SAPIR Conversations

By SAPIR: Ideas for a Thriving Jewish FutureReligion & Spirituality Judaism

SAPIR Conversations episodes

August 07, 2024 S13E3: Democracy's Pessimism Paradox with Bret Stephens
Can uncertainty — and even full-on doubt — about the future of democracy be an unlikely source of democratic strength? Watch as SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman and SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens come together for a conversation on “Democracy’s Pessimism Paradox” and its implications for Jewish communities worldwide.
1 hr
August 05, 2024 S13E3: Democracy’s Pessimism Paradox with Bret Stephens
Can uncertainty — and even full-on doubt — about the future of democracy be an unlikely source of democratic strength? Watch as SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman and SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens come together for a conversation on “Democracy’s Pessimism Paradox” and its implications for Jewish communities worldwide.
1 hr
July 31, 2024 S13E2: The Resilience of Israel's Intelligence Services with Chuck Freilich
Fifty years after the Yom Kippur War, Israel’s vaunted military and intelligence establishment again failed to protect the Jewish state. What must it do to regain its reputation and deterrence? Former Israeli deputy national-security adviser Chuck Freilich joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on his recent SAPIR article, "Can Israel’s Intelligence Services Be Saved?"
59 min
July 10, 2024 S13E1: The Courage to Be Uncool with Noa Tishby
Since October 7, American Jews have been pushed out of the places that were once their cultural and political homes. This feeling of outsiderdom is a new one for American Jews, and one that took them by surprise. New York Times bestselling author Noa Tishby joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on the new position American Jews find themselves in and the steel they need in the battle to support Israel.
54 min
May 08, 2024 S12E3: The Roots of Black Antisemitism with Coleman Hughes
Coleman Hughes joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on antisemitism in the black radical tradition. Hughes, the author of “Black Radicalism” in the recent Friends & Foes issue, analyzed the narratives driving rising antisemitism among black Americans — and how they can change. Plus, as a Columbia graduate, Hughes weighs in on recent developments on campus.
59 min
April 19, 2024 S12E2: Gen Z and Zionism: Is There a Future? with Ammiel Hirsch and Noam Weissman
In stark contrast to previous generations, younger American Jews are growing up increasingly disconnected from Israel and Zionism. What accounts for this shift? How durable is it? And what are the implications for tomorrow’s leaders of American Jewish communities? Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue and Dr. Noam Weissman of OpenDor Media discuss the future of Zionism among Gen Z.
1 hr
April 03, 2024 S12E1: An Insider’s Look: Israel and the Human-Rights Establishment
Former Human Rights Watch senior editor Danielle Haas
sits down with SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens
to discuss her recent essay, “The Human-Rights Establishment,” which chronicles years of behind-the-scenes experience and presents deep-seated concerns that human rights NGOs have become “increasingly hijacked by politics and dominated by
groupthink.”
1 hr
March 14, 2024 S11E3: Jewish Life in Our Technological Future with Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter and Dr. David Zvi Kalman
The rapid ascent of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and other technologies requires Jewish leaders to understand the dramatic effects these innovations will have on Jewish life and faith. Are we ready for this technological Jewish future? SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman hosted a conversation with Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter of Yeshiva University and Dr. David Zvi Kalman of the Shalom Hartman Institute on what Jewish communal, philanthropic, and religious leaders must do to prepare for this new digital age.
59 min
February 02, 2024 S11E2: Synagogue Leadership in Turbulent Times with Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove and Rabbi Rachel Isaacs
SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman hosted a conversation about the future of synagogue life in a time of disruption with Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City and Rabbi Rachel Isaacs of the Center for Small Town Jewish Life in Maine. They explored the shock of the October 7 attacks, the long-term structural changes brought on by the Covid pandemic, and their visions for the synagogue in a digital age.
1 hr 2 min
January 11, 2024 S11E1: The Digital Fog of War with Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler and Zvika Krieger
SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman is joined by Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, and Zvika Krieger, former director of responsible innovation at Meta discuss their recent essays in SAPIR’s Technology issue and explore how the virality of unsubstantiated information on social media is impacting perspectives on the Israel-Hamas war.
59 min

About SAPIR Conversations

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SAPIR is a journal exploring the future of the American Jewish community and its intersection with cultural, social, and political issues. These podcasts are recordings of Zoom webinars we have held…