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Send us Fan MailRaised by Survivors | Ep. 688: Matilde Broder - Greek Jewish Survival and Legacy | HMTCAfter Auschwitz, two Greek Jewish survivors made their way to Paris, met in a holding camp, and began the family the Nazis had tried to erase.On Raised by Survivors, Bernie Furshpan speaks with Matilde Broder about her parents, Sephardic Jews whose families had lived in Greece for generations. Matilde recounts her mother’s will to live, her father’s forced labor, acts of courage that saved lives, and the kindness that sustained liberated survivors on their journey to Paris.She also traces the family’s path from France to Argentina and finally New York, reflecting on Ladino heritage, childhood as the daughter of survivors, and the photographs, documents, and memorial book that preserve those who were lost. Now a mother of two and grandmother of four, Matilde offers living proof that survival created new generations. Her testimony protects memory, confronts denial, and reminds us where unchecked hatred can lead.Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Matilde BroderA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction2:13 Sephardic roots, Ladino, and Argentina4:02 Jewish life in Greece before the Holocaust5:42 Greek Christians who protected Jewish families6:30 The destruction of Greek Jewish communities9:07 Samuel Castro’s Auschwitz record9:31 Matilde’s mother and the will to live10:04 Forced labor and a life-saving act12:00 Liberation and the journey to Paris13:19 Argentina and a new beginning14:20 Growing up as the child of survivors17:38 Preserving photographs, documents, and memory21:10 Children, grandchildren, and survival24:32 ClosingHASHTAGS#RaisedBySurvivors #HolocaustEducation #GreekJewry #Testimony #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailLegacy Chronicles | Ep. 687: Sophie Weisz - Carrying Holocaust Memory Forward | HMTCOne school project about Anne Frank opened Sophie Weisz’s path into her own family’s Holocaust history. Today, as a fourth-generation descendant of survivors, she is helping shape how memory will be carried forward.On Legacy Chronicles, Zachary Graulich speaks with Sophie about leading her school’s Holocaust Remembrance Day program and interning at HMTC. She reflects on survivor Rosalie Simon’s testimony, student-led discussions, collaborative art, and the confidence she gained by helping classmates connect history to courage and responsibility.Sophie also shares her work developing Seeds of Courage, an HMTC program for scouting groups that combines Holocaust education with hands-on service and community action. As firsthand survivor testimony becomes less available, she believes descendants, educators, and students must preserve these stories. Her call is direct: ask difficult questions, research your family history, use your voice, and never underestimate your power to make a positive difference.Legacy Chronicles on hmTv | Host: Zachary Graulich | Guest: Sophie WeiszA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:42 Discovering family history through Anne Frank2:23 Holocaust Remembrance Day at school3:31 Testimony, discussion, and collaborative art6:39 Building confidence as a student leader7:59 Learning from Rosalie Simon and classmates9:34 An internship at HMTC11:56 Connecting with descendants and docents14:00 Who will carry survivor stories forward?15:49 Introducing Seeds of Courage17:34 Holocaust education through scouting and service21:43 Empowering young people to take action25:07 Preserving family history as a 4G30:04 ClosingHASHTAGS#LegacyChronicles #HolocaustEducation #YouthLeadership #Remembrance #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailEducation in Motion | Ep. 686: Howard Merims — From Principal to Holocaust Educator | HMTCAfter 43 years in public education, Howard “Howie” Merims found a new classroom at HMTC. Donna Rosenblum welcomes the retired teacher, assistant principal, and principal to discuss why he chose Holocaust education as his next chapter.Howie reflects on the school communities that shaped his career and the survivor testimony that inspired him to give back. As he trains to become an HMTC docent, he studies the different styles of experienced educators, accompanies Holocaust survivors into schools, and learns how personal stories help students connect history to their own lives.Donna and Howie examine the importance of respecting each school’s needs, building genuine partnerships with educators, and teaching through testimony, artifacts, and family memory. They also discuss antisemitism, social media, missing context, and the need for critical thinking. Their conversation affirms that education, empathy, truth, and human dignity remain essential tools for helping young people reject hatred and recognize their responsibility to one another.Education in Motion on hmTv | Host: Donna Rosenblum | Guest: Howard MerimsA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:45 A 43-Year Career in Education2:00 Why HMTC Became the Next Chapter4:40 Learning from HMTC Docents6:11 Building Partnerships with Schools8:25 Meeting Each School’s Needs9:54 Learning from Holocaust Survivors11:24 Teaching Through Personal Testimony13:51 Connecting History to Family15:24 Choosing Meaningful Work in Retirement16:40 Family History and a Call to Educate19:21 Human Dignity and Teaching Against Hate21:07 Media Literacy and Student Connections24:35 ClosingHASHTAGS#EducationInMotion #HolocaustEducation #Testimony #MediaLiteracy #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailIt’s All About the Children | Ep. 685: Dan Cohen — From Awakening to Purpose, Part 2 | HMTCDESCRIPTIONA father’s unexpected return to clarity becomes the beginning of a mission. In Part 2, Carin Bail and Sami Steigmann continue their conversation with author, podcaster, and storyteller Dan Cohen about love, memory, resilience, and the choices that shape a life.Dan describes the two days when his father, deep in dementia, suddenly spoke with clarity, recalled family milestones, and expressed gratitude simply to be alive. That awakening inspired Dan’s book and podcast, Awakenings in Real Life, where he shares stories of people transformed by adversity, connection, and purpose.The conversation turns to Sami’s Holocaust experience, the validation of his history, and his EMET mission to educate, motivate, empower upstanders, and teach tolerance. Dan also discusses plans for a documentary about Sami. Together, they offer a hopeful message for every generation: accept people where they are, include them in life, and remember that we are defined not only by what happens to us, but by what we choose to become.It’s All About the Children on hmTv | Hosts: Carin Bail and Sami Steigmann | Guest: Dan CohenA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:31 A Father’s Unexpected Awakening3:15 Memory Beneath Dementia5:10 The Human Spirit and Inclusion6:13 Lessons for the Next Generation8:28 The Words That Changed Dan’s Life14:53 How Dan and Sami Met15:33 Sami’s Awakening17:42 EMET: Truth and Responsibility19:35 Why Sami’s Story Still Matters21:54 Researching and Preserving Testimony23:02 Friendship and Chosen Family25:33 I Am What I Choose to Be27:25 ClosingHASHTAGS#ItsAllAboutTheChildren #Upstander #Testimony #Resilience #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailIt’s All About the Children | Ep. 684: Dan Cohen — A Father’s Awakening, Part 1 | HMTCA son’s memory of his father becomes a lesson in love, perspective, and inclusion. Carin Bail and Sami Steigmann welcome entrepreneur, author, podcast host, and storyteller Dan Cohen for Part 1 of a deeply personal conversation.Dan recalls the unconditional encouragement he received from his father, Herbie, and the realization that each member of his family experienced that love through a different lens. He explains why people should offer a “living eulogy,” sharing gratitude and affection while loved ones can still hear it.When Herbie developed dementia after a stroke, Dan learned to accept him as he was, meet him where he was, and continue including him in family life. A joyful day at the racetrack revealed that the loving person Dan remembered was still present. Together, Carin, Sami, and Dan explore empathy, caregiving, resilience, and the lasting power of helping every person feel seen and valued.It’s All About the Children on hmTv | Hosts: Carin Bail and Sami Steigmann | Guest: Dan CohenA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction2:18 Dan Cohen’s “Part Two” Journey3:01 His Father’s Unconditional Love8:19 Perspective, Words, and Empathy9:32 A Living Eulogy12:02 A Family’s Experience with Dementia14:58 Sami’s Story of His Mother16:06 Meeting Loved Ones Where They Are19:16 Finding Joy in Repeated Moments20:25 The Importance of Inclusion23:28 One Unforgettable Day at the Track25:22 ClosingHASHTAGS#ItsAllAboutTheChildren #Empathy #Resilience #Legacy #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRaised by Survivors | Ep. 683: Ronit Lapid — Yemenite and Sephardic Jewish Heritage | HMTCA childhood friendship becomes a journey through Jewish memory, culture, and belonging. Bernie Furshpan reconnects with Ronit Lapid, whose family story links Brooklyn, Yemen, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Jerusalem.Ronit shares how her maternal great-grandmother made the difficult journey from Yemen to Israel before Operation Magic Carpet and how her father’s Sephardic family preserved deep roots in Jerusalem. She reflects on the Meyuchas family legacy, Ladino, beloved recipes, Jewish education, and the choices parents make to keep heritage alive across generations.Their conversation also honors the friendship between their immigrant fathers, the resilience shaped by family history, and the responsibility to recognize antisemitism without surrendering hope. Through personal memories and inherited traditions, Bernie and Ronit show how understanding where we come from can strengthen identity, deepen empathy, and help future generations carry Jewish life forward with pride and purpose.Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Ronit LapidA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:58 Childhood in Brooklyn2:32 Their Fathers’ Friendship4:24 Tracing a Family History6:28 Journey from Yemen to Israel9:23 Sephardic Roots and the Meyuchas Legacy13:41 Food, Ladino, and Tradition15:25 Preserving Culture in the Diaspora16:48 An Israeli Identity in America17:47 Antisemitism and Historical Memory23:30 Identity, Education, and Responsibility26:34 Communities Within Israeli Society29:32 Hope for the Future31:18 ClosingHASHTAGS#RaisedBySurvivors #JewishPride #Identity #Resilience #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailKibitz with Keren | Ep. 682: Doron Keren — What Are We Teaching Our Children? | HMTCDESCRIPTION“What you teach your kids is what the future is.” That sentence leads Doron Keren to ask whether the challenges facing young American Jews begin long before college.On this host-only installment of Kibitz with Keren, Doron examines how K–12 Jewish education can give students the history, identity, critical-thinking skills, and confidence to enter difficult conversations without fear. He considers the roles of Jewish texts, Zionism, American history, classical education, philanthropy, and higher education in shaping thoughtful young adults.His argument is not to shield students from disagreement or tell them what to think. It is to prepare them to listen, question, build evidence-based arguments, and understand their own inheritance before engaging with someone else’s. The future, he suggests, begins upstream with what families, schools, and communities teach children before they reach campus.Kibitz with Keren on hmTv | Host: Doron KerenA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction1:21 What we teach becomes the future2:33 Jewish education and institutional investment4:08 Questions about higher education7:51 Why preparation begins before college10:13 Teaching students how to think11:36 Building a complete Jewish education14:06 Which institutions deserve our students?16:39 An educational pipeline for confidence17:51 Preparing students for disagreement19:22 The upstream question20:26 Questions for future conversations21:40 ClosingHASHTAGS#KibitzWithKeren #JewishIdentity #Education #CriticalThinking #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailEducation in Motion | Ep. 681: C.J. Burtnick — Teaching the Holocaust Through Stories | HMTCDESCRIPTIONAfter sharing lunch with a Holocaust survivor, C.J. Burtnick’s students stand, take an upstander pledge, and explain what they learned. Their words tell her the history has become personal.On Education in Motion, host Zachary Graulich speaks with the New Jersey social studies teacher about transforming a limited literature unit into a broader Holocaust education program built on testimony, primary sources, museum partnerships, and personal histories. They discuss antisemitism at school, online denial and misinformation, and why the Holocaust should not be a student’s first introduction to Jewish life.C.J. also reflects on teaching prewar communities, slowing down with artifacts, and showing that no single book or testimony represents every experience. Her former students still return years later to say the Holocaust unit stayed with them, evidence that careful education can build resilience, empathy, and the courage to become an upstander.Education in Motion on hmTv | Host: Zachary Graulich | Guest: C.J. BurtnickA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction1:10 Choosing a career in education1:53 Learning across faiths and cultures3:38 From a novel unit to deeper Holocaust education5:58 Teaching through testimony and personal histories8:40 Online misinformation and Holocaust denial11:23 Teaching students to be human12:44 When students become upstanders16:11 Educators remain lifelong learners17:07 Teaching Jewish life before the Holocaust19:42 Slowing down with artifacts23:13 No single story represents every experience25:00 Reassurance about Holocaust education27:52 ClosingHASHTAGS#EducationInMotion #HolocaustEducation #Testimony #MediaLiteracy #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Dana Download | Ep. 680: Steve Koppell — Running Through Grief and Fatherhood | HMTCDESCRIPTIONSeven weeks after promising his wife, Stacey, that he would run the New York City Marathon, Steve Koppell lost her unexpectedly. Their daughter, Hannah, was only 15 months old.On The Dana Download, host Dana Arschin speaks with Steve about becoming a solo parent, preserving Stacey’s memory for Hannah, and learning to grow around grief. He shares how friends supported him through practical acts of kindness and how Stacey’s family helped him remain open to companionship, love, and a blended family.Steve also describes losing 90 pounds, completing three marathons and 10 half-marathons, and raising more than $10,000 for the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Running began as a promise to Stacey and became a way to process grief, support families seeking answers, and carry her optimism forward. Moving forward, he reminds us, does not mean leaving someone behind.The Dana Download on hmTv | Host: Dana Arschin | Guest: Steve KoppellA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🔗You can follow Steve on Instagram at @Running2Heel.🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction2:02 A fender bender begins a friendship4:37 Remembering Stacey7:02 Welcoming Hannah and facing sudden loss10:05 Learning to become a solo parent11:41 Preserving Stacey’s memory for Hannah13:21 Growing around grief15:38 Finding love and building a blended family17:43 A marathon promise becomes a mission19:56 Supporting families with rare diseases21:37 Signs, support, and moving forward22:30 What Stacey would say today23:26 Carrying Stacey’s legacy forward25:21 ClosingHASHTAGS#TheDanaDownload #Resilience #Wellbeing #RareDiseases #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Dana Download | Ep. 679: Aimee Gagnon Fogg — Preserving the Ritchie Boys’ Stories | HMTCEvery Memorial Day, Aimee Gagnon Fogg places Kurt Jacobs’s photograph at his grave in Belgium. One face is still missing: fellow Ritchie Boy Murray Zappler’s.On The Dana Download, host Dana Arschin speaks with Aimee, founder of They Speak: Voices of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, about preserving the lives of nearly 8,400 American WWII service members buried or commemorated there. Her search began with her great-uncle, PFC Paul M. Lavoie, who was killed in Germany at age 21, and has grown into research on approximately 2,200 service members.Aimee traces the journeys of Jewish refugees Kurt Jacobs and Murray Zappler, who returned to Europe as U.S. military intelligence specialists. Their stories affirm her belief that there is no “us versus them.” Each recovered name, photograph, and memory restores individuality and becomes a small victory for humanity.The Dana Download on hmTv | Host: Dana Arschin | Guest: Aimee Gagnon FoggA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🔗You can follow Aimee’s work on Facebook at They Speak: Voices of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery.🎧hmtcli.org📺buzzsprout.com/2449781youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtcCHAPTERS0:00 Introduction1:16 How Aimee found The Dana Download3:31 Anne Frank and a lifelong mission5:54 Creating They Speak6:31 Finding PFC Paul M. Lavoie10:46 Who were the Ritchie Boys?13:16 Kurt Jacobs and Murray Zappler18:46 Recovering and remembering two soldiers21:10 A photograph as a victory for humanity23:19 The search for Murray’s photograph24:10 What comes next25:26 “There is only us”28:05 ClosingHASHTAGS#TheDanaDownload #Veterans #Service #Remembrance #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv Episode 678: Education in MotionDonna Rosenblum with Guest Russ PlotkinFrom the Courtroom to the Classroom: The Impact of an HMTC DocentWhat inspires someone to become a Holocaust educator?Donna Rosenblum, Director of Education at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, welcomes HMTC docent Russ Plotkin for a conversation about education, volunteerism, and the responsibility to confront hatred.After retiring from a 33-year career as a trial attorney, Russ wanted to give back to his community. His search led him to HMTC, where he discovered a welcoming community and a mission that deeply resonated with him.Russ describes HMTC’s docent training process, from studying the history of antisemitism and the Holocaust to shadowing experienced educators, participating in tours, and eventually leading student groups independently. He explains how he learned to move beyond facts and dates to create meaningful conversations that keep students engaged.Donna and Russ also discuss the persistence of antisemitism, the warning signs found throughout history, the influence of social media, and the danger of forming opinions without understanding the full historical context. They emphasize that Holocaust education must also address other genocides, human suffering, empathy, and the consequences of remaining silent.Russ shares powerful experiences with students, including difficult questions about Israel, religious prejudice, inherited responsibility, and the ways old antisemitic ideas continue to be repackaged for modern audiences.The conversation also examines the long-term trauma carried by Holocaust survivors and their families. A moving personal story illustrates why liberation in 1945 did not automatically end the emotional suffering experienced by survivors.The episode concludes with a hopeful reminder: students want to learn. They arrive at HMTC with questions and leave with a deeper understanding of history, personal responsibility, and the importance of treating others with dignity.Chapters00:00 - Opening00:17 - Welcome to Education in Motion01:01 - How Russ discovered HMTC01:28 - A 33-year career as a trial attorney02:14 - Family history and awareness of antisemitism04:30 - Why Russ wanted to become a docent05:04 - HMTC’s docent training process06:53 - Shadowing experienced docents07:42 - Connecting history with young students08:50 - Making a difference through education10:00 - Learning about other genocides11:08 - Difficult and important student questions12:36 - How ancient hatred is repackaged today14:23 - Standing for something that matters15:53 - Recognizing history’s warning signs17:13 - Addressing causes instead of assigning blame17:23 - Family, identity, and shared humanity19:45 - How HMTC can continue expanding its impact21:36 - Rejecting polarization and understanding multiple narratives22:28 - Social media, confidence, and incomplete knowledge23:52 - Why educators must remain lifelong learners24:23 - The lasting trauma carried by survivors27:03 - Why students give Russ hope28:35 - Closing message and invitation to subscribeEducation in Motion explores the people, ideas, and educational practices helping students understand history, challenge hatred, develop empathy, and become responsible members of their communities.Watch, like, share, and subscribe to hmTv for more conversations from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.#EducationInMotion #hmTv #HMTC #HolocaustEducation #RussPlotkin #DonnaRosenblum #HolocaustHistory #Docent #VolunteerEducation #Antisemitism #Empathy #Tolerance #HumanRights #NeverAgain #UpstanderSupport the show

Send us Fan MailPutting the Brakes on Bullying | Ep. 677: Boundaries, Empathy and Adult Bullying | HMTCA chance conversation about a taco bag at Day of Hope in Jerusalem became an unexpected friendship. It also opened the door to a powerful discussion about identity, adult bullying, personal boundaries, inclusion, and the courage to remain true to yourself.In Episode 677 of Putting the Brakes on Bullying, host Samantha Sosnik welcomes cantorial student David Ben-Arie to share how they met at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and quickly formed a connection that felt like a lifelong friendship.Their journey continued at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where David played “Hatikvah” on the yellow piano dedicated to hostage and musician Alon Ohel. The arrangement begins with sorrow and resolves into hope, reflecting the emotions surrounding the hostages, their families, and a nation determined not only to survive, but to live.David discusses his cantorial studies at Hebrew Union College and the hope he found at Day of Hope. Jewish, Arab, Christian, and Muslim students gathered through music, art, and dance, demonstrating that coexistence is possible when people create space for one another.The conversation then turns to David’s experience with adult bullying. After being aggressively challenged and demeaned for his Zionist beliefs, he established a professional boundary. He was later warned that the person involved could damage his career. David refused to accept the idea that protecting his dignity required tolerating disrespect, intimidation, or claims of moral superiority.Samantha and David examine how bullying continues long after high school. Social media allows rage baiting, trolling, antisemitic abuse, and humiliation to follow people everywhere. Adults sometimes ignore or encourage cruelty to protect their own social standing or that of their children, teaching the next generation that popularity matters more than accountability.Both Samantha and David also reflect on the empathy they developed through close relationships with family members who have special needs. David shares his sister’s experiences with Yachad, inclusive theater, and independent living. Samantha describes the authentic joy, friendship, and accomplishments she sees in her daughter’s community.Their message is clear: meet people beyond your usual circle, listen to their stories, establish healthy boundaries, teach children accountability, and never underestimate the effect of a simple act of kindness.Putting the Brakes on Bullying on hmTv | Host: Samantha Sosnik | Guest: David Ben-ArieExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Humanity Matters opening0:18 Meet David Ben-Arie1:11 A chance meeting at Day of Hope3:15 An instant friendship4:28 Visiting Hostages Square7:06 Playing “Hatikvah” on the yellow piano8:41 David’s cantorial journey10:30 Day of Hope and coexistence12:36 Meeting people beyond our circles14:01 A society that rewards cruelty14:37 David’s experience with political bullying16:38 Establishing a professional boundary19:07 Respect, competition, and walking away20:58 Rage baiting and online trolling21:58 How adults create bullies23:31 Bullying beyond high school24:44 Why bullying is harder to escape today26:07 Special-needs families and empathy27:09 Yachad, inclusion, and hope28:39 Authentic joy and everyday accomplishments31:09 Appreciating what truly matters32:01 Gratitude and kindness32:24 hmTv outro──────────────────#PuttingTheBrakesOnBullying #DavidBenArie #AdultBullying #PersonalBoundaries #Empathy #DayOfHope #Hatikvah #HostagesSquare #DisabilityInclusion #OnlineBullying #Kindness #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Butterfly Effect | Ep. 676: Who Are You When No One Is Watching? | HMTCIf a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? Gilad Avrahami and Bernie Furshpan begin with this timeless philosophical question and transform it into a deeply human one: Do we act ethically because other people are watching, or because we have developed the character to do what is right when no one appears to be watching?In Episode 676 of The Butterfly Effect, Gilad and Bernie explore how observation, perception, conscience, faith, social pressure, and public accountability shape human behavior.Their conversation examines the “looking-glass self,” the idea that we partly form our identities by imagining how others see us. The possibility of being witnessed, recorded, judged, or exposed can discourage wrongdoing. Yet the same social pressure can also cause people to hide their beliefs, conform to a supposed consensus, or remain silent when conscience demands courage.Gilad and Bernie discuss the inner witness created by moral education, personal values, law, faith, and memory. Even when no one else sees an action, its effects remain within us and may influence other people and the surrounding world. Recognizing our mistakes, rather than minimizing or forgetting them, helps us grow and avoid repeating them.The episode also considers the difference between private belief and public expression. When people remain silent because they fear rejection, an artificial consensus can emerge. A belief may appear dominant even when many people privately disagree. Being observed can inspire accountability, but it can also pressure people to conceal their honest convictions or identity.This question becomes especially important in preserving Holocaust history. The Holocaust would still have occurred without documentation, but our ability to prove, understand, teach, and remember it depends on witnesses, survivor testimony, photographs, artifacts, documents, and physical evidence. What is recorded becomes part of public memory and carries a responsibility to remain faithful to the truth.The conversation ultimately returns to an essential ethical question: Who are we when nobody is watching? Moral courage begins when doing what is right no longer depends on receiving approval, avoiding punishment, or having an audience.The Butterfly Effect on hmTv | Hosts: Gilad Avrahami and Bernie FurshpanExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Humanity Matters opening0:19 If a tree falls, does it make a sound?1:14 Does an unheard sound still exist?2:52 How perception completes an experience4:46 A simple question with a complex answer5:16 Podcasting and the butterfly effect6:58 Would you act differently if watched?10:17 Morality, laws, and guilt12:23 The inner witness and motivated forgetting14:22 Faith, science, and accountability15:38 How our actions affect others16:39 Private beliefs and public conformity20:15 Social pressure and fear of rejection22:27 Witnesses and Holocaust memory25:09 Conformity and the public record26:30 Returning to the source27:39 Closing reflections28:44 hmTv outro──────────────────#TheButterflyEffect #Ethics #MoralCourage #Philosophy #SocialConformity #Conscience #Witnesses #HolocaustMemory #SurvivorTestimony #CriticalThinking #HumanBehavior #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Israeli Bond | Ep. 675: Penn’s Academic Bridge Fellowship After October 7 | HMTCAfter the October 7 attacks, a group of University of Pennsylvania faculty members traveled to Israel with a desire to listen, understand, and help. They returned with the beginnings of an idea that became the Academic Bridge Fellowship, a summer program connecting young Israelis with research laboratories, academic mentors, and communities at Penn.In Episode 675 of The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen welcomes Israeli attorney Neta Dagan for a conversation about the fellowship’s creation, development, human impact, and potential to become a model for other American universities.Neta was born and raised in Israel, studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and came to the United States to pursue a Master of Laws degree at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She was studying at Penn on October 7 and later became involved in developing and leading the Academic Bridge Fellowship.During their mission to Israel, Penn faculty members heard university leaders describe what they believed was a growing academic isolation of Israeli institutions. They reported declining international participation, reduced funding opportunities, and research papers being rejected under circumstances they believed had changed since October 7. The faculty returned to Penn asking a practical question: What can we do?Their answer was to bring approximately 40 Israeli students and recent veterans to Penn for an intensive summer of research, mentorship, lectures, and community engagement. Fellows lived together on campus, worked full days in active research laboratories, attended academic presentations, and met local families, Jewish organizations, university leaders, and people with perspectives different from their own.Unlike a traditional exchange program, the fellowship is built around participation in ongoing research rather than classroom instruction. Fellows work directly with professors and laboratory teams, develop professional relationships, and, in some cases, continue collaborating after returning to Israel.The fellowship also created unexpected personal benefits. Some members of the first cohort had recently completed extended military service. For them, the program provided a rare opportunity to sleep without fear of being recalled, step away from the constant tension in Israel, and begin thinking again about their academic futures.Neta explains that a bridge must have two sides. Israeli fellows shared their experiences after October 7, but they also learned about the challenges faced by Jewish students and communities in the United States. The program included Druze participants and was structured as an academic opportunity open to qualified Israeli students from different backgrounds.The Academic Bridge Fellowship has grown increasingly competitive and academically focused. Its third cohort received more than 1,000 applications for fewer than 40 available places. Many Penn mentors returned for subsequent cohorts, and some fellows were invited to continue collaborating remotely, return to their laboratories, or consider future doctoral studies in the United States.Support came from private donors, Penn faculty members, university offices, Israeli universities, Hillel, Chabad, and local community members who opened their homes and gave their time. Their involvement demonstrates that contributing to a meaningful cause does not always require a large financial donation. Mentorship, hospitality, conversation, and human connection can also create lasting change.Neta hopes the fellowship will develop into a strategic five-year program and inspire similar initiatives at other universities. Her central lesson is simple: begin. The program’s founders did not have every goal, source of funding, or logistical detail settled when they started. They acted on a shared concern, learned along the way, and created an opportunity capable of changing lives and building enduring academic relationships.The Israeli Bond on hmTv | Host: Gal Swisa Cohen | Guest: Neta DaganExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening and guest introduction1:01 Meet Israeli attorney Neta Dagan2:04 The Academic Bridge Fellowship3:07 Penn faculty members travel to Israel4:24 Reports of an academic boycott5:16 Building personal and professional bridges7:48 Conversations beyond the Jewish community9:18 More than a traditional exchange program11:59 Academic and personal benefits for Israeli fellows15:20 Inside the five-week fellowship17:26 How the cohorts evolved20:16 Funding and institutional support21:54 Penn, antisemitism, and academic neutrality24:08 Could other universities adopt the model?25:47 Results and success stories28:23 Giving means more than donating money30:48 Planting seeds for long-term collaboration33:14 A five-year vision for the fellowship34:00 How to support or expand the program34:50 The central lesson: Just begin36:09 Closing reflections36:40 hmTv outro──────────────────#TheIsraeliBond #NetaDagan #AcademicBridgeFellowship #UniversityOfPennsylvania #IsraeliStudents #October7 #AcademicCollaboration #BridgeBuilding #JewishCommunity #CampusAntisemitism #Israel #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 674: Auschwitz, America’s Silence and Antisemitism (Part 3) | HMTCSusanne Bleiberg Seperson once asked her mother why she never removed the number tattooed on her arm at Auschwitz. Her mother replied, “It doesn’t matter. I will always know where I was.” The physical mark was visible, but the deeper wounds of persecution, imprisonment, and loss remained within her.In Episode 674 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli concludes his three-part conversation with Dr. Susanne Bleiberg Seperson about inherited trauma, refugee policy, Holocaust documentation, individual accountability, education, and the continuing fight against antisemitism.Susanne recalls growing up in New York without understanding that her parents’ nightmares, security concerns, work ethic, and constant preparation were connected to their Holocaust experiences. To her, they were simply part of everyday family life. Only later did she recognize how trauma had shaped both her parents and her own childhood.Although her parents carried physical and emotional reminders of persecution, they also passed down resilience, self-reliance, honesty, family loyalty, and a profound respect for education. Susanne’s father, who had been denied educational opportunities, urged her to complete her doctorate. One of his final requests was that she finish her dissertation.The conversation explores Susanne’s first visit to Auschwitz with her mother and teenage daughter. Surrounded by rooms filled with eyeglasses, children’s toys, and other stolen possessions, she felt emotionally numb. She understood that she had to remain strong for three generations while confronting evidence of what her mother had endured.Susanne also examines America’s failure to provide refuge to more European Jews. She discusses restrictive State Department policies, the Évian Conference, the rejection of the passengers aboard the MS St. Louis, and the decision not to bomb the railroad tracks leading to Auschwitz. Although reports of mass murder reached Allied governments, meaningful action came far too slowly.Richard and Susanne discuss the Bergson Group’s pageant We Will Never Die, American antisemitism, and disagreements among Jewish leaders over how forcefully to respond. They also recognize General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s insistence that the liberated concentration camps be photographed and witnessed, understanding that future generations would attempt to deny or minimize the crimes.During a return to Poland, Susanne saw the man who had betrayed her father’s sister for a small payment. She wanted to confront him, but one of the local rescuers stopped her, explaining that she would still have to live in the same town after Susanne left. The encounter reinforced Susanne’s belief that responsibility belongs to the individuals who commit crimes, not to their children, relatives, or an entire population.Susanne’s commitment to education eventually led to work with nongovernmental organizations at the United Nations. She helped establish a recognized committee within CoNGO focused on eliminating antisemitism and promoting peace. The committee is now pursuing international recognition and condemnation of antisemitism while building educational partnerships with other NGOs.The episode concludes with a warning and a challenge. Nazi ideology took hold in one of Europe’s most educated and technologically advanced societies. Education alone is therefore not enough. Young people must receive quality education that encourages independent thought, challenges dehumanization, and teaches them to recognize the humanity of others.For Susanne, the essential lesson can be found in every major religion: treat others as you wish to be treated. Without that foundation, knowledge can inform people, but it cannot make them humane.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Dr. Susanne Bleiberg SepersonExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:19 Welcome and Part 3 introduction1:12 Trust, survival, and a person’s word2:17 The different ways her parents carried trauma2:38 Growing up without the language of PTSD3:41 Security, self-reliance, and family values4:53 Physical reminders of extreme cold5:39 A mysterious gold tooth and an Auschwitz tattoo6:31 European traditions and American life7:21 Creating a beautiful home in the Bronx8:59 Her parents’ meaningful journey to Israel10:00 A father’s final request to finish her doctorate11:15 Education as the path out of poverty12:07 The only wartime object preserved by the family13:23 Choosing comfort after years of survival14:14 Visiting Auschwitz with three generations15:03 Confronting the evidence of mass murder16:00 America’s failure to admit more Jewish refugees16:41 The Évian Conference and international rejection17:25 The tragedy of the MS St. Louis17:58 The debate over bombing Auschwitz19:34 The Bergson Group and We Will Never Die20:28 Eisenhower preserves evidence of the camps21:20 Confronting the man who betrayed her aunt22:22 Individual responsibility and the Nuremberg principle22:34 Building an intergenerational mission at the United Nations23:25 Seeking international condemnation of antisemitism24:15 Why education alone cannot prevent hatred25:10 Teaching independent thought and human dignity26:22 Returning to the Golden Rule26:40 Closing reflections27:17 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #SusanneSeperson #HolocaustSurvivors #Auschwitz #HolocaustEducation #Antisemitism #MSStLouis #Eisenhower #UnitedNations #InheritedTrauma #SurvivorTestimony #HMTCSupport the show

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Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 672: Escape from a Nazi Death Train (Part 1) | HMTCSusanne Bleiberg Seperson’s mother escaped a Nazi deportation train by climbing through loosened boards and jumping into deep snow. Her final memory of her own mother was feeling the hands that pushed her through the opening and saved her life.In Episode 672 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli welcomes Dr. Susanne Bleiberg Seperson for Part 1 of her family’s remarkable story of Holocaust survival, immigration, adaptation, and rebuilding in America.Born in Bayreuth, Germany, after World War II, Susanne arrived in New York with her parents in September 1950, when she was two years old. Her parents were Polish Jews who had survived persecution, ghettos, imprisonment, betrayal, and the murder of family members.After the war, Susanne’s mother refused to enter a displaced persons camp. Having already been imprisoned in Auschwitz, she declared that she had spent enough of her life in camps. The family initially planned to settle in Israel, but the War of Independence convinced her mother that they had endured enough conflict. With relatives in the United States, they instead chose America and the possibility of a normal life.Susanne recalls growing up in the Bronx, visiting the New York Botanical Garden, and watching her parents pursue the American dream. Her father worked in dry cleaning, tailoring, the supermarket business, and real estate. Her mother, who had worked in a Polish bank before the war, used her education and language skills to become a bookkeeper.The conversation then returns to Oleszyce and Jarosław in southeastern Poland, where Susanne’s parents were raised. The region’s borders changed repeatedly, placing generations of the same family under different countries without anyone moving. Jewish families were prohibited from owning land directly, forcing Susanne’s relatives to rely on trusted Christian neighbors to hold property in their names.Her family’s history reveals the moral complexity of the Holocaust. Christian neighbors helped Susanne’s parents survive, while another man betrayed her father’s blond-haired, blue-eyed sister to local collaborators for a small reward. She was murdered. Some family members were killed by Germans, while others were victimized by Polish and Ukrainian collaborators.Following the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland, Nazi Germany invaded the region in 1941. Susanne’s relatives were ultimately confined in the Lubaczów Ghetto. Her father and his brother escaped before its liquidation, but her mother, grandparents, and younger aunt were forced aboard a deportation train believed to be traveling toward Bełżec or Sobibór.Susanne’s maternal grandfather anticipated the danger and concealed hammers and crowbars among the few belongings the family was permitted to carry. Prisoners secretly loosened the cattle-car boards and held them in place until the train began moving.Following her father’s instructions, Susanne’s mother curled herself like a cat and jumped in the direction opposite the moving train. Deep snow cushioned her fall. Her mother and younger sister remained behind and were murdered.Part 1 demonstrates that survival often depended on preparation, adaptability, trusted relationships, sudden decisions, and extraordinary courage. It also preserves the final act of a mother who, facing almost certain death, used her last moment with her daughter to push her toward life.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Dr. Susanne Bleiberg SepersonExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:21 Welcome and guest introduction1:04 Born in postwar Germany and immigrating to America1:39 Stateless survivors leave Europe2:08 Refusing to enter another camp2:43 Choosing America instead of Israel3:17 Arriving in New York and honoring an immigrant legacy4:04 Growing up in the Bronx5:28 Discovering her Polish identity6:37 Her parents pursue the American dream8:16 Different immigrant paths to success9:37 Family roots in Oleszyce and Jarosław10:12 Adaptability as a tool for survival11:10 Susanne’s grandparents before and after the war12:17 Jewish land restrictions and trusted Christian neighbors13:16 Witold Maczak and warnings of approaching danger14:52 Soviet occupation before the German invasion15:26 Betrayal, collaboration, and the murder of an aunt16:58 A decision to avoid deportation to Siberia18:07 Bringing tools aboard the deportation train18:35 Operation Barbarossa and German occupation19:48 The Lubaczów Ghetto and her father’s escape20:45 A deportation train bound for a death camp21:36 Nazi deception and the hidden tools22:05 Loosening the boards and jumping into the snow23:08 A mother and younger sister left behind23:19 Remembering Holocaust survivor Werner Reich24:57 Part 2 preview and closing25:12 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #SusanneSeperson #HolocaustSurvivors #HolocaustTestimony #DeathTrainEscape #LubaczowGhetto #AuschwitzSurvivor #PolishJewishHistory #SecondGeneration #ImmigrantStories #InheritedMemory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailLegacy Chronicles | Ep. 671: The Holocaust Did Not Begin with Gas Chambers | HMTC“The Holocaust did not begin with gas chambers.”For Dr. Ettie Zilber, that statement is more than a history lesson. It is a warning about how persecution develops gradually through false narratives, propaganda, separation, discriminatory laws, collaboration, and the silence of people who choose not to intervene.In Episode 671 of Legacy Chronicles, host Zachary Graulich welcomes Dr. Zilber, a second-generation Holocaust survivor, author, educator, and international speaker, for a powerful conversation about inherited memory, historical evidence, visual literacy, and the responsibility to preserve survivors’ stories.Born in the Landsberg displaced persons camp in Germany, Ettie grew up in a Yiddish-speaking home surrounded by photographs of relatives murdered during the Holocaust. Her Lithuanian parents had survived the Kovno Ghetto, but like many children of survivors, she initially knew only fragments of what they had endured.That changed in the late 1990s when Ettie recorded her mother’s testimony. As she transcribed the interviews, she organized the memories chronologically and corroborated them through extensive historical research. After retiring from a career directing international schools in Barcelona, China, and Guatemala, she traveled to the places her mother had described.Her research, family history, and personal journey became A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience: Mama’s Survival from Lithuania to America. Ettie now brings her parents’ microhistory into classrooms while connecting their experiences to the broader history unfolding across Europe.Rare photographs play an essential role in her presentations. Ettie possesses images of family members who were murdered, as well as two photographs of her grandfather inside the Kovno Ghetto. She also uses images secretly taken by Jewish photographer Zvi Kadushin, later known as George Kadish, and artwork created by Esther Lurie.By comparing those records with Nazi-created documentation, Ettie teaches students to ask two crucial questions: Who created this image, and why was it created? In an age of artificial intelligence, altered images, and rapidly spreading misinformation, those visual-literacy skills have become more important than ever.Ettie also challenges the misconception that the Holocaust occurred only inside concentration and extermination camps. She discusses the Holocaust by Bullets, the participation of local collaborators, and the systematic theft of Jewish homes, property, clothing, artwork, and possessions.The conversation ultimately examines how a society’s moral order can be overturned. When those in power give people legal permission to persecute their neighbors, right can be presented as wrong and wrongdoing can become normalized.Holocaust education matters because the genocide did not happen overnight. Understanding its progression can help develop more responsible, empathetic, and ethical citizens who recognize dangerous warning signs before history reaches its darkest destination.Legacy Chronicles on hmTv | Host: Zachary Graulich | Guest: Dr. Ettie ZilberExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc📚 A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening and guest introduction0:47 Growing up as the child of Holocaust survivors1:52 Yiddish, family photographs, and early memories3:54 Accepting the responsibility of a second-generation survivor4:28 Recording her mother’s testimony before it was too late5:18 Researching and reconstructing the complete story8:15 Creating A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience9:05 Connecting family testimony with broader history11:17 The challenge facing legacy speakers12:23 Teaching through photographs and visual evidence13:36 Examining Nazi propaganda and artificial intelligence15:19 Understanding perpetrator-created documentation16:44 Photographs and artwork from the Kovno Ghetto18:51 Measuring the emotional and educational impact20:49 Reaching students, veterans, and children of liberators22:59 Teaching history without overwhelming an audience24:24 Why Ettie continues her educational mission25:13 The Holocaust was more than camps and gas chambers25:58 The Holocaust by Bullets and an inverted moral order28:28 Understanding Nazi Germany as a criminal state29:48 Collaborators, coercion, and material gain31:02 The Holocaust as a massive act of robbery33:58 The Holocaust did not begin with gas chambers35:28 Building responsible and empathetic citizens36:26 Where to find Ettie’s memoir37:18 Closing reflections37:26 hmTv outro──────────────────#LegacyChronicles #EttieZilber #HolocaustEducation #SecondGeneration #KovnoGhetto #HolocaustByBullets #SurvivorTestimony #VisualLiteracy #InheritedMemory #JewishHistory #HolocaustMemoir #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 670: The Hidden Medals of a WWII POW (Part 2) | HMTCJerome L. Frankel was only 19 when he was wounded, captured during the Battle of the Bulge, forced to march through freezing conditions, transported in a cattle car, and imprisoned at Stalag IV-B. He survived, returned home, raised a family, and rarely spoke about what he had endured.In Episode 670 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with Jerome’s daughter, Leah Freeberg, about the medals, military records, physical injuries, and memories her father kept hidden for decades.Jerome served as a radio operator with the 423rd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division, known as the Golden Lions. Positioned directly in the path of the German advance, the young and inexperienced division suffered catastrophic losses during the Battle of the Bulge.Leah shares the Purple Heart her father received for a shrapnel wound to his wrist and severe trench foot. The damage to his feet remained visible throughout his life, and cold, wet weather frequently brought the pain back. Although the physical wounds never disappeared, Jerome rarely complained or explained their origin to his daughters.In 2019, Leah and her husband traveled through Belgium and Germany to retrace part of Jerome’s wartime journey. They visited Schönberg, where his regiment was captured, the Bulge Relics Museum, the 106th Infantry Division memorial at St. Vith, and the concrete “dragon’s teeth” of the Siegfried Line.Leah also reflects on the forced march from Schönberg to the railway station at Gerolstein. Thousands of American prisoners walked more than 20 miles through bitter cold before being packed into cattle cars and transported to Stalag IV-B. Jerome endured the journey while suffering from frozen feet, a shrapnel wound, hunger, and exhaustion.After her father’s death, Leah discovered a green metal container filled with original military documents. Because many government Army records had been destroyed in a fire, Jerome’s personal collection provided the evidence needed for Leah to obtain his Prisoner of War Medal posthumously.Among the records was a letter Jerome had written to his congressman requesting the Purple Heart, a commendation, and other recognition that had not been properly entered into his military record. His appeal reveals that veterans sometimes had to fight long after returning home to receive the honors they had earned.Jerome Frankel was more than a soldier or prisoner of war. He was a survivor who endured combat, captivity, starvation, injury, and silence. He returned home, built a career, raised a family, embraced his faith, and created a life that the war had nearly taken from him.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Leah FreebergExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:19 Welcome and Part 1 recap1:55 The Golden Lions of the 106th Infantry Division2:09 An inexperienced division faces catastrophe3:00 The Purple Heart Jerome’s family never knew about3:30 Shrapnel wounds and severe trench foot4:13 The lifelong physical effects of war5:09 Veterans waiting decades for recognition6:06 A 19-year-old soldier enters combat7:14 Seeing her father as a young man7:34 A Jewish prayer book and a dangerous identity8:25 Retracing Jerome’s journey in 20199:06 Visiting the Bulge Relics Museum10:15 Traveling through Belgium with a private guide11:15 The 106th Infantry Division memorial at St. Vith12:27 The forced march from Schönberg to Gerolstein13:44 The Malmedy massacre and a church along the route14:12 Discovering Jerome’s meticulous military records14:50 The dragon’s teeth of the Siegfried Line15:34 Experiencing the bitter cold of the Ardennes16:06 Why Leah did not visit Stalag IV-B16:45 Starvation and intercepted Red Cross parcels17:40 Understanding the burden of a field radio18:37 A radio operator’s front-line responsibility19:20 Original records and the posthumous POW Medal20:09 Veterans and Holocaust survivors on Long Island21:32 Liberation and the advancing Soviet Army22:04 Jerome’s letter requesting recognition23:07 Finally receiving the Purple Heart23:47 A complete timeline of his military journey24:14 Surviving combat, captivity, and starvation25:02 Rebuilding a life after war25:40 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #LeahFreeberg #JeromeFrankel #BattleOfTheBulge #WorldWarII #PrisonerOfWar #PurpleHeart #POWMedal #106thInfantryDivision #JewishAmericanVeteran #VeteranStories #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 669: Leah Freeberg: Battle of the Bulge POW (Part 1) | HMTCFor most of her life, Leah Freeberg knew only fragments of her father’s World War II service. He sometimes spoke about surviving on potato peels and lived with damaged feet and severe back pain, but he never told his daughters that he had been captured during the Battle of the Bulge, imprisoned by the Nazis, or awarded the Purple Heart.In Episode 669 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli welcomes Leah for Part 1 of her father’s extraordinary story of combat, captivity, survival, faith, and silence.Leah’s father entered the Army in 1943 and trained as a radio operator. After crossing the Atlantic aboard the Queen Elizabeth, he was sent toward the Belgian-German border with the 423rd Infantry Regiment. At only 19 years old, he carried a radio weighing approximately 40 pounds and remained close to his commanders on the front line.His unit arrived ahead of its supplies and lacked adequate winter clothing and footwear. During one of Europe’s coldest winters, he developed trench foot, which permanently damaged the circulation in his feet. On December 19, 1944, German forces surrounded his inexperienced regiment near Schönberg, forcing thousands of American soldiers to surrender.After his capture, Leah’s father tore off his identification tags and threw them into the snow because they identified him as Jewish. He was forced to march through the bitter cold, packed into a cattle car, and transported to Stalag IV-B in Mühlberg, one of Nazi Germany’s largest prisoner-of-war camps.Leah did not learn the full story until after her father’s death, when she opened a large green metal case containing his original military records, personal documents, and Purple Heart. The paperwork revealed the journey he had kept buried throughout his life.In 2019, Leah and her husband traveled to Germany and Belgium, where they followed part of his wartime route, visited the Siegfried Line, and stood near the location where he had been captured. The experience transformed family fragments into a clearer understanding of the trauma he carried home.Although Leah’s father rarely discussed the war, its wounds never disappeared. He lived with damaged feet, debilitating back pain from being struck with a rifle butt, and what Leah now recognizes as PTSD. Yet he rebuilt his life, raised a family, embraced his Jewish faith, and regained enough strength to lift and open the Torah before his congregation.Part 1 reveals how many veterans returned home carrying experiences they could not speak about. Their silence protected their families from the details, but it also left future generations with the responsibility of recovering and preserving their stories.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Leah FreebergExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:19 Welcome and guest introduction1:18 Leah’s Long Island upbringing2:27 From L’Oréal executive to mathematics teacher3:55 Her father’s career and international travels5:06 Growing up in Jewish Flatbush6:11 Entering the Army at age 187:40 A family receives notice that he is missing8:28 Discovering his original military records9:29 Training and crossing the Atlantic11:14 Arriving without adequate winter supplies11:30 Trench foot and lifelong physical damage12:41 Moving toward the Siegfried Line13:11 Serving as a front-line radio operator13:36 Captured near Schönberg14:40 Retracing his journey in 201916:06 Surrounded during the Battle of the Bulge17:24 Hiding his Jewish identity from the Nazis19:31 Imprisonment at Stalag IV-B19:48 The green metal case and hidden Purple Heart20:42 Trauma, silence, and undiagnosed PTSD21:57 Why his daughters never knew the full story22:41 Returning home emaciated and unrecognizable24:14 Regaining the strength to lift the Torah25:14 Faith after captivity26:37 POWs who carried their stories in silence29:04 A rifle-butt injury and lifelong back pain29:32 Part 2 preview and closing29:59 hmTv outro30:15 Humanity matters──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #LeahFreeberg #BattleOfTheBulge #WorldWarII #PrisonerOfWar #JewishAmericanVeteran #StalagIVB #PurpleHeart #VeteranStories #PTSD #MilitaryHistory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 668: Bill Byrne: Helping Veterans Heal and Come Home (Part 2) | HMTCVeterans are trained to be strong, disciplined, and self-sufficient. Those same qualities can make it difficult for them to admit when they need help. Bill Byrne’s message is direct: veterans have earned their benefits, and asking for support is not a sign of weakness.In Episode 668 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with Bill, president of Rolling Thunder New York Chapter 6, about PTSD, veterans’ benefits, repeated combat deployments, September 11, and the practical work of helping veterans rebuild their lives.Bill urges every veteran to register with the Department of Veterans Affairs, even if assistance is not immediately needed. He explains that unused benefits are not transferred to another veteran. Establishing a record today may make it easier to receive medical care, disability support, or other services in the future.Rolling Thunder’s assistance extends far beyond paperwork. Its members install wheelchair ramps, renovate bathrooms, add safety railings, replace broken heating systems, and respond quickly when a veteran’s home becomes unsafe or inaccessible. With support from skilled union tradespeople and veteran-friendly companies, the organization transforms concern into immediate action.The conversation also examines the psychological impact of repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Military training prepares people for combat, but Bill argues that no comparable process prepares them to return to civilian life. After years of remaining alert to hidden explosives, incoming fire, and sudden danger, many veterans struggle to adjust to everyday environments that others take for granted.Bill explains why no two experiences of PTSD are identical and why some combat veterans will speak only with people they deeply trust. He earned that trust by sharing his own experiences growing up amid the Troubles in Ireland and working inside the wreckage at Ground Zero during the first two months following September 11.Bill and Richard also recognize the work of General Needs, Paws of War, Tunnel to Towers, the FealGood Foundation, and the union workers, businesses, and volunteers who support veterans and September 11 responders throughout Long Island.The episode concludes with Rolling Thunder’s central mission. Bill cites approximately 82,000 American service members who remain missing from modern conflicts. For him, POW/MIA remembrance is not ceremonial. It is a continuing promise that no American who served will ever be abandoned or forgotten.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Bill ByrneExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc🏍 rollingthunderny6.org─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and Part 2 introduction1:12 Why veterans rarely ask for help2:25 Richie Kitson and serving through the VA3:18 Veterans have earned their benefits4:00 Forgotten benefits and delayed recognition4:47 Why veterans remain silent5:12 Wheelchair ramps and immediate assistance6:03 Renovating homes for disabled veterans6:40 Union tradespeople answer the call7:49 Iraq, Afghanistan, and growing demand8:28 Repeated deployments and difficult transitions9:34 September 11 and the lasting trauma of war10:05 Returning home without decommissioning11:10 Chad Lennon’s experience with PTSD12:37 Walking across Long Island for veterans13:00 Veterans bringing experience into public service13:31 Why these stories need to be told13:48 Understanding post-traumatic stress15:11 Current conflicts reactivate painful memories15:44 Why every experience of PTSD is different16:42 Acceptance by the Marine Corps League17:44 Earning the trust of combat veterans18:27 Bill’s work inside Ground Zero19:28 Building September 11 memorials21:00 A shared commitment to remembrance22:01 General Needs, Paws of War, and Tunnel to Towers23:40 Companies supporting Long Island veterans24:14 Twenty-five years since September 1125:44 Preventing remembrance from becoming commercialized26:03 Approximately 82,000 Americans remain missing27:06 Closing reflections27:33 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #BillByrne #RollingThunder #VeteransSupport #VeteransBenefits #PTSD #POWMIA #September11 #GroundZero #GeneralNeeds #PawsOfWar #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 667: Bill Byrne: No Veteran Left Behind (Part 1) | HMTCAs a boy watching the Vietnam War end, Bill Byrne saw how returning veterans were treated and made himself a promise: if he could help it, that would never happen again.In Episode 667 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli welcomes Bill, a veterans advocate and president of Rolling Thunder, New York Chapter 6, for Part 1 of a conversation about military service, remembrance, and helping veterans in crisis.Bill traces his journey from Queens Village and an Irish immigrant family to the building trades and a lifetime of veterans advocacy. He recalls the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut and learning that his cousin’s reconnaissance unit had been transferred only days before the attack. That narrow escape became what Bill calls “the match that lit my fuse.”The conversation explores the Patriot Guard Riders, whose members shielded grieving military families from protesters, and the origins of Rolling Thunder’s Ride for Freedom. Bill emphasizes that Rolling Thunder is not a motorcycle club. Its primary mission is to keep the POW/MIA issue before the public and remind the government that no American service member should be left behind.On Long Island, Bill and his chapter also focus on PTSD, veteran suicide prevention, and helping former service members navigate available resources. When a veteran calls in crisis, Bill does more than provide a telephone number. He answers at all hours, offers to meet in person, and sits down to listen.Bill’s work demonstrates that honoring veterans requires more than gratitude on Memorial Day. It requires presence, persistence, and a commitment to ensuring that no veteran faces the battle alone.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Bill ByrneExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and guest introduction1:19 Richard’s Army and Air National Guard service2:04 Growing up in Queens Village3:03 Irish immigrant parents and family roots4:22 Returning to Ireland during the Troubles5:11 Choosing a career in construction6:02 Entering the plumbers union7:18 Moving to Nassau County8:03 Witnessing the treatment of Vietnam veterans9:19 The 1983 Beirut barracks bombing10:05 America’s complicated military history11:32 Iran, Operation Eagle Claw, and military readiness12:30 The Patriot Guard Riders protect military families14:38 Becoming president of Rolling Thunder Chapter 615:11 A mission that never stops16:01 The origins of Rolling Thunder16:44 The Ride for Freedom and the POW/MIA mission17:19 Confronting veteran suicide on Long Island18:47 Answering veterans in crisis20:02 Navigating the VA and finding additional help21:27 Turning a career-ending injury into purpose22:13 Discovering Rolling Thunder23:30 Riding through Washington for veterans24:46 Part 2 preview and closing25:15 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #BillByrne #RollingThunder #VeteransAdvocacy #POWMIA #VeteranSuicidePrevention #PTSD #PatriotGuardRiders #RideForFreedom #LongIslandVeterans #MilitaryFamilies #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRaised by Survivors | Ep. 666: Fern Schumer Chapman: Holocaust Trauma Across Generations | HMTCAt age 12, Edith Westerfeld was sent alone from Nazi Germany to the United States. Although her parents made the agonizing decision to save her life, Edith experienced the separation as betrayal. For decades, she remained trapped inside a child’s broken heart, believing she had been sent away because she was unlovable.In Episode 666 of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan welcomes award-winning author, journalist, and educator Fern Schumer Chapman for a powerful conversation about child refugees, intergenerational trauma, family silence, moral courage, and the responsibility to carry Holocaust memory forward.Fern explains how her mother’s trauma transformed their relationship. Beginning at age five, Fern often found herself caring for the mother who was supposed to care for her. This reversal, known as parentification, profoundly shaped Fern’s childhood, her writing, and her determination to create a healthier relationship with her own children.The conversation explores the little-known One Thousand Children rescue effort. Between 1934 and 1945, religious and humanitarian organizations quietly brought approximately 1,400 Jewish children to safety in the United States. Edith was among them. Fern recounts her mother’s experience in the widely taught young adult novel Is It Night or Day?Fern also discusses returning with Edith to Stockstadt am Rhein, where they encountered comforting family legends, community denial, and the consequences of what Bernie calls “twistory.” Newly accessible Nazi Party membership records are now forcing some German families to confront documented truths about relatives whose wartime actions had long been denied or minimized.One extraordinary figure in Fern’s family story is Mina, a Christian girl who lived with the Westerfeld family and considered them her own. Beginning in the early 1930s, Mina collected evidence of Nazi crimes in a suitcase. After the war, she fought unsuccessfully for restitution and accountability while her community chose silence. Ostracized for refusing to forget, Mina remained a moral compass whose own trauma followed her for the rest of her life.Bernie and Fern examine ordinary complicity, failed denazification, rising antisemitism, the cancellation of Jewish authors and speakers, and the urgent need for Holocaust and civics education. They also discuss why students often connect more deeply with the experience of one frightened child than with statistics alone.As the survivor generation disappears, Fern believes young people can become “derivative witnesses” who preserve these stories and recognize the warning signs of hatred. Holocaust memory must never become an empty ritual. It must remain a living responsibility that inspires education, empathy, courage, and action.Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Fern Schumer ChapmanExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc📚 fernschumerchapman.com─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening and guest introduction1:57 Welcome, Fern Schumer Chapman1:59 Edith is sent alone from Nazi Germany2:17 When rescue felt like betrayal3:27 Trauma transmitted across generations4:35 Becoming a mother to her own mother6:01 Parentification within survivor families6:59 America and the One Thousand Children9:42 “Twistory” and comforting family legends10:03 Nazi records challenge decades of denial11:43 Coercion, conformity, and failed denazification14:52 Mina’s secret archive of Nazi crimes16:39 Rescuers, upstanders, and moral responsibility17:28 Mina’s fight for restitution and justice18:56 The lasting trauma carried by an upstander20:00 Ordinary complicity and today’s warning signs20:41 The urgent need for Holocaust and civics education22:19 Jewish authors and speakers being canceled22:31 Teaching history through one child’s experience23:21 The responsibility of descendants and educators25:04 Young people as derivative witnesses26:04 One humanity and closing reflections26:55 hmTv outro──────────────────#RaisedBySurvivors #FernSchumerChapman #HolocaustEducation #OneThousandChildren #ChildRefugees #IntergenerationalTrauma #Parentification #HolocaustMemory #Upstanders #SecondGeneration #DerivativeWitnesses #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailPutting the Brakes on Bullying | Ep. 665: Dan Grunfeld: Holocaust, Bullying and Basketball | HMTCErnie Grunfeld arrived in America at age nine without speaking English. Bullied because of his accent and immigrant background, he transformed adversity into determination, becoming an Olympic gold medalist, NBA star, and respected basketball executive. Just as importantly, he became a man who treated others with the kindness he had once been denied.In Episode 665 of Putting the Brakes on Bullying, host Samantha Sosnik welcomes former professional basketball player and author Dan Grunfeld for a powerful conversation about Holocaust survival, inherited memory, antisemitism, bullying, resilience, and the unifying power of sports.Dan shares the remarkable story of his grandparents, who survived the Holocaust in Hungary. His grandfather endured a forced labor camp, while his grandmother survived on the run, was saved twice by Raoul Wallenberg, and was imprisoned in the Budapest ghetto. Now 101 years old, she remains the heart of the Grunfeld family and a daily presence in Dan’s life.The conversation explores Ernie Grunfeld’s journey from communist Romania to Queens and his extraordinary friendship with basketball legend Bernard King. Known together as the “Ernie and Bernie Show,” the Jewish immigrant from Queens and the Black athlete from Brooklyn became one of college basketball’s greatest duos, later playing together for the New York Knicks. Their friendship demonstrates how shared purpose can overcome cultural and social divisions.Dan also reflects on playing basketball at Stanford, competing in the Maccabiah Games in Israel, acknowledging the privilege of growing up as an NBA player’s son, and learning that opportunity means little without