What Came After

In September 2025, I sat down with Aryeh Schwartz, a professional photographer based in Washington, DC. Aryeh was working at the Capital Jewish Museum on the night that Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Leschinsky were murdered.  Aryeh is also the founder of Winsidr.com, a leading outlet for in-depth WNBA coverage. In this conversation, Aryeh reflects on the night Sarah and Yaron were killed and its afterma...

Earlier this year, I traveled to Princeton, New Jersey to meet with Lynne Azarchi and Harlene Lichter Galen, authors of  Countering Antisemitism: A How‑To Guide for Youth (8–18), Families and Educators.  The two met while working on anti-bias programming in a New Jersey after-school setting and, during the height of COVID, began noticing a troubling rise in antisemitic bullying and bias targeting...

Earlier this year, I sat down with Alissa Zeffren, a Tanach and History teacher at Ida Crown Jewish Academy outside Chicago and the director of NILI, the women’s division of the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel. Alissa also leads the Chicago chapter of Student to Student (STS), a program that trains Jewish teens—across Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox backgrounds—to present about Judaism in non-Jewish pu...

This past July, What Came After sat down with Kelly Shapiro, an engineering student at Rutgers University who founded the club Students Stand With Israel in the aftermath of October 7th. Kelly discusses her path into student government as antizionism and antisemitism surged on campus, and she reflects on the fear many Jewish students feel about speaking up—often out of concern that they lack an en...

This past September, What Came After traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Rabbi David Wolkenfeld, the rabbi of Ohev Shalom. Rabbi Wolkenfeld, who began his tenure only a few months before October 7th, reflected on the unique challenges of stepping into leadership in the shadow of that day. He spoke about the wide range of pastoral needs that emerged within his new congregation—from helping p...

Earlier this week, I visited the Nova Exhibition in my hometown of Chicago. Even though I had visited the Nova site just four months after October 7th, I sensed that this experience would be more intense. I was right. And that intensity is part of what makes the exhibit so important.   After viewing the exhibit, I sat down with Doron Mizrahi. Doron, now 27, attended the Nova festival. He witnessed...

Welcome back to What Came After. You’re about to hear the second part of my interview with Dr. Devin Naar, a professor of Sephardic Studies in Seattle. When Devin and I first spoke a few months ago, we were trying to understand how to approach a set of topics about which we think and feel very differently. At one point, he asked me, “Where are you holding with the g-word?”—a question that, for mos...

In this episode, I traveled to Seattle back in September to sit down with Dr. Devin Naar, a professor of Sephardic Studies at the University of Washington.  Recording this interview was difficult for me. I’ve envisioned this podcast as a way to chronicle history in real time — to capture, through long-form conversations, the vastness and intensity of the post–October 7th landscape for Jews around...

This past September, What Came After host Manya Marcus sat down with Jojo and Yoni Kalin, a married couple from Washington, D.C., who were present at the Capital Jewish Museum on the tragic evening of May 21, 2025 — the night two Israeli embassy staffers, Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were murdered by a man who, when apprehended, shouted, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” Jojo had...

This past December, I sat down with Benjamin Rogers, Deputy Director of the AJC Center for a New Middle East. Benjy and I spoke about the future of Israel’s relationships with its Arab neighbors in the wake of October 7, and how he hoped the Abraham Accords will continue to evolve. Benjy discussed Israel’s potential as a strategic partner to countries across the region confronting shared challenge...

This past September, I had the pleasure of traveling to New York City to sit down with Deena Margolies, a staff attorney at the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The Brandeis Center—unaffiliated with Brandeis University—provides legal advocacy for individuals affected by Title VI violations, with a particular focus on those targeted for their Jewish or Zionist identity in academ...

This past July, I had the privilege of sitting down with Yossi Held, Executive Director of Stand With Us Midwest. In our conversation, Yossi discussed the dual mission of Stand With Us: to educate the public about Israel and Judaism in order to counter widespread misinformation, and to provide legal support for individuals impacted by antisemitism—particularly in educational settings, from element...

On September 17, 2025, Manya Marcus spoke with Raphael Herbst, a senior paramedic with Magen David Adom (MDA) and head of its Emotional Resilience Program, at the offices of American Friends of Magen David Adom in New York City. Raphael discusses MDA’s vital role in Israeli society—from delivering world-class emergency care across the country to leading national responses to crises such as the COV...

Welcome to What Came After. Today is October 22, 2025. While much remains uncertain in Israel, one thing is clear: the emotional recovery of an entire nation coping with collective trauma will be a long and complex process. In this episode, I speak with several remarkable people from Ripples of Healing, a therapeutic program that helps individuals process trauma through guided immersion in water....

Simon Deng is a former slave from South Sudan, human rights activist, public speaker, and professional swimmer. He has lived in the United States since 1989 and has been a leader of the South Sudanese expatriate community since 1993. ⁠⁠ Host and Creator: Manya Marcus Managing Producer: Maya Zanger-Nadis Editor and Producer: Ben Wallick Logo Design: Samuel Vilemar Outro Music: "Jerusalem" by Elijah...

In February, What Came After sat down with the Chief Rabbi of Poland and native New Yorker, Michael Schudrich. Their conversation was recorded in Warsaw, where Rabbi Schudrich has lived and worked for the past 35 years. Host Manya Marcus speaks with Schudrich about his personal journey to Poland, how there are many more Jews- or those with Jewish heritage- who live in Poland than anyone realized o...

Mino is a Roman entrepreneur and restaurateur with deep roots in the culinary world, shaped by his family’s experience in the industry. He manages two establishments: Casalino Osteria, a kosher restaurant, and a bakery-café, Dolce Kosher. Through his work, he combines tradition and innovation, creating welcoming spaces where people can enjoy great food and hospitality. Beyond the kitchen, Mino is...

Ruth Dureghello was born in Rome on July 5, 1967. She earned a law degree from the University of Rome La Sapienza and went on to pursue a career in entrepreneurial activities. Married with two children, Ruth led the “For Israel” party as its presidential candidate for the Council of the Jewish Community in Rome in 2015. She won 44.08% of the total vote and, following the Council’s recommendation,...

Listen to our conversation with ELNET CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) featuring: Anna Miszewska, Deputy Director Joanna Olszewska, Project Manager Marta Kubica, CEO   Host and Creator: Manya Marcus Managing Producer: Maya Zanger-Nadis Editor and Producer: Ben Wallick Editor: Keren Glicksman Logo Design: Samuel Vilemar Outro Music: "Old Polish Tango in Hebrew" by Olga Mieleszczuk Listen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Arie Bensemhoun has been the Chief Executive Officer of Elnet France since 2011. He has made his career in the private sector as a consultant in communications, PR, and international relations, dealing with Middle Eastern and strategic affairs. He plays a crucial role in the French-Israeli relationship through his commitment at both the community and political levels. He seeks to strengthen ties b...

Marta Kubica is the Chief Executive Officer of ELNET CEE (Central and Eastern Europe), driven by a passion for strengthening ties between Europe and Israel through innovative diplomacy. After five years in the role, Marta sees ELNET as more than just an organization facilitating delegations or strategic dialogues; it is about creating a safe space for open conversation and building trust. With ove...

In this special episode, What Came After presents an audio travelogue from the team’s trip to Paris this past January. Join our summer intern, Keren Glicksman, as she interviews host Manya Marcus about the experience, and listen to on-the-ground recordings from Manya and producer Maya Zanger-Nadis as they navigate the city during a particularly challenging moment in Jewish history.   Host and Crea...

Rabbi Emile Ackermann is the co-founder, together with his wife, Rabbanit Myriam Ackermann-Sommer, of Ayeka in Paris — the first Liberal Modern Orthodox community in France. Born in Strasbourg and a graduate of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, he holds a BA in Administration Économique et Sociale. Rav Emile is also deeply engaged in French political life. He is the author of N’oublions pas qui nous sommes...

What Came After traveled to Brussels this past January to sit down with Juan Caldes at the headquarters of the European Jewish Association. Juan, the European Advocacy Coordinator, spoke with us about the alarming rise in antisemitism across Western Europe—and why he believes this trend hasn’t taken hold in Eastern Europe in the same way. He shares some of the difficult personal decisions he's mad...

What Came After traveled to Amsterdam in February to speak with Rabbi Akiva Camissar about his experiences working with the city’s Israeli Jewish community in the wake of two deeply traumatic events: the October 7th attacks in Israel and the violent pogrom against visiting Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam in November 2024. Rabbi Camissar shares how the events of October 7th created a profound shif...