Proudly Jewish

About Proudly Jewish

As the Jewish world processes the October 7 massacre and the ensuing worldwide wave of antisemitism, we seek to understand what we have witnessed and to assess what it all means for us as Jews. We want to be aware of the risks and challenges around us and we also want to affirm our identity as Jews - members of an ancient faith and an ancient people whose homeland is the land of Israel. This podcast features conversations on Israel and Jewish identity, hosted by Rabbi Eyal Bitton. To confront the challenges, obstacles, risks, and dangers in this changing world we must first assert that we are PROUDLY JEWISH.

Publisher

Eyal Bitton

Category

religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Nov 2023

Latest episode

29 May 2026

Latest episodes

37 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 May 2026

   What Mamdani Refused to Say

   When a hostile anti-Israel protest took place outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani had an opportunity to speak with moral clarity. He could have said that no political cause justifies intimidation outside a synagogue. He could have said that Jews should be able to enter a house of worship without fear. But he didn’t. In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Bitton discusses what Mamdani’s response reveals about the dangerous way anti-Israel rage is often excused, even when it targets Jewish institutions and Jewish worshippers. When criticism of Israel is brought to the doors of a synagogue, when Jews are intimidated at their houses of worship, and when leaders explain the anger instead of condemning the hate, something has gone terribly wrong. This episode is about moral clarity, Jewish safety, and the refusal to normalize anti-Jewish intimidation.

2. 

   17 Mar 2026

   Forget Nazi Germany — What If Today Looks More Like the Arab World Before the Jewish Exodus?

   What if we’re looking at the wrong historical comparison? When antisemitism rises, many people immediately think of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. But what if a closer parallel is something far less discussed — the Arab world in the 1940s and 1950s, just before nearly one million Jews disappeared from the region? In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Eyal Bitton explores a largely forgotten chapter of history: the disappearance of ancient Jewish communities across the Middle East and North Africa — communities that had existed for centuries, and in some cases, millennia. Through historical examples and current events, this episode examines: The warning signs that preceded the Jewish exodus from Arab lands How hostility toward Israel often translated into violence against local Jews Why “antizionism” has historically not remained separate from antisemitism and what lessons this history may hold for today. From Iraq to Egypt, from Morocco to Yemen, an entire Jewish civilization vanished within a single generation. The question is not only what happened then — but whether we are recognizing similar patterns now.

3. 

   9 Mar 2026

   Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle | Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray on Jewish Survival, Music, and Identity

   (00:00:00) Why “Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle” | Introduction (00:02:00) What she loves about being Jewish (00:05:00) Growing up in a family of cantors and Jewish music (00:09:43) Becoming one of the first women cantors (00:12:59) Family legacy, Holocaust memory, and Jewish continuity (00:16:12) Finding a congregation that truly valued Jewish music (00:18:25) What a cantor really gives to a community (00:21:16) Tradition, new music, and serving a congregation well (00:25:03) Being a pioneer in the Conservative movement (00:27:20) Founding the Women Cantors’ Network (00:35:14) Sacred Sounds Reborn: bringing nusach to new music (00:41:27) “Rewirement,” not retirement (00:44:44) Studying with Elie Wiesel (00:52:30) “Every Jew alive is a miracle” (00:59:20) Antisemitism, courage, and speaking up (01:01:22) Advice for Jewish students facing hate on campus (01:07:17) The future of American Jewish life (01:10:26) Is Jewish music stronger today than it was 40 years ago? (01:16:20) Final reflections In this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity, Rabbi Eyal Bitton is joined by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray — pioneering woman cantor, composer, educator, and founder of the Women Cantors’ Network. They talk about her extraordinary path into the cantorate, her family’s deep musical legacy, the influence of Elie Wiesel, the meaning of Jewish pride, and her beautiful new project, Sacred Sounds Reborn, which brings traditional nusach into fresh contemporary expression. This is a rich and moving conversation about Jewish identity, resilience, sacred music, memory, creativity, and hope. If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share.

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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

9 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

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Books guests

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