The Jewish Diasporist

by Ben, Jordan and Zach

Join us as we explore the political, cultural and social implications of life in diaspora. We wander across a variety of topics, grounding a socialist diasporist perspective through conversations with social movement organizers and scholars from around the world. While primarily focused on the Jewish world, we dialogue with people from non-Jewish communities which share the experience of diaspora and exile and situate Jewish ... 

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Podcast episodes

  • Exploring Afro-Igbo-Jewish roots w/ Kofi Robinson

    Exploring Afro-Igbo-Jewish roots w/ Kofi Robinson

    This week Zach and Ben are joined by Kofi, who recently took part in the Black Jewish Liberation Collective’s (BJLC) “Teshuvah Across Waters,” the inaugural cohort of a sustained solidarity and education project in relationship to the Hebrew Ibo community in Nigeria. In our conversation we explored a variety of topics. Kofi's experiences as a Jew by choice, the Afro-Jewish reality of being part of both African and Jewish diasