Best Sephardic Podcasts (2026)

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Jewish 2025 Wrap: Peoplehood, Polarization, and Hope 47:53

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43m ago47:53

47:53

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠⁠⁠ As 2025 ends, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman look back on a year that felt both relentless and revealing, then name ten themes that shaped Jewish life, Israel, and the diaspora, except it’s nine, because they’re contrarians, plus …

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Hugging, Hitting, and Helping: Mitch Julis on the Future of Jewish Giving 44:05

6d ago44:05

44:05

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠⁠⁠ Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: ⁠⁠⁠sababatravel.com⁠ Mijal and Noam explore how generosity—of time, money, talent, and attention—has powered the Jewish story across generations, and…

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Osmanlı’nın Bağdat’taki Son Yılları

9d ago

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Emine Şahin Sunucu: Can Gümüş | Bağdat, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu için coğrafi uzaklığına rağmen merkezî idarenin vazgeçilmez vilayetlerinden biriydi. Tanzimat’tan itibaren bu önem, yalnızca askerî güvenlik veya sınır politikalarıyla sınırlı kalmadı; idarî modernleşme, ekonomik düzenlemeler ve toplumsal kontrol mekanizmalarının uygulandığı başlıca labo…

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What Happens After We Die? 38:34

8d ago38:34

38:34

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠⁠ Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: ⁠⁠sababatravel.com Mijal and Noam dive into one of Judaism’s biggest—and most deliberately open-ended—questions: What does Judaism say about the afterl…

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Modesty in Judaism: What Tzniut Really Means (Beyond Dress Codes) 46:17

18d ago46:17

46:17

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠ Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: ⁠sababatravel.com Mijal and Noam dive into the fraught conversation around tzniut (modesty), blending Jewish sources with personal stories and lived expe…

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Unpacking the Bondi Beach Hanukkah Attack with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy 43:24

9d ago43:24

43:24

A Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach became the site of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the diaspora in decades. Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy, who grew up in Sydney and now lives in Jerusalem, joins Noam and Mijal to explain what happened, why many in the community say it was “horrifying but not shocking,” and what this moment demands next. He…

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The Battle Over Jewish Storytelling: A Hanukkah Conversation with Dr. Tanya White (Part 2) 46:57

15d ago46:57

46:57

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: sababatravel.com In Part 2 of The Battle Over Jewish Storytelling: A Hanukkah Conversation, Mijal sits down with Dr. Tanya White to explore the deeper mean…

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Pamphlets and Polemics in the 17th-Century Ottoman Empire

25d ago

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with Nir Shafir hosted by Maryam Patton | The seventeenth century has often been characterized as a period of disorder and religious polemics in the Ottoman Empire. In this podcast, Nir Shafir takes us inside his award-winning new book, which argues that the polemics of the early modern Ottoman world were fueled in part by changes in communication,…

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The Battle Over Jewish Identity: A Hanukkah Conversation with Sarah Hurwitz (Part 1) 41:53

25d ago41:53

41:53

In preparation for Hanukkah, Mijal sits down with her friend and bestselling author Sarah Hurwitz to rediscover the holiday’s deeper meaning. Together they explore the grown-up story of the Maccabees, the complexities of assimilation and resistance, and how Hanukkah’s themes echo the identity struggles facing Jews today. Drawing on insights from He…

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What Is Jewish Law, Really 42:23

30d ago42:23

42:23

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam break down Jewish law (halacha) as a living legal system—tracing its path from Sinai to the Mishnah, Talmud, Maimonides, and the Shulchan Aruch. They explore how halacha is interpreted, how Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditio…

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What it Means to be Jewish: A Conversation with Jonah Platt 53:20

2M ago53:20

53:20

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Noam sits down in LA with actor, Jewish advocate and fellow podcast host, Jonah Platt, to talk about identity, Israel, Hollywood, and why October 7 turned him into what he calls an “October 8th activist.” Jonah reflects on his Jewish upb…

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A Sea of Sorcery: Roundtable with Shannon Chakraborty

1M ago

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produced by Shireen Hamza and featuring Fahad Bishara, KD Thompson, Liana Saif, Mahmood Kooria, Rebecca Hankins, and Samantha Pellegrino | What could historians have to say about a fantasy novel? The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, published in 2023, follows an aging mother and captain on magical adventures across the twelfth-century Indian Ocean wo…

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Anti-Zionism with James Loeffler 16:33

2M ago16:33

16:33

Guest scholar James Loeffler looks at the different forms of anti-Zionism and its overlapping relationship with antisemitism, and considers how the past can remind us that it is possible to have a principled and logical critique against Zionism.By AJS

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Who Are Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States? With Dr. Mijal Bitton 35:33

1M ago35:33

35:33

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam dive into the first national study of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States. The study was directed by Dr. Mijal Bitton at NYU in partnership with JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa). Mij…

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American Antisemitism with Pamela Nadell 20:13

2M ago20:13

20:13

Guest scholar Pamela Nadell talks about antisemitism in America. She looks at how the definition of antisemitism has changed over time, how antisemitism has been always threaded throughout the American Jewish experience, and how this current moment is an explosion of something that had been lying fairly dormant.…

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Osmanlı'dan Cumhuriyet’e İstanbul’da Elektrikli Yaşam

2M ago

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Nurçin İleri, Emine Öztaner ve Meltem Kocaman Sunucu: Can Gümüş | Bu bölümde, Nurçin İleri, Emine Öztaner ve Meltem Kocaman ile elektriğin Osmanlı’dan Cumhuriyet’e uzanan süreçte gündelik yaşamı ve toplumsal ilişkileri nasıl dönüştürdüğünü tartışıyoruz. İstanbul’un ilk aydınlatma girişimlerinden sanayi tesislerine, tramvay hatlarından ev içi teknol…

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Medieval Antisemitism with Sara Lipton 17:37

2M ago17:37

17:37

Guest scholar Sara Lipton discusses antisemitism in medieval Europe. From the Nazis in the 20th century to current alt-right movements, many of history's and modernity's most prominent antisemitic groups have drawn on beliefs and motifs that first emerged during the Middle Ages. But conspiracies and caricatures didn't emerge overnight – they were a…

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How We Endure: A Conversation for Uncertain Times 37:14

2M ago37:14

37:14

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam step back from politics to ask bigger questions: how should Jews meet a world where hostages come home under a ceasefire, Nick Fuentes inches into mainstream discourse, and NYC debates Mamdani? Fresh off a trip to Israel, …

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#35 – Jewish Chișinău (Kishinev in Russian) 23:08

2M ago23:08

23:08

Send us a text Chișinău History Chișinău Jewish History Chișinău Jewish Cultural Personalities Chișinău Jewish Cemeteries Chișinău SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#34 – Jewish Cernăuți (Czernowitz in German, Chernivtsi in Ukrainian) 21:41

2M ago21:41

21:41

Send us a text Cernăuți History Cernăuți Jewish History Cernăuți Jewish Cultural Personalities Cernăuți Jewish Cemeteries Cernăuți SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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Türkiye, Iran, and the Politics of Comparison

2M ago

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with Perin Gürel hosted by Chris Gratien | Comparisons are everywhere in American discussions of Middle East politics. As our guest, Perin Gürel, argues in a new book, this cultural impulse has political roots in the Cold War period. In this episode, we explore the origins of comparitivism through the lens of America's evolving relationship with Tu…

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Structural Antisemitism with Magda Teter 15:19

2M ago15:19

15:19

Guest scholar Magda Teter discusses structural antisemitism, or the laws, policies, institutional practices and entrenched norms which single out Jews and discriminate against them. These restrictive practices, which date back to Roman times, have served to remind Jews of their place in society and in religious structures.…

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Eli Sharabi: Surviving Hamas and Choosing Life (Special Crossover) 30:25

2M ago30:25

30:25

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special crossover episode, host Noam Weissman shares one of the most powerful conversations he’s ever had—an interview with Eli Sharabi, who survived 491 days as a Hamas hostage in Gaza. Noam talks to Eli about his new memoir, Ho…

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Martin Crusius and the Discovery of Ottoman Greece

2M ago

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with Richard Calis hosted by Maryam Patton | In the late sixteenth century, a German Lutheran scholar named Martin Crusius compiled a remarkable ethnographic and scholarly account of Greek life under Ottoman rule in his seminal Turcograecia. Though he never left his home in Tübingen, Crusius spent decades corresponding with a far-flung network of i…

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How It Feels to be Israeli Right Now: A Conversation with Sarah Tuttle-Singer (Special Crossover) 45:12

2M ago45:12

45:12

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special crossover episode, Noam Weissman explores what it feels like to live through this moment in Israel. Mijal is away so Noam sits down with writer and Times of Israel editor Sarah Tuttle-Singer, author of Jerusalem Drawn and…

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Sukkot: Finding Joy in Uncertain Times (Re-release) 23:52

