Today on Rejuvenation Eve Harow shares her thoughts on the Tishrei holiday season and the culinary, meteorological and yes, even religious significance to the holiday that ends the harvest season and begins the sowing one. Hebron as rarely seen, a grandmother still missed and with all the preparations, prayers and parades, there’s chocolate to keep it all really meaningful. Joy with the Torah!

Rabbi Yakov Nagen speaks with Eve Harow about his new book and the needed balance between “doing’ and “being”. His unique synthesis of wisdom from Jewish sources, Western philosophy, Eastern spirituality and even music and modern literature is meant to lead us to find greater meaning in life. How do we connect to God in the aftermath of tragedy? How do we make sense of a world that’s “the best of times and the worst of times”? Rabbi Nagen is also a noted leader in interfaith dialogue and a beacon of hope for better societies and eventually, perhaps, a healed world.
G’mar Chatima Tova!

Michael Medved is a veteran US political commentator, radio show host, film critic and prolific author. His 14th book, “God’s Hand on America: Divine Providence in the Modern Era” will be released in November. While in Jerusalem leading a large mission, he sat down with Eve for a wide ranging hour long discussion touching on faith, America, the 1960’s, cancer, Israel, education and some fascinating stories of little known 19th century American Christian Zionists. Is America’s greatness connected to its 20th century support for Jewish immigrants and now Israel? Medved was with Robert Kennedy when he was assassinated in 1968, and that traumatic event shaped his life more than any other. Listen in as a brilliant thinker, American patriot and devoted Jew shares some of his vast historical knowledge and perspective on what the future holds, as well.

Mayor Gabe Groisman captains a town of just a few thousand folk, but he’s making waves from coast to coast and even internationally. Eve sailed into the Miami area in lieu of Hurricane Dorian for a beautiful Shabbat as scholar in residence and landed a terrific interview with a man who’s determined to sink injustice. From anti-BDS legislation to codifying anti-Semitic hate crimes, he floats his ideas and then anchors them in law, inspiring other mayors to follow in his wake and push back the tidal wave of vilification of Israel and Jews. He schools Eve on the upstream battles and work with global peers to end the hate and help those adrift on the sea of inaction.

Eve interviews Lt. Colonel (reserves) Eyal Dror who retires this week from 24 years service in the IDF. He commanded the campaign to bring Syrian refugees from their civil war torn country into Israel thru the Golan Heights to receive medical care and shares details of that very complicated operation. The impact of this humanitarian aid will probably never be fully known or appreciated, but the Jews, Druse, Muslims and Christians who were involved will never forget it. “Abu Yakub” was what the Syrian children called him, and this very proud Israeli has fulfilled -and then some- the Talmudic adage- “he who saves a single life has saved an entire world.” Will this bring everlasting peace and harmony to the Middle East? No. But it’s a beautiful attempt and just gives us a glimpse of what Israel does without credit or thanks. Tikkun Olam for real.

The murder of Dvir Sorek. The Expulsion from Gush Katif. Singing in the Temple. The birth of a new granddaughter in Jerusalem. Eve shares her thoughts on the 10th of Av, 5779.

Can one understand American political tradition without knowing its relationship to the Hebrew Bible? According to Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern of Yeshiva University- no. He is one of 4 co-authors of ‘Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land’, a newly published sourcebook on the Hebraic worldview that inspired the early settlers with its vision of redemption, exodus, covenant, liberty and the combination of righteousness and freedom. He speaks with Eve on the shared heritage of the diverse First Continental Congress, one rooted in our text and the sacredness of human life. Get ready – you can even practice your Hebrew.

Eve talks about her week guiding and studying at some of the most interesting Biblical Tels in Israel. Shomron/Sebastiya has been almost completely abandoned by the government- why? Lachish is in the process of being organized as a national park. Deep dive into Kings 2, Joshua, and assorted prophets. Oh- has Ziklag been found? The Land of Israel is the place where civilizations and religions converged. So much to discover, so much yet to learn. Pardon her enthusiasm; it gets no better than this.