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18Forty Podcast

Josh Foer: How Can You Make a Digital Library for All? [Books II 1/4]

18Forty Podcast

18Forty

Religion & Spirituality, Judaism

4.6638 Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2023

⏱️ 99 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This series is sponsored by an anonymous lover of books.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Joshua Foer, co-founder of Sefaria, about the revolutionary digital Jewish library of which he was the visionary.

Prior to Sefaria, the possibility of finding the Talmud and other central Jewish texts in translation online felt entirely out of reach. Now, we take for granted that any Jew in the world can access the fullness of the tradition.

In this episode we discuss:

  • How did Foer come up with the idea for a comprehensive website of Jewish texts?
  • What was Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s role in Sefaria putting his translation of the Talmud online?
  • How does digitization change our relationship to Jewish books?
  • What does having a “gender-sensitive” Tanakh actually mean?
Tune in to hear a conversation about how to make the depth and breadth of Torah available to the entire Jewish community.

Interview begins at 30:30.

Joshua Foer is an author and founder. His book Moonwalking with Einstein was an international bestseller, and he is the co-founder of Atlas Obscura, Sefaria, the design competition Sukkah City, and most recently the Lehrhaus in Boston, Massachusetts. Josh joins us to talk about books real and virtual, and how to build a digital library.

References:

Book Journey with Elli Fischer

Sefaria

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer

Talmud: The William Davidson Edition

Is Sefaria Kosher?” by Gil Student

THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition

Berakhot 22a

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hi friends, a few months ago we advertised the birth of a new community in Israel.

0:05.4

Eden Bait Shemesh, a community tailored made for all those of us in need of a five-year plan,

0:12.7

and let's face it, we are living in a time when every single one of us should be drafting the five-year plan for our futures in Israel.

0:20.5

Our own listeners from within the 1840 community have purchased in Eden, an opportunity which

0:26.4

they will longingly watch unfold into a reality, a shul, and a community.

0:32.1

I am so proud that the leaders behind Aden are none other than Rabbi Benny and Khani Krohn. I know them personally because they are the rabbi and Rebitten of my own personal community.

0:43.6

And they are the ones leading this new development community. And I know for my own life that their stewardship, their leadership, is you know this is going to be a welcoming, joyous, incredible

0:55.7

community where everyone is going to be able to feel comfortable and build a home.

1:00.2

On June 29th, Eden will be hosting a webinar to speak in detail about the vision for this project.

1:07.7

In order to register, please click the link below or email info at

1:12.7

Edenbateshemesh.com to find out more. Once again, that's info at Edenbateshemesh.com

1:20.2

to find out more. The Korantanach of the land of Israel offers a groundbreaking way to experience the Hebrew Bible,

1:31.2

spearheaded by editor-in-chief David Arnowitz and featuring a fresh English translation by Rabbi

1:38.5

Lord Jonathan Sacks, Zatzal.

1:40.8

This edition brings the biblical world to life by blending the sacred text with cutting-edge

1:47.2

insights from archaeology, history, and ancient near-eastern studies. Unlike traditional editions,

1:54.1

this Tanakh places the events, laws, and prophecies of the Bible into the rich, historical,

2:00.3

cultural, and geographic context in which they

2:03.3

occurred, offering a deeper, more accurate understanding of the text. Readers explore the world of

2:10.1

the Tanakh as it truly was, from architecture and politics to poetry and language, making ancient

2:16.6

stories vivid, relevant, and alive.

2:19.9

Five volumes are currently available.

...

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