1,000 Years Erased: The Tragic Fate of Lithuania's Jews

1,000 Years Erased: The Tragic Fate of Lithuania's Jews

96% of Lithuanian Jewry was exterminated during the Holocaust. More than any other country—more than Poland. It was a devastating wipeout."In this episode of Can Jew Believe?, Brad Pomerance and Nick Sayers, author of The Jews of Lithuania, take a look at the chilling history of Lithuanian Jewry. First, they take us through the chilling 1,000 year history of Lithuanian Jewry, from the medieval kings who welcomed Jewish pioneers; then, to 1941 when the unique "Lithuanian Holocaust" became an unmatched orgy of violence that swept through the Baltic region, wiping out virtually an entire population from the inside out, —often carried out not by German soldiers, but by the very neighbors these families had lived alongside for generations. For the millions of Ashkenazi Jews living in the US, the UK, and South Africa today, the word "Litvak" carries deep ancestral weight. But how much do we actually know about the world our ancestors fled? -- Key Topics: - Origins of Jews in Lithuania (14th century) - The Jewish experience during World War I and II - The Holocaust's devastating impact on Lithuanian Jewry - The role of Lithuanian nationalism and anti-Semitism - The significance of the shtetl and Jewish life in Lithuania -- Follow Nick Sayers/Buy His Book: https://www.nicksayers.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicksayerslawyer/ -- Follow JLTV: https://facebook.com/jewishlifetv https://twitter.com/jewishlifetv https://instagram.com/jewishlifetv https://tiktok.com/@jltvtok -- Follow Brad: https://facebook.com/bradpomerance https://twitter.com/bradpomerance https://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial

The Universal Gateway Drug of Hate: Antisemitism!

Hate groups are changing their tactics, and they are targeting children far younger than you think.It is a terrifying reality that many parents are completely unprepared for: extremist groups are no longer just targeting college students or late-stage teenagers. Today, children as young as 12 to 14 are actively being groomed into hate online. Even more shocking? Across white supremacy, jihadism, the far-left, and far-right, there is one single connective tissue that binds almost all extremist ideologies together: anti-Semitism.In this critical episode of Can Jew Believe?, host Brad Pomerance sits down with Myrieme Churchill, the Executive Director of Parents for Peace.As a biracial, French Christian-Moroccan Muslim trauma survivor who was once violently targeted by anti-Semitism as a child despite not being Jewish, Myrieme has dedicated her life to understanding the root causes of hate and helping families de-radicalize their children. -- Key Topics: - Youth radicalization at ages 12-14 - The role of anti-Semitism as a gateway to hate - The impact of bullying and mental health on radicalization - The importance of community and family intervention - Success stories of de-radicalization efforts - The hotline and support system for parents - The influence of ideology and victimhood narratives -- Follow Parents 4 Peace: https://www.parents4peace.org/ https://www.facebook.com/parents4peace https://www.instagram.com/parents4peace/ https://twitter.com/parentsforpeace -- Follow JLTV: https://facebook.com/jewishlifetv https://twitter.com/jewishlifetv https://instagram.com/jewishlifetv https://tiktok.com/@jltvtok -- Follow Brad: https://facebook.com/bradpomerance https://twitter.com/bradpomerance https://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial

How Cincinnati Became the Forgotten Birthplace of Modern Judaism in America!!

"Without Cincinnati, the Jewish community as it stands today throughout the United States would not be what it has become. It's simply undeniable." When you think about the major epicenters of Jewish America, your mind probably jumps to New York, Miami, or Los Angeles. But in the early 19th century, the true gateway to the West—and the birthplace of modern American Judaism—was actually that bustling river city on the Ohio/Kentucky border: Cincinnati. Host Brad Pomerance welcomes Rabbi Richard Sarason of Hebrew Union College to reveal the fascinating frontier history of the Cincinnati Jewish community and how this Ohio River town birthed the largest movement in modern Judaism in North America and built a world-class archive that historians and genealogists rely on to this day. -- Key Topics: - The early Jewish community in Cincinnati and its origins - The influence of European reformist rabbis like Isaac Meyer Wise - The development of the Reform movement in America - The role of Hebrew Union College and the American Jewish Archives - Cincinnati's unique cultural and historical resources for Jewish studies -- Follow Hebrew Union College: https://www.facebook.com/HebrewUnionCollege https://ww.instagram.com/huc1875 https://twitter.com/hucpress -- Follow JLTV: https://facebook.com/jewishlifetv https://twitter.com/jewishlifetv https://instagram.com/jewishlifetv https://tiktok.com/@jltvtok -- Follow Brad: https://facebook.com/bradpomerance https://twitter.com/bradpomerance https://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial

The War Over Words: How Language About Israel and Zionism Became Weaponized!

Words have power. But since October 7th, words like Zionist and Genocide are being used as slurs and to shut down conversations, rather than start them.In this episode of "Can Jew Believe?", Brad Pomerance and Hebrew Union College President Dr. Andrew Rehfeld challenge us to step back from the emotional brink. They dive into why calling someone a "Zionist" has become a popular pejorative, how critiquing the Israeli government can be done with without delegitimizing it, and how protests about Israel and Zionism on college campuses can be navigated appropriately. -- Key Topics: - The Shibboleth Effect: How modern political terms are being used as codes to identify "friends vs. foes" rather than conveying real meaning. - Reclaiming Zionism: Why Zionism is fundamentally an idea of liberation, separate from supporting any specific Israeli government. - The Rare Right to Sovereignty: A political science perspective on why the Jewish people have a justified claim to state power, and the three moral conditions that come with it (Defense, Flourishing, and Human Rights). - Decoupling the Data: Unpacking the massive gap between American Jews who support Israel and those who claim the Zionist label. - Navigating Campus Outrage: How to move away from public shaming and "virtue signaling" toward constructive, cross-generational dialogue at the family dinner table. -- Follow Andrew Rehfeld: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.rehfeld/ https://www.instagram.com/rehfeldandrew/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rehfeld-34b281b/ -- Follow Hebrew Union College: https://www.facebook.com/HebrewUnionCollege/ https://www.instagram.com/huc1875/ -- Follow JLTV: https://facebook.com/jewishlifetv https://twitter.com/jewishlifetv https://instagram.com/jewishlifetv https://tiktok.com/@jltvtok -- Follow Brad: https://facebook.com/bradpomerance https://twitter.com/bradpomerance https://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial

A Living Hell for Ukrainian Jews: Holocaust Survivors & Students Under Fire

"Last night there was an unbelievable missile attack in Kyiv. I spent six hours in the parking lot. 90 missiles." - Yet, the very next day, over 100 Jewish youths gathered for a culture festival. - In this deeply moving and urgent episode of "Can Jew Believe? with Brad Pomerance," we pull back the headlines of the war in Ukraine to expose the harrowing reality facing Ukrainian Jewry. While the world tracks troop movements, Hillel Director Iosif "Osik" Akselrud reports from Kyiv on how a generation of young Ukrainian Jews have transformed themselves from ordinary college students into front-line humanitarian heroes. From funding shortages to bombed-out centers, discover why their resolve is unbreakable—and learn exactly how the global community can step up to keep their light shining. -- Key Topics: - Impact of the Ukraine invasion on Jewish communities - The role of Hillel in supporting Jewish life during war - Stories of Holocaust survivors in Ukraine - Efforts to rebuild and sustain Jewish culture amidst conflict -- Follow Hillel & Osik: hillel.org https://www.instagram.com/Hillel.CASE/ https://www.facebook.com/HillelFJCL https://www.facebook.com/hillel.case https://www.linkedin.com/company/hillel/ https://twitter.com/HillelIntl -- Follow JLTV: https://facebook.com/jewishlifetv https://twitter.com/jewishlifetv https://instagram.com/jewishlifetv https://tiktok.com/@jltvtok -- Follow Brad: https://facebook.com/bradpomerance https://twitter.com/bradpomerance https://instagram.com/bradpomeranceofficial