Jan 15 2025 33 mins
Your brain is the most precious and unique part of your body. It is more than just a memory drive or a ball of grey matter. It essentially contains the essence of your soul. When scientists fully understood this truth, Jews had already figured this out thousands of years earlier. If you look at the laws and life guiding principles around Jewish communities, you'll see that it's geared to be a system of timeless mental health choices that can help make life better.
Rabbi Daniel Sher comes from a unique background that bridges the gap between psychology and Judaism. Many of his teachings in his shull are designed to offer sustainable mental health solutions that are Torah-approved and kosher habits. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, eagerly takes on this unique subject matter to understand how the elevated literature that is Torah elevates us!
00:00 Introduction
03:54 Family, faith, kidney transplant
07:16 Torah as lifelong, psychologically relevant learning
10:22 Is Torah relevant, or are we?
13:35 Fortune teller stereotype
18:50 Joy coexists with brokenness
22:38 Human wholeness
24:53 Psychology, community, creativity, learning, sharing
29:17 Blending faith and wonder.
30:27 Find community
About Rabbi Daniel Sher:
Rabbi Daniel Sher is the newest member of our clergy team. He first joined us at KI as an intern, continued as Youth and Family Rabbinic Fellow, and now serves as our Associate Rabbi. He works to create vibrant and meaningful Jewish moments like his PJ Library Havdalah in the Park, Multigenerational Alternative High Holy Day Service, and soulful “Shabbat on the Rocks” Kabbalat Service for our Kehillat 20/30 community. He is a proud 18Doors Rukin Rabbinic Fellow, serving as a resource for interfaith families across all of Los Angeles. His enthusiasm for our tradition is matched only by his ability to translate it for our time.
Rabbi Sher grew up in Palos Verdes and now lives here in the Pacific Palisades with his wife Jen, their children Levi and Sami, and their two dogs Herzl and Golda. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelors of Science in Psychology and a bachelors of arts in Religious Studies and was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion here in Los Angeles.
Rabbi Sher loves taste-testing tacos, taking early morning bike rides, and getting coffee around town.
Connect with Rabbi Daniel Sher:
IG @rabbidanielsher
Ig @kehillatisrael
TikTok @rabbidanielsher
www.ourki.org
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE:
JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES!
Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship
Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod