January 21st, 2023 — Parashat Vaera

Gabriel Menashe’s guest drash on January 21, 2023.

January 20th, 2023

Author, lawyer and Slate Senior Editor, Dahlia Lithwick discussed her new book, Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America.

Watch: YouTube

Listen: Apple / Spotify

Brief Book Synopsis: “After the sudden shock of Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016, many Americans felt lost and uncertain. It was clear he and his administration were going to pursue a series of retrograde, devastating policies. What could be done? Immediately, women lawyers all around the country, independently of each other, sprang into action, and they had a common goal: they weren’t going to stand by in the face of injustice, while Trump, Mitch McConnell, and the Republican party did everything in their power to remake the judiciary in their own conservative image. Over the next four years, the women worked tirelessly to hold the line against the most chaotic and malign presidency in living memory.”

January 2nd, 2022 — Rabbi Sharon Brous

On the anniversary of the attack on our government by supporters of the former president, a violent, coordinated effort to overthrow the results of the election. Last year, Rabbi Sharon Brous spoke with Congressman Adam Schiff about the meaning of the January 6th Insurrection and what we must do to protect our democracy and root our government in justice and equality.

“I had the opportunity to talk with Congressman Adam Schiff about the meaning of this moment, and what we must do to protect our democracy and root our government in justice and equality. Like many of you, both Rep Schiff and I feel the fierce urgency of now. In the days ahead, we all must do everything we can to pull our nation back from the edge of the abyss.” – R’ Sharon Brous

Listen: Apple + Spotify

Read: Transcript

November 14th, 2021
IKAR Founder and Senior Rabbi Sharon Brous in conversation with acclaimed storyteller and writer, 2016 Charles Bronfman Prize laureate Etgar Keret. Hear from two of our time’s greatest minds on creating and community during this challenging period. The Charles Bronfman Prize Speaker Series, presented by IKAR, is an ongoing virtual conversation series between IKAR’s founder, Rabbi Sharon Brous, and former recipients of The Charles Bronfman Prize: An annual award recognizing a young humanitarian whose work, fueled by their Jewish values, has significantly improved the world. IKAR is a leading edge Jewish community based in Los Angeles that seeks to inspire people across the religious spectrum and is reverberating across the US.

October 28th, 2021

At last, a primer for the Israel/Palestine situation, one of the most complicated conflicts on earth. Can We Talk About Israel?: A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted, raises the Israel questions that Jews ask and are asked all the time. Daniel Sokatch, one of the most influential Jewish thinkers and activists in the country, approaches the subject in a fair-minded, accessible manner, with illustrations from IKAR’s beloved Christopher Noxon to inspire along the way.

April 24th, 2021 — Shabbat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim 5781

Last May, in the place where we witnessed the worst of humanity choke the life out of Mr. Floyd (z”l), this past Tuesday night we saw a glimpse of the best of human give us life: A brilliant multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-generational sea of humanity gathered together, weeping, praising, praying, challenging, supporting, loving each other, fiercely.

 

Click here to learn more about Rabbi Michael Adam Latz.

February 9th, 2021 — How does the injustice of delay play a part in the inequities of care? What would it look like to imagine a world where no child died from curable disease? These are some of the questions Rabbi Brous discussed with Drs. Jessica Beckerman and Ari Johnson of Muso Health, 2021 recipients of The Charles Bronfman Prize, in this riveting and deeply spiritual conversation.

 

December 17th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

December 15th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

December 14th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

December 13th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

December 12th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

December 11th, 2020 — Hanukkah 5781

These times are feeling dark. And yet Hanukkah reminds us every year that even in the longest, darkest night, we can create and spread light. So this year, we come together to radiate hope, and reaffirm connection from the safety of our own homes. Each evening as we light the hanukkiah together one of our beloved community members will tell a story on the theme – Let There Be Light.

July 18th, 2020 — Shabbat Matot-Masei

LA District Attorney candidate George Gascón spoke about his vision for the administration of justice in LA County. (IKAR invited all serious candidates for LA District Attorney to speak, Gascón was the only one to accept our invitation)

July 10th, 2020

Senator Holly Mitchell joins IKAR for a “Know Your Reps” conversation about how California will respond to the crises we are facing.

July 7th, 2020

Rabbi Sharon Brous (IKAR) in conversation with Bishop Gene Robinson and Lisa Sharon Harper (Freedom Road). This session was a part of DAWN, an all-night cultural arts festival celebrating Shavuot, presented by Reboot in association with the Jewish Emergent Network.

July 7th, 2020

Rabbi Sharon Brous (IKAR) and Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie (Lab/Shul) dive deep into the fourth Commandment – “remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.” This session was a part of DAWN, an all-night cultural arts festival celebrating Shavuot, presented by Reboot in association with the Jewish Emergent Network.

July 7th, 2020

Stealing Hearts and Minds: Tales of Deception with Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum & Rabbi Ronit Tsadok. This session was a part of DAWN, an all-night cultural arts festival celebrating Shavuot, presented by Reboot in association with the Jewish Emergent Network.

July 7th, 2020

Rabbi David Kasher (IKAR) & Rabbi David Ingber (Romemu) come together to discuss the 10th Commandment. This session was a part of DAWN, an all-night cultural arts festival celebrating Shavuot, presented by Reboot in association with the Jewish Emergent Network.

July 2nd, 2020

Congressman Ted Lieu joins IKAR for a “Know Your Reps” conversation on the response to the COVID crisis and to build a more just society than what we had before.