Podcasts about national jewish book award

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Best podcasts about national jewish book award

Latest podcast episodes about national jewish book award

New Books Network
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review 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

New Books in Military History
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

New Books in Jewish Studies
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books in Jewish Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

New Books in Biography
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books in Biography

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

New Books in European Studies
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books in European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

New Books in French Studies
Sarah Kaminsky, "The Forger of Paris" (Doppelhouse Press, 2025)

New Books in French Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 55:57


The Forger of Paris (Doppelhouse Press, 2025) presents Adolfo Kaminsky's biography in its only authorized edition, expanded with photographs from Kaminsky's 2019 exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris and accompanied by essays from MAHJ director Paul Salmona and National Jewish Book Award winner Deborah Dash Moore. "This necessary book provides unforgettable insights into hidden worlds of the Jews, intellectuals, and partisans who fought back.... has a thriller dimension that outshines even the best undercover fiction." — Jewish Book Council At seventeen, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was recruited to join the Jewish underground. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and an artistic, technical ability to reproduce official documents, he soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, creating papers that would save an estimated 14,000 Jewish men, women, and children from certain death. Upon the Liberation and for the next twenty-five years, Kaminsky worked as a professional photographer. But, recognizing the fight for freedom had not ended with the defeat of the Nazis, and driven by his own harrowing experiences, he continued to forge documents in secret for activists, refugees, human rights causes, and pacifists throughout the world. "At a moment when someone's passport, or religion, can still mean the difference between life and death, Mr. Kaminsky's story remains painfully relevant, but inspiring." — Filmmakers Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia and Pamela Druckerman for The New York Times "A triumphant wartime biography, full of heroism and near-alchemistic craftiness." — Foreword Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/french-studies

Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
Rachel Beanland, THE HALF LIFE

Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2026 19:53


This is the third book I've interviewed Rachel Beanland about; I just love her writing. Did you know she won the National Jewish Book Award for debut fiction for Florence Adler Swims Forever? In The Half Life, she takes us to Sardinia into the military world where one young woman finds her way. We spoke about Rachel's late father, her own experience growing up on military bases, how to really figure out who you are, and more. Rachel will be at our Naples Book Lovers Retreat January 22-24, 2027. Learn more about that here.** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18Forty Podcast
Jenna Weissman Joselit: Being Jewish in America [American Jewish History 3/4]

18Forty Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2026 87:28


In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jenna Weissman Joselit, a professor of Jewish studies and history, about the everyday expressions of Judaism that reinforce the identity and distinctiveness of the Jewish People. In this episode we discuss:—What consequential institutional decisions shaped the trajectory of American Judaism?—What overlooked personalities and phenomena contributed to the development of American Judaism?—What is the role of the tallis in American Jewish aesthetics?Interview begins at 10:42.Tune in to hear a retrospective reflection on modern Jewish life and culture.Jenna Weissman Joselit is the Charles E. Smith Professor of Judaic Studies and Professor of History at The George Washington University. She specializes in the history and culture of America's Jews, U.S. cultural history, and the relationship between material culture and identity. She is the author of Set in Stone: America's Embrace of the Ten Commandments, The Wonders of America: Reinventing Jewish Culture, 1880–1950, which received the National Jewish Book Award in History, and A Perfect Fit: Clothes, Character, and the Promise of America. She writes a monthly column on American Jewish culture for Tablet and has been a frequent contributor to the Jewish Review of Books, The New Republic, TNR Online, Gastronomica, and the Forward.References:American Judaism: A History by Jonathan D. SarnaMordecai M. Kaplan: Restless Soul by Jenna Weissman JoselitNew York's Jewish Jews: The Orthodox Community in the Interwar Years by Jenna Weissman JoselitOur Gang : Jewish Crime and the New York Jewish Community, 1900-1940 by Jenna Weissman JoselitSet in Stone: America's Embrace of the Ten Commandments by Jenna Weissman JoselitJenna Weissman Joselit in TabletFor more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Love Is Stronger Than Fear
Why Forgiveness Isn't the First Step with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

Love Is Stronger Than Fear

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2026 45:52 Transcription Available


S10 E7—Saying "I'm sorry" isn't enough to repair personal or institutional harm. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and Repair, joins Amy Julia Becker to share an ancient framework for repentance and repair that challenges our culture's obsession with quick apologies. Together they discuss forgiveness, institutional responsibility, and breaking cycles of harm.00:00 Defining Repentance and Repair04:29 The Current State of Repentance in Society07:10 Maimonides' Process of Repentance17:00 The Influence of Distorted Protestantism on American Culture22:50 The Complexity of Forgiveness and Purpose of Repentance28:45 Institutional Harm and the Challenges of Repair41:59 Repentance as a Path to a Good LifeMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg_SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.comWATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTubeJOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabeckerLISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/_ABOUT OUR GUEST:Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg is the award-winning author of eight books who now makes her primary writing home at LifeIsASacredText.com She has received the Lives of Commitment Award from Auburn Seminary, and the Rabbinic Human Rights Hero Award from the human rights organization T'ruah, was named by Newsweek as a “rabbi to watch,” and as a “faith leader to watch” by the Center for American Progress.Her newest book, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World is a National Jewish Book Award winner and an American Library Association's Sophie Brody Honor Book. It was hailed by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley as “A must read for anyone navigating the work of justice and healing.”  __We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a text!Connect with me:InstagramFacebookYouTubeWebsiteThanks for listening! 

Then & Now
The Future of History: Have We Reached the End of History Again?

Then & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2026 91:26 Transcription Available


This special episode of LCHP's History-Politics Podcast features a recording of an event titled “The Future of History: Have We Reached the End of History Again?” This event was the first in a multi-part series by the Luskin Public History Program in conjunction with the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy at the Wende Museum. LCHP Director David Myers moderates a conversation between Miloš Jovanović (UCLA Assistant Professor of History), Natasha Piano (UCLA Assistant Professor of Political Theory, and Terry Tang (Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times). This panel revisits the conclusion of political scientist Francis Fukuyama in his 1992 book The End of History and the Last Man, that we have reached “the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” The scholars discuss whether the rise of illiberal authoritarianism marks a new end of history. From the rise of China and contemporary challenges to democracy to the role of journalism, education, and historical thinking in a “post-truth” age, the panelists examine the enduring appeal of liberty, equality, and human dignity. In an era of constant change, how should we think about the next phase of history? As part of an unfolding journey into the future, or as the beginning of the end? Miloš Jovanović is an Assistant Professor of History at UCLA. His research looks at the Balkans, Ottoman and Habsburg Empires, capitalism, and Marxist theory and history. His first book, Cities of Dust and Mud: Urbanism and Bourgeois Fantasy in the Balkans (Stanford University Press, 2026), explores the social costs of elite-led urban change. His new project, Spaces of Empire: The Habsburg World and its Afterlives, examines the diverse trajectories of urban spaces after imperial collapse.David N. Myers is Distinguished Professor of History and the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History at UCLA. He is the founding director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy. He also directs the UCLA Initiative to Study Hate, the UCLA Dialogue Across Difference Initiative, and the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute. He is the author or editor of more than fifteen books, including American Shtetl (Princeton University Press 2022, winner of the 2022 National Jewish Book Award).Natasha Piano is Assistant Professor of Political Theory in the Department of Political Science at UCLA. She specializes in democratic theory and the history of political thought, focusing on realist and empirical traditions in political science and Italian political theory. Her book, Democratic Elitism: The Founding Myth of American Political Science (Harvard University Press, 2025), examines how misinterpretations of elite theory shaped American political systems. She is also the co-editor of Florentine Political Writings from Petrarch to Machiavelli (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2019).Terry Tang is Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times. Appointed in 2024, she is the first female editor in the paper's 142-year history. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2019, she served as director of publications and editorial at the American Civil Liberties Union and held multiple editorial roles at The New York Times. She holds a BA in economics from Yale and a JD from New York University School of Law. She was also a Nieman Fellow at Harvard. 

New Books Network
Stephen Spector, "God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis" (Jewish Publication Society, 2026)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 42:38


What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. 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

New Books in Jewish Studies
Stephen Spector, "God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis" (Jewish Publication Society, 2026)

New Books in Jewish Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 42:38


What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

New Books in Religion
Stephen Spector, "God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis" (Jewish Publication Society, 2026)

New Books in Religion

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 42:38


What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

New Books in Biblical Studies
Stephen Spector, "God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis" (Jewish Publication Society, 2026)

New Books in Biblical Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 42:38


What if the book of Genesis is not only the story of humanity's first family, but also the story of God learning how to parent? In this episode, Rabbi Marc Katz sits down with Stephen Spector to discuss his book God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis (Jewish Publication Society, 2026), a provocative reexamination of the Bible's foundational stories through the lens of parenting. Drawing on both biblical interpretation and contemporary psychology, Spector explores how God's relationship with the patriarchs and matriarchs evolves throughout Genesis. God begins as a demanding authority figure, shifts toward a more nurturing presence, returns briefly to authoritarianism in the binding of Isaac, and ultimately develops a style focused on fostering moral and emotional growth. Remarkably, Spector argues, Genesis anticipates parenting insights that psychologists would not articulate for thousands of years. Along the way, familiar stories take on new meaning. Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers—each narrative becomes a window into questions of favoritism, resilience, forgiveness, family conflict, and healing after trauma. By reading Genesis as a story about parenting and human development, Spector uncovers enduring wisdom about how families flourish, fracture, and find their way back to one another. Together, Spector and Katz explore what the Bible can teach about raising children, repairing relationships, and understanding the complex bond between love, authority, and growth. Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.  Rabbi Marc Katz is the senior rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the author of The Heart of Loneliness: How Jewish Wisdom Can Help You Cope and Find Comfort, a National Jewish Book Award finalist and Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

FORward Radio program archives
Truth To Power | Christopher Browning | Interwar Germany and the US Today | 5-29-26

FORward Radio program archives

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2026 57:15


This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a conversation about "Interwar Germany and the U.S. Today: Are They Comparable Cases of the Failure of Democracy and the Rise of Dictatorship?" This virtual community conversation with Christopher R. Browning, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, took place on February 24, 2026, and was organized by the Oberlin Club of Washington, D.C. Given the propensity to invoke Hitler, Nazism, and fascism in current political discussion, historians of Europe in the era of fascist dictatorship, World War II, and the Holocaust should set a high bar for responsible and informed analogizing, against which facile and distorted attempts can be measured and found wanting. This talk will attempt a careful comparison and contrast between Hitler and Trump as personalities and politicians, as well as between the fall of Weimar and rise of Nazi dictatorship on the one hand and current events and trends in the U.S. on the other. Professor Browning will do so operating from the premise that insights based upon knowledge of the past are very important for illuminating and understanding our current situation, but the careless weaponizing of the past simply to stigmatize one's opponents is self-defeating. Christopher R. Browning is the Frank Porter Graham Professor History Emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where he taught from 1999-2014. He is a specialist on the Holocaust and renowned for work documenting the Final Solution, the behavior of those implementing Nazi policies, and the use of survivor testimony. Earlier, he taught at Pacific Lutheran University from 1974-1999. Christopher is the author of nine books, including three–Ordinary Men (1992), The Origins of the Final Solution (2004), and Remembering Survival (2010)—which received the National Jewish Book Award in the Holocaust Category. He has served as historical expert witness at two Holocaust denial trials: Ernst Zündel v. Crown Prosecution in Toronto in 1988, and David Irving v. Deborah Lipstadt and Penguin Press in London in 2000. Christopher was a History major at Oberlin and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2014. He earned his PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with his wife Jenni Horn Browning '67. Watch a full recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHQEEFeBWA. Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

18Forty Podcast
Adam Ferziger: Agents of Change [Israel & Diaspora II 4/4]

18Forty Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 76:47


In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Adam Ferziger, a historian of modern Jewish movements, about how American Jews have helped shape the evolution of Israeli Judaism.In this episode we discuss:—Why are Jewish religious boundaries in Israel often “more porous” than those in America?—Why did McDonald's succeed in Israel while Starbucks failed?—What can Israelis take from the thick communal culture of American Judaism?Tune in to hear a conversation about Religious Zionism, American aliyah, and the emergence of a distinctly Israeli Judaism shaped by sovereignty, Hebrew culture, and modern religious life.Interview begins at 9:32.Professor Adam S. Ferziger is a historian of modern Jewish religious movements and responses to secularization. He holds the Samson Raphael Hirsch Chair at Bar-Ilan University and is a senior associate at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. He is the author of several influential books, including Beyond Sectarianism: The Realignment of American Orthodox Judaism, winner of the National Jewish Book Award.References:“Orthodoxy in American Jewish Life” by Charles S. LiebmanBeyond Sectarianism: The Realignment of American Orthodox Judaism by Adam S. FerzigerAgents of Change: American Jews and the Transformation of Israeli Judaism by Adam S. FerzigerThe Israeli Century: How the Zionist Revolution Changed History and Reinvented Judaism by Yossi Shain18Forty Podcast: “Shayna Goldberg: Inside Israel's Religious Zionist Community”“Conan O'Brien on Failure and Conviction”For more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Getting Unstuck - Shift For Impact
414: How Do Memorials Engage Visitors Physically and Mentally?

Getting Unstuck - Shift For Impact

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2026 61:23


Guest Dr. James E. Young is Distinguished University Professor of English and Judaic Studies Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he has taught since 1988, and Founding Director of the Institute forHolocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies at UMass Amherst. Professor Young is the author of Writing and Rewriting the Holocaust (Indiana University Press, 1988), The Texture of Memory (Yale University Press, 1993), which won the National Jewish Book Award in 1994, At Memory's Edge: After-images of the Holocaust in Contemporary Art and Architecture (Yale University Press, 2000), and The Stages of Memory: Reflections on Memorial Art, Loss, and the Spaces Between (University of Massachusetts Press, 2016), which won the National Council for PublicHistory Book Award for 2017. Professor Young is a frequent consultant and judge on proposed memorials. Co-host Irene Stern Frielich was a guest on Episode 370: "Walking Where History Happened: A Daughter's Holocaust Journey." Irene is the daughter of a German Jewish Holocaust survivor—but for much of her life, the story remained unspoken. In 2017, after rediscovering her father's testimony, Irene set out to physically retrace his escape route from Nazi Germany through his survival in Holland. The result was a journey of reconciliation and healing. Her award-winning memoir, Shattered Stars, Healing Hearts, explores trauma, courage, and connection across generations. Summary Dr. James Young explores how memorials differ from monuments and how they shape collective memory. While monuments are often static and fixed, memorials are dynamic, experiential spaces that invite visitors to engage emotionally and physically—becoming part of what Dr. Young calls the "performance" of memory. Drawing on examples such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Holocaust memorials, and the 9/11 Memorial, Dr. Young explains that the most effective memorials balance abstraction and history, allowing visitors to interpret meaning across generations. He emphasizes that powerful designs avoid prescribing a single emotional response; instead, they open space for reflection, discomfort, and personal connection. Dr. Young also highlights the importance of naming individuals, noting that listing victims humanizes loss and magnifies its scale. He discusses innovative approaches like "meaningful adjacencies" at the 9/11 Memorial and decentralized memorials such as Stolpersteine (stumbling stones), which embed remembrance into everyday life and create ongoing engagement. A recurring theme is "living memory"—memorials that evolve through participation, maintenance, and reinterpretation by future generations. Dr. Young acknowledges the tension in memorializing tragedies in which communities no longer exist, stressing the need to restore not just the absence but the lives once lived. Ultimately, he invites visitors to approach memorials with openness, allowing their own emotional responses to deepen understanding of history and self. The Essential Point The most powerful memorials don't dictate meaning—they create spaces where visitors actively experience, interpret, and carry forward memory in ways that remain meaningful across generations. Social MediaOccupied Words: What the Holocaust Did to Yiddish

Reformation Radio with Apostle Johnny Ova
The Empire That Tried to Replace Israel with Dr. Katell Berthelot

Reformation Radio with Apostle Johnny Ova

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 39:51


Rome didn't just conquer Israel. It tried to become Israel. In this episode of the Dig In Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Katell Berthelot, one of the world's leading scholars on Jewish-Roman relations and winner of the National Jewish Book Award for her groundbreaking work Jews and Their Roman Rivals. What she reveals in this conversation will reshape the way you think about the ancient world, the Bible, and the rivalry between two civilizations that both believed they were destined to rule the earth.Dr. Berthelot takes us inside a story most people have never heard. While Rome was building an empire on military conquest and claiming to bring universal peace, law, and order to the world, Jewish writers and thinkers were building a counter-narrative that said everything Rome claimed for itself actually belonged to Israel. Peace? That comes from the Messiah, not Caesar. Law? The Torah is divine, and Roman courts are corrupt. And when Rome destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, stole the holy vessels, redirected the Jewish temple tax to rebuild the temple of Jupiter, and eventually erased Jerusalem itself to build a pagan Roman colony on top of it, the rivalry didn't end. It intensified. The rabbis responded by identifying Rome as Esau, Jacob's twin brother, Israel's mirror image and ultimate rival. Two civilizations. Two claims. One God watching over all of it.In this episode you will learn:- How Philo of Alexandria subtly positioned the Jews as superior to both the Greeks and the Romans in his writings- Why some Jews saw Rome not as just another empire but as something far more dangerous, an empire trying to take Israel's place in God's story- The shocking details of what Rome did with the Temple vessels, the Jewish tax, and the city of Jerusalem after 70 AD- How the Hasmonean dynasty created a template for Jewish political independence and why it still matters- How Jewish readers reinterpreted Daniel's four beasts to place Rome as the final and most dreadful empire- Why Roman writers were genuinely annoyed that their own citizens were converting to Judaism and abandoning Roman gods- The powerful rabbinic tradition of identifying Rome with Esau, Jacob's twin, and what that metaphor really means- How the destruction of the Temple and the Bar Kokhba revolt didn't crush the Jewish counter-narrative but made it stronger- Why Dr. Berthelot argues that Judaism as we know it today was shaped directly by this confrontation with RomeGet Dr. Berthelot's award-winning book:Jews and Their Roman Rivals: Pagan Rome's Challenge to Israel- https://a.co/d/0iFUBs2Q See her author page on Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katell-Berthelot/author/B004MM3GOY?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=165231fd-c2f1-4eb2-a54c-19efdbaead37 Learn more about Dr. Berthelot's research: https://www.judaism-and-rome.orgStay Connected:Website: Johnnyova.comSubscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaGet your copy of The Revelation Reset on Amazon- https://a.co/d/0dqT7tFE

New Books Network
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). 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

New Books in History
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books in German Studies
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books in German Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies

New Books in Jewish Studies
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books in Jewish Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

New Books in Intellectual History
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books in Intellectual History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

New Books in Early Modern History
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

New Books in Early Modern History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Princeton UP Ideas Podcast
Yair Mintzker, "I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition" (Princeton UP, 2026)

Princeton UP Ideas Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 42:12


The story behind the mythical figure of "the Wandering Jew" is one of the most fascinating tales in European history. In I, Wandering Jew, National Jewish Book Award-winning historian Yair Mintzker traces the tale back to its source, follows its many metamorphoses through five centuries, and relates it to the fraught present moment. According to a mysterious pamphlet published in 1602, the Wandering Jew was a real person, named Ahasversus, who was cursed by Jesus to eternal wandering after refusing to help him as he was led to his crucifixion. For more than four hundred years, many otherwise reliable witnesses have claimed to have seen the Wandering Jew. Moving in reverse chronological order, I, Wandering Jew explores crucial episodes in the story of this figure. We meet an unforgettable, Wandering Jew-like character who appeared out of nowhere in Israel in the 1950s; a nineteenth-century novelist who was the first Jew to favorably describe the Wandering Jew; an eighteenth-century German scholar who saw the Wandering Jew emerging from a devastating fire; and the man who likely inspired the 1602 pamphlet. A work of history that reads like a detective story, I, Wandering Jew is also part memoir. As Mintzker discovers affinities between his own story and that of the Wandering Jew, the surprising history of an old antisemitic trope and its meanings becomes a profound meditation on home and exile, Judaism and Christianity, poetry and truth, the deep past and the present. Yair Mintzker is professor of European history at Princeton University, where he also serves as the faculty head of Yeh College. Mintzker's work explores the Sattelzeit, the time period in German history roughly between 1750 and 1850, with books dedicated to urban history, law, intellectual history, Jewish history, and literature. A future project involves military history as well. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his M.A. in history from Tel-Aviv University (2003) and his Ph.D. from Stanford (2009). His latest book combines historical research and memoir in retelling the legend of Ahasver, the Wandering Jew. Its title is I, Wandering Jew: A Five-Century History of Our Modern Condition (Princeton UP, 2026).

Let’s Talk Memoir
236. Listening to Our Own Language and Going Where We Need to Go featuring Rachel Tzvia Back

Let’s Talk Memoir

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2026 38:55


Rachel Tzvia Back joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about living with depression, losing a sister, when a mother is emotionally and psychologically absent, how myths can be cloaks, listening to our language and what it offers, thinking in image, when stories don't match, giving our children the space to tell their version of stories about us, incorporating four recurring elements in a hybrid memoir, the architecture of our books, representing children in our work but not speaking for them, creating a womb for our writing process, leaning into poetry, approaching material methodically, how trauma is handed down generation by generation, the vast divides between us, and her new memoir The Dark-Robed Mother.   Also in this episode: -writing residencies -the Persephone and Demeter myth -not torturing yourself in the writing process   Books mentioned in this episode: -The Dead Mother: The Work of Andre Green edited by Gregoria Kohon -Darkness Visible by William Styron -The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon  -Metamorphoses Narrative poem by Ovid -Letter collections/poetry collections by Emily Dickinson    Rachel Tzvia Back is a poet, translator, professor of literature, and the author of twelve books. Her poetry and translations have received numerous honors, including winner of the TLS–Risa Domb/ Porjes Prize, shortlisted for the National Translation Award in Poetry (ALTA), and finalist for the PEN Translation Award and National Jewish Book Award in Poetry. Her memoir, The Dark-Robed Mother, is being published by Wesleyan University Press.    Purchase book: racheltzviaback.com https://www.weslpress.org/author/rachel-tzvia-back/ – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

New Books Network
Elizabeth Rosner, "Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening" (Catapult, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2026 63:06


This illuminating book Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening (Catapult, 2025) weaves personal stories of a multilingual upbringing with recent scientific breakthroughs in interspecies communication, revealing how the skill of deep listening enriches our curiosity and empathy toward the world around us. This book braids personal narrative with scholarly inquiry to examine the power of listening in building interpersonal empathy and social transformation. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rosner recounts growing up in a home where six languages were spoken, exploring how psychotherapy, neurolinguistics, and creativity illuminate the complex ways we are shaped by the sounds and silences of others. Drawing on insights from journalists, podcasters, performers, translators, acoustic biologists, spiritual leaders, composers, and educators, this hybrid text moves fluidly along a spectrum from the molecular to the global, revealing how “third-ear listening” can serve as a collective means of deepening understanding and connection to the natural world. About the Author Elizabeth Rosner is a bestselling novelist, poet, and essayist. Her works include Survivor Café: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and the novel Electric City, named a best book by NPR. Rosner's essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Elle, and numerous anthologies. She lives in Berkeley, California. In my questions, I focus only on certain aspects of your book—especially language. This does not mean that your book lacks other dimensions to explore. It is a beautifully written work that invites discussion from several angles and points of view. 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

New Books in Biography
Elizabeth Rosner, "Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening" (Catapult, 2025)

New Books in Biography

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2026 63:06


This illuminating book Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening (Catapult, 2025) weaves personal stories of a multilingual upbringing with recent scientific breakthroughs in interspecies communication, revealing how the skill of deep listening enriches our curiosity and empathy toward the world around us. This book braids personal narrative with scholarly inquiry to examine the power of listening in building interpersonal empathy and social transformation. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rosner recounts growing up in a home where six languages were spoken, exploring how psychotherapy, neurolinguistics, and creativity illuminate the complex ways we are shaped by the sounds and silences of others. Drawing on insights from journalists, podcasters, performers, translators, acoustic biologists, spiritual leaders, composers, and educators, this hybrid text moves fluidly along a spectrum from the molecular to the global, revealing how “third-ear listening” can serve as a collective means of deepening understanding and connection to the natural world. About the Author Elizabeth Rosner is a bestselling novelist, poet, and essayist. Her works include Survivor Café: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and the novel Electric City, named a best book by NPR. Rosner's essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Elle, and numerous anthologies. She lives in Berkeley, California. In my questions, I focus only on certain aspects of your book—especially language. This does not mean that your book lacks other dimensions to explore. It is a beautifully written work that invites discussion from several angles and points of view. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

New Books in Language
Elizabeth Rosner, "Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening" (Catapult, 2025)

New Books in Language

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2026 63:06


This illuminating book Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening (Catapult, 2025) weaves personal stories of a multilingual upbringing with recent scientific breakthroughs in interspecies communication, revealing how the skill of deep listening enriches our curiosity and empathy toward the world around us. This book braids personal narrative with scholarly inquiry to examine the power of listening in building interpersonal empathy and social transformation. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rosner recounts growing up in a home where six languages were spoken, exploring how psychotherapy, neurolinguistics, and creativity illuminate the complex ways we are shaped by the sounds and silences of others. Drawing on insights from journalists, podcasters, performers, translators, acoustic biologists, spiritual leaders, composers, and educators, this hybrid text moves fluidly along a spectrum from the molecular to the global, revealing how “third-ear listening” can serve as a collective means of deepening understanding and connection to the natural world. About the Author Elizabeth Rosner is a bestselling novelist, poet, and essayist. Her works include Survivor Café: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and the novel Electric City, named a best book by NPR. Rosner's essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Elle, and numerous anthologies. She lives in Berkeley, California. In my questions, I focus only on certain aspects of your book—especially language. This does not mean that your book lacks other dimensions to explore. It is a beautifully written work that invites discussion from several angles and points of view. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/language

Shakespeare and Company
Why Translate Homer Again? Daniel Mendelsohn on his new Odyssey

Shakespeare and Company

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2026 59:31


Why Translate Homer Again? Daniel Mendelsohn on his new OdysseyThis conversation explore's Daniel Mendelsohn's new translation of The Odyssey. Mendelsohn reflects on why this endlessly retranslated text still invites fresh interpretation, describing Odysseus as a “proto-author” whose storytelling shapes reality itself.The discussion delves into the craft of translation; balancing precision with poetic vitality, preserving the strangeness of Homeric Greek while remaining readable, and making deliberate choices about line length, diction, and even spelling. Mendelsohn also highlights the influence of teaching and lifelong engagement with the text, emphasising close reading and the role of students in deepening understanding.Beyond technique, the conversation explores why The Odyssey endures. its themes of homecoming, identity, storytelling, and time continue to resonate across generations, making it both an ancient epic and a strikingly modern work.Buy The Odyssey: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/the-odyssey-51Memoirist, critic, translator, and frequent contributor of essays to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, where he is Editor-at-Large, Daniel Mendelsohn is the author of ten books, including the international bestsellers The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, winner of the National Jewish Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic, an NPR and Kirkus Best Book of the Year. His other honors include the Prix Médicis in France and the Premio Malaparte, Italy's highest honor for foreign writers. In 2022 he was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Republic of France. He is currently the Charles Ranlett Flint Professor of Humanities at Bard College.Adam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company.Listen to Alex Freiman's latest EP, In The Beginning: https://open.spotify.com/album/5iZYPMCUnG7xiCtsFCBlVa?si=h5x3FK1URq6SwH9Kb_SO3w Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hamilton Review
Celebrating Jewish Passover with Harvard Professor Jon D. Levenson

The Hamilton Review

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2026 51:45


This week on The Hamilton Review Podcast, we're pleased to welcome Harvard Professor of Jewish Studies, Jon D. Levenson. A wonderful conversation filled with wisdom and celebration of Passover, Professor Levenson discusses his latest book, Israel's Day of Light and Joy: The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. You won't want to miss a very special episode of The Hamilton Review. Jon D. Levenson, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies, began teaching at Harvard in 1988, having previously taught at the University of Chicago and at Wellesley College. His work concentrates on the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, including its reinterpretations in the "rewritten Bible" of Second Temple Judaism and rabbinic midrash. In addition, one of his courses deals with the use of medieval Jewish commentaries for purposes of modern biblical exegesis, and another focuses on central works of Jewish theology in the twentieth century. Levenson has a strong interest in the philosophical and theological issues involved in biblical studies, especially the relationship of premodern modes of interpretation to modern historical criticism. Much of his work centers on the relationship of Judaism and Christianity, both in antiquity and in modernity, and he has long been active in Jewish-Christian dialogue. His book Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel: The Ultimate Victory of the God of Life (Yale University Press, 2006) won a National Jewish Book Award and the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award in the category of Best Book Relating to the Hebrew Bible published in 2005 or 2006. Choice, a publication of the American Library Association, listed Inheriting Abraham: The Legacy of the Patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Princeton University Press, 2012) as one of the Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013. His book, The Love of God: Divine Gift, Human Gratitude, and Mutual Faithfulness in Judaism, was published in 2016 by Princeton University Press. His latest book is Israel's Day of Light and Joy: The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath (Eisenbrauns, 2024). In all his work, Levenson's emphasis falls on the close reading of texts for purposes of literary and theological understanding.   How to contact Professor Jon D. Levenson: Harvard Professor Jon D. Levenson   Israel's Day of Light and Joy by Jon D. Levenson   How to contact Dr. Bob: Dr. Bob on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChztMVtPCLJkiXvv7H5tpDQ Dr. Bob on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drroberthamilton/ Dr. Bob on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bob.hamilton.1656 Dr. Bob's Seven Secrets Of The Newborn website: https://7secretsofthenewborn.com/ Dr. Bob's website: https://roberthamiltonmd.com/ Pacific Ocean Pediatrics: http://www.pacificoceanpediatrics.com/

Jacksonville's Morning News Interviews
3/30 - JMN IN-DEPTH Spotlight: Howard Langer "The Last Dekrepitzer"

Jacksonville's Morning News Interviews

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2026 9:54


Attorney and author Howard Langer joins JMN to share details of his latest book "The Last Dekrepitzer," winner of a 2025 National Jewish Book Award. The novel addresses themes of race, faith, identity, music, and trauma.

SAPIR Conversations
The SAPIR Debates: Is Fighting Antisemitism a Losing Battle?

SAPIR Conversations

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 91:08


The oldest hatred – an honorific given to anti-Jewish prejudice – never tires. If anything, it gathers force. According to many surveys, animus towards Jews is increasing in the United States and worldwide. What should American Jewry do about it?Some believe that we should expend our capital, energy, and creativity to change hearts and minds, especially of those still reachable. That means raising awareness of this scourge through high visibility campaigns, social media engagement, support for Holocaust education, and renewed allyship with other ethnic and religious communities. Others insist that efforts to fight a conspiracy are futile, likely ineffective, and possibly even counterproductive. Decades of teaching “never again” has not stemmed the tide of hate. Rather, our limited resources are better spent by doubling down on creating proud Jews, strengthening Jewish education, and creating a more informed citizenry about Jewish civilization.Moderated by SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens, this SAPIR Debate featured two illustrious voices:Arguing NO: Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the Department of State and award-winning author, historian, and professor.Arguing YES: Dara Horn, three-time National Jewish Book Award-winning author of People Love Dead Jews, and founder and president of The Tell Institute, which is devoted to educating the public about Jewish civilization, including in K-12 schools and other channels.The SAPIR Debates is a new series that features a spirited and civil exchange of views on the most consequential issues facing the American Jewish community.This event was recorded live on March 1, 2026 at The 92nd Street Y, New York. To watch the recording on our YouTube channel, click here: https://youtu.be/QcMyvQ-2l6cRead the SAPIR essays and op-eds referenced in this SAPIR Conversation and reach out to us at ⁠info@sapirjournal.org⁠:  Andres Spokoiny's SAPIR essay on Jewish Communal Funding and Antisemitism: https://sapirjournal.org/money/2025/money-cant-buy-you-love/Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/track/theo-gerard/monsieur-groove

SCBWI Conversations
The Life of a Storyteller with Selina Alko

SCBWI Conversations

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 46:04


In this week's episode we are joined by Selina Alko. Selina Alko is an award-winning author and illustrator known for blending lyrical storytelling with vibrant mixed-media art. Raised in Vancouver by a Turkish Jewish father and Jewish mother, she grew up immersed in culture, creativity, and diverse perspectives that continue to shape her work. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She has created more than twenty-five acclaimed children's books, with features in The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. A two-time National Jewish Book Award winner, her titles have also been honored as Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. She is the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children's Literacy.Buy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9780316570633Check out the rest of her work here: https://www.selinaalko.com/Support the show

Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
Zeeva Bukai Wins a National Jewish Book Award

Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 18:15


Congratulations to author Zeeva Bukai for winning a National Jewish Book Award from the Jewish Book Council for her novel The Anatomy of Exile. On our episode, we spoke about her new book, The World Between, which is a slim, powerful narrative about a woman who travels to Tel Aviv to the home where she first started her marriage and revisits later in her life. It's about mental health, the after-effects of World War II, recovery, mistakes, lost love, shame, survival, and healing. It's really short and definitely worth reading: immersive, thought-provoking, soulful. I can't stop thinking about it — and was thrilled to hear she won the award! Share, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens!** Check out the Z.I.P. membership program—Zibby's Important People! As a Z.I.P., you'll get exclusive essays, special author access, discounts at Zibby's Bookshop, and more. Head to zibbyowens.com to subscribe or upgrade and become a Z.I.P. today!** Follow @totallybookedwithzibby on Instagram for more about today's episode. (Music by Morning Moon Music. Sound editing by TexturesSound. To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Podcast of Jewish Ideas
86. The Meaning of Life | Dr. Alan Mittleman

The Podcast of Jewish Ideas

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 69:31 Transcription Available


J.J. and Dr. Alan Mittleman make meaning out of a moment (or two). How does the Jewish tradition handle the big existential question? What does this all mean? Why are we here? If you or your business are interested in sponsoring an episode or mini-series, please reach out at  podcasts@torahinmotion.org Follow us on Bluesky @jewishideaspod.bsky.social for updates and insights!Please rate and review the the show in the podcast app of your choice.We welcome all complaints and compliments at podcasts@torahinmotion.org  For more information visit torahinmotion.org/podcastsAlan Mittleman is the Aaron Rabinowitz and Simon H. Rifkind Chair in JewishPhilosophy Emeritus at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. He is the author of eight books. His most recent is Absurdity and Meaning in Contemporary Philosophy and Jewish Thought (Cambridge University Press, 2023). His previous book, Does Judaism Condone Violence? Holiness and Ethics in the Jewish Tradition (Princeton, 2018) won the National Jewish Book Award for Modern Jewish Thought and Experience in 2018. Other works include Human Nature and Jewish Thought: Judaism's Case for Why Persons Matter (Princeton, 2015), A Short History of Jewish Ethics (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012), and Hope in a Democratic Age (Oxford, 2009). He has edited six books, most recently Jewish Virtue Ethics (SUNY Press, 2023).Prof. Mittleman holds a B.A. (Magna cum Laude) from Brandeis University and an M.A. and Ph.D. (with distinction) from Temple University. He is the recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship and served as Guest Research Professor at the University of Cologne (1994 and 1996). He has lectured widely in Germany in over fifty trips to that country. Mittleman received a Harry Starr Fellowship in Modern Jewish History from Harvard University's Center for Jewish Studies (1997) and served as Visiting Professor in the Department of Religion at Princeton University (2007). He has received grants from the Herzl Institute and the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, both sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. In 2020-21, he was a Visiting Fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. In 2023, he was a Senior Fellow at the Maimonides Centre for Advanced Studies at the University of Hamburg.

The DTALKS Podcast - Detoxing from Life
Episode 291 - Otherwise Known as Judy The Great (ft. Selina Alko)

The DTALKS Podcast - Detoxing from Life

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2026 44:33


How would you pay homage to the books who helped shaped you as a child? That's the topic of discussion for today's episode as author and illustrator Selina Alko stops by The DTALKS Podcast to discuss her latest book, "Otherwise Known as Judy The Great". We get into a discussion about childhood influences, different art styles used for the book, and lessons Selina hopes readers take away from her book. It's a great conversation you're really going to enjoy! Check it out!   About Selina Alko Selina Alko is an award-winning author and illustrator known for blending lyrical storytelling with vibrant mixed-media art. Raised in Vancouver by a Turkish Jewish father and Jewish mother, she grew up immersed in culture, creativity, and diverse perspectives that continue to shape her work. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She has created more than twenty-five acclaimed children's books, with features in The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. A National Jewish Book Award winner, her titles have also been honored as Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. She is the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children's Literacy.   About 'Otherwise Known as Judy The Great' Judy Blume is known for fearlessly discussing topics that were once considered taboo. As a young girl, Judy was not encouraged to share her feelings, so instead she invented stories as a way to understand the world around her. Growing up Jewish, during and in the aftermath of WWII, dramatically shaped Judy's childhood. Her younger years were full of fear. Judy processed her conflicted emotions by making up stories where she could control the conflict as she worked through challenging life scenarios. These stories became the subjects of the books she later published for children, tweens, teens, and adults including Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, Freckle Juice, and the Fudge series. This inspiring collection of poems celebrates the childhood years of Judy Blume, one of the most beloved American writers of all time.   Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website! Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast! Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.   With toys and action figures from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)   Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life!    At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care.    Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast
Dovid Fishman: The War in Ukraine: Jewish News

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 66:40


Dr. David E. Fishman (דוד-אליהו פֿישמאַן), historian and writer, talks about his substack "The War in Ukraine: Jewish News" (davidfishman.substack.com). Coming out about every two weeks since November 2024, this substack has covered the brutal Russia-Ukraine war, which began four years ago, from a Jewish perspective. Fishman is Professor of Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York City and is the author of several books, notably, The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis (ForeEdge, 2017), which won the National Jewish Book Award for a work on the Holocaust. We reached Dovid in New York City via Zoom on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. Music: Aaron Lebedeff: In Odess Bronya Sakina: Di Sapozhkelekh (from the album Live from KlezKamp! The Staff Concerts 1985-2003, recorded 1985; the singer was from Ukraine) The Alibi Sisters: Yuh Mein Liebe Tochter (the singers Anna and Angelina Zavalsky are based in Ukraine) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: February 11, 2025

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast
Dovid Fishman: The War in Ukraine: Jewish News

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 66:40


Dr. David E. Fishman (דוד-אליהו פֿישמאַן), historian and writer, talks about his substack “The War in Ukraine: Jewish News” (davidfishman.substack.com). Coming out about every two weeks since November 2024, this substack has covered the brutal Russia-Ukraine war, which began four years ago, from a Jewish perspective. Fishman is Professor of Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York City and is the author of several books, notably, The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis (ForeEdge, 2017), which won the National Jewish Book Award for a work on the Holocaust. We reached Dovid in New York City via Zoom on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. Music: Aaron Lebedeff: In Odess Bronya Sakina: Di Sapozhkelekh (from the album Live from KlezKamp! The Staff Concerts 1985-2003, recorded 1985; the singer was from Ukraine) The Alibi Sisters: Yuh Mein Liebe Tochter (the singers Anna and Angelina Zavalsky are based in Ukraine) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: February 11, 2025

Hat Radio: The Show that Schmoozes
THE DEKREPITZER REBBE: THE HOLOCAUST & A FIDDLE (Audio/Visual)

Hat Radio: The Show that Schmoozes

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 63:27


Welcome to the show. We are joined by Howard Langer — award-winning writer, attorney, and author of 'The Last Dekrepitzer', a novel that has already earned the National Jewish Book Award and marks his first work of fiction in fifty years. Howard is the founder of a leading antitrust law firm in Philadelphia, an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a teacher whose work has taken him from Oxford to Tokyo. Yet in this conversation, we meet him foremost as a storyteller — one deeply concerned with memory, justice, and the fragile persistence of the human spirit. The Last Dekrepitzer opens in a New York subway station in 1965, where a lone fiddler braids Hasidic melodies with blues and gospel. He is the Dekrepitzer Rebbe — the final survivor of a vanished Chasidic sect destroyed in the Holocaust. From a lost Polish shtetl to the docks of Naples, from the American South to Manhattan streets alive with music and tension, his journey becomes an odyssey of survival, displacement, faith, and identity. Through encounters that cross cultures and histories, the novel asks a difficult question: how does a person live — spiritually, morally, musically — after everything has been torn away? Howard studied under literary giants Yehuda Amichai and Aharon Appelfeld, and his writing carries that lineage of moral seriousness and poetic depth. Critics have praised the novel for introducing one of the most singular figures in contemporary Jewish fiction — a character haunted by memory, sustained by music, and forever wrestling with God. Today's conversation is about faith and fracture, about music as a vessel for memory, and about what we continue to carry long after the world tells us to move on. It is a discussion of survival not as an ending, but as a lifelong reckoning — personal, communal, and spiritual. I'm glad you're here. ——

Hat Radio: The Show that Schmoozes
THE DEKREPITZER REBBE: THE HOLOCAUST & A FIDDLE (Audio)

Hat Radio: The Show that Schmoozes

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 63:27


Welcome to the show. We are joined by Howard Langer — award-winning writer, attorney, and author of 'The Last Dekrepitzer', a novel that has already earned the National Jewish Book Award and marks his first work of fiction in fifty years. Howard is the founder of a leading antitrust law firm in Philadelphia, an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a teacher whose work has taken him from Oxford to Tokyo. Yet in this conversation, we meet him foremost as a storyteller — one deeply concerned with memory, justice, and the fragile persistence of the human spirit. The Last Dekrepitzer opens in a New York subway station in 1965, where a lone fiddler braids Hasidic melodies with blues and gospel. He is the Dekrepitzer Rebbe — the final survivor of a vanished Chasidic sect destroyed in the Holocaust. From a lost Polish shtetl to the docks of Naples, from the American South to Manhattan streets alive with music and tension, his journey becomes an odyssey of survival, displacement, faith, and identity. Through encounters that cross cultures and histories, the novel asks a difficult question: how does a person live — spiritually, morally, musically — after everything has been torn away? Howard studied under literary giants Yehuda Amichai and Aharon Appelfeld, and his writing carries that lineage of moral seriousness and poetic depth. Critics have praised the novel for introducing one of the most singular figures in contemporary Jewish fiction — a character haunted by memory, sustained by music, and forever wrestling with God. Today's conversation is about faith and fracture, about music as a vessel for memory, and about what we continue to carry long after the world tells us to move on. It is a discussion of survival not as an ending, but as a lifelong reckoning — personal, communal, and spiritual. I'm glad you're here. ——

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table
ICE Shooting, Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams and Expert on Nazi Gas Chambers

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 156:45


Call ins, legal and civic positions on ICE shooting and Noam's take on Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams. Guest: Professor Robert Jan Van Pelt, the principal expert witness on Nazi gas chambers in the David Irving trial, joins. Robert Jan Van Pelt is one of the world's leading experts on Auschwitz. An architectural historian who has taught at MIT and the University of Waterloo, he is best known for proving the reality of the gas chambers and crematoria. His work made him a central figure in the fight against Holocaust denial. He appeared in Errol Morris's Mr. Death and served as a key expert witness in the landmark Irving v. Penguin & Lipstadt trial. He has received major honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Jewish Book Award.