3M ago23:52

23:52

As Sukkot begins, Mijal and Noam revisit a favorite episode about what it really means to live with fragility and joy. From stepping into temporary huts to Rabbi Nachman’s teaching to “always be in a state of joy,” they explore how Judaism reframes happiness—not as comfort or control, but as presence, purpose, and connection. Mijal Bitton: ⁠Committ…

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Shabbat and the Radical Idea of Rest 33:36

3M ago33:36

33:36

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 What is Shabbat -- really? Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman go beyond the long list of “don’ts” to uncover the deeper joy and purpose of the Jewish Sabbath. Grounded in Genesis, Exodus, Heschel, and Rav Soloveitchik, they explore Shabbat a…

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#33 – Jewish Timișoara (Temesvár in Hungarian, Temeschburg in German, Temeshvar in Yiddish) 29:19

3M ago29:19

29:19

Send us a text We continue the exploration of the Jewish history of Romanian cities with the city of Timișoara: Timișoara Timișoara Jewish History Timișoara Jewish Cemeteries Timișoara SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#32 – Jewish Cluj (Kolozsvár In Hungarian, Klausenburg in German, Kloyznburg in Yiddish) 21:19

3M ago21:19

21:19

Send us a text We continue exploration of Jewish history of some of the major Romanian cities, with the city of Cluj: Cluj Cluj Jewish History Cluj Jewish Culture Cluj Jewish Cemeteries Cluj SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#31 – Jewish Iași (Jassy in English and Yiddish) 27:19

3M ago27:19

27:19

Send us a text We continue here to explore the Jewish history of some major Romanian cities, with the city of Iași: Iași Iași History Iași Jewish History Iași Jewish Culture Iași Jewish Cemeteries Iași SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#30 – Jewish București (Bucharest in English, Bukharest in Yiddish) 38:14

3M ago38:14

38:14

Send us a text We will be exploring the Jewish history of some major Romanian cities so we start here with the capital, Bucharest: București București Jewish History București Jewish Neighborhoods București Jewish Cemeteries București SynagoguesBy Adrian Iosifescu

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The Art of Forgiveness with Professor Moshe Halbertal 51:17

3M ago51:17

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Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special episode of Wondering Jews, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman sit down with Prof. Moshe Halbertal to reflect on the High Holidays. Together they explore why the “Days of Awe” feel both intense and joyful, and how teshuva, tef…

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Jewish Lifecyle 101 48:46

4M ago48:46

48:46

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Why do Jews mark life’s biggest moments with rituals—and what happens when those rituals clash with modern life? In this rich, personal, and sometimes hilarious episode, Mijal and Noam take you on a journey through the Jewish life cycle—…

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Why Do Jews Pray Like That? 45:53

4M ago45:53

45:53

BOOK NOW FOR UNPACKING ISRAELI HISTORY LIVE IN LA - Nov 12 at Sinai Temple with special guest Ronen Bergman. Last stop for 2025! Use the coupon code UIH20 to get a discount on your tickets: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/UIHLA25⁠ Prayer can feel abstract—so Mijal and Noam get practical. In the second part of our In the Beginning mini-series on foundation…

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What even is Judaism? 37:03

4M ago37:03

37:03

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Is it a religion, a people, a culture, a nation - or something that refuses tidy boxes? In the first episode of our In The Beginning mini-series where we'll be covering foundational Jewish topics, Mijal and Noam trace how Jews have defin…

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Holocaust Education is Broken. Dara Horn knows how to fix it (Re-release) 45:24

4M ago45:24

45:24

Mijal and Noam sit down with award-winning author Dara Horn (People Love Dead Jews) to tackle one of the most urgent questions today: What’s wrong with Holocaust education—and how do we fix it? Together, they explore why most American students meet Jews only as Holocaust victims, how teaching the Shoah without Jewish civilization erases the very cu…

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Unpacking Antisemitism with Haviv Rettig Gur (Re-release) 1:08:27

5M ago1:08:27

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In this re-release of one of our most popular episodes, Noam Weissman and Mijal Bitton speak with journalist Haviv Rettig Gur about the history, ideology, and persistence of antisemitism. They trace its roots from early Christian and Islamic theology through Marxist and nationalist movements, examine how it has evolved in the Arab world and on Amer…

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Rabbi David Wolpe on How to Keep Jewish Unity Alive (Re-release) 41:48

5M ago41:48

41:48

In a year of division, can Jewish unity still hold? In this special re-release of Wondering Jews, Mijal Bitton sits down with Rabbi David Wolpe for a deep, candid conversation about Jewish solidarity, peoplehood, and the meaning of freedom. They explore why the Seder remains Judaism’s most beloved ritual, how to handle political disagreements at th…

