What really happens behind the scenes when the Orthodox Jewish community needs a voice in government?

Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of Maryland, has spent decades building relationships with elected officials and advocating on issues affecting Jewish families, schools, and communities.

In this conversation, we explore the world most people never get to see: what lobbying actually looks like, how relationships are built across political and religious divides, the fight for nonpublic-school funding, religious freedom, antisemitism, and the challenge of representing the Orthodox community without becoming partisan.

Ariel also shares some of the remarkable personalities and unexpected moments he has encountered along the way—and reflects on how a career spent around politics has shaped his understanding of people, power, and hishtadlus.

Dr. Noam Wasserman has spent his career studying leadership—from Harvard Business School and Yeshiva University to his current role heading The Ramaz School.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore how ancient Torah wisdom speaks to modern questions of leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, success, and education—and what truly makes a great leader.

Here is a link to Noam‘s Daf Yomi highlights:

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tG5X1IOiJ2jDJQFIBiPdnW4uTaKugRW89Cva2ucTF3c/edit?usp%3Dsharing&source=gmail-imap&ust=1727712875000000&usg=AOvVaw0A26c4XKcQA4hQm4WnQ4Dr

On the 100th yahrzeit of Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, a remarkable Meshech Chochmah on Parshas Ki Seitzei offers a timeless lesson: before focusing on someone else’s faults, take an honest look at your own. Why does the Torah change one person from “your enemy” to “your brother”? The answer may change the way we judge—and love—one another.

Stop Keeping Score: A Surprising Lesson from Parshas Shoftim

What does it mean to serve Hashem with temimus? A beautiful insight into three words in Parshas Shoftim reveals the difference between a transactional relationship with Hashem and a true relationship—and why sometimes the deepest faith begins when we stop keeping score.

Lenny Solomon has spent decades making people laugh, sing—and learn.

As the founder of Shlock Rock, Lenny took familiar sounds and turned them into something entirely new: music that was fun, unmistakably Jewish, and often surprisingly educational.

In this episode of You Wouldn’t Believe – Jewish!, Lenny talks about the origins of Shlock Rock, the evolution of Jewish music, the creative process behind his songs, and what it’s like to discover that music you made for entertainment has become part of the Jewish education—and the Jewish memories—of an entire generation.

We also explore Lenny’s own journey, the stories behind the music, and how a keyboard player became, perhaps unintentionally, one of the most recognizable Jewish educators of his generation.

How Did He Know? | Parshas Re’eh

Did the Rambam really say that a person is obligated to make his grandchildren happy on Yom Tov?

There’s just one problem: the Torah never says that.

Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky noticed the difficulty and made a remarkable suggestion about what the Rambam had originally written. Years later, when authoritative manuscripts of the Rambam were examined, Rav Yaakov’s intuition was dramatically confirmed.

But solving that mystery leads to another one.

Why does the Rambam list a person’s children before his wife when describing the mitzvah of simchas Yom Tov?

A fascinating textual mystery—and perhaps a beautiful insight into how joy spreads through a Jewish home.

Can the Internet Bring Someone Closer to God?

Long before podcasts, YouTube, and social media became part of everyday life, Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith saw the internet as something more than a source of information—he saw it as an opportunity to inspire Jewish souls.

As the founder and longtime editor of Aish.com, he helped pioneer online Jewish education, reaching millions of readers around the world with Torah, history, philosophy, and practical Jewish wisdom.

In this conversation, we explore how Aish.com began, what it takes to communicate timeless Torah ideas to people from every background, and how Jewish education has evolved in the digital age. We also discuss the opportunities—and challenges—presented by social media and artificial intelligence, the art of telling stories that resonate, and the lessons Rabbi Coopersmith has learned from decades of building one of the most influential Jewish websites in the world.

Whether you’re interested in outreach, education, technology, or simply the future of Jewish life, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how one visionary helped shape the way Torah is shared in the 21st century.

Please check out my interview with Rabbi Avraham Rosenblum, a pioneer of Jewish rock ‘n’ roll. Avraham really invented the genre starting with the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, and then moving on to become a solo artist.

Bonus tracks are the end after my outro!!

All music and lyrics on this podcast are copyrighted by Avraham Rosenblum.

As promised in the interview, I am including the lyrics to his incredible song about the Kotel.

"Kotel Song"

There is a wall of sorrow standing in Jerusalem Repentance, joy, and knowledge are her adornments, her refrain You can build yet upon her, the foundations deeply lain And feel so small beside her, though she's all that does remain Though she's all that does remain

The many travelers near her taking pictures, going home Never see her sorrow, no, never hear her moan I've been to her midst darkness, and I almost passed her by For many are mistaken who pass her truth for lies Who pass her truth for lies

But as now I lay my head upon her, wishing it was known She is only waiting for her Master to come home She is our reminder, her expression not quite stone Her silence is her beauty, and her sorrow is our own Her sorrow is our own

As I look behind my memories of where I might have been I hear the silver silence thread through the din Now my torn lapels my sacrifice for six hundred thirteen sins And I wonder as she stands there, the Master's not yet in The Master's not yet in

There is a wall of sorrow standing in Jerusalem Repentance, joy, and knowledge are her adornments, her refrain You can build yet upon her, the foundations deeply lain And feel so small beside her, though she's all that does remain Though she's all that does remain