Dovid Bashevkin: A Reform Rabbi Interviews an Orthodox Rabbi [Denominations 2/4]

18Forty Podcast

18Forty

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 704 Ratings

🗓️ 13 January 2026

⏱️ 99 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin answers questions from Diana Fersko, senior rabbi of the Village Temple Reform synagogue, about denominations and Jewish Peoplehood.

In this episode we discuss:

How did David become an Orthodox rabbi with an interest in the broader Jewish world?
Where does David get his sense of commandedness and obligation from?
How should Israel factor into our thinking about Jewish unity?

Tune in to hear a conversation about what it would mean for us to speak Judaism as a “first language.”

Interview begins at 29:05.

Diana Fersko is the Senior Rabbi of The Village Temple, a Reform synagogue at the heart of downtown Jewish life in New York City. An internationally recognized author, speaker, and thought leader, she is a defining voice in the contemporary Jewish world, known for her clarity, compassion, and ability to bring Jewish tradition into meaningful dialogue with modern life.

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References:

“Judaism as a First Language” by Moshe Koppel

Judaism Straight Up by Moshe Koppel

Tzidkat HaTzadik 41

Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin

B'Rogez Rachem Tizkor by David Bashevkin

Taanit 20a

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi friends and welcome to the 1840 podcast where each month we explore different topic balancing modern sensibilities with traditional
0:21.6	sensitivities to give you new approaches to timeless Jewish ideas. I'm your host, David Bischephten,
0:27.6	and today we are continuing our special two-part series in dialogue with my friend Diana Fursko
0:35.0	about Jewish peoplehood and denominations. This podcast is part of a larger
0:39.8	exploration of those big, juicy Jewish ideas. So be sure to check out 1840.org where you can also
0:46.1	find videos, articles, recommended readings, and weekly emails. Four years ago, I had a conversation
0:52.7	with a mentor of mine, Moshe Benvitz, who was encouraging me to think about 1840 and where I was going to take this idea, this movement, as we were just beginning.
1:04.7	And I remember him telling me, you need to tell people what you are doing differently, meaning there's something that I think
1:11.8	instinctively people can understand or intuit that we talk about the Jewish people and Judaism
1:18.6	in maybe different ways than others, or maybe we have a different approach or a strategy,
1:23.9	or even a term that I loathe that is used sometimes in the Yeshiva world, a different hashguffa, which is like a religious outlook. And he was pushing me that like, you have to tell them what you're doing. You have to kind of explain why is what you are doing any different, unless it's not. You know, he would say, unless it's not, unless this is just, you know, a podcast where you interview interesting people.
1:44.7	And there's, you know, no shortage of those.
1:46.4	You certainly, you know, could compete in that domain if that's what you want to do.
1:50.1	But if that's not what you want to do, then you need to explain what you do want to do.
1:54.7	And I don't know if I ever fully answered him.
1:57.3	I am still probably developing that answer for myself, being able to articulate
2:02.1	what is it that we are doing differently? And I want to surface that now in this second part of my
2:09.7	conversation with my friend Diana Fursko, who serves as the rabbi in the village temple
2:15.9	synagogue in Manhattan.
2:18.0	The first conversation, I interviewed her.
2:21.4	And this conversation, she invited me to speak to people from her community.
2:25.7	And she interviewed me.
	...

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