Conversations with B’nai B’rith (B’nai B’rith)

B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin, and Director of Legislative Affairs and Deputy Director for Human Rights and Public Policy Eric Fusfield discuss the impact of the Abraham Accords on Israel and the region two years after the agreement was signed, as well as prospects for continued regional peace, security and prosperity, the growing threat from Iran, and more.   When the United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel signed the historic Accords on September 15, 2020, the UAE and Bahrain formally recognized the State of Israel and normalized relations with the Jewish state – ultimately charting a new course in the history of Arab-Israeli relations. This achievement set the stage for Morocco and Sudan to follow suit and join the Accords later in 2020 – raising the number of Arab States with formal diplomatic ties to Israel from two to six.   Just two years into the agreement, the magnitude and importance of the Abraham Accords cannot be understated. Tune in to this episode to find out why!   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Host CEO Dan Mariaschin talks with Wynn Wheldon, author of "The Fighting Jew: The Life and Times of Daniel Mendoza." The two speak about Wheldon's biography of Mendoza, boxing champion of England from 1792-1795 and Jewish sporting superstar who was well ahead of his time.

Chef, kosher food expert and author Paula Shoyer joins the B'nai B'rith podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about her new book, "The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul" – the first Instant Pot cookbook to feature kosher food.

Shoyer shares her favorite recipes, her newfound sense of gratitude for ingredients and how cooking has changed since March 2020.

Known as “The Kosher Baker,” Shoyer teaches cooking and baking classes all around the world – more than 170 since the pandemic began – and regularly appears in media such as the Washington Post, Food52 and NBC Washington. She has also competed on Food Network's Sweet Genius.

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bnai-brith-intl-podcast/id1191935827

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/71hJlumZ9WvvrlKJkLJrNa?si=yePDNadMSKin-UtDj1cwLA

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Scott Kahn and Pesach Wolicki join the B'nai B'rith Podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin to break down all things baseball.

Kahn and Wolicki are co-hosts of The Baseball Rabbi Podcast, part of the new Jewish podcast network “Jewish Coffeehouse.” Both are experts in baseball history, reevaluating historical assumptions and applying advanced metrics to America's Pastime.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bnai-brith-intl-podcast/id1191935827

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/71hJlumZ9WvvrlKJkLJrNa?si=yePDNadMSKin-UtDj1cwLA

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In this episode, host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with Eric Fusfield, B'nai B'rith International's director of legislative affairs and the deputy director of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy. As anti-Semitism rears its ugly head again and again throughout the country, we have watched in horror as Jews have been assaulted and killed in Monsey, New York City, Pittsburgh, Poway and elsewhere. Outside the United States, attacks on Jewish stores and cemeteries continue to occur. With this surge of worldwide and domestic anti-Semitism showing no signs of ceasing, what can be done to combat this trend? How can Jewish organizations address growing anti-Semitism effectively? Listen to find out.

Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion. But how many of us really understand the nuances of early Judaism and the foundation of what we now know as the Bible?

Dr. Alison Joseph, biblical scholar and senior editor of The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, joins CEO Dan Mariaschin to explore the earliest period of Jewish civilization and speak about Volume 1 of the Library, which looks at ancient Israel from its beginnings through 332 BCE.

The new volume, edited by Jeffrey H. Tigay and Adele Berlin, is set to be released in March 2021 by Yale University Press.

Learn more: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300135503/posen-library-jewish-culture-and-civilization-volume-1

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What is it like to represent Israel on the world stage? Former Ambassador Danny Danon has insights few can rival. He spent five years (2015-2020) as Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, a necessary but complex place for Jews and the State of Israel – and an institution known for its systemic bias against the Jewish state.

In his upcoming book, "In the Lion's Den: Israel and the World,” Ambassador Danon shares his experiences on the front lines of Israel’s global presence.

B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with the Ambassador about “In the Lion’s Den,” his commitment to the Jewish state through public service, key moments from his time representing Israel at the world body, and why he views his country as an increasingly major player on the world stage.

Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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July 18, 2018 marks the 24th anniversary since the tragic bombing of the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with B'nai B'rith International's Special Advisor on Latin American Affairs Adriana Camisar about a critical recent development in this case. Alberto Nisman, the federal prosecutor who had been investigating the case, was found dead in his apartment in January of 2015, right after accusing the Argentinian government of giving cover to Iran for planning and executing the bombing via its proxy Hezbollah. A federal chamber ruled--three and a half years later--that Nisman's death was indeed a murder and not a suicide.

Host CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with The Jerusalem Post's Omri Nahmias and Director of B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Alan Schneider about how Israel’s rival political leaders Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz came to an agreement to form a unity government during the coronavirus pandemic.

On this episode of the B'nai B'rith podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin, author and historian Lucy Adlington shares the powerful stories of the women who used their sewing skills to survive the unthinkable horrors of the Nazi concentration camps.

Her new book, "The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive," chronicles the long-hidden – and extraordinary – histories of these fierce women.

Learn more about Adlington's book: http://lucyadlington.com/dressauschwitz.html

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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On this episode of the B'nai B'rith podcast, CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Dr. Leon Saltiel, editor of the harrowing new book, "Do Not Forget Me: Three Jewish Mothers Write to Their Sons from the Thessaloniki Ghetto."

Saltiel’s work brings together the raw emotions of three Greek Jewish women who kept on writing – even as they felt the walls closing in on them.

Sarina Saltiel, Mathilde Barouh, and Neama Cazes detail their experiences with emotional intensity in the weeks before their deportation to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Learn more about Saltiel's book: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/SaltielDo

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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CEO Dan Mariaschin talks with Alberto Dorfzaun, B’nai B’rith member and president of K. Dorfzaun, the most trusted name in the Panama Hat industry based in Cuenca, Ecuador.   K. Dorfzaun was founded in 1939 by the first generation of the Dorfzaun family who arrived in Ecuador – among the 3,000-4,000 Jews who fled there, escaping the horrors of World War II and the Shoah.   Famous for its history and quality, the K. Dorfzaun Panama toquilla straw hat’s traditional weaving became part of UNESCO’S Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012 as an important world artifact.   Alberto Dorfzaun is former president of the Jewish community in Quito, Ecuador, and a descendant of Holocaust refugees.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Renowned cartoonist Ben Katchor sits down with host CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss his new book, "The Dairy Restaurant." In their conversation, Mariaschin and Katchor explore the history and cultural significance of dairy restaurants, establishments that used to be cornerstones of New York's Jewish community. They also talk about what inspired Katchor to write about dairy restaurants, as well as the extent of his research, why dairy restaurants were so important at their peak and how they have impacted modern Jewish food experiences.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠? B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with David Fishof, founder of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp, about the origins of Rock Camp, his experiences working with rock legends like Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey and The Monkees, the role Judaism plays in his professional and personal life, and much more.   Fishof also executive produced the 2021 documentary “Rock Camp: The Movie," and has been a pioneer in the entertainment world for more than four decades.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Journalist and media expert Eliana Gurfinkiel joins CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about the decision of many Jews in France to make Aliyah and how they ultimately fare in Israeli society. Gurfinkiel and Mariaschin also discuss how French Jews are overcoming anti-Semitism and alienation in France and what French officials are doing to combat attacks on Jewish citizens and their long-standing institutions.

Gurfinkiel produces a daily news program, various topical segments and a Jewish history show for Studio Qualita, the leading French speaking new media in Israel. She is also a strategic adviser for Contraste, a leading South American Jewish media platform that concentrates on encouraging Latin American Jews to further embrace their Jewish identity.

 

 

Nearly 100 years after his death, legendary illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini continues to cast a spell over loyal fans worldwide. In his new book The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini, author Joe Posnanski unpacks both Houdini’s fascinating biography and how Houdini’s legacy has influenced individuals who have sought to follow in Houdini’s footsteps as magicians.

On this episode, Posnanski discusses the writing of this book as well as the individuals who were inspired by Houdini years later to create their own magic. Posnanski comes to this book with a distinguished sportswriting background. He is a senior writer at The Athletic and has written five books, including the #1 New York Times national bestseller Paterno. Joe was named National Sportswriter of the Year by the Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame in 2012.

Eitan Bergman, Executive Director of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), and Emily Bowman, EUJS Policy Officer, speak with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about life for young Jews in Europe.   Their conversation focuses on the perceptions and experiences of students facing anti-Semitism on European university campuses, and how the EUJS (as an organization) engages with the European Union in its efforts to combat anti-Jewish hate and foster Jewish life and culture.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Israeli author and entrepreneur Irina Nevzlin joins host CEO Dan Mariaschin to speak about her new book, "The Impact of Identity – The Power of Knowing Who You Are," which offers a new approach to living a more enjoyable and meaningful life in an era of too much information. Nevzlin discusses her inspiration for writing the book and what advice she has for people looking for a new way of viewing the world and addressing it in a more positive, resilient manner. Mariaschin and Nevzlin also talk about the Museum of the Jewish People, her efforts to revive the museum, and how the museum has transformed over the years.

Irina Nevzlin is currently the president of the Nadav Foundation, which was founded in 2003 by her father Leonid Nevzlin in order to support initiatives that promote understanding of the concept of Jewish peoplehood, build collective Jewish identity, and forge lasting ties among Jews around the world. She was previously the Foundation’s CEO from 2008 to 2012. In 2017, Nevzlin was chosen by The Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.

Why are there so many Jewish comedians? "When Comedy Went to School" answers this question with an in-depth, entertaining portrait of America's greatest generation of comics – including the likes of Jerry Lewis, Joan Rivers, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason and so many others.   The feature-length documentary – which aired earlier this year on PBS – tells the story of the Catskill hotels and bungalow colonies that provided the setting for a group of young Jewish-American comedians who forever altered the course of American humor.   On this episode, "When Comedy Went to School" executive producer Robert Kosch speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about the film and guides us through the amazing legacy of Jewish comedians who got their start in the Catskills, the origins of the Borscht Belt hotels themselves, the fight against anti-Semitism and more.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Josh Halickman, better known as "The Sports Rabbi," speaks with CEO Dan Mariaschin about the state of the sports world during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in Israel. Halickman discusses his unique journey in sports reporting and breaks down the future of Israeli sports, including Deni Avdija, Manor Solomon and the Israeli national baseball team that is set to compete for gold at this summer's Tokyo Olympics.

Check out all of Halickman's coverage at The Sports Rabbi: https://sportsrabbi.com/en/

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World-renowned and highly respected cantor Joseph Malovany has dazzled audiences with his musical talents for nearly his entire life, despite his humble beginnings in Tel Aviv. In fact, his musical talents were so exceptional that his mother sold her wedding ring and used that money to purchase a piano for him so he could hone his skills – a gamble that certainly paid off.   In our first episode of 2023, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Malovany about his lifetime of achievements as a cantor, tenor soloist and distinguished representative of world Jewry. Malovany served as Cantor of New York’s Fifth Avenue Synagogue for from 1973 until his retirement, recently attaining the title of Cantor Emeritus.   Malovany has also held numerous distinguished academic positions, like the post of Distinguished Professor of Liturgical Music at Yeshiva University; received countless prestigious awards, including receiving the Cross of Merit – Commander of the Legion of Honor from Poland’s President; taught his craft to countless students; and performed in front of world leaders like Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, as well as audiences around the globe from Warsaw to Vilnius to Paris to New York and beyond.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And please rate and review us!   Follow B'nai B'rith Intl.: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

The B’nai B’rith Podcast is now “Conversations with B’nai B’rith"!   Dr. Edyta Gawron speaks with CEO Dan Mariaschin about B'nai B'rith's storied history in Poland before and leading up to World War II, the history of Jews in modern Poland and the cultural impact of "Schindler's List" on Polish society today.   Dr. Gawron is an assistant professor at the Institute of Jewish Studies, part of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and is an expert on the 20th century history of Polish Jews, Holocaust studies and the contemporary Jewish Diaspora. She recently spoke during a conference in Warsaw marking 100 years of B'nai B'rith in Poland.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Since its founding in 2005, AJIRI – the American-Jewish International Relations Institute – has been forward-thinking about combating anti-Israel bias at the United Nations.   Now an affiliate of B'nai B'rith, AJIRI-BBI works directly with B’nai B’rith’s long-standing Office of U.N. Affairs to overcome anti-Israel efforts engrained at the United Nations, securing important vote changes – with fewer countries now supporting the annual U.N. resolutions that renew mandates and funding for the U.N.’s anti-Israel propaganda apparatus.   B’nai B’rith has been accredited at the U.N. since its founding in 1945. Read more about our work at the world body here.   In this episode, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin sits down with AJIRI-BBI Chair Rick Schifter and Executive Director Gil Kapen to discuss anti-Israel bias at the United Nations and why combating it is critical to the future of the Jewish state.   Learn more about AJIRI-BBI at ajiri.us.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Tune in as we delve into a fascinating, little known piece of Jewish history in the Southern United States – of course, with a B’nai B’rith connection!   Lawyer and author Marlene Trestman speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about her upcoming book, “Most Fortunate Unfortunates,” which explores the story of the long-shuttered Jewish Orphans’ Home of New Orleans – the first purpose-built Jewish orphanage in the nation.   More information about "Most Fortunate Unfortunates" and the history of the Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans can be found here.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

The coronavirus is being used as an excuse by some to spread anti-Semitism around the world. B’nai B’rith Deputy Director of the International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy Eric Fusfield joins the B’nai B’rith International Podcast for a discussion on coronavirus and anti-Semitism in this uncertain time. In a discussion with CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, Fusfield delves into the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories surrounding coronavirus.

Harvey Lisberg speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his revealing, entertaining and moving new memoir, "I'm Into Something Good: My Life Managing 10cc, Herman's Hermits and Many More!"   Lisberg shares the highs and lows of managing Rock 'n' Roll legends, eccentric snooker (pool) superstars and famous athletes, growing up Jewish in Manchester, England, and the ever-changing complexities of the music business.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

In his first book, “Under the Radar: 30 Notable Canadian Jewish Musicians,” music aficionado David Eisenstadt highlights hidden gems in the music world – musicians whose fame and fortune did not match their talent and influence.

Eisenstadt writes with acclaim and appreciation for the artists who never quite basked in the limelight, including pop singer Corey Hart, folksingers The Travellers, jazz singer Sofie Milman, rock star and broadcaster Danny Marks, children’s music trio Sharon Lois & Bram, and film score writer and composer Howard Shore, among others.

For our 99th podcast episode, Eisenstadt joins CEO Dan Mariaschin for a conversation about Canadian Jewish musicians who never got their proper due – until now.

Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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Deborah Dash Moore, editor in chief of the Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, talks about the Library’s recently published sixth volume in its series on Jewish culture and civilization, “Confronting Modernity 1750 to 1880.” Moore is the Frederick G. L. Huetwell Professor of History and Professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan and is the author of several books, including “G.I. Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation.” She is also the first scholar of our organization’s history, having published “B'nai B'rith and the Challenge of Ethnic Leadership” in 1981 as part of the State University of New York’s series in modern Jewish history.

Volume 8, “Crisis and Creativity Between World Wars, 1918-1939” is now also available from the Posen Library.  Even those who possess a wide ranging knowledge of Jewish history and culture will uncover a wealth of new information in this latest entry, enhanced with an array of impressive reproductions of fine and decorative arts, and including examples of literary treasures by the world’s greatest Jewish writers, a panoramic revelation of the genius that flourished in nearly every country, during those decades of the greatest adversity.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Erica Miller joins CEO Dan Mariaschin to share her tips for staying resilient in uncertain times. An author of three books on overcoming adversity and living enthusiastically, Dr. Miller's incredible life experiences – from surviving the Holocaust to joining the Israeli Air Force to serving substance abuse and domestic violence populations – give her a wealth of insight on how to develop and summon resilience when it’s needed most.

Dr. Miller previously joined the B'nai B'rith podcast to talk about healthy aging and her latest book, “Chronologically Gifted: Aging with Gusto: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living to Age 123.”

In this episode, host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with Laura Seltzer-Duny, the documentary filmmaker behind “Nobody Wants Us,” the true story of Jewish refugees who sailed to Hampton Roads, Virginia in order to seek asylum from the Nazis in 1940. During a period when the United States was turning away large numbers of refugees, this group was allowed in the country thanks to the advocacy of a Newport News, Virginia lawyer named Jacob Morewitz. Morewitz was in fact a relative of Laura Seltzer-Duny’s on her mother’s side of the family. The film took eight years to make, and it tells a vital—and still relevant—story about immigration and asylum.

Visit the film’s website at www.nobodywantsus.com for information about upcoming screenings, to schedule a community screening or to purchase the film for a school.

The French Revolution brought the promise of equality to many oppressed groups living in France. French Jews, subject to brutal treatment for centuries, sought to benefit from the new freedoms promised by the Revolution. So they enlisted the help of young Catholic attorney Jacques Godard, who ultimately persuaded the Paris Municipal Assembly to legislate equal rights for Jews.   In his new book, "Lobbying for Equality: Jacques Godard and the Struggle for Jewish Equality During the French Revolution," author and international law expert Gerard Leval brings to life the story of a young man who fought for equality for the French Jewish community more than 200 years ago.   Leval joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about Godard's life and impact on the Jews of France, how Godard brought about meaningful change, the history of Jews in France and more.  

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Legendary actor Nehemiah Persoff speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his new memoir, “The Many Faces of Nehemiah,” his successes and struggles as an actor spanning more than five decades – with credits from "Some Like it Hot" to "Yentl" to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" – and his experiences as a Jewish performer in Hollywood and on stage.

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Professor Sarah Fainberg joins host CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about the coronavirus' impact on Russian foreign policy, the state of anti-Semitism in Europe and the latest developments in Ukraine. Fainberg also discusses how her father's role as a dissident in the Soviet Union informed her career and worldview.

What started as a way for Vassar College alumni to fill open air time on its radio station has turned into a launching pad for Aaron Bendich's "Borscht Beat," a weekly FM radio show (on Radio Catskill, WJFF-90.5) featuring Jewish music, old and new.   The 28-year-old launched the hour-long program from his Brooklyn apartment in 2020 (in the throes of quarantine) as a way to revive – and continue – his family's love for Jewish music. In less than two years, Bendich has built up a large community of listeners and has expanded to three additional radio stations – WJFF Catskill, WVKR Poughkeepsie and WCFA Cape May.   Now he's launching a record label, also called "Borscht Beat," to more actively engage in the Jewish music scene.   In this interview, Bendich speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about "Borscht Beat" – the radio show and the label – the future of Jewish music and much more.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

 

Author Peter Jennings and photographer Tom Sandler join CEO Dan Mariaschin to speak about Sandler's mother, Ruth Lowe, one of the most enduring musical talents of the 20th century. Lowe wrote Frank Sinatra's 1940 hit, "I'll Never Smile Again," which established Lowe both as a prolific songwriter and a pioneer as one of the first Jewish women to break into a typically male-dominated industry. Jennings and Lowe's book, "Until I Smile at You," was published in November 2020.

Margot Webb hasn't forgotten what happened to her family more than 80 years ago in Nazi Germany. The sacrifices made to save her and her mother. The heartlessness of former friends. The brutality of SS officers.

Webb's book, "Tears in the Eyes of My Enemy," follows a slightly fictionalized version of herself – Meryam – as she returns to her childhood homes in Arnstadt and Halle, Germany, and the unlikely friendships she builds with descendants of her former tormentors.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Webb about "Tears in the Eyes of My Enemy," her journey back to the places she once called home and her efforts making sure others don't forget the cruelty she witnessed – and experienced.

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Israel is at the forefront of innovative research and treatment when it comes to coronavirus. Yoel HarEven, the director of the international division and resource development at Sheba Medical Center in Israel, joins CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin on the B’nai B’rith International Podcast for a discussion on the coronavirus response at his hospital, in Israel more broadly, and the sharing of best practices around the world.

Dr. Stephen Berk, professor of history at Union College, joins the B'nai B'rith podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin to explore his “Towering Figures Who Changed the World” virtual program series, hosted by Ayelet Tours.

As Ayelet's scholar-in-residence, Dr. Berk has hosted 24 installments since the virtual series began in November 2020, giving talks on people who have changed the course of modern history and whose influence remains to this day. These include Theodor Herzl, Margaret Thatcher and Martin Luther King Jr., who Dr. Berk says is the most consequential figure of the 20th century.

Pre-pandemic, Dr. Berk lectured during trips to Russia, Spain, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Europe and Israel.

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Coming-of-age novel Cosella Wayne: Or, Will and Destiny, by largely unknown American Jewish author Cora Wilburn, went largely unnoticed for over 150 years. That is, until preeminent Jewish Studies scholar Dr. Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University discovered the work in Jerusalem after having come across Wilburn's name throughout his career. Sarna helped bring Wilburn's novel to modern day readers with a first-edition published book that he introduces. Wilburn's novel explores important themes of the American Jewish experience during the 19th century.

In this podcast episode, Sarna discusses the discovery of Wilburn's work with our host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin. In addition, Sarna updates listeners on the publication by Yale University Press of the second edition of his seminal work American Judaism: A History. Sarna also shares his perspective on the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States.

As anti-Semitic incidents continue to occur on college campuses across the United States, how bad is the situation for Jewish students today? What is being done to combat anti-Semitism on campuses? How can we ensure that supporters of the BDS movement do not hijack student government agendas? In this episode, our host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin delves into these questions with guest Andy Borans, the CEO of the Alpha Epsilon Pi foundation and its former executive director.

In this podcast episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with Bob Wechsler, author of The Jewish Baseball Card Book, to talk about the role of Jews--and their baseball cards--in the history of baseball.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with B'nai B'rith Magazine Editor Eugene L. Meyer Meyer to discuss his latest book, "Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown's Army." Very little is known about the five African American soldiers who fought in John Brown's army, and Meyer aims to shed light on these courageous men. 

Starting in the in 1940s, governments across the Middle East began expelling their countries’ Jewish populations. As a result, almost one million Jews were forced to flee; these refugees went to Israel and other Western countries. In this episode, guest and author Lyn Julius discusses this often-overlooked tragedy in Middle Eastern history with host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin. Lyn Julius is the author of Uprooted: How 3,000 Years of Jewish Civilization in the Arab World Vanished Overnight. Her journalistic work been published in outlets including the Guardian, Ha’aretz and the Huffington Post. Lyn also blogs at Times of Israel, JNS News and Point of No Return, found at www.jewishrefugees.blogspot.com. Lyn is a co-founder of Harif, the UK Association for Jews from the Middle East and North Africa.

 

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with guest Professor Pamela Nadell to discuss her latest book America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today, published this year by W.W. Norton. Nadell is the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History at American University’s Department of History. She also directs the Jewish Studies Program at American University and serves as the chair of its Critical Race, Gender & Culture Studies program.

America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today highlights the stories of various important Jewish women in American history including poet Emma Lazarus and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Nadell is also the author of Women Who Would be Rabbis: A History of Women’s Ordination, 1889-1985, which was a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award.

Author Dara Horn is tired of Jewish history being exploited to flatter the living. In her new book, "People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present," Horn challenges us to confront the public's fascination with Jewish deaths and why there is often little respect for Jewish lives.

A two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award with nonfiction work published in The New York Times, The Washington Post and more, Horn speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about her book in a world once again witnessing alarming spikes in anti-Semitism and the whitewashing of Jewish history.

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Few writers or historians have thoroughly explored the subtle ways in which non-Jewish societies – including contemporary America – pressure or gaslight Jews into modifying or erasing their own identity altogether. Learn more about "People Love Dead Jews" and the thoughtful, provocative concept driving Horn's analysis.

Vice President of Programming Rhonda Love provides updates on B'nai B'rith's emergency relief efforts amidst the coronavirus pandemic, West Coast wildfires and Gulf Coast hurricanes. Love speaks with CEO Dan Mariaschin about how B'nai B'rith is meeting the needs of disaster victims around the world and our ongoing commitment to public service. *From October 2020*

Few people know about Elvis Presley's range of deep Jewish connections. Even fewer are aware of his own Jewish roots. Author, artist and writer Roselle Chartock joins the B'nai B'rith podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about her new book, "The Jewish World of Elvis Presley," and delve into this little-known side of the revolutionary rock 'n' roll icon.

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In this podcast episode, guest Bill Benson sits down with host and B'nai B'rith International CEO to discuss his work interviewing Holocaust survivors before live audiences at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Benson shares what it is like to hear these poignant and deeply thought-provoking stories.

In this episode, our host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by sports writer Jane Leavy, an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of biographies of baseball legends Mickey Mantle and Sandy Koufax. Those books are titled The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood and Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy. Leavy also wrote the comic novel Squeeze Play, described by Entertainment Weekly as “the best novel ever written about baseball.”

Leavy's latest book The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created explores Babe Ruth’s life as America’s first modern celebrity. The Big Fella has been awarded the Seymour Medal, presented annually by the Society for American Baseball Research for the best baseball book of the year. The book has also been nominated for the National Book Critics Award in biography as well as the Pen-Faulkner award for literary sports writing. The Big Fella includes details never previously reported about the baseball legend’s life. Leavy and Mariaschin discuss all this and more during the episode.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with B'nai B'rith International's Archivist Cheryl Kempler to discuss the relationship between B'nai B'rith and the Jews of Romania. As the first European country to establish B'nai B'rith lodges, Romania has a special place in B'nai B'rith's history. Listen to learn more about this history and the ways in which B'nai B'rith is helping Jews of Romanian origin today.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with guests Alan Schneider, director of B'nai B'rith's World Center-Jerusalem, and Avraham Huli, B'nai B'rith's international vice president. They discuss the phenomenon of Jews rescuing other Jews during the Holocaust; many of their stories have remained largely unknown until now. They also discuss a film currently in production that is focused specifically on Jewish rescuers, as well as the film's funders, its target audience and the stories that the film explores.

To learn more about the Jewish rescuers' program, visit its website: www.en.jrj.co.il.

In this episode, our host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by guest David Michaels, the Director of United Nations and Intercommunal Affairs at B’nai B’rith International. David traveled with a delegation of B'nai B'rith's leaders to Paris and Geneva for B'nai B'rith's annual meetings at UNESCO and the United Nations Human Rights Council, respectively. During these meetings, B’nai B’rith's leaders called attention to the singularly biased treatment of Israel in international bodies. David also addressed the UNHRC directly in the course of the delegation's visit. These annual meetings serve as a critical opportunity for B’nai B’rith to advocate for Israel on the international stage.

 

As we continue to witness a resurgence in anti-Semitism worldwide, it becomes even more critical for B’nai B’rith International to increase its global footprint fighting bigotry against Jews. In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin speaks to B'nai B'rith International's Director of European Union Affairs Benjamin Naegele about Naegele's work combating anti-Semitism in Europe in 2018. The discussion includes special emphasis on the Austrian Council Presidency’s recent focus on anti-Semitism and an important survey that was just conducted regarding the rising levels of anti-Semitism in Europe.

Together with the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM), we recently launched a creative video contest to engage high school and undergraduate university students around the world in the fight against anti-Semitism. On this episode, host CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with B'nai B'rith's own Program Director for Strategic Engagement Sienna Girgenti and CAM Director Sacha Roytman-Dratwa about the contest and why CAM and B'nai B'rith's partnership is an important tool for inspiring a new generation of activists against the world's oldest form of hatred – anti-Semitism.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with B'nai B'rith International's Archivist and Staff Writer Cheryl Kempler about the beginnings of B'nai B'rith and its early history as an organization.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and B'nai B'rith International's Director of United Nations and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels discussed B'nai B'rith's advocacy work on behalf of Israel at both UNESCO and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Dr. Erica Miller, a clinical psychologist whose life has taken her from Romania, where she and her family were forced into a concentration camp during the Holocaust when she was a child, to Israel, where her family immigrated when Miller was 15 years old. In Israel, Miller eventually joined the Israeli Air Force, where she served from 1954 to 1956. Miller next relocated to Los Angeles, where she earned a PhD in clinical psychology and raised two children. Miller has written three books, including her most recent book Chronologically Gifted: Aging with Gusto, and currently manages a family real estate company in Austin, Texas. During this episode, Mariaschin speaks with Miller about her life’s journey, from surviving the Holocaust to serving in the Israeli Air Force as a woman, to starting an entirely new life in the United States.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with Stefanie Halpern, the assistant director of the archives at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York. Halpern received her Ph.D. in Jewish Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where she focused on the influence of the Yiddish stage on American theatrical culture. During this episode, Mariaschin and Halpern discuss the history of Yiddish theatre, as well as Halpern's work as the assistant curator of the highly successful exhibition "New York’s Yiddish Theater: From the Bowery to Broadway," which was shown at the Museum of the City of New York in 2016. Halpern also mentions the upcoming debut of YIVO’s new online class called “Oh Mama, I’m in Love! The Story of the Yiddish Stage!” 

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and B'nai B'rith International's Director of Legislative Affairs Eric Fusfield discuss the implications of President Trump's announcement to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin speaks with B'nai B'rith International's Assistant Director for Aging Policy Evan Carmen about his role advocating for seniors' expanded access to affordable housing through his work with the U.S. Congress.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and B'nai B'rith International's Assistant Director for Aging Policy Evan Carmen discussed Congress's tax bill and its implications for seniors.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with B'nai B'rith International's Assistant Director for the International Center for Human Rights aand Public Policy and Director of the Cuban Jewish Relief Project Sienna Girgenti about B'nai B'rith's work in Latin America, including disaster relief efforts in Cuba and the upcoming Summit of the Americas.

Authors Einat Wilf and Adi Schwartz join host CEO Dan Mariaschin to break down their new book, "The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace." Mariaschin speaks with Wilf and Schwartz about how they view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and why they view the notion of Palestinian “right to return” for Arab refugees to be an existential threat to the future of Israel as a Jewish state. They also explore how the refugee issue has become an obstacle to peace, as well as the myths and impediments preventing a peaceful solution between the two sides.

Einat Wilf was a Member of Knesset from 2010 to 2013 for Independence and the Labor Party. She has been a senior fellow at Israeli think tanks, a foreign policy advisor to Shimon Peres and is the author of several books.

Adi Schwartz is a Tel Aviv-based freelance researcher and journalist who is a former staff writer and senior editor for Haaretz. He has particular expertise on the Palestinian refugee issue.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with the Associate Director of B'nai B'rith International's Center for Senior Services Janel Doughten about several challenges and solutions for residents of B'nai B'rith's affordable housing buildings. In particular, they discuss the challenge of bullying in these residential communities, as well as the role of residents’ associations in addressing these and other challenges for seniors in B'nai B'rith's buildings. With a network of 38 apartment buildings located in 28 cities across the U.S., affordable housing for seniors is a key part of B'nai B'rith's mission.

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin speaks with Art and Music Specialist Cheryl Kempler about the history of B'nai B'rith in Czechoslovakia.

Professor Yossi Shain joins host CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss the ideas and inspiration behind Shain's best-selling book, "The Israeli Century and the Israelization of Judaism." Shain is one of the world's leading scholars on diasporas. In their conversation, Mariaschin and Shain discuss what Shain means by "Israelization," how Israeli Jewish identity has changed in the 21st century and the future of American Jewry in the face of increased anti-Semitism. They also talk about what decades of war and terrorism have done to the Israeli psyche. "The Israeli Century and the Israelization of Judaism" will be available in English later in 2020.

Dr. Ernest Abel, author of the book, "Lincoln's Jewish Spy: The Life and Times of Issachar Zacharie," speaks with CEO Dan Mariaschin about the incredible life of Issachar Zacharie, a Civil War era Jewish doctor who treated the likes of Henry Clay, General George McClellan and even President Abraham Lincoln! Dr. Abel delves into Zacharie's improbable bond with President Lincoln and how he became the president's confidante – and eventually, an unlikely Union spy.

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In a special conversation, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv about his new movie, "Golda," which stars Dame Helen Mirren as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.   In "Golda," Nattiv and screenwriter Nicholas Martin shed new light on Meir’s life, and frame Meir’s incredible triumphs and failures in the 19 critical and intense days of her country’s worst military crisis, the 1973 Yom Kippur War.   Nattiv takes us through his decision to have Mirren play the “Iron Lady of Israel," Meir's legacy today, and why he and Martin decided to focus on such a short amount of time in her life – especially when considering her lifelong dedication to the Jewish state's establishment and protection.   Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Sanford Greenberg stops by the B'nai B'rith podcast to talk with CEO Dan Mariaschin about his new memoir "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend." Inspired by big dreams and his lifelong friendship with Art Garfunkel (of Simon & Garfunkel), Sanford transcends his own limitations (losing his sight) to change the world and develop a passion for public service and philanthropy.

Big news! The B’nai B’rith Podcast is now “Conversations with B’nai B’rith"!   In this episode, University of Munich Prof. Cornelia Wilhelm joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss her in-depth study of the German refugee rabbis who immigrated to the United States after 1933 and their impact on Jewish American communities in the 20th century.   Prof. Wilhelm's painstaking research also inspired her to create the impressive “German Refugee Rabbis in the United States, 1933–1990” digital database, which can be found at mira.geschichte.lmu.de.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating!   Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Recently, the United Nations General Assembly committee voted to move forward with renewing the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Founded in 1949, UNRWA has a long history of supporting anti-Israel incitement. On this episode to discuss what the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate means for Israel is guest Dr. Asaf Romirowsky. Romirowsky is the Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and a fellow at the Middle East Forum. He has co-authored a book with Alexander Joffe on the issue of Palestinian refugee aid titled Religion, Politics, and the Origins of Palestine Refugee Relief, published in 2013. In addition, his work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New Republic, and the Times of Israel, among other outlets. Romirowsky is also a Professor at the University of Haifa, and he has published widely on various aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict and Zionist history. 

In this episode, our host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Dr. Erica Miller, a clinical psychologist whose life has taken her from Romania, where she and her family were forced into a concentration camp during the Holocaust when she was a child, to Israel, where her family immigrated when Erica was 15 years old. In Israel, Erica eventually joined the Israeli Air Force. She then relocated to Los Angeles, where she lives now. In Los Angeles, Erica earned a PhD in clinical psychology and raised two children. Erica has written three books, most recently Chronologically Gifted: Aging with Gusto: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living to Age 123. In this episode, Dr. Miller shares her tips for healthy aging. Aging is a topic that is close to our hearts here at B’nai B’rith, because we are the largest national Jewish sponsor of affordable senior housing in the United States. We also advocate for seniors on Capitol Hill, where we fight for legislation that protects the social safety net. You can find out more about that and the other work we do for seniors on our Center for Senior Services section of our website at https://www.bnaibrith.org/seniors.html.

Seth Frantzman, Oped Editor and Middle East affairs analyst at The Jerusalem Post joins host CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss his new book, “After Isis: America, Iran and the Struggle for the Middle East.” In their conversation, Frantzman talks about how his experiences reporting in the Middle East have shaped his analysis of events on the ground in an area known as a “tough neighborhood.” Mariaschin and Frantzman also take a deeper look at how the coronavirus has impacted the dynamics in the region, from oil prices to war zones to Iranian hegemonism, and what the region may look like after the pandemic has subsided.

The 2019 film Sefarad explores the fascinating history of Oporto, the Jewish community of northern Portugal. Visiting to discuss the film and its impact is Dara Jeffries, a long-time member of the Jewish Community of Oporto, where she lived for most of her life until relocating with her family to Miami. She is a representative and spokesperson for the Oporto community in the United States.

With her new book, “The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos,” author Judy Batalion has written one of the most important stories of World War II.

When the Nazis occupied Poland, many Jewish women joined the resistance and risked their lives to sabotage the regime.

Batalion, who spent 12 years putting the book together, joins the B'nai B'rith podcast with CEO Dan Mariaschin to highlight this crucial but often overlooked story of defiance.

Director Steven Spielberg has already optioned the book for a motion picture and signed Batalion to co-write the screenplay.

