Jewish History

TJS S5 Interlude – interview with Gil Troy

Historian and author Gil Troy joins me for a follow up to the ‘Zionism is Racism’ episode. We talk ‘Moynihan’s Moment,’ the rise of the PLO, the mental health crisis on American campuses and much more. Tune in also for a fascinating discussion that lays out ‘Identity Zionism,’ a vision which offers hope for Am…

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TJS S5E4 -Zionism is Racism

If Israel is meant to be a light to the nations, then how they see us offers illuminating insights. In this episode we meet the Non-Aligned Movement, Israel’s relationship with Africa, President Mobutu of Zaire, Ugandan leader Idi Amin, US ambassador to the UN Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Israeli delegate to the UN Hadassa Ben-Itto….

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TJS S5 Interlude – Sukkot 5782 Seeking joy

Sometimes its seems that joy is the most desirable and least available aspect of human experience. In this episode Rav Mike seeks out some insights from Sukkot, the festival of joy, on how we can enhance this aspect of our lives.

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TJS S5E3 Feminism and American Judaism

The feminist movement and Jewish American life came together in the 1960s and 70s – each influencing the other. In this episode we touch on Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique, the religious activism of women like Sally Priesand and the Ezrat Nashim organization. We will also explore how feminism and antisemitism intersect, from Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s…

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TJS S5 Interlude Crowning the King 5782

Sometimes a simple question sparks the deepest thoughts. This episode is in answer to a simple question – what is the story of Rosh Hashanah. It explores the nature of kingship and the crown in Jewish tradition, and offers some guidance on how we can all approach telling a different story of our lives in…

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TJS S5E2 Let My People Go – the ongoing fight for Soviet Jewry

Rav Mike Feuer talks about Russian Jewish refuseniks, why they were denied exit visas to immigrate to Israel, and how the Communist regime eventually let them go. Learn about US President Richard Nixon’s détente with the Soviets, championed by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and opposed by Henry “Scoop” Jackson, co-author of the Jackson-Vanik amendment…

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TJS S5E1 A portrait of American Jewry, circa 1974

The changing culture of American Jewry after the Yom Kippur War in Israel and the Vietnam War meant leaving old neighborhoods, a surge in Zionism and new developments in the Jewish community like the Havurah movement. We explore the publication of the First Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit edited by Richard Siegel, and Michael and…

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TJS Live – Survival Zionism part VI

Here is part six of the live series on Survival Zionism. This episode returns to the land of Israel to look at the struggle for liberation which preceded the war for independence. If you like the live style, sign up for this year’s TJS Live weekly class at:jewishstory.co/registerclass/

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TJS Live – Survival Zionism part V

Here is part five of the live series on Survival Zionism. This episode returns to the United States to look at the impact of these fateful years on American Jewry. If you like the live style, sign up for this year’s TJS Live weekly class at:jewishstory.co/registerclass/

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TJS Live – Survival Zionism part III

Here is part three of my live series on Survival Zionism. This episode takes us to Europe in the war years and explores the evolution of the Final Solution, which served as the great selection of European Jewry. If you like the live style, sign up for this year’s TJS Live weekly class at:jewishstory.co/registerclass/ image…

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