The Minyan

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Bringing Marxist-Leninist analysis to Jewish history, culture, and current events. Long live the Diaspora. Long live Palestine.

The Minyan


    • Dec 17, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 24m AVG DURATION
    • 49 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Minyan podcast is absolutely incredible! From taking on controversial topics to conducting extensive research for their episodes, this podcast truly goes above and beyond. Whether it's through engaging in struggle sessions or providing informative discussions, the hosts captivate their audience with thought-provoking content. I eagerly anticipate the release of each new episode, as I know it will be filled with intellectual stimulation and valuable insights.

    One of the best aspects of The Minyan podcast is how it fearlessly tackles difficult subjects. The hosts are not afraid to delve into controversial topics, sparking important conversations and encouraging listeners to critically analyze different viewpoints. Additionally, the level of research that goes into each episode is evident, as they provide well-rounded discussions backed by reliable sources. This dedication to thoroughness ensures that listeners receive accurate information and are exposed to a wide range of perspectives.

    Another commendable aspect of The Minyan podcast is its ability to educate and inform listeners about Judaism and Marxist Leninism. The introductory segments provide valuable insights into these topics, making them accessible even to those who may be unfamiliar with them. It is refreshing to see a podcast prioritize education alongside activism, especially when it comes to promoting understanding of marginalized communities and ideologies.

    However, no podcast is without its flaws, and The Minyan is no exception. One potential criticism could be that some episodes may veer off-topic or become too focused on personal anecdotes rather than remaining strictly within the realm of political analysis. While personal stories can add depth and relatability to discussions, there may be instances where they overshadow the intended message or distract from the main topic at hand.

    In conclusion, The Minyan podcast has quickly become one of my top five favorites due to its compelling content and commitment to addressing crucial social issues. It stands out among other podcasts for its thoughtful approach towards discussing controversial topics and extensive research efforts. While minor improvements could be made in terms of staying focused during episodes, overall, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone seeking to expand their knowledge and challenge their perspectives. Much love and appreciation to the hosts for their impactful work!



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    Latest episodes from The Minyan

    33. A Discussion with Good Shepherd Collective

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 106:00


    We sit down with Lara and Bana at Good Shepherd Collective, and discuss the shared history and struggle of those in Palestine and Ireland. Please follow them @Shepherds4Good on twitter, and check out their website https://goodshepherdcollective.org/ Outro music: https://youtu.be/uIY51LxUlh0?si=q-3QXZ_-2Pq0nALY

    32. Labour Zionism (with Work Stoppage)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 116:35


    "We're extremely excited this week that Dan was invited to sit down with Prez and Talia from The Minyan podcast to discuss the long history of support for Israel by US labor unions and how that has changed in recent years. Building off our recent interview with Professor Jeff Schuhrke, we discuss how anti-communism was used by labor leaders to justify supporting US imperialist policies around the world, including support for Israel. We dig into the ways rank and file efforts to embrace Palestinian solidarity were often stifled from the top in the name of keeping US interests in West Asia safe from "Soviet Aggression." Finally, in light of this history, we discuss how monumental the recent mass movement by rank and file workers to demand their unions end their collaboration with Israeli apartheid is, and why continued organizing within the union movement is our best path to making material change to US foreign policy. Follow The Minyan on Twitter @the_minyan, and on Bluesky @minyan.bsky.social Follow Work Stoppage at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter, and on Bluesky @workstoppage.bsky.social Check out all of The Minyan's great episodes here: open.spotify.com/show/0fgRlhmbQhZpYzKOth98gq Find all the info on Work Stoppage at workstoppagepod.com/ "

    31. History of the Italian Jews Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 46:33


    In Part 3 of our look at the history of the Italian Jews, we discuss the Napoleonic era to the Reunification of Italy

    30. History of the Italian Jews Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024 66:00


    In Part 2 of our look at the history of the Italian Jews, we primarily focus in on the Ghetto

    history ghetto italian jews
    29. History of the Italian Jews Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 60:35


    aka the Pizza Bagel episode

    history italian jews
    28. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2024 56:23


    We are joined by Electronic Intifada's, Nora Barrows-Friedman, to discuss the history of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising through the lens of the events of the Al-Aqsa Flood. Please support the great work of the Electronic Intifada. The Electronic Intifada Works Cited Al-Jazeera October 7 Documentary https://youtu.be/_0atzea-mPY?si=4Aropjl1e9AtqBfw Chomsky, Noam Ilan Pappé and Frank Barat. 20112010. Gaza in Crisis : Reflections on Israel's War against the Palestinians. London: Penguin. Dalsheim, Joyce. 2011. Unsettling Gaza : Secular Liberalism Radical Religion and the Israeli Settlement Project. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Marek Edelman Interview https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVV0r6CmEsFy9YZLKSE0bbnuUJfcOBFxQ&si=Jc_0lH-Uo-u9g3j8 Edelman, Marek. The Ghetto Fights : Warsaw 1943-45. 2014. London: Bookmarks Publications. Finklestein, Norman. Gaza : An Inquest into Its Martyrdom. 2018. Oakland California: University of California Press. Pappé, Ilan. 2006. A History of Modern Palestine : One Land Two Peoples (version 2nd ed). 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Roland, Charles G and Mazal Holocaust Collection. 1992. Courage Under Siege : Starvation Disease and Death in the Warsaw Ghetto. New York: Oxford University Press. Rotem, Śimḥah (Kazik) and Barbara Harshav. 20031994. Memoirs of a Warsaw Ghetto Fighter. New Haven: Yale University Press. Zuckerman Yitzhak and Barbara Harshav. 1993. A Surplus of Memory : Chronicle of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    27. The ADL Origins - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 61:21


    We conclude our history and origins of the ADL. Deadly Exchange #DropTheADL

    26. The ADL Origins-Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2024 69:20


    Prez and Talia talk about the origins of the ADL, and learn the history the world "anti-semitism" Free Palestine

    Fascism with Indian Characteristics - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2024 80:14


    Continuing our deep dives into differing threads of fascism, we're excited to talk to Justin Podur again for a multi-part series on the origins, political economy, and culture of Indian fascism. You can find Justin on Twitter @justinpodur and his many projects at https://podur.org/ Apologies for the delay due to a lot of life stuff, this does mean for the first time ever, we have a backlog of episodes!

