The Fifth Question

Is Israel facing its greatest internal crisis? Can liberal Zionism survive the pressures of both anti-Israel extremism and growing religious fundamentalism? And what does the Jewish idea that humanity is created in the image of God have to do with democracy, human rights, secularism, and the future of the liberal order? In this wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with renowned...

Rabbi Rick Steinberg joins Rabbi Daniel Levine for a wide-ranging conversation on Zionism, Reform Judaism, antisemitism after October 7th, interfaith relations, campus activism, free speech, Jewish identity, and the future of the American Jewish community. Drawing on decades of leadership in Orange County and the Reform movement, Rabbi Steinberg reflects on how October 7 changed his worldview, why...

Former jihadist turned counterterrorism expert Mubin Shaikh shares his journey from radicalization after 9/11 to infiltrating terrorist networks, helping stop the Toronto 18 plot, and confronting extremism from within. We discuss Islam, jihad, Israel, Zionism, antisemitism, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, radicalization, de-radicalization, and the future of Jewish-Muslim relations. A candid convers...

How should we think about truth, misinformation, Israel, Zionism, antisemitism, academia, and social media in 2026?In this wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Daniel Levine (The Fifth Question Podcast) sits down with Alon Burstein ( ‪@Israel-Palestine-Report‬ ) to discuss how educators, academics, journalists, and content creators navigate one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in the...

Kenneth Marcus, Brandeis Center CEO, joins The Fifth Question for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of the fight against antisemitism in America. From campus protests and K-12 education to teachers unions, civil rights law, DEI, Zionism, and the changing political landscape, Marcus explains why he believes American Jews need a “Third Emancipation” and how legal action is reshaping the resp...

What happens when liberalism, identity politics, antisemitism, and Zionism collide in 21st-century America? In this episode of the Fifth Question with Daniel, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with author and public intellectual David Bernstein to discuss the rise of woke antisemitism, the transformation of American universities, the future of liberal democracy, and the growing challenges facing both...

Israel engagement is changing—and perhaps the old playbook no longer works. In this episode of the Fifth Question Podcast, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with Yoni Heilman, CEO of TAMID Group, to discuss a new model for connecting young people to Israel through entrepreneurship, business, innovation, and real-world relationships rather than traditional advocacy. They explore why many college studen...

What happens when Judaism meets absurdism, poetry, pluralism, and the crisis of modern identity? In this fascinating conversation, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with Rabbi Joshua Bolton—author of Jewish Futurisms, poet, educator, and Executive Director of Brown RISD Hillel—to explore some of the biggest questions facing Jewish life today. From humor in the Talmud to the limits of pluralism, from J...

Islam, Zionism, and the Future of the West | Dr. Zuhdi Jasser on Reform, Radicalism & AmericaWhat happens when a proud Muslim, U.S. Navy veteran, outspoken Zionist, and congressional candidate takes on political Islam head-on? In this explosive episode, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser joins the podcast for one of the most important conversations on Islam, reform, antisemitism, liberalism, and the future of t...

Is Judaism a Religion? The Misunderstood History of Jewish Identity | Zionism, Nationhood & the EnlightenmentIn this episode of The Fifth Question Podcast, we tackle one of the most common misunderstandings in modern discourse: the idea that Judaism is “just a religion.” From the ancient tribe of Judah to the Enlightenment, Reform Judaism, nationalism, and modern Zionism, this episode explores...

🚨 Congress's Most Competitive Race? Jay Feely on Trump, Israel, the GOP Divide & Why He’s Running for Congress | Fifth Question PodcastFormer NFL kicker and CBS broadcaster Jay Feely joins Rabbi Daniel on The Fifth Question Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on politics, faith, Israel, the future of the Republican Party, and the upcoming battle for Arizona’s 1st Congressional Distric...

What does it actually mean to be indigenous—and do Jews fit that definition? In this episode of The Fifth Question Podcast, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with Professor Nehemia Stern (Ariel University) to unpack one of the most controversial and intellectually charged debates in modern academia: Jewish indigeneity, Zionism, and the limits of Western categories like “indigenous,” “race,” and “natio...

What happens when free speech, identity, and politics collide in Israel? In this powerful and nuanced conversation, we unpack the viral story of a man detained by Israeli police for wearing a kippah featuring both the Israeli and Palestinian flags. What began as a personal expression of coexistence quickly became a global debate about civil liberties, Zionism, antisemitism, and the limits of free...

Why Jewish Education Is Failing American Jews? | Masha Miralova on Zionism, Identity & Campus AntisemitismIn this powerful episode of The Fifth Question Podcast, Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with Masha Miralova, head of Club Z, to debate one of the most urgent questions facing the Jewish world today:Has Jewish education actually failed American Jews? After October 7, rising antisemitism, anti...

Today on the podcast we invite Professor Jeffrey Blutinger - professor of Jewish Studies at CSULB about his new book on Heinrich Graetz! Discover the story of one of the most influential — yet largely forgotten — figures in Jewish intellectual history: Heinrich Graetz. In this episode, we explore how Graetz helped shape modern Jewish identity, pioneered the academic study of Jewish history, and re...

California antisemitism lawsuit: K–12 schools accused of failing Jewish studentsAttorneys from StandWithUs and the Brandeis Center explain a major lawsuit alleging antisemitism in California public schools. From classroom bias to student harassment, this episode explores the legal battle shaping the future of education. Jewish History, Politics, Israel, Antisemitism, and Zionism - I cover it all....

What actually is authentic Sephardic Judaism—and how did we lose sight of it? In this conversation with Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, we unpack the Sephardic tradition as it was meant to be understood: not just a set of customs, but a fundamentally different way of approaching halacha, culture, and the Talmud itself. We talk about what makes Sephardic Judaism distinct—its clarity, its relationship to law...

Jonathan Greenblatt joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the ADL, rising antisemitism after October 7, Jewish security, coalition-building, campus hate, the political right and left, and what actually works in fighting anti-Jewish bigotry. We discuss whether “anti-antisemitism” works, why Jews need both security and identity, how the ADL is changing strategy, and what the current m...

In this episode, I sit down with Brianna Wu for a wide-ranging and candid conversation on antisemitism, Israel, progressivism, trans politics, Gamergate, the Democratic Party, and the collapse of the political center in America. Brianna has become one of the most outspoken and unexpected public voices defending Israel and the Jewish community in the wake of October 7, especially within spaces wher...

Have the policies of the Trump admin helped reformed the Humanities? Do Jews feel safer on college campuses? Why has antisemitism exploded on American college campuses? Did the Trump administration actually change universities? How will the War in Iran end up? What should we make of the internal schism within the Republican party? How will AI and technology effect the economy?#iran #ubi #congress...

For my last conversation with Sam see here: https://youtu.be/Q06L7Uxq4PY?si=su6O18LIw3fF_JKfRabbi Sam Stern returns to The Fifth Question for a wide-ranging conversation on Reform Judaism, Zionism, anti-Zionism, and the future of American Jewish institutions. We start with Stern’s recent op-ed—“Reform Judaism chose Zionism. That was not a mistake.”—and trace the Reform movement’s historical arc fr...

Welcome back to the Fifth Question Podcast — I’m your host, Rabbi Daniel Levine. In this episode, I sit down with Professor Mike Wirth (Queens University of Charlotte): artist, educator, and futurist. We start with a deceptively simple question—what is a futurist?—and end up in a wide-ranging conversation on Jewish futurism, story-space, Chassidic imagination, and what it means to “shape the futur...

he second part of my conversation with  @DavidWilberBlog  about why Jews Do Not Accept Jesus. In this episode of The Fifth Question, we dive into one of the most sensitive and fascinating topics in Jewish–Christian dialogue: Jews for Jesus, Messianic Judaism, and why these movements are generally not accepted as part of the Jewish community. I sit down with Christian author and teacher David Wilbe...

Welcome back to The Fifth Question Podcast — I’m your host, Daniel Levine. In today’s wildly unexpected episode, I sit down with ‪@DavidWilberBlog‬ — a popular Christian writer, teacher, and theologian — who makes a provocative case: Christians should be keeping Jewish (biblical/Mosaic) law. This is Part 1 of a longer conversation, and it focuses on David’s framework as a Christian who practices T...

I recently appeared on the Rabbi Avi Show to unpack my views on a variety of hot topics including:Zionism, intermarriage, antisemitism, campus life, American politics, and much more!#interfaithlove #campus #trump #gaza #interfaith Please Like, comment, and subscribe :)