R

Ryan Lips

From:
Dunwoody, GA
Age:
20
College:
Junior, Kennesaw State University
Major:
Accounting

The Interview

Ryan, have you witnessed antisemitism since October 7th?

Being a student at a university in America, of course I have seen antisemitism on campus.  It's a terrible thing.

How do you deal with it?

I started wrapping tefillin every day since October 7th, and I've only missed one day (other than Shabbos and Yom Tov).

That is fantastic!  What kind of Jewish home did you grow up in, and what kind of Jewish education did you receive?

I was raised in the orthodox community of Congregation Ariel, in what I would call a modern orthodox home.  I attended Atlanta Jewish Academy from 4th-8th grade, then Dunwoody High School for a year, then the Weber School (a pluralistic Jewish school) for 10th-12th grades.

How did you hear about The Podcast Fellowship?

I learned about it from Rabbi Netanel Friedman (of Atlanta Scholars' Kollel), who introduced it to me during my freshman year of college.

Would you have been interested in The Podcast Fellowship without the $15 stipend offer?

I do the learning for the good of my mind so I would definitely still be interested, but the $15 stipend is a great way to keep me going with it.  Just a little thank-you for students to (motivate) them to get some learning in!

Ed. note: Ryan is now in his 3rd year of Podcast Fellowship learning, having logged 37 paid sessions.  He continues to listen to podcasts, participate in TPF discussions and recruit friends, but no longer needs the stipends to motivate him.

Tell us about your experience with TPF.

My experience with TPF has been amazing.  My mentor Rabbi Netanel is a wonderful rabbi who really cares about teaching college students and teenagers about Judaism.  It helps to learn with Rabbi Netanel because he knows me; he knows how I learn best.  He loves to bring sports--which I love and can easily connect with--into the conversation.

We learn in a group; we pick a podcast before we discuss so we all have time to watch the podcast, and then we get together on Zoom to discuss it.  In addition to completing a full discussion about the podcast, we also discuss anything we have going on in our lives.

Who is your favorite podcast speaker?

I enjoy listening to all the speakers but one of my favorites is Mr. Charlie Harary.  My favorite topic is probably 'Inspiration.'

I heard that you're an all-star recruiter; that you've brought in around a dozen friends to The Podcast Fellowship.  Can you tell us about that?

I think recruitment for anything can be easy or difficult--it just depends on how much you want to make it happen.  I personally love to learn with my friends and so if I bring my friends to learn with me, it makes it more fun for me and for everyone.

Would you say that TPF has helped you grow as a Jew?

I definitely think my level of connection has changed through TPF.  I think overall my experience with Rabbi Netanel has helped me connect more with my learning and understand it more personally rather than generally.

Ryan, can you sum up your experience with The Podcast Fellowship in one quote?

“JUST AMAZING!"  Nothing else can be said.