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Artwork for Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Geoffrey Stern
Israel
Judaism
Exodus
Deuteronomy
Christianity
Techelet
Shabbat
Abraham
Image Of God
Purim
Smicha
Blessings
Hanukkah
LGBTQ Orthodox Judaism
Deuteronomy 22
Language
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Serach Bat Asher
Mothers On the Front Line
Disability

The Malcolm Gladwell of the Torah -- That's how listeners describe Madlik™ – where sharp insight meets sacred text. With the curiosity of a cultural critic and the soul of a yeshiva bochur, Madlik ignites Jewish thought from a post-orthodox perspective. Each weekly episode explores the Torah with fresh eyes — drawing unexpected connections, challenging assumptions, and offering a heterodox yet dee... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes282Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryReligion & SpiritualityJudaism

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Artwork for Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Latest Episodes

What if the Jewish secret to creating your best work is actually learning how to do absolutely nothing?

Is Shabbat really about rest… or is it about creation? Is it about ceasing from activity—or a unique form of production?

The Torah says someth... more

What if the Torah's strictest, most uncomfortable laws about perfection weren't actually meant to keep us out, but to give us permission to be broken?

What does holiness look like… when life refuses to cooperate?

In this episode of Madlik, we div... more

For centuries, we've used the word "scapegoat" to mean blaming someone else—but what if the Torah meant the exact opposite?

What does the scapegoat really mean on Yom Kippur?

In Parashat Acharei Mot, two identical goats stand at the center of the... more

Look closely at the broken walls of Israel, and you might just see the hidden history, resilience, and ancient secrets waiting to be uncovered in the rubble.

The Bible contains an enigmatic set of laws about a house that becomes afflicted—and someh... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Josh Berman
Professor; scholar who integrates ancient Near Eastern context with Biblical law
Episode: From Freedom to Slavery
Eli Sharabi
Author of Hostage, focusing on gratitude and survival under duress
Author
Episode: Blessed are the Survivors
Ilana Kurshan
Author of If All the Seas Were Ink; scholar
Author and Scholar
Episode: Reading the Torah like a Child
Steve Greenberg
Founding director of Eshel, LGBTQ Orthodox Jewish advocate
Eshel
Episode: Bottom Up Torah: How Queer Jews Are Changing Orthodoxy
Adam Ferziger
Professor of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry, Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Episode: The Jewish Future Israel Wants… But Fears to Admit
Shadi Khalloul
Founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association; leader in Aramaic language revival and cross-faith initiatives
Israeli Christian Aramaic Association
Episode: He's Christian. He Fights for Israel. He Speaks Talmudic Aramaic.
Wendy Zierler
Professor of Modern Jewish Literature and Feminist Studies
HUC-JIR (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion)
Episode: Sarah's Separation from Abraham | With Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler
Noah Efron
Progressive American who made Aliyah; founder of perspectives on The Promised Podcast
The Promised Podcast
Episode: Israel More Inclusive? An Immigrant's Perspective
Yigal Carmon
Founder and president of Memri, expert on the Arab and Muslim world
Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri)
Episode: The Role of Language in Preventing Global Conflicts

Hosts

Geoffrey Stern
Host of Disruptive Torah Thoughts, focused on innovative, critical engagements with Torah and Jewish thought.
Adam Mintz
Co-host and rabbi; contributes rabbinic insight and clear explanations of Torah passages.
Jeffrey Stern
Host providing historical and textual analysis alongside practical teaching.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 22 ratings
  • Madlik Podcast - 6 stars

    Madlik podcast lights the way to a deeper and richer understanding of Judaism, Judaic practices and its relation to the greater world. The host with the most, Geoffrey Stern, is a deep thinker with a unique background who can effortlessly straddle the secular, religious, Israely and philanthropic worlds to provide the listener with an experience impossible to receive elsewhere. Forget those other ”same old” podcasts and start tuning in. Am Yisrael Chai!

