Jonathan Sarna on American Jewry’s Past — and Its Uncertain Future

Jonathan Sarna on American Jewry’s Past — and Its Uncertain Future

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.jerusalemjournal.com [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] As Jewish American Heritage Month draws to a close — and as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of American independence — I wanted to share a remarkable conversation that feels especially timely. On the latest episode of the Jerusalem Journal Podcast, I sat down with Professor Jonathan Sarna, perhaps the foremost historian of American Jewry today, for a sweeping discussion about the past, present, and future of Jewish life in America. Paid subscribers [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe?coupon=358d0115&utm_content=199408094] are receiving early access to this episode ahead of its wider release. Among the questions we explore: * How did Jewish smugglers in the Caribbean help supply the American Revolution? * Why did George Washington’s famous letter to the Jews of Newport fundamentally reshape Jewish history? * How did waves of antisemitism repeatedly transform — and ultimately strengthen — American Jewish life? * How did Zionism go from a fringe movement to a defining feature of American Jewish identity? * And what lessons does the history of American Jewry hold for this moment of rising antisemitism, polarization, and uncertainty? Along the way, Sarna makes a striking argument: that many of the debates tearing through Jewish life today are not unprecedented at all — and that earlier generations of Jews faced moments of similar anxiety, division, and upheaval. He also offers a provocative warning: that both of the great modern Jewish “solutions” — America and Israel — now feel far less secure than many Jews once imagined. And yet, despite everything, his conclusion is ultimately a hopeful one. This was one of the most fascinating and eye-opening conversations I’ve had in quite some time, and I suspect many listeners will come away seeing both American Jewish history and the current moment differently. And finally: due to strong response to our first anniversary offer, we’re extending our 25% discount on annual subscriptions through June. If you value thoughtful conversations like this one — and would like early access to future interviews, essays, and analysis — please consider becoming a paid subscriber today: As always, thank you for reading, listening, and supporting Jerusalem Journal. Shabbat Shalom from Washington, D.C., — A.M.

Temple Israel Rabbi: We Are Not a People Who Cower to Terror

When I first heard the reports of an active shooter situation at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, around 7:30 Thursday evening here in Jerusalem, my first thought was — Jen. Rabbi Jen Lader is a member of Temple Israel’s clergy team, responsible for the congregation’s teen-related activities, and is president of the Michigan Board of Rabbis. She is also a longtime friend of mine — we went to college together twenty years ago and last had dinner together in Jerusalem just a few weeks ago. I immediately texted her to make sure she was okay and let her know I was thinking of her. When she finally texted back an hour later, she wrote, “I’m okay, thank you,” and then, “All kids okay.” She was referring to the 106 children who attend the temple’s early childhood center, all of whom were safely evacuated by their teachers and temple staff as the synagogue’s security team confronted and ultimately neutralized the attacker, averting what could have been a catastrophe. Several hours later, as she finally made her way home, I spoke to Rabbi Lader about how she and the community were grappling with the day’s harrowing events, how the temple’s security team saved lives, why she wasn’t surprised by the attack, and what message she has for Americans and for Jews around the world. Click on the play button above to listen to our conversation. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem — A.M. This episode of the Jerusalem Journal Podcast is being made available to all readers of Jerusalem Journal. Rabbi Jen Lader joined the Temple Israel clergy team in July of 2012, following her ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. She serves as the synagogue’s ‘youth guru,’ running all teen-related activities, and is the current president of the Michigan Board of Rabbis. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Rabbi Lader earned a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies from the University of Maryland and a Master of Hebrew Letters degree from HUC-JIR. She and her husband, Daniel, have two beautiful children. Thank you for listening to the Jerusalem Journal Podcast. Subscribe today to receive new episodes as soon as they are released. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Qatar's Global War on Israel

In early December, Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal broke a story that drew far less attention than it deserved. Israeli defense and intelligence officials, he reported, had concluded that much of the wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment that has engulfed global discourse over the past two years has been deliberately engineered by a state actor. The sophistication, coordination, consistency, and interconnectedness of both the messaging and those promoting it online and off led the officials to determine hat only a world power — or a state with vast financial resources — could be behind such a comprehensive influence operation. While considering the involvement of other countries with axes to grind against the Jewish state, the Israelis have focused their attention on one primary suspect: Qatar. To even casual observers, the signs of a broad effort to cultivate hostility toward Jews and Israel linked to the wealthy Gulf emirate are difficult to miss: from Al Jazeera’s propagandistic coverage to Tucker Carlson’s recently discovered affinity [https://www.mediaite.com/media/tucker-carlson-tells-forum-in-doha-that-hes-buying-a-house-in-qatar-to-make-a-statement-that-im-an-american-and-a-free-man/] for the country, and from the appearance of Hamas leaders at government-hosted conferences [https://x.com/EFischberger/status/2015879600228749357] to the prevalence of virulently anti-Israel narratives at academic institutions that receive Qatari funding [https://isgap.org/follow-the-money/]. Taken together, Qatar’s role in shaping global hostility toward Israel — and its remarkable success in leveraging its unfathomable wealth to advance its interests — has proven strikingly effective in fostering negative perceptions of the Jewish state and in undermining its legitimacy at a moment when Israel has been fighting for its very existence. In this episode of the Jerusalem Journal Podcast, Eyal joins us to discuss how Israel identified Qatar as being behind this global defamation campaign, why the emirate has chosen to target Israel now, how it has cultivated influence in the United States and around the world, and what Israel can do to fight back. This episode is being made available to all listeners. To receive full access to all Jerusalem Journal Podcast episodes as soon as they are released, become a paid subscriber [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe] today. Nadav Eyal is one of Israel’s leading journalists and political commentators, a senior columnist for Yediot Aharonot and Ynet, and a regular contributor to Dan Senor’s Call Me Back [https://arkmedia.org/call-me-back/] podcast. He recently launched his own Substack newsletter, Between Us [https://www.nadaveyal.com/]. Eyal is a senior scholar and adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, focusing on the Middle East, Israel, and the crisis of democracy. Thank you for listening to the Jerusalem Journal Podcast. To receive full access to all episodes as soon as they are released, become a paid subscriber today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Bondi Beach Massacre – and the Failure to Stop It

To Jews around the world, all too many place names have become shorthand for the terrible things that befell our people there: Kishinev, Munich, Toulouse, Pittsburgh, Manchester — and now Bondi Beach. Sunday’s horrific attack targeting a community Hanukkah celebration at the iconic Sydney landmark was shocking — in its brutality, in the innocence of its setting, and in its ghastly death toll, which currently stands at 15. But to many in the Australian Jewish community, it was hardly surprising. One such individual is Joel Burnie. Joel is a longtime advocate and leader in the Australian Jewish community. He served as President of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students during his university years, went on hold a succession of senior communal roles, and today serves as Executive Manager of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC [https://aijac.org.au/]), the leading public affairs organization of Australian Jewry. For years, Joel has been sounding the alarm about rising antisemitism to Australian government officials, media figures, and civil society leaders, warning that ever-escalating attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions would inevitably lead to bloodshed — as they did so dreadfully on Sunday. In this timely conversation, which took place just 24 hours after the Bondi Beach massacre, we discuss the mood within the Australian Jewish community, the government’s response to the surge in antisemitism, and what Israel and Jews around the world can do to help fight back. Due to the urgent nature of this conversation, this episode is being made available to all Jerusalem Journal subscribers upon release. You can listen to previous episodes here [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/podcast]. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Jerusalem Journal Podcast. Subscribe today to receive new episodes as soon as they are released. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Inside Ireland’s Antisemitism Crisis: A Conversation with Rachel Moiselle

Become a paid subscriber of Jerusalem Journal to enjoy this podcast episode now. In recent years, Ireland has come to be viewed by many Jews and Israelis as one of the countries most hostile to Israel in Europe, if not the Western world entirely. From the Irish government’s effort to redefine [https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/12/12/very-narrow-interpretation-ireland-joins-south-africas-case-against-israel-but-wants-different-definition-of-genocide/] the term “genocide” in order to apply it to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza to the national broadcaster’s recent announcement [https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2025/1204/1547300-rte-to-boycott-eurovision-song-contest-over-israel/] that it will boycott the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation, Ireland’s approach has prompted the Jewish state to shutter [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq62mge27r0o] its embassy in Dublin and has caused the tiny Irish Jewish community to feel increasingly beleaguered [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12/04/dublin-herzog-park-renaming-row/]. In recent days, an effort to rename a Dublin park honoring Israel’s Belfast-born sixth president, Chaim Herzog, drew both international headlines and national criticism, resulting in the measure’s removal [https://www.timesofisrael.com/dublin-halts-plans-to-rename-citys-herzog-park-after-accusations-of-antisemitism/] from the city council’s agenda. Among the individuals most assiduously pushing back against the tide of anti-Jewish hate in Ireland is Rachel Moiselle. Born to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father, Rachel has gained prominence for publicly calling out antisemitism in Irish society, deftly navigating both traditional and social media platforms as she raises awareness of the problem — often to those who would prefer not to see it. In our conversation, we explore Rachel’s personal experiences with antisemitism, how hatred of Jews and of Israel finds expression in Irish society, and what can be done to fight back. This podcast episode is being made available first to paid subscribers of Jerusalem Journal. To become a paid subscriber, click here [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe [https://www.jerusalemjournal.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]