discipline, effort, and performance.One of the episode’s most moving moments comes when Dan recalls receiving an offer to play professionally in Germany. Before accepting, he asked his grandmother for permission. Her response, “Sons are not responsible for the sins of their fathers,” opened the door to a meaningful experience of friendship, understanding, and healing across generations.Dan discusses his acclaimed book, By the Grace of the Game, which connects his family’s Holocaust history with basketball, immigration, mental health, identity, and the opportunities made possible by survival. He also confirms that a documentary adaptation is now in development.This multigenerational story demonstrates how people can transform trauma and bullying into purpose. The Grunfeld family’s legacy is not defined only by what they survived, but by what they built through perseverance, honesty, compassion, and the grace of the game.Putting the Brakes on Bullying on hmTv | Host: Samantha Sosnik | Guest: Dan GrunfeldExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and guest introduction1:19 Discovering the Grunfeld family story2:45 Dan’s Holocaust-survivor grandparents4:15 A special bond with his 101-year-old grandmother5:42 Rising antisemitism and warnings from a survivor6:53 “Never Again” and generational trauma8:19 Israel as a refuge for the Jewish people9:13 Ernie Grunfeld and Bernard King9:52 The “Ernie and Bernie Show”11:45 Privilege, hard work, and proving yourself13:59 The significance of number 1814:24 The Maccabiah Games and Dan’s first visit to Israel16:40 Honoring opportunities denied to earlier generations17:52 Carrying survivors’ stories forward19:51 Basketball as an entry point to Holocaust history20:57 Asking permission to play in Germany21:13 “Sons are not responsible for the sins of their fathers”22:17 Healing and responsibility across generations23:53 Turning criticism into motivation26:23 Ernie’s childhood experience with bullying26:54 Transforming pain into achievement and kindness29:32 Why surviving trauma can deepen compassion31:03 Writing By the Grace of the Game with honesty33:06 Celebrating a Knicks championship35:11 A documentary adaptation in development36:21 Bringing Dan’s story to students37:42 A final call to kindness37:54 hmTv outro──────────────────#PuttingTheBrakesOnBullying #DanGrunfeld #ByTheGraceOfTheGame #ErnieGrunfeld #HolocaustSurvivors #BasketballHistory #JewishIdentity #Antisemitism #BullyingPrevention #InheritedMemory #Resilience #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailLegacy Chronicles | Ep. 664: Joan Arnay Halperin: My Sister’s Eyes | HMTCFor most of her childhood, Joan Arnay Halperin never knew she had an older sister. Her parents had escaped Nazi-occupied Europe with their daughter, Yvonne, but the child died tragically in a Jamaican refugee camp. The loss was so painful that Joan’s mother could not speak Yvonne’s name for decades.In Episode 664 of Legacy Chronicles, host Donna Rosenblum welcomes Joan, an educator and author of My Sister’s Eyes: A Family Chronicle of Rescue and Loss During World War II.Joan traces her parents’ remarkable journey from Poland and Belgium through France, Portugal, Jamaica, and ultimately the United States. After Germany invaded Belgium in 1940, her father placed his family inside a Mercedes and drove south toward Bordeaux. There, Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes defied his government and issued the visas that saved them.After approximately 18 months in Portugal, the family was evacuated to Gibraltar Camp in Jamaica. A bicycle accident left four-year-old Yvonne critically injured. Delayed medical treatment cost the child her life, leaving Joan’s parents with a grief they carried in silence.Joan first learned that she had a sister at age 11, when a stranger recognized her by Yvonne’s eyes. Her mother did not reveal the full story until decades later, after Joan recovered family properties in Łódź. She then handed Joan a hidden photograph album bearing the words, “Yvonne, 1938 to 1942.”The conversation also reveals how an unidentified Belgian woman preserved the family’s photographs, wedding gifts, silver, and other belongings throughout the war. Those rescued materials later became an invaluable visual record of the family’s history.Joan explains how her mother’s testimony, family documents, and surviving photographs became the foundation of My Sister’s Eyes. She now shares the story with schools, universities, synagogues, and communities to promote empathy, strengthen historical understanding, and preserve her family’s legacy.Joan is also developing an animated short to bring the story to younger audiences. Her mission is clear: inherited pain must not remain buried. Through education, it can become memory, empathy, and action.Legacy Chronicles on hmTv | Host: Donna Rosenblum | Guest: Joan Arnay HalperinExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:17 Welcome and guest introduction1:20 Ignas and Hala meet in prewar Poland2:28 Attending the 1936 Berlin Olympics2:43 Escaping the German invasion of Belgium4:11 Sousa Mendes, Portugal, and evacuation to Jamaica4:53 Growing up unaware of her parents’ history5:48 The stranger who recognized Yvonne’s eyes7:25 Discovering she had an older sister7:47 Decades of silence and unspoken grief9:14 Family members murdered at Treblinka10:44 Recording Joan’s mother’s testimony11:35 Recovering family properties in Łódź12:51 The hidden album of Yvonne’s photographs14:08 Life inside Jamaica’s Gibraltar Camp14:51 The accident that claimed Yvonne’s life15:48 Why Joan wrote My Sister’s Eyes16:28 Discovering Aristides de Sousa Mendes17:14 The famous and forgotten refugees he saved17:56 Preserving photographs and historical evidence18:36 Building a new life in America20:22 The Belgian woman who saved everything21:24 Creating and publishing the book22:37 Carrying Yvonne’s memory and pain23:55 Teaching empathy through personal history24:49 Turning the story into an animated short26 through:14 Joan’s commitment to Holocaust education26:34 Closing reflections27:07 hmTv outro──────────────────#LegacyChronicles #JoanArnayHalperin #MySistersEyes #HolocaustSurvivors #SecondGeneration #AristidesDeSousaMendes #HolocaustEducation #RefugeeStories #InheritedMemory #JewishHistory #EmpathyThroughEducation #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRaised by Survivors | Ep. 663: How Holocaust Survivors Rebuilt Family in America | HMTCFor Holocaust survivors rebuilding their lives after the war, close friends often became family. They celebrated holidays together, raised their children together, helped one another through hardship, and created a community connected by shared history and an unspoken understanding.In Episode 663 of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan reunites with longtime family friends Miriam Will and Rina Berman for a deeply personal journey through photographs, memories, Jewish traditions, and the enduring friendships formed by their families in Israel and New York.Miriam and Rina share warm memories of Bernie’s parents, Moshe and Zenia Zahava Furshpan. Rina remembers arriving in America as a young wife and mother and finding a maternal figure in Zenia, who helped her care for her first child. Miriam recalls Zenia’s remarkable devotion to her family, including washing her twins’ diapers before sunrise and carefully dividing a watermelon into two perfectly equal portions.Their stories reveal how survivor families created extended communities of support. They gathered for holidays, attended one another’s weddings and bar mitzvahs, traveled together, helped with household projects, and filled their basements with parties, laughter, and the friendships that made rebuilding possible.Bernie reflects on his father’s childhood survival in the forest, his lifelong need to protect his family, and the extraordinary kindness he retained despite losing nearly everyone he loved. He also remembers the profound devotion between his parents and how his father cared for his mother through years of illness.The conversation eventually reaches further into the past. Miriam recounts how her mother fled Warsaw against her father’s wishes, carrying food hidden inside a schoolbook, and later met Miriam’s father aboard a train escaping toward Russia. Rina describes how her father-in-law recognized the danger in Lomazy and led his family away before their neighbors or the Nazis could murder them.Through humor, grief, affection, and remarkable family history, this episode demonstrates that Holocaust testimony is not limited to what was lost. It also lives in the families survivors created, the friendships they sustained, the traditions they preserved, and the stories their children now carry forward.Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guests: Miriam Will and Rina BermanExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and guest introductions1:46 Miriam’s journey from Poland to Israel and America2:45 Remembering Marcel Will and family life in Queens3:57 Jewish identity and the fear of wearing a Magen David5:24 Rina, Tzvika, and arriving in America6:20 Zenia Furshpan’s devotion as a mother7:00 Food, trauma, and caring for Moshe7:46 The extraordinary love between Bernie’s parents8:10 How Moshe’s survival shaped family life9:11 Family photographs awaken old memories10:34 Why survivor families gathered together11:49 Bar mitzvah candles and honoring loved ones13:11 Remembering relatives murdered in the Holocaust14:56 Jewish traditions and accepting responsibility16:55 Passing identity and memory to the next generation17:58 Antisemitic myths and the return of old hatred20:31 Family trips, holidays, and raising children together22:41 A documentary creates an unexpected reunion23:51 Hotel ashtrays, smoking, and humorous memories24:48 Classic cars and working together in New York26:00 The Puck Building and a powerful family connection26:58 A community where everyone helped one another28:42 Diapers, watermelon, and “the equalizer”30:32 Zenia’s lifelong consideration for others32:26 Joanne and the continuing presence of Bernie’s mother33:35 Childhood memories of Yazur and Bat Yam36:13 The matchmaker who introduced Bernie’s parents37:44 Moshe’s illness and life after losing Zenia39:03 Survival decisions and escaping by train39:52 Rina’s family flees Lomazy40:42 Miriam’s mother escapes Warsaw41:51 A shared legacy for descendants of survivors42:45 Jewish survival, homeland, and hope44:24 hmTv outro──────────────────#RaisedBySurvivors #MiriamWill #RinaBerman #BernieFurshpan #HolocaustSurvivors #SecondGeneration #JewishFamily #InheritedMemory #JewishTraditions #SurvivorStories #HolocaustLegacy #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRaised by Survivors | Guest: Oleg FrishTitle: Raised by Survivors | Ep. 662: Oleg Frish: From Soviet Ukraine to the American Stage | HMTCBefore Oleg Frish performed on celebrated New York stages, American music gave a young boy behind the Iron Curtain a window into another world. His childhood fascination with records eventually became a remarkable career spanning singing, broadcasting, cultural commentary, and interviews with legendary entertainers.In Episode 662 of Raised by Survivors, host Bernie Furshpan reunites with Oleg, a longtime friend, former client, and son of a Holocaust survivor.Born in the Ukrainian region of the Soviet Union, Oleg grew up in a musical family. His father was a prominent conductor and People’s Artist of Ukraine, while his mother was a pianist and music teacher. As a child, Oleg spent his money on records and studied the names of composers, musicians, and performers printed on every album cover.Oleg reflects on growing up with limited discussion of his Jewish roots and beginning to understand his Jewish identity more deeply after immigrating to the United States. He discusses the Yiddish words taught by his grandmothers, the changing character of Brighton Beach, and the importance of recognizing the distinct identities found across the former Soviet Union.The conversation explores Oleg’s lifelong love of the Great American Songbook, his performances in multiple languages, and his rendition of “Hello, Dolly!” in more than 130 languages. He also recalls meeting and interviewing legendary artists, including Tony Bennett, James Brown, Keely Smith, Bobby Rydell, Claire Barry, Dudu Fisher, and Lalo Schifrin.Oleg and Bernie also discuss the war between Russia and Ukraine, young people whose lives have become defined by waiting, and the human cost of conflict. Oleg’s position is deeply personal and direct: he opposes people killing one another, regardless of nationality, religion, or political identity.The episode becomes a warm reunion between two entertainers whose paths crossed at New York’s Metropolitan Room. Together, they reflect on inherited memory, Jewish identity, immigration, friendship, cultural connection, and the power of entertainment to bring people together.Raised by Survivors on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Oleg FrishExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc🎵 youtube.com/olegfrish─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and guest introduction1:11 Oleg’s first visit to HMTC2:32 Bernie and Oleg remember working together3:32 A musical childhood in Soviet Ukraine4:46 Collecting thousands of records and recordings6:07 Family migration from Ukraine7:09 Jewish identity in the Soviet Union8:38 Discovering his Jewish roots in America9:48 American music behind the Iron Curtain10:57 Interviewing legendary entertainers12:16 Recording Soviet songs with a jazz orchestra13:03 Connecting cultures through music13:25 Singing “Hello, Dolly!” in more than 130 languages14:17 Foreign languages and the fading of Yiddish15:30 How Brighton Beach has changed17:51 Russian, Ukrainian, and Soviet identities19:04 Oleg’s feelings about the war in Ukraine21:26 Jewish communities around the world22:05 Lalo Schifrin’s unexpected journey to Argentina23:15 Performing for international Jewish audiences23:49 Remembering the Metropolitan Room25:14 Could the Metropolitan Room return?26:08 Bernie’s transition to tolerance education26:54 Oleg’s authenticity and humor onstage27:38 Television, digital media, and Oleg’s archive28:29 How inherited history shaped Bernie and Oleg29:44 Future performances and an English-language podcast30:19 Performing at Rabbi Pearl’s marathon31:08 Friendship, family, and closing reflections31:54 hmTv outro──────────────────#RaisedBySurvivors #OlegFrish #BernieFurshpan #GreatAmericanSongbook #JewishIdentity #SovietUkraine #Yiddish #HolocaustLegacy #ImmigrantStories #MusicAndMemory #CulturalConnection #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv Episode 661: Title & DescriptionKibitz with Keren | Host: Doron KerenTitle: Kibitz with Keren | Ep. 661: Jewish Strength, Survival and “Never Again” | HMTCFor 14 months, Doron Keren’s grandfather, Ignacy Chiger, kept his family alive beneath the streets of Lvov. He broke through three feet of concrete, led his wife and two children into the sewers, and placed their survival in the hands of Leopold Socha, a sewer worker and petty thief who became a rescuer and Righteous Among the Nations.In the premiere of Kibitz with Keren, Doron introduces a new hmTv series built around thoughtful conversation, respectful disagreement, Jewish history, and the search for practical wisdom.The son of two Holocaust survivors, Doron reflects on growing up in a family defined not by constant sadness, but by gratitude, laughter, resilience, and an understanding that freedom can never be taken for granted.He challenges a familiar interpretation of “Never Again.” To Doron, it does not mean keeping one’s head down or avoiding attention. It means becoming capable, prepared, and strong enough to protect families, communities, institutions, and future generations.The episode examines assimilation, rising antisemitism, Jewish achievement, and the cultural habits that have encouraged education, curiosity, responsibility, innovation, and debate. Doron introduces havruta, the Jewish tradition of learning through questions and disagreement, as a model for discovering better answers.He also outlines the six pillars of Jewish strength that the series will explore: havruta, Israeli innovation, achievement and resentment, preparation, Jewish sovereignty, and values-based philanthropy.Kibitz with Keren will not be an echo chamber. Doron invites listeners to laugh, question assumptions, disagree honestly, and leave each conversation feeling lighter, stronger, and more hopeful.Kibitz with Keren on hmTv | Host: Doron KerenExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:17 Welcome to Kibitz with Keren0:49 What does “kibitz” mean?2:16 A family’s survival beneath Lvov3:40 Leopold Socha and Ignacy Chiger’s memoir4:09 The only surviving family with two children5:08 Growing up as the son of Holocaust survivors6:02 “Never Again” means capable and prepared6:22 Assimilation and the lessons of history7:18 Jewish achievement and cultural habits7:59 Havruta and learning through disagreement8:25 The unspoken lessons of Doron’s parents9:03 Prosperity, comfort, and complacency9:53 Finding strength when history demands it10:20 Standing taller and building stronger communities11:17 Introducing the six pillars of Jewish strength11:28 Havruta and Israeli innovation11:46 Achievement, resentment, and preparation12:12 Jewish sovereignty and values-based philanthropy12:46 Respectful disagreement, not an echo chamber13:18 Choosing hope over despair13:35 The Jewish story of resilience and rebuilding13:49 Closing reflections14:07 Previewing the next conversation14:30 hmTv outro──────────────────#KibitzWithKeren #DoronKeren #JewishStrength #JewishResilience #NeverAgain #HolocaustMemory #Lvov #LeopoldSocha #RighteousAmongTheNations #Havruta #JewishHistory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailEducation in Motion | Ep. 660: Elizabeth Moore-Frederiksen: Leaving White Supremacy | HMTCElizabeth “Liz” Moore-Frederiksen looked around a room filled with extremists and recognized a devastating truth: the only thing holding them together was whom they hated. That moment of clarity helped her begin the frightening journey out of white supremacy.In Episode 660 of Education in Motion, host Zachary Graulich speaks with Liz, a human rights educator, writer, and former spokesperson for the Heritage Front, once Canada’s largest white supremacist hate group.Liz explains how uncertainty about her identity, isolation at home, bullying, and a desire for belonging made her vulnerable to recruitment. A trusted friend handed her several flyers, leading her to a telephone hotline, extremist literature, and eventually the organization’s leadership. Although she was raised by staunchly anti-Nazi and anti-racist parents, much of her radicalization occurred quietly in her bedroom.The conversation reveals how hate groups initially attract people through promises of community, empowerment, and purpose. Liz describes how racist language, conspiracy theories, antisemitism, and Holocaust denial were introduced gradually until they distorted her entire worldview. She compares antisemitism within extremist movements to the hum of a refrigerator, always present in the background and informing nearly everything.Liz also recounts the contradictions that caused her to question the movement, including learning that its leaders had deliberately lied to her so she would repeat those lies publicly. With help from filmmakers, Bernie Farber, and the Canadian Jewish Congress, she began the long process of disengagement and deradicalization.More than three decades later, Liz continues speaking publicly to educate people about extremism and demonstrate that transformation is possible. Through GrowthShifters, she also helps organizations adopt artificial intelligence responsibly while addressing bias, realistic AI-generated propaganda, human rights, and the urgent need for evolving media literacy.Her message for anyone overwhelmed by today’s hatred and division is simple: do not give up hope. People can change, communities can heal, and hate does not have to have the final word.Education in Motion on hmTv | Host: Zachary Graulich | Guest: Elizabeth “Liz” Moore-FrederiksenExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:17 Welcome and guest introduction1:57 Upbringing, isolation, and vulnerability5:25 Identity and the search for belonging6:38 How hate groups promise community8:19 Understanding the Heritage Front8:51 Recruitment through a trusted friend14:41 How personal trust accelerates recruitment16:14 Becoming a prominent spokesperson21:42 When belonging gradually becomes hatred25:20 Antisemitism and Holocaust denial29:22 Holocaust distortion in the age of AI30:33 The moments that triggered disengagement38:14 Deradicalization without an established roadmap41:37 Why Liz continues sharing her story44:08 GrowthShifters and the dangers of AI45:02 Responsible AI and evolving media literacy48:37 A final message for listeners49:16 Do not give up hope50:03 Closing reflections50:27 hmTv outro──────────────────#EducationInMotion #ElizabethMooreFrederiksen #Deradicalization #WhiteSupremacy #Antisemitism #HolocaustDenial #ExtremismPrevention #HumanRightsEducation #ResponsibleAI #MediaLiteracy #HopeOverHate #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailOrdinary Heroes | Ep. 659: SocialLite: Reclaiming Attention from Social Media | HMTCA father’s one-month no-scrolling challenge inspired two young entrepreneurs to confront one of their generation’s greatest problems: addictive social media design. In less than seven months, SocialLite’s creators say their solution reached approximately 600,000 downloads and 50,000 daily users.In Episode 659 of Ordinary Heroes, host Bernie Furshpan speaks with SocialLite co-founders Mason Israel and Malek Shaw about their movement to help people reclaim their time, attention, and real-world relationships.SocialLite offers a lighter social-media experience by removing Reels, Shorts, Spotlight, advertisements, recommended posts, and other features designed to encourage endless scrolling. Users can still communicate with friends and view posts from people they deliberately follow without being pulled into algorithmically selected feeds.Mason and Malek explain how outrage, emotional engagement, short-form videos, and dopamine-driven design keep users watching. They discuss the effects on attention spans, mental health, critical thinking, and interpersonal relationships, as well as the challenge of staying socially connected without surrendering hours to a screen.The conversation also explores how the longtime friends built SocialLite with help from artificial intelligence, fellow developers, and a community that provided constant feedback. They describe their free and premium models, adjustable filtering options, planned tools for parents, and their vision for bringing SocialLite into high schools and colleges.Their mission is larger than building another app. SocialLite aims to return social media to its original purpose: helping people remain connected while giving them greater control over their time and attention.Ordinary Heroes on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guests: Mason Israel and Malek ShawExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc📱 SocialLite: Search “SocialLite” in the Apple App Store─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:46 Meet Mason Israel and Malek Shaw0:49 The meaning behind the name SocialLite1:46 Reaching approximately 600,000 downloads2:07 The no-scrolling challenge that inspired the app3:18 How algorithms reward outrage and engagement4:17 Dopamine, addiction, and mental-health concerns5:16 How SocialLite stops endless scrolling6:07 Daily users and posts from people you follow7:58 Modifying the big-tech experience8:21 Returning social media to its original purpose9:21 Promoting SocialLite before it existed10:04 Big tech, harmful content, and user feedback10:56 Replacing ten hours of scrolling with healthier activities12:09 Developing a collaborative version for parents13:02 Adjustable filters and messaging-only options14:10 Building the app with AI and community support15:10 Early testing and intentionally slowing the experience16:32 Protecting the partnership and the mission17:48 Best friends and business partners since childhood18:35 Constructive disagreements strengthen the team19:17 Making SocialLite accessible through a free version21:23 From a business to a worldwide movement22:03 Potential pushback from major technology companies22:29 Malek’s personal vision for SocialLite23:00 Digital life and the loss of in-person connection24:04 Traveling from Boulder to Long Island25:02 Bringing SocialLite into schools and colleges25:55 How to find the app26:05 Closing reflections27:06 hmTv outro──────────────────#OrdinaryHeroes #SocialLite #MasonIsrael #MalekShaw #SocialMediaAddiction #DigitalWellbeing #EndlessScrolling #AttentionEconomy #MentalHealth #TechForGood #YouthEntrepreneurs #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWhen Chuck Lavine used the word “demagoguery” during his first campaign for the New York State Assembly, someone told him he had never heard the term before. Chuck’s reaction was immediate: that is dangerous. Democracy is most vulnerable when citizens cannot recognize lies, fearmongering, and political manipulation.In Part 3 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel concludes his conversation with New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine. They examine money and influence in politics, AIPAC’s changing role, the responsibilities of interest groups, and the importance of distinguishing political support from political control.The discussion turns to America’s democratic experiment, immigration, civic education, and the urgent need to teach history honestly, even when the truth is uncomfortable. Alan shares how deeply his Holocaust-survivor father loved the country that gave him a new life, while Chuck reflects on students who increasingly fear expressing their opinions openly.Alan and Chuck also address the treatment of former Congressman Dan Goldman, the absence of Jewish representation on New York City’s judicial advisory committee, and the American principle that attorneys must not be condemned for representing unpopular clients. They warn that political desperation frequently produces demagoguery, exclusion, and selective standards.When asked what liberal Zionist Jewish Democrats should do when confronted by hostility within their own party, Chuck offers direct advice: stand up and fight for what is right. The conversation also explores gerrymandering, local political history, the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, and continuing efforts to pass the HOPE Act in New York.The series concludes with a call for civic courage, historical understanding, and active political participation. Democracy does not defend itself. It depends upon citizens who recognize demagoguery, reject antisemitism, support principled candidates, and remain committed to truth.Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” LavineExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:17 Welcome and Part 2 recap0:52 Money, politics, and AIPAC1:11 AIPAC, partisanship, and interest groups2:27 Lobbyists, influence, and political decency3:50 Demagoguery and why history matters5:10 Civics, education, and democratic responsibility5:47 The American experiment and coexistence7:24 Immigration and American identity7:58 A Holocaust survivor’s love for America9:11 Students’ fear of speaking openly9:51 Dan Goldman, Israel, and political targeting11:47 Jewish representation on New York City’s judicial advisory committee13:26 The mayor’s explanation and Jewish exclusion14:16 The right to counsel and John Adams15:57 Political desperation and dangerous rhetoric17:09 Advice to liberal Jewish Democrats18:30 Stand up and fight for what is right19:08 Gerrymandering and democratic representation19:43 Bayville redistricting and Theodore Roosevelt20:49 An Election Day lesson and a JFK punchline21:55 The IHRA working definition of antisemitism22:54 The HOPE Act and codifying IHRA in New York24:06 Legislative battles and persistence24:41 Supporting candidates who reject antisemitism25:59 Closing reflections26:12 hmTv outro──────────────────#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #Antisemitism #Demagoguery #AmericanDemocracy #IHRA #HOPEAct #JewishDemocrats #CivicEducation #Gerrymandering #PoliticalCourage #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailInfluential Origins | Ep. 657: Chuck Lavine: Demagoguery, Antisemitism and Israel (Part 2) | HMTCChuck Lavine’s grandmother survived a pogrom by hiding beneath a wagon filled with hay as friends were murdered. His other grandmother lost a younger brother who was killed in an antisemitic attack. Not one member of his European family survived the Nazi regime.In Part 2 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel continues his conversation with New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine about demagoguery, democracy, antisemitism, Israel, and the disappearance of civility from American political debate.Chuck defines demagoguery as the use of lies, distortions, and fear to exploit people’s baser instincts. He and Alan examine how political extremes create permission for hatred, why many Americans have become afraid to speak openly, and how intimidation, ideological purity, and so-called “alternative facts” undermine democratic institutions.The conversation addresses the Democratic Socialists of America, the treatment of candidates who have visited Israel, the proposed Not on Our Dime legislation, and the selective scrutiny directed toward the Jewish state. Alan and Chuck distinguish legitimate criticism of Israeli policies from language that portrays Israel as uniquely evil or denies the Jewish people’s historical connection to the land.They also debate Iran, the risks of open-ended military conflict, Netanyahu’s proposed judicial changes, and the need for accountability surrounding October 7. Throughout the discussion, both emphasize that complicated political questions require facts, historical understanding, and honest debate rather than slogans.Grounded in his family’s experiences with pogroms, antisemitic violence, and the Holocaust, Chuck argues that Jewish Americans must remain strong, united, and willing to defend their rights through democratic institutions. His message is clear: disagreement is essential to democracy, but reducing a complex conflict to a story with one entirely innocent side and one entirely evil side is demagoguery.Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” LavineExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and defining political demagoguery1:58 The DSA, Israel, and political reaction3:31 How political extremes create permission for hatred3:53 Debate, consensus, and American democracy5:34 Jewish students and the refusal to engage6:43 Dangerous times and the fear of speaking openly7:25 Political intimidation, truth, and public discourse9:51 Growing intolerance within political parties11:11 Jewish leadership and rising antisemitism11:55 Childhood antisemitism and a grandmother’s advice13:08 Criticizing Israeli policy while defending Israel14:04 Jewish strength, Israeli security, and Iran17:29 Extremism and fears of an open-ended war19:00 Israel’s judiciary and accountability after October 720:02 The Not on Our Dime legislation22:23 State governance, foreign policy, and political messaging23:16 Selective scrutiny and inflammatory labels25:05 Diversity and democracy within Israel25:50 Holocaust history and the meaning of genocide26:49 Family experiences with pogroms and Holocaust loss27:55 Defending Jewish rights through American democracy28:48 Israel’s diverse population and complicated history29:15 Closing and Part 3 preview29:27 hmTv outro──────────────────#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #CharlesLavine #Antisemitism #Israel #Demagoguery #AmericanDemocracy #JewishHistory #PoliticalExtremism #HolocaustHistory #NewYorkStateAssembly #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailInfluential Origins | Ep. 656: Chuck Lavine: Civil Rights and Rising Antisemitism (Part 1) | HMTCGrowing up as one of the few Jewish children in small Midwestern communities taught Charles D. “Chuck” Lavine how to understand people, recognize danger, and navigate unfamiliar environments. Those early lessons would later become invaluable in the courtroom and the political arena.In Part 1 of Influential Origins, host Alan Mindel speaks with the New York State assemblymember and chair of the Judiciary Committee about his journey from Wisconsin and Michigan to New York Law School, criminal defense practice, local government, and the State Assembly.Chuck recalls watching police dogs attack children during the civil rights movement and losing people from neighboring communities during the Vietnam War. Those experiences inspired him to become a lawyer and help build a fairer society. As a young public defender, he learned that the attorney’s responsibility is not to judge a client but to protect the integrity of the justice system.The conversation also explores Jewish immigration, marriage equality, civil rights, American democracy, and the value of vigorous debate. Chuck connects Jewish traditions of questioning and argument with the American commitment to examining competing ideas and seeking consensus.Alan and Chuck then confront the dramatic rise of antisemitism, the return of accusations questioning Jewish loyalty, and growing political divisions surrounding Israel. Chuck describes Jewish communities as “the canaries in the coal mine,” often recognizing early warning signs before hatred expands toward other groups.The episode concludes with a candid discussion of criticism of Israel, the Democratic Socialists of America, the meaning many Jews associate with “From the river to the sea,” and the challenge political parties face when disagreement crosses into hostility. Part 2 will examine how both major parties respond when extremists gain influence within their ranks.Influential Origins on hmTv | Host: Alan Mindel | Guest: New York State Assemblymember Charles D. “Chuck” LavineExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and guest introduction0:30 Growing up in Wisconsin and Michigan1:20 Jewish identity in the Upper Midwest2:43 Vietnam and the civil rights movement3:52 From Wisconsin to New York City4:34 Choosing a career in criminal law5:52 Lessons from working as a public defender6:54 From practicing laws to writing them7:54 Democratic politics and civil-rights progress9:02 Constitutional responsibility and American democracy9:40 Jewish refugees and the promise of America10:35 Marriage equality and a pluralistic society11:24 Rising antisemitism in New York13:46 Visible hatred and political extremism16:18 Jews as the canaries in the coal mine17:07 Torah, truth, and a tradition of argument18:29 Debate and consensus in American democracy20:08 Jewish Democrats and political belonging21:38 Israel, dissent, and democratic criticism22:58 The DSA, Israel, and troubling political slogans24:54 The challenge facing both political parties25:26 Closing and Part 2 preview──────────────────#InfluentialOrigins #ChuckLavine #CharlesLavine #NewYorkStateAssembly #CivilRights #Antisemitism #JewishIdentity #AmericanDemocracy #CriminalJustice #MarriageEquality #PublicService #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 655: Keith Godwin: Recovery Through Laughter (Part 3) | HMTCKeith Godwin was not expected to survive after his car overturned and caught fire in 2000. He lost several fingers, battled depression, and continued struggling with alcohol and drugs. Four years later, he entered recovery and began rebuilding his life one decision at a time.In Part 3 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli concludes his conversation with United States Marine Corps veteran Keith Godwin. Keith reflects on more than 22 years of sobriety and the life-changing support he received from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including treatment, education, vocational rehabilitation, and a prosthetic hand.After returning to school, Keith became a counselor and spent two decades helping veterans confront addiction, trauma, and personal struggles. He describes the powerful bond created when veterans share not only their pain, but also laughter, friendship, and hope.The conversation also explores Keith’s career in comedy, from opening for Gilbert Gottfried and working with comedians Rich Vos and Tim Dillon to co-founding Comedy to Go. Through shows supporting veterans, first responders, recovery groups, and charitable causes, Keith discovered that laughter could become both a bridge and a form of healing.Keith’s message to his son, fellow veterans, and anyone struggling with the past is simple: acknowledge your mistakes, accept responsibility, and do the next right thing. His journey proves that recovery is possible, laughter can restore quality of life, and surviving can become truly living.