Identity/Crisis

Don't Believe in God? Try It Anyway – with Noa Kushner

What might happen if, instead of demanding certainty, we allowed ourselves to "pretend" belief and see where the journey leads? Ahead of the High Holidays, Yehuda Kurtze

Where Criticism Ends and Antisemitism Begins — with Dara Horn

In the face of rising antisemitism, what does courage look like?   Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with author Dara Horn about her new book, The Final Solution to the Jewish Quest

Who Is American Jewish Literature For? – with Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen, Naomi Firestone-Teeter, and Lauren Wein

What does today’s Jewish literature tell us about this moment?   Identity/Crisis is excited to present a special audio version of a conversation that first appeared in

People of the Shuk – with Adeena Sussman

Can a bite of food transport us across time and place? After a walk together through Tel Aviv’s Shuk HaCarmel, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with extraordinary chef and cook

The Jewish Politics of Self-Destruction—with Amotz Asa-El

Could lessons from ancient politics help shape Israel’s future? As Israel heads toward its October 2026 election, Yehuda Kurtzer talks with author and historian Amotz As

A Yiddish Renaissance: Language, Memory, and Modern Jewish Life — with Rukhl Schaechter (Re-run)

Did Yiddish ever really die? On this re-release of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Rukhl Schaechter, editor of the Yiddish Forverts, to explore the surpr

The Right to Belong: A Palestinian Perspective - with Rana Fahoum

What happens when citizenship and identity point in different directions?   In this episode, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Rana Fahoum, Vice President of the Shalom Har

Surviving, Thriving, and Excelling in Jewish Life – with Barry Finestone

How should North American Jewish communities balance security, vibrant communal life, and moral purpose?  Recorded live in Jerusalem during the Shalom Hartman Institute'

Hip-Hop, Protest, and Patriotism After October 7 – with Shaanan Streett

Can Music Heal a Divided Society? Recorded live at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Israeli artist, activist, and Hadag Nahash fr

The Promise and Peril of Jewish Power — with Zachary Truboff

Can Zionism survive a crisis of its own making? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Zachary Truboff, director of the Institute for Agunah R

Beyond the Myth of Jewish Wealth – with Ilana Horwitz

Money shapes who can access Jewish life—and who gets left out. In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with sociologist Ilana Horwitz about the overlook

Teaching Jewish History in America — with Natalia Mehlman Petrzela (Re-run)

This episode of Identity/Crisis was originally released on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 What does it mean to tell Jewish stories in a moment of political polarization and dis

Strong Beliefs and Open Minds: A Graduation Challenge — with Jonathan Kroll

In a polarized age, how do we raise young Jews who can think deeply—and listen across disagreement?   In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer talks with pri

The Role of Journalism in a Post-Truth Age — with Abigail Pogrebin

With the marketplace of ideas outpacing our ability to discern truth, who still cares about keeping up with journalistic standards?   In this episode of Identity/Crisis

The American Jewish Past and What Comes Next — with Nicholas Lemann

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, what foundational elements of the American Jewish story do we need to reframe? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Ye

American Catholics, the Pope, and the Jews – with Robert George

What does a clash between a Catholic Vice President and the Pope reveal about authority, war, and theological responsibility?    In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yeh

When Do We Speak Up? – with Abe Foxman (Re-release)

This episode was originally released on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.   This episode is in honor of Abe Foxman, z”l   What does moral courage look like in an age of rising

Rational or Reckless? War, Iran, and the Limits of Strategy— with Michael Koplow

Are Trump, Netanyahu, and Iran acting like rational players—or are we misreading the logic of this war entirely? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits

When Mysticism Goes Mainstream — with Daniel Matt

When a mystical tradition meant for an elite few becomes a popular spiritual practice — what is gained and what is lost? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, guest host D

Jewish Life in an Illiberal Age— with Jeffrey Goldberg

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, what does this moment reveal about the future of the American- Jewish experiment?  In this episode of Identity/Cri