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table
Expert Witness in Irving Trial Debunks Holocaust Deniers. Also, ICE Shooting, Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams and

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 156:45


Call ins, legal and civic positions on ICE shooting and Noam's take on Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams. Guest: Professor Robert Jan Van Pelt, the principal expert witness on Nazi gas chambers in the David Irving trial, joins. Robert Jan Van Pelt is one of the world's leading experts on Auschwitz. An architectural historian who has taught at MIT and the University of Waterloo, he is best known for proving the reality of the gas chambers and crematoria. His work made him a central figure in the fight against Holocaust denial. He appeared in Errol Morris's Mr. Death and served as a key expert witness in the landmark Irving v. Penguin & Lipstadt trial. He has received major honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Jewish Book Award.

The Dissenter
#1201 Rebecca Newberger Goldstein: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us

The Dissenter

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 78:08


******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuyPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/ Dr. Rebecca Newberger Goldstein is an American philosopher, novelist, and public intellectual. She is a MacArthur Fellow and has received the National Humanities Medal of the US, the National Jewish Book Award, and numerous other honors. She's the author of ten books, both fiction and nonfiction, including The Mind-Body Problem, Betraying Spinoza, and Plato at the Googleplex. Her latest book is The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us. In this episode, we focus on The Mattering Instinct. We start by discussing what it is to matter, the mattering instinct, the social aspects of mattering, and four mattering types: socializers, transcenders, competitors, and heroic strivers. We talk about cosmic and biological mattering. We discuss whether mattering can be universalized, and an objective standard to distinguish between better and worse ways to respond to the mattering instinct. Finally, we talk about nihilism and absurdism, and whether the unexamined life is worth living.--A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JORDAN MANSFIELD, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, PETER STOYKO, DAVID TONNER, LEE BECK, PATRICK DALTON-HOLMES, NICK KRASNEY, RACHEL ZAK, DENNIS XAVIER, CHINMAYA BHAT, RHYS, AND ALEX MACLEOD!A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, NICK GOLDEN, CHRISTINE GLASS, IGOR NIKIFOROVSKI, AND PER KRAULIS!AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER,SERGIU CODREANU, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

Historians At The Movies
Episode 173: Is Hamburger Hill the greatest war film we ever forgot?

Historians At The Movies

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 99:02


This week historians John McManus and Waitman Beorn drop in to talk about the history behind Hamburger Hill, arguably the greatest war film we ever forgot.About our guests:John C. McManus is Curators' Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). This professorship is bestowed by the University of Missouri Board of Curators on the most outstanding scholars in the University of Missouri system. McManus is the first ever Missouri S&T faculty member in the humanities to be named Curators' Distinguished Professor. As one of the nation's leading military historians, and the author of fifteen well received books on the topic, he is in frequent demand as a speaker and expert commentator. In addition to dozens of local and national radio programs, he has appeared on Cnn.com, Fox News, C-Span, the Military Channel, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, Netflix, the Smithsonian Network, the History Channel and PBS, among others. He also served as historical advisor for the bestselling book and documentary Salinger, the latter of which appeared nationwide in theaters and on PBS's American Masters Series. During the 2018-2019 academic year, he was in residence at the U.S. Naval Academy as the Leo A. Shifrin Chair of Naval and Military History, a distinguished visiting professorship. His current project is a major three volume history of the U.S. Army in the Pacific/Asia theater during World War II. He is the host of two podcasts, Someone Talked! in tandem with the National D-Day Memorial, and We Have Ways of Making You Talk in the USA alongside Al Murray and James Holland. Dr. Waitman Wade Beorn is an associate professor in History at Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.  Dr. Beorn was previously the Director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond, VA and the inaugural Blumkin Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.  His first book, Marching Into Darkness: The Wehrmacht and the Holocaust in Belarus (Harvard University Press) Dr. Beorn is also the author of The Holocaust in Eastern Europe: At the Epicenter of the Final Solution (Bloomsbury Press, 2018) and has recently finished a book on the Janowska concentration camp outside of Lviv, Ukraine. That book Between the Wires: The Janowska Camp and the Holocaust in Lviv was released in August 2024 from Nebraska University Press.  Between the Wires was recognised as a Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in the United States.He is currently on research leave thanks to an AHRC Research, Development, and Engagement Fellowship.  This fellowship supports his work on a project entitled Visualizing Janowska: Creating a Digital Architectural Model of a Nazi Concentration Camp.  This interdisciplinary project will build a digital reconstruction of the Janowska concentration camp based on historical sources as most of the site is gone today.  Dr. Beorn is managing a team of architects and digital modellers to accomplish this and is partnered with the Holocaust Education Trust, the Wiener Holocaust Library, the Lviv Center for Urban History, the Duke Digital Art History and Visual Culture Lab, and the Holocaust Center North. Dr. Beorn has published work in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Central European History, German Studie

Daily Jewish Thought
In Conversation with Rabbi David Eliezrie | UNdaunted: How the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn Saved Russian Jewry, Reimagined American Judaism, Ignited a Global Jewish Renaissance

Daily Jewish Thought

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2025 65:06


In this remarkable conversation, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath sits down with Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie to explore UNdaunted, his newly released biography of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, a hero of Jewish history whose courage rewrote the future. We journey through the Rebbe's extraordinary childhood, discovering how early acts of bravery shaped a leader who would one day defy empires and rebuild Jewish life across the world.Rabbi Eliezrie speaks of the Rebbe's profound influence on Montreal, from the spiritual infrastructure he inspired, to the seeds of community he planted that continue to flourish today. Along the way, Rabbi Eliezrie shares gripping stories, newly uncovered insights, and the human side of a leader whose love for every Jew was as fierce as his fight for our future.This conversation isn't only about the past, it's about the fire that still burns in us. The Previous Rebbe taught us to never bow to fear, never settle for less, and never stop believing in the infinite power of the Jewish soul.Rabbi David Eliezrie, a master storyteller, community builder, global Jewish leader, and the author of the newly released Undaunted, his monumental biography of the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe whose life reads like a symphony of faith and fearlessness. Rabbi Eliezrie is the senior Shliach in Yorba Linda, president of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County, a senior advisor to JRNU, and a respected voice in Jewish life both in Israel and around the world. He's written bestselling works (The Secret of Chabad was a National Jewish Book Award finalist) and has the rare gift of being able to weave historical depth with a storyteller's heart.This book, Undaunted is something different. It's sweeping, deeply researched, and filled with moments that remind you what spiritual courage looks like in real life. It's the story of a Rebbe who fought czars, communists, assimilation, and despair… and somehow managed to strengthen Judaism in every place he touched.You can purchase the book INDIGO https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/undaunted-how-the-sixth-lubavitcher-rebbe-yosef-yitzchak-schneersohn-saved-russian-jewry-reimagined-american-judaism-ignited-a-global-jewish-renaissance/9781592647262.htmlAMAZON USA https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Lubavitcher-Schneersohn-Reimagined-Renaissance/dp/159264726XAMAZON CANADA https://www.amazon.ca/Undaunted-Lubavitcher-Schneersohn-Reimagined-Renaissance-ebook/dp/B0FT3GYP31Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Spirit Matters
The Power of Spiritual Imagination with Rodger Kamenetz

