Jewish Crossroads: Jewish Identity in Times of Crisis

• Antisemitism as Cultural Sadism with Professor Susannah Heschel

  For the past 16 months, U.S. campuses have been rocked by protests, encampments, and confrontations, with university leaders often struggling – or outright failing – to respond. But one Ivy League school took a different path, leading to a different outcome. Dartmouth stands out for something rare: a sense of hope.At the center of this story is Professor Susannah Heschel, a leading scholar of Jewish Studies and the daughter of the legendary Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel – one of the great moral voices of the 20th century. In this conversation, she shares what happened at Dartmouth, why it worked, and what it reveals about this moment in history.We also explore her powerful argument that antisemitism isn’t just hatred – it’s cultural sadism. What does that mean? And why does her father’s legacy feel more urgent than ever?If you would like to be in touch with us contact: [email protected] on X: https://x.com/tamarishshalomTamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarishshalom/JPPI on X: https://x.com/JewishPolicyJPPI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishpeoplepolicyinstitute/

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• Why Are Young Jews Turning Away from Israel? Rabbi Ammi Hirsch on the Crisis of Jewish Identity

  It’s not every day that a Yom Kippur sermon goes viral—but Rabbi Ammi Hirsch’s did. His powerful message struck a nerve across generations: Why are so many young Jews distancing themselves from Israel? Have we raised a generation so committed to Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—that they’ve forgotten Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh lazeh—that all Jews are responsible for one another?In this gripping conversation, Rabbi Hirsch—one of the most influential voices in American Judaism—breaks down the forces shaping Jewish identity today, from campus protests to generational shifts in Zionism. A former IDF tank commander and longtime leader of Reform Judaism, he doesn’t hold back.A must-listen episode for anyone who cares about the future of Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations.If you would like to be in touch with us contact: [email protected] on X: https://x.com/tamarishshalomTamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarishshalom/JPPI on X: https://x.com/JewishPolicyJPPI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishpeoplepolicyinstitute/Rabbi Ammi Hirsch: https://x.com/ammihirsch/

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• Nicole Krauss: Writing, Identity, and the Struggle to Speak After October 7th

  Nicole Krauss is one of the most brilliant and influential American writers of our time. In an intimate and thought-provoking conversation with Tamar Ish Shalom, she opens up about the challenge of finding the right words for the open letter she wrote to the Israeli public after October 7th. She shares her deep concerns about whether, in today’s literary climate, it will still be possible to publish books that explore Jewish identity and Israel—and why a young Nicole Krauss wouldn’t stand a chance in today’s world.In this compelling discussion, Krauss delves into the prophetic dimension of one of her novels, which depicts the daily reality of missile attacks in Tel Aviv before October 7th, and examines the profound self-denial ingrained in Israeli society. She reflects on why the Jewish American characters in her books are repeatedly drawn to Israel and explores the deep urge to break free from the ‘Jewish chains’—the constraints we, as Jews, have been taught to impose upon ourselves.Krauss also shares a personal dilemma as a mother: what should she say to her eldest son, who traveled to Paris wearing a bracelet with Jewish symbols? If you would like to be in touch with us contact: [email protected] on X: https://x.com/tamarishshalomTamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarishshalom/JPPI on X: https://x.com/JewishPolicyJPPI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishpeoplepolicyinstitute/

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• Jewish Courage in the Face of Antisemitism

  Rabbi David Wolpe, one of the most influential rabbis in the U.S., a brilliant and fascinating thinker, made headlines this year after stepping down from Harvard’s antisemitism advisory group, realizing their vital recommendations would go unheeded.In this conversation, he shares his thoughts and experiences—what is Jewish courage today? Where did he go wrong in believing antisemitism was his father’s generation’s problem? What did a conversation with a student and former IDF soldier reveal about the alarming campus climate? Why doesn’t he recommend every Jew attend Harvard, and how do the Gilmore Girls fit into all of this?If you would like to be in touch with us contact: [email protected] on X: https://x.com/tamarishshalomTamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarishshalom/JPPI on X: https://x.com/JewishPolicyJPPI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishpeoplepolicyinstitute/Rabbi Wolpe on X: https://x.com/RabbiWolpeRabbi Wolpe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djwolpe/

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