Touro Talks

Recorded live on February 12, 2023. With an introduction from former President of the Supreme Court of Israel, Justice Aharon Barak and a tribute from law professor, Miriam Marcowitz-Bitton, a conversation on the Supreme Court of Israel with Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, former Vice President of the Supreme Court of Israel and Attorney General of Israel.

Recorded live on May 18, 2023.A conversation with leaders in corporate America: Deb Benovitz, Senior Vice President, Global Insights and Innovation, WeightWatchers; Allen Fagin, who served as Chairman of Proskauer; and David Sable who was the Global CEO and Chairman of Young & Rubicam and is currently the Co-Founder/Partner of DoAble on navigating Jewish identity in the corporate environment in the United States.

(Recorded live on September 20, 2023.)

Recorded live on September 20, 2023. A conversation between Rabbi Professor Carmi Horowitz and Rabbi Dr. Michael A. Shmidman on the life and legacy of Rabbi Professor Yitzhak (Isadore) Twersky z”l, a unique individual and unusual scholar. Prof. Twersky was the Talner Rebbe a, professor at Harvard University, and Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University. His most recent work is Perpetuating the Masorah: Halakhic, Ethical and Experiential Dimensions.

Dr. Monty Penkower joins Touro Talks to discuss the process of writing an objective daily accounting of the war Israel is fighting since it was attacked on Oct 7, 2023, the war he calls “The War for the Narrative”. How do you ensure accuracy in a chaotic media environment? How do you provide context and an understanding of the radical Islamist ideology driving Hamas and other groups? Penkower shares political and military lessons from the conflict, his concern for the rise of anti-Semitism, and the hope he sees in the resilience of the Israeli people.

Rav Doron Perez, World Mizrachi CEO, joins Touro Talks for a conversation about the importance of Zionism and bringing Torah values to Zionism. He explains how every Jew can impact the development of the land of Israel, and who has a monopoly on truth. Sharing the tragic loss of his son on October 7 as he fought for the land of Israel, Rav Perez stresses the importance of building bridges and standing together.

Political analyst and Egyptian refugee, Dalia Ziada, joins Touro Talks for an incisive analysis of the shifting dynamics in the Middle East, including Israel's emergence as a regional power and Turkey's growing influence, peer pressure on American college campuses, the socialist Islamist alliance, and her journey from burning the Israeli flag on her university campus in Egypt to speaking on American college campuses about the Islamist threats to America.

Faulkner said “The past is never dead. It's not even past.” In this Touro Talks, Dr. Henry Abramson, historian and dean of Lander College for Men, spoke with former refusenik and author Rabbi Dr. Yosef Mendelevich on the occasion of the release of his new volume, The Cantonists, published by Touro University Press. They speak about Mendelevich’s experience in the gulag, integrating into a society, army conscription, and the relevance of his most recent book for the issues we still face today.

Recorded live on October 14, 2020. A conversation with activist, political prisoner, and Israeli minister, Natan Sharansky & historian Gil Troy on their book, Never Alone: Prison, Politics, and My People. Sharansky talks about family and that “once you discover your people, you are never alone” and Palestinian activism and rights. 

In a wide-ranging conversation with Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish, Congressman Ritchie Torres shared how his upbringing in the South Bronx led to success in his political career. He spoke about his passion for Israel, the rise in antisemitism, why he believes some of his colleagues are misguided when it comes to the Jewish state, and how he’s fighting that on all fronts. Dr. Kadish and Torres also discussed ways to address America’s mental health crisis and what Torres is doing to help impact and improve the lives of New Yorkers.

Poland and Lithuania are home to the Chassidic movement, misnagdim and the controversy between the two, so much of our halachic commentary, and a rich and diverse Jewish cultural life. Walking their streets, we can relive our history and find out place in it. Get a taste of the stories and knowledge Drs. Shnayer Leiman and Henry Abramson have to share and what you’ll experience if you join Touro’s luxury summer tour of Poland & Lithuania with this special episode of Touro Talks.