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Send us a textEp. 295: Resistance and Resilience Host: Mireille Taub | Guest: Dov Forman | Produced by hmTv – The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this deeply moving episode of Resistance and Resilience, host Mireille Taub sits down with Dov Forman, author, Holocaust educator, and great-grandson of Lily Ebert, the extraordinary survivor whose story and promise to “tell the world” have inspired millions across the globe.Together, they explore Lily’s unwavering spirit—her survival through Auschwitz, her vow to educate future generations, and her powerful message that “love is stronger than hate.” Dov shares how his great-grandmother’s story reached over a billion people through social media, proving that memory and truth can thrive in the digital age.From acts of defiance in the camps to acts of compassion after liberation, this conversation reveals how storytelling, remembrance, and education remain the greatest tools of resistance.A testament to hope, courage, and the enduring power of one voice—this episode reminds us that even in humanity’s darkest hours, the light of resilience can still lead the way.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 294 – The UN, Society, and Antisemitism (Part 2)Host: Dr. Susanne Seperson Guest: Professor Thane Rosenbaum Produced by: hmTv – The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterSUSANNE SEPERSON: Welcome back to part two of our podcast with Professor Thane Rosenbaum. For those of you just joining us, this is now our 11th episode of Antisemitism and the United Nations and in Society on hmTv.Professor Rosenbaum is a professor of law, an analyst of Middle East issues, a novelist, film producer, and commentator, published in leading outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. He is also the legal analyst for CBS News Radio. We’re honored to have him join us again.Last time, you spoke about the need for Jewish students to strengthen their education and identity. I’d add that this applies beyond Jewish students—social psychology studies like those of Zimbardo and Milgram show that anyone who takes the unpopular moral position risks being ostracized. The desire to be at the “cool kids’ table,” as you called it, isn’t limited to Jewish students—it’s human nature.All over the world, I see faculty and professionals putting their heads down, saying, “I don’t want to get involved.”THANE ROSENBAUM: That’s exactly right, Susanne. And it reminds me of a story about Jackie Robinson, the first African American to break baseball’s color barrier. Robinson was a lifelong Zionist and friend of the Jewish community—his family lived in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.When Robinson was relentlessly called racial slurs from the stands, he promised his team owner he wouldn’t respond. One day, when the abuse got unbearable, Pee Wee Reese, his white teammate from Kentucky, walked across the field and simply put his arm around Jackie Robinson. Robinson asked, “What are you doing?” and Reese said, “Nothing—just looking at the field.” But what he meant was, “This is my guy. You’ve got a problem with him, you’ve got a problem with me.”When I was at NYU, I didn’t see any Pee Wee Reeses. Nobody—Jewish or Gentile—came and put their arm around me. Even the Jewish trustees stayed silent. It was more important to them to sit at the “cool kids’ table.” That’s moral cowardice.SUSANNE SEPERSON: That’s a powerful story, and a fitting metaphor for moral courage. Let’s turn to your books—starting with Saving Free Speech from Itself. We live in an age of political correctness and fear of offense. After tragedies like the Charlie Hebdo attack, where cartoonists were murdered for satire, do you believe there should be limits on free speech?THANE ROSENBAUM: In the book, I argue that there’s a difference between offensive, insulting, and harmful speech. In a free society, you have to tolerate being offended—that’s part of civic life. The problem is when offense turns into harm—when speech deprives someone of their dignity or ability to function as a citizen.For example, shouting racial or antisemitic slurs in public isn’t “free expression”—it’s intimidation. The same applies to “Globalize the Intifada” or “From the River to the Sea.” Those are not political statements—they are calls to violence. The First Amendment doesn’t protect threats, incitement, or intimidation.I’m also against Nazis marching in towns full of Holocaust survivors. The Supreme Court once ruled that legal, but I disagree—it’s cruelty masquerading as liberty.Freedom of speech isn’t a suicide pact. It should never prSupport the show

Send us a textEp. 293: The UN, Society, and Antisemitism (Pt. 1) Host: Dr. Susanne Seperson Guest: Professor Thane Rosenbaum Produced by: hmTv – The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this hard-hitting first installment of The UN, Society, and Antisemitism, Dr. Susanne Seperson sits down with acclaimed author, legal scholar, and commentator Professor Thane Rosenbaum for an unflinching conversation about the growing normalization of antisemitism in academia, politics, and the media.Rosenbaum shares his deeply personal journey as the son of Holocaust survivors, tracing how his family’s silence shaped his lifelong pursuit of moral justice and truth. He exposes the ideological pressures within universities, the moral cowardice that silences Jewish voices, and the misuse of terms like “genocide” against Israel. Together, he and Dr. Seperson unpack how historical amnesia, distorted human-rights rhetoric, and cultural hypocrisy fuel today’s hatred—and what Jewish students, educators, and allies must do to confront it.This episode offers insight, outrage, and hope in equal measure—a powerful reminder that truth still matters and silence is not an option.🎧 Listen now on hmTv to join the conversation.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 292: History Repeats with Liam Carballal and Richard Acritelli (Part 2: History vs. Hollywood)In this compelling second installment of History vs. Hollywood, host Liam Carballal and historian Richard Acritelli take a closer look at how war and social justice are portrayed on screen. From the gritty realism of We Were Soldiers to the moral reckoning of Mississippi Burning and the unity of Remember the Titans, they explore where Hollywood gets it right — and where it dramatizes history to move hearts.Acritelli shares firsthand insights from Vietnam veterans, including Dr. Frank Lunati’s haunting field stories, and connects America’s struggles abroad to its fight for equality at home. Together, they remind us that film can be both a mirror and a teacher — showing how courage, prejudice, and progress repeat through generations.🎙️ Produced by hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 291: The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and Guest Andy Menechella (Part 4)In this powerful fourth installment of Andy Menechella’s journey, host Richard Acritelli guides an unflinching, heartfelt conversation about survival, resilience, and redemption. From a Queens childhood marked by hardship and abuse to the brutal realities of combat in Vietnam and the long path toward healing, Menechella shares how pain became purpose.He reflects on faith, family, fatherhood, and the courage it takes to confront the past through his forthcoming memoir, Scars and Strength. Together, the two explore how sports, camaraderie, and compassion helped rebuild a life once fractured by war and silence.Through honesty and humanity, this episode reminds us that the scars we carry can also be the source of our greatest strength.🎧 The Fog of War and Humanity — where veterans’ stories illuminate the lasting power of courage, truth, and hope.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 290: The Fog of War and Humanity with Andy Menechella (Part 3)In this deeply human third installment, Vietnam veteran Andy Menechella returns to share his journey of rebuilding a life after war — through family, sports, loss, and renewal. Host Richard Acritelli guides Andy through decades of resilience: from his work at IBM and Citibank to surviving Hurricane Sandy, caring for his late wife, and confronting PTSD he didn’t even know he had.Andy opens up about the power of therapy, the brotherhood of veterans, and the redemptive bond between soldiers and their service dogs — companions who help heal invisible wounds. His story is one of pain, perseverance, and purpose, proving that even after the darkest battles, humanity endures.🎙️ Produced by hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center.Support the show

Send us a textPodcast Description – Ep. 288: The Fog of War and Humanity with Andy Menechella (Part 1)In this moving first installment, host Richard Acritelli sits down with Andy Menechella, a Brooklyn-born ballplayer whose dreams of joining the Mets were cut short when he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. From growing up in Williamsburg and Queens to his father’s haunting experience as a World War II POW, Andy shares the path that led him from the baseball diamond to the jungles of Tigerland.Hear how this young New Yorker’s toughness, humor, and heart carried him through basic training, fear, and the chaos of deployment. Part 1 sets the stage for a gripping story of courage, brotherhood, and survival amid the fog of war.🎙️ Produced by hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 289: The Fog of War and Humanity with Andy Menechella (Part 2)In this gripping continuation of his story, Vietnam veteran Andy Menechella joins host Richard Acritelli to recount the brutal realities of jungle warfare — ambushes, survival under fire, and the emotional scars that linger long after the battlefield. From the chaos of “search-and-destroy” missions to the heartbreak of returning home to a divided America, Andy speaks with raw honesty about courage, trauma, and resilience.This episode of The Fog of War and Humanity offers an unflinching look at what soldiers endure — not just in combat, but in the silence that follows.🎙️ Produced by hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 287 – The Future of Leadership: Moral Courage in Education Hosts: Dr. Daniel Holtzman & Dr. Stephanie Weeks Guest: Dr. Michael Berenbaum, Holocaust scholar, author, and educator Produced by: hmTv – Leadership and Lessons from the HolocaustIn this inspiring episode of Leadership and Lessons from the Holocaust, hosts Dr. Daniel Holtzman and Dr. Stephanie Weeks sit down with renowned scholar Dr. Michael Berenbaum to explore one of the most vital — and endangered — qualities in leadership today: moral courage.Through the remarkable story of Jan Karski, the Polish underground courier who risked his life to warn the world about the Holocaust, Dr. Berenbaum illustrates how courage is not born from fearlessness but from conviction — from acting on one’s values even when trembling. He explains that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when guided by decency, empathy, and a refusal to turn away.The conversation moves from Holocaust history to modern classrooms, examining how educators can model integrity, resilience, and leadership in a time when students face cynicism, disinformation, and moral fatigue. Dr. Berenbaum reminds us that courage can be taught, modeled, and practiced — that even small acts of decency can shape a more humane generation of leaders.🎧 A masterclass in conscience and courage — reminding us that leadership begins with the moral choices we make every day.Support the show

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