People of the Pod

People of the Pod

American Jewish Committee (AJC)

People of the Pod is an award-winning weekly podcast analyzing global affairs through a Jewish lens, brought to you by American Jewish Committee. Host Manya Brachear Pashman examines current events, the people driving them, and what it all means for America, Israel, and the Jewish people.

Spat On and Silenced: 2 Jewish Students on Fighting Campus Hate

Spat On and Silenced: 2 Jewish Students on Fighting Campus Hate

Imagine being spat on as you walk across your college campus simply because you’re Jewish or being asked whether you’re a “good Jew” or a “bad Jew.” As part of AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report, AJC and Hillel International partnered to document the experiences of Jewish students on campus over the past year. The findings are deeply troubling: nearly a third of Jewish students in the U.S. reported feeling uncomfortable or unsafe at a campus event because of their Jewish identity

Feb 21, • 18:11

University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker: When Antisemitism Hits Home

University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker: When Antisemitism Hits Home

What would you do if jars of urine were thrown through the windows of your house in the middle of the night? How would you feel if antisemitic messages were spray painted on your cars? How would you respond if you were targeted simply because you’re Jewish? In the first installment of a 2-part series, meet a face behind the alarming findings of AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report, the first analysis of the impact of antisemitism on American Jews and the U.S. general public for the

Feb 13, • 29:46

Unpacking Trump’s Gaza Plan

Unpacking Trump’s Gaza Plan

During a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump made a stunning proposal: that the United States take control of Gaza. His remark sparked intense global debate. This week, we break down the implications with Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer. Jason examines the proposal and shares AJC’s perspective on what it means for the future of the region. Resources: AJC Welcomes Trump Affirmation of U.S.-Isr

Feb 7, • 20:21

Empathy Is Who We Are: Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove on Being Jewish Today

Empathy Is Who We Are: Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove on Being Jewish Today

“To be a Jew is to know that because of who we are, because of our historical experience, we care for the other. This is really one of the great tensions of our moment. Of how to be eyes wide open to Israel's need for self-defense, and at the same time recognize the real suffering that's going on in Gaza and to know that we need to find a way to hold both of those together.” Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, spiritual leader of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York, explores the complexities of Jewish identity

Jan 30, • 21:52

The Oldest Holocaust Survivor Siblings: A Tale of Family, Survival, and Hope

The Oldest Holocaust Survivor Siblings: A Tale of Family, Survival, and Hope

When the USC Shoah Foundation named three sisters and their brother from Sanok, Poland the oldest surviving siblings of the Holocaust, Canadian Jewish filmmaker Allan Novak, the son of one of those shvesters (sisters in Yiddish), realized it was time to use the footage he'd been collecting for years to tell their story.  The result? Crossing the River: From Poland to Paradise – a heartwarming short documentary about how members of one family miraculously survived the Holocaust by staying togethe

Jan 23, • 19:19

Israeli Hostages Freed: Inside the Emotional Reunions, High-Stakes Negotiations, and What’s Next

Israeli Hostages Freed: Inside the Emotional Reunions, High-Stakes Negotiations, and What’s Next

After 471 harrowing days in Gaza, Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher are finally reunited with their families. Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, discusses the emotional impact of these reunions, the high-stakes prisoner exchange deal, and the collaboration between the outgoing Biden administration and newly inaugurated President Donald Trump. This breakthrough highlights the broader societal trauma in Israel, the complex

Jan 21, • 19:00

Bring Them Home: Understanding the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal and Its Impact

Bring Them Home: Understanding the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal and Its Impact

After 467 days of anguish, Israel and Hamas have reached a pivotal agreement to begin releasing hostages. AJC Jerusalem Director Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich breaks down the deal's details, the phased approach to releases, and the emotional toll on families and the nation. Hear about the complexities of the negotiations, the potential political fallout, and the profound resilience of those waiting for their loved ones to come home. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazz

Jan 16, • 18:39

Pack One Bag: Stanley Tucci and David Modigliani Uncover His Jewish Family’s Escape from Fascism and Antisemitism in 1930s Italy

Pack One Bag: Stanley Tucci and David Modigliani Uncover His Jewish Family’s Escape from Fascism and Antisemitism in 1930s Italy

As Stanley Tucci reflects, "Given the circumstances in today’s world, the parallels between then and now are impossible to ignore. It’s an incredible story, but it’s also happening today, to millions of people . . . It's a story about people in a certain place and time, and what happened to them, and what happened to them has happened before, and has happened since, and will continue to happen. Unless we as the human race begin to understand that we are all the same.” What would you do if fascis

Jan 9, • 24:50

Gov. Josh Shapiro and AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Combating Antisemitism

Gov. Josh Shapiro and AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Combating Antisemitism

Last week, AJC CEO Ted Deutch traveled to Philadelphia to meet with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for an in-depth discussion on combating antisemitism, ensuring the future vitality of Jewish communities in Pennsylvania and beyond, and addressing the challenges posed by rising political polarization both locally and nationally. “When it comes to antisemitism . . . there is no nuance. Antisemitism, bigotry, and hatred in all forms is not okay. Everyone in a position of public trust . . . has

Dec 23, 2024 • 34:08

Mijal Bitton on What It Means to Be a Jew Today

Mijal Bitton on What It Means to Be a Jew Today

As many Jews deepen their sense of Jewish identity, Dr. Mijal Bitton joins the podcast to explore the significance of our Jewish heritage, texts, and peoplehood and what it means as we enter the Hanukkah season. Bitton is a sociologist, storyteller, podcast host, and Jewish advocate who also serves as the spiritual leader of the Downtown Minyan in Manhattan.  As one of the first Sacks Scholars, she helps young people reclaim and reimagine Jewish traditions. In this week’s episode, Dr. Bitton dis

Dec 19, 2024 • 29:45

The Next Chapter in Catholic-Jewish Relations

The Next Chapter in Catholic-Jewish Relations

Bishop Joseph Bambera marks the launch of a groundbreaking Catholic-Jewish initiative - Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition - with a wide-ranging interview with AJC’s People of the Pod. At a time when recent events have challenged Catholic-Jewish relations, Bambera, the Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee (USCCB) on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, details why the church has made combating antisemitism a priority.  Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition, a joint pr

Dec 17, 2024 • 22:58

Bernard-Henri Lévy and AJC CEO Ted Deutch on How to Build a Resilient Jewish Future Post-October 7

Bernard-Henri Lévy and AJC CEO Ted Deutch on How to Build a Resilient Jewish Future Post-October 7

What lessons can be drawn from the post-October 7 era? Amid growing isolation and antisemitism, where do opportunities for hope and resilience lie for the Jewish people? In a compelling discussion, AJC CEO Ted Deutch and Bernard-Henri Lévy—renowned French philosopher, public intellectual, and author of Israel Alone—explore these critical questions. Guest-hosted by AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, this conversation offers insight into the challenges Jewish communities face and the p

Dec 12, 2024 • 34:52

What’s Next for the Abraham Accords Under President Trump?

What’s Next for the Abraham Accords Under President Trump?

The Abraham Accords marked a significant foreign policy achievement for President Donald Trump at the end of his first term in 2020. What’s next for the Abraham Accords under a new Trump administration?  Joining us is Rob Greenway, Director of the Allison Center for National Security at the Heritage Foundation and former senior director for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs on the National Security Council, to discuss the opportunities and challenges President Trump will face in the Middl

Dec 5, 2024 • 25:13

Honoring Israel’s Lone Soldiers This Thanksgiving: Celebrating Service and Sacrifice Away from Home

Honoring Israel’s Lone Soldiers This Thanksgiving: Celebrating Service and Sacrifice Away from Home

Supporting lone soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)—those serving without immediate family in Israel—has never been more crucial. These soldiers face challenges such as language barriers, adjusting to a new culture, and coping with the emotional and physical demands of service, all while navigating feelings of loneliness, especially during holidays.  This Thanksgiving, hear from lone soldiers Kerren Seidner and Nate LeRoy about their experiences and how they support fellow soldiers throu

Nov 26, 2024 • 27:47

The ICC Issues Arrest Warrants: What You Need to Know

The ICC Issues Arrest Warrants: What You Need to Know

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of crimes tied to Israel’s defense operations in Gaza. Why should supporters of Israel—regardless of political views—reject these accusations?  Belle Yoeli, AJC’s Chief Advocacy Officer, explains why the ICC's charges are not only baseless but also undermine justice, distort international law, and fuel harmful narratives following

Nov 22, 2024 • 14:56

What President-Elect Trump’s Nominees Mean for Israel, Antisemitism, and More

What President-Elect Trump’s Nominees Mean for Israel, Antisemitism, and More

From Marco Rubio to Elise Stefanik: who are the nominations that President-elect Trump has announced, and what does their selection say about how the administration may take shape? Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs reviews the names announced thus far, how, if confirmed, they could impact efforts to counter antisemitism, support Israel, and uphold democratic values, and how AJC is advocating to advance these critical issues.  Listen – AJC Podcasts: The

Nov 18, 2024 • 25:39

Honoring Felice Gaer: A Lifelong Champion for Human Rights

Honoring Felice Gaer: A Lifelong Champion for Human Rights

Felice Gaer, esteemed Director of AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, was an internationally respected human rights advocate who dedicated more than four decades to championing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enforcing international commitments to prevent severe human rights violations globally. On November 9, Felice passed away after a prolonged battle with metastatic breast cancer. In honor of her legacy, we revisit her insightful conversation on

Nov 13, 2024 • 27:53

What the Election Results Mean for Israel and the Jewish People

What the Election Results Mean for Israel and the Jewish People

What do the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, a sweeping victory for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, mean for the U.S. Jewish community and Israel? How did the Jewish community vote? What are the top takeaways from the Senate and the House elections? Get caught up on all the latest election data points and analysis in this week’s episode, featuring Ron Kampeas, JTA's Washington Bureau Chief and guest hosted by Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing D

Nov 7, 2024 • 20:40

The Jewish Vote in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know

The Jewish Vote in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know

As election day nears, Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, are zeroing in on Pennsylvania, which has the largest Jewish community among the battleground states. Aaron Troodler, editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, breaks down what’s influencing Jewish voter sentiment in Pennsylvania, from economic and social issues to the U.S.-Israel relationship amid rising antisemitism and Israel’s defensive war against Iran-backed H

Oct 31, 2024 • 24:20

Sinwar Eliminated: What Does This Mean for the 101 Hostages Still Held by Hamas?

Sinwar Eliminated: What Does This Mean for the 101 Hostages Still Held by Hamas?

How will the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar affect Israel's security and regional stability? What are the implications for the 101 hostages still held by Hamas? Join us as AJC Jerusalem Director Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich and AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson discuss the Israeli Defense Forces' recent elimination of the terror leader responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attacks and thousands of deaths. They’ll break down the impact of the unfolding

Oct 23, 2024 • 19:59

From Doña Gracia to Deborah Lipstadt: What Iconic Jewish Women Can Teach Us Today

From Doña Gracia to Deborah Lipstadt: What Iconic Jewish Women Can Teach Us Today

What do Doña Gracia, Glückel of Hameln, and Deborah Lipstadt have in common? They are all celebrated as iconic Jewish women in Dr. Aliza Lavie's incisive book, "Iconic Jewish Women". Dr. Lavie’s book features 59 remarkable role models, highlighting the significance of women's voices and leadership in the Jewish community. In a compelling conversation guest-hosted by Dr. Alexandra Herzog, the national deputy director of AJC’s Contemporary Jewish Life department, Lavie reflects on her grandmother'

Oct 16, 2024 • 25:18

The Nova Music Festival Survivor Saved by an 88-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor

The Nova Music Festival Survivor Saved by an 88-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor

"I want to show the word that you can choose light . . . no matter how much dark you saw, or what's going on in Israel now, or what's going on in the world, there's still a choice.” As we mark one year since Hamas’ massacre of Israelis, Israeli DJ Daniel Vaknin, 30, shares his harrowing experience from the Nova Music Festival, where 340 attendees were brutally murdered in the deadliest event in music history.  Vaknin recounts the chaos as rockets from Gaza struck, triggering a desperate evacuati

Oct 10, 2024 • 39:04

Is Nasrallah’s Death a Game-Changer? Matthew Levitt Breaks Down What’s at Stake for Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah

Is Nasrallah’s Death a Game-Changer? Matthew Levitt Breaks Down What’s at Stake for Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah

Could Israel’s elimination of Hezbollah’s leaders reshape the landscape of power in the Middle East? Matthew Levitt, Director of the Washington Institute's Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, answers that pressing question, discusses the impact of Israel's recent offensive against Hezbollah, following the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and analyzes the ongoing military operations on the Israel-Lebanon border. The conversation also delves into Iran's strategic calculations, the

Sep 30, 2024 • 17:18

At the UN General Assembly: Jason Isaacson Highlights Israel's Challenges and the Fight Against Antisemitism

At the UN General Assembly: Jason Isaacson Highlights Israel's Challenges and the Fight Against Antisemitism

Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, joins us to share insights on the key priorities from the sidelines of this year's UN General Assembly. Each year, AJC experts spearhead diplomatic outreach to world leaders on crucial issues, from addressing anti-Israel bias and combating antisemitism to rallying global efforts against the Iranian threat. This year's discussions unfold against the backdrop of Israel's multi-front defensive war against Iran and its terror proxies, a

Sep 26, 2024 • 22:00

From Rocket Attacks to Exploding Pagers: Michael Oren on Escalating Tensions Between Israel and Hezbollah

From Rocket Attacks to Exploding Pagers: Michael Oren on Escalating Tensions Between Israel and Hezbollah

In this episode of People of the Pod, Ambassador Michael Oren dives into Israel's escalating conflict with Hezbollah, which has turned Israel’s northern border into a war zone and caused 60,000 to remain displaced from their homes. Oren emphasizes Israel’s need to defend itself on multiple fronts, including threats from Hamas, the Houthis, and Iran, warning of the risk of all-out war. He also discusses the formation of the Israel Advocacy Group (IAG) to bolster Israel's media and diplomatic effo

Sep 20, 2024 • 17:53

Paris 2024: 2 Proud Jewish Paralympians on How Sports Unites Athletes Amid Antisemitism

Paris 2024: 2 Proud Jewish Paralympians on How Sports Unites Athletes Amid Antisemitism

Following Hamas’ October 7 massacre of Israelis, antisemitism has infiltrated nearly every part of society – including the world of sports. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Israeli athletes faced death threats and “Heil Hitler” salutes.  U.S. Paralympian Tahl Leibovitz, an Israeli-American, knows this hatred firsthand, having been targeted both on and off the court simply for being Jewish. Together with fellow Paralympian Ian Seidenfeld, the Para Table Tennis champions reflect on how they’ve see

Sep 9, 2024 • 20:32

The Forgotten Exodus: Tunisia – Listen to the Season 2 Premiere

The Forgotten Exodus: Tunisia – Listen to the Season 2 Premiere

Listen to the premiere episode of the second season of The Forgotten Exodus, the multi-award-winning, chart-topping, and first-ever narrative podcast series to focus exclusively on Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews. This week’s episode focuses on Jews from Tunisia. If you like what you hear, subscribe before the next episode drops on September 3. “In the Israeli DNA and the Jewish DNA, we have to fight to be who we are. In every generation, empires and big forces tried to erase us . . . I know what it

Aug 30, 2024 • 32:44

The DNC with AJC: What You Need to Know about the Democratic Party’s Israel Platform

The DNC with AJC: What You Need to Know about the Democratic Party’s Israel Platform

This week, on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention, AJC hosted a program on Israel and the path to peace. Ambassador Thomas R. Nides, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, and Illinois Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) joined us for the conversation. AJC’s chief policy officer, Jason Isaacson, who is also the head of AJC's recently launched Center for a New Middle East, was moderating the program. AJC hosted a similar prog

Aug 22, 2024 • 19:01

Is Centrism the Antidote to Political Polarization and Extremism? A Conversation with Yair Zivan

Is Centrism the Antidote to Political Polarization and Extremism? A Conversation with Yair Zivan

“We live in a complicated world . . . We have to balance those tensions, and the way that we do that is not by running away from them and looking for simplistic answers, but actually by embracing that complexity.” In his new book of essays, “The Center Must Hold,” Yair Zivan, Foreign Policy Advisor to Israel’s Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who heads Israel’s largest centrist political party, argues for a return to centrist politics as an antidote to the extremism and polarized politics prolifera

Aug 15, 2024 • 24:18

VP Picks, Media Bias, and Antisemitism: The 2024 U.S. Election and Its Impact on Israel and the Jewish People

VP Picks, Media Bias, and Antisemitism: The 2024 U.S. Election and Its Impact on Israel and the Jewish People

Listen to an in-depth conversation on all the latest in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, from the vice presidential picks –Tim Walz and JD Vance – to Israel and antisemitism. Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, speaks with Ron Kampeas, the Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Kampeas also discussed the importance of accuracy and empathy in reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the need for journalists

Aug 8, 2024 • 24:52

What the Unprecedented Assassinations of Terror Leaders Means for Israel and the Middle East

What the Unprecedented Assassinations of Terror Leaders Means for Israel and the Middle East

This week, two major terrorist leaders were assassinated in the Middle East. Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion in Tehran, just a day after top Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut in retaliation for the horrific rocket attack that killed 12 children on a soccer field in northern Israel. What does this mean for Israel and the wider region? Is this a major setback for Iran and its terror proxies? Tune in to hear what AJC Jerusalem Director Lt. Col

Aug 1, 2024 • 23:12

Aviva Klompas is Fighting the Normalization of Antisemitism on Social Media

Aviva Klompas is Fighting the Normalization of Antisemitism on Social Media

Aviva Klompas has long been a fierce advocate for Israel and is no stranger to the forces that try to delegitimize the Jewish state. Klompas, cofounder of Boundless Israel, a think tank dedicated to strengthening education about Israel while also keeping an eye on the surge of antisemitism in the U.S., joins us to discuss how she’s working to combat antisemitism and shape the conversation, both online and off.  Listen to this candid conversation, recorded on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 202

Jul 26, 2024 • 25:07

On the Ground at the Republican National Convention: What's at Stake for Israel and the Middle East?

On the Ground at the Republican National Convention: What's at Stake for Israel and the Middle East?

Israel’s right to self-defense and security, governance in Gaza, the Iranian regime and its network of terror, the Jewish state’s relationship with Arab countries in the Gulf, and much more were among the topics of discussion at an AJC-convened panel discussion at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Listen to an excerpt of the panel, moderated by AJC’s Chief Policy Officer and the head of AJC’s Center for a New Middle East, Jason Isaacson, along with policy experts Dr. Ken Wein

Jul 18, 2024 • 22:56

Europe at the Ballot Box: Insights and Impact on Jewish Communities and Beyond

Europe at the Ballot Box: Insights and Impact on Jewish Communities and Beyond

Election season in Europe is in full force, including recent elections in France, the United Kingdom, and the European Parliament. American Jewish Committee's offices across Europe have closely followed the results, which have had dramatic outcomes across the continent. Listen to an excerpt of this live podcast recording with AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen for expert analysis on what these developments mean for the future of Europe, European Jewry, Israel and the region, and

Jul 12, 2024 • 29:28

Rebuilding Israel’s Devastated Negev Region Post 10/7

Rebuilding Israel’s Devastated Negev Region Post 10/7

Title: Rebuilding Israel’s Devastated Negev Region Post 10/7 Description: The October 7 Hamas attack severely affected Israel’s Ben Gurion University (BGU) and its surrounding community. The university lost over 110 people, several students were taken hostage, including Noa Argamani, and thousands of students were called up for reserve duty. Doug Seserman, CEO of Americans for Ben Gurion University, joins us to discuss the impact of the October 7 Hamas massacre on BGU and Israel’s Negev region.

Jun 28, 2024 • 17:21

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election: What Does it Mean For Israel?

The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election: What Does it Mean For Israel?

In AJC’s signature AJC Global Forum session, the Great Debate, Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, and Morgan Ortagus, former Spokeswoman for the Department of State under the Trump administration, engaged in a debate on the 2024 presidential election and its impact on the global Jewish community, Israel, and the future of democracy. Listen to this session, moderated by AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson, recorded live on the AJC Global For

Jun 21, 2024 • 34:50

Jews in the U.S. Military: Veterans’ Stories in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month

Jews in the U.S. Military: Veterans’ Stories in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month

Explore the unique experiences of Jewish U.S. military veterans with Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist. If you missed this conversation when it first aired for Veterans Day, here’s your chance to honor Jewish American Heritage Month and pay tribute to those who serve our country.  Our guests share what inspired them to join the military, how their Jewish heritage played a significant role in shaping their service, and what advice they have for

May 24, 2024 • 28:26

Seven Months In: What Israelis Think About the War Against Hamas, Campus Antisemitism in America, and More

Seven Months In: What Israelis Think About the War Against Hamas, Campus Antisemitism in America, and More

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 Peo

May 16, 2024 • 18:22

What Does it Mean to be a Jewish American Hero? A Jewish American Heritage Month Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch

What Does it Mean to be a Jewish American Hero? A Jewish American Heritage Month Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch

AJC CEO Ted Deutch reflects on Jewish American Heritage Month, highlighting the historical contributions of Jewish Americans and discussing the concept of heroism in the face of rising antisemitism. Ted also shares what it means to be a hero today, especially in the wake of 10/7, and who he considers to be among his own heroes.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Ted Deutch Show Notes: Learn more: Join AJC in Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month Quiz: Test your knowledge of the rich culture

May 10, 2024 • 20:10

The Chaos at Columbia: What It’s Like to be Jewish on Campus Right Now

The Chaos at Columbia: What It’s Like to be Jewish on Campus Right Now

Noa Fay is a Jewish student leader at Columbia University, the epicenter of the anti-Israel protest movement that has unfolded on American college campuses in recent weeks. Pro-Hamas, antisemitic, and anti-Israel demonstrators have occupied academic buildings, set up overnight tent encampments, and staged demonstrations, while Jewish students have faced increasing threats, antisemitism, and violence. Noa shares her first-hand perspective on what it's like to be Jewish on campus right now.  *The

May 3, 2024 • 16:08

Her Mother-In-Law Was Murdered at Tree of Life: Now Marnie Fienberg is Countering Antisemitism One Seder at a Time

Her Mother-In-Law Was Murdered at Tree of Life: Now Marnie Fienberg is Countering Antisemitism One Seder at a Time

Ancient texts, traditional foods, and friends and family: the markers of many Passover tables across America. But what if you added something new–or rather, someone new? Marnie Fienberg founded 2ForSeder, a program to combat antisemitism and honor her mother-in-law, Joyce Feinberg, who was one of the 11 victims murdered inside Tree of Life. The initiative is simple: extend a Seder invite to two people of another faith, who have never been to a Seder before, to build bridges and spread Jewish joy

Apr 19, 2024 • 25:19

What the Iranian Regime’s Massive Attack Means for Israel and the Region

What the Iranian Regime’s Massive Attack Means for Israel and the Region

AJC Jerusalem director Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich shares how the IDF — and its neighbors and allies — defended Israel with remarkable success. In the early hours of April 14, sirens and explosions were heard across the Jewish state. In an unprecedented, first-ever direct attack on the Israeli people, the Iranian regime launched a wave of more than 300 drones and missiles.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Avital Leibovich Show Notes: Take Action: Join AJC in urging Congress to call on the EU t

Apr 17, 2024 • 13:39

Meet Modi Rosenfeld – the Comedian Helping the Jewish Community Laugh Again

Meet Modi Rosenfeld – the Comedian Helping the Jewish Community Laugh Again

Israeli-American Comedian Modi Rosenfeld, who took part in the inaugural AJC’s Voices Against Antisemitism Campaign, just-released a stand-up comedy special, Know Your Audience, which reflects a principle he has always subscribed to. But what happens when you know your audience is suffering a trauma like no other? Listen to this conversation with Modi, who was in Israel on October 7, on how he jokes about antisemitism and what he sees as his mission in this difficult moment: helping the Jewish c

Apr 16, 2024 • 19:28

A Look Back: AJC’s Award-Winning “Remembering Pittsburgh” Series

A Look Back: AJC’s Award-Winning “Remembering Pittsburgh” Series

Listen to this compilation of our award-winning series Remembering Pittsburgh, exploring how the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue affected the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, the U.S., and around the world. In the four-part series, we take listeners behind the scenes of how the Pittsburgh Jewish community continues to rebuild and honor the lives lost on October 27, 2018. The anniversary came during the same month as the most lethal attack on Jews since the Holocaust: Hamas' Octobe

Apr 4, 2024 • 31:41

Jewish College Student Leaders Share Their Blueprint for Combating Antisemitism

Jewish College Student Leaders Share Their Blueprint for Combating Antisemitism

Hear from two Jewish student leaders at Binghamton University, Seth Schlank and Eytan Saenger, on their experiences amidst rising antisemitism on college campuses in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre in Israel by Hamas. They discuss the strong sense of community among Jewish students on campus, the value of a supportive university administration, and the power of Jewish student-led movements to counter antisemitism. The students also touch on the Binghamton community’s show of solidarity w

Mar 28, 2024 • 19:45

Matisyahu’s Message to His Fellow Jews and to the Israel Haters Trying to Cancel Him

Matisyahu’s Message to His Fellow Jews and to the Israel Haters Trying to Cancel Him

“The Jewish people don't really give up. They’re fighters. … a vision of peace, and a vision of hope, and of empathy. I really, truly believe that that is at the core of who we are. And that is what we are actually fighting for.” Matisyahu’s recent show in Chicago was canceled due to the threat of anti-Israel protests. The Jewish American singer’s music has evolved alongside his Jewish identity. But one thing has always been clear: He believes in Israel's right to exist. Because of that, he has

Mar 21, 2024 • 22:10

Unheard, Until Now: How Israeli Women Are Powering Israel’s Resilience

Unheard, Until Now: How Israeli Women Are Powering Israel’s Resilience

In the days following October 7, Israeli filmmaker Shifra Soloveichik felt hopeless and hated, but not helpless. Inspired by women around her, she launched a digital initiative called Women of Valor: Women of War, to spotlight unheralded women with extraordinary stories during one of the most difficult moments in modern Jewish history. To mark Women’s History Month, hear from Shifra about how she is giving a voice to Israeli women whose stories have gone unheard. *The views and opinions expresse

Mar 14, 2024 • 17:39

152 Days Later: What the Mother of Hostage Edan Alexander Wants the World to Know

152 Days Later: What the Mother of Hostage Edan Alexander Wants the World to Know

“Listen to me, Edan. I'm here. I'm with you. I love you. Just protect yourself. Just be safe.” These were the last words Yael Alexander spoke to her then-19 year old son, Edan, on the morning of October 7, 2023. Edan, an IDF soldier stationed on the Gaza border, was later taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Yael joins us from her New Jersey home to tell her story of pain, uncertainty, and anguish over the past 152 days. This week, as President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address, sh

Mar 7, 2024 • 24:27

What It’s Like to Be Jewish at Harvard Among Antisemites and Hamas Supporters

What It’s Like to Be Jewish at Harvard Among Antisemites and Hamas Supporters

What’s it like being a Jewish student at Harvard today? With us to tell their firsthand accounts are Nitsan Machlis, Co-Chair of the Harvard Kennedy School Jewish Caucus, and Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard Divinity school student who is part of a group that sued the university–alleging that they failed to address “severe and pervasive” campus antisemitism.  AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report found that 24% of current or recent college students say they felt uncomfortable or unsaf

Feb 29, 2024 • 23:49

Believe Israeli Women: How to Advocate for Victims of Hamas’ Sexual Violence

Believe Israeli Women: How to Advocate for Victims of Hamas’ Sexual Violence

During their murderous rampage across Southern Israel on October 7th, Hamas weaponized sexual violence. Over 138 days later, denial of these crimes runs rampant despite verified evidence and testimony from survivors of the NOVA festival, the attacked kibbutzim, and freed hostages.  Hear from Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, on the efforts in Congress to stand in solidarity with Israeli victims of Hamas’ sexual violence, and what you can do to make su

Feb 22, 2024 • 23:34

When Antisemites Target Local Businesses: How Communities Are Uniting in Response

When Antisemites Target Local Businesses: How Communities Are Uniting in Response

One in five U.S. Jews reported that local businesses where they live have been the target of antisemitism in the past five years, revealed AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report, published this week. To dive deeper into this concerning trend, we spoke with Adam Deutsch who, since October 8, has displayed a “We Stand With Israel Sign” in the window of his Scarsdale, NY ice cream shop. In January, his storefront was spray painted with the words “genocide supporters.” Hear from Deutsch

Feb 15, 2024 • 17:27

How A 10/7 Survivor is Confronting Anti-Israel Activists on College Campuses

How A 10/7 Survivor is Confronting Anti-Israel Activists on College Campuses

Yoni Diller, a 28-year-old Israeli filmmaker, arrived at the Supernova Music Festival just hours before Hamas terrorists launched their unprecedented attack on Israel that killed 1200 people, including 401 at the music festival alone. Yoni escaped the festival on foot, walking for hours through southern Israel’s desert to safety.  Having survived this harrowing experience, Yoni is now traveling the world to share his story with political leaders, college students, and others, providing firsthand

Feb 8, 2024 • 15:51

Tal Shimony Survived the Hamas Attack on the Nova Music Festival: Hear Her Story of Courage, Resilience, and Remembrance

Tal Shimony Survived the Hamas Attack on the Nova Music Festival: Hear Her Story of Courage, Resilience, and Remembrance

Dancing. Costumes. Music. Rockets. Running. Chaos.  At 6:29 am on the morning of October 7, Tal Shimony went from dancing in a field outside the Southern Israeli kibbutz of Re’im at the Supernova Music Festival to running for her life as the site was attacked by Hamas terrorists. Tal guides us through the horrors she witnessed that morning, and the exhibit 'Nova 6.29,' where the community aims to tell their story and honor those killed and taken hostage, in the deadliest attack on a music event

Feb 2, 2024 • 33:45

How to Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a Post-October 7th World

How to Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a Post-October 7th World

This week, Mark Weitzman from the World Jewish Restitution Organization, joins us to discuss the links between the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the Holocaust, and how Holocaust museums worldwide and in Israel are grappling with the aftermath. As International Holocaust Remembrance Day approaches, we also delve into the direct connection between Holocaust denial and distortion to the denial and distortion of October 7 events, and how both are rooted in antisemitism. *The views and opinion

Jan 25, 2024 • 21:26

A Spider Web of Terror: How Iran’s Axis of Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas Threaten Israel and America

A Spider Web of Terror: How Iran’s Axis of Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas Threaten Israel and America

This week President Biden re-designated Yemen’s Houthis as a global terrorist group amid its increasing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the Hezbollah terror group continues to threaten Israel's northern border, and the Israel-Hamas war continues as Hamas still holds more than 100 Israeli hostages taken on 10/7. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute, joins us

Jan 19, 2024 • 17:11

Unpacking South Africa’s Baseless Genocide Charge Against Israel

Unpacking South Africa’s Baseless Genocide Charge Against Israel

The International Court of Justice is currently hearing South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Professor Geoffrey Corn from Texas Tech University joins us to explain how we got here, the case’s significance, and why the claims of genocide are baseless.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Geoffrey Corn Show Notes: Explainer: What You Need to Know about South Africa’s Baseless Genocide

Jan 11, 2024 • 26:13

Countering the Denial and Distortion of the 10/7 Hamas Attack

Countering the Denial and Distortion of the 10/7 Hamas Attack

Since October 7, the USC Shoah Foundation has added a new component to its mission: collecting the testimonies of those who survived the worst antisemitic attack since the Holocaust to counter those who deny it took place.  Dr. Robert Williams, Executive Director of the USC Shoah Foundation, joins us to discuss the history and tendency to deny atrocities committed against Jews, the importance of collecting testimonies, and how they help in understanding antisemitism in all its forms.  *The views

Dec 28, 2023 • 32:30

4-Year-Old Hostage Abigail Idan is Free–Her Family is On a Mission to #BringThemAllHome

4-Year-Old Hostage Abigail Idan is Free–Her Family is On a Mission to #BringThemAllHome

Four-year-old Abigail Mor Idan, the youngest U.S. citizen who was kidnapped and held by Hamas, returned home during a pause in fighting in November. But the whereabouts and well-being of 129 hostages are still unknown.  Abigail’s great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, joins us to recount her family’s harrowing story – including the murder of Abigail’s parents – and her relentless effort to bring the remaining captives home to their loved ones. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessari

Dec 21, 2023 • 28:42

The Fallout from the University Presidents Congressional Hearing: What Does it Mean for Jewish Students?

The Fallout from the University Presidents Congressional Hearing: What Does it Mean for Jewish Students?

As American colleges and universities struggle to foster discussions about the war between Israel and Hamas that don't veer into antisemitism and misinformation, three university presidents testified on Capitol Hill about the current state of Jew-hatred on college campuses. However, their testimony drew widespread outrage over their refusal to condemn calls for genocide against Jewish students. AJC Director of Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Coodin, and AJC Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, Dr. La

Dec 14, 2023 • 30:55

Global Antisemitism Report Part 2: The Impact of the Hamas-Israel War in Germany, Asia, and the Arab Gulf

Global Antisemitism Report Part 2: The Impact of the Hamas-Israel War in Germany, Asia, and the Arab Gulf

“I cannot recall a moment where we have seen this kind of openly expressed antisemitism.” Dr. Remko Leemhuis, AJC Berlin Director, sums up the state of antisemitism in Germany post-October 7 with this chilling statement. Hear from Leemhuis, along with Asia Pacific Institute (API) Assistant Director Hana Rudolph, and AJC Abu Dhabi Director Marc Sievers, on how the October 7 Hamas massacre of Israelis has impacted Jews in Germany, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United Arab Emirates. *The views

Dec 6, 2023 • 21:12

Global Antisemitism Report Part 1: What It’s Like to Be Jewish in Europe, Latin America, and South Africa Right Now

Global Antisemitism Report Part 1: What It’s Like to Be Jewish in Europe, Latin America, and South Africa Right Now

Following Hamas’ October 7 massacre of Israelis Jews around the world have experienced a  surge of antisemitism. We checked in with some of AJC’s global experts  to learn what they’ve been seeing and hearing on the ground and to understand what efforts are underway to protect Jews and counter this hate. In the first of two installments, we hear from AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan Benzaquen, AJC Africa Director Wayne Sussman, and Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC’s Belfer Institute on

Dec 4, 2023 • 24:58

What Happens Next: AJC’s Avital Leibovich on the Hostage Deal and Challenges Ahead

What Happens Next: AJC’s Avital Leibovich on the Hostage Deal and Challenges Ahead

From the frontlines of the Israel-Hamas War, Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich, director of AJC Jerusalem, joins us to discuss the current pause in fighting between Israel and the terror group Hamas, the release of hostages, the significance of international support for Israel, and the challenges the Jewish state faces in the West Bank. Leibovich also provides insights into the humanitarian conditions of the hostages and the broader implications of the conflict.  Take action to bring all hostages

Nov 29, 2023 • 19:10

The Good, the Bad, and the Death Threats: What It’s Like to Be a Jewish College Student Right Now

The Good, the Bad, and the Death Threats: What It’s Like to Be a Jewish College Student Right Now

Delve into the unsettling rise of antisemitism on American college campuses, focusing on alarming incidents at Cornell University and Columbia University. Our guests, Molly Goldstein and Elliot Sadoff, both members of AJC's Campus Global Board, share their experiences of Jewish students being targeted in the classroom, physically attacked while raising awareness about kidnapped babies in Gaza, and facing death threats for merely speaking Hebrew. Join us as Molly and Elliott share their perspecti

Nov 16, 2023 • 20:25

Jewish U.S. Military Veterans’ Message to IDF Soldiers Fighting Hamas: “We’re With You”

Jewish U.S. Military Veterans’ Message to IDF Soldiers Fighting Hamas: “We’re With You”

In honor of Veterans Day, explore the unique experiences of Jewish U.S. military veterans with Dave Warnock, U.S. Army Veteran, and Andrea Goldstein, U.S. Navy Veteran and Reservist. Our guests share what inspired them to join the military, how their Jewish heritage played a significant role in shaping their service, and what advice they have for the Israel Defense Forces soldiers fighting now against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Warnock and Goldstein are members of AJC’s ACCESS Jewish Military Vete

Nov 9, 2023 • 28:29

What Would You Do If Your Son Was Kidnapped by Hamas?

What Would You Do If Your Son Was Kidnapped by Hamas?

In this heartfelt conversation with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh, who is among the over 240 hostages held by Hamas terrorists, they detail what they know about their son’s abduction from the Supernova music festival on October 7th and the challenges they face in trying to secure his rescue. They also describe their dismay that world leaders are not doing enough to bring the hostages home and share ways to keep their son and all the hostages’ stories alive.  Tak

Nov 2, 2023 • 26:30

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 4: AJC CEO Ted Deutch On the Jewish Community’s Resilience After Pittsburgh and Hamas Attacks

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 4: AJC CEO Ted Deutch On the Jewish Community’s Resilience After Pittsburgh and Hamas Attacks

AJC CEO Ted Deutch joins us to discuss the significance of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life and its aftermath, the anniversary, and what it means to Jews around the world after the October 7 attack on Israel, when once again Jews were murdered just for being Jewish. In the final episode of the Remembering Pittsburgh series, Ted reflects on what being Jewish in the United States feels like at this moment, and how the Jewish community is uniting to overcome yet another challen

Oct 27, 2023 • 19:31

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 3: How the #ShowUpForShabbat Campaign Drew Global Solidarity Amid Tragedy

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 3: How the #ShowUpForShabbat Campaign Drew Global Solidarity Amid Tragedy

In the aftermath of the slaughter of 11 Jews inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, American Jewish Committee (AJC) drew up a plan to galvanize Jewish communities and their allies across the world in an expression of unity and defiance: #ShowUpForShabbat. The campaign, which reached hundreds of millions of people, urged those of all faiths to attend synagogue services during the Shabbat following the attack to show solidarity with the J

Oct 26, 2023 • 22:21

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 2: What the Family of Tree of Life Victim Joyce Fienberg Wants You to Know About Her Legacy

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 2: What the Family of Tree of Life Victim Joyce Fienberg Wants You to Know About Her Legacy

Join us in a tribute to the memory of Joyce Fienberg, one of the 11 victims of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. In this touching second installment of our series on the events of 10/27 , we sit down with Joyce's son, Howard Fienberg, and his wife, Marnie, as they share their  journey of mourning and resilience. Joyce was not only a dedicated member of the Tree of Life synagogue but also a retired university researcher, a devoted mother, and grandmother. Howard and M

Oct 25, 2023 • 27:09

Renana Gomeh’s Sons Were Taken Hostage by Hamas: What She Needs You to Do to Bring Them Home Now

Renana Gomeh’s Sons Were Taken Hostage by Hamas: What She Needs You to Do to Bring Them Home Now

At 6:30 a.m on October 7, 2023, Renana Gomeh’s life changed forever when Iran-backed Hamas terrorists stormed her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and took her two sons, Yagil and Or Yaakov, ages 12 and 16, hostage. She has not heard from them since, knows nothing about the conditions they're held in, or whether they're still alive. Listen to Renana’s painful account, how she is coping, and her mission to bring them home.  American Jewish Committee (AJC) and more than 110 Jewish organizations have urged t

Oct 20, 2023 • 20:29

What Biden’s Wartime Visit to Israel Signals to Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah

What Biden’s Wartime Visit to Israel Signals to Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah

Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, joins us to break down U.S. President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit to Israel and his message to Iran and its terror proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. Jason also shares his take on the fast-moving situation, including the fallout from the explosion at the Gaza hospital, the announcement of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the growing antisemitic attacks in the Middle East and Europe.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do no

Oct 19, 2023 • 17:53

Mai Gutman Was Supposed to Be at the Music Festival: IDF Lone Soldier Recounts Harrowing Week

Mai Gutman Was Supposed to Be at the Music Festival: IDF Lone Soldier Recounts Harrowing Week

Mai Gutman, 28, a graduate student and member of AJC's Campus Global Board, had planned to join her friends at the Supernova music festival near Israel's border with Gaza on Saturday, October 7. But when relatives came to visit, she decided to celebrate Shabbat and Simchat Torah in Jerusalem instead—a change of plans that saved her life. At least 260 young Israelis and people from all over the world were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists at the festival. Mai, an IDF reservist who was just re

Oct 12, 2023 • 18:36

Responding to Hamas Terror: IsraAID CEO on How You Can Help Israelis Right Now

Responding to Hamas Terror: IsraAID CEO on How You Can Help Israelis Right Now

We’re joined by Yotam Politzer, CEO of IsraAID, to discuss how Israel’s leading international humanitarian organization is responding to the immediate and long-term needs on the ground in the wake of Iran-backed Hamas's barbaric terrorist attack in Israel. Politzer shares how American Jews can step up to support Israelis through this incredibly difficult time. American Jewish Committee (AJC) has launched an Israel Emergency Campaign to support Israeli relief organizations. Their first grantee wi

Oct 10, 2023 • 15:26

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 1: Behind the Scenes at the Reimagined Tree of Life

Remembering Pittsburgh Part 1: Behind the Scenes at the Reimagined Tree of Life

This month, we mark the five-year anniversary of the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting at the Tree of Life. On October 27, 2018, 11 worshipers were murdered solely for being Jewish, in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. As the first installment in a four-part series, we take you inside the Tree of Life building before it is demolished in the coming months to make way for a new complex dedicated to Jewish life and combating antisemitism. Hear from Carole Zawatsky, the CEO behind the re

Oct 6, 2023 • 20:11

What Jewish Students at Penn Want You to Know About Antisemitism and the Palestine Writes Event

What Jewish Students at Penn Want You to Know About Antisemitism and the Palestine Writes Event

All eyes have been on the University of Pennsylvania and the Palestine Writes event, a gathering meant to give voice to Palestinian art, poetry, and literature on campus. However, a number of the speakers, including Roger Waters and Marc Lamont Hill, have well-documented histories of antisemitic statements.  Maya Harpaz, Vice President of Israel Engagement at Penn Hillel, and Jonah Miller, a reporter for The Daily Pennsylvanian, take you through what unfolded, growing campus antisemitism, defini

Sep 28, 2023 • 27:00

What the UN Needs To Do To Stop Iranian and Russian Aggression

What the UN Needs To Do To Stop Iranian and Russian Aggression

This week, Simone Rodan Benzaquen, Managing Director of AJC Europe, joins us to discuss AJC’s leading role in the Jewish community’s diplomatic efforts at the United Nations General Assembly. Simone highlights key areas of advocacy, including countering the Iranian threat, addressing antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, advancing the Abraham Accords, and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. We also explore the impact of addresses from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Ira

Sep 21, 2023 • 19:03

Deborah Lipstadt on the Abraham Accords’ Impact and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism

Deborah Lipstadt on the Abraham Accords’ Impact and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism

Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, joins us to discuss how she’s settled into her new role and shares insights on the development of the new U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, for which AJC has long advocated. Lipstadt, a renowned Holocaust historian and one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People of 2023, also delves into the ways in which the Abraham Accords have contributed to the fight against antisemitism in the Middle Eas

Sep 14, 2023 • 24:21

Sen. Joni Ernst Reflects on the Abraham Accords and the Future of Arab-Israeli Engagement

Sen. Joni Ernst Reflects on the Abraham Accords and the Future of Arab-Israeli Engagement

As we mark the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, significant progress has been made in deepening Arab-Israeli engagement. With us this week is Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), a founding member of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus. Ernst joins guest host Benjamin Rogers, AJC’s Director for Middle East and North Africa Initiatives, to reflect on the achievements of the landmark deal, its importance to the United States, speculation over Saudi Arabia, and the crucial role of the Senate in advancing

Sep 7, 2023 • 20:57

'Golda': Behind the Scenes with Israeli Director Guy Nattiv on the 1973 Yom Kippur War

'Golda': Behind the Scenes with Israeli Director Guy Nattiv on the 1973 Yom Kippur War

This week, Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv discusses his new film 'Golda,' which follows the journey of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir as she navigates the tense 19 days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Nattiv delves into how Helen Mirren, who portrays Golda Meir, expertly embodied the role. He also shares why, being a child of '73, he felt so compelled to tell this story. Tune in to hear the poignant anecdotes from the set and learn about the involvement of war veterans in the filmmakin

Aug 25, 2023 • 16:27

The Rise of Germany’s Far-Right Party and What It Means for German Jews

The Rise of Germany’s Far-Right Party and What It Means for German Jews

Polls in Germany suggest the far-right political party Alternative for Germany, or AfD—with its antisemitic, anti-Muslim, anti-EU, and other extreme views—has support from a fifth of German voters. Hear from Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight Against Antisemitism, and an AJC Project Interchange Alum, on what has contributed to the rise of AfD, why the party threatens German Jews, and the danger it presents to Germany’s democracy.  *The views

Aug 17, 2023 • 16:52

What the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism Means for Jewish College Students

What the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism Means for Jewish College Students

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.  *T

Aug 10, 2023 • 22:57

IsraAID CEO on Sharing Israel’s Expertise With the World's Most Vulnerable

IsraAID CEO on Sharing Israel’s Expertise With the World's Most Vulnerable

Tune in for a conversation with Yotam Politzer, CEO of IsraAID, a leading Israeli humanitarian aid organization and longtime partner of AJC, about the group's mission and the impact of sharing Israel's expertise and technology to help millions worldwide after crises hit. Yotam also shares his personal journey and how he found his passion for humanitarian work. Additionally, hear what our podcast community at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv had to say when we asked: why do you love Israel?  *Th

Aug 3, 2023 • 24:26

Israel’s Reasonableness Law: What it Means for Israel’s Democracy and Security

Israel’s Reasonableness Law: What it Means for Israel’s Democracy and Security

AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson breaks down what Israel’s recently-enacted judicial reform means for the future of the only democracy in the Middle East. The Reasonableness Standard Law will limit the Israeli Supreme Court’s ability to review the “reasonableness” of government decisions. Isaacson also provides listeners AJC’s perspective on the contentious bill and takes us beyond the headlines to show AJC’s support for President Herzog’s efforts to reach a compromi

Jul 27, 2023 • 21:02

Matti Friedman on How the 1973 Yom Kippur War Impacted Leonard Cohen and What It Means Today

Matti Friedman on How the 1973 Yom Kippur War Impacted Leonard Cohen and What It Means Today

Last month, we sat down with journalist and author Matti Friedman in a Jerusalem studio to talk about Leonard Cohen, the Israel-Diaspora relationship, and the turning point that was the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Selected by Vanity Fair as one of the best books of 2022, Friedman’s “Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai,” explores the late poet and singer’s concert tour on the front lines of the Yom Kippur War – a historic moment of introspection for the Jewish State that continues to reverberate thr

Jul 21, 2023 • 29:30

From the Black-Jewish Caucus to Shabbat and Sunday Dinners: Connecting Through Food and Allyship

From the Black-Jewish Caucus to Shabbat and Sunday Dinners: Connecting Through Food and Allyship

Candace Bazemore and Gabby Leon Spatt, authors of the award-winning children’s book Shabbat and Sunday Dinner, are traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to help AJC, the National Urban League, and ADL relaunch the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. Together with Dov Wilker, AJC’s Director of Black-Jewish Relations, they discuss what can be accomplished through building stronger bridges between the Black and Jewish communities and how our diversity is a source of connec

Jul 13, 2023 • 21:25

Meet 3 Women Who are Driving Change in the Middle East

Meet 3 Women Who are Driving Change in the Middle East

Join us for an exclusive conversation featuring three women leading transformation in the Middle East. Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, Chairperson of the Israeli Export Institute, speaks to promoting Israeli exports and fostering economic growth; Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, a Senior Envoy at The Jewish Agency for Israel, discusses fostering connections and supporting Jewish communities in the region; and Aviva Steinberger, Director of Innovation Diplomacy at Start-Up Nation Central, touches on harnessing innovat

Jul 6, 2023 • 19:34

'Signed, Sealed, Delivered?': Exploring Israel's Declaration of Independence with People of the Pod and Israel Story

'Signed, Sealed, Delivered?': Exploring Israel's Declaration of Independence with People of the Pod and Israel Story

Two of the Jewish world’s leading podcasts, People of the Pod and Israel Story, are teaming up to bring you inside the making of ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered?’ – the latest series from Israel Story that explores the lives of the signatories of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and their descendants. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, the episode features Mishy Harman, host of Israel Story, and Eran Peleg, the grandson of signatory Moshe Kol (born Moshe Kolodny). Tune in to hear

Jun 30, 2023 • 45:13

Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch

Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Conversation with AJC CEO Ted Deutch

Since his election by the Knesset in 2021, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has used his position as a platform to try to mend the social fabric of the Jewish state. At AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, Herzog sat down with AJC CEO Ted Deutch to discuss key issues, including judicial reform, Israel-Diaspora relations, and the importance of the Abraham Accords. Herzog ends his discussion with an important message for today’s youth.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily re

Jun 29, 2023 • 17:14

Two Ukrainian Refugees Reflect on Escaping War, and Life in Israel– Live from AJC Global Forum 2023

Two Ukrainian Refugees Reflect on Escaping War, and Life in Israel– Live from AJC Global Forum 2023

Margo Vdovichenko and Diana Buchman, both refugees of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have found new lives in Israel. Margo, a student from Kyiv, now plans to attend medical school, while Diana, a single mother, bravely shielded her sons during their escape from Odessa. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2023, this moving conversation captures their journey and adjustment to life in Israel.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  ___

