Jonny Gould’s Jewish State

71: ✡️ Ben M Freeman: Jewish Pride, Rebuilding a People

Listen on

Episode notes

Are you a member of a mainstream Orthodox Jewish community? Do you regard yourself as a liberal whether on the left or right of modern day politics? How do we as a community accommodate Jewish LGBTQ+ people?

At the moment, it’s fair to say they live on the fringes of the mainstream. Is that fair? Would it be so difficult to accommodate or recognise a union of two Jewish people of the same sex? Or would it bring the whole tent of Jewish values down with it?

Is it the job of Judaism to resist secular trends - or is acceptance of same sex unions permanent societal progress?

I’m putting this out there because the life choices presented to people in society clash with traditional, mainstream Jewish organisations, if not the values of the Jewish people who make up their memberships.

Ben M Freeman is a thoughtful, respectful, proud Jew and Zionist, who’s adding a key voice and ideas to the community. Quite separately, this is also about every Jew expressing pride in themselves and to resist non-Jewish perceptions of who we are.

Have a listen and tell me what you think. Leave a rating or review at Apple Podcasts and a reply to @jonnygouldpod on Twitter.

The brilliant new theme tune on this episode is by Danya Vodovoz. 🎙Bandcamp danyavodovoz.bandcamp.com