As Rabbi Natan prepares for his 25th reunion, he reflects on antisemitic experiences in college he once dismissed—and how differently they look in today's climate. In this live conversation, Rabbi Elizabeth Behar shares her experience becoming the target of explicit antisemitic threats and her decision to pursue justice rather than remain silent. Together, they explore how antisemitism has evolved, how Jewish communities are responding, and what courage looks like when hatred moves from the s...
Jun 11
33 min
What does it mean to speak the same language as the Torah? In this episode of Seeking Sinai, Rabbi Natan welcomes scholar Elon Gilad for a powerful conversation about Hebrew—not merely as a language, but as a living bridge across Jewish land and history. From ancient biblical texts to modern Israeli slang, they explore the astonishing continuity of Hebrew, the myths surrounding its “invention,” and the role everyday Jews played in preserving it through exile and return. Rabbi Natan also share...
May 15
33 min
In this special episode, we honor the life and legacy of Rabbi Emeritus Phil Kranz by sharing a powerful teaching he delivered to the Temple Sinai board just months before his passing. Through his own words, we encounter the depth of his wisdom, his love of Jewish learning, and his enduring commitment to community and tradition. Framed by personal reflections, this episode also explores the sacred responsibility of carrying forward what he built—especially through the vibrant library he cheri...
Apr 23
50 min
In this episode of Seeking Sinai, Rabbi Natan sits down with Rabbi Sam Trief and Rabbi Rachael Miller and reflect on a powerful, woman-centered journey to Israel with a group of Davis Academy mothers during a moment of profound uncertainty and looming conflict. The conversation explores how shared motherhood, personal relationships with Israel, and collaborative rabbinic leadership created space for honest questions, emotional processing, and deep connection. More than a trip, it became a mod...
Apr 1
28 min
In this emergency episode of Seeking Sinai, Rabbi Natan speaks with one of the leaders of the American Jewish Committee, Dov Wilker, about the rapidly unfolding confrontation between Israel, the United States, and Iran. Together they explore whether this moment is simply the next phase of the war that began on October 7th or a historic turning point in the region. The conversation also examines how the American Jewish community is processing these developments and what role advocacy organizat...
Mar 11
31 min
This episode of Seeking Sinai begins far from punditry or protest—at a poolside playdate between two fathers navigating Jewish life after October 7th. Rabbi Natan sits down with Josh Wikoff, a former IDF paratrooper and author of Contested Land, Uncontested Truth, to explore what it means to love Israel without defensiveness, slogans, or retreat. Drawing on lived experience, military service, and rigorous scholarship, Wikoff argues that commitment and critical thinking are not opposites—but o...
Mar 4
31 min
A Mississippi synagogue is set on fire—and in the ashes, a prayer book lies open to the Shema. In this episode of Seeking Sinai, Rabbi Natan Trief is joined by Rabbi Brad Levenberg to confront the evolving face of Jew-hatred and why synagogues remain such powerful symbols of hatred as well as resilience. Together, they wrestle with fear, history, and the pressure to respond without losing our moral center. This is a conversation about clarity over panic, presence over silence, and the stubbor...
Feb 19
33 min
This episode with Rabbi Natan reflects on the profound and complicated joy of Israel recovering the last hostage, Ran Gvili, and what that moment revealed about Israeli society. Through Ran’s life, his parents’ words, and the extraordinary efforts to bring him home, we explore the IDF as a people’s army and the ethos of lo mafkirim chayalim ba’shetach—we do not leave soldiers behind. The episode weaves together scenes of grief, unity, and defiant hope, from soldiers singing in Gaza to familie...
Jan 31
15 min
Rabbi Natan reflects on Sinai's synagogue journey to Israel undertaken not as tourists, but as members of a people bound by shared history, responsibility, and hope. Through encounters in the south, the north, and Jerusalem, we witnessed resilience, complexity and connection, and the quiet ways Israelis continue to build a future amid uncertainty. Along the way, we were reminded that Jewish peoplehood is not rooted in agreement or distance, but in presence and relationship. What we carry home...
Dec 17, 2025
21 min
This episode of Seeking Sinai explores the extraordinary story of Stan Andrews, a young American who left home in 1948 to fight for Israel’s survival and helped lay the foundations of the Israeli Air Force. Rabbi Natan Trief speaks with author Jeffrey Weiss, whose new book Fighting Back uncovers Andrews’s forgotten legacy and the generation of volunteers who saw Israel’s struggle as their own. Together, they reflect on what Andrews’s courage teaches us about Jewish peoplehood, solidarity, and...
Nov 21, 2025
31 min
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