The Jews Are Tired

Many of us have watched college campuses around the country erupt in protests, with tent camps being set up on greenspaces calling for universities to disclose and divest from companies that do business in Israel. But when do the chants, signs and graffiti cross the line from first-amendment-protected free speech to something more nefarious? This week, we talk about this with Professor Jane Kirtley, a lawyer, and the director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Minnesota.Resources we discussed:Counterman v. Colorado:  https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/22-138Books: Nadine Strossen: Hate: Why We Should Resist it with Free Speech, Not CensorshipAnthony Lewis: Freedom for the Thought That We Hate: A Biography of the First AmendmentNat Hentoff:  Free Speech for Me - But Not for Thee: How the American Left and Right Relentlessly Censor Each OtherStanley Fish: The First: How to Think About Hate Speech, Campus Speech, Religious Speech, Fake News, Post-Truth, and Donald TrumpLink to a talk from Kirtley from last November:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=MFMewKdoB30

This week: The chaos of Elon Musk's Twitter has chased users and news organizations away, while a new wave of Twitter clones try to recreate the sense of community it has. So what does this mean for the Jews, and why should anyone care? I talk about that with Serge, the founder of Babka Social, a new Jewish social media platform.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincBabka Social: https://babka.social/exploreBabka blog: https://blog.babka.social/23 kHz project: https://blog.babka.social/2023/02/announcing-23khz/Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/exploreIf you want to try out Mastodon: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/08/what-is-mastodon/ and https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-started-use-mastodon/"Using Mastodon can feel like eating your vegetables": https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/18/mastodon-users-twitter-elon-musk-social-media"Actual usage of the fediverse continues to increase month by month": https://www.techdirt.com/2023/02/08/lazy-reporters-claiming-fediverse-is-slumping-despite-massive-increase-in-usage/Hunt for the next Twitter: https://www.theverge.com/23686584/twitter-alternative-social-media-platforms-mastodon-bluesky-activitypub-protocolTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xV0WNmIqMyiIxoMXrrG996J6XK4up2AXDchOY28-VqQ/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Jewish women rarely get a fair shake in pop culture, often showing up as flat stereotypes like the “Jewish American Princess” trope. But over the past decade, especially on TV, that's been changing. So I talk with Dr. Samantha Pickette, author of “Peak TV's Unapologetic Jewish Woman,” all about that.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincBuy the book! For 30% off, code: LXFANDF30: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793633156/Peak-TV%E2%80%99s-Unapologetic-Jewish-Woman-Exploring-Jewish-Female-Representation-in-Contemporary-Television-ComedyOther writings: https://www.heyalma.com/in-hulus-fleishman-is-in-trouble-jewish-women-defy-their-stereotypes/Bagel Report with Pickette: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetic-bagels-feat-dr-samantha-pickette/id1487559377?i=1000602602260Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GJ4c83Gskcn-jRSeiKNGujXJWxGbmwEH_Gm2Uyweu44/edit?usp=sharing

This week: The Israeli president says the country is on the brink of civil war because the current government is trying to make the Israeli Supreme Court powerless. So let's talk about judicial reform, and how the long-time-coming crisis is really the Occupation finally and fully biting Israel in the ass.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincBig reads on historical context: https://newrepublic.com/article/163005/israel-supreme-court-right-wing-enemy-peoplehttps://www.972mag.com/simcha-rothman-coup-judicial-system/Moment Magazine: https://momentmag.com/israeli-supreme-court/https://momentmag.com/deri-israel-supreme-court/JTA Elon Moreh: https://www.jta.org/archive/israels-supreme-court-rules-elon-moreh-in-samaria-must-be-removedChristian Science Monitor: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2015/1116/Why-Israel-s-right-wing-is-gunning-for-nation-s-Supreme-CourtProposed Constitution: https://en.idi.org.il/articles/47894Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UwG9b7qiFlcr5Ujo4dEBw-Y7XttEOWRTw4OCGozyhGs/edit?usp=sharing

This week: ChatGPT and other AI chatbots have become all the rage, bringing an idealistic vision of revolutionizing work and communication. Some say that Jewish organizations should now be using these tools. So it's time for a reality check on how these AI chatbots can affect the Jews.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincEJP piece: https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/a-case-for-jewish-nonprofits-to-use-chatgpt/ChatGPT goes to law school: https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/chatgpt-goes-law-schoolClergy and ChatGPT: https://apnews.com/article/technology-artificial-intelligence-kentucky-religion-65822bf1c46de7630d3441e9ff4ff41aBing chatbot going rogue: https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-microsoft-corp-business-software-fb49e5d625bf37be0527e5173116bef3https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/technology/bing-chatbot-microsoft-chatgpt.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleSharehttps://www.theverge.com/2023/2/15/23599072/microsoft-ai-bing-personality-conversations-spy-employees-webcamsJewish education: https://www.lookstein.org/blog/how-jewish-studies-teachers-can-use-chatgpt-part-2/Time Magazine investigation: https://time.com/6247678/openai-chatgpt-kenya-workers/Washington Post stories: https://wapo.st/3mdc70Ehttps://wapo.st/41vQWGWPlagiarism: https://futurism.com/cnet-ai-plagiarismhttps://slate.com/technology/2022/12/lensas-a-i-avatars-the-uncomfortable-places-their-magic-comes-from.html?via=rss_socialflow_facebookEnvironmental: https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/11/11/132004/the-computing-power-needed-to-train-ai-is-now-rising-seven-times-faster-than-ever-before/https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/06/06/239031/training-a-single-ai-model-can-emit-as-much-carbon-as-five-cars-in-their-lifetimes/AI bias: https://hbr.org/2019/10/what-do-we-do-about-the-biases-in-aiTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QA1MbNJq1xim6BPfgnkrvWEimPg9cdGDY7Rb15vwIFI/edit?usp=sharing

This week: A group of LGBTQ students are suing Yeshiva University, representing a club called the YU Pride Alliance, to get it officially recognized by the school. The court case speaks to the future of queer Jews in Modern Orthodoxy — so I talk with Rachael Fried, the executive director at JQY, an organization in New York City that supports LGBTQ youth and young adults from Orthodox homes.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincJQY: https://www.jqyouth.org/Yeshiva University FAQs referenced by Fried: https://5townscentral.com/2022/09/01/r-dr-ari-berman-addresses-questions-regarding-yeshiva-university-the-supreme-court/Overview of legal fight: https://religionnews.com/2022/12/16/ruling-instructs-yeshiva-university-to-recognize-lgbtq-club/Deep dive on community divisions around YU: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/11/07/yeshiva-university-announces-lgbtq-club-amid-lawsuitNew York Jewish Week reporting: https://www.jta.org/2022/09/14/ny/supreme-court-returns-yus-case-against-gay-pride-club-to-lower-courts-but-signals-its-interest-in-the-issuehttps://www.jta.org/2022/09/16/ny/yeshiva-university-suspends-all-student-clubs-as-it-appeals-case-against-lgbtq-alliancehttps://www.jta.org/2022/09/20/united-states/jewish-queer-youth-provide-grants-to-y-u-student-clubs-amid-suspensionhttps://www.jta.org/2022/09/21/ny/lgbtq-alliance-puts-demands-on-hold-after-yeshiva-university-suspends-all-student-clubshttps://www.jta.org/2022/10/24/ny/yeshiva-university-fighting-lgbtq-club-launches-one-of-its-ownhttps://www.jta.org/2023/01/11/ny/state-lawmakers-challenge-yeshiva-universitys-claims-to-public-fundsAdoptions story referenced by Fried: https://apnews.com/article/religion-lawsuits-tennessee-nashville-58900a55eb9344d4a51143325fa609c3Transcript for this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ocq695uUUjpS-Y7aBnlzs7sX6Tc5TOHo_vbivOC9YDk/edit?usp=sharing

This week: About 100 years ago, in the wake of the Russian Revolution and the pogroms that followed, millions of Jews in Eastern Europe became Soviet Jews. But what really is a Soviet Jew? And how does that history affect Jews today? That's what I talk about with UW Professor Sasha Senderovich.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comCincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com/The Bagel Report: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/the-bagel-report/Our Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jewfolkincSenderovich's website for speaking info: http://www.sashasenderovich.comBuy "How The Soviet Jew Was Made": https://www.amazon.com/How-Soviet-Jew-Was-Made/dp/0674238192Gary Shteyngart's review: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/02/09/beyond-the-pale-how-the-soviet-jew-was-made-senderovich/Late Stalinism: https://www.amazon.com/Late-Stalinism-Aesthetics-Evgeny-Dobrenko/dp/0300198477Legacy of Blood: https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Blood-Pogroms-Ritual-Soviets/dp/0190466456?ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bcTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_wLYKDQor6hKavfR_QItdQfhrEYx9j8Yq3VV0QHNDcw/edit?usp=sharing

This week: It's the last episode of the year, and a sort of follow up to both last year's Hannukah Sucks episode, and this year's State of the Union episode. After all, the holiday season can be a wonderful and frustrating time for Jews. So I have a chaotic chat about it with some of my coworkers here at Jewfolk.To donate: https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comTo subscribe: https://tcjewfolk.com/#subscribe_formFor our other podcasts: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/Our store: https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/FolkMedia Consulting: https://jewfolkmedia.com/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Context on our talk about the University of Minnesota not changing its start date for Rosh Hashanah:https://tcjewfolk.com/why-the-u-wouldnt-change-its-rosh-hashanah-start-date/My piece with photos about how I came to appreciate Christianity (referenced in the episode):https://tcjewfolk.com/christianity-in-israel/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUIKG6QgVf0l5UCFXlhfRl3tKtT_yvZYQXp4HYHUVZA/edit?usp=sharing

This week: It's time to revisit the story of hasidic yeshiva schools in New York City having poor secular education. After all, it's important not just to understand what is happening, but why and how things came to be this way. So I talk to sociologist Matty Lichtenstein about her research on hasidic yeshiva advocacy.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comTo subscribe: https://tcjewfolk.com/#subscribe_formFor our other podcasts: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Lichtenstein's work: https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~mlicht/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Lichtenstein-Legitimizing-Tactics-2022.pdfhttps://www.jta.org/2022/09/14/opinion/i-studied-how-new-york-citys-hasidic-yeshivas-gained-legitimacy-heres-what-i-learnedhttps://watson.brown.edu/people/poctdocs/lichtensteinYaffed: https://yaffed.org/ The NYT story: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/nyregion/hasidic-yeshivas-schools-new-york.html Update on NYS education rules: https://www.jta.org/2022/09/12/ny/new-york-finalizes-rules-requiring-private-schools-including-yeshivas-to-prove-they-meet-standards Orthodox economy: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leticiamiranda/amazon-orthodox-jewshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/16/nyregion/hasidic-jews-amazon.htmlTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hpQpXfCzcaL5PscDzKXXFLJ6UFHaPe7Qv6eS51Axedc/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Welcome to part II of coverage of Israel's recent election. In the last episode, I talked about the rise of bigoted far-right politicians not being the huge watershed moment many of us feared. In this one, I'll talk about what it does represent, for Israel, but mostly, for American and Diaspora Jews.This episode is also known as: I can't believe I'm talking so much for so long I'm very very sorry.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comTo subscribe: https://tcjewfolk.com/#subscribe_formFor our other podcasts: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Some extremism: https://www.jta.org/2019/07/17/ny/israel-as-a-halacha-governmenthttps://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/1565084064-israel-s-transportation-minister-smotrich-qualifies-position-on-jewish-law-governing-the-statehttps://www.middleeasteye.net/news/five-avigdor-liebermans-worst-outbursts-israels-defence-minister American Jewish reactions to the elex: https://garyrosenblatt.substack.com/p/israel-overnight-from-a-source-ofhttps://forward.com/opinion/523500/american-jews-defending-israel-elections-2022/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-723063Law of Return: https://www.timesofisrael.com/bid-to-scrap-law-of-return-grandchild-clause-likely-to-fail-but-part-of-wider-fight/https://www.timesofisrael.com/chief-rabbi-calls-for-government-to-change-immigration-law-to-keep-non-jews-out/https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-rare-critique-top-us-jewish-leader-warns-against-proposed-limit-on-law-of-return/Republican pro-Israel-ism: https://www.jta.org/2022/10/24/politics/aipac-jewish-gop-leaders-silent-on-trumps-warning-to-u-s-jews-to-get-their-act-together-on-israelhttps://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-721026 Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kfUC8UveqoOeBX1SmbBW-dm8ODDp5u65d4n0LNmp9mg/edit?usp=sharing

This week: On November 1st, Israel had its fifth national election in under four years. And frankly, a lot of Jews are panicking, because the results put an extremist, far-right, and racist group of Israeli politicians in line for power. So let's dig into what happened, how to understand it, and what might come next.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comTo subscribe: https://tcjewfolk.com/#subscribe_formFor our other podcasts: https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/TC Jewfolk midterm coverage: https://tcjewfolk.com/simon-wins-third-term-on-good-night-for-jewish-candidates/Notable coverage of the Israeli elex: https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-is-the-projected-winner-but-it-was-ben-gvir-crowned-on-election-night/https://www.timesofisrael.com/labor-leader-michaeli-who-refused-meretz-merger-blames-lapid-for-lefts-demise/Tovah Lazaroff analysis: https://m.jpost.com/israel-elections/article-721326https://garyrosenblatt.substack.com/p/israel-overnight-from-a-source-ofhttps://forward.com/opinion/523500/american-jews-defending-israel-elections-2022/https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-israeli-left-has-lost-more-than-an-election/NYT from 1988: https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/06/world/israel-bans-kahane-party-from-election.html?pagewanted=1Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dE_HEJT-4bbo8I7Osk2mukBsvHuSZr7tYTRjhwUZdrI/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Jewish community takes a lot of work. You need money, motivation, and perhaps most of all, you need the people to run events and engage other Jews. But Jewish professionals are not having a great time right now, dealing with burnout, equity, and leadership issues. So I take a deep dive on this with consultant Angie Lieber.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comGet tickets to FolkFest '22: http://tcjewfolk.com/folkfesthttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Angie Lieber: https://www.angielieberconsulting.comOrganizations working on equity issues: https://www.leadingedge.org/resource/the-gender-gap-in-jewish-nonprofit-leadershiphttps://srenetwork.org/sre-overview/https://www.genderequityinhiringproject.org/Jewish Currents story: https://jewishcurrents.org/the-fight-for-the-future-of-israel-studiesTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T61yWpUx4sfNYqn7xUDDIk25plceWkfdMLzsgmXmV6Y/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Rapper Kanye West is spreading antisemitism, Jews are fighting about it, and the head of the Anti-Defamation League recently compared the man who would own Twitter, Elon Musk, to notorious antisemite Henry Ford. How are these things all connected? By a failure of Jewish leadership on internet policy.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comGet tickets to FolkFest '22: http://tcjewfolk.com/folkfesthttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Kanye West background: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/10/10/kanye-west-antisemitic-tweet-musk-texas/Texas law: https://www.techdirt.com/2022/09/16/5th-circuit-rewrites-a-century-of-1st-amendment-law-to-argue-internet-companies-have-no-right-to-moderate/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/16/5th-circuit-texas-social-media-law/Elon Musk: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/09/elon-musk-texts-twitter-trial-jack-dorsey/671619/https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/7/23391646/elon-musk-twitter-filings-acquisition-deposition-scheduleMusk's moderation approach: https://www.jta.org/2022/04/26/united-states/what-elon-musks-purchase-of-twitter-could-mean-for-jewish-users-and-antisemitism-on-the-platformADL's write up on Musk buying Twitter: https://www.adl.org/blog/elon-musk-plans-to-buy-twitter-right-wing-extremists-rejoiceGreenblatt's Ford gaffe: https://www.jta.org/2022/10/07/politics/adls-jonathan-greenblatt-praises-elon-musk-as-a-modern-henry-ford-then-reconsidershttps://twitter.com/JGreenblattADL/status/1578505162649636865ADL resources: https://www.adl.org/what-we-do/disrupt-online-hate-harassmenthttps://www.adl.org/repair-planhttps://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/Repair%20Plan_Fact%20Sheet_FINAL.pdfTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PD_CpjsLj5c3x0rHznWcgrUtyaeSYhoef7ExQ65SeoY/edit?usp=sharing

This week: A New York Times investigation has all the Jews talking about education in hasidic yeshiva schools — specifically, about the poor secular education in subjects like English and Math. So I speak with Manny Vogel, who grew up attending a hasidic yeshiva in New York City, about his experience and thoughts on the issue.Homeland: Ten Stories, One Israel: https://jewishunpacked.com/introducing-homeland-ten-stories-one-israel/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Manny Vogel:https://www.newsweek.com/2016/03/11/child-abuse-allegations-hasidic-ultraorthodox-jewish-community-brooklyn-432688.htmlhttps://yaffed.org/New York Times story: https://t.co/VH605xUUZr NY Jewish Week/WNYC: https://www.jta.org/2015/09/08/ny/dont-know-much-about-historyRecent regulations on private schools: https://www.jta.org/2022/09/12/ny/new-york-finalizes-rules-requiring-private-schools-including-yeshivas-to-prove-they-meet-standardsChaim Walder: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2021-11-14/ty-article/chaim-walder-acclaimed-israeli-author-accused-of-sexually-abusing-ultra-orthodox-girls/0000017f-e4ba-d75c-a7ff-fcbf2ef60000https://www.timesofisrael.com/6-months-after-the-walder-abuse-scandal-broke-has-the-haredi-world-seen-change/The Forward: https://forward.com/news/518079/how-the-jewish-establishment-helps-fund-hasidic-yeshivas/https://forward.com/forverts-in-english/517577/why-the-new-york-times-translated-its-hasidic-yeshiva-investigation-into-yiddish/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H6lZfjeZcSP8tacIDUg6kezsVjyiiGvB8sz7AvlBRVY/edit?usp=sharing

This week: The right-wing Christian movement to ban some books from libraries is growing, with one school district in Texas pulling all versions of The Bible and the graphic novel version of The Diary of Anne Frank. So I talk with Laney Hawes, a parent at that school district, about how that movement is affecting her district.Homeland: Ten Stories, One Israel: https://jewishunpacked.com/introducing-homeland-ten-stories-one-israel/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Laney's tweet: https://twitter.com/LaneyHawes/status/1559569991380393996https://www.jta.org/2022/08/16/united-states/texas-school-district-orders-librarians-to-remove-a-version-of-anne-franks-diary-from-shelveshttps://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/Keller-ISD-Texas-book-ban-17377932.php Nina Jankowicz on harassment online: https://bookshop.org/books/how-to-be-a-woman-online-surviving-abuse-and-harassment-and-how-to-fight-back/9781350267572https://lithub.com/how-the-threat-of-abuse-silences-women-online/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CKr2c-T1KqBxpyfF8P7FTmUo0tReFqCWecbthexXQBc/edit?usp=sharing

This week: We're approaching six months of Russia's war in Ukraine, and by extension, six months of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. So I talk with Mariia Hershova, a 23-year-old Ukrainian Jew helping refugees in Poland, about how the refugee situation has evolved, and the pride of Ukrainian Jewry.Mariia Hershova's Ukraine resources to learn about Ukrainian Jewry and to help Ukraine:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BgYrDhot9-6VIeWmNpKKFhvNOUmbUsq_9MZFAKuZ4S0/edit?usp=sharing Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/The Holodomor genocide:https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25058256Donate to Hillel and JCC Krakow:https://www.friendsofjcckrakow.org/ukrainehttps://en.hillel.pl/wesprzyjMy reporting on Ukraine:https://www.jpost.com/magazine/one-ukraine-two-jews-577695https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/someone-has-to-pay-for-it-aid-workers-and-organizers-on-the-burdens-and-benefits-of-american-jewish-missions-to-the-ukrainian-border/Antisemitism in Eastern Europe:https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/28/most-poles-accept-jews-as-fellow-citizens-and-neighbors-but-a-minority-do-not/Transcript:https://docs.google.com/document/d/13fbj_63OxLbKohdaJiwsHLSRvBw1XksQglO_xuh9Mqc/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Israel recently experienced a government collapse, throwing the country into yet another election cycle — the fifth election in under four years. So let's take a quick look at why there isn't all that much to say about this anymore, and why Israeli elections will probably keep rolling in at high speed.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Israel Democracy Institute: https://en.idi.org.il/articles/39003Did a year without Netanyahu bring Israeli Jews and Arabs closer: https://jweekly.com/2022/07/19/israels-big-experiment-did-a-year-of-coalition-partnership-bring-jews-and-arabs-any-closer/Some recent election polling: https://www.timesofisrael.com/allied-with-saar-gantz-sets-out-to-crack-the-soft-right/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g-Fu_Vl0b4W0BHoYIsn96M7km4_Mi8dHLgDgpklNS8g/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Young American Jews are angry. A lot of us are angry about losing abortion rights; we're angry about gun violence; and we're angry about rising antisemitism. So here's a sort of Jewish State Of The Union with three of my coworkers at Jewfolk, Inc, as we evaluate these United States of America on the Fourth of July.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/To help abortion access: https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/fundhttps://www.ourjustice.net/Highland Park shooting:https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/4/23194354/highland-park-fourth-july-parade-gunfireSupreme Court cases:https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/06/supreme-court-overturns-constitutional-right-to-abortion/https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/06/justices-side-with-high-school-football-coach-who-prayed-on-the-field-with-students/Minnesota politics: https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2022/06/poll-walz-holds-slight-edge-over-republican-scott-jensen-among-minnesota-voters/Christianity and the founding fathers: https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/02/living/america-christian-nation/index.htmlTranscript:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v-ux45lziciOxGIgSZrj6fkwzxaSSVBMfwiiN6GX_h0/edit?usp=sharing

This week: The Supreme Court unveiled a ruling right before Shabbat overturning the federal abortion protections guaranteed in Roe v Wade. To talk about the Jewish perspective on abortion, why abortion is essential to health care, and what rabbis do after this ruling, I speak with Rabbi Hara Person, the chief executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, or the CCAR, which is the Reform movement's rabbinical association.Apologies for the late upload -- I've been sick the past few days and am not at 100%. More episodes about this ruling are on their way.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Jewish world response: https://www.jta.org/2022/06/24/united-states/after-shabbat-we-will-act-american-jews-gear-up-for-wave-of-post-roe-activismhttps://tcjewfolk.com/local-national-jewish-organizations-speak-out-on-abortion-decision/Gen Parker: https://tcjewfolk.com/grounded-in-strength-we-are-a-force/Global response: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-health-puerto-rico-37f1bf1b6ee02cceb33d5d456335e812?taid=62b6330c26cb51000187e895Overview of the Supreme Court ruling: https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/06/supreme-court-overturns-constitutional-right-to-abortion/Tech/internet privacy guide to abortion: https://gizmodo.com/how-to-get-an-abortion-keep-personal-information-safe-1848874362Justices: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/03/1096108319/roe-v-wade-alito-conservative-justices-confirmation-hearingsMinnesota background: https://tcjewfolk.com/judaisms-presence-in-minnesotas-abortion-rights-fight/Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u1gayfK18XkbGvXJMKsnEEQDCXKvcF6MsFGAUu0DA7Q/edit?usp=sharing

This week: Uvalde is only the second-worst elementary school shooting in the U.S. That's sick to say, but it's true. So I let loose with my anger over this country's gun problem, how Republican politicians stop any effort to fix it, and what it will take for something to change.Like the rest of my generation, I grew up in the shadow of gun violence, and I've only gotten angrier seeing how little Republican politicians care about the lives being lost. This country deserves better -- and we've got the facts to back that up.What the AR-15 rifle did to children in Uvalde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCwwoHRTIMkSay hello -- Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-is-clear-gun-control-saves-lives/In 2017, 144 police officers died in the line of duty. The same year, 2,462 school-age kids were killed with firearms. https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(19)30176-7/fulltextResearch on who school shooters are, and their suicidal tendencies: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2776515Up to 60% of gun violence is suicide: https://tcjewfolk.com/jewish-panel-does-reality-check-on-guns/How Uvalde police left kids to die: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/03/us/uvalde-police-response.htmlFormer Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/05/john-paul-stevens-court-failed-gun-control/587272/Upcoming Supreme Court ruling on NY's gun law: https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/11/majority-of-court-appears-dubious-of-new-york-gun-control-law-but-justices-mull-narrow-ruling/Twitter thread about how Uvalde school had increased security: https://twitter.com/sarahjeong/status/1529943528146513922?s=20&t=j-bN_UJpUCtEvtDwD6DjAQGOP will continue to disrupt elections: https://twitter.com/BrendanNyhan/status/1532046909564764161?s=20&t=3rIg6r_z_hOVU1ScCpklNgVoter suppression: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/impact-voter-suppression-communities-colorMinnesota Jewish action organizations:https://www.jewishcommunityaction.org/https://www.ncjwmn.org/https://www.minndakjcrc.org/Transcript of this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YjVAiYQ901L0tuDZJZuWmu1O-UHzHFoLMcBj0zTGg3o/edit?usp=sharing

This week: David Horovitz, the Editor in Chief of the Times of Israel, is the JCRC's featured speaker for its June 12 event in Minneapolis. But before he comes to the Twin Cities, Horovitz is on this podcast to talk Israeli politics, a decade of TOI, and how to report on the Middle East.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/https://tcjewfolk.com/tired-of-excuses/https://tcjewfolk.com/event/jcrc-annual-event/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-reversal-meretz-mk-to-stay-in-coalition-removing-immediate-election-threat/ https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/24/middleeast/shireen-abu-akleh-jenin-killing-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html https://apnews.com/article/politics-west-bank-middle-east-israel-8df6c999627efcef2fe0ca2b401e7a2c https://www.timesofisrael.com/scenes-from-one-part-of-a-funeral-as-shireen-abu-akleh-is-laid-to-rest-in-jerusalem/https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-wants-to-be-recognized-as-jerusalems-responsible-sovereign-tell-the-cops/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-BAez8eTHddohTMddxHELx7vcblRic8J5NhXRFgdIvE/edit?usp=sharing

This week: The second season of the A Bintel Brief podcast, a revival of the classic advice column from The Forward, is upon us. So I talk with hosts Ginna and Lynn, and Chana, the Forward's archivist, about the importance of Jewish advice, the history of A Bintel Brief, and, bare with me, sex party rabbi.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/https://www.facinghistory.org/sites/default/files/Bintel_Brief.pdfhttps://forward.com/a-bintel-brief-podcast/https://forward.com/https://twitter.com/ForwardGuildhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1yOtjFRqPduurs0d25IXTBJiLyLqiWFUoezibNlZ8N7Q/edit?usp=sharing

This week: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the most influential pro-Israel lobbying groups, is directly fundraising for politicians. Some of those politicians are Republicans who undermined U.S. democracy on January 6, 2021. Let's talk about why this is happening, and what it says about pro-Israel advocacy.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Stephen Colbert on PACs: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaLLrj_c6sYVixyauHoIpSXtX8Ftqy91Ghttps://jewishinsider.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/17214409/AIPAC-Letter-With-Watermark.pdfhttps://www.jta.org/2022/04/21/politics/aipacs-new-pac-is-now-the-countrys-biggest-pro-israel-pac-and-endorses-3-4-of-republicans-who-embraced-election-falsehoodshttps://www.jewishexponent.com/2022/03/31/aipacs-defense-of-extremist-candidates-is-indefensible/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/sad-mistake-ex-adl-chief-pans-aipac-endorsement-of-gop-lawmakers-who-refused-to-certify-2020-election/https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/About/Pages/Declaration.aspxhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xps3DjZBUmha-o1NzZooQkoTugB_Bb4UZm-tkRVg5RY/edit?usp=sharing

This week, let's take a quick look at some Passover-related news just in time for the start of the holiday, as well as an update on Deborah Lipstadt's Senate confirmation. Then we need to talk about Israel, as a drastic increase in terrorism, and new government instability, leaves many Jews shaken.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/https://kyivindependent.com/https://www.jta.org/2022/04/07/food/cant-find-poultry-for-passover-the-kosher-chicken-shortage-explainedhttps://www.jta.org/2022/03/30/global/war-in-ukraine-pits-a-crunch-on-matzah-priceshttps://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/09/pandemic-supply-chain-nightmare-slow-shipping/620147/https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-lone-wolves-behind-latest-terror-spree-pose-such-a-challenge-to-israeli-intel/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-703791https://tcjewfolk.com/toa-vandalism-details-emerge-as-two-suspects-sought/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PVT_84cE_5qK60hWxJOsf4nnXNeIxWNQSurOPK7g6GQ/edit?usp=sharing

This week, one of the overlooked aspects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the role that Belarus, the dictatorship to the north, plays. So I speak with Margo, a Belarusian pro-democracy activist and tiktok-er, about rigged elections, protests, growing up under a dictator, and how Belarus got here.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.tiktok.com/@margo_vichInstagram handle: @margo.vichhttps://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-2020-crisis-anniversary/31399497.html https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iCqYlfbuzXD_lLjIvTBoCIOMyveJn-is03ezPoWCLNs/edit?usp=sharing

When Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, many Russian-speaking Jews in the U.S. started organizing direct humanitarian aid to Ukrainians. I talk with one of those Jews, 23-year-old Alice Chudnovsky, about her fundraising for humanitarian and evacuation efforts in the city of Kharkiv. To help Kharkiv: https://www.spotfund.com/story/14ce390c-ad21-4b35-92ff-bfe7cf5c2764?created=true&SFID=hHbjIn&referral_id=dd1401dc-880d-4d8d-aa4b-1d043b7240a9*Mariupol theater update: Miraculously, it seems many Ukrainians in the bomb shelter of the theater attacked by Russia survived. The news only came out after this episode was fully recorded. Miracle -- but the attack is still a war crime. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://tcjewfolk.com/the-jewish-case-for-supporting-ukraine/https://www.facebook.com/alice.chudnovsky/posts/4695782490531240?comment_id=4695784430531046¬if_id=1647300975002369¬if_t=comment_mention&ref=notifhttps://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/sarahemerson/russia-google-maps-tags-ukrainehttps://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-mariupol-descends-into-despair-708cb8f4a171ce3f1c1b0b8d090e38e3https://www.jta.org/2022/03/01/global/russias-jewish-oligarchs-and-their-donations-come-under-threat-of-western-sanctions-amid-ukraine-warhttps://www.timesofisrael.com/yad-vashem-chief-rabbi-urged-us-not-to-sanction-roman-abramovich-report/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1braXRS2fmPPI8iyQ_5-1xN47X3oNZC3S-u5Vr_raKC8/edit?usp=sharing

Maksim Goldenshteyn, a Russian-speaking Jew in Seattle, just published arguably the foremost book about Romania's overlooked role in the Holocaust, centered on the survival story of his Ukrainian Jewish family. So Goldenshteyn and I have a very personal conversation about Holocaust memory as Soviet Jews, the bitterness we feel about how the Holocaust in Eastern Europe is often overlooked, and our own insecurities about transmitting family history.To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukraine/Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.maksimgoldenshteyn.com/https://bookshop.org/books/so-they-remember-a-jewish-family-s-story-of-surviving-the-holocaust-in-soviet-ukraine/9780806176062https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/the-holocaust-by-bullets-a-priests-journey-to-uncover-the-truth-behind-the-murder-of-15https://tcjewfolk.com/the-jewish-case-for-supporting-ukraine/http://www.inshr-ew.ro/sondaj-de-opinie-holocaust-2021/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cJkxQ1b7JBHj8j0AoqaG6tD3hnqW8EL8AwyQlURZs-U/edit?usp=sharing

Almost a month after a rabbi and three congregants were taken hostage at a synagogue in Texas, Congress held two hearings related to Jews: A Senate hearing on the position of global antisemitism monitor -- long delayed by Republicans because of dislike toward nominee Dr. Deborah Lipstadt -- and a House hearing on issues with federal nonprofit security grants that help protect Jewish and other communities. The hearings were…interesting. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/020822_Lipstadt_Testimony.pdfhttps://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/watch?hearingid=FA97AA57-5056-A066-6057-E8D5391CD07Bhttps://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-civilian-security-democracy-and-human-rights/office-of-the-special-envoy-to-monitor-and-combat-antisemitism/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vcV5d14LWQhttps://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/minority-media/portman-hassan-introduce-bipartisan-pray-safe-act-to-ensure-faith-based-organizations-and-houses-of-worship-have-access-to-key-information-and-security-best-practiceshttps://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/nonprofit-securityhttps://tcjewfolk.com/hennepin-county-approves-1m-in-anti-hate-funding/https://forward.com/news/482149/republicans-defend-holdup-of-deborah-lipstadt-antisemitism-envoy/https://www.jta.org/2022/02/07/politics/texas-rabbi-who-faced-down-hostage-taker-to-appeal-to-congress-for-security-fundshttps://docs.google.com/document/d/13ra2nvV2ZbrDlsak7ZrkoN6ghWh52jMlyR35v1d3EYo/edit?usp=sharing

I usually talk on this podcast about Jewish political events, but there have also been some interesting Jewish culture trends (particularly around representation) in the world of movies and TV shows that are worth discussing. So I speak with Michal Schick, a screenwriter, podcaster, and former culture reporter about those trends and much, much more.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://twitter.com/inkasrainhttps://www.jta.org/2021/08/27/culture/these-new-yorkers-were-annoyed-by-anti-vaccine-holocaust-comparisons-so-they-wrote-a-songhttps://muckrack.com/michal-schickhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/orthodoxladiesunitedinfandom/Nice Jewish Fangirls Podcast: https://t.co/tjGDoiRmFyThe Podcast Of Surprise: https://t.co/r9UY2yW4SQThe Level 7 Access Podcast: https://t.co/swsLfwRLlrVassals Of Kingsgrave: https://t.co/49IUf0DXwmhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1lJ5OG8UHzsiO1cyXHfxjXcmTuZY2pwqTohox-Mvky8E/edit?usp=sharing

This week, I try to process the recent hostage situation at a synagogue in Texas, and the many Jewish hot takes that emerged on social media as the crisis was unfolding. They range from being about synagogue security and Jewish safety in America, to antisemitism and hinting that the rabbi being taken hostage deserved it because of his politics. There's a lot to unpack.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.jta.org/2022/01/15/united-states/breaking-hostage-situation-at-texas-synagoguehttps://www.jta.org/2022/01/15/global/who-is-aafia-siddiqui-the-prisoner-whom-the-colleyville-synagogue-hostage-taker-reportedly-wants-to-freehttps://forward.com/fast-forward/480946/fbi-colleyville-antisemitism-texas-synagogue-hostage-situation-statement/https://www.npr.org/2022/01/19/1074172777/texas-rabbi-who-was-held-hostage-says-we-cant-live-in-fearhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/nyc-subway-station-death-michelle-go-leaves-asian-americans-reeling-rcna12650https://tcjewfolk.com/have-twin-cities-jews-learned-to-trust-law-enforcement/https://twitter.com/JewishWonk/status/1482806957526470663?s=20https://twitter.com/nicolelampert/status/1482786430745198594?s=20https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitismhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1JHDGuTSgNhVSXcCMi5QDTGil40MCtVESOWjOigg3P7o/edit?usp=sharing

This week, I speak to Egyptian-Jewish and Filipina author Sarah Dayan Mueller about her latest book “Home In A Hundred Places.” The book tells the story of her father, who spied for Israel while in Egypt in the 1940s and early 50s, and is also a larger tale about building family and preserving Jewish memory.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Places-Sarah-Dayan-Mueller/dp/0578870290?qsid=133-2287091-7056642&sres=0578870290%2CB071WMZCFC%2CB01M3RSU0C%2CB07MW8SMVM%2CB018A48GHQ%2CB08PDJT866%2CB07KJMJT3G%2CB016X0PA0K%2CB07B41WS48%2CB07Z12MWNY%2CB00LOEGMMQ%2CB07GWNZ77D%2CB007RXBTI0%2CB01MRI635K%2CB093FSWLLK%2CB001IF3RQ0&srpt=ABIS_BOOKhttps://sarahdayanmueller.com/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1653S4HnaBP5pzQvf0FDpv3aN9L6aob6ky1rm74aoQgw/edit?usp=sharing

It's the last episode of 2021, so it's also a good time for a new years overview of some of the big trends and stories in the Jewish world. It's been yet another wild year of news keeping all of us exhausted, and this podcast busy with trying to cover it. So let's chat about it.Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.comhttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://jewishinsider.com/2021/11/gop-delays-lipstadt-confirmation-hearing-over-old-tweets/https://www.jta.org/2021/11/18/united-states/in-charlottesville-a-trial-of-the-far-right-has-created-a-platform-for-antisemitism-and-hatehttps://forward.com/news/478619/unite-the-right-trial-charlottesville-verdict/https://twitter.com/Jbloeffler/status/1463251255627759618?s=20https://tcjewfolk.com/march-3-zoom-event-talks-links-to-charlottesville-capitol-violence/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NstKda-P3P_5a72TjByz3-PO17ElILgXw-FUVYquXwI/edit?usp=sharing

Miriam Steinberg-Egeth and Warren Hoffman are co-editors of a new book titled “Warm and Welcoming,” billed as the first book to address inclusion issues in the Jewish world. So I talk with them about the book and the sometimes precarious nature of striving to be truly diverse and inclusive.https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.warmandwelcoming.comhttps://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538149690/Warm-and-Welcoming-How-the-Jewish-Community-Can-Become-Truly-Diverse-and-Inclusive-in-the-21st-Century (Promo code: RLFANDF30)https://docs.google.com/document/d/16MIqoCn7rG3Th_iOo6v3GeV37Moqh_hC6C92Ao1DvZA/edit?usp=sharing

Hannukah is right around the corner, so why not indulge in the now classic Jewish tradition of complaining about how over-commercialized and poorly-commercialized the holiday is? Izzy Wellman, TC Jewfolk's social media and marketing strategist, joins me for the longform kvetch.https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ts5XjYdAgMFhXMjBgnWVMBz2V9W2DV6x_vMIqfVMiXc/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/12/hanukkah-sucks-amirite/419649/http://www.jrc-concordia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blair-Stein-the-Charnukah-being-observed-now.pdfhttps://www.heyalma.com/why-is-most-hanukkah-sht-so-ugly-a-roundtable/

Anti-Critical Race Theory has become a rallying cry for Conservatives and self-styled “free-thinkers” across the country, defining school board and governor elections. The anti-CRT efforts have put teachers on edge, and raises questions about the future of Holocaust education. Here's why.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_raO-BcWzG8k9T8uvA5CZJcAqsuG16rpQ2sMQWoPddg/edit?usp=sharinghttps://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://www.givemn.org/organization/Jewfolkhttps://stljewishlight.org/opinion/anti-woke-legislation-threatens-holocaust-education-in-missouri/https://www.chalkbeat.org/22525983/map-critical-race-theory-legislation-teaching-racismhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/southlake-texas-holocaust-books-schools-rcna2965https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/871/billtext/pdf/SB00003E.pdf#navpanes=0https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/pdf-bill/E1/intro/SB5.pdfhttps://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/11/what-america-taught-the-nazis/540630/

Yossi Klein Halevi, renowned American-Israeli journalist and author, was recently in Minneapolis to talk about his book, Letters To My Palestinian Neighbor. So TC Jewfolk editor Lonny Goldsmith and I sat down with him for a wide-ranging interview about responses to the book and American Jewish Zionism.https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spring.com/https://tcjewfolk.com/donate/https://www.letterstomyneighbor.com/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DbWE9eegGU8LBonS-W5oJGaoTYE-UDLvn4hITCxQIs0/edit?usp=sharing

A former Facebook employee has gotten a lot of press and a senate hearing for revealing tens of thousands of internal Facebook documents about how the company fuels negative well-being in children, hate, and polarization. What does the info tell us about addressing antisemitism on social media?https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mVTq9ZoLe9S7R-do0Mb9ZOYbUsYCJogDGDof4T899Sc/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-15-months-of-fresh-hell/https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020600/facebook-responsible-ai-misinformation/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22356339/free-speech-facebook-twitter-big-tech-first-amendmenthttps://www.vox.com/recode/22711551/facebook-whistleblower-congress-hearing-regulation-mark-zuckerberg-frances-haugen-senator-blumenthalhttps://www.technologyreview.com/2021/10/05/1036519/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-algorithms/

Progressive House Democrats got $1 billion of aid to Israel for the Iron Dome, a rocket defense system, cut from a high stakes bill meant to prevent both the U.S. government's shut down and economic collapse. Let's unpack.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gBeHdSxWWWxHjxwq9jEvzPZjAREfMVnC2Orohvlrr4U/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/09/21/debt-ceiling-recession-/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/21/democrats-funding-shutdown-debt-limit-513407https://www.timesofisrael.com/lapid-downplays-removal-of-iron-dome-funding-from-us-budget-bill/https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-israeli-officials-not-worried-over-iron-dome-funds-we-ll-get-it-in-weeks-1.10233148https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/11/07/impacts-and-costs-government-shutdownhttps://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33222/36

Jews of Color have spent years talking about the racism faced in the Jewish community. A new study released last month from the Jews of Color Initiative backs that up, and we take a deep look at what the results mean. https://jewsofcolorinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BEYONDTHECOUNT.FINAL_.8.12.21.pdfhttps://www.jta.org/2021/08/12/opinion/we-asked-people-about-their-experiences-as-jews-of-color-hes-what-they-told-ushttps://forward.com/news/474074/jews-of-color-study-discrimination-black-asian-latinx/https://www.jweekly.com/2021/08/13/we-are-not-alone-how-a-new-study-validates-the-feelings-of-many-jews-of-color/https://www.jta.org/2021/08/12/united-states/researchers-unveil-massive-study-on-jews-of-color-boosting-fight-for-racial-justice-with-hard-datahttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1vlXooJQ9qrNAEwg59-fwzFT10WVgWrWOOK_Rgo_ghb4/edit?usp=sharing

This has been a long, hard, awful week in Israel. In this episode, we take a deep dive into how things started, if there's any way out of it, and what comes next.TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L4VY8SQTXBlaBbKvNFqx0YfeU1ASCyUtgR7kGC_hJJM/edit?usp=sharinghttps://jerusaleminstitute.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/PUB_sheikhjarrah_eng.pdfhttps://www.jpost.com/israel-news/east-jerusalem-land-ownership-different-rules-for-jews-arabs-667710https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalems-on-fire-and-its-poised-to-spread-in-israel-gaza-and-the-west-bank/https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-arab-violence-rolls-through-cities-like-wildfire-with-police-overwhelmed/https://www.jta.org/2021/05/13/israel/it-looks-dire-but-im-hopeful-jewish-and-arab-coexistence-activists-respond-to-the-violence-in-israels-streetshttps://twitter.com/JudahAriGross/status/1393069600137531392?s=20

Are the newly-created Nexus Document and Jerusalem Declaration definitions of antisemitism legitimate alternatives to the IHRA definition? And are the three definitions really that different anyway?https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/working-definition-antisemitismhttps://israelandantisemitism.com/the-nexus-document/https://jerusalemdeclaration.orghttp://dsadevil.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-nexus-in-shadow-of-ihra.htmlhttps://www.jta.org/2021/04/07/united-states/inside-the-debate-over-judaism-and-zionism-that-quietly-roiled-the-university-of-iowaTRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k3vjfuh8hbB6qoPlHcR4cwB16cA0bFvFQPqj0BXEd-c/edit?usp=sharing

Trying to define antisemitism is all the rage. But trying to find and agree on a definition is creating rage. Part one takes a look at the popular IHRA definition and some of the First Amendment effects, and the polarization around it all. TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aTsnmSkMOa7dA2FbV8zTKQgv76e-CkvpGf7z2UdyZfg/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitismhttps://news.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DOE.OCR_.pdfhttps://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Contributors/Standing-up-for-Jewish-students-325648https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/01/government-crack-down-anti-semitism-college-campuses-000272/https://www.aaup.org/news/cary-nelson-and-kenneth-stern-pen-open-letter-campus-antisemitism#.WQtMvVPyuRshttps://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/about-the-ihra-working-definition-of-antisemitism

Israel's fourth election in less than two years is done, but are we any closer to a functional government now, or is a fifth election in less than three years coming up soon? How did we get here and where do we go next?TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OF6_UZ0-geuEXwCbLUJ7UjiJyvRZJCH1GcREerNmljg/edit?usp=sharinghttps://www.timesofisrael.com/4th-times-not-the-charm-with-ballots-tallied-netanyahu-once-again-falls-short/https://twitter.com/AmySpiro/status/1375109630590877699?s=20

It's great when megadonors support their cause in the Jewish community, but what happens when they suddenly walk away? Also updates on the Gender Equity In Hiring Project's pay equity spreadsheet and the upcoming Israeli election. TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nK_1TUTpkiPBj8eLhSPZHxvdd_iZ4h4HqELubugdld8/edit?usp=sharing https://www.jta.org/2021/02/23/united-states/the-jewish-worlds-biggest-donor-to-disability-inclusion-has-quietly-pulled-its-fundinghttps://www.youtube.com/c/BimBam/featuredhttps://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/digital-jewish-media-struggles-for-donors/https://www.genderequityinhiringproject.org/geihp781973https://www.genderequityinhiringproject.org/open-salary-spreadsheethttps://www.timesofisrael.com/just-29-of-israelis-think-elections-will-end-the-political-deadlock-poll-shows/https://tcjewfolk.com/podcast/leaderfolk/