How did Israel education in the Jewish Diaspora fail as abysmally as it did? Can it still be corrected?

In a special double episode, Yehuda HaKohen is joined by Joe Schwartz to discuss the state of Israel education for Diaspora Jews and his work in the field through the Makom organization.

In the course of their rich conversation, the two also reminisce about life in late 20th Century New York City and discuss Jewish identity, the pros and cons of liberal ideology, how to relate to Diaspora-based Jewish religious denominations, and the tribal socio-political tensions currently dividing Israeli society.

What's it like to grow up as the son of a man who dedicates his entire being to his people and country?

Prime Minister Yitzḥak Shamir was a Jewish national hero. When the British ruled Palestine, he served as a leading figure in the anti-colonial struggle to free the country. After the State of Israel was established, he was recruited into the Mossad. Later he entered politics and became Israel's seventh prime minister - where he still saw himself as a fighter for Israel's freedom.

In anticipation of the new documentary, Shamir: War, Peace & [a] Dream, Yehuda HaKohen is joined by former Minister of Agriculture Yair Shamir to discuss his father's life and legacy, as well as his own experiences growing up as the son of a national hero.

Could passing responsibility for peace to the Jews most deeply rooted in our collective story help Israel to create better relationships with our neighbors?

Member of Knesset Ohad Tal (Religious Zionism) joins Yehuda HaKohen to discuss his efforts towards regional peace and how he represents Israel to the Islamic world.

The two also discuss how the larger process of the Jewish return to the stage of history and its potential meaning for humanity.

While most Israelis now reject the notion of ceding land, our further advancement requires the construction of a new ideological paradigm.

Following nearly a year of war since the Hamas attacks on Simḥat Torah of last year, Yehuda HaKohen is joined by Rav Gavriel Reiss to discuss how Israeli society has changed during the war and what limitation still block Israel's further development.

Rav Gavriel also shares some ideas on the deeper meaning of the simḥa we're meant to experience on the Sukkot festival.

What are the values pushing some Jewish students to call for an end to Israel's current war?

Yehuda HaKohen is joined by Columbia University student organizer Aharon Dardik, who spent his formative years in a Judean/West Bank Jewish community but now calls for a ceasefire as Israel fights on multiple fronts.

Could students of postcolonial studies benefit from examining the Zionist movement as an example of both settler-colonialism & national liberation?

Yehuda HaKohen is joined by Professor Derek Penslar for a conversation about the unique relationship between Ashkenazi Jews, Orientalism, anti-Semitism, Zionism, colonialism & postcolonialism.

The two also discuss aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the distinction between the Zionist movement and the ancient Jewish concept of "Shivat Tzion" (the "Return to Zion") expressed through various liberation movements throughout the centuries.

Is there a uniquely Jewish balance one can strike between tribal rootedness & universalism?

After hosting Rav Gavriel Reiss in Phoenix, Rav Shmuely Yanklowitz of the Valley Beit Midrash joins Rav Yehuda HaKohen for a follow up conversation on the need to create a critical mass of young Jewish organizers able to show up for other oppressed and marginalized groups as their full "Israelite" selves.

The two also discuss the importance of being rooted in one's identity and values while open to constant learning and growth.

The most pressing challenges of our time demand a deeper embrace of our unique identities & a principled rejection of shallow political thinking.

Rav Gavriel Reiss addresses the Valley Beit Midrash in Arizona & discusses the need to move away from the "two-state" paradigm in favor of an approach based more on the very real identities & realities on the ground.

Rav Gavriel Reiss shares his personal journey from life as an assimilated Jew growing up on the outskirts of Los Angeles to creating facts on the ground in southern Judea.

Can Israel truly receive a fair trial according to the moral standards of the West if Western civilization is fundamentally rooted in a Christian worldview?

Yehuda HaKohen is joined by Professor Jeremy England to discuss his recent piece, Live by the Law or Die on the Cross, and the extent to which Israel could hope to survive and thrive as a Jewish state in a Western-led global order inherently based on a Christian ideological paradigm.