Not every Jew is coming home right now. So what happens to the idea of one Jewish people?
In this episode of Behind the Bima, Yael Leibowitz joins Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz to explore the growing tension between Israeli Jewry and the diaspora, and what ancient sources in Tanach can teach us about living with that reality today.
Drawing from her own experience living in Israel, she reflects on the gap between communities experiencing Jewish life very differently, and the challenge of maintaining unity across that divide. This is not a conversation about choosing one over the other, it’s about understanding what’s at stake if the connection between them weakens.
Subscribe to Rabbi Efrem Goldberg for more conversations like this: @RabbiEfremGoldberg
This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
0:42 - Banter
15:00 - Yael Leibowitz Interview
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📚Purchase Yael’s book: Ezra–Nehemiah: Retrograde Revolution - https://korenpub.com/products/ezra-nehemiah
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Also available on Apple and Spotify:
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-the-bima/id1513477929
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hhhCkfDDy9ppIOnASBvjQ
About this video
“If Israel’s So Central, What About the Rest of Us? | Yael Leibowitz | Behind the Bima #195” is a video from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, published on April 14, 2026 and available to watch on VideoVinkel. The total runtime is 59:37. It has been viewed 4,618 times so far. Press play above to stream the full video right here, or open the original on YouTube.
“If Israel’s So Central, What About the Rest of Us? | Yael Leibowitz | Behind the Bima #195” was uploaded by Rabbi Efrem Goldberg on April 14, 2026. You can browse more uploads from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg on VideoVinkel.
How long is this video?
The total runtime is 59:37.
How popular is it?
As of the latest sync, this video has been viewed 4,618 times and liked 68 times.
Where can I watch it?
You can stream this video right here on VideoVinkel — just press play at the top of this page. The original is also available on YouTube.
Enjoyed this video? Find more uploads from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg.