The Israel Connection: A Lifelong Zionist - Ben Kreshtool

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Esti Zenati sits down with Beth El’s Ritual Director, Ben Kreshtool, to explore a lifelong journey of Zionist identity rooted in family history and his grandmother’s legacy as a Holocaust survivor. Ben recounts the "electrifying" experience of his first trip to the Kotel, his time confronting anti-Israel animosity on a college campus during the Second Intifada, and his recent post–October 7 mission to Israel. From the spiritual significance of Har Herzl to the complexities of modern antisemitism, Ben offers a powerful perspective on why the Diaspora must remain united and why he still finds his greatest sense of safety and belonging in the Jewish homeland.