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What is Mussar? And why are so many people being drawn to it today?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, I sit down with Alan Morinis, one of the leading voices in the modern revival of Mussar, to explore a powerful and deeply practical stream of Jewish spiritual practice focused on the inner life.

For some, Mussar is already a meaningful part of their spiritual journey. For others, it’s a completely new concept. But at its core, Mussar is about something universal: becoming more intentional about who we are and who we’re becoming.

Together, we explore:

What Mussar is and where it comes from
Why interest in Mussar is growing today
The role of middot (character traits) in shaping the soul
How to actually practice Mussar in everyday life
And how Shabbat plays a surprising and powerful role in spiritual formation

We also dive into Alan’s newest book, The Shabbat Effect, and explore how sacred time—especially the practice of Shabbat—can serve as a vehicle for refining the soul and cultivating traits such as awareness, silence, and trust.

Whether you’re new to Mussar or already exploring it, this conversation offers a thoughtful and accessible entry point into a tradition that is transforming lives.

The Mussar Institute - https://www.mussarinstitute.org/

Alan's book, Everyday Holiness - https://a.co/d/0d0jamtf

Alan's newest book, The Shabbat Effect - https://a.co/d/08DjYxPB

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

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Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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What does it really look like for Christians to stand with Israel and the Jewish people—and to do so in a way that is biblically grounded and relationally meaningful?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, we sit down with Shelley Neese to explore how Scripture—especially the biblical prophets—can shape how Christians think about Israel, the Jewish people, and walking faithfully today.

Shelley serves as the coordinator for American Christian Leaders for Israel and leads The Jerusalem Connection, where she helps Christians engage these questions thoughtfully and responsibly. She is also the author of Bible Fiber, an accessible and deeply insightful guide to the Minor Prophets (the Trei Asar, or “Twelve”).

In our conversation, we discuss:

Why many Christians feel drawn to support Israel—but aren’t always sure how
The role of Christian leaders and organizations in shaping that engagement
Common misunderstandings Christians have about Israel and the Jewish people
Why the prophets are often misread—and what they were actually doing in their own time
How the message of the prophets remains deeply relevant today
Practical ways anyone can begin building meaningful relationships with the Jewish people

If you’ve ever wondered how your understanding of the Bible connects to real-world relationships between Jews and Christians, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Shelley's website - https://shelleyneese.com/

Shelley's book, Bible Fiber - https://a.co/d/0ciQt26R

The Jerusalem Connection - https://thejerusalemconnection.us/

American Christian Leaders for Israel - https://aclforisrael.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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Send us Fan Mail

Do Jews have to be “out” for Christians to be “in”?

It’s a question that sits at the heart of how many people have understood the Apostle Paul—and it has shaped centuries of Christian attitudes toward Jews and Judaism.

In this episode, we take a fresh look at Romans, focusing on Paul’s olive tree imagery in chapter 11.

Did Paul really believe that Jews who do not believe in Jesus were removed from God’s covenants?
Or is that a reading shaped more by later theological assumptions than by Paul himself?

Walking carefully through the text, this episode explores:

What Paul actually says in Romans 11:17–24
The meaning of the Greek phrase en autois (“among them”)
Why “broken” may not mean “broken off” (ekklaō)
The difference between ekklaō and ekkopto
Paul’s warning to Gentile believers against arrogance
Why Paul’s olive tree is not a zero-sum story

Along the way, we challenge a deeply ingrained assumption that, for Paul, Jewish belonging to God’s covenant depends on belief in Jesus in the same way it does for non-Jews.

Instead, a different picture emerges—one in which:

Jews remain connected to God’s covenantal promises
Gentile believers are grafted in among them, not in their place
And both are sustained by the same root

This is not replacement theology.
And it’s not dual-covenant theology.

It’s a reexamination of Paul’s own words—on their own terms.

This episode draws from Olive Tree Affirmation #7—part of a larger framework designed to help Christians articulate a faithful, biblical relationship with the Jewish people without falling into antisemitism or replacement theology.

Learn more about the Olive Tree Campaign and the Olive Tree Affirmations at www.bridgebuildersforum.com/olivetree

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What is the field of Jewish–Christian relations—and why does it matter more than most people realize?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, we sit down with Rev. Dr. Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College @bostoncollegectrforchristi8244 , for a conversation that takes you inside a world many people don’t even know exists.

Drawing from a recent conference at Boston College titled Mapping the Field of Jewish–Christian Relations, we explore the growing body of scholarship, collaboration, and conversation dedicated to helping Jews and Christians better understand each other—biblically, historically, and relationally.

But this episode is about more than the academy.

It’s about bridging the gap between what’s happening in scholarly spaces…and what reaches people in pulpits and pews.

Together, we discuss:

What the field of Jewish–Christian relations actually is—and how it developed
Why collaborative research is essential for building healthier relationships
The shift in New Testament scholarship toward reading the text within Judaism
The difference between Jewish–Christian dialogue and long-term relationships
How the field engages sensitive and complex topics like Israel and Palestine
Why the future of Jewish–Christian relations depends on broader, more diverse participation

If you care about how Jews and Christians understand the Bible, relate to one another, and navigate difficult questions in today’s world, this conversation will give you a clearer map of the terrain.

