This is a rather different and special episode of Jonny Gould’s Jewish State. It's year 2 of our “Schools Podcaster of the Year” award, presented this year by Dangoor Education. 

It stars our winner, 11-year-old David Green from Year 6 at North West London Jewish Day School, who won the chance to make this episode with me. 

David has the open mind of a young man blessed with great intelligence and the capacity for profound uncluttered insights. 

And he secured time for us with Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, a man of great learning. His latest book is "Questioning Belief: Torah and Tradition in an Age of Doubt”, reconciling Judaism with modernity, addressing profound questions that intersect faith, science, and contemporary life.

He’s Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and holds the Rabbi Sacks Chair of Modern Jewish Thought, named in honour of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of blessed memory, our late Chief Rabbi’s' legacy in contemporary Jewish philosophy and education.

With the Dangoor Education “Schools Podcaster of the Year”, I'm encouraging the next generation to think seriously about journalism and storytelling - not just to take in the TikTokers and YouTubers.

And the word is spreading, a second school is joining the title chase.

So if you’d like yours to have a separate competition, have a word with your head and put them in touch with me.

Here is Rabbi Zarum with competition winner, David Green.

The podcast series is supported by UK Toremet, promoting philanthropy

Help Jonny to continue making these podcasts: buy him a coffee here.

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