoing Jewish study, teaching, and earlier doctoral work, is dedicated to asking questions and seeking the answers from within her British Orthodox perspective. Her lifelong passion for studying the Jewish sacred texts, as well as decades spent on increasing Orthodox women’s engagement with that material testify to the richness of these texts, and the value of using your knowledge to effect change, however long it takes.

Highlights:
·       Lindsay's diverse roles and influences
·       Women's agency in Orthodox Jewish communities
·       Fulfillment and commitment to faith through Torah study
·       Teaching and leading study groups
·       Evolution of Social Norms and Halakhic Decisions
·       Engagement with Orthodox learning, feminism, and at the London School of Jewish Studies
·       Struggles and frustrations faced by women in the Orthodox community

Social Media links for Lindsay: 
London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE), Religion & Global Society Unit (RGS) – https://www.lse.ac.uk/rgs 

London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) – https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/ 

Abraham Initiatives, UK – https://abrahaminitiatives.org/taiuk/

Council of Christians & Jews – https://ccj.org.uk/about-us 

Midreshet Lindenbaum (Seminary) – https://www.midreshet-lindenbaum.org.il/

Nisa-Nashim – https://www.nisanashim.com/

Nishmat (Seminary) – https://nishmat.net/

 
Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14953056


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 65.
This is the second part of my conversation with Audrey Reich. In this second part, Audrey talks about how she incorporates her Jewish teachings and values into her art classes, creating a diverse and open environment for her students. Whether teaching in a Jewish school or a secular school in New York City, Audrey's experiences with students from various cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds have inspired her to foster open dialogue and appreciation for different perspectives. She also reflects on her personal art, and how her artworks have been influenced by her visits to Tarnów, Poland where her father’s family comes from. 

Highlights:

·       Teaching art in Jewish and secular K-12 schools with diverse student populations.

·       Engaging discussions about international events like the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.

·       Managing open discussions and differing opinions in the classroom.

·       Personal experiences and connections related to Jewish history and heritage.

·       Discovering personal connections and roots in Tarnów relating to her family history.

·       Audrey's personal art and how it reflects her experiences.

Social Media links for Audrey:

Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center – https://hhrecny.org/generations-forward/#unger

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14866705


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 64.
Since Muslims are currently celebrating Ramadan, Nayma has graciously returned to the podcast to share her experience of the annual holiday, what she does and why it is important to her. For Nayma, Ramadan is a capsule of light, a pause button releasing her from the hamster wheel of daily life. She takes us on a journey through the traditions of iftar, the unique aspects of Ramadan in Bangladesh and the U.S., as well as the profound impact of fasting on the mind, body, and spirit. She reveals the spiritual significance and explains the critical elements of the annual month-long holiday: fasting, breaking the fast in community, prayer, reading the Qur’an, and giving charity.

Highlights:
·       A celebration of strength and mindfulness.
·       Connection with God and engagement with the community.
·       Mindful practices and self-restraint.
·       Amplification of prayers and attention to God.
·       Detox for mind, body, and soul.
·       Variety of iftar meals in the US compared to Bangladesh.

References:
Nayma's episode #26 - Grateful to God
https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org/podcast-1/episode/7a113141/26-nayma-tasnim-islam-grateful-to-god

Yaqueen Institute articles on Ramadan –
- https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/how-does-ramadan-work-a-beginners-guide

- https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/pillar-4-what-is-the-purpose-of-fasting

Recipe – Beguni (Chickpea flour battered deep fried eggplant):

Ingredients: 
4 Tbl. Chickpea flour
One 4-5" eggplant
Chotpoti Moshola (Chat Masala)
Cayennne Pepper and Cumin Powder (alt. to Chat Masala)
Salt
Oil (for deep frying)

Steps:

1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and 2-3" wide slices.
2. Mix Chickpea flour with salt and Chotpoti Mashala (Chat Masala). Add water to make a thick paste. 
3. Season the batter with Chotpoti Moshola (Chat Masala) or ground Cayenne pepper, ground Cumin and salt.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan for deep frying.
5. Season eggplant slices with cayenne pepper (optional), cumin and salt to taste.
6. Coat the eggplant slices with seasoned chickpea batter and deep fry them until golden brown. 
7. Serve hot with Tamarind sauce, Raita, Tzatziki or sour cream.

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14781162

Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. Learning about how Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith can prompt questions and exploration.  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 63.
Audrey Reich is an artist and art teacher in New York and is also involved in Holocaust education. Audrey is a speaker and board member of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center. Daughter of two Holocaust survivors, she credits her parents with modeling awe and appreciation, openness and curiosity. Despite their trauma, deportations, and long paths to the U.S. they each managed to heal some and focus on building a new future. They neither dwelt in the past nor forgot it. Audrey has much to share, so I have made it into two parts. In this first part, we talk about her family, childhood, Poland, and begin exploring her teaching. 

Highlights:
·       The evolution of Audrey's engagement with the Jewish community, from a conservative synagogue to an open modern orthodox community
·       Audrey’s parents are Holocaust survivors. The impact of their resilience and curiosity about life, is evident in their openness to different backgrounds and stories.
·       The importance of active remembrance of the past, coupled with a focus on reconciliation and moving forward rather than living in anger and resentment.
·       Audrey's exploration of Poland and China to document her family's story and her role as the family's storyteller.
·       Audrey's efforts to bridge cultural differences, particularly in relation to the Jewish community in Poland.
·       Audrey's approach to educating students about the Holocaust, emphasizing the role of active witnesses and the impact of carrying on the victims' stories.
·       Lessons learned from art history and Judaism, and how they intersect in the appreciation of nature, craftsmanship, and the ability to create something from nothing.

Social Media links for Audrey:
Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center – https://hhrecny.org/generations-forward/#unger

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14687177


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 


Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 62.
Esteemed scholar Dr. Amir Hussain, Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), author of five books, and immediate past President of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) joins me for a lively discussion of the contemporary Muslim experience in North America. Despite the presence of Muslims arrived in the US in the first slave ships, the long history of participation in American society has gone unnoticed and unappreciated. Certainly, since the September 11 terrorist attack and now again with the war in Gaza, Muslims have been subject to harassment and Islamophobia. Many such acts of hate are motivated by inaccurate and misguided assumptions about Muslims, who they are and what they believe. The day-to-day life is not all bad nor is it the same in every place. Amir and I cover these and other topic in this engaging conversation.


Highlights:
·       Diversity within American Islam, including ethnic and sectarian differences
·       Cooperation and understanding between different religious groups in the U.S.
·       Stereotypes within the Muslim and Jewish communities
·       Coexistence, integration, and blending into society for minority communities
·       Misperceptions about Islam and Muslims
·       Importance of education in changing perceptions and the need for diverse Muslim representation

Social Media links for Amir: 
Loyola Marymount University – http://faculty.lmu.edu/amirhussain/
American Academy of Religion (AAR), Immediate Past President – American Academy of Religion

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org/podcast-1/episode/7f3bd8f1/bonus-understanding-the-american-muslim-experience-dr-amir-hussain


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 


Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 61. 
Rabba Sally Shore-Wittenberg and Anastasia Solberg join me  for a compelling discussion about Psalm 105, one of Rabbi Nachman’s ten Psalms for General Remedy. Using different translations, we delve into its connection to the Passover story and the roles of Joseph and Moses. Themes include  seeking divine intervention, the power of individuals in the face of challenges, and the symbolic implications of seeking God's presence. 

Highlights:
·       Plagues struck Egypt, leading to Israel's exodus.
·       Role of key figures Joseph and Moses.
·       Desperate cry from the pit of despair.
·       Personal agency and divine intervention.
·       Meaning of "seeking God's face".

Books and People Referenced in this episode:
·       Ten Psalms for General Remedy, according to Rabbi Nachman –
        Psalms 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, 150
·       Robert Alter, The Book of Psalms 

·       Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, 1808-1888

·       Gaya Aranoff Bernstein, Psalmsongs 

·       Koren Weekday Siddur (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks translation)

·       Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, 1772-1810

 
Social Media links for the guests:
Rabba Sally Shore-Wittenberg, Kerhonkson Synagogue – https://www.kerhonksonsynagogue.org
Anastasia Solberg, The Music Institute of Sullivan and Ulster Counties, Ellenville NY – https://misucatskills.org/

 
Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14549506-exploring-psalm-105-r-sally-shore-wittenberg-anastasia-solberg-meli-solomon

Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. Hearing about how Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, offer new ideas and questions:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there a practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 

Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli – [email protected]
 

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 60.
Bec’s many strands of deep Jewish beliefs and practice in Reconstructionist Judaism are woven through her creative expressions. Inspired during her rabbinic school years, she has since become a soferet (Torah scribe) and potter. She has also become a mother. Contrary to many people’s complaints about stress and conflicts between differing aspects of their lives, for Bec her scribal arts, pottery, and parenting feed each other, adding much richness and creative outlets to her life. Tune in to learn about the inspiration and experience, and how that creativity is inherently accessible, healing, and liberatory. 

Highlights:
·       Steeped in the Reconstructionist community since childhood.
·       Repairing Torah scrolls involves energy and intention.
·       Bringing Torah to life through hands-on experiences.
·       Living a life that is sacred, creative, connected to nature, and intertwined with others.
·       The impact of gender on Bec's work as a female scribe.
·       Integration of pottery, rabbinical studies, being a soferet, and motherhood.
·       Reconstructionist Judaism values tradition but welcomes evolution.

Social Media links for Bec:
Website – https://www.kotevetstudios.com/ 

Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14461216


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 


Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.

Episode 59.
The Green Sabbath Project, founded by Jonathan Schorsch in 2019, promotes the concept and ritual of a weekly earth day. Taking a day of rest for yourself and the environment is eminently reflective of the sabbath. Although Jonathan draws from his Jewish heritage, the Green Sabbath Project intentionally avoids promoting any particular religious beliefs or language. Jonathan sees potential learning between religious and non-religious people in connecting the values of a weekly day of rest and reducing the impact on the environment. Taking on this practice is both a simple action and a very flexible practice with deep benefits.


Highlights:
·       The Green Sabbath Project aims to promote sustainable living through practices inspired by the principles of Shabbat.
·       The project avoids religious language to appeal to a wider audience and promote ecological consciousness.
·       People need guidance, incentives to act sustainably and step off the hamster wheel.
·       The project has three parts: education, gatherings, and encouraging people to observe Green Sabbaths.
·       Promoting sustainable living and ecological thinking as complementary to religious and spiritual approaches.
·       We need to re-think how we eat, shop, work, and relate to the environment. 

Social Media links for Jonathan:
Website – https://www.greensabbathproject.net
Website – https://www.jassberlin.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-schorsch-a27630276
University of Potsdam – https://www.juedischetheologie-unipotsdam.de/en/chairs/jewish-religious-and-intellectual-history/prof-dr-jonathan-schorsch


Social Media links for Méli:
Talking with God Project – https://www.talkingwithgodproject.org
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melisolomon/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066435622271


Transcript:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851013/episodes/14372271


Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast offers a place to learn about other religions and faith practices. When you hear about how observant Christians, Jews and Muslims live their faith, new ideas and questions arise:  Is your way similar or different?  Is there an idea or practice that you want to explore?  Understanding how other people live opens your mind and heart to new people you meet. 


Comments?  Questions? Email  Méli at – [email protected]

The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.