Podcasts about yom ha

Tazria-Metzora [Leviticus 12-15] is the first in a series of doubled parashiyot in the Book of Leviticus. With its emphasis on afflictions of the body, some caused by disease and some caused by natural processes, it has been a test for those seeking to find homiletical material connected to the text. It has been well said that doubling up makes the task easier in that there is only one difficult week, rather than two. Nevertheless, the parashiyot do raise some fascinating questions for the modern mind. Can we envision a priestly Judaism in 2025? Should we place as much emphasis on the body as a tool for religious expresssion as our ancestors apparently did? What might we learn from the biblical example where the issue of tumah and taharah [impurity and purity] with respect to tzara'at [often translated, mistakenly, as leprosy] is decided by the priest rather than the disease itself? And finally, the bayit ha-menuga, the house afflicted by leprosy, is one of 3 cases [the other two being the stubborn and rebellious son (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) and the city given over to idol worship (Deuteronomy 13:13-19], where one sage said the case never happened and another said he had personal witness. What do we make of two thoroughly incompatible opinions on the same page of the Talmud? Since this is the week, too, of Yom Ha-zikkaron [Israel's Memorial Day] and Yom Ha-atzma'ut [Israel's Independence Day], we discussed these as well [we recorded Sunday night, 4/27/2025]. We feel even more keenly the plight of the hostages who remain in Gaza, and pray even more fervently for their speedy release and for the safety of all those who defend Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Shabbat Shalom.

Happy 77th birthday, Israel! After the frightening wildfires plaguing Central Israel on Yom HaZikaron 2025, this year's Independence Day certainly started off unlike any other. But that didn't stop us from celebrating Israel's 77th in grand fashion! Join Josh Shron as he recaps this year's best musical moments...from new songs, viral videos, and amazing performances at this year's 'unusual' Torch Lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl. We'll also throw in some uplifting, patriotic music released since last Yom Ha'atzmaut, to help boost our spirits throughout this difficult year. All in all, a musical celebration, 77 years in the making! (Original Air Date: May 4, 2025) Full YouTube playlist at https://tinyurl.com/yc66xt58 Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join our new Facebook Group - 'Only In Israel - Everyday Magic': https://www.facebook.com/groups/israelimagic Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

On this Thursday edition of Sid & Friends in the Morning, Sid broadcasts live from Israel for the last of four days here this week in the Jewish homeland, delivering today's program from the Psagot Winery in Judea. Gabriel Boxer, Efraim Abrams, Betsey McCaughey, Bruce Blakeman, Bill O'Reilly, Richard Kemp and Tila Falic join Sid on this special Thursday installment of Sid & Friends in the Morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel remembers its fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism this week on Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, followed immediately by celebrations on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. As sirens sound and Israelis pause both days, first in solemn remembrance, and then in joyous celebration, find out how you can honor and support the miraculous nation of Israel.  The CUFI Minute is another way to enjoy CUFI's online newsand analysis segment, the CUFI Weekly. Featuring host Kasim Hafeez, this microcast is a quick yet in-depth topical segment you can listen to while commuting to work or making your afternoon cup of coffee. We should stand in solidarity against terrorism including when it happens in Israel.In under 10 minutes a week, learn about the history behindmany threats facing Israel, the significance of important holidays and anniversaries throughout the year, and what's happening in Israel and the broader Middle East.

Yom Ha-Asmaut: Unity by Rabbi Avi Harari

Celebrate Israel's 77th birthday, as Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman welcome Times of Israel political correspondent Haviv Rettig Gur for a candid Yom Ha'atzmaut conversation. In this episode, recorded at the close of Yom HaZikaron and on the eve of Independence Day amidst national wildfires and an ongoing conflict, we unpack: What it feels like to honor 59 hostages still held in Gaza while preparing to rejoice How family rituals and neighborhood gatherings keep hope alive, even when the lights go out Why shared sacrifice can unite a deeply divided society If you've ever wondered how to balance grief and gratitude—how to celebrate under the shadow of war—this is the episode for you. Tune in for a moving, insightful journey into resilience, solidarity, and the true spirit of Yom Ha'atzmaut. Subscribe and join our community of Wandering Jews as we ask big questions and explore Jewish life together! And follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/wonderingjews

Yom Ha'atzmaut:  Israel Independence Day and The Declaration That Almost Wasn't!  -  English only.  In 1948, after David Ben-Gurion signed Israel's Declaration of Independence, newspapers announced that the nation of Israel was born.  Yes, the nation was born but the document almost wasn't born!  Investigate the extraordinary history of Israel's Declaration of Independence!  This is a rebroadcast of a May 4, 2022, podcast from our archives.  This year, 2025, Israel Independence Day falls on May 1, 2025.

Rabbi Shira shares her live conversation with New York Times' Opinion columnist David Brooks.* And on Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) she talks about the importance of voting in the World Zionist Congress.*This event was hosted by Sixth & I, a center for arts, entertainment, ideas, and Jewish life in Washington DC.Vote in the World Zionist CongressListen to more conversations from Sixth & ISupport Chutzpod!Submit a questionContact Chutzpod!Subscribe to ChutzstackFollow Hanna on InstagramFollow Shira on InstagramFollow Shira on FacebookFollow Chutzpod on FacebookFollow Chutzpod on Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The annual torch lighting ceremony marking the transition from Yom HaZikaron to Yom Ha'azmaut has been cancelled due to strong winds and enormous blazes in the Judean Hills; The Israel Daily News attended the Tel Aviv main stage to honor the lives of fallen soldiers in battle. Hear what the public is going through on this Memorial Day …& An interview with American Forum for Israel's Ilana Kozak of Slate 21. We endorse her and her slate in the World Zionist Elections. Voting ends Sunday, May 4th. Don't forget to vote! Americanforumforisrael.vote UPDATE: Israel Fire and Rescue announced all forests and recreational areas in at-risk zones will be closed May 1 due to concerns about renewed outbreaks of blazes. The public is prohibited from visiting numerous locations and are not allowed to create open fires. Click that you heard about Hasod (gift boxes) from “a podcast” when you check out. https://www.hasodstore.com/shopsmallIsrael Daily News website: https://israeldailynews.orgIsrael Daily News Roundtable: https://www.patreon.com/shannafuldSupport our Wartime News Coverage: https://www.gofundme.com/f/independent-journalist-covering-israels-warLinks to all things IDN:⁠ https://linktr.ee/israeldailynews⁠Music: Yihye Tov Mordy Weinstein, Nicole Raviv, Edan Tamler  https://open.spotify.com/album/5H664Jf4UroY3BN8rsVEky?si=kP1k_SBAQZKU-TtMwSaCrA

Yom Ha-Zikaron - Stopping For The Siren by Rabbi Avi Harari

Sans vouloir créer des tensions mais à titre de réflexion, ce cours explique ce qu'est Yom Ha'atsmaout, pourquoi les ultra-orthodoxes devraient être les seuls à le célébrer et pourquoi ils ne le font pas.

Yom Ha-Assmaut - When It Falls On Shabbat by Rabbi Avi Harari

This week on Shtark Tank, we bring you a special megapod in honor of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut — a deep, emotional journey through stories of sacrifice, strength, and national pride.In this episode:Yakir and Josh Hexter's Story: Why one bereaved father turned down a public interview — and the lesson we all need to hear.Avraham and Daniel Colthuf: Two brothers, lawyers and reserve soldiers, who serve as chazanim for IDF funerals, standing by families in their darkest moments.Collection of Israel Stories:Jeff Swartz, former CEO of Timberland, on falling in love with Israel (from Invested podcast).Nobel laureate Professor Yisrael Aumann on losing his son and a powerful shiva visit.Highlights from Michael Eisenberg on making Aliyah and building a career in Israel.A personal reflection from my father about how a fallen soldier shaped our Aliyah story.Subscribe to our newsletter at ⁠shtarktank.org⁠ for more from working Bnei Torah around the world.Join our ⁠quiet whatsapp group ⁠for episode updates, event invites and exclusive bonus content.Thank you for listening.If this episode moved you, please take a moment to rate and review — it helps us bring more meaningful conversations to more people.Subscribe to Shtark Tank for thoughtful interviews, honest reflections, and real conversations for Bnei Torah navigating the modern world.00:00 Intro02:16 Yakir Hexter HY"D and Silent Grief07:30 Interview with Colthof Brothers54:56 Short Stories

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Spices and Stories: A Yom Ha'atzmaut Culinary Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-04-27-22-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: שוק מחנה יהודה היה מלא חיים ביום אביב המואר.En: The Mahane Yehuda Market was full of life on a bright spring day.He: ריח עשבי התיבול הטריים התמזג עם ניחוחות התבלינים, והקולות של הסוחרים שקראו לעוברים ושבים נשמעו בכל פינה.En: The aroma of fresh herbs mingled with the scents of spices, and the voices of vendors calling out to passersby could be heard at every corner.He: אנשים רבים נעה בזהירות בין הסמטאות הצרות, מחפשים את המרכיבים המושלמים לארוחת ערב חגיגית לכבוד יום העצמאות.En: Many people moved carefully through the narrow alleys, searching for the perfect ingredients for a festive dinner in honor of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day.He: תמר, עם שיער הבלונדיני הארוך שלה אוסף בעדינות מאחור, בחנה את העגבניות הטריות בעיניים חדיולות.En: Tamar, with her long blonde hair gently gathered at the back, examined the fresh tomatoes with keen eyes.He: היא רצתה להכין מנה שתכבד את זיכרונותיה ממשפחתה, אבל גם שיכולה להוסיף נגיעה עכשווית.En: She wanted to prepare a dish that honored her family memories, but also one that could add a contemporary touch.He: היא החליטה להכין "מעורב ירושלמי" עם טוויסט מודרני וייחודי.En: She decided to make ma'orav Yerushalmi with a modern and unique twist.He: החיפוש האחרון שלה היה אחר תבלין נדיר שחתם על טעם המנה.En: Her final search was for a rare spice that would seal the flavor of the dish.He: באותו זמן, נדב, איש צעיר עם חיוך סקרן, עמד ליד הדוכן הסמוך, שואל את המוכר על אותו התבלין המיוחד.En: At the same time, Nadav, a young man with a curious smile, stood by the nearby stall, asking the vendor about that special spice.He: נדב היה כתב אוכל שאהב לגלות את הסיפורים מאחורי כל מנה מסורתית.En: Nadav was a food journalist who loved uncovering the stories behind every traditional dish.He: הוא רצה לחקור מה הופך מנה לאותנטית באמת.En: He wanted to explore what truly makes a dish authentic.He: "תראה", התחילה תמר, פונה לנדב, "המנה שלי תלויה בתבלין הזה.En: "Look," Tamar began, turning to Nadav, "my dish relies on this spice.He: זה יהיה מחווה לסבתא שלי, והיא תמיד אמרה שזה מה שעושה את ההבדל.En: It's going to be a tribute to my grandmother, and she always said this is what makes the difference."He: "נדב חייך, מתעניין.En: Nadav smiled, intrigued.He: "יש לי רעיון," אמר בטון ידידותי.En: "I have an idea," he said in a friendly tone.He: "למה שלא נבדוק את הדוכן ההוא בקצה השוק?En: "Why don't we check out that stall at the end of the market?He: שמעתי שיש להם גרסה מיוחדת של התבלין הזה.En: I heard they have a special version of this spice."He: "שניהם פנו יחד לכיוון המוכר המדובר, חולפים בין ההמון.En: Together, they headed toward the mentioned vendor, weaving through the crowd.He: שם, הם גילו איש מבוגר עם עיניים נוצצות שמכר תבלין נדיר, שונה מזה שהכירה תמר, אך עם פוטנציאל להוסיף פיצוץ של טעם.En: There, they discovered an older man with sparkling eyes who was selling a rare spice, different from what Tamar knew, yet with the potential to add a burst of flavor.He: תמר ונדב החליפו חיוכים, שניהם מסכימים שהתבלין החדש יכול לתת לך המנה שלה את מה שהיא צריכה - השילוב המושלם של מסורת וחידוש.En: Tamar and Nadav exchanged smiles, both agreeing that the new spice could give her dish what it needed—the perfect combination of tradition and innovation.He: הם שוחחו על אהבתם לבישול ולמסורת, מחליטים לשמור על קשר ולהחליף מתכונים בעתיד.En: They chatted about their love for cooking and tradition, deciding to keep in touch and exchange recipes in the future.He: תמר הבינה שלפעמים מרכיבים חדשים יכולים להעשיר את המנות הישנות, בעוד שנדב גילה את העוצמה שבסיפורים ובזיכרונות שאוכל יכול להביא.En: Tamar realized that sometimes new ingredients can enrich old dishes, while Nadav discovered the power of the stories and memories that food can bring.He: ביחד, הם יצאו מהשוק, מוכנים לכתוב פרק חדש בטעמים הישנים.En: Together, they left the market, ready to write a new chapter with old flavors. Vocabulary Words:aroma: ריחvendors: סוחריםpassersby: עוברים ושביםalley: סמטאותingredients: מרכיביםfestive: חגיגיתgathered: אוסףexamined: בחנהcontemporary: עכשוויתtwist: טוויסטrare: נדירspice: תבליןseal: חתםuncovering: לגלותauthentic: אותנטיתrely: תלויהtribute: מחווהintrigued: מתענייןweaving: חולפיםstall: דוכןsparkling: נוצצותenrich: להעשירpotential: פוטנציאלburst: פיצוץcombination: שילובinnovation: חידושflavors: טעמיםcurious: סקרןmemories: זיכרונותexchange: החליףBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

God is always confusing. We never know what to think. But that is especially true now in this fraught theological season between commemorating the Shoah (April 24), honoring soldiers who fell in Israel's wars and victims of terrorism on Yom Hazikaron (April 30), and celebrating the birth of the State of Israel on om Ha'atzmaut (May 1). Tomorrow we are going to study a modern Jewish philosopher that we have never before studied, Rabbi Irving Greenberg, who came up with a new scheme: the Three Eras of Jewish History.It is new. It is thoughtful. It is engaging. It gives us what to talk about.But does it work? After all, the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel happened within three years of one another, very much in the same era.We will also look at the special insertions in our Amidah for Yom Hashoah and Yom Ha'atzmaut to see what statement they make on God's relationship to the Jewish people and to history in 1941-45 and in 1948. We will also examine an important text from the Talmud that shows our sense of God's presence or absence is very much affected by what is actually happening in the world. Spoiler alert: it's not about the answers. There are none. It's about the wrestling. One other alternative: Who needs God? Since there are no answers, since the wrestling never leads to an answer, are we better off if God is not all that important to us—which, by the way, is what the vast majority of Temple Emanuel members will say about how they actually lead their lives. “I'm not a God person. I am here for the community.” Maybe that is the wisest posture of all?

The word שואה, holocaust, used to be a sacred word. Not anymore. Like many loaded words, we used and reused it. Now you can hear people using Sho'a in totally different contexts. Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon   New Words and Expressions: Shoah – Holocaust – שואה Amud ha-esh – Pillar of fire – עמוד האש Yom Hazikaron La-shoah ve-la-gvura (Yom Ha-shoah) – The Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day – יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה, יום השואה Germania ha-natsit – Nazi Germany – גרמניה הנאצית “Ani ba-tor ba-bank, shoah po” – “I am waiting in line in the bank, it's shoah here” – אני בתור בבנק, שואה פה Shoati – Holocaust-esque, shoah-like – שואתי “Al tihye shoa'ti” – Don't be sho'ati – אל תהיה שואתי   Playlist and Clips: Amud ha-esh soundtrack by Shem Tov Levy Amud Ha-esh – narration: Yossi banai TV2 interview with animal activist Gary Yourofsky Ep. 97 about the word Amud

Calev Ben Dor shares a moving and personal Yom Ha'atzmaut reflection, on the challenges and responsibilities of statehood and what the above verse has to teach us about the dignity and equality afforded to non Jewish citizens of the Jewish state. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.3?lang=bi

Summary   Dennis Karp shares his journey of moving from the United States to Israel and the challenges in the transition. He discusses the need for marriage and relationship counseling in Israel and the growing openness to the Messiah among the people. Dennis also talks about the spiritual climate in Israel and the work his ministry does with Holocaust survivors and young believers. He shares his perspective on sending children off to war and the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments in the media. The conversation covers various themes related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the impact on families, the role of the American church, and the importance of biblical knowledge and understanding.   Takeaways Moving to a new country and culture can be challenging, especially for children who have to adjust to a new language and education system. There is a growing need for marriage and relationship counseling in Israel, and many people are open to seeking help in these areas. The spiritual climate in Israel is changing, with more openness to the Messiah and a willingness to explore faith. The ministry focuses on counseling, discipleship, and outreach to Holocaust survivors and young believers in Israel. Sending children off to war is a difficult experience for parents, but there is a sense of pride and support for those serving in the Israeli army. There is a significant amount of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment in the media, which adds to the challenges faced by the people living in Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an existential war for Israel's existence, not just a war for land. The American church needs to upgrade its knowledge of scripture and worldwide politics to ask the right questions and confront false accusations against Israel. Yom HaZikaron is a day of remembrance for fallen soldiers in Israel, while Yom Ha'atzmaut is Israel's Independence Day. The Israeli educational system is facing challenges, including the dumbing down of curriculum and the introduction of biased ideologies. There is a need for biblical scholarship and literacy in the church to counter ignorance and indifference. Chapters   00:00 - Introduction and Background 05:15 - The Challenges of Moving to Israel 08:04 - The Need for Marriage and Relationship Counseling in Israel 09:32 - The Changing Spiritual Climate in Israel 12:25 - Ministry Focus: Counseling, Discipleship, and Outreach 16:39 - The Experience of Sending Children Off to War 18:06 - The Impact of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 25:08 - Remembering Fallen Soldiers and Celebrating Independence 28:28 - The Miraculous Protection of Israel 30:30 - The Role of the American Church 34:18 - Challenges in the Israeli Educational System 36:24 - Biblical Scholarship and Literacy in the Church

Shabbat Emor Yom Ha'tzmaut 2024: A Sling, A Rock and a Lesson by Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich

Each year, there is so much emotional Israeli music that emerges in commemoration of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. Between new original songs, musical tributes at state ceremonies, and performances at other events around the country, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. This year, however, was no ordinary year. Israel's Memorial Day was more somber than ever, and Independence Day took on a very different significance. So it only makes sense that we take a second week to explore the meaningful music that provided the soundtrack to this very important week. You'll hear uplifting songs celebrating our homeland, gut-wrenching songs mourning our losses, and new takes on classic songs that remind us of what we are fighting for. You'll also hear Eden Golan (finally) sing the original 'October Rain' - performing this year's Israeli Eurovision entry as it was always meant to be heard. Fasten your seatbelts for yet another emotional roller coaster ride, this week on Israel Hour Radio. (Original Air Date: May 19, 2024) Full playlist at https://www.myisraelimusic.com/episode1190 Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

Each year, there is so much emotional Israeli music that emerges in commemoration of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. Between new original songs, musical tributes at state ceremonies, and performances at other events around the country, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. This year, however, was no ordinary year. Israel's Memorial Day was more somber than ever, and Independence Day took on a very different significance. So it only makes sense that we take a second week to explore the meaningful music that provided the soundtrack to this very important week. You'll hear uplifting songs celebrating our homeland, gut-wrenching songs mourning our losses, and new takes on classic songs that remind us of what we are fighting for. You'll also hear Eden Golan (finally) sing the original 'October Rain' - performing this year's Israeli Eurovision entry as it was always meant to be heard. Fasten your seatbelts for yet another emotional roller coaster ride, this week on Israel Hour Radio. (Original Air Date: May 19, 2024) Full playlist at https://www.myisraelimusic.com/episode1190 Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