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Keith GodwinExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and Part 2 recap0:40 Living instead of merely existing1:08 The fiery car crash that nearly took Keith’s life1:54 Helping veterans through shared experience2:39 More than 22 years clean and sober2:50 How the VA helped Keith rebuild his life3:25 Returning to the Northport VA3:53 Humor therapy and veteran camaraderie4:51 Finding confidence through comedy5:08 Creating Comedy to Go5:55 Performing with Rich Vos and Tim Dillon6:39 The intelligence behind great comedy7:14 Long Island’s legendary comedians8:28 Connecting with veterans through shared humor9:30 Opening for Gilbert Gottfried10:07 Turning personal struggles into comedy10:42 The healing power of laughter11:05 Military comedy and Robin Williams12:13 Producing comedy and helping others13:22 Teaching his son to do the next right thing14:02 How laughter transformed Keith’s life14:28 Closing reflections15:11 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #KeithGodwin #USMarineCorps #MarineVeteran #AddictionRecovery #VeteranRecovery #HumorTherapy #ComedyHeals #DoTheNextRightThing #VeteranSupport #Sobriety #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 654: Keith Godwin: A Marine Battles Addiction (Part 2) | HMTCMarine Corps leaders did not always know whether Keith Godwin would return from liberty. Yet in the field, he was a skilled and dependable Marine. When senior communications personnel became unavailable during an exercise in Korea, Keith organized the unit’s entire communications operation. A colonel later called it the best setup he had seen.In Part 2 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with United States Marine Corps veteran Keith Godwin. Keith speaks candidly about using alcohol to socialize, becoming a functioning alcoholic, entering a military treatment program, and eventually progressing to harder drugs.Despite his addiction, Keith took tremendous pride in his work as a field radio operator. He explains how Marines established secure communications, used encryption equipment, and trained alongside South Korean forces during the Cold War. He also shares stories from Camp Pendleton, Okinawa, the Philippines, Cherry Point, and a nighttime security incident involving an M60 machine gun loaded with blanks.The conversation explores the military as a cultural melting pot, the lingering impact of World War II on Okinawa, the contrast between North and South Korea, and the lasting camaraderie among veterans. Keith reflects on visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corps with his son and the bond he shares with the Leathernecks motorcycle club.Keith never experienced combat, but his service remained a defining part of his life. His story reminds us that military history belongs not only to those who fought in war. Every veteran served something larger than themselves, and every veteran has a story worth hearing.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Keith GodwinExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and Part 1 recap1:01 Camp Pendleton and finding trouble1:23 The military as a cultural melting pot3:17 Using alcohol to socialize3:45 Heavy drinking and harder drugs5:03 Entering a military treatment program5:28 A functioning alcoholic and capable Marine5:52 Leading communications during a field exercise7:10 Pride in performing under pressure7:32 Rebuilding the American military9:02 Veteran camaraderie and the Leathernecks9:47 Visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corps10:32 The lifelong pride of becoming a Marine11:45 Serving as a field radio operator12:42 Size, fights, and being challenged13:33 Okinawa’s history and tensions with American forces15:06 The continuing danger of nuclear weapons15:24 Missing Okinawa’s history for its nightlife16:32 Rest and recreation in the Philippines17:21 Returning to America as the Cold War ended18:37 Field exercises, MREs, and camaraderie19:55 Training with South Korean forces20:41 A nighttime security incident with an M6022:44 Working alongside South Korean troops23:25 The contrast between North and South Korea24:25 Every veteran has a military story24:39 Closing and Part 3 preview25:05 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #KeithGodwin #USMarineCorps #MarineVeteran #AddictionRecovery #MilitaryService #Okinawa #SouthKorea #FieldRadioOperator #VeteransStories #MilitaryHistory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 653: Keith Godwin: From Troubled Teen to U.S. Marine (Part 1) | HMTCAn arrest nearly ended Keith Godwin’s military future before it began. Drawn to drugs, alcohol, fights, and chaos as a teenager, Keith was the person other parents warned their children to avoid. He was not heartless, but he was always searching for trouble.In Part 1 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli speaks with United States Marine Corps veteran Keith Godwin about growing up in Uniondale and Levittown, barely graduating from high school, and becoming the only one among several friends to follow through on their plan to enter the Marines.Keith recalls how his recruiter supported him in court, helping preserve his opportunity to enlist. After accepting an open contract, he became a field radio operator and served with units at Cherry Point, Okinawa, and Korea. At Parris Island, his belligerent attitude and resistance to authority nearly caused him to be removed from his platoon. One senior drill instructor saw potential in him and gave him another chance.The conversation also explores military drinking culture, Keith’s escalating problems with alcohol and drugs, and the reckless fights that followed him overseas. Beneath the humor and unfiltered stories is a deeper transformation. The young man who once resisted discipline eventually became profoundly proud of earning the title of Marine.Keith later received life-changing support from the Department of Veterans Affairs, returned to school, became a therapist, and began using his experiences to help veterans and others struggling with addiction. Part 1 lays the foundation for his continuing journey from chaos to recovery and service.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Keith GodwinExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and guest introduction1:03 Growing up in Uniondale and Levittown2:11 Family struggles and childhood independence3:06 High school, drugs, and three circles of friends4:03 Discovering photography and athletics5:20 Ronald Reagan visits Parris Island5:50 Meeting Presidents Reagan and Clinton8:54 Remembering more than one mistake10:06 Barely graduating from high school11:12 An arrest threatens Keith’s military future12:42 Searching for trouble and chaos13:49 Determined to become a Marine15:04 Accepting an open contract15:23 Becoming a field radio operator16:12 Discipline and trouble at Parris Island17:34 The permanent digging crew18:16 A drill instructor offers another chance18:48 The pride of becoming a Marine19:38 How the VA helped save Keith’s life20:18 Alcohol, drugs, and military culture21:55 Addiction as a coping mechanism22:41 Fighting in Okinawa23:51 Overseas service and more legal trouble24:45 Closing and Part 2 preview25:15 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #KeithGodwin #USMarineCorps #MarineVeteran #Veterans #MilitaryService #ParrisIsland #Okinawa #AddictionRecovery #VeteranSupport #MilitaryLife #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 652: Mark Drexler: D-Day at Omaha Beach (Part 3) | HMTCLeon Drexler had trained for months to become a Sherman tank gunner. Yet as his unit approached Omaha Beach, his knees shook with fear. Surrounded by explosions and chaos, he climbed into his tank and began firing shell after shell, sometimes without knowing precisely where or what he was firing at.In Part 3 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with educator and military historian Mark Drexler about his father’s World War II service. Mark recounts the final preparations for Operation Overlord, the weather delay that changed history, the Allied deception campaign centered on General George Patton, and the rough Channel crossing that left soldiers violently seasick.The conversation examines the disastrous loss of amphibious Sherman tanks from the 741st Tank Battalion and the urgent deployment of additional armored support from Leon’s 745th Tank Battalion. At Easy Red, German artillery and machine-gun positions remained operational, American infantrymen were pinned down, and the dead and wounded covered the beach.As Leon’s tank moved forward, the crew provided covering fire while carefully trying to avoid wounded American soldiers. Mark’s research and his father’s memories reveal the terror, confusion, courage, and split-second decisions behind one of the most consequential military operations in history.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Mark DrexlerExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and Part 2 recap0:57 Leon Drexler’s voyage and training in England2:07 Invasion secrecy and the buildup to Normandy4:33 The mindset of a young World War II soldier6:13 Loading the tanks and the weather delay8:20 Patton’s phantom army and the Allied deception9:48 Omaha Beach, Easy Red, and failed bombardments11:30 The desperate battle to escape the beach12:18 Amphibious Sherman tanks and Eisenhower’s decision13:19 The 745th Tank Battalion approaches Omaha14:29 German defenses and the loss of armored support16:05 Delayed German armored reserves16:41 The 745th Tank Battalion enters the fighting17:53 Leon’s fear and first combat experience18:50 The dead and wounded along Omaha Beach19:50 Tanks provide cover for the infantry21:04 Establishing a foothold and advancing inland22:40 Leon’s journey continues beyond Normandy23:17 Liberating Europe and confronting Nazi crimes23:32 Closing reflections24:12 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #MarkDrexler #LeonDrexler #DDay #OmahaBeach #EasyRed #ShermanTank #745thTankBattalion #FirstInfantryDivision #WorldWarII #MilitaryHistory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 651: Mark Drexler: Preparing for D-Day (Part 2) | HMTCBefore Leon Drexler ever fired the cannon of a Sherman tank in combat, he crossed an Atlantic patrolled by German submarines and arrived in England as Allied forces prepared for the largest amphibious invasion in history.In Part 2 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with educator and military historian Mark Drexler about his father’s World War II service. Mark explains how Germany’s blitzkrieg victories created an image of an unbeatable military while the United States raced to transform its small, unprepared army into a global fighting force.The conversation follows Leon from Fort Hood to England, where millions of personnel and enormous amounts of equipment were assembled for Operation Overlord. Mark and Richard discuss the dangerous live-fire exercises that killed hundreds of American servicemen, the leadership of George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower, and the monumental challenge of organizing the Normandy invasion.Mark also shares the wartime experiences of Leon’s two brothers, including a devastating grenade-training accident that nearly cost his uncle an arm. Their mother displayed a service flag with three blue stars, one for each son serving during the war.From a Brooklyn diamond cutter to a Sherman tank gunner, Leon represented the citizen-soldiers who left ordinary lives to confront Nazi Germany. A family photograph of a young Jewish soldier leading German prisoners captures the reversal of Nazi propaganda and the humanity behind the history.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Mark DrexlerExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and Part 1 recap1:03 America’s unprepared military and Germany’s blitzkrieg4:36 Isolationism and the America First movement5:25 Leon’s journey from Fort Hood to Europe6:27 The 745th Tank Battalion and Alpha Company7:29 Crossing the submarine-patrolled Atlantic7:58 England becomes the staging ground for D-Day8:35 Deadly training exercises before Normandy10:55 Eisenhower, Marshall, and Allied leadership14:14 Leon’s experiences in wartime England16:28 Three Drexler brothers enter military service17:33 A devastating grenade-training accident18:58 Three blue stars in a Brooklyn window20:10 Sixteen million Americans answer the call20:47 The 745th Tank Battalion and the Big Red One22:25 From diamond cutter to Sherman tank gunner23:48 A Jewish soldier leads German prisoners24:56 African American soldiers and segregated service25:28 Closing and Part 3 preview25:54 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #MarkDrexler #LeonDrexler #DDay #OperationOverlord #ShermanTank #745thTankBattalion #WorldWarII #CitizenSoldiers #JewishVeterans #MilitaryHistory #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity | Ep. 650: Mark Drexler: Inside a Sherman Tank (Part 1) | HMTCThree Sherman tanks were destroyed beneath Leon Drexler during 11 months of combat. Each time, the young Jewish soldier from Borough Park escaped and returned to battle as Allied forces advanced across Europe during World War II.In Part 1 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli speaks with Leon’s son, educator and military historian Mark Drexler. Mark describes growing up among veterans, restoring his father’s wartime photograph album, and researching the 745th Tank Battalion, which served alongside the 1st Infantry Division, known as the Big Red One.The conversation explores Leon’s decision to volunteer after Pearl Harbor, the antisemitic harassment that contributed to his transfer into the armored forces, and his transformation into an expert marksman and Sherman tank gunner. Mark explains the tank’s five-man crew, Leon’s responsibility for selecting ammunition and engaging targets within seconds, and the advantages and vulnerabilities of the M4 Sherman against German Panther and Tiger tanks.Mark also shares how research and archival footage confirmed stories he once found difficult to believe, including soldiers wearing tuxedos and top hats in a liberated European town. His father’s experiences reveal both the terror of armored combat and the humor that helped young soldiers preserve their humanity during war.The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv | Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Mark DrexlerExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:19 Welcome and guest introduction1:05 Mark Drexler’s career in education and love of history2:15 Leon Drexler volunteers after Pearl Harbor3:22 Growing up among World War II veterans4:56 Reconstructing Leon’s military service5:35 The tuxedos and top hats story confirmed7:52 Humor and humanity during war8:37 Antisemitic harassment and joining a tank crew9:41 Surviving three destroyed Sherman tanks13:19 Operation Cobra and the Allied advance13:40 The 745th Tank Battalion and the Big Red One15:10 Tank training and expert marksmanship15:59 Inside a five-man Sherman tank crew18:30 The split-second decisions of a tank gunner20:53 From Brooklyn civilian to combat soldier21:38 Planning Operation Overlord23:00 Allied deception and the Atlantic Wall24:36 Preparing for D-Day and Part 2 preview25:49 hmTv outro──────────────────#FogOfWarAndHumanity #MarkDrexler #LeonDrexler #ShermanTank #WorldWarII #Normandy #DDay #OperationOverlord #745thTankBattalion #BigRedOne #JewishVeterans #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailOrdinary Heroes | Ep. 649: Theresa Cannistraci Farrell: Comedy Connects and Heals | HMTCWith only two pints of blood remaining in her body, Theresa Cannistraci Farrell was rushed into critical care. Even after receiving 22 pounds of fluid, platelets, and plasma, she found a punchline. Humor was not minimizing the danger. It was helping her survive it.On Ordinary Heroes, host Bernie Furshpan speaks with his longtime friend, actress, producer, comedian, improviser, and Tea Time host Theresa Cannistraci Farrell. Theresa recalls stepping onto a stage at four years old, being rejected from The Godfather because she did not “look Italian,” performing in theater and comedy clubs, pausing her career to raise her daughter, and eventually returning to entertainment.The conversation explores Theresa’s brain tumor, multiple surgeries, serious car accidents, internal bleeding, and the family members who helped save her life. Through every crisis, she has relied on faith, gratitude, family, and laughter. She believes she survived for a reason: to entertain people and put