Jun 15, 2023 • 15:08

Hakeem Jeffries on Israel, Ghana, and Representing Brooklyn

Hakeem Jeffries on Israel, Ghana, and Representing Brooklyn

This week, guest host Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC's Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs, had the honor of connecting with Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democratic Caucus, after he led a congressional delegation to Israel and Ghana. As we approach the AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, we have the opportunity to listen to the Democratic leader's insights on the trip, the crucial nature of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the historical and contemporary significance of Black-

Jun 1, 2023 • 24:59

From Roots to Harmony: Nefesh Mountain's Fusion of Jewish American Culture and Bluegrass

From Roots to Harmony: Nefesh Mountain's Fusion of Jewish American Culture and Bluegrass

Driven by their message of "radical love," hear how Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, the husband and wife duo behind the renowned bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain, combat antisemitism within the music industry and beyond. Join us as we delve into their remarkable journey of representing Jewish-American culture, tradition, values, and spirituality through bluegrass and Americana music. The band also treats us to intimate performances from their latest album, "Songs for the Sparrows." *The views and

May 30, 2023 • 33:00

Sen. Jon Ossoff on Jewish Resilience

Sen. Jon Ossoff on Jewish Resilience

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), the first millennial Senator and the first Jewish member of the Senate from Georgia, joins us to honor Jewish American Heritage Month. He shares his family's survival against antisemitism and his efforts to combat it today through his work on the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. He also discusses his connection to Israel and feeling Jewish and proud at a recent Yom HaShoah event in his home state. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do n

May 18, 2023 • 19:53

"Busy in Brooklyn" Food Blogger Chanie Apfelbaum Talks Kosher Cuisine and Jewish Heritage

"Busy in Brooklyn" Food Blogger Chanie Apfelbaum Talks Kosher Cuisine and Jewish Heritage

To continue our Jewish American Heritage Month celebrations, guest host Laura Shaw Frank, AJC's director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, speaks with Chanie Apfelbaum, author of the popular food blog Busy in Brooklyn. Chanie joins us to discuss her new cookbook, "Totally Kosher," the intersection of Jewish culture and food, and the future of kosher cuisine. She also shares how the murder of her brother, Ari Halberstam, who was killed in a 1994 terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Bridge

May 15, 2023 • 22:45

From Israel: AJC’s Avital Leibovich Breaks Down Latest Gaza Escalation

From Israel: AJC’s Avital Leibovich Breaks Down Latest Gaza Escalation

In a special breaking news edition, Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich, director of AJC Jerusalem, joins us to break down Israel’s Operation Shield and Arrow and the threat posed by the Iranian-backed terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has fired over 500 rockets towards Israel since Tuesday. Leibovich also provides an update on how Israelis are coping with the latest escalation and efforts being made towards a ceasefire.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily re

May 11, 2023 • 7:43

AJC CEO Ted Deutch on the Importance of Jewish American Heritage Month

AJC CEO Ted Deutch on the Importance of Jewish American Heritage Month

This May, AJC is proud to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month and the countless contributions that Jewish Americans have made as patriotic citizens, creative artists, brilliant scientists, and star athletes. To kick things off, we’re joined by AJC CEO Ted Deutch to hear his reflections on his first several months at AJC, what he’s looking forward to at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, and how he’s marking Jewish American Heritage Month.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not

May 4, 2023 • 21:04

How Playing Baseball With Team Israel Transformed Ryan Lavarnway’s Life

How Playing Baseball With Team Israel Transformed Ryan Lavarnway’s Life

In celebration of Israel’s 75th birthday, guest host Dov Wilker, AJC’s Atlanta director, sits down with retired Major League Baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Lavarnway reflected on the Jewish pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage, how he has dealt with the antisemitism in his career, and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. *The views and opinions express

Apr 27, 2023 • 31:33

Julianna Margulies on Holocaust Education and Fighting Antisemitism

Julianna Margulies on Holocaust Education and Fighting Antisemitism

Emmy Award-winning actress Julianna Margulies recently partnered with the New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, to help create the Holocaust Educator School Partnership. To date, the partnership has trained two university fellows to teach the history of the Holocaust to 1,700 middle and high school students in New York City Public Schools. In a poignant interview, Margulies shares her motivations for expanding the program, personal experiences of how antisemit

Apr 21, 2023 • 25:26

Vote for The Forgotten Exodus at the Webby Awards

Vote for The Forgotten Exodus at the Webby Awards

The Forgotten Exodus has been nominated for a Webby Award, also known as “the Internet’s highest honor” — but we need your help to win! Click here to vote for The Forgotten Exodus for “Best Limited Podcast Series.” It takes less than a minute. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on April 20, 2023. The Forgotten Exodus is the first-ever narrative podcast series devoted exclusively to the fascinating and often-overlooked history of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jewry from Arab countries and Iran. Created by Ame

Apr 17, 2023 • 1:34

What to Know About Israel’s Judicial Reforms Effort and Protests

What to Know About Israel’s Judicial Reforms Effort and Protests

This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed pause on a series of contentious judicial reforms that have triggered mass protests, condemnation from wide swaths of Israeli society, and expressions of concern from American leaders and Jewish organizations. Guest host Belle Yoeli, AJC's Chief Advocacy Officer, sits down with AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson to discuss what this means for the future of the Middle East’s only democracy. *The views and op

Mar 31, 2023 • 22:09

How Jewish Teens Take on Antisemitism in America

How Jewish Teens Take on Antisemitism in America

Jewish teenagers in middle and high schools throughout the United States are experiencing antisemitism in various forms, including in their school premises, in the classroom, and on social media. Abi Streger, a Jewish student from suburban Atlanta, is one of the many teenagers who have faced such hatred. Joining the conversation is Aaron Bregman, Director of High School Affairs for AJC's Alexander Young Leadership Department, who speaks about how AJC empowers students and their families to stand

Mar 23, 2023 • 21:35

A White House Meeting with Antisemitism Envoys from Around the World

A White House Meeting with Antisemitism Envoys from Around the World

Two weeks ago at the White House, a group of antisemitism envoys from around the world attended an AJC-convened gathering as part of the efforts of an interagency group created by President Biden to build a national strategy to combat antisemitism. This week, two of those envoys, senior European antisemitism officials from the EU and Germany join us to discuss that meeting and share how their governments have addressed rising antisemitism. Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinato

Mar 16, 2023 • 26:20

Women's History Month: Meet Felice Gaer, Human Rights Champion

Women's History Month: Meet Felice Gaer, Human Rights Champion

She’s one of the world’s most effective champions of women’s rights, human rights, and democratic values. For Women’s History Month, we speak with Felice Gaer, director of American Jewish Committee’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights. Gaer, who fights for religious freedom, the rights of women, and against antisemitism, highlights the importance of women's voices in an often-male dominated field. She has been appointed to the US Commission on International Religious F

Mar 8, 2023 • 28:10

How to Support Jews of Color

How to Support Jews of Color

Rabbi Sandra Lawson, Reconstructing Judaism’s first director of racial diversity, equity and inclusion, joins us to talk about how you can support Jews of color. The social media influencer uses her platform both online and off as a queer Jew of color to drive hard conversations around racism, homophobia, and antisemitism. Rabbi Lawson, who feels a deep responsibility to serve American Jews, is full of Jewish pride amid a rise in anti-Jewish hate. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do n

Feb 28, 2023 • 33:51

The Jewish Experience in Ukraine Amidst Russia’s Invasion

The Jewish Experience in Ukraine Amidst Russia’s Invasion

One year after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Vladislav Davidzon, European culture correspondent for Tablet Magazine, shares what he’s witnessed as a war correspondent on the frontlines, and predicts the future for his beloved country and the Jewish community he's proud to call home.  We last spoke to Davidzon hours before the Russia-Ukraine war began, when he was on the ground in Kyiv – listen now to his dispatch a year on, as he joins us live from our New York studio. *The views and opi

Feb 23, 2023 • 30:28

How Rising Antisemitism Impacts Jews on College Campuses

How Rising Antisemitism Impacts Jews on College Campuses

Unpack the findings from AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2022 report on young U.S. Jews, including those on college campuses, with the Senior Director of AJC’s Alexander Young Leadership Department, Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman. We also hear from Northwestern University student Lily Cohen, whose efforts to encourage constructive dialogue following a disturbing antisemitic encounter on her college campus has sparked hostility, friendship, and above all, a renewed sense of Jewish pride. *The v

Feb 13, 2023 • 33:19

The New Ways France is Combating Antisemitism

The New Ways France is Combating Antisemitism

France just released its latest national plan for combating antisemitism. AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache joins us to break down this new initiative, share how French Jews are impacted by rising antisemitism, and give us a behind-the-scenes look at the role AJC played in helping craft the plan. In April 2015, AJC praised the French government for launching its first comprehensive plan to fight antisemitism and racism, and a year earlier for establishing the position of Inter-minis

Feb 8, 2023 • 19:12

Breaking Down the Headlines from Israel: From Secretary Blinken’s Visit, to Terror Attacks, Protests, and More

Breaking Down the Headlines from Israel: From Secretary Blinken’s Visit, to Terror Attacks, Protests, and More

The Jerusalem Post’s Lahav Harkov joins us this week to help us understand all of the big news from Israel, from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit, to rocket attacks from Gaza, terror attacks in Jerusalem, ultimatums from Russia, massive protests, and proposed changes to Israel’s Law of Return. Harkov is the senior contributing editor and diplomatic correspondent for The Jerusalem Post. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of A

Feb 2, 2023 • 20:56

Surviving the Unimaginable: A Child's Story of the Holocaust

Surviving the Unimaginable: A Child's Story of the Holocaust

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Sam Harris, who is one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. As a young child, Sam watched in horror as his family was taken to Treblinka and murdered, but he and his two older sisters were able to beat the odds. Listen as Sam recounts the unimaginable struggles he faced during one of the darkest periods in human history and how his experience motivated him to play a central role in the founding of the Illinois Holocaust Museum. *The views and opi

Jan 26, 2023 • 38:41

‘Leopoldstadt’ Actor David Krumholtz Sees Tom Stoppard’s Holocaust Play as the Role of a Lifetime

‘Leopoldstadt’ Actor David Krumholtz Sees Tom Stoppard’s Holocaust Play as the Role of a Lifetime

Since its Broadway opening last fall, Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt,” a play about a multigenerational Jewish family in Vienna, based on Stoppard’s own family history, has been met with critical acclaim. Hear from celebrated actor David Krumholtz, who plays the patriarch of the family, on how his Jewish identity has been transformed by the role, why he speaks to his young children about antisemitism, and the importance of Holocaust education today. _ Episode Lineup: (0:40) David Krumholtz __ Sh

Jan 19, 2023 • 28:20

Shabbat Shalom No More? One Year Later, Colleyville Synagogue Wrestles with Impact of Hostage Crisis

Shabbat Shalom No More? One Year Later, Colleyville Synagogue Wrestles with Impact of Hostage Crisis

One year ago, Jeff Cohen was taken hostage during Shabbat services by an antisemitic attacker. Hear from Cohen, who is now the president of Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, about all that has transpired since that traumatic day and how the attack has impacted him and the Colleyville Jewish community. Bradley Orsini, the Secure Community Network’s senior national security advisor, also joined the conversation to share what steps American Jews can take to protect and empower thei

Jan 12, 2023 • 29:09

How Hanukkah’s Americanization Became a Show of Jewish Pride

How Hanukkah’s Americanization Became a Show of Jewish Pride

This Hanukkah, we hear from Rabbi Yael Buechler, a writer, educator, entrepreneur, and Hanukkah merch maven. She’s also a Hanukkah historian who has tracked how the festival of lights helped reinvent Jewish culture in America and how it became a gift-giving occasion alongside Christmas. Rabbi Beuchler joins us to discuss how American Jews can take advantage of the marketplace to express their Jewish pride authentically during the Hanukkah season, despite increasing antisemitism–with inflatable m

Dec 22, 2022 • 23:01

What Does NYC's Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Do?; An Elton John Hanukkah Celebration

What Does NYC's Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Do?; An Elton John Hanukkah Celebration

Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams insisted on the end of plea bargains for the perpetrators of antisemitic attacks and called out all forms of hate. To discuss New York City’s efforts to combat the alarming rise in Jew hatred, Hassan Naveed, executive director of New York City’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC), joins to explain how his office coordinates agencies across the city to curb the rise of antisemitic hate crimes, the importance of tracking these crimes a

Dec 15, 2022 • 34:52

How Young Jews and Muslims are Advancing Israeli-Moroccan Peace

How Young Jews and Muslims are Advancing Israeli-Moroccan Peace

This week marks the second anniversary of the normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco as part of the Abraham Accords. Building on this peace, three young adults hailing from Israel, Morocco, and the U.S. join us to discuss their visit earlier this year to Israel and Morocco. The first-of-its-kind tour was part of the Michael Sachs Emerging Leaders Fellowship, sponsored by AJC and the Mimouna Association, a Muslim nonprofit in Morocco devoted to preserving Jewish-Moroccan heritage.

Dec 8, 2022 • 23:06

What Lessons Can We Learn From the Past to Fight Antisemitism Today?

What Lessons Can We Learn From the Past to Fight Antisemitism Today?

Before, during, and after the Holocaust, antisemitism spread throughout American society. AJC’s innovative multimedia campaign to counter this rising hatred is the subject of “Confronting Hate: 1937-1952,” an exhibit at the New York Historical Society. With posters, comic books, newspaper advertisements, radio spots, and television cartoons, that, since 1952, have not been seen by the public, join Charlotte Bonelli, Director of AJC's Archives and Records Center, and Debra Schmidt Bach, Curator o

Dec 1, 2022 • 37:12

Celebrating Mizrahi Heritage Month with The Forgotten Exodus: Iran

Celebrating Mizrahi Heritage Month with The Forgotten Exodus: Iran

Too few people know that parts of the Arab world and Iran were once home to large Jewish communities. This Mizrahi Heritage Month, let’s change the story, with the final episode of the first season of The Forgotten Exodus, the first-ever narrative podcast series devoted exclusively to the rich, fascinating, and often-overlooked history of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jewry. Thank you for lifting up these stories to celebrate Mizrahi Heritage Month. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to the re

Nov 30, 2022 • 37:56

From “Chopped” to the White House: TikTok Chef Eitan Bernath on Being a Loud and Proud Jew

From “Chopped” to the White House: TikTok Chef Eitan Bernath on Being a Loud and Proud Jew

Jewish chef and content creator Eitan Bernath joins us this week to explain why he wears a Star of David necklace in public and how he uses his platform of seven million followers to fight anti-Israel bias and antisemitism. Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and the author of the cookbook "Eitan Eats The World," the 20-year-old also discusses attending last year’s White House Hanukkah Party, interviewing Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the Jew-hatred normalized by celebrities like Kanye West, and why it

Nov 17, 2022 • 25:58

U.S. and Israeli Election Results: What American Jews Need to Know

U.S. and Israeli Election Results: What American Jews Need to Know

This week’s episode focuses on the Israeli and U.S. elections, their implications, and what impact they could have on U.S.-Israel ties, the spread of antisemitism, and advancing democratic values.  We start in the U.S., where razor-thin margins left control of Congress still up in the air at the time of recording. But as the votes continued to be counted, Marc Rod, Capitol Hill correspondent for Jewish Insider, joined us to discuss some of the unexpected results and those that are still pending,

Nov 10, 2022 • 31:37

Why Auburn Basketball’s Trip to Israel Was Personal for Coach Bruce Pearl

Why Auburn Basketball’s Trip to Israel Was Personal for Coach Bruce Pearl

Basketball coach Bruce Pearl is on a mission both on and off the court. This summer, Coach Pearl, who is Jewish, took his Auburn University men’s basketball team to Israel on a first-of-its-kind “Birthright for College Basketball” trip to play against Israeli national teams, and visit sites across the country, from the Mount of Olives to the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As the college basketball season gears up, Dov Wilker, Regional Director of AJC Atlanta, sat down with Co

Nov 3, 2022 • 20:20

Pittsburgh's Response to the Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: An Oral History

Pittsburgh's Response to the Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: An Oral History

Today marks four years since America’s deadliest antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which left 11 dead and wounded six others. Over the last few weeks, the appalling antisemitic conspiracy theories and threats from rapper Kanye West serve as a reminder of the normalization of antisemitism in America and how hate can be translated into action or violence. Listen to former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on what it was like to witness the pain inflicted on a community, a

Oct 27, 2022 • 23:27

Campus Antisemitism – What’s Happening at UC Berkeley?

Campus Antisemitism – What’s Happening at UC Berkeley?

Controversy erupted at the UC Berkeley Law school this fall over the decision by a handful of student groups to adopt bylaws that would ban Zionist speakers. In response, American Jewish Committee (AJC) united with 35 other Jewish organizations to condemn the ban as a “vicious attempt to marginalize and stigmatize the Jewish, Israeli, and pro-Israel community… This is unabashed antisemitism.” This week, Dr. Ethan Katz, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Berkeley, and co-founde

Oct 21, 2022 • 24:42

Unpacking the Origins of Kanye’s Antisemitism

Unpacking the Origins of Kanye’s Antisemitism

Rapper Kanye West’s recent antisemitic outbursts during a primetime Fox News interview and on social media to his over 31 million followers have provided another example of the normalization of Jew-hatred in the American public sphere. While his comments elevating antisemitic conspiracy theories, Jewish stereotypes, and threats of violence have been met with outrage and condemnation, they demonstrate the continuing challenge of combating the world’s oldest hatred in the media and online. AJC’s U

Oct 14, 2022 • 22:59

AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Building a Brighter Jewish Future

AJC CEO Ted Deutch on Building a Brighter Jewish Future

After more than 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Ted Deutch recently stepped down to become the CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy organization. In this special episode, learn about the Jewish values instilled in Ted by his parents, growing up in the working-class town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he was one of only three Jewish students in his high school. From his summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos to his Jewish leadership as a studen

Oct 6, 2022 • 27:10

Synagogue Security Expert on the Importance of Volunteer-Led Protection

Synagogue Security Expert on the Importance of Volunteer-Led Protection

Did you know that Jewish communities outside the U.S. have long viewed security as a communal responsibility and do not solely rely on law enforcement? Is a shift toward this viewpoint emerging in America? This week, amid the High Holiday season, we spoke to Evan Bernstein, CEO and national director of The Community Security Service, a volunteer-led national organization that trains community members to protect their synagogues and events. We discuss the manifestations of antisemitism and hate c

Sep 29, 2022 • 18:16

Ken Burns Explores U.S. Inaction During the Holocaust

Ken Burns Explores U.S. Inaction During the Holocaust

Filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, in conversation with AJC’s Director of Contemporary Jewish Life Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, join us this week to discuss their groundbreaking historical documentary, “The U.S. and the Holocaust.” This latest installment from the acclaimed filmmaker, which debuted this past Sunday on PBS, explores America’s reaction – or lack thereof – to the Nazi genocide as it was unfolding in Europe as part of a critical addition to our understanding of the past. ___ Episode Lin

Sep 22, 2022 • 23:33

Noa Tishby on the Abraham Accords: The Middle East Realizes Israel is Not the Enemy

Noa Tishby on the Abraham Accords: The Middle East Realizes Israel is Not the Enemy

Israeli-American actress Noa Tishby didn’t set out to be Israel’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism and the delegitimization of Israel. But since being appointed by then-Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in April 2022, Tishby has been a powerful voice when it comes to combating hatred against Jews and misinformation about Israel. Amid the paperback release of her book "Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth," Tishby joins us to discuss the impact of the

Sep 15, 2022 • 22:05

Here’s Why All of Society Must Take Action Against Antisemitism

Here’s Why All of Society Must Take Action Against Antisemitism

It is no secret that antisemitism is on the rise in the United States. American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) 2021 State of Antisemitism in America report revealed that 90% of Jewish respondents believe antisemitism is a problem. Until now, there has not been a single resource for American society to tackle the world’s oldest hatred. In a just-released mobilization tool, AJC’s Call to Action Against Antisemitism in America highlights a path forward for all sectors of society, including government, co

Sep 7, 2022 • 26:14

What a Restored Deal with Iran Could Mean for Israel and the Entire Middle East

What a Restored Deal with Iran Could Mean for Israel and the Entire Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has voiced sharp criticism of reports claiming that the final text of a restored Iranian nuclear deal will soon be accepted by Tehran and Washington, reigniting debate about key components of the nuclear deal - sanctions against Iran’s energy exports, IAEA monitoring, unfreezing blocked Iranian assets, among others - and whether the United States should even be negotiating with Iran in the first place. Fresh off a recent escalation with the Iranian-backed Palest

Sep 1, 2022 • 22:23

BDS on Campus: What Should Jewish Students Expect?

BDS on Campus: What Should Jewish Students Expect?

Natalie Kahn, a Jewish student at Harvard University and editor at The Harvard Crimson, was stunned late last spring when the editorial board of the campus newspaper that had been so central to her college experience had endorsed the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Jeffrey Greenberg, AJC’s Assistant Director of Campus Affairs, said that Natalie’s feelings of betrayal are an increasingly common experience for pro-Israel college students. While BDS has had numerous s

Aug 25, 2022 • 23:47

Walter Russell Mead: Debunking Myths and Misconceptions About the U.S.-Israel Relationship

Walter Russell Mead: Debunking Myths and Misconceptions About the U.S.-Israel Relationship

Today, Israel is one of America’s top global allies. How did this relationship develop? Why does this alliance have such widespread support in America? To answer these questions and more, Walter Russell Mead, Fellow in Strategy and Statesmanship at the Hudson Institute and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, joins guest host, Melanie Maron Pell, AJC’s chief field operations officer, to discuss his latest book, “The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish Peopl

Aug 18, 2022 • 25:29

The Forgotten Exodus: Egypt

The Forgotten Exodus: Egypt

One of the top Jewish podcasts in the U.S., American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) The Forgotten Exodus, is the first-ever narrative podcast to focus exclusively on Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews. In this week’s episode, we feature Jews from Egypt.   In the first half of the 20th century, Egypt went through profound social and political upheavals culminating in the rise of President Gamal Abdel Nasser and his campaign of Arabization, creating an oppressive atmosphere for the country’s Jews, and leading a

Aug 17, 2022 • 34:17

Operation Breaking Dawn: Analyzing and Assessing the Latest Gaza Conflict

Operation Breaking Dawn: Analyzing and Assessing the Latest Gaza Conflict

On Friday, August 5, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation Breaking Dawn in response to days of threats from the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) that it would attack Israel. The conflict, which lasted nearly three days, saw over 1,100 rockets launched towards Israel by PIJ. The IDF killed several high-ranking PIJ operatives and destroyed much of the terror group’s military capabilities. Listen to AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson, in conver

Aug 11, 2022 • 20:56

Behind the Scenes of AJC’s New Podcast Series The Forgotten Exodus

Behind the Scenes of AJC’s New Podcast Series The Forgotten Exodus

Hear behind-the-scenes details about AJC’s new podcast series The Forgotten Exodus, featuring its host Manya Brachear Pashman and cartoonist and musician Carol Isaacs, who shares more about her family’s flight from rising antisemitism in Iraq, as depicted in her graphic memoir and animated film, The Wolf of Baghdad. The Forgotten Exodus, which has ranked number one on Apple’s Jewish podcast chart since it was launched on August 1, is the first-ever podcast series focused exclusively on the rich,

Aug 4, 2022 • 14:12

The Forgotten Exodus: Iraq

The Forgotten Exodus: Iraq

Listen to the premiere episode of a new limited narrative series from American Jewish Committee (AJC): The Forgotten Exodus. Each Monday, for the next six weeks, AJC will release a new episode of The Forgotten Exodus, the first-ever narrative podcast series to focus exclusively on Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews. This week’s episode focuses on Jews from Iraq. If you like what you hear, use the link below to subscribe before the next episode drops on August 8. Who are the Jews of Iraq? Why did they l

Aug 1, 2022 • 21:09

James Carville and Leslie Sanchez on the Battle Between Extremists and Moderates in U.S. Politics

James Carville and Leslie Sanchez on the Battle Between Extremists and Moderates in U.S. Politics

As antisemitism persists on both political extremes, are moderate forces strong enough to steer us in the right direction? Can lawmakers actually reach across the aisle in today’s political climate? James Carville, Democratic strategist and political icon, and Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategist and award-winning political commentator, joined AJC Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs Julie Fishman Rayman in a discussion about the state of U.S. politics today at AJC Global Forum 202

Jul 28, 2022 • 28:31

How Can Governments Win the Fight Against Antisemitism? An AJC Global Forum 2022 Conversation

How Can Governments Win the Fight Against Antisemitism? An AJC Global Forum 2022 Conversation

U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt and European Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life Katharina von Schnurbein discussed, in a conversation moderated by Managing Director of AJC Europe Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, how to fulfill their governments’ bold promises to fight antisemitism. When every day, it seems a new instance of antisemitism appears in the headlines, how are American and European leaders working to counter these gl

Jul 21, 2022 • 25:36

Building on the Abraham Accords: President Biden’s Trip to the Middle East, and Its Implications for Israeli-Saudi Relations

Building on the Abraham Accords: President Biden’s Trip to the Middle East, and Its Implications for Israeli-Saudi Relations

This week, President Joe Biden is visiting the Middle East on a tour that includes Israel, the West Bank, and Saudi Arabia. Amid looming Iranian nuclear concerns, a shaky U.S.-Saudi relationship, and continued Israeli-Palestinian uncertainty, much work needs to be accomplished. How can President Biden strengthen the United States’ strategic presence in the region? What needs to be done to improve the United States’ connection to Saudi Arabia? How close are Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalizatio

Jul 14, 2022 • 21:45

Antisemitism in Latin America: The Lasting Impact of the AMIA Attack

Antisemitism in Latin America: The Lasting Impact of the AMIA Attack

It is the deadliest antisemitic attack outside of Israel since the Holocaust: On July 18, 1994, Iranian-backed terrorists drove a bomb-laden truck into the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Center in Buenos Aires, killing 80 and wounding 300. 28 years later, how has the attack on AMIA impacted the continent, its Jewish population, and its approach to combating antisemitism? This week, Fernando Lottenberg, the first Organization of American States (OAS) Commissioner to Monitor an

Jul 7, 2022 • 27:18

Is the Golden Age of American Jewry Over? An AJC Global Forum Great Debate

Is the Golden Age of American Jewry Over? An AJC Global Forum Great Debate

Today, American Jews have reached unparalleled levels of success in areas such as business, academia, and culture. But with rising antisemitism, Jewish demographic changes, and shifting norms, some are pessimistic about the future for American Jewry.  Tune into AJC’s signature AJC Global Forum 2022 session: The Great Debate: Is the Golden Age of American Jewry Over? The debate features guests Bret Stephens, Op-Ed Columnist, The New York Times, Editor-in-Chief, Sapir; and Pamela Nadell, Patrick C

Jun 30, 2022 • 23:53

What is the BDS Mapping Project and Why Should All Jews Be Concerned?

What is the BDS Mapping Project and Why Should All Jews Be Concerned?

A map published online earlier this month by BDS activists claims to list organizations and institutions in the Boston area that they say are responsible for harm against Palestinians. In actuality, the project is targeting and threatening the Jewish community. AJC New England Director Rob Leikind joins us to explain what’s being done to raise awareness and counter the project, and why it’s not just the Jewish community that’s in danger. Then, Ian Kaplan, a student at Tufts University near Bosto

Jun 23, 2022 • 21:54

Are Jews, Israel, and Progressive Spaces Compatible? Live from AJC Global Forum 2022

Are Jews, Israel, and Progressive Spaces Compatible? Live from AJC Global Forum 2022

In America today we are faced with the rise of extremism at both ends of the political spectrum. This week, we examine the interplay between progressive groups and American Jews, who are being increasingly excluded and targeted by so-called progressives, especially over ties to Israel, the Middle East’s only liberal democracy. David Baddiel, Comedian, Author, Screenwriter, and Television Presenter; Rachel Fish, Co-Founder, Boundless; and Yair Rosenberg, Contributing Writer, The Atlantic, delve i

Jun 16, 2022 • 27:59

Bari Weiss on How Antisemitism Became Normalized; Gearing Up for AJC Global Forum 2022

Bari Weiss on How Antisemitism Became Normalized; Gearing Up for AJC Global Forum 2022

As we look ahead to AJC Global Forum 2022, the premier global Jewish advocacy gathering of the year (June 12-14 in New York City), we look back at some highlights from AJC Virtual Global Forum 2021, including conversations with U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), on the launch of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations, columnists Bret Stephens and Bari Weiss discussing the mainstreaming of antisemitism, and crucial advice from two young activists on how

Jun 9, 2022 • 23:17

Yossi Klein Halevi on the Convergence of Politics and Religion at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

Yossi Klein Halevi on the Convergence of Politics and Religion at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

Yom Yerushalayim, or Jerusalem Day, celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem in June 1967 at the end of the Six-Day War. This week, we hear from journalist and author Yossi Klein Halevi on the triumph of that historic day, the current wave of terrorist attacks in Israel, the tensions on the Temple Mount, and the trauma that continues to shape Israel’s spiritual and political life. Also, as we wrap up #JewishandProud month, Halevi, along with some of our listeners, share what being Jewish means

May 26, 2022 • 32:11

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming’s Antisemitism Failures; Buffalo Shooting and Great Replacement Theory

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming’s Antisemitism Failures; Buffalo Shooting and Great Replacement Theory

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs aim to foster belonging and unity among diverse workplaces and campus communities. However, in doing so, they often misunderstand who Jews are, view all Jews as privileged, and ignore or downplay blatant cases of antisemitism. AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism and guest host Holly Huffnagle sits down with Dr. Saba Soomekh, Associate Director of AJC Los Angeles, to break down the issues surrounding DEI, and what needs to change to prope

May 19, 2022 • 29:57

X Troop The Inspiring Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During WWII

X Troop The Inspiring Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During WWII

Author and Jewish historian Leah Garrett shares the powerful but little-known story at the heart of X Troop, her newest book, about a group of Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe, tapped to become clandestine commandos and counterintelligence agents for the British Army during World War II.  A professor and Director of Jewish Studies at Hunter College, Garrett also discusses her painful decision to resign from the trade union that represents the faculty of the City University of New York after i

May 12, 2022 • 33:12

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch on How Support for Israel is Key to the Future of Reform Judaism

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch on How Support for Israel is Key to the Future of Reform Judaism

As the senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch believes Zionism is a core value of Judaism. Rabbi Hirsch sat down with guest host Laura Shaw Frank, AJC's Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, to discuss the danger of a waning commitment to Israel among a portion of Reform Judaism, a recent delegation to the Poland-Ukraine border, and how being #JewishAndProud is as important to him as breathing.  ___ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Listeners on #JewishAndProud (2

May 5, 2022 • 25:47

How Do American Millennial Jews Feel About Israel?

How Do American Millennial Jews Feel About Israel?

What are American millennial Jews’ attitudes towards Israel and how has anti-Israel activism on U.S. college campuses changed that relationship? AJC surveyed American and Israeli millennial Jews to better understand their experiences, attitudes, and opinions about Jewish identity, connection to Israel, and attachment to one another. In a special live People of the Pod recording, AJC Director of Alexander Young Leadership Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman sits down with AJC ACCESS Global Director Dana St

Apr 28, 2022 • 31:48

How to Tell Fact from Fiction About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

How to Tell Fact from Fiction About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Amid rising tensions in Israel, Canadian-Israeli journalist Matti Friedman shares candid advice for all who are trying to understand the complex situation that is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Friedman takes listeners behind the scenes of media reporting on Israel to demonstrate the sometimes corrosive impact that news outlets have when they attempt to oversimplify the conflict. ___ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Matti Friedman ___ Show Notes: Register here for a live People of the Pod recording on

Apr 20, 2022 • 19:45

France’s Presidential Elections: Implications for French Jews and U.S. Politics

France’s Presidential Elections: Implications for French Jews and U.S. Politics

AJC Chief Field Operations Officer and guest host Melanie Maron Pell sits down with AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen to break down the results from the first round of the French presidential election, why both the far right and far left are a danger to French society and Jews in particular, and why France may be a barometer for the U.S. political landscape. Then, AJC's Director of the Alexander Young Leadership Department Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman joins us to discuss the unpre

Apr 14, 2022 • 26:19

Solving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A New Perspective

Solving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A New Perspective

When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the pathway to peace has typically been presented as a choice between a one-state or a two-state solution. Guest host Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, speaks with Avi Melamed, Israeli intelligence and strategic affairs analyst and author of Inside the Middle East: Entering a New Era, about possible other solutions, the impact of the Abraham Accords on the region, and why the story of the Israeli-Palestinian confl

Apr 7, 2022 • 24:05

“We Lost a Lot of Leverage”: Freed Iranian Hostage Speaks Out on Iran Negotiations

“We Lost a Lot of Leverage”: Freed Iranian Hostage Speaks Out on Iran Negotiations

The Washington Post’s Jason Rezaian, who was held hostage by Iran for nearly two years and was released in a prisoner swap the day the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) went into effect, joins us to share his unique perspective on the reported nuclear deal emerging in negotiations between Tehran and world powers. Rezaian weighs in on what’s at stake in the talks and discusses the potential impact of the lifting of a number of sanctions and the removal of America’s terrorist designation of the Irani

Mar 31, 2022 • 30:46

Setting the Record Straight on Israel’s Support for Ukraine

Setting the Record Straight on Israel’s Support for Ukraine

A false narrative has emerged about Israel’s alleged neutrality over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lahav Harkov, senior diplomatic correspondent for The Jerusalem Post and co-host of their weekly podcast, joins us to set the record straight. Harkov explains how Israel is supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, while avoiding provoking Syrian-based Russian troops on the democratic nation’s northern border.  Then, AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich shares a touching account of the AJC-sp

Mar 24, 2022 • 23:43

Clouded Futures and Big Hearts: What Life is Really Like for Ukrainian Refugees

Clouded Futures and Big Hearts: What Life is Really Like for Ukrainian Refugees

A mother and her son in need of help. The extraordinary decision of the great-granddaughter of a Polish Resistance Movement fighter. Go behind the scenes of American Jewish Committee’s humanitarian mission to the Ukraine-Poland border crossings and refugee reception centers and discover what it’s really like to be a Ukrainian fleeing Russia’s invasion and find out how Poland and its citizens are giving a masterclass in welcoming refugees. Aldona Zawada of AJC’s Warsaw-based Shapiro Silverberg Ce

Mar 17, 2022 • 26:17

The Historical Irony of Jews Fleeing into Poland

The Historical Irony of Jews Fleeing into Poland

Among the 1.2 million Ukrainians that have crossed the border into Poland over the last two weeks are many Ukrainian Jews. This week, guest host Laura Shaw Frank, AJC's Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, speaks to the Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, who has been coordinating a Jewish relief effort on the ground. Rabbi Schudrich speaks about the most pressing needs that Jews fleeing Ukraine have right now and how he has been inspired by the Jewish community’s unity during this crisis.

Mar 10, 2022 • 17:59

AJC CEO David Harris on Putin, Babyn Yar, and “Denazification"

AJC CEO David Harris on Putin, Babyn Yar, and “Denazification"

American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris joins us to discuss the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine. Harris takes on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim about the need to “denazify” Ukraine, shares what everyone, especially the Jewish community, needs to know about Babyn Yar, Ukraine’s Holocaust memorial which was partially damaged by Russian forces, and issues a warning that Putin’s tactics are drawn from Hitler’s playbook. Then, Manya Brachear Pashman sits down with AJC Philadelphia Director

Mar 3, 2022 • 25:45

Live from Kyiv: The Future of Ukraine and its Large Jewish Community

Live from Kyiv: The Future of Ukraine and its Large Jewish Community

Just hours before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Vladislav Davidzon, founding editor of The Odessa Review and contributor to Tablet Magazine, joined us live from Kyiv for a fascinating analysis and unique perspective on the mood on the ground, what Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to accomplish, and the future of Europe's fourth largest Jewish community.  ____ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Vladislav Davidzon ____ Show Notes: Urge Congress to stand with Ukraine AJC’s statement on Russ

Feb 24, 2022 • 22:59

Black, Jewish, and Proud: Rapper Nissim Black on Israel, Antisemitism, and Racism

Black, Jewish, and Proud: Rapper Nissim Black on Israel, Antisemitism, and Racism

In a candid conversation, Israeli-American musician and recording artist Nissim Black discusses the roots of his career as a rapper, the struggles he faced when he moved to Israel and tried to find acceptance for his children, and how his connection to his Jewish faith shapes his music. Black explores how his music and spirituality have presented opportunities for constructive conversations on racism and antisemitism. Then, Manya Brachear Pashman and Sam Kliger, AJC Director of Russian and Euras

Feb 17, 2022 • 27:32

Does Hollywood Tolerate Antisemitism?

Does Hollywood Tolerate Antisemitism?

Should only Jewish actors play Jewish roles? Was Whoopi Goldberg’s apology enough? Should Mel Gibson work in Hollywood ever again? What does a greater emphasis on diversity in the entertainment industry mean for Jewish representation on the silver screen? On the same week the Oscar nominations were announced, Jessica Shaw, a host for Sirius XM’s pop culture talk channel, joins us to discuss the debates, misunderstandings, and, in Gibson’s case, the blatant antisemitism rippling through Hollywood

Feb 10, 2022 • 21:44

Why Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust Views Shouldn’t Surprise Us; Daniel Pearl’s 20th Yahrzeit

Why Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust Views Shouldn’t Surprise Us; Daniel Pearl’s 20th Yahrzeit

This week on “The View,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg wrongly claimed that the Holocaust “isn’t about race.” Though she apologized, ABC suspended her for two weeks. Writer Daniella Greenbaum, an Emmy award-winning former producer for “The View,” joins us to discuss how Goldberg’s comments demonstrate a widespread failure to understand Judaism but also present an opportunity to discuss the diversity of Judaism and comprehend antisemitism in its many forms.  Then, on Daniel Pearl’s 20th yahrzeit (anniv

Feb 4, 2022 • 27:32

Recovering a Town’s Lost Sephardic Jewish Culture 77 Years After the Holocaust

Recovering a Town’s Lost Sephardic Jewish Culture 77 Years After the Holocaust

What would it be like to return to the village your ancestors called home, to walk in their footsteps, and try to recover their stories and culture? Ladino singer and songwriter Sarah Aroeste did just that for her seventh album, which honors what was once the largest Jewish community in the country now known as North Macedonia. In the mountainous city of Bitola, formerly known as Monastir, 98% of the Jewish population that remained after the Balkan Wars was deported in 1943, and murdered by the

Jan 27, 2022 • 32:29

AJC CEO David Harris on the Deborah Lipstadt Holocaust Denial Trial and AJC’s Critical Role in the Fight

AJC CEO David Harris on the Deborah Lipstadt Holocaust Denial Trial and AJC’s Critical Role in the Fight

In 2000, renowned Holocaust scholar Dr. Deborah Lipstadt was sued by David Irving for defamation, because she called Irving a Holocaust denier and falsifier of history in her 1994 book Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory. Expert witnesses combed through Irving’s research since the 1980s and found that Lipstadt was correct - Irving had deliberately manipulated the historical record, to support his ludicrous claims that most of the evidence of the Holocaust had been inve

Jan 20, 2022 • 26:02

Inside the Colleyville, Texas Synagogue Hostage Crisis: Hear from 3 Local Jewish and Muslim Leaders on What It Was Like on the Ground

Inside the Colleyville, Texas Synagogue Hostage Crisis: Hear from 3 Local Jewish and Muslim Leaders on What It Was Like on the Ground

On January 15th, the world watched in horror as an armed attacker, spewing antisemitic hatred and seeking the release of a convicted terrorist from prison, took a rabbi and three worshippers hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. As the situation unfolded, local Muslim, Jewish, and Christian clergy gathered with the families of the hostages inside a nearby church to pray for a safe resolution to the stand-off. Joining us today are Joel Schwitzer, Director of AJC Dallas, Moham

Jan 18, 2022 • 20:21

The Fight for Religious Equality at the Western Wall Just Got Tougher

The Fight for Religious Equality at the Western Wall Just Got Tougher

When Israel’s coalition government took shape last summer, all signs pointed to progress on an expanded egalitarian prayer site at Jerusalem's Western Wall. But now that plan appears to be stalled, due to tensions within that coalition. We are joined by Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, AJC’s Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, who shares the special connection she has to the Western Wall (Kotel), why its egalitarian prayer site has become a flashpoint within the Israeli government, and t

Jan 13, 2022 • 29:53

How Antisemitism Undermines Democracy

How Antisemitism Undermines Democracy

On January 6, 2021, a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes that would formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Among the rioters were members of white supremacist groups, and symbols and signs of anti-Jewish hate. In a discussion guest hosted by Melanie Maron Pell, AJC’s Chief Field Operations Officer, we are joined by Holly Huffnagle, AJC's U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, and Rebecca Klein, AJC's Direct

Jan 6, 2022 • 33:33

That Time Jewish Comedian Alex Edelman Went to a White Nationalist Gathering

That Time Jewish Comedian Alex Edelman Went to a White Nationalist Gathering

Hear from comedian and writer Alex Edelman about his new off-Broadway hit, “Just for Us,” which explores his Jewish identity through the lens of a white nationalist meeting he attended in New York City. Edelman discusses the antisemitism he’s faced as a performer and throughout his life, how to use humor to broach difficult topics, and the paradox of the present Jewish experience in America: embracing the joy but also reckoning with the world and outsiders that view Judaism as something very dif

Dec 23, 2021 • 33:49

A New Middle East: The Historic Israel-UAE Meeting; How to Help Victims of Deadly Kentucky Tornadoes

A New Middle East: The Historic Israel-UAE Meeting; How to Help Victims of Deadly Kentucky Tornadoes

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made history this past week when he became the first Israeli premier to be officially welcomed to the United Arab Emirates. Retired U.S. Ambassador Marc Sievers, inaugural Director of AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding, joins us to discuss the importance of this visit and what it holds for the future of the region. Then, AJC Chief Field Operations Officer Melanie Maron Pell joins us from her home state of Kentucky to share

Dec 16, 2021 • 27:48

Yad Vashem Chairman: Those Comparing Public Health Policies to Holocaust “Completely Out of Touch With Reality”

Yad Vashem Chairman: Those Comparing Public Health Policies to Holocaust “Completely Out of Touch With Reality”

Dani Dayan, the newly appointed chairman of Yad Vashem – Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust – and former Consul General of Israel in New York, joins this week’s People of the Pod with critical and timely messages for the world, including why remembering the Holocaust is more important than ever and the concerning trend of weaponizing the Holocaust for political purposes. Then, AJC Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life Laura Shaw Frank shares her inspiring

Dec 9, 2021 • 23:39

How to Combat Jew-Hatred: Shine a Light on Antisemitism; Nissim Black’s “Eight Flames”

How to Combat Jew-Hatred: Shine a Light on Antisemitism; Nissim Black’s “Eight Flames”

What can modern day advocates learn from the Hanukkah story to fight antisemitism and anti-Zionism? What can be done to make combating antisemitism a priority for elected officials? As part of an unprecedented Jewish community Hanukkah initiative called Shine a Light, hear from Holly Huffnagle, AJC U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, Melanie Maron Pell, AJC Chief Field Operations Officer, and Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC Senior Director, Policy and Political Affairs, on answers to these quest

Dec 3, 2021 • 39:11

87 Ways to Fight Antisemitism: Inside the EU's New Plan to Combat Jew Hatred

87 Ways to Fight Antisemitism: Inside the EU's New Plan to Combat Jew Hatred

Can the European Union effectively combat antisemitism? Meet the woman leading the bloc’s efforts to do just that: European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein. Last month, the EU unveiled its first Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life, a multi-faceted plan that incorporated many recommendations from AJC. Hear from von Schnurbein how that strategy is being implemented and what it means for European Jews and the entire Jewish diaspora.

Nov 18, 2021 • 28:43

Meet the Disrupters of Antisemitism

Meet the Disrupters of Antisemitism

Meet two young, innovative, and award-winning U.S. Jews who are confronting a climate of antisemitism and anti-Zionism: Jason Kessler, lead anchor for Jew or False, a satirical news show that fights antisemitism and calls out misinformation, and Eddie Chavez Calderon of Uri L’Tzedek, an Orthodox Jewish social justice organization that tackles antisemitism in progressive spaces. Guest host AJC Chief Advocacy Officer Belle Yoeli sat down with both to hear how antisemitism has impacted their lives

Nov 11, 2021 • 30:41

Martin Indyk on his New Book: Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy

Martin Indyk on his New Book: Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy

Ambassador Martin Indyk gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most consequential figures in modern Middle East diplomacy: former United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. In this riveting conversation with guest co-host Jason Isaacson, AJC’s chief policy and political affairs officer, Indyk discusses his just-released book about Kissinger, Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy, highlighting the veteran dipl

Nov 4, 2021 • 27:43

What You Need to Know About the Largest Survey Ever on Antisemitism in the U.S.

What You Need to Know About the Largest Survey Ever on Antisemitism in the U.S.

Receive an in-depth look at the American Jewish Committee’s just-released State of Antisemitism in America 2021 report, which includes the largest-ever surveys of American Jews and the United States general public on antisemitism. Listen as Avi Mayer, AJC’s Managing Director of Public Affairs and Senior Spokesperson, and Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, break down the report’s findings and discuss what Americans should do to confront the normalization of Jew-hatre

Oct 25, 2021 • 31:42

The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: An Oral History with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto

The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: An Oral History with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto

On Wednesday, October 27, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will ask residents to observe a moment of silence and reflection at 9:54 a.m. That was the moment the shooting started at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood in 2018. The antisemitic attack left 11 worshippers dead, and wounded two other congregants and police officers. Listen to Mayor Peduto recount what it was like to comfort and protect not just the city he led, but his neighbors and friends, after Americ

Oct 21, 2021 • 29:00

Crossover with Tablet’s Unorthodox: How the Jews Went Right in Britain

Crossover with Tablet’s Unorthodox: How the Jews Went Right in Britain

This special podcast collaboration with Tablet’s Unorthodox unpacks the political shift of British Jews in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn’s antisemitic scandal-filled five-year tenure as Labour party leader. This live podcast is hosted by Liel Leibovitz of Tablet’s Unorthodox and Manya Brachear Pashman of AJC’s People of the Pod, and features comedian and author of Jews Don’t Count David Baddiel; Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths University of London and author of Contemporary Left Antisemitism Da

Oct 19, 2021 • 53:35

Advocating for Living Jews When “People Love Dead Jews”

Advocating for Living Jews When “People Love Dead Jews”

Dara Horn is angry. And the award-winning author of five novels wants you to know why. This week, she’s sitting down with guest co-host Laura Shaw Frank, AJC’s Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, to discuss why People Love Dead Jews, which is the title of her first work of nonfiction, and what that obsession means for modern-day Jewry, Israel, and efforts to counter rising antisemitism. Episode Lineup: (0:40) Dara Horn (24:09) Manya Brachear Pashman and Laura Shaw Frank Show n

Oct 14, 2021 • 33:07

Can You Sue a Nazi?

Can You Sue a Nazi?

Four years ago hundreds of torch-bearing far-right demonstrators marched through the University of Virginia campus. The Unite the Right rally/antisemitic hatefest in Charlottesville, Virginia featured chants of “Jews will not replace us” and Nazi flags. Self-identified white supremacist James Fields perpetrated the car ramming attack that killed Heather Heyer and injured countless others. While Fields was held accountable for his actions in court, what about those who meticulously organized the

Oct 7, 2021 • 27:13

What All Jews Need to Know About the EU’s New Strategy to Combat Antisemitism

What All Jews Need to Know About the EU’s New Strategy to Combat Antisemitism

Today, a new strategy for combating antisemitism was announced by the European Union. Does it have a chance to help Jews in Europe? What are the plan’s implications for diaspora Jewish communities outside of the continent? Two of AJC’s leaders in Europe who have worked closely with the EU and member state governments in the effort to counter rising Jew-hatred, Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Managing Director of AJC Europe, and Daniel Schwammenthal, Director of AJC’s Transatlantic Institute, answer thes

Oct 5, 2021 • 14:19

Iron Dome Debate: What to Make of “the Squad’s” Anti-Israel Efforts

Iron Dome Debate: What to Make of “the Squad’s” Anti-Israel Efforts

When the U.S. House of Representatives voted last week 420-9-2 to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, it ended debate about America’s short-term support for the program and simultaneously sparked a conversation about the future of bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.  Mark Mellman, President and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, joins us to address that topic and more, including whether Democratic support for Israel is shifting and trends in attitudes towards Israel

Sep 30, 2021 • 32:23

Hitler, Nazis, and Swastikas: What It Was Like To Be a Jew At the UN’s 2001 Durban Conference

Hitler, Nazis, and Swastikas: What It Was Like To Be a Jew At the UN’s 2001 Durban Conference

Ahead of the UN’s upcoming 20th anniversary event commemorating the antisemitic and anti-Israel 2001 UN Durban Conference, we hear from Joelle Fiss, who, as a Jewish student 20 years ago, attended the Conference. While the 2001 UN Durban Conference was meant to offer the chance for the international community to address racism, it quickly devolved into a platform for antisemitic hate. Fighting racism is a noble cause, one American Jewish Committee (AJC) joins actively. But there can be no room f

Sep 14, 2021 • 21:38

How 9/11 Changed America's Jewish and Muslim Communities, And Brought Them Closer Together

How 9/11 Changed America's Jewish and Muslim Communities, And Brought Them Closer Together

People of the Pod guest co-host Laura Shaw Frank, director of AJC’s William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life and the acting director of AJC New York, is a Jewish American. Saeed Khan, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Near East and Asian Studies at Wayne State University-Detroit, Michigan, and a Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Citizenship, is a Muslim American. Twenty years after the September 11th terror attacks, the two sit down to discuss the profound implications that day

Sep 9, 2021 • 40:11

Chef Jake Cohen on the Diversity of Jew-ish Food and Countering Antisemitism with His Own Brand of Advocacy

Chef Jake Cohen on the Diversity of Jew-ish Food and Countering Antisemitism with His Own Brand of Advocacy

This week, guest host Dana Steiner, director of AJC ACCESS Global, American Jewish Committee's young professional division, sat down with Jake Cohen, food writer and author of New York Times bestseller Jew-ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch, to discuss the convergence between food and Judaism, the antisemitism he has faced throughout his career, and how sharing recipes and their connected stories from across the Jewish world is his form of advocacy. Then, Manya Brachear Pas

Sep 2, 2021 • 26:22

The State of Jewish Life on College Campuses

The State of Jewish Life on College Campuses

As students head back to campus, Tilly Shemer, Executive Director of University of Michigan Hillel, joins guest host Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman, Director of AJC’s Alexander Young Leadership Department, to discuss the difficult realities, as well as the wealth of opportunities, that are awaiting American Jews on campus.  Then, Dr. Jeffrey Herbst, President of American Jewish University, shares his advice on how universities can combat antisemitism on campus.  _____ Episode Lineup: (0:55) Tilly Sh

Aug 26, 2021 • 43:17

Afghan Jewish Leader on the Taliban’s Takeover

Afghan Jewish Leader on the Taliban’s Takeover

Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, we are joined by Afghanistan-born Jack Abraham, the president of Congregation Anshei Shalom, a synagogue for Afghan Jews located in Queens, New York, to discuss the Jewish history and future of his native country. Afghanistan was once home to an estimated 40,000 Jews, centered in Herat, where they played an important role along the ancient Silk Road trading route. But starting in 1933, the community faced antisemitism, persecution and exile influe

Aug 19, 2021 • 18:03

How the Abraham Accords Has Changed Hearts and Minds: A Sit-Down with Israel’s Top Official in the UAE

How the Abraham Accords Has Changed Hearts and Minds: A Sit-Down with Israel’s Top Official in the UAE

This week marks the one-year anniversary of normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This historic agreement, known as the Abraham Accords, would soon grow to include Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. In one fell swoop, the number of Arab countries Israel had formal relations with tripled from two (Egypt and Jordan) to six. With us to discuss this pivotal moment and the future of Israeli-Arab engagement is Ambassador Eitan Na’eh, head of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Abu

Aug 12, 2021 • 25:33

Israel’s Diaspora Minister on Surfside Visit and the Israel-Diaspora Relationship

Israel’s Diaspora Minister on Surfside Visit and the Israel-Diaspora Relationship

Joining us for a second time on People of Pod is Nachman Shai, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, to discuss his new role and his critical work supporting Jews around the world, including a recent visit to Surfside, Florida, following the tragic collapse of Champlain Towers South.  Then, stick around for a special tribute from colleagues and friends to our longtime co-host Seffi Kogen, including Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) and AJC CEO David Harris, as Seffi ends his tenure at AJC. ____ Epi

Aug 5, 2021 • 36:01

Hear from America’s New Antisemitism Envoy Deborah Lipstadt

Hear from America’s New Antisemitism Envoy Deborah Lipstadt

President Joe Biden has appointed Deborah Lipstadt, one of America’s preeminent Jewish historians and Holocaust scholars, to serve as the U.S. State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. Listen to our conversation with Lipstadt, which is being re-aired for this special episode, about the troubling rise of contemporary antisemitism from multiple sources and what we can do to stop it. ____ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Deborah Lipstadt  ____ Show Notes: Fill Out Our Audience Surv

Jul 30, 2021 • 21:05

Antisemitism in the Kidlit World; Ben & Jerry's Shameful Surrender

Antisemitism in the Kidlit World; Ben & Jerry's Shameful Surrender

In the wake of vicious attacks on American Jews, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators joined a chorus of organizations that condemned antisemitism then, after pushback, apologized for not condemning Islamophobia or other forms of hatred in the same statement. Jewish Insider Reporter Gabby Deutch joins us to discuss her discovery that the controversial apology underscored a wider and equally troubling challenge facing Jewish authors. Then, Manya Brachear Pashman weighs in on th

Jul 22, 2021 • 25:02

Hear From the Woman Iran Tried to Kidnap

Hear From the Woman Iran Tried to Kidnap

Earlier this week, four Iranian operatives were charged in the attempted kidnapping of the U.S.-based Iranian exile Masih Alinejad, a human rights activist and journalist. Alinejad was kicked out of her native country nearly a decade ago for her anti-veiling advocacy. This week on the podcast, we’re joined by AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan Benzaquen, who recently interviewed Alinejad about her activism and the harrowing experiences she faced in Iran.  Then, Juan Dircie, Associate Dire

Jul 16, 2021 • 24:44

Launch of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations; The Startup Nation: “Failure is Not an Option”

Launch of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations; The Startup Nation: “Failure is Not an Option”

This week, we bring you highlights from an important announcement made at AJC Virtual Global Forum 2021. Three U.S. Senators, Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Tim Scott (R-SC), announced the launch of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. This bipartisan caucus, the first of its kind in the United States Senate, will bring together elected leaders from the Black and Jewish communities, and both sides of the aisle, to strengthen Black-Jewish relations, bolster mutual understandi

Jul 8, 2021 • 43:26

“We Refuse to Choose Among Our Identities”: A Wider Bridge’s Ethan Felson on Antisemitism at the Chicago Dyke March

“We Refuse to Choose Among Our Identities”: A Wider Bridge’s Ethan Felson on Antisemitism at the Chicago Dyke March

In 2017, the Chicago Dyke March ejected Jewish marchers carrying rainbow flags emblazoned with Stars of David. This year, it promoted its upcoming event with a cartoon image showing the burning of Israeli and American flags. To discuss why the Chicago Dyke March has been exhibiting such hostility towards supporters of Israel, we sit down with Ethan Felson, a progressive activist for more than thirty years and Executive Director of A Wider Bridge, a nonprofit that connects American and Israeli LG

Jul 1, 2021 • 26:33

The Butcher of Tehran; The Great Debate Over the West Bank

The Butcher of Tehran; The Great Debate Over the West Bank

Last week, Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric known as “the Butcher of Tehran” for having overseen thousands of executions, was chosen to succeed Hassan Rouhani as Iran’s president. Daniel Schwammenthal, Director of AJC’s Brussels-based Transatlantic Institute, joins us to discuss what Raisi’s selection means for the future of Iran and ongoing nuclear talks. Over in Israel, the country’s new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, has reportedly met several times in recent months with leading public Isra

Jun 24, 2021 • 37:34

What You Need to Know About Israel’s Diverse New Government; The Mainstreaming of Antisemitism

What You Need to Know About Israel’s Diverse New Government; The Mainstreaming of Antisemitism

For the first time since 2009, Israel has a new prime minister, Naftali Bennett. The Jerusalem Post Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Lahav Harkov joins us this week to shed some light on the new prime minister and help us understand what we can expect from Israel’s new government. Then, we bring you one of the most-discussed sessions from AJC Virtual Global Forum 2021. Bret Stephens, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, Bari Weiss, journalist and author of How to Fight Antisemitism, and Simone

Jun 17, 2021 • 53:24

How Interfaith Relations Helped Drive the Abraham Accords; A View From Campus

How Interfaith Relations Helped Drive the Abraham Accords; A View From Campus

This week, we bring you highlights from AJC Virtual Global Forum 2021. First, in a conversation moderated by Manya Brachear Pashman, we hear from H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Hedayah, and Rabbi David Rosen, AJC Director of International Interreligious Affairs, in The Siegler Family Annual Muslim-Jewish Symposium on How Interfaith Relations Helped Drive the Abraham Accords. Then, two college student activists, Julia Jassey, University of Chicago ‘23, and Talia Rosenberg, University

Jun 10, 2021 • 44:17

High Stakes: What’s Next for U.S. Policy on Iran?

High Stakes: What’s Next for U.S. Policy on Iran?

Have American, European, and Israeli policymakers learned anything since signing the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the Iran nuclear deal? We sat down this week with AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich, AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, and AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson to analyze what the next few months could bring. We were also joined by AJC CEO David Harris for a closing message on Iran. Then, in our clos

May 27, 2021 • 48:02

Talking Israel with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and AJC CEO David Harris

Talking Israel with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and AJC CEO David Harris

This week, we engage Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) in conversation about the violence in Israel and Gaza and about Jewish American Heritage Month, with a special salute to another trailblazing Jewish congresswoman, Bella Abzug.  Then, as Israel comes under attack from Hamas-ruled Gaza, we hear from AJC CEO David Harris on the immense challenges facing the Jewish state, the importance of confronting misinformation, and the need for solidarity. __ Episode Lineup: (0:40) Debbie Wasserman Sch

May 20, 2021 • 40:34

Israel Under Attack: What You Need to Know

Israel Under Attack: What You Need to Know

Israel is under attack, with over 1,500 rockets fired from Gaza, millions of Israelis in bomb shelters, and the threat of further violence continuing in Jerusalem and throughout the country.  In this week’s episode, we bring you highlights from AJC’s live Advocacy Anywhere online event with AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich and i24news Senior Correspondent Owen Alterman. Hear their front-line report on the evolving crisis and AJC CEO David Harris’ inspiring closing message.  Then, AJC Dire

May 14, 2021 • 49:18

Breaking Down the Facebook Ban and Celebrating American Jewish Heritage Month

Breaking Down the Facebook Ban and Celebrating American Jewish Heritage Month

This week, we speak to Emi Palmor, former Director-General of Israel’s Ministry of Justice and a current member of The Oversight Board, which makes binding policy decisions on Facebook and Instagram, to discuss the board’s ruling on Facebook’s indefinite ban of former President Trump and other recent decisions.  Then, leading American Jewish historian Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University and the author of American Judaism: A History and When General Grant

May 6, 2021 • 37:46

What You Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Talks

What You Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Talks

Earlier this month, six world powers reopened negotiations with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which the United States withdrew in 2018. Washington Institute Director of Research Patrick Clawson, a longtime friend of American Jewish Committee, joins us to discuss the implications of those talks and the threat posed by Iran. Then, AJC Project Interchange Director Nisha Abkarian joins us to share her grandmother’s harrowing story of s

Apr 29, 2021 • 33:43

“I Will Never Forget That Day”: Poway’s Mayor on the Second Anniversary of the Chabad Shooting

“I Will Never Forget That Day”: Poway’s Mayor on the Second Anniversary of the Chabad Shooting

On April 27, 2019, in the middle of Passover, a white supremacist burst through the doors of a Chabad synagogue in Poway, California and opened fire, killing congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye and injuring three others. As we approach the second anniversary of the shooting, we speak to Mayor Steve Vaus, a Grammy-winning country music singer, who was serving his first term as Poway’s mayor at the time.  Then we’re joined by AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache to talk about the case of Sarah H

Apr 22, 2021 • 27:19

Yossi Klein Halevi on The Third Era of Jewish History

Yossi Klein Halevi on The Third Era of Jewish History

Author and journalist Yossi Klein Halevi joins us to talk about the wisdom of the Israeli calendar in how Israel remembers the fallen on Yom HaZikaron, followed by celebrating its independence on Yom HaAtzma’ut the very next day.  Then, we’re joined by Erica Mindel, AJC’s Assistant Director of Program Development for Project Interchange, who served in the IDF as an Armored Corps instructor and shares what this week means to her.  _____ Episode Lineup:  (00:40) Yossi Klein Halevi (25:53) Erica Mi

Apr 15, 2021 • 34:16

The Art of Inventing Hope: Elie Wiesel’s Masterclass for Humanity

The Art of Inventing Hope: Elie Wiesel’s Masterclass for Humanity

Elie Wiesel walked out of Buchenwald, one of the largest concentration camps in Germany, on April 11, 1945, the same day as the late father of journalist Howard Reich, the legendary former jazz critic for The Chicago Tribune. Reich never talked to his father or mother, both survivors, about their Holocaust experiences. But in 2001 Reich’s mother began to relive those experiences, and his quest to piece together the stories he never knew about led to his book and subsequent film, Prisoner of Her

Apr 8, 2021 • 32:03

What We Can All Learn from Rabbi Heschel on Confronting Injustice

What We Can All Learn from Rabbi Heschel on Confronting Injustice

This week we hear from Martin Doblmeier, the director of Spiritual Audacity: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story on the history of one of the most inspiring and preeminent scholars of the 20th Century. Doblmeier discusses Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s profound impact on the civil rights movement, the relationship between Jews and the Roman Catholic Church, and the “evil of indifference.” Then, Natalia Mahmud, AJC’s Associate Director of U.S. Muslim-Jewish Relations, speaks about the Jabara-Heyer N

Apr 1, 2021 • 28:22

The Israeli Election: What Just Happened and What Comes Next

The Israeli Election: What Just Happened and What Comes Next

This week we’re joined by Allison Kaplan Sommer, Ha’aretz journalist and panelist for The Promised Podcast, to discuss some of the headliners from the Israeli election: potential kingmaker and Ra’am Party leader Mansour Abbas and Rabbi Gilad Kariv, who will be the first Reform rabbi to serve in the Knesset. Kaplan Sommer also discusses how democracy plays out in Israel and the United States and what it’s like to live in Israel, a complex, multicultural society. Then, AJC CEO David Harris shares

Mar 26, 2021 • 27:10

This Is Why Israel is Having Its Fourth Election in Two Years

This Is Why Israel is Having Its Fourth Election in Two Years

Ahead of the March 23rd elections in Israel, we’re joined by Haviv Rettig Gur, The Times of Israel's senior political analyst. Gur discusses the highly polarized sentiment around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the conflict within the Haredi community over pandemic restrictions, and the gap between the positions of the political parties that represent Arab Israelis and the concerns of Arab Israelis themselves.  Then, Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC's Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin Am

Mar 18, 2021 • 32:34

The Nazi Hunter: Eli Rosenbaum on Tracking Down the World’s Most Wanted Criminals

The Nazi Hunter: Eli Rosenbaum on Tracking Down the World’s Most Wanted Criminals

This week, we’re in conversation with Eli Rosenbaum, Director of Human Rights Enforcement Strategy and Policy at the Department of Justice. For 40 years, Rosenbaum has helped the department track down former Nazis and hold them accountable for their World War II crimes, a role that has earned him the moniker of “Nazi Hunter”.  Then, Shira Loewenberg, Director of AJC's Asia Pacific Institute (API) speaks about the wide-scale democracy protests across Myanmar in the weeks since the local military’

Mar 12, 2021 • 30:12

Non-Orthodox Conversion in Israel: Dividing or Uniting the Jewish World?

Non-Orthodox Conversion in Israel: Dividing or Uniting the Jewish World?

This week, the Israeli Supreme Court handed down a ruling on conversions conducted by non-Orthodox rabbis. We hear from AJC's Director of Contemporary Jewish Life Laura Shaw Frank, a leading thinker on this important issue, about how this decision will affect the Israel-Diaspora relationship. Then, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Director of AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights Felice Gaer reflects on what it means to see the world and human rights thr

Mar 5, 2021 • 26:02

Soraya Nadia McDonald on Being Black and Jewish; NBC’s No Good, Very Bad Week

Soraya Nadia McDonald on Being Black and Jewish; NBC’s No Good, Very Bad Week

Journalist Soraya Nadia McDonald is the Culture Critic for The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform for exploring the intersection of sports, race, and culture. She is a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her essays on theater and film, including The Unbearable Whiteness of Oklahoma. Last year, when her fellow Howard University alumnus Nick Cannon made antisemitic remarks, Soraya wrote a more personal essay about being Black and Jewish. Soraya sat down with us for a conversation about confronting antisemitism a

Feb 25, 2021 • 30:39

Israel and the International Criminal Court; The Power of Music

Israel and the International Criminal Court; The Power of Music

Last weekend, the International Criminal Court at The Hague determined that it has jurisdiction in the West Bank and Gaza, taking a major step toward prosecuting Israelis for alleged war crimes. To help us unpack what’s been happening and what it means for Israel, we’re joined by Barak Ravid, Contributing Correspondent for Axios and Diplomatic Correspondent for Walla News. Then we hear from AJC Chief Innovation Officer Belle Yoeli on the power of song during the pandemic, Manya Brachear Pashman

Feb 19, 2021 • 25:01

The Real Danger of QAnon; Telling the Jewish Story in Arabic

The Real Danger of QAnon; Telling the Jewish Story in Arabic

This week, we’re in conversation with Joel Finkelstein, cofounder and director of the Network Contagion Research Institute, a nonpartisan, multidisciplinary research group of experts who study online disinformation, and Pamela Paresky, a senior scholar at the Institute who focuses on the psychology of thriving in a liberal democracy. Both have been sounding the alarm about the dangers of the antisemitic conspiracy theory movement QAnon and they join us to discuss what we can expect next from the

Feb 11, 2021 • 28:08

The Problem with California’s Ethnic Studies; Mayors United Against Antisemitism

The Problem with California’s Ethnic Studies; Mayors United Against Antisemitism

A controversial curriculum for teaching ethnic studies in California public schools will face a final vote in March. Since the first draft came out in 2019, a coalition of Jewish organizations has advocated for content that meaningfully includes Jews and other groups, discusses antisemitism, and avoids perpetuating stereotypes that put Jews in danger. We sit down with Director of AJC Northern California Rabbi Serena Eisenberg about the curriculum and why it should matter to all of us. Then, on S

Feb 4, 2021 • 24:12

International Holocaust Remembrance Day with Mandy Gonzalez; Israel’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout and the Palestinians

International Holocaust Remembrance Day with Mandy Gonzalez; Israel’s COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout and the Palestinians

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Museum of Jewish Heritage held a special event, “18 Voices: A Liberation Day Reading Of Young Writers’ Diaries From The Holocaust.” We sit down with Broadway actress Mandy Gonzalez, who read diary excerpts during the virtual reading, and Alexandra Zapruder, curator of “18 Voices” and author of “Salvaged Pages.” Then, we speak to Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor and Diplomatic Correspondent for The Jerusalem Post, about Israel’s rec

Jan 29, 2021 • 49:50

The Biden Administration Gets Underway and Post-Inauguration Reflections

The Biden Administration Gets Underway and Post-Inauguration Reflections

One day after inauguration, we sit down with AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson to discuss President Joe Biden’s inaugural address and what to expect from the new administration. Then, we hear from AJC Senior Director of Policy and Political Affairs Julie Fishman Rayman on how to engage with those with whom we disagree, Manya Brachear Pashman on President Biden’s call for truth and his condemnation of white supremacy, and Seffi Kogen on the photo of Senator Bernie Sand

Jan 22, 2021 • 25:09

Inside America’s Far Right; Congressman Ritchie Torres

Inside America’s Far Right; Congressman Ritchie Torres

This week, we sit down with Daniel Lombroso, director of The Atlantic’s first feature documentary, White Noise, an inside story of the far right in America. Lombroso, who spent four years with the leaders of white supremacist and antisemitic movements, joins us to discuss how that period informs his perspective on the horrific events of January 6 at the United States Capitol and the ensuing fallout. Then, if you missed our special episode yesterday, freshman Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) sha

Jan 14, 2021 • 48:12

A Special Conversation with Congressman Ritchie Torres

A Special Conversation with Congressman Ritchie Torres

Tune in for an exclusive conversation with freshman Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) about the horrific events of January 6 at the United States Capitol. Listen as he shares his reflections on the antisemitism, racism, and white supremacy he witnessed that day; impeachment proceedings in Congress; and how the nation can move forward.  _____ Show notes: We must not ignore the presence of antisemitism in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol - Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJywbS

Jan 13, 2021 • 16:24

Ambassador Daniel Shapiro on Biden's Foreign Policy; Responding to the Attack on the Capitol

Ambassador Daniel Shapiro on Biden's Foreign Policy; Responding to the Attack on the Capitol

Earlier this week, we spoke to former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro, who served alongside President-elect Joe Biden in the Obama administration and was an advisor to his presidential campaign. Ambassador Shapiro broke down what we can expect from the Biden administration when it comes to Israel, Iran, the Palestinians, and the Abraham Accords. Then, as our nation reels from Wednesday’s mob attack on the United States Capitol, AJC Director of Contemporary Jewish Life Dr. Laura Shaw Fra

Jan 7, 2021 • 34:19

Georgia Runoff Elections and Tackling Hate in America

Georgia Runoff Elections and Tackling Hate in America

This week, Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Greg Bluestein joins us to break down the January 5 runoff elections in Georgia that will decide which party controls the United States Senate. Next, we hear from Melanie Maron Pell, AJC’s Managing Director of Regional Offices, on an antisemitic attack over this Hanukkah at the University of Kentucky and the importance of passing the NO HATE act, Manya Brachear Pashman on the new Wonder Woman movie, and Seffi Kogen on two Israeli TV reco

Dec 23, 2020 • 31:39

UN Mideast Envoy Nickolay Mladenov; Celebrating Hanukkah

UN Mideast Envoy Nickolay Mladenov; Celebrating Hanukkah

As United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov works to stave off escalations, speak up against violence, and promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Before he leaves his posting, Mladenov joins us on People of the Pod to reflect on his vital work. Then, AJC's Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations Rabbi Noam Marans shares his thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccine, and Manya Brachear Pashman recalls reporting on an attempt to break t

Dec 17, 2020 • 21:05

Israeli Political Rumblings; Jersey City Attack: One Year Later

Israeli Political Rumblings; Jersey City Attack: One Year Later

This week, Tal Schneider, political correspondent at the Times of Israel, joins us to unpack the latest in Israeli politics as Israel hurtles toward its fourth election in two years. Then, Rabbi David Levy, regional director of AJC New Jersey, reflects on the one-year anniversary of the attack at the JC Kosher Supermarket in Jersey City, Manya Brachear Pashman shares her thoughts on what Hanukkah means to her family, and Seffi Kogen shares a story about sufganiyot (Hanukkah jelly doughnuts). ___

Dec 11, 2020 • 29:42

Intrigue in Iran and the Stories of Mizrahi Jews

Intrigue in Iran and the Stories of Mizrahi Jews

Sima Shine, former head of the Mossad’s research division and current senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), joins us to discuss recent developments related to Iran, including the recent death of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who headed the country’s nuclear weapons program. Then, AJC Los Angeles Associate Director Saba Soomekh talks about the importance of telling the stories of Mizrahi Jews, Manya Brachear Pashman shares the story of a very important menorah, and S

Dec 3, 2020 • 24:43

Talking Racial Justice with Eric Ward and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl

Talking Racial Justice with Eric Ward and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl

In this special Thanksgiving throwback episode, we revisit two important conversations from this past summer. First up is Eric Ward, Executive Director of the Western States Center, who discusses his experience as a leader in the Black community committed to fighting antisemitism and how the Black and Jewish communities can work together to combat hate. Then, we hear from Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Manhattan’s Central Synagogue and member of AJC’s Board of Governors, about her experi

Nov 25, 2020 • 27:25

Religion and Politics in the 2020 Election with The Atlantic’s Emma Green

Religion and Politics in the 2020 Election with The Atlantic’s Emma Green

This week, The Atlantic’s Emma Green joins us to discuss the intersection of religion and politics in the 2020 election. Then, AJC Atlanta Regional Director Dov Wilker weighs in on the importance of the January runoff election in his home state of Georgia. _____ Episode Lineup: [0:39] Emma Green [21:19] Shabbat Table Talk with Dov Wilker _____ Show Notes: America’s Table - A Program of AJC’s Community of Conscience: https://www.ajc.org/AmericasTable

Nov 19, 2020 • 30:47

Election 2020 Analysis: Bethany Mandel, Ron Kampeas

Election 2020 Analysis: Bethany Mandel, Ron Kampeas

This week, we take a deep dive into the results of the 2020 election. First, we’re joined by writer and commentator Bethany Mandel to discuss what pre-election polls got wrong and why. Then, we hear from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s Washington Bureau Chief, Ron Kampeas, to break down the results of the congressional election and hear what the 117th Congress will look like. _____ Episode Lineup: [0:39] Bethany Mandel [9:27] Ron Kampeas [25:00] Shabbat Table Talk with Simone Rodan-Benzaquen

Nov 13, 2020 • 35:38

Election 2020: A Bipartisan Analysis and a Focus on Florida

Election 2020: A Bipartisan Analysis and a Focus on Florida

This week, Ira Sheskin, a professor at the University of Miami and editor of the American Jewish Year Book, joins us to break down what we know so far about the results of the 2020 election, with a focus on the Jewish vote in Florida. Then, we hear from Senator Norm Coleman, National Chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition, and Mark Mellman, President and CEO of the Democratic Majority for Israel, on what the outcome means for America, the Jewish community, Israel, and the world. _____ Episo

Nov 6, 2020 • 38:42

Debra Messing; AJC’s Groundbreaking State of Antisemitism in America Report

Debra Messing; AJC’s Groundbreaking State of Antisemitism in America Report

This week’s episode features a conversation with actress and philanthropist Debra Messing about her new podcast, The Dissenters, and how her experiences with antisemitism shaped her identity. Then, in a live podcast recording with the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in New York earlier this week, we break down the results from AJC’s groundbreaking report, The State of Antisemitism in America 2020, with Avi Mayer, AJC’s Managing Director of Global Communications, and Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S.

Oct 29, 2020 • 44:28

COVID-19 in NY's Ultra-Orthodox Community with Jacob Kornbluh; Iran Sanctions with Mark Dubowitz

COVID-19 in NY's Ultra-Orthodox Community with Jacob Kornbluh; Iran Sanctions with Mark Dubowitz

This week we’re joined by Jewish Insider National Politics Reporter Jacob Kornbluh, who has spent months reporting on the state of COVID-19 in New York’s ultra-Orthodox communities. On October 7, Kornbluh, a resident of Borough Park, was attacked while reporting on anti-lockdown protests in his neighborhood. We’ll hear a portion of this special live podcast recording, on why the ultra-Orthodox community has been so hard-hit by the pandemic, what is fueling the recent protests, and where the comm

Oct 22, 2020 • 50:27

Facebook Bans Holocaust Denial Content

Facebook Bans Holocaust Denial Content

This week, Facebook announced that it would ban Holocaust denial content from the platform. We’re joined this week by Jordana Cutler, Facebook’s Head of Policy for Israel and the Jewish Diaspora, to discuss this important decision and the role AJC played in making it happen. Be sure to tune into a special live podcast recording, “COVID-19 in New York's Ultra-Orthodox Community: A Conversation with Jacob Kornbluh” on October 20 at 4:00pm EST. Click here to register: https://bit.ly/2SYOs2

Oct 15, 2020 • 24:29

Josh Kraft on Together Beat Hate

Josh Kraft on Together Beat Hate

This week, we speak to Josh Kraft, a community leader, a seasoned nonprofit executive, and through his family, a six-time Super Bowl champion. He recently took the helm of the Kraft family’s philanthropic efforts, and he joins us to discuss "[tbh]," or "together beat hate," an initiative of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, an organization focused on creating replicable models for fighting antisemitism and other forms of prejudice, racism, and hate. Show notes: https://www.togetherbeathate.

Oct 8, 2020 • 21:41

White Supremacy in America and David Duke

White Supremacy in America and David Duke

White supremacy has featured prominently in the public discourse in recent years and during the current election cycle. In this week’s episode, we sit down with the creators of two podcasts to explore the history of white supremacy in the United States in order to better understand the state of this hateful ideology today. First, Odette Yousef, host of WBEZ Chicago’s ‘Motive,’ speaks to us about the podcast’s third season, which examines the origins of Nazi skinhead culture. Then, we hear from J

Oct 2, 2020 • 45:17

Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This week, we sit down with Abbe Gluck, a former clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away last week, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. A professor of law and founding faculty director of the Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy at Yale Law School, she and fellow former clerk Gillian Metzger penned an op-ed in The New York Times just days after Justice Ginsburg’s passing, recalling her impact on them and on gender equality in the United States. Professor Gluck joins us to reflect on t

Sep 24, 2020 • 29:13

Talking Arab-Israeli Peace with Acting Consul General Israel Nitzan

Talking Arab-Israeli Peace with Acting Consul General Israel Nitzan

Following Tuesday’s historic signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates at the White House, we sit down with Israeli Acting Consul General Israel Nitzan to help us break down this exciting development and what it means for Israel. Then, in our closing segment, Shabbat Table Talk, AJC Associate Director for Policy and Middle East Initiatives Benjy Rogers shares why the Abraham Accords give him hope for the region.

Sep 17, 2020 • 27:46

AJC UAE Office; Reflections on #BlackJewishUnity Week

AJC UAE Office; Reflections on #BlackJewishUnity Week

AJC, which for more than 25 years has advanced understanding and fostered cooperation between Arab states and the Jewish people, last week announced its plans to open an office in the United Arab Emirates – the organization’s first permanent presence in the Arab world. The move comes in the wake of the historic announcement last month by U.S. President Donald Trump, His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the UAE and I

Sep 10, 2020 • 22:33

Celebrating #BlackJewishUnity Week with the National Urban League

Celebrating #BlackJewishUnity Week with the National Urban League

In celebration of the enduring ties between America’s Black and Jewish communities, AJC and the National Urban League are partnering to designate the week of September 7th Black-Jewish Unity Week. To kick off #BlackJewishUnity week, we’re collaborating for an exciting crossover event with the National Urban League’s podcast, For the Movement. This week, we sit down with Clint Odom, the National Urban League’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, Executive Director of the National Urban

Sep 4, 2020 • 30:47

Election 2020: The Republican National Convention

Election 2020: The Republican National Convention

On the sidelines of the Republican National Convention, we speak with Matt Brooks, Executive Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, about his takeaways from the week and what Jews should know about the Republican platform and ticket this year. Then, we’re joined by AJC Los Angeles Associate Director Saba Soomekh to hear about the ongoing battle over California’s ethnic studies curriculum.

Aug 27, 2020 • 24:12

Election 2020: The Democratic National Convention

Election 2020: The Democratic National Convention

On the heels of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, we sit down with Halie Soifer, Executive Director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, who previously served as National Security Advisor to Senator Kamala Harris. We talk about support for Israel within the Democratic Party and other issues of importance to the Jewish community ahead of the upcoming election. Then, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson, who has long engaged with leaders throughout the Arab

Aug 20, 2020 • 27:11

Election 2020: VP Candidate Kamala Harris; Upheaval in Lebanon

Election 2020: VP Candidate Kamala Harris; Upheaval in Lebanon

This week, we’re joined by JTA Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas to unpack former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection of Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate. Then, in the wake of the fatal explosion in Beirut in last week, we speak to Matthew Levitt, Director of the Reinhard program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about the dire need to reform Lebanon’s political system due to the pernicious role played by Iranian proxy Hezbo

Aug 13, 2020 • 30:09

Election 2020: Biden’s VP Pick

Election 2020: Biden’s VP Pick

This week, we’re joined by Jewish Insider National Politics Reporter Jacob Kornbluh for a discussion of the choice facing former Vice President Joe Biden as he selects a running mate ahead of the November presidential election. Then AJC Asia Pacific Institute Japan Representative Jerry Rosenberg joins us to talk about the legacy of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who helped save the lives of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.

Aug 7, 2020 • 29:31

The George Soros Saga: Antisemitism, Conspiracies, and Influence

The George Soros Saga: Antisemitism, Conspiracies, and Influence

First, we hear from Emily Tamkin, author of “The Influence of Soros: Politics, Power, and the Struggle for Open Society,” on why the Jewish billionaire philanthropist has become a political target and an easy mark for antisemitism. Then, in our closing segment, Shabbat Table Talk, we sit down with AJC Director of Contemporary Jewish Life Laura Shaw Frank to hear what she’ll be discussing at her Shabbat table this week.

Jul 31, 2020 • 27:22

Remembering Congressman John Lewis

Remembering Congressman John Lewis

This week, we sit down with Sherry Frank, who served as Director of AJC Atlanta for 26 years and was a close friend of civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, who passed away on July 17. Together, Frank and Congressman Lewis founded the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition in 1982. Frank joins us to share some of her memories of this American giant.

Jul 23, 2020 • 22:58

Rep. Deutch on Annexation; Daniel Gordis on Two-State Solution; Rabbi Horvilleur on Antisemitism

Rep. Deutch on Annexation; Daniel Gordis on Two-State Solution; Rabbi Horvilleur on Antisemitism

This week, we speak to Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) about the letter he and fellow representatives wrote in opposition to unilateral annexation, and what the future holds for the U.S.-Israel relationship. Then, we’re joined by Daniel Gordis, Senior Vice President and Koret Distinguished Fellow at Shalem College, on why the two-state solution is still worth pursuing. We close out with Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, France’s foremost female rabbi, speaking about how to have conversations about ant

Jul 16, 2020 • 47:32

Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories; Coronavirus Resurgence in Israel

Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories; Coronavirus Resurgence in Israel

This week, we hear from Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, and Dave Rich, Director of Policy at the UK’s Community Security Trust, on the rise of antisemitic conspiracy theories amid the coronavirus pandemic and following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Then, we hear an update on the resurgence of the pandemic in Israel from Dr. Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert and professor of political science at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Jul 9, 2020 • 39:08

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl on Jews and Race; Election 2020 Debate

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl on Jews and Race; Election 2020 Debate

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, we are joined by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi of Manhattan’s Central Synagogue and member of AJC’s Board of Governors, to discuss the Jewish community’s obligation toward Jews of color and to social justice. Then, in one of the most compelling sessions from AJC Virtual Global Forum, we hear a foreign policy debate between Antony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State under President Barack Obama and now an adviser to Democratic presidential candida

Jul 2, 2020 • 55:32

Eric Ward on Racial Justice; A Conversation with Benny Gantz

Eric Ward on Racial Justice; A Conversation with Benny Gantz

As the United States continues to grapple with racial injustice, we are joined by Eric Ward, Executive Director of the Western States Center, who discusses being a leader in the black community committed to fighting antisemitism, which he identifies as a leading driver of other forms of bigotry. Then, fresh from the AJC Virtual Global Forum stage, we hear from Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Israel Benjamin (Benny) Gantz, in conversation with AJC Jerusalem Director Lt. Col. (

Jun 25, 2020 • 43:17

Highlights from the First-Ever AJC Virtual Global Forum

Highlights from the First-Ever AJC Virtual Global Forum

This week, AJC held its first-ever Virtual Global Forum, taking the premier annual global Jewish advocacy gathering online. Here we showcase some of the most memorable moments from the star-studded, five-day event. First we hear an excerpt from a historic public dialogue with United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash about how his country can work with Israel despite political differences. Then, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker discusses racial injustice in Ameri

Jun 18, 2020 • 51:45

Virtual Global Forum Preview with AJC CEO David Harris, a Conversation with Jeffrey Goldberg

Virtual Global Forum Preview with AJC CEO David Harris, a Conversation with Jeffrey Goldberg

Ahead of next week’s AJC Virtual Global Forum 2020, we’re joined by AJC CEO David Harris for a preview of this historic event, which marks the first time the premier global Jewish advocacy event will take place online. Then, we hear from Jeffery Goldberg, acclaimed journalist, Editor in Chief of The Atlantic, and friend of AJC, on the role of the media in the current pandemic and the vital importance of a free press in democratic societies. Show Notes: AJC.org/GlobalForum 942436

Jun 11, 2020 • 42:03

Lonnie Bunch on Race Relations; Isaac Herzog on Israel and the Diaspora

Lonnie Bunch on Race Relations; Isaac Herzog on Israel and the Diaspora

Protests have erupted across the United States following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and AJC Project Interchange alumnus, joins us for a comprehensive discussion on race relations and Black-Jewish cooperation in the United States. Then, we’re joined by Isaac 'Bougie' Herzog, Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel, to discuss

Jun 4, 2020 • 42:54

A Conversation with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Mayor Betsy Price; Moroccan Jewish Heritage

A Conversation with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Mayor Betsy Price; Moroccan Jewish Heritage

This week on People of the Pod, we sit down with Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles and Mayor Betsy Price of Fort Worth to discuss the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their cities, the role of political leadership in a time of crisis, and their experiences visiting Israel with AJC's Project Interchange. Then we hear from Elmehdi Boudra, Founder and President of the Mimouna Association, a nonprofit founded by young Muslim students dedicated to preserving Jewish heritage and culture in Morocco

May 28, 2020 • 46:45

Israel's New Government, Facebook’s New Oversight Board

Israel's New Government, Facebook’s New Oversight Board

Earlier this week, Israel's new government was sworn in. The government will be jointly led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, after the two signed a coalition agreement in April. Gil Hoffman, Chief Political Correspondent and Analyst for The Jerusalem Post, joins us to explain what we can expect from this new government. Then, we sit down with Emi Palmor, former Director-General of Israel’s Ministry of Justice and one of the first appointee

May 22, 2020 • 37:16

Changing U.S. Political Landscape; Recovering Nazi-Looted Art

Changing U.S. Political Landscape; Recovering Nazi-Looted Art

This week, we sit down with Seth Mandel, Executive Editor of Washington Examiner Magazine, and Batya Ungar-Sargon, Opinion Editor at The Forward, to discuss the changing U.S. political landscape and what’s at stake for American Jews. Then, 75 years after the end of World War II, the fight to recover art and heirlooms looted by the Nazis and return them to their rightful owners and heirs continues. Joining us to discuss this important mission are Dr. Wesley Fisher, Director of Research for the Co

May 15, 2020 • 38:58

Colorado Governor on the Coronavirus; 75 Years Since the End of WWII

Colorado Governor on the Coronavirus; 75 Years Since the End of WWII

This week on People of the Pod, Colorado Governor Jared Polis joins us to talk about the state’s approach to fighting the coronavirus and the emergence of antisemitism during the pandemic. Then, Dr. Kurt Graham, Director of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, joins us to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and shares what we can learn from President Truman’s leadership during a crisis.

May 8, 2020 • 38:09

Celebrating Israel with Sharansky, Germany’s Hezbollah Ban, New UK Labour Leader

Celebrating Israel with Sharansky, Germany’s Hezbollah Ban, New UK Labour Leader

This week on People of the Pod, former refusenik, Israeli government minister, and Chairman of The Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky joins us to reflect on Israel's 72nd Independence Day. Then, AJC CEO David Harris sits down with us to explain the significance of Germany’s decision to ban Hezbollah’s activities on the country’s soil. Finally, we speak to Hannah Rose, former President of the UK's Union of Jewish Students, about the newly elected leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer. Show notes: N

May 1, 2020 • 54:29

Israeli Government Agreement, Arabic Video on the Holocaust

Israeli Government Agreement, Arabic Video on the Holocaust

After three elections in less than a year, Israel may soon have a new government. This week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, announced an agreement to jointly govern the country. Joining us is Tal Schneider, political and diplomatic correspondent at Globes, to discuss the agreement, including its more controversial elements. Then, we hear from AJC Director of U.S. Muslim-Jewish Relations Ari Gordon on the release of a new Arabic-language vid

Apr 24, 2020 • 48:11

Road to a New Israeli Government; Passover Prep

Road to a New Israeli Government; Passover Prep

After three elections in the space of a year, Israel now appears to be on the verge of having a functioning government again. Joining us to discuss the latest developments is New York Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief David Halbfinger. Then we hear from Tablet Senior Writer Yair Rosenberg, AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations Rabbi Noam Marans, and AJC Associate Director of Contemporary Jewish Life Laura Shaw Frank on how to make Passover especially meaningful this year. Show Notes

Apr 3, 2020 • 43:40

Coronavirus in the U.S.; Israeli Political Drama

Coronavirus in the U.S.; Israeli Political Drama

This week, Tablet Senior Writer Yair Rosenberg joins us to discuss the U.S. government’s response to the growing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and the release of his new Shabbat music album. Then, Times of Israel Senior Analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins us to break down the ongoing political drama in Israel and the chances that Israelis may finally get a new government.

Mar 27, 2020 • 37:53

Israel’s Response to the Coronavirus; Creatively Quarantined

Israel’s Response to the Coronavirus; Creatively Quarantined

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) sweeps the globe, Israeli doctors, researchers, and entrepreneurs are working diligently to help find a cure and improve treatment options. Joining us to discuss these efforts, as well as Israel's own strategies to prevent the spread of the virus, are Dr. Daniel Landsberg, who serves as Regional Medical Director of Maccabi Health Services, and Dr. Kira Radinsky, Chair and Chief Technology Officer of Diagnostic Robotics. Then, staying in Israel, we speak to Joy

Mar 20, 2020 • 41:57

Quarantine in Israel, Jews in the UAE

Quarantine in Israel, Jews in the UAE

This week, Israel imposed a blanket 14-day self-quarantine on everyone arriving from outside the country in order to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. Joining us to discuss the quarantine and the other efforts to protect the country is Dr. Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert and lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Then, Ross Kriel, President of the Jewish Community of the Emirates, joins us from Dubai to shed light on t

Mar 13, 2020 • 36:28

Elections in the U.S. and Israel

Elections in the U.S. and Israel

On this week's episode of People of the Pod, JTA’s Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas joins us to discuss Super Tuesday results, Senator Bernie Sanders’ decision to boycott AIPAC, and other significant developments in the U.S. presidential contest. Then Tal Schneider, an award-winning political correspondent for the Israeli daily Globes, helps us break down the inconclusive results from Israel’s third election in a year.

Mar 6, 2020 • 35:18

New Antisemitism Documentary; Israeli Election Update

New Antisemitism Documentary; Israeli Election Update

On this week's episode of People of the Pod, we sit down with director Andrew Goldberg to discuss his new documentary, "Viral: Antisemitism In Four Mutations." Then, as Israelis prepare to head back to the polls on Monday for the third time in a year, we speak to Times of Israel Senior Analyst Haviv Rettig Gur to break down what’s important to Israeli voters.

Feb 28, 2020 • 40:37

Black-Jewish Congressional Caucus, Israeli Election Update, Education in Israel

Black-Jewish Congressional Caucus, Israeli Election Update, Education in Israel

On this week's episode of People of the Pod, we talk to three founders of the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations—Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)—about how the purpose of the caucus has evolved since it was launched at the AJC Global Forum this past summer. We also hear from Avital Leibovich, Director of AJC Jerusalem, as she shares the latest developments on Israel's third election in less than a year. Finally, we sit down

Feb 21, 2020 • 56:52

75 Years After Anne Frank, Israel-Sudan Relations

75 Years After Anne Frank, Israel-Sudan Relations

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of Anne Frank’s death by asking young people whether they know who she was. Then, Eliseo Neuman, Director of AJC’s Africa Institute, explains the latest developments between Israel and Sudan.

Feb 14, 2020 • 32:32

Behind the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, “Goy Friendly”

Behind the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, “Goy Friendly”

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, Israeli filmmaker Yaron Zilberman joins us to talk about his movie,Incitement, and to share his perspective on the state of politics and extremism in Israel. Then, Orthodox Jewish comedian Ashley Blaker joins us in the studio to discuss his new show, Goy Friendly, now running at Soho Playhouse theater in New York.

Feb 7, 2020 • 35:27

Peace Plan, Historic Auschwitz Visit, Last Stop: Auschwitz

Peace Plan, Historic Auschwitz Visit, Last Stop: Auschwitz

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, we talk to Dr. Einat Wilf, a member of Israel's Knesset until 2013, about the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan proposed by President Trump and what it means for the future of Israel. Then, Rabbi David Rosen, AJC Director of International Interreligious Affairs, joins us to discuss the historic visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau by Muslim World League Secretary General Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa and a group of Islamic religious leaders, organized by AJ

Jan 31, 2020 • 55:04

French Antisemitism Survey, 75 Years After Auschwitz

French Antisemitism Survey, 75 Years After Auschwitz

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, we talk to AJC Europe Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen about the findings of a new AJC survey on antisemitism in France. Then, to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we go to the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust to tour its current exhibit on Auschwitz and discuss its recent decision to offer free admission to any New York City public school student and up to three family members in response to the uptick in anti

Jan 24, 2020 • 46:00

Future of the Labour Party, ICC Investigation, Black-Jewish Relations

Future of the Labour Party, ICC Investigation, Black-Jewish Relations

Liam Hoare, Europe Editor for Moment Magazine, has been covering the British Labour Party’s antisemitism scandal since 2015. He joins us this week to discuss the future of the party and how it will affect British Jews. Then, Times of Israel Diplomatic Correspondent Raphael Ahren shares the latest developments on the International Criminal Court’s investigation into aspects of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Finally, we hear from Bishop Ken Ulmer, pastor at Faithful Central Bible Church in Los A

Jan 17, 2020 • 57:07

U.S.-Iran Crisis; Hate Crimes in NY; #JewishandProud Day

U.S.-Iran Crisis; Hate Crimes in NY; #JewishandProud Day

This week on People of the Pod, we sit down with Middle East experts Patrick Clawson, research director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Tamara Cofman Wittes, a senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, to talk about the rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Then Deborah Lauter, executive director of New York’s new Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, joins us to discuss efforts to curb the rash of antisemitic attacks across t

Jan 10, 2020 • 55:56

Wave of Attacks Against Orthodox Jews; A Look at 55 Years of Fiddler

Wave of Attacks Against Orthodox Jews; A Look at 55 Years of Fiddler

This week on People of the Pod, we sit down with Jacob Kornbluh, national politics reporter for Jewish Insider, to talk about the recent spate of antisemitic attacks against Orthodox communities across the New York area. Then, before the curtain falls on the Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof this weekend, we speak to Max Lewkowicz, director of the documentary “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles,” about how the show became a global phenomenon. Show notes: https://twitter.com/Israelcohen911/status/

Jan 3, 2020 • 35:03

An Impeachment Conspiracy Theory, Jersey City Shooting, International Criminal Court

An Impeachment Conspiracy Theory, Jersey City Shooting, International Criminal Court

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, Eric Cortellessa, Washington correspondent for The Times of Israel, explains how antisemites are blaming a Jewish conspiracy for President Trump’s impeachment. Then Rabbi David Levy, AJC New Jersey Regional Director, discusses the ongoing efforts to fight antisemitism after two shooters targeted a kosher supermarket and murdered four people last week in Jersey City. Finally, Jacob Magid, settlements correspondent for The Times of Israel, gives us an u

Dec 20, 2019 • 43:55

UK Election, Antisemitism on College Campuses, Third Israeli Election

UK Election, Antisemitism on College Campuses, Third Israeli Election

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, the President of the UK’s Union for Jewish Students Esther Offenberg joins us to discuss how the British Jewish community is feeling after the Conservative Party's landslide victory in yesterday’s general election. Then AJC Chief Legal Officer Marc Stern breaks down President Trump’s executive order aimed at strengthening efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses. Finally, Raoul Wootliff, political correspondent for The Times of Israel, expla

Dec 13, 2019 • 34:41

Defining Antisemitism in France; Refugees Around the World

Defining Antisemitism in France; Refugees Around the World

On this episode of People of the Pod, we speak to Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of AJC Europe, about this week’s decision by the French National Assembly to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism. Then we’re joined by Aboud Dandachi, a former Syrian refugee, to share his perspective on the wave of anti-Zionism sweeping college campuses, and Yotam Polizer, CEO of IsraAID, an Israeli NGO that serves refugees and others in need around the worl

Dec 6, 2019 • 49:43

Nita Lowey Retires; Tension on College Campuses; Quizzing New Yorkers

Nita Lowey Retires; Tension on College Campuses; Quizzing New Yorkers

On this week’s episode of People of the Pod, U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey joins us to discuss her decision to retire after 32 years on Capitol Hill. We also talk to Ilan Orzy, Director of Advocacy for Hillel Ontario, and Zev Hurwitz, AJC Director of Campus Affairs, to compare the challenges facing Jewish students on American and Canadian college campuses. And finally, we hit the streets of Manhattan with AJC’s new glossary of antisemitic terms, Translate Hate, to give New Yorkers a pop quiz. Mu

Nov 28, 2019 • 45:40

Netanyahu’s Indictment; Live from Atlanta

Netanyahu’s Indictment; Live from Atlanta

On Thursday, Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be formally charged with corruption, making Netanyahu the first serving prime minister in Israel’s history to face criminal charges. Ronen Bergman, staff writer for The New York Times, national security senior correspondent for Yedioth Ahronoth, and author of “Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations,” joins us to break down the charges against the pr

Nov 22, 2019 • 1:00:49

Gaza Flare-Up, Fiddler in Yiddish

Gaza Flare-Up, Fiddler in Yiddish

Earlier this week, terrorists fired hundreds of rockets from Gaza into Israel following the targeted killing of a top Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader. We are joined by Avi Issacharoff, Middle East analyst for The Times of Israel and Walla News, and Judah Ari Gross, The Times of Israel’s Military Correspondent, to discuss the events of the past week. Then we sit down with Zalmen Mlotek, musical director of the Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof, and Steven Skybell, who stars in the show, to di

Nov 15, 2019 • 45:49

Jewish Life in Belgium, China-Israel Relations

Jewish Life in Belgium, China-Israel Relations

This week Daniel Schwammenthal, Director of AJC’s Transatlantic Institute, joins us from Brussels to talk about Jewish life in Belgium, which has seen a string of antisemitic incidents in recent years, and about AJC's efforts to combat antisemitism across Europe. Then we sit down with Ambassador Matan Vilnai, Israel's former envoy to China, to discuss the Jewish state's relationship with the ascendant Asian power and what it means for Israel's future.

Nov 8, 2019 • 32:29

The Sources of Antisemitism; Lebanon Protests; Israeli Politics Update

The Sources of Antisemitism; Lebanon Protests; Israeli Politics Update

This week, we sit down with Deborah Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, to discuss her new book focusing on the sources of antisemitism and what we can do to stop it. We also speak to Dr. Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about the protests in Lebanon that led to Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s resignation earlier this week. Finally, Times of Israel Political Correspondent Raoul Wootliff g

Oct 31, 2019 • 47:00

One Year After Pittsburgh Synagogue Attack, Survey on Antisemitism in America

One Year After Pittsburgh Synagogue Attack, Survey on Antisemitism in America

Sunday, October 27, will mark exactly one year since the deadly shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue building. This week, we speak to Jeff Finkelstein, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, to get a sense of how the Pittsburgh Jewish community is doing one year after the attack. Then we’re joined by Avi Mayer, AJC’s Managing Director of Global Communications, to discuss the results of the organization’s unprecedented survey of American Jews on the subject o

Oct 25, 2019 • 32:15

Historic UN Report on Antisemitism, Behind the Excavation of the Pilgrims' Path

Historic UN Report on Antisemitism, Behind the Excavation of the Pilgrims' Path

Last month, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, released the first UN human rights report wholly dedicated to antisemitism. In his report, Dr. Shaheed found that antisemitic incidents have created a “climate of fear” among Jews and refers to antisemitism as a threat that is “toxic to democracy.” Today he joins us in the studio to share the findings of his report and offer recommendations to states, civil society actors, and the UN. Then, The Times of Israel

Oct 18, 2019 • 31:48

Attack on German Synagogue, Historic Pact with Gulf States, New Book on Israeli Prime Ministers

Attack on German Synagogue, Historic Pact with Gulf States, New Book on Israeli Prime Ministers

On this week’s episode, we are joined by AJC Berlin Acting Director Remko Leemhuis to discuss the horrific antisemitic attack on Yom Kippur targeting a synagogue in Halle, Germany. Then, we hear from Raphael Ahren, Diplomatic Correspondent for the Times of Israel, to break down Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s efforts to advance non-aggression treaties with several Arab countries in the Gulf. Finally, we sit down with David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute

Oct 11, 2019 • 45:27

Ukrainian President Zelensky; Blood Libel in America

Ukrainian President Zelensky; Blood Libel in America

Volodymyr Zelensky emerged on the scene in 2019 when he was elected president of Ukraine. Now he is embroiled in American domestic politics as his phone call with President Trump is at the center of the impeachment inquiry currently taking place in Congress. Cnaan Liphshiz, European news reporter for JTA, breaks down who Volodymyr Zelensky is, where Ukraine is headed, and what the controversial call means. Then we are joined by NYU Professor of History Edward Berenson to examine how an incident

Oct 4, 2019 • 42:58

Backstage with “Our Boys” Creator; Israeli Elections and the Arab Party

Backstage with “Our Boys” Creator; Israeli Elections and the Arab Party

This week, we're joined for a special live show by Joseph Cedar, creator and executive producer of HBO's "Our Boys." Cedar shared his firsthand account of how he translated the tragedies of summer 2014 into television, his analysis of the social and political climate that led to those attacks, and the critical reception the show has received from some prominent Israelis. Then Adam Rasgon, Palestinian Affairs and Arab World Correspondent for The Times of Israel, explains how the Joint List, Israe

Sep 27, 2019 • 37:14

Israeli Election Results, Sarah Hurwitz on Her New Book, Antisemitism in NY

Israeli Election Results, Sarah Hurwitz on Her New Book, Antisemitism in NY

Earlier this week, Israel held its second national election in five months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to form a governing coalition in April. On this week’s episode, Times of Israel political correspondent Raoul Wootliff joins us to recap the complicated election results and help us understand what they mean for Israel’s future. Then we speak to Sarah Hurwitz, former head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, to discuss how she rediscovered a connection to Judaism,

Sep 20, 2019 • 40:04

Israelis Head Back to the Polls

Israelis Head Back to the Polls

This Tuesday, Israelis will head back to the polls for an unprecedented second national election in a single year. In this special pre-election episode, we sit down with three public figures representing the Israeli left, right, and center, to get a sense of what Israelis across the political spectrum are thinking as they cast their ballots. Joining us are Oded Revivi, Mayor of Efrat; Yossi Klein Halevi, author and Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute; and Ksenia Svetlova, former member

Sep 12, 2019 • 36:35

AJC CEO David Harris and Times of Israel Founding Editor David Horovitz in Conversation

AJC CEO David Harris and Times of Israel Founding Editor David Horovitz in Conversation

Launching People of the Pod, AJC CEO David Harris and Times of Israel Founding Editor David Horovitz join us to discuss the significance of this new partnership between AJC and TOI, as well as some of the most pressing issues facing America, Israel, the Jewish people, and the world.

Sep 6, 2019 • 29:59

Welcome to People of the Pod!

Welcome to People of the Pod!

In today's inaugural episode, Times of Israel Jewish World Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan joins us from the publication's Jerusalem newsroom to discuss how People of the Pod came to be and what you can expect from this exciting new partnership between AJC and TOI. Then we're joined by Leah Goldin, together with her husband Simcha, to talk about her son, Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed by Hamas terrorists in 2014 and whose body has yet to be returned to Israel. Finally, we hear from Shoshanna Keats

Aug 29, 2019 • 36:47

Special Announcement

Special Announcement

We’re launching a new podcast, People of the Pod, in partnership with The Times of Israel!

Aug 28, 2019 • 0:47

AJC Passport: American Jews and the Democratic Party; President Truman and Israel’s Founding

AJC Passport: American Jews and the Democratic Party; President Truman and Israel’s Founding

This week on AJC Passport, Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL), the Democratic co-sponsor of the anti-BDS bill recently passed by the House, discusses President Trump’s characterization of Jewish Democrats as "disloyal," as well the controversial move by the Israeli government to bar Reps. Omar and Tlaib from entering Israel. We also sat down with Dr. Kurt Graham, director of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, to discuss President Truman’s role in the birth of Israel in 1948.

Aug 23, 2019 • 40:44

AJC Passport: Israel Blocks Members of Congress; California’s Ethnic Studies Curriculum

AJC Passport: Israel Blocks Members of Congress; California’s Ethnic Studies Curriculum

On Thursday morning, Israel decided to bar two U.S. congresswomen, Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, from entering the country due to their support for the anti-Israel boycott movement. We sat down with AJC CEO David Harris shortly after the news broke to discuss the short- and long-term implications of this decision. We were then joined by Senator Ben Allen, who chairs the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, to discuss the high-profile controversy surrounding the state’s proposed Ethnic Stu

Aug 16, 2019 • 30:39

AJC Passport: Israel-Diaspora Relations, Return of the Battle for Balfour

AJC Passport: Israel-Diaspora Relations, Return of the Battle for Balfour

Dr. Steven Bayme, AJC’s Director of Contemporary Jewish Life, recently returned from a fact-finding mission in Israel. He sat down with us to share what he learned on his trip and to discuss the current state of Israel-Diaspora relations. Then on “The Battle for Balfour,” we are joined by Benjy Rogers, AJC Associate Director for Policy and Middle East Initiatives, to discuss the latest political developments in Israel ahead of the September 17 national election.

Aug 9, 2019 • 38:39

AJC Passport: Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Democratic Presidential Debates

AJC Passport: Cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Democratic Presidential Debates

This week on AJC Passport, Endy Zemenides, Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins us to discuss how the cooperation among Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, with support from the U.S., has the power to project stability and democratic values throughout the Middle East and strengthen Israel’s maritime border with the Mediterranean. Then AJC’s Political Outreach Director Julie Fishman Rayman comes on to break down this week’s Democratic presidential debates.

Aug 1, 2019 • 45:33

AJC Passport: 25th Anniversary of AMIA, Trump Takes on “the Squad”

AJC Passport: 25th Anniversary of AMIA, Trump Takes on “the Squad”

This week on AJC Passport, Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC's Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, joins us to discuss her most recent trip to Buenos Aires to mark the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building and to update us on recent developments in Argentina’s approach to Hezbollah, the terrorist group that carried out the attack. Then, JTA Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas joins us to break down rec

Jul 26, 2019 • 31:31

AJC Passport: U.S. Antisemitism Summit and LGBT Rights in Israel

AJC Passport: U.S. Antisemitism Summit and LGBT Rights in Israel

Earlier this week, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson addressed the U.S. Department of Justice Summit on Combating Antisemitism. He sat down with us on AJC Passport to share an inside look on this high-level conference and the U.S. administration’s increased efforts to combat resurgent antisemitism. Then, we were joined by Tyler Gregory, Executive Director of A Wider Bridge, who shared his thoughts on Israeli Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz’s controversial stateme

Jul 19, 2019 • 28:21

AJC Passport: Ethiopian Israeli Protests and Singapore-Israel Relations

AJC Passport: Ethiopian Israeli Protests and Singapore-Israel Relations

The shooting and killing of Ethiopian Israeli Solomon Teka by an off-duty police officer last month sparked protests across Israel. Joining us is Director of Interfaces and Synergy at The Jewish Agency for Israel Pnina Agenyahu to update us on the latest developments and discuss how Israel is addressing the challenges facing its Ethiopian community. Then, Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan, former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and former Permanent Representative o

Jul 12, 2019 • 46:09

AJC Passport: Welcoming AJC’s First Female President and a Conversation with Michael Anton

AJC Passport: Welcoming AJC’s First Female President and a Conversation with Michael Anton

Last month, AJC bade farewell to our former President, John Shapiro, and welcomed our new President, Harriet Schleifer. Today Schleifer, the first woman to lead the organization, joins us to discuss her new role and share her vision for the future of AJC. Two weeks ago, we heard from one of President Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics, Bill Kristol. This week, we're bringing you another conversation recorded on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2019 with Michael Anton, a former deputy ass

Jul 3, 2019 • 34:29

AJC Passport: Combating Anti-Semitism Around the World

AJC Passport: Combating Anti-Semitism Around the World

Are governments across the world doing enough to combat the threat of anti-Semitism? U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr, British Member of Parliament for the Labour Party John Mann, and European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Director Michael O’Flaherty, joined us on the AJC Global Forum stage to address this question. Listen as they share their insights on the dangers of rising anti-Semitism and the need to step up efforts to confront it.

Jun 28, 2019 • 28:01

AJC Passport: Hezbollah’s Activities in Germany and a Conversation with Bill Kristol

AJC Passport: Hezbollah’s Activities in Germany and a Conversation with Bill Kristol

This week on AJC Passport, Dr. Remko Leemhuis, Assistant Director for Policy and Public Affairs at AJC’s Berlin Ramer Institute for German-Jewish Relations, joins us to discuss Hezbollah’s nefarious activities in Germany and the urgent need to designate the Iranian proxy in its entirety as a terrorist organization. Then, we continue our behind the scenes look at this year’s AJC Global Forum in Washington, where we caught up with Bill Kristol, founder of The Weekly Standard and a leading politica

Jun 20, 2019 • 28:30

AJC Passport: Exploring Trump’s Foreign Policy, Israel Goes Back to the Polls

AJC Passport: Exploring Trump’s Foreign Policy, Israel Goes Back to the Polls

Last week, we brought you onto the AJC Global Forum stage with a special live episode of AJC Passport. This week, we bring you backstage where we sat down with Dr. James Carafano, Vice President at The Heritage Foundation, for an exclusive conversation on U.S. foreign policy under President Trump, including immigration reform and the Middle East peace process. Then, we’re joined by AJC Jerusalem Director Lt. Col. (Res.) Avital Leibovich to explain why Israel is heading back to the polls for an u

Jun 14, 2019 • 36:39

AJC Passport: Live from AJC Global Forum: Fighting Anti-Semitism in the UK Labour Party

AJC Passport: Live from AJC Global Forum: Fighting Anti-Semitism in the UK Labour Party

Earlier this week, nearly 2,500 leaders, activists, and guests from across the United States and more than 50 countries gathered in Washington, D.C., for AJC Global Forum 2019. There, British Members of Parliament Joan Ryan and Ian Austin sat down with us for a special episode of AJC Passport. Recorded in front of our largest-ever live audience, our conversation with Ryan and Austin centered on the rampant anti-Semitism plaguing the Labour Party and how they’re fighting back.

Jun 6, 2019 • 23:08

AJC Passport: The View from Both Sides of the Aisle

AJC Passport: The View from Both Sides of the Aisle

This week, we bring you a special Florida-themed episode of AJC Passport. We spoke to two members of Congress from Florida, Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Representative Brian Mast (R-FL), and discussed the importance of pro-Israel support on both sides of the aisle and the need to confront the threat of anti-Semitism in America.

May 24, 2019 • 32:37

AJC Passport: Hannah Rosenthal’s Fight Against Anti-Semitism

AJC Passport: Hannah Rosenthal’s Fight Against Anti-Semitism

Last week, former U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Hannah Rosenthal joined us for a special AJC Passport live show in Atlanta to celebrate 75 years since the creation of AJC's Atlanta office. Rosenthal discussed her time in government and her work fighting hatred of the Jewish people around the world.

May 16, 2019 • 26:40

AJC Passport: Israel-Gaza Flare-up and a Conversation with Congressman Eliot Engel

AJC Passport: Israel-Gaza Flare-up and a Conversation with Congressman Eliot Engel

The recent flare-up between Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza and Israel over saw more than 650 rockets slam into Israel’s south, killing four Israeli civilians and paralyzing much of the country. The assault drew over 300 retaliatory strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces. Joining us today is AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich to fill us in on the latest round of violence and its aftermath. Then we’ll hear a conversation with Congressman Eliot Enge

May 10, 2019 • 37:29

AJC Passport: Muslim-Jewish Relations and the NYTimes’s Anti-Semitic Cartoon

AJC Passport: Muslim-Jewish Relations and the NYTimes’s Anti-Semitic Cartoon

Imam Mohamed Magid is the spiritual leader and executive director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center, which serves 5,000 Muslim families in Northern Virginia, making him one the most important imams in America. He is also a member of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, convened by AJC and the Islamic Society of North America. Imam Magid joins us this week to discuss Islam in America and the state of Muslim-Jewish relations. Also joining us this week is AJC Transatlantic Institute Direc

May 3, 2019 • 47:12

AJC Passport: Exploring Israel and the Media with Matti Friedman

AJC Passport: Exploring Israel and the Media with Matti Friedman

With AJC Global Forum 2019 rapidly approaching, we’re throwing it back to last year’s Global Forum in Jerusalem. There, we recorded the first-ever AJC Passport live show in a room filled with hundreds of college students. Journalist Matti Friedman joined us to discuss one of the least reported-on angles of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the press that covers the struggle. Drawing on his years of experience as an AP reporter and editor, Friedman talked with us about how the editorial process s

Apr 25, 2019 • 52:58

AJC Passport: The War of Words Between President Trump and Congresswoman Omar

AJC Passport: The War of Words Between President Trump and Congresswoman Omar

September 11 was a traumatic and defining moment for Americans, so it comes as little surprise that questionable comments about the attack by a controversial member of Congress would generate a firestorm. JTA Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas joins us to explain the war of words between Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and President Trump. Also joining us this week is Stephanie Guiloff, Deputy Director of AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, to discuss a ne

Apr 19, 2019 • 27:04

AJC Passport: The Results Are In

AJC Passport: The Results Are In

Israelis went to the polls earlier this week to elect the members of the 21st Knesset and choose a prime minister. Days after the polls closed, the final results have been announced. On this special post-election episode of AJC Passport, we are joined by David Makovsky, former senior advisor to the Secretary of State’s Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich t

Apr 12, 2019 • 42:45

AJC Passport: Hate Crimes in the U.S. and the Battle Over the Bots

AJC Passport: Hate Crimes in the U.S. and the Battle Over the Bots

In recent years, Europe has been rocked by reports of increasing anti-Semitism. But what is happening within our own borders? Brian Levin, Director of California State University’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, joins us to share his latest findings, analyze the trends in hate crimes in the United States, and explore effective responses. Then, with the national election in Israel less than a week away, Haaretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer joins us on "The Battle for Balfour” to

Apr 5, 2019 • 45:10

AJC Passport: Black-Jewish Relations and Flare-Up in Gaza

AJC Passport: Black-Jewish Relations and Flare-Up in Gaza

The African American and American Jewish communities have a long and storied history of cooperation. But is there still a shared Black-Jewish agenda today? Joining us is Dr. Lonnie Bunch III, Founding Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, to discuss the past, present, and future of Black-Jewish relations in America. Then, on "The Battle for Balfour,” we are joined by Jerusalem Post Senior Contributing Editor Lahav Harkov for an update on the latest

Mar 29, 2019 • 31:06

AJC Passport: A New President in Mexico and Arab Israeli Voters

AJC Passport: A New President in Mexico and Arab Israeli Voters

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known by his initials as AMLO, swept into office as president of Mexico with great fanfare and big promises. Will he be able to live up to them? Joining us today to discuss what we can expect from López Obrador’s presidency is Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, who accompanied a high-level AJC delegation that met with him in Mexico City last week. Then on "The Battle for Balfour,”

Mar 22, 2019 • 30:27

AJC Passport: Anti-Semitism and the UK Labour Party Split

AJC Passport: Anti-Semitism and the UK Labour Party Split

On February 18, seven members of the British Parliament resigned from the Labour Party, citing what they called “institutional anti-Semitism.” Two more followed just days later. Though dramatic, the split came as little surprise: the Labour Party has been rocked by charges of anti-Semitism since Jeremy Corbyn became party leader in 2015. Ella Rose, former National Director of the Jewish Labour Movement, joins us to discuss the political fallout of the split and what it means for the future of th

Mar 14, 2019 • 26:42

AJC Passport: An Audience with the Pope

AJC Passport: An Audience with the Pope

Rabbi David Rosen lives in Jerusalem, but he spends much of his time traveling the world as AJC’s Director of International Interreligious Affairs. He joins us this week from the Vatican, where he is accompanying a senior AJC delegation in meetings with Pope Francis and other high-level Church officials. We spoke with him about the history of Catholic-Jewish relations, the breaking news that the Church will unseal WWII-era archives, and the future of interreligious dialogue. Then, on "The Battle

Mar 7, 2019 • 38:10

AJC Passport: A Conversation with Mitch Landrieu, Introducing “The Battle for Balfour”

AJC Passport: A Conversation with Mitch Landrieu, Introducing “The Battle for Balfour”

Mitch Landrieu’s second term as Mayor of New Orleans may have ended in 2018, but the impact of his eight years in office will be felt for years to come. He helped revive a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and led the fight to take down four Confederate statues. In December, Landrieu traveled to Israel with AJC Project Interchange while serving as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He joins us now to discuss the trip, the value of centrism in America’s political discourse, an

Mar 1, 2019 • 34:47

AJC Passport: Mayor Pete Joins the Race

AJC Passport: Mayor Pete Joins the Race

Last May, we were joined by Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, to talk about his experience visiting Israel as part of our annual AJC Project Interchange delegation of U.S. mayors. Since then, Buttigieg, who is helping to reinvigorate his Midwest city, took a giant leap onto the national political stage when he declared his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. With this enhanced spotlight on Mayor Pete, we are rerunning this pertinent interview to share his though

Feb 22, 2019 • 24:21

AJC Passport: Fallout from Rep. Omar’s Tweets, Staggering Data on Antisemitic Incidents in France

AJC Passport: Fallout from Rep. Omar’s Tweets, Staggering Data on Antisemitic Incidents in France

Last weekend, freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) used her Twitter account to promote a classic anti-Semitic trope, accusing American Jews of paying off elected officials to maintain the U.S.-Israel relationship. Omar issued an apology after her remarks were met with widespread condemnation, including from the Democratic leadership. Was her apology sincere? Will she learn from this episode and become an ally in the fight against anti-Semitism? AJC CEO David Harris joins us to discuss the in

Feb 15, 2019 • 30:45

AJC Passport: Pro-Israel Democrats and a New Anti-Semitism Envoy

AJC Passport: Pro-Israel Democrats and a New Anti-Semitism Envoy

Is the Democratic Party still pro-Israel? Leading public opinion researcher and political strategist Mark Mellman joins us to address a question being asked by many and discuss how his newly-formed group, the Democratic Majority for Israel, plans to counter those trying to pull the party away from the Jewish state. Also joining us is AJC Assistant Director of International Relations Holly Huffnagle, who previously served as Policy Advisor to the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor a

Feb 7, 2019 • 33:05

AJC Passport: Upheaval in Venezuela

AJC Passport: Upheaval in Venezuela

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself president after years of economic turmoil in what was once one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to show their support for Guaidó and their opposition to the repressive regime of Nicolás Maduro. Will this dramatic turn of events help restore democracy and freedom to the country? Dany Bahar, an Israeli and Venezuelan economist serving as a David M. Rubenstein

Feb 1, 2019 • 29:15

AJC Passport: Antisemitism and the Women’s March

AJC Passport: Antisemitism and the Women’s March

Last weekend, demonstrators took to the streets for the 2019 Women’s March, but this year’s event was mired in controversy. This week on AJC Passport, we hear from two leading Jewish figures who support the aims of the March, but disagree on whether to participate in light of the ongoing anti-Semitism scandals surrounding its leadership. Carly Pildis, political organizer and contributing editor at Tablet Magazine, and Rabbi Sarah Bassin, Assistant Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, discus

Jan 25, 2019 • 37:20

AJC Passport: Live from Washington, D.C.: The Freshman Perspective

AJC Passport: Live from Washington, D.C.: The Freshman Perspective

This week’s episode comes to you live from the nation’s capital. We were joined by two freshman members of Congress, Representative Donna Shalala (D-FL) and Representative Van Taylor (R-TX). We talked with them about the key issues they plan to tackle while in Congress, including strengthening U.S.-Israel relations and building bipartisanship. The episode was recorded in front of a live audience as part of AJC’s National Leadership Council Advocacy Fly In, featuring a series of meetings with tho

Jan 18, 2019 • 39:09

AJC Passport: Congress Takes on BDS, State of the EU-Israel Relationship

AJC Passport: Congress Takes on BDS, State of the EU-Israel Relationship

The BDS movement has climbed its way up the Hill in the form of a bill targeting proponents of the anti-Israel boycott campaign. On this week’s episode, AJC General Counsel Marc Stern sheds light on the bill and other legislative measures against boycott efforts. Also joining us is AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, who discusses the state of the relationship between the EU and Israel and the steps needed to mend it.

Jan 11, 2019 • 37:35

AJC Passport: We’re Off to the Races

AJC Passport: We’re Off to the Races

In a shocking move last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the dissolution of the current Knesset. With early elections now set for April 9th, join us as Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor of The Jerusalem Post, dives into recent developments, analyzes the political turmoil, and suggests what we can expect in the short months leading up to the elections for the 21st Knesset.

Jan 3, 2019 • 34:27

AJC Passport: The Great Debate on the West Bank

AJC Passport: The Great Debate on the West Bank

Remain in the West Bank or withdraw from the territories? Micah Goodman, director of Beit Midrash Yisraeli-Ein Prat and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, tackles this controversial debate in his book, Catch-67, which was recently published in English. Goodman navigates us through the complexity of this issue and explores alternatives for moving forward on this week’s AJC Passport.

Dec 21, 2018 • 31:57

AJC Passport: Rising Anti-Semitism Across Europe

AJC Passport: Rising Anti-Semitism Across Europe

Earlier this week, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights released its second survey on discrimination and hate crimes against Jews in the EU. The survey’s troubling results are a reminder of the pervasive problem of anti-Semitism in Europe. Katharina von Schnurbein, Coordinator on Combating Anti-Semitism for the European Commission, joins us to discuss the findings from this survey. Our second conversation is with AJC CEO David Harris, who joins us to share his insights on how Europea

Dec 14, 2018 • 35:20

AJC Passport: A New Path Forward for Gaza, and the Freshman Class in Congress

AJC Passport: A New Path Forward for Gaza, and the Freshman Class in Congress

Is it possible to bring stability and reconstruction to Gaza? Ilan Goldenberg and his team from the Center for a New American Security and the Brookings Institution set out to answer this question in their new report, "Ending Gaza’s Perpetual Crisis: A New U.S. Approach." Ilan Goldenberg, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, joins us to discuss the report's recommendations and the state of U.S. policy towards Gaza. We are also

Dec 6, 2018 • 49:51

AJC Passport: Stunning Report on European Antisemitism

AJC Passport: Stunning Report on European Antisemitism

One in three Europeans knows little or nothing about the Holocaust, one in four thinks Jews have too much influence in finance, and one in five thinks Jews have too much influence over the media and global politics. A devastating new report by CNN has found that antisemitism is alive and well in Europe. Joining us to discuss the troubling findings is CNN’s Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward, who led the network’s investigation. Our second guest is AJC Europe Director Simone Rodan-Be

Nov 29, 2018 • 33:07

AJC Passport: Rockets Slam into Israel and Trigger a Political Crisis

AJC Passport: Rockets Slam into Israel and Trigger a Political Crisis

This week, Israel experienced the worst bombardment since 2014 as Hamas fired over 450 rockets into cities and communities across southern Israel. The assault left one dead and scores wounded as tens of thousands of Israeli families huddled in bomb shelters. After a ceasefire was reached, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announced his resignation in protest of the agreement, destabilizing the governing coalition and drawing calls for a new election. Joining us this week to discuss the s

Nov 16, 2018 • 38:19

AJC Passport: The Midterm Election with Norm Ornstein

AJC Passport: The Midterm Election with Norm Ornstein

In a dramatic election that saw a record number of voters flock to the polls, both parties had reason to celebrate. For the first time in over eight years, Democrats will take control of the House. In the Senate, Republicans have expanded their control of the chamber. Joining us this week to discuss the trends of the election and what it means for U.S.-Israel relations is Norm Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author of One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Pe

Nov 9, 2018 • 27:42

AJC Passport: The Pittsburgh Attack and Brazil’s New President

AJC Passport: The Pittsburgh Attack and Brazil’s New President

In the wake of the horrific attack at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday that left eleven dead and six wounded, AJC launched a global campaign called #ShowUpForShabbat to show solidarity with Pittsburgh’s Jews and send the message that Jews will not be intimidated away from their synagogues. Joining us to discuss the tremendous response to the campaign is AJC Associate Execute Director and Managaing Director of Global Communications Avi Mayer. Our second guest is Fernando Lottenberg, President o

Nov 2, 2018 • 29:44

AJC Passport: Sino-Israeli Relations and Pro-Israel Evangelicals

AJC Passport: Sino-Israeli Relations and Pro-Israel Evangelicals

This week on AJC Passport, we talk about Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan’s visit to Israel and what it means for relations between the Jewish state and China. We’re joined by Mercy Kuo, President of the Washington State China Relations Council and member of the advisory council of AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute to discuss the visit and China’s growing influence in the Middle East. Our second conversation is from one of our first episodes. It features The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins on Vice Preside

Oct 26, 2018 • 22:29

AJC Passport: A Disappeared Journalist and Rising Extremism in Germany

AJC Passport: A Disappeared Journalist and Rising Extremism in Germany

The grisly murder of Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago has prompted unprecedented backlash in Washington, D.C. against the Saudi government. Joining us to discuss the fallout is Hady Amr, a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former senior diplomat in the State Department under President Obama. Our second conversation is with AJC Berlin Ramer Institute Director Deidre Berger, who joined us to discuss Chancellor An

Oct 19, 2018 • 45:59

AJC Passport: Nikki Haley’s Surprise Move and Joint Muslim-Jewish Activism

AJC Passport: Nikki Haley’s Surprise Move and Joint Muslim-Jewish Activism

In a surprise move earlier this week, Nikki Haley announced that she would be stepping down from her role as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The statement prompted an immediate flurry of speculation in D.C. and on social media regarding her next steps. For the pro-Israel community, Haley’s departure also raises questions on who will replace her as America’s voice at the UN and whether the next ambassador will be able to fill Haley’s shoes in combating rampant anti-Israel bias at the UN. J

Oct 12, 2018 • 26:54

AJC Passport: Defending the Transatlantic Alliance

AJC Passport: Defending the Transatlantic Alliance

At the height of the Second World War, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill articulated a vision of a world living at peace, with free trade, human rights, and democracy at its center. After the war, their nations helped bring that vision—dubbed the Atlantic Charter—into being, creating the world we know today. But now, seven decades later, the charter and the global system it envisioned are under assault. This week on AJC Passport, we’re joined by journ

Oct 5, 2018 • 31:36

AJC Passport: The World Comes to New York

AJC Passport: The World Comes to New York

Each year, leaders from around the world descend on New York City for the UN General Assembly. For the NYPD, these world leaders leave behind a slew of unpaid parking tickets. But for AJC, that all of them are in one place presents an unparalleled opportunity to advocate for the Jewish people globally. Our guest this week is our chief advocate, AJC CEO David Harris, who joins us to explain what happens at the UN General Assembly and what AJC does when it meets with visiting leaders behind closed

Sep 21, 2018 • 20:10

AJC Passport: Middle East Peace with negotiator Aaron David Miller

AJC Passport: Middle East Peace with negotiator Aaron David Miller

Twenty-five years ago this week, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat joined U.S. President Bill Clinton on the White House lawn to sign the Oslo Accords, the first-ever peace agreement between the two sides. This week, the Trump administration announced that it is closing the PLO’s office in Washington, D.C. What happened? We’re joined by Aaron David Miller, Vice President for New Initiatives and Middle East Program Director at

Sep 13, 2018 • 24:33

AJC Passport: How the Mossad Targets Terrorists and Why a Controversial Leader Came to Israel

AJC Passport: How the Mossad Targets Terrorists and Why a Controversial Leader Came to Israel

This week on AJC Passport we’re bringing you a special segment: a deep dive into the Mossad’s use of targeted killings. Joining us to discuss the secretive agency’s tactics is Ronen Bergman, an investigative journalist and New York Times Magazine staff writer who spent years combing through archives and conducting interviews with Mossad officials to write the best-selling book Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations. Our second guest is AJC Asia Pacific Instit

Sep 6, 2018 • 30:52

AJC Passport: Trump Cuts Aid to Palestinians, Jews Cut Ties to Corbyn

AJC Passport: Trump Cuts Aid to Palestinians, Jews Cut Ties to Corbyn

The Trump administration is cutting $200 million in aid meant for the Palestinians. The move comes on the heels of previous cuts to U.S. funding for projects in the Palestinian territories. We sat down with Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department, to analyze what impact the cut will have and what it reveals about the administration’s strategy. Our second guest is Josh Gla

Aug 31, 2018 • 38:55

AJC Passport: Gaza Ceasefire, Netanyahu’s Future, and the U.S.-Turkey Crisis

AJC Passport: Gaza Ceasefire, Netanyahu’s Future, and the U.S.-Turkey Crisis

Is a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the offing? How did the United States and Turkey—NATO allies—find themselves in a trade war? We answer those questions and more on this week’s edition of AJC Passport. Joining us to talk about the Gaza ceasefire, growing election talk in Israel, and his biography of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is Haaretz writer Anshel Pfeffer. We are also joined by Dr. Henri Barkey, a professor at Lehigh University and former Middle East Program

Aug 24, 2018 • 51:32

AJC Passport: What Are the Best Colleges for Jews?

AJC Passport: What Are the Best Colleges for Jews?

If you’re a high school senior or the parents of one, you’re about to embark on a wonderfully stressful journey: picking the right college. If you’re Jewish, that comes with a few extra considerations: Is there a Jewish a cappella group? How’s the kosher food? What about BDS on campus? To answer these questions and more, we spoke with Laura Adkins and Aiden Pink, two young journalists at The Forward who designed a comprehensive guide that ranks over 200 colleges across the country based on what

Aug 17, 2018 • 23:04

AJC Passport: Rockets Batter Israel, White Supremacists Descend on D.C., Druze Fight for Equality

AJC Passport: Rockets Batter Israel, White Supremacists Descend on D.C., Druze Fight for Equality

As we recorded this episode on Thursday morning, southern Israel was battered by rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Our guest, former IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel (res.) Peter Lerner, briefed us on the attacks before diving into the topic of the week: the Druze community’s protest against the Nation-State Law and why he joined it. Our second guest was AJC Washington Director Alan Ronkin, who discussed how AJC joined forces with the Urban League to speak out against white suprem

Aug 10, 2018 • 28:22

AJC Passport: Talking to Tehran and Negotiating Jewish Numbers

AJC Passport: Talking to Tehran and Negotiating Jewish Numbers

Is President Trump trying to get Iran to come back to the negotiating table? During a press conference on Monday with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Trump indicated that he would be ready to meet with Iranian leaders without preconditions. We therefore decided to open up the AJC vault and share with you a conversation we recorded with Emily Landau, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, who talked about precisely this strategy. Landau leads t

Aug 3, 2018 • 47:20

AJC Passport: Israel on the “Woke Left” and Saving the White Helmets

AJC Passport: Israel on the “Woke Left” and Saving the White Helmets

Is Israel becoming a litmus test on the “woke” left? This week, Teen Vogue published an article that sought to tie issues of police brutality in the United States to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. Our guest this week is journalist Emily Shire, who joins us to explain the evolution of Teen Vogue and give us a follow-up on her viral New York Times article from 2017, which asked if feminism still has room for Zionist women. For our second segment, we are joined by AJC Jerusalem Director L

Jul 27, 2018 • 31:48

AJC Passport: The Trump-Putin Summit and Israel’s Nation-State Bill

AJC Passport: The Trump-Putin Summit and Israel’s Nation-State Bill

President Trump had a headline-grabbing visit to Europe. During the trip, he called the European Union a foe of the United States and received sharp blowback for his deferential approach to contentious questions such as whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Over in Israel, a controversial bill that would define the character of the state passed over the objections of Israel’s president and leading Jewish organizations around the world, including AJC. Joining us to discuss the reaction

Jul 20, 2018 • 44:28

AJC Passport: Trump’s SCOTUS Nominee, Supporting Israel in the Academic World

AJC Passport: Trump’s SCOTUS Nominee, Supporting Israel in the Academic World

A confirmation battle is brewing. This week on AJC Passport, we dive into the world of U.S. Supreme Court nominations. Joining us to discuss this hot-button issue is AJC General Counsel Marc Stern, who has appeared four times before the Supreme Court and is one of the Jewish community’s experts on the court, the separation of church and state, and religious liberty. Stern talks to us about Brett Kavanaugh, and what everyone gets wrong about confirmation fights. The segment is followed by a conve

Jul 12, 2018 • 38:58

AJC Passport: Mexico Elects a New President, Poland Amends Controversial Holocaust Law

AJC Passport: Mexico Elects a New President, Poland Amends Controversial Holocaust Law

A political earthquake just shook Mexico. This week, in a landslide victory, political outsider and left-wing nationalist Andrés Manuel López Obrador won the Mexican presidency with an anti-establishment and anti-corruption campaign. Joining us to discuss this dramatic development is Dina Siegel Vann, Director of the AJC Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs. Our second guest this week is our Warsaw-based Director of AJC Central Europe, Agnieszka Markiewicz, who is joining us to

Jul 6, 2018 • 29:16

AJC Passport: Conversations with Amb. Daniel Shapiro and UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov

AJC Passport: Conversations with Amb. Daniel Shapiro and UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov

Last week, we took you front and center at AJC Global Forum in Israel by bringing you the much-anticipated Great Debate. This week, we take you behind the scenes and bring you some exclusive conversations from our biggest event earlier this month. First up, friend of AJC Passport and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro (2011-17) discusses the outcomes of the embassy move to Jerusalem and Israel’s endgame in Syria. We also explore the implications of potential U.S. recognition of Israeli sov

Jun 29, 2018 • 32:15

AJC Passport: Special Global Forum Episode - The Great Debate

AJC Passport: Special Global Forum Episode - The Great Debate

For those of you who were unable to join us in Jerusalem for the AJC Global Forum—or for those who want to relive the moment—we’re bringing you this year’s Great Debate. In the 2018 iteration of this AJC Global Forum staple, Member of Knesset Stav Shaffir of the Labor party faced off against Mayor Oded Revivi of the West Bank settlement of Efrat. Their question: “One State or Two States, Is There a Solution?"

Jun 20, 2018 • 39:21

AJC Passport: Live from Jerusalem - Exploring Israel and the Media with Matti Friedman

AJC Passport: Live from Jerusalem - Exploring Israel and the Media with Matti Friedman

AJC Passport hits the road! This week’s episode comes to you from Jerusalem. Recorded in front of a live audience for the first time, we sat down with journalist and author Matti Friedman to discuss one of the least reported-on angles of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the press that covers the struggle. Drawing on his years of experience as an AP reporter, Friedman talked with us about how the editorial process shapes coverage and fielded questions from the audience of more than 350 college s

Jun 13, 2018 • 52:23

AJC Passport: A Conversation with Yossi Klein Halevi about His New Best Seller

AJC Passport: A Conversation with Yossi Klein Halevi about His New Best Seller

Can the stories Israelis and Palestinians tell about their history help them achieve peace? It's a question that keeps acclaimed author Yossi Klein Halevi up at night. This week’s AJC Passport features a special conversation with Klein Halevi. He discusses grappling with this question and how it led him to write his latest book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor. Hear him explain what he wants Palestinians to know about Israel's national narrative and how this knowledge might help both peoples

Jun 6, 2018 • 32:14

AJC Passport: Congress Takes on Antisemitism, Anti-Israel Activists Hijack the Presbyterian Church

AJC Passport: Congress Takes on Antisemitism, Anti-Israel Activists Hijack the Presbyterian Church

Is Congress stepping up its efforts to combat rising anti-Semitism? In recent days, calls have rung out from Capitol Hill to fill the long-vacant position of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the U.S. State Department. Also, a new bill was introduced that would help define anti-Semitism to better fight it in schools and on college campuses across the nation. Joining us to share his insights from Washington, D.C., is AJC Associate Executive Director for Policy Jason Isaacson, w

Jun 1, 2018 • 40:25

AJC Passport: Pro-Israel Support in the Democratic Party; Anti-Israel Hostility in Chile

AJC Passport: Pro-Israel Support in the Democratic Party; Anti-Israel Hostility in Chile

What does the future of the Democratic party look like? There are competing visions and some cause more anxiety in Jewish voters than others. Joining us this week from South Bend, Indiana is Pete Buttigieg, a young mayor with an impressive list of accomplishments. Mayor Pete, as his constituents call him, is helping to reinvigorate his Midwest city. Hailed by President Obama as a rising star of the Democratic party, Pete talks with us about his recent experience visiting Israel and what the part

May 25, 2018 • 37:46

AJC Passport: What to Make of Violence in Gaza?

AJC Passport: What to Make of Violence in Gaza?

What’s happening in Gaza? Is it a protest? An assault? A cynical media ploy? Some combination of the above? Join us for this week’s episode of AJC Passport as we examine the disturbing news of renewed violence out of Gaza. We’re joined by New York Times correspondent Isabel Kershner, whose coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the past 28 years gives her a unique vantage point on this week’s events.

May 18, 2018 • 34:06

AJC Passport: America Exits the Iran Deal, Hezbollah Wins Big in Lebanon

AJC Passport: America Exits the Iran Deal, Hezbollah Wins Big in Lebanon

The “fix it or nix it” question has been answered. On Tuesday, President Trump announced that the U.S. is withdrawing from the JCPOA and reinstating crippling sanctions against Iran. The reaction in Israel and the Gulf was positive; Europe responded with a mix of disappointment and anger. But the question everyone is asking now is: what comes next? Joining us this week is Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). As an Iran expert who advised the Trump, Obama, and Bu

May 11, 2018 • 49:16

AJC Passport: Where Does Europe Stand as the Iran Deal Deadline Looms?

AJC Passport: Where Does Europe Stand as the Iran Deal Deadline Looms?

As May 12 nears, President Trump has a decision to make: will he or won’t he waive sanctions on Iran as part of the nuclear deal (JCPOA)? In January, the President told the world that he would extend sanctions relief one last time so Europe and the U.S. could fix the deal’s flaws. Now, as the next deadline approaches, leaders from Europe have visited the White House in an attempt to persuade the Commander in Chief not to scrap the deal. On this week’s AJC Passport we were joined by Daniel Schwam

May 4, 2018 • 24:36

AJC Passport: Germans Say No to Anti-Semitism, Portman Says No to Genesis Prize

AJC Passport: Germans Say No to Anti-Semitism, Portman Says No to Genesis Prize

This week on AJC Passport, we turn our eyes to Berlin where 2,000 Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others rallied in response to a bizarre anti-Semitic assault last week…against a young Arab man who had donned a kippah to prove to his Jewish friend that it was safe to wear one on the streets of Berlin. Deidre Berger, director of AJC Berlin joined us to explain exactly what happened and to discuss the state of anti-Semitism in Germany. She also walked us through AJC Europe’s 3i conference that deal

Apr 27, 2018 • 35:21

AJC Passport: Three Perspectives as Israel Turns 70

AJC Passport: Three Perspectives as Israel Turns 70

This week on AJC Passport we celebrated a historic milestone: 70 years since the founding of the State of Israel. On this special occasion, we spoke with three figures—a politician, a historian, and an advocate—to hear their thoughts on Israel's anniversary, and their hopes for Israel's future. For a political perspective, we were joined by Israeli Member of Knesset Tzipi Livni, the leader of the Hatnuah party and former Foreign Minister. For a historical analysis, we spoke with Francine Klagsbr

Apr 19, 2018 • 59:54

AJC Passport: What’s Ahead for the State Department and the Iran Deal?

AJC Passport: What’s Ahead for the State Department and the Iran Deal?

This week on AJC Passport, we’re bringing you rapid reaction to the hearings the Senate Foreign Relations held this week to determine whether to advance the nomination of CIA Director and former Congressman Mike Pompeo. Jason Isaacson, AJC’s Associate Executive Director for Policy, joined us from Washington, D.C., to analyze the potentially contentious confirmation process and what Pompeo’s transition into this new role would mean for American foreign policy. Then, listen in on our conversation

Apr 13, 2018 • 37:03

AJC Passport: Protests in Gaza, Asylum Seekers in Israel

AJC Passport: Protests in Gaza, Asylum Seekers in Israel

As Jews across the world celebrated Passover, Palestinians in Gaza staged a massive protest on Israel’s border. Armed Hamas terrorists fired on Israeli soldiers and tried to breach the border fence. Israel responded to the violence, prompting a great deal of international scrutiny. In this week’s AJC Passport, we spoke with Ambassador Dennis Ross, a career diplomat who has spent much of his career working first-hand on Israeli-Palestinian peace, about the hardships Gazans must cope with, the sec

Apr 5, 2018 • 39:06

AJC Passport: A Cabinet Reshuffle in Washington and a Murder in Paris

AJC Passport: A Cabinet Reshuffle in Washington and a Murder in Paris

In just a few short weeks, President Trump has reshuffled key foreign policy roles in his administration. In the latest episode of AJC Passport, we spoke with Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor in the George W. Bush administration. We discussed the import of these changes, and how they’ll affect the upcoming U.S.-North Korea meeting and the upcoming decision on the future of the Ira

Mar 29, 2018 • 37:57

AJC Passport: How Will Britain’s Labour Party Fix Its Anti-Semitism Problem?

AJC Passport: How Will Britain’s Labour Party Fix Its Anti-Semitism Problem?

As hate incidents against Jews in Britain reach record levels, its Labour Party continues to be plagued by one anti-Semitism scandal after another. In our latest episode of AJC Passport, we speak with John Mann, Labour Party MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Anti-Semitism, to explore the deeply rooted anti-Semitic views of certain party members, and whether party leader Jeremy Corbyn can find his way out of the scandal. Belle Yoeli, Assistant Director of AJC’s Office of P

Mar 23, 2018 • 25:23

AJC Passport: Why the Women’s March Can’t Quit Farrakhan

AJC Passport: Why the Women’s March Can’t Quit Farrakhan

When Tamika Mallory attended an event hosted by the head of the Nation of Islam, notorious anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, she exposed the Women’s March movement she co-chairs to a torrent of criticism. In their belated response, the leaders of the Women’s March distanced themselves from Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism, but declined to reject him outright. We talked with Adam Serwer, Senior Editor at The Atlantic on Farrakhan’s influence in the Black community, and the pitfalls he represents for the prog

Mar 16, 2018 • 20:22

AJC Passport: Netanyahu and Trump, feat. Amb. Dan Shapiro

AJC Passport: Netanyahu and Trump, feat. Amb. Dan Shapiro

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu met this week in Washington, to discuss issues critical to the U.S.-Israel relationship. In this week’s AJC Passport, we unpacked the visit and checked in on the state of the crucial bilateral tie with former U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel from 2011-2017. We also chatted with The Jerusalem Post's Washington Bureau Chief Michael Wilner about the political objectives of both leaders and how their domestic challenges

Mar 8, 2018 • 33:54

AJC Passport: The Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism

AJC Passport: The Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism

From Nazis marching in Charlottesville to attacks on Jews in the streets of Europe, anti-Semitism persists around the world. In this week's AJC Passport, we talked with Ira Forman, the former Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the U.S. State Department, about the international trends in anti-Semitic attitudes. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Mar 2, 2018 • 19:18

AJC Passport: Israeli Red Lines and Polish Headlines

AJC Passport: Israeli Red Lines and Polish Headlines

In our latest episode, we discuss the Munich Security Conference, a premiere meeting of global political and military leaders. Prime Minister Netanyahu made headlines at the conference by warning Iran not to "test Israel’s resolve” in response to recent Iranian provocations. Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki responded to an Israeli journalist’s question about the country’s Holocaust law by invoking “Jewish perpetrators.” AJC Berlin-Ramer Director Deidre Berger was at the conference and joins us t

Feb 21, 2018 • 22:13

AJC Passport: Olympic Tensions, Iranian Intentions

AJC Passport: Olympic Tensions, Iranian Intentions

Join us for a conversation with North Korea expert Jamie Metzl, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, on North Korea’s Olympic charm offensive. Then, we talk with Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovitch, Director of AJC Jerusalem, about the recent violent flare-up on Israel's northern border. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Feb 16, 2018 • 22:20

AJC Passport: Americans and Israel

AJC Passport: Americans and Israel

The strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship has long been rooted in bipartisan support for an alliance based on shared interests and values. But is the bipartisan consensus on Israel fading away? In this episode of AJC Passport, we speak with Tamara Cofman Wittes, Senior Fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at The Brookings Institution. Tamara, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs in the Obama Administration, recently co-authored an essay

Feb 9, 2018 • 24:37

AJC Passport: Poland's Bill and Holocaust Blame

AJC Passport: Poland's Bill and Holocaust Blame

On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Polish government initiated a bill making it illegal to assert that Poland or Polish citizens bear responsibility for Holocaust crimes. Under this legislation, even the utterance of the words “Polish death camps” can be punished by up to three years in jail. The move has sparked outrage around the world, especially in Israel. In this week's episode, we talk to Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich on the reaction in the Polish-Jewish co

Feb 2, 2018 • 21:01

AJC Passport: Evangelicals and Israel

AJC Passport: Evangelicals and Israel

Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Israel last week and was warmly received. Throughout his political career, Pence has cited his Evangelical faith as the foundation of his support for the Jewish state. Our guests are McKay Coppins, staff writer for The Atlantic, who recently profiled Pence for the magazine, as well as Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. Join us as we examine the dynamics undergirding Evangelical support for Israel. *The views and opi

Jan 28, 2018 • 14:39

AJC Passport: Germany and Austria Respond to the Far-Right

AJC Passport: Germany and Austria Respond to the Far-Right

In 2017, far-right parties rode a wave of anti-immigrant and xenophobic sentiment to new electoral heights across Europe. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) became the first far-right party to enter the Bundestag since the 1960s. Meanwhile, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which was founded by former Nazis, entered Austria’s parliament for the second time. In this episode, we examine the societal responses to these two political developments. *The views and opinions

Jan 24, 2018 • 20:01

AJC Passport: Hyper Cacher - Three Years Later

AJC Passport: Hyper Cacher - Three Years Later

It's been three years since an Islamist terrorist attacked Hyper Cacher, a kosher supermarket in Paris, murdering four Jews. In this episode, we examine how the French government, society, and Jewish community have responded since the attack. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Jan 24, 2018 • 13:14

AJC Passport: The Trump Administration and Israel

AJC Passport: The Trump Administration and Israel

Year one of the Trump administration is in the books. How did it approach Israel and the Arab-Israeli peace process? Did the administration's Middle East policy evolve as the year wore on? We explore both questions this week. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Jan 24, 2018 • 10:06

AJC Passport: Reactions to the Iran Protests

AJC Passport: Reactions to the Iran Protests

In late December, Iranians took to the streets across the country to protest against their government. The regime cracked down harshly—dozens were killed and hundreds were arrested. In this episode, we examine the surprisingly muted reaction in Europe and how the Iranian diaspora has responded. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Jan 24, 2018 • 17:20

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