Podcasts by TBA Now!
Temple Beth Avodah is a vibrant reform congregation in Newton, Massachusetts, comprised of great people doing extraordinary things in the world. Our members, and the people who they are connected to, have tremendous stories about their passions, their work, and their lives. TBA Now! is an opportunity to meet our neighbors, learn about their adventures, and feel inspired from their experiences.
Send us your feedback or an idea for a future podcast via email at tbanowpodcast@bethavodah.org.
Credits: TBA Now! is produced by Amy Tonkonogy with Kligerman Productions.
Further podcasts by Rabbi Keith Stern
Podcast on the topic Judentum
All episodes
Janet Nahirny: Getting Back by Giving Back from 2023-04-24T22:21:59
April is National Volunteer Month. In today’s podcast we introduce you to a congregant who has turned volunteering into her full-time gig. From Atlanta, to Yale, to prosecuting criminals, Janet Nah...
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Ben Sachs on Labor Unions: Sharing Power to Build a More Equitable World from 2023-03-29T13:15:18
Benjamin Sachs is the Kestnbaum Professor of Labor and Industry at Harvard Law School and a leading expert in the field of labor law and labor relations. He graduated from Yale Law School and serve...
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Sarah Wanger: There's No Place Like Home from 2023-02-13T19:10:34
Sarah Wanger grew up at TBA. She is exuberant, joyful, and absolutely loves our TBA community. She earned a BA in Theatre and English from Muhlenberg College and a BS in Registered Nursing from ...
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Susan Glickman: A Legacy of Promoting Community and Belonging Through Music from 2023-01-14T00:00:16
TBA's Cantorial Soloist Susan Glickman has been an inspiration on the TBA bimah for almost 20 years. She has elevated our music scene and worked tirelessly on services both joyful and sorrowful....
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Erwin Liverman: Living with Chutzpah from 2022-12-21T21:41:52
In our first podcast of season 3 of TBA Now! TBA congregant Erwin Liverman entertains us with stories from his past. You may already be familiar with Erwin as a well-known chimney sweep in the N...
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Amy Cohen: Supporting Choice and Expectant Mothers from 2022-06-06T19:20:38
Amy Cohen, TBA congregant and past president, has been guiding birth parents and placing babies with loving families for over 35 years. She is the Executive Director of Adoptions With Love, Inc....
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Health Coach Susan Altman: Building Relationships with Food and with People from 2022-05-16T17:57:57
Susan is an experienced Health Coach, volunteer and mom. As a Health Coach her goals include getting people to trust themselves around food by eating intuitively and be aware of the dangers of t...
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Dr. Ilona Goldfarb: Celebrating the Freedom of Passover Everyday from 2022-04-18T19:35:52
In 1979, 4-year-old Ilona and her parents came to the US from the former Soviet Union. In this episode of TBA Now! Ilona discusses the difficulties and successes that she and her family encounte...
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Meet Linda Matchan: Her Gift of Storytelling Continues to Inspire and Create Change from 2022-04-04T16:48:30
Many of you know the name of fellow TBA congregant Linda Matchan from her work as a feature writer at the Boston Globe. In addition to her thoughtful writing for the Globe, and...
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Drs. Patricia D'Amore and Hazel Sive: Redefining Mentorship from 2022-03-14T11:54:54
When Patti (Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School) and Hazel (Dean of the College of Science and Professor of Biology at Northeastern University) entered the research world, they ...
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Understanding the Political System Nationally and Locally with Professor Maxwell Palmer from 2022-02-25T14:36:23
Are all politics really local? Maxwell Palmer, Associate Professor of political science at Boston University, explains the ins and outs of politics locally and nationally and how policy changes ...
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Dr. Sharon Inouye: A Pioneer in the Growing Frontier of Geriatric Medicine from 2022-02-06T00:24
Dr. Sharon Inouye is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife. As one of the nation's ...
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Nancy Liverman: From Mom on a Mission to Cannabis Counselor from 2022-01-21T21:05:57
How did Nancy make the leap from the mom of child with epilepsy to a cannabis counselor? Learn why Nancy entered the medical marijuana arena and what she’s learned from her years of training and...
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Travel the World with TripAdvisor Co-Founder and CEO Steve Kaufer from 2022-01-10T18:17:21
TBA Congregant Steve Kaufer is the co-founder and CEO of TripAdvisor. In this episode Steve discusses the genesis of TripAdvisor, how the company has maneuvered during these COVID times and the ...
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Dan Rubin: Under His Watchful Eye from 2021-12-20T13:03:58
TBA member Dan Rubin is the Director of School Counseling at Newton South High School. Under his watchful eye he has counseled thousands of students. His interaction with these students and thei...
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Susan Retik: Moving Past Unimaginable Tragedy with Grit and Grace from 2021-12-06T13:16:04
On September 11, 2001 life changed for Susan Retik. She was a mother of two young children with another on the way when Flight 11 carrying her husband David hit the twin towers. Her commitment t...
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Struggling with Substance Abuse & the Stigma of Asking for Help with Dr. Shelly Greenfield from 2021-06-21T19:31:56
TBA member Dr. Shelly Greenfield is an internationally respected psychiatrist, clinician, and researcher. She is the chief academic officer at McLean Hospital, to name just one of her many disti...
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Meet the Maestro, Jamie Saltman from 2021-06-07T18:03:36
We call Jamie Saltman maestro at Temple Beth Avodah. He’s played the piano at many services, arranged traditional tunes, and is the anchor for TBA’s Jazz Shabbat experience. During the summer Ja...
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Meet Ted Tye: He Sees the Future and Then Builds It from 2021-05-24T18:47:06
Ted Tye spends a lot of time dreaming about space. He imagines repurposing old buildings for innovative new living spaces. He sees wholly new concepts for shared spaces. Ted sees the future and ...
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Meet Dave Punch: The Chef from 2021-05-10T21:22:01
Our latest podcast features Dave Punch, master chef extraordinaire. Any local foodie knows Dave's empire: Listen
Meet Jessica Ayer: Her Sparkle is Undeniable from 2021-04-26T18:01:20
Jessica Ayer came to Temple Beth Avodah when she was just a little kid. In this episode, we follow the arc of her life as she describes what it was like for a young girl of color to grow up at T...
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A Reckoning with James Rutenbeck from 2021-04-12T14:32:58
James Rutenbeck is a compassionate man who believes in speaking out against injustice and racism and fundamental inequalities in America. His primary source of expression is through producing do...
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Meet Harvey Weiner: The Man of Many Hats from 2021-03-29T19:33:18
Born and raised on the streets of Mattapan, Harvey Weiner is a nationally respected lawyer, the past national commander of Ame...
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What Happens Next: Part Two with Diane Hessan from 2021-03-15T17:51:32
Diane Hessan was our first guest on TBA Now. In her articulate and optimistic way, she shared her belief that our divided nation could come together. That was before the election, and before the...
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Meet Dana Gelb Safran: you may not know her but she’s been fighting for your healthcare from 2021-03-01T21:00:47
The American healthcare system is difficult to maneuver and so complex. Why is it so confusing? TBA congregant Listen
The Beautiful Soul of Dr. Nicole Baumer from 2021-02-15T14:41:47
In Yiddish, a gutte neshumah refers to a person with a beautiful, radiant soul. Dr. Nicole Baumer is such a soul. Kind, compassionate, and brilliant. She is a congregant of Temple Beth Avodah an...
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Bubka with the Blacker's from 2021-02-01T20:12:41
Last year, as Covid began beating us up, folks loved to drive by Blacker‘s Bakeshop (543 Commonw...
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Reaching for the Stars with Alberto Accomazzi from 2021-01-18T22:20:13
Dr. Alberto Accomazzi has his head in the clouds — literally. Since his first childhood gaze through a telescope, he’s been hooked on the heavens. Alberto is the Principal Investigator and Progr...
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Voice of Reason with Martha Bebinger from 2021-01-05T02:11:20
There are certain reporters we implicitly trust as soon as we hear their voices. There is no judgment, no egocentric self-referential grandstanding. We get factual, intelligent analysis; we get ...
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It's About the Kids with Dr. Jonathan Mansbach from 2020-12-21T16:10:26
TBA Member Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, Chief of Inpatient Services at Boston Children’s Hospital, recently joined us on TBA Now! In this episode, Jonathan gives us an eye-opening view into his experi...
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That's the Ticket: A Ride with Jim Holzman from 2020-11-23T22:18:45
Our guest on this episode’s TBA Now! podcast is Jim Holzman CEO of Ace Tickets and a lifelong member of TBA. Listen in as Jimmy describes his nonstop, full-tilt life. You’ll learn about his impl...
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Listening to Each Other: Politics Today with Diane Hessan from 2020-10-25T12:23:21
This week we speak with Diane Hessan, a long-time, devoted member of the temple. Diane has done so many things for the congregation. She’s been on the board, starred in famous temple musicals, h...
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