Identity/Crisis
In a frenzied media cycle, Identity/Crisis delves into the big ideas behind the news from a uniquely Jewish perspective. From the Shalom Hartman Institute, host Yehuda Kurtzer invites leading thinkers to unpack current events effecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter to you.
Shalom Hartman Institute
Show overview
Identity/Crisis has been publishing since 2020, and across the 6 years since has built a catalogue of 308 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 240 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 42 min and 53 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Religion & Spirituality show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 6 days ago, with 33 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Shalom Hartman Institute.
From the publisher
In a frenzied media cycle, Identity/Crisis creates better conversations about the issues facing contemporary Jewish life. Host Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, talks with leading thinkers to unpack current events affecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter most to you. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS
Latest Episodes
View all 308 episodesPeople of the Shuk – with Adeena Sussman
The Jewish Politics of Self-Destruction—with Amotz Asa-El
A Yiddish Renaissance: Language, Memory, and Modern Jewish Life — with Rukhl Schaechter (Re-run)
The Right to Belong: A Palestinian Perspective - with Rana Fahoum
Surviving, Thriving, and Excelling in Jewish Life – with Barry Finestone
Hip-Hop, Protest, and Patriotism After October 7 – with Shaanan Streett
The Promise and Peril of Jewish Power — with Zachary Truboff
Beyond the Myth of Jewish Wealth – with Ilana Horwitz
Teaching Jewish History in America — with Natalia Mehlman Petrzela (Re-run)
Strong Beliefs and Open Minds: A Graduation Challenge — with Jonathan Kroll
The Role of Journalism in a Post-Truth Age — with Abigail Pogrebin
The American Jewish Past and What Comes Next — with Nicholas Lemann
American Catholics, the Pope, and the Jews – with Robert George
When Do We Speak Up? – with Abe Foxman (Re-release)
Rational or Reckless? War, Iran, and the Limits of Strategy— with Michael Koplow
When Mysticism Goes Mainstream — with Daniel Matt
Jewish Life in an Illiberal Age— with Jeffrey Goldberg
The Afterlife of Antisemitism — with Flora Cassen
Why Do We Pray?
Ep 272Staying Human in the Age of AI — with David Zvi Kalman (Re-release)
This episode was originally released on October 13, 2025 At a time of unprecedented leaps in technology and ethical questions about artificial intelligence, one scholar seeks answers from an unlikely source — ancient Jewish wisdom.In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer talks with technology guru, Hartman scholar, and founding Identity/Crisis Producer David Zvi Kalman about the religious and ethical dilemmas AI poses for Jewish life — from sermons written by bots to the erosion of truth and authority. This thoughtful conversation is for anyone wondering whether Judaism can move fast enough to meet technology’s challenges while preserving the core Jewish value of human dignity. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS