Search for Meaning with Rabbi Yoshi – Details, episodes & analysis

In this special episode, Rabbi Yoshi shares his 5786 Rosh Hashanah (2025) sermon, Sanctified — For the Whole World.

Drawing on the wisdom of his grandfather, Jewish tradition, and the moral challenges of our time, Rabbi Zweiback explores the sacred balance between particularism and universalism — between our deep commitment to the Jewish people and our responsibility to all humanity.

Through stories of family, Israel, and acts of compassion near and far, this message invites us to live inside the holy tension that defines Jewish life: to defend our people fiercely, and to love the wider world boldly.

May this new year inspire all of us to bring holiness, empathy, and peace into the world we share.

In this episode of Search for Meaning, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback sits down with Michael Honigstein, a career Foreign Service Officer who has served in countries around the world—including Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Israel—working to promote peace, democracy, and human rights.

Michael reflects on his remarkable journey from an advertising career in New York to decades of diplomatic service, shaped by his Jewish upbringing and a deep sense of moral responsibility. He speaks candidly about the challenges of diplomacy, the toll of public service, and the circumstances surrounding his recent and painful forced retirement from the U.S. State Department.

Together, they discuss the complexities of pursuing peace in the modern world and Michael’s thoughts on the Witkoff–Kushner–Trump peace plan for Gaza.

This is a powerful and deeply human conversation about integrity, purpose, and the enduring call to serve.

What do you get when a Shabbat dinner meant to welcome a soon-to-be daughter-in-law turns into a night of secrets, revelations, and unlikely wisdom? You get Bad Shabbos—a comedy with heart, directed by Daniel Robbins and co-written with Zack Weiner.

Robbins joins Rabbi Yoshi to discuss his new film set on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where a Jewish family hosts Shabbat dinner for their son David and his fiancée Meg, who is preparing to convert to Judaism. As the night unfolds, tensions rise, surprises surface, and laughter and love do battle at the dinner table.

At the emotional center of the film is Meg, whose D’var Torah—something she’s been studying with her rabbi as part of her conversion process—is delivered during the meal as a reflection on that week’s Torah portion. Her words, full of insight and heart, speak to the serendipitous nature of life and the power of choosing one’s path with intention and faith. With a standout ensemble cast including Kyra Sedgwick, Milana Vayntrub, David Paymer, and Method Man as the family’s beloved doorman who is practically family, Bad Shabbos is as funny as it is touching.

Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback chats with Dr. Dan Uslan, UCLA Health's Co-Chief Infection Prevention Officer, covering many of your frequently asked questions about the current crisis and how we can support health workers in their life-saving work.

As part of an ongoing quarantine-inspired series, Rabbi Yoshi searches for meaning with members of his own family. This week's guest is his daughter Ariela Zweiback, who speaks with him about her recent time in Kenya with Beyond Fistula, a nonprofit organization that helps Kenyan women who have survived obstetric fistula rebuild their lives after surgery through counseling, vocational training, and scholarships. In a thoughtful interview, she discusses how this experience has shaped her life and future. 

In the first of a series, Rabbi Yoshi searches for meaning with members of his own family. His first guest is his daughter Isa Zweiback, who shares a little bit about her recent experience becoming a bone marrow donor and takes a few trips down memory lane to her early years in Israel.

This week Bob Klein, noted advocate of stem cell therapies and cures, joins Rabbi Yoshi. Learn about Bob's work and about the new ballot initiative he's working on. Visit CA for Cures for more info on how you can support the initiative and save lives: https://caforcures.com/help-us-qualify/

In her recent memoir "The Color of Love," author Marra Gad reflects on her upbringing as a mixed-race Jewish girl in Chicago, frankly addressing the hurt and stigmas cast upon her while also depicting the joy and love she has found in her Jewish faith. In this episode of Search for Meaning, Marra speaks with Rabbi Yoshi about the challenge of overcoming our implicit biases and perceived differences; the changing nature of racism and bigotry; and their hopes for a better, more connected Jewish community that welcomes and includes Jews of all backgrounds.

Following up on her Stephen Wise Temple Center for Jewish Life appearance last fall, former Obama White House Speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz connected with Rabbi Yoshi in the latest episode of his podcast Search for Meaning. Hurwitz is the author of Here All Along, a critically-acclaimed account of her journey to deepening her connection to Judaism. In the podcast, she and Rabbi Yoshi have a fascinating discussion of the many ways that Jews in the hectic contemporary world can find meaning and spiritual value in the millennia-old Jewish tradition. 

Legendary Olympic Swimmer Mark Spitz met with Rabbi Yoshi to discuss his amazing story of perseverence and hard work that led to his becoming an icon for generations of athletes (and many more). From his childhood to his swimming career and his present work in documenting Holocaust stories, Spitz discusses his heritage and its impact on everything he has accomplished.