Jewanced

Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President, Koret Distinguished Fellow, and Chair of the Core Curriculum at Shalem College. Previously the vice president of the Mandel Foundation in Israel and director of its Leadership Institute, Gordis was also the founding dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Author of numerous books, a regular columnist for Bloomberg View and The Jerusalem Post, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, The Times of Israel, and other leading news outlets, Gordis lectures throughout the world on Israeli society, American-Israeli relations, and the challenges facing the Jewish state.

Dr. Gordis is a two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award, first for Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End (Wiley, 2010), and then for his Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn (Ecco, 2017), a comprehensive yet accessible single-volume history of the state of Israel from its inception to the present day.

Dr. Gordis’s other books include Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel’s Soul (Nextbook, 2014), an original examination of Israel’s sixth Prime Minister, and The Promise of Israel, Why Its Seemingly Greatest Weakness is Actually its Greatest Strength (Wiley, 2012), which was named by Jewish Ideas Daily as one of the “best Jewish books of 2012.”

On this episode of Jewanced, we discussed the following topics and more with Daniel:

• Shalem College, Israel’s first liberal arts college. We review the typical Israeli post-secondary education model and Daniel explains why a place like Shalem is so necessary
• Daniel shares some thoughts about his recent Covid-19 vaccination that demonstrate the efficiency of the process in Israel and an ‘only in Israel’ moment
• Jewish life in the post-Coronavirus crisis era: we talk about how life for Jews in America is going to become harder, for how Jews in Israel, life is going to become easier, and how that affects relations between the two communities
• The renaissance of Jewish learning in North America amongst non-traditional streams of Judaism
• The potential societal impact of an Israel at peace with her neighbors on Israelis, Arabs, and on American Jewry and legacy Jewish organizations in the US
• The shifting hierarchies of power in the Jewish religious world (in all of its streams) and the possible effects of the post-Covid reality on Haredi society
• The irrelevancy of the streams of American Judaism (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox – all American creations) in Israel for Israelis
• Americans perceiving being Jewish primarily as a religion whereas in Israel, being Jewish is perceived (traditional stance) as a tribal peoplehood – ethnicity with a specific belief system – Judaism. I.E. in America, Jew is to Christian whereas in Israel, Jew is to Arab. Another example is that in America, one would answer the question ‘who is more Jewish’ based on their level of religious observance whereas in Israel, it’s a ridiculous question. One’s level of observance has nothing to do with whether one is more or less Jewish than another. You can’t be more or less Jewish. 
• Worry about the substance of North American Judaism in a context where Israel is less of a tying bind or issue
• The ‘burning out’ of Tikkun Olam as what being Jewish is about in the US
• American Jews, Israelis, and resilience
• Zionism, social change and liberation movements
• Daniel talks about his relationship with Peter Beinart who, he feels, as an advocate for the end of Zionism and Israel as a Jewish State has become an enemy of the Jewish people
• What Jewish and Democratic looks like in the Israeli...

MK Michal Cotler-Wunsh is a parliamentarian serving in Israel's parliament - the Knesset - representing the Blue & White party. She entered the Knesset less than a year ago as part of Israel’s implementation of the controversial ‘Norwegian Law’ when the recently-fallen National Unity government between her party and the Likud was formed. In a relatively short period of time, Cotler-Wunsh has become one of the country’s most outspoken MK’s on a variety of critically important issues such as immigration & absorption, Anti-Semitism and social media, Israel’s participation in international human rights institutions, truth and reconciliation for Israel’s Mizrahi citizens, political and cultural corruption, relations between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, returning Israelis from captivity in Gaza, and economic policies during the Coronavirus crisis. 

Her mother, Ariela Ze’evi served as the late PM Menachem Begin’s parliamentary secretary and Michal grew up having very close relations with the Begin family (during Knesset sessions, her daycare would be with Aliza Begin in the Prime Minister’s residence). When she was 7, she moved to Canada after her mother married Canadian politician and human rights advocate Irwin Cotler. After growing up in Canada, Cotler-Wunsh made Aliyah to serve as a lone soldier. Later, she would return to Canada, after which she returned to Israel eight years ago with her spouse and four children.

During her military service as an officer in various training and command positions, she became aware of the complexity of the Israeli social mosaic.

Michal received her LL.B. from the Hebrew University Faculty of Law and an LL.M from the McGill University Faculty of Law in Montreal, Canada. As part of her master’s degree thesis (entitled, 'Addressing Power Imbalances in Divorce Mediation: Family, Feminism, and Foucault'), she studied power imbalances and how to address them in mediation processes, including a analysis from a gender perspective.

While studying law at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, she worked as the assistant to the current President of the Supreme Court, Justice Miriam Naor, in her previous position as a District Court justice during the Deri trial. Additionally, she worked in the Ministry of Justice in consultation and legislation and coordinated the Civil Codification Committee chaired by Justice Aharon Barak on the ministry's behalf. In addition, she worked as an attorney in the private sector. During her years in Canada, she worked in mediation, formal and informal education, and extensive public activity.

Michal’s key roles before being elected to the Knesset include a being fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism and a board member of Tzav Pius ('Reconciliation Order'), a nonprofit that strives to bring together Israelis who hold different worldviews on the religious-secular spectrum. Currently, she is writing her doctoral thesis in an international interdisciplinary program for ethics, law, and politics at the Hebrew University, researching freedom of speech and its effects, in its various contexts. In her work in the Law in the Service of the Community program at Tel Aviv University, she studied the issue of legal services to nonprofit organizations, which led to significant involvement in the field. In her most recent position, she was the director of the international relations department at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya and was in charge of sexual harassment prevention. Among other things, she headed efforts to plan, develop, and strengthen connections between Israel and the Diaspora in various contexts, while raising awareness and providing profound exposure to challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, she initiated and directed student and alumni preparedness for...

Ranked by the Jerusalem Post as one of the world’s top 50 most influential Jews, Russell Robinson is the iconic CEO of JNF-USA, one of the Jewish world’s largest and leading philanthropic organizations. Under his leadership, the JNF has proven over and over its influence and impact in Zionist advocacy and education, Jewish community development, environmental work, developing the Negev and the Galilee, Israel travel, and so much more. 

In this episode, Dan and Benny talk to Russell about everything from his growing up in the small Jewish community of El Paso, Texas to leading the JNF to become one of the most well-recognized non-profits anywhere, his positive thoughts about the current and future shape and identity of the Jewish Diaspora, JNF’s response to the Covid-19 economic crisis, the truly amazing initiatives and endeavors being developed by the JNF in Israel today,  and the challenges of campaign development in the ever-changing reality of the 21st century.  

Links:

#36 – Russell Robinson on the Jerusalem Post’s list of the 50 most influential Jews of 2020

Jnf.org

JNF’s Vision – Outlining the organization's strategy of a $1b ‘Roadmap’ for the next decade

JNF’s ‘Go North’ strategic initiative to strengthen and grow the Galilee region, vital for the long-term prosperity of the Jewish homeland.

JNF’s ‘Blueprint Negev’ strategic initiative to revitalize Southern Israel, which calls for the population of the region to double in size and aims to improve quality of life for all its residents and encourage a population shift away from crowded, expensive central Israel.

AMHSI – The Alexander Muss High School in Israel

Visit Israel with JNF

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For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

Chanukah O' Chanukah!

This episode on Jewanced, we take a deep dive into everything Chanukah with Rabbi Prof. Jeffrey Woolf as we dig into real story behind how and why Jews celebrate the iconic 8-day festival of lights and the holiday’s fascinating evolution throughout the ages. We also ponder its meaning as we find parallel themes between the uncertainty and unrest of its ancient era to our current social and political landscape.

Rabbi Prof. Jeffrey R. Woolf is an internationally known scholar, lecturer and public figure. He is an Associate Professor in the Talmud Department at Bar-Ilan University, specializing in the History of Halakhah, Medieval and Renaissance Jewish History, the Philosophy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, and the inter-action between Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

He received his PhD in Medieval Jewish History at Harvard University and spent two years at Yale University as a Post-Doctoral Fellow. Rabbi Woolf studied for nine and a half years under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik זצ”ל, from whom he received semikhah (rabbinic ordination) in 1982.

He is a leading advocate and spokesman for Modern Orthodoxy. In Israel, he is a member of the Executive Committee of Maaleh: The Center for Religious Zionism and served on the Central Committee of Israel’s Bayt Yehudi (Jewish Home) Party.

Rabbi Dr. Woolf is a much sought-after lecturer, addressing a broad swath of issues and topics. Proficient in five languages (English, Hebrew, French, Italian, German), he has lectured throughout Israel, North America, and Europe. He is frequently interviewed in the media, both in Israel and abroad. 

He has edited three books, among them the most recent translation of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s classic work, Kol Dodi Dofeq. His latest book was The Fabric of Religious Life in Medieval Ashkenaz (1000-1300), Leiden 2015. He is presently working on a book of essays on Israeli Orthodoxy and its encounter with modernity.

Links:

@JeffreyWoolf on Twitter

Rabbi Woolf on Academia.edu, containing a selection of published papers, book reviews, talks, and other posts.

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

 For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by the amazing Melanie Maron Pell, the Managing Director of AJC’s network of 24 regional offices across the United States.

Together with Ben & Dan, Melanie reflects on over 20 years of advancing AJC’s global mission, the rising significance of subnational diplomacy, the challenge of maintaining authentic nonpartisanship in a highly partisan world, the shifting nature of the US-Israel relationship, combatting shape-shifting Antisemitism, generational differences in American Jewish culture, the changing political perspectives of much of the American Jewish community, and much more.

As Managing Director of Regional Offices, Melanie Pell oversees AJC’s network of 24 regional offices. She was previously AJC Associate Director of Regional Offices and Director of Regional Engagement. In that role, Melanie worked to expand AJC’s presence in communities across the U.S. and coordinated several successful agency-wide advocacy campaigns, including the Mayors United Against Antisemitism and the Governors United Against BDS initiatives. Prior to assuming her national role, Melanie was Director of AJC Washington D.C., where she oversaw all regional office activities and represented AJC in a variety of diplomatic, civic, and intergroup settings. Melanie joined AJC in 2001 as Assistant Director of AJC Chicago. Melanie graduated with honors from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and magna cum laude from the University of Louisville.

Links:

AJC’s website, ajc.org

AJC’s #Translate Hate Glossary – To help you know it when you see it, AJC defined some frequently-used Antisemitic words and symbols you may find hiding in plain sight—from the internet to pop culture.

AJC Project Interchange - Project Interchange has achieved an international reputation as the premier forum for directly introducing diverse global thought leaders to Israel.

AJC’s Regional Offices

AJC Advocacy Anywhere - Advocacy Anywhere, Powered by AJC is a new platform that enables you to engage with AJC’s leading expertise, content, and advocacy opportunities from wherever you are, using cutting-edge technology.

To get involved with AJC, reach out to your AJC regional office or email Melanie at [email protected]

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with serial entrepreneur and investor Saar Wilf.

Saar Wilf is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. Over his career, he has founded several technology ventures, his first back in 1997. Most notably, he founded Fraud Sciences (acquired by PayPal/eBay for $169m), where he served as CEO and Chief Scientist. He also co-founded ClarityRay (acquired by Yahoo), Trivnet (acquired by Gemalto for $35m), Pointgrab, Deep Optics, Creditstacks, Bzigo, Rootclaim, Immersix, Initiative Q, and wikiwand.com, which serves over 10M users monthly. He was the first investor in Moon Active, Supersonic (merged with Iron Source), Crosswise (acquired by Oracle), Redhill Biopharma, and CallApp. His areas of technical specialty include finance, probability, Bayesian inference, signal processing, machine learning, optics, and computer vision.

Mr. Wilf also funded the Brain Preservation Prize, which sparked the first technique that aims to completely preserve an entire human brain for long-term storage.

Together with Saar, we engaged in a fascinating and at times sci-fi-like deep dive into the following topics:

·        Vitamin D & Zinc as therapeutics for Covid-19

·        Rootclaim – a company co-founded by Saar that uses probability theories to find truth outcomes and weeds out natural biases, providing clarity and aiming light on truth in today’s era of misinformation, deep fakes, and fake news

·        SCOOP: Rootclaim’s determination regarding the source of Covid-19

·        Bzigo – a company co-founded by Saar that provides an innovative product that acts as a personal ‘Iron Dome’ against mosquitos for your home

·        Saar’s vision for the future

·        The Brain Preservation Foundation – a unique process to cryogenically freeze the human brain intact to preserve memories and personality traits in the hope that in the future, they can be uploaded to a computer or other technologically advanced device

·        Human longevity as a solvable problem

·        The efficiency disparity between leadership in Israel’s business & hi-tech ecosystem vs. its public sector & government

Links:

Saar Wilf on Twitter @saarwilf

Saar Wilf’s profile on Startupnationcentral.org

 Rootclaim.com - Calculating Reality

 Bzigo – Autonomous devices for a pest-free life

The Brain Preservation Foundation website

 Deep Optics – developing Omnifocals, the first ever dynamic focal eyeglasses.

 Life Extension – Enhanced Zinc Lozenges

 Watch the video of this episode on Jewanced's YouTube channel.

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on

This week, we’re bringing you an extra special episode of the podcast with former FBI Special Agent Raymond Holcomb, president and managing director of 1st Watch Global. 

Ray has over 30 years’ experience as a law enforcement and intelligence officer. He served for over 23 years as an FBI Special Agent; 8 as a Strategic Planner with the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), and 4 as a state Homeland Security Advisor. 

His FBI career included 15 years investigating foreign espionage, major drug trafficking organizations, organized crime and National Security matters. He also served as a member of the FBI’s New York office SWAT team and was appointed Commander of the team from 1998 to 2001. Under Ray’s leadership, the NY SWAT team assumed an expanded role, being involved in high risk domestic arrests and providing overseas security and enhanced investigative capability for FBI teams deploying internationally in response to terrorism.

Together with Ray, we take a serious and at times unsettling dive into the following topics:

·        The FBI during the Cold War

·        Moles, rogue agents, and defectors from the USSR

·        Existent and new threats posed by the axis of Russia, China, and Iran

·        Marxist/Anarchist influence in social justice movements and academia

·        Antifa: its history, foreign financing and control, KGB-playbook organizational tactics, and the mainstream media’s reticence to cover the facts

·        The Proud Boys & ‘lone wolf’ operators

·        Foreign gaslighting of broad sections of the public to advance political aims and cover up the truth

·        Hate and extremist groups in America

·        1st Amendment issues

·        Censorship

·        Conspiracy theories and their effects on American culture

·        Ray’s service abroad in countries identified and classified to conduct counterterror ops

·        Al Qaeda and the bombings of the USS Cole and the US Embassies in Kenya Tanzania

·        9/11 – stories of victims & survivors, including that of his former commander John O’Neill who retired from the FBI to become the director of security at the World Trade Center who tragically died in the attacks after warning of the threat of Al Qaeda for many years

·        His team’s interrogation of Saddam Hussein

·        America’s retreat from the world stage

·        A final message and warning about the future

Links:

1st Watch Global – Ray’s internationally-renowned security consulting firm

Buy Ray’s book ‘Endless Enemies – Inside FBI Counterterrorism’ TODAY on Amazon

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on Spotify,

Join Jewanced for an unforgettable conversation as Benny and Dan host a panel of young, influential Emiratis to learn about life in the UAE and their feelings about their country’s new normalization with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

Following the ratification of the Abraham Accords, what can we anticipate for the people of Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, as well as for the broader Middle East?

Topics covered include:

 o  A day in the life of the average Emirati

o  Emirati culture and cuisine

o  Household economics and the cost of living in the UAE

o  The business environment in the Gulf

o  Islam in the UAE and its integration with a dazzlingly modern society

o  The significance of the Abraham Accords for the young generation of Emiratis

o  Emirati values of tolerance and how it relates to Israeli and Jewish visitors and residents in the UAE

o  Emirati excitement to learn about Israel and the Jewish People

o  And more!

About our panelists:

May Albadi

May is an Emirati food blogger and culture expert, based in Abu Dhabi. She is a co-authoring a cookbook about kosher Emirati cuisine called ‘Kosherati’, together with Dubai-based Elli Kriel, the creator of Elli’s Kosher Kitchen, the UAE’s first kosher catering business.

Follow May on Twitter @MayALBadi

Thani Al Shirawi

Thani is a prominent young Dubai-based businessman where he serves as the vice chairman and deputy group managing director of the Oasis Investment Company. He is a co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council. 

Follow Thani on Twitter @Thani75

Norah Alawadhi

Based in Dubai, Norah is a popular Emirati social media influencer. Bursting with positive energy, she is very active in many groups promoting the UAE-Israel relationship and people-to-people connections between the two nations. Notably, Norah became the face of the historic Abraham Accords in the UAE when she was featured as the Emirati woman in the viral UAE-Israel flag photo taken against the stunning backdrop of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai skyline.

Follow Norah on Twitter @thekingnorah

Follow Norah on Instagram

Link to an article about the famous UAE-Israel flag photo

Ahmed Al Mansoori

Ahmed serves as a forensic investigator with the Abu Dhabi police. Since the Abraham Accords were signed, he has made it his mission to learn as much about Judaism, the Jewish People and Israel as possible and is truly excited to see the developing relationship between the two peoples and countries exceed all expectations.

Follow Ahmed on Twitter @Hackmed804

For this episode, we are proud to collaborate with our partners:

• The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnershiptogether Western Galilee and associated Jewish Federation Communities in the...

Are the news and the weight of the world getting you down? Got a case of the grumps? Join us this week on Jewanced as we sit down for a super optimistic conversation with Michael Dickson, Executive Director of StandWithUs Israel and Dr. Naomi Baum, a pioneering psychologist in the field of resilience research and treatment, together the authors of the new book, ‘ISResilience – What Israelis Can Teach the World.’

From well-known leaders making life-and-death decisions to ordinary people who have overcome incredible loss to do inspirational things, meet the Israelis who thrive against all odds and learn how you can too. 

ISResilience is a study of a nation that has had to collectively and individually hang tough like no other country on earth. Imbued in Israel’s DNA is the understanding that survival isn’t optional – it’s a necessity. Any Israeli could have given testimony for this book. Israelis routinely carry on with their day-to-day lives not just when things are calm and peaceful but when rockets are launched at them, during official conflicts and wars and unofficial waves of gruesome terrorism. And they don’t just survive – they thrive. 

Each chapter of this book profiles a diverse, compelling Israeli personality – some famous, some not, but all exceptional – and traces the characteristic that unites them all. The life lessons extrapolated from these interviewees can teach every one of us to be stronger people. Written by a communications expert and Israel analyst together with a pioneering psychologist in the field of resilience research and treatment, ISResilience brings today’s most in-demand skill to life and shows how we all can benefit from the trait embodied by the nation once admired by Princess Diana as “a plucky little country.”

Michael Dickson is Executive Director of StandWithUs in Israel, an international educational nonprofit dedicated to supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism around the world. Michael is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Communication of Bar-Ilan University. In 2016, he was listed as the fourteenth most influential Jew on Twitter. He is the 2019 winner of the Bonei Zion Prize and in 2020, he was listed on the Global Jewish 100. He lives in Ra’anana, Israel with his wife and five children.

Naomi L. Baum, PhD, consults and facilitates workshops on resilience building in Israel and worldwide. She created the Building Resilience Intervention (BRI), an evidence-based resilience model that has been applied widely in Israel and abroad. She was Director of the Resilience Unit at Metiv – The Israel Psychotrauma Center and co-directed the International Course in Trauma and Resilience in cooperation with the Rothberg School of the Hebrew University. She is the author of several previous books. She lives in Efrat, Israel with her husband, and is mother of seven, and grandmother of twenty.

Links:

ISResilience.com

Buy your copy of ISResilience TODAY on Amazon

Read Michael Dickson’s personal blog – featuring articles and video appearances about Israel, Antisemitism, Jewish issues, and public diplomacy at michaeldickson.org

StandWithUs.com

DONATE to StandWithUs

Read Naomi L. Baum, PhD.’s personal blog, learn about her workshops and consultation services, and access...

Join Jewanced for an unforgettable conversation as Benny and Dan host a panel of top Middle East experts from around the region to explore how perceptions and world views are shifting as history unfolds before our very eyes.

Following the ratification of the Abraham Accords, what can we anticipate for the people of Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, as well as for the broader Middle East?

Topics covered include:

• The contrast between Gulf vs. other Arab states' attitudes towards normalization with Israel
• The significance of the Abraham Accords for the young generation of Arabs across the region
• Emirati values of tolerance and how it relates to Israeli and Jewish visitors and residents in the UAE
• Whether Israel's new Gulf partners expect it to come to their aid in a possible future military conflict with Iran
• The Gulf Arab Doctrine - Promoting national interests of the Gulf states, countering the Iranian threat and helping the Palestinians via normalization with Israel
• And more!

About our guests:

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem for Foreign Relations, International Economic Development, and Tourism. She is a co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council.

Full Bio

Dr. Najat Al Saied

Dr. Najat Al Saied is an Independent Researcher at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She is also a columnist in both Al Ittihad (an Arabic language daily newspaper in the United Arab Emirates) and Al Hurra (an American satellite television news channel in Arabic). She specializes in political and social development communication geared to the modern and tolerant Middle East.

Full Bio

Buy Dr. Al Saied’s book, Screens of Influence: Arab Satellite Television and Social Development

Omar Al Busaidy

Omar Al Busaidy is an Optimistic Opportunist, Entrepreneur, Author, and Futurist.

He is also a very proud Emirati Global Shaper, speaker for the World Economic Forum, member of the US and UAE Public Affairs Committee, member of The Arab Youth Pioneers Program.

Full Bio

Buy Omar’s book, Just Read It

Haisam Hassanein

Haisam Hassanein is an Egyptian-American analyst, and a former fellow at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. He is a frequent columnist writing on the Middle East in Foreign Policy, Wall Street Journal, and more.

Full Bio

 Links:

• The official U.S. State Department website of the Abraham Accords
• The Abraham Accords Declaration