Podcasts about The Jewish Journal

In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Yoshi sits down with David Suissa—Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Tribe Media and the Jewish Journal—to explore the deep currents shaping Jewish life today. A passionate voice in Jewish media since 2006 and a former award-winning advertising executive, David brings his characteristic insight, warmth, and eloquence to a discussion that touches on some of the most important themes of our time.Together, they reflect on the importance of sharing our culture, the transformative magic of Shabbat, and the delicate yet urgent challenge of balancing our values. Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and the recent tragic murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky outside the Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., David and Rabbi Yoshi consider what it means to protect ourselves while staying rooted in Jewish connection—to our heritage, our people, and our allies.From Casablanca to Montreal to Los Angeles, David's journey reflects a lifetime devoted to the Jewish story. This episode is a heartfelt invitation to reflect on what it means to live with courage, purpose, and hope.Listen now and read more at jewishjournal.com#SearchForMeaning #RabbiYoshi #DavidSuissa #JewishJournal #ShabbatMagic #JewishCommunity #JewishVoices #FaithAndCourage #AntisemitismAwareness #JewishIdentity #ShabbatShalom #JewishHeritage #ConnectionAndProtection #SpiritualResilience #JewishPodcast #JewishWisdom

X: @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk Join America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio co-hosts Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy with Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Kehi-Lath Je-shurun on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He has been a congregational Rabbi for over 30 years, and previously served pulpits in Montreal, Quebec and Mount Vernon, New York. This interview was recorded 12 hours prior to the heinous murder of two staff members of Israel's Embassy to the US, which took place in front of the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky were planning to get engaged when their lives were cut short by a pro-Hamas supporter. He is on the leadership team of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition, on the board of directors of the American Jewish Committee, NY and American Friends of Open University Israel, and a founding board member of the Moral Hearts Alliance, which builds Jewish-Christian cooperation in support of Israel. His first book, “Despite Everything: A Chronicle of Jewish Resilience in the Aftermath of October 7th,” was published in September 2024. Rabbi Steinmetz writes a weekly column for The Jewish Journal, and has written for many other publications, including The Washington Post, The Daily News, The Globe and Mail, La Presse, Haaretz, and The Jerusalem Post. americasrt.com (https://americasrt.com/) https://summitleadersusa.com/ | https://jerusalemleaderssummit.com/ America's Roundtable on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-roundtable/id1518878472 X: @americasrt1776 @ileaderssummit @NatashaSrdoc @JoelAnandUSA @supertalk America's Roundtable is co-hosted by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of International Leaders Summit and the Jerusalem Leaders Summit. America's Roundtable (https://americasrt.com/) radio program - a strategic initiative of International Leaders Summit, focuses on America's economy, healthcare reform, rule of law, security and trade, and its strategic partnership with rule of law nations around the world. The radio program features high-ranking US administration officials, cabinet members, members of Congress, state government officials, distinguished diplomats, business and media leaders and influential thinkers from around the world. Tune into America's Roundtable Radio program from Washington, DC via live streaming on Saturday mornings via 68 radio stations at 7:30 A.M. (ET) on Lanser Broadcasting Corporation covering the Michigan and the Midwest market, and at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk Mississippi — SuperTalk.FM reaching listeners in every county within the State of Mississippi, and neighboring states in the South including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Tune into WTON in Central Virginia on Sunday mornings at 6:00 A.M. (ET). Listen to America's Roundtable on digital platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other key online platforms. Listen live, Saturdays at 7:30 A.M. (CT) on SuperTalk | https://www.supertalk.fm

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with filmmaker, Accidental Talmudist and longtime “Jewish Journal” contributor Salvador Litvak. Litvak's Passover classic, “When Do We Eat?” stars Max Greenfield, Ben Feldman, Shiri Appleby, Lesley Ann Warren, Michael Lerner, and Jack Klugman. Litvak directed the film that he co-wrote with his wife and partner, Nina Davidovich Litvak.    The Litvaks' second movie was “Saving Lincoln.” Their new film “Guns & Moses” is out this summer.    “The perennial fifth question of the Passover Seder is, ‘When do we eat?'” Litvak, who is also the author of “Let My People Laugh: Greatest Jewish Jokes of All Time,”  says. “There's all these holiday movies… but there was no Passover movie.”    When the Litvaks made “When Do We Eat?” they were connected to Judaism, but not yet Orthodox.    “The movie's probably a little bit edgier than we would make it today,” Litvak says. “One of the main plot points is that one of the kids doses his dad with a strong hallucinogen at the Passover seder, but also the movie contains wonderful spiritual teachings.”   He adds, “[Our dream: that] it would become the Jewish, ‘It's a Wonderful Life,' the movie that people watch every year.”   Salvador Litvak shares the backstories behind “When Do We Eat?” and his new Jewish joke book. the connections between Judaism and food, and his recipe for Sal-mon. He also talks about creating The Accidental Talmudist, how that community embraced his Passover classic film aka “My Big Fat Jewish Seder.”    “My mom always used to say there's two kinds of people: those who get into conversations in the checkout line at the supermarket and those who don't,” Litvak says. “We are [the first] kind.”   Learn more at SalvadorLitvak.com, AccidentalTalmudist.org, and GunsandMosesMovie.com. Check out Salvador's new book, “Let My People Laugh: Greatest Jewish Jokes of All Time.”   For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.

A reading of articles and features from the March/April 2025 edition of The Jewish Journal, a publication of the Buffalo Jewish Federation

We need a recovery of the sacred in our secular world. Because the mental, emotional, and psychological struggles haunting society right now can't be solved without addressing meaning, purpose, and the longing for connection to something beyond ourselves.In other words, spiritual health is an essential part of mental health.An attorney, religious scholar, and university chaplain, Dr. Varun Soni is Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California, and is leading us back to our true north, through spacious and life-giving spiritual conversations and sacred practices that realign us to our values and identity.In this conversation with Varun Soni, we discuss:Finding the sacred in our secular culture.Religious pluralism and what it means to build trust that reaches across religious lines of difference.The transformative power of finding your “truth north”—your North Star—to orient our journeys of faith and spirituality.Varun shares six pillars of flourishing; how to align our actions with our values; and the benefit of listening to the cultural narratives and stories we tell.He reflects on the missing elements of spirituality in our understanding of mental health today, evidenced in his work with teens and emerging adults.He offers us a Hindu meditative practice to provide inner clarity, stability, and calm.And he comments on compassion and a cultivation sacred spiritual practices to counteract the loneliness, anguish, and suffering in our world.Show NotesDr. Pam King welcomes Varun Soni, Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life at USCJourney from Hindu attorney to first Hindu Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life in the U.S.“What does it mean to be Indian? What does it mean to be Hindu? What does it mean to be American? What is this Indian American experience?”1965 Immigration and Naturalization ActInspired by grandfather's connection to Mahatma Gandhi“ What it meant to be Hindu was to be like Gandhi. What it meant to be Indian was to be like Gandhi. What it meant to live a meaningful life was to live like Gandhi.”“ I continued to study religion as a way of understanding myself.”Sitting with the Dalai Lama on Mahatma Gandhi's birthdayMentorship from the Dalai LamaDeepak Chopra's influence“Interfaith trust building”University ChaplaincyWhat is thriving to you?"Thriving is the alignment of purpose and practice—it's not about arriving, but about moving in the right direction."“What is my north star, and how do I get there?”Spiritual well-being about asking the right questions, not having all the answersReligion once provided meaning, rituals, and community—now young people seek new structures"What is sacred to you? If you can't answer that, you're drifting without a compass."The urgency of time when turning 50 years old“I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone anymore.”“Put the process before the answer.”6 pillars of thriving and well-being: diet, sleep, exercise, contemplative practice, emotional intelligence, connection to natureBasic physical pillars of thriving: Diet, Sleep, ExerciseSpiritual pillars of thriving: Contemplation, Emotional Intelligence, and Communing with NatureFinding what is sacred—faith, relationships, personal values51% of USC students non-religious, 80% spiritualRecord levels of loneliness, imposter syndrome, comparison culture“Not just a mental health crisis, but a spiritual health crisis.”Loss of intergenerational religious experiences—key protective factor against depression"We took away religion and replaced it with social media, then wondered why anxiety skyrocketed."Social media fuels disconnection rather than community"We weren't built for this much bad news. Our brains weren't designed to process global suffering 24/7."“There's no right way to do contemplative practice.”Find moments built into your dayExercise: So Hum breath meditation: Inhale “So,” exhale “Hum”Using meditation as a spiritual technology or tool"You are not your thoughts—you are the awareness behind them."Identity shaped by personal narrative—"If you don't like your story, rewrite it."Telling the story of who you will become"Every individual is the hero of their own journey, whether they realize it or not."Cultural mythology, from sacred texts to Marvel movies, reflects search for meaningSpirituality helps build redemptive life narratives“There power in being part of something bigger.”The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller—research on spirituality and mental health"It's hard to hate the people you love—universities are one of the last places where people can learn to love each other across differences."Technology and mediated relationshipsWhat is sacred to you?"Gen Z's greatest superpower is empathy, but they've never been lonelier."Building protective factors for young peopleGratitude rituals shift focus from anxiety to appreciationCare, justice, and connectionMental Health CrisisMental Health and Spiritual HealthAwe-inspiring moments—nature, music, relationships—essential to well-being"Awe, wonder, and gratitude aren't luxuries—they're survival tools."“You can't doom-scroll your way to joy. Presence and connection matter.”Religious institutions declining, but human need for transcendence remainsCreating new rituals and meaning-making for a secular generation"Spiritual health is just as important as mental health—ignore it, and you miss a key part of the equation."What is your North Star? What gets you up in the morning?How do your daily practices align purpose and action?How do the stories you tell shape your identity and thriving?Try So Hum meditation as a daily mindfulness practiceEngage in one act of gratitude—write a note, express appreciation, savor a momentIt's all too easy to fragment our lives into secular and sacred, but thriving and spiritual health require wholeness and integration of every aspect of ourselves, including our faith and spirituality.Future generations of leaders need our guidance and support in their connection to community and their search for meaning, purpose, and hope.Keep your seat-belt firmly fastened, your seat-back upright, tray table stowed, and secure your own spiritual oxygen mask before assisting others.We can counteract the outrage, anxiety, and information overload with simple, daily practices that bring stability and clarity.We thrive when we align our actions and our values, our behavior with our beliefs, and our practices with our purpose.About Varun SoniVarun Soni is the Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California. He received his B.A. degree in Religion from Tufts University, where he also earned an Asian Studies minor and completed the Program in Peace and Justice Studies. He subsequently received his M.T.S. degree from Harvard Divinity School and his M.A. degree through the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He went on to receive his J.D. degree from University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, where he also completed the Critical Race Studies Program and served as an editor for the Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law. He earned his Ph.D. through the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Cape Town, where his doctoral research focused on religion and popular culture. As an undergraduate student, Dean Soni spent a semester living in a Buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya, India through Antioch University's Buddhist Studies Program. As a graduate student, he spent months doing field research in South Asia through UCSB's Center for Sikh and Punjab Studies.Dean Soni is currently a University Fellow at USC Annenberg's Center on Public Diplomacy and an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Religion. He is the author of Natural Mystics: The Prophetic Lives of Bob Marley and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Figueroa Press, 2014) and his writings have appeared in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Crosscurrents, Jewish Journal, and Harvard Divinity Bulletin. He produced the critically acclaimed graphic novel Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary by Keshni Kashyap, which is currently being adapted as a feature length film. He also produced and hosted his own radio show on KPFK-Pacifica that showcased music from South Asia and its diaspora. In 2009, he was one of the organizers of the historic Concert for Pakistan, a benefit concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall featuring Salman Ahmad, Sting, Outlandish, Jeff Skoll, Deepak Chopra, and Melissa Etheridge.Dean Soni is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Academy of Religion, and the Association for College and University Religious Affairs. He is on the advisory board for the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement, Journal for Interreligious Dialogue, Hindu American Seva Charities, Future45, and the Parliament of the World's Religion. Prior to joining USC, Dean Soni spent four years teaching in the Law and Society Program at UCSB. Born in India and raised in Southern California, he has family on five continents and they collectively represent every major religious tradition in the world. About the Thrive CenterLearn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on X @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam KingDr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenConsulting Producer: Evan RosaSpecial thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.

