Episode notes
In this episode of Shofar, So Good! host Kate Mishkin explores the origins, formula, and meanings behind Jewish blessings — and considers why the Talmud prescribes saying 100 blessings a day. She hears what happens when scientists try to measure whether saying Jewish blessings makes us happier and more grateful. The results: Not what the researchers expected. Further reading and resources: • "Jewish Prayer Has Become My Favorite Morning Ritual" by Avie Herman (Kveller) • A guide to common Jewish blessings (My Jewish Learning) • "The Happiness Prayer: Ancient Jewish Wisdom for the Best Way to…
Podcast
Shofar, So Good!
Kate Mishkin · Devotional & Spiritual · English
In Season 2 of Shofar, So Good! host Kate Mishkin teams up with My Jewish Learning to explore Jewish rituals and practices — where they came from, how they evolved and why they endure.
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S2 · E6 · 17 Sep 2026 · 35 min
EPISODE 6: A Better World
The concept of making the world a better place is a cornerstone of Judaism. There's even a phrase for it: Tikkun Olam. In the Shofar, So Good! Season 2 finale, host Kate Mishkin explores the ancient concept, its mystical interpretations, and how the idea evolved and entered our collective consciousness. Further reading and resources: • Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World (My Jewish Learning) • Aleinu: A Call to Divine Service (My Jewish Learning) • Tikkun Ha'am: Repairing Our People by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin • The Shalom Center (Detroit, Michigan) • Martini Judaism Podcast (Religion News…
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S2 · E5 · 10 Sep 2026 · 28 min
EPISODE 5: Begin Again
In this episode, host Kate Mishkin explores the Rosh Hashanah atonement ritual of tashlich , tells us what Judaism says about repentance and forgiveness — during the High Holidays and year-round — and gets some practical advice for saying "I'm sorry" from Jewish experts on apologies. Further reading and resources: • Tashlich, the Symbolic Casting Off of Sins (My Jewish Learning) • Teshuva, Or Repentance (My Jewish Learning) • The 10 Days of Repentance (My Jewish Learning) • Sorry, Not Sorry: The Real Path to an Apology (At the Well) • 6.5 Steps to a Good Apology (Sorry Watch) • Pirkei Avot…
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S2 · E4 · 3 Sep 2026 · 26 min
EPISODE 4: Sacred Society
In this episode, host Kate Mishkin explores the role of the chevra kadisha , or Jewish burial society. She talks with volunteers who ensure that dead bodies are ready for burial according to Jewish tradition. Their work, Kate discovered, is physical, emotional and surprisingly life-affirming. Further reading and resources: • Tahara, Preparing the Body for Burial (My Jewish Learning) • How To Form A Chevra Kadisha (My Jewish Learning) • Email mini-course: A Jewish Journey Through Grief (My Jewish Learning) • Kavod v'Nichum Credits: • Writer/producer: Kate Mishkin • Story producer: Gabrielle…
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S2 · E3 · 27 Aug 2026 · 27 min
EPISODE 3: For Heaven's Sake
In Episode 3, Shofar, So Good! host Kate Mishkin delves into havruta learning, the Jewish tradition of studying Torah in pairs. The goal of this paired endeavor: arguing "for the sake of heaven." Kate explores what exactly that means, teaches us about Jewish history's most famous study partners, and learns how AI is changing havruta learning. Then, Kate and her dad become havrutas . Further reading and resources: • Havruta: Learning in Pairs (My Jewish Learning) • Project Zug • Whole and Broken Tablets: Aging in Rabbinic Literature (Project Zug) • Beit Midrash Research Project (Brandeis…
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S2 · E2 · 20 Aug 2026 · 30 min
EPISODE 2: Living Waters
In this episode, host Kate Mishkin visits a mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath, in Los Angeles. She examines the origins and evolution of mikveh immersion — and how, in some circles, the ritual is stretching itself to adapt. Further reading and resources: • What is a Mikveh? (My Jewish Learning) • The Mikveh's Significance in Traditional Conversion (My Jewish Learning) • Non-Traditional Uses for Mikveh (My Jewish Learning) • A Detailed Explanation of Niddah, or "Family Purity" Laws (My Jewish Learning) • Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikveh • Mass Center for Jewish Journeys — Community Mikveh •…
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S2 · 11 Aug 2026 · 1 min
Introducing Shofar, So Good! — Season 2
In Season 2 of Shofar, So Good! host Kate Mishkin teams up with My Jewish Learning to explore Jewish rituals and practices — where they came from, how they evolved and why they endure. The first episode drops August 13, 2026, right in time for Elul. See you then.
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E11 · 2 Apr 2025 · 49 min
BONUS: Martini Judaism
Thank you for listening to all five episodes of "Shofar, So Good!" Today, we're featuring a bonus episode of the podcast "Martini Judaism," in which Kate was a guest. The show, hosted by Rabbi Jeff Salkin, is for people who want to be shaken and stirred. Episodes are well-produced, deep, and thought-provoking. Listen to Martini Judaism wherever you listen podcasts, read Jeff's column here , and watch this space for more information on Season 2.
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E10 · 26 Mar 2025 · 25 min
BONUS: A conversation on 'Being Jewish' with Jonah Platt
Jonah Platt is a multi-talented activist and performer whose work's taken him from Broadway ("Wicked"), to Hollywood ("Being the Ricardos") to -- most recently -- the world of podcasting. Jonah's the host of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt , a podcast that highlights the range of Jewish identity and voices. This is one of Shofar, So Good's bonus episodes while we're in between seasons. If you'd like to support the production of Season 2, please visit shofarsogoodpodcast.com/support , or simply spread the word about this show.
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E9 · 12 Mar 2025 · 28 min
BONUS: A conversation with Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein
Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein was the perfect person to talk to as I was grappling with what it meant to be Jewish. He's a rabbi, educator, meditation teacher, MC/poet and director of Applied Jewish Spirituality, an online portal that brings the tradition's spiritual wisdom to life. Among his other accomplishments: He's a cofounder of Lines of Faith, a Muslim-Jewish hip hop and poetry collective. Please support this podcast! Tell a friend, rate/review the show, and visit shofarsogoodpodcast.com/support to support our Season 2 efforts. Producer: Kate Mishkin Music: Nan Schwartz Show Art:…
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S1 · E8 · 26 Feb 2025 · 38 min
BONUS: A conversation with Rabbi Victor Urecki
Early on in my career, I packed my bags and moved to West Virginia to work as a journalist. That's where I first met Rabbi Victor Urecki, rabbi at B'nai Jacob Synagogue. I immediately appreciated who he was within the walls of the synagogue, but outside — Rabbi Urecki engaged with the community, often in interfaith conversations, consistently as a positive presence for West Virginians. In this episode, we talk about belonging, religion as a tool to bring people together, and how Rabbi Urecki's meeting the moment with new traditions. Please support this podcast! Tell a friend, rate/review the…
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