It’s the third week of Advent, the week of joy, and it’s also the first day of Hanukkah. Dorothy and Jason dive into what it means to live wide awake to God’s presence, even in seasons of grief, confusion, and…Wordle streaks. They’re joined by the deeply wise and wonderfully warm Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson, whose stories about faith, autism, Hanukkah, and learning to “live for the yes” leave everyone on the verge of tears.

Along the way, they talk radical joy, gratitude as a “gateway drug” to joy, why we pray the way we do, and what it looks like when different faiths stop competing and start blessing each other. 💛

In This Episode 💬

• 🕯 Advent joy & Hanukkah light
• 💥 Radical joy in a broken world
• 💗 Gratitude as the gateway to joy
• ✡️ Being “chosen” and living wide awake
• 🧠 Autism, love, and angry faith
• 🙏 How do we actually pray?
• 🔥 Bible, justice & everyone having a story
• 🎄✨ Gio Benitez, confirmation & Christmas preview
• 🔠 And yes… Wordle
• 🕎 A Hanukkah blessing for everyone listening

About Our Guest 👤

Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson is a rabbi, author, and dean at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, as well as a dean in Germany. He writes and teaches on theology, philosophy, Bible, justice, and what it means to live awake to God’s presence in a complicated world. He’s also a devoted dad, especially to his son Jacob, whose joy-filled faith reshaped Rabbi Artson’s own relationship with God.

Listen If… 🎧

This episode is for you if:

• You’re grieving and wondering if joy is even allowed right now
• You’ve ever felt mad at God or silent with God
• You’re curious about Judaism, Hanukkah, and interfaith friendship
• You love Wordle and wonder if your prayer life could use a reset
• You’re chasing faith but not always sure what you believe (or how to practice it)

Call to Action 💌

If this conversation about joy, grief, faith, Hanukkah, and Wordle spoke to you:

• ⭐️ Follow / Subscribe to Chasing Faith so you don’t miss next week’s Christmas episode
• 💬 Leave a rating & review—tell us how you are chasing faith and where you’re finding radical joy right now
• 📲 Share this episode with a friend who’s walking through loss, doubt, or change and needs a reminder that light still breaks in
• 💛 DM us on Instagram and tell us:

How are you chasing faith and joy this Advent/Hanukkah season?

Come chase faith with us. ✨

Suggested Hashtags 🌐

#ChasingFaith #RadicalJoy #AdventJoy #Hanukkah #WideAwakeFaith #RabbiArtson #Wordle #GratitudePractice #FaithJourney #Interfaith #ChasingFaithPodcast