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Legacy Chronicles | Ep. 664: Joan Arnay Halperin: My Sister’s Eyes | HMTC

For most of her childhood, Joan Arnay Halperin never knew she had an older sister. Her parents had escaped Nazi-occupied Europe with their daughter, Yvonne, but the child died tragically in a Jamaican refugee camp. The loss was so painful that Joan’s mother could not speak Yvonne’s name for decades.

In Episode 664 of Legacy Chronicles, host Donna Rosenblum welcomes Joan, an educator and author of My Sister’s Eyes: A Family Chronicle of Rescue and Loss During World War II.

Joan traces her parents’ remarkable journey from Poland and Belgium through France, Portugal, Jamaica, and ultimately the United States. After Germany invaded Belgium in 1940, her father placed his family inside a Mercedes and drove south toward Bordeaux. There, Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes defied his government and issued the visas that saved them.

After approximately 18 months in Portugal, the family was evacuated to Gibraltar Camp in Jamaica. A bicycle accident left four-year-old Yvonne critically injured. Delayed medical treatment cost the child her life, leaving Joan’s parents with a grief they carried in silence.

Joan first learned that she had a sister at age 11, when a stranger recognized her by Yvonne’s eyes. Her mother did not reveal the full story until decades later, after Joan recovered family properties in Łódź. She then handed Joan a hidden photograph album bearing the words, “Yvonne, 1938 to 1942.”

The conversation also reveals how an unidentified Belgian woman preserved the family’s photographs, wedding gifts, silver, and other belongings throughout the war. Those rescued materials later became an invaluable visual record of the family’s history.

Joan explains how her mother’s testimony, family documents, and surviving photographs became the foundation of My Sister’s Eyes. She now shares the story with schools, universities, synagogues, and communities to promote empathy, strengthen historical understanding, and preserve her family’s legacy.

Joan is also developing an animated short to bring the story to younger audiences. Her mission is clear: inherited pain must not remain buried. Through education, it can become memory, empathy, and action.

Legacy Chronicles on hmTv | Host: Donna Rosenblum | Guest: Joan Arnay Halperin

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

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🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:17 Welcome and guest introduction
1:20 Ignas and Hala meet in prewar Poland
2:28 Attending the 1936 Berlin Olympics
2:43 Escaping the German invasion of Belgium
4:11 Sousa Mendes, Portugal, and evacuation to Jamaica
4:53 Growing up unaware of her parents’ history
5:48 The stranger who recognized Yvonne’s eyes
7:25 Discovering she had an older sister
7:47 Decades of silence and unspoken grief
9:14 Family members murdered at Treblinka
10:44 Recording Joan’s mother’s testimony
11:35 Recovering family properties in Łódź
12:51 The hidden album of Yvonne’s photographs
14:08 Life inside Jamaica’s Gibraltar Camp
14:51 The accident that claimed Yvonne’s life
15:48 Why Joan wrote My Sister’s Eyes
16:28 Discovering Aristides de Sousa Mendes
17:14 The famous and forgotten refugees he saved
17:56 Preserving photographs and historical evidence
18:36 Building a new life in America
20:22 The Belgian woman who saved everything
21:24 Creating and publishing the book
22:37 Carrying Yvonne’s memory and pain
23:55 Teaching empathy through personal history
24:49 Turning the story into an animated short
26 through:14 Joan’s commitment to Holocaust education
26:34 Closing reflections
27:07 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#LegacyChronicles #JoanArnayHalperin #MySistersEyes #HolocaustSurvivors #SecondGeneration #AristidesDeSousaMendes #HolocaustEducation #RefugeeStories #InheritedMemory #JewishHistory #EmpathyThroughEducation #HMTC

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Raised by Survivors | Ep. 663: How Holocaust Survivors Rebuilt Family in America | HMTC

For Holocaust survivors rebuilding their lives after the war, close friends often became family. They celebrated holidays together, raised their children together, helped one another through hardship, and created a community connected by shared history and an unspoken understanding.

In Episode 663 of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan reunites with longtime family friends Miriam Will and Rina Berman for a deeply personal journey through photographs, memories, Jewish traditions, and the enduring friendships formed by their families in Israel and New York.

Miriam and Rina share warm memories of Bernie’s parents, Moshe and Zenia Zahava Furshpan. Rina remembers arriving in America as a young wife and mother and finding a maternal figure in Zenia, who helped her care for her first child. Miriam recalls Zenia’s remarkable devotion to her family, including washing her twins’ diapers before sunrise and carefully dividing a watermelon into two perfectly equal portions.

Their stories reveal how survivor families created extended communities of support. They gathered for holidays, attended one another’s weddings and bar mitzvahs, traveled together, helped with household projects, and filled their basements with parties, laughter, and the friendships that made rebuilding possible.

Bernie reflects on his father’s childhood survival in the forest, his lifelong need to protect his family, and the extraordinary kindness he retained despite losing nearly everyone he loved. He also remembers the profound devotion between his parents and how his father cared for his mother through years of illness.

The conversation eventually reaches further into the past. Miriam recounts how her mother fled Warsaw against her father’s wishes, carrying food hidden inside a schoolbook, and later met Miriam’s father aboard a train escaping toward Russia. Rina describes how her father-in-law recognized the danger in Lomazy and led his family away before their neighbors or the Nazis could murder them.

Through humor, grief, affection, and remarkable family history, this episode demonstrates that Holocaust testimony is not limited to what was lost. It also lives in the families survivors created, the friendships they sustained, the traditions they preserved, and the stories their children now carry forward.

Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guests: Miriam Will and Rina Berman

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:18 Welcome and guest introductions
1:46 Miriam’s journey from Poland to Israel and America
2:45 Remembering Marcel Will and family life in Queens
3:57 Jewish identity and the fear of wearing a Magen David
5:24 Rina, Tzvika, and arriving in America
6:20 Zenia Furshpan’s devotion as a mother
7:00 Food, trauma, and caring for Moshe
7:46 The extraordinary love between Bernie’s parents
8:10 How Moshe’s survival shaped family life
9:11 Family photographs awaken old memories
10:34 Why survivor families gathered together
11:49 Bar mitzvah candles and honoring loved ones
13:11 Remembering relatives murdered in the Holocaust
14:56 Jewish traditions and accepting responsibility
16:55 Passing identity and memory to the next generation
17:58 Antisemitic myths and the return of old hatred
20:31 Family trips, holidays, and raising children together
22:41 A documentary creates an unexpected reunion
23:51 Hotel ashtrays, smoking, and humorous memories
24:48 Classic cars and working together in New York
26:00 The Puck Building and a powerful family connection
26:58 A community where everyone helped one another
28:42 Diapers, watermelon, and “the equalizer”
30:32 Zenia’s lifelong consideration for others
32:26 Joanne and the continuing presence of Bernie’s mother
33:35 Childhood memories of Yazur and Bat Yam
36:13 The matchmaker who introduced Bernie’s parents
37:44 Moshe’s illness and life after losing Zenia
39:03 Survival decisions and escaping by train
39:52 Rina’s family flees Lomazy
40:42 Miriam’s mother escapes Warsaw
41:51 A shared legacy for descendants of survivors
42:45 Jewish survival, homeland, and hope
44:24 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#RaisedBySurvivors #MiriamWill #RinaBerman #BernieFurshpan #HolocaustSurvivors #SecondGeneration #JewishFamily #InheritedMemory #JewishTraditions #SurvivorStories #HolocaustLegacy #HMTC

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Raised by Survivors | Guest: Oleg Frish

Title: Raised by Survivors | Ep. 662: Oleg Frish: From Soviet Ukraine to the American Stage | HMTC

Before Oleg Frish performed on celebrated New York stages, American music gave a young boy behind the Iron Curtain a window into another world. His childhood fascination with records eventually became a remarkable career spanning singing, broadcasting, cultural commentary, and interviews with legendary entertainers.

In Episode 662 of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan reunites with Oleg, a longtime friend, former client, and son of a Holocaust survivor.

Born in the Ukrainian region of the Soviet Union, Oleg grew up in a musical family. His father was a prominent conductor and People’s Artist of Ukraine, while his mother was a pianist and music teacher. As a child, Oleg spent his money on records and studied the names of composers, musicians, and performers printed on every album cover.

Oleg reflects on growing up with limited discussion of his Jewish roots and beginning to understand his Jewish identity more deeply after immigrating to the United States. He discusses the Yiddish words taught by his grandmothers, the changing character of Brighton Beach, and the importance of recognizing the distinct identities found across the former Soviet Union.

The conversation explores Oleg’s lifelong love of the Great American Songbook, his performances in multiple languages, and his rendition of “Hello, Dolly!” in more than 130 languages. He also recalls meeting and interviewing legendary artists, including Tony Bennett, James Brown, Keely Smith, Bobby Rydell, Claire Barry, Dudu Fisher, and Lalo Schifrin.

Oleg and Bernie also discuss the war between Russia and Ukraine, young people whose lives have become defined by waiting, and the human cost of conflict. Oleg’s position is deeply personal and direct: he opposes people killing one another, regardless of nationality, religion, or political identity.

The episode becomes a warm reunion between two entertainers whose paths crossed at New York’s Metropolitan Room. Together, they reflect on inherited memory, Jewish identity, immigration, friendship, cultural connection, and the power of entertainment to bring people together.

Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Oleg Frish

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc
🎵 youtube.com/olegfrish

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:18 Welcome and guest introduction
1:11 Oleg’s first visit to HMTC
2:32 Bernie and Oleg remember working together
3:32 A musical childhood in Soviet Ukraine
4:46 Collecting thousands of records and recordings
6:07 Family migration from Ukraine
7:09 Jewish identity in the Soviet Union
8:38 Discovering his Jewish roots in America
9:48 American music behind the Iron Curtain
10:57 Interviewing legendary entertainers
12:16 Recording Soviet songs with a jazz orchestra
13:03 Connecting cultures through music
13:25 Singing “Hello, Dolly!” in more than 130 languages
14:17 Foreign languages and the fading of Yiddish
15:30 How Brighton Beach has changed
17:51 Russian, Ukrainian, and Soviet identities
19:04 Oleg’s feelings about the war in Ukraine
21:26 Jewish communities around the world
22:05 Lalo Schifrin’s unexpected journey to Argentina
23:15 Performing for international Jewish audiences
23:49 Remembering the Metropolitan Room
25:14 Could the Metropolitan Room return?
26:08 Bernie’s transition to tolerance education
26:54 Oleg’s authenticity and humor onstage
27:38 Television, digital media, and Oleg’s archive
28:29 How inherited history shaped Bernie and Oleg
29:44 Future performances and an English-language podcast
30:19 Performing at Rabbi Pearl’s marathon
31:08 Friendship, family, and closing reflections
31:54 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#RaisedBySurvivors #OlegFrish #BernieFurshpan #GreatAmericanSongbook #JewishIdentity #SovietUkraine #Yiddish #HolocaustLegacy #ImmigrantStories #MusicAndMemory #CulturalConnection #HMTC

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hmTv Episode 661: Title & Description

Kibitz with Keren | Host: Doron Keren

Title: Kibitz with Keren | Ep. 661: Jewish Strength, Survival and “Never Again” | HMTC

For 14 months, Doron Keren’s grandfather, Ignacy Chiger, kept his family alive beneath the streets of Lvov. He broke through three feet of concrete, led his wife and two children into the sewers, and placed their survival in the hands of Leopold Socha, a sewer worker and petty thief who became a rescuer and Righteous Among the Nations.

In the premiere of Kibitz with Keren, Doron introduces a new hmTv series built around thoughtful conversation, respectful disagreement, Jewish history, and the search for practical wisdom.

The son of two Holocaust survivors, Doron reflects on growing up in a family defined not by constant sadness, but by gratitude, laughter, resilience, and an understanding that freedom can never be taken for granted.

He challenges a familiar interpretation of “Never Again.” To Doron, it does not mean keeping one’s head down or avoiding attention. It means becoming capable, prepared, and strong enough to protect families, communities, institutions, and future generations.

The episode examines assimilation, rising antisemitism, Jewish achievement, and the cultural habits that have encouraged education, curiosity, responsibility, innovation, and debate. Doron introduces havruta, the Jewish tradition of learning through questions and disagreement, as a model for discovering better answers.

He also outlines the six pillars of Jewish strength that the series will explore: havruta, Israeli innovation, achievement and resentment, preparation, Jewish sovereignty, and values-based philanthropy.

Kibitz with Keren will not be an echo chamber. Doron invites listeners to laugh, question assumptions, disagree honestly, and leave each conversation feeling lighter, stronger, and more hopeful.

Kibitz with Keren on hmTv | Host: Doron Keren

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Introduction
0:17 Welcome to Kibitz with Keren
0:49 What does “kibitz” mean?
2:16 A family’s survival beneath Lvov
3:40 Leopold Socha and Ignacy Chiger’s memoir
4:09 The only surviving family with two children
5:08 Growing up as the son of Holocaust survivors
6:02 “Never Again” means capable and prepared
6:22 Assimilation and the lessons of history
7:18 Jewish achievement and cultural habits
7:59 Havruta and learning through disagreement
8:25 The unspoken lessons of Doron’s parents
9:03 Prosperity, comfort, and complacency
9:53 Finding strength when history demands it
10:20 Standing taller and building stronger communities
11:17 Introducing the six pillars of Jewish strength
11:28 Havruta and Israeli innovation
11:46 Achievement, resentment, and preparation
12:12 Jewish sovereignty and values-based philanthropy
12:46 Respectful disagreement, not an echo chamber
13:18 Choosing hope over despair
13:35 The Jewish story of resilience and rebuilding
13:49 Closing reflections
14:07 Previewing the next conversation
14:30 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#KibitzWithKeren #DoronKeren #JewishStrength #JewishResilience #NeverAgain #HolocaustMemory #Lvov #LeopoldSocha #RighteousAmongTheNations #Havruta #JewishHistory #HMTC

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Education in Motion | Ep. 660: Elizabeth Moore-Frederiksen: Leaving White Supremacy | HMTC

Elizabeth “Liz” Moore-Frederiksen looked around a room filled with extremists and recognized a devastating truth: the only thing holding them together was whom they hated. That moment of clarity helped her begin the frightening journey out of white supremacy.

In Episode 660 of Education in Motion, host Zachary Graulich speaks with Liz, a human rights educator, writer, and former spokesperson for the Heritage Front, once Canada’s largest white supremacist hate group.

Liz explains how uncertainty about her identity, isolation at home, bullying, and a desire for belonging made her vulnerable to recruitment. A trusted friend handed her several flyers, leading her to a telephone hotline, extremist literature, and eventually the organization’s leadership. Although she was raised by staunchly anti-Nazi and anti-racist parents, much of her radicalization occurred quietly in her bedroom.

The conversation reveals how hate groups initially attract people through promises of community, empowerment, and purpose. Liz describes how racist language, conspiracy theories, antisemitism, and Holocaust denial were introduced gradually until they distorted her entire worldview. She compares antisemitism within extremist movements to the hum of a refrigerator, always present in the background and informing nearly everything.

Liz also recounts the contradictions that caused her to question the movement, including learning that its leaders had deliberately lied to her so she would repeat those lies publicly. With help from filmmakers, Bernie Farber, and the Canadian Jewish Congress, she began the long process of disengagement and deradicalization.

More than three decades later, Liz continues speaking publicly to educate people about extremism and demonstrate that transformation is possible. Through GrowthShifters, she also helps organizations adopt artificial intelligence responsibly while addressing bias, realistic AI-generated propaganda, human rights, and the urgent need for evolving media literacy.

Her message for anyone overwhelmed by today’s hatred and division is simple: do not give up hope. People can change, communities can heal, and hate does not have to have the final word.

Education in Motion on hmTv | Host: Zachary Graulich | Guest: Elizabeth “Liz” Moore-Frederiksen

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:17 Welcome and guest introduction
1:57 Upbringing, isolation, and vulnerability
5:25 Identity and the search for belonging
6:38 How hate groups promise community
8:19 Understanding the Heritage Front
8:51 Recruitment through a trusted friend
14:41 How personal trust accelerates recruitment
16:14 Becoming a prominent spokesperson
21:42 When belonging gradually becomes hatred
25:20 Antisemitism and Holocaust denial
29:22 Holocaust distortion in the age of AI
30:33 The moments that triggered disengagement
38:14 Deradicalization without an established roadmap
41:37 Why Liz continues sharing her story
44:08 GrowthShifters and the dangers of AI
45:02 Responsible AI and evolving media literacy
48:37 A final message for listeners
49:16 Do not give up hope
50:03 Closing reflections
50:27 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#EducationInMotion #ElizabethMooreFrederiksen #Deradicalization #WhiteSupremacy #Antisemitism #HolocaustDenial #ExtremismPrevention #HumanRightsEducation #ResponsibleAI #MediaLiteracy #HopeOverHate #HMTC

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Ordinary Heroes | Ep. 659: SocialLite: Reclaiming Attention from Social Media | HMTC

A father’s one-month no-scrolling challenge inspired two young entrepreneurs to confront one of their generation’s greatest problems: addictive social media design. In less than seven months, SocialLite’s creators say their solution reached approximately 600,000 downloads and 50,000 daily users.

In Episode 659 of Ordinary Heroes, host Bernie Furshpan speaks with SocialLite co-founders Mason Israel and Malek Shaw about their movement to help people reclaim their time, attention, and real-world relationships.

SocialLite offers a lighter social-media experience by removing Reels, Shorts, Spotlight, advertisements, recommended posts, and other features designed to encourage endless scrolling. Users can still communicate with friends and view posts from people they deliberately follow without being pulled into algorithmically selected feeds.

Mason and Malek explain how outrage, emotional engagement, short-form videos, and dopamine-driven design keep users watching. They discuss the effects on attention spans, mental health, critical thinking, and interpersonal relationships, as well as the challenge of staying socially connected without surrendering hours to a screen.

The conversation also explores how the longtime friends built SocialLite with help from artificial intelligence, fellow developers, and a community that provided constant feedback. They describe their free and premium models, adjustable filtering options, planned tools for parents, and their vision for bringing SocialLite into high schools and colleges.

Their mission is larger than building another app. SocialLite aims to return social media to its original purpose: helping people remain connected while giving them greater control over their time and attention.

Ordinary Heroes on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guests: Mason Israel and Malek Shaw

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

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🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc
📱 SocialLite: Search “SocialLite” in the Apple App Store

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Introduction
0:46 Meet Mason Israel and Malek Shaw
0:49 The meaning behind the name SocialLite
1:46 Reaching approximately 600,000 downloads
2:07 The no-scrolling challenge that inspired the app
3:18 How algorithms reward outrage and engagement
4:17 Dopamine, addiction, and mental-health concerns
5:16 How SocialLite stops endless scrolling
6:07 Daily users and posts from people you follow
7:58 Modifying the big-tech experience
8:21 Returning social media to its original purpose
9:21 Promoting SocialLite before it existed
10:04 Big tech, harmful content, and user feedback
10:56 Replacing ten hours of scrolling with healthier activities
12:09 Developing a collaborative version for parents
13:02 Adjustable filters and messaging-only options
14:10 Building the app with AI and community support
15:10 Early testing and intentionally slowing the experience
16:32 Protecting the partnership and the mission
17:48 Best friends and business partners since childhood
18:35 Constructive disagreements strengthen the team
19:17 Making SocialLite accessible through a free version
21:23 From a business to a worldwide movement
22:03 Potential pushback from major technology companies
22:29 Malek’s personal vision for SocialLite
23:00 Digital life and the loss of in-person connection
24:04 Traveling from Boulder to Long Island
25:02 Bringing SocialLite into schools and colleges
25:55 How to find the app
26:05 Closing reflections
27:06 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#OrdinaryHeroes #SocialLite #MasonIsrael #MalekShaw #SocialMediaAddiction #DigitalWellbeing #EndlessScrolling #AttentionEconomy #MentalHealth #TechForGood #YouthEntrepreneurs #HMTC

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When Chuck Lavine used the word “demagoguery” during his first campaign for the New York State Assembly, someone told him he had never heard the term before. Chuck’s reaction was immediate: that is dangerous. Democracy is most vulnerable when citizens cannot recognize lies, fearmongering, and political manipulation.

In Part 3 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel concludes his conversation with New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine. They examine money and influence in politics, AIPAC’s changing role, the responsibilities of interest groups, and the importance of distinguishing political support from political control.

The discussion turns to America’s democratic experiment, immigration, civic education, and the urgent need to teach history honestly, even when the truth is uncomfortable. Alan shares how deeply his Holocaust-survivor father loved the country that gave him a new life, while Chuck reflects on students who increasingly fear expressing their opinions openly.

Alan and Chuck also address the treatment of former Congressman Dan Goldman, the absence of Jewish representation on New York City’s judicial advisory committee, and the American principle that attorneys must not be condemned for representing unpopular clients. They warn that political desperation frequently produces demagoguery, exclusion, and selective standards.

When asked what liberal Zionist Jewish Democrats should do when confronted by hostility within their own party, Chuck offers direct advice: stand up and fight for what is right. The conversation also explores gerrymandering, local political history, the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, and continuing efforts to pass the HOPE Act in New York.

The series concludes with a call for civic courage, historical understanding, and active political participation. Democracy does not defend itself. It depends upon citizens who recognize demagoguery, reject antisemitism, support principled candidates, and remain committed to truth.

Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:17 Welcome and Part 2 recap
0:52 Money, politics, and AIPAC
1:11 AIPAC, partisanship, and interest groups
2:27 Lobbyists, influence, and political decency
3:50 Demagoguery and why history matters
5:10 Civics, education, and democratic responsibility
5:47 The American experiment and coexistence
7:24 Immigration and American identity
7:58 A Holocaust survivor’s love for America
9:11 Students’ fear of speaking openly
9:51 Dan Goldman, Israel, and political targeting
11:47 Jewish representation on New York City’s judicial advisory committee
13:26 The mayor’s explanation and Jewish exclusion
14:16 The right to counsel and John Adams
15:57 Political desperation and dangerous rhetoric
17:09 Advice to liberal Jewish Democrats
18:30 Stand up and fight for what is right
19:08 Gerrymandering and democratic representation
19:43 Bayville redistricting and Theodore Roosevelt
20:49 An Election Day lesson and a JFK punchline
21:55 The IHRA working definition of antisemitism
22:54 The HOPE Act and codifying IHRA in New York
24:06 Legislative battles and persistence
24:41 Supporting candidates who reject antisemitism
25:59 Closing reflections
26:12 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #Antisemitism #Demagoguery #AmericanDemocracy #IHRA #HOPEAct #JewishDemocrats #CivicEducation #Gerrymandering #PoliticalCourage #HMTC

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Influential Origins | Ep. 657: Chuck Lavine: Demagoguery, Antisemitism and Israel (Part 2) | HMTC

Chuck Lavine’s grandmother survived a pogrom by hiding beneath a wagon filled with hay as friends were murdered. His other grandmother lost a younger brother who was killed in an antisemitic attack. Not one member of his European family survived the Nazi regime.

In Part 2 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel continues his conversation with New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine about demagoguery, democracy, antisemitism, Israel, and the disappearance of civility from American political debate.

Chuck defines demagoguery as the use of lies, distortions, and fear to exploit people’s baser instincts. He and Alan examine how political extremes create permission for hatred, why many Americans have become afraid to speak openly, and how intimidation, ideological purity, and so-called “alternative facts” undermine democratic institutions.

The conversation addresses the Democratic Socialists of America, the treatment of candidates who have visited Israel, the proposed Not on Our Dime legislation, and the selective scrutiny directed toward the Jewish state. Alan and Chuck distinguish legitimate criticism of Israeli policies from language that portrays Israel as uniquely evil or denies the Jewish people’s historical connection to the land.

They also debate Iran, the risks of open-ended military conflict, Netanyahu’s proposed judicial changes, and the need for accountability surrounding October 7. Throughout the discussion, both emphasize that complicated political questions require facts, historical understanding, and honest debate rather than slogans.

Grounded in his family’s experiences with pogroms, antisemitic violence, and the Holocaust, Chuck argues that Jewish Americans must remain strong, united, and willing to defend their rights through democratic institutions. His message is clear: disagreement is essential to democracy, but reducing a complex conflict to a story with one entirely innocent side and one entirely evil side is demagoguery.

Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:18 Welcome and defining political demagoguery
1:58 The DSA, Israel, and political reaction
3:31 How political extremes create permission for hatred
3:53 Debate, consensus, and American democracy
5:34 Jewish students and the refusal to engage
6:43 Dangerous times and the fear of speaking openly
7:25 Political intimidation, truth, and public discourse
9:51 Growing intolerance within political parties
11:11 Jewish leadership and rising antisemitism
11:55 Childhood antisemitism and a grandmother’s advice
13:08 Criticizing Israeli policy while defending Israel
14:04 Jewish strength, Israeli security, and Iran
17:29 Extremism and fears of an open-ended war
19:00 Israel’s judiciary and accountability after October 7
20:02 The Not on Our Dime legislation
22:23 State governance, foreign policy, and political messaging
23:16 Selective scrutiny and inflammatory labels
25:05 Diversity and democracy within Israel
25:50 Holocaust history and the meaning of genocide
26:49 Family experiences with pogroms and Holocaust loss
27:55 Defending Jewish rights through American democracy
28:48 Israel’s diverse population and complicated history
29:15 Closing and Part 3 preview
29:27 hmTv outro

──────────────────

#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #CharlesLavine #Antisemitism #Israel #Demagoguery #AmericanDemocracy #JewishHistory #PoliticalExtremism #HolocaustHistory #NewYorkStateAssembly #HMTC

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Influential Origins | Ep. 656: Chuck Lavine: Civil Rights and Rising Antisemitism (Part 1) | HMTC

Growing up as one of the few Jewish children in small Midwestern communities taught Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine how to understand people, recognize danger, and navigate unfamiliar environments. Those early lessons would later become invaluable in the courtroom and the political arena.

In Part 1 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel speaks with the New York State assemblymember and chair of the Judiciary Committee about his journey from Wisconsin and Michigan to New York Law School, criminal defense practice, local government, and the State Assembly.

Chuck recalls watching police dogs attack children during the civil rights movement and losing people from neighboring communities during the Vietnam War. Those experiences inspired him to become a lawyer and help build a fairer society. As a young public defender, he learned that the attorney’s responsibility is not to judge a client but to protect the integrity of the justice system.

The conversation also explores Jewish immigration, marriage equality, civil rights, American democracy, and the value of vigorous debate. Chuck connects Jewish traditions of questioning and argument with the American commitment to examining competing ideas and seeking consensus.

Alan and Chuck then confront the dramatic rise of antisemitism, the return of accusations questioning Jewish loyalty, and growing political divisions surrounding Israel. Chuck describes Jewish communities as “the canaries in the coal mine,” often recognizing early warning signs before hatred expands toward other groups.

The episode concludes with a candid discussion of criticism of Israel, the Democratic Socialists of America, the meaning many Jews associate with “From the river to the sea,” and the challenge political parties face when disagreement crosses into hostility. Part 2 will examine how both major parties respond when extremists gain influence within their ranks.

Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County

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🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Opening
0:18 Welcome and guest introduction
0:30 Growing up in Wisconsin and Michigan
1:20 Jewish identity in the Upper Midwest
2:43 Vietnam and the civil rights movement
3:52 From Wisconsin to New York City
4:34 Choosing a career in criminal law
5:52 Lessons from working as a public defender
6:54 From practicing laws to writing them
7:54 Democratic politics and civil-rights progress
9:02 Constitutional responsibility and American democracy
9:40 Jewish refugees and the promise of America
10:35 Marriage equality and a pluralistic society
11:24 Rising antisemitism in New York
13:46 Visible hatred and political extremism
16:18 Jews as the canaries in the coal mine
17:07 Torah, truth, and a tradition of argument
18:29 Debate and consensus in American democracy
20:08 Jewish Democrats and political belonging
21:38 Israel, dissent, and democratic criticism
22:58 The DSA, Israel, and troubling political slogans
24:54 The challenge facing both political parties
25:26 Closing and Part 2 preview

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#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #CharlesLavine #NewYorkStateAssembly #CivilRights #Antisemitism #JewishIdentity #AmericanDemocracy #CriminalJustice #MarriageEquality #PublicService #HMTC

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The Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 655: Keith Godwin: Recovery Through Laughter (Part 3) | HMTC

Keith Godwin was not expected to survive after his car overturned and caught fire in 2000. He lost several fingers, battled depression, and continued struggling with alcohol and drugs. Four years later, he entered recovery and began rebuilding his life one decision at a time.

In Part 3 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli concludes his conversation with United States Marine Corps veteran Keith Godwin. Keith reflects on more than 22 years of sobriety and the life-changing support he received from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including treatment, education, vocational rehabilitation, and a prosthetic hand.

After returning to school, Keith became a counselor and spent two decades helping veterans confront addiction, trauma, and personal struggles. He describes the powerful bond created when veterans share not only their pain, but also laughter, friendship, and hope.

The conversation also explores Keith’s career in comedy, from opening for Gilbert Gottfried and working with comedians Rich Vos and Tim Dillon to co-founding Comedy to Go. Through shows supporting veterans, first responders, recovery groups, and charitable causes, Keith discovered that laughter could become both a bridge and a form of healing.

Keith’s message to his son, fellow veterans, and anyone struggling with the past is simple: acknowledge your mistakes, accept responsibility, and do the next right thing. His journey proves that recovery is possible, laughter can restore quality of life, and surviving can become truly living.

The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Keith Godwin

Executive Producer and Director: Bernie Furshpan

A production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County

🌐 hmtcli.org
🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781
▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc

─── CHAPTERS ───

0:00 Introduction
0:19 Welcome and Part 2 recap
0:40 Living instead of merely existing
1:08 The fiery car crash that nearly took Keith’s life
1:54 Helping veterans through shared experience
2:39 More than 22 years clean and sober
2:50 How the VA helped Keith rebuild his life
3:25 Returning to the Northport VA
3:53 Humor therapy and veteran camaraderie
4:51 Finding confidence through comedy
5:08 Creating Comedy to Go
5:55 Performing with Rich Vos and Tim Dillon
6:39 The intelligence behind great comedy
7:14 Long Island’s legendary comedians
8:28 Connecting with veterans through shared humor
9:30 Opening for Gilbert Gottfried
10:07 Turning personal struggles into comedy
10:42 The healing power of laughter
11:05 Military comedy and Robin Williams
12:13 Producing comedy and helping others
13:22 Teaching his son to do the next right thing
14:02 How laughter transformed Keith’s life
14:28 Closing reflections
15:11 hmTv outro

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#FogOfWarAndHumanity #KeithGodwin #USMarineCorps #MarineVeteran #AddictionRecovery #VeteranRecovery #HumorTherapy #ComedyHeals #DoTheNextRightThing #VeteranSupport #Sobriety #HMTC

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