Episode 2: Making Ritual Yours with Rabbi Vanessa Ochs

On today’s episode, a conversation with Rabbi Vanessa Ochs, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies at UVA, and author of Inventing Jewish Ritual, Sarah Laughed, and the Passover Haggadah: A Biography. Through her work and interview, Rabbi Ochs describes the parallels between rituals and choreographed performance – and how both elevate experiences, mark time, and help us understand who we are as people.  Your home has always been a sacred stage. This guidebook — inspired by scholar and author Rabbi Vanessa Ochs — explores how ordinary objects and everyday moments become Jewish ritual. You'll discover how to hang a mezuzah with intention, create a personalized home blessing, bring Shabbat into your week with simple blessings, and mark the first flowers of spring. Along the way: writing prompts, a chevruta reflection on the theater of daily life, and a blessing for imperfect homes. No grand gestures required. Just your home, your people, and a willingness to pay attention. Reach more about Vanessa Ochs here. Check out Moments That Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond Book by Beth Lieberman and Laura Geller.  Visit our website here to download guidebooks for each episode: recustom.com/regeneration Get ideas and resources for Jewish family connection at jewishgrandparentsnetwork.org. If you’d like to sponsor a future episode or share feedback, you can reach us at JGNpodcast@gmail.com.  Regeneration is hosted by Eileen Levinson and Debra Weinberg and produced by ⁠Josh Gilbert ⁠and ⁠Kate Mishkin⁠.