    POP THAT CHAMPAGNE!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023 16:05


    A little mix and surprise for you loyal listeners. Enjoy!

    Fascism with Japanese Characteristics: Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2023 77:53


    Apologies for the delay, this was recorded in Summer 2023, and due to life events, we are releasing it now. Hope you enjoy! We're excited to have Kota from the Against Japanism podcast again join us for a multi-part series on the origins, political economy, and culture of Japanese fascism. Follow Kota on twitter at @againstjapanism and check out his stuff at https://linktr.ee/againstjapanismpodcast

    25. Dammi Falastini

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2023 54:39


    A recap of what has been happening Please donate to MECA https://www.mecaforpeace.org/

    Fascism with Japanese Characteristics: Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2023 86:46


    We're excited to have Kota from the Against Japanism podcast join us for a multi-part series on the origins, political economy, and culture of Japanese fascism. Follow Kota on twitter at @againstjapanism and check out his stuff at https://linktr.ee/againstjapanismpodcast The outro music can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOgxYkL3wgw

    24. Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Internationalism under US Empire: Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2023 71:26


    We're excited to have Amin Hosuri join us for a multi-episode series examining anti-imperialism and internationalism in the imperial core. We use the response to the Iran's Zhina uprisings to analyze Western anti-imperialism and how we can support workers throughout the world without falling into the imperialist agenda. For security reasons, Amin provided us with answers to read in the episode rather than speak live. English: 1. Where do the world powers stand regarding the Iranian uprising? English: Slingers Collective, Feb. 26, 2023 http://slingerscollective.net/where-do-the-world-powers-stand-regarding-the-iranian-uprising/ Farsi: Naghd, Oct. 29, 2022 (www.naghd.com) https://tinyurl.com/4yhbahvv 2. So That The "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement Does Not Die!: a call for solidarity with the political prisoners of the Iranian regime. Call in behalf of a group of comrades. Verso, 14 October 2022 https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/5459-so-that-the-woman-life-freedom-movement-does-not-die-a-call-for-solidarity-with-the-political-prisoners-of-the-iranian-regime 3. Leftists worldwide, stand by the protesters in Iran! Call together with Morteza S. ROAR - November 25, 2019 https://roarmag.org/2019/11/25/leftists-worldwide-stand-by-the-protesters-in-iran/ 4. Letter Writing 'Movement' and Crisis of Collective Subjectivity Wednesday, January 4, 2012 https://revolutionaryflowerpot.blogspot.com/2012/01/letter-writing-movement-and-crisis-of_04.html Farsi: 5. Essay-Collection in Farsi: Observing the Reality with the Benchmark of the Pandemic: Essays on the Covid-Crisis and the Crisis of the Left Dec. 2020, E-Book, kaargaah.net http://pdf.kaargaah.net/133_Corona_Crisis_and_the_Left_Kargah_eBook_Nr03.pdf 6. Booklet in Farsi: On the Foundations of the State in the "Global South" - With regard to the mass uprisings of 2019. Dec. 2019, E-Book, kaargaah.net http://pdf.kaargaah.net/103_On_the_Foundations_of_State_in_Global_South_HAmin.pdf 7. Booklet in Farsi: Denial of the Uprising of Jan. 2018 - About the pseudo-anti-imperialist's stand toward the dangers of revolutionary change in Iran Slingers Collective, May 2019 http://manjanigh.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Critic_of_Pseudo-Anti-Imperialist_Tendencies.pdf

    The Fascism Series, Part 1: The Meandering March

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 115:17


    Prez went on Kingless Generation to talk about international fascism, its ideological origins, and it's links with settler colonialism

    23. Cannibalism and the Crusades: Discussion about the Origins of Fascism and Beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 84:09


    Prez and Talia sit down with Norah, an associate editor of the Electronic Intifada, host of the EI Podcast, and co-host of The Brief podcast; and Dan, a former assistant director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies in Britain, and who recently wrapped up a political science postdoc at UQAM, a left hub in Montreal; to discuss Biden's recent trip to Occupied Palestine, Origins of Fascism, and Teeth? Our minds were blown, and we hope you enjoy this highly informative episode!

    Reject Marcos! Reject Duterte!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2022 33:45


    In this quick turn around episode, a Filipino kasama gives their thoughts about the upcoming Marcos-Duterte administration, and what it means for the future. *Erratum: The series of protests that came to be known as the First Quarter Storm occurred during January to March of 1970, not 1971 For an excellent reportage of the events that took place during those tumultuous times, read Pete Lacaba's Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage.

    22. Invasion, Fascism, and Anti-Semitism: A Look at the War in Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 72:36


    We sit down with Justin Podur and talk about the inter-imperialist war between Russia and Ukraine. You can find Justin on Twitter @justinpodur

    Liberatory Languages

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2022 110:20


    Zev and Talia are joined by Irish language activist, Domhnall, and they discuss the revolutionary potential of Irish, Yiddish, and Indigenous languages. *Talia apologies for an horrific mispronunciations Works Cited: Jailtacht: The Irish Language, Symbolic Power and Political Violence in Northern Ireland, 1972-2008 https://www.ochjs.ac.uk/language-classes/oxford-school-of-rare-jewish-languages/ https://jewishcurrents.org/september-27-anti-yiddish-riots/ https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-s-latest-fearsome-national-security-threat-yiddish-1.7947906 Bearing the Unbearable: Yiddish and Polish Poetry in the Ghettos and Concentration Camps The Liberation of the Camps: The End of the Holocaust and its Aftermath Revolutionary Yiddishland Secular Yiddishkait: Left Politics, Culture, and Community Yiddish and Jewish Diaspora Nationalism Yiddishkayt and class consciousness: the Bund and its minority concept

    New Year, Same Minyan

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2021 1:39


    A quick update on what's happening at the Minyan, and hopes for the new year.

    20. Antonio Gramsci: Pessimist of the Mind, Optimist of the Will

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2021 141:03


    In this episode Prez and Talia discuss some of Gramsci's main theories, the material conditions of their development and their relevance to today. We cover his theoretical analyses of fascism, bourgeois politics, and the state, and how he was the first Joker. We are using The Antonio Gramsci Reader: Selected Writings 1916-1935, NYU Press Edition. Reach out to us on Twitter @the_minyan or email us minyanpod@gmail.com

    19. From River to Shining Sea: Eco-Fascism, its Origins, and the Settler Colonial Project

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 133:59


    In this episode Prez spends way too long talking about history and theory while we deconstruct what it means for land to be used "productively." Zev discusses the relationship between eco-fascism in Israel and America. Our guest Lydia, from the Center of Communist Studies, joins us to talk about the importance of Olive Trees and other claims of "environmental stewardship" in Israel's attempts to exterminate Palestinians. Talia expands on how Israel's eco-fascism is destroying Palestinian land. Reach out to us on Twitter @the_minyan or email us minyanpod@gmail.com for our sources.

    Why Israel shouldn't exist: Stalin Uncut

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 18:44


    In this mini-episode Prez relates Stalin's "Marxism and the National Question" to the Israel and the idea that there can be a single Jewish Nation...or why there fundamentally can't be one. Please excuse any pauses made, they forget words easily

    #SaveSheikhJarrah #FreePalestine

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2021 12:43


    Talia reads the Founding Document of the PFLP From the River to the Sea, Palestine WILL BE FREE Please do whatever you can to support the Palestinian struggle. Attend rallies and marches for Nakba Day (5/15) From the Strategy of for the Liberation of Palestine https://foreignlanguages.press/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/S08-PFLP-Strategy-Lib-Palestine-7th-Printing.pdf

    18. The Holocaust Industry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 67:26


    The Minyan discusses Norm Finkelstein's book, The Holocaust Industry. Get some water, this one is spicy. End song: Mir Veln Zey Iberlebn performed by Tsibele References: American Radical - The Trials of Norman Finkelstein [2009] https://youtu.be/9R4KV9wAnsU Finkelstein, Norman G. The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering. London: Verso, 2015. (Talia also wants to note, she said that Verso is NOT ML/MLM.)

    Bonus: Norm v Dersh: The Democracy Now Take Down

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2020 49:48


    To tide you over until the Holocaust Industry episode is released, we here at the Minyan wanted you to hear the the debate between Norman Finklestein and Alan Dershowitz on an episode of Democracy Now in 2003. Enjoy!

    17. The Battle of Cable Street (w/Mandatory OT)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2020 85:51


    Talia goes on Mandatory OT to discuss the Battle of Cable Street, how the Jews, Irish, and Communists worked together to fight fascism, and the lessons we can apply to our current conditions. __________________________ Anderson, Gerald D. 1983. Fascists, communists, and the national government: civil liberties in Great Britain, 1931-1937. Columbia: University of Missouri Press. https://archive.org/details/fascistscommunis00ande. Communist Party of Great Britain. 1943. Keep Mosley in prison. [London]: Communist Party. https://archive.org/details/keepmosleyinpris00comm. Gottlieb, Julie. 1998. “Women and Fascism in the East End.” Jewish Culture and History, 1:2, 31-47. Kushner, Tony & Nadia Valman. 1998. “Introduction: Minorities, Fascism and Anti-Fascism.” Jewish Culture and History, 1:2, 1-22. Linehan, Thomas P. 1998. “Fascist Perceptions of Cable Street.” Jewish Culture and History, 1:2, 23-30. Rosenberg, David. 2011. Battle for the East End: Jewish responses to fascism in the 1930s. Nottingham: Five Leaves. Smith, Elaine R. 1998. “But What Did They Do? Contemporary Jewish Responses to Cable Street.” Jewish Culture and History, 1:2, 48-55. Steel, Peta. 2017. The battle of Cable Street: they shall not pass : an account of working class struggles against fascism, including Phil Piratin, the Spanish Civil War and the rise of fascism in Europe. London: SERTUC. Valman, Nadia. 1998. “Jewish Girls and the Battle of Cable Street.” Jewish Culture and History, 1:2, 181-194.

    DAD: What We Did This Summer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 47:18


    We're back! We introduce Zev, discuss this past summer, and answer your burning Marvel questions. You can contact us on Twitter at @the_minyan or email us at minyanpod@gmail.com

    16. The Contradictions of Anti-Communist Anti-Imperialism in Iran, Part 1: Early Revolutionary History 1905-1979

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2020 180:12


    In this long, LONG, overdue episode, the Minyan joins friend and comrade Alireza to explore the complicated history of Iran from the Constitutional Revolution of 1905 to the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Along the way, we discuss the particular class character of 20th Century Iranian society, the messy and often disappointing foreign relations between Iran and the USSR, the role of first British and then US imperialism in propping up the reactionary Pahlavi Dynasty, the rise and fall of Mohammed Mosaddegh, and the developments, tensions, and occasional fusions of nationalist, Islamist, and Marxist movements in Iran, culminating with the Marxist guerrillas who swept out the Pahlavi Dynasty in 1979, only to be coopted and suppressed by the reactionary wing of the Islamist movement who consolidated control over what would become the Islamic Republic. Part 2, to be released at a later date, will focus on that consolidation of power in 1979 and the developments within the IR to the present day, in order to guide principled communists in how best to approach an anti-imperialist nation that is also thoroughly anti-communist and in general reactionary. ----- Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, remixed by Eli Bertrum Bed Music: Nitsokhn Lid Screwed by Mr. Crane Outro Music: Bayāt-e Tork by Yonā Dardašti, one of--if not the--most famous Iranian Jewish classical singers. Suggested Reading: "Iran Between Two Revolutions" & "The Modern History of Iran" by Ervand Abrahamian "Fragile Resistance: Social Transformation in Iran from 1500 to the Revolution" by John Foran "Soviet Politics and the Iranian Revolution of 1919-1921" by Stephen Blank

    Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof: Demanding Justice for George Floyd

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2020 12:45


    The Minyan crew updates us on the work they've been doing during this time.

    15. Mixed Multitudes, Amalgamated Narratives, & the Diasporic Origins of the Jewish People(s): The Minyan Exodus Narrative Spectacular

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2020 289:50


    After weeks of delays, scheduling conflicts, and technical difficulties, the Minyan proudly presents its first truly long-form episode. Join Yaakov, Talia & special comrade guests Ari, Eli, Greer, & Zach as they dive into the bewildering world of Tanakh source criticism, ancient Egyptian literary analysis, & Ancient Near East archaeology, sifting through the layers of propaganda & mythmaking in the traditional Exodus narrative in an attempt to work out what, if any, historicity underlies these stories, how their development reflects the national-mythology of the societies that produced them, and what that means for our understanding of Jewish history. ----------- Intro Music: "Nitsokhn Lid" by Yiddish Glory, remixed by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: "When You Believe" by Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey / "Miriam's Song" by Debbie Friedman / "Creeping Death" by Metallica. Suggested Reading: "Exodus" & "Who Wrote The Bible?" by Richard Elliott Friedman. "Israel's Exodus in Transdisciplinary Perspective" edited by Thomas E. Levy, Thomas Schneider & William H.C. Propp (in particular the articles therein by Jan Assman; Manfred Bietak; Israel Finkelstein; Ronald Hendel; Stephen O. Moshier & James K. Hoffmeier; Bernard F. Batto; Scott Noegel; Brad C. Sparks; Baruch Halpern; Thomas Romer; Stephen C. Russell; Donald B. Redford; Emmanuel Annati; Brendon C. Benz; Avraham Faust; Daniel E. Fleming; & Thomas Schneider). "To Your Tents O Israel: The Terminology, Function, Form, and Symbolism of Tents in the Hebrew Bible & the Ancient Near East" by Michael Homan.

    14. Palestine Will Be Free! The History of Palestinian Resistance, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2020 115:33


    Continuing from where Part 1 left off, Ma'tez joins the Minyan to trace the currents of Palestinian resistance to Zionist settler-colonialism from the Nakba & the declaration of the Israeli state through to the present day, with discussions of resistance movements under both Israeli & Jordanian hegemony, the 6 Day War, the role of Palestinian resistance movements in Black September & the Lebanese Civil War, and both the First and Second Intifadas. You can reach Ma'tez on twitter @Shuyu3i ------ Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, remixed by Eli Bertrum Bed Music: Nitsokhn Lid Screwed by Mr. Crane Outro Music: بلدي (Baladi) by Kofia / رمانة (Rmanat) by سميح شقير (Samih Shaqir) / أناشيد العاصفة ('Anashid Aleasifa) by الفرقة المركزية (Alfurqat Almarkazia)

    13. From the River To The Sea! The History of Palestinian Resistance, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2020 97:09


    In this very special episode, the Minyan sits down with Ma'tez from the West Bank to discuss the long history of Palestinian resistance to foreign domination. We begin with the Musha' communal land system that Palestinian villages maintained under Ottoman Rule, the first conflicts with Zionist settlers in the late 1800s, how World War I affected Palestine, and the Great Revolt of the 1930s. In Part 2, coming soon, Ma'tez & the Minyan discuss Al Nakba, its aftermath in the 1950s, the 6 Day War, both Intifadas, and the current situation in Palestine--stay tuned for that within the next 2 weeks. You can reach Ma'tez on twitter @Shuyu3i For those listening as episodes are released, Ḥag Pesaḥ! This is, of course, not the Minyan Holiday Special you might have been expecting (listen to Yaakov's introduction to this episode for more on that) but it does serve to undermine the Zionist narrative of the Exodus as prefiguring political Zionism--more on just how wrong that narrative is in future episodes! ------ Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, remixed by Eli Bertrum Bed Music: Nitsokhn Lid Screwed by Mr. Crane Outro Music: دبرها يا مستر دل (Solve It, Mr. Dill) by Nuḥ Ibrāhīm

    March Spiel: Megillat Esther DMX EDITION!!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 64:33


    This time the Spiel is real. In a bit of a change-up, this month's bonus episode is a Purim Spiel, a reading of the Book of Esther by Talia & Yaakov, with the theme of the retelling being 90s/00s hip hop censoring in all its glass shattering, dog barking, and all around goofy glory. We hope you enjoy, and if you want to hear more readings as bonus content, please let us know either here or in the Lenin's Ghost discord. Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, Screwed by Mr. Crane Outro Music: Satan Is Real by Kreator / A Congealed CLot of Blood by Carcass / Walls by Siege

    12. Eat Drink & Be Merry! And Have Little a Blood Vengeance, As a Treat: The Minyan Purim Special 5780

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 74:42


    APOLOGIES FOR SOME AUDIO QUALITY ISSUES, especially to those with audio sensitivities. Minor mic problems has Yaakov's voice sounding a bit crackly throughout this episode. On this holiday episode, the Minyan gets a little silly talking about the most fun, raucous, feminist, queer-inclusive, & outright diasporist holiday of the ritual calendar: Purim! Join the celebration of the legendary tale of diaspora Jews in the Persian empire fighting back against genocidal violence & winning, under the leadership of Queen Esther! ------ Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, remixed by Eli Bertrum. Bed Music: Nitsokhn Lid Screwed by Mr. Crane Outro Music: Chag Purim by Jay Levy Suggested Reading: The Book of Esther (join our patreon to hear a reading of it!)

    Special Episode: Stalin Was A Mensch

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2020 73:24


    Are you or someone you know struggling to accept the validity of Marxism-Leninism because you view the tendency as poisoned by big bad Stalin the antisemite? Well do we have an episode for you! In honor of the yahrzeit of Joseph Stalin (Z"L), here's an upload of Talia's interview last summer on Proles of the Round Table, in which she debunks these lies so often told about the Man of Steel. --------- Intro Music: Nitsokhn Lid by Yiddish Glory, Remixed by Eli Bertrum Bed/Outro Music: Nitsokhn Lid Screwed by Mr. Crane Suggested Reading: Almazov, S. Ten years of Biro-Bidjan, 1928-1938. New York: ICOR. 1938. American Icor Commission for the Study of Biro-Bidjan and Its Colonization. Report. New York: Icor. 1929. Aptheker, Herbert. The fraud of "Soviet anti-semitism". Sydney: Current Book Distributors. 1963. Brossat, Alain, Sylvia Klingberg, and David Fernbach. Revolutionary Yiddishland: a history of Jewish radicalism. 2017. Davies, Dave. “Anti-Semitism and the Soviet Anti-Zionist Campaign.” Australian Left Review no. 76 (1981): 24-30. Furr, Grover. Blood lies: the evidence that every accusation against Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union in Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands is false. New York: Red Star Publishers. 2014. Furr, Grover. Khrushchev Lied: The Evidence That Every "revelation" of Stalin’s (and Beria’s) "crimes" in Nikita Khrushchev’s Infamous "Secret Speech" to the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on February 25, 1956, Is Provably False. Kettering, OH: Erythros Press and Media, 2014. Hoffman, Matthew, and Henry Felix Srebrnik. A vanished ideology: essays on the Jewish communist movement in the English-speaking world in the twentieth century. 2016. Kochan, Lionel. The Jews in Soviet Russia since 1917. 2nd ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1972. Losurdo, Domenico, and Luciano Canfora. Stalin: storia e critica di una leggenda nera. Roma: Carocci. 2015. Mandel, William M. Soviet but Not Russian: The "other" Peoples of the Soviet Union. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 1985. Martens, Ludo, and John Plaice. Another view of Stalin. 1st ed. Raleigh, NC: Proles Press. 2018. Miller, Moses. Soviet "Anti-semitism": the big lie. New York: Jewish Life. 1950. Novik, Paul. Jews in the Soviet Union impressions of a two months' visit to the USSR, November-December, 1964. New York: Morning Freiheit. 1965. O'Connor, Tom. The truth about anti-semitism in the Soviet Union: exposing the fraud perpetrated on the American people. New York: American Committee of Jewish Writers, Artists & Scientists. 1949. Pinkus, Benjamin. The Jews of the Soviet Union: The History of a National Minority. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Rabinovich, Solomon. Jews in USSR. Moscow: Novosti Press Agency, 1967. Szymanski, Albert. Human Rights in the Soviet Union:. London: Zed, 1984. Tartakower, Arieh. "The Jewish Problem in the Soviet Union." Jewish Social Studies 33, no. 4 (1971): 285-306. http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.slpl.org/stable/4466668.

    February DAD: We Are All Gritty

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2020 66:52


    In this month's Davening After Dark episode, Pres goes off on the subject of critical support in a new segment called The Spiel, Talia leads a round of the Hitler or Herzl Expanded Universe, Yaakov & Pres share some Evil Eye articles, Talia seeks to wrench back Gritty from the anarchists, and everyone gets in an argument about Star Wars. Somehow, despite the best effort of a twitter nudnik, we all manage to exist.

    11. Plant A Tree For Palestine: Tu B'Shvat as Revolutionary Culture.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2020 70:43


    In another short(ish) holiday episode, Talia & Yaakov work through the utility of Tu B'Shvat as not just a New Year For Trees, but as an opportunity for engaging in theory and practice aimed at mass work with the food-insecure, solidarity work with indigenous Land and Water Protectors, and in particular solidarity work with Palestinians whose land continues to be destroyed by Zionist settlers. Along the way they discuss the pernicious role of the Jewish National Fund in transforming Tu B'Shvat from a kabbalistic seder to a philanthropic arm of the Zionist project, the hypocrisy of liberal ecology and the shortcomings of treating Tu B'Shvat as a Jewish Earth Day, the Halakhic roots of the holiday in regard to food distribution and modern food regulation, and an approach to the Lurianic Tu B'Shvat Seder as a way to engage in Tikkun Olam not just in the mystical sense but in doing concrete Tikkun in the material world. Suggested donation: https://www.landofcanaanfoundation.org ----------- Intro Music: "Nitsokhn Lid (Victory Song)," performed by Yiddish Glory & remixed by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: "Song of the Olive Tree," written by Leon Rosselson & performed by Janet Russell. Suggested Reading: "Inter/Nationalism: Decolonizing Native America And Palestine," by Steven Salaita

    January Davening After Dark

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2020 103:43


    On this first patrons-only DAD, the Minyan answers listener questions on mysticism, education, the role of goyish comrades in combating zionism, and more. We share some anecdotes from Jewish history, get in a good Evil Eye over fundamentalist Christians LARPing as Jews at a gun rally, and then a few rounds of Hitler or Herzl. Oh and we introduce a new member of the Minyan and talk trash on France. Intro Music: "Mayn Pulemyot (My Machine Gun)" by Yiddish Glory from their self-titled album. Outro Music: "Mir Veln Zey Iberlebn," by Tsibele, recorded live at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn on Nov. 7, 2017. Suggested reading: "Kabbalah," by Gershom Scholem; "Zionism From the Standpoint of its Victims," by Edward Said; "Sephardim In Israel: Zionism From the Standpoint of its Jewish Victims," by Ella Shohat; "Unthinking Eurocentrism," by Ella Shohat & Robert Stam.

    10. 26 + 6 = 1 State Free From the River To The Sea: CYM & Irish/Palestinian Solidarity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2020 130:05


    Building international solidarity, Talia, with 8hop from Proles of the Round Table and Connor from Proles of the Book Club, go to Belfast in Occupied Ireland to discuss with members of the Connolly Youth Movement, living under British Occupation, the history of militant Irish resistance, the continued ties of solidarity with Occupied Palestine, and how our struggle against imperialism and colonialism are all interconnected. To learn more about Connolly Youth Movement, find them on Facebook and Twitter. ------- Intro Music: "Nitsokhn Lid (Victory Song)," performed by Yiddish Glory & remixed by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: “The Lonesome Boatman,” performed by Finbar Furey and “The Town I Loved So Well,” performed by The Dubliners Suggested Readings: Burns, Elinor. British Imperialism in Ireland: a Marxist Historical Analysis. Cork: Cork Workers Club, 1976. Dillon, Martin. The Dirty War. London: Cornerstone Digital, 2012. Dooley, Brian. Black and Green: The Fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland & Black America. Pluto Press, 1998. Fanon, Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth. New York: Grove Press, 1968. Hanley, Brian, and Scott Millar. The Lost Revolution: the Story of the Official IRA and the Workers Party. London: Penguin, 2010. McKearney, Tommy. The Provisional IRA: from Insurrection to Parliament. London: Pluto Press, 2011. Newton, Huey P. To Die for the People the Writings of Huey P. Newton. New York: Random House, 1972. Newton, Huey P., J. Herman Blake, and Fredrika Newton. Revolutionary Suicide. New York: Penguin Books, 1973. Rodrigo, Nick. “Gaddafi and the IRA's Explosive Relationship.” alaraby. The New Arab, September 22, 2015. https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/comment/2015/9/22/gaddafi-and-the-iras-explosive-relationship. Rolston, Bill. “‘The Brothers on the Walls.’” Journal of Black Studies 39, no. 3 (2007): 446–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934706297876. Stewart, Paul. The State of Northern Ireland and the Democratic Deficit: between Sectarianism and Neo-Liberalism. Glasgow: Vagabond Voices, 2018. Suggested Video: “Irish Solidarity with Palestine” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMAyGiOQbE0 ​- 2 -

    9: Birthright, Orientalism, & the Spectacle of Disruption: An Interview with Alex Verman

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2020 76:52


    Talia and Yaakov sit down with Alex Verman to discuss their article in Jewish Currents, “Mere Disruption Won’t Alter Birthright’s Agenda,” working through Birthright’s function as a technology of Zionist settler-colonialism, the orientalist logic that undergirds it, & how IfNotNow’s campaign to disrupt Birthright trips reinforces, rather than opposes, that orientalism. Also there are some diversions about tattoos & extremely online Jewish culture. Read Alex's article for Jewish Currents here: https://jewishcurrents.org/mere-disruption-wont-alter-birthrights-agenda/ You can also find more of their work at alexverman.com and follow them on twitter @degendering Suggested reading: Edward Said's Orientalism Intro music by Eli Bertrum Outro Music: "Ink Stains Across the Border" by antizionist hardcore band Dir Yassin

    8: Resistance and Autonomy in an Imperial World: The Proles of the Minyan Ḥanukkah Special 5780

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2019 125:19


    Whether you spell it Ḥanukkah, Hanukkah, Chanukah, Khanike, or any other way, it’s that time of year for the Festival of Lights! Light your menorah & spin your dreidel while Talia & Yaakov reveal just how distant the modern holiday is from both earlier celebrations, when Judith was given pride of place alongside Judah Maccabee, and from the historical events surrounding the Hasmonean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire, which was a convoluted nightmare of shifting alliances with imperial backers, advances and retreats in guerrilla campaigns, and petty factional infighting. Spoiler alert: it’s neither the Zionist hasbara fantasy of Jews creating a nation for themselves nor the reductive “culture war” of Hellenism vs Judaism in which the Maccabees play the role reactionary religious extremists. It’s way way messier than that. Suggested reading: Cambridge History of Judaism Volume 2: The Hellenistic Age, The Book of Judith, The 1st & 2nd Books of the Maccabees, Josephus' "Antiquities of the Jews." Intro Music by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: "La Fiesta De La Chanukía" by Judy Frankel & "Oy Khanike" by The Klezmer Conservatory Band

