This episode of Identity/Crisis was originally released on Tuesday, March 10, 2026

What does it mean to tell Jewish stories in a moment of political polarization and distortion?

On this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela to examine the role of the historian in public life: not to offer talking points or easy analogies, but to deepen public understanding in a time of simplification and certainty. Through a conversation about education, Jewish identity, and the place of Jews in American history, they consider why richer storytelling matters—and what it can offer to students, Jews, and the broader public.

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In a polarized age, how do we raise young Jews who can think deeply—and listen across disagreement?

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer talks with principal of SAR High School Jonathan Kroll about his recent commencement address to SAR’s graduating class of 2026, where he challenged students to embrace a “revolution of moderation,” and integrate conviction with openness. Together, they explore pluralism in Orthodox education, the formation of Jewish identity, and what it means to prepare the next generation for a divided world—without sacrificing commitment or clarity.

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With the marketplace of ideas outpacing our ability to discern truth, who still cares about keeping up with journalistic standards?

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with journalist Abigail Pogrebin to explore how media, authority, and public conversation are changing as traditional standards of journalism dissolve and algorithms shape what we see and believe. They turn to the Jewish community to examine how these shifts are intensifying polarization and defining who gets to speak—and who gets heard. Together, they consider what responsibility these changing standards places on those who shape public conversation to hold complexity without collapsing it.

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As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, what foundational elements of the American Jewish story do we need to reframe?

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer reflects on the approaching 250th anniversary of the United States with journalist and author Nicholas Lemann. Together they explore the long arc of American Jewish life—from the promise of belonging and dual identity to today’s climate of political instability and rising antisemitism. Drawing on Lemann’s sweeping family history, the subject  of his new book Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries, their conversation asks what it means to inhabit both insider and outsider identities at once and what new stories—and commitments—might sustain Jewish life in America moving forward.

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Learn more about the America at 250 initiative from the Hartman Institute HERE

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Join the Hartman Beit Midrash for America at 250.

Learn more about and register for Hartman's summer programs in Jerusalem.

What does a clash between a Catholic Vice President and the Pope reveal about authority, war, and theological responsibility? 

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with renowned Princeton University Professor Robert George to unpack what's happening at the intersection of Catholic faith and American political power. From six Catholic Supreme Court justices to the growing appeal of traditional religion among young people, from the proper limits of papal authority to the alarming rise of antisemitism in traditionalist Catholic circles, this conversation spans two millennia of church-state entanglement to illuminate this American moment. 

This episode was originally released on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

This episode is in honor of Abe Foxman, z”l

What does moral courage look like in an age of rising antisemitism and political polarization?

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by longtime ADL

Are Trump, Netanyahu, and Iran acting like rational players—or are we misreading the logic of this war entirely?

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Chief Policy Officer at the Israel Policy Forum, Michael Koplow to assess a volatile and uncertain moment in U.S.–Iran–Israel relations. Amid a fragile ceasefire, they explore conflicting logics and interests driving American, Israeli, and Iranian decision-making, from domestic political pressure to competing visions of regional power. Their conversation considers whether military success can translate into lasting strategic gains, how the war is reshaping Israel’s relationship with the United States, and what it means for American Jews caught between support for Israel’s legitimacy and concern about its policies.

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Read the Kogod Research Center’s new White Paper, Building

When a mystical tradition meant for an elite few becomes a popular spiritual

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, guest host Deborah Barer is joined by scholar of Kabbalah Daniel Matt for a conversation about the Omer and the modern turn toward mindfulness and self‑improvement. Tracing the journey of the Zohar from esoteric text to widely accessible guide, they explore what is gained—and what may be lost—when contemplations of the divine are redirected inward, toward the self. Along the way, they ask how Jewish mysticism understands responsibility, ethics, and community, and what it

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Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:

Learn how Hartman is building the pipeline of young Jewish leadership.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, what does this moment reveal about the future of the American- Jewish experiment? 

In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by The Atlantic’s editor‑in‑chief Jeffrey Goldberg for a conversation about American-Jewish power, flourishing, and fear. Reflecting on the unprecedented success of Jewish life in the United States — and the growing sense that the liberal project that made it possible is under strain — they wrestle with antisemitism before and after October 7, the erosion of pluralism from both the right and the left, and the enduring Jewish tension between pessimism and hope.  

This conversation was recorded at an event convened by the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Washington, DC center for Judaism, Israel, and Public Policy, at the Capital Jewish Museum on April 16th. 

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What does it mean to inherit Europe’s Jewish past while living through antisemitism’s unsettling return in the present? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with historian and author Flora Cassen to explore the differences between European and American Jewish life, the promises and limits of Holocaust memory, and the ways antisemitism resurfaces across political and cultural contexts. The conversation moves between history and memoir, asking how Jews make sense of power, vulnerability, and belonging in a moment when old assumptions no longer feel secure.

You can find Flora’s book HERE

 Register for Flora's book talk, Past as Prologue: Rethinking Antisemitism Today with Flora Cassen and Arno Rosenfeld, presented in partnership with the Forward HERE.

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Register to join Yossi Klein Halevi in Vancouver, Detroit, and Palo Alto and Yehuda Kurtzer in Toronto!