A look at events, trends and people important to Anglo-Charedim, through the eyes of two rabbis with moxie. One is a newbie to Israel - Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein - the other a veteran - Rabbi Simi Lerner. And if that's not enough for them to disagree, they'll interview interesting folks, who may or may not be rabbis or rebbetzins.
When Emunah Becomes an Excuse: Faith, Hishtadlut, and Human Responsibility
What does it really mean to say that Hashem is in control? Does emunah free us from trying to predict the future and solve seemingly intractable problems, or does genuine faith demand that we take responsibility, ask difficult questions, and exercise human agency?
In the 50th episode of Two Rabbis, Three Opinions, Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner use a recent discussion about Israel's future, the Haredi community, military service, and the economy as a springboard for a much broader conversation about emunah and hishtadlut. They explore what happens when appeals to Divine providence shut down curiosity, whether the same thinking affects our responses to antisemitism and scientific questions, and how belief in Hashem's control should shape our approach to Israel's security and future.
And that leads to perhaps the hardest question of all: if responsible hishtadlut matters, what is the place of full-time Torah learning in a Jewish state, and how should we think about the balance between Torah, security, economic responsibility, and faith?
8 Sept 2026
Can We Innovate Without Losing What Makes Judaism Sacred?
When does protecting tradition preserve Judaism, and when can it get in the way of the very religious experience we're trying to protect?
Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner begin with a contemporary controversy over musical Selichot and Hallel, and quickly move into a much larger conversation about change, authority, emotion, and religious life. What role should music play in prayer? Why are so many Jews drawn to more emotional and experiential forms of spirituality? How seriously should we take the fear of the slippery slope? And what happens when rabbinic leaders prohibit innovations that many members of their communities find deeply meaningful?
Along the way, they explore Chassidus and neo-Chassidus, kiruv, the tension between structure and spontaneity, and an often overlooked reality: saying no to change carries risks of its own.
It's a conversation about how Judaism can respond to a changing world without sacrificing the traditions and structures that make it Judaism in the first place.
25 Aug 2026
Can the Haredi World Change? Rabbi Menachem Bombach on Torah, Israel, and a New Haredi Future
What does the future of Haredi Judaism in Israel look like, and can the Haredi community become more integrated into Israeli society without sacrificing its commitment to Torah?
Rabbi Menachem Bombach has spent years trying to prove that the answer is yes. As the founder and president of Netzach, he has built an expanding network of schools that combines serious Torah education with mathematics, science, English, and preparation for participation in the broader Israeli society. His goal is not to make Haredim less Haredi, but to create a generation that can remain deeply committed to Torah while also contributing to the State of Israel.
In this wide-ranging and unusually candid conversation, Rabbi Bombach joins the Two Rabbis to discuss the failures of the existing Haredi educational system, the importance of giving young people genuine choices, the value of full-time Torah study and its limits as a model for an entire community, the crisis of Haredi leadership, the aftermath of October 7, his endorsement of HaTzibbur HaCharedi (the new charedi political party), and the possibility of a new Haredi political and social movement.
Can Haredi society change from within? And could the changes Rabbi Bombach is helping to create ultimately transform not only the Haredi community, but Israel itself?
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
4.3 / 5
15 ratings
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