Marking the Jewish New Year, the series – From Dreams to Deeds: Join the Journey – debuts with Dr. Erica Brown, a 2009 Covenant Award recipient and Scholar-in-Residence at The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

“The New Year always presents challenges and opportunities for self-awareness and self-growth,” Dr. Brown said, describing the essence of the first podcast in the series. “Teshuva, repentance, is often associated with the pain of wrongdoing and inadequacy. But it can offer us a glimpse into our best possible selves and become a source of joy. Looking at Cain, the first penitent, in both the Bible and midrash, illustrates the power of change in the life of the individual.”

Like the premiere segment, upcoming podcasts will feature Jewish educators influential in their own communities and nationally – in the realms of Jewish education, religious thought, community building and generational continuity.

They include, among others, Rivy Poupko Kletenik, Head of School at Seattle Hebrew Academy and author of a monthly Jewish advice column; Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, Dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam in Monsey, NY, Founder and Director of Project Y.E.S., and a prolific writer on issues concerning parenting and children at risk; Macy B. Hart, President and CEO of the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in Jackson, MS; Barbara Ellison Rosenblit, Board member of the Jewish Women’s Archive and Director of Mentoring at the Weber School in Atlanta; and Rabbi Elana Kanter of The Women’s Jewish Learning Center in Scottsdale, AZ.

“These professionals are doing pioneering work and deep thinking about issues and challenges in Jewish life, and their passion is contagious,” said Harlene Appelman, Executive Director of The Covenant Foundation. “By featuring them, we are inviting the larger community to join in a conversation about Jewish education, and on the way, making it stronger and more engaging.  We hope this will become the catalyst for an important social network among champions of Jewish education and those who believe in a strong Jewish future.”

The podcast series demonstrates a connection between two organizations invested in furthering Jewish thought and conversation:  The Covenant Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting innovative and excellent Jewish education initiatives across the spectrum of Jewish life and environments, and JCast Network, founded last year to bring Jewish-themed programming to the community through mobile digital technology.

Segments are hosted by Darone Ruskay, Executive Director and Producer of JCast Network.

“This is an important collaboration between JCast Network and The Covenant Foundation,” Ruskay said. “By using accessible technology to highlight vibrant Jewish educators, and sharing their approaches, perspectives and stories, we are creating a greater conversation that can only strengthen the field and the Jewish community.”

From Dreams to Deeds: Join the Journey segments will live at jcastnetwork.org/covenant and on iTunes. Each segment may be played immediately or downloaded to computers and mobile devices.