Common Faith

Epizode

• A Culinary Celebration of Jewish Culture with The Great Nosh & Joan Nathan 18.06.2026 52min

  Food is far more than nourishment—it is memory, identity, culture, and connection. In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore how Jewish food serves as a living archive of history and tradition. Through conversations with Jewish Food Society founder Naama Shefi and renowned food writer Joan Nathan, they examine how recipes carry family stories across generations, how shared meals build community, and why food remains one of the most powerful gateways into Jewish life. The episode also highlights The Great Nosh, a large-scale Jewish food festival on Governors Island that celebrates Jewish culture through culinary innovation and cross-cultural collaboration.
• The World Cup and the American Exception: Soccer, Identity, and Belonging 11.06.2026 52min

  As the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in North America, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore why soccer captivates billions around the globe but remains culturally distinct in America. With authors Franklin Foer and Andrei Markovits, they examine globalization, identity, Jewish belonging, and what the world's most popular sport reveals about who we are.
• Hidden in Plain Sight: Susan Orlean and the Art of Storytelling 04.06.2026 52min

  What if the most meaningful stories are the ones we almost overlook? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore why the smallest stories often matter most. Then they welcome bestselling author and longtime New Yorker writer Susan Orlean for a conversation about storytelling, curiosity, memory, Jewish identity, and the extraordinary hidden inside everyday life.
• Inside the Haredi Community: Education, Identity, and Israel’s Future 28.05.2026 53min

  Can Israel preserve religious tradition while building a more shared and sustainable future? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with Rabbi Menachem Bombach, a Haredi educator and social entrepreneur working to bridge one of the deepest divides in Israeli society: the relationship between the ultra-Orthodox community and the modern State of Israel.
• Exploring Shavuot: Reimagining Jewish Education with David Bryfman 21.05.2026 52min

  In a world of infinite choice and growing uncertainty, what does it mean to teach the next generation not just how to be Jewish—but why? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome leading Jewish educator David Bryfman for a wide-ranging conversation about Shavuot, Jewish identity, Israel education, and the urgent challenges of raising Jewish children in a post-October 7th world.
• Beyond Borders: Water, Power & Peace in the Middle East with Gidon Bromberg 14.05.2026 52min

  In a region defined by conflict, can water, energy, and the environment become the foundation for peace? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with EcoPeace Middle East co-founder Gidon Bromberg to explore how environmental cooperation across Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories may offer a new path toward peace—even in the midst of war.
• The Battle Beyond the Battlefield: Israel, Narrative & Power with Benjamin Anthony 07.05.2026 52min

  This episode of Common Faith explores the intersection of war, public perception, and identity through a wide-ranging conversation with Benjamin Anthony, CEO of The MirYam Institute. Together, they examine how conflict in the Middle East extends beyond the battlefield into media, academia, and global discourse. The conversation raises urgent questions about security, narrative, and the future of Jewish life in Israel and the diaspora.
• The Devil Wears Prada 2 with David Frankel & B.J. Novak 30.04.2026 53min

  The episode opens with a lively and personal conversation about family, media, and creative paths. The hosts reflect on the cultural staying power of The Devil Wears Prada—why it resonated across generations, and whether its portrayal of workplace dynamics still holds up today. Then David Frankel and B.J. Novak join the conversation to discuss The Devil Wears Prada 2—why now, what’s changed, and how the story reflects a new era in media and leadership.
• From Questions to Convictions: Judea Pearl on Zionophobia and Coexistence 23.04.2026 51min

  Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the power of questioning—then sit down with AI pioneer Dr. Judea Pearl to discuss antisemitism, Zionism, and why “coexistence” has become a controversial idea. A bold and thought-provoking conversation about truth, identity, and moral clarity.
• Siach Shalom: Talking Internal Peace for Israel’s Independence 16.04.2026 52min

  As Israel moves from Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtzmaut, the nation holds grief and celebration side by side. But beneath that unity lies deep internal division. In this episode, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore whether a fractured society can still talk to itself—featuring Dr. Alick Isaacs, Rabba Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, and Keren Sokoloff of Siach Shalom, who are bringing Israelis across ideological and religious lines into honest, often uncomfortable, but transformative conversation.
• The Last Twins: A Story of Humanity Inside Auschwitz for Holocaust Remembrance 09.04.2026 53min

  As Yom HaShoah approaches, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore how we remember the Holocaust in a world with fewer survivors. Featuring the documentary The Last Twins, this episode highlights a powerful story of moral courage—and asks what responsibility we carry in keeping these stories alive.
• Passover, Responsibility, and Repair: World Jewish Relief in Action 02.04.2026 52min

  In this Passover episode, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the tension between caring for our own and caring for the world—blending thoughtful debate with personal stories, Seder nostalgia, and even a few laughs about gefilte fish and marathon Seders. Featuring David Weisberg and Maurice Helfgott of World Jewish Relief, the conversation brings Jewish values to life through real-world impact—from Ukraine to refugee communities worldwide—and asks what our story demands of us today.
• Lessons from Pittsburgh: Resilience and Rebuilding with Tree of Life 26.03.2026 52min

  What does it mean to remember tragedy—and to build something meaningful in its aftermath? In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliott Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore Pittsburgh’s Jewish community and the legacy of the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue attack. Historian Dr. Barbara Burstin reflects on the vibrant Jewish life that has long defined Pittsburgh and the shock the community felt on that tragic day. Then Carole Zawatsky, CEO of Tree of Life, shares the vision for a new memorial and education center that will honor the victims while confronting antisemitism and teaching future generations. The conversation explores memory, resilience, and how communities can turn moments of darkness into a commitment to learning, unity, and hope.
• Inside the Jewish Book Council and Why Jewish Stories Matter 19.03.2026 52min

  What role do books play in shaping Jewish identity, memory, and community? In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel sit down with Naomi Firestone-Teeter, CEO of the Jewish Book Council, to explore how Jewish storytelling — from sacred texts to contemporary literature — forms a foundation for Jewish life, meaning, and connection across generations.
• Tzedakah in Action: Andres Spokoiny on Jewish Philanthropy 12.03.2026 52min

  What does Jewish tradition teach about giving—and how does philanthropy shape the future of Jewish life? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the meaning of tzedakah, from childhood lessons about generosity to the modern realities of philanthropy. They’re joined by Andres Spokoiny, President and CEO of the Jewish Funders Network, who works with philanthropists around the world to strengthen Jewish communities and maximize the impact of charitable giving. Together they discuss how funders set priorities, the challenges of fighting antisemitism, and why investing in Jewish leadership—from rabbis to educators—may be one of the most important forms of giving today.
• Half-Jew, Full Life: Georgette Bennett on Identity, Survival, and the American Dream 05.03.2026 53min

  Dr. Georgette Bennett joins Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about her new book, Half-Jew–Full Life. The book tells the extraordinary story of Gary “Pips” Phillips — a self-described “voluntary Jew” who survived Nazi Berlin by going underground, was arrested four times, and ultimately built a life in America. But this episode is about more than survival. It’s about identity — chosen and imposed. It’s about moral complexity, resilience without romanticizing trauma, and what it means to be a Jew beyond the shadow of the Holocaust. Bennett, herself a child of Holocaust survivors, reflects on memory, legacy, and the Jewish responsibility toward the stranger in our own divided moment.
• Purim and the ADL: Jonathan Greenblatt on Facing the Oldest Hatred 26.02.2026 49min

  Purim may be Judaism’s most festive holiday, but its story — a threatened genocide thwarted by courage — feels strikingly contemporary. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel examine antisemitism in today’s polarized climate and ask whether Jewish life in America feels different after October 7. With guest Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League, they discuss rising hate incidents, campus unrest, media responsibility, and whether now is a moment for Jewish self-protection, bridge-building, or both. A timely Purim conversation about courage, identity, and moral clarity.
• Faith on the Field: Jewish Athletes in America 19.02.2026 53min

  Can you be fully committed to Jewish tradition while competing at the highest levels of college athletics? Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel speak with Division I quarterback Zevi Eckhaus and Michigan baseball player Elie Kligman about navigating Shabbat, Yom Kippur, locker room culture, and life as openly Jewish athletes. From honoring faith commitments on game day to educating curious teammates about Judaism, both athletes share how they balance ambition with identity — and what it means to represent their community on and off the field.
• Rabbi Angela Buchdahl: The Unlikely Voice of Faith and Belonging 12.02.2026 52min

  Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue and author of the bestselling memoir Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging, joins Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and journalist Jon Frankel for a deeply personal and timely conversation. Drawing on her life as an immigrant, an Asian American woman, and a Jewish leader who has often felt like an outsider, Rabbi Buchdahl reflects on what it truly means to belong. Together, they explore Jewish teachings on welcoming the stranger, the challenges of pluralism within Jewish life, and why empathy, humility, and shared responsibility matter more than ever in a divided world.
• Being Jewish in Public: Jonah Platt on Identity, Advocacy, and Culture 05.02.2026 53min

  Jonah Platt joins Common Faith to discuss Jewish identity, advocacy, Hollywood, and what it means to live Jewishly—proudly and publicly—after October 7. The episode then wraps with a light, fun Super Bowl football segment and head-to-head game, with Rabbi Cosgrove’s Nephew, Adam Kupfer.