Is there a voice in your head saying you’re doing it wrong? Are you afraid you’ll never be a ‘real Jew’? Well, you’re definitely not alone. In the latest series from Mercaz Media, Rabbi David Minkus dives right into an experience so many of us share but don’t always want to talk about. With the help of Jewish leaders, brave storytellers, and thousands of years of wisdom, we’ll try to understand why so many of us in the Jewish community feel like outsiders in our own tradition. How did it get this way, and what can we do about it?
New episodes weekly, starting on July 24th
You Are Doing It Wrong, the second series from Mercaz Media, was created by Rabbi David Minkus and Joel Shupack with music from Blue Dot Sessions.
Mercaz Media is the content arm of Mercaz: The Center for Purposeful Living. Mercaz is a portal where both religious and ambivalent Jews, as well as fellow travelers, come together and make sense of the wisdom and technologies that have grown out of Judaism. Mercaz works to change the landscape of Jewish life through both in-person experiences and content.
More information at: https://www.mercaz.community/
In the final episode, Rabbi David Minkus reflects on the central tension of the series: how do we hold boundaries that are not shaped by fear and gatekeeping? With some familiar voices, and a couple new ones, David explores what it means to draw lines with empathy, to lead with care, and to imagine a Jewish future rooted not in judgment, but in dignity, love, and trust.
Do you have your own You Are Doing It Wrong story? Write to us or send us a voice memo at hello@mercaz.community.
14 Aug 2025
Bonus - Cupcakes on a Fast Day
In this special episode, we share our favorite “you’re doing it wrong” stories we weren’t able to fit into the series. These stories reveal that no one is immune, not even those in positions of authority, to being told they’re doing it wrong. These stories highlight the vulnerability, resilience, and humor needed to lead a Jewish life, for rabbis and regular Jews alike.
Do you have your own You Are Doing It Wrong story? Write to us or send us a voice memo at hello@mercaz.community.
7 Aug 2025
Between Sanctity and Silliness
In this episode, Rabbi David Minkus speaks with rabbis Lizzi Heydemann and Jess Minnen and journalist Jodi Rudoren to explore the roots of the “you’re doing it wrong” phenomenon in Jewish life. Is it about protecting tradition? Maintaining control? Preserving identity? Together, they explore the cultural, historical, and emotional forces that shape this deeply embedded instinct.
31 Jul 2025
The Dreaded Honor
What does the fear of “doing it wrong” cost us? And why is the instinct to correct—often harshly—so common in Jewish spaces? In this episode, Rabbi Benay Lappe and Dan Libenson unpack how gatekeeping, judgment, and the pressure to "get it right" shape our communal life. Through personal stories and the wisdom of the tradition, they reveal what’s truly at stake when fear and control take precedence over empathy and belonging.
24 Jul 2025
Coloring books & cooked wine
In this opening episode, host Rabbi David Minkus begins a conversation that’s long overdue in the Jewish community. We hear stories from everyday Jews who were told, sometimes subtly, sometimes bluntly, that they were doing Judaism wrong. These stories are vulnerable, personal, and heartfelt- and, sadly, far from unique.
10 Jul 2025
Introducing: You Are Doing It Wrong
In the latest series from Mercaz Media, Rabbi David Minkus explores a phenomenon all too familiar to Jewish communities, but not taken seriously enough. Join David in getting to the bottom of the persistent fear of getting it wrong, with help from Jewish leaders, brave storytellers, and some very old wisdom.
24 Jun 2024
3 - The Conversation
Another week passes and David finally sits down with the person who set this all in motion.
Now that everyone has shared their piece, it’s your turn. What did you take away from the story?
Sometimes all we can do is listen, and the real change comes later.
Send your thoughts or a voice memo to hello@mercaz.community. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you stay up-to-date on all upcoming events and content releases.
17 Jun 2024
2 - The Triangle
After a week consumed with conversations about “the incident”, David was ready to move on. He knew he had done the right thing. Then he got an email he couldn’t ignore.
If we believe in Jewish wisdom, then it should guide every decision that we make, right?
If you’d like to sponsor an upcoming episode, email us at hello@mercaz.community. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you stay up-to-date on all upcoming events and content releases.
10 Jun 2024
1 - The Leaflet
For Rabbi David Minkus, the days after October 7th were as disorienting as they were heartbreaking, but one thing was for sure. Being in shul, with fellow Jews, felt right. Until a slip of paper broke the illusion.If you’d like to sponsor an upcoming episode, email us at hello@mercaz.community. You can also subscribe to our newsletter list to make sure you stay up-to-date on all upcoming events and content releases.
31 May 2024
A Seismic Shift
Everything changed on October 7th. In A Leaflet Drops in Shul, Rabbi David Minkus explores this heartbreaking and disorienting time through a small act of rebellion in his Chicago synagogue. It’s a story that shows both how easily a community can lose its center, and how we might come together to find it again.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
42 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
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