Episode 14: “Hiding in Plain Sight”
On the one hand, the Sages built the synagogue in the city so that it would not face Jerusalem to make it clear to the Romans that they had no national aspirations. But on the other hand, they planted secret clues to highlight Jerusalem.
Episode 13: “Survival Over Symbolism”
What is better: to fight to the death to be a free people in our country – or to surrender to a foreign conqueror in order to preserve the Torah and the spirit of Judaism?
Episode 12: “Unity or Destruction?”
As divisiveness in Israel elevates to alarming levels, what can we learn about harmony from the ancient inscription on an archaeological remnant in the Golan Heights city of Katzrin?
Episode 11: “Enduring Symbols of Faith”
After Elijah the Prophet himself came to complete a minyan for nine worshipers on Yom Kippur, they named the synagogue after him and await with great anticipation for his return.
A true story? Or a nice Jewish fable?
Episode 10: “Balancing Security with Morality”
What is more correct – to sacrifice morality for the sake of security, or to preserve our values at all cost?
This is the dilemma that was faced by King Chezkiyahu of Judah after Assyria destroyed the Kingdom of Israel. Chezkiyahu made a choice – and received harsh criticism for it from the prophet Isaiah.
Episode 9: “Late for an Important Date”
Why did the Temple contain more entrances than exits on its Southern Wall?
What contemporary message can we extrapolate for our synagogues from this engineering decision of the rabbis and the prophets?
Episode 8: “The Aguna’s Cry Emerges From the Stones”
Have you ever heard of the “Aguna’s Beit Midrash” in Jerusalem?
In recognition of International Aguna Day, which falls on Taanit Esther, watch this amazing story about hope and tragedy, building and destruction, and the decision to create something positive in the face of sadness.
Episode 7: “Which Comes First, Goodness or God?”
How does one building symbolize the essence of Judaism?
The “Zoharei Chama” building in Jerusalem’s Nachlaot area was established about a hundred years ago to serve as a center of goodness: new immigrants were invited to eat and sleep there for free, until they managed to get on their feet.
Episode 6: “Poisonous Pens and Slanderous Tongues”
What can we learn from the corrupt priestly families of the Second Temple period about our own modern era – when people hide behind the anonymity of their screens and their hands are light on the keyboards?
Episode 5: “A Pillar of Triumph? Or a Warning for the Future?”
You know of the Arch of Titus in Rome, but did you know that the Romans also erected a triumphal stone pillar in Jerusalem in praise of the Roman general’s victory in the Jewish war and destruction of the Temple? To rebuild the Temple, should we remove this pillar of glory? Or must we remove something else, from within ourselves?
Episode 4: “In Search of Meaningful Prayer”
“The stones remember the prayers and the tears” explained the shul gabbai as he refused to allow the floor of his synagogue to be dismantled and used in a grand mosaic floor installation at Hadassah Hospital.
Episode 3: “Elevating the Mundane”
How did Napoleon’s royal coat get from the snowy plains of Russia to the “Beit Israel” synagogue in Yemin Moshe, Jerusalem – the first shul to be built outside the Old City walls?
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