Best JFI Remember Whats Next Podcasts (2025)

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S4 Ep14 Popes and Catholics 58:38

13d ago58:38

58:38

What happens when two of the world’s oldest and most influential religions—Judaism and Catholicism—stand side by side? Today, we explore the shared roots, divergent paths, painful history, and surprising points of connection between these two traditions. From ancient Israel to Vatican II, from the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament, and from centuri…

1
S4 Ep13 History of Egypt Part 2 59:11

1M ago59:11

59:11

Part 2! Egypt is one of the most historied and longest existing places in the world. It's pivotal to understand the history of this place in order to know what's happening now. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to…

1
S4 Ep12 History of Egypt Part 1 55:08

2M ago55:08

55:08

Egypt is one of the most historied and longest existing places in the world. It's pivotal to understand the history of this place in order to know what's happening now. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” s…

1
S4 Ep11 - Jordan 101 54:35

3M ago54:35

54:35

We often imagine Jordan as an ancient kingdom that goes back centuries, but it's a new nation state that has an unusual history. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we c…

1
S4 Ep10 - Gaza: A History 1:08:18

3M ago1:08:18

1:08:18

This week we dive into the history of Gaza, who owns it, who has ruled it and how is it such a central part of what is happening in the world today? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all t…

1
S4 Ep9 - Is An Advanced Society A Moral One? 45:48

3M ago45:48

45:48

As we enter a radical revolution in technology since the industrial revolution does progress always mean we will be kinder and more ethical? Why is monotheism a marker of a moral civilization? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward y…

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S4 Ep8 - History of Christianity Part 3 - Friend or Foe? 57:23

4M ago57:23

57:23

Part 3 - This week we are continuing into the long and storied history of Christianity. What is the modern relationship between Christians and Jews and why? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are goi…

1
S4 Ep7 - History of Christianity Part 2 41:43

4M ago41:43

41:43

Part 2 - This week we are delving into the long and storied history of Christianity. We are beginning thousands of years ago and looking into the historical figure of Jesus and who the first proponents of this religion were and how it related to the Jewish narrative. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winsto…

1
S4 Ep6 History of Christianity Part 1 43:11

4M ago43:11

43:11

This week we are delving into the long and storied history of Christianity. We are beginning thousands of years ago and looking into the historical figure of Jesus and who the first proponents of this religion were and how it related to the Jewish narrative. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchi…

1
S4 Ep5 Turkey and the Ottoman Empire 55:05

4M ago55:05

55:05

What is Turkey and who actually runs it? How does it now figure into what is happening in Syria and The Middle East and who will they align with - the Sunnis or the Shiites in this historical shift of allegiances and borders right now. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farth…

1
S4 Ep4: Syria - Ancient and Modern History 59:50

5M ago59:50

59:50

Is Syria a nation? What is the ancient and modern history of this failed state and how does it impact what is possible now that it has been fundamentally dismantled? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so w…

1
S4 Ep3 Post Election 47:15

6M ago47:15

47:15

What a night. Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie discuss the election results and how the Middle East is impacted with a change in the US Administration and what we can see coming from what happened in the last few decades. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look,…

1
S4 Ep2 Israel and US Relations 1:08:41

7M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Join us for a discussion and look as the history of the relationship between the US and Israel in this pre-election episode. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can u…

1
S4 Ep1 The Real Story 59:22

7M ago59:22

59:22

Season 4 kicks off with a macro view of where in Jewish history we are right now. Sometimes it's hard to recognize we are literally living through seismic historical events when you are right in the middle of it. This is what is happening right now for the Jewish people and seeing where we are on the historical timeline helps us understand why the …

1
S3 Ep28 - Dati Leumi and Modern Orthodoxy - History and Definitions 1:05:00

8M ago1:05:00

1:05:00

This week we are delving into the history and definition of the terms Dati Leumi, Religious Zionism, Modern Orthodox and Mizrachi to name a few. Who is this important section of the religious community and why do we know so little about it in North America? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchil…

1
S3 Ep 27 Back To Reality and Values 58:28

8M ago58:28

58:28

A bit of a continuation of the last episode. What are Western Values? What is it about America and Israel that people both love and hate? How do we make sure we don't fall prey to what ended the other great empires and countries of history? Register for the new Weekly Jewish History Crash Course on Zoom with Rabbi Ken Spiro ⁠⁠https://www.myjfi.com/…

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S3 Ep26 - Protests, Protestants and Political Theology 1:06:07

8M ago1:06:07

1:06:07

What is really going on between Israel and Iran? Is western democracy really what we think it is, and why are America and Israel seen as partners? Perhaps liberal values are not what we thought they were... This week we are learning the history of Lebanon and Hezbollah and trying to understand why they are involved at all in this war. Register for …

1
S3 S25 Lebanon and Hezbollah 101 1:08:12

9M ago1:08:12

1:08:12

This week we are learning the history of Lebanon and Hezbollah and trying to understand why they are involved at all in this war. Register for the new Weekly Jewish History Crash Course on Zoom with Rabbi Ken Spiro https://www.myjfi.com/events-and-classes Check out more about Rabbi Ken Spiro and his work at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.KenSpiro.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

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S3 Ep24 Are Jews Politically Left or Right? 1:03:32

9M ago1:03:32

1:03:32

In this episode, Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass explore the evolving political landscape of Western Jewish communities, particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2023, events. The discussion delves into the shifting political affiliations among Jews, with a noticeable trend towards the political right as concerns about antisemitism and Israel's se…

1
S3 Ep23 Responding to Ilan Pappe 1:02:56

9M ago1:02:56

1:02:56

In response to Ellie's student reading on of Ilan's books, we take a tour of some of his claims and take his narrative of events to task in order to really understand the origins of Israel and the importance of nuance. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can l…

1
S3 Ep 12 The History of War and The UN 56:53

9M ago56:53

56:53

This week Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing the Jewish history and perspective on war and peace, the history of the UN and how Judeo-Christian values were the foundation stone upon which the rules of engagement were created. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back …

1
S3 Ep 22 Iran 101 45:36

10M ago45:36

45:36

In this episode we are digging into the history of Iran and why they are the major agitator in the region and why it's important to address them as one of the central pillars of this conflict. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward y…

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Special Shavuot Episode 46:06

11M ago46:06

46:06

Join Rabbi Spiro and Ellie as they discuss Shavout and what it means to be a Jewish people and how do we see this holiday as a reminder of our mission.

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S3 Ep21 Luxury Beliefs and Worldviews 53:14

1y ago53:14

53:14

What is it that the protestors are really fighting for? Western civilization is really what is being questioned and fought against, let's talk about how and why. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we ar…

1
S3 Ep20 Iran Missiles and Passover 39:43

1y ago39:43

39:43

Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie jump back on for a special episode discussion the game changing events of this last weekend as Iran fires directly on Israel, and how this relates to our history and the 3337th Seder that the Jewish people are about to partake in. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill…

1
S3 Ep19 What If Israel Loses? 57:25

1y ago57:25

57:25

What happens if God forbid Israel loses, and Hamas achieves its aims and wipes it out? What are the broader global implications of a Middle East with no Israel? Understanding this is key to understanding what is happening right now in that region and around the world. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winst…

1
S3 Ep18 What is Islam and Radical Islam? 55:33

1y ago55:33

55:33

When we talk about Radical Islam what do we mean? In this episode we are trying to define our terms and understand some of the history of the Middle East, Hamas and Israel and what the west and the rest of the world mean when they use these terms. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once sai…

1
S3 Ep 17 The History of The Clash between the IDF and the Charedi World 47:58

1y ago47:58

47:58

As the war continues on for more than 140 days, the tensions between the religious world and the secular in Israel are beginning to show up again, this time over the long history of who should serve in the army and all that entails. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther …

1
S3 Ep16 What is Peace? 59:55

1y ago59:55

59:55

When we say we want peace what does that mean? A ceasefire? Unicorns and rainbows? A tenuous pause or a lasting connection? In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie discover what is the true meaning of peace from a Jewish perspective and what are the chances of "peace in the Middle East" now? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from t…

1
S3 Ep 15 - The History of Hostages 1:04:05

1y ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Redeeming captives and hostages is not a new task in the annals of Jewish history. This discussion talks about what is a hostage vs a prisoner, what are some of the Jewish laws around negotiating for hostages release, and what is our history of getting them back and how does this help us understand what is happening today with over 102 hostages sti…

1
S3 Ep 14 - Colonization in the Middle East - History and Perspectives 1:07:26

1+ y ago1:07:26

1:07:26

What is the history of colonization in the Middle East? Are the Arabs indigenous to the Middle East? Are the Jews? Join us as we trace back the more than 3000 years of colonization, empire building and settlement in the cradle of civilization. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “T…

1
S3 Ep13 The History of War in Israel 53:42

1+ y ago53:42

53:42

From biblical to modern times what is the history of war in Israel? Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass discuss the purpose of war Jewishly and what is it about Jewish ideology that makes us different when it comes to warfare? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you ca…

1
S3 Ep 11 - End of Days Part 2 59:58

1+ y ago59:58

59:58

What is the war of Gog and Mgog? What is the Ishmaelite Exile? How does the question of what is truth relate to what is happening today and historically for the world and the Jewish people? This is Part 2 of the End of Days - Rabbi Spiro gives us a new/old way of looking at what is happening right now in terms of prophecy, history and Jewish theolo…

1
S3 Ep10 - The End of Days Part 1 38:12

1+ y ago38:12

38:12

Rabbi Spiro gives us a new/old way of looking at what is happening right now in terms of prophecy, history and Jewish theology. What is this unique time in history that we are a part of right now and how can we begin to understand it in the long arc of the Jewish story? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Win…

1
S3 Ep 9 - Israel Update Nov 11 2023 - The Jewish Questions 54:09

1+ y ago54:09

54:09

There is something trending on TikTok right now called JQ, The Jewish Question is a deeply laden paradigm that is both antisemitic and also goes to heart of how we understand ourselves as Jewish people, our mission and what is going on right now in the Middle East and around the world. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the b…

1
Israel Update November 7 2023 - Myths and Facts 53:18

1+ y ago53:18

53:18

This week Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are confronting some of the myths and facts surrounding the war with Hamas and in the media and on campuses around the world. Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now. Want more history? Go back and listen to this s…

1
Israel Update October 18 2023 - Live from Israel with Rabbi Ken Spiro 51:46

1+ y ago51:46

51:46

Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now, some of the history and reasons behind it, what we can understand about the world and what’s coming based on history and how to help. See below in the liner notes for links mentioned in the episode. Want m…

1
Israel Update October 11 2023 48:46

1+ y ago48:46

48:46

Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now, some of the history and reasons behind it, what we can understand about the world and what’s coming based on history and how to help. See below in the liner notes for links mentioned in the episode. Want m…

1
S3 Ep 5 - The History of the Orthodox Jewish World Part 4 - Where do we go from here? 51:18

1+ y ago51:18

51:18

The finishing sweeping look as we finish this series on how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time and we are now in Part 4 where we ask where we go from here, what is the purpose of the Jewish people and are we in survival mode forever or do we need to turn to a new sense of self and purpose. What is our Jewish hero story? Want more history…

1
S3 Ep4: The History of The Orthodox Jewish World Part 3 54:23

1+ y ago54:23

54:23

We are rounding out this series of discussion on how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time and we are now in Part 3 where we begin from the ashes of the Shoah and see where we are now and how we got here. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, t…

1
S3 Ep 3 - The History of The Orthodox Jewish World Part 2 59:07

2y ago59:07

59:07

In this episode Rabbi Spiro begins to lead us along the timeline of how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time from just before the beginning of World War 2 until the end of the Shoah. This is Part 2 please go back and listen to Part 1 to follow along this journey. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as W…

1
S3 Ep 2: The History of the Orthodox World Part 1 44:34

2y ago44:34

44:34

In this episode Rabbi Spiro begins to lead us along the timeline of how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time from the end of the First Temple until the present. This is Part 1. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are …

1
Season 3 Episode 1: Protests, Purim and People of the Book 46:28

2y ago46:28

46:28

Season 3 Episode 1: Welcome back as we delve into our most challenging season yet, as we tackle the thorny issues of divisiveness and diversity in Jewish history and in the contemporary world. In this episode we start out with why is unity important to the Jewish mission and what are we missing? Want more history? Go back and listen to this series …

1
Tisha B'Av - What Are We Getting Wrong? 46:55

3y ago46:55

46:55

Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing the upcoming fast day Tisha B'Av and it's reason for being, what we can learn about ourselves from suffering and how this fast day calls on us to return to some of our deepest core values as Jews. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther…

1
The History of the Oral Torah 58:50

3y ago58:50

58:50

In this episode Rabbi Spiro is discussing what the Oral Torah is, where it came from, the history of it from Mishna to Gemara to Talmud and onwards and how we relate to it today. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely …

1
The History of Tanach and How Do We Know The Text is Real? 52:04

3y ago52:04

52:04

S2 Ep10: In this episode Rabbi Spiro gives us a tour of Tanach and how each text was transmitted, copied, preserved and shared throughout the centuries. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going a…

1
Particularism vs Universalism: Rabbi Spiro Birthday Episode 53:17

3y ago53:17

53:17

Happy Birthday Rabbi Spiro! He wanted to have conversation about Judaism, Particularism and Universality. Enjoy! Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand wh…

1
Genocide and Apartheid: What do these words really mean? 56:22

3y ago56:22

56:22

Rabbi Ken Spiro is taking us through the history of some of the most charged and misunderstood words in our language today. Where did these words come from historically, and are they being used in an appropriate manner today that really allows us to accurately diagnose some of the worlds worst ills? Want more history? Go back and listen to this ser…

1
The History of Ukrainian Jews 59:24

3y ago59:24

59:24

As Ukraine continues to be under siege and over 2 million people are now fleeing, including the 5th largest Jewish population of Jewish people in the world, Rabbi Spiro takes us through the very long, and very complex, history of the Jews in Ukraine. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once …

1
Caesarea - Port of Kings 45:14

3+ y ago45:14

45:14

The ancient city of Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE as a major port in the kingdom of Judea. Located midway between Tel Aviv and Haifa on the coastal plain near the city of Hadera, it is now a seaside town of around 5,000 people known as Caesarea. Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning…

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