Rabbi Irwin Kula speaks with Rev. Welton Gaddy about how to break out of a pessimistic mindset, and why we are morally obligated to do so.

"The first atheist church has opened in London, and it serves as yet another reminder of three important facts connected to the ongoing cultural struggle between many believers and non-believers...."

"A new law took effect in Israel on January 1st , a law that pits commitment to freedom of expression against the commitment to protect people from the physical and psychological dangers of being too thin or attempting to be so...."

"The Freedom From Religion Foundation is at it again. This time, the organization, which sees fit to sue over the public expression of faith as often as possible, is suing the Internal Revenue Service over its policies regarding the differing filing requirements imposed on religious and non-religious organizations...."

Brad Hirschfield joins At Issue host John Munson in for Ben Merens to talk about the blessings 2012 has brought us. We can celebrate the blessing even though we don’t know where it is going to go; the blessing of the here and now outweighs the vulnerability that may be attached to it.

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Wisconsin Public Radio’s At Issue With Ben Merens, 12/26/12

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, director of The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, offers hopes for the New Year.

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The Wisdom of the Holidays series was made possible by a grant from Odyssey Networks.
Produced and directed by Diva Communications, 1/2/13

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield responds to questions on topics of the day. Most New Year’s resolutions are broken within weeks of being made, but that doesn’t mean that they are unimportant, or that we can’t improve our odds of keeping them. What are your resolutions for the year ahead?
What should they be for us as a nation?
How can we improve on our ability to turn today’s resolve into tomorrow’s reality?

Faith often comes into focus during the holidays, but 2012 has been a particularly trying year for the faithful. How do different faiths react to the challenges of faith? Reverend Calvin Butts, Rabbi Irwin Kula and Raquel Evita Saraswati of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy join "CBS This Morning: Saturday" for a conversation about regaining faith and finding meaning after tragedy. Watch...

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield shares with Rev. Welton Gaddy his experience navigating Christmas while being Jewish in America and his thoughts on a deeper shared sense of purpose this time of year.

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With Rev. Welton Gaddy from State of Belief, 12/22/12

"‘The world is changing so fast I am not exactly sure how to be a rabbi any more. The old rules do not seem to apply.’ This is a refrain we hear in many of the applications to Clal’s Rabbis Without Borders Fellowship program. Each year we get more and more application for the fellowship from rabbis who have correctly ascertained that the world is shifting around them.