hmTv at HMTC Podcasts

Send us a textEpisode 93 — From Hot‑Rod Highways to Mekong Mud: Jimmy Henke’s Road to Vietnam Guest: James “Jimmy” Henke | Host: Richard Acritelli | Series: hmTv – The Fog of War and HumanityWhat happens when a small‑town Long Island gear‑head is yanked from his 1955 Chevy and dropped into the sweltering marshes of the Mekong Delta? In Part 1 of this two‑episode arc, retired Brookhaven highway foreman Jimmy Henke traces his unlikely journey from carefree summers in Sound Beach to combat with the 9th Infantry Division’s river‑assault force.In this episode you’ll hear:Beach kid, two zip codes: How Sound Beach locals lived a different life from the “summer people” who invaded each June.Nuns, hot rods, and track meets: The Catholic‑school discipline and driveway engineering that shaped Jimmy’s work ethic—and left him expert with machines.“Greetings” from Uncle Sam: Draft boards, Fort Jackson screaming sergeants, and why shooting expert on every weapon still landed him in the infantry.Brown‑water baptism: Riding armored tangos up jungle rivers, slogging through waist‑deep rice paddies, and discovering the enemy already owned the terrain.First firefight reality check: The second a rookie freezes—and a veteran yanks him into survival mode.Jimmy’s story is equal parts nostalgia and hard‑earned wisdom, setting the stage for next week’s deep dive into the brutal Battle of 19 June 1967. Buckle up for a ride that starts with chrome bumpers on Long Island and ends in the mud of Vietnam.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 92 — The Fog of War and Humanity (Part 2) Guest: Dr. Bernie Furshpan | Host: Richard Acritelli | Series: hmTvIn Part 1, Bernie Furshpan recounted how his parents escaped Nazi murder squads. In Part 2, we follow the equally dramatic “after” story—one that begins in a Munich displaced‑persons camp and ends with a family carving out a future in Brooklyn. Bernie explains:* How a traumatized ten‑year‑old forest survivor joined Israel’s fledgling air force with nothing more than borrowed rifles and boundless will. * Why Bernie’s mother, separated from her own mother for five years, vowed never to let her children come home to an empty house. * The subtle scars of second‑generation PTSD—from triple‑locked doors to scanning every room for exits. * The ticking urgency behind The Weight of Memory: I Am Bernie Furshpan, a new documentary framing Holocaust lessons for Gen Z.This episode is a blueprint for turning inherited trauma into purposeful action—whether through education, museum work, or simply teaching children to value a safe, open society. Tune in for an intimate, hopeful reminder that even in the fog of war, humanity can prevail.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 91 — The Fog of War and Humanity (Part 1) Guest: Dr. Bernie Furshpan | Host: Richard Acritelli | Series: hmTvBrooklyn‑raised polymath Bernie Furshpan was born in Israel to two Holocaust survivors whose lives were torn apart—and ultimately reshaped—by the Nazi invasion of Poland. In this powerful opening to a two‑part conversation, Bernie traces the extraordinary journeys of his parents: his mother’s five‑year separation from her family after a desperate train escape, and his father’s three years of survival in a Ukrainian forest beginning at age ten.Bernie explains how these wartime experiences forged the resilience, creativity, and compassion that later drove his own eclectic path—from pre‑med cartoonist to pioneering chiropractor and community leader at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center. You’ll hear stories of hidden courage: a Christian farmer’s split‑second decision that saved a boy’s life, a mother’s agonizing choice in the woods, and the precise craftsmanship that eventually brought Bernie’s father into John Lennon’s Dakota apartment.Part 1 sets the historical stage, blending vivid personal anecdotes with insight into trauma, adaptation, and the quiet heroism of everyday people. Tune in for a deeply human reminder of why remembering the past is essential to shaping a more tolerant future—and stay with us for Part 2, where Bernie explores lessons learned, legacy, and the ongoing fight against hatred.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 90 – “The UN, Society, and Antisemitism” (Part 2) hmTv series: Antisemitism, the United Nations, and SocietyIn Part 1, Dr. Inna Rozentsvit traced her journey from the Soviet Union to American activism. In Part 2, she and host Dr. Susanne Seperson zero-in on solutions: How do we arm the next generation—intellectually, emotionally, and institutionally—against a resurgence of antisemitism?What you’ll hearRoots before branches – Why Jewish identity starts at the dinner table, not in the classroom, and how parents can turn values like tikkun olam into lived family culture.History as self-defense – A lightning primer on Israel’s wars, the mis-use of “Nakba,” and how factual fluency empowers students to debate with confidence instead of fear.Campus tactics – Concrete strategies for confronting chants, bias, and hostile professors: from reasoned public debate to withholding alumni donations when universities enable hate.K–12 action plan – Making state-mandated Holocaust curricula meaningful (museum visits, survivor testimony) and insisting on zero-tolerance for antisemitic bullying.Policy pressure points – Defunding schools that ignore harassment, stripping tax-exempt status from repeat offenders, and the pivotal role of engaged parents and lawmakers.One non-negotiable – Name the problem. “Anti-Zionism” that calls for Israel’s destruction is antisemitism; honest language is the first step toward honest solutions.“Children need to feel belonging before they can understand it. If home isn’t a place of strong identity, they’ll look elsewhere—and sometimes, those places ask them to hide who they are.” —Dr. Inna RozentsvitListen for a blueprint that blends family practice, historical literacy, and civic leverage into a unified response to modern Jew-hatred—and discover why authentic, fearless dialogue may be our strongest weapon yet.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 89 – “The UN, Society, and Antisemitism” (Part 1) hmTv series: “Antisemitism, the United Nations, and Society”In this powerful opening to a two-part conversation, host Dr. Susanne Seperson sits down with Dr. Inna Rozentsvit—neurologist, psychoanalyst, educator, and lifelong advocate—to unpack how antisemitism mutates across societies, institutions, and generations.Raised in the Soviet Union, Dr. Rozentsvit recounts the moment a workplace “revolution” forced her to flee Moldova with two toddlers, the uphill battle of re-licensing in the United States, and the seismic shift she felt after October 7, 2023. Drawing on psychoanalytic and psychohistorical insights, she explains why latent prejudice can be “switched on,” how slogans replace critical thinking on today’s campuses, and why Jewish identity and values must be taught with the same rigor as history.Key themes • From “small-a” to “big-A” antisemitism—understanding the escalation • The Soviet exodus: navigating visas, HIAS, and medical re-training in the U.S. • October 7 as an existential wake-up call for diaspora Jews • Psychohistory 101: bottom-up vs. top-down explanations of hate • UN-based activism and the birth of the NGO Committee to End Antisemitism • Why elite universities became echo chambers—and how to reclaim critical inquiry • Practical foundations for combating antisemitism: rigorous history, lived values, coalition-buildingListen for a gripping personal journey that segues into an urgent blueprint for action—and stay tuned for Part 2, where Dr. Rozentsvit returns to outline concrete responses every individual and institution can adopt.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 88 – Carrying the Torch: Gail Kastenholz on Building Holocaust Education for the FutureSecond–generation survivor, educator, and longtime HMTC volunteer Gail Kastenholz sits down with host Dr. Bernie Ferspan to trace a remarkable life spent turning family trauma into public service. Born to two Polish survivors who rebuilt their lives in Brooklyn and Queens, Gail explains how a single comment—“you don’t look like a 2G”—pushed her to found one of Long Island’s first children-of-survivors groups, collect testimonies with Yale’s Fortunoff Archive, and create pioneering programs that now train every Suffolk–Nassau police cadet and scores of nursing students in ethical decision-making.From memories of Coney Island beaches and Yiddish card games to the hard facts of DP camps, lost relatives, and post-war silence, Gail reveals why Holocaust education has shifted from graphic footage to empathy-driven storytelling—and why today’s middle-schoolers may be the most engaged generation yet. If you’re curious how museums, 2G/3G activists, and October 7th have reshaped the conversation, this episode delivers a front-row seat.Listen for:The birth of Long Island’s 2G movementBehind-the-scenes of the cadet and nursing-ethics seminarsTips on fostering Jewish pride and moral courage in a restless worldSubscribe to Raised by Survivors on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and help us keep memory alive—one story at a time.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 87 – “From Paris Crib to Brooklyn Bathtub: Terry Kaplan’s 2G Journey”In this moving installment of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan sits down with volunteer and fellow Brooklyn native Terry “Tzirel/Terèse” Kaplan. Born in post-war Paris to Polish Holocaust survivors and brought to New York by HIAS at age three, Terry recounts an odyssey that stretches from the forests near Lublin to Brownsville’s live-chicken markets—and ultimately to her father’s appearance on Schindler’s List.What you’ll hear inside:Life on the run: How Nazi loudspeakers lured starving Jews from the woods to ghettos, and how Terry’s parents endured Budzyń, Auschwitz, Gross-Rosen, and Płaszów before liberation in Czechoslovakia.Schindler’s factory—number 10 on the list: Terry shares the document that saved her father’s life and the nightmare screams he carried home to Brooklyn.Brooklyn Yiddishkeit & bathtub carp: From kaparos chickens to three-day gefilte-fish marathons, Terry paints a vivid picture of 1950s immigrant life, complete with Yiddish zingers and lamb-chop school lunches.The classic 2G split: Why one sibling shields parents and embraces Jewish identity while another rejects it—and how Terry channels that tension into volunteer work and grand-parenting today.With warmth, wit, and unflinching honesty, Terry and Bernie explore food, language, survivor silence, and the fierce love that second-generation families inherit. If you’ve ever wrestled with inherited trauma—or savored a Brooklyn bagel “with a shmear”—this conversation will stay with you long after the credits roll.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 86 – Ordinary Heroes: Paul Pachter on Fighting Hunger & Carrying Harry Chapin’s LegacyIn this inspiring episode, Bernie Furshpan sits down with Paul Pachter, President & CEO of Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank. From their shared Brooklyn roots and memories of Jan’s legendary “Kitchen Sink” sundae to the sobering reality that 280,000 Long Islanders—including 55,000 children—are food-insecure, Paul traces how rock-icon-turned-activist Harry Chapin transformed a regional crisis into a movement for dignity and self-sufficiency.Key moments you’ll hear:Hunger vs. food insecurity – why language shapes solutions.The story behind Chapin’s 1980 founding of Long Island Cares and its growth to nine locations distributing 16 million pounds of food annually.Innovative programs—from Baxter’s Pet Pantry for family pets to a Center for Community Engagement—that redefine what a food bank can be.How corporate partners and 2,500+ volunteers turn compassion into $10 million of yearly impact.Why today’s economic pressures keep demand rising—and how you can help.Paul’s personal mission to keep Harry Chapin’s humanitarian flame alive, plus a shared call with HMTC to fight antisemitism and online hate.Whether you’re passionate about social justice, volunteerism, or simply love a good Brooklyn nostalgia trip, this conversation proves that ordinary people can tackle extraordinary challenges—and that every can, dollar, or hour donated makes a hero’s difference. Tune in, be inspired, and find out how to join the fight against hunger right in your own backyard.Support the show

Send us a textEpisode 85 – Kinder People. Kindest People (Part 2): “Teaching the Legacy”In the conclusion of their two-part conversation, host Peter Suchmann welcomes back 93-year-old Kindertransport survivor Manny Korman for a deep dive into the life he built after rescue—and the lessons he’s devoted to passing on.🔹 From refugees to educators – Manny explains how he and his brother Gerhard both gravitated to teaching, with careers that spanned Queens classrooms and Cornell University.🔹 Crafting a survivor’s narrative – Hear how Manny’s presentations evolved from simple storytelling to multimedia programs that captivate sixth-graders, Mensa scholars, and Names, Not Numbers filmmakers alike.🔹 The power of listening – Manny describes the transformative impact of student-run oral-history projects and why a single question from a grieving audience member still shapes his talks today.🔹 Memory in the garden – Peter previews HMTC’s new Kindertransport memorial bench, where visitors can scan a QR code to hear survivors’ voices—including Manny’s.🔹 A return to Hamburg – Manny prepares to address his birthplace 85 years after exile, carrying a message of tolerance, democracy, and responsibility toward today’s refugees.Press play for an inspiring testament to resilience, education, and the simple truth that humanity matters—now more than ever.Support the show

Send us a textKinder People. Kindest People — Episode 84 (Part 1)Guest: Manny Korman | Host: Peter Suchmann | Series: hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance CenterWhen a rescued violin finds its perfect new home, two families discover they’ve been linked since 1939.In the first of a two-part conversation, Peter Suchmann sits down with 93-year-old Kindertransport survivor Manny Korman. Manny retraces an extraordinary chain of events that began with his father’s harrowing voyage on the St. Louis, continued through Manny’s own escape from Nazi-occupied Poland, and culminated in a trans-Atlantic reunion that rebuilt his family—and his life.You’ll hear:How one Kinderlink newsletter notice and a grandfather’s violin brought the Korman and Suchmann families together.The inside story of the St. Louis “Voyage of the Damned” and Manny’s father’s survival in Westerbork.Manny’s journey at age seven on the Kindertransport, the strangers who took him in, and the Christian family that sheltered his best friend.A remarkable reunion in rural England that turned into a community theater production 80 years later.The lasting power of kindness—from rescuing a single child to supporting whole communities across generations.It’s a testament to resilience, moral courage, and the quiet heroes who open their doors to strangers. Press play for an unforgettable firsthand account—and stay tuned for Part 2, where Manny shares how those experiences shaped a lifetime in education and Holocaust remembrance.Listen, subscribe, and share—because humanity matters.Support the show