As we circle in toward the end of season five, it is time to check back in with American Jewry. The 1980s were a time of economic and social security for the Jews of the US, and the overall growth of their religious communities was boosted by a surprise source – the kollel. It was…
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Menachem Begin has been part of our exploration of the Jewish Story since the uprising against the British back in 1944, and the Lebanon War was the last chapter in which he took an active role. In order to give a fitting wrap up to such an important character, here is an interview with Dr….
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The RRG Bet Midrash Torah Cafe hosts Rav Mike Feuer for a live word of Torah on Yom Haatzmaut – Israel Independence Day. How does history create obligations, and why is it important to rejoice? If you want to discover the connection between gratitude and redemption, listen all the way to the end of this…
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Menachem Begin’s upheaval victory in the 1977 Israeli elections was the beginning of revolutionary change for the Jewish State, not the end. Some who rejoiced will be bemused, others who were skeptical will be surprised. This episode explores the aftermath of Begin’s election as it intersected fault lines within his society and within himself. Learn…
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Many people look at the world today and feel the foundations of American power shaking – and most are afraid. Here is an episode about empires, made in the spirit of Hanukkah. Rav Mike takes a look backward to seek wisdom for survival in imperial transitions Am Yisrael has weathered in the past, touches on…
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Have you ever wondered why exactly Hanukkah lasts eight days? You may be familiar with the ‘jar of oil’ answer, but this interlude will give you a lot more to think about. Tune in to Rav Mike’s annual class on Hanukkah in honor of the yarzheit of his father, Charles Feuer, obm.
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Heroism is a precious quality, and one strong enough to change the world. Here is the story of the Israeli mission to free hostages held by Arab terrorists in Entebbe, Uganda perhaps the most heroic mission of its time. At its heart lies a person who in many ways embodies the qualities of his generation…
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Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the 1970s faced conflicts on all three fronts of Jewish history – within Am Yisrael, between Israel and the nations, and as a people in their land. This episode focuses on the third, as the Arab/Israeli war shifts into the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. This new phase of struggle will see the…
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When most people think about Yitzhak Rabin as Israel’s Prime Minister they focus on the Oslo Accords and his tragic murder, but many are unaware that Rabin’s assassination ended his second term. Here is an episode on his opening round as Prime Minister, when Rabin’s choice as the first native born Israeli to head the…
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Many things within Israeli society were threatened with collapse in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, and perhaps the most profound danger was a loss of spirit. This episodes explores the rise of the ‘bloc of the faithful,’ vanguard of today’s “settlement movement” who moved to inherit the pioneering spirit of Israel in this…
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