THE RABBI & THE OTHER GUY

A Shalom Austin Podcast – New Episodes Every Thursday!

Welcome to The Rabbi & the Other Guy, where Shalom Austin CEO Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus and Dr. Matt Schocket dive headfirst into the vast ocean of Jewish curiosity.

Join along as they tackle every question under the sun about being Jewish, both profound and playful.

From exploring religious and cultural nuances to confronting intense conversations, and even delving into the classic age-old question – what really IS the best type of challah?

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EPISODE 1: JEWS & JUDAISM

Welcome to The Rabbi & the Other Guy! In our very first episode, our hosts dive into the overarching question of “what makes someone Jewish?” and what that looks like throughout Judaism as a whole.

EPISODE 2: JEWS & MARRIAGE

Love and marriage. What does that look like in Judaism? What is a Ketubah, and why does the groom stomp on glass? What are the rules when it comes to interfaith marriage? In our second episode, Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket chat about the traditions of marriage in Judaism, and how it has evolved over time.

EPISODE 3: JEWS & TATTOOS

Are Jews allowed to get tattoos? Is it against tradition, or is it just another form of self-expression? In this episode, Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket dive into the ever-evolving and taboo conversation surrounding Jews and tattoos.

EPISODE 4: JEWS & YOUTH GROUPS

If you grew up in a Jewish household, you were probably involved in some sort of Jewish youth organization when you were growing up. In this episode, Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket discuss what Jewish youth groups are, why they were initially created, and how important they are for Jews born in the Northeast vs. Jews born in the South (trust us, there’s a difference!).

EPISODE 5: JEWS & REPAIRING THE WORLD

Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket discuss the Jewish concept and principles of Tikkun Olam or, “repairing the world,” and what it means in different sects of Judaism.

EPISODE 6: JEWS & THE HEBREW CALENDAR

How important is the Hebrew calendar for Jews who live in the Diaspora? Are Jews allowed to interpret and implement the Hebrew calendar in their own way? Can we honor Yom Kippur at the same time TXOU is playing? In this episode, Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket discuss the differences between the Hebrew calendar vs. the Gregorian calendar.

EPISODE 7: JEWS & THE AFTERLIFE

Is there a heaven or hell? Do Jews believe in resurrection? What happens to our soul? And most importantly, did Darth Vader repent before he died? In this episode, Rabbi Septimus and Dr. Schocket discuss what the afterlife looks like in Judaism, both practically and personally.

EPISODE 8: SUMMER & SABBATICAL

Before they head into their mid-season break, our hosts sit down and chat about just about everything – work, sports, summer camp, and Rabbi Septimus’ sabbatical (and what that even is). We’ll be back in September!

Meet Your Hosts

Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus

Shalom Austin Chief Executive Officer

A fifth-generation Houstonian, Rabbi Septimus has been in Austin since 2014, serving as Texas Hillel Executive Director for just over two years and now as CEO of Shalom Austin since September 2016, the hub of Jewish life in Central Texas.

Before coming to Austin, Rabbi Septimus served at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, the largest Jewish congregation in the Pacific Northwest for seven years as Associate Rabbi and Director of Congregation Learning where he brought a holistic approach to congregational learning.

Rabbi Septimus graduated from Tulane University in 2002 and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2007. He has also been awarded the prestigious Hartman and Schusterman Fellowships.

Matthew S. Schocket, M.D.

Founder and President, Interventional Pain Doctor, Captial Pain Institute

Dr. Matt Schocket is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management after completing his residency at UT-Southwestern in Dallas and fellowship at the University of California San Diego. Moving his family back to Texas, Dr. Schocket founded Capitol Pain Institute in 2007 to provide expert pain management to Austin and its surrounding communities. He is a recognized world leader in the field of spinal cord stimulation and has taught physicians this technique across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

He is a recognized world leader in the field of Pain Management and has lectured at multiple national and international conferences including the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, the American Academy of Pain Management, the Spine Injection Society, the Israeli Pain Society, the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience, and the International Neuromodulation Society.

As an expert reviewer for the Neuromodulation Journal, he has served on the international Neuromodulation Appropriateness Consensus Committee. Dr. Schocket currently serves as a national consultant for Abbott and sits on the Board of Directors as a senior advisor for Neuralace. He has also served as a member of the Abbott Pharmaceuticals national advisory council and has actively participated in research projects for Boston Scientific, Allergan, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Merck.

A devoted father and husband, he is married to Kimberly Gardner Schocket, Ph.D. They live in Austin, TX with their two children. When he is not practicing medicine, Dr. Schocket enjoys snow skiing, golf, traveling, Texas Longhorn football, and spending time with his family.

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The Rabbi & the Other Guy Staff

Wendy Goodman, Senior Marketing & Communications Director
Thy Hooks, Assistant Marketing Director
Rebecca Golden, Producer – Marketing & Multimedia Specialist
Andrew Holmes, Editor – Marketing Specialist

For questions and inquiries, please contact us.