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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman

@rabbimitelman.bsky.social
128 followers 47 following 75 posts

Founding Director of Sinai and Synapses, which bridges the worlds of religion and science. 1x Jeopardy! contestant, massive Yankee fan.

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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
As we move into Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Torah (and most specifically, the aseret hadibrot), it's worth reflecting that at least two talk about honesty -- which have become much harder to navigate with LLMs.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
R' Ishmael listed 13 different hermeneutical principles as ways to read Torah -- not just one. Studying Torah is not "one size fits all"; there's a dynamic of what the text says and who is interpreting it. At the same time, it's also not a free-for-all, where anything goes.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
A beautiful piece by Rabbi Sharon Brous, reminding us of the need for strength, courage, hope and light -- yes, every Hanukkah, but especially this one. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The Humanity Amid the Horror at Bondi Beach
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Deadline is TOMORROW, December 4th to apply for @sinaisynapses.bsky.social project Scientists in Synagogues, funded by the John Templeton Foundation! Your community would get $5000 to explore topics such as AI, memory, neuroscience, astrophysics and more! sinaiandsynapses.org/scientists-i...
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
While most of the Jewish community is talking about the Mamdani letter, I wanted to share two letters to which I was just one of only a few rabbis to be invited to add my name, both surrounding AI.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
The pushback against science was often from a fundamentalist perspective. Now, it's from a pseudo-skeptical framing of "I'm just asking questions here," especially from the manosphere. @adamfrank4.bsky.social explains how we help embrace science once again: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Why Young Men Are Losing Faith in Science
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
Sara Wolkenfeld & I are co-editing a special issue of the CCAR Journal about AI (coming out soon!), and she's a wonderful thought partner. How can we be more intentional re: our words & actions, esp as algorithms reduce our ability to think for ourselves? blogs.timesofisrael.com/digital-reso...
blogs.timesofisrael.com
The Blogs: Digital resolutions: A liturgical deletion of the cache
We often fall into the habits that tech companies nudge us toward, but we must take greater care and recalibrate our responsibility for the runaway train of AI
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
@kentremendous.bsky.social At the Yankees / Orioles game yesterday, my daughter was very upset that the Orioles had a monopoly on great names, but I told her they don’t hold a candle to Trodd Frankensteip and Ssassandra Ssassnorp. But these two may come close!
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
There are ethical challenges for using AI in sermons. But it's not black-and-white, and the role of the rabbi has changed dramatically. Perhaps AI can help rabbis recenter what makes their job so valuable, important and meaningful. wapo.st/4pEIBgs
wapo.st
Opinion | AI won’t replace your rabbis — but it might save them
Today’s pulpit leaders are overworked and deserve a bit of help with their sermons.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
This isn't a new phenomenon, but it raises the question of "efficiency" v. "effectiveness." Technology makes things easier, faster & cheaper -- and that's very useful for *things*. But spiritual work, can't (and shouldn't!) be done for speed. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/u...
nytimes.com
Finding God in the App Store
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
The question of AI is not IF it will change the way we engage with text, but HOW. This is still a very new world, with many ethical questions (such as accuracy, economic impact, plagiarism, IP and so on), but I do think that it can be a helpful tool. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/m...
nytimes.com
A.I. Is Poised to Rewrite History. Literally.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
We humans can't do anything by ourselves; we need others. Religion has been an incredible source of values for over 10,000 years, and while the way it plays itself out changes over time, the needs it meets will never go away. theconversation.com/did-humans-e...
theconversation.com
Did humans evolve to prefer religion? Research shows many atheists intuitively favour faith
Research highlights Atheists often believe religious faith is positive, even though they don’t hold it themselves.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
@sinaisynapses.bsky.social Fellow Ciara Reyes-Ton has started to realize that science is more than studies and publications -- it's communication. How do we not just teach, but inspire? How do we use music, dance, or connections with religion? substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com
Finding My Voice as a Science Communicator
I’ve been working for several years in science communication, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized it.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
There are areas of both conflict & connection b/w science & religion. But most importantly, scientists are human beings -- passionate, curious, flawed & based in values and communities. That's an area where religion can have something to say to science. www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...
theatlantic.com
How Scientists Can Be Good Citizens
We have a responsibility to ensure that our discoveries are used in the public interest. That isn’t always easy.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
What will we worship in our world today? www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | How to Survive the Trump Years With Your Spirit Intact
I’ve found it necessary to root myself in anything that feels rehumanizing, whether it’s art or literature or learning.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
A very powerful & insightful piece. The Enlightenment, the scientific revolution, and the continual advancement of knowledge and better understanding of our world are good things. AND we need community, guidance, values, exploration -- things that religion can offer. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/s...
nytimes.com
Americans Haven’t Found a Satisfying Alternative to Religion
Is it any wonder the country is revisiting faith?
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
There's so much in our world that's making us say, "Enough already!" But Dayeinu can remind us that while we focus on the things we are fighting against, it's more effective to focus on what we're fighting *for*, and to celebrate each step along the way. sinaiandsynapses.org/content/how-...
sinaiandsynapses.org
How Dayeinu Can Help Us Deal with “Enough Already!” - Sinai and Synapses
As we look at this world right now, the framing of Dayeinu can be enormously helpful. It requires us to take things one step at a time.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
@dzkalman.bsky.social shares the role that Jewish communities can play in ensuring AI remains ethical. While there are limits of what local communities can do, there's more than we might able to expect. jweekly.com/2025/03/07/a...
jweekly.com
OPINION | AI’s breakneck speed must not leave ethics in the dust
We cannot wait to speak up until the situation is egregiously (and probably irreversibly) out of whack.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
I was noticing this right as Covid was happening, and especially as we saw this was not going to be "two weeks out of an abundance of caution" -- we were going to be balancing individual rights and communal responsibility. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Opinion | How Covid Remade Our America, Five Years Later
It feels as if the pandemic is behind us. But we’re living in the world it made.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Jewish law has an algorithmic aspect to it, and deep text study requires knowledge of a vast corpus, most of which people don't necessarily know (or even have access to) @dzkalman.bsky.social put Deep Search to the test, and it did quite well. www.jellomenorah.com/p/deep-searc...
jellomenorah.com
Deep Search will change Jewish Law
AI is putting high-level legal argumentation in the hands of the public.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
'm definitely enjoying reading the excerpts from Ross Douthat's new book on belief, but I generally don't find the Cosmic Purpose argument for God all that convincing. I'm much more inclined to lean towards the experiential perspective (1/2) www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | My Favorite Argument for the Existence of God
We, ourselves, are part of the proof.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Though it can be frustrating at times, the bureaucracy of the government is a feature, not a bug. "Moving fast and breaking things" is dangerous for our daily lives, and as ridiculous and awful as Trump's plan is for Gaza, this concerns me more. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
theatlantic.com
The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified
Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
@dzkalman.bsky.social (Sinai and Synapses Senior Advisor on technology) highlights some of the literature review on Judaism and AI, both the philosophical and practical questions. A great introduction to where things are, and where they may be going. open.substack.com/pub/jellomen...
open.substack.com
Finally, a Jewish AI debate has emerged
The field is broadening. Here's my report card.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
So much of AI is the question of "what aspects of humanity might it replace?" Yet artists of all kinds will celebrated for the ineffable parts of our humanity. Since cartoons, by definition, aren't "human," how do we try to see the soul the characters? ’ www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Hank Azaria’s ‘Simpsons’ Voices Won’t Be Fully Replicated by A.I.
Soon enough, artificial intelligence may be able to recreate the sounds — but there will be something missing.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Many people have strong feelings re: AI (including wanting to ignore it) & it's hard to disentangle its technical, political, social and economic impacts. As the next four years will likely to lead to less and less regulation, we can't ignore its impact. www.natesilver.net/p/its-time-t...
natesilver.net
It's time to come to grips with AI
After the election, the timelines are accelerating. We need a pluralistic debate about its implications — but the left is dealing itself out.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
I'm so excited to announce a new project that @sinaisynapses.bsky.social will be launching a new project entitled "Jewish Thought and Jewish Education for the Digital Future," working with @dzkalman.bsky.social, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation! www.templeton.org/news/announc...
templeton.org
Announcing $8M in New Projects to Cultivate Character in the Digital Age
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
While this piece focuses on Christmas (and so I think it would certainly speak to many Christians), there are definitely analogies in the Jewish calendar -- from lighting candles to open and close to Shabbat, to increasing the lights from one to eight on Hanukkah,
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
In 2018, Congregation Emanu El was chosen as part of @SinaiSynapses' project Scientists in Synagogues, funded by @templeton_fdn to explore the relationship b/w science & Judaism. In 2023, Josh Fixler & Oren Hayon met w/ Sinai and Synapses Fellow Muhammad Ahmad... www.nytimes.com/2025/01/03/t...
nytimes.com
Religious Leaders Experiment with A.I. in Sermons
Modern religious leaders are experimenting with A.I. just as earlier generations examined radio, television and the internet.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
I've definitely seen this in how my kids are taught vs. how I had learned growing up. And it's not easy. But it can be done. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Giving Kids Some Autonomy Has Surprising Results
Letting them take some responsibility for their choices is what prepares them for adult life.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
One of my favorite quirks of the Jewish calendar is that the seventh night of Hanukkah is almost always the darkest night of the year. Not the *shortest*, but the darkest, since tonight is Rosh Hodesh Tevet, so it’s a new moon.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
@SinaiSynapses #2 post of 2024 came from Dr. Rachel Pear of Shir Hadash in Jerusalem. We are still grappling with the fallout of October 7th, and Israelis having been moving from a place of acute crisis to long-term trauma. How are they navigating? sinaiandsynapses.org/content/trau...
sinaiandsynapses.org
"Trauma" vs. "Crisis" - How Some Israelis are Managing - Sinai and Synapses
As we try to navigate these difficult times, a quote from Mr. Rogers may help: "If you can mention it, you can manage it."
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
Sinai and Synapses' 3rd-most popular post in 2024 was from Temple Israel of Boston, w/ R. Dan Slipakoff and Dr. Nora Renthal. What happens when clinical research doesn't provide clear answers? Ahttps://sinaiandsynapses.org/content/how-failure-in-science-nurtures-success-in-medicine/
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Sinai and Synapses' #4 post came from Rabbi Ian Pear of Shir Hadash in Jerusalem, and one to look at on Tu B'Shevat and Sh'mini Atzeret, as well. When is rain a blessing, and when is it too much? sinaiandsynapses.org/content/when...
sinaiandsynapses.org
When We Pray for Rain, Is It Because We Actually Want It? - Sinai and Synapses
When does Jewish law respond to scientific reality?
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Sinai and Synapses' 5th-most popular post in 2024 was on quantum physics and reality -- what truly is "real" in our worlds? This conversation between Morris Levine and Rabbi Linda Joseph raised some fascinating questions! sinaiandsynapses.org/content/quan...
sinaiandsynapses.org
Quantum Physics and Reality - Sinai and Synapses
Quantum physics and Jewish mysticism both contemplate the part of the universe we cannot readily see.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
Effort is valuable but it's not an end unto itself. There's a balance of process & results, and the goal of the process is to reach results -- as well as a reminder that grades should be a reflection of how much has been learned and mastered. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/26/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | No, You Don’t Get an A for Effort
High marks reward excellence, not grit.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
Over the next few days, Sinai and Synapses will be sharing our top 5 most-read pieces. Just missing the cut was one of mine in preparation of the eclipse, and how is wasn't just the natural cycle, but the resonance it will leave on our family. sinaiandsynapses.org/content/the-...
sinaiandsynapses.org
The Eclipse Isn't Just a Natural Process – It's a Historical Event - Sinai and Synapses
Eclipses are not just personal experiences; they are generational records that last for millennia.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 25/12/2024
"This Hanukkah, whose first night falls on Christmas for the first time in two decades, we must decide: Will we increase the light or stoke the fire? In their shaping of this holiday our ancient rabbis’ answer to this question is clear: Choose the light." www.nytimes.com/2024/12/25/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | This Hanukkah, Choose Light Over Heat
We follow the wisdom of the ancient rabbis in approaching both the holiday and this era.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Evolution has shown that nature is NOT "red in tooth and claw." Yes, we have evolutionary tendencies that emphasize selfishness, but we also evolved care, cooperation and altruism. In the words of Hall of Famer Buck O'Neil, "People ain't just one thing." www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Human Beings Are Not Predators By Nature
It’s a source of today’s intense political animosity.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
Jewish holidays are pegged to astronomical events, and Hanukkah brings more and more light as the amount of sunlight is at its lowest. As we move towards Hanukkah and Christmastime, the winter solstice gives a reminder to @JohnGHendy www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
theatlantic.com
A Nonreligious Holiday Ritual
The winter solstice is a pristine time for the simple act of noticing.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
I think I'd add adapt this is a bit to say religion in general, but since the vast majority of Americans are Christian, I do think it comes down to how a belief system, community, rituals and values can strengthen our democracy. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | What if Our Democracy Can’t Survive Without Christianity?
An atheist helps David French understand how religion supports America’s political ideals.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
A terrific piece by friend and collaborator @daviddesteno.bsky.social on how we can look at religion and Pascal's wager in a new way. And I love that he used the phrase in Exodus, "Na'aseh v'nishmah" -- I think I may have been the one who introduced him to that; he definitely got the Hebrew right!
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
A thoughtful piece from Sinai and Synapses Fellowship alumnus Connor Wood on a reminder that religion is much older than modern science -- and that "being human" is not a disembodied mind. cultureuncurled.substack.com/p/the-scienc...
cultureuncurled.substack.com
The Science of Religion Part V: Rediscovering Human Nature
What the scientific study of religion really offers us
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Really interesting connections between religion and technology from @gregmepstein.bsky.social, humanist chaplain at Harvard and MIT. Is Technology Worthy of Our Faith? nautil.us/is-technolog...
nautil.us
Is Technology Worthy of Our Faith?
Harvard and MIT humanist chaplain Greg M. Epstein on his 3 greatest revelations while writing Tech Agnostic.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
fascinating (and, admittedly complex) article on what might happen to theology and morality if there is a multiverse. aeon.co/essays/why-i...
aeon.co
Why identity, morality and faith splinter in the multiverse | Aeon Essays
If it’s true that we live in a vast multiverse, then our understanding of identity, morality and even God must be reexamined
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
I remember reading "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" many years ago, and hearing the distinction between "efficiency" and "effectiveness." We can be efficient with *things*, but need to be effective with *people*. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Nurses, Chaplains and Teachers Should Not Be Replaced With Technology
We’re increasingly becoming a society where very wealthy people get human care, like concierge medicine and private schools with tiny class sizes.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
When our family was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, we heard the announcers saying that Jennifer Hudson would "welcome in the holiday season." We joked that she should come out and sing, "S'vivon, Sov Sov Sov." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
theatlantic.com
The Christian Case for 'Happy Holidays'
Well wishes should be addressed in the broadest possible terms.
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
This was a really fun conversation!
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Rituals of all kinds can be deeply meaningful, and Thanksgiving is one that nearly all Americans celebrate. Cristine Legare shares some of the research behind its value -- even if only a small percentage of us actually LIKE turkey on Thanksgiving! www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3KC...
youtube.com
Why We Need Ritual with Cristine Legare | Templeton Annual Meeting 2024
YouTube video by Templeton World Charity Foundation
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
We need to stay focused on the human element of AI, and Alva Noe lifts up what he thinks makes humanity (still) unique -- we always struggle with new technology. Can computers think? No. They can’t actually do anything – aeon.co/essays/can-c... via @aeonmag
aeon.co
Can computers think? No. They can’t actually do anything | Aeon Essays
For all the promise and dangers of AI, computers plainly can’t think. To think is to resist – something no machine does
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Rabbi Geoff Mitelman @rabbimitelman.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I'm excited to highlight the incredible work of Sinai and Synapses, which bridges the worlds of religion and science. Having founded it more than 10 years ago, it's been a wonderful and inspiring journey to help rabbis and scientists explore their interaction! www.youtube.com/watch?v=StWe...
youtube.com
Scientists in Synagogues: In Conversation
YouTube video by Sinai and Synapses
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