{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Jews in the Field","home_page_url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm","feed_url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm/json","description":"\"Jews in the Field\" celebrates the diverse stories of modern Jewish farmers, highlighting how their Jewish and farming identities intersect and diverge. Each episode will feature candid conversations with farmers in our network, exploring their experiences, challenges, and the ways their unique constellation of identities influences their work. Through these stories, we aim to cultivate a deeper understanding of Jewish life in agriculture and the vibrant community that grows from it. Many Jewish farmers are the only Jew in their given farming community or the only farmer in their given Jewish community. Sharing these stories dispels the notion that these farmers are alone in the world while offering “models and opportunities for how to actualize [their] Jewishness going forward.”","_fireside":{"subtitle":"Conversations with Modern Jewish Farmers","pubdate":"2026-08-11T22:00:00.000-04:00","explicit":false,"owner":"Jewish Farmer Network","image":"https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-images-2024/podcasts/images/0/04ee1e25-9b28-4ea5-ac03-fe39b7499677/cover.jpg?v=1"},"items":[{"id":"bb651c6e-f79d-45a7-9851-fc829f73dd85","title":"A Jewish Farm Grows in Jersey with Gabe Siciliano","url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm/gabe-siciliano","content_text":"From Shtetl to Jersey Soil with Gabe Siciliano\n\nIn this episode, Shani sits down with farmer Gabe Siciliano, whose family has been farming the same New Jersey property for nearly a century. Gabe shares the remarkable story of his great-grandfather Abraham, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in the early 1900 with a dream of becoming a farmer—a dream that had been impossible for him to pursue as a Jew in Ukraine.\n\nGabe traces his family’s journey from Ukraine to Brooklyn and eventually to New Jersey, where his great-grandfather purchased an old farmhouse, began accumulating land, and built a life through farming, boarding, and whatever work was necessary to get by. He shares stories of the antisemitism his family encountered, including a cross burned on their lawn, and the resilience of the generations who built a life on the land despite it.\n\nThe conversation also explores New Jersey’s rich and often overlooked history of Jewish agriculture. Gabe talks about Jersey Homesteads, a secular Jewish farming cooperative created during the New Deal, as well as the Jewish agricultural communities and egg cooperatives that once flourished throughout the state. He reflects on the different reasons Jews came to farming—from seeking economic opportunity and a way out of crowded cities to intentionally reclaiming an agrarian Jewish life.\n\nGabe and Shani explore what it means to be both “a Jewish farmer” and “a Jew who farms,” and how Jewish teachings around tzedakah, mutual aid, kashrut, and stewardship inform Gabe’s approach to agriculture. From gleaning surplus crops for food pantries to thinking about the land as something sacred that does not belong to us but that we are responsible for caring for, Gabe shares how Jewish wisdom shows up in the practical decisions he makes on his farm.\n\nThe conversation also considers the relationship between farming and Jewish community. Gabe reflects on the importance of connecting with other Jewish farmers, particularly when the Jewish community around him is no longer as agriculturally rooted as it once was. Shani and Gabe discuss how agricultural holidays and practices can take on new meaning when experienced alongside people who actually grow, harvest, and care for food and land.\n\nFrom a great-grandfather fleeing Ukraine with a dream of farming to a family farm that continues to operate generations later, this episode explores Jewish agricultural history, the meaning of stewardship, and what it means to inherit not just land, but a relationship to the land. 🌱","content_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom Shtetl to Jersey Soil with Gabe Siciliano\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this episode, Shani sits down with farmer Gabe Siciliano, whose family has been farming the same New Jersey property for nearly a century. Gabe shares the remarkable story of his great-grandfather Abraham, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in the early 1900 with a dream of becoming a farmer—a dream that had been impossible for him to pursue as a Jew in Ukraine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGabe traces his family’s journey from Ukraine to Brooklyn and eventually to New Jersey, where his great-grandfather purchased an old farmhouse, began accumulating land, and built a life through farming, boarding, and whatever work was necessary to get by. He shares stories of the antisemitism his family encountered, including a cross burned on their lawn, and the resilience of the generations who built a life on the land despite it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe conversation also explores New Jersey’s rich and often overlooked history of Jewish agriculture. Gabe talks about Jersey Homesteads, a secular Jewish farming cooperative created during the New Deal, as well as the Jewish agricultural communities and egg cooperatives that once flourished throughout the state. He reflects on the different reasons Jews came to farming—from seeking economic opportunity and a way out of crowded cities to intentionally reclaiming an agrarian Jewish life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGabe and Shani explore what it means to be both “a Jewish farmer” and “a Jew who farms,” and how Jewish teachings around tzedakah, mutual aid, kashrut, and stewardship inform Gabe’s approach to agriculture. From gleaning surplus crops for food pantries to thinking about the land as something sacred that does not belong to us but that we are responsible for caring for, Gabe shares how Jewish wisdom shows up in the practical decisions he makes on his farm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe conversation also considers the relationship between farming and Jewish community. Gabe reflects on the importance of connecting with other Jewish farmers, particularly when the Jewish community around him is no longer as agriculturally rooted as it once was. Shani and Gabe discuss how agricultural holidays and practices can take on new meaning when experienced alongside people who actually grow, harvest, and care for food and land.