Slider Archives - Jewish Sacred Aging

On this week’s encore episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Dr. Steven Spector discusses his new book, God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis. He focuses on trauma theory in Genesis, parenting styles in the Bible, and the psychological insights into biblical characters. This episode explores how ancient stories reflect human trauma and parenting dynamics, offering valuable lessons for modern life. About the book God and the First Families offers a novel exploration of God’s role as a parent in the book of Genesis. Compellingly, author Stephen Spector introduces Americans’ four main perceptions of God and their four most common styles of parenting as lenses through which we can reckon with God’s own methods of parenting in the first biblical book. God begins as an authoritarian parent who demands obedience and submission to authority, but shifts in striking ways. Next, God’s parenting seems entirely benevolent. Stunningly, God reverts to authoritarianism during the near sacrifice of Isaac―but then invents a new parenting style focused on guiding the characters’ moral and emotional growth. Many psychologists consider this the most successful childrearing method. Genesis reached that conclusion two and a half millennia ago! Throughout, Spector engages with familiar stories―sibling rivalries, family ruptures, traumas―from unexpected angles. He dramatizes how parental love in Genesis builds resilience against trauma, another idea validated by modern psychology. Surviving trauma, healing from parental favoritism, repairing broken relationships, earning forgiveness, possibly even reconciling after injury―Genesis offers wisdom on all. Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast Now Available on Roku Streaming Service You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging. You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK Listen to the Audio Podcast You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Podchaser Amazon Music About the Guest Stephen Spector Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities. The post ENCORE: Trauma and Parenting Insights from Genesis with Dr. Steven Spector – Seekers of Meaning 10/23/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rhona Cohen, a licensed speech language pathologist, discusses cognitive remediation therapy, its applications, and how it helps individuals with neurological conditions improve their daily functioning. She shares insights on therapy methods, working with different diagnoses, and the importance of practical, functional strategies. Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast Now Available on Roku Streaming Service You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging. You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK Listen to the Audio Podcast You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Podchaser Amazon Music About the Guest Rhona Cohen Rhona Cohen is a licensed speech and language pathologist, specializing in cognitive remediation, with more than 40 years of experience treating adults with cognitive impairments caused by trauma, disease or ADD/ ADHD. She worked at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia in their brain injury department for six years and has been in private practice for 35 years, since then. The treatment that she provides is individualized and is targeted towards improving daily functioning. Patients are taught specific strategies to address daily challenges. A spouse or significant other is encouraged to participate in this process to lend their valuable support and feedback. The length and duration of treatment varies — sessions are conducted over Zoom and are scheduled once a week, initially. The overall purpose of this intervention is to facilitate improved daily functioning, to increase a feeling of productivity and purpose and to develop meaningful daily activity patterns — to establish a “new normal”. The post Cognitive Remediation Therapy: Enhancing Daily Functioning, with Rhona Cohen — Seekers of Meaning 10/16/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast,Reva Judas shares her personal journey and the vital work of NechamaComfort.org, a global organization supporting families through prenatal and infant loss. This episode explores the emotional, cultural, and spiritual aspects of perinatal loss within the Jewish community and beyond. NechamaComfort supports families who have suffered from early miscarriage through infants up to age one. Its team provides support wherever it is needed — for parents, extended family, and friends experiencing pregnancy and early infant loss. NechamaComfort collaborate with medical and hospital staff, clergy, and funeral homes to ensure families have the resources and care they need. In addition, we train professionals and communities to better understand how to offer meaningful support. Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast Now Available on Roku Streaming Service You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging. You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: Seekers of Meaning TV Show – Reva Judas Listen to the Audio Podcast You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: Seekers of Meaning – Reva Judas Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Podchaser Amazon Music About the Guest Reva Judas Reva Judas is the founder and Executive Director of NechamaComfort, a global organization that supports families dealing with infant and pregnancy loss. She has counseled people around the world and has trained medical staff, clergy, lay leaders, and communities in best practices for supporting grieving families. Reva received her Chaplaincy Certification from Hackensack Medical center and is a Resolve Through Sharing (RTS) certified Infant Pregnancy Loss Facilitator. She holds a BS in Human and Child Development. The post Understanding Perinatal Loss: A Journey with NechamaComfort founder Reva Judas — Seekers of Meaning 10/9/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address explores the critical issue of domestic abuse within the Jewish community, focusing on the work of Project Sarah in southern New Jersey. Hilary Platt, Project SARAH co-manager at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey, shares insights on prevalence, community outreach, and resources available for victims of abuse, including elder abuse and support for men. Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) provides confidential, compassionate support for survivors of domestic abuse and their families, including counseling, case management, safety planning, and more. The program is committed to prevention, education, and raising awareness that abuse can affect anyone—regardless of their age, faith, gender, or economic background. Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast Now Available on Roku Streaming Service You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging. You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK Listen to the Audio Podcast You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Podchaser Amazon Music About the Guest Hilary Platt As Project SARAH coordinator, and now co-manager and case manager, Hilary has grown the program to what it is today. This growth could not have happened without the support and encouragement of JFCS leadership. Hilary was originally hired as a JFCS intake specialist with knowledge of domestic abuse and sexual assault.. Hilary has undertaken extensive training, including completing two courses of 40 hours of Domestic Violence Response Team Advocate training through the Camden County Women’s Center, 40 hours of Sexual Assaults Advocacy training through the Burlington County CONTACT, and earning a Polaris Certificate of Training in Human Trafficking. Hilary was an active Domestic Violence Response Team Member with the Camden County Women’s Center, meeting victims at police stations and hospitals for eight years. Utilizing her education in psychology and experience as a substitute teacher, the Project SARAH program has grown in the community by educating over 2000 students a year, assisting hundreds of clients with case management and support groups. Hilary is also passionate about training lay leaders and professionals in the community, including but not limited to hospital social workers and local sisterhoods. Her dedication to supporting survivors of abuse is reflected in her tenure, having started her role on October 11, 2011. Hilary can’t imagine a life without helping others and hopes to stay on with her JFCS family for a long time to come! Hilary has been married to Harry for 32 years and is a proud mother of her daughter Jaclyn Isadore (husband Dylan Isadore) and her son Jacob Platt, as well as being a kvelling Mimi of grandson Samuel Asher Isadore. Hilary is grateful for her family’s unwavering support in her endeavor to advocate for the vulnerable population of domestic abuse. Hilary is appreciative of her colleagues in her Project SARAH team as well as all of her supportive colleagues at JFCS. The post Project SARAH: Support for Domestic Abuse Survivors – Seekers of Meaning 10/2/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address interviews Judith Edelman-Green about her book The Well of Compassion: Reflections on the Art of Spiritual Care, exploring the art of spiritual care, the symbolism of wells, and the role of compassion and humor in healing. They discuss how personal and cultural experiences shape spiritual support, especially in diverse and challenging contexts. About the book An extraordinary resource drawn from decades of groundbreaking work in multifaith and multicultural settings, this book is a landmark guide to compassionate care for a world in crisis. Covering all aspects of pastoral care and spiritual guidance, The Well of Compassion delivers a rich blend of wisdom, inspiration, and guidance for professionals and laypersons. Whether you are a clergyperson seeking to deepen their work in a hospital or individual chaplaincy, or a friend or a relative seeking ways to be present for a loved one going through a crisis, you will find in this book tools to heal and to cope. Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast Now Available on Roku Streaming Service You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging. You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/1217769194 Listen to the Audio Podcast You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: https://media.blubrry.com/seekersofmeaning/ins.blubrry.com/seekersofmeaning/XXX.mp3 Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Podchaser Amazon Music About the Guest Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green Judith Edelman-Green is a Rabbi and Jewish educator who was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 2009. Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green has initiated and led programs designed to break down societal barriers and stereotypes, by bridging the wide divides that separate the varied religious groupings of Jews in the State of Israel. Most recently, she has devoted her time to pastoral care-giving as a Rabbi-Chaplain. She worked as a Spiritual Caregiver in two blood-cancer wards (hematology-oncology and bone marrow transplants) of Tel HaShomer Hospital for more than five years. She has comforted, supported, and uplifted patients, families and staff of all religions and backgrounds. She teaches in-person and online courses on facing illness, death and dying, and seeking a life of meaning in varied settings. She shares wisdom gleaned from those experiences in The WELL of COMPASSION: Reflections of the Art of Spiritual Care. In 1995, Judith founded the Bar- and Bat-Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs, which she directed for 10 years. The program continues as an affiliate of the Masorti Movement, and reaches thousands of children throughout Israel annually, touching and influencing constantly-widening circles in Israeli society. As an outgrowth of this work, she established Netaim, the first Israeli-Jewish camp for young people with special needs in 1999, as part of Camp Ramah-Noam. She convened national conferences on Special Needs in Jewish Education. In 2002, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles awarded her a prize for this work. All the programs Judith has directed shatter long-held prejudices, foster a humane, tolerant approach to Israeli society, and bring the polarized Jewish state one step closer to Tikkun Olam (perfection of the world). In recognition of her accomplishments, Judith was awarded The Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Tolerance and Cultural Pluralism in Israel in 2003. She is also a recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award given by the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, and the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Israeli Society given by Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem (2008). For eight years, Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green served as Rabbi at the Jewish Religious Union (Reform) in Mumbai, working with Benei Israel Jews for the High Holidays. This enabled her to build delightful, colorful, spicy and very spiritual bridges. Rabbi Judith hopes to return in 2024 and take part in the centenary celebrations of this unique community in 2025. Rabbi Judith has been active in interfaith groups promoting interpersonal understanding between Arab and Jewish women for many years. She lives in Kfar Sava, Israel with her husband, Dr. Bernie Green. They have three adult children, Raphi, Shira and Ilana, and two grandchildren. The post 9/25/2026 ENCORE: The Art of Spiritual Care: Insights from Judith Edelman-Green – Seekers of Meaning 8/14/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.