Here I Am With Shai Davidai

By Shai Davidai

Here I Am with Shai Davidai explores the rising tide of anti-semitism through discussions with the top Jewish voices in this ongoing battle.

Shai Davidai, a Professor at Columbia University,

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How many episodes does Here I Am With Shai Davidai have?

The podcast currently has 99 episodes available.

Best of Here I Am With Shai Davidai

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Number 1: "Who Are You and Why Are You in My Seat?" | An Exclusive Interview With Shai Davidai
In this special episode of Here I Am, social media manager Allison Fuller flips the script and interviews host Shai Davidai. Shai opens up about his journey from growing up in Israel and Romania to becoming one of the most visible voices fighting antisemitism after October 7th. He shares how a "split screen" reality of horror in Israel and celebrations of Hamas on his campus at Columbia pushed him to speak out, guided by three words: "Why not me?" The conversation explores his identity as both a proud atheist and deeply committed Jew, why he got Hebrew tattoos as an act of visible resistance, and his belief that hatred should be treated like an addiction rather than a valid emotion. Shai reflects on nearly 100 episodes of interviews and identifies four traits shared by every activist who's sat in his chair: conviction, curiosity, courage, and community. He urges listeners to be part of that community, whether loudly on the front lines or quietly supporting those who are, and closes with his guiding principle for the podcast and for life: no hate, no lies. The episode also highlights the podcast's fundraising efforts and recommends donating to Brothers for Life, an organization supporting wounded Israeli combat soldiers. Guest: Shai Davidai Consider DONATING to help us continue and expand our media efforts. If you cannot at this time, please share this video with someone who might benefit from it. We thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/30c00151c BUY MERCH! https://hereiam.threadless.com/ SUPPORT SHAI ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/shaidavidai/about?utm_source=campaign-search-results 🔔 Subscribe now and never miss an episode 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: hereiamwithshaidavidai Tik Tok: hereiamwithshaidavidai / hereiamwithshaidavidai 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform: RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6pI03BMwAuQDbYIy4Zp6ah?si=2bd1c3f8a11c46cd #HereIAmPodcast #ShaiDavidai #jewishidentity #zionisme #FightingAntisemitism #october7th #JewishActivism #columbiauniversity #neveragain #jewishpride #israelsupport #NoHateNoLies #jewishcommunity #proisrael #AntisemitismAwareness #JewishResistance #whynotme #ConvictionCuriosityCourageCommunity #AtheistAndJewish #JewishTattoos #HebrewTattoos #VisibleJew #jewishpodcast #standwithisrael #jewishhistory #HatredIsAnAddiction #WorkInProgressJew #brothersforlife #JewishActivist #AmplifyVoices #ThisIsWhatAZionistLooksLike #jewishdiaspora #ShabbatKeeping #PragmaticJudaism #jewishstories #JewishResilience #NeverHideYourIdentity #CombatAntisemitism #jewishunity #hereiam Credits: Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper, Bonnie Berkovits Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
July 15, 20261h 24min
Number 2: I Had Meetings With Columbia's Leadership Before the Protests Started. Here's What I Saw Coming | Valerie Gerstein, Columbia Student & Plaintiff
In this episode of Here I Am, host Shai Davidai sits down with Jewish advocate, organizer, and "campus mom" Valerie Gerstein, who shares her firsthand experience confronting antisemitism as a graduate student at Columbia University. Valerie, a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and lifelong Jewish community leader, enrolled in Columbia's nonprofit management master's program in her 40s in 2022, only to witness a dramatic shift on campus after October 7th. She recounts facing anti-Jewish bias in the classroom even before the attacks, including a professor who chose Yom Kippur to assign anti-Israel readings when no Jewish students were present, and details how her complaints were ignored at every institutional level. Valerie ultimately became one of the named plaintiffs in a landmark civil rights lawsuit against Columbia, which recently resulted in a settlement. She discusses the personal cost of speaking up, from losing friends to needing a bodyguard, and the wins secured through the case: scholarships for students who've lived or studied in Israel, adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and the appointment of a Title VI coordinator. A powerful conversation about standing proud, showing up for the next generation, and refusing to be silenced. Guest: Valerie Gerstein Consider DONATING to help us continue and expand our media efforts. If you cannot at this time, please share this video with someone who might benefit from it. We thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/30c00151c BUY MERCH! https://hereiam.threadless.com/ SUPPORT SHAI ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/shaidavidai/about?utm_source=campaign-search-results 🔔 Subscribe now and never miss an episode 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: hereiamwithshaidavidai Tik Tok: hereiamwithshaidavidai / hereiamwithshaidavidai 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform: RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6pI03BMwAuQDbYIy4Zp6ah?si=2bd1c3f8a11c46cd #HereIAmPodcast #ShaiDavidai #ValerieGerstein #ColumbiaUniversity #AntisemitismOnCampus #JewishAdvocacy #CampusMom #CivilRights #JewishCommunity #HolocaustSurvivors #NeverAgain #JewishMom #JewishLeadership #TitleVI #IHRADefinition #ColumbiaLawsuit #JewishStudents #StandUpForJews #JewishPride #Israel #Zionism #CampusAntisemitism #HigherEducation #JewishLife #CombatAntisemitism #JewishIdentity #Sukkot #Shabbat #JewishValues #LifelongLearner #UJAFederation #NonprofitManagement #JewishEducation #StandWithIsrael Credits: Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper, Bonnie Berkovits Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
July 08, 20261h 7min
Number 3: I Felt Helpless Watching Israel… So I Started a Business | 24-Year-Old Entrepreneur Justin Yehuda
In this inspiring episode, Shai Davidai sits down with Justin Yehuda, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of Iron Dome Coffee—a coffee subscription company that donates 18% of its profits to charities supporting Israel. Justin shares his journey from growing up in a Zionist community in New Jersey to launching a business that unites and empowers pro-Israel supporters through coffee. He opens up about the challenges of entrepreneurship, the impact of October 7th on his life, and his personal connection to Israel, including the loss of his cousin in the war. Justin discusses the importance of standing proudly with Israel, the power of community, and the lessons he’s learned as a young activist-entrepreneur. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about identity, resilience, and making a difference—one cup of coffee at a time. Guest: Entrepreneur Justin Yehuda Consider DONATING to help us continue and expand our media efforts. If you cannot at this time, please share this video with someone who might benefit from it. We thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/30c00151c COMING SOON BUY MERCH! SUPPORT SHAI ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/shaidavidai/about?utm_source=campaign-search-results 🔔 Subscribe now and never miss an episode 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: hereiamwithshaidavidai Tik Tok: hereiamwithshaidavidai / hereiamwithshaidavidai 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform: RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6pI03BMwAuQDbYIy4Zp6ah?si=2bd1c3f8a11c46cd #hereiam #shaidavidai #JustinYehuda #IronDomeCoffee #entrepreneurship #SupportIsrael #jewishcommunity #proisrael #youngentrepreneur #CoffeeWithACause #IsraelCharity #jewishidentity #startupstory #inspiringstories #jewishpride #zionisme #jewishdiaspora #charity #businessforgood #resilience #leadership #jewishpodcast #israelsupport #jewishactivism #makingadifference #socialimpact #JewishYouth #jewishleadership #JewishBusiness #coffeelovers Credits: Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Naomi Landis, Emma Law-Oppman, Ilana Kalach, Allison Fuller Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions Graphic by Shira Auman For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]
March 24, 202656min
Number 4: I Felt Helpless Watching Israel… So I Started a Business | 24-Year-Old Entrepreneur Justin Yehuda
In this inspiring episode, Shai Davidai sits down with Justin Yehuda, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of Iron Dome Coffee—a coffee subscription company that donates 18% of its profits to charities supporting Israel. Justin shares his journey from growing up in a Zionist community in New Jersey to launching a business that unites and empowers pro-Israel supporters through coffee. He opens up about the challenges of entrepreneurship, the impact of October 7th on his life, and his personal connection to Israel, including the loss of his cousin in the war. Justin discusses the importance of standing proudly with Israel, the power of community, and the lessons he’s learned as a young activist-entrepreneur. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about identity, resilience, and making a difference—one cup of coffee at a time. Guest: Entrepreneur Justin Yehuda Consider DONATING to help us continue and expand our media efforts. If you cannot at this time, please share this video with someone who might benefit from it. We thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/30c00151c COMING SOON BUY MERCH! SUPPORT SHAI ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/shaidavidai/about?utm_source=campaign-search-results 🔔 Subscribe now and never miss an episode 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: hereiamwithshaidavidai Tik Tok: hereiamwithshaidavidai / hereiamwithshaidavidai 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform: RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6pI03BMwAuQDbYIy4Zp6ah?si=2bd1c3f8a11c46cd #hereiam #shaidavidai #JustinYehuda #IronDomeCoffee #entrepreneurship #SupportIsrael #jewishcommunity #proisrael #youngentrepreneur #CoffeeWithACause #IsraelCharity #jewishidentity #startupstory #inspiringstories #jewishpride #zionisme #jewishdiaspora #charity #businessforgood #resilience #leadership #jewishpodcast #israelsupport #jewishactivism #makingadifference #socialimpact #JewishYouth #jewishleadership #JewishBusiness #coffeelovers Credits: Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Naomi Landis, Emma Law-Oppman, Ilana Kalach, Allison Fuller Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions Graphic by Shira Auman For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]
March 23, 202656min
Number 5: The Rabbi of Thieves: I Meet Successful People Everyday and Here's What They Are Missing | Rabbi Moshe Mayerfeld
In this inspiring episode, host Shai Davidai sits down with Rabbi Moshe Mayerfeld, rabbi, educator, and co-founder of Kii NYC. Rabbi Mayerfeld shares his remarkable journey from a small town in New Jersey to Israel, the UK, and finally Manhattan, discussing his family’s refugee roots, his early work with troubled youth, and his passion for building inclusive Jewish communities. The conversation explores themes of Jewish identity, the importance of community, and the difference between assimilation and integration. Rabbi Mayerfeld reflects on his experiences leading outreach in England and New York, the founding of Kii NYC, and the power of meeting people where they are. The episode is filled with heartfelt stories, wisdom about leadership and belonging, and a message of hope for the future of the Jewish people. Guest: Rabbi Moshe Mayerfeld Consider DONATING to help us continue and expand our media efforts. If you cannot at this time, please share this video with someone who might benefit from it. We thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/30c00151c COMING SOON BUY MERCH! SUPPORT SHAI ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/shaidavidai/about?utm_source=campaign-search-results 🔔 Subscribe now and never miss an episode 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: hereiamwithshaidavidai Tik Tok: hereiamwithshaidavidai / hereiamwithshaidavidai 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjR3q64nWDeBxkw7OISSpsg RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6pI03BMwAuQDbYIy4Zp6ah?si=2bd1c3f8a11c46cd #hereiampodcast #shaidavidai #RabbiMosheMayerfeld #jewishcommunity #jewishidentity #KiNYC #jewishpodcast #jewishdiaspora #jewishlife #jewishleadership #jewisheducation #jewishvalues #jewishtraditions #jewishculture #jewishhistory #jewishpride #jewishinspiration #jewishjourney #jewishroots #jewishfamily #JewishYouth #jewishfuture #communitybuilding #Inclusion #diversityandinclusion #integration #assimilation #NYCJewish #jewishstories #jewishwisdom #spirituality #rabbi #podcastinterview #JewishOutreach #jewishunity #jewishheritage #jewishlearning #jewishfaith #JewishPhilanthropy #jewishhope Credits: Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Naomi Landis, Emma Law-Oppman, Ilana Kalach, Allison Fuller Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions Graphic by Shira Auman For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]
March 09, 20261h 11min