4 Sep 2025
Mailbag #2
The editorial team at Jewish Currents fields reader questions on complex cultural and political topics, exploring Jewish identity and community sustainability outside Zionism, as well as issues with comparing genocides and the implications of Zionism's perception. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining a print version of their magazine and the meanings behind cultural and historical analogies.
21 Aug 2025
Familiar Touch and the Feminist Politics of Aging
Filmmaker Sarah Friedland and feminist scholar Lynne Segal explore aging through a feminist lens, inspired by the Jewish Communist community's concepts of care. They discuss the politics of aging, interdependence over self-sufficiency, and reflect on Jewish identity within the context of current global events.
14 Aug 2025
Ms. Rachel Stands Up for the Littles of Gaza
Ms. Rachel, a beloved children's television star, candidly discusses her advocacy for Palestinian children in Gaza amidst significant backlash, emphasizing her moral commitment and the impact of her faith. Despite facing doxxing and calls for investigation from pro-Israel groups, her stance remains unchanged as she continues to support children's rights globally, highlighting personal encounters like that with Rahaf, a three-year-old amputee from Gaza.
7 Aug 2025
Sephardi/Mizrahi Therapy
Arielle Angel, Devin Naar, Laura Elkeslassy, and Oren Yirmiya explore the complexities of Sephardi and Mizrahi identity in the shadow of historical erasure and ongoing geopolitical struggles. They discuss the challenges and possibilities for cultural reclamation, touching on themes of identity, loss, and the political implications of cultural revival.
17 Jul 2025
Making “Safety Through Solidarity” More Than a Slogan
Jewish organizers Nadav David and Erica Riddick discuss a new guide advocating for a safety approach that emphasizes community solidarity over surveillance. They address challenges with traditional security funding and the benefits and complexities of establishing trained community safety teams within Jewish communities.
10 Jul 2025
Brad Lander’s Campaign of Solidarity
The discussion centers around New York City Comptroller Brad Lander's experiences in the mayoral race, his alliance with Zohran Mamdani, and the political implications of their cooperation to address city issues. The episode highlights the complexities of politics marked by interfaith collaboration amidst accusations of antisemitism and the challenges of progressive agendas.
26 Jun 2025
Mamdani Bests the Pro-Israel Machine
Zohran Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary for New York City's mayoral race is seen as a landmark moment for progressive politics, particularly regarding his pro-Palestine stance which challenged the traditional pro-Israel establishment. This podcast episode unpacks the reactions of the Jewish community in NYC and the potential shifts in US electoral politics relating to Israel.
18 Jun 2025
Netanyahu Gets His War on Iran
Israel has initiated a series of unprecedented airstrikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, escalating tensions and disrupting U.S.-Iran nuclear diplomacy. As the situation intensifies, questions arise about Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s objectives, the potential involvement of the United States, and the broader implications for Middle Eastern and global stability.
12 Jun 2025
The Return of the American Council for Judaism
Mari Cohen and Rabbi Andrue Kahn explore the American Council for Judaism's history and its recent revival, addressing its role in promoting anti-nationalist values within Reform Judaism. They delve into how this tradition contrasts with modern Zionist leanings and consider the potential for American Jews to engage in religious life without Zionist ideologies.
29 May 2025
Kneecap and the Politics of Language Reclamation
The episode explores the film 'Kneecap' and delves into the intersections of language reclamation with politics through music, with a focus on Irish and Jewish languages. The discussion examines the complexities of nationalism, the role of music in reviving native languages, and the possibilities for solidarity among marginalized communities through artistic expression.
23 May 2025
After the DC Shooting
Arielle Angel leads a discussion on the DC shooting of two Israeli embassy aides, delving into whether it was an antisemitic act or primarily political violence. The conversation touches on the nuanced relationship between antisemitism, political violence, and the portrayal of these incidents in media and politics.
15 May 2025
Chabad’s Extremist Turn
Arielle Angel hosts a discussion on Chabad Lubavitch's controversial embrace of Itamar Ben-Gvir during his U.S. visit and the broader implications for its identity and politics. Scholars Shaul Magid and Hadas Binyamini delve into Chabad's historic anti-Zionism, its contemporary cultural and political shifts, and resultant intra-community tensions in Crown Heights.
14 May 2025
Chevruta: The Risk of Justice Work
Maya Rosen and Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein engage in a chevruta, exploring the ethical challenges faced by activists in the West Bank through Jewish texts. They discuss the balance between the risks taken by solidarity activists and the moral obligations to help others, drawing on Talmudic and Holocaust-era teachings.
8 May 2025
Understanding the Immigration Crackdown
The episode delves into the brutal immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, focusing on how historically rooted legal tools and precedents are being weaponized to target political dissent and marginalized communities. Featuring Sophia Elena Gurulé and Tanvi Misra, the discussion highlights the continuity of these practices and emphasizes the expansive, chilling impact on noncitizens and citizens alike.
23 Apr 2025
Zohran Mamdani’s Moral Stand
Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, challenges Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race, focusing on housing justice and transit affordability while navigating controversies around his stance on Israel. Amid criticism from Cuomo over his 'Not On Our Dime' legislation that targets charities funding Israeli settlements, Mamdani stresses the importance of international law and equality as core principles.
9 Apr 2025
Debating Zionist Realism
Arielle Angel and Mari Cohen engage with Jon Danforth-Appell on the notion of "Zionist realism," a concept suggesting that the Jewish left struggles to imagine futures beyond Zionism due to entrenched collective identities. They explore how emphasizing Jewish complicity over material structures like American geopolitics and the military-industrial complex hinders broader anti-war activism and alternative Jewish activism.
27 Mar 2025
Higher Ed Under Attack
Columbia University's compliance with Trump administration demands highlights the challenges facing academic freedom and the teaching of Israel-Palestine in the U.S. The university's decision, particularly in adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism and restructuring Middle Eastern Studies, signifies a broader political influence threatening intellectual independence in higher education.
13 Mar 2025
The Jewish Institutional Reaction to Mahmoud Khalil's Abduction
Arielle Angel, Mari Cohen, and Alex Kane analyze the Jewish political response to Mahmoud Khalil's detention by ICE due to his pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia University. They critique mainstream Jewish institutional reactions and discuss how the event highlights fractures in political alignments within the Jewish community concerning civil liberties and authoritarian government actions.
6 Mar 2025
Assessing Trump’s Gaza Expulsion Fantasy
Alex Kane hosts a discussion with Mouin Rabbani and Tariq Kenney-Shawa on President Trump's controversial proposal for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and its historical and geopolitical context. The guests explore the potential implications for the region and the future of the Gaza ceasefire amidst widespread rejection of the plan by Palestinian groups and neighboring Arab countries.
20 Feb 2025
An Unproductive Ambiguity
The podcast episode discusses the film "The Brutalist," exploring its depiction of Israel and Zionism as a hopeful escape from antisemitism for Holocaust survivors in the U.S. Participants critique the film's narrative of Jewish life post-Holocaust and its political ambiguity, particularly regarding the treatment of Zionism and racial assimilation in America.