Jacob Magid, U.S. Bureau Chief for the Times of Israel, provides his take on Israel's efforts to destroy Hamas in Gaza, the U.S-Israel relations, the anti-Israel campus protests, the Israeli public's reaction to rising antisemitism abroad, and the challenges he has faced as a journalist since October 7.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Jacob Magid Show Notes: Learn more: Everything You Need to Know About Rafah, Its Importance to Hamas, and Protecting Its Civilian Population Listen to AJC's People of the Pod: What Does it Mean to be a Jewish American Hero? A Jewish American Heritage Month Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch The Chaos at Columbia: What It's Like to be Jewish on Campus Right Now Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Episode Transcript: Manya Brachear Pashman:  How important is American support for Israel? What message is the protest movement on American college campuses sending to Israel? Jacob Magid: is the U.S. Bureau Chief for The Times of Israel. Our colleagues in Washington D.C. hosted him this week in front of a live audience of about 200 guests. But we had some questions of our own and he joins us now. Jacob, welcome to People of the Pod.  Jacob Magid:  Hey there, thanks for having me. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So there have been a lot of reports in the media lately about a strain in US-Israel relations, especially after Biden's announcement of a delay in the transfer of heavy munitions and concerns over Israel's plans in Rafah. Yet this week, Biden announced that it green-lit the transfer of over $1 billion in new arms for Israel, seemingly quelling any concerns about this rift. But what is your take on the situation? Is there a rift between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu?   Jacob Magid:  It's interesting, because I think in the weeks and months immediately after October 7, support for President Joe Biden was at record highs. As at the same time, support for Donald Trump was plummeting, given the comments that he was making, shortly after October 7, kind of mocking Israel for not being able to foresee what what occurred on the seventh, as opposed to Biden who made this trip right after October 7, sent those aircrafts to the eastern Mediterranean, and warned Israel's adversaries not to get involved in the attack. I think there was real appreciation for what Joe Biden was doing. And I think it's amazing how much seven months can do because we've seen that support for President Biden completely, I'd say, plummet.  There was a recent poll taken before this threat. But you can only imagine that it's only going to go down further, showing that now. Whereas earlier in the war, a plurality of Israelis supported President Biden over Trump in another election. Now those numbers have switched back, I think Israelis still do remember the steps Donald Trump took to re-open the Embassy in Jerusalem, to the Abraham Accords, the Golan Heights, all these different steps that he took when he was president. And I think that's more on their minds. And then they compare it to President Biden, they couldn't imagine President Trump taking those kinds of steps that he has taken, a public threat to withhold weapons that's a little bit harder for them to picture. And it's just more fresh on the minds of many Israelis when they're thinking about this current president.  But I would note that it's not really clear what President Trump would do in this kind of scenario. I think there are a lot of US officials and Israeli officials I've spoken with who say that at least Prime Minister Netanyahu might prefer President Biden to President Trump because he's seen as someone who's more predictable, in regards with his ties with Israel, that while things have gotten bad, Netanyahu can also always frame himself as trying to stand up to the Americans.  Whereas you'd have a much harder time doing that to Trump because I think he's a lot more beholden to him, will have a lot harder time saying no to Trump, I think Donald Trump, imagining a presidency where he's returning to the White House, I can't imagine he would be prepared to allow a war to continue for seven months, given his specific foreign policy agenda items, be it with Saudi Arabia or other places.  But right now Israelis, for right or wrong, I think are very much shocked by the step that the President took. I don't think they saw a lot of the lead up that maybe the Biden administration was feeling, that there was a lot of warning given. And I think there's a degree of betrayal that I think a lot of Israelis feel right now.  But again, things change so rapidly in this war. So that could switch again. And the Biden administration lately has been making a point to say this is just one shipment that we're holding. The vast majority of aid is still going to Israel, and we still have Israel's back. We're still determined to help them get rid of the threat of Hamas. But right now, Israelis, I think, are looking at it a little bit differently. Manya Brachear Pashman:  How are Israelis viewing the possibility or the prospect of a more major Rafah operation and is there actually a difference of opinion among the Israeli population about how long this war should continue?  Jacob Magid:  Given the fact that over the past few weeks, we've seen, Israeli troops returned to areas that they were already fighting in several times, like in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zaytoun. IDF troops returned to again last week. This is the third time they were there and soldiers have been killed each time. And Hamas has managed to regroup and return to these areas the IDF previously cleared.  But we haven't seen beyond leaks from the military establishment that has been frustrated with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu for not really forging some sort of plan for the day after in Gaza, some sort of body to replace Hamas be it the PA or anyone. Just something is what they're looking to be able to advance in order to complement the military achievements on the battlefield, you need some sort of diplomatic alternative as wel, diplomatic achievements.  So I think we're getting to a point I would imagine where Israelis are going to start voicing some more frustration with the way the war is being handled. But I think it's going to start with a decision by Benny Gantz, the National Unity Party and also his deputy Gadi Eizencott, two former IDF chiefs of staff who are highly respected among Israelis. A poll show that they're the strongest, most popular party right now in the Knesset. If elections were held today. That if they take that step to leave the government and demonstrate that they no longer have trust in the government's ability to get a hostage tool to wage the war, I think then you'll see a bit more frustration amongst Israelis and with the path that Netanyahu has taken, be it in Rafah or other places where they just don't trust that the war is being managed well. But until that happens, and I think Benny Gantz is very hesitant to take that step, because he knows that there are people he's able to straddle being at playing at both kind of dancing at both weddings right now, where he is very appreciated by both the more left wing people that might appreciate him being in the government to prevent the more far-right flank from taking steps that they don't agree with. And then on the right also for being a team player. And as Israelis like to say in Hebrew, to go under the stretcher and take part in the military offensive, I think he's able to beget appreciation from both. But once you take that step of crossing the Rubicon and leaving the government, and I think you'll lose some of those people that appreciate you. So I'm not sure when Gantz is going to take that step. But I don't think this war will be able to go on for months more without him leaving the government. I think that if we're two months on and there's no hostage deal, I would expect, I think, that step to be taken.  Manya Brachear Pashman:  Are Israelis growing more and more impatient, as the hostages remain in Gaza? Jacob Magid:  Yeah, I think they are. I think we're seeing an escalation of these protests that are led by the hostages' families. And they're increasingly willing to be aligned with separate protests that were much more definitive at one point about just toppling the government and demanding new elections. I think that a lot of these families of the hostages are starting to believe that the only way to get their loved ones back is to have a new government in place.  Now, that's still not the feeling amongst all families of hostages. Obviously, there's 132 families that come from different backgrounds and feel different things about this government. But I think there's definitely a feeling of desperation amongst them. And I think there's a lot of sympathy amongst the broader public with how they feel about this government. And I think at some point that that will dictate the direction that things take. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Jacob, you mentioned earlier that the Biden administration's comments or threats, you refer to them as there's a sense of betrayal. Is there also a sense of despair? In other words, how critical is America's support in this war? Jacob Magid:  I think, Israel, at least official Israel since Biden's comments, has insisted that Israel can continue fighting the war on its own, that it doesn't need, obviously would love the US support them, it's very important, but that it has no qualms with going into Rafah or just in general fighting this war on its own.  It believes it's an existential war, and that it has the means to continue fighting without necessarily US support. That's been the implication of these comments that Prime Minister Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant have been making different framing of how they've responded to it. I think Gallant  is a bit more sensitive to the US concerns than Netanyahu might appear to be. But that's basically the implication.  However, if you look just I mean, even Ron Dermer, a few days, I believe it was yesterday, he issued a speech basically saying that we have proven that we can fight on our own when we need to. But I think he neglected the point that I think it was April 14, when Iran fired 200 missiles and drones at Israel at the same time.  It wasn't Israel intercepting all these drones on its own. It required support from the US, from its European allies, from even Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which is less known, but that these countries were needed to come to Israel's aid in order to to really intercept all those rockets, all those missiles and drones.  And then I don't think it's totally accurate to say that we can do this on our own, we would have had a very different picture. I think on April 14, that night, had those rockets been able to penetrate Israeli airspace and harm civilians.  So I think, yes, Israel does have the means to continue fighting in Rafah on its own, and then Gaza on its own, but the question of Lebanon is a lot trickier, given how difficult it has been to fight against Hamas. And we've seen as I mentioned, that the Hamas fighters have been able to return to areas that were previously cleared by the IDF that this has taken seven months, and we're not on the edge of victory, as Netanyahu claims that we are. Just imagine how difficult it's going to be against Hezbollah. Which is even according to Israeli estimates, is far far far stronger than the kind of–it's a full fledged army in a way that Hamas might not necessarily be, as much as we underestimated Hamas. But I think nobody's under estimating Hezbollah and the firepower that it has, and the Iran backing that it has. And I think that Israel will need the US support in order to fight that kind of war.  I think there was this feeling of betrayal. The Biden administration just sees it differently, that they feel that this war has been going on for seven months, and there's really no end in sight. And they are concerned about the civilian casualties. That of course, I think Hamas inflates the numbers. And we can talk about that shortly.  But it's undeniable that the level of destruction that's been caused to Gaza. And there's just this feeling that without a strategy without a diplomatic path that Israel doesn't seem willing to approach, maybe it's starting to slowly talk a little bit privately about some sort of Palestinian Authority involvement in Gaza.  But this feeling that we can't just kind of continue throwing our head into the wall without any real broader plan beyond this military approach, and that there is an understanding or a hope in the Biden administration that Israel will some at some point, at least, I think the military establishment is starting to get there, that it'll extend to the political establishment as well, except that we're not trying to do this out of spite. I think there's a real belief that this is not the best way to go about it going into Rafah the way that Israel wants to go to it. That's how the US sees it. And that we do need to look at other approaches in order to maintain the US support that we the US says that we want to continue giving that we do believe in this eliminating the threat of Hamas. That's different than eliminating Hamas entirely, which is how I think Israel framed it at the beginning of the war. So we're talking we're with you on eliminating the threat of Hamas. But let's take different steps to go about it. And we're still willing to continue providing our support in the meantime, not just for Hamas, but also the broader threats you face. The US have been very clear that they're not going to walk away from Israel on those. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So you talked about protests by Israelis and hostage families in particular. Of course, we've had our own protest movement here in America, predominantly on America's college campuses. But they're very different. Most of the American protests are calling for a flat out ceasefire and criticizing Israel's response to the massacre on October 7. Very few if any call for a return of the hostages and many have been dominated by loud pro-Hamas and antisemitic elements. I'm curious how the Israelis have viewed those protests and what message they are sending? Jacob Magid:  I think that Israelis are similarly disturbed, if not more disturbed by what they're seeing on these campuses. And I think it reinforces a lot of what they feel like the necessity of the evil that they're up against and Hamas is kind of similar to the evil that is being framed on college campuses. And the need to frame it as an existential war to some degree, whether or not that is accurate. I think it's debatable. But there is a growing sentiment of solidarity, I think with Jewish students in the US that of what they're feeling is comparable, maybe not into military scale by any means, but definitely into the ideological scale of what Israelis are facing in Gaza.  Manya Brachear Pashman:  Are they surprised by the growing sense of antisemitism abroad?  Jacob Magid:  I don't think entirely surprised. I think the fact that they live in Israel is testament to the belief that this is where they believe that Jews should be. I think there's less of an understanding I think amongst mainstream Israelis have the value and the necessity and even the it's totally okay for Jewish lives to take place abroad. I think there's a lot less of an understanding of the the Jewish experience abroad. I think there might be a little bit more understanding amongst diaspora Jews of the experience in Israel as much as possible, I think are two very unique experiences.  There's not a Birthright for Israelis to come to America to really understand. I mean, a lot of them do after the army. But there isn't that same experience that I think that American Jews and many others are given privy to this real access and, and window into Israeli society. So I think given that I think I think there's just oftentimes when I've spoken to Israelis about this is there's just this assumption that, yeah, of course, there's a lot of antisemitism out there. And that's why you're supposed to be in Israel. Manya Brachear Pashman:  You work here in the United States, but what are some of the challenges you've faced as a journalist for an Israeli outlet, since 10/7? Jacob Magid:  I have found myself frustrated trying to cover these campus protests where students aren't willing to speak to me because I work for an Israeli outlet. That was something I'm used to dealing with when I was over in the West Bank and covering Palestinian issues. And there were certain Palestinian officials who were willing to speak with me on background, as in not in name when it's published.  That's something I'm used to, but now it's having to deal with that with American college students who aren't even, like there's no reason to be going to want to be anonymous, unless you don't like recognize the legitimacy of my newspaper, which I guess is fine, but even though I don't necessarily agree with them, I want to be able to tell their story and I'm unable to fully do so because I'm not getting full cooperation.  So yeah, it would be definitely easier to work for in that regard a different news outlet where I wouldn't have to identify myself but it's just kind of I think shows the absurdity of the times of it. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So we're speaking to you on Israel's Memorial Day, before the transition into Independence Day. Are Israelis observing these days differently after October 7? Jacob Magid:  Oh absolutely. I spoke with a few family members and friends about the experience right now in Israel, they're just starting to transition to Yom Ha'atzmaut. There are some who are adamant about the need to celebrate this day, that the deaths aren't going to be in vain, that's our purpose. If we felt that it was always the case that we are supposed to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut right after Yom Hazikaron, the silver platter to make those soldiers and those who have fallen, their lives, give them meaning. And a reason to celebrate. That technically should stand true this year as well, even though the loss on October 7 was of a magnitude that Israel hadn't seen before.  But of course, I think given the fact that we have hostages, who are still being held in Gaza, given the fact that the war is still going on, I think a plurality of Israelis, I'm sure are not going to be celebrating this year, the way they had. I think there are still interestingly parties happening; scheduled in Tel Aviv. I'm sure the clubs will be filled in a lot of these cities. I think that's still a sentiment that resonates. But I think Yom Ha'atzmaut is not going to be the same as it was in previous years.  And Yom Hazikaron I think we saw what was happening in a lot of these ceremonies on military cemeteries across the country where government members were speaking. It's happened in the past where they've been heckled, but not to the degree that I think that we saw this year.  From the Prime Minister down, a real feeling of anger, because this isn't just the average Israeli who might support the war, might support Netanyahu. These are people who lost the those closest to them, fighting a war that hasn't gotten to the total victory that Prime Minister Netanyahu has promised, or just a feeling of resentment. There's a pretty good example, a couple of weeks ago, where two names of casualties were determined dead by the IDF. One was Elyakim Liebman from the settlement of Hebron, and one was Dor Adar, I believe from the Gaza periphery. And we saw over a dozen Knesset members, coalition members and ministers head to the funeral of Liebman who was a real hero, who fought off terrorists during the Nova music festival as a security guard.  Whereas this other person from the Gaza periphery, Dor, who I think, came from a community not necessarily aligned ideologically with the government. Nobody made any calls to them. Nobody visited, reached out to the family. And I feel like there's a real feeling of resentment and just dissonance between a government that a lot of Israelis feel like just doesn't represent them in increasing number. I think, even if they agree maybe with the broader goals of the war, that they don't feel like Netanyahu and the broader government is handling it in the way that they appreciate. Even earlier President Biden was seen as someone who was more in touch with the hostages and than Prime Minister Netanyahu was. He reached out to them before Netanyahu did.  So there's that real dissonance there. And I think that that anger came out during Yom Hazikaron. And I think is, is going to probably carry over, beyond into Yom Ha'atzmaut, and until there's some sort of breakthrough, either a hostage deal, or some sort of end to the war that Israelis would like to see. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Well may that war end very, very soon and may the hostages come home. Jacob, thank you so much for your work here, and for joining us. Jacob Magid:  Thank you Manya. Thank you very much for having me. Manya Brachear Pashman:  If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for my conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch about Jewish American Heritage Month and what it means to be a Jewish American hero today.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. It is day 222 of the war with Hamas. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and Diaspora and Jewish world reporter Canaan Lidor join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Fabian discusses the latest updates in the Gaza Strip, as more IDF tanks move into Rafah and the first IDF fatality was announced Tuesday. He describes the different areas where the IDF is currently operating in Gaza and the larger number of troops involved once again in the region. He also talks about the Hezbollah attack in the north on Tuesday, when a civilian was killed and several IDF soldiers injured as three separate rocket attacks targeted a surveillance balloon. The IDF appears to have retaliated with a drone attack on a Hezbollah commander who was killed in the operation. Lidor discusses the alternative Yom Ha'atzmaut Independence Day ceremony held in the northern suburb of Binyamina on Monday night, during which bereaved parents, hostage family members and evacuees doused torches rather than lighting them, as they spoke about the failures and losses of the last seven months. He also speaks about an antisemitic incident at the University of Amsterdam, emblematic of the ongoing protests and attacks that are taking place across European campuses. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Soldier killed in south Gaza fighting, in first Israeli fatality of Rafah offensive Israeli tanks move deeper into Rafah, Palestinians say, as 450,000 flee Civilian killed, 5 troops hurt by Hezbollah missile; northern residents protest inaction Top Hezbollah field commander killed in IDF drone strike in south Lebanon In foil to official state event, those hit hardest by Oct. 7 lead torch-dousing ceremony On Europe's campuses, explosions of violent antisemitism have become de rigueur THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.  IMAGE: At the alternative Independence Day ceremony held by hostage family members in Binyamina on the eve of Israel's 76th Independence Day, May 13, 2024 (Photo by Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse.  We usually think of Tishrei and the Fall as a marathon of Jewish holidays, but if you count Rabbinic and Israeli holidays, the seven weeks of Spring win the holiday race with ease. Pesach, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmut, Pesach Sheni, Lag ba'Omer, Yom Yerushalyim and Shavuot. We use Leviticus 23 which has the most complete summary of Biblical holidays to explore the dynamic of adding new holidays and adding meaning to existing holidays. Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/564540  Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2024/05/14/ki-ba-moed-the-time-has-come/ 

Heavy title ! I get Emotionally charged about my years in Israel, What the Spies mistake was about themselves and what the success and failure in the times of Yehoshua. We wrap it together with a bow of what is needed for us to gain Israel and mashiach. Some Heavy Mussar peppered here and there.  

Weekly Meditation led by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl May 14, 2024

This episode discusses how parents can talk to their children about Yom Haatzmut (Israeli Independence Day) and the complex emotions surrounding it. The conversation explores the dichotomy of feelings between the excitement of Yom Haatzmut and the ongoing war in Israel. The hosts emphasize the importance of providing children with the right experience and addressing their emotions. They discuss the challenges of talking to children of different ages and the need to balance protecting them from traumatic information while still providing guidance. The conversation also touches on the role of technology and the importance of teaching children to navigate complex emotions. The conversation explores the challenges of discussing the current situation in Israel with children and offers guidance for parents. The rabbis discuss the importance of having open conversations with children, acknowledging their feelings, and providing age-appropriate information. They emphasize the need to balance the pain and challenges with a sense of pride in Israel and the Jewish people. The conversation also touches on the role of technology and the importance of being proactive in addressing difficult topics. Overall, the rabbis encourage parents to model resilience, empathy, and hope for their children. Takeaways Yom Haatzmut brings a mix of emotions for both parents and children, and it's important to address these feelings and provide the right experience for children. Parents should consider the age of their children when discussing Yom Haatzmut and the ongoing war in Israel, providing age-appropriate information and guidance. It's important to strike a balance between protecting children from traumatic information and teaching them about the reality of the situation. Technology can be a source of misinformation and harmful content, so parents should set up safeguards and filters to protect their children. Parents should model and teach children how to navigate complex emotions, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and validating feelings while also anchoring them in truth and reality. Engage in open conversations with children about the current situation in Israel, acknowledging their feelings and providing age-appropriate information. Balance the pain and challenges with a sense of pride in Israel and the Jewish people. Be proactive in addressing difficult topics and setting boundaries with technology. Model resilience, empathy, and hope for children. Teach children to navigate complex emotions and hold dichotomous feelings. Chapters 00:00 The Different Feelings of Yom Haatzmut 03:25 Teaching Children the Unity of the Jewish People 08:48 Age-Appropriate Communication and Guidance 13:19 Protecting Children from Traumatic Information 15:00 Balancing Protection and Independence 24:14 Different Approaches for Younger and Older Kids 25:24 Enhancing Pride in Eretz Yisrael 29:30 Intense Transition from Yom HaZikaron to Yom Ha'atzmaut 31:54 Stepping Back and Seeing the Bigger Picture 36:01 Modeling Dichotomous Feelings for Children 44:08 The Importance of Complicated Hashkafa --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yair-menchel/message

Heather Stone is a high-functioning Israeli, involved in American politics, the mother of two children, with an exciting social life, including tandem-bike riding twice a week. Heather is visually impaired, since 2017. She also has a guide-dog, Schyler, and a second dog, Lilly. In this interview, recorded on Yom Ha'zikaron, Remembrance Day in Israel, Heather talks about the sadness of the day, losing her sight, volunteering with IDF dogs to help injured soldiers, and how she manages getting to the bomb shelters when she's out, the sounds of the sirens for her and her dog. To understand the inimitable spirit of the Israeli, is to know Heather Stone. Am Yisrael Chai. The Nation of Israel Lives!

On 15th April 2013 (Yom Ha'atzmaut 5772) Rabbi Sacks gave an inspirational address at the Bnei Akiva UK service at Finchley Synagogue, Kinloss Gardens, as we celebrated 65 of the State of Israel. Find the full video of this talk here: https://rabbisacks.org/videos/yom-haatzmaut-5773-the-everlasting-flame/ For more on Israel and Yom Ha'atzmaut, please visit www.rabbisacks.org/israel/

In this episode, Einat makes the case that Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is the one holiday specifically for atheist Zionists, those who founded the State of Israel by rebelling against traditional Jewish theology. Whereas other holidays have been subjected to nationalist re-interpretation in the Zionist context, such as Passover, Purim, and Hanukkah, Independence Day needed no such re-imagination. Then, columnist Blake Flayton joins the discussion to expand more upon the meaning of atheist Zionism, atheist Judaism, and the future of religion and state in Israel. 

Heather Stone is a high-functioning Israeli, involved in American politics, the mother of two children, with an exciting social life, including tandem-bike riding twice a week. Heather is visually impaired, since 2017. She also has a guide-dog, Schyler, and a second dog, Lilly. In this interview, recorded on Yom Ha'zikaron, Remembrance Day in Israel, Heather talks about the sadness of the day, losing her sight, volunteering with IDF dogs to help injured soldiers, and how she manages getting to the bomb shelters when she's out, the sounds of the sirens for her and her dog. To understand the inimitable spirit of the Israeli, is to know Heather Stone. Am Yisrael Chai. The Nation of Israel Lives!

We recorded this episode moments before Yom HaZikaron began in Israel, not sure of what to expect in this very strange and difficult year. So much has happened since last year's national 'high holiday season' in Israel. So much pain, so much fear, so much destruction, so much anxiety. How can we bear the burden of Memorial Day this year? How can we CELEBRATE Independence Day in a year like this? Well, perhaps music can help. This year, Israel's musical community has worked hard to create songs that capture this year's unique spirit, from sounds of pain to sounds of pride. Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut may be behind us, but this week's songs will help you hold on to the powerful emotions you've undoubtedly felt all week long – and throughout the past seven months. (Original Air Date: May 12, 2024) Full playlist at https://www.myisraelimusic.com/episode1189 Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

We recorded this episode moments before Yom HaZikaron began in Israel, not sure of what to expect in this very strange and difficult year. So much has happened since last year's national 'high holiday season' in Israel. So much pain, so much fear, so much destruction, so much anxiety. How can we bear the burden of Memorial Day this year? How can we CELEBRATE Independence Day in a year like this? Well, perhaps music can help. This year, Israel's musical community has worked hard to create songs that capture this year's unique spirit, from sounds of pain to sounds of pride. Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut may be behind us, but this week's songs will help you hold on to the powerful emotions you've undoubtedly felt all week long – and throughout the past seven months. (Original Air Date: May 12, 2024) Full playlist at https://www.myisraelimusic.com/episode1189 Love the show? Please help us grow by becoming a member of MyIsraeliMusic.com: https://myisraelimusic.com/membership Join the Israeli Music Community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/IsraelHourRadioFans/

Has October 7 cast a shadow on Yom Ha'atzmaut? In this episode of PROUDLY JEWISH, presented as a panel discussion at Congregation Neveh Shalom with Rabbi David Kosak, Rabbi Eve Posen, and Cantor Eyal Bitton, the three explore what lessons October 7 have taught us about the role Israel plays in our lives and about what Israel means to the Jewish people.The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Eyal Bitton or Congregation Neveh Shalom.PROUDLY JEWISH: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity is also available on YouTube.

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As Israel and Jewish communities around the world mark Yom ha-Zikaron, the Israeli memorial day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, some Toronto veterans of the Yom Kippur War are remembering the chaos and the fear they experienced during their own military service some 50 years ago. On Oct. 6, 1973, Israel fought Egyptian and Syrian forces after the Arab states launched surprise invasions during Israel's solemn day of fasting. Henry Balaban, now 75, served with the Golani infantry brigade in the north, where Syrian soldiers swarmed into the Golan Heights. Yoram Shalmon, 72, served in a tank unit that was the first to cross the Suez Canal into Egypt under General Ariel Sharon. His wife, Rachel Shalmon, served in intelligence. Since Oct. 7, the veterans have been anxiously following developments in this latest war—the longest in Israel's modern history. While the 1973 war resulted in the deaths of 2,656 IDF soldiers in just two and a half weeks—triple the IDF's current losses of more than 700 casualties since Oct. 7—these veterans also worry about the long-term psychological cost for those young men now fighting inside the Hamas tunnels in Gaza. On today's special Yom ha-Zikaron episode of The CJN Daily, the veterans offer a fascinating and in-depth perspective on what it's like to lose your friends and suffer through the fog of war. What we talked about: Browse the new memorial website by the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel listing all 425 Canadians and Americans who were ever killed defending Israel, or in terrorist attacks, including since Oct. 7 Learn more about ERAN, the 24-hour mental health hotline for Israelis that Toronto IDF veteran Yoram Shalom volunteers Watch the 2024 memorial service in Israel for North Americans killed in battle, on the AACI Facebook channel Credits: The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We're a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.Read transcript

Dr. Gabrielle Klein, a mother of six and a Canadian who made aliyah (moved to Israel) many years ago, shares with us, on this Yom Ha'Zikaron, Israel's Memorial day, her grief for her daughter's fiancé - Hannan Drori, killed in the line of duty, in Gaza, and pride for her son, a living hero, who fought valiantly on October 7th to fight off terrorists on his army base. Her heart is etched with memories. With eyes that have seen both sorrow and resilience, Gabrielle cherishes the moments shared, the laughter that once filled the air, and the sacrifices made by young Israelis in the name of duty and love. This is a heartfelt, hopeful interview...a beautiful moment with a brave Israeli mother. My co-host is Eli Rubenstein, International Director of Education for March of the Living, and senior spiritual leader at Congregation Habonim, Toronto. Am Yisrael Chai.

Dr. Gabrielle Klein, a mother of six and a Canadian who made aliyah (moved to Israel) many years ago, shares with us, on this Yom Ha'Zikaron, Israel's Memorial day, her grief for her daughter's fiancé killed in the line of duty, in Gaza, and pride for her son, a living hero, who fought valiantly on October 7th to fight off terrorists on his army base. Her heart is etched with memories. With eyes that have seen both sorrow and resilience, Gabrielle cherishes the moments shared, the laughter that once filled the air, and the sacrifices made by young Israelis in the name of duty and love. This is a heartfelt, hopeful interview...a beautiful moment with a brave Israeli mother. My co-host is Eli Rubenstein, International Director of Education for March of the Living, and senior spiritual leader at Congregation Habonim, Toronto. Am Yisrael Chai!

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky. Parashat Kedoshim [Leviticus 19-20] is, according to the rabbis, the central portion of the Torah, falling in the middle of the 5 Books of Moses. Chapter 19 contains a miscellany of laws which are sometimes compared to the Ten Commandments. Our discussion focused on this comparison. We spent some time also talking about the upcoming holidays of Yom Ha-zikkaron and Yom Ha-Atzma'ut [Israel's Memorial Day and Israel's Day of Independence]. Let us know what you think either here, below, or at parshatalk@gmail.com. We are ever mindful of the hostages and their families, and the men and women who defend Israel as soldiers in the Israel Defense Force. May the hostages be speedily returned to their homes; may the soldiers be removed from harm's way. Shabbat Shalom.

We talk a lot on our show about old times. Like, reeeally old times, from many thousands of years ago. But this month, Iyyar, we explore three holidays that commemorate more recent moments in Jewish history: Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, Yom Ha'atzma'ut, Israel's Independence Day, and Yom HaShoa, Holocaust Remembrance Day. And we kibitz with three Kentuckians who help educators teach about the Holocaust in ways that are ethical and engaging: —Janice Fernheimer is Zantker Charitable Foundation Professor of Jewish Studies, Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies, and James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits Faculty Fellow at the University of Kentucky, and co-director of the University of Kentucky Jewish Heritage Fund Holocaust Education Initiative. —Karen Petrone is Professor of History and co-director of the UK-JHF Holocaust Initiative and a specialist in Russian and Soviet History. —Alice Goldstein has published widely on demographic studies focusing on population mobility in reaction to modernization, and on contemporary American Jewry. Alice is the author of Ordinary People, Turbulent Times, in which she tells the story of her own family's resilience and escape from Nazi Germany. If you're a middle or high school teacher in Kentucky, you can learn more about the University of Kentucky Jewish Heritage Fund Holocaust Education Initiative and sign up to participate at holocausteducation.uky.edu.

In the wake of October 7th, this year's observances of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut feel different and carry a profound sense of weight.   How do we mark this time both inside and outside of Israel? How do we, as a community, channel our grief into collective remembrance, including all innocent lives lost? As Jewish leaders, these are just some of the questions we are actively thinking about as we begin to formulate the collective memory of the Jewish people during these holidays. Rabbi Shira Koch, Epstein, through wisdom and experience, helps shed light on how to move forward through this grief. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Miranda Lapides. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben.This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.