smiles on their faces.Bernie and Theresa also discuss Jewish and Italian family traditions, comedy’s ability to confront prejudice, the unifying power of the arts, and Theresa’s childhood group of friends from Italian, Greek, Polish, Jewish, and Puerto Rican backgrounds. Her message is simple: life is short, appreciate people while they are still here, and never give up on the work you love.Ordinary Heroes on hmTv | Host: Bernie Furshpan | Guest: Theresa Cannistraci FarrellExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:17 Welcome and guest introduction1:19 Why artists must support one another2:28 Performing from four years old3:54 Rejected from The Godfather5:38 The Weight of Memory and Jewish-Italian family bonds6:51 Life is short, appreciate people now8:15 Laughter as medicine and a bridge10:02 Using comedy to confront antisemitism11:48 Theresa’s comedy career and return to performing12:45 Brain surgery and life-threatening medical crises15:46 Finding purpose through entertainment16:31 How comedy and the arts unite people17:54 The childhood friends who became “the United Nations”19:00 Influencers and the changing entertainment industry22:04 Tea Time, perseverance, and never giving up25:22 A final joke from Theresa26:26 Closing reflections27:06 hmTv outro──────────────────#OrdinaryHeroes #TheresaCannistraciFarrell #Comedy #StandUpComedy #HealingThroughHumor #Resilience #LaughterHeals #Entertainment #HumanConnection #Perseverance #TeaTime #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe UN, Society, and Antisemitism | Ep. 648: Ugoji Eze: Confronting Antisemitism at the UN | HMTCAs a child caught in the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War, Dr. Ugoji A. Eze became a refugee and later endured ridicule in a London school. Sitting in that classroom, she made a decision that would shape her life: she would become a lawyer and make a difference in the world.On The UN, Society, and Antisemitism, host Dr. Susanne Seperson speaks with the international human rights lawyer about her journey from Biafra to London, the United States, and the United Nations. Dr. Eze reflects on the influence of her parents, the transformative power of education, and her commitment to refugees, displaced people, women, children, and communities affected by war.The conversation examines antisemitism within the United Nations, the disproportionate scrutiny directed at Israel, and the need to recognize antisemitism as a threat to international peace and security. Dr. Eze shares how she resisted political pressure, organized a major UN program with Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor, and continued speaking out despite warnings that her advocacy could marginalize her.She also discusses building dialogue between Israeli and Nigerian leaders, challenging negative perceptions, educating young people, and preventing prejudice from taking root. Guided by the principle of tikkun olam, Dr. Eze calls upon individuals, institutions, and governments to help heal a fractured world through courage, education, and meaningful engagement.The UN, Society, and Antisemitism on hmTv | Host: Dr. Susanne Seperson | Guest: Dr. Ugoji A. Eze, Esq.Executive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction and guest biography3:06 From Biafra to life as a refugee4:33 School bullying and choosing to become a lawyer7:12 Family, education, and rebuilding a life8:46 Refugee labels and survivor identity9:52 Journey to the United States and United Nations10:42 Education as a gateway to opportunity13:42 Family legacy and support for Israel16:08 From UNHCR intern to UN advocate18:42 Antisemitism as a threat to international peace20:58 UN bias against Israel and the need for action22:57 Educating the next generation23:54 Israel, political criticism, and antisemitism25:42 Preventing hatred and healing a fractured world27:24 Building dialogue between Israel and Nigeria29:48 Faith, peacebuilding, and tikkun olam30:16 Closing reflections31:04 hmTv outro──────────────────#UNSocietyAndAntisemitism #UgojiEze #Antisemitism #UnitedNations #HumanRights #Israel #Refugees #Peacebuilding #TikkunOlam #Education #MoralCourage #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Dana Download | Ep. 647: Talin Esh: Finding Wisdom Within the Wounds | HMTCAt seven years old, Talin Esh Sarraf felt unseen. English was her second language, she struggled in school, and life at home was difficult. Then a teacher introduced her to poetry. For the first time, Talin felt that she existed, belonged, and had found a language for everything she carried inside.On The Dana Download, host Dana Arschin Kraslow speaks with the Iranian-born American poet, author, and artist about her collection, I Am Here. Talin explains how poetry became a refuge, how motherhood transformed her life, and how she learned to embrace identity as an “and,” not an “or”: Jewish, Persian, and American.The conversation explores heartbreak, grief, faith, creativity, authenticity, artificial intelligence, and the importance of living in the present. Talin also reads the title poem, “I Am Here,” and describes writing as a spiritual download that allows her to receive words rather than simply create them.Reflecting on her mother’s mental illness, her father’s death, broken relationships, and family conflict, Talin shares the philosophy that now guides her life: finding wisdom within her wounds. Her journey reveals how pain can become poetry, identity can become strength, and faith can emerge from life’s most difficult moments.The Dana Download on hmTv | Host: Dana Arschin Kraslow | Guest: Talin Esh SarrafExecutive Producer and Director: Bernie FurshpanA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau CountyExplore I Am Here by Talin Esh:🌐 https://www.lulu.com/shop/talin-esh/iamhere/paperback/product-m2kdw9d.html🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Opening0:18 Welcome and guest introduction1:23 A mutual connection and building community3:11 Persian Jewish geography and family heritage4:01 Discovering poetry at seven years old6:22 Finding community and belonging7:43 Motherhood, art, writing, and many full-time roles9:15 Identity as an “and,” not an “or”11:22 Talin reads “I Am Here”12:37 Writing as a spiritual download14:43 Becoming a published author16:08 Living in the present and remaining authentic18:17 Doing, trying, and letting go of perfection19:42 The Messianic era, AI, and human fulfillment21:48 Finding wisdom within life’s wounds23:30 Faith, Jewish heritage, and purpose25:00 Closing reflections25:36 hmTv outro──────────────────#TheDanaDownload #TalinEsh #IAmHere #Poetry #PersianJewish #JewishIdentity #IranianAmerican #Motherhood #Healing #Faith #FindingPurpose #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe Israeli Bond | Ep. 646: Bentzi Kohn & Franc Contreras: Preserving Family Memories | HMTCA Holocaust survivor’s memories had been carefully written on pieces of paper, yet her own family had never seen them. That realization helped inspire Bentzi Kohn and Franc Contreras to create FamLife, a private digital platform where families can preserve, enrich, and share the stories that shape their identity.On The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen speaks with the FamLife co-founders about combining artificial intelligence with the tradition of writing names and stories on the backs of family photographs. Through WhatsApp and other familiar tools, families can submit photographs, videos, documents, voice recordings, and personal stories. An AI agent asks questions, adds context, and organizes each memory on a private chronological timeline.Bentzi and Franc also discuss their international backgrounds, meeting during their MBA studies in Israel, and the personal experiences that shaped their mission. FamLife has grown to approximately 550 families, completed three school pilot programs, and was selected for Israel’s GEFEN educational program. Its family-roots projects allow students to interview relatives and create a living archive that continues long after the classroom assignment ends.Their goal is to bring FamLife into schools, communities, and homes around the world. As Franc explains, ancestry and identity are not important to only one culture. They are foundations of our shared humanity.The Israeli Bond on hmTv | Host: Gal Swisa Cohen | Guests: Bentzi Kohn and Franc ContrerasA production of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau CountyExplore FamLife and begin preserving your family’s legacy:🌐 https://famlife.co.il🌐 hmtcli.org🎙 buzzsprout.com/2449781▶️ youtube.com/@hmTv-hmtc─── CHAPTERS ───0:00 Introduction0:18 Welcome and guest introduction1:06 Meet Franc Contreras and Bentzi Kohn2:14 What is FamLife?3:08 The Holocaust survivor story that inspired the idea5:27 Why family memories become lost6:25 Creating a modern family photo album9:38 Using AI to build a private family timeline11:00 From a startup idea to 550 families12:19 Bringing family-roots projects into schools13:49 The founders’ roles and shared purpose16:35 Connecting families across great distances17:34 Israel’s entrepreneurial ecosystem20:58 Wix recognition and FamLife’s global vision23:10 GEFEN approval and international expansion25:18 How families can begin preserving their stories26:27 Closing reflections28:18 Closing voiceover──────────────────#TheIsraeliBond #FamLife #BentziKohn #FrancContreras #FamilyMemories #FamilyHistory #DigitalLegacy #ArtificialIntelligence #FamilyRoots #JewishEducation #IsraeliStartups #HMTCSupport the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 645 of It’s All About the Children on hmTv, hosts Carin and Sami continue their conversation with 16-year-old student activist Ryan Golditch.Ryan reflects on visiting Auschwitz during the March of the Living and explains why seeing the victims’ shoes, hair and personal belongings created an understanding of the Holocaust that no textbook or film could provide. The discussion examines the consequences of inadequate Holocaust education, the spread of antisemitism and misinformation online, and the danger of allowing history to be distorted or forgotten.Ryan also shares his experiences as a politically outspoken student in a public school, his commitment to civic involvement and his efforts to encourage other young people to become informed and engaged. Together, Ryan, Carin and Sami discuss American identity, Jewish pride, unity and the responsibility to learn the facts, challenge assumptions and replace the language of “us versus them” with a shared commitment to one another.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 644 of It’s All About the Children on hmTv, hosts Carin and Sami welcome 16-year-old student activist Ryan Golditch for Part 1 of an engaging conversation about Jewish identity, political involvement, courage and the responsibility to speak out.Ryan reflects on participating in the March of the Living and explains how visiting Auschwitz and other Holocaust sites gave him an understanding that no textbook or classroom lecture could provide. He also discusses advancing academically, his interest in public policy and his work establishing Rhode Island’s first high school Turning Point USA chapter.The conversation explores the challenges Ryan has faced because of his political beliefs, including cyberbullying, doxxing, damaged friendships and efforts to silence his organization. Despite the opposition, Ryan remains determined to defend his values, confront antisemitism and misinformation, and encourage other young people to become informed, engaged upstanders.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 643 of Ordinary Heroes on hmTv, host Bernie Furshpan welcomes acclaimed actor, author, and advocate Tovah Feldshuh for a powerful conversation about Jewish identity, storytelling, courage, and resilience.Tovah reflects on her childhood, her extraordinary career spanning more than five decades, and her acclaimed portrayals of historic figures including Golda Meir and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She discusses the actor’s responsibility to preserve truth, move audiences, and bring history to life.The conversation also explores the alarming rise in antisemitism, changes within the entertainment industry, the importance of Jewish pride, and the need to speak courageously while building alliances through compassion. Tovah also shares details about her new documentary, memoir, and the Feldshuh Fund for Women’s Health.This candid and deeply personal episode reminds us to remember who we are, stand firmly against hatred, perform meaningful acts of service, and become shining examples of our shared humanity.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 642 of The Dana Download on hmTv, host Dana Arschin Kraslow speaks with educator and Holocaust legacy advocate Lea Sigiel-Wolinetz, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors.Lea shares the remarkable survival stories of her parents, her experience growing up as an only child in a survivor family, and how she came to embrace her responsibility as a member of the second generation. She also discusses her work preserving the history of the Jewish community of Częstochowa through the World Society of Częstochowa Jews and Their Descendants and her involvement in supporting the creation of the POLIN Museum in Warsaw.The conversation also explores the story of Rutka Laskier, a Jewish teenager whose Holocaust diary inspired the musical Rutka. Lea explains how Rutka’s words continue to connect with young people and why diaries, interviews, and personal testimony are essential tools for preserving memory.This moving episode highlights the power of education, storytelling, legacy, and one woman’s lifelong commitment to ensuring that the voices of Holocaust survivors and their descendants are never forgotten.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 641 of Disrupting Hate on hmTv, host Kenneth Schachter speaks with Professor Adam Fuller, author of The Armed Jew: The Case for Jewish Gun Ownership and director of the Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies at Youngstown State University.Professor Fuller discusses why he became what he calls an “October 8 gun owner” following the Hamas attacks of October 7 and the continuing rise of antisemitism. The conversation explores why American Jews have historically been less likely to own firearms, the cultural and religious attitudes surrounding self-defense, and examples of armed Jewish resistance throughout history.From the Maccabees and the Bielski partisans to Jewish soldiers, gangsters, lawmen, and gunslingers of the American West, Fuller challenges the stereotype of Jews as passive victims. He also examines Jewish law and rabbinic teachings on the obligation to protect life, Israel’s civilian gun policies, and the responsibilities that come with firearm ownership.This thought-provoking episode considers the complex intersection of Jewish identity, personal security, history, faith, public safety, and responsible preparedness.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 640 of Education in Motion on hmTv, host Donna Rosenblum welcomes Matt Loew, Assistant Principal for Humanities at Syosset High School, for an in-depth conversation about the power and continued importance of Holocaust education.Matt shares his journey from classroom teacher to educational leader and explains how Syosset integrates Holocaust and tolerance education across multiple grade levels and academic disciplines. The conversation highlights the school’s Holocaust Resource Day, which has grown from a traditional assembly into a multi-day educational experience incorporating survivor testimony, music, student artwork, classroom discussions, and student-led reflection.Donna and Matt discuss Syosset’s partnership with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, the preparation of student docents, and the transformative impact of hearing directly from Holocaust survivor Rosalie Simon. They also explore how testimony from Consolee Nishimwe, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, helps students recognize recurring patterns of hatred, persecution, courage, and resilience.This thoughtful episode demonstrates how Holocaust education can serve as a lens for understanding humanity, developing empathy, encouraging civil discourse, and inspiring students to become upstanders through the everyday choices they make.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 639 of Education in Motion on hmTv, host Zachary Graulich, Director of Education at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, welcomes Nikhil Shah, a recent Syosset High School graduate and recipient of the Claire Friedlander Upstander Award Scholarship.Nikhil discusses his work as a student docent for Syosset High School’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program and the transformative impact of hearing firsthand testimony from Holocaust survivor Rosalie Simon. He also shares how that experience inspired him to interview Rosalie and help preserve her story through The New Historia.The conversation explores Nikhil’s leadership with Breaking Borders, an initiative that brings students from different Long Island communities together for respectful dialogue about political polarization, segregation, and other difficult issues. Nikhil also explains how a visit to Raynham Hall Museum led him to join the board of Remember Liss, an organization dedicated to preserving the story of an enslaved Black woman connected to the American Revolution.Through his experiences in Holocaust education, historical preservation, civil discourse, and student leadership, Nikhil demonstrates how curiosity can become action. This inspiring episode reminds young people to remain true to their values, ask questions, pursue their interests, and recognize that they are never too young to make a meaningful difference.Support the show