The modern university is at a crossroads. Is it still defined by its foundational mission to cultivate curiosity and advance knowledge, or is it defined by advocacy and activism centered around certain moral absolutes? And where do Jewish students, faculty, and ideas fit in? Listen as SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Yeshiva Universit…

Since October 7, Israeli researchers and faculty have felt the chilling effects of a flourishing global boycott movement. In a shift that’s taken hold at high levels of American academia, Israeli scholars and universities have been barred from conferences, squeezed out of research grants, and cut out of collaboration with colleagues around the worl…

On November 27th, 2023, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren laid out his vision for Israel’s endgame in Gaza. Now, more than ten months after its publication, how should we understand the realistic potential for “a day after”? Will this proverbial day ever arrive? And how does last fall’s vision hold up? As the final event in SAPIR's…

Following Hamas’ October 7 attack, many in the Jewish community were profoundly distressed by those on the Left who celebrated the attack or immediately cast blame at the victims of the massacre. To grapple with these reactions, National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz and Joel Rubin joined SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman for a vir…

Maimonides Fund Scholar in Residence and Downtown Minyan Rosh Kehillah Mijal Bitton crystalized the despairing unity felt by Jews around the world on October 7 in her essay “That Pain You’re Feeling Is Peoplehood” published on November 1, 2023. After the brutal attacks in southern Israel, “many of us — thousands of miles away — cried out in viscera…

The Haredi community has been facing — and facing down — mounting pressure to participate meaningfully in areas of Israeli civic life, including military service and the workforce. While many in the community wish to maintain their isolation, it is widely seen by the rest of Israeli society as unfair and unsustainable. Haredi community rabbi Yehosh…

Is the recent uptick in antisemitism a sign that a golden era of American Jewish life is over? Or is it the latest chapter in a long history of prejudice that American Jews can, and will, overcome? Historian Pamela S. Nadell joins SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman to unpack her essay, “For America’s Jews, Past is Prologue.”…

Americans’ faith in our leaders and institutions is at an all-time low. What is the source for this loss of confidence and what are the implications for the Jewish community? Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute joined SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens for a conversation on addressing the “trust trap” and restoring faith in our future…

Can uncertainty — and even full-on doubt — about the future of democracy be an unlikely source of democratic strength? Watch as SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman and SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens come together for a conversation on “Democracy’s Pessimism Paradox” and its implications for Jewish communities worldwide.…

Fifty years after the Yom Kippur War, Israel’s vaunted military and intelligence establishment again failed to protect the Jewish state. What must it do to regain its reputation and deterrence? Former Israeli deputy national-security adviser Chuck Freilich joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on his recent SAPIR article, "Can Israel’s Intelligen…

Since October 7, American Jews have been pushed out of the places that were once their cultural and political homes. This feeling of outsiderdom is a new one for American Jews, and one that took them by surprise. New York Times bestselling author Noa Tishby joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on the new position American Jews find themselves in…

Coleman Hughes joined Bret Stephens for a conversation on antisemitism in the black radical tradition. Hughes, the author of “Black Radicalism” in the recent Friends & Foes issue, analyzed the narratives driving rising antisemitism among black Americans — and how they can change. Plus, as a Columbia graduate, Hughes weighs in on recent developments…

In stark contrast to previous generations, younger American Jews are growing up increasingly disconnected from Israel and Zionism. What accounts for this shift? How durable is it? And what are the implications for tomorrow’s leaders of American Jewish communities? Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue and Dr. Noam Weissman of OpenD…

Former Human Rights Watch senior editor Danielle Haassits down with SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephensto discuss her recent essay, “The Human-Rights Establishment,” which chronicles years of behind-the-scenes experience and presents deep-seated concerns that human rights NGOs have become “increasingly hijacked by politics and dominated bygroupthin…

The rapid ascent of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and other technologies requires Jewish leaders to understand the dramatic effects these innovations will have on Jewish life and faith. Are we ready for this technological Jewish future? SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman hosted a conversation with Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter of Yesh…

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman hosted a conversation about the future of synagogue life in a time of disruption with Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City and Rabbi Rachel Isaacs of the Center for Small Town Jewish Life in Maine. They explored the shock of the October 7 attacks, the long-term structural change…

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman is joined by Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, and Zvika Krieger, former director of responsible innovation at Meta discuss their recent essays in SAPIR’s Technology issue and explore how the virality of unsubstantiated information on social media is impacting perspe…

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman hosted a conversation about the conflict over free speech on college campuses with Nadine Strossen, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), and Ilya Shapiro, the director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute. Strossen and Kenneth S. Stern co-authored “SJP …

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman was joined by Einat Wilf, former member of the Israeli Knesset for the Labor Party, and Michael Koplow, chief policy officer of the Israel Policy Forum (IPF). They discussed the short- and long-term impacts and implications of the October 7 attacks on Israeli and American conceptions of Zionism.…

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman is joined by Rabbi David Wolpe, visiting scholar at Harvard Divinity School and the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, and Dr. Mijal Bitton, a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute and rosh kehillah at the Downtown Minyan in New York City. They discuss their recent SAPIR essays…

SAPIR Institute Director Chanan Weissman interviewed Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, and Joel Rubin, a longtime leader in progressive foreign policy and Jewish communities about "The Israel–Hamas War and the Future of American Progressive Coalitions." They discussed the challenges and complexities of navigating progressive…

Chanan Weissman, director of the SAPIR Institute, and Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, discuss Yehuda’s recent trip to Israel, the deep trauma facing Israelis and Jews in the Diaspora, and the ethical considerations of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas.

Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue, and Rachel Fish, co-founder ofthe nonprofit Boundless, discuss the geopolitical impact of the war in Israel, the implications for the American Jewish community, and our collectiveresponsibilities during this crisis and beyond. This Conversation is presented in partnershi…

As the war in Israel continues, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens is joined by SAPIR author Reuel Marc Gerecht, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to discuss and contextualize Hamas' attacks with developments in the broader region, offering a perspective on the consequences of Iran's aggression and sponsorship of terrorism. The…

SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Jonathan Greenblatt and James Kirchick, authors of “Complicit: Big Tech and Antisemitism" and "Censorship Is Not a Jewish Value"

SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Dahlia Lithwick and Avi Schick, authors of "Between Charlottesville and Jerusalem" and "New York’s New Untouchables"

Director of the SAPIR Institute Chanan Weissman interviews Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens about SAPIR's Antisemitism issue, including his article, “Three Falsehoods About Antisemitism – and One Truth.”

Professor Avi Bell and the Israel Democracy Institute's Jesse Ferris discuss the complexities of judicial reform in Israel. Moderated by SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens.

Director of The SAPIR Institute Chanan Weissman interviews Rabbi Deborah Waxman, author of “Israel Is in Danger of Losing American Jewry”.

SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Daniel Gordis, author of "Israel Is Less Fragile Than We Feared, More Fragile Than We Imagine"

Daniella Greenbaum interviews SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens about the newest issue, Israel at 75 and his contribution on Israel as a world power.

SAPIR Associate Editor Felicia Herman interviews Rokhl Kafrissen, author of “ The Jewish Future Needs Yiddish ”

SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Allegra Goodman, author of “Judaism Without Borders, Diaspora Without Tears”

SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews John Podhoretz, author of “‘A Swinging Bunch of People’ No Longer”

In this episode, SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens interviews Rabbi David Wolpe, one of the contributors to SAPIR's new Ethics column, Shivim Panim, and author of "To Err is Human; To Disagree, Jewish" in our newest issue.

In this episode, SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens talks with Prof. Joshua Katz about his recent SAPIR article, The Culture of the Canceled

In this episode, SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens talks with commentator and novelist Lionel Shriver about her recent SAPIR article, Are the Good Guys Winning the Culture War?

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Michael Sandel to discuss his article on the Limits of Meritocracy

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Anshel Pfeffer to discuss his article on Jewish Life in Wartime Ukraine.

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Shuki Taylor and Ben Jacobs to discuss Jewish Education.

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Bethany Mandel to discuss her article on how Homeschooling Might Just Be Your Answer

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch to discuss his article on how Judaism and Zionism Are Inseparable

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Susie Linfield to discuss her article on Amnesty International’s Israel Problem.

In this episode of SAPIR: Journal of Jewish Conversations, Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens invites Rachel Fish to discuss her article on anti-Zionism in the academy and what we can do to fight back. Follow SAPIR Conversations so you'll never miss new episodes! You can also visit the "Conversations" page on our website to register for upcoming events …

Tune in to hear one of Britain's leading historians, Andrew Roberts, talk to Bret Stephens about the state of Europe and what his home country can learn from Israel. Read Roberts' piece in SAPIR here. Follow SAPIR Conversations so you'll never miss new episodes! You can also visit the "Conversations" page on our website to register for upcoming eve…

How do we ensure that Judaism is carried on from generation to generation? In his article for the third issue of SAPIR, Rabbi Cosgrove identified a path forward aimed at reinvigorating a searching American Jewry. “It is only by way of mitzvot, the positive acts of Jewish identification, the language and behaviors of the Jewish religion, that Judais…

In this fascinating conversation, Yossi Klein Halevi, Chloe Valdary, and Blake Flayton discuss the future of Zionism and the Jewish relationship with other communities. Follow SAPIR Conversations so you'll never miss new episodes! You can also visit the "Conversations" page on our website to register for upcoming events and sign up for our email ne…

In this especially timely discussion, Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former Iranian-targets officer in the Central Intelligence Agency and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies discusses his contribution to SAPIR, which examines how Iran’s path toward nuclear weapons might ultimately be stopped (and whether Israeli military action may…

Our guests take a deeper dive into their SAPIR contribution on reimagining a gap year program in Israel for every young Jew. Follow SAPIR Conversations so you'll never miss new episodes! You can also visit the "Conversations" page on our website to register for upcoming events and sign up for our email newsletter.…

Dara Horn and Bret Stephens discuss Horn’s contribution to our fourth issue – Dreams for Living Jews. Follow SAPIR Conversations so you'll never miss new episodes! You can also visit the "Conversations" page on our website to register for upcoming events and sign up for our email newsletter.