The Jewish Diasporist

Ben and Zach speak to Daniel Grossman, a member of Na'amod and fellow (former?) organiser within the British Jewish community, including the Union of Jewish Students and Board of Deputies. Our paths have crossed before...Member of UK Jewish body resigns over failure to call out Israel on Gaza | UK news | The Guardian (That's Dan!)yourparty.jewishdiasporist.comSubscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramBig thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Zach speaks to Leah Robbins, one of the organisers behind the Achvat Olam Community Day School, the groundbreaking project to establish the first diasporist Jewish day school in Boston.(apologies for the audio being a bit rusty - Z)Learn more about Achvat OlamSubscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Chaia of Kleztronica and Rabbi Chel Mandell of Santa Cruz CA's Tzimtzum Community the first ever episode of the Jewish Diasporist recorded with a live audience. This episode was recorded live on September 15th.Chaia is an electronic composer working at the intersection of Yiddish culture and electronic club music. She weaves archival Yiddish samples with techno and ambient frameworks, creating hybrid folkloric-electronic compositions that situate ancestral sound within global and liberatory rave ecologies.We work closely to partner with radical communities like Tzimtzum and cultural activists like Chaia to create Jewish spaces like this which foster the world to come both on the earth and across cyberspace.Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramCheck out Chaia's website or stream her music on Spotify!If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!

Naomi Seidman, Director of the University of Toronto's Center for Diaspora and Transnational Studies joins us to explore the young academic discipline of Diaspora Studies, its history and contents, and its relationship to other academic fields.Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

In this episode, we are joined by Deatra Cohen and Adam Siegel, authors of "Ashkenazi Herbalism" and recently: "Woven Roots; Recovering the Healing Plant Traditions of Jews and their Neighbors in Eastern Europe." Their new book expands on their earlier work by foregrounding the ways plant medicine served as a medium for coexistence in a land that's often only remembered as a place of Jewish suffering. Through concrete examples, we explored the implications of diaspora for herbal and medicinal traditions. These traditions, often considered backwards and lost to history, can continue to teach us about what it means to be in right relations with all of our neighbors. Get your copy of Woven Roots from Jewitches!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Rabbi Chel Mandell of the Tzimtzum Community and Jewish educator and Diasporist Podcast Co-Host, Ben Yanowitz were invited on to local Santa Cruz radio station KSQD for an Interview for “Talk of the Bay,” hosted by Meilin Obinata, to explore the complexities of Jewish communal life in Santa Cruz, CA.The Jewish community in Santa Cruz is a microcosm of our diaspora at large. Change is happening and legacy communal institutions are lagging behind at best, and actively hostile at worst. Thankfully independent communities like Tzimtzum, which embody a queer diasporist Jewishness, are organizing to ground our quest for collective liberation in Jewish ritual and spirituality.Throughout the discussion we explored different religious and secular Jewish traditions which inform our understanding of the non-Zionist and diasporist Jewish future we are building, and how the pandemic and the post-10/7 Gaza genocide and international political environment have accelerated political polarization and transformed the way people engage with Judaism/Jewishness.Check out Meilin's work on KSQD here!Learn about the Tzimtzum Community here!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

We made it to Episode 50! Today, it's just Zach and Ben talking about the recent elections to the World Zionist Congress. They start discussing by how Zionism can (and should) be defined, followed by an overview of the voting process, the participating slates, they pros and cons of voting, and some possible alternatives to Jewish self-determination.Zach's ongoing "Bundism Today" series can be found hereSubscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

This week, Ben and Zach are joined by two organizers based in Palestine-Israel whose lives and political journeys inform powerful reflections on displacement, state oppression, solidarity, and the possibilities of joint struggle.Kastuś, originally from Minsk, has moved through various diasporic contexts—Belarus, Australia, and now Tel Aviv — shares his path from growing up under authoritarianism to joining the Belarusian uprising in 2020, and working with Kompass Media (Ep. 26) and on his own to alleviate harm and expose the reality of state (and state-backed) violence.Mohammed, a 48’ Palestinian from Umm al-Fahm, brings deep insight from growing up as part of an activist family and community, and reflects on his experience as a Palestinian student at an Israeli university in the wake of October 7.Our conversation draws provocative parallels between the histories of European Jews and Palestinians—without flattening their differences—as a way to think about shared experiences of dispossession, repression, and resistance. On this 82nd anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, it is as important as ever to reject nationalist histories and challenge all forms of domination and hate.Learn more a bout the Polish-Belarusian (EU) Border Refugee crisis and consider supporting activists here! Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Thank you to Monsieur Jack for his beautiful rendition of the Partisan Song "Zog Nit Keynmol"

Becoming Gamers and Deporting Hitler - Let's Play Social Democracy: An Alternate HistoryAfter much consideration, we have decided to relaunch the Jewish Diasporist for its 3rd year as a GAMING CHANNEL! Check out the full Let's Play episode in video on youtube!Play the game here! https://red-autumn.itch.io/social-democracyThank you to Dan Nichols for continuing to allow us to use his Aleinu L'shabeiach.Originally released on Youtube on 1 April 2025 (In reality, Zach and Ben have been busy organizing and working locally and transnationally in their own communities. Stay tuned for more diasporic Jewish educational content. Happy 2nd Anniversary to the Jewish Diasporist Podcast and Happy Belated April Fools Day.)

This week Zach and Ben are joined by Kofi, who recently took part in the Black Jewish Liberation Collective’s (BJLC) “Teshuvah Across Waters,” the inaugural cohort of a sustained solidarity and education project in relationship to the Hebrew Ibo community in Nigeria. In our conversation we explored a variety of topics. Kofi's experiences as a Jew by choice, the Afro-Jewish reality of being part of both African and Jewish diasporas, Ibo Jewish communties' relationship to hegemonic Jewishness (Zionism, Orthodoxy and Ashkenormativity) and much more.This episode is in direct dialogue with Rafael Shimunov's recent interview with one of the organizer's of the trip, Rabbi Dr. Koach Frazier and two other participants. Check out Beyond the Pale's Episode on the BJLC's Teshuvah Across Waters to learn more about this powerful heritage trip. Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Thank you to Dan Nichol's for continuing to allow us to use his music!

The World Union of Jewish Students hosts its annual congress over the new year. Zach retells Ben his experiences from the 2023/24 conference in Prague. They chat about the participants, location, events, conference, and why and how Jewish student diasporists should engage with Jewish student unions at the local, national, regional and global level.Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Becca Strober joins Ben & Zach to speak about her educational organizing and activism as an American-Israeli, both online and on the ground. We speak about the Jerusalemite identity, diverse semantic labels, productive engagement with those who disagree with us, and a road forward for Israelis and the movement for Palestinian liberation.Check out Becca's work on Instagram and her podcast!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Uno Reverse Bundism. Zalman, former guest from episode 23, interviews Zach about Cafe Bund and the principles which guide his local and transnational organizing. Back with Ben next time for a biiiig episode :))Bundist Zine FundraiserInstagram: @cafe.bundSubscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!

Ben & Zach are joined by Hallie Appel and Maddan Eisenberg. Together, they discuss their organising efforts as the Provisional Steering Committee of the International Jewish Labor Bund.If you interested in getting involved, click HERESupport the Rayyan FamilySubscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Isabel Frey for her beautiful rendition of Di Shvue!

Although recent news has led some to portray Amsterdam (and Diaspora more broadly) as inhospitable for Jewish life, it is home to a thriving Jewish community that has been charting a path toward a diasporist Jewish Future.Ben and Zach are joined by Jelle and Tori, two organizers of Oy Vey, an outward-facing, radically inclusive and unapologetically Jewish hub in Amsterdam. Drawing on hundreds of conversations with community members and Amsterdam's wider Jewish community, they have created A New Jewish Manifesto which seeks to provide a positive vision for Jewish life in Diaspora. This timely text is being launched in multiple languages at the Jewish Manifestival, a hybrid event on Thursday November 21 starting at 7:00pm (GMT +1).In this conversation, Jelle and Tori explore the work of Oy Vey, and guide us through the social and institutional context it has been built in. Alongside many other insights, they provide perspectives on the constructive relationship they have with the many other Jewish communities in the city. Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Historian and yiddishist Tamara joins Ben and Zach to talk about the history of the Jews in Mexico, the 1930s and 1940s, the role of the Jewish left in the country, and contemporary politics following the beginning of the presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum - the first female and first Jewish president of Mexico who is continuing the progressive "Fourth Transformation" of the country!ingeveb.org/people/tamaraforward.com/news/622618/mexico-president-claudia-sheinbaum-jewish-family-holocaust/Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

