hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 368: The Israeli Bond with Gal Swisa Cohen and guest David Black P1 on hmTv
Ep 368 – The Israeli Bond | David Black (Part 1)
Hosted by Gal Swisa Cohen | hmTv
What does it mean to be Jewish first as a people—and only then as a faith? And how does Israel shape that identity for Jews living in the diaspora?
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, host Gal Swisa Cohen sits down with David Black, recently retired Executive Director of the Sid Jacobson JCC of Long Island, to explore the formative moments that shaped his Jewish identity, his lifelong connection to Israel, and his philosophy of community building.
David reflects on growing up during the Six-Day War, discovering the difference between minority and majority Jewish life, and how his year living in Israel changed his understanding of freedom, belonging, and peoplehood. He also shares insights from an extraordinary career spanning Jewish communal leadership, cultural diplomacy as CEO of the French Institute Alliance Française in New York, and international human-rights work uncovering Holocaust mass graves in Eastern Europe.
This episode lays the foundation for a deeper discussion on the inseparable bond between Israel and the Jewish diaspora—why each needs the other, and what happens when that connection is neglected.
🔹 Jewish identity vs. Judaism
🔹 Israel as lived experience, not symbolism
🔹 Culture as a bridge between communities
🔹 Leadership, peoplehood, and purpose
👉 Stay tuned for Part 2, where the conversation continues with an in-depth look at Israel engagement, the creation of the Center for Israel, and building sustainable bonds across continents.