    7. Introducing: Davening After Dark

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2019 124:12


    The Minyan continues to take inspiration from the Union of Soviet Socialist Podcasts Central Committee, the Proles of the Round Table. This time, they introduce the first of what will be a series of bonus episodes for patrons of the forthcoming Proles of the Minyan Patreon. This is Davening After Dark, in which the Minyan answers listener questions, kibbitzes and/or rants about current events, and plays everyone's favorite quiz game: Hitler Or Herzl. ----- Suggested Reading: James Connoly, Sinn Féin & Socialism. Intro Music by Eli Bertrum Outro Music: "Pharzuph" by the Ben Goldberg Quartet from the album Book of Angels Vol 15: Baal

    6: Studying & Struggling: The Minyan On On The Jewish Question

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2019 126:09


    It's the long promised first episode of the Proles of the Minyan Reading Series, in which the Minyan takes on classic Marxist texts that touch on Jewish issues. In this first foray into close textual analysis, Tim and Yaakov go head to head over Marx's "On The Jewish Question," (1843) a notoriously difficult work in which a young Marx replies to Bruno Bauer's argument to deny Jews the rights of man ad citizen (outlined in Bauer's "The Jewish Question"). Marx's response is... complicated. There's no way to summarize it without talking it through (and sometimes repeating the same points trying to wrap one's head around it) for 2 hours. Suggested Reading includes not only Marx's "On The Jewish Question," but also "The Holy Family." ; Althusser, "On The Young Marx." ; Julius Carlebach, "Karl Marx and the Radical Critique of Juda­ism." ; & Gary Ruchwarger, "Marx and the Jewish Question: A Response to Julius Carlebach." Intro Music by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: "Simkhes Toyre" by the Klezmatics (we're posting it just in time for yontif, after all).

    5. A Sweet & Red New Year! Proles of the Minyan High Holy Days Special 5780

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2019 71:06


    In this special and (sort of) shorter episode, Talia and Yaakov sit down and reflect on the meaning of the High Holy Days, with readings of Rabbi Brant Rosen from Tzedek Chicago & the Book of Isaiah, audio clips from the Minyan trio and a comrade from Talia & Yaakov's Jewish Solidarity Caucus days, and the goals and wishes for the new year from more comrades on Twitter. It's a looser, more freewheeling affair than the usual Proles of the Minyan material, but hopefully it's just what you need as you go into Shabbos Shuva, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we really start honing our thoughts on T'shuvah, repentance. It's the Jewish New Year, so its Self-Crit Season. We look back over the past year and atone for our transgressions, and look forward to what we can bring to the year to come. It's a dialectic. Featuring: A surprise guest appearance from Yaakov's fiancee, and (for those inclined) a longer than usual outro music medley featuring the noise track Yaakov mentions in the episode. Intro Music: "Nitsokhn Lid (Victory Song)," performed by Yiddish Glory & remixed by Eli Bertrum Outro Music: "Avinu Malkeinu," by Barbra Streisand, "Kol Nidre," by Daniel Kurganov, & "We Have Transgressed," by Hedge Fund (Yaakov's old band...what a self-aggrandizing dork.

    4. Renew Our Days As In The World To Come: Tisha B'Av As Revolutionary Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2019 91:54


    Beginning a long-term examination of the Jewish ritual calendar, the Minyan discusses Tisha B'av, the fast day commemorating the destruction of the 2nd Temple of Jerusalem in 70CE, exploring the history leading up to the Roman sack of the Temple, the sectarian nature of 2nd Temple Judaism, the ritual practices of the holiday itself, and its meaning for revolutionary Jews seeking to build diasporist solidarity with all oppressed peoples in service of building a better world in the future, rather than seeking to reclaim a mythologized past in service of maintaining reactionary nationalism. Dedicated in memory of Michael Brown on his yahrzeit, the anniversary of his murder by Ferguson, MO police, 5 years ago. Zikhrono Livrakha, may his memory be for blessing. Please support Movimiento Cosecha in their fundraising effort to build a Cosecha House in El Paso, TX, organized by our comrade Juan Ortiz, who is recovering from injuries inflicted on him by a racist attacker. Mi shebeirach, Juan, may you be renewed in body and spirit. https://www.gofundme.com/f/cosecha-el-paso ------- Intro Music: "Nitsokhn Lid (Victory Song)," performed by Yiddish Glory & remixed by Eli Bertrum. Outro Music: "Megillat Eichah (Book of Lamentations) Ch. 1," chanted in the Moroccan nusaḥ by Rabbi Meir 'Atia. Suggested Readings for Tisha B'Av: "Tisha B'av." Sefaria. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/tags/Tisha%20B'av. "Tisha B'av." T'ruah. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.truah.org/holiday/tisha-bav/. Ellis, Marc H. "On Tisha B'Av, We Must Mourn Our Complicity." Mondoweiss. May 05, 2019. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://mondoweiss.net/2017/07/tisha-mourn-complicity/. Tse-Tung, Mao. "Serve the People," in Collected Works of Mao Tse-Tung (1917-1949). [Springfield, Va.] :National Technical Information Service, 1978. Traditional Liturgy includes: Lamentations, in its entirety. Deuteronomy 4:25-40. Jeremiah 6:16–17 & 8:13–9:23 Exodus 32:11-14 & 34:1-10. Hosea 14:2–10. Micah 7:18–20. Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (this does not include the passages mentioned by Tim, which are read on Yom Kippur. These can be found in Isaiah 58:5-7). Historical Sources: Borochov, Ber, and Mitchell Cohen. Class Struggle and the Jewish Nation: Selected Essays in Marxist Zionism. New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.: Transaction Books, 1984. Brosilow, Isaac. ""What Does Vietnam Have to Do with Tisha B'Av?''." Jewish Currents. July 26, 2018. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://jewishcurrents.org/what-does-vietnam-have-to-do-with-tisha-b-av/. Gilad, Elon. "The Mystery of Why Jews Fast on Tisha B'Av." Haaretz.com. April 10, 2018. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/the-mystery-of-why-jews-fast-on-tisha-b-av-1.5258013. Horbury, William, Davies, W.D., & Sturdy, John, eds. The Cambridge History of Judaism, vol. 3: The Early Roman Period. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

    3. From Generation To Generation: The Replication of Zionist Ideology in the North American Federation of Temple Youth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2019 97:40


    In the first Proles of the Minyan interview episode, Shelby Shoup joins the Minyan to discuss Zionist cultural replication and the potential for leftist organizing among Reform Jewish youth. Shelby is the former Social Action Vice President (SAVP) of the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), the youth organization within the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), and she is the current president of the Florida State University (FSU) chapter of Students for Justice with Palestine (SJP). There are a lot of acronyms in this one. She gives us the inside scoop on throwing diary products at reactionaries, the "progressive except for Palestine" hypocrisy within the URJ, and the mechanisms by which NFTY, and their summer camp system in particular, serves to prop up Zionist hegemony over Jewish youth in the United States and Canada. She also shares her journey out from under that hegemony and towards anti-Zionism, anti-racism, and anti-imperialism organizing with SJP and Tallahassee Dream Defenders. The Minyan also debuts two new segments, shouts out Eli Valley and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP, as if there weren't enough acronyms), and declares undying love and support for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP... last one, promise). You can find us on twitter @ProlesMinyan or get in touch by email at: prolesminyan@gmail.com You can find Shelby on instagram @s.helbo and further links for her organizations and our shoutouts below: Students for Justice In Palestine: on twitter @NationalSJP & on Facebook @sjpal. Their FSU branch, on which Shelby serves as president, is on twitter @FSU4Palestine and on facebook @FSUSJP Dream Defenders: on twitter and facebook @DreamDefenders, and the Tallahassee branch that Shelby works with on facebook @TallahasseeDreamDefenders. Jewish Voice For Peace: on twitter @jvplive and on facebook @JewishVoiceForPeace. Their partners, the Jews of Color Sefardi-Mizrahi Caucus: on twitter and facebook @jocsm4pal Eli Valley: on twitter @elivalley Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine: Suggested reading includes all of their historical documents and current statements, up in Arabic, Italian, French, and Polish, as well as English, on their site.

    2. Daloy Politsei // Down with the Police: Never Again Action, Occupy Tornillo, and Police Brutality in Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2019 100:31


    Rapid Response to the Never Again Actions against ICE concentration camps, in connection and solidarity with Occupy Tornillo, Palestinian liberation movements, and the struggle of Ethiopian Jews against police brutality in Israel. Dedicated in memory of Solomon Teka, Z"L, the black Jewish teenager murdered last week by Israeli police. May his memory be for blessing. -------- Intro by Eli Bertrum Outro Music: "In Ale Gasn, Hey Hey Daloy Politsei" from In Love and Struggle: The Musical Legacy of the Jewish Labor Bund @ProlesMinyan on Twitter prolesminyan@gmail.com Links & Sources: Tornillo: The Occupation on Facebook @NeverAgainActn on Twitter Never Again Action on Facebook Never Again Action Bail Fund on gofundme Movimiento Cosecha website @CosechaMovement on Twitter Movimiento Cosecha on Facebook Open Letter to Latinx Jews: Let Our People Go by the Jews of Color and Sephardi/Misrahi Caucus, In Partnership with Jewish Voice for Peace. @JOCSM4Pal Jews of Color and Sephardi/Mizrahi Caucus on Twitter "Cries of 'Black Lives Matter' in Israel after officer fatally shoots unarmed young man of Ethiopian Origin," by Noga Tarnopolsky in LA Times. "'They're killing our brothers': Why Ethiopians shut down Israel for a day," by Yael Marom and Oren Zvi in +972. "Violent protests erupt in Israel over police shooting of unarmed Ethiopian teen," by Alex Ward in Vox. "Violence erupts as Ethiopian Israelis protest treatment by police," by Batsheva Sobelman in LA Times.

    1. Symbolism Under Zionist Hegemony: DC Dyke March, the Magen David, & Hamsa Flag

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2019 119:25


    The Proles of the Minyan declare their support for DC Dyke March’s banning of the Israeli pride flag, present a historical analysis of Jewish symbolism, argue for an abandonment of the Magen David, and advance other symbols, like the Hamsa, that can serve to build Jewish solidarity with Palestinians for our collective liberation. ----- Intro by Eli Bertrum Outro: “Nitsokhn Lid (Victory Song)” by Yiddish Glory Sources: https://www.washingtonblade.com/2019/06/06/we-dont-have-to-choose-between-dyke-and-jewish-identities/ https://medium.com/ifnotnoworg/jewish-dykes-are-welcome-at-dc-dyke-march-nationalist-symbols-are-not-c603b1f81b4c https://twitter.com/theradr/status/1136627137203572737?s=21 https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-curious-history-of-the-six-pointed-starhow-the-magen-david-became-the-jewish-symbol/ https://www.academia.edu/2553194/Shaping_Time_The_Choice_of_the_National_Emblem_of_Israel The Encyclopedia Judaica, edited by Cecil Roth The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols, by Ellen Frankel & Betsy Platkin Teutsch https://prtcls.com/article/the-hamsa-flag/ Hamsa Flag and other sources for ethical Judaica: https://ayinpress.org/hamsa-flag / @hamsaflag on instagram https://www.netzitzot.com/ https://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/social-justice-judaica/

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