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If You Love Israel, Why Don’t You Live There? (Re-release) 46:43

5M ago46:43

46:43

In one of the most talked-about episodes of Wondering Jews, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman dive into the emotional and complicated questions facing Jews today: If you love Israel… why don’t you live there? Listen again or for the first time to Mijal and Noam open up about the cognitive dissonance of loving Israel while living in the Diaspora. Along…

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The World of Sephardic Food 28:44

5M ago28:44

28:44

Jewish food is no longer confined to what you'd find on a deli menu. Bourekas, shakshuka, adafina, jachnun, and harira have claimed their place on the Jewish dining table right alongside blintzes, cholent, kugel, borscht, and matzoh ball soup. Join guest scholars Ari Ariel, Hélène Jawhara Piñer, and Noam Sienna, along with host Avishay Artsy as the…

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You Think You Know Chabad? Think Again — With Rabbi YY Jacobson 35:05

5M ago35:05

35:05

What does Chabad have to offer a fractured world in 2025? Mijal Bitton and and Noam Weissman are joined by renowned Chabad scholar and speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson to explore the enduring power of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legacy. Together, they unpack Chabad’s worldview, its nuanced relationship with Zionism, and its bold answer to antisemitism. Rabbi …

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#29 – Remarkable Romanian Rabbis and Tzadikim 40:14

5M ago40:14

40:14

Send us a text Rabbi Dr. Jacob Itzhak Niemirower Rabbi Alexandre Şafran Rabbi Yehuda Leib Tsirelson Rabbi Avraham Mattisyahu Friedman Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum Rabbi Solomon SchechterBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#28 - The Jewish Queen - Magda Lupescu and King Carol II of Romania 18:41

5M ago18:41

18:41

Send us a text Who was Elena (Magda) Lupescu ? Who was Carol II ? Their encounter Their escape Back on the throne Leaving Romania The end of the their love affairBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#27 - The most famous bank robbery in the Communist history 22:13

5M ago22:13

22:13

Send us a text The robbery The investigation Conviction & execution The movie Romania in 1959 The drama actors Other movies Robbery or staging? ConclusionBy Adrian Iosifescu

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#26 - Lawrence of Arabia and Aaronsohn of Palestine 22:33

5M ago22:33

22:33

Send us a text Aaron Aaronsohn, 6 years old boy from Bacău Aaron Aaronsohn, the Palestinian botanist Aaron Aaronsohn, the locust fighter Aaron Aaronsohn, the leader of the British spy network in Palestine Aaron Aaronsohn, the political negotiatorBy Adrian Iosifescu

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The Mamdani Moment: NYC Jews Confront a Political Shift 24:46

5M ago24:46

24:46

What does it mean to be Jewish in NYC after Zohran Mamdani’s surprising victory in New York's Democratic mayoral primary? In this candid and passionate conversation, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman reflect on fear, populism, and the strategic mistakes and opportunities facing the Jewish community. From public safety to coalition-building, they explo…

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Building Jewish Community in an Age of Cancel Culture with Zibby Owens 35:50

6M ago35:50

35:50

Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman sit down with award-winning author and media entrepreneur Zibby Owens to explore what it means to publicly embrace Jewish identity after October 7th. Zibby shares her journey from a largely secular literary figure to an outspoken Jewish advocate. They discuss cancel culture, Zionism, the challenges Jewish authors face…

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When Music Turns Into a Weapon 33:27

6M ago33:27

33:27

What happens when the artists we love express hatred toward Israel—or Jews ? This week, hosts Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman confront this issue, from Bob Vylan leading chants of “Death to the IDF” at Glastonbury to Dave Matthews Band calling for a Gaza ceasefire. Listen to this timely conversation on the emotional and moral dilemmas of supporting …

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Unpacking Antisemitism with Haviv Rettig Gur 1:07:21

6M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

(Note: this episode was recorded before Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary of the NYC mayoral election.) Journalist and historian Haviv Rettig Gur returns to Wondering Jews to explore why antisemitism persists across centuries —from medieval Europe to modern American campuses. Together, Haviv, Mijal and Noam unpack how conspiracy theories,…

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Raw Reflections on 12-Days That Changed Everything 11:26

6M ago11:26

11:26

Mijal and Noam break down the emotional and spiritual aftermath of the last twelve days of war that mainstream media is missing. Moving beyond geopolitical analysis, they explore what it means to hold space for empathy—toward both Israelis carrying the trauma of October 7th and Iranians suffering under authoritarian rule. Plus, real-time updates fr…