Judaism Unbound Episode 465: Jewish Ritual Lab - Vanessa Ochs
Vanessa Ochs, a scholar of Jewish ritual and the second-ever guest on Judaism Unbound way back in episode 5, makes a grand return to our podcast! She connects with Dan and Lex to discuss an upcoming UnYeshiva mini-course she's teaching, entitled Jewish Ritual Lab: Experiments in Jewish Creativity and Invention.
[1] If you love what you hear in this episode, head to www.judaismunbound.com/classes and register for Ochs's upcoming mini-course in the UnYeshiva (begins January 15th, 2025)! Financial aid is available for anyone who needs it, via this link.
[2] For Ochs’s previous appearances on Judaism Unbound, see Episode 5: Leviticus and Episode 211: The Passover Haggadah, a Biography.
[3] In discussing Shabbat, Ochs references the work of the organization OneTable. Learn more about them via OneTable.org.
[4] Lex references Laura Yares’s work exploring the holiday of Shavuot in the late 19th century, as an example of how holidays can rise and fall drastically in prominence — in short periods of time. Learn more from Yares on that front, via this ShavuotLIVE presentation she gave a few years ago, and/or through this article.
[5] For a variety of Judaism Unbound episodes exploring Shavuot in greater detail, see this page.
[6] Learn more about the evolution of Hanukkah over time, referenced by Ochs, via this Judaism Unbound episode featuring Dianne Ashton z”l (may her memory be a blessing): Episode 43: Hanukkah in America.
[7] Ochs references a book by Anita Diamant about creative Jewish wedding rituals. The most recent version is called The Jewish Wedding Now, and you can purchase it here. Ochs also mentions a wedding website, called “Smashing the Glass.” Check it out at SmashingTheGlass.com.
