The Vibe of the Tribe recently asked you, our listeners and members of the community, what questions you’ve always had about Judaism. Turns out, you had a lot of questions, like: Where do Jewish prayers come from? What really makes food kosher? What’s the difference between Jewish denominations? Why do many Jews cover their heads, and why such a sartorial variety of hats, scarves, snoods and wigs? What do acronyms like Z”L and B”H stand for? And, really, what’s up with the celebrity obsession with Kabbalah?
Extremely qualified guest expert Rabbi Vanessa Harper, an educator at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and the genius creator of https://www.instagram.com/lechlechallah, joins Miriam and Ashley on this episode to answer these questions, and more!
Please note: The Vibe of the Tribe podcast is going on hiatus. It’s been a true joy to share these episodes and learn along with you. Our wish is that this podcast, and knowledgeable experts like Rabbi Harper, will continue to inspire you to learn more about the incredible diversity and array of Jewish culture, heritage and history that connects us all as one people. To reach out to us, email podcast@jewishboston.com.
Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Miriam Anzovin and Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.
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The Vibe of the Tribe recently asked you, our listeners and members of the community, what questions you’ve always had about Judaism. Turns out, you had a lot of questions, like: Where do Jewish prayers come from? What really makes food kosher? What’s the difference between Jewish denominations? Why do many Jews cover their heads, and why such a sartorial variety of hats, scarves, snoods and wigs? What do acronyms like Z”L and B”H stand for? And, really, what’s up with the celebrity obsession with Kabbalah?
Extremely qualified guest expert Rabbi Vanessa Harper, an educator at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and the genius creator of https://www.instagram.com/lechlechallah, joins Miriam and Ashley on this episode to answer these questions, and more!
Please note: The Vibe of the Tribe podcast is going on hiatus. It’s been a true joy to share these episodes and learn along with you. Our wish is that this podcast, and knowledgeable experts like Rabbi Harper, will continue to inspire you to learn more about the incredible diversity and array of Jewish culture, heritage and history that connects us all as one people. To reach out to us, email podcast@jewishboston.com.
Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Miriam Anzovin and Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.
Strangers in Strange Lands: Sci-Fi & The Jewish Experience
The Vibe of the Tribe
44 minutes 9 seconds
4 years ago
Strangers in Strange Lands: Sci-Fi & The Jewish Experience
Spooky season is upon us, and that means it’s time for The Vibe of the Tribe’s annual Halloween episode with author and occult and sci-fi expert Peter Bebergal! This year, we’ve left our usual haunted graveyards and golem attics to explore the horror themes, Jewish parallels and otherworldly allure of science fiction for Jewish writers and creators.
Tune in to this discussion of how the sci-fi genre has been influenced by Jewish hopes and fears by writers and artists like Isaac Asimov and Jack Kirby. We examine the assimilationist Borg of “Star Trek,” the immigrant story of Superman (a true “stranger in a strange land”) and graphic novel Jewish representation in characters like Magneto and Wanda Maximoff (“WandaVision”).
If you are also captivated by the horror of alternative histories, or are intrigued about aliens in Jewish scripture and wonder how you can practice Judaism in space, this episode is for you!
In addition to being a four-time podcast guest (check out previous episodes below!), Bebergal is the author of “Strange Frequencies: The Extraordinary Story of the Technological Quest for the Supernatural,” “Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll” and “Too Much to Dream: A Psychedelic American Boyhood.” He’s also the editor of the anthology “Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons.”
This episode is dedicated to Ilan Ramon (z”l), the first Israeli astronaut and a Jewish pioneer who sought answers to questions we asked during this episode. The son of a Holocaust survivor, Ramon was killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
Further reading:
”6 Must-Read SFF Books by Jewish Authors From Around the World” by Carly Silver: https://www.tor.com/2020/10/14/6-must-read-sff-books-by-jewish-authors-from-around-the-world/
“Wandering Stars: An Anthology of Jewish Fantasy & Science Fiction” edited by Jack Dann: http://www.jewishlights.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JL&Product_Code=978-1-58023-005-6&Category_Code=
“Jews in Space: On the Unsung History of Jewish Writers and the Birth of Science Fiction” by Lavie Tidhar: https://lithub.com/jews-in-space-on-the-unsung-history-of-jewish-writers-and-the-birth-of-science-fiction/
To reach out to us, email podcast@jewishboston.com.
Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.
The Vibe of the Tribe
The Vibe of the Tribe recently asked you, our listeners and members of the community, what questions you’ve always had about Judaism. Turns out, you had a lot of questions, like: Where do Jewish prayers come from? What really makes food kosher? What’s the difference between Jewish denominations? Why do many Jews cover their heads, and why such a sartorial variety of hats, scarves, snoods and wigs? What do acronyms like Z”L and B”H stand for? And, really, what’s up with the celebrity obsession with Kabbalah?
Extremely qualified guest expert Rabbi Vanessa Harper, an educator at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and the genius creator of https://www.instagram.com/lechlechallah, joins Miriam and Ashley on this episode to answer these questions, and more!
Please note: The Vibe of the Tribe podcast is going on hiatus. It’s been a true joy to share these episodes and learn along with you. Our wish is that this podcast, and knowledgeable experts like Rabbi Harper, will continue to inspire you to learn more about the incredible diversity and array of Jewish culture, heritage and history that connects us all as one people. To reach out to us, email podcast@jewishboston.com.
Produced by Miriam Anzovin and edited by Miriam Anzovin and Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.