Are you curious about the emotional rollercoaster of fostering and adopting as an out gay family? Merry Elkins and Cathy Worthington sit down with Lane Igoudin, author of "A Family, Maybe." Lane shares his poignant journey of fostering and adopting multicultural children, diving deep into the complexities faced by LGBTQ families. Hear Lane read the first chapter of his memoir, capturing the heart-stopping moment he and his partner Jonathan welcomed a newborn with a complex background into their lives. Discover why they chose fostering over other options and how it impacted their relationship. Lane candidly discusses the cultural dynamics within their family and the broader social and political challenges surrounding adoption rights. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of love, resilience, and advocacy. Tune in for insights and inspiration!Lane's BioLane Igoudin, Ph.D., is the author of A Family, Maybe, a life-changing journey through foster adoptions to fatherhood (Ooligan Press, Portland State University, 2024). He has written extensively on adoption, parenting, and other issues for Adoption.com, Forward, Jewish Journal, and Parabola and spoken about his book on NBC's “Daytime” show, syndicated radio shows, literary and parenting podcasts, as well as live audiences on his 12-stop book tour. A Family, Maybe received endorsements from US Congressman Alan Lowenthal, California Senator Sheila Kuehl, bestselling writers like Janet Fitch and Greta Boris, parenting experts and social work professionals. Lane is professor of English and linguistics at Los Angeles City College.Connect with LaneWebsite: www.laneigoudin.comEmail: laneigoudin@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/lane.igoudin/Instagram: @laneigoudin

Author Dr. Jonathan Bernstein is a Writer, Entrepreneur and Author of 2 books (“Two Goats” and “Election Day” and, both with Illustrator Natalia Berezina).Full podcast: https://bit.ly/JonathanBernsteinPodcastBernstein wants to make a positive impact through the power of visual storytelling. Born in NYC, he grew up in San Francisco and now lives in Portland, Oregon with his “modern family”. Bernstein has a PhD from Yale University in Literature. As a life-long student of European languages, he speaks 6 languages (German, French, Russian, English, Spanish & Swedish). He believes visual stories can be understood in “multiple languages”. His work has been seen on KGO ABC7 Mornings San Francisco, Outrage Overload Podcast, Coffee with the Dog, and in the Jewish Journal, Authority Magazine and many top podcasts. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-bernstein-66020a336/Two Book Websites:Election Day https://electiondaybook.com/Two Goats - 2nd Edition - released in Dec 2024https://twogoatsbook.com/

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Suzy Sapir, founder of the Hippy Pilgrim Helpline. Every night, between 4 pm and 6pm PT, Sapir, who also owns the Hippy Pilgrim gourmet seasoning company, takes calls on her private cell: 781-291-0264. People around the world ask her cooking questions or just call to chat.    Los Angeles, where Deb and the Jewish Journal are based, is currently dealing with the wildfires, evacuations, and the resulting trauma. Organizations, restaurants, and individuals in the LA community have been great about offering meals to those displaced by the fires. However, sometimes people want that normal feeling of cooking, whether they are at a hotel, an AirBNB or sharing a space with others.   “Nothing tastes so good as that first meal that you make in that crisis or in that moment,” Sapir says. “It fosters true appreciation for the family meal … breaking bread together.”    Crisis cooking requires some creativity. However, the kitchen basics - you want a can opener, strainer, and compact, countertop electronic devices, like a crock pot, air fryer, rice cooker, and teapot - are relatively easy.   The next step is to be strategic about what food to buy.   You want small quantities that are portable, along with shelf stable foods. This includes freeze dried powdered milk, canned protein (meats, tuna) and vegetables, dried fruit and little pouches of rice, noodles and instant mashed potatoes. If you want fresh produce, get whole foods, such as potatoes, carrots, apples, bananas and/or oranges. Anything with a peel or coating will stay fresh for an extended period of time.   “You're going to curate a time-efficient, space-efficient pantry in whatever space that you're in,” she advises.    To compose a meal, start with the starch and decide what protein to put with it. Then decide what sauce would bring the ingredients into a meal. Be sure to add vegetables and fruit to finish things off.    In moments of trauma, it comes down to self care. And the best way to take care of yourself is to eat.   Suzy Sapir gives recommendations for tools and small appliances, along with tips for shopping and cooking, in crisis. She also shares her recipe for brisket, which you can easily make in a crock pot wherever you are. Get the recipe at JewishJournal.com.   Learn more about Suzy Sapir at HippyPilgrim.com and follow @HippyPilgrim on Facebook and @hippypilgrimgarlicsalt on Instagram. For personalized answers to any kitchen or food related questions, the Hippy Pilgrim Helpline is open daily from 4 to 6 pm PT: 781-291-0264. For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.

Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthodox lifestyle. They talk about balancing motherhood with both a career and a commitment to Jewish values. They also discuss the current wave of antisemitism and its impact on writers. Judy is an award-winning columnist for the Jewish Journal and the author of five books, including the memoirs, Bylines and Blessings, and The Skeptic and the Rabbi. In 2024 she won First Place in Commentary in the American Jewish Press Association's Rockower Awards, and Second Place for book reviews in the Los Angeles Press Club's Southern California Journalism Awards. Her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Aish.com, Jewish Action, and other media outlets. Known for her insightful and personal writing about life as a proudly observant Jewish woman in a secular society, Judy is also a book editor and writing coach. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from UC Berkeley and her master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff. Author's website: https://judygruen.com/ Substack: https://judygruen.substack.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JudyGruen #Memoir #BylinesAndBlessings #OvercomingObstacles #StrivingForSuccess #TheSkepticAndTheRabbi #PeopleoftheBook #OrthodoxJudaism #Journalism #JewishJournalism #JewishJournal #BalancingMotherhoodAndCareer #OrthodoxLifestyle #Boundaries #RedefiningSuccess #Substack #Carpool #WorkingMoms #JewishValues #JewsLoveToRead #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks

Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthodox lifestyle. They talk about balancing motherhood with both a career and a commitment to Jewish values. They also discuss the current wave of antisemitism and its impact on writers. Judy is an award-winning columnist for the Jewish Journal and the author of five books, including the memoirs, Bylines and Blessings, and The Skeptic and the Rabbi. In 2024 she won First Place in Commentary in the American Jewish Press Association's Rockower Awards, and Second Place for book reviews in the Los Angeles Press Club's Southern California Journalism Awards. Her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Aish.com, Jewish Action, and other media outlets. Known for her insightful and personal writing about life as a proudly observant Jewish woman in a secular society, Judy is also a book editor and writing coach. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from UC Berkeley and her master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff. Author's website: judygruen.com/ Substack: judygruen.substack.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JudyGruen #Memoir #BylinesAndBlessings #OvercomingObstacles #StrivingForSuccess #TheSkepticAndTheRabbi #PeopleoftheBook #OrthodoxJudaism #Journalism #JewishJournalism #JewishJournal #BalancingMotherhoodAndCareer #OrthodoxLifestyle #Boundaries #RedefiningSuccess #Substack #Carpool #WorkingMoms #JewishValues #JewsLoveToRead #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks

Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthodox lifestyle. They talk about balancing motherhood with both a career and a commitment to Jewish values. They also discuss the current wave of antisemitism and its impact on writers. Judy is an award-winning columnist for the Jewish Journal and the author of five books, including the memoirs, Bylines and Blessings, and The Skeptic and the Rabbi. In 2024 she won First Place in Commentary in the American Jewish Press Association's Rockower Awards, and Second Place for book reviews in the Los Angeles Press Club's Southern California Journalism Awards. Her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Aish.com, Jewish Action, and other media outlets. Known for her insightful and personal writing about life as a proudly observant Jewish woman in a secular society, Judy is also a book editor and writing coach. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from UC Berkeley and her master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff. Author's website: https://judygruen.com/ Substack: https://judygruen.substack.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JudyGruen #Memoir #BylinesAndBlessings #OvercomingObstacles #StrivingForSuccess #TheSkepticAndTheRabbi #PeopleoftheBook #OrthodoxJudaism #Journalism #JewishJournalism #JewishJournal #BalancingMotherhoodAndCareer #OrthodoxLifestyle #Boundaries #RedefiningSuccess #Substack #Carpool #WorkingMoms #JewishValues #JewsLoveToRead #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks

Episode 445 - Judy Gruen - Bylines and Blessings - Writing is almost as essential as breathingI began my writing career in the health care field, and sold my first freelance humor pieces by age 22 to the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, the scrappy underdog newspaper to the Los Angeles Times.Since then, I've written 5 books, including my memoirs Bylines and Blessings and The Skeptic and the Rabbi, both works of my heart. I'm an award-winning columnist for the Jewish Journal, where my work earned First Place in Commentary from the American Jewish Press Association's Simon Rockower Awards, and Second Place for Book Reviews from the L.A. Press Club's Southern California Journalism Awards, both in 2024.My work has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Boston Globe, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, Aish.com, Jewish Action, Chabad.org, and many other outlets.I also love working with writers as a book coach, guiding them as they realize their visions of a professionally written and edited book. I've worked with writers on memoirs, as well as on Jewish philosophy, business communications, alternative health journeys, and more.To me, writing is almost as essential as breathing. It is a privilege and joy for me to be able to share my writing with a receptive audience.“To me, writing is almost as essential as breathing. It is a privilege and joy for me to be able to share my writing with a receptive audience.”https://judygruen.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with author, food writer, and recipe writer Aaron Hamburger. His novels include “Faith for Beginners” and “Hotel Cuba;” which is based on his grandparents' immigration story. Hamburger also developed the babka recipes for Lesléa Newman's children's book “The Babka Sisters.”   While food informs all of his genres, cooking has not always been his thing.    “I could barely boil water for a long period of my life,” Hamburger explains.    Around the time his first book, a short story collection called “The View from Stalin's Head,” came out, Hamburger's publicist went on vacation to cooking school. He liked that idea, and decided to attend the Institute for Culinary Education in New York.   Once bitten by the cooking bug, Hamburger started taking as many classes as he could, collecting cookbooks, and learning through trial and error. After a while, he decided to combine the two interests.    “Food's [even] been present in all of my fiction, just in different ways, often depending on the places or topics that I'm writing about,” Hamburger says.   Hamburger also believes that food writers, fiction and nonfiction, tend to over-write the food description.    “Fiction writers tend to … describe [food] in lofty, elevated terms, rather than just dealing with it frankly and head-on, like what kind of food is it and how it functions in this world," he explains.    So, if you're writing about food, either fiction or nonfiction, be direct, specific, and accurate.     Hamburger talks about the advantages of being a former non-cook; the impact of food in history, relationships, and conversations; and how to really examine food, especially when you plan to write about it. He also shares his love for baking - particularly seven-layer cake and cookies (“almost anything can be made into a cookie”) - along with his recipe for mojito cookies, which you can find at Jewish Journal.com/podcasts.    Learn more about Aaron Hamburger and his books at AaronHamburger.com. For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.

Julie chats with David Suissa, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of Jewish Journal, where he has been writing a weekly column on the Jewish world since 2006. In 2015, he was awarded first prize for "Editorial Excellence" by the American Jewish Press Association. Prior to Tribe Media, David was founder and CEO of Suissa Miller Advertising, a marketing firm named “Agency of the Year” by USA Today.  David was born in Casablanca, Morocco, grew up in Montreal, and now lives in Los Angeles.Join Julie live Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 1p PT, call in number: 844-861-5537Check out other Julie Hartman videos: https://www.youtube.com/@juliehartman Follow Julie Hartman on social media: Website: https://juliehartmanshow.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julierhartman/X: https://twitter.com/JulieRHartmanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Martin currently lives in NJ with his wife and three children. He is an avid marathoner, Wordler, vexillologist, and halvah aficionado. He is a technologist by day, and a writer by night. A freelance writer on Jewish interest topics for three decades, his work has been published in The Huffington Post, The Denver Post, The Washington Times, The Jewish Press, Country Yossi Magazine, Modern Magazine, The Jewish Link of NJ, The Jewish Book Council, scoogiespin, israelinsider, bangitout, jewcentral, Jew in the City, Aish, and Shepherd. His work was translated for Germany's only weekly Jewish newspaper, The Jüdische Allgemeine. Zaidy's War was translated into Yiddish and serialized in Der Yid. He is the co-creator of TheKnish.com, a popular Jewish news satire site, the beat reporter for JRunners, the surname columnist for jewishworldreview, the cufflink columnist for The Jewish Link of NJ, and is part of the Word Prompt rotation in The Jewish Press. The Emoji Haggadah, The Festivus Haggadah, The Coronavirus Haggadah, and The Shakespeare Haggadah generated much praise and media attention, and were covered in The Jewish Week, The Jewish Link of NJ, Jewish Vues, Vos Iz Neias, Jewish Book Council, northjersey, The Forward, Jewish Journal, J-Wire, Vox, The Jewish Press, The Jewish Fund, The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Jüdische Allgemeine, Moked, various blogs, eater, nj1015, New York Shakespeare Instagram Live, The Cindy Grosz Show, and The New York Times. Zaidy's War, the memoir of his grandfather's unreal WWII experience, launched Martin on an international, multi-venue public speaking/podcast/Zoom talk/book club tour that remains ongoing. 3 Top Tips  Survival, endurance, repairing of the world. Social Media  https://martinbodekbooks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/martinbodek https://x.com/MartinBodek

Referencias: - Parley P. Pratt, padre de las campañas de panfletos ("pamphleteering") mormonas: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/parley-p-pratt-father-of-mormon-pamphleteering/  - Propagandas en la televisión: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuesXvFD1i4&list=PL8CHbU9NjecMfS-s0LRB0X8MCp9X17dLk&index=2 - Video sobre la publicidad mormona en Usted Está Aquí: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmm7I3mFjHI&t=1s - La década del 2000 en la Iglesia: https://www.deseret.com/2010/1/2/20362259/2000s-the-first-decade-mormon-church-influence-soars/ - Los octogenarios más poderosos: https://www.slate.com/articles/life/geezers/2009/10/80_over_80.html - Estadounidenses más influyentes: https://universe.byu.edu/2015/01/14/smithsonian-magazine-ranks-joseph-smith-brigham-young-high-as-influential-americans1/ - Crecimiento de la Iglesia en el 2000: https://www.cumorah.com/articles/caseStudies/8/364/projecting-lds-membership-growth - Celebración del bicentenario del José: https://www.deseret.com/2005/7/17/19902798/100-000-enthused-youths-note-lds-founder-s-200th/ - Cuánto dinero tiene la Iglesia: https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2024/02/17/lds-church-investment-fund-takes/ - Harry Reid en el Jewish Journal: https://jewishjournal.com/judaism/137204/good-riddance-to-harry-reid-the-mormon-senate-leader/ - Bonneville's Heartsell: https://wasmormon.org/bonnevilles-heartsell-strategic-emotional-advertising-with-the-holy-ghost/ - Publicidad en Times Square: https://www.visiondoesit.com/vision-graphics-produces-9000-square-foot-billboard-displayed-in-times-square/

In this episode of Wondering Jews, Noam and Mijal dive into the themes of joy and happiness through the lens of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. They explore the paradox of a festival centered on joy amidst life's impermanence, discussing how the temporary structure of the sukkah reminds us of what truly brings happiness: relationships, community, and purpose. Along the way, they share personal confessions from their high school reading lists, memories of joyful moments, and reflections on how to balance joy with the realities of the modern world. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about how Jewish traditions offer timeless lessons on finding joy, even in challenging times. Mijal Bitton: Committed by Mijal Bitton  | Substack Martin Seligman: Pursuit of Happiness Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz (Harvard study on happiness): The Good Life Noam Weissman's Jewish Journal article about Sukkot: Living in the Joy of Sukkot ------------ This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Unpacking Israeli History Soulful Jewish Living

Originally Recorded August 14th, 2024 About Mika Hackner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mika-hackner-54a57a88 Check out Mika's article in the Jewish Journal, titled “Anti-Palestinian Racism” Is Coming Soon to a School Near You": https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/opinion/372753/anti-palestinian-racism-is-coming-soon-to-a-school-near-you/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit musicallyspeaking.substack.com

A reading of articles and features from the July/August 2024 edition of The Jewish Journal

Do you enjoy the Franciska Show? Then please consider treating me to a cup of coffee:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/franciska Email Franciska: franciskakay@gmail.com,I love hearing from you!    Judy Gruen on Her New Memoir 'Bylines and Blessings': Career, Faith, and Finding Balance   In this episode of The Franciska Show, Judy Gruen discusses her latest book, 'Bylines and Blessings,' her fifth publication and second memoir. They delve into Judy's motivation for writing the book, how it contrasts with her earlier work, 'The Skeptic and the Rabbi,' and its focus on her career as a Jewish journalist and the challenges of balancing professional ambition with personal and religious life. Judy shares candid stories about her writing journey, overcoming obstacles, maintaining humor amidst disappointments, and navigating the complexities of female identity and societal expectations. The episode highlights key moments from the book, including various personal anecdotes and professional experiences, conveying the broader message of perseverance and redefining success.     About Our Guest:   Judy is the author of five books, including the acclaimed memoirs "Bylines and Blessings" and "The Skeptic and the Rabbi." She's a regularly featured columnist for the Jewish Journal, and in 2024 she was awarded First Place in Commentary by the American Jewish Press Association and 2nd Place for Book Reviews by the Los Angeles Press Club. Her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Aish.com, Jewish Action, and many other outlets. She edits non-fiction books and coaches writers in their craft.   Buy The Books: Bylines & Blessings The Skeptic & The Rabbi   Follow online: facebook.com/judyrgruen linkedin.com/in/jgruen instagram.com/judygruen     Check out: www.JewishCoffeeHouse.com for more Jewish Podcasts on our network.

Welcome to The Mental Breakdown and Psychreg Podcast! Today, Dr. Berney and Dr. Marshall discuss one writer's experience with ditching her smartphone. Read the articles from Jewish Journal here and from Plough here. You can now follow Dr. Marshall on twitter, as well! Dr. Berney and Dr. Marshall are happy to announce the release of their new parenting e-book, Handbook for Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child Part 2: Attention. You can get your copy from Amazon here. We hope that you will join us each morning so that we can help you make your day the best it can be! See you tomorrow. Become a patron and support our work at http://www.Patreon.com/thementalbreakdown. Visit Psychreg for blog posts covering a variety of topics within the fields of mental health and psychology. The Parenting Your ADHD Child course is now on YouTube! Check it out at the Paedeia YouTube Channel. The Handbook for Raising an Emotionally Health Child Part 1: Behavior Management is now available on kindle! Get your copy today! The Elimination Diet Manual is now available on kindle and nook! Get your copy today! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube Channels, Paedeia and The Mental Breakdown. Please leave us a review on iTunes so that others might find our podcast and join in on the conversation!

Welcome to The Mental Breakdown and Psychreg Podcast! Today, Dr. Berney and Dr. Marshall discuss the affect technology has on all of us, not just teenagers. Read the articles from ABC News here, from PsyPost here, and from Jewish Journal here. You can now follow Dr. Marshall on twitter, as well! Dr. Berney and Dr. Marshall are happy to announce the release of their new parenting e-book, Handbook for Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child Part 2: Attention. You can get your copy from Amazon here. We hope that you will join us each morning so that we can help you make your day the best it can be! See you tomorrow. Become a patron and support our work at http://www.Patreon.com/thementalbreakdown. Visit Psychreg for blog posts covering a variety of topics within the fields of mental health and psychology. The Parenting Your ADHD Child course is now on YouTube! Check it out at the Paedeia YouTube Channel. The Handbook for Raising an Emotionally Health Child Part 1: Behavior Management is now available on kindle! Get your copy today! The Elimination Diet Manual is now available on kindle and nook! Get your copy today! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube Channels, Paedeia and The Mental Breakdown. Please leave us a review on iTunes so that others might find our podcast and join in on the conversation!

Kylie Ora Lobell is the president of KOL Digital Marketing, a marketing, PR, and ghostwriting firm for Jewish organizations, authors, and business owners. She is also an award-winning writer who has been published in the Jewish Journal of LA, Washington Post, LA Times, New York Magazine, Aish, Chabad, and Tablet. You can follow her on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram.In this episode, Kylie shares her extraordinary journey from a secular Christian upbringing to converting to Orthodox Judaism. She discusses her tumultuous childhood, questioning faith, and eventual embrace of Jewish practices after experiencing the warmth of the Jewish community. Kylie delves into her struggles with depression, postpartum depression, the challenges she faced in her conversion process, and how Judaism is misrepresented in the media. This episode is packed with inspiring anecdotes, offering a deep dive into the complexities and rewards of Kylie's faith and personal growth.**For updates and conversations about these episodes, follow me at @talesoftamar on Instagram. You can also reach out to Tamar@tales-of.com with questions, comments, or inquiries, and/or check out my website tales-of.com to learn more about who I am and what I do. Thank you for listening!00:00 Introducing Kylie Ora Lobel01:55 Kylie's Childhood and Family Background03:42 Questioning Faith and Early Doubts14:52 Meeting Daniel and Exploring Judaism17:29 Discovering Chabad and Connecting with Faith21:41 Conversion Journey and Challenges33:28 Challenges and Reflections on Jewish Practices46:51 Postpartum Depression and Community Support01:01:09 Final Thoughts and Inspirational Messages

A reading of articles and features from the May/June 2024 edition of The Jewish Journal, a publication of the Buffalo Jewish Federation

Since 9/11, Muslims have occupied the U.S. public and political spheres as threats to national security, as victims of hate crimes, as targets of torture and war, and as a community to be included in diversity initiatives. This insightful panel will explore Muslim inclusion and representation in a variety of contexts, including education, politics, and the entertainment industry. Shafiqa Ahmadi is an associate professor of Clinical Education at the Rossier School of Education and the co-director for USC's Center for Education, Identity, and Social Justice. She is an expert on diversity and legal protection of underrepresented students, including female Muslims, and is the co-editor of Islamophobia in Higher Education: Combating Discrimination and Creating Understanding. Maytha Alhassen holds a PhD in American Studies and Ethnicity from USC. She is the writer of the report, Haqq and Hollywood: Illuminating 100 Years of Muslim Tropes and How to Transform Them, and producer and writer of the Golden Globe and Peabody­–winning Hulu series Ramy. Evelyn Alsultany is the author of Broken: The Failed Promise of Muslim Inclusion and Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11. She is an associate professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at USC, has served as a consultant for Hollywood studios, and co-authored the Obeidi-Alsultany Test with criteria to help Hollywood improve representations of Muslims. Hajar Yazdiha is an assistant professor of Sociology, faculty affiliate of the Equity Research Institute, and a 2022–23 Ford Foundation Fellow at the USC Dornsife School of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. She is an expert on the racial politics of inclusion and exclusion and is the author of The Struggle for the People's King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement. Moderator: Varun Soni is the Dean of Religious Life at USC, University Fellow at USC Annenberg's Center on Public Diplomacy, and an adjunct professor at the USC School of Religion. His writings have appeared in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Crosscurrents, Jewish Journal, and Harvard Divinity Bulletin.

On this episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean's guest is Judy Gruen, the author of “Bylines and Blessings: Overcoming Obstacles, Striving for Excellence, and Redefining Success.” Judy says that she writes to find meaning, hope, and laughter in a complicated world. Her first memoir is the acclaimed "The Skeptic and the Rabbi." Just has also written three humor books, one of which is a multiple-award winner. Judy and Heather discuss a variety of storied vignettes from “Bylines and Blessings,” her early work as a reporter and editor, and eye-opening experience at the elite school of journalism she attended, her lifelong ambitions and the perseverance that has served her well so far throughout her incredible career. SUBSCRIBE to “613 Books” Podcast and discover new books every week! ============= Show notes: Featured author interview: Judy Gruen author of “Bylines and Blessings” To Purchase “Bylines and Blessings” on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bylines-Blessings-Overcoming-Excellence-Redefining/dp/B0CPV443SW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YRWCYNESJLB4&keywords=bylines+and+blessings&qid=1702833394&sprefix=%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1 Judy's website: https://judygruen.com/ Read an excerpt from Bylines and Blessings (PDF): https://judygruen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Bylines-Blessings-Book-Excerpt.pdf To contact Judy through her website: https://judygruen.com/contact-me/ Judy's column for Jewish Journal: https://jewishjournal.com/author/judy_gruen/ Judy's writing on Substack: judygruen.substack.com Show Announcer for 613 Books Podcast: Michael Doniger Michael's contact info, voice-over samples, and demo: https://michaeldoniger.com/ SUBSCRIBE to “613 Books” Podcast and discover new books every week!

Amidst municipal elections, Amy reunites with the insightful Matthew Schultz, marking his return since Episode 34: "Rockets and Revelations: Happy New Year?" Together, they explore hot-button topics such as Barbra Streisand's recent lifetime achievement award at the SAG Awards, cancel culture, and recent calls to ban Israel from Eurovision and the Venice Biennale.Dor kicks off the conversation, fondly reminiscing and expressing a longing for Season One Amy – an unapologetic force of nature known for her unapologetic stance on sensitive issues. With Matthew's support, she brings forth a renewed sense of passion and vulnerability, enriching the conversation with depth and authenticity.As the conversation unfolds, Amy and Matt delve into the implications of being canceled in today's world compared to the historical act of excommunication. They navigate their evolving relationships with reading, contemplating societal pressures and the consumption of 'digital parasites' in a nod to Duncan Trussell. Together, they dissect the essence of understanding, contrasting acquisitive reading with deep comprehension. The duo even explores the concept of quantum Zionism in the multiverse, imagining alternate dimensions where the history of Israel and the Jewish people unfolds differently.Recorded on February 27 (Day 144).Matthew Schultz is a writer and rabbinical student commuting between Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Boston. He's a weekly columnist for the Jewish Journal covering all things Israel, Judaism, and Jewish culture. He also publishes long-form Instagram posts in an attempt to spark a more nuanced and informed discussion about Israel. He's the author of “What Came Before,” a collection of micro-essays and co-hosts the “How to Be" Podcast with Rory O'Toole—an investigation into how to best live this one precious and wild life.Connect with Matthew Schultz on Instagram (@matthew_a_schultz) and delve into more of his insights by subscribing to his Substack: Dispatches from the Promised Land. Thanks for tuning in!

If you've ever read the children's book, "Love You Forever" you'll understand the complicated emotions associated with the loss of our loved ones as they grow older. What we often aren't prepared for is the sudden responsibility of becoming a caretaker for those who once took care of us. Acclaimed culture journalist and author of the upcoming novel, "Everything is a Little Broken," (releasing February 27, 2024), Rebecca Sugar writes a compelling narrative where time is our cruel enemy, and human connection is our strongest defense. Known for her thought-provoking column in the New York Sun, "The Cocktail Party Contrarian," this story is thinly veiled fiction based on the authors own family experiences as a caregiver for both her children and elderly father. Sugar weaves a poignant, touching, funny, and profound narrative that explores the complexities of middle age, aging, and the inevitable passage of time. The novel revolves around Mira Cayne, who grapples with the challenges of watching her father decline and the impending loss of their family's beloved nanny. As she leans on her family traditions, moments of strength, and flashes of humor, Mira confronts the universal question we all face: "Who will I be when the older generation is gone?" I believe you'll find EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BROKEN to be a powerful exploration of life's fragility, and Rebecca Sugar's unique ability to capture hereditary distress in fiction makes this debut novel a must-read. I 'm looking forward to setting up an interview for you and Rebecca, please let me know where I can send an ARC for review! For your convenience, here is the PDF link to read, release below: EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BROKEN EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BROKEN By Rebecca Sugar EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BROKEN (Post Hill Press; February 27, 2024) by acclaimed journalist and author Rebecca Sugar is more than a compassionate look at life in middle age—it's a heartfelt story inspired by beloved members of Sugar's own family. The distancing of fiction allows Sugar to capture the hereditary distress that daunts memoir writers as she crafts the kind of mirror that reflects inescapable truths. Sugar, who is known for her column, “The Cocktail Party Contrarian” in the New York Sun, has also been published in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, USA Today, Spectator USA, Jewish News Syndicate, The Christian Post, The Jewish Journal, and more. Faced with nothing but time during the COVID-19 lockdown, she chose the vehicle of fiction in order to express universal truths about the challenge she was facing as she cared for infirm, elderly parents and children at the same time. When Leonard Cohen sang, “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in,” he might have been describing the Cayne family in Rebecca Sugar's poignant, touching, funny, and profound debut novel. Mira Cayne is watching her beloved father decline right before her eyes. Aging is hard, and the man who has always been her hero and her rock isn't bouncing back from his second spinal cord surgery. Decades of chronic pain are taking its toll on her 79-year-old father's fierce spirit as he grows increasingly fragile. Her father isn't the only crack in Mira's foundation. Her family's beloved nanny is dying. The keeper of the family history and a maternal figure not just to Mira but her father as well, Mae Boyd has her Pentecostal faith to lean on. Mira is supporting her daughter as well as her ailing seniors and stuck between generations. Who can Mira lean on? As she looks toward her Jewish faith, moments of strength and inspiration, and flashes of humor to sustain her, Mira can't escape the question that comes for all of us: “Who will I be when the older generation is gone?”

Gary Wexler has been there when the foundations for the irrational anti-Jewish campaigns were laid in western schools and in the media. He's a writer for the Jewish Journal, a master marketer, and someone you'd like to listen to. What allowed the Oct. 7 atrocities to unfold? Why are Jews best defined by their troubles? What could be the solution to antisemitism, anti-zionism, and anti-Jewish sentiment worldwide? what is actually within our control? Is there a science that can explain the laws that govern our development as a society, as a species? What can 2000 years of recorded Jewish history and big data tell us about ourselves? Why is it that despite our technological advancement we're still facing the same issues that have been plaguing our society for millennia? Is it possible that science, Jewish wisdom, and human history are not at odds with each other but are actually different points of view of the same thing? Different points of you? Thejewfunction is the only podcast brave enough to look for the root cause of antisemitism and a real solution to it according to the laws of nature. LISTEN TO THE MYSTERY BOOK PODCAST SERIES: https://anchor.fm/thejewfunctionpodcast

I interviewed David Suissa, the editor-in-chief of The Jewish Journal in Los Angeles. David speaks candidly, and most compellingly, about October 7th, and how it tongue-tied him. He said, he just couldn't speak. He also discusses the increase in anti-Semitism and why Jews are hated. Have a listen to this most inspiring Jewish writer and leader on several issues including homelessness in LA. The Avrum Rosensweig Show: An inspiring podcast about ordinary people with extraordinary stories to tell. 

Special guest, Matthew Schultz, a writer and rabbinical student, engages in a riveting conversation at the start of a new year marked by a barrage of rockets from Hamas at the stroke of midnight and a hotly anticipated ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court on New Year's Day regarding the controversial reasonableness law. Schultz's unique insights shed light on the evolving landscape of Jewish life in Israel, especially since October 7th.As a weekly columnist for the Jewish Journal and co-host of the "How to Be Podcast," Schultz offers profound insights into the post-war landscape of Israeli culture and a unique perspective on Israel, Judaism, and Jewish culture.In a nod to Anita Shapira's insights on Israeli literature, Schultz emphasizes the “"intrusion of the political on the personal," and the difficulty of parsing personal experiences from the political landscape in the context of 2023. Their conversation embodies this intersection, coursing from discussions on forgiveness in the wake of Kanye West's Hebrew-language Instagram post apology to Ilana Glazer's portrayal of Jewish culture, and more. A conversation about Schultz's long-form Instagram posts (@matthew_a_schultz), an attempt to spark a more nuanced and informed discussion about Israel, evolves into a discussion of his own shifted perspectives on Israel and media literacy.Together, Schultz and Amy unpack the layers of complexity that define a nation at a crossroads, delving into the soul of a people grappling with identity, culture, and faith.  How does one navigate the waters of media literacy in an age where news is a relentless tide that shapes our perceptions and beliefs? How does a society reconcile the religious-secular divide that is both a source of tension and a wellspring of cultural richness?As 2024 unfolds, the questions asked are more than reflections on the past; they are a search for a way forward. Through Matt's insights and Amy's passionate inquiry, listeners are invited to join them on a journey that is as much about understanding the world as it is about finding hope amidst the chaos.Recorded on January 2 (Day 88).Thanks for tuning in!

Steve Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher of the Jewish Journal and a former staff reporter for the Boston Globe, claims significant bias against Israel from some of America's established media outlets. He focuses of major media coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas. He discussed his claims that were outlined in a recent op-ed entitled “Memo to the Boston Globe: Please report fairly on the Hamas War”.

In this edition of his Search for Meaning podcast, Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback hosts travel writer, author, podcaster, and Stephen Wise Temple Board member Lisa Niver, who just released her memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.Lisa's memoir debuted as the top solo travel title on Amazon.com when it released on Sept. 19. Her podcast, Make Your Own Map, launched this summer and has been watched on six continents. It was a finalist for two Southern California Journalism Awards in 2023.Elected this summer as a Congregational Director, Lisa is a graduate of Wise's religious school program. Wise's founder, Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, officiated her bat mitzvah. She began her “nomadic” lifestyle by spending a summer in Israel on LA Ulpan, and went on to study abroad in Jerusalem at Hebrew University. She returned to Israel with her family for Rabbi Zeldin's 80th birthday celebration. As a journalist, Lisa often shares articles about Wise clergy and services, most often through her column in the Jewish Journal. Lisa has taught religious school at Wise and science at Brawerman Elementary, and has spoken at Wise about the Jews of Morocco (join our trip there next February!). Through the Jewish Federation, Lisa was part of the Rautenberg New Leaders Project and a mentor for the Julie Beren Platt Teen Innovation Grants Program.Lisa's mother, Judi Niver, also served on the temple's board and both parents are active members in the temple community. Lisa is a regular at Shabbat services (speaking about her book on Sept. 29) and during COVID, she helped coordinate political leaders to read the prayer for our country.

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Sephardic Spice Girls Sharon Gomperts & Rachel Emquies Sheff. The duo, who write a weekly column for the Jewish Journal, have been cooking and teaching together for years. Gromperts and Sheff talk about their backgrounds - Gromperts is Iraqi and Sheff is from Moracco - and what it means to be a Sephardic Spice Girl. They also share tips for simple cooking and entertaining, as well as their recipes for preserved lemons and stuffed artichokes. Get the recipes at JewishJournal.com.  For more from Taste Buds, follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.

Golda Meir served as prime minister of Israel from 1969 until 1974. Taking control of her country during a period of euphoria after the 1967 Six Day War, Meir was a member of Israel's founding generation. However, Israel's sense of infallibility was shattered after a surprise attack by Egypt and Syria, in what became the Yom Kippur War. Though Israel defeated its Arab neighbours for the third time in 25 years, Meir was quickly accused of complacency and unpreparedness, and resigned in near disgrace just 8 months after the conflict in 1974. But is this fair? Did Yom Kippur, as well as Meir's political style, which quickly became outdated after she left office, invalidate her earlier achievements? Today's episode seeks to shed light on this and more.My guest today is Blake Flayton. Blake is a columnist with the Jewish Journal, an independent newspaper serving the Jewish community of Los Angeles. As well as Golda Meir's career, we discuss the fraught founding of Israel in 1948, and the prospects for the Israeli left, which in recent years has lost ground to an even greater extent than the left in European countries

What are your goals? More importantly, do you write them down? How often do you refer to them?  Or are you like me and have vague ideas of what you want to accomplish in your head, but they kind of morph and change depending on the day? Certainly, we're more disciplined about business goals. They typically have to be articulated in strategies and presentations, discussed in meetings and conference calls, probably ad nauseum. But they're important to have, to revisit frequently and to refer to when making strategic decisions for your business.  Debra Eckerling is a goals strategist. She helps entrepreneurs, executives and employees identify and make a plan for personal and professional goals. She's even got a clever methodology … the DEB Method … that is spelled out in her book Your Goal Guide. I'm familiar with Deb because her weekly live stream show and podcast, called The DEB Show, is a sister podcast of this one on the Marketing Podcast Network. I've had the pleasure of sitting in on her weekly themed discussion. It's well worth the subscription, the links to which we'll post in the show notes.  But Debra is also an influencer away from the marketing space, too. She's a foodie writer and podcaster, too. Her show Taste Buds with Deb digs into her culinary side with guests to discuss and debate various food-related topics. It's distributed by the Jewish Journal where she has been a contributor for a while. Whether you're a brand or agency marketer, a service provider in the influencer space or a content creator, you could certainly use a refresher on goal setting and goal getting. So I asked Deb to join us this week to talk about goals, the DEB Method and her experiences as a foodie creator.  We'll probably get hungry and set a goal of satiating that need on today's show. Links for this episode: Debra Eckerling on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coastbunny/ The DEB Method online: https://thedebmethod.com/ Your Goal Guide on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3DepnY5 Jason's appearance on The DEB Show: https://marketingpodcasts.net/2023/05/320-storytelling-with-jason-falls-peter-markel-christy-smallwood/ Taste Buds with Deb: https://tastebudswithdeb.com/ Scale UGC at CIPIO.ai: https://jasonfalls.co/cipio This episode of Winfluence is presented by CIPIO.ai. We are helping brands transform their digital marketing with user-generated content videos and images at scale. Come see us at CIPIO.ai. If you want me to personally show you the platform and how we can solve your digital marketing performance problems with high-performing UGC, just go to jasonfalls.co/cipio … fill out that form and I'll personally set up time to chat with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I sit down with storyteller and convert Kylie Ora Lobell to discuss her journey. She shares how she came into her own as a writer, her experience interning at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, meeting her Jewish husband and working through his pain with religiosity and why she thinks it's important for orthodox people to make art. Award-winning writer, publicist, and marketer Kylie Ora Lobell is a storyteller at her core. Starting out in the field of journalism, Kylie was an early adopter of content marketing and produced content for the world's top brands including Mastercard, Visa, IBM, Dell, and SoFi. She also began working one-on-one with organizations and influencers to provide publicity, and earned them top media placements at Newsweek, This American Life, and New York Magazine. As a journalist, she's been published in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles, and Tablet Magazine. Kylie's site: https://koldigitalmarketing.com Kylie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/kylieoralobell Kylie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylieorawriter Kylie's Book   Kylie's husband: DanielLobell.com  Here is a screening link to Daniel's movie: https://vimeo.com/760514630/ca2c26c21c  Click here to join the Impact Fashion Whatsapp Status Click here to see my collection of dresses. Click here to get the Secrets Your Tailor Won't Tell You Click here to see my maternity friendly pieces. To hear more episodes, subscribe and head over to Impactfashionnyc.com/blog/podcast. Be Impactful is presented by Impact Fashion, your destination for all things size inclusive modest fashion

“The more you try, the luckier you get…” Words to live by, from podcast guest Arthur Smith, the pioneering television producer behind some of the longest-running unscripted series in history, and author of the just-published motivational memoir Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television. Arthur's long-running hit “Hell's Kitchen,” with Gordon Ramsey, helped to forge the modern food competition reality genre, while his Emmy-nominated “American Ninja Warrior” has spawned a cultural movement and inspired millions to push themselves to next-level successes in their own lives and careers.  As the founder and chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions, Arthur has produced over 200 shows, for virtually every network and streaming platform, including “The Titan Games,” “Mental Samurai,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “The Swan” and “Paradise Hotel.” Prior to launching his own production company, he served as the youngest Head of Sports in the history of the Canada's CBC television network, and as Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News for FOX Sports. He also served for four years as Senior Vice President of Dick Clark Productions, producing a wide variety of award shows, special events and non-fiction programming.  In Reach, written in collaboration with podcast host Daniel Paisner, Arthur reflects on his remarkable career and shares some of the lessons he's learned while pushing himself beyond what he ever thought possible.   “In the nonfiction genre people get tired of the same thing,” he recently told a reporter from the Jewish Journal. “The biggest hits in reality/nonfiction television come from originality. So we have to keep reinventing. We have to keep freshening up ideas. We have to keep reaching.” To learn more about Arthur Smith: A. Smith & Co. website A. Smith & Co. Facebook A. Smith & Co Twitter Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from A Lifetime in Television Please support the sponsors who support our show. Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network

Brian Fishbach grew up in Wisconsin. His knows sports and the ins-and-outs of music, politics, and entertainment. He left DC to follow his heart. Hear his story. MORE ABOUT BRIAN FISHBACH BRIAN FISHBACH is a music journalist, copywriter, and ghostwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Brian grew up in Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a BA in Political Science. He earned a Certificate in Journalism from the University of California—Los Angeles (UCLAx). He began his career in writing in the halls of the U.S. Capitol as a staffer in the U.S. Senate. After fixing some of the country's problems, Brian left the government to be a music journalist in Los Angeles. Brian produced The Truth Barrel Podcast on the PodcastOne Network and was the lead researcher for the Webby Award-winning true-crime podcast, To Live and Die in LA—which spent 13 consecutive days on the top of the iTunes podcast charts. Brian was also a researcher and editor for Kevin Hart‘s New York Times-bestselling memoir, I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons. Between 2016-18, Brian was also the researcher for six articles published in Rolling Stone. Brian is the entertainment reporter for The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Some of his work at the Jewish Journal includes exclusive interviews with Washington Post investigative reporter Carl Bernstein, documentarian Ken Burns, actress Jennifer Grey, Members of Congress, Grammy-winning composers and actor Jason Alexander. Brian has bylines in Forbes, Newsweek, Israel21c and Gather DC. Brian also hosts special events, live interviews and Q&A's, including the 25th Anniversary Screening & Cast Reunion for the film Con Air. You can find his stories about rockstars at www.BrianFishbach.com. https://www.rockmusiclife.com/ TW: @BrianFishbach IG: @BrianFyeah

The Sephardic Spice Girls (Rachel Emquies Sheff + Sharon Gomperts) of Los Angeles serve up Iraqi-Jewish Kubba Bamia and Sephardic ‘Biscochos' with tea and talk about how cooking these dishes and story-telling brings their family and community closer to recent lost history. The Sephardic Spice Girls actively write for the Jewish Journal and conduct cooking workshops at the Sephardic Cultural Center in Los Angeles.The Kitchen Radio podcast brings listeners to the table of communities from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia for intergenerational stories of community life and ritual practices from guests who are part of a rising renaissance of creative food projects exploring the oft-overlooked Jewish history and heritage.In each episode, hosts Regine Basha (Founder of Tuning Baghdad) and Nathalie Basha (The Travel Muse), will feature a specific dish and a conversation to introduce the still little-known Jewish culture of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and re-seed Jewish life into a cultural space where their contribution was forgotten, rendered invisible or white-washed. Guests include: Tannaz Sassooni, Sephardic Spice Girls, Rafram Chaddad, Claudia Roden.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: ▼Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Z2pTlH▼Spotify Podcasts: https://spoti.fi/3QdA2HT ▼Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/3GCtSOE ▼Goodpods: https://bit.ly/GoodpodsRebootPesentsLearn more about Reboot and get involved:▼Website: https://rebooting.com/ ▼Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebootjewish/▼Twitter: https://twitter.com/reboot▼Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rebooters/▼TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rebooters ▼Newsletter: https://rebooting.com/get-involved/▼YouTube: @rebootjewish

Shanni and David discuss the power of words, in comedy and in life, and get into a spirited debate on the value of engaging in the culture wars. Topic List: HBO's Crashing Stand up comedy Chris Rock's new Netflix special  The Jewish laws on donating organs  Jewish medical ethics Identity politics Jordan Peterson  The Oscars This week's Jewish Journal print issue The events mentioned in today's episode: Good Showbiz: A Solo Show by Eli Leonard LA Premiere of "AMERICA" the Israeli hit feature   Follow David Suissa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & Shanni Suissa on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Listen to the full episode on any of your favorite podcast platforms!    

Shanni and David discuss this week's JJ cover story on happiness, and veer off into other subjects like Jewish identity, living a life of purpose, the fun of the ad business, and the merits of diversity, among many others.   Topic List: Happiness and how to achieve it Suissa Miller and the ad industry Diversity hiring and meritocracies  This week's Jewish Journal print issue Follow David Suissa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & Shanni Suissa on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Listen to the full episode on any of your favorite podcast platforms!

Katharina Galor, an archaeology professor at the at the Program in Judaic Studies at Brown University who has done a lot of excavation in Israel, is the author of The Archaeology of Jerusalem: From the Origins to the Ottomans (2013). She takes us through the history of Jerusalem from its Canaanite beginnings to the capital of Israel today. We discuss the foundations and geography of this fortified city in the hills, the importance of water, and the lives of ordinary citizens. We talk about the First and Second Temples and the improvements made by Herod “the Great” whom Christians recall as a notorious infanticide yet who is curiously prominent today—partly because many of his improvements are still visible, partly because they point to aspects of history that both Jews and Christians (but not Muslims) wish to emphasize—which brings us to the politics of digging up the past in the Holy Land. Finally, we turn to the problematic German miniseries Unorthodox that was so popular on Netflix recently and its portrayal of traditional Hasidic Jews in New York and progressive Germans in Berlin. Katy Galor's faculty webpage and Joukowsky Institute page at Brown University Katy Galor and co-author Sa'ed Atshan discuss their book, The Moral Triangle: Germans, Israelis, and Palestinians (2020), at the Watson Institute, Brown University. Katy Galor's books at Amazon.com. Katy Galor's article: “King Herod in Jerusalem: The Politics of Cultural Heritage,” Jerusalem Quarterly, Issue 62 (Spring 2015). Also here. Trailer for Unorthodox, Netflix miniseries, 2020. Article by Leah Aharoni: “Netflix's ‘Unorthodox' Degrades Hasidic Jews into Caricatures,” Jewish Journal, April 27, 2020. Article by Julie Joanes: “Everything ‘Unorthodox' gets wrong about being Orthodox,” Forward, April 30, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Katharina Galor, an archaeology professor at the at the Program in Judaic Studies at Brown University who has done a lot of excavation in Israel, is the author of The Archaeology of Jerusalem: From the Origins to the Ottomans (2013). She takes us through the history of Jerusalem from its Canaanite beginnings to the capital of Israel today. We discuss the foundations and geography of this fortified city in the hills, the importance of water, and the lives of ordinary citizens. We talk about the First and Second Temples and the improvements made by Herod “the Great” whom Christians recall as a notorious infanticide yet who is curiously prominent today—partly because many of his improvements are still visible, partly because they point to aspects of history that both Jews and Christians (but not Muslims) wish to emphasize—which brings us to the politics of digging up the past in the Holy Land. Finally, we turn to the problematic German miniseries Unorthodox that was so popular on Netflix recently and its portrayal of traditional Hasidic Jews in New York and progressive Germans in Berlin. Katy Galor's faculty webpage and Joukowsky Institute page at Brown University Katy Galor and co-author Sa'ed Atshan discuss their book, The Moral Triangle: Germans, Israelis, and Palestinians (2020), at the Watson Institute, Brown University. Katy Galor's books at Amazon.com. Katy Galor's article: “King Herod in Jerusalem: The Politics of Cultural Heritage,” Jerusalem Quarterly, Issue 62 (Spring 2015). Also here. Trailer for Unorthodox, Netflix miniseries, 2020. Article by Leah Aharoni: “Netflix's ‘Unorthodox' Degrades Hasidic Jews into Caricatures,” Jewish Journal, April 27, 2020. Article by Julie Joanes: “Everything ‘Unorthodox' gets wrong about being Orthodox,” Forward, April 30, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katharina Galor, an archaeology professor at the at the Program in Judaic Studies at Brown University who has done a lot of excavation in Israel, is the author of The Archaeology of Jerusalem: From the Origins to the Ottomans (2013). She takes us through the history of Jerusalem from its Canaanite beginnings to the capital of Israel today. We discuss the foundations and geography of this fortified city in the hills, the importance of water, and the lives of ordinary citizens. We talk about the First and Second Temples and the improvements made by Herod “the Great” whom Christians recall as a notorious infanticide yet who is curiously prominent today—partly because many of his improvements are still visible, partly because they point to aspects of history that both Jews and Christians (but not Muslims) wish to emphasize—which brings us to the politics of digging up the past in the Holy Land. Finally, we turn to the problematic German miniseries Unorthodox that was so popular on Netflix recently and its portrayal of traditional Hasidic Jews in New York and progressive Germans in Berlin. Katy Galor's faculty webpage and Joukowsky Institute page at Brown University Katy Galor and co-author Sa'ed Atshan discuss their book, The Moral Triangle: Germans, Israelis, and Palestinians (2020), at the Watson Institute, Brown University. Katy Galor's books at Amazon.com. Katy Galor's article: “King Herod in Jerusalem: The Politics of Cultural Heritage,” Jerusalem Quarterly, Issue 62 (Spring 2015). Also here. Trailer for Unorthodox, Netflix miniseries, 2020. Article by Leah Aharoni: “Netflix's ‘Unorthodox' Degrades Hasidic Jews into Caricatures,” Jewish Journal, April 27, 2020. Article by Julie Joanes: “Everything ‘Unorthodox' gets wrong about being Orthodox,” Forward, April 30, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

In the first episode of the "'L'dor V'dor" podcast, Shanni and David clash on a few things and agree on a few others. Topic List: Joe Rogan's recent antisemitic comments Netflix's You People with Jonah Hill and Julia Louis-Dreyfus Anti-Israel speakers at Princeton University  AI Softwares and ChatGPT The earthquake in Turkey The latest Jewish Journal print issue Follow David Suissa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram & Shanni Suissa on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Listen to the full episode on any of your favorite podcast platforms!   

Devin Galaudet is the editor and publisher of the In The Know Traveler and In The Know Bride, which chronicles his endeavor to marry his wife in 100 countries around the world. (20 times in 15 countries, so far). Devin has written for the Huffington Post, The Good Men Project, and many others. A frequently sought-after guest expert on relationship and travel, Devin has appeared on FOX-TV, NBC-TV, Reinvention Radio, the California Writers Coalition, JohnnyJet.com, the Jewish Journal, and hundreds of podcasts.Galaudet's memoir, “10,000 Miles with my Dead Father's Ashes,” is available on Amazon now. It answers the question: what do you do when you lose your father's ashes?Devin is also an experienced Co-Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the leisure, travel & tourism industry. Strong entrepreneurship professional skilled in Travel Photography, Honeymoons, Tour Operators, Journalism, and Leisure Industry.Residence: Long Beach CACollege: Antioch University at Los AngelesCollege major: Creative NonfictionWebsite: DevinGalaudet.com and InTheKnowTraveler.comPlease subscribe to the enVision Together podcast to be notified of each episode. To connect with Pamela online to discuss her weekly topics or to spread the word about the enVision Together: Going to Your Next Level of Best podcast, please follow her on social media or on her website:Facebook: @Pamela MshanaInstagram: @pamela.mshana.37Twitter: @PamelaMshanaWebsite: www.pamelamshana.com (Contact page).Support the Show: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=TD6PCE7G83GNY

With dreams of becoming a billionaire one day, Shanni Suissa constantly works herself into a stupor, putting the hustle in the term "hustle culture." When you have so much ambition, so much drive, so many ideas, so many different interests -- how do you deal with it? How do you stay focused? When one thing fails, how do you pick yourself up to do it all over again? The L.A.-based host of "The Shanni Show," podcast director for "The Jewish Journal," chief of staff for entrepreneur Jennifer Cohen, cryptocurrency expert, one-time UFC reporter, and food lover joins me to answer these questions. Plus, we discuss the following: Why Twitter permanently suspended her account in November (2:00) How she doesn't allow other peoples' perception of her change how she feels about herself (14:30) Why she feels "providing value" to consumers is not what content creators should focus on (18:36) How she plans on becoming a billionaire one day (23:10) Advice to anyone in the younger generation who's struggling with mental health issues from social media (36:00) The current state of the cryptocurrency market (39:04) FOLLOW: The Shanni Show on Spotify Shanni Suissa on Instagram My FREE newsletter about self-improvement in your 20s My YouTube channel

On episode #120, Will talks to Dr. Monica Osborne, a writer and former literature, film, and cultural studies professor with expertise in representations of trauma, multi-ethnic narratives, and critical theory. Most recently, she has written a piece in The Jewish Journal titled ‘Why Teachers Can't Be Activists' which you can read here: https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/columnist/350953/why-teachers-cant-be-activists/  During their conversation, Will and Monica discuss Monica's motivation for writing the article, the reactions she received thereafter and why she believes she was willing to publicly dive into the controversies surrounding the culture wars.  They also discuss social justice in the Jewish community and how that might affect both Monica and Will in their current endeavours. Lastly, Monica touches on the things we can do to move forward in an attempt to call out left-wing extremism in the same way we would on the right.    — LEARN MORE ABOUT MONICA OSBORNE —  Other writing: https://jewishjournal.com/author/monicaosborne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmonicaosborne  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmonicaosborne  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicaosborne/   — HELP ME SUPPORT DECRIMINALIZE NATURE —   Website: https://www.decriminalizenature.org/  Donate: https://www.decriminalizenature.org/contribute  My podcast interview: https://youtu.be/S07T1SFAZgM     — LISTEN TO CYLINDER RADIO — Website: https://cylinderradio.libsyn.com/  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cylinder-radio/id1448662116  YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLon6GBsGLBQs21-45o3Iixr7DvhnbHZ1T   — SUPPORT MY WORK — Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/willreusch Instagram: https://instagram.com/willreusch My Website: https://willreusch.com   

Controversy erupted at the UC Berkeley Law school this fall over the decision by a handful of student groups to adopt bylaws that would ban Zionist members and speakers. In response, American Jewish Committee (AJC) united with 35 other Jewish organizations to condemn the ban as a “vicious attempt to marginalize and stigmatize the Jewish, Israeli, and pro-Israel community… This is unabashed antisemitism.” This week, Dr. Ethan Katz, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Berkeley, and co-founder of the Antisemitism Education Initiative, and Charlotte Aaron, a Berkeley Law student and board member of the Jewish Student Association (JSA), sat down with Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman, AJC's Senior Director of the Alexander Young Leadership Department, to discuss the situation on campus, how it has affected their work as Jewish activists, and why they remain hopeful for the future of Jews on campus. ___ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Ethan Katz and Charlotte Aaron ___ Show Notes: Exclusive: Pro-Israel Groups Release a Statement on Berkeley Controversy Listen to our latest podcast episode: Unpacking the Origins of Kanye's Antisemitism Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. ___ Episode Transcript Manya Brachear Pashman: At the start of this academic year, members of Law Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of California's Berkeley campus persuaded nine student groups to adopt a bylaw banning  speakers and members that support Zionism. 35 Jewish organizations, including AJC, wrote an open letter to the university pointing out the discrimination and demanding action. When Jewish student leaders expressed their gratitude to AJC this week, CEO Ted Deutch assured them that AJC's efforts would not end there. For this week's episode, we invited two Jewish activists from the Berkeley campus to discuss what that means for Jewish students and faculty at Berkeley. They sat down with my occasional co-host Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman, AJC's Director of the Alexander Young Leadership Department. Meggie, the mic is yours. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman: Joining me today on People of the Pod: Dr. Ethan Katz, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at UC Berkeley. And Charlotte Aaron, who is a second year law student at UC Berkeley. Ethan & Charlotte, thank you for joining me. Ethan Katz: Thanks for having us.  Charlotte Aaron: Thank you. Meggie: So, in the last few weeks, there has been significant coverage about events at UC Berkeley Law School, and particularly about what appears to be exclusionary, anti Israel adoptions made by a handful of student groups. So for our listeners who may not have the full story, Ethan, can you paint a brief picture for us of what has unfolded? Ethan: Sure. So in August, I believe it was actually on the first day of classes. There was a decision by several student clubs, eight, I believe, at UC Berkeley Law to adopt a set of bylaws that had been proposed to them, by Students for Justice in Palestine, at the law school, the SJP chapter at the law school. Now that was a proposal made to dozens of clubs at Berkeley law. So it was a relatively small number who adopted these bylaws, but the bylaws were very discriminatory in that they said, these clubs would not invite any speaker who had expressed, continue to express support for Zionism, or what the bylaws referred to as the apartheid regime in Israel, or the occupation of Israel, occupation of Palestine, excuse me, what they clearly mean by that last clause is not what many observers refer to as the occupation of the West Bank, it is just the presence of Israeli sovereignty, in portions of the historical plan of Israel-Palestine. So these were met with tremendous concern by not only many Jewish law students, but many others of us who were involved in efforts on campus to support Jewish students, I co-run an antisemitism education program at Berkeley, Berkeley Law has a very large Israel studies program.  And the dean of Berkeley Law came out very strongly to say that he found these to be very problematic, to be against the principles of community of the university, you know, say that every club has the right to free speech, but that becomes very concerning when students are excluded. And he said, I thought, forcefully that, you know, himself, if these bylaws were to be followed to the letter, would not be able to speak at these clubs as someone who himself is a Zionist. He also reminded clubs of the fact that the Chancellor of the University has come out in writing multiple times against the BDS movement. We were sort of waiting to see what was going to happen next in terms of what was going to be the full impact of these and also what was going to hopefully be the impact of the Dean's response, in curbing this or maybe making some groups reconsider. We did not hear a lot more about this controversy after the initial week or so that it came out until an editorial published in the Jewish Journal of LA almost exactly three weeks ago, claiming in its headline and in its content that Berkeley was developing so-called Jewish free zones.  This quickly ignited a firestorm in the media and major controversy. And it brought the issue much more into focus not only on campus but off. That had various impacts on campus. One of them was that we felt the need to try to explain what had happened, what we already have in place, which is considerable, to try to support your students and raise awareness about antisemitism. And also to try to better understand where things stood for the Jewish students. and figure out ways that we have not sufficiently met their needs.  I also think it's important to note that many Jewish undergraduate students who had been unaware or vaguely aware of the initial bylaws became very nervous and concerned in ways that they had not been before about Jewish life on campus. So, the impact of the article was also to create a great deal more anxiety and fear among many students on campus, despite the fact that Jewish life on this campus, generally speaking, is very robust, and in many ways thriving in terms of the success of Hillel and student Chabad, and the number of student clubs and Jewish Studies and Israel studies. So that's sort of a rough timeline. Meggie: Charlotte, anything to add there? Charlotte: I think I'll just add the way I felt when I found out what had happened. I arrived at the library Monday morning, first day of school and sat down and five minutes into reading for class, I got a text message from my friend screenshotting the fact that the women of Berkeley Law organization had passed this bylaw.  And I think it was a mix of heartbreaking and frustrating. I was heartbroken because I spoke to a lot of people on these boards after this happened. And they acknowledged that they themselves didn't really know much about this issue. And wanted to be supportive to their Palestinian classmates, which is incredibly important, and I so support that. But it was heartbreaking to me that we're at a place where people think that this is how you do that, which is just an indication of a lot of misinformation. And, you know, I for the last decade, almost, I've been worried about social media, and it's especially ramped up in the last five years, and how information is spread and shared. And I think, particularly with this issue, there's a lot of misinformation. And this was a clear demonstration of that, and the impact of that. That law students who, theoretically are pretty informed of what's going on in the world, and what issues are complex and which ones are not, and how to handle those types of issues, weren't even able to take a moment and recognize like, oh, maybe, maybe we should, like do a little bit of research or engage in this issue before we take such an extreme stance, which is what that bylaw was. So I think that that was heartbreaking. And I was frustrated, because the Jewish students weren't contacted about this. I would have hoped that they would have reached out or somebody would have reached out or I would have heard about it, and I didn't, and a lot of my Jewish friends didn't. And I think that was really frustrating that we weren't being included in this conversation. And it could have been a really great opportunity to engage before creating harm. And that didn't happen. But hopefully, it's a learning experience for everyone. Meggie: So Charlotte, I want to focus in more on that. You mentioned that heartbreak. And I think sadly, that is something that certainly in different scenarios and other campuses, there have been instances where Jewish students do feel that, that that exclusionary, I guess, kind of heartbreak. I want to focus in on kind of the timeline that Ethan painted of this initially, kind of being adopted months ago, and then having greater coverage brought in recent weeks. So as a student, as a member of the Jewish Law Students Association at Berkeley, what did students feel, what are they feeling now? Or did they even know about it initially months ago, when this was passed. Can you kind of talk about those two stages? Charlotte: Yeah, so I will say that it was initially really challenging for the Jewish Student Association, because we work, and continue to work really, really hard to be an organization that is welcoming of all Jewish students, regardless of their perspectives on this issue. We issued, the board of the Jewish student organization, published a letter, we first send it to our members, and then to the organizations, to all the student organizations who are invited to add the bylaws to their constitutions, basically saying: Look, this hurts Jewish students, because it forces them to choose between either, you know, denying a part of who they are, or, to be part of an organization or to, you know, exclude themselves. And we're not asking our members to do that. And we hope that you guys also don't ask your members to do that. After that, the Jewish student organization kind of stepped back, mostly because we don't want to be an organization about Israel. And that's not our purpose. Our purpose is to be there for all Jewish students. So that organization stopped engaging in this issue. As individuals, there are four of us who still were very concerned about what happened. And we're continuing to work behind the scenes on how to best address this, because it's a really challenging issue. And we wanted to make sure – three out of four of us are board members, how are we going to do this in a way that doesn't make it look like our organization is taking a stance. That was a really big concern to the other board members who, you know, don't want our organization to take a stance, which none of us do. But the optics of that were very challenging.  So we are navigating that? Do we start a new organization? You know, are we trying to write a letter? Are we directly reaching out to these students? How do we do that? The Dean has been super supportive and offered to help us, but what can he actually do? Like, what do we want him to do? These were really hard questions.  And so even before the article came out, the four of us were thinking about these things, and meeting and talking and we went to the Palestine 101 event that was put on, and we had students coming up to us at Jewish events, not at Jewish events, saying that they were individually concerned about what had happened. And this was even before the article came out. So yes, it drew public attention. But I do think that students were still quite concerned about what was going on. It just wasn't vocalized. Meggie: So I want to get to some of those responses once that article came out, and there was greater coverage. So Ethan, you wrote a piece that has been widely shared that in a very eloquent way, expressed your frustrations with how some of these incidents are being portrayed in the broader media. What led you to pen that piece? Ethan: In the most basic sense, I think the claims made as a headline of that article are false. I share the deepest concerns about what's happened at the law school. And we're doing a lot and we're trying to do more. And, Charlotte, as you know, we're having a meeting this afternoon. There've been a lot of meetings. And so there's no question that what's happened needs to be addressed in the most effective way possible.  We're not on a campus where the administration or large numbers of students are trying to ban Jews from large portions of the campus, which I believe was the implication of such a headline. And so we wanted both to express the fact that we were really disgusted by these bylaws and that they are unquestionably, nakedly discriminatory and many of us believe antisemitic. But to say that this kind of coverage, that it paints a false picture of the campus, and that it's fundamentally unhelpful in the end. We started the antisemitism education initiative that I helped to run three years ago, we put on a lot of programs on campus, we do trainings, we respond to incidents, we created a training module, a training video, a lot of other campuses use the resources that we created. And we do that to support students. And we do that based on conditions on the ground. If people from outside want to support Jewish students here, that's fantastic. But part of what we're trying to say is, we have this program already in the system, we have this Israel studies program, we have Jewish studies, we have really strong community organizations, come talk to us and say, How can you best support our efforts, rather than effectively throwing a grenade from the outside?  And I have to say, I mean, you know, what happened most recently, last week on campus, which I think many people have heard about by now was a truck going around the campus with a hologram on it, of Adolf Hitler, saying something like, you know, if you believe that Jews should be banned from Berkeley, raise your right hand. This was done by an organization that claimed to be looking out for Jewish students and to be very concerned. And just like that initial article raised a lot of alarm among Jewish students, both off campus and on campus, this, of course, scared many Jews on campus. And I know that it wasn't the intention of the articles that have been written. But by now five articles have been written continuing to claim there are Jewish free zones at Berkeley. Without those articles, those trucks would never have been circling our campus. So, we remain alarmed by the effect of this, and we don't think it's actually helping us respond the most effectively to what's taking place.  Meggie: So along with the response on campus, there is kind of an inherent issue, or I would say, challenge that is always trying to be examined in situations like this. You had mentioned Charlotte earlier, Dean Chemerinsky, who himself wrote a piece in The Daily Beast. And in it, he acknowledges this tension, he talks about the need to honor free speech, which takes I think, renewed importance at a law school, honor, free speech, but also acknowledge that some of these tactics, including those of banning students who identify as Zionists are indeed at odds with free speech and can fracture student discourse.  So these are tough questions. But my question and maybe Charlotte we'll start with you. And then Ethan, I'd love your perspective. Do you see this manifesting at Berkeley beyond just this incident? And have you seen these trends in academia more broadly?  Charlotte: I do think free speech is an issue. When I was a student at Brandeis, I was the undergraduate representative on a university task force for free expression. And the purpose of the task force was to create a set of policies or principles that the university would abide by, to ensure that every student felt like they could have their voices heard and share their perspectives. And I'm a firm believer that, you know, more speech is how we get to the right answers. And if people have really extreme opinions on the left, the right, up, down, and aren't sharing those, then they can never be addressed. And, I mean, I think that this is, this is a perfect example of that, that, only one narrative is being heard.  Hopefully from this, and I think it's sad that, you know, what I am, Adam, Billy and Noah are trying to do, is being portrayed as silencing Palestinian voices, because what we're trying to do is quite the opposite. And, you know, I went to Law Students for Justice in Palestine events last year, like I want to go to their events. So that A, I know what they're saying, and, you know, know what i might be up against B, maybe there's actually some common ground, which would be great, you know, if we can find common ground, maybe they agree with me on something that I didn't know about. And we can run from there. And C, quite frankly, what a great way to sharpen my tools. I can't possibly prepare to advocate for something I care about if I have no idea what other people are saying.  Meggie: Ethan, I want to turn that to you. I mean, how are you seeing, you know, issues of, of course, balancing free speech, but having, whether it be social implications, whatever it is limiting student's ability to be proudly Jewish, or proudly support Israel? How are you seeing that manifest within your work? Ethan: Yeah, I mean, I think Charlotte nailed a lot of it. The fact is, we're living in an age where a whole slew of actors across the political spectrum, and also in our own Jewish community, in different perspectives, have a very hard time with robust debate about issues that are dear to them. And the impetus for the creation of that task force was the feeling among certain of our Jewish colleagues, pretty far to the left, that certain conversations about antisemitism on campus, more from the right, were making them feel they could not be critical of Israel without being called antisemitic.  And I know Palestinian voices are very upset about some of those efforts to shut down conversation. I think, justifiably so. So of course, it is really the height of irony and misfortune to then see the same tactic deployed by pro-Palestinian organizations to say, we can't harbor any kind of real conversation either. I think it's important to note, I mean, we all have, I think some sympathy for the fact that organizations want to create so-called safe spaces for those in solidarity with their causes.  But these bylaws are not bylaws that say, unless you support the right of the Palestinians to a state you won't be allowed to speak, or unless you recognize the Palestinians are a people, you won't be allowed to speak. Those, I think whilst they would be controversial, some people, most Jewish students would not be offended by those. And I think we would all understand those more as really a matter of sort of visceral sense of safety for Palestinian students. This is so much more sweeping than that. And it really is to just silence the vast majority of Jewish students effectively, and to silence any kind of live debate on these issues. And one of the things that I'm concerned about, and I hear Charlotte is concerned, and that many of us are concerned about is that we will become so kind of siphoned off from each other in our own echo chambers. And that doesn't help anyone's problems. Meggie: I know that there are immense challenges, but there are also, and both of you highlighted these in the articles you wrote, there's a lot of opportunity and a lot of positivity happening on campus. So I want to turn to both of you, Charlotte, you are a budding lawyer. So you see both sides of the coin. And Ethan, given your professional purview, you have a long lens of Jewish history, you have seen the many ups and downs of our people. So I want to pose to both of you: what makes you hopeful about the Jewish student experience at Berkeley today, and more broadly, about Jewish life today? Maybe Ethan, we'll start with you. Ethan: Well, very honestly, I think one of the things that makes me hopeful, and what young Jews today, in many cases, are doing to pursue challenging and complex conversations on these and a host of other issues. We can always find examples of shrill voices and people who don't want to listen to each other. But there are a lot of examples that I think are quite inspiring, brave. You know, I very much appreciated the article that Charlotte and other law students wrote in The Daily Beast, and the clarity with which they have repeatedly said, We're not against Palestinians, we're not against the notion of the rights of Palestinians, what we really want is the opportunity to be engaged in conversation, and to feel that we as Jews, our identities, are able to have a space, there also for their full expression. And I think, you know, there are a lot of people across the country, particularly young, young people who are doing this kind of work, to try to push back on multiple extremes.  Charlotte: The way that, you know, the bylaws have played out on our campus has, for people who don't really know much about the topic made it look really, really bad to be a Zionist, and I think that's really scary. And a lot of students don't want to engage with that, and, you know, identify themselves as somebody who supports Israel, but a lot of students have and, you know, undergraduates, other graduate students, graduate students at the law school, have come out in a really respectful and I guess proud way to engage in this and, and I was feeling bad for myself before Yom Kippur war like, oh, I'm spending so much time on this I'm not having as much time to work on school like, this is such a bummer and and I did some reflecting on the holiday which I suppose is what it's for. And it's like, you know what, what a great group of Jewish students that I have the privilege of working with and great Jewish professors and a fantastic Jewish Dean and, Rabbi Adam at Hillel has been phenomenal. And I feel really lucky and encouraged to be surrounded by and working with really great people who share a common goal to just be good, and make the world a better place. And so that's been, that's been really nice. And then, you know, in terms of Jewish life more broadly, I somehow got swept into the Jewish graduate student initiative last year and did like a six-week Jewish learning, ethical learning class online. And it was amazing. And I just was so blown away by how many young Jewish people there were, who wanted to engage with the texts and debate about what we're supposed to be taking away from these and how we can apply them to our lives. I am learning about an aspect of Judaism that is so rich and meaningful, and I do think is making me a better person. And that feels really good. And I think it's doing the same for other young Jewish people. And I'm, that gives me hope about the future.  Meggie: Thank you both for making time to share your wisdom with our audiences, for the activism and the leadership you're showcasing at Berkeley. And we wish you the best for the rest of the semester. Thank you. Charlotte: Thank you. Manya: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to listen to my conversation with Holly Huffnagle, AJC's US Director for Combatting Antisemitism. She helps unpack the origins of Kanye West's conspiracy theories and stereotypes, and why the rapper's hateful words matter to all of us.