Political tensions, anxiety, and loneliness are on the rise.

But problems like these aren't new, and the solutions don't have to be either.

For thousands of years, societies have asked questions about how to live, thrive, and love.

And it was spiritual traditions that offered wisdom and tools to help people find their way.

Tools that science is now discovering offer real benefits. Join me, Dave

Desteno, to explore how we can all use this wisdom, whatever our beliefs. Listen to How God

Works from PRX, wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, Josh.

Hello, Rabbi.

Here's my question for you.

Do you think that the Israelites who are wandering through the desert, you know, in these

Torah portions we're doing these days, were refugees? I think that the Israelites who are wandering through the desert, you know, in these Torah portions

we're doing these days, were refugees? I think that's a fair characterization. People in distress who

were threatened and had no security or protection or safety. So today we're going to have this

conversation with Mark Hetfield and Melanie Nezor from the highest Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.

And it would be interesting to ask them that question because I was feeling it this week

as I was reading the Torah portion that, oh my gosh, part of our foundational story is that we

were refugees, even before we were kicked out of God knows how many countries all over the

world.

Like this is really a core part of who we are as

Jews and the story we tell in the world. When did your ancestors come to America?

I believe all great grandparents on both sides were immigrants from Poland, or it was Poland

one day, Russia the next day. And then on my mom's side, Lithuania and

...