Brad Lander: Judaism Unbound Episode 553 - Yom Kippur 2026
Yom Kippur is here! For the past few years, Yom Kippur has been the single most popular day — all year — for folks to listen to the Judaism Unbound podcast. So to those of you incorporating our podcast into your observance of this holiday, wishing you a beautiful and unbound Yom Kippur. In this episode, Brad Lander -- a candidate for Congress in New York's 10th district -- joins Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman for a conversation about observing Yom Kippur in 2026. Together they explore topics ranging from Un'taneh Tokef (the 'Who by Fire' prayer), to the book of Isaiah, to Yiddish curses, all in the interest of building a world that "distributes suffering less unequally."
[1] Head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes to check out our up upcoming courses in the UnYeshiva! Judaism Inbound (our intro to Judaism course) begins in just a few days, and four other amazing learning opportunities begin in October! Financial aid is available.
[2] Learn more about Brad Lander’s candidacy for Congress here. For a recent piece he wrote in The Forward, see “My hopes for the rabbi who envisions my defeat — and for a better Jewish future.”
[3] Listen to Leonard Cohen’s “Who by Fire,” referenced by Lander, via this link. For the full text of Un’taneh Tokef, the prayer upon which the song is based, click here.
[4] For a bonus episode of Judaism Unbound, exploring the Yom Kippur Haftarah reading from Isaiah referenced in this episode, see Bonus Episode: Yom Kippur Unbound - Morning Haftarah Reading.
[5] Learn more about health care activist Ady Barkan, who Lander referenced as one of the most inspiring activists he has ever known, via this piece in the New York Times.
[6] Lander encourages listeners to read the book Here Where We Live is Our Country, by Molly Crabapple. Learn more about it here.