Welcome to our fourth episode of State of the Movement, a podcast wherein we discuss ideology, education, history and politics within the National Religious Zionist Movement in Israel, and the hard questions facing the community at this moment.

 In this special and very current episode, we meet Lawrence, an educator and Rabbinical student, and an activist for the Protective Presence group, Bnei Avraham. Lawrence is currently in England after his Aliyah approval was revoked and placed under review, with no clear legal reason, and with no timeline for resolution.

During our conversation, Lawrence gives unique perspectives on Torah, the Mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel, and the question of who belongs in our Jewish State.  He also shares the various challenges he faces in trying to get home, as well as the holy work he believes has to be done, and why he cares so much about returning to Israel to pick up his life which as been put on hold: “The Torah Ben Gvir and Smotrich promote exists and is real… the only thing is, I would like my Torah to win over their Torah.”

Table of Contents:

(00:36) Lawrence's Journey to Israel and Ideological Foundations

(09:53) Changing Perspectives and Foundational Moments

(18:52) Getting Involved and Finding a Political Home

(28:14) Lawrence’s Zionism and its Meaning

(31:13) Torah and Yishuv HaAretz, according to Lawrence

(35:55) Lawrence’s Aliyah Story: Approvals Given and Revoked

(46:04) A Life on Hold; impacts of the delay

(51:39) Exceptions to the Right of Return

(58:48) Encountering the Palestinian Perspective

(1:04:09) The First Rashi in the Torah

(1:09:54) Lighting Round and Conclusions

Join us in composing an open letter to relevant authorities and joining activism in support of Lawrence, at the link here.

Feel free to send questions, guest suggestions, and feedback to our email: thestateofthemovement@gmail.com, and stay posted on new episodes and upcoming events by joining our silent Whatsapp Group.

Special thanks to The Blue Dot Sessions for the use of their track, Kid Kodi.

In this episode, our host, Noah Abramowitz, offers a few thoughts for the year which is beginning, on how to talk about current issues, difficulties in affecting change, and how we can level expectations of our community and of ourselves.

We will be recording a new episode soon with Lawrence Shenkin, an activist whose Aliyah process is currently frozen, seemingly due to his protective presence work. You can read more about Lawrence's story here and join us in composing an open letter to relevant authorities and joining activism in support of our friend, at the link here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrrxbTJnf-ClSrrY3w_766lCj94CjcHtUDk8UBoPO-xoB6qw/viewform

Feel free to send questions, guest suggestions, and feedback to our email: thestateofthemovement@gmail.com, and stay posted on new episodes and upcoming events by joining our silent Whatsapp Group.

Special thanks to The Blue Dot Sessions for the use of their track, Kid Kodi.

Our guest, Rav Yitzchak Blau is a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Orayta and also teaches at Midreshet Lindenbaum. He is an associate editor of Tradition and the author of Fresh Fruit and Vintage Wine: The Ethics and Wisdom of the Aggada.

In this episode, Rav Blau helps us discuss the similarities and differences we can see between diaspora Modern Orthodoxy and Israeli Religious Zionism. The discussion runs through questions of key theories, fundamental disagreements, and the possibility of Modern Orthodox philosophy and vision to positively impact the development of a modern religious community in Israel.

Feel free to send questions, guest suggestions, and feedback to our email: thestateofthemovement@gmail.com, and stay posted on new episodes and upcoming events by joining our silent Whatsapp Group.

Welcome to the second episode of State of the Movement, a podcast where we discuss ideology, education, history, and politics within the National Religious Zionist Movement, with a focus on the hard questions facing the community at this moment. 

This episode’s guest, Rav Avidan Freedman, is a rabbi, an educator, and the director of Yanshoof, an organization working to stop Israel’s weapons trade to human rights violators. 

Over the course of this episode, we explore Rav Avidan’s early introduction to Zionism and decision to reside in Efrat, his work in anti-arms sale activism, the hostage protests, reflections on a recent trip to the Bedouin community of Humsa, and much, much more.

(04:49) The Role of Shlichut in Religious Zionism

(09:59) Setting up Shop in Efrat

(22:22) Anti-Arms Sales Activism

(37:07) Volunteering with refugees from Darfur and Eritrea

(43:14) Activism on behalf of the hostages after October 7

(55:50) The Political Climate in Israel 

(01:17:57) Trip to Humsa

(01:25:54) The First Rashi in the Torah as Moral Message

Feel free to send questions, guest suggestions, and feedback to our email: thestateofthemovement@gmail.com , and stay posted on new episodes and upcoming events by joining our silent Whatsapp Group.

Welcome to the first episode of State of the Movement, a podcast wherein we will discuss ideology, education, history and politics within the National Religious Zionist Movement in Israel, and the hard questions facing it in this current moment.

Our first guest, Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash, is a Yoetzet Halakha and teacher of halakhah and Talmud at Matan, MTVA, and Pardes. She is also the author of “Uncovered”, a recent work on Women’s roles, mitzvot, and sexuality.

Over the course of the episode, we explore Rabbanit Nechama’s decisions which led her to Israel and to build her home in Gush Etzion. We also investigate how personal experiences, and a remark from a student, made her look deeper into realities experienced by Palestinians, and what she’s been doing to bring awareness and dialogue to her spaces. Rabbanit Nechama engages in interfaith dialogue and, along with dozens of other Religious Zionist leaders, recently signed a letter condemning violence against Palestinians committed by radical youth, a topic upon which we touch in this recording.   

Feel free to send questions, guest suggestions, and feedback to our email: thestateofthemovement@gmail.com, and stay posted on new episodes and events by joining our silent WhatsApp group.