    Moshe

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MLandau08
    United States2 years ago
  • The best weekly Torah

    Distributive Torah is just the beginning of what this podcast adds to my life. Each week listening to Geoffrey and Rabbi Mintz discussing the weekly portion brings new approach and ideas to the known test. It’s the best part of the week and great beginning to shabbat.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    starbro
    United States5 years ago
  • Madlik

    I am biased. Geoffrey is my cousin.

    But he is a learned man with a passion for Torah study and an unusual background and perspective. He opens up an appreciation of the humaneness and twists and turns of the Text.

    He is a great teacher and I always come away with some spark of enlightenment. Thank you Geoffrey for creating Madlik

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    oldmanyoungtechie
    United States5 years ago
  • Interesting podcast even for non-jews.

    This podcast is interesting even for a Gentile!

    Content and perspective relating to the challenges of applying and adapting tradition and Torah text to modern changes / evolution in culture are especially interesting — like the latest episode on inter-marriage.

    Some of the thoughts on dealing and adapting are relevant across the board in multiple contexts: religion / life / business.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rwkennedy
    United States9 years ago
  • Preach

    Love this podcast!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HiphopABS
    United States9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

episodes are described as challenging yet accessible to engaged readers
guests often cited for bringing diverse scholarly perspectives
audiences appreciate thoughtful synthesis of tradition and contemporary issues
listeners praise the depth and originality of insights on Jewish texts

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Freedom Haggadah: Tradition Meets Social Justice
Q: What can you add, Rabbi?
The hosts discuss Waskow's approach as an activist Midrash, highlighting how the Seder becomes a platform for social critique while remaining deeply rooted in Jewish texts.
Disabilities in Jewish Texts and Israel
Q: How do you approach early development for visually impaired children?
Koslow describes a family-centered, holistic approach that includes visual, motor, and sensory therapies, nutrition, and emotional support, with a focus on enabling children to reach their full potential and not merely addressing the disability.
Disabilities in Jewish Texts and Israel
Q: Tell us about Elias and Ma'ase Oz.
Elias Kabakov explains that Ma'ase Oz is the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, founded in 1989, serving the dual-disability population with services like tactile sign language, SSPs (Support Service Providers), technology training, and education, while emphasizing accessibility and empowerment.
The 3000-Year-Old Idea That Shaped Modernity
Q: Could you explain that the image of God is not a metaphor in ancient Israelite thought and how this changes our understanding of idolatry and human rights?
The guest argues that the biblical text treated the image of God as a literal, embodied presence rather than a metaphor, and that recognizing this shifts the focus of idolatry from idol worship to the misrecognition or violation of the divine image in other people, underpinning universal human rights.
The 3000-Year-Old Idea That Shaped Modernity
Q: What caused you to pick this subject and write this book, and how many years did it take you to write it?
Persico explains he spent over a decade researching the wider historical and cultural implications of the image of God idea, and about three years to write the book, aiming to show how this single verse shaped Western civilization through questions of power, ethics, and human dignity.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking Torah-focused show that blends textual analysis, philosophy, and contemporary relevance. Episodes frequently thread classical rabbinic sources with modern questions about ethics, identity, and communal life, often through a critical or heterodox lens. Listeners can expect rigorous debate, interfaith or intercultural perspectives, and practical reflections on how ancient texts inform today's issues in Jewish thought and practice. A notable strength is its ability to pair dense scholarly discussion with accessible storytelling and personal narrative, making complex ideas approachable for engaged readers, students, and synagogue communities alike.

What makes it stand out is the blend of archival-style inquiry with a modern... more

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Promised Podcast
2. For Heaven's Sake
3. Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
4. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
5. Ask Haviv Anything

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 10 years ago and published 282 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Josh Berman
2. Eli Sharabi
3. Ilana Kurshan
4. Steve Greenberg
5. Adam Ferziger
6. Shadi Khalloul
7. Wendy Zierler
8. Noah Efron

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