Join Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback as he talks with an eclectic variety of thinkers, artists, and change-makers about their experiences (Jewish or otherwise) and their own search for meaning and purpose in their lives.
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Episodes
Search for Meaning with Reza Farahan
Watch the video podcast on YouTube Reza Farahan is known to millions as the breakout star of Shahs of Sunset. In this candid and moving conversation, Reza joins Rabbi Yoshi to discuss his new book, Memoirs of a Gay Shah, and the remarkable journey that shaped him—from fleeing Iran as a child during the revolution, to navigating life as the son of a Jewish father and Muslim mother, to coming out as a gay man in a deeply traditional culture. Together, they explore identity, belonging, resilience, and the search for authenticity. Reza reflects on the loneliness of growing up feeling caught between worlds, the pain of rejection, the transformative power of embracing his Jewish identity, and the impact of October 7 on his connection to the Jewish people and Israel. Along the way, he shares hard-earned wisdom about perseverance, gratitude, and his conviction that even [...]
Search for Meaning with Rabbi Michael Zedek (2)
Watch the video podcast on YouTube In this episode of Search for Meaning, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback welcomes Rabbi Michael Zedek back to the podcast on the occasion of his second book, People Are Like…: Stories for Young Readers and Readers Who Wish to Stay Young. A beloved teacher, storyteller, and rabbi, Rabbi Zedek joins Rabbi Yoshi for a warm and thoughtful conversation about the wisdom hidden in everyday life—and why some of life’s deepest truths are often best conveyed through simple stories.Drawing from the book’s memorable parables about porcupines, dogs, redwood trees, monkeys, and more, the two rabbis explore themes of empathy, connection, resilience, kindness, and spiritual growth. Rabbi Zedek reflects on what children can teach adults, how stories shape moral imagination, and why compassion and community remain at the heart of a meaningful life.The conversation also touches on Rabbi Zedek’s decades of leadership, teaching, [...]
Search for Meaning with Lisa Edelstein and Robert Russell
Watch the video podcast on YouTube In this episode of Search for Meaning, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback sits down with actor and painter Lisa Edelstein and artist Robert Russell to discuss their powerful new exhibition, A Palace in Time, at the Skirball Cultural Center. Inspired by Abraham Joshua Heschel’s timeless vision of Shabbat as “a palace in time,” the exhibition explores memory, ritual, Jewish identity, family, love, and the holiness embedded in ordinary moments. Through Russell’s luminous still lifes of ritual objects and Edelstein’s evocative paintings drawn from family photographs, the couple creates an intimate meditation on what we choose to remember—and why. Their conversation with Rabbi Yoshi touches on the relationship between art and spirituality, the emotional impact of October 7, the role of nostalgia in Jewish life, and the experience of creating art as partners in both marriage and creativity. Together, they reflect [...]
Search for Meaning with Brandon Farbstein
Watch the video podcast on YouTube In this episode of Search for Meaning, Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback sits down with speaker, author, and advocate Brandon Farbstein for a deeply honest and moving conversation about identity, resilience, and what it truly means to belong.Born with a rare form of dwarfism, Brandon shares what it was like growing up facing bullying and exclusion — and how those early experiences shaped his sense of self. With candor and insight, he reflects on the inner work it took to move from feeling defined by others’ perceptions to embracing his own voice and purpose.Together, they explore the difference between visibility and belonging, the emotional reality of resilience, and the responsibility that comes with being seen as an inspiration. Grounded in questions of dignity and human connection, this conversation challenges us to reconsider how we see one another — and ourselves.This [...]