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In this episode I say thanks to my local community in Burbank, I begin our long-term project of learning all of Pirkei Avot together on this podcast, and I answer a question from a listener, in which I reveal my personal journey away from and then back to God.

What wisdom can we learn from the 2016 election in America? And what does that have to do with the future of this podcast? For one thing, we need to learn to listen to each other, early and often. This is your invitation for you to connect with me daily on the Wisdom Community Podcast.

The jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the 10 days between them are known as the "High Holy Days", the "Yamim Nora'im" (Days of Awe), or the "Aseret Yamei Teshuvah" (10 Days of Repentance). But Teshuvah is more than a Hebrew word for "return" or "repentance" - it is the ancient Jewish technology for ongoing self-improvement. Listen and learn more to prepare yourself for the important work of the holy days ahead!

How does someone become Jewish? Why would someone become Jewish? What are the steps? What are the reasons? What is gained, and what is lost, in the process? In this episode Rabbi Carrier interviews Rabbi Adam Greenwald, Director of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program at American Jewish University ( http://intro.aju.edu ). In 2014, Rabbi Greenwald was named one of "America's Most Inspiring Rabbis" by the Jewish Daily Forward. He shares with the Wisdom Community why people take his classes and what they learn, as well as his take on the Jewish people today and his vision for our future. Listen, laugh a little, and be inspired a lot.

What can we do about the surge in public shootings and other mass-casualty events - strangers killing strangers over fundamentalist principles, race, or simply irrational anger? Mental illness sometimes plays a role; Moral illness always does. We learn from the Rabbis how to begin treating our epidemic of moral illness. BONUS Q&A: How do I get through a boring synagogue service? Visit the podcasts website (http://bit.ly/2aoA7FC ) to learn more and join the Wisdom Community, or visit Rabbi Carrier personally at Burbank Temple Emanu El, a Conservative synagogue in Burbank, California ( http://btee.org ).