RedCircle VERIFY_TOKEN_23ec24ba-91b9-4f70-900b-29bb770d5171 -- Rendered At Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:11:32 +0000 Parsha-ly Crazy https://redcircle.com/shows/parsha-ly-crazy en-US All rights reserved. Matthew Ponak, Joel Goldstein & Rebecca Croog Three friends. One Torah portion. A conversation that rarely goes according to plan. Parsha-ly Crazy brings Rabbi Joel Goldstein, Dr. Rebecca Croog, and Rabbi Matthew Ponak together for lively conversations about the weekly Torah portion. Drawing on Jewish tradition, scholarship, mysticism, lived experience, and three very different perspectives, they follow the Torah wherever it takes them. Expect ancient texts, big questions, disagreement, unexpected connections, terrible puns, occasional irreverence, and plenty of laughter. The conversation is intellectual without being stuffy, spiritual without taking itself too seriously, and accessible whether you’ve been studying Torah for decades or are just curious about what all the fuss is about. *Rabbi Joel Goldstein* is a rabbi, teacher, and scholar with a particular love of Talmud, halakhah, and the classical Jewish tradition. *Dr. Rebecca Croog* brings a thoughtful, dynamic perspective grounded in Jewish communal life, social responsibility, and the questions that arise when ancient texts meet the real world. *Rabbi Matthew Ponak* is a teacher of Jewish mysticism, spiritual counselor, and author of Embodied Kabbalah , with a particular interest in Kabbalah, Hasidism, and the historical development of Jewish tradition. 23ec24ba-91b9-4f70-900b-29bb770d5171 Three friends. One Torah portion. A conversation that rarely goes according to plan.

Parsha-ly Crazy brings Rabbi Joel Goldstein, Dr. Rebecca Croog, and Rabbi Matthew Ponak together for lively conversations about the weekly Torah portion. Drawing on Jewish tradition, scholarship, mysticism, lived experience, and three very different perspectives, they follow the Torah wherever it takes them.

Expect ancient texts, big questions, disagreement, unexpected connections, terrible puns, occasional irreverence, and plenty of laughter. The conversation is intellectual without being stuffy, spiritual without taking itself too seriously, and accessible whether you’ve been studying Torah for decades or are just curious about what all the fuss is about.

Rabbi Joel Goldstein is a rabbi, teacher, and scholar with a particular love of Talmud, halakhah, and the classical Jewish tradition.

Dr. Rebecca Croog brings a thoughtful, dynamic perspective grounded in Jewish communal life, social responsibility, and the questions that arise when ancient texts meet the real world.

Rabbi Matthew Ponak is a teacher of Jewish mysticism, spiritual counselor, and author of Embodied Kabbalah, with a particular interest in Kabbalah, Hasidism, and the historical development of Jewish tradition.

]]> episodic no Matthew Ponak, Joel Goldstein & Rebecca Croog parshallycrazy@gmail.com false full Noaḥ: One Flood | Noah Noaḥ: One Flood | Noah Matthew Ponak, Joel Goldstein & Rebecca Croog Was Noah a righteous hero, or the original spiritual bypasser? And what kind of God destroys the world in a flood?

This week, Joel Goldstein, Rebecca Croog, and Matthew Ponak dive into Parashat Noaḥ (Genesis), exploring Noah's complicated legacy, the ethics of divine destruction, and what ancient stories reveal about our evolving relationship with God.

Along the way: Hasidic mysticism, biblical criticism, Noah's loneliness, the Tower of Babel, the Borg from Star Trek, and some surprisingly serious questions about technology, individuality, and eating meat.

Is Noah a model of righteousness or a cautionary tale? And can one flood story hold three very different understandings of Torah?

Follow Parsha-ly Crazy so you don't miss the next episode.

]]> <p><strong>Was Noah a righteous hero, or the original spiritual bypasser? And what kind of God destroys the world in a flood?</strong></p><p>This week, Joel Goldstein, Rebecca Croog, and Matthew Ponak dive into Parashat Noaḥ (Genesis), exploring Noah&#39;s complicated legacy, the ethics of divine destruction, and what ancient stories reveal about our evolving relationship with God.</p><p>Along the way: Hasidic mysticism, biblical criticism, Noah&#39;s loneliness, the Tower of Babel, the Borg from Star Trek, and some surprisingly serious questions about technology, individuality, and eating meat.</p><p>Is Noah a model of righteousness or a cautionary tale? And can one flood story hold three very different understandings of Torah?</p><p>Follow <em>Parsha-ly Crazy</em> so you don&#39;t miss the next episode.</p> 5b6ab9b3-5eb1-4b60-951f-3562b171723a https://redcircle.com/shows/23ec24ba-91b9-4f70-900b-29bb770d5171/episodes/c028c1f1-716d-45f8-98f6-19bc71fd851c Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:33 +0000 2978 false full Bereishit: One Blood | Genesis Bereishit: One Blood | Genesis Matthew Ponak, Joel Goldstein & Rebecca Croog What does Genesis say about what it means to be human, and are we supposed to learn how to live from the creation story?

This week, Rabbi Joel Goldstein, Dr. Rebecca Croog, and Rabbi Matthew Ponak dive into Parashat Bereishit (Genesis), exploring creation and chaos, the sweetness and bitterness of Torah study, mystical meanings in Hebrew letters, and what the story of creation might say about being human.

Along the way: the Zohar, the Talmud, Rashi, some questionable podcast slogans, and three very different ways of reading the beginning of the beginning.

Follow Parsha-ly Crazy so you don't miss the next episode.

]]> <p><strong>What does Genesis say about what it means to be human, and are we supposed to learn how to live from the creation story?</strong></p><p><span>This week, Rabbi Joel Goldstein, Dr. Rebecca Croog, and Rabbi Matthew Ponak dive into Parashat Bereishit (Genesis), exploring creation and chaos, the sweetness and bitterness of Torah study, mystical meanings in Hebrew letters, and what the story of creation might say about being human.</span></p><p><span>Along the way: the Zohar, the Talmud, Rashi, some questionable podcast slogans, and three very different ways of reading the beginning of the beginning.</span></p><p><span>Follow </span><em>Parsha-ly Crazy</em><span> so you don&#39;t miss the next episode.</span></p> bad5744b-587e-4c57-b7f9-69fbad90ac10 https://redcircle.com/shows/23ec24ba-91b9-4f70-900b-29bb770d5171/episodes/86c4a5bd-2376-487c-a3ec-6ebf4e526d7a Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 2932 false