People of the Pod

Latest Episodes:

AJC Passport: A Conversation with Mitch Landrieu, Introducing "The Battle for Balfour" Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

Mitch Landrieu's second term as Mayor of New Orleans may have ended in 2018, but the impact of his eight years in office will be felt for years to come. He helped revive a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and led the fight to take down four Confederate statues. In December, Landrieu traveled to Israel with AJC Project Interchange while serving as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He joins us now to discuss the trip, the value of centrism in America's political discourse, and what's in store for the 2020 presidential race. This week, we're launching a new segment on the Israeli election, titled "The Battle for Balfour." Each week through Election Day on April 9, we will bring you an exclusive update on the race to determine the next Prime Minister of Israel. Joining us today is AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich.

AJC Passport: Mayor Pete Joins the Race Feb 22, 2019

Show notes

Last May, we were joined by Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, to talk about his experience visiting Israel as part of our annual AJC Project Interchange delegation of U.S. mayors. Since then, Buttigieg, who is helping to reinvigorate his Midwest city, took a giant leap onto the national political stage when he declared his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. With this enhanced spotlight on Mayor Pete, we are rerunning this pertinent interview to share his thoughts on Israel and what the Democratic party stands to learn from the Jewish state.

AJC Passport: Fallout from Rep. Omar's Tweets, Staggering Data on Antisemitic Incidents in France Feb 15, 2019

Show notes

Last weekend, freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) used her Twitter account to promote a classic anti-Semitic trope, accusing American Jews of paying off elected officials to maintain the U.S.-Israel relationship. Omar issued an apology after her remarks were met with widespread condemnation, including from the Democratic leadership. Was her apology sincere? Will she learn from this episode and become an ally in the fight against anti-Semitism? AJC CEO David Harris joins us to discuss the incident and the urgent need to confront anti-Semitism in all its forms. Meanwhile, this week, the French government released a report showing a 74% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 amidst a wave of vandalism against Jewish sites in Paris. AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache joins us to discuss the staggering statistics and AJC's role in urging French authorities to redouble their efforts to tackle the sources of anti-Semitism.

AJC Passport: Pro-Israel Democrats and a New Anti-Semitism Envoy Feb 07, 2019

Show notes

Is the Democratic Party still pro-Israel? Leading public opinion researcher and political strategist Mark Mellman joins us to address a question being asked by many and discuss how his newly-formed group, the Democratic Majority for Israel, plans to counter those trying to pull the party away from the Jewish state. Also joining us is AJC Assistant Director of International Relations Holly Huffnagle, who previously served as Policy Advisor to the U.S. State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Huffnagle offers an inside look at the Special Envoy's vital role in fighting anti-Semitism and shares her thoughts on Elan Carr, who was nominated by Secretary Pompeo to fill the role earlier this week.

AJC Passport: Upheaval in Venezuela Feb 01, 2019

Show notes

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself president after years of economic turmoil in what was once one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to show their support for Guaidó and their opposition to the repressive regime of Nicolás Maduro. Will this dramatic turn of events help restore democracy and freedom to the country? Dany Bahar, an Israeli and Venezuelan economist serving as a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution, joins us to break down these developments and what it could mean for the future of Venezuela and its Jewish community.

AJC Passport: Antisemitism and the Women's March Jan 25, 2019

Show notes

Last weekend, demonstrators took to the streets for the 2019 Women's March, but this year's event was mired in controversy. This week on AJC Passport, we hear from two leading Jewish figures who support the aims of the March, but disagree on whether to participate in light of the ongoing anti-Semitism scandals surrounding its leadership. Carly Pildis, political organizer and contributing editor at Tablet Magazine, and Rabbi Sarah Bassin, Assistant Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, discuss their decisions and suggest ways to mitigate tensions between the Jewish community and the leaders of the Women's March.

AJC Passport: Live from Washington, D.C.: The Freshman Perspective Jan 18, 2019

Show notes

This week's episode comes to you live from the nation's capital. We were joined by two freshman members of Congress, Representative Donna Shalala (D-FL) and Representative Van Taylor (R-TX). We talked with them about the key issues they plan to tackle while in Congress, including strengthening U.S.-Israel relations and building bipartisanship. The episode was recorded in front of a live audience as part of AJC's National Leadership Council Advocacy Fly In, featuring a series of meetings with thought leaders, foreign diplomats, and members of Congress.

AJC Passport: Congress Takes on BDS, State of the EU-Israel Relationship Jan 11, 2019

Show notes

The BDS movement has climbed its way up the Hill in the form of a bill targeting proponents of the anti-Israel boycott campaign. On this week's episode, AJC General Counsel Marc Stern sheds light on the bill and other legislative measures against boycott efforts. Also joining us is AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, who discusses the state of the relationship between the EU and Israel and the steps needed to mend it.

AJC Passport: We're Off to the Races Jan 03, 2019

Show notes

In a shocking move last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the dissolution of the current Knesset. With early elections now set for April 9th, join us as Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor of The Jerusalem Post, dives into recent developments, analyzes the political turmoil, and suggests what we can expect in the short months leading up to the elections for the 21st Knesset.

AJC Passport: The Great Debate on the West Bank Dec 21, 2018

Show notes

Remain in the West Bank or withdraw from the territories? Micah Goodman, director of Beit Midrash Yisraeli-Ein Prat and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, tackles this controversial debate in his book, Catch-67, which was recently published in English. Goodman navigates us through the complexity of this issue and explores alternatives for moving forward on this week's AJC Passport.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected