Identity/Crisis

How do ideas travel—and what happens when they cross borders? In this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with author and historian Adam Ferziger to explore how liberal and moderate forms of Judaism, forged in North America, took root in Israel and helped shape a distinctly Israeli religious center. Drawing on Ferziger's new book Agents of Change, the conversation examines education, power, backlash, and belonging—and asks what it really means for Jewish ideas to be “imported,” translated, and transformed in a sovereign Jewish society.   You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more.  JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

This episode was originally released on December 24, 2024   The relegation of Hanukkah merchandise to a tiny corner of the grocery aisle can cause Jews to feel excluded or marginalized by the Christmas holiday season. But the impact of Jews on the history and culture of secularized Christmas is deeper than you might think. In this exciting Yuletide episode of Identity/Crisis, host Yehuda Kurtzer and American composer and music commentator Rob Kapilow sit down at the keyboard to better understand the relationship between Jews and Christmas through the holiday music that Jewish composers have contributed to the canon.   You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more.  JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

What does it take to rebuild Jewish community after two years of trauma and division? On this special episode of Identity/Crisis, Senior Editor Claire Sufrin turns the tables and interviews Yehuda Kurtzer about his article in the newest issue of Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, where he unpacks why communities need clearer values and a renewed ethic of care to move beyond crisis. Their conversation offers us a roadmap for belonging, boundaries, and rebuilding connection after October 7.   We're grateful to the Charles H. Revson Foundation for supporting the Shalom Hartman Institute's digital work, including Identity/Crisis.   You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more.    Read Our Fragile Tents: Community, Consent, and Care in Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas. Check out the Fall/Winter 2025 issue and subscribe to our print edition. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

What does it take for Black–Jewish partnerships to flourish in a moment of rising fear, political polarization, and mutual misunderstanding? On this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer and scholar Terrence Johnson discuss the stories we carry — about vulnerability, power, Israel, America, and identity — and why they often fail to translate across racial lines. Together, they explore how demythologizing each other and leaning into deeper, more intimate conversations might reshape the future of Black–Jewish relations.   We're grateful to the Charles H. Revson Foundation for supporting the Shalom Hartman Institute's digital work, including Identity/Crisis. Listen to the recording of the SAPIR debate HERE You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more.  JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Join Pathways to Hope and meet young Israeli changemakers. Learn more about positions available at Hartman North America. If you read Sources, complete a brief reader survey.

This episode was originally released on Tuesday, November 26th, 2024   This political moment may cause American Jews to ask: “Where have we seen this before?”   In this episode recorded live in NYC, Yehuda Kurtzer challenges the impulse to reach backwards for old frameworks to describe our current situation, and instead offers a vision for a new era in American-Jewish politics – one shaped by a culture of compromise and defined by an embrace of kindness.   We're grateful to the Charles H. Revson Foundation for supporting the Shalom Hartman Institute's digital work, including Identity/Crisis.   You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more.  JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS