In this special Yom Kippur episode, Justin is joined Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, Chief Rabbi of Gush Etzion, President of the World Mizrachi Movement, and one of the most transformative rabbinic visionaries of our time to discuss the value and impact of Torah, his approach to social change for Israel’s most vulnerable communities, his role in supporting IDF soldiers, and his faith-based approach to navigating tragedies like October 7. Learn more: https://www.sulamot.org/en/ https://www.sulamot.org/en/kuma/ https://www.laofek.org/en/laofek/  

In this special Rosh HaShanah episode, former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz joins Justin to discuss her bold new book "As a Jew." Together they explore how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity—and how we can break free of its grip to uncover the divine light within, reclaiming the fullness of what it means to live as a Jew today.

What does it mean to interpret Torah in today’s world? On the occasion of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’ fifth yahrzeit, Justin sits down with Dr. Erica Brown to explore the legacy of Rabbi Sacks and the launch of the Magerman Edition Koren Shalem Humash, featuring his new Torah translation and commentary. Dr. Brown — scholar, author, and Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University — studied under Rabbi Sacks and leads the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership.  Together, they discuss: Rabbi Sacks’ unique voice as an interpreter of Torah The vision behind this new Humash The enduring lessons of Rabbi Sacks for Jewish life and thought today The role of commentary and interpretation today

Justin is joined by Elana Stein Hain, Rosh Beit Midrash and Senior Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, in anticipation of the JBS premiere of TEXTing, her popular series that addresses issues of our day through the lens of classical Jewish texts.

Ilana Kurshan, award-winning author of the memoir "If All the Seas Were Ink," joins Justin to discuss her next book, "Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together," which explores her experience of reading Jewish and secular books with her children, and the cumulative impact on her and her family. You can learn more at ilanakurshan.com

What are the different models of Jewish leadership? How do leaders activate other leaders in their community while still leading their community? Rabbi Elie Weinstock joins Justin to discuss his style of leadership through generosity of spirit. Rabbi Elie Weinstock is Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach on Long Island, serves as a Nassau County Police Department Chaplain and is Immediate Past President of the New York Board of Rabbis.

Why is Tu B’Av—just six days after Tisha B’Av—one of the happiest days in the Jewish calendar? What do white dresses, vineyard dances, and ancient tribal unity have to teach us today? Gila Fine, award-winning author of The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic, returns to to Jewish Insights with Justin Pines to explore the mysterious holiday of Tu B’Av. With her signature depth, clarity, and soul, Gila unpacks the surprising origins of Tu B’Av in the Torah, its connection to romantic and spiritual love, and its powerful message for our understanding of love today. You can learn more about Gila Fine at https://gilafine.com/   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Why do we still mourn the destruction of the Temple thousands of years later? What does Tisha B’Av mean for Jews today—and how can this day of national sorrow inspire healing and hope? In this special Tisha B’Av episode of Jewish Insights, Justin Pines is joined by historian and teacher Rabbi Dr. J.J. Schacter for a powerful conversation about Jewish suffering, memory, and resilience. From the destruction of the Temples to the Holocaust to October 7th, Rabbi Schacter helps us understand why remembering is essential—and how even in our darkest moments, there is a spark of redemption. You can watch Rabbi Schacter’s full Tisha B’Av teachings at https://www.yutorah.org/tishabav You can learn more about Operation Benjamin at https://www.operationbenjamin.org/   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

After the Second Temple’s destruction, how did the Jewish people not only survive—but shape world history? In Part II of this epic journey through Jewish history, Rabbi Ken Spiro joins Justin to explore 2,000 years of exile, persecution, and perseverance—from Rome to the Enlightenment, from Inquisition to Zionism. A gripping look at how Jewish continuity defied the odds—and set the stage for a modern miracle, and a future unfolding. Rabbi Ken Spiro is Senior Lecturer and Researcher for Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, a licensed tour guide in Israel, and the author of several books, including Crash Course in Jewish History: From Abraham to Modern Israel. You can learn more at https://kenspiro.com/   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

How did a small tribal people become a spiritual superpower? In Part I of this epic journey through Jewish history, historian Rabbi Ken Spiro joins Justin to trace the rise of the Jewish people—from Abraham to the unification under King David to the glory of the First and Second Temples, and finally to the tightening grip of Roman rule. Discover how ancient Jewish identity was forged and what forces were already threatening it from within. Rabbi Ken Spiro is, Senior Lecturer and Researcher for Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, a licensed tour guide in Israel, and the author of several books, including Crash Course in Jewish History: From Abraham to Modern Israel. You can learn more at https://kenspiro.com/   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

What do iconic Jewish women from across the centuries teach us about leadership, faith, and inner strength? Justin sits with Dr. Aliza Lavie—author, scholar, and former Member of Knesset—to explore her groundbreaking new book Iconic Jewish Women, a collection of 59 remarkable stories of Jewish heroines, from Bruriah and Sarah Schenirer to Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Doña Gracia Nasi, as well as her book. We also dive into Dr. Lavie’s work on tehinot — traditional women’s prayers — and what they reveal about the soul of Jewish spiritual life. And we hear firsthand what it was like to bring Torah values into the halls of the Israeli parliament. If you're curious about the spiritual legacy of Jewish women, the evolution of prayer, and how values translate into action, this conversation will move and inspire you.   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

What role have Jews played in shaping America’s constitutional conversation? And how do core American values—like free speech, religious liberty, and anti-discrimination—intersect with Jewish values? In this special July 4th episode of Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, legal scholar Professor Michael (Avi) Helfand joins us for a powerful exploration of how Jews contribute to—and are shaped by—the American legal system. Avi is the Brenden Mann Foundation Chair in Law and Religion at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, a visiting professor at Yale Law School, and a leading voice on religious liberty, church-state separation, the balance between anti discrimination laws and free speech, and the Jewish role in public legal discourse. A timely and thought-provoking conversation for Independence Day—and for anyone who cares about faith, law, and the future of American democracy.   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander is President and Rosh HaYeshiva of the Ohr Torah Stone network of 32 educational institutions, leadership development initiatives, outreach endeavors, women’s empowerment programs, and social action projects, with thousands of alumni who have served in the IDF.

Internationally renowned Torah scholar and thought leader Dr. Elana Stein Hain, of the Shalom Hartman Institute, joins Justin to discuss her experience of living in Israel during the current war between Israel and Iran, sharing her reflections and offering ways to connect to what’s happening on the ground.    *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Rabbi Herzl Hefter joins Jewish Insights with Justin Pines to explore the profound and often provocative teachings of the Ishbitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner. Drawing from the Ishbitzer’s seminal work Mei HaShiloach, Rabbi Hefter unpacks ideas about Divine Providence, free will, inner truth, and spiritual authenticity that continue to challenge and inspire today. Rabbi Herzel Hefter is the founder and dean of Beit Midrash Har’el, in Memory of Belda Kaufman Lindenbaum, in Jerusalem.   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

In this powerful and timely conversation, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) joins Justin to discuss his role as the representative for Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli hostage who recently returned home. Gottheimer shares what it means to be a Jewish member of Congress at a time of rising antisemitism, how he’s working across the aisle in today’s polarized climate, and how Jewish values shape Gottheimer’s service. A moving, deeply personal, and nationally important conversation you won’t want to miss.   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, founding rabbi of Congregation Aish Kodesh, shares his passionate vision of a Judaism that speaks to the soul, exploring powerful insights from Chassidut, on connecting with God, living with purpose, navigating the challenges facing the Jewish people, and insights for Shavuot.

Rebbetzin Rochie Pinson, challah master and author of the international bestseller Rising: The Book of Challah, joins Justin to discuss the hidden power of the mitzvot traditionally unique to woman, including baking challah, lighting Shabbat candles and the mikvah, and how they each can serve as catalysts for an an elevated and meaningful life. To follow Rochie’s challah journey, or to contact Rochie for your next event, whether corporate, charity or personal, find her on www.therisinglife.net or on instagram @rochiepinson   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, founding rabbi of the Zion community in Jerusalem and co-founder and head of the Israeli Rabbinic Seminary at the Hartman Institute, joins Justin to continue our exploration of Pnimiyut HaTorah—the hidden wisdom of Torah, the inner dimension of Jewish spirituality that speaks to the soul and calls us to transformation, with a focus on Zion and Jerusalem, as we also prepare to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, an Israeli national holiday that commemorates the reunification of East Jerusalem (including the Old City) with West Jerusalem following Israel’s miraculous victory of self-defense in the Six-Day War of 1967.   *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!

Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld, Founder and President of Meor and a co-founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Yaakov and Machon Shlomo in Har Nof in Israel, joins Justin to discuss his unique approach to educating young adults on college campuses, the transformative power of the hidden wisdom of Torah, and how that wisdom can inspire and elevate us all. You can find out more at Meor.org Presented in partnership with Share.Fund ( https://share.fund ) — enriching modern lives through ancient Jewish wisdom. Subscribe for more soulful Jewish content as we journey toward Shavuot. *** JBS is a non-profit, Jewish educational television and multimedia channel made possible by VIEWERS LIKE YOU! *** Discover more JBS @ https://jbstv.org Please help us sustain our programming by visiting: https://jbstv.org/jbs-donation-form Find JBS on your TV Provider, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku by visiting: https://jbstv.org/find-us Watch Live on our website: https://jbstv.org/watch-live Download the JBS App or listen on the go wherever you get your Podcasts!