This year, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut will feel unlike any other year. Noam and Mijal address the days' significance in the wake of Oct.7, highlighting the solemn transition from Yom HaZikaron to the joyfulness of Yom Ha'atzmaut. They share their personal experiences, addressing how these poignant holidays hold a deeper meaning this year amidst an ongoing war in Gaza. ------------ This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Unpacking Israeli History Soulful Jewish Living

Episode 490: Special Purim EditionWhen: Sunday, March 24, 8:00PM ETFor recording visit the archive page or your favorite podcast carrier.Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics:What does Purim teach us today?  What is the main theme of Purim and how can we access its power in our time?  How can Purim help us face our enemies today and transform even the greatest threat to total victory?  Why is Purim celebrated with so much joy, more than any other day in the year?  What is the meaning of “everyone who stretches out his hand, is given” on Purim?  What happened Purim 1966 when the Rebbe made this announcement?  What were the three different ways the Rebbe reacted to those stretching out their cups, and what fundamental lessons can we learn from them?  Can Megillas Esther be translated as the revelation of the concealed?   Why is Purim named after a lottery?  If Haman was accessing a level beyond good and evil how could he have channeled that into evil?  What is the connection between Purim and Yom Ha'Ki-Purim?  Is Haman a representation of the primordial evil of the snake in the Garden of Eden?  Why is Shushan Purim celebrated only in cities that had walls since the time of Joshua?   Is there an advantage to living in a walled city?  What is the deeper meaning behind the Megillah being read from the eleventh to the fifteenth of the month?  How is Purim considered the completion of the giving of the Torah?    Should we gather children together to recite verses to help vanquish our enemies as Mordechai did?  Can we explain Moshiach's imminent arrival with the events as they occurred during the days of Purim?  If the Rabbis can alter the laws of reading the Megillah allowing it to be read earlier to accommodate Jews, why can't they decree the immediate coming of Moshiach?  Should we allow Jews siding with our enemies celebrate Purim with us?  Did the Rebbe say that whistling is connected to Moshiach?  

Length of the article: 2 pagesLength of the audio: 7 minutes 1 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I originally published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/16/22 and 3/17/22, entitled: A Theory Connecting Purim to Yom ha'Kipurim Which is NOT Based on Specious Linguistics, which I edited and republished today, on 3/18/24. Have you heard someone connect Purim to Yom ha'Kippurim? I used to dismiss such ideas as fanciful and lacking any basis ... until I found an actual basis!-----The Torah content from now through Shushan Purim has been sponsored by Yael. Thank you, Yael, and thank you to all those who support my free shiurim, podcasts, videos, and articles through your sponsorships, Patreon memberships, and paid Substack subscriptions. May Hashem grant the entire Jewish people a happy Purim and a complete redemption from all our enemies!-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes (listen to audio recording for precise citation) that on Friday night, after one looks into the Kiddush cup and recites the introductory "Le'shem Yihud" prayer, he should begin reciting the actual Kiddush text. The custom in our community is to begin Kiddush from the words, "Yom Ha'shishi." After completing that paragraph, and before reciting the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen," one should recite, "Sabri Maranan" (literally, "With permission, gentlemen"). The Ben Ish Hai writes that even if one recites Kiddush alone, he should nevertheless recite, "Sabri Maranan" for reasons related to Kabbalistic teaching. After reciting "Sabri Maranan" and the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen," one recites the Beracha of Kiddush, which contains precisely thirty-five words. The Ben Ish Hai writes that one should recite the Friday night Kiddush while standing, in accordance with Kabbalistic teaching. Before drinking the wine, however, one should sit and then drink in a seated position. The Ben Ish Hai notes that Rav Haim Vital (1543-1620) recorded that this was the custom of his teacher, the Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria, 1534-1572). The reason for sitting while drinking Kiddush, the Ben Ish Hai explains, relates not to Kabbalistic teaching, but rather to simple "Derech Eretz" (manners and etiquette), as it is appropriate to sit while drinking. In fact, the Gemara in Masechet Gittin (70) lists three habits that endanger a person's health, and includes drinking while standing in this list. Interestingly enough, the Ben Ish Hai observed that the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) omitted this warning from his Hilchot De'ot, where he discusses proper health habits. The Ben Ish Hai speculates that the Rambam perhaps understood the Gemara's comment as noting the danger of engaging in all three activities listed, but not of each independently. The Rambam thus concluded that there is no danger involved in drinking while standing, and for this reason, perhaps, many people do not make a point of sitting while drinking, such as at parties and other functions. In any event, since the Arizal reportedly ensured to sit before drinking the Kiddush wine, it is certainly proper to sit after reciting Kiddush and then drink the wine. Summary: When one recites Kiddush on Friday, he should recite "Sabri Maranan" before the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen," even if he recites Kiddush alone. One should stand during the recitation of Kiddush, and then sit so that he drinks the wine in a seated position.

The earliest time for performing a Berit Mila in the morning is the point of Nes Ha'hama (sunrise). However, if the circumcision was performed earlier, it is nevertheless valid, as long as it was performed after the point of Amud Ha'shahar (when the first rays of light become visible in the eastern sky).The Shulhan Aruch, in discussing the laws of Berit Mila, writes that a Berit should be performed early in the day, in fulfillment of the famous rule of "Zerizin Makdimin Le'misvot," which requires performing Misvot as soon as possible without unnecessary delay. This principle is learned from the example of Abraham Abinu, who arose early in the morning in order to comply with the command of Akedat Yishak ("Va'yashkem Abraham Ba'boker" – Bereishit 22:3).In light of this Halacha, the Aruch Ha'shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein of Nevarduk, 1829-1908) raises the question of why we do not perform a Berit Mila early in the morning, even before the Shaharit prayer. Why do we delay the Berit until after Shaharit, if the rule of "Zerizin Makdimin" requires performing the Misva as early as possible?Numerous answers have been given to this question. One answer is that Shaharit should be recited before performing a Berit because of the rule of "Tadir Ve'she'eno Tadir, Tadir Kodem" – we perform a more frequent Misva before a less frequent Misva. Since the Misva to pray Shaharit is observed far more frequently than the Misva of Berit Mila, we first recite Shaharit before performing a Berit. (This is particularly so in light of the fact that Shaharit includes several Misvot – the Amida, Shema, Tallit and Tefillin.)The Dibreh Malkiel (Rav Malkiel Tzvi Tannenbaum of Lomza, 1847-1910) writes (1:14) that we first recite Shaharit because its time frame is far more limited than that of Berit Mila. Shaharit must be recited by a certain time in the morning, whereas a person can be circumcised at any time during his lifetime. And although the Misva is to perform the Berit on the eighth day, it can be done at any point on the eighth day, until sundown, as opposed to Shaharit, which must be recited by the end of the fourth hour of the day. Therefore, we first perform the Misva with a shorter time frame, before performing the Berit.Yet another reason that has been suggested is that the Torah speaks of performing Berit Mila on "Yom Ha'shemini" – the eighth day, whereas in reference to the Shaharit prayer, the Torah uses the word "Boker" (morning). We therefore first recite Shaharit, which is specifically associated with the morning, before performing a Berit, which is associated with daytime generally.The work "Koret Ha'berit" (Rav Eliyahu Posek, 1859-1932) explains, very simply, that it is customary to drink the wine over which the Beracha is recited at a Berit, and it is forbidden to drink wine before reciting Shaharit. Necessarily, then, the Berit must be delayed until after Shaharit.The Hazon Ish (Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) ruled that one does not have to recite Shaharit immediately at sunrise on the day of a Berit in order to perform the Berit at the earliest possible time. It suffices to pray Shaharit at the time one normally prays and then perform the Berit afterward.More generally, the Halachic authorities indicate that while a Berit should ideally be performed early, the requirement of "Zerizin Makdimin" is fulfilled as long as it is performed before Hasot (midday as defined by Halacha, namely, the midway point between sunrise and sunset). Thus, for example, the Shebut Yaakob (Rav Yaakov Reischer, 1661-1733), cited in Pit'heh Teshuba, criticizes the Hazanim who prolong the prayer service on Shabbat and Yom Tob when a Berit is performed, causing the Berit to take place after Hasot. It seems that Hasot marks the critical cutoff point with regard to the rule of "Zerizin Makdimin Le'misvot."Should a Berit be postponed until the afternoon if this will allow more guests to participate? Does the value of "Be'rob Am Hadrat Melech" – performing the Misva in the presence of a large assemblage of Jews – supersede the value of "Zerizin Makdimin Le'misvot"?Hacham Ovadia Yosef addresses this question in his work Yabia Omer (vol. 2, Yoreh De'a, 18), and he concludes that as long as a Minyan would be present without delaying the Berit, it should not be delayed. The Berit should be delayed until the afternoon only if this is necessary to assure the presence of a Minyan; if a Minyan can be assembled earlier, the Berit should not be delayed to allow for a larger crowd.Interestingly, the Ma'aseh Roke'ah (cited in Machshireh Mila, 2:3) notes that there were occasions when a Berit Mila was delayed because of the women who needed time to put on their makeup and jewelry (listen to audio recording for precise citation). The Ma'aseh Roke'ah sharply denounces this practice, noting that although the Rabbis were unable to stop it, people should ensure to perform the Berit promptly.One important exception to this Halacha must be emphasized. The work Kibbud Horim (chapter 12, note 17; listen to audio recording for precise citation) brings the ruling of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (1910-2012) that if the infant's grandparents ask the parents to delay the Berit so they can attend, the parents should comply. Since the Berit can be performed the entire day, Rav Elyashiv explained, it is proper for the child's parents to honor their parents' wishes and delay the Berit, as this overrides the principle of "Zerizin Makdimin Le'misvot." Rav Elyashiv said that it is preferable to try to convince the grandparents to allow the Berit to be performed earlier, but if this is not possible, then the Berit should be delayed. Similarly, the author of the work "Ve'alehu Lo Yibol" relates that he posed the question to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910-1995) of whether a Berit may be delayed until the afternoon to allow family members to attend, and the Rabbi responded, "Titnaheg Ke'ben Adam" – "Act like a human being." For the sake of family members' attendance, it is proper to delay a Berit, in consideration of their feelings, notwithstanding the general rule requiring performing a Berit Mila early in the day when possible.Summary: It is proper to perform a Berit Mila as soon as possible after Shaharit, though one does not have to pray Shaharit at sunrise in order to perform the Berit at the earliest possible moment. Most importantly, the Berit should be performed before halachic midday. As long as a Minyan can be present earlier, a Berit should not be delayed until the afternoon to allow for a larger attendance. It should be delayed until the afternoon, however, to allow for the grandparents or other family members to attend.

Different views exist as to whether one should stand or sit while reciting Kiddush on Friday night. Tosafot (Medieval French and German Talmud commentators) indicate that everyone should be sitting when one recites Kiddush on behalf of others, and this is, indeed, the custom among many Ashkenazim. Some Ashkenazim stand for the first part of Kiddush – "Vayechulu" – which is a statement of testimony to the fact that G-d created the world, since testimony must be given while standing. There are also those who stand only for the first four words – "Yom Ha'shishi Va'yechulu Ha'shamayim" – as the first letters of these words spell the Name of "Havaya." The custom in our community, however, follows the view of the Kabbalah, which is that one should stand for the entirety of Kiddush, from "Vayechulu" until the very end. It should be noted that our Kiddush text has 70 words – 35 words in "Vayechulu," and 35 words in the Beracha of "Asher Kideshanu Be'misvotav Ve'rasa Banu." This does not include the Beracha of "Ha'gefen" over the wine, or "Sabri Maranan."In the Kiddush text we describe Shabbat as both "Zecher Le'maaseh Bereshit" – commemorating the world's creation – and "Zecher Li'ysiat Misrayim" – commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Shabbat commemorates the Exodus because slaves are not given any rest from their duties. The experience of Shabbat is possible only because we were freed from Egyptian slavery.According to Kabbalistic tradition, one should preferably use a silver cup for Kiddush. Silver represents mercy, and wine represents judgment. By using a silver cup for Kiddush, we have the effect of "sweetening" any harsh judgments that have been issued against us.The cup should be washed – both the interior and exterior – before Kiddush, and then filled until the top. If one does not have enough wine to fill the cup, it suffices to pour a Rebi'it. The cup should be presented to the one who will recite the Kiddush. He should receive the cup with both hands and then holds it in his right hand. Before beginning Kiddush, one should look at the Shabbat candles. Some sources say that seeing the candles before Kiddush can bring healing to the eyes. During Kiddush, one should hold the cup one Tefah (approximately three inches) above the table. According to the Arizal, the cup should be held near the chest during Kiddush.If somebody had drunk from the Kiddush cup before Kiddush, it may not be used, as it is considered "Pagum" ("blemished").A broken or chipped cup should not be used for Kiddush, though if one did use such a cup, he has fulfilled his obligation. According to the Magen Abraham (Rav Avraham Gombiner, Poland, 1637-1682), even if the base of the cup is broken it should preferably not be used for Kiddush. It is preferable not to use a disposable cup for Kiddush, but it may be used if no other cup is available. This is the ruling of Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) and Hacham Ovadia Yosef.During the recitation of Kiddush, the bread on the table must be covered both on top and on bottom. The bread on the Shabbat table commemorates the manna which Beneh Yisrael ate in the desert. It should therefore be covered, just as the manna was "wrapped" in a layer of dew underneath and another layer on top. If the table is covered by a tablecloth, the tablecloth can be considered the lower covering. Likewise, if the bread is placed on a plate or board, this suffices as the bottom cover. The bread should be covered from the time it is placed on the table until after Kiddush. Hacham Ovadia Yosef writes that it is preferable – though not strictly required – to keep the bread covered even after Kiddush, until one recites "Ha'mosi."

In May, the White House released its U.S. National Strategy for Countering Antisemitism. As students return to campus, hear from two student leaders who are working to share and implement the strategy's recommendations at their colleges and beyond: Sabrina Soffer, a rising junior at George Washington University and the head of the school's Presidential Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and Abe Baker-Butler, a rising junior at Yale University and the president of the AJC Campus Global Board.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Abe Baker-Butler and Sabrina Soffer Show Notes: Learn: AJC Campus Library: Resources for Becoming a Strong Jewish Student Advocate Listen: IsraAID CEO on Sharing Israel's Expertise With the World's Most Vulnerable Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. __ Transcript of Interview with Abe Baker-Butler and Sabrina Soffer: Manya Brachear Pashman:   At the end of May, weeks after most college students headed home, abroad, or to summer internships, the White House released its US National Strategy for Countering Antisemitism. But given the timing, it's unclear how many students know it exists. With me are two student leaders who not only know, they've shared it with other students with the intention of helping to implement its recommendations for college campuses, when in a few weeks they go back to school.  Sabrina Soffer, a rising junior at George Washington University is the Commissioner of the Presidential Task Force to Combat Antisemitism at GW, and Abe Baker-Butler, a rising junior at Yale University is the president of the AJC Campus Global Board. Abe, Sabrina, welcome to People of the Pod. Abe Baker-Butler:  Thank you for having us, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So I will ask you both, when did you hear about the US national strategy?  Abe Baker-Butler:   So I heard about the national strategy when it was in the headlines initially. But with school ending and finals, I didn't have the time to actually sit down and read it in full until we got to AJC Global Forum. And what really stuck with me was how there are real action items in there for students, and not only Jewish students, but all students to take action to combat antisemitism. And I was very excited that as the campus global board, we had the opportunity to spend some real quality time brainstorming how we could play a meaningful role in implementing this National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. Sabrina Soffer:   So yeah, that's really interesting, I took very similar tidbits away from the strategy. But the first time that I heard about it was actually the same day that I was giving a talk to a group of women in San Diego, which is my hometown, in California. And it gave a lot of hope to the women who were listening to what I was saying, especially because the talk was about my experience on campus, which I think I'll get into a little bit later. But similar to Abe, the time I read it on the plane, actually on the way to Israel. So I had quite a bit of time to do that. And the thing that really stuck with me was exactly what Abe said, how all students, not just Jewish students, can take action and also the interfaith component. I think that having other students stand up for the Jewish community is essential and spreading awareness that way can really help in the fight to combat antisemitism. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So yes, Sabrina, I do want to talk to you a little bit more about the Taskforce. But first, Abe, can you tell us about the AJC Campus Global Board? It was formed last year, but who makes up its membership? And why? Why are they on this board? Abe Baker-Butler:   We're a group of 30 students, I believe, there are 20 of us from the United States, 10 of us from the rest of the world. And when I say the rest of the world, truly the whole rest of the world, Australia, to South Africa, to Europe, you name it. And our mission that we're working to pursue, is to support AJC's work on campus, and also to really ensure that AJC's work is informed from a student leader and young person's perspective. I think it's a real testament to AJC that they are taking this tangible step to prioritize us as young people and to say, you know, we want to hear you, and we want your perspectives to inform our advocacy. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So what schools do students hail from? Are they all East Coast schools? Or is there geographic diversity? Abe Baker-Butler:   Certainly not all East Coast schools, we have people from all over ranging from the University of Florida University of Southern California, University of Tennessee, Northwestern, and that's just in the United States. Our goal is really to ensure that we are incorporating a broad array of perspectives from across our country, from across also all parts of the Jewish community. We care deeply on the Campus Global Board about ensuring that we're embracing a pluralistic Judaism, that we have people from all denominations, all backgrounds, and we believe that by doing that we can best inform AJC's work. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And what have you done so far?  Abe Baker-Butler:   So in the past year, we've really been building our structure and integrating ourselves into the AJC institution. A few highlights that I can think of from the past year that have been particularly meaningful to me, are well I guess this is one of the biggest ones in my mind during the development and prior to the announcement of the National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, Holly Huffnagle, AJC's US director for combating antisemitism, her and other AJC content experts and staff took the time to meet with a contingent of our Campus Global Board members to hear their thoughts in a listening session of sorts. And then what Holly and those staff members did is they took those thoughts and used them as they were giving feedback to the White House, as it developed the National Strategy. To me that's extremely meaningful.  Some other events we did is we had an event with Ted at University of Pennsylvania, which received really diverse audience in terms of Jewish denominations and observance, which I was very happy about.  We also held an event with Richie Torres, at Harvard, which was also much needed, given the situation on campus there. And beyond those sorts of headline events, we've also been doing more-- we've started a mentorship program between our campus full board and ACCESS. And there's a lot more in the pipeline, too, that I can also talk about. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Can you talk a little bit more about what was going on at Harvard? Is the campus global board, is the primary responsibility to respond to situations? Abe Baker-Butler:   Yes, so the reason I made that remark is because I think there's often a perception that you can't be both progressive and Zionist, and I think Ritchie Torres, who was our speaker there, really cuts that misconception straight through. But in terms of us responding to what's going on on campus, another really interesting part of our work that I'm proud of is our antisemitic incident response. Whenever there is an antisemitic incident on a campus, we the leadership of the campus global board, try and reach out to the Jewish leaders on that campus, whether it be the presidents of Hillel, or the head of the Chabad board. And we come saying, Hey, we're not here looking to get any kind of headlines, or press coverage, or to meet with your university administrators. You tell us what you need. And we're here as a group of 30 committed individuals to provide it to you.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Sabrina, tell us about GW's task force to combat anti semitism and who makes up that group? Sabrina Soffer:   Yeah, so GW's task force came about after the Lara Sheehi incident that happened in December. So basically, there was a professor who was teaching a mandatory diversity class at the grad school level. Everybody had to introduce where they were coming from. And there was a group of students from Tel Aviv. And the professor responded, it's not your fault you were born in Israel. And to make a long story short, that class became increasingly about imperialism and settler colonialism and more anti-Israel over time, and the students became more and more uncomfortable, and even after they reported it to the dean, there was no accountability. And then there was a title six complaint. And after that, there was an investigation conducted by the University, I guess, the university hired a law firm. And they found that there was not only no antisemitism, but no discrimination, because it fell within the lines of free speech, what was going on in the classroom, which I don't necessarily agree with, I think that it created a really hostile environment. Because the students did report that they couldn't sleep well, they couldn't eat because they had to turn in assignments to that professor who they couldn't trust because obviously, she disrespected them because of their identity.  So something I'm trying to do with the taskforce is trying to create trust between all members of the GW community, whether they agree or disagree, and no matter their identity groups, but I'll put that aside for now. So after that incident happened, there was a student in the student government, I think he's the former legislator General. And he was friends with the president of Chabad. And I'm the vice president. So they were speaking about it. And I guess the president, who's a good friend of mine, said, Oh, I have a friend who's very much involved in the Jewish world. And she would definitely like to take on an initiative like this one, and create a taskforce to deal with these issues on campus, because we've had quite a few of them that are either similar or radically different than the Lara Sheehi incident. So you know, I took the task upon myself I, they gave me some parameters of what to do, like it had to be 10 students, which I've now expanded to 15, because I couldn't reject people who seriously sounded amazing in their interviews, and then it had to be tied to the student government in some sort. So from there, I had to pass it through three different committees on the task force, and I really wanted it to be an all encompassing group. For example, I didn't want it all Jews, like the White House National Strategy says. And I think at the back of my mind, my mom raised me with this principle of like, you can't solve a problem without making people who are a part of the problem, a part of the solution. So I said, You know what, let's go for it, Yallah, and it'll be better this way. And we'll figure out these issues together. So then it came about, it was voted on unanimously. And then we've kind of started doing some work during the summer, we started collecting data. I've gotten the whole team organized, and I'm really, really pleased. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You know, I'm sure there are Jewish students who are listening, who are heading to campus as freshmen this year, perhaps their parents or their grandparents are listening. And Sabrina, I'm curious, what should they expect? And how can they prepare to be a Jewish student on an American college campus? Sabrina Soffer:   So I think that every campus is different. And I want to preface this by saying that no, the campuses themselves, besides a few, like, you can't label the campus as an antisemitic University, I think that's really important to note. For me, from what I've seen in conversations with administrators, with faculty and other students, is that there's a problem of systemic ignorance that breeds antisemitism, not so much a problem of systemic antisemitism. Because really, people don't have that, the majority of people don't have that much hate in their heart, you know, to like, go out and say tropes and demonize, you know, another, another person's identity for no reason.  I think it really comes from people trying to advocate for something else, but they don't know how it makes other people feel, or they just don't care. And I think we have to do a better job of explaining how we feel. So that was just a little bit of a preface, but the backstory is that I came into college not having any idea what this would be like. I tried to look for a campus with a great Jewish community, which GW absolutely has. Not all campuses have it. But I'm lucky, I actually don't believe that we do have a Chabad, Hillel, Meor, GW for Israel. So groups that I really identify with, and I thought that I would have no problem. However, in some of the classes that I was taking, I would openly share my ties to Israel, where my family was from, where I got my principles and my ethics. And over time, I came to realize that my ideas were being tarnished, they were being called racist and xenophobic. This was just a quick story. We were trying to talk about Holocaust education and slavery education, and one girl told me, Oh, the Holocaust is a lot more sensitized than slavery in school, because Jews are white. And that's like, I took that very, you know, did not sit well with me. But it was a problem of ignorance. I had a conversation with the girl afterward. And you know, we reconcile the differences, but like, I think that happens a lot on campus where there's so much ignorance, that it just comes out in ways that they shouldn't.  So, from then on, I really took it upon myself to become an educator, no matter what people would think of me. I would always try to spread my truth and do it in a loving way.  So I would just encourage all Jewish students before they get to campus to find their community because this whole time that I was experiencing this difficulty, I was really leaning on my Chabad friends, my Hillel friends, and of course, my family back home. Always talk to your parents. I think that's a really important point. And find the people who are going to support you no matter what. So that's just my my big piece of advice as well as get yourself educated. Know your history. Know your facts, know your identity, and never stop being who you are.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Abe, what about you? What advice do you have for incoming freshmen? Abe Baker-Butler:   Yeah, well, I think Sabrina really hit the nail on the head here by talking about ignorance. The stories I've heard from my friends and what I've experienced on campus, I've seen that a lot of the antisemitism we see is really driven by ignorance. I've heard multiple times on my campus. ideas such as the Jews are white and privileged. Why do the Jews have so many resources in the form of their lovely Hillel building? Look how rich the Jews are-they have security guards. These kinds of ideas, these kinds of comments. I think they're not coming from. Yeah, I don't think there's such a thing as informed hatred, right. I think that's an oxymoron. But they're coming out of ignorance. And I think because these sorts of antisemitic sentiments are coming out of ignorance. It makes the work that people like Sabrina and I, like Sabrina's taskforce and our campus global board, I think it makes the work that we're doing, ever more important, extremely important.  Abe Baker-Butler:   In terms of my advice for Jewish students coming to campus, I would say, you should keep in mind that while you can have an extremely meaningful impact by teaching those who may be ignorant about antisemitism, you also should remember that it is not only your responsibility to fight antisemitism, it is the entire community's responsibility to fight antisemitism. That includes it, should and must include allies. And then the other advice I would give is exactly what Sabrina said, you should know that as a Jewish student, there is a community behind you both on your campus, whether it's Hillel or Chabad, or anything else. And also, nationally, there are students like Sabrina and I, who are here to support you. There are organizations like Jewish on Campus, for example, of students that have ambassador's programs on campus. So you should never feel alone as a Jewish student on campus. Because there's so many people out there who care about you and support you. And you have the facts behind you. Sabrina Soffer:   I also just something that's really important for students to know is like know your rights on campus, both in the campus realm and the legal realm. Because what happened with the Lara Sheehi incident, those students, they knew how to report the incident. But there was no accountability. So it's like, where do I go from there? I've had students, I've had friends who've given up after they've had incidents, and they didn't know to go to groups, like AJC or Hillel International, maybe to help them out. So I think that knowing your rights before you get to campus is imperative. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You know, I was going to add, thank you so much, Sabrina, for that. I was also going to add to what Abe said, you know, I went to a very small school. For undergraduate. I was one of two Jews on campus that I know of. There might have been more. So there was no Hillel. It was a very small, tiny Jewish community. But like you said, there are organizations like AJC, there are national organizations. Now there's a national action plan that applies to every school. Not just these larger schools that have Hillels or Chabads on campus. So we talked about engaging different points of view, and different perspectives. These are all young people, your age, still learning. I also think it's very important to build and find allies on campus. I think that right there is a potential for education. And Abe, I am curious what kind of thought the campus global board has given to engaging different points of view and finding allies? Abe Baker-Butler: So we care deeply about finding allies. One thing I do want to highlight is the AJC curriculum that we've been developing with Dr. Sara Coodin that we look to use on campuses. And in terms of finding allies. That is key if it's central to our work on the campus global board. Some ideas that we have that we're working on include collaboration, brotherhood and sisterhood events, with Black and Jewish fraternities and sororities, reading groups between black and Jewish groups on campus to understand each other's shared perspectives. Joint interfaith seders and events between Muslim and Jewish groups on campuses. We really have a responsibility to create shared communities of goodwill, who can be our allies on campus, because in addition to having the national strategy and having national organizations like AJC on campuses, like the one you attended Manya, having allies like that is perhaps the most important because they can be that community that supports you.  And the other thing that I wanted to add to what we were discussing before, in terms of advice for Jewish students that I neglected to say was, you should always be proud of your Jewish identity. Always, always, always. You're the heir to an extremely rich intellectual and cultural tradition. And anyone who tries to make you feel ashamed of that or to slander that is wrong, and you should not heed what they say. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I am curious if you could share how you have celebrated, enjoyed being Jewish on campus? Sabrina Soffer:   This past April it was Yom Ha'atzmaut and we had Israel fest. It's a GW for Israel organized, we put Israeli flags in Cogan Plaza, the main plaza, we had loud music, falafel, shawarma, everything, and we were just dancing. And it was just the most amazing experiences not only feel like, for me, a lot of my Jewish identity comes from, like Zionism and my Israeli background. So just being able to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut with a bunch of my Jewish friends who also support Israel. And it was just amazing. And also like a lot of the music that I grew up with, and that I'm familiar with, that was very fun to like, have in public on campus, and also having non Jews join us in that celebration. And this was all while SJP and JVP, were sitting right in front of us for literally two hours with posters with very hostile messages about Israel. And we didn't pay any attention, we kept dancing, and they just it's like, you know, we will do our thing, we'll be proud, we block out the noise, block out the hate. So that felt pretty great.  And then another experience I had was on Pesach, my parents come and visit me a lot. I brought them to Chabad for Pesach, and it was just like they fit in so nicely with all my friends, all the students and the whole GW community. Chabad was really the organization that ushered me in at the beginning, they really made me feel like home away from home, and having my parents who like literally made my home amazing, very Jewish. Like they brought me up in a Jewish home, having them in my new kind of home in college just was very rewarding. So those are two experiences. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Both sound beautiful, both sound really, really lovely. And I just want to clarify for listeners, JVP stands for Jewish Voice for Peace, and SJP is Students for Justice in Palestine, which are two groups on college campuses that have engaged in a lot of anti-Israel rhetoric. Abe, I want to turn back to you for one last question. And that is, I asked you what the Campus Global Board has done and it's one year of existence, but what will it do in the year ahead? What do you envision accomplishing? Abe Baker-Butler:   Probably the most central part of our plans for this year, I want to highlight is implementing the White House national strategy on combating anti semitism on campus. One idea that we're working on, not finalized yet, but that I'm hoping will become a reality is an incubator of sorts, where we'll put out a call for proposals from not only Jewish but non Jewish groups about how to fight antisemitism on campus, in line with the plan. And then our goal is that the campus goal board will sift through the proposals that we receive and figure out how we can best support, financially and otherwise, these organizations on campus in conducting activities that will help implement the plan and stem antisemitism. Some other ideas we have are, we want to bring diplomats from Abraham Accords countries to campuses to help stem the ignorance that I was talking about. And then also, we want to ensure to, the point I was making earlier about integrating young people, and really walking to talk with young people as part of AJC's advocacy. We want to ensure that young people, members of the campus cohort and others aren't as many AJC advocacy meetings and settings as possible, because we believe, and AJC believes as well, that when our voices are there, it provides for an even more persuasive advocacy, and an even more full representation of the interests of the Jewish community. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Can you give examples of where that advocacy takes place? Where would these young people go? Abe Baker-Butler:   Certainly. So we're planning to do it at all levels. One example would be Diplomatic Marathon alongside the UN General Assembly, meetings with diplomats there but also at the local level with legislators and others, at the regional office level. There are a lot of opportunities for young people to get involved in AJC's work. And we want to ensure that young voices are represented in all of these meetings, whether it be domestic legislators or diplomats or anyone else.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Sabrina, Abe, thank you so much for joining us and discussing what your plans are for this year. I wish you both a lot of luck and I hope you most of all enjoy your junior years in college.  Sabrina Soffer:   Thank you so much for having us.  Abe Baker-Butler:   Thank you, Manya. Shabbat shalom.  Sabrina Soffer:   Shabbat shalom.