Episode 13

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Published on:

24th Sep 2020

#13 - Dr. Moshe Weinstock on Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and the annual pilgrimage to his grave in Uman, Ukraine

Ahead of Yom Kippur, Dan and Benny sit down with the fascinating Dr. Moshe Weinstock for a deep dive into the origins and meaning of the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to the grave of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, in the Ukrainian town of Uman!!! This event, in recent years, has attracted tens of thousands of Jews - Chassidic, Haredi, Dati, Mizrahi and secular, and we wanted to learn why. Moshe takes us on a virtual tour of Uman, explores deeper trends at play and dispels common myths (drugs and prostitutes?). 

Moshe literally wrote the book on this (in Hebrew), "The Israeli Journey to the Grave of Rebbe Nachman from Breslov", having spent years researching the phenomenon and visiting Uman multiple times. 

As it turns out, Moshe is also a teacher of Jewish philosophy and an expert and pedagogical consultant to virtual learning start-ups, something relevant to all of us these days as schools across the world have gone virtual. He previously served as Head of Pedagogical Affairs at Israel’s Ministry of Education until 2018.  

Links:

  • Buy Moshe’s book, The Israeli Journey to the Grave of Rebbe Nachman from Breslov (in Hebrew) here
  • Moshe’s Facebook page


  • Video clip showing highlights of the pilgrimage in Uman


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For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

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About the Podcast

Jewanced
A nuanced exploration of Israel, the Jewish world and beyond
Jewanced is hosted by Dan Feferman and Benny Scholder, two guys who grew up in America and live in Israel.
They're curious. They want to discuss. They want to challenge popular conceptions, they want to think critically, examine independently, and most of all, they crave nuance.

Each episode features a different guest. All interesting and original people who strive to break boundaries. Together with Dan and Benny, take a deep dive into politics, foreign affairs, religion, science, technology, food, the arts, business – you name it. Explore the nuanced crossroads of Israel, the global Jewish experience, and beyond.

What's the goal? To create a daring platform where people share their stories, insights, creations, and visions. Jewanced has no talking points, no script, no agenda...just a deeper nuanced understanding of our existence.

Join them on a journey as they explore, think, debate and discuss …. And most of all, listen.

About your hosts

Benny Scholder

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With over a decade of experience in Israel's tourism industry, Benny has managed sales, marketing, travel content, digital content, and the operations aspects of tour companies and travel agencies. Today, he is the Director of Sales-North America at Kenes Tours, Israel's leading provider of incoming tourism services, where he is proud to deliver transformative, custom-crafted Israel travel experiences designed to exceed expectations.
Originally from Minneapolis, Benny fell in love with Israel as a young adult, moving to the country in 2004. He has an extensive background in everything Israel-travel related, having completed Israel's intensive tour guide course in 2010. His career spans both logistical, content-related, and sales management positions with major and boutique Israeli tour companies alike. Benny lives with his amazing wife Maayan and two incredible children in the charming village of Gedera. In addition to his passion for transformative travel experiences, he's super passionate about food, modern & ancient history, politics, addictive TV, and game-changing podcasts. Contact him at Benny@jewanced.com

Dan Feferman

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Dan Feferman is a Major (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces. For almost a decade, he served as a foreign policy and national security analyst, strategist and adviser in the IDF General Staff; as a special assistant to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff; and a commander in an elite intelligence unit of AMAN's Research and Analysis Division.

He is a fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a think-tank focusing on issues of importance to Israel and the Jewish people, where he researches religious pluralism in Israel, trends in Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations. He is also a political and strategic consultant and publishes and speaks widely on the Middle East and Israeli defense and political matters.

He is the author of Rising Streams: Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel, and of a soon-to-be-published book on the changing face of American Judaism.

Dan holds a BA in International Politics and Middle East Studies from the American University in Washington DC and an MA in National Security Studies from Tel Aviv University.

Originally from Indiana, Dan moved to Israel in 2005. He is married to Elisheva, has three amazing kids, and lives in Rehovot. When taking a break, Dan stays busy with Crossfit, martial arts and cooking.