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The opening episode addresses subjects rarely discussed publicly by rabbis, including sex, drugs, war, guilt, forgiveness, identity and the search for meaning.
By Shula Rosen
A London-born rabbi whose spiritual journey included years as a Buddhist monk, meditation retreats across Asia and martial arts training has launched a new podcast aimed at confronting questions often avoided in traditional Jewish settings.
Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen, now a senior educator in Jerusalem, debuted Rabbi in the Hot Seat this past week, a program that replaces structured lectures with open-ended questions submitted through social media. The format allows listeners from Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds to raise personal, philosophical and religious issues without restrictions.
The opening episode addresses subjects rarely discussed publicly by rabbis, including sex, drugs, war, guilt, forgiveness, identity and the search for meaning.
Cohen said the project grew out of frustration with what he sees as a disconnect between educators and real-life concerns. “Too many educators follow the philosophy of ‘Here, this is what I want to teach you,’” he told Ynet. “They’re not focused on what’s actually happening in people’s lives or what’s really relevant to their audience.”
Cohen’s unconventional background informs his approach. Born Bradley Cohen, he left university and spent six years traveling through Asia, volunteering in orphanages in Sri Lanka and Laos, participating in silent meditation retreats in India and studying Buddhist and Hindu philosophy. During that period, he trained in extreme martial arts in China and Korea, earning black belts in taekwondo and aikido, and pursued formal study toward becoming a Buddhist monk.
A visit to Israel in 2008 altered his course. Initially planning to continue on to the Amazon, Cohen instead began exploring Judaism. “I discovered that the spiritual wisdom I’d been seeking across Asia was rooted in my own tradition all along,” he said.
Today, Cohen lectures at Aish in Jerusalem, teaching both long-term students and short-term visitors, and leads Living in Tune: Authentic Jewish Mindfulness, an initiative blending classical Jewish sources with contemplative practice. He gained wider recognition in 2024 after appearing in a viral video by content creator Nuseir Yassin that introduced Jewish concepts to a global audience.
Cohen said the podcast reflects his belief in meeting people where they are. “I wanted to open up the platform and allow people to ask anything they’re struggling with about life, Judaism, or whatever else concerns them,” he said. “The goal is to give real, honest, authentic and deep answers.”
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