The Pluralist Podcast - with Orly Erez-Likhovski and Rabbi Josh Weinberg

What does it mean to be a Jewish pluralist in Israel—and why does it matter right now?In the launch episode of The Pluralist Podcast: From Both Sides of the Ocean, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), and Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Executive Director of ARZA and URJ Vice President for Israel & Reform Zionism, sit down in New York for an honest, thoughtful conversation about Israel, Jewish identity, and the future of pluralism.Together, they ask a deceptively simple question:What does Jewish pluralism look like in Israel today—and why is it so contested?Support IRAC’s work in Israel:👉 https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcastSign up for Orly’s weekly updates:👉 https://www.irac.org/sign-upSign up for Josh’s weekly updates:👉 https://cloud.email.rj.org/blankSubCenter?formid=701UG00000Is8uHYARIn this conversation, Orly and Josh explore:Why there isn’t really a Hebrew word for pluralism—and what that reveals about Israeli societyThe current status of Reform Judaism in Israel and how it is perceived by Israeli JewsShared struggles around women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and confronting racism in Israel and North AmericaThe evolving relationship between Israel and the Diaspora at a critical moment for Israel’s democratic futureThey also reflect on their personal Zionist journeys:Orly’s story—from a secular Israeli upbringing to discovering Reform Judaism through a preschool in Mevasseret Zion, and finding her life’s work at IRAC defending democracy and challenging religious extremism through lawJosh’s story—from a Chicago youth movement kid to rabbi and Zionist leader, shaped by the Oslo years, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and years of living and teaching in IsraelThis episode sets the tone for the entire season of The Pluralist Podcast:honest, nuanced, deeply rooted in love for Israel, and committed to liberal Jewish values—on both sides of the ocean.

➡️ Subscribe to Pluralist Newsletter: Subscribe to the Pluralist — The Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC)➡️ Support IRAC’s work: https://apzprxtx.donorsupport.co/page/PluralistPodcastWhat happens when courts stop protecting us—and start protecting power?In this urgent episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski is joined by award-winning journalist and legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick to explore the fragile state of democracy in Israel and the United States. From the refusal to appoint justices in Israel to the partisan tilt of the U.S. Supreme Court, the two legal minds unpack what Princeton Professor Kim Lane Scheppele calls “autocratic legalism”—when leaders use the law itself to dismantle democracy from within.📌 Topics include:– The erosion of judicial independence in Israel and the U.S.– How Netanyahu and Trump use legal systems to consolidate power– Why the courts must be both respected and defended– The public’s role in protecting democracy– What IRAC is doing on the legal front lines in Israel🎧 The Pluralist Podcast is where Jewish values meet the struggle for a just, equal, and inclusive Israel.

What does it mean to be queer, religious, and Israeli in 2025? In this powerful Pride Month episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski speaks with Rabbi Efrat Rotem—an LGBTQ+ activist, liturgist, and the head of Maram, the Reform rabbinic council in Israel.Together, they explore:🌈 Rabbi Efrat’s journey from secular upbringing to queer Reform rabbi🕊 How the Reform Movement creates space for LGBTQ+ Jews in Israel📜 What it means to reinterpret Judaism with values of love and equality🔥 The growing backlash against LGBTQ+ rights—and why visibility matters more than ever💬 How queer rabbis are rewriting Jewish liturgy to reflect real, sacred livesThis is more than a Pride story. It’s a story about reclaiming faith, resisting erasure, and building a Judaism where everyone belongs.

Every Shavuot, we read the Book of Ruth—the ancient story of a woman who chose to join the Jewish people with the words: “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” But in today’s Israel, conversion is no simple act of faith. It’s a legal, political, and deeply personal challenge.In this special Shavuot episode of The Pluralist, Orly Erez-Likhovski, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, reflects on her own connection to Ruth’s story and the ongoing struggle for inclusive conversion in Israel. She’s joined by Rabbi Galia Sadan, head of the Reform Movement’s Beit Din for Conversion and rabbi at Congregation Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv.Together, they explore:Why the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly on conversion excludes so manyHow the Reform Movement provides a meaningful, welcoming path to JudaismWhat recent Supreme Court victories mean for converts—and what challenges remainThe real-life stories behind the headlines🎧 Tune in to hear how the spirit of Ruth is alive today—and why keeping the gates open matters more than ever.

In this episode of The Pluralist Podcast, IRAC Executive Director Orly Erez-Likhovski sits down with Anna Kislanski, CEO of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, for a candid and moving conversation about the state of liberal Judaism in Israel today.From Anna’s personal journey—from a secular Soviet upbringing to becoming a leading voice for Reform Judaism in Israel—to the challenges of rising extremism and attacks on religious freedom, this episode explores what it means to lead with hope in a time of fear. Together, Orly and Anna discuss the dramatic rise in public support for Reform Judaism, the trauma and resilience following October 7, and the role our movement is playing in defending democracy, building community, and offering spiritual refuge to a hurting nation.Whether you’re in Tel Aviv or Toronto, this conversation will leave you inspired by the courage of those fighting for a more just, equal, and inclusive Israel.Listen now—because there is more than one way to be Jewish.