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom a great-grandfather fleeing Ukraine with a dream of farming to a family farm that continues to operate generations later, this episode explores Jewish agricultural history, the meaning of stewardship, and what it means to inherit not just land, but a relationship to the land. 🌱\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Gabe Siciliano shares the story of his family’s journey from Ukraine to New Jersey, where his great-grandfather built a farm after immigrating to the United States. In this conversation, Gabe reflects on Jewish agricultural history, mutual aid, land stewardship, and what it means to farm through a Jewish lens. He also shares how his family’s farming legacy, from Jewish agricultural communities in New Jersey to his own farm today, continues to shape his relationship with the land and his vision for community. 🌱🧑‍🌾","date_published":"2026-08-11T22:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/04ee1e25-9b28-4ea5-ac03-fe39b7499677/bb651c6e-f79d-45a7-9851-fc829f73dd85.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":72138016,"duration_in_seconds":3606}]},{"id":"b686072f-3480-4455-b973-00214f33aae2","title":"\"Farming Is the Most Jewish Thing You Can Do\" with Alex Rosenberg-Rigutto","url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm/alex-rosenberg-rigutto","content_text":"In this episode, Shani sits down with farmer, educator, and herbalist Alex Rosenberg-Rigutto. Alex manages an educational farm and co-owns Northwoods Farmstead and Skill Center in Hersey, Michigan with her husband Rick, where they are slowly regenerating ten acres of previously neglected land while building a small garlic and potato operation.\n\nAlex shares the unlikely path that led her to farming—from working as a nursing assistant and struggling with her own health, to questioning the food systems she saw around her and beginning to grow food herself. What began as curiosity soon became a calling, leading her through years of farm work, institutional agriculture, and eventually the dream of building a farm of her own.\n\nThe conversation explores the realities many farmers face: financial uncertainty, the search for stability, and the tension between institutional farm jobs and independent farming dreams. Alex and Shani also reflect on the emotional and spiritual journey of reconnecting farming with Jewish identity—especially for farmers who didn’t grow up seeing agriculture as part of Jewish life.\n\nAlex also discusses her work creating widely loved kitchen herbalism content online, where she teaches people how to incorporate herbs and healing plants into everyday cooking. With nearly 100,000 followers, she has built a community around accessible herbal knowledge, food preservation, and seasonal living.\n\nFrom regenerating land and growing garlic to navigating Jewish identity in rural America, this episode explores what it means to build a life rooted in soil, tradition, and possibility.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eIn this episode, Shani sits down with farmer, educator, and herbalist Alex Rosenberg-Rigutto. Alex manages an educational farm and co-owns Northwoods Farmstead and Skill Center in Hersey, Michigan with her husband Rick, where they are slowly regenerating ten acres of previously neglected land while building a small garlic and potato operation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlex shares the unlikely path that led her to farming—from working as a nursing assistant and struggling with her own health, to questioning the food systems she saw around her and beginning to grow food herself. What began as curiosity soon became a calling, leading her through years of farm work, institutional agriculture, and eventually the dream of building a farm of her own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe conversation explores the realities many farmers face: financial uncertainty, the search for stability, and the tension between institutional farm jobs and independent farming dreams. Alex and Shani also reflect on the emotional and spiritual journey of reconnecting farming with Jewish identity—especially for farmers who didn’t grow up seeing agriculture as part of Jewish life.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlex also discusses her work creating widely loved kitchen herbalism content online, where she teaches people how to incorporate herbs and healing plants into everyday cooking. With nearly 100,000 followers, she has built a community around accessible herbal knowledge, food preservation, and seasonal living.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom regenerating land and growing garlic to navigating Jewish identity in rural America, this episode explores what it means to build a life rooted in soil, tradition, and possibility.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Alex Rosenberg-Rigutto shares her journey from suburban Detroit to farming in rural Michigan, where she now manages an educational farm and co-owns Northwoods Farmstead with her husband. In this conversation, Alex reflects on food, recovery, Jewish identity, and the realities of building a farm while navigating financial uncertainty and rural life. She also shares how kitchen herbalism, garlic growing, and land stewardship have become part of her evolving Jewish agricultural story. 🌱🧄","date_published":"2026-03-17T10:15:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/04ee1e25-9b28-4ea5-ac03-fe39b7499677/b686072f-3480-4455-b973-00214f33aae2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":60410176,"duration_in_seconds":3020}]},{"id":"da6badea-1240-4347-8bcd-045de8668ffc","title":"Farming, Ritual, and Place with Marlo Stein","url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm/marlo-stein","content_text":"In this episode, we speak with Marlo Stein, a queer Jewish farmer based in Hardwick, Massachusetts, where she runs Round Table Farm—a cut flower and small dairy operation on a historic fifth-generation farm near the Quabbin Reservoir.\n\nMarlo shares her journey from growing up in suburban Newton to building a life in agriculture, reflecting on how years of farming across the country shaped both her relationship to the land and her connection to Jewish tradition. Together we explore how Jewish holidays, rituals, and agricultural cycles come alive when practiced on a farm—from building a sukkah in the fields to rethinking Passover ingredients through the lens of local growing seasons.\n\nWe also talk about the power of rural community, the challenges and possibilities of taking over historic farmland, and how farming can offer a place-based way of engaging with Jewish identity, spirituality, and tradition.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eIn this episode, we speak with Marlo Stein, a queer Jewish farmer based in Hardwick, Massachusetts, where she runs Round Table Farm—a cut flower and small dairy operation on a historic fifth-generation farm near the Quabbin Reservoir.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarlo shares her journey from growing up in suburban Newton to building a life in agriculture, reflecting on how years of farming across the country shaped both her relationship to the land and her connection to Jewish tradition. Together we explore how Jewish holidays, rituals, and agricultural cycles come alive when practiced on a farm—from building a sukkah in the fields to rethinking Passover ingredients through the lens of local growing seasons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe also talk about the power of rural community, the challenges and possibilities of taking over historic farmland, and how farming can offer a place-based way of engaging with Jewish identity, spirituality, and tradition.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Marlo Stein, a queer Jewish farmer in Hardwick, Massachusetts, shares the story of building Round Table Farm—a historic property now home to a cut flower and small dairy operation. In this conversation, Marlo reflects on finding Jewish meaning through farming, hosting holidays on the land, and how agricultural life can reshape our understanding of Jewish ritual, seasons, and community.","date_published":"2026-03-16T20:45:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/04ee1e25-9b28-4ea5-ac03-fe39b7499677/da6badea-1240-4347-8bcd-045de8668ffc.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":26140786,"duration_in_seconds":2500}]},{"id":"73a5effb-9212-41e7-afdc-d38a313b1f7b","title":"Raising Kosher Chickens on Pasture with Zalman Friedman","url":"https://jewsinthefield.fireside.fm/zalman-friedman","content_text":"In this episode, we speak with Zalman (Robbie) Friedman, founder of Robariah Farms in Western Massachusetts, about his journey from the suburbs of Dallas to becoming a regenerative poultry farmer and certified shochet. Zalman shares how the Adamah Fellowship shaped his path, why chickens became the focus of his farm, and how he built a small-scale system for producing local, pasture-raised kosher meat.\n\nTogether we explore the challenges of farming as a livelihood, the legacy of Jewish poultry farming in America, and how Jewish values, community, and land stewardship intersect in the day-to-day work of raising animals. 🐓🌾🎙️","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eIn this episode, we speak with Zalman (Robbie) Friedman, founder of Robariah Farms in Western Massachusetts, about his journey from the suburbs of Dallas to becoming a regenerative poultry farmer and certified shochet. Zalman shares how the Adamah Fellowship shaped his path, why chickens became the focus of his farm, and how he built a small-scale system for producing local, pasture-raised kosher meat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTogether we explore the challenges of farming as a livelihood, the legacy of Jewish poultry farming in America, and how Jewish values, community, and land stewardship intersect in the day-to-day work of raising animals. 🐓🌾🎙️\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Zalman (Robbie) Friedman, founder of Robariah Farms in Western Massachusetts, shares his journey from the suburbs of Dallas to raising pasture-raised, kosher chickens and becoming a certified shochet. In this conversation, we explore the challenges and rewards of small-scale poultry farming, the history of Jewish chicken farmers in America, and what it means to produce kosher meat rooted in land, community, and regenerative agriculture. 🐓🌾🎙️","date_published":"2026-03-13T13:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/04ee1e25-9b28-4ea5-ac03-fe39b7499677/73a5effb-9212-41e7-afdc-d38a313b1f7b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":72725056,"duration_in_seconds":3636}]}]}