For decades, Israel has been a leader in the global emergency response efforts from both governmental and civilian perspectives. In this week’s episode of IsraelCast, we’re honored to highlight IsraAID, an Israeli NGO, and welcome its Global CEO, Yotam Polizer. Since 2001, IsraAID has worked in emergency and long-term development settings in 55 countries, collaborating with communities at the deepest level, regardless of politics, religion, and ethnicity, working together for as long as it takes to provide relief where it’s needed. 

What if we told you that you never had to worry about curbing your sweet tooth ever again? Well, that may become reality sooner than you think thanks to DouxMatok’s Incredo® Sugar—a sugar reduction solution that doesn’t compromise the taste or the level of sweetness! On this week’s episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz chats with CEO, DouxMatok Ari Melamud about how Incredo® Sugar is able to accomplish such a feat and what this means for the future of personal nutrition.

If you’ve been a young Jewish adult or have raised one in the last twenty two years, chances are that you’ve heard of Birthright—a once-in-a-lifetime odyssey to the land of Israel. Since 1999, Birthright Israel Foundation has gifted more than 750,000 young Jewish adults from over 68 countries with this ten day trip to their ancestral homeland. This, in turn, has ensured a vibrant future of the Jewish people by strengthening their Jewish identities, communities and connections to Israel. According to a study at Brandeis University, Birthright alumni are 93% more likely to feel very connected to Israel than non-participants while 84% ultimately raised their children Jewish! Tune into this week’s episode of IsraelCast as host Steven Shalowitz sits down with the President and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation, Israel “Izzy” Tapoohi, to discuss the crucialness of gifting young Jewish adults with this trip to Israel and why it has such a positive, long-lasting impact on its participants.

Did you know that Jewish people have been in America since before the American Revolution? Meet Aryeh Green—a direct descendent of one of America’s first Jewish families and of many prominent Jewish American figures in later years. Green grew up incredibly proud of both his American and Jewish identities, but had not really dived into his Zionist identity. This all changed when he moved to Israel for rabbinical school, immersed himself in the culture and realized how crucial Zionism was to Judaism as a whole. Green eventually made Aliyah and has been living in Israel for over three decades. Tune into this week’s episode of IsraelCast as host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Aryeh Green to discuss the many aspects of his life in Israel, including his soul-healing trek on Israel’s famed National Trail.

Did you know that Jewish people have been in America since before the American Revolution? Meet Aryeh Green—a direct descendent of one of America’s first Jewish families and of many prominent Jewish American figures in later years. Green grew up incredibly proud of both his American and Jewish identities, but had not really dived into his Zionist identity. This all changed when he moved to Israel for rabbinical school, immersed himself in the culture and realized how crucial Zionism was to Judaism as a whole. Green eventually made Aliyah and has been living in Israel for over three decades. Tun into this week’s episode of IsraelCast as host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Aryeh Green to discuss the many aspects of his life in Israel, including his soul-healing trek on Israel’s famed National Trail.

Virág Gulyás is a former diplomat to the EU, communications consultant, and journalist. She is also the NYC coordinator for End Jew Hatred, a grassroots civil rights movement dedicated to ensuring Jewish liberation from centuries of persecution and achieving justice for the Jewish people through peaceful direct action.

Anti-Semitism, Anti-Israel, Anti-Zionism…what’s the difference? Is there a difference? This week on IsraelCast, author and educator Ben M. Freeman sits down with host Steven Shalowitz for an engaging conversation on Jewish pride. Tune in to hear about why Jewish people need to reject the shame of anti-Semitism imposed by the non-Jewish world and how to define your own Jewish identity through Jewish experiences, history, and values.

Yoseph Haddad is a defender of Israel – from his time defending Israel as a member of the Israel Defense Forces or more recently as the CEO of Together – Vouch For Each Other, an organization bridging the gap between the Arab sector of Israeli society with Israeli society as a whole. What surprises most people who hear him speak, though, is that this staunch supporter of Israel is not Jewish, but an Israeli-Arab himself. Tune into this week’s IsraelCast episode as Yoseph sits down with host, Steven Shalowitz, for a fascinating conversation on growing up in Israel, how his life was shaped by a life-threatening injury when he served in the IDF, and about his ongoing work with integrating Israeli Arabs into Israeli society.

From long shots to Olympians, Team Israel baseball is currently on a remarkable Cinderella run. After much success during three qualification tournaments, Team Israel won the Africa / Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament thus securing them as the first Israeli National Team since 1976 to qualify for an Olympic team competition. One man who has helped with the rise of popularity of baseball in Israel and Team Israel's recent accomplishments is Team Israel's General Manager, Peter Kurz. IsraelCast host, Steven Shalowitz, welcomes Peter to the show to discuss the players' stories and why they joined Team Israel, the pride of being associated with Team Israel, and how you can show your support as they head to Tokyo to compete for a gold medal.

Get an inside look at Israel and what it means to be Jewish through the eyes of David Kaufman, Architectural Digest’s Digital Director and a juror for Jewish National Fund-USA’s Envision Tomorrow’s Israel Competition. A Jew of color who was introduced to religion by his black Baptist grandmother, David expounds on the diversity of the Jewish experience, the captivating architecture of Tel Aviv, and what it means to be a creative person. Tune into this week’s IsraelCast episode as host Steven Shalowitz sits down with David, someone you may not know but will feel like a friend by the end of the conversation.