Jewish Heretics Podcast

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview healer, author, visual artist and activist, Wendy Elisheva Somerson, also known as Wes. They joined us to discuss their upcoming book, "An Anti-Zionist Path to Embodied Jewish Healing", a fascinating exploration of the connections between liberationist political activism, somatic healing and Jewish identity.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview Arielle Angel, editor-in-chief  at Jewish Currents Magazine. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including what it’s like to wrangle multiple perspectives at one of America’s most important Jewish/left institutions during a time of unprecedented Israeli violence and how to catch people when they leave Zionism.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview Solomon J. Brager, the author of Heavyweight [William Morrow 2024] and other comics, a 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Artists Fellow, a member of the Pinko magazine editorial collective and the director of community engagement at Jewish Currents magazine.

In this instalment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview internationally celebrated artist, animator, writer and journalist Molly Crabapple. In a wide-ranging discussion, we touch on such topics as her long career as a visual artist, her unique relationship to language and her recent work researching and writing about the Jewish Labour Bund."

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview a distinguished panel of Toronto-based movers and shakers from the legal and activist worlds about the University of Toronto student encampment in support of Gaza and the injunction legal case that took place in late June of 2024, leading to the eventual ending of the encampment.  On the panel are Professor Alejandro Paz, lawyers Mae Nam and Karen Spector, Independent Jewish Voices staff member Niall Clapham Ricardo and United Jewish People’s Order Executive Director, Sarena Sairan.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview internationally celebrated singer, songwriter, actor and Yiddishist, Daniel Kahn. In this wide-ranging discussion, we discuss his Jewish upbringing in suburban Michigan; his political activism at a young age; his discovery of Klezmer and Yiddish culture; his career as a songwriter and translator on the vanguard of Jewish music and theatre; and his enduring love for the late, great singer/activist, Adrienne Cooper.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview celebrated journalist, filmmaker, professor, activist and Federal NDP candidate, Avi Lewis. We discuss his remarkable family legacy; how his Jewish upbringing has informed his politics and work; and how the horrors of the ongoing genocide in Gaza have created the potential for international solidarity and moral clarity.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview celebrated Jewish, lesbian poet, academic, activist and author Irena Klepfisz, delving into her life-long journeys through language; the legacies of the Holocaust and the Labour Bund; and histories of queer and anti-Zionist activism. Along the way we learn about the challenges (and privileges) of coming out in the early 1970s in New York City; what it means to be an “authentic” Jew; and how children were taught Swedish in the 1940s.   Irena’s latest, award-winning book of poetry, Her Birth and Later Years; Poems new and collected, is now available in paperback, through Wesleyan University Press.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview members of the Jews Say No to Genocide Coalition, a loose group of like-minded, Pro-Palestinian, anti-oppression organizations, formed in Toronto in the wake of the Hamas attack on Southern Israel on October 7 and the Israeli invasion of Gaza that followed. We discuss the coalition’s formation, its activities and the emotional toll taken on activists working to prevent genocide and fighting for a just future.

In this special, bonus installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview Eitan Bronstein Aparicio and Eléonore Merza Bronstein, who were both guest speakers at the upcoming Split Screens Film Festival, on Sunday, October 22 at OCAD University in Toronto. Eitan and Eléonore are activists, academics, writers and founders of organizations such as Zochrot, which seeks to educate about the Nakba and the legitimacy of the Palestinian right of return and De-colonizer, a research and art laboratory aimed at creating cultural tools that go beyond colonialist and racist imaginings of Israel/Palestine. Initially, we had planned to explore their newest, collaborative book, “Nakba: the Struggle to De-colonize Israel” but the recent, horrific Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent, ongoing and devastating invasion of Gaza necessitated a different discussion.The Split Screens Film Festival continues for 3 consecutive Sundays at OCAD University: Oct 29, Nov 5 & Nov 12.

In this installment of the official UJPO Podcast, we interview Corey Balsam, activist, polyglot, Capoeira expert and National Coordinator of Canada’s Independent Jewish Voices. Corey has spent many years advocating for a just peace in Israel/Palestine and is excited to share his own transformational story, from fully engaged Zionist to tireless champion of Palestinian rights. One of the most illuminating parts of the interview is his description of what it was like for him, an Ashkenazi Jew, to live for almost 4 years in the West Bank.

Welcome to "Jewish Heretics," the podcast that delves into the lives of extraordinary individuals who challenged conventions in Jewish history.

Welcome to "Jewish Heretics," the podcast that delves into the lives of extraordinary individuals who challenged conventions in Jewish history.

Welcome to "Jewish Heretics," the podcast that delves into the lives of extraordinary individuals who challenged conventions in Jewish history. In our highly anticipated debut episode, we are thrilled to have Max Wallace, acclaimed author of "After the Miracle: The Political Crusades of Helen Keller," as our featured guest. Join us as Max Wallace takes us on a captivating journey into the untold story of Helen Keller, shining a spotlight on her remarkable socialist crusade. Through insightful discussions and in-depth analysis, Max reveals the lesser-known aspects of Helen Keller's life, highlighting her passionate advocacy for social justice and equality. In addition to exploring Helen Keller's socialist endeavors, Max shares intriguing insights about his own background, offering glimpses into his upbringing and his experiences writing about influential figures like Kurt Cobain and Muhammad Ali.