Asking For A Friend - Timely Issues. Timeless Torah.

We see a hechsher on a product and rarely stop to think about what it actually took to put it there.

In this episode, Mena Reisner is joined by Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Guttentag, Director of Certification and FedTech at KF Kosher, to go behind the scenes of modern kashrus.

What does a mashgiach really look for when walking through a factory? How do you certify products being manufactured across multiple countries, using complex ingredients, shared machinery and global supply chains? And why can foods that appear completely straightforward turn out to be anything but?

We know what we do on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. But what are we actually supposed to be thinking and feeling?

In the second part of this special Elul series, Mena Reisner continues his conversation with Rabbi S. F. Zimmerman, exploring the meaning behind the Yamim Noraim.

Why do we celebrate on the Day of Judgment? Why is there almost no mention of teshuvah in the Rosh Hashanah tefillos? What is the shofar actually meant to achieve? What changes during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, and what makes Yom Kippur fundamentally different from every other day?
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Every Elul, we promise ourselves that this year will be different. We’ll change, improve and leave old habits behind. So why do we so often find ourselves back in exactly the same place?

In the first of this special Elul series, Mena Reisner sits down with Rabbi S. F. Zimmerman to explore what Elul and teshuvah are actually asking of us.

Is Elul meant to be a time of fear or closeness? What does genuine teshuvah look like? Why is lasting change so difficult? And if we keep repeating the same mistakes year after year, do...

As the Three Weeks give way to the Nine Days and Tisha B'Av, Jewish life changes dramatically. The music stops, celebrations become more restrained, and we begin mourning the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash.

But what are we actually meant to be feeling? Why should we mourn something that happened nearly 2,000 years ago? What was truly lost, and what is the avodah of these weeks?

In this episode, Rabbi Zimmerman explores the meaning behind the Three Weeks, the real definition of sinas chinam, what it means to believe in the Geulah, how to approach Tisha...

Can you leave your job and take your clients with you? If you transform your father's business, who really owns that success? When does healthy competition cross the line, and can schools or businesses actively poach staff?

In this episode of Asking for a Friend, Dayan Posen explores some of the most practical and misunderstood areas of Choshen Mishpat. From employees and employers to family businesses, partnerships and competition, we examine where halacha draws the line between legitimate business practice and unfair conduct.

Whether you're an employee, employer, business owner or simply interested in Torah's...

Electric scooters have become a familiar sight in many communities. For some, they're a convenient way to get to school, shiurim, friends' houses and local activities. For others, they're a growing source of concern.

In this special mini episode, Rabbi S F Zimmerman addresses one of the most discussed topics affecting children, teenagers and parents today.

Are electric scooters simply a modern convenience, or is there a deeper issue at stake? How should parents respond when "everyone in the class has one"? Who bears responsibility – parents, schools, rabbonim, or the wider community? And what should a...

When King Charles III recently visited Golders Green, hundreds of members of the local Jewish community lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the monarch. The visit sparked widespread discussion: why does Yiddishkeit place such importance on kings and royalty, and what is the Torah perspective on monarchy in the modern world?

In this special episode, Dayan Hool explores the halachic and hashkafic questions raised by the King's visit. Can one make a brachah upon seeing King Charles? Should a person make a special effort to see a king? What is the concept of כבוד מלכות? Can one shake the...

In Part 2 of our discussion on nisyonos, Rabbi Zimmerman explores some of the most relevant and challenging questions facing people today.

Can pressure from family, school or community become a nisayon in its own right? Is questioning Hashem always a weakness in emunah, or can honest struggle sometimes deepen a person's relationship with Him?

We discuss whether wealth and success can be as great a test as poverty and hardship, how to cope with challenges that feel constant and never-ending, and whether shielding children from difficulty truly protects them or leaves them unprepared for life.<...

In Part One of this two part series on Nisyonos, we explore one of life’s biggest questions: why does Hashem test people? Together they discuss whether all suffering is considered a nisayon, why some people appear to face greater hardships than others, the struggle of unanswered tefillos, and why bitachon can feel strong in some areas of life yet weak in others. A thoughtful and honest conversation on faith, struggle and spiritual growth. 

Timestamps:

- 0:00:00 — Intro and episode topic: Nisyonas (suffering/tests)  

- 0:01:31 — Three categories of hardship introduced: Aynish, Tafkid, Nisyonas  ...

A wide-ranging conversation with Dayan Posen exploring the mitzvah of bikur cholim in today’s world, from the halachic foundations of visiting the sick to mental health, trauma response, community support, and the balance between practical help and genuine human presence. The discussion covers what meaningful care really looks like in an age of constant communication, and how small actions can make a profound difference to patients and their families.

Timestamps:

- 0:00:00 – Intro, technical note about previous episode; episode focus announced (Bikur Cholim with Daim Posen)  

- 0:01:47 – Guest (Daim Posen) greeting  

- 0:0...

Tzedakah today looks very different to how it once did. But has that change improved the way we give, or complicated it?

This episode addresses real-world dilemmas: If your child has a negative experience with an institution, can you redirect your support elsewhere? Do you need to verify every collector, or can you rely on communal trust? Is giving smaller amounts to many causes a practical solution, or does it dilute the impact of the mitzvah?

The discussion also tackles prioritisation, how to choose between multiple urgent needs and whether family always comes first. Are...

In a world of constant appeals, how should a person approach tzedakah with clarity and integrity? This episode explores the practical and ethical tensions behind everyday giving.

Is anonymous giving always ideal, or can public donations play an important communal role? Can time, effort, and influence be considered true forms of tzedakah alongside money? Where is the line between legitimate encouragement and uncomfortable pressure?

The conversation also examines modern fundraising realities, from luxury dinners to reciprocal giving, and asks whether these practices enhance or undermine the values of tzedakah. Finally, what place, if any, do...

In the early hours of Monday morning, four Hatzolah ambulances were deliberately set on fire in Golders Green. B''H no one was injured. But the impact has been profound.

An attack on Hatzolah, an organisation built entirely on chesed, responding to emergencies for anyone in need, has left the kehilla shaken. In North West London, across the UK, and around the world, people are asking the same questions: how should we process this, how concerned should we be, and what does the Torah expect from us in a moment like this?

In this special episode, Dayan...

Once a shidduch is underway, the questions only become more complex: how long should it last, how do you navigate doubts, and how do you know when it’s right?

In this episode, Dayan Posen addresses the realities of the dating stage, offering guidance on timing, clarity, and decision-making. From the role of parents and outside influence to recognising genuine compatibility, the discussion tackles the pressures and uncertainties that often arise along the way.

Clear, practical, and grounded, this conversation helps bring direction and perspective to the most critical stage of the process.

Chazal teach that making a shidduch is as difficult as Krias Yam Suf. but what does that mean in practice for families navigating the process today?

In this episode, Dayan Posen discusses the early stages of shidduchim: how parents and singles should approach the process, the role of shadchanim, and the importance of entering shidduchim with the right expectations. The conversation explores questions such as what advice parents should hear at the outset, what “realistic expectations” actually mean, whether financial considerations can justify rejecting a suitable match, and the proper guidelines for gathering and sharing information about a prospe...

In this sixth episode of Asking for a Friend, we continue the marriage series with Dayan Hool, stepping back from day-to-day scenarios to focus on the broader foundations of marriage from a Torah perspective. Building on earlier conversations, this discussion explores what a successful marriage is meant to look like and how couples can work towards it in practice. Drawing on experience, halachic insight, and real-world guidance, the episode frames marriage not as something static, but as an ongoing process of growth and intentional effort.

Timestamps:

0:00:00 - Intro / podcast opening  

0:00:30 - Top...

In Part 2 of The Marriage Series, Mena Reisner continues the conversation with Rabbi Zimmerman, focusing on the forces that shape a marriage from the outside as much as from within.

The discussion explores how responsibility to a spouse is balanced alongside chesed and communal life, whether men and women have distinct roles within the home, what time apart means for a relationship, how parents should respond when children criticise the other spouse, and how couples navigate tension involving parents and in-laws.

A practical Torah conversation about protecting the marriage while managing the many expectations, loyalties...

In the first part of The Marriage Series, Rabbi Zimmerman discusses marriage, sholom bayis, and what building a Jewish home actually requires in real life. Together they explore questions many couples carry but rarely articulate, what a good marriage truly looks like, why so many homes feel under strain, how comparison and expectations affect relationships, how couples deal with recurring conflict, and how hashkafic differences such as tznius and kashrus should be navigated within a home.

Please send in questions to podcast@federation.org.uk

Timestamps:

- 00:00:00 Intro, podcast overview, listener f...

Dayan Posen examines sibling rivalry through a halachic and human lens.

Why do siblings compete so intensely for parental attention? How much damage does perceived favouritism cause, even years later? What should parents be careful about at the Shabbos table, around praise, or when helping children differently? And when old grievances resurface in adulthood, is reconciliation always the goal, or are boundaries sometimes healthier?

A fascinating discussion on how family dynamics shape children long after they leave the home.

Timestamps:

0:00:00 — Intro / episode overview  

0:02:13 — Cause of sibling rivalry explain...

Dayan Hool addresses the realities and dilemmas around school admissions today. What can a school reasonably expect from parents? What responsibility does it have to children left without a place? How should families balance what’s right for their child with communal norms, donor influence or social pressure? And when is opening a new school actually the correct solution?

A clear, grounded look at an issue that affects almost every frum family.

Timestamps

[0:00:00] - Podcast Introduction: "Asking for a Friend" Episode 2

[0:00:30] - Dayan Biography: Dayan Hool

[0:01:30] - Top...

In the first episode of Asking for a Friend, Mena Reisner sits down with Rabbi Zimmerman to explore the questions shaping today’s Jewish childhood. Why are so many more children anxious? Has therapy become too normalised? Should parents be concerned about the sheer amount of instant frum entertainment? What should we make of teenagers constantly travelling abroad? And how does a parent respond when a child says, “But everyone in my class has it”?

A wide-ranging and honest conversation that opens the series by giving voice to the dilemmas parents think about all the time but rarely...

Asking For A Friend is a new podcast from Kehillas Federation, exploring the real questions that come up in everyday life, in halacha, hashkafa, chinuch, relationships, community, and everything in between.

Hosted by Mena Reisner, each episode features one of the Federation’s senior Dayonim, Rabbi S. F. Zimmerman, Dayan Posen, or Dayan Hool, offering grounded Torah perspective drawn from years of guiding families and communities.

This trailer offers a first look at the conversations to come.

New episodes every two weeks.

Please email podcast@federation.org.uk with your questions & fee...