Learn more about the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College at https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/Center-for-Christian-Jewish-Learning.html. Access their YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@bostoncollegectrforchristi8244

Learn more about the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations at https://www.ccjr.us/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What is Universal Zionism? And why would it matter to a Christian in Kentucky as much as to a Jew in Jerusalem…maybe even more?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder of Israel 365, to explore one of the most compelling—and controversial—visions shaping Jewish–Christian relations today.

Joining us from Israel during the war with Iran, Rabbi Weisz shares his personal story of how an Orthodox rabbi from Ohio became a leading voice building bridges between Jews and Christians worldwide.

Together, we discuss:

The meaning behind his new book Universal Zionism
Why Jewish–Christian reconciliation may be the most important alliance of our generation
What role Christians play in the future of Israel
The biblical framework of Saul, David, and Solomon in shaping this vision
The controversy surrounding Judea and Samaria
How October 7 changed Israel365—and the broader Jewish–Christian relationship
What it’s like living in Israel right now amid tensions with Iran
His greatest concerns—and deepest hopes—for the future

This is a deep conversation about theology, current events in Israel and the Jewish world, and the future of Jewish–Christian partnership—one that challenges assumptions and invites deeper understanding.

Rabbi Tuly's new book can be found at https://israel365store.com/collections/home-page/products/universal-zionism

Learn more about Israel 365 at https://israel365.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What does it actually look like for Jews and Christians to stand together—not just in words, but in real life?

In this final session of the Olive Tree Course Pilot, we move from theology to action.

We explore two crucial affirmations that challenge how Christians read Scripture and relate to Jewish people today:

How interpretations of the Bible impact real Jewish communities
How genuine relationship requires honoring differences—not erasing them

For centuries, certain Christian teachings—often unintentionally—have contributed to harmful ideas about Jews and Judaism. In this episode, we take an honest look at that history and begin to recover a better way forward.

You’ll hear:

Why phrases like “the Jews” require greater care and precision
A fresh perspective on Matthew 27:25 and the idea of collective Jewish guilt
How statements like the 10 Points of Seelisberg and Nostra Aetate offer a new path
A powerful reframing of Romans 11:28–32 as a bridge-building text centered on mercy

And most importantly…

We walk through 10 practical ways to actually live out the Olive Tree Affirmations—from building real relationships to reshaping how Scripture is taught.

This isn’t about guilt.
It’s about clarity and responsibility.
And it’s about stepping into a better story.

A story where Jews and Christians are not rivals but spiritual siblings.

Learn more about the Olive Tree Campaign and the Olive Tree Affirmations at www.bridgebuildersforum.com/olivetree

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

What is Chabad, really?

Recently, Tucker Carlson raised that question while making serious accusations about Chabad, the global Jewish movement known for its outreach and community work. In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum podcast, Ryan Lambert offers a personal response based on his extensive experience as a member of a Chabad congregation.

Ryan addresses recent claims about Chabad’s role in Middle East politics, explains how Chabad actually speaks about the Messianic era and the rebuilding of the Temple, and shares what he has personally experienced inside Chabad communities around the world.

With more than 5,000 emissary families (shluchim) serving Jewish communities globally, Chabad is widely known for its commitment to Torah, hospitality, education, and acts of kindness.

Instead of speculation or conspiracy theories, this episode invites listeners to understand Chabad through lived experience—and to consider why building genuine relationships across religious communities matters.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us Fan Mail

In this Bridge Builders Forum episode, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rabbi Joe Charnes to explore one of the most important and debated questions in biblical interpretation:

How Jewish was the Apostle Paul, really?

This conversation comes from a recent Bridge Builders Forum Coffee & Connection live gathering, where Rabbi Joe and Ryan continued a thoughtful discussion that began in an earlier episode about Paul as a Jewish figure.

Both speakers approach Paul as Jewish interpreters who respect him deeply, yet they arrive at different conclusions about how Paul related to Judaism after becoming a follower of Jesus and the apostle to the Gentiles.

Did Paul move beyond Judaism?
Did he remain fully within it?
Or does the answer require more nuance than the traditional categories allow?

In this conversation, Rabbi Joe and Ryan explore questions such as:

• How Jewish interpreters understand Paul today
• Whether Paul continued to affirm Jewish practices such as Torah observance
• How Paul has been misunderstood by both Jews and Christians
• Why Paul still shapes modern Jewish–Christian relationships

Importantly, this discussion models something that is often missing in conversations about Paul: respectful dialogue between friends who share common ground but do not hold identical views.

At Bridge Builders Forum, we believe these kinds of conversations help Jews and Christians better understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

If you are interested in Paul, Jewish–Christian relations, or the historical context of the New Testament, this conversation will offer insight, nuance, and thoughtful engagement.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum