2 Queers 4 Questions

02/09/2022

Hi, Ezra Furman here - on the occasion of the month of Elul, I just wanted to repost this Jewish podcast for those who might be interested. It’s called 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, and I made it with my dear friend and chevruta Agnes Borinsky.

It has been over a year since we started this show, which was structured around going through the major Jewish holidays and ask four questions about each one, with the aim of uncovering the counter cultural potential that I believe is inherent in the Jewish tradition. Our first proper episode was about the month of Elul, which is now upon us once again.

If you want occasion to think deeply and q***rly about the Jewish calendar, I invite you to use these episodes as a way in. We wanted them to be available a week before the holiday actually came up— in the year we were making them, we were often tardy. But this year we don’t have that problem! So feel free to use them as preparation for the occasions of our upcoming Jewish year.

I loved making them and Agnes always taught me so much, made me think differently, opened my eyes. Not to mention how often she made me laugh. The conversations are a beautiful little document of two Jewish q***rdos searchingly exploring our ancestral traditions and our own souls. I haven’t promoted this much, because it’s so niche (and, let’s face it, because it doesn’t pay $$$), but I’m very proud of it.

Also we’re still going to make at least two more episodes, about Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat! But since those recur regularly we’re taking our sweet time. Anyway, stay tuned, and happy Elul.

❤ Ezra

(Copied from my personal page)

‎Religion & Spirituality · 2022

05/08/2022

It's time for Tisha B'Av, the Jewish day of mourning par excellence, the day that first of all commemorates the destruction of our temple in Jerusalem and then piles on every other tragedy in Jewish history. We're talking about how to mourn, how to heal, how to be broken and what comes next.

In tribute to Tisha B'av's theme of a ruined structure, we've blown apart our usual terse style of inquiry and left our four questions as four piles of deconstructed rubble:

1. Are we actually sad what does it feel like to mourn on purpose on schedule are we faking it is this real grief.

2. Okay but what about a temple is the temple supposed to be our home would it feel like a home if we could make it again do we even want it to be our home what happens when you lose your home that you maybe didn’t even really want to begin with?

3. How do we understand blame responsibility collective guilt blaming the victim consequences a loss of coherence.

4. And but then what’s next what do you even do the day after things fall apart is it painful is it exhilarating can we get a little bit of aftercare?

Lastly, let me (Ezra) say that - although we DO plan to make more episodes (stay tuned) - this is the last in the cycle of major Jewish holidays, leading us toward the new year once again. I’m proud of this searching document we’ve made of our exploration of the Jewish calendar. I’ve loved doing this learning with Agnes, it has made me see our tradition in a whole new way and fall in love with it as though meeting it for the first time. I invite you to use it and share it as we go through the calendar all over again, starting with Elul and the High Holidays.

Thank you all for listening and learning with us, and hang tight for upcoming episodes about the non-annual occasions of the Jewish calendar, like Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat, and who knows what else… 💜🖤

03/06/2022

Shavuot episode!! Just in time!! Love this episode— I’m awed by the beauty of the Torah and the beauty of Agnes and her mind and heart. (This is Ezra typing)

We’re receiving the Torah, we’re learning what listening means, what love means.

Our questions for Shavuot:
1. Do we want it?
2. Do I have to show up?
3. Who’s invited?
4. Will I see you again?

‎Religion & Spirituality · 2022

12/05/2022

And just like that... it's our Omer episode. Count with us through q***r waywardness, grief, impatience, and the spiritual problem that is Zionism.

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 10. The Omer - May 12, 2022

12/05/2022

Well friends, we left Egypt so quick we forgot to let our podcast rise. But you can't really, like, skip over Exodus. So, with an exultant sigh, here's our Pesach episode. In which we consider trauma, anarchism, appetites, shame, and love.

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 9. Pesach - May 11, 2022

30/03/2022

Well, Purim got a bit carried away, stumbles out of bed a few days, weeks, late - but in the words of a Hasid Ezra met once, "Every day is Purim!"

In which we discuss closets, thresholds, chaos, and power.

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 8. Purim - Mar 28, 2022

29/11/2021

Alright, y'all. Chanukah is up... not a moment too soon. We're lighting lights, and also realizing how much we love the darkness.

Chag sameach, everyone.

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 7. Chanukah - 28 Nov 2021

23/09/2021

Okay now we're really into the deep-cut holidays. The last of the high holidays is the most mysterious, when we finish reading the Torah, pray for rain and dance like mad.

Our questions:
1. Why is there a holiday about nothing?
2. What happens at the end of the Torah?
3. Have you ever seen the rain? / What’s rain got to do with it?
4. Why do we dance?

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 6. Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah - 23 Sept 2021

17/09/2021

Sukkot -- she's always sneaking in there, just as we're recovering from Yom K. The new episode is up. For Sukkot. In which we distill our questions to the bare bones:
- What do we build?
- What do we do?
- Why is Kohelet so emo?
- Who’s invited, and why?

Join us for reflections on dwelling, mortality, joy, and a runaway sukkah.

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 5. Sukkot - 17 Sept 2021

12/09/2021

We're in it, y'all. The thick of it. And our Yom Kippur episode is live.
In which we get right to the burning issues...
- Is Yom Kippur a solemn or a joyful day?
- What does fasting do?
- What's the relationship between personal reckoning and communal reckoning?
- What do we learn from Jonah?

As always, write us with questions, complaints, exclamations -- stuff that bugged you about what you heard or stuff you wanna hear about in episodes to come...

Gmar chatima tova!

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 4. Yom Kippur - Sep 9, 2021

29/08/2021

Friends, Rosh Hashanah is live, too, now -

In which we take our lead from the names of the holiday, and ask...

- Why do we have a Jewish calendar? ("Yom Ha-Rat Olam")
- What does a shofar do? ("Yom T’ruah")
- What and how are we remembering? ("Yom HaZikaron")
- What do we do with guilt? ("Yom HaDin")

‎Show 2 Qu**rs 4 Questions, Ep 3. Rosh Hashanah - Aug 29, 2021

06/08/2021

Here goes. Overture episode now live.

‎Religion & Spirituality · 2021