David Bashevkin

When Leaders Fail

Say it ain’t so, Rabbi Joe. Religious disappointment can feel like the rug of your religious identity has been pulled from underneath you. Explore why some religious leaders fail and explore how we can respond with resilience.... Read more

What to Wear to Sin

Is sin unavoidable? This lecture considers the possibility of inevitable sin and how Jewish individual’s and public policy should react.... Read more

The Torment of Time

You’re late. Sometimes, life can make you feel like you’re alway delayed. Discover the unique pain of time and how it can be transcended.... Read more

The Rabbi’s Children

Growing up in the spotlight is never easy. Since biblical times, the children of rabbis and leaders have struggled. Explore the pitfalls children experience in a rabbinic home and learn how to create a home of optimistic ideals.... Read more

R-Rated European Responsa

Nostalgia is the funhouse mirror of our past. We tend to look at previous generations as angelic. In many ways they were. Here will explore the incendiary stories and incidents of our Jewish past.... Read more

Failure

Failure can be a cruel teacher, but what is it trying to teach us? ... Read more

Alternative History

What if? What if we chose a different career, what if we chose a different spouse, what if the Portland Trailblazers selected Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft? Explore the signficance of the question we often whisper but always ask: What if our collective and personal history was different.... Read more