The Tikvah Podcast

Ruth Wisse, expert in Jewish literature and political science, discusses the surge of anti-Israel protests on campuses. She delves into the historical roots and shifting strategies of anti-Israel forces, explores campus anti-military sentiments, and highlights the importance of defending free speech on university campuses.

Next week, Jewish families will sit at their seder tables and relive the drama of Jewish liberation from Egyptian oppression. The text used, the Haggadah, is one of the most widely read works of the rabbinic tradition. It has an inescapably national aspect, and its main themes, when seen in the right perspective, suggest to the rabbi Meir Soloveichik that it can be understood as a preeminent work of Jewish political thought: tackling themes of freedom and oppression, covenant and constitution, state and society, the nature of law and the dreams of a people. Soloveichik discusses that and more here, in the first lecture in his eight-part course, “The Haggadah: A Political Classic,” which is available in full at meirsoloveichik.com. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

Yechiel Leiter, former Israeli public servant and father of fallen soldier, discusses Israel's conflict with Hamas, responsibilities of citizenship, Zionism, and mourning lost children. The episode delves into military strategies, personal narratives, and the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers, highlighting the historical justification of Zionism and Israeli parenting in a military tradition.

Whether or not haredi Jews should be required to serve in the IDF is a perennial question of Israeli politics, one that has caused political parties to form and disband, governing coalitions to rise and fall. It was the subject of a 2021 episode of this podcast with the haredi judge, editor, and rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer. This question has taken on a new intensity lately, as the October 7 attacks and Israel’s war in Gaza have unified most of the country in a belief that the haredi draft exemption is unsustainable, unwise, and unjust. This week, Pfeffer joins Jonathan Silver again to talk about how the matter now looks from within the haredi community. They discuss how Israeli haredim reacted to the October 7 attacks, the experience of the small number of haredim who have been serving in military operations since the war began, and what Pfeffer thinks they should do. Notably, he argues that, as a matter of Jewish belonging, haredi men ought to enlist and help to protect their country. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

Nearly twenty-five years ago, at the turn of the new millennium, America came very close to selecting not only a Jewish vice president, but a proudly religious, Shabbat-observing, kosher-eating Jewish vice president: Joe Lieberman, senator from Connecticut. Lieberman, who died this week, epitomized a certain spirit in American public life, when the great debates over the conduct of American foreign policy and the management of domestic affairs still admitted heterodox disagreement. He was also a key figure in the U.S.-Israel relationship, articulating as well as anyone in public life why the widespread support that Americans feel toward the Jewish state also had a strategic value in serving American interests. In October 2019, Lieberman, by then retired from the Senate, was in Jerusalem, where he addressed the Herzl Conference on Contemporary Zionism. In that speech—later published in a suitably edited form in Mosaic—he took a retrospective tone, looking back at the initial impulses that led Theodor Herzl’s ideas to take concrete form in modern Israel. He looked at the effect that Israel has had on American Jewry. And he honestly examined growing political trends that troubled him. Today, we rebroadcast a 2019 conversation that Jonathan Silver had with Lieberman in which they discuss that speech and his career. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

Exploring the challenges facing American neighborhoods and practical solutions to strengthen community bonds. Emphasizing the importance of local engagement, human scale, and addressing historical segregation. Delving into the unique characteristics of Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods that foster strong community ties and relationships.

The podcast explores the decline in family formation in America and its consequences. It discusses the cultural, economic, and policy factors influencing birth rates. The correlation between religiosity and family size is analyzed, along with a focus on the Orthodox Jewish community. The impact of technology on family life, Israel's high birth rate, and the importance of supportive subcultures for child-rearing are also discussed.

The podcast delves into the challenges and controversies surrounding Israeli aid to Gaza, including accusations of intentional targeting by Hamas and the complexities of aid delivery amidst ongoing conflicts. Jonathan Conricus provides historical context and highlights the strategic challenges of distributing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, discussing communication strategies, de-radicalization efforts, and the need for a humanitarian zone to streamline delivery.

One day after this phase of the war began, on February 25, 2022, the writer, former Senate staff member, Navy reservist, and executive director of the KKR Global Institute Vance Serchuk joined Mosaic‘s editor Jonathan Silver to discuss what was happening in real time. Two years later, he joins the Tikvah Podcast again to step back and ask some basic questions, and to offer his considered judgment on the state of the war. What are its causes? On what basis can one decipher the truth from the conflicting narratives about the war in Europe, in Ukraine, in Russia, and in the United States? What have we learned about the deployment of novel military technology? What sorts of alliances have emerged or been strengthened, and what can we learn from them? Has the invasion of Ukraine helped the West relearn the necessity of military force, and chastened some of the most idealistic discourse about human rights and multilateralism? How does the war in Ukraine shed light on the state of U.S.-Russia relations and competition? Serchuk recently returned from the Munich Security Conference, where he spoke with foreign officials about the state of the war. And, this August, he’s teaching a specialized seminar on U.S.-Russia Relations as a part of the Security Studies Program at the Hertog Foundation in Washington, DC. If you’re an advanced undergraduate, a recent college graduate, or a young professional working in national security, foreign policy, or related fields, you might consider applying to study with Mr. Serchuk. Applications are available at hertogfoundation.org, and they are due on March 4. Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

The podcast explores Maimonides' fascinating transition from philosopher to physician, detailing his numerous works on medical topics such as hemorrhoids, asthma, and poisons. The discussion highlights his emphasis on simplifying medical knowledge into practical guidelines, with a focus on his Commentary on Hippocrates' Aphorisms. Through engaging chapters, the podcast delves into Maimonides' scientific approach, the historical context of medical figures, the necessity of commentaries, the challenges of mastering medicine, and the contrast between human and divine knowledge.