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Author and military historian Bruce Henderson speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his brand-new book, "Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II," and his 2017 New York Times bestseller "Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with U.S. Army to Fight Hitler."   In “Bridge to the Sun," Henderson captures an unforgettable story of patriotism through the eyes of Japanese American U.S. soldiers who helped save countless American lives during World War II – even as their families were being imprisoned in internment camps back home.   “Sons and Soldiers" highlights the epic, previously untold story of the Ritchie Boys. Jewish families sent their young sons away from danger to safety in America, knowing they may never meet again. When these young men came of age, they became American soldiers determined to return to Europe to fight for their adopted homeland and for the families they had left behind.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

In 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act. As anti-Semitism continues to surge around the globe, this legislation sent a clear message that the United States will not tolerate hatred and bigotry. In February 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appointed Elan Carr to fill the post of the special envoy. Prior to this point, the position had not been filled by the White House. Elan Carr appears on this episode as a guest to discuss his vital work as special envoy—his top priorities, his day-to-day work and the role of other countries in addressing anti-Semitism globally. Prior to his appointment as Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism, Carr served in the United States military and in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office as a deputy district attorney.

Professor Nancy Sinkoff joins host CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss her new book, "From Left to Right: Lucy S. Dawidowicz, the New York Intellectuals, and the Politics of Jewish History." In her book, Sinkoff examines the life of Lucy Dawidowicz, intellectual and pioneer historian in the field that is now called Holocaust studies. Mariaschin and Sinkoff speak about her decision to write about Dawidowicz and what she discovered about her subject along the way. They also talk about Dawidowicz's attitude toward feminism and how it may have affected the way her thoughts and writing are evaluated today.

Sinkoff is an award-winning author and is Academic Director of the Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life and associate professor of Jewish Studies and History at Rutgers—New Brunswick.

On this episode of our podcast, CEO Dan Mariaschin and Center for Senior Services Associate Director Janel Doughten sit down with Tiffany Woolf and Noam Dromi, co-creators of the digital series "Dispatches from Quarantine." Episodes of "Dispatches" focus on the life of older legends like Norman Lear, Ellyn Burstyn, Larry King and the late Carl Reiner. Woolf and Dromi speak about the inspiration for the series, important lessons from older people (both celebrities and those not in the public eye) and why we need to continue celebrating our seniors even after the COVID-19 pandemic calms down.

Musicologist Dr. Tina Fruhauf joins CEO Dan Mariaschin to guide us through the rebirth of German-Jewish music after the Holocaust. Her new book, "Transcending Dystopia: Music, Mobility, and the German-Jewish Community, 1945–1989," is the first book-length study on Jewish music in postwar Germany.

Dr. Fruhauf delves into her new book and her discoveries about the cultural transformation of the Jewish community in Germany after the Holocaust. An award-winning music historian, she also talks about how the arrival of Jewish immigrants during the 20th century impacted the American musical scene.

Learn more about Dr. Fruhauf's work: http://www.tinafruehauf.com.

Opening music by Naftule Brandwein: "Fun Tashlach" (Returning from the River)

Before Elvis Presley was "The King," he was a poor kid who spent his free time staring at the windows of Lansky Brothers in the heart of Memphis' music district. One day in 1952, Bernard Lansky saw a young, skinny kid admiring the clothes and invited him in. So began a lifelong friendship built on trust and respect, one that Hal Lansky, Bernard's son, witnessed firsthand.   Almost exactly 45 years after Elvis Presley’s passing, Hal Lansky joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to help celebrate Elvis’ life and legacy. They talk about how Lansky Brothers became clothier to the King, his family’s special relationship with Elvis, how Hal’s father and uncle felt about being the men who dressed one of the 20th century’s most iconic cultural figures, and of course Baz Luhrmann's new biopic, Elvis.   More about Lansky Brothers.   Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.   And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Frank Goldman, the grandson of former B’nai B’rith International president Frank Goldman. As B’nai B’rith’s president, Goldman spearheaded the first openly pro-Zionist position that the organization had ever taken by publicly calling for the unrestricted immigration of European Jewish refugees into then-British controlled Palestine. This was a highly controversial stance to take at the time. Goldman also organized a succession of meetings that eventually led to the formal recognition of Israel by the U.S.

In this episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Eric Fusfield, B'nai B'rith's director of legislative affairs and the deputy director of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy. They discuss the devastating mass shooting on Saturday, October 27, 2018 that killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. As prosecutors press charges against the gunman Robert Bowers, they explore the issues of hate crimes and the rise in anti-Semitism. This shooting was the deadliest attack on American Jews in the history of the United States.

We know that the language that we choose is paramount when we talk about Israel and the Middle East. Author and FactsonIsrael.com co-founder Lee Bender emphasizes this point in his book Pressing Israel: Media Bias Exposed from A-Z, which he co-authored with Jerome Verlin. In this podcast episode, Bender and our podcast's host, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, discuss language and more in regards to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Bender is an attorney by training and now serves on various Jewish and civic-minded committees in the Philadelphia area, where he lives.  

Over his nine-decade career, Jewish American songwriter Irving Berlin created some of the most beloved and celebrated popular music in the United States. Due to major songs such as “God Bless America” and “White Christmas,” Irving Berlin’s music continues to live on as canonized works in American popular culture. One of the less examined aspects of Irving Berlin’s life is his relationship with New York City, a place where Berlin grew up as a Jewish immigrant in the Lower East Side. In his newly published book Irving Berlin: New York Genius, distinguished biographer and journalist James Kaplan tackles the complex relationship between Irving Berlin and the city of New York. In this podcast episode, B'nai B'rith International CEO and host Daniel S. Mariaschin and Kaplan discuss Kaplan's book as well as the legacy of Irving Berlin.

James Kaplan is the author of the two-volume biography of Frank Sinatra, Frank: The Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman. He has also profiled a wide range of public figures including playwright Arthur Miller and comedian and writer Larry David.

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin sits down with guest Ken Ackerman, an attorney and writer based in Washington, D.C. Ken’s published books include Boss Tweed: The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York and Ken’s most recent one, Trotsky in New York, 1917, A Radical on the Eve of Revolution. Ken has authored a feature story titled “How an Immigrant Saloon of 1840s New York Gave Birth to B’nai B’rith” for B'nai B'rith Magazine's winter 2018 magazine issue. The piece is a deeply researched and detailed exploration of B’nai B’rith’s founding in New York during the mid-19th century. Ken describes in detail what life was like for the Jews who founded B'nai B'rith during that time.

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with Eduardo Kohn, B’nai B’rith’s director of Latin American Affairs, about the upcoming yearly meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Medellin, Colombia. Kohn and Sienna Girgenti, Program Director for Strategic Engagement, will represent B’nai B’rith at the meeting. B’nai B’rith attends the OAS General Assembly each year. Mariaschin and Kohn also discuss the situation that Jews face in Latin America today, including the biggest dangers for Jewish communities in the region and the influence of Iran in the Western Hemisphere.

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with our guests about our efforts to help Puerto Rico recovery from the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria. We coordinated a vital  service mission as part of a gathering of our housing experts that included a focus on emergency preps, protecting seniors from financial fraud and aging in place. As the largest national Jewish sponsor of non-sectarian housing for low income seniors, our team had a lot to say!

The Band’s Visit is the winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making it one of the most Tony-winning musicals in history. With a Middle Eastern-inspired score and a highly skilled ensemble cast, The Band’s Visit celebrates the way that music brings people together in both poignant and often comedic ways. In this episode, Sasson Gabay, who stars in the national tour of The Band's Visit and who originated the role in the film version, discusses the musical with our host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin. Gabay also starred in the musical's production on Broadway. For more information about the national tour, please visit TheBandsVisitMusical.com. Aside from his role in The Band’s Visit, Gabay has enjoyed a long and storied career spanning film, television and theater both in Israel and internationally.

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Social Security Administration Chief Actuary Stephen Goss to discuss the current state and future of Social Security. 

25 years ago this summer, the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina's history occurred when a bomber killed 85 people and injured hundreds of others at the AMIA, the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. The evidence that Iran and Hezbollah were responsible for the attack is extensive. Yet, efforts to prosecute those responsible for the bombing have been unsuccessful. And the murder of Jewish Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman in 2015 added another victim to this horrific case. In this podcast episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin discusses this tragedy--as well as efforts to hold those responsible to account--with B'nai B'rith International's Special Advisor on Latin American Affairs Adriana Camisar.

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by David Weinstein, the Washington, D.C.-based author of two books, including most recently The Eddie Cantor Story: A Jewish Life in Performance and Politics (2017). In this biography, which is included the Brandeis Series in American Jewish History, Culture and Life, Weinstein explores the extensive legacy of Eddie Cantor, an immensely popular Jewish entertainer of the early to mid-20th century whose reach extended to radio, film, theater and television. Together, Mariaschin and Weinstein discuss several big questions surrounding Eddie Cantor's Jewish legacy. How did Eddie Cantor incorporate Jewish-themed material into his work? What was the relationship between Eddie Cantor’s very vocal opposition to Nazism and anti-Semitism and his persona as a Jewish American entertainer? How did his many philanthropic efforts benefit the Jewish community?

Even today, mysteries circulate about the life of Moe Berg, a major league baseball player during baseball’s Golden Age in the 1920s and 1930s who also spied for the United States in Europe. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Aviva Kempner chose to take on Berg's fascinating and jet-setting legacy in her latest film The Spy Behind Home Plate, opening this month. In this episode with Kempner and host B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, they discuss what is known of Berg’s life—his secret mission to discover whether the Nazis had invented an atomic bomb, his storied baseball career, and how he managed to pull off this double life. Kempner is also the creator of films about fellow Jewish baseball star Hank Greenberg and the radio and television star Gertrude Berg.

To watch the trailer of The Spy Behind Home Plate, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_rQixY-sQI&feature=youtu.be. 

Recently the White House announced that it would be withdrawing funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, otherwise known as the UNRWA. In this podcast episode, our host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin discusses the implications of this decision by the White House with our guest, Dr. Asaf Romirowsky. Dr. Romirowsky is the Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and a fellow at the Middle East Forum. He has co-authored a book with Alexander Joffe on the issue of Palestinian refugee aid titled Religion, Politics, and the Origins of Palestine Refugee Relief, published in 2013. Dr. Romirowsky is also a Professor at the University of Haifa, and he has published widely on various aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict and Zionist history.

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Director of U.N. Affairs David Michaels and Program Officer for U.N. Affairs Oren Drori to preview the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.

Each year, B’nai B’rith sends a delegation of high-level representatives to the United Nations General Assembly, which convenes in New York in the fall. There, our delegation advocates for Israel with political leaders and diplomats from around the world. Given the United Nations’ well-documented and long-running bias against Israel, we consider this work of advocating for Israel a key part of our organization’s mission. In this podcast episode, B'nai B'rith International's Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels provides a re-cap of our delegation’s 2019 visit to the UNGA to host and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin.

Often in politically progressive spaces, Zionists are asked to leave their pro-Israel politics at the door, or else face exclusion and be branded as racists. Amanda Berman, the founder and executive director of the Zioness Movement, is aiming to address this problem by empowering and activating Zionists on the progressive left to stand proudly in social justice spaces as Jews and Zionists. In this episode, our podcast host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with Berman about the work of the Zioness Movement and the main challenges ahead for her organization.

Until she recently made the transition to focusing exclusively on building the much-needed Zioness community, Berman was also a civil rights attorney fighting anti-Semitism legally, spearheading such groundbreaking initiatives as the international action against Kuwait Airways for its discrimination against Israeli nationals, and the dual cases against San Francisco State University for its constitutional and civil rights violations against Jewish and Israeli students and community members. Berman writes on Jewish and civil rights issues and is a media contributor across various mediums and outlets. She has spoken and presented before diverse audiences including Hadassah, JNF, B'nai Brith, Jewish Federation, AIPAC, JCRC, Hillel and many others. 

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by B'nai B'rith Special Advisor on Latin America Affairs Adriana Camisar to discuss the 23rd anniversary of the horrific 1994 terrorist attack on the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires.

B'nai B'rith International CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with new Assistant Director for Aging Policy Evan Carmen on the history of Social Security, the benefits of the program, longterm solvency of the Social Security trust fund and common misconceptions. 

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin is joined by Ron Kaplan, author of Hank Greenberg In 1938: Hatred And Home Runs In The Shadow Of War.