Spirit Matters

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 65:30


Rodger Kamenetz is an award-winning poet, author and teacher. He has authored nine books of poetry and several nonfiction books, including (not in chronological order) The History of Last Night's Dream, which earned him an interview with Oprah Winfrey on her “Soul Series” program; Burnt Books; Stalking Elijah, which won the National Jewish Book Award; and his best known book, The Jew in the Lotus, about an historic dialogue between the Dalai Lama and a group of rabbis that became an international bestseller and prompted a reevaluation of Judaism in the light of Buddhist thought. He is also the founder of Natural Dreamwork, an approach to using dreams for spiritual growth. Now he's written a new book, Seeing Into the Life of Things, which is about the use of imagination in the spiritual life. We spoke mainly about that book, but also about many other intriguing and practical topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in History
Elissa Bemporad, "Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1" (NYU Press, 2025)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2025 57:04


Chronicles the encounter of one of the largest Jewish communities in the world with war, revolution, and Soviet power from 1917 through 1930 At the beginning of the twentieth century, more Jews lived in the Russian Empire than anywhere else in the world. After the Holocaust, the USSR remained one of the world's three key centers of Jewish population, along with the United States and Israel. Yet while a great deal is known about the history and experiences of the Jewish people in the US and in Israel in the twentieth century, much less is known about the experiences of Soviet Jews. Jews in the Soviet Union, a new multi-volume history, is an unprecedented undertaking. This groundbreaking work draws on rare access to documents from the Soviet archives, allowing for the presentation of a sweeping history of Jewish life in the Soviet Union from 1917 through the early 1990s. Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1, (NYU Press, 2025) Guest: Elissa Bemporad (she/her) is the Ungar Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust, and is a Professor of History at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award. She is the author of Becoming Soviet Jews: The Bolshevik Experiment in Minsk (2013), and Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets (2019). Elissa is also the co-editor of two volumes: Women and Genocide: Survivors, Victims, Perpetrators (2018); and Pogroms: A Documentary History (Oxford University Press, 2021). Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: here Linktree: here tells the story of the ways in which Jews endured, adjusted to, and participated in the Soviet system both as individuals and as part of a Jewish collectivity during the first decade of its existence. The volume explores Jewish cultural, political, and social life in the different regions of the Soviet Union, integrating gender and women's issues, narratives of historical elites and ordinary folk. It focuses on everyday life and discusses the fate of Jews in the Soviet Union both as Soviet citizens and as Jews. Chronicling the ways in which different Jews became Soviet in the 1920s, the volume reveals how the lines of contact between Jews in the Soviet Union and the outside world fluctuated between open antagonism and impassioned support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books Network
Elissa Bemporad, "Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1" (NYU Press, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 57:04


Chronicles the encounter of one of the largest Jewish communities in the world with war, revolution, and Soviet power from 1917 through 1930 At the beginning of the twentieth century, more Jews lived in the Russian Empire than anywhere else in the world. After the Holocaust, the USSR remained one of the world's three key centers of Jewish population, along with the United States and Israel. Yet while a great deal is known about the history and experiences of the Jewish people in the US and in Israel in the twentieth century, much less is known about the experiences of Soviet Jews. Jews in the Soviet Union, a new multi-volume history, is an unprecedented undertaking. This groundbreaking work draws on rare access to documents from the Soviet archives, allowing for the presentation of a sweeping history of Jewish life in the Soviet Union from 1917 through the early 1990s. Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1, (NYU Press, 2025) Guest: Elissa Bemporad (she/her) is the Ungar Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust, and is a Professor of History at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award. She is the author of Becoming Soviet Jews: The Bolshevik Experiment in Minsk (2013), and Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets (2019). Elissa is also the co-editor of two volumes: Women and Genocide: Survivors, Victims, Perpetrators (2018); and Pogroms: A Documentary History (Oxford University Press, 2021). Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: here Linktree: here tells the story of the ways in which Jews endured, adjusted to, and participated in the Soviet system both as individuals and as part of a Jewish collectivity during the first decade of its existence. The volume explores Jewish cultural, political, and social life in the different regions of the Soviet Union, integrating gender and women's issues, narratives of historical elites and ordinary folk. It focuses on everyday life and discusses the fate of Jews in the Soviet Union both as Soviet citizens and as Jews. Chronicling the ways in which different Jews became Soviet in the 1920s, the volume reveals how the lines of contact between Jews in the Soviet Union and the outside world fluctuated between open antagonism and impassioned support. 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

New Books in Jewish Studies
Elissa Bemporad, "Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1" (NYU Press, 2025)

New Books in Jewish Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 57:04


Chronicles the encounter of one of the largest Jewish communities in the world with war, revolution, and Soviet power from 1917 through 1930 At the beginning of the twentieth century, more Jews lived in the Russian Empire than anywhere else in the world. After the Holocaust, the USSR remained one of the world's three key centers of Jewish population, along with the United States and Israel. Yet while a great deal is known about the history and experiences of the Jewish people in the US and in Israel in the twentieth century, much less is known about the experiences of Soviet Jews. Jews in the Soviet Union, a new multi-volume history, is an unprecedented undertaking. This groundbreaking work draws on rare access to documents from the Soviet archives, allowing for the presentation of a sweeping history of Jewish life in the Soviet Union from 1917 through the early 1990s. Jews in the Soviet Union: A History: Revolution, Civil War, and New Ways of Life, 1917–1930, Vol. 1, (NYU Press, 2025) Guest: Elissa Bemporad (she/her) is the Ungar Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust, and is a Professor of History at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award. She is the author of Becoming Soviet Jews: The Bolshevik Experiment in Minsk (2013), and Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets (2019). Elissa is also the co-editor of two volumes: Women and Genocide: Survivors, Victims, Perpetrators (2018); and Pogroms: A Documentary History (Oxford University Press, 2021). Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: here Linktree: here tells the story of the ways in which Jews endured, adjusted to, and participated in the Soviet system both as individuals and as part of a Jewish collectivity during the first decade of its existence. The volume explores Jewish cultural, political, and social life in the different regions of the Soviet Union, integrating gender and women's issues, narratives of historical elites and ordinary folk. It focuses on everyday life and discusses the fate of Jews in the Soviet Union both as Soviet citizens and as Jews. Chronicling the ways in which different Jews became Soviet in the 1920s, the volume reveals how the lines of contact between Jews in the Soviet Union and the outside world fluctuated between open antagonism and impassioned support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies