You are listening to an art media podcast.

John actually said to me a few days ago, he said,

when we all came together at Mount Sinai, after coming through an arduous, difficult, traumatic experience of slavery. Very different people.

And yet we all stood together and said, I don't really like him. I don't like his opinion on

this. I don't like what she's wearing. Too bad. We have a holy purpose here. We have a chance.

Let's grab it, people. Grab it with the mission of being something better. And that is what this holiday is about. It's 3.30 p.m. on Sunday, May 25th in New York City.

It's 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, May 25th in Israel.

As Israelis wind down their day and their evening.

Today is also 597 days since Hamas launched its war against

Israel. That's 597 days that there are still 58 hostages being held in Gaza. This war,

this coming week, will officially become Israel's longest war, surpassing the 598 days of Israel's

War of Independence. Before we get to today's conversation, one housekeeping note on Tuesday, June

4th in a couple weeks, I will be doing a live podcast at the Manhattan JCC with Brett McGurk,

who is the top White House official for the Middle East and the

Israel-Hamas war in the Biden administration. I also served with Brett in the George W. Bush

administration, and Brett has served in the Obama administration and the first Trump administration.

To register for the event, please go to the link in the show notes. I think it promises to be

an illuminating conversation.

Now onto today's conversation. In one week, Jews in Israel and around the world will be

celebrating the holiday of Chavuot, the literal translation of which Chavuot to English is weeks.

But not all Jews will be celebrating. In fact, I would submit that most non-Orthodox Jews in the diaspora don't even know much about the holiday.

One can understand why.

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