People of the Pod
332 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★★ - 154 ratingsPeople of the Pod is a weekly podcast analyzing global affairs through a Jewish lens, brought to you by American Jewish Committee. Host Manya Brachear Pashman examines current events, the people driving them, and what it all means for America, Israel, and the Jewish people.
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Episodes
A Look Back: AJC’s Award-Winning “Remembering Pittsburgh” Series
April 04, 2024 21:53 - 31 minutes - 72.5 MBListen to this compilation of our award-winning series Remembering Pittsburgh, exploring how the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue affected the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, the U.S., and around the world. In the four-part series, we take listeners behind the scenes of how the Pittsburgh Jewish community continues to rebuild and honor the lives lost on October 27, 2018. The anniversary came during the same month as the most lethal attack on Jews since the Holocaust: Hamas' ...
Jewish College Student Leaders Share Their Blueprint for Combating Antisemitism
March 29, 2024 21:28 - 19 minutes - 45.2 MBHear from two Jewish student leaders at Binghamton University, Seth Schlank and Eytan Saenger, on their experiences amidst rising antisemitism on college campuses in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre in Israel by Hamas. They discuss the strong sense of community among Jewish students on campus, the value of a supportive university administration, and the power of Jewish student-led movements to counter antisemitism. The students also touch on the Binghamton community’s show of solidari...
Matisyahu’s Message to His Fellow Jews and to the Israel Haters Trying to Cancel Him
March 21, 2024 20:13 - 22 minutes - 50.7 MB“The Jewish people don't really give up. They’re fighters. … a vision of peace, and a vision of hope, and of empathy. I really, truly believe that that is at the core of who we are. And that is what we are actually fighting for.” Matisyahu’s recent show in Chicago was canceled due to the threat of anti-Israel protests. The Jewish American singer’s music has evolved alongside his Jewish identity. But one thing has always been clear: He believes in Israel's right to exist. Because of that,...
Unheard, Until Now: How Israeli Women Are Powering Israel’s Resilience
March 14, 2024 20:09 - 17 minutes - 40.4 MBIn the days following October 7, Israeli filmmaker Shifra Soloveichik felt hopeless and hated, but not helpless. Inspired by women around her, she launched a digital initiative called Women of Valor: Women of War, to spotlight unheralded women with extraordinary stories during one of the most difficult moments in modern Jewish history. To mark Women’s History Month, hear from Shifra about how she is giving a voice to Israeli women whose stories have gone unheard. *The views and opinions ex...
152 Days Later: What the Mother of Hostage Edan Alexander Wants the World to Know
March 07, 2024 19:28 - 24 minutes - 55.9 MB“Listen to me, Edan. I'm here. I'm with you. I love you. Just protect yourself. Just be safe.” These were the last words Yael Alexander spoke to her then-19 year old son, Edan, on the morning of October 7, 2023. Edan, an IDF soldier stationed on the Gaza border, was later taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Yael joins us from her New Jersey home to tell her story of pain, uncertainty, and anguish over the past 152 days. This week, as President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union addre...
What It’s Like to Be Jewish at Harvard Among Antisemites and Hamas Supporters
February 29, 2024 21:38 - 23 minutes - 54.5 MBWhat’s it like being a Jewish student at Harvard today? With us to tell their firsthand accounts are Nitsan Machlis, Co-Chair of the Harvard Kennedy School Jewish Caucus, and Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard Divinity school student who is part of a group that sued the university–alleging that they failed to address “severe and pervasive” campus antisemitism. AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report found that 24% of current or recent college students say they felt uncomfortable or...
Believe Israeli Women: How to Advocate for Victims of Hamas’ Sexual Violence
February 23, 2024 18:51 - 23 minutes - 53.9 MBDuring their murderous rampage across Southern Israel on October 7th, Hamas weaponized sexual violence. Over 138 days later, denial of these crimes runs rampant despite verified evidence and testimony from survivors of the NOVA festival, the attacked kibbutzim, and freed hostages. Hear from Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, on the efforts in Congress to stand in solidarity with Israeli victims of Hamas’ sexual violence, and what you can do to m...
When Antisemites Target Local Businesses: How Communities Are Uniting in Response
February 15, 2024 23:13 - 17 minutes - 39.9 MBOne in five U.S. Jews reported that local businesses where they live have been the target of antisemitism in the past five years, revealed AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report, published this week. To dive deeper into this concerning trend, we spoke with Adam Deutsch who, since October 8, has displayed a “We Stand With Israel Sign” in the window of his Scarsdale, NY ice cream shop. In January, his storefront was spray painted with the words “genocide supporters.” Hear from De...
How A 10/7 Survivor is Confronting Anti-Israel Activists on College Campuses
February 08, 2024 23:33 - 15 minutes - 36.2 MBYoni Diller, a 28-year-old Israeli filmmaker, arrived at the Supernova Music Festival just hours before Hamas terrorists launched their unprecedented attack on Israel that killed 1200 people, including 401 at the music festival alone. Yoni escaped the festival on foot, walking for hours through southern Israel’s desert to safety. Having survived this harrowing experience, Yoni is now traveling the world to share his story with political leaders, college students, and others, providing fir...
Tal Shimony Survived the Hamas Attack on the Nova Music Festival: Hear Her Story of Courage, Resilience, and Remembrance
February 02, 2024 00:16 - 33 minutes - 77.2 MBDancing. Costumes. Music. Rockets. Running. Chaos. At 6:29 am on the morning of October 7, Tal Shimony went from dancing in a field outside the Southern Israeli kibbutz of Re’im at the Supernova Music Festival to running for her life as the site was attacked by Hamas terrorists. Tal guides us through the horrors she witnessed that morning, and the exhibit 'Nova 6.29,' where the community aims to tell their story and honor those killed and taken hostage, in the deadliest attack on a music ...
How to Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a Post-October 7th World
January 25, 2024 22:44 - 21 minutes - 49 MBThis week, Mark Weitzman from the World Jewish Restitution Organization, joins us to discuss the links between the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the Holocaust, and how Holocaust museums worldwide and in Israel are grappling with the aftermath. As International Holocaust Remembrance Day approaches, we also delve into the direct connection between Holocaust denial and distortion to the denial and distortion of October 7 events, and how both are rooted in antisemitism. *The views and o...
A Spider Web of Terror: How Iran’s Axis of Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas Threaten Israel and America
January 19, 2024 19:43 - 17 minutes - 39.3 MBThis week President Biden re-designated Yemen’s Houthis as a global terrorist group amid its increasing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the Hezbollah terror group continues to threaten Israel's northern border, and the Israel-Hamas war continues as Hamas still holds more than 100 Israeli hostages taken on 10/7. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute, jo...
Unpacking South Africa’s Baseless Genocide Charge Against Israel
January 11, 2024 23:11 - 26 minutes - 60 MBThe International Court of Justice is currently hearing South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Professor Geoffrey Corn from Texas Tech University joins us to explain how we got here, the case’s significance, and why the claims of genocide are baseless. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Episode Lineup: (0:40) Geoffrey Corn Show Notes: Explainer: What You Need to Know about South Africa’s Baseless ...
Countering the Denial and Distortion of the 10/7 Hamas Attack
December 28, 2023 22:40 - 32 minutes - 74.4 MBSince October 7, the USC Shoah Foundation has added a new component to its mission: collecting the testimonies of those who survived the worst antisemitic attack since the Holocaust to counter those who deny it took place. Dr. Robert Williams, Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation, joins us to discuss the history and tendency to deny atrocities committed against Jews, the importance of collecting testimonies, and how they help in understanding antisemitism in all its forms. *T...
4-Year-Old Hostage Abigail Idan is Free–Her Family is On a Mission to #BringThemAllHome
December 21, 2023 21:13 - 28 minutes - 65.7 MBFour-year-old Abigail Mor Idan, the youngest U.S. citizen who was kidnapped and held by Hamas, returned home during a pause in fighting in November. But the whereabouts and well-being of 129 hostages are still unknown. Abigail’s great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, joins us to recount her family’s harrowing story – including the murder of Abigail’s parents – and her relentless effort to bring the remaining captives home to their loved ones. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not n...
The Fallout from the University Presidents Congressional Hearing: What Does it Mean for Jewish Students?
December 14, 2023 22:43 - 30 minutes - 70.7 MBAs American colleges and universities struggle to foster discussions about the war between Israel and Hamas that don't veer into antisemitism and misinformation, three university presidents testified on Capitol Hill about the current state of Jew-hatred on college campuses. However, their testimony drew widespread outrage over their refusal to condemn calls for genocide against Jewish students. AJC Director of Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Coodin, and AJC Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, Dr...
Global Antisemitism Report Part 2: The Impact of the Hamas-Israel War in Germany, Asia, and the Arab Gulf
December 06, 2023 23:07 - 21 minutes - 48.5 MB“I cannot recall a moment where we have seen this kind of openly expressed antisemitism.” Dr. Remko Leemhuis, AJC Berlin Director, sums up the state of antisemitism in Germany post-October 7 with this chilling statement. Hear from Leemhuis, along with Asia Pacific Institute (API) Assistant Director Hana Rudolph, and AJC Abu Dhabi Director Marc Sievers, on how the October 7 Hamas massacre of Israelis has impacted Jews in Germany, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United Arab Emirates. *The...
Global Antisemitism Report Part 1: What It’s Like to Be Jewish in Europe, Latin America, and South Africa Right Now
December 04, 2023 23:15 - 24 minutes - 57.1 MBFollowing Hamas’ October 7 massacre of Israelis Jews around the world have experienced a surge of antisemitism. We checked in with some of AJC’s global experts to learn what they’ve been seeing and hearing on the ground and to understand what efforts are underway to protect Jews and counter this hate. In the first of two installments, we hear from AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan Benzaquen, AJC Africa Director Wayne Sussman, and Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC’s Belfer Institute...
What Happens Next: AJC’s Avital Leibovich on the Hostage Deal and Challenges Ahead
November 29, 2023 23:31 - 19 minutes - 43.8 MBFrom the frontlines of the Israel-Hamas War, Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich, director of AJC Jerusalem, joins us to discuss the current pause in fighting between Israel and the terror group Hamas, the release of hostages, the significance of international support for Israel, and the challenges the Jewish state faces in the West Bank. Leibovich also provides insights into the humanitarian conditions of the hostages and the broader implications of the conflict. Take action to bring all ho...
The Good, the Bad, and the Death Threats: What It’s Like to Be a Jewish College Student Right Now
November 16, 2023 21:15 - 20 minutes - 46.7 MBDelve into the unsettling rise of antisemitism on American college campuses, focusing on alarming incidents at Cornell University and Columbia University. Our guests, Molly Goldstein and Elliot Sadoff, both members of AJC's Campus Global Board, share their experiences of Jewish students being targeted in the classroom, physically attacked while raising awareness about kidnapped babies in Gaza, and facing death threats for merely speaking Hebrew. Join us as Molly and Elliott share their per...
Jewish U.S. Military Veterans’ Message to IDF Soldiers Fighting Hamas: “We’re With You”
November 09, 2023 21:38 - 28 minutes - 65.2 MBIn honor of Veterans Day, explore the unique experiences of Jewish U.S. military veterans with Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist. Our guests share what inspired them to join the military, how their Jewish heritage played a significant role in shaping their service, and what advice they have for the Israel Defense Forces soldiers fighting now against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Warnock and Goldstein are members of AJC’s ACCESS Jewish Military ...
What Would You Do If Your Son Was Kidnapped by Hamas?
November 02, 2023 21:52 - 26 minutes - 60.6 MBIn this heartfelt conversation with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh, who is among the over 240 hostages held by Hamas terrorists, they detail what they know about their son’s abduction from the Supernova music festival on October 7th and the challenges they face in trying to secure his rescue. They also describe their dismay that world leaders are not doing enough to bring the hostages home and share ways to keep their son and all the hostages’ stories alive. ...
Remembering Pittsburgh Part 4: AJC CEO Ted Deutch On the Jewish Community’s Resilience After Pittsburgh and Hamas Attacks
October 27, 2023 20:44 - 19 minutes - 44.6 MBAJC CEO Ted Deutch joins us to discuss the significance of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life and its aftermath, the anniversary, and what it means to Jews around the world after the October 7 attack on Israel, when once again Jews were murdered just for being Jewish. In the final episode of the Remembering Pittsburgh series, Ted reflects on what being Jewish in the United States feels like at this moment, and how the Jewish community is uniting to overcome yet another c...
Remembering Pittsburgh Part 3: How the #ShowUpForShabbat Campaign Drew Global Solidarity Amid Tragedy
October 26, 2023 21:01 - 22 minutes - 51.1 MBIn the aftermath of the slaughter of 11 Jews inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, American Jewish Committee (AJC) drew up a plan to galvanize Jewish communities and their allies across the world in an expression of unity and defiance: #ShowUpForShabbat. The campaign, which reached hundreds of millions of people, urged those of all faiths to attend synagogue services during the Shabbat following the attack to show solidarity with t...
Remembering Pittsburgh Part 2: What the Family of Tree of Life Victim Joyce Fienberg Wants You to Know About Her Legacy
October 25, 2023 16:58 - 27 minutes - 62.1 MBJoin us in a tribute to the memory of Joyce Fienberg, one of the 11 victims of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. In this touching second installment of our series on the events of 10/27 , we sit down with Joyce's son, Howard Fienberg, and his wife, Marnie, as they share their journey of mourning and resilience. Joyce was not only a dedicated member of the Tree of Life synagogue but also a retired university researcher, a devoted mother, and grandmother. Howard...
Renana Gomeh’s Sons Were Taken Hostage by Hamas: What She Needs You to Do to Bring Them Home Now
October 20, 2023 18:21 - 20 minutes - 46.8 MBAt 6:30 a.m on October 7, 2023, Renana Gomeh’s life changed forever when Iran-backed Hamas terrorists stormed her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and took her two sons, Yagil and Or Yaakov, ages 12 and 16, hostage. She has not heard from them since, knows nothing about the conditions they're held in, or whether they're still alive. Listen to Renana’s painful account, how she is coping, and her mission to bring them home. American Jewish Committee (AJC) and more than 110 Jewish organizations have u...
What Biden’s Wartime Visit to Israel Signals to Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah
October 19, 2023 18:05 - 17 minutes - 40.9 MBJason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, joins us to break down U.S. President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit to Israel and his message to Iran and its terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. Jason also shares his take on the fast-moving situation, including the fallout from the explosion at the Gaza hospital, the announcement of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the growing antisemitic attacks in the Middle East and Europe. *The views and opinions expressed by guests...
Mai Gutman Was Supposed to Be at the Music Festival: IDF Lone Soldier Recounts Harrowing Week
October 12, 2023 19:14 - 18 minutes - 42.5 MBMai Gutman, 28, a graduate student and member of AJC's Campus Global Board, had planned to join her friends at the Supernova music festival near Israel's border with Gaza on Saturday, October 7. But when relatives came to visit, she decided to celebrate Shabbat and Simchat Torah in Jerusalem instead—a change of plans that saved her life. At least 260 young Israelis and people from all over the world were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists at the festival. Mai, an IDF reservist who was jus...
Responding to Hamas Terror: IsraAID CEO on How You Can Help Israelis Right Now
October 10, 2023 16:57 - 15 minutes - 35.3 MBWe’re joined by Yotam Politzer, CEO of IsraAID, to discuss how Israel’s leading international humanitarian organization is responding to the immediate and long-term needs on the ground in the wake of Iran-backed Hamas's barbaric terrorist attack in Israel. Politzer shares how American Jews can step up to support Israelis through this incredibly difficult time. American Jewish Committee (AJC) has launched an Israel Emergency Campaign to support Israeli relief organizations. Their first gran...
Remembering Pittsburgh Part 1: Behind the Scenes at the Reimagined Tree of Life
October 06, 2023 17:09 - 20 minutes - 46.2 MBThis month, we mark the five-year anniversary of the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting at the Tree of Life. On October 27, 2018, 11 worshipers were murdered solely for being Jewish, in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. As the first installment in a four-part series, we take you inside the Tree of Life building before it is demolished in the coming months to make way for a new complex dedicated to Jewish life and combating antisemitism. Hear from Carole Zawatsky, the CEO behind ...
What Jewish Students at Penn Want You to Know About Antisemitism and the Palestine Writes Event
September 28, 2023 20:55 - 27 minutes - 61.8 MBAll eyes have been on the University of Pennsylvania and the Palestine Writes event, a gathering meant to give voice to Palestinian art, poetry, and literature on campus. However, a number of the speakers, including Roger Waters and Marc Lamont Hill, have well-documented histories of antisemitic statements. Maya Harpaz, Vice President of Israel Engagement at Penn Hillel, and Jonah Miller, a reporter for The Daily Pennsylvanian, take you through what unfolded, growing campus antisemitism, ...
What the UN Needs To Do To Stop Iranian and Russian Aggression
September 21, 2023 21:22 - 19 minutes - 43.6 MBThis week, Simone Rodan Benzaquen, Managing Director of AJC Europe, joins us to discuss AJC’s leading role in the Jewish community’s diplomatic efforts at the United Nations General Assembly. Simone highlights key areas of advocacy, including countering the Iranian threat, addressing antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, advancing the Abraham Accords, and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. We also explore the impact of addresses from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and...
Deborah Lipstadt on the Abraham Accords’ Impact and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
September 14, 2023 21:01 - 24 minutes - 55.7 MBAmbassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, joins us to discuss how she’s settled into her new role and shares insights on the development of the new U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, for which AJC has long advocated. Lipstadt, a renowned Holocaust historian and one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People of 2023, also delves into the ways in which the Abraham Accords have contributed to the fight against antisemitism in the Middle...
Sen. Joni Ernst Reflects on the Abraham Accords and the Future of Arab-Israeli Engagement
September 07, 2023 13:37 - 20 minutes - 47.9 MBAs we mark the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, significant progress has been made in deepening Arab-Israeli engagement. With us this week is Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), a founding member of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus. Ernst joins guest host Benjamin Rogers, AJC’s Director for Middle East and North Africa Initiatives, to reflect on the achievements of the landmark deal, its importance to the United States, speculation over Saudi Arabia, and the crucial role of the Senate in advan...
'Golda': Behind the Scenes with Israeli Director Guy Nattiv on the 1973 Yom Kippur War
August 25, 2023 16:59 - 16 minutes - 37.6 MBThis week, Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv discusses his new film 'Golda,' which follows the journey of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir as she navigates the tense 19 days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Nattiv delves into how Helen Mirren, who portrays Golda Meir, expertly embodied the role. He also shares why, being a child of '73, he felt so compelled to tell this story. Tune in to hear the poignant anecdotes from the set and learn about the involvement of war veterans in the filmm...
The Rise of Germany’s Far-Right Party and What It Means for German Jews
August 17, 2023 20:23 - 16 minutes - 38.6 MBPolls in Germany suggest the far-right political party Alternative for Germany, or AfD—with its antisemitic, anti-Muslim, anti-EU, and other extreme views—has support from a fifth of German voters. Hear from Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight Against Antisemitism, and an AJC Project Interchange Alum, on what has contributed to the rise of AfD, why the party threatens German Jews, and the danger it presents to Germany’s democracy. *The...
What the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism Means for Jewish College Students
August 10, 2023 22:57 - 22 minutes - 52.5 MBIn May, the White House released its U.S. National Strategy for Countering Antisemitism. As students return to campus, hear from two student leaders who are working to share and implement the strategy’s recommendations at their colleges and beyond: Sabrina Soffer, a rising junior at George Washington University and the head of the school’s Presidential Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and Abe Baker-Butler, a rising junior at Yale University and the president of the AJC Campus Global Board....
IsraAID CEO on Sharing Israel’s Expertise With the World's Most Vulnerable
August 04, 2023 15:59 - 24 minutes - 55.9 MBTune in for a conversation with Yotam Politzer, CEO of IsraAID, a leading Israeli humanitarian aid organization and longtime partner of AJC, about the group's mission and the impact of sharing Israel's expertise and technology to help millions worldwide after crises hit. Yotam also shares his personal journey and how he found his passion for humanitarian work. Additionally, hear what our podcast community at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv had to say when we asked: why do you love Israel...
From the Black-Jewish Caucus to Shabbat and Sunday Dinners: Connecting Through Food and Allyship
August 02, 2023 18:12 - 21 minutes - 49 MBCandace Bazemore and Gabby Leon Spatt, authors of the award-winning children’s book Shabbat and Sunday Dinner, are traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to help AJC, the National Urban League, and ADL relaunch the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. Together with Dov Wilker, AJC’s Director of Black-Jewish Relations, they discuss what can be accomplished through building stronger bridges between the Black and Jewish communities and how our diversity is a source of co...
Israel’s Reasonableness Law: What it Means for Israel’s Democracy and Security
July 27, 2023 17:22 - 21 minutes - 48.2 MBAJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson breaks down what Israel’s recently-enacted judicial reform means for the future of the only democracy in the Middle East. The Reasonableness Standard Law will limit the Israeli Supreme Court’s ability to review the “reasonableness” of government decisions. Isaacson also provides listeners AJC’s perspective on the contentious bill and takes us beyond the headlines to show AJC’s support for President Herzog’s efforts to reach a comp...
Matti Friedman on How the 1973 Yom Kippur War Impacted Leonard Cohen and What It Means Today
July 21, 2023 16:06 - 29 minutes - 67.8 MBLast month, we sat down with journalist and author Matti Friedman in a Jerusalem studio to talk about Leonard Cohen, the Israel-Diaspora relationship, and the turning point that was the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Selected by Vanity Fair as one of the best books of 2022, Friedman’s “Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai,” explores the late poet and singer’s concert tour on the front lines of the Yom Kippur War – a historic moment of introspection for the Jewish State that continues to reverberate...
Meet 3 Women Who are Driving Change in the Middle East
July 11, 2023 21:45 - 19 minutes - 44.7 MBJoin us for an exclusive conversation featuring three women leading transformation in the Middle East. Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, Chairperson of the Israeli Export Institute, speaks to promoting Israeli exports and fostering economic growth; Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, a Senior Envoy at The Jewish Agency for Israel, discusses fostering connections and supporting Jewish communities in the region; and Aviva Steinberger, Director of Innovation Diplomacy at Start-Up Nation Central, touches on harnessing inn...
'Signed, Sealed, Delivered?': Exploring Israel's Declaration of Independence with People of the Pod and Israel Story
June 30, 2023 14:24 - 45 minutes - 103 MBTwo of the Jewish world’s leading podcasts, People of the Pod and Israel Story, are teaming up to bring you inside the making of ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered?’ – the latest series from Israel Story that explores the lives of the signatories of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and their descendants. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, the episode features Mishy Harman, host of Israel Story, and Eran Peleg, the grandson of signatory Moshe Kol (born Moshe Kolodny). Tune in t...
Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch
June 29, 2023 20:21 - 17 minutes - 39.4 MBSince his election by the Knesset in 2021, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has used his position as a platform to try to mend the social fabric of the Jewish state. At AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, Herzog sat down with AJC CEO Ted Deutch to discuss key issues, including judicial reform, Israel-Diaspora relations, and the importance of the Abraham Accords. Herzog ends his discussion with an important message for today’s youth. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessar...
Two Ukrainian Refugees Reflect on Escaping War, and Life in Israel– Live from AJC Global Forum 2023
June 15, 2023 14:46 - 15 minutes - 35.2 MBMargo Vdovichenko and Diana Buchman, both refugees of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have found new lives in Israel. Margo, a student from Kyiv, now plans to attend medical school, while Diana, a single mother, bravely shielded her sons during their escape from Odessa. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2023, this moving conversation captures their journey and adjustment to life in Israel. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC...
Hakeem Jeffries on Israel, Ghana, and Representing Brooklyn
June 01, 2023 20:07 - 24 minutes - 57.1 MBThis week, guest host Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC's Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs, had the honor of connecting with Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democratic Caucus, after he led a congressional delegation to Israel and Ghana. As we approach the AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, we have the opportunity to listen to the Democratic leader's insights on the trip, the crucial nature of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the historical and contemporary significance of Bl...
From Roots to Harmony: Nefesh Mountain's Fusion of Jewish American Culture and Bluegrass
May 30, 2023 13:15 - 33 minutes - 76 MBDriven by their message of "radical love," hear how Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, the husband and wife duo behind the renowned bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain, combat antisemitism within the music industry and beyond. Join us as we delve into their remarkable journey of representing Jewish-American culture, tradition, values, and spirituality through bluegrass and Americana music. The band also treats us to intimate performances from their latest album, "Songs for the Sparrows." *The view...
Sen. Jon Ossoff on Jewish Resilience
May 18, 2023 19:13 - 19 minutes - 46.3 MBSenator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), the first millennial Senator and the first Jewish member of the Senate from Georgia, joins us to honor Jewish American Heritage Month. He shares his family's survival against antisemitism and his efforts to combat it today through his work on the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. He also discusses his connection to Israel and feeling Jewish and proud at a recent Yom HaShoah event in his home state. *The views and opinions expressed by guest...
"Busy in Brooklyn" Food Blogger Chanie Apfelbaum Talks Kosher Cuisine and Jewish Heritage
May 15, 2023 19:43 - 22 minutes - 52.4 MBTo continue our Jewish American Heritage Month celebrations, guest host Laura Shaw Frank, AJC's director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, speaks with Chanie Apfelbaum, author of the popular food blog Busy in Brooklyn. Chanie joins us to discuss her new cookbook, "Totally Kosher," the intersection of Jewish culture and food, and the future of kosher cuisine. She also shares how the murder of her brother, Ari Halberstam, who was killed in a 1994 terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Br...
From Israel: AJC’s Avital Leibovich Breaks Down Latest Gaza Escalation
May 11, 2023 18:29 - 7 minutes - 18.6 MBIn a special breaking news edition, Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich, director of AJC Jerusalem, joins us to break down Israel’s Operation Shield and Arrow and the threat posed by the Iranian-backed terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has fired over 500 rockets towards Israel since Tuesday. Leibovich also provides an update on how Israelis are coping with the latest escalation and efforts being made towards a ceasefire. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessar...