I am hosted on Simon Jacob’s noted “Kosher Terroir” Podcast for a discussion on how Tanakh, Talmud, Halacha, and Kabbala elevate wine from beverage to blessing.
Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Play, or BuzzSprout (32 minutes)
From Simon Jacob’s text introduction to the podcast:
A vineyard can tell the truth faster than a headline. We sit down with David M. Weinberg to uncork a deeper story of Israeli wine—one that runs from Jacob’s blessing and Solomon’s vines to modern terraces in the Judean Hills and the Galilee.
David is a veteran columnist and WSET Level 3 wine professional who has walked rows with growers, tasted through the country’s microclimates, and wrestled with narratives like “wine-washing.” Together, we explore why a glass from Israel can feel more like a sign of return than a PR gloss. We trace the arc from ancient amphorae and prophetic promises to the renaissance of vineyards after centuries of desolation.
David shares how Tanakh, Talmud, and Halacha elevate wine from beverage to blessing—linking joy to holiness, song to gratitude, and harvest to hope. We talk Tu B’Av and festival music, why blessings matter, and how the metaphors of the vine shape bond at home and with God. Along the way, you’ll hear vivid accounts from early Carmel Winery shipments to today’s boutique producers and the living pulse of markets where the Shechinah feels as close as ripe fruit.
We also step into the mystical: Ginosar’s legendary grapes, Eden’s forbidden fruit, and Purim’s paradox of ad d’lo yada. Can drinking blur lines—or help redraw them with courage and clarity? With kavanah (intention) and moderation, wine becomes a tool for discernment, a way to temper ego and let gratitude speak.
By the end, the Israeli vineyard emerges as more than an industry; it’s a compass pointing toward joy, presence, and a future that tastes like blessing. If this journey resonates, pour yourself a glass, hit play, and share the episode with a friend. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: What does a meaningful glass look like to you?
For more information: David M. Weinberg is a think tank director, columnist and lobbyist who is a sharp critic of Israel’s detractors and of post-Zionist trends in Israel. WSET3 credentialed wine aficionado and wine guide. You can read more and contact David at https://davidmweinberg.com/
His collected writings on wine are at https://davidmweinberg.com/?s=wine
Link to Join “The Kosher Terroir” WhatsApp Chat
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EHmgm2u5lQW9VMzhnoM7C9
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[DW: Listen especially to the last section of the podcast on the theological meaning of ad d’lo yada on Purim! And read Al-Jazeera‘s attack on me for being “Drunk on Zion” and “wine-washing the occupation,” here. For me, this is a badge on honor!]
