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Identity/Crisis: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Shalom Hartman Institute
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.
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- 6 days ago48 min
J Street’s Place in the Jewish Tent – with John Ruskay
As debates over Israel reshape Jewish communal life, who gets included in the conversation and who gets pushed outside the tent? Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with John Ruskay, executive vice president emeritus of the UJA-Federation of New York, to discuss Ruskay’s decision to join J Street's Jewish Communal Advisory Council – a group formed this fall to advance a vision of Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship rooted in shared Jewish and democratic values. Together, they explore what the council formation reveals about the state of American Jewish institutions, the difference between Israel advocacy and Israel education, and whether communities can remain cohesive amid profound disagreement. At a moment of political polarization and rising anxiety around the future of a democratic Israel, what does Jewish solidarity require? You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS
- 1 weeks ago59 min
Why America Protects Hate Speech – with James Loeffler
In an age of rising hate speech, can liberalism protect the Jews? Yehuda Kurtzer and historian James Loeffler explore why antisemitism has remained a persistent feature of American life, even during periods when Jews appeared more secure and accepted than ever before. Drawing on Loeffler's new book, Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight over Free Speech in Modern America, they trace the history of antisemitism in the U.S. and consider its latest manifestations on college campuses, in politics, and across public life. What can this history teach us about the strengths, limits, and responsibilities of American democracy today? You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Join us for the ordination ceremony of the first graduates of Rabbanut North America.
- 2 weeks ago50 min
Israel/Today: Israel’s Elections, Netanyahu’s Shadow – with Tamar Ish-Shalom
With Israel's elections just weeks away, what vision for the country's future will ultimately prevail? In this episode, the third installment of our Israel/Today mini-series, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with Israeli journalist Tamar Ish-Shalom. They examine Benjamin Netanyahu's enduring political strength despite mounting public criticism, Israel’s international isolation, and unresolved questions of accountability following October 7. Together, they explore the forces shaping voter behavior, the growing influence of fear and conspiracy thinking, and the competing visions for Israeli society three years after October 7. We want your questions and comments for our upcoming listener mailbag episode. Send voice memos and emails to identitycrisis@shalomhartman.org You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Vote in the Signal Listener’s Choice Awards for our podcast mini-series Thoughts and Prayers by October 15! Register to learn with Tal Becker and Abigail Pogrebin on October 27 in New York City.
- 3 weeks ago58 min
Israel/Today: How October 7 Changed the Jewish Story – with Yossi Klein Halevi
Three years after October 7, what are Israel’s possibilities for healing, renewal, and a different future? In this episode, the second of our mini-series Israel/Today, Yehuda Kurtzer and journalist Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on how trauma, memory, and fear have reshaped Israeli society and Jewish identity. They examine the competing stories emerging from October 7, the tensions between power and victimhood, and the moral challenges facing Israel as it approaches a pivotal election. Along the way, they consider what a renewed Zionist vision might look like and how October 7 may ultimately be remembered by future generations. We want your questions and comments for our upcoming listener mailbag episode. Send voice memos and emails to identitycrisis@shalomhartman.org You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Register for Jewish Storytelling at a Time of Extremism with Yossi Klein Halevi and Yardena Schwartz.
- Sep 29, 202651 min
Israel/Today: The Politics of Settler Violence — with Dahlia Scheindlin
What does the rise in settler violence in the West Bank reveal about the future of Israel? In this episode, the first of our mini-series Israel/Today, Yehuda Kurtzer and political scientist and public opinion expert Dahlia Scheindlin, author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel, explore why this violence is escalating and whether it can truly be separated from the broader settlement project. They discuss the role of the Israeli government and military, shifting Israeli public opinion, and the limits of condemning violence without confronting the deeper realities of occupation and annexation. Together, they consider whether Israeli political leaders can chart a different path forward. Stay tuned for the rest of Israel/Today: a mini-series from Identity/Crisis on the high stakes of Israel’s historic election, the choices facing Israel’s citizens, and the potential consequences for the Jewish diaspora. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Register here for the Hartman Leadership Conference in San Francisco.
- Sep 22, 20261h 2m
Jewish Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court – with Michael Avi Helfand
Are religious liberty and liberal democracy a natural match or are they destined to be in conflict? As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments about religious liberty, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with legal scholar Michael Avi Helfand to discuss current cases affecting Jewish religious freedoms. In Grand v. University Heights the Court will consider whether local officials can stop an Orthodox Jew from hosting a minyan in his home. And, in a case from Colorado, religious schools contend that accepting public funds for universal Pre-K should not require them to surrender their religious autonomy. Together, they explore the growing tension between freedom of religion and fears of religious dominance and how that’s testing the constitutional limits of state power. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: High school seniors: learn more about and apply to our Hevruta Gap-Year Program!
- Sep 15, 202648 min
Feminism, Jews, and the Legacy of Gloria Steinem—with Judith Rosenbaum
What does it mean to plant seeds for a future you may never see? Following the death of Gloria Steinem, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with Judith Rosenbaum, educator, historian, and CEO of the Jewish Women's Archive, to reflect on Steinem’s legacy, the power of feminism, and the long arc of social change. Together, they explore how Jewish women helped shape the feminist movement, how feminism transformed Jewish life, and why movements must balance urgency with patience. As a new generation inherits this work, they talk about what it takes to sustain change, resist backlash, and build a future beyond one's own lifetime. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Learn about the scholars and the work of our Kogod Research Center.
- Sep 8, 202644 min
Don't Believe in God? Try It Anyway – with Noa Kushner
What might happen if, instead of demanding certainty, we allowed ourselves to "pretend" belief and see where the journey leads? Ahead of the High Holidays, Yehuda Kurtzer welcomes Rabbi Noa Kushner, founder of The Kitchen, a synagogue and institute in San Francisco, and the author of Pretend That You Believe: How To Enter Religion, to explore what faith means in a skeptical age. Through a conversation about holiness, awe, humility, and religious imagination, they challenge the consumer mindset that often influences contemporary spirituality. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS
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About Identity/Crisis
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.
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How often does Identity/Crisis release new episodes?
Identity/Crisis publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Identity/Crisis cover?
Identity/Crisis covers topics including News, Religion & Spirituality, Commentary, Spirituality, Judaism. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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