Category: Podcasts

Progressive and Zionist: Not Mutually Exclusive B’nai B’rith Podcast with Amanda Berman of Zioness

8/19/2019

(Washington, D.C., August 19, 2019)--When progressive Zionists found themselves shut out of many conversations on the left, Amanda Berman took action. She’s the founder and executive director of the Zioness Movement, which calls itself “progressive, Zionist, and proud,” standing as Jews, for social justice and fighting oppression.

Berman joined B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin on the B’nai B’rith Podcast to talk about the coalition she has built for Zionists who hold progressive values and ideals to have a seat at a united table fighting for the rights of oppressed minority groups.

“The American Jewish community is overwhelmingly committed to the political left, to the advancement of social justice and to progress for all of the different issues that we care about - and we are also Zionists,” says Berman.

As a civil rights attorney, she has fought anti-Semitism through the courts, challenging businesses and universities in the face of anti-Semitic policies.

Berman and Mariaschin discuss the work of Zioness at a time when the political environment is becoming increasingly hostile to the Jewish state. According to Berman, “There is a weaponization of anti-Semitism and of support for Israel that is becoming a major political force in terms of this litmus test…where progressive credibility is often connected to one’s willingness to bash Israel.”

Click here for Episode 54 of the B’nai B’rith Podcast.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

Author Lee Bender on Anti-Israel Bias in the Media and Society

7/24/2019

B’nai B’rith Podcast: New Episode on Dangers of Losing the Narrative on Middle East Conflict

(Washington, D.C., July 24, 2019)--Author and attorney Lee Bender notes: “Words have tremendous meaning. And if they are maligned, or misunderstood and mischaracterized, that can cause tremendous problems, issues and concerns.”

Bender joined B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin on the B’nai B’rith Podcast to talk about the pervasiveness and dangers of anti-Israel bias in the media. He co-wrote “Pressing Israel: Media Bias from A-Z” with Jerome Verlin and runs the website FactsonIsrael.com.

On the podcast, Bender and Mariaschin discuss how anti-Israel activists continue to poison the discourse around Israel and Zionism by injecting biased words into the discussions.

For example, many media outlets now differentiate between “East Jerusalem” and “West Jerusalem,” even though Jerusalem has been an undivided city for the vast majority of its history. Bender says that deceptive language like this – what he calls “Toxic Terms” – hurts efforts to reach people who occupy a middle ground between anti-Zionism and pro-Israel advocacy; these people could become pro-Israel if they learn about the issue, but only from unbiased sources that use honest language.

While it might be tempting to minimize the importance of precision in language, Bender cautions against this: “Our motto is: if you forfeit the language, you forfeit our heritage and our history.”

Listen to the podcast here.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

Argentina and Iran: 25 Years After the Worst Terror Attack in Latin America

7/15/2019

The site of the AMIA bombing, which has been converted into a memorial for the victims.

A demonstration in support of Alberto Nisman.

Alberto Nisman, the chief investigator of the 1994 AMIA bombing, who died in 2015 and is regarded as the last victim of the terrorist attack.

(Washington, D.C., July 15, 2019)--In the 25 years since the deadly terror attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires – the heart of the Jewish community in Argentina – no one has ever been brought to justice. In the latest B’nai B’rith International podcast, Special Advisor on Latin American Affairs Adriana Camisar joins CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin for a conversation on the attack that killed 85 and wounded more than 300.

Camisar and Mariaschin discuss the repeated miscarriages of justice that have pervaded the decades-long investigation into the bombing, which was perpetrated by terrorists linked to the government of Iran and Hezbollah.

They also discuss the murder of AMIA case Prosecutor Alberto Nisman in 2015, who became regarded as the last victim of the terrorist attack.

In addition to the history of the case, Mariaschin and Camisar discuss the current state of affairs: whether achieving justice for the bombing’s victims is a realistic possibility, how the media continue to cover the case, how the United States can assist diplomatically and other pressing issues.

To listen to the podcast, click here.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

Filmmaker Aviva Kempner Delves Into The Life Of The Baseball Player Who Spied On Nazis, On B’nai B’rith’s Podcast

5/29/2019

(Washington, D.C., May 29, 2019)--Aviva Kempner, the award-winning director best-known for documentaries about baseball player Hank Greenberg and radio and television star Gertrude Berg, joined B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin for a discussion on her latest film project, “The Spy Behind Home Plate.” The movie focuses on the life of Moe Berg, a Princeton and Columbia-educated professional baseball player who spoke 10 languages and spied for the U.S. during World War II. Berg’s role during the war was especially notable because he was a Jew who gathered intelligence to use against Germany. According to Kempner, Berg was a “perfect pick” to serve in the American intelligence apparatus: “The type of people [that] you had to put in [undercover missions] were cool under pressure,” “were very bright,” “could speak a lot of languages” and “knew the customs of Europe.” As someone who was “called the brainiest man in baseball,” Berg was well-suited for his espionage role.

Berg played for five teams throughout his time in professional baseball, including stints of several years with the Chicago White Sox, the Washington Senators and the Boston Red Sox. While still a player, he is said to have begun his espionage career while gathering intelligence on a trip to Japan, where he traveled with other MLB players including Babe Ruth, in the 1930s. Years after his trip to Japan, Berg became involved with the brand-new Office of Strategic Services (OSS), an American intelligence service that predates the CIA. In this role, he served his country by gathering information about the German nuclear program.

Kempner and Mariaschin discuss Kempner’s personal connection to Berg’s story and her underlying mission as a filmmaker focused on documentaries about Jews who defy stereotypes and make history. Kempner’s parents raised her with a strong Jewish identity, and it frustrated her that so many popular culture portrayals of people who saved Jews during the war only portrayed non-Jewish saviors.

Partially to counter this troubling cultural trend, Kempner has devoted her film career to documenting the lives of “Jewish heroes that break the stereotypes and fought -isms.” Berg, a good-looking, athletic spy who used his skills to fight back against Nazism, certainly fits the bill.

To listen to the full discussion on our podcast, click here. To watch a trailer for “The Spy Behind Home Plate,” click here.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

Progressive and Zionist: Not Mutually Exclusive B’nai B’rith Podcast with Amanda Berman of Zioness

Author Lee Bender on Anti-Israel Bias in the Media and Society

Argentina and Iran: 25 Years After the Worst Terror Attack in Latin America

Filmmaker Aviva Kempner Delves Into The Life Of The Baseball Player Who Spied On Nazis, On B’nai B’rith’s Podcast

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