Jewish Heroism Project

The domestic political upheaval of 1977 was followed quickly by an international earthquake in 1978 when Israel and Egypt agree to make peace. Here is the story of how shifts within two societies, and two leaders, led to the signing of the Camp David Accords.

Begin's victory in 1977 was the beginning of revolutionary change for Israel, not the end. Some who rejoiced will be bemused, others who were skeptical will be surprised. This episode explores the aftermath of Begin's election as it intersected fault lines within his society and within himself.

There are few events in the history of Israel's democracy which have had a greater impact than the elections of 1977. When all the votes were counted three decades of Labor Zionist rule had come to an end and Menachem Begin's Likud party was victorious. It is known in Israeli history as 'the earthquake,' and this episode explores what forces underlay such a tectonic shift in Israel's political sys...

Many people look at the world today and feel the foundations of American power shaking - and most are afraid. Here is an episode about empires, made in the spirit of Hanukkah. Rav Mike takes a look backward to seek wisdom for survival in imperial transitions Am Yisrael has weathered in the past, touches on the problems of the present, and even takes a glance forward to offer a taste of what might...

Have you ever wondered why exactly Hanukkah lasts eight days? You may be familiar with the 'jar of oil' answer, but this interlude will give you a lot more to think about. Tune in to Rav Mike's annual class on Hanukkah in honor of the yarzheit of his father, Charles Feuer, obm.

Heroism is a precious quality, and one strong enough to change the world. Here is the story of the Israeli mission to free hostages on Entebbe, perhaps the most heroic mission of its time. At its heart lies a person who in many ways embodies the qualities of his generation - Yoni Netanyahu.

Rabin faced conflicts on all three fronts of Jewish history - within Am Yisrael, between Israel and the nations, and as a people in their land. This episode focuses on the third, as the Arab/Israeli war shifts into the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. This new phase of struggle will see the rise of the PLO as a legitimate political force, the strengthening of Palestinian identity among Israeli Arabs...

When most people think about Yitzchak Rabin as Israel's Prime Minister they focus on the Oslo Accords and his tragic murder, but many are unaware that Rabin's assassination ended his second term. Here is an episode on his opening round as Prime Minister, when Rabin's choice as the first native born Israeli to head the government opened a new era. We will see him face down US Secretary of State Hen...

Many things within Israeli society were threatened with collapse in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, and perhaps the most profound danger was a loss of spirit. This episodes explores the rise of the 'bloc of the faithful,' vanguard of today's "settlement movement" who moved to inherit the pioneering spirit of Israel in this difficult time.

Historian and author Gil Troy joins me for a follow up to the 'Zionism is Racism' episode. We talk 'Moynihan's Moment,' the rise of the PLO, the mental health crisis on American campuses and much more. Tune in also for a fascinating discussion that lays out 'Identity Zionism,' a vision which offers hope for Am Yisrael and the entire world.

If Israel is meant to be a light to the nations, then how they see us offers illuminating insights. In this episode we meet the Non-Aligned Movement, Israel's relationship with Africa, President Mobutu of Zaire, Ugandan leader Idi Amin, US ambassador to the UN Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Israeli delegate to the UN Hadassa Ben-Itto. All of them want to know whether the national liberation movement...

Sometimes its seems that joy is the most desirable and least available aspect of human experience. In this episode Rav Mike seeks out some insights from Sukkot, the festival of joy, on how we can enhance this aspect of our lives.

The feminist movement and Jewish American life came together in the 1960s and 70s - each influencing the other. In this episode we touch on Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique, the religious activism of women like Sally Priesand and the Ezrat Nashim organization. We will also explore how feminism and antisemitism intersect, from Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Womens Bible to the 1975 United Nations World...

Sometimes a simple question sparks the deepest thoughts. This episode is in answer to a simple question - what is the story of Rosh Hashanah. It explores the nature of kingship and the crown in Jewish tradition, and offers some guidance on how we can all approach telling a different story of our lives in the coming new year. image from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/xeni/436828769 https://creative...

talks about Russian Jewish refuseniks, why they were denied exit visas to immigrate to Israel, and how the Communist regime eventually let them go. Learn about US President Richard Nixon's détente with the Soviets, championed by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and opposed by Henry "Scoop" Jackson, co-author of the Jackson-Vanik amendment of 1974 and his assistant Richard Perle. Others discussed...

The changing culture of American Jewry after the Yom Kippur War in Israel and the Vietnam War meant leaving old neighborhoods, a surge in Zionism and new developments in the Jewish community like the Havurah movement. We explore the publication of the First Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself Kit edited by Richard Siegel, and Michael and Sharon Strassfeld and the shift from left-wing liberal to neo-c...

Here is part six of the live series on Survival Zionism. This episode returns to the land of Israel to look at the struggle for liberation which preceded the war for independence. If you like the live style, sign up for this year's TJS Live weekly class at: jewishstory.co/registerclass/

Here is part five of the live series on Survival Zionism. This episode returns to the US to look at the impact of these fateful years on American Jewry. If you like the live style, sign up for this year's TJS Live weekly class at: jewishstory.co/registerclass/

Here is part four of the live series on Survival Zionism. This episode tells the story of the Warsaw Ghetto. If you like the live style, sign up for this year's TJS Live weekly class at: jewishstory.co/registerclass/

Here is part three of my live series on Survival Zionism. This episode takes us to Europe in the war years and explores the evolution of the Final Solution, which served as the great selection of European Jewry. If you like the live style, sign up for this year's TJS Live weekly class at: http://jewishstory.co/registerclass/ image attribution: Caricature of Hermann Göring detail with text of "Gest...

Here is the second installment in my LIVE series exploring survival Zionism. This episode explores many of the roots of the Arab Israeli conflict and how they contributed to the formation of a new brand of Zionism. If you like the live style, sign up for this year's online class at http://jewishstory.co/registerclass/

You know about labor Zionism, revisionist Zionism, practical Zionism and religious Zionism - but have you heard of survival Zionism? Here is the first episode in a six part LIVE series on the crucial years of 1938-45.

Every chapter comes to an end sometime, and with this epilogue season four draws to a close. Listen in for some reflections and where we have been and where we are headed in the season to come, as well as some insights on what it might mean.

The shock waves of the Yom Kippur War ripple through Israeli society down to our day, but the days immediately after tell a story all their own. This episode explores the rise of Israel's first protest movement around Motti Ashkenazi, the first cracks of the Labor government under Prime Minister Golda Meir and the formation of the Likud at the hands of Ariel Sharon. All of these combine to make up...

Every war has a winner, but sometimes identifying who that may be is not a simple task - nor a neutral one. This episode explores the international aftermath of the Yom Kippur war, explaining how the super power confrontation, the Arab oil embargo and the international peace process all created different winners of the conflict.