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Vayera 5787: Through Different Eyes

Can we choose to see hope when all we see is uncertainty?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Deborah Anstandig explore the power of perspective in Parshat Vayera. Through the stories of Hagar, Sarah, and Avraham, they examine how fear, despair, and uncertainty can shape what we are able to see. From Hagar’s discovery of water in the desert to Sarah’s unexpected joy and Avraham’s difficult test of faith, their conversation asks how we can learn to see beyond our immediate circumstances and make room for hope, even when the future remains uncertain.

Deborah Anstandig

Rabbi Deborah Anstandig is the Educational Director of Engagement at Pardes, where she also teaches Midrash. Originally from Detroit and now living in Jerusalem, Deborah began her Jewish education career through the Pardes Educators Program nearly twenty years ago. She holds degrees from Yeshiva University, Hebrew College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and received rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College in 2025.

Deborah has taught and mentored at SAR High School and The Heschel School in New York. She also served the Kehillath Israel and Temple Emunah communities and completed chaplaincy training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Deborah’s passion is teaching Torah that speaks to today’s challenges, most notably communal polarization. In her free time, Deborah enjoys biking, swimming, and singing.