hmTv at HMTC Podcasts

Send us a textEp. 359: The Fog of War and HumanityHost: Richard AcritelliGuest: Miguel A. LogreirahmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this gripping third installment, Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with Miguel A. Logreira — a multilingual U.S. Army intelligence veteran whose life reads like a front-row seat to history.Miguel recounts witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall from the ground in Berlin, navigating Cold War tensions, and learning firsthand how Germany and Japan rebuilt with starkly different cultural attitudes. His reflections cut deep: Why don’t people get along? Why doesn’t humanity learn?The episode then shifts into the Middle East. Miguel explains why he volunteered for deployment in Desert Storm, sharing vivid accounts of intelligence work, cultural adaptation, interrogation strategy, and the uncomfortable reality of being seen as both “one of them” and a “traitor” by those who shared his heritage.Key moments include:• Watching history unfold at the Wall’s collapse• How Finland, Japan, Germany, Africa, and the Middle East shaped his worldview• Lessons from operating in Mali with no air support or infrastructure• Surreal contrasts — from villages without water to Times Square excess• The human value of discomfort, adaptability, and curiosity• Why Vietnam veterans saved lives in later wars — including hisMiguel’s emotional gratitude to the Vietnam generation and his fierce loyalty to the United States bring this episode to a powerful close. War, identity, patriotism, culture — it’s all here, raw and unfiltered.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 356: The Fog of War and HumanityHost: Richard AcritelliGuest: Jenny ChanhmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this riveting continuation of her conversation with host Richard Acritelli, researcher and historian Jenny Chan pulls back the curtain on one of the most brutal and often overlooked chapters of World War II: the Japanese invasion of China and the Rape of Nanking.Picking up where Part 1 left off, Jenny explains how Japan’s failure to take Shanghai quickly fueled rage and retaliation that spilled into Nanking — leading to mass executions, sexual violence, and the public glorification of killing. She exposes the shocking “100-man beheading contest,” the abandonment of civilians by Chiang Kai-shek, and the systematic policies that enabled atrocity.Richard and Jenny also explore:• How Shanghai became a rare refuge for Jews fleeing the Holocaust• Why Japan’s war criminals were enshrined as heroes rather than condemned• The U.S.–Japan Cold War alliance that protected perpetrators and elevated them to political power• The forgotten USS Panay attack — a preview of Pearl Harbor hidden in plain sight• How Depression-era isolationism kept Americans silent while atrocities unfolded• The stark contrast between Germany’s reckoning and Japan’s denialJenny also highlights overlooked diplomatic heroes like Ho Feng-shan, who issued life-saving visas for Jewish refugees — reshaping the narrative that Holocaust refuge only appeared in Europe or Palestine.This episode confronts uncomfortable truths: how nations rewrite history, how political convenience erases accountability, and how forgotten atrocities still echo in modern geopolitics.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 357: The Fog of War and HumanityHost: Richard Acritelli Guest: Miguel A. Logreira hmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this riveting first chapter of Miguel A. Logreira’s journey, host Richard Acritelli sits down with a Bronx-born soldier whose life defied every expectation. Miguel grew up ten blocks from Yankee Stadium, hated school, dropped out in 10th grade — and yet became a multilingual U.S. Army intelligence operative serving across the world.Miguel shares how witnessing violence, chaos, and the arrival of the National Guard during the New York blackout ignited his call to serve. He opens up about basic training at Fort Jackson, the discipline and unity forged at Fort Lee, and the transformative intensity of airborne school at Fort Benning — where humor and hardship often ran side by side.A global childhood, rich in Lebanese, Portuguese, South American, and American influences, gave Miguel a unique ability to read cultures — a skill the Army recognized, sending him to Monterey for elite language training and eventually into intelligence work.This episode explores resilience, mentorship, identity, trauma, and the discovery of purpose. Miguel’s story is a testament to how service can mold someone from lost teenager to warrior, linguist, and empathetic leader.Stay tuned for Part 2, where Miguel reflects on deployments, intelligence missions, life overseas, and the human cost of service.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 358 The Fog of War and HumanityHost: Richard AcritelliGuest: Miguel LaguerrehmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this powerful second installment of his multi-part conversation, host Richard Acritelli sits down with veteran Miguel Laguerre to explore a story of grit, service, identity, and transformation — from a rough childhood in the Bronx to more than 20 years serving the United States in military intelligence.Miguel opens up about:• Growing up ten blocks from Yankee Stadium amid violence and blackout riots• Dropping out of school — and finding purpose in the Army• How witnessing the National Guard inspired him to serve• Moving from logistics to military intelligence because of language skills• Learning five languages and discovering that “you don’t learn language — you learn people”• The mentorship, discipline, and unity that shaped him in basic training and airborne school• Surviving traumatic brain injury and rebuilding cognitive skills• How empathy and cultural awareness became his greatest tools in serviceRichard and Miguel also reflect on the deeper human lessons of military life — belonging, leadership, resilience, and the impact a good mentor can have on a young person searching for direction.This episode is a testament to how the armed forces don’t just train soldiers — they reveal potential people never knew they had.Stay tuned for Part 3, where Miguel shares frontline experiences, the realities of intelligence work, and how service shaped the man he is today.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 355: The Fog of War and HumanityHost: Richard Acritelli Guest: Jenny Chan hmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this gripping first installment of a two-part conversation, host Richard Acritelli welcomes researcher and nonprofit founder Jenny Chan for a chilling dive into one of World War II’s least-taught chapters — Japanese war crimes in Asia.Jenny retraces her journey from childhood stories in Hong Kong — dismissed at the time as prejudice — to uncovering archival evidence that her grandmother’s trauma was real, widespread, and systematically buried. Her research into the Rape of Nanking, forced labor, and the secret biological weapons program known as Unit 731 reveals:• Tens of millions killed in Asia — far beyond the limited numbers most textbooks mention • A US–Japan bargain that granted immunity to war criminals in exchange for biological data • A network of scientists who went on to become respected leaders, doctors, and industrial founders • Documented human experimentation on Chinese civilians, Koreans, Russians — and likely Allied POWs • Ongoing denialism in Japanese culture, social media, and educational narrativesRichard and Jenny also draw striking parallels between wartime censorship, erased memory, and modern-day propaganda — underscoring why historical truth matters.This episode delivers history with urgency — not as dusty archives, but as a warning about how atrocities are forgotten, rewritten, or denied when we don’t defend the evidence.Part Two dives deeper into Nanking, comfort women, USS Panay, and the politics of global apathy — so stay tuned.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 354: Ordinary HeroesHost: Bernie Furshpan Guest: Dr. Philip Jacobs hmTv / Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterIn this gripping and unfiltered episode of Ordinary Heroes, Bernie Furshpan welcomes Dr. Philip Jacobs — philanthropist, activist, and outspoken Jewish community leader — for a conversation that pulls no punches.Together they explore one of the most unsettling questions facing Jewish life today: Are we witnessing echoes of the 1930s — and are we prepared to confront them?From rising intimidation in New York City to the widening social acceptance of antisemitic rhetoric, Dr. Jacobs draws chilling parallels to pre-war Germany while also reminding listeners of the extraordinary difference that exists today — a strong, sovereign Israel and the untapped resilience of Jewish communities.The episode dives into:• How ordinary people became bystanders in 1930s Germany — and what that silence looks like now • The danger of ignorance among young Jews and the erosion of identity • Why intimidation is forcing Jews to hide, even in America’s cultural capitals • The call for agency, courage, Jewish pride, and self-defense • Dr. Jacobs’ provocative “three-point plan” for Jewish survival and empowerment • The transformative power of Jewish education — the antidote to fear and vulnerabilityThis is not a polite or comfortable dialogue — it is a wake-up call.With conviction, urgency, and hope, Bernie and Dr. Jacobs challenge the Jewish world to stand tall, stop cowering, and reclaim the strength that history demanded but too often denied.Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Because silence isn’t an option — not anymore.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 352: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz & Julie Mayer (Part 1)In this deeply insightful episode of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz welcomes longtime friend and healer Julie Mayer for a rich conversation about yoga, energy work, hypnosis, and the universal journey toward inner wholeness.Julie shares her remarkable path—from economics and law to becoming a yoga and meditation teacher, energy healer, and certified hypnotherapist. She explains how grounding, breath, and awareness help us shift from fragmentation into coherence, and how healing reconnects us to our true essence.Together, Arnie and Julie explore:What energy healing really is—and isn’tHow grounding practices create calm in a chaotic worldWhy inner spaciousness is the doorway to feeling the vastness of the soulThe difference between being at the effect of life and becoming the causeWhy so many people today are experiencing anxiety, upheaval, and rapid growthThe rise of collective consciousness—and why chaos often comes with itArnie shares his own daily grounding practice through tefillin meditation, and Julie explains how hypnosis can quiet the critical mind and open a pathway to inner peace.This episode sets the stage for Part 2, where Julie will guide Arnie—and listeners—through a real hypnosis experience.A beautiful, thoughtful conversation for anyone seeking calm, clarity, and a deeper connection with themselves.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 353 (Part 2): Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz & Julie MayerIn this transformative follow-up episode, host Arnie Herz and healer/hypnotherapist Julie Mayer take listeners on a rare and powerful journey into the world of hypnosis.Julie begins by demystifying hypnosis—what it is, why it works, and how it gives us access to the subconscious patterns that shape our beliefs, behaviors, and emotional responses. She clears up common misconceptions, explains the difference between entertainment hypnosis and therapeutic hypnosis, and reveals how this gentle, focused state can help people release fears, stuck emotions, and long-held limitations.Then Julie leads Arnie—and listeners—through a live, guided hypnosis session designed to cultivate deep relaxation. Set on a peaceful beach, the visualization helps anchor calm into the body, creating a tool listeners can access anytime through a simple physical cue.Arnie emerges from the session surprised by how profound and timeless the experience feels, and together they reflect on what hypnosis can unlock for people seeking clarity, peace, and a fuller expression of themselves.This episode offers:A clear explanation of how hypnosis worksWhy the subconscious mind influences so much of our daily lifeA safe, soothing guided hypnosis experienceTools to integrate peace into everyday momentsInsights into how hypnosis differs from meditation—and how it enhances itA restorative, eye-opening episode for anyone yearning for greater calm, self-understanding, and inner alignment.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 351: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz & Susan Crossman (Part 2)In this powerful continuation of their conversation, host Arnie Herz and internationally acclaimed author and writing coach Susan Crossman dive even deeper into the spiritual, psychological, and emotional journey of writing a book.Susan reveals surprising statistics about how few people who dream of writing actually finish—and why most never cross the finish line. Together, she and Arnie explore the hidden forces that hold creators back: perfectionism, self-doubt, fear of being seen, and the lure of “busy life” that keeps so many dreams stuck in limbo.Arnie opens up about his own multi-year book journey, how open-heart surgery sparked his desire to write a legacy for his children, and why the pause in his writing may have been divinely orchestrated. Susan guides him through an insightful, unscripted coaching session that uncovers clarity, commitment, and the deeper purpose behind his book.This episode offers:The neuroscience of creativity and why writing feels hardThe spiritual dimension of authorshipHow purpose and faith guide the creative flowA practical plan for finishing a manuscriptHope for anyone who has a book inside them waiting to be bornA rich, honest, and inspiring conversation for writers, seekers, and anyone standing at the edge of a dream.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 350: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz & Susan Crossman (Part 1)In this inspiring episode of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz welcomes internationally best-selling author and writing coach Susan Crossman for a powerful conversation about creativity, healing, and the search for meaning.Susan shares her remarkable journey—from winning the Gold Award for Literature with Women Changing the World to discovering how writing becomes a spiritual and transformative act. Together, Arnie and Susan explore why self-expression matters, how creativity connects us to a higher purpose, and why writing a book can reveal the untold tapestry of our lives.With warmth, candor, and a bit of divine perspective, they dive into imposter syndrome, the creative “cages” we keep ourselves trapped in, the courage required to tell our stories, and the surprising ways writing can heal both the author and the world around them.This episode sets the stage for Part 2, where Susan will guide Arnie through live book-coaching questions and share eye-opening statistics about people who dream of writing but never begin.A heartfelt, thought-provoking conversation for writers, seekers, believers in purpose, and anyone longing to unlock their creative voice.Support the show