In the first episode of Thoughts & Prayers, host Jessica Fisher explores one of the oldest and most unsettling questions in Jewish life: Does prayer work? Through deeply personal reflection and conversation with Sara Labaton, Josh Warshawsky, and Akiva Mattenson, the episode traces how ancient mystics, modern rationalists, and everyday seekers wrestle with the meaning and purpose of prayer — whether it changes the world, transforms us, or simply helps us keep knocking on a locked gate. Thoughtful, searching, and grounded in lived experience, this opening chapter invites listeners to reconsider what it really means to pray. Episode Companion Guide JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS 

Uncover the complexity, beauty, and struggle at the heart of Jewish prayer in Thoughts & Prayers, a new limited podcast series from the Shalom Hartman Institute. The series invites listeners into a deep exploration of the relationship between religion and modernity through the lens of Jewish prayer. In each episode, host Jessica Fisher weaves together personal stories, classical texts, and conversations with leading rabbis, scholars, and educators to inspire new connections to Jewish prayer in a changing world.