Is AI just another tool — or are we entering a new era of moral responsibility?

In this thought-provoking episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labov and Rabbi Daniel Cohen welcome Rabbi Dr. Mois Navon — philosopher, educator, and tech pioneer — to explore how Jewish thought grapples with artificial intelligence.

From Noah as the first engineer to the ethical challenges of ChatGPT, we examine whether AI enhances human dignity or risks replacing it. What happens to creativity when machines can write sermons? Can AI ever be conscious? And how do we ensure that technology remains our assistant — not our substitute?

A deeply relevant conversation recorded during a turbulent moment in Israel’s history, this episode challenges us to harness innovation without losing our humanity.

In this episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen explore Purim through a lens that feels strikingly modern. Set against the backdrop of exile, comfort, and choice, they unpack a lesser-known dimension of the Purim story: the Jews of Persia had the opportunity to return to Israel and chose not to.

What does that choice teach us about Jewish life in the Diaspora today? Is living outside Israel merely geography, or does it carry moral and spiritual responsibility? Drawing on biblical history, rabbinic insight, and contemporary reality, this conversation examines assimilation, belonging, and the enduring question of how Jews everywhere share in a common destiny.

As Purim approaches, this episode invites listeners to reflect on power, comfort, identity, and the meaning of returning “like a bird, not a cloud.”

In this timely episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen turn to the Purim story to ask a deeply modern question: what does it mean to find your Esther and your Mordechai today?

Esther didn’t seek power, but when history placed her in a moment of consequence, she was pushed to act with courage, despite real personal risk. Mordechai’s challenge to her, “for such a time as this,” becomes a lens for thinking about moral responsibility, leadership, and speaking up in the face of rising antisemitism and division.

The conversation explores whether fighting every falsehood is the best use of our energy, or whether strengthening our sense of “why” as Jews is the deeper work. As Purim approaches, this episode invites listeners to reflect on courage, voice, and the roles we are called to play right now.