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A Rabbi and a Lawyer

Walk into a bar Podcast

Relatively well informed and irreverent musings on religion, news, and society. Grab a seat and join old friends, Rabbi Asher Lopatin and his former synagogue president, John Geiringer. Imagine sharing a drink with two news junkies who keep an open mind, challenge the status quo, and love discussing the comedy, tragedy, absurdity, and reality of the Jewish experience. Throughout their discussions, John will ask Asher provocative questions that congregants wish they could ask their rabbis.

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Ep 19 – Merry Nittel Nacht and Shanah Tovah

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:43 — 26.8MB)We start by explaining why Mike Pence tweeted the wrong candelabra.  Asher then describes how Jews can approach the Christmas season, and we then compare the obscure Nittel Nacht observance with...

Ep 17 – Two Officers and a Gentleman

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:09 — 46.4MB)Former Second Lieutenant Asher Lopatin, U.S. Army, describes his quest for “shared society” in Israel.  John’s college roommate, Brigadier General Mark Clingan, USMC, also discusses his “work trip”...

Ep 16 – Talking Turkey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:15 — 37.3MB)A recent shivah house visit prompts John to ask Asher about the mourning custom.  Who is Othniel Ben Kenaz and what’s his connection to the recent disturbances in Hebron?  We then analyze...

Ep 15 – Yiddishe Cup

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:16 — 56.6MB)We ponder whether Roe-vember stopped the Red Wave, leading us to the halachic view of abortion, and why it differs from the fundamentalist Christian perspective.  Doug Klein, our first guest(!),...

Ep 13 – Mazel Tov!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:26 — 37.9MB)As we celebrate our bar mitzvah episode, and wait for our fountain pens to arrive, Asher describes the halachic underpinnings of the popular ritual.  Because it’s Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan, and...