Behind the Bima

Rabbi Yossi Bensoussan goes Behind the Bima for a deeply honest conversation about parenting, teenagers, shame, emotional safety, addiction, and why so many kids today feel overwhelmed. Drawing from years of crisis intervention and working with struggling families, Rabbi Bensoussan explores what children are really asking when they push people away, and what parents often miss beneath the surface.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Rebecca Lieberman goes Behind the Bima to reflect on the life, faith, and legacy of her father, Senator Joe Lieberman. From Shabbat and public service to rising antisemitism, political polarization, and bipartisan leadership, this conversation explores what made Joe Lieberman such a singular figure in American politics, and whether someone like him could still exist today.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

Rabbi Josh Broide returns to Behind the Bima for the first time since making Aliyah, to share what life in Israel actually feels like, how it differs from perception, and what only becomes clear once you’re living it.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

Mentalist Shlomo Levinger goes Behind the Bima to reveal what mentalism really is, how performance matters more than secrets, and what it means to build a career in a field built on illusion while staying true to Torah values.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

On this episode of Behind the Bima, Rav Nissan Kaplan, Rosh Yeshiva and master educator, shares why in today’s world, greatness in Torah isn’t enough without connection, consistency, and real relationships. In a deeply personal turn, he reflects on loss, emunah, and what it means to continue living and growing, even through profound pain.

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

On this episode of Behind the Bima, Ami Kozak joins the Rabbis to discuss satire, public discourse, and how humor can reveal what people are really saying about Jews and Israel.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2026

On this episode of Behind the Bima, Rav Gav, beloved educator and dynamic teacher at Aish, joins the Rabbis for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation on what students are really thinking, what parents often get wrong, and why connection matters more than ever. With his signature humor and honesty, he shares what decades in the classroom have taught him about faith, identity, attention, and raising resilient, grounded children in a complicated world.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

In this episode of Behind the Bima, the Rabbis sit down with educator and author Yael Leibowitz to explore a question that is becoming harder to ignore: what happens when the Jewish people around the world are living in fundamentally different realities? Drawing on both her personal experience making aliyah and her deep engagement with Tanach, Yael examines how Ezra-Nehemiah grapples with a partial return to Israel, and what that model might suggest for today.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2026

In this powerful bonus episode of Behind the Bima, Eli Sharabi reflects on survival, loss, and what it means to hold onto something deeper when everything is stripped away. As Pesach approaches, his story forces a deeper question: what does freedom really mean?

Transcribed - Published: 29 March 2026

In this episode of Behind the Bima, the Rabbis are joined by Mitchell Silk. Silk served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, shaping international economic policy — all while living openly as a Chassidic Jew. Fluent in Chinese and deeply experienced in Asian finance, he shares the unlikely path that took him from Torah life to the highest levels of global economic leadership.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2026

What actually makes a great rebbe — the kind students remember for the rest of their lives? Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Senter, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Aderes HaTorah in Jerusalem, joins the rabbis to explore the deeper role of a Jewish educator: shaping souls, not just teaching information. From the beis midrash to real-life relationships with students, he shares the philosophy behind truly transformative Torah education.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2026

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz sit down with Yehuda Lapian to explore the reality behind Israel’s religious and secular divides. Drawing from his own journey growing up across different Jewish worlds... and even trying to leave Judaism behind... Lapian reflects on identity, belonging, and why Israel’s social labels rarely capture the full story.

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2026

Rabbi Efrem Goldberg hosts a moving evening at Boca Raton Synagogue with former hostages Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen. In this deeply personal conversation, they share reflections on captivity, faith, survival, and the strength that sustained them in darkness.

Transcribed - Published: 2 March 2026

After his viral interview with Tucker Carlson, Ambassador Mike Huckabee joins Rabbi Goldberg to respond directly — and to explain why he believes silence in the face of distortion is not neutrality, but agreement. From antisemitism and media narratives to bipartisan support for Israel and evangelical conviction, this conversation explores what it means to defend truth calmly in a volatile moment.

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2026

Today’s generation is often told Judaism should feel inspiring, validating, and “geshmak.” But what happens when comfort becomes the goal? Rabbi Daniel Kalish goes Behind the Bima for a serious discussion about chinuch, emotional culture, discipline, and whether resilience is being strengthened... or softened... in the process.

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2026

How do you reach Jews who aren’t looking to be reached? In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg sits down with Rabbi Steven Burg to discuss the future of Jewish outreach, from social media and AI to rising antisemitism and generational shifts in identity. This is a candid conversation about leadership, responsibility, and what it really means to strengthen Jewish connection today.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

Raised Muslim in Kuwait and taught to hate Jews, Mark Halawa chose a radically different path. In this powerful episode of Behind the Bima, Mark shares the deeply human moments—kindness, curiosity, and one small gesture—that led him on a spiritual journey toward Judaism. A conversation about faith, identity, and the courage to follow truth wherever it leads.

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2026

In this bonus episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg explains why he invited Loay Alshareef, an Arab Muslim voice, to speak at the Boca Raton Synagogue. In a candid and often uncomfortable conversation, Loay speaks openly about antisemitism in the Arab and Muslim world, the narratives he grew up with, and the personal risks of challenging them publicly. This episode explores truth-telling, moral clarity, and why honest conversation sometimes matters more than comfort.

Transcribed - Published: 8 February 2026

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz are joined by Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter for a reflective conversation about dating, raising children, and navigating relationships with emotional awareness. Drawing from lived experience, she shares insights about paying attention to people over time, exercising restraint in sensitive moments, and understanding how judgment develops slowly through watching, listening, and not rushing to respond.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2026

How do you guide children and students without overcorrecting... or staying silent when guidance is needed? In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum shares hard-earned wisdom on education, parenting, and the responsibility that comes with being trusted to shape others.

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2026

Alex Clare rose to global fame through music, but success didn’t quiet the deeper questions he was carrying. In this episode of Behind the Bima, the Rabbis speak with Alex about faith, teshuvah, Torah learning, and what it means to choose meaning without abandoning your voice.

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2026

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg speaks with Rabbi Daniel Glatstein about discipline, responsibility, and the unseen demands of teaching Torah at scale. Drawing on years of experience and nearly 13,000 classes taught, Rabbi Glatstein explains why shortcuts don’t last, why boundaries matter, and why seriousness is not optional when real lives are shaped by learning.

Transcribed - Published: 13 January 2026

Eli Beer returns to Behind the Bima to share how United Hatzalah continues to save lives in Israel amid war, trauma, and exhaustion, and what it takes to lead with purpose during crisis. From emergency response to faith, fundraising, and unity, this conversation reveals the human heart behind one of Israel’s most extraordinary organizations.

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2026

Michele Weiss, Mayor-Elect of University Heights, Ohio, joins Rabbi Efrem Goldberg for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, Jewish identity, and public responsibility in challenging times. From running for office as a Jewish woman to confronting antisemitism at the local level, this episode explores why courage in leadership often begins closest to home.

Transcribed - Published: 1 January 2026

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, joins Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz for a candid conversation about confronting antisemitism and disinformation at the United Nations. From exposing the UN’s moral double standards to fighting propaganda after October 7, this episode goes behind the scenes of one of the most consequential battles facing the Jewish people today.

Transcribed - Published: 25 December 2025

Rabbi Efrem Goldberg speaks with Congressman Randy Fine about standing visibly Jewish in public life, including Fine’s historic decision to wear a kippah on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives amid rising antisemitism. The conversation explores Jewish pride, leadership under pressure, Israel after October 7, and the personal cost of moral clarity in today’s political climate.

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2025

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