Identity/Crisis

It's Passover, a time for new beginnings--and that's especially true for baseball fans, who celebrated this year's Opening Day just a week before the holiday began. In this episode, host Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by Ira Berkow, Pulitzer Prize-winning sports writer, to reminisce about formative moments in the history of Jewish baseball and to explore the meaning of baseball for American Jews. Whether through Hank Greenberg's "home runs against Hitler" or Sandy Koufax's famous decision to sit out a World Series game on Yom Kippur, American Jews have looked to baseball as a means of understanding their place in this country. What can a bat and a ball tell us about identity, sacrifice, and belonging?

Is the Passover Seder the right place for a political debate? Who is the target audience when your guests are generations apart? What kind of book is the Haggadah, anyway? In this episode, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by Hartman faculty member Mishael Zion, Director of the Mandel Leadership Institute’s Program for Leadership in Israeli Jewish Culture and co-author of two haggadot, to discuss what is perhaps the most famous and widely practiced Jewish ritual: the Passover seder. They reminisce about their old family traditions, swap strategies for managing Seder stress, and think out loud about the pedagogy of Passover. Mishael's Freedom Hagaddah can be found online here.

Ever since Israel's current government proposed a judicial overhaul that would render the Israeli Supreme Court powerless to strike down legislation, protesters have been flooding the streets. The current moment in Israel is one of tremendous anxiety and fear for the future of Israeli democracy, but it is also a moment of reckoning and of hope, as Israelis are showing up en masse to stand up for their visions of what Israel could be. In this episode, recorded in front of a live virtual audience earlier today, Monday, March 27th, Yehuda Kurtzer unpacks several different stories that are contributing to this moment in Israeli public life, and explores what the legislation and the protests might mean for the future of the Jewish people.

Organized philanthropy has become the most powerful force in American Jewish communal life. As the culture of philanthropy has transformed, so has the allocation of power in the community. In an episode originally released in May 2022, Felicia Herman, Chief Operating Officer of Maimonides Fund, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss how the history of charitable giving has changed since the creation of the State of Israel, shifts in the Jewish institutional landscape with the rise of family foundations, and whether the Federation system retains its power and impact today. This episode originally aired on May 17th, 2022.

We are all inevitably shaped by the "dusty old books" of the Jewish past: our institutions, ideas and identities are built on the thought and work of our intellectual forbearers, even when we ultimately repudiate their teachings. Host Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by David Ellenson, Chancellor Emeritus of Hebrew Union College and professor emeritus at Brandeis University, to discuss three key figures who were instrumental in the making of American Judaism as we know it today: Abraham Joshua Heschel, Mordecai Kaplan, and Joseph B. Soloveitchik. They examine what these three iconic rabbis stood for, and try to understand how their legacies have shaped American Judaism as we live it.

The Purim story is one in which the Jewish people take responsibility for their own destiny. While the story ends in triumph it also involved a great deal of violence inflicted by the Jews upon their enemies. In this episode, Yehuda Kurtzer explores the meaning of the Purim story and its relevance for our present political moment, asking what it would look like take seriously the responsibility that comes with Jewish power and agency. Mentioned in this episode: After Kibiye, an essay by Yeshayahu Leibowitz (http://www.leibowitz.co.il/leibarticles.asp?id=85)

The Jewish tradition is full of exhortations to look after the vulnerable—to open up our pocketbooks, our hearts and even our homes to those in need—as well as stories of our own vulnerability, when we were dependent on the generosity and heroism of others. What might it look like to take those exhortations, and those stories, seriously? Last week, Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield, Executive Vice President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, wrote an article in Tablet about opening up her home this past year to a family of Ukrainian refugees. She joins Yehuda Kurtzer to explore that experience and what it can tell us about obligation, about dignity, and about the meaning of Jewish history.

How wary should American Jews be of "airing our dirty laundry in public?" Should they resist subjecting other Jews to public scrutiny out of concern that it will lead to caricatures and stereotypes of Jewish communities—or is it our responsibility to bring our concerns to light in the hope that accountability will motivate much-needed societal change? Lani Santo is the CEO of Footsteps, an organization providing educational, vocational, and social support to people who have left or want to leave the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. She joins host Yehuda Kurtzer for a conversation about recent public discourse around Hasidic education and about how we, as Jews, can and ought to hold one another accountable in the public square.

Should religious commitments motivate political activism? How might we show up for abortion rights not only as Americans, but as Jews? Rori Picker Neiss, Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council in St. Louis and a Rabbinic Fellow of the David Hartman Center, is a leader in the fight against abortion bans and anti-LGBTQ legislation in Missouri. She joins host Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the role of religion in shaping our political and moral choices, the place of clergy in social movements, and how faith might build bridges across the aisle.

American Jews are learning about Israel through television shows like Fauda and Shtisel—but what happens when an American Jew takes center stage? Aleeza Chanowitz, Chanshi creator, writer, and star, joins guest host Shayna Weiss (Associate Director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University) and Yehuda Kurtzer to speak with about the American Jewish experience in Israel and the interweaving of fact and fiction, biography and story. Chanshi, which just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival—a first for an Israeli TV series—tells the story of an Orthodox Jewish woman who moves from Brooklyn to Israel to claim her agency outside her conservative religious community.

Shalom Hartman Institute founder Rabbi Prof. David Hartman z”l was a leading thinker among philosophers of contemporary Judaism and an internationally renowned Jewish author. In honor of his tenth yahrzeit (Sunday, 30 Shevat 5773 – February 10, 2013) , we are releasing this archival recording of a 1995 lecture he delivered at the Lion of Judah conference which was followed by a speech from then First Lady Hillary Clinton.

In the last few months, a new AI called ChatGPT has emerged and is already upending education at all levels. How will ChatGPT impact Jewish education and Jewish learning? Identity/Crisis guest host David Zvi Kalman, Director of New Media and Scholar in Residence speaks with Sara Wolkenfeld, Rabbinic Fellow of the David Hartman Center and Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria about what these technologies mean for Jewish learning, how we think about the sacredness of texts, and where we go from here. You can David Zvi's recent blog post about AI here.

Is it possible for centrist and moderate Israelis, those who believe in a Jewish democratic state, to stand together? Tehila Friedman is a Research Fellow at Shalom Hartman Institute, the host of a new Hebrew-language podcast about Israeli Jewish identity, and a program director for Shaharit, a think tank promoting a new social covenant in Israel. She joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss how to build societal infrastructure that allows us to manage our differences without breaking into pieces. Tehila's show, Bemedinat HaYehudim, can be found here.

Can the acceptance of multiple identities and conflicting narratives paradoxically propel us toward a vision for a shared society? Rana Fahoum, a Palestinian and an Israeli citizen and the recently appointed Director of Hartman's new Center for Shared Society, joins Yehuda Kurtzer for an inspiring and honest conversation. They discuss the unique interconnections between Palestinian Israelis, Jewish Israelis, and American Jews as well as Hartman's role in building a shared society.

The new Israeli government coalition, which aligns with ultra-Orthodox and right-wing extremist parties, is poised to affect major changes on Israeli society, including limiting the Law of Return, delegitimizing non-Orthodox Judaism, and limiting LGBTQ rights. These moves are disturbing on their face, and they also threaten to further alienate Israel from Jews in North America. Will the government's policies undermine Jewish peoplehood within and beyond its borders? Tani Frank, director of the Hartman Institute's Center for Judaism and State Policy, joins Yehuda Kurtzer for a discussion about the place of liberal values and liberal Judaism in Israel and ways that we can affect change in this political environment.

Host Yehuda Kurtzer convenes a panel of guests to discuss the past and present of American Jewish religious music, from Mordechai Ben David to Nissim Black to Debbie Friedman. Featuring Dovid Bashevkin (1840 Podcast), Yardaena Osband (Talking Talmud Podcast), Miri Miller (SHI NA), and Shira Hanau (JTA). Episode playlist: https://spoti.fi/3vLFbMQ Other Songs Discussed: Im Hashem Lo Yivneh Bayis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckVYO9oI8vc Lmaancha with Ben Shapiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ-Km7RfBEs This episode originally aired on March 22nd, 2021.

What is the responsibility of Jewish leaders to address mental health in the Jewish community? Yehuda Kurtzer talks with Yael Kornfeld, campus social worker at Hunter College Hillel and a Jewish professional on the frontline of the mental health crisis, about the Jewish imperative to support people who are struggling to be safe and sane, and what those struggles look like in the current social media-internet-pandemic landscape. Resources: Jewish Mental Health Resources at the Blue Dove Foundation We hope that Hartman has become an intellectual and spiritual home for you to make sense of the present moment. Help us put Jewish ideas into action. Every dollar you contribute will be matched 100%, up to $100,000 this December. Support our work today.

What happens when one grapples with their Jewish identity? How does this impact their relationship with self, family, and community? Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by Naomi Seidman, professor, author, and Hartman Fellow to discuss Heretic in the House, a new limited podcast series from the Hartman Institute that explores various ways that those who have left Orthodox Jewish communities see themselves and what their journeys can reflect about belonging, otherness and communal relationships. In the episode, Yehuda and Naomi unpack why so many Jews—not just those who have gone "Off the Derekh"—struggle with the notion of a static Jewish identity and how making choices about how to live Jewishly impacts one's idea of self and relationships with others. Heretic in the House: https://www.hartman.org/heretic

How do you democratize the study of Torah? Lehrhaus, a Jewish tavern meets beit midrash in Boston is reimagining what Jewish learning could be. Co-founders Charlie Schwartz and Joshua Foer join Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss their hope to redefine public Jewish communal space, what a life of Torah could look like, and the significance of hevruta study in defining Jewish identity.

For many American Jews, Thanksgiving is another high holiday. We celebrate our obligations of citizenship and show appreciation for all that America has granted. Perhaps, in turn, our tradition may have lessons to teach America. Could the Jewish model of interpreting our stories for the present, and our conceptions of memory, gratitude, and redemption, heal our divided country? In this special episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer reflects on the Jewish significance of Thanksgiving. This episode originally aired on November 23rd, 2021.

The Jewish media landscape has evolved significantly over the last few years, and has in many ways become more fragmented. In this episode, Laura E. Adkins, (Opinion Editor of the Forward) and Ari Hoffman, (Assistant Editor of the New York Sun) join Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss what happens when the mission of a publication changes and how Jewish media can continue to serve as a public square for communal discourse.

Last week, Israel returned Netanyahu to power as part of a right wing coalition that will include Itamar Ben Gvir, a racist politician who was the subject of last week's episode. This week, Americans seem poised to return at least one chamber of Congress to the Republican party. In this episode, recorded on Election Day as Americans headed to the polls, Yehuda Kurtzer and Donniel Hartman discuss the crucial importance of Jewish and liberal democratic ideals in both societies, how to continue talking across difference as polarization increases, standing up for what is right even when it is not popular, and the role of the Shalom Hartman Institute itself in this crucial moment.

Itamar Ben Gvir is the leader of an extreme right wing Israeli political party, who in the past has supported Israel settler violence against Palestinians and advocated for the forced expulsion of "disloyal" Arab citizens of Israel. In this week's election, Ben Gvir's party is projected to win the third largest bloc of seats, which would represent a major victory for his ideology and turn him into an important political player. Netanyahu has signaled that he would sit with Ben Gvir in a future coalition. The normalization of Ben Gvir's ideologies has been a major topic of conversation throughout the campaign. In this episode, Yaakov Katz, Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the reasons for Ben Gvir's success.

Why do Jews call one another (and themselves) "bad Jews?" What does it mean to be "not Jewish enough?" Emily Tamkin, US Senior Editor at the New Statesman and author of Bad Jews joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the problematic idea of a "good Jew," what it means to be Jewish amidst the current political and existential turmoil, Bernie Madoff and tropes about Jews and money, and being on the outside. Additional reading: Is Jewish Continuity Sexist? On Jewish Values and Female Bodies by Mijal Bitton https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/is-jewish-continuity-sexist

U. C. Berkeley Law School recently made headlines when several of its student groups pledged not to invite "speakers that have expressed and continue to hold views in support of Zionism, the Apartheid state of Israel on the occupation of Palestine." Ethan Katz, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at U.C. Berkeley, and Masua Sagiv, Koret Visiting Assistant Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies at U.C. Berkeley join host Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss their experiences on campus, the national Jewish media's response, and what we can learn from these moments of Jewish vulnerability.

How do the songs we sing as part of the High Holiday liturgy reflect the diversity of the Jewish people? Na'ama Applbaum, Jerusalem-based prayer leader and educator, and Marc Baker, President & CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, join Yehuda Kurtzer to reflect on the sanctity of communal singing and the meaning of being a prayer leader during the holidays.

What have the last few weeks been like for British Jews living through royal change and royal loss? The Jewish community of the United Kingdom pivoted with speed and sincerity in rewriting the prayer for the Queen quickly to celebrate and honor their new sovereign, King Charles III. Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom, President of The Council of Christians and Jews, and an Ecclesiastical Authority to the Board of Deputies of British Jews, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss building Jewish community while remaining in relationship with the monarchy.

In this high holiday season of introspection, host Yehuda Kurtzer isjoined by Rabbi Josh Feigelson, President & CEO of the Institute forJewish Spirituality, and author of the new book "Eternal Questions," todiscuss how we find meaning and purpose in our lives, the language ofrepentance and atonement, and to break down what a Jewish mindfulnesspractice can really look like.

On Friday, SCOTUS issued an order by Justice Sonia Sotomayor that allows Yeshiva University in New York to refuse to recognize an LGBTQ club for students. In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Miryam Kabakov, Executive Director and Co-founder of Eshel, and award-winning writer and Rabbi, Steve Greenberg, discuss the case and the unfolding process through which conservative religious communities, such as Orthodox Judaism, define the norms of that community.

What counts as Jewish food? Does it count if a Jew makes it? Is kosher food Jewish Food? Shannon Sarna is the editor of the popular Jewish food website, The Nosher, and author of The Modern Jewish Baker and her new book Modern Jewish Comfort Food. She joins Yehuda Kurtzer for a conversation about the ways Jewish food connects us to those around us, to our personal pasts, to our heritage, and allow us to access other Jewish communities and legacies.

Yehuda Kurtzer and David Koffman (York University) chart out the unique questions that face Canadian Jews as citizens of a binational, bilingual, self-described settler state, and the way those questions inform their communal Zionism, continuity, and scholarship. This episode originally aired on June 14th, 2021.

Where does song end and prayer begin? Joey Weisenberg, founder and director of Hadar’s Rising Song Institute and author of The Torah of Music and Building Singing Communities joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the spiritual role of music in Jewish communal life, what creating has been like in a time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to share some music that will uplift and inspire you. Music included in this episode is listed below and at this Spotify playlist.• Yonati (Song of Songs, 2:14)• Gam Ki Eilech• Shokhein Ad• Ya’aleh Koneinu• Lincoln’s Nigun / Yamin U’smol (Kabbalat Shabbat)• L’eila (Kaddish) It can be purchased through Rising Song Records. This episode originally aired on April 5th, 2022.

Something to nosh on as we go inside the world of Jewish food influencers. Kosher food influencers can often create a platform where niche religious content has an appeal beyond its immediate circle. Has social media brought Jewish food to the mainstream? Shayna Weiss, Associate Director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University returns to Identity/Crisis to explore the overlap of eating and social identity, kosher food culture and the power of Jewish food influencers with host, Yehuda Kurtzer. This episode originally aired on May 3rd, 2022. You can listen to Shayna Weiss's previous Identity/Crisis appearance in Ep. 10: "The Hasidim of Netflix and the Israelis of HBO".

Anti-Palestinian violence committed by disaffected young Israelis increased by 50% in 2021. Why do the IDF, the police, and society turn a blind eye towards these Jewish terrorists? Who is responsible for prosecuting their crimes? Haviv Rettig Gur, Senior Analyst for The Times of Israel, sat down with Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the violence perpetrated by the Hilltop Youth, the politics around holding them accountable, and how internal divisions in Israeli society create an environment in which this behavior can proliferate. This episode originally aired on Feburary 15th, 2022.

Miriam Anzovin is a millennial TikToker who is transforming Talmud study for the social media age. Her “hot takes” on Daf Yomi, where a person learns one page of Talmud every day, have drawn viral attention from supporters and critics alike. She joins David Zvi Kalman, a Hartman Scholar in Residence and Director of New Media, and Yehuda Kurtzer, to discuss the future and accessibility of Torah study, the whirlwind of going viral on social media, and sh*tposting on the Torah – literally. This episode originally aired on February 8th, 2022.

Israel is experiencing a non-Orthodox religious renaissance that is redefining Judaism and secularism in Israel. Rabbi Noga Brenner Samia, Executive Director of Hillel Israel and alumna of Hartman's Beit Midrash for Israeli rabbis, speaks with Yehuda Kurtzer about what sparked this new brand of liberal Judaism, the role of religion in the public sphere in a diverse religious ecosystem, how to negotiate the balance between the Jewish and democratic character of the state, and what it means to be a "secular rabbi?"

Thomas R. Nides, United States Ambassador to Israel, joins Yehuda Kurtzer for this special Identity/Crisis to discuss the hopes and expectations from the Biden administration's trip to Israel, how this administration views the deteriorated relationship between the US government and the Palestinian leadership, and what the long term plans are for the embassy's residence in Jerusalem.

In an environment in which simple narratives prevail, what does it mean to tell Israel’s subtle and complicated stories? Why are these kinds of stories in particular so powerful? Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with Matti Friedman about his new book, Who By Fire, about Leonard Cohen’s little-known concert tour to the front lines of the Yom Kippur War, and how the stories we tell define our relationships with one another.

What is Israel’s responsibility to other nations experiencing crisis or injustice? How does Israel balance its domestic and global agendas on the international stage? Dyonna Ginsburg, OLAM CEO joins Yehuda Kurtzer live from Jerusalem on this episode of Identity/Crisis.

Those who succeeded in shaping how we read our texts are among the most powerful Jews in our history. Max Strassfeld, author and assistant professor in Religious Studies and Classics at the University of Arizona, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss their new book, which offers a way of rethinking human gender and sexuality in Jewish sources and pokes holes in trans-phobic interpretations. Trans Talmud: Androgynes and Eunuchs in Rabbinic Literature by Max Strassfeld can be purchased with the discount code 21W2240 https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520382053/trans-talmud

Jews in America are deeply affected by gun violence, sometimes as direct and specific targets and sometimes as other Americans who find themselves victims in the wrong place at the wrong time. Author Jay Michaelson, a regular contributor to New York, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss, gun control, the Second Amendment and what it means for American Jews to participate in a political culture that cannot seem to make its citizens safe.

The revelation at Sinai unites the two big stories of the Jewish people: becoming a people and becoming a people wedded to God. It also sets the stage for a conversation about the difference between revelation as a personal and as a communal experience and allows us to ask about the difference between revelation as a historical and theological event. Rabbi, poet, scholar, blogger, and podcaster Zohar Atkins joins Yehuda Kurtzer for a Shavuot discussion that will open your mind and spirit.

On both the right and the left, Israel increasingly plays a disproportionate role in American politics, exceeding its geopolitical importance. How does this shift impact American policy toward Israel? Michael Koplow, Chief Policy Officer at Israel Policy Forum, returns to discuss AIPAC, the impact of the Trump presidency, Shireen Abu Akleh (the Al Jazeera reporter recently killed in Jenin) and the reality of a Two-State solution with host Yehuda Kurtzer.

Organized philanthropy has become the most powerful force in American Jewish communal life. As the culture of philanthropy has transformed, so has the allocation of power in the community. Felicia Herman, Chief Operating Officer of Maimonides Fund, joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss how the history of charitable giving has changed since the creation of the State of Israel, shifts in the Jewish institutional landscape with the rise of family foundations, and whether the power and impact of the Federation system remains today.

Last week’s leaked Supreme Court majority opinion draft which would overturn Roe v Wade, portends a seismic shift in abortion legislation. Six months ago, Michal Raucher, assistant professor of Jewish studies at Rutgers and an expert in Judaism and gender, joined Yehuda Kurtzer, to discuss how we should and shouldn't conduct the abortion debate as Jews, with an eye, not just to the American conversation, but also looking at reproductive rights and reproductive justice. We're proud of that episode. It's timely, and we're bringing it back today to help you think about the big Jewish ideas around this important issue.

Something to nosh on as we go inside the world of Jewish food influencers. Kosher food influencers can often create a platform where niche religious content has an appeal beyond its immediate circle. Has social media brought Jewish food to the mainstream? Shayna Weiss, Associate Director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University returns to Identity/Crisis to explore the overlap of eating and social identity, kosher food culture and the power of Jewish food influencers with host, Yehuda Kurtzer.

At the Episcopal Church’s 80th General Convention, resolutions criticizing Israeli policy were proposed that use the language of apartheid. Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Duncalf-Villavoso Professor of Church History at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, spoke with Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss antisemitism in the church, how Israel has been politicized in Christian discourse, and Christian reconciliation work in the second half of the 20th century.

There's deep instability in the field of rabbinic education. Fewer rabbis are being trained, and as a result Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) recently decided to shutter the rabbinic program at one of its four campuses. Andrew Rehfeld, President of HUC-JIR, talks with host Yehuda Kutzer about the future of educating Jewish clergy, civil discourse, and the politicization of Jewish Liberalism.

As we approach our third pandemic Passover, how has Jewish communal life fared? Rabbi Barry Dov Katz (Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, NY), Tilly Shemer (Hillel at University of Michigan), and Stephanie Ives (Beit Rabban Day School) reunite one year later with host Yehuda Kurtzer to reflect on another year of life in the pandemic -- its personal toll, how COVID-19 has impacted their institutions, their leadership, and their mindset about the future.

Where does song end and prayer begin? Joey Weisenberg, founder and director of Hadar’s Rising Song Institute and author of The Torah of Music and Building Singing Communities joins Yehuda Kurtzer to discuss the spiritual role of music in Jewish communal life, what creating has been like in a time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to share some music that will uplift and inspire you. Music included in this episode is listed below and at this Spotify playlist.• Yonati (Song of Songs, 2:14)• Gam Ki Eilech• Shokhein Ad• Ya’aleh Koneinu• Lincoln’s Nigun / Yamin U’smol (Kabbalat Shabbat)• L’eila (Kaddish) It can be purchased through Rising Song Records.