hmTv at HMTC Podcasts

Send us a textEp. 240: Ordinary Heroes with Larry Russo on hmTvIn this powerful episode of Ordinary Heroes, host Bernie Furshpan speaks with filmmaker Larry Russo about his acclaimed PBS documentary Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria. The film weaves rare pre-war archival footage, survivor testimonies, and family photographs to resurrect the vibrant Jewish community of Kastoria, Greece—nearly wiped out during the Holocaust.Russo shares his personal connection to the story, growing up as a Greek Jew in America, and his decades-long journey to bring the film to life. Together, he and Bernie discuss the 2,000-year history of Jews in Greece, the coexistence and betrayal that shaped wartime experiences, and the extraordinary acts of courage by those who risked their lives to save their neighbors.More than a documentary, Trezoros is a call to memory, empathy, and tolerance at a time when antisemitism and hate continue to rise.Watch the film at trezoros.comSupport the show

Send us a textEp 238: Unmasked, Unfiltered, Unapologetic with Bali Lerner and guest Lenny Gold on hmTvIn this powerful episode, Bali Lerner sits down with Lenny Gold, executive producer of the documentary Blind Spot, to explore the rise of antisemitism on campuses and the courageous voices determined to confront it. From his personal journey rooted in family, loss, and connection to Israel, to his son’s experience standing up against bias in the classroom, Lenny shares the inspiration behind the film and the ripple effect it seeks to create. Together, they discuss the dangers of indifference, the responsibility to be upstanders, and the role of truth, music, and community in the fight against hate.Support the show

Send us a textEp. 237 – Raised by Survivors with Sophal EarIn this powerful episode of Raised by Survivors on hmTv, host Bernie Furshpan sits down with Dr. Sophal Ear, Cambodian-American scholar, author, and survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime. Together, they explore Sophal’s family’s extraordinary escape, the hidden heroes who made survival possible, and the intergenerational impact of genocide.The conversation weaves personal history with broader lessons—parallels between the Holocaust and Cambodia’s genocide, the dangers of authoritarianism, and the role of education and empathy in building resilience. Sophal also shares the story behind his acclaimed TED Talk, the importance of carrying his mother’s legacy forward, and his vision for how young people can transform inherited trauma into leadership and hope.This episode reminds us that “never again” is not just a phrase—it’s a call to action for every generation.👉 Listen now on hmTv and be inspired to choose humanity.Support the show

Send us a textEp 236 — Ordinary Heroes with Lee HawkinsJournalist and author Lee Hawkins joins host Bernie Furshpan for a candid, no-fluff conversation about intergenerational trauma, resilience, and the power of telling the truth—even when it stings. Hawkins traces his family’s 400-year arc from slavery and Jim Crow to the “integration generation,” connects it with Holocaust memory, and shows how curiosity (not judgment) can heal what history tried to break.You’ll hear how Hawkins’ reporting—from his Pulitzer-finalist work on the Tulsa Race Massacre to his book I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free—opened a vault of documents, DNA, and hard-won wisdom. He and Bernie draw sharp parallels between Nazi persecution and American segregation, and argue for teaching Holocaust, slavery, and Jim Crow so young people can build empathy and backbone, not just opinions.In this episode:The “integration generation” and what it changed—and didn’tHow family archives and DNA can rewire a personal narrativeParallels between Jim Crow and the Holocaust’s machinery of hateWhy remembrance is a survival skill, not a history lessonTurning inherited pain into purpose, art, and community actionA preview of Hawkins’ next book, Murder at Mile 39Listen if: you want a clear-eyed, forward-looking take on overcoming trauma—and a practical blueprint for teaching it with compassion and spine.Call to action: Share this episode with an educator, a student, or anyone who thinks “it was a long time ago.” It wasn’t—and what we do next is on us.Support the show

Send us a textEp 235 — Disrupting Hate with Bert BrodskySerial entrepreneur and philanthropist Bert Brodsky joins host Ken Schachter for a straight-talk masterclass on building things that actually help people. From scrappy bottle-return hustles to pioneering electronic claims, EVV timekeeping, and a top PBM, Bert maps a career spent fixing gnarly problems at the intersection of health care, policy, and tech. He recalls investing in early MRI, founding Mobile Health, scaling Sandata, and why reading the fine print (yes, the manual) is a superpower. On the philanthropic front, Bert opens up about starting the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, hands-on support for FIDF IMPACT! scholars, and steering a continuum-of-care senior campus—plus a candid look at antisemitism and how to keep humanity in the conversation. It’s pragmatic optimism with receipts—and a blueprint for young builders who want to ship real impact, not just slide decks.You’ll learn:How “read the manual” becomes a business edgeWhy telemedicine + AI will drive the next care revolutionThe origin story of EVV and its taxpayer impactWhat families really need in the Alzheimer’s journeyA no-nonsense approach to disrupting hate—person to personCall to action: Subscribe, share, and pass this episode to a problem-solver who’s ready to build.Support the show

Send us a textHabits of a Whole Heart (Ep. 233, Part 2)In Part Two of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz continues his heartfelt dialogue with Rabbi Levi Paltiel about the inner essence of Judaism and the practical ways it transforms daily life.Together, they explore how mitzvot like tefillin and Shabbat can shift from feeling like obligations to becoming sources of freedom, energy, and deeper purpose. Rabbi Levi shares parables from Chassidic teachings and family stories—like the “horse and rider” metaphor—that illuminate the eternal struggle between the godly soul and the animal soul, and how even small steps of connection can unlock tremendous growth.As the High Holidays approach, Arnie and Rabbi Levi discuss what it means to awaken to your core essence, discover the soul beyond the mind, and embrace the truth that God never gives us a challenge we cannot handle.This powerful episode is a reminder that Judaism isn’t something imposed from the outside—it’s a gift waiting to be awakened from within, guiding us to live with wholeness, joy, and purpose.Support the show

Send us a textHabits of a Whole Heart (Ep. 234, Part 3)In the third installment of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz and Rabbi Levi Paltiel continue their heartfelt exploration of Jewish wisdom, daily discipline, and the deeper meaning of the High Holidays.Together they discuss how to carry inspiration from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur into everyday life, turning fleeting spiritual sparks into lasting habits. From the imagery of the “King in the field,” to the rodeo parable about celebrating small victories, to the powerful message that God is our partner, this episode is both practical and uplifting.Arnie also shares his own near-death experience that reshaped his priorities, while Rabbi Levi emphasizes that every mitzvah—every act of goodness—is like a Divine “like” that moves the mission of creation forward.This powerful close to the three-part series is a reminder that Judaism is not about guilt or perfection, but about building habits of the heart that anchor us in joy, discipline, and purpose throughout the year.Support the show

Send us a textHabits of a Whole Heart (Ep. 232, Part 1)In this episode of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz sits down with his longtime friend and teacher, Rabbi Levi Paltiel, for a conversation about purpose, wholeness, and the power of daily habits.Together, they explore timeless Chassidic teachings from the Tanya, the meaning of unity, and how to see life’s inconsistencies as part of a greater plan. Rabbi Levi shares wisdom on serving God with joy, being the “CEO of your own life,” and finding purpose at any age or stage. Arnie reflects on his own late-in-life connection to Judaism, and how even missed years can become springboards for growth and service.As they approach the High Holidays, the discussion turns to Elul—the month when “the King is in the field”—and how to experience God’s closeness in a deeply personal way. The episode closes with a candid exchange on overcoming negative experiences of religion and discovering authentic, life-giving spirituality.This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation that blends warmth, humor, and deep insight—an invitation to taste the wholeness of living with a whole heart.Support the show

Send us a textLegacy Chronicles – Ep. 231: “Second Generation, First Principles” Director of Education Donna Rosenblum sits down with HMTC docent Herb Grubman to explore what it means to be Second Generation—and why testimony can’t stop with the survivors. Through the lives of Herb’s parents—from Dęblin and Biała Podlaska to Siberian imprisonment, DP camps, and rebuilding in the Bronx—this episode traces trauma, resilience, and the quiet heroics of starting over. Expect vivid family stories (coal cars at age 12, the First Polish Army fighting to Berlin, summers in Far Rockaway rooming houses) and a candid look at raising children under the long shadow of war.Along the way, Donna and Herb dig into why authentic, primary-source storytelling matters now—amid misinformation, rising antisemitism, and curriculum overload—and how Second Gen voices can keep history accurate, human, and usable.Support the show

Send us a textEchoes of the Past – Ep. 230: “Day One: Reading 9/1/39” Assistant Director of Education Zachary Graulich sits down with longtime HMTC volunteer and second-generation survivor Meryl Menashe to unpack a powerful artifact she recently donated: a fragile Kansas City Times front page dated September 1, 1939—the day Germany invaded Poland. Through this single newspaper, they trace the lightning-fast timeline from the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact to the fall of Warsaw, explore how propaganda framed “living space” and “ethnic German protection,” and connect those headlines to lived experience—including Meryl’s father, Leon Beck, a Polish soldier captured, shot, and later imprisoned by the Soviets. It’s history in real time, and a masterclass in using primary sources to teach nuance, perspective, and media literacy.Along the way, Zach and Meryl examine the roles of perpetrators, victims, collaborators, and bystanders; the early terror from the Luftwaffe and precursors to Einsatzgruppen killings; and the jarring coexistence of war news with everyday ads, comics, and weather—then and now. If you teach, parent, or simply care about truth in an age of information overload, this episode hands you a ready-to-use lens for the classroom and beyond.In this episode you’ll learn:How a single 1939 newspaper captures the start of WWII and American perceptions that dayWhy the pact with the USSR made Poland a two-front tragedy—and how Blitzkrieg overwhelmed it in weeksA second-generation perspective: Leon Beck’s Polish Army service, capture, escape, and Soviet imprisonmentHow to use artifacts to teach source evaluation and competing narratives (then vs. now)The scale and distinction of suffering among Jews and Polish civilians, without flattening the historyPerfect for: educators, students, museum-goers, and anyone building critical thinking around history and media.Support the show