The Jewish Story

Today the media loves to discuss "settler violence," but it is rarely interested in its historical origins. This episode picks up the story of Yehuda Etzion and Menachem Livni who had set out to trigger redemption by any means necessary. As it turns out, events went in another direction and their actions continue to have consequences down to our day.

In politics as in physics - for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Menachem Begin's signing of the Camp David Accords did not produce a singular response, but it did send shock waves through every aspect of Israeli society. Among the idealists of the settlement movement, it birthed an underground element which felt called to continue the revolution which Begin himself had helped...

It is rare that someone who begins a movement is still leading strong fifty years later. Daniella Weiss was part of the original settlement of the Shomron in the early 70s, and remains a militant force within the settlement movement today. Here is an interview which touches on her experience of past and present, as well as her views of the future.

Is anyone else feeling a little frayed around the edges? Here is an interlude where I give some insight on how to avoid snapping under the pressure of our world, and even how to fray with grace. Send me an email at ravmikefeuer@gmail.com if you want to set up a counselling session about how to take these ideas deeper into your life. image by author Alan Levine, https://creativecommons.org/licenses...

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...

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.

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.

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

Telling the story of the Exodus is something so simple that we do it every year, and so complicated that we never get it quite right. With all the effort we put into preparation for a kosher Pesach, it is worth dusting off the Haggadah a couple of weeks early in or to prepare for an awesome Seder. Author Mark Gerson joins me to discuss his new book about the Haggadah and how we can best access its...

The desire to get even is as old as Cain and Abel, so what new could possibly be said about it? Here is an interview with author Thane Rosenbaum where we explore the nature of vengeance, its relationship to justice and how it informs our actions.

Here is a rant on the current struggle in Israel and Gaza. There is something in it for everyone, both to provoke and inspire. Make sure you don't miss the message at the end!

The power of fairy stories goes well beyond entertainment. In this interlude author Rena Rossner joins me to explore myth, story and the power of fairy tale. Along the way we touch on God, history and my favorite author as well!

It is not every day that you get to speak with a legend, much less interview one. Here are some precious words I had with the Alter rebbe of Jewish History, Rabbi Berel Wein. We touch on the nature of history, the Jewish people, the experience of salvation and much more.

In this interlude I am joined by special guest Dr. Michael Oren. The topic at hand is how the Six Day War helped shaped the special relationship between Israel and the United States. Along the way Dr. Oren offers insights on a range of events, sharing his perspective as an historian, author, diplomat and a Jew. photo credit: Anne Mandelbaum, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

How we chew and swallow what history shoves down our throat can define us as individuals and nations. Here is an interview with R' Yitz Greenberg, foundational thinker on post-Holocaust theology. In it we explore how American Jewry began to process the memory of the Holocaust, the impact of the SIx Day War on their identity, and if one can see the God of History in the post-modern era. If you want...