Sukkot reminds us of the dwellings our ancestors lived in when they were fleeing Egypt, they are the temporary dwellings of refugees. Yet settlers have bastardized the holiday to be about occupying land, and often use the plants of the Lulav to claim Sukkot as a Zionist Holiday. In this episode, join Ben and Jordan for a walk as they creatively engage with the Holiday's halacha (Jewish Law/Way of Practice) and inspiration in the Torah to adapt the ritual in the spirit of Doikayt (Hereness).Hear the full conversation, and the thought that went into creating our Lulav from Coast Live Oak, Douglas Fir, California Mugwort and a single pulled French Broom by supporting us on Patreon!We hope you'll check out this inspiring text, the Book of Lulav by Miriam Saperstein, and if you have time before the end of Sukkot, build your own local Lulav!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramAs usual, we'd like to thank Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use their beautiful music.

So often, Jews and Palestinians are seen as separate, even diametrically opposed communities, yet what happens when we center those who hold both of these identities simultaneously?In this episode, Ben and Jordan are joined by Hadar Cohen, an Arab Jewish scholar, mystic artist and community organizer to discuss the complexities, tensions and possibilities of modern Arab-Jewish life and identity. By tying together personal, spiritual and historical perspectives, Hadar helps us illuminate the subversive power of Palestinian-Jewishness as a key component in the struggle for justice in Palestine-Israel and de-assimilation across the diverse Jewish world.Learn more about Hadar's work on her Linktree!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTubeFollow us on InstagramIf you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon!Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

In this special crossover episode of The Jewish Diasporist and Labor Jawn, hosts Jordan and Gabe team up to interview Dr. Caroline Luce, a scholar of Jewish labor history in the United States. Together. They explore the rich and complex history of Jews in America, highlighting the intersections of immigration, labor unions, synagogues, mutual aid societies, and colonialism. Tracing the westward migration of American Jews from New York to Los Angeles, this episode provides a deep dive into Jewish labor’s evolving role within the broader context of capitalism and colonialismFollow Dr. Caroline Luce's Work!Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube!Follow The Jewish Diasporist and Labor Jawn on Instagram!Support The Jewish Diasporist and Labor Jawn on Patreon!Big thank you to Isabel Frey for continuing to allow us to use her music for our intro and outro!

In this episode, Ben and Jordan discussed an institution near and dear to their hearts, URJ Camp Newman, with additional former campers and recent staff members, Dani and Ezra. Throughout the conversation, we explore the way camps serve as a microcosm of the diasporic Jewish world, offering a crucial space for young Jews to develop their identities while also highlighting many of the tensions between the policies of the URJ (Union of Reform Judaism, more on that in a future episode) and the changing, growing, and questioning Jewish people they seek to contain. This interview follows several years of intentional efforts by staff (our hosts included) to challenge the uncritical Israel education that is so common within mainstream Jewish communal spaces.Donate to support Ezra’s session’s charity work: https://donate.reformjudaism.org/fundraiser/5599537B’tselem Mapping Resource Discussed:https://conquer-and-divide.btselem.org/🌈 Queer Yiddish Camp is a two-week online Yiddish intensive from for ALL levels November 3-17. Take language, literature, dance, history, and culture classes from an all-queer faculty of world-renowned Yiddish teachers, scholars, artists, activists, and cultural workers! Registration closes September 30 so REGISTER TODAY at https://queeryiddish.camp/register !