Jews You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

Episode 167 - The Hostage Negotiator: A Conversation with Daniel Levin Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Daniel Levin has traveled a wide ranging and fascinating path in his lifetime. Having grown up in several different cultures in the Middle East and Africa, he has devoted his life to working in geopolitical spheres to help governments navigate their way through political reform and economic development.

Ari and Daniel discuss modern power dynamics and their use and misapplication by our own government in our efforts at nation building in the Middle East. By drawing on contacts and relationships he's fostered worldwide, Daniel has used his experience in the realm of hostage negotiation. He details a gripping series of events in his one man search to find a missing person, lost in the chaos of Syria, in his latest book, "Proof of Life". The lessons learned over those twenty tense days resonate in many events in our current times.

--------------------

EPISODE TIME STAMPS

2:58 Daniel's background

4:27 Growing up a Jew in Switzerland

11:16 Impacts felt by the 1982 war with Lebanon

14:31 Daniel's parents' influence on his life

17:58 Reconciling personal religious beliefs with Israeli politics and society

24:49 Working for Barak, and it's impacts on Daniel's worldview

27:44 Transitioning to working with countries on constitutional and economic reforms

32:49 Lessons learned by the U.S. in the Middle East

42:17 The evolution to working in hostage negotiation

43:40 Describing the events in Syria leading up to the situation written about in "Proof of Life"

49:30 The emotional toll of hostage negotiations

52:37 Lessons learned, and applying those principles to life in general

61:02 Information on how to learn more about Daniel Levin and "Proof of Life"

CONNECT WITH Daniel Levin

For more information about Daniel Levin and to learn more about "Proof of Life", as well as Daniel's other books, visit his website at: https://www.daniellevinauthor.com/

"Proof of Life" is available at many fine bookstores, or from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Contact Daniel on his website

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Jews You Should Know introduces the broader community to interesting and inspiring Jewish men and women making a difference in our world. Some are already famous, some not yet so. But each is a Jew You Should Know.

The host, Rabbi Ari Koretzky, is Executive Director of MEOR Maryland (www.meormd.org), a premier Jewish outreach and educational organization. MEOR operates nationally on twenty campuses and in Manhattan; visit the national website at www.meor.org.

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at JewsYouShouldKnow@gmail.com.

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

Torah You Should Know 48 - Parshat Toldot: Life is More than Soup & Slugs Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays

Episode 166 - The Intel Tech Guru: A Conversation with Avram Miller Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

Avram Miller - The Intel Guru

Avram Miller is best recognized for co-founding Intel Capital, the computer industry's most successful corporate investment organization. While at Intel, he was Vice President of Corporate Development. Miller was a major influence behind the creation of residential broadband, which was a crucial component in the development of today's internet. Miller had a good career in medical science before moving into high tech.

Miller has served on a variety of company boards in both high tech and health care since leaving Intel in 1999. He has advised and invested in a number of early-stage businesses. He currently resides in Tel Aviv and travels widely across the globe.

Avram Miller discusses how intuition, imagination, humor, and risk-taking enabled him to become one of Silicon Valley's pioneers and leading venture investors in his new book, The Flight of a Wild Duck: An Improbable Journey Through Life and Technology. He recounts his journey from childhood illness and an inability to function in the educational system to becoming a top executive at one of the world's leading technological firms.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

2:58 Avram's family migration story and childhood in San Francisco

6:54 Growing up in a Jewish family

8:14 Avram's background and history with science and technology

13:27 How Avram managed to work in two different industries without formal training

16:10 Why Avram switched from the medical field to the computer field

17:43 Avram's time and breakthroughs at Intel

23:41 Importance of engagement with the Jewish community throughout Avram's life

29:54 Talking about The Flight of a Wild Duck

30:34 Bill Gates and Steve Jobs

31:37 Some advice for kids and parents

34:21 Moving to Israel and current experience over there

34:49 Audiogram 2 - Israel

37:24 What's next for Avram

Connect with Avram Miller:

Website: http://www.avrammiller.com/bio.html

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avram/?originalSubdomain=il

Twitter: https://twitter.com/avrammiller

Blog: https://twothirdsdone.com/

Connect with Ari:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewsyoushouldknow

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewsUShouldKnow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rabbi.K

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-koretzky-18b12217/

Torah You Should Know 47 - Parshat Chayei Sorah: Shift Your Persona, Not Your Values Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Timely thoughts on the weekly Torah Portion and Jewish holidays

Episode 165 - The Novelist and "People Love Dead Jews" Author Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

Author Dara Horn urges us to examine the reasons behind our fascination with Jewish deaths as representative of the worst of humanity's ills, and our lack of regard for Jewish lives as they unfold in the present.

In her book, "People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present," Dara draws on her own family's experiences — trying to explain Shakespeare's Shylock to a curious 10-year-old, her outrage when swastikas are drawn on desks at her children's New Jersey school, the profound and essential perspective offered by traditional religious practice, prayer, and study — to assert the vitality, complexity, and depth of this life in the face of anti-Semitism, which, far from being deterred by the mantra "Never forget," is on the rise.

Dara studied Yiddish and Hebrew for her doctorate in comparative literature at Harvard University. She has taught these subjects at Sarah Lawrence College and Yeshiva University, as well as at Harvard, where she held the Gerald Weinstock Visiting Professorship in Jewish Studies. She has given hundreds of talks to audiences across North America, Israel, and Australia.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

3:30 Dara's origins and early upbringing

5:38 Talking about Judaism from early childhood to college

11:39 Discussing some modern Hebrew writers and literature

24:55 Dara's story of becoming a writer and her first published works

39:53 How Dara turned to fiction after college and wrote her first novel

42:54 Brief synopsis of Dara's novels

49:03 Talking about "People Love Dead Jews," and how it came to be

56:16 Problems with representations of Judaism and museum exhibitions about the Holocaust

1:10:00 How the book has been received and how it changed Dara

1:19:50 Introducing Dara's podcast, "Adventures with Dead Jews"

Connect with Dara Horn:

Website: https://www.darahorn.com/

Podcast: Adventures with Dead Jews – search on any podcast platform

Connect with Ari:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewsyoushouldknow

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewsUShouldKnow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rabbi.K

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-koretzky-18b12217/

Torah You Should Know 46 - Parshat Vayeira: Stay Active & Stay Happy Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Timely messages on the weekly Torah portion or upcoming Jewish holidays.

Episode 164 - The "Hell to Challah" Author: A Conversation with Shari Wallack Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Follow Shari Wallack on her amazing journey of transformation and self-discovery, as she rises "From Hell to Challah". Shari had her professional career upended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, experienced a mental health crisis, and emerged from the hospital committed to finding a new path for her life. Little did she know at the time that she would be soon traveling around the country in the midst of a pandemic, baking challah and sharing her journey and wisdom with old friends and new acquaintances.

She discusses the fears and challenges that led to her hospitalization, and how she charted a new path forward, learning the importance of sharing and vulnerability during a time of great uncertainty. She shares grains of wisdom about growth, relationships, parenting, and the joy of sharing one's gifts with the world.

--------------------

EPISODE TIME STAMPS

1:37 Introduction

4:29 Shari's background working in the travel industry prior to the pandemic

5:38 Shari shares her Jewish upbringing, and how her faith grew through her children

8:38 Professional growth and business ownership upset by Covid's impact on travel

10:52 The breaking point

14:13 A 95 day journey begins

17:20 Reactions from family

22:46 Traveling the country

28:42 A new chapter in life – as an author!

35:41 Looking back, the reasons for wanting to escape

40:22 Travel adventures, and the road back home

50:56 Lessons learned, and new opportunities await!

55:08 Advice for those struggling with depression

CONNECT WITH SHARI WALLACK

For more information about Shari Wallack and "From Hell to Challah", visit her website at: www.fromhelltochallah.com

"From Hell to Challah" is available at many fine bookstores, or from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Connect with Shari on Facebook, Instagram, or via email at: shari@buysea.net

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Please visit www.JewsYouShouldKnow.com follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Have feedback for the show, or suggestions for future guests? E-mail us at JewsYouShouldKnow@gmail.com.

Want to support this podcast? Visit Patreon.com. A small monthly contribution goes a long way!!

Torah You Should Know 45 - Parshat Lech Leach: The Wisdom of Old Age Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

Timely messages on the weekly Torah portion or upcoming Jewish holidays.

Episode 163 - The Aish International CEO: A Conversation with R' Steven Burg Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

"A CEO trapped in a Rabbi's body."

In this frank, honest conversation, Aish HaTorah CEO Steven Burg shares the story of his career. Together, we explore his roots and track the realization of his potential while working for major global Jewish organizations.

As the son of a Brooklyn Rabbi, he credits his father for firmly establishing in him a deep love and respect for Jewish life from a young age. He studied in Israel during the First Gulf War, and later attended Yeshiva University.

"...then someone else goes, oh yeah, it's latte!"

R' Burg then found a way to satisfy his desire for meaning and purpose by volunteering at the National Council of Synagogue Youth (NCSY). Nine years later, he was made a Regional Director for NCSY, eventually becoming its National Director and the Executive Director of the Orthodox Union (OU). He shares heartwarming vignettes from his days there.

His next stop was at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a completely new challenge with very different objectives.

"There was just this sense of responsibility for the Jewish people that really spoke to me. And they lived it. They didn't just talk about it. They lived it. That was number one. And number two was the relationship with The Almighty."

R' Burg discloses what drew him to Aish HaTorah: the values, the goals, and the mission that spoke to him enough to shift his niche. As Chief Executive Officer of Aish HaTorah International he has navigated through exceedingly complicated management and financial challenges. Yet he is committed to building the organization as a worldwide leader in Jewish education, helping steward it on a mission to reach 3 million unaffiliated Jews via social media by 2030.

"God gave us the tool. He gave us Jewish wisdom to connect to him. So, we just have to make it available to folks out there. Albeit in the old days, discovery was three days and now I've got 15 seconds on a TikTok. So that's changed a little bit in terms of attention span, but we've got to be where the people are."

Connect with Rabbi Steven Burg:

Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabbi-steven-burg-0b59a83

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/stevenjburg/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RabbiSteveBurg

Connect with the host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewsyoushouldknow

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewsUShouldKnow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jewsyoushouldknow

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-koretzky-18b12217/

Torah You Should Know 44 - Parshat Noach: Etrog Vodka and Priorities in Life Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

Timely messages on the weekly Torah portion or upcoming Jewish holidays.