Proudly Jewish

When a hostile anti-Israel protest took place outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani had an opportunity to speak with moral clarity. He could have said that no political cause justifies intimidation outside a synagogue. He could have said that Jews should be able to enter a house of worship without fear. But he didn’t. In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Bitton discuss...

What if we’re looking at the wrong historical comparison? When antisemitism rises, many people immediately think of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. But what if a closer parallel is something far less discussed — the Arab world in the 1940s and 1950s, just before nearly one million Jews disappeared from the region? In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Eyal Bitton explores a largely forgotten chapter...

(00:00:00) Why “Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle” | Introduction (00:02:00) What she loves about being Jewish (00:05:00) Growing up in a family of cantors and Jewish music (00:09:43) Becoming one of the first women cantors (00:12:59) Family legacy, Holocaust memory, and Jewish continuity (00:16:12) Finding a congregation that truly valued Jewish music (00:18:25) What a cantor really gives to a communi...

Iran’s Supreme Leader is dead. After coordinated US-Israeli strikes, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the man who led a regime devoted to Israel’s destruction — is gone. What does this mean for Israel? For the Middle East? For the Jewish people? October 7 was meant to ignite a regional war and isolate Israel. Instead, we may be witnessing the weakening of the very forces that sought Israel’s erasure. In t...

In a widely discussed interview with Ambassador Mike Huckabee , Tucker Carlson raised fundamental questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion or an ethnicity? Can converts truly belong? Should DNA determine who has a claim to Israel? And does the Bible provide legitimate grounds for Jewish connection to the land? These are not merely political questions. They go to the heart of Jewish p...

Spike Lee was recently spotted at the NBA All-Star Game wearing imagery associated with the Palestinian flag — including the now-infamous upside-down red triangle symbol that has circulated widely online since October 7th. In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Bitton explores what that symbol represents, why its normalization in celebrity culture should concern everyone, and what it reveals abo...

Proudly Jewish is back. I started this podcast a few weeks after October 7, 2023—trying to grapple with the massacre we witnessed and the tsunami of Jew-hatred that followed. About a year ago I stepped away due to work, life, and rabbinic ordination, but I’m returning now because I’m seeing something new: a growing call for real change from within the Jewish world.  In this solo episode, I reflect...

In this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity , Cantor Eyal Bitton welcomes Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt, the founding rabbi of Congregation B'nai Tzedek and the visionary leader behind the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition . Together, they explore the essential role of Zionist rabbis in shaping Jewish identity, supporting Israel, and uniting Jewish communities across the globe...

In this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity , Cantor Eyal Bitton hosts Hillel Fuld, a leading figure in the Israeli tech world and a passionate advocate for Israel and Jewish identity. Known for his unfiltered takes, Hillel dives deep into the state of Jewish pride, Zionism, and the alarming rise in global antisemitism. The conversation gets real as Hillel and Ey...

In this episode, Eyal Bitton speaks with Shabbos Kestenbaum, who is suing Harvard for allowing and perpetuating antisemitism on campus. Shabbos Kestenbaum is a Harvard graduate who became a prominent voice against antisemitism in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks. Shabbos shares his unexpected journey from being a student to testifying before Congress and speaking at the Republican National...

Cantor Eyal Bitton illustrates how pro-Palestinian protestors often understand that anti-Zionism is, in fact, antisemitism. Bitton shows a few examples of pro-Palestinian activists proving this idea, in their own words or actions.   ***The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Congregation Neveh Shalom. "PROUDLY JEWISH: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity" is also availa...

Prof. Nancy Harrowitz, the Director of the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies at Boston University, joins Cantor Eyal Bitton to discuss the pressing issues of antisemitism on campus, exploring the steps taken to ensure student safety and how to evaluate schools for potential concerns. We also examine whether comparisons to pre-War Germany are alarmist or warranted, and discuss the effectiveness...

Ben M. Freeman is the visionary founder of the modern Jewish Pride movement. In "Why Jewish Pride is the Future," Freeman, an internationally renowned author and educator, shares his insights on Jewish identity, the rise of antisemitism, and the transformative power of Jewish Pride.  Freeman's work, including his influential books "Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People" and "Reclaiming Our Story: The...

Jany Finkielsztein , senior education analyst at the CAMERA Education Institute (Committee for Accuracy for Middle East Reporting and Analysis), joins Cantor Eyal Bitton to discuss the proliferation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism in K-12. Finkielsztein explores the ideology that permeates Ethnic Studies and "Liberated Ethnic Studies" and discusses why it fails to look at Jewish history and ident...

Has October 7 cast a shadow on Yom Ha’atzmaut? In this episode of PROUDLY JEWISH, presented as a panel discussion at Congregation Neveh Shalom with Rabbi David Kosak, Rabbi Eve Posen, and Cantor Eyal Bitton, the three explore what lessons October 7 have taught us about the role Israel plays in our lives and about what Israel means to the Jewish people. The views expressed here do not necessarily r...

Six months after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Cantor Eyal Bitton reflects on the significance of October 7 and where we are now. He examines the Free Palestine protests and their impact, the Ceasefire Now campaign, the shift in American support for Israel, the rise in antisemitism, and what lies ahead. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Eyal Bitton or C...

Kanye West has espoused views held by the Black Hebrew Israelites. When basketball star Kyrie Irving was suspended for refusing to apologize for antisemitism, Black Hebrew Israelites came to his defence in large numbers outside the Barclay Center. Charles Fain Lehman is Cantor Eyal Bitton's guest as they explore the questions: What do the Black Hebrew Israelites believe? Should Jews view Black Heb...

Amanda Berman, Founder and Executive Director of the Zioness Movement, joins Cantor Eyal Bitton to discuss how her organization is both progressive AND Zionist. Zioness is a multiracial coalition of Jewish activists and allies who are unabashedly progressive and unapologetically Zionist. They have more than 30 chapters across the country that fight for the advancement of social, racial, economic a...

Sharaka's Dan Feferman (Israel) and Ahmed Alkhuzaie (Bahrain) join Cantor Eyal Bitton in a discussion of the prospects for peace in the Middle East. What does normalization of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel mean for peace? How likely is it? How do the October 7 massacre and the ensuing war between Israel and Hamas factor in? Sharaka (’Partnership’ in Arabic) is a group of Arabs, Israelis, an...

Tania Shalom Michaelian , of the Society for Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites , is Cantor Eyal Bitton's guest in this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity . They discuss the impact of October 7 on Israelis, the resilience of Israeli Jews who survived the heinous attacks, and the importance of appreciating history and heritage in order to build and sustain a p...

In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience, Cantor Eyal Bitton explores the reasons why so many Jews feels so uneasy about many "pro-Palestinian" demonstrations. Why are so many pro-Palestinian protests so disruptive? Aren't activists in the Free Palestine movement that they're not winning the hearts and minds of the general public when they block off highways, when they target shopping...

Josh Shron , host of the popular Israel Hour Radio , is Cantor Eyal Bitton's special guest in this episode of PROUDLY JEWISH: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity . It's a meaningful and engaging conversation, with clips of great Israeli songs, as Josh Shron places the music of Israel post-Oct 7 into three categories: pain and loss, responses to the hostages, and unity. Please visit Israel...

Howard Lovy is Cantor Eyal Bitton's special guest in this episode of PROUDLY JEWISH: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity . Lovy is a journalist, book editor, audio producer, podcaster, ghostwriter, who is writing a new book titled "From Outrage to Action: A Practical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism" . The conversation looks at the surge in antisemitism following the October 7 massacre, the...

Marc Rosenberg, VP of Diaspora Partnerships at Nefesh B'Nefesh , is Cantor Eyal Bitton's special guest in this episode of PROUDLY JEWISH: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity . Jews are moving from all around the world to Israel even after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and even during a time of war. Why? What's motivating them? What role does antisemitism play? Are they ru...

In Proudly Jewish SPOTLIGHT , Cantor Eyal Bitton takes a look at people who are PROUDLY JEWISH and how they display their Jewish pride. In this episode, Cantor Bitton puts the spotlight on Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld , who have used their platform in support of Israel and the Jewish people. Their mission to Israel shortly after the October 7 massacre by Palestinian terror group, Hamas, showed leade...