Reading Our Way Toward Healing

My husband was wheeling some boxes out the door the other day—balanced precariously on a hand truck—when a passerby stopped, pointed at him, and shouted, “It’s cold out, Mister! Put on a jacket—what, do you think you’re 18 years old!?”

If you live in Israel, you already know this is not unusual. Israelis are famously intrusive in the most affectionate way imaginable. Social boundaries here are more like soft guidelines—loosely observed, easily crossed, and usually crossed with gusto. People comment because they care. They worry because they feel connected. They will give you advice, unsolicited and unfiltered, because at some deep level they truly believe your wellbeing is also their business.

And honestly? It’s one of the country’s most enduring charms.

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that most of us genuinely want to help—our friends, our neighbors, the stranger with the hand truck and no jacket. But good intentions aren’t always enough. Knowing a bit more—about grief, trauma, recovery, narrative—can make us better helpers. Better listeners. Better companions in someone else’s difficult chapter.

As host of the podcast, “The Van Leer Institute Series on Ideas,” I’ve had the privilege of talking with remarkable authors whose work can deepen our understanding of what it means to support one another. We loosely call this cluster of conversations “The Healing Series.” It stretches from the intimate—what happens inside a grieving mind—to broad questions of communal memory and spiritual resilience.

Below are a few conversations you may want to explore.

Understanding Grief: The Body and the Brain

Mary Frances O’Connor has joined us twice, once for each book, The Grieving Mind, and The Grieving Body, each time unveiling fresh insights from her groundbreaking research on grief and bereavement. She has that rare gift of explaining neuropsychology in a way that feels both profound and practical. Her work reminds us that grief is not just an emotion—it’s a physical and cognitive process—and knowing that can help us offer more compassionate support to those who are hurting.

Addiction From the Inside Out

Substance abuse has risen in Israel—unsurprising in a period marked by war, upheaval, and financial strain. Philosopher and neuroscientist Owen Flanagan takes us deep into the landscape of addiction, weaving together neuroscience, ethics, and his own long, unflinching struggle with alcoholism at in his book, What it’s Like to be an Addict. His honesty invites a different kind of conversation—one that’s less about judgment and more about understanding.

Growing Through Trauma

If there is a voice everyone should hear right now, it is the voice of Richard Tedeschi, who coined the term Posttraumatic Growth. Tedeschi’s clinical work with veterans helped him see that trauma, while devastating, can also lead to new strengths, new priorities, and new wisdom. He has recently developed a practical workbook to guide individuals through that process—an invaluable resource for anyone navigating loss or upheaval.

Shaping a Narrative That Endures

Healing isn’t only personal; it is collective. Writer and scholar Michal Govrin speaks movingly about the work of shaping a resilient, meaningful narrative of the Shoah—one that honors memory without reducing survivors to symbols or victims. The episode about her work, But There Was Love: Shaping the Memory of the Shoah, is one of the most quietly powerful conversations we’ve had

When People Act, History Moves

Healing can also take the form of action. Sociologist Shaul Kelner reminds us how ordinary people, working together, once changed the course of history. His book A Cold War Exodus documents the grassroots movement that helped free Soviet Jewry—proof that collective care and collective courage can ripple across continents.

The Spiritual Dimension of Recovery

No discussion of healing is complete without the spiritual. We spoke with Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen about the Book of Psalms, drawing on Nachum Sarna’s classic commentary. Across generations, these poems have offered solace, clarity, and hope—a reminder that the human heart has always sought healing in words.

And in a conversation both intimate and expansive, Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg shared his evolving understanding of Judaism after the Shoah, reflected in his new book The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism. His vision is one of resilience, renewal, and moral responsibility.

An Invitation

There’s no single roadmap for helping others. We all bring our own experience, temperament, and blind spots. What these authors offer is not a script but a toolkit—you can take what speaks to you and set aside the rest. Their insights can deepen your empathy, sharpen your understanding, and maybe even help you carry someone else’s burden a little more gently.

After my husband was lectured on the sidewalk about dressing warmly, he came home amused—not annoyed. “They mean well,” he said. “Nobody wants to see a stranger catch cold.”

And maybe that’s the point. Caring doesn’t require permission; it just requires noticing. These books help us notice more thoughtfully. They help us offer not just a jacket, but comfort that actually fits.

All episodes of The Van Leer Series on Ideas are free and available wherever you get your podcasts. If you’re looking to help your neighbor—or yourself—these conversations might be a very good place to start.

And when books and podcasts are not enough, you can talk with a real. live person,  24/7, at the Tikva Helpline (074)775-1433