Jen Grossman initially didn’t like Alex Blumberg’s podcast interview with his former boss, Ira Glass, the Baltimore-born host/producer of the popular radio show, “This American Life.”
But then Grossman attended a recent session ofPodcasts Over Drinks, aka The P.O.D., presented by The Soul Center atPikesville’s Beth El Congregation, and her perspective on the interviewcompletely changed.
“What the discussionleft me with was so much more meaningful,” she said.
Fellow P.O.D. attendee Courtney Gotlin agreed. “[The P.O.D. is] a chance to do something with my best friend, to get me out of the house,” she said. “Unless you schedule the time to do something for yourself, it just won’t happen.”
Now in its second summer, the P.O.D. series offersparticipants the opportunity to talk about a shared listening experience in amanner similar to that of book clubs. In this regard, The Soul Center is trendingas podcast discussion groups are popping up around the country.
“Book clubs started because reading is such asolitary event,” said Adela Mizrachi, creator of the Chicago-based PodcastBrunch Club. “Radio and podcasts are the same. People usually listen to themalone and are often frustrated that they can’t share the experience andfeelings they had while listening,”
At a P.O.D. session held earlier this month in the backyard of Pikesville resident Kathy Shapiro, Soul Center co-founder and Beth El Associate Rabbi Dana Saroken opened with a quote from the Mishnah: “One should make for yourself a teacher, acquire for yourself a friend and judge every person favorably.”
Participants then explored the concept anddimensions of mentorship, having listened on their own to the Glass interviewconducted by Blumberg, host of the podcast “Without Fail.”
“I always thought about mentorship in terms of long-term relationships,” Grossman said after the group discussion. “But I left this discussion realizing that it can also be momentary, some brief interaction with a person that might change the trajectory of my life.”
That, she said, is the true value and meaning of agroup dynamic like the P.O.D. “[It is] the range ofpeople and opinion,” she said. “That’s what makes the discussion interestingand worthwhile.”
P.O.D. sessions average about 20 participants,said Rachel Siegal, managing director of The Soul Center. “People come when theycan, based on their schedules or when they’re more interested in that week’spodcast or topic,” she said.
Each session is held at the home of a P.O.D. hostand attracts a wide array of participants. “As with most of our programs, someare Beth El members, some aren’t,” Siegal said. “Some, but not all, areaffiliated with other congregations. Most, but not all, are Jewish.”
This summer’s five-session P.O.D. series addressessubjects specifically related to personal growth,interpersonal relationships and community responsibility — topics that are notovertly Jewish or even religious.
That, Siegal said, isconsistent with The Soul Center’s overall mission to “engage Jews who identifyas spiritual but not religious … [and] offer opportunities to create astronger, connected community that will be more present for each other and agreater force for good in the world.”
For example, an“Invisibilia” podcast, which the group discussed on July 17, wrestledwith the issue of whether empathy is a good or bad human quality. This season’sfinal P.O.D. session will discuss one of “Oprah’s Supersoul Conversations,” inwhich philanthropist and former Microsoft general manager Melinda Gates saidshe regularly asks herself “whether I am using my voice in the world on behalfof [people who need help].”
Siegal said most podcast discussion groupsaround the country focus on specific subjects, and most of those are online.
An exception is Chicago’s Podcast Brunch Club.Mizrachi said she started it because “reading and radio or podcast listening isa solitary experience, and having people to talk about it with makes it alittle less lonely.”
Four years later, the club is still going strong, withmore than 60 chapters across the country, a few of which are in high schoolsand public libraries.
Mizrachi said she does not believe podcasts orpodcast discussion groups will precipitate the demise of books and reading ingeneral.
“People learn in different ways,” she said.“Offering students and adults multiple ways to get information and entertainmentis a good thing. And speaking for myself, if I weren’t listening to podcasts, Istill wouldn’t be reading more.”
Courtney Gotlin, who lives in Owings Mills, agreed. “So often, I start a book, but with four kids and other commitments, I just don’t have time to finish,” she said. “I’ve come to rely a lot more on Kindle and Audible and podcasts. It’s just easier to read and listen on the go.”
For information about the P.O.D. series or other Soul Center events, visit soulcenterbaltimore.org/thepod/.
Jonathan Shorr is a Baltimore-based freelance writer.
A Baltimore native and Pikesville resident, Freedman had the distinction of being the longest-serving employee in the history of the State of Maryland.
House Bill 661 is the culmination of a collaborative effort led by Del. Sarah S. Wolek (D-16th), Del. Jared S. Solomon (D-18th) and Sen. Shelly L. Hettleman (D-11th).
More than 100 Broadmead residents and team members recently gathered to celebrate the festival of Passover with a meaningful seder dinner.
For Beth Tfiloh senior Ada Key, earning the Eagle Scout rank is about giving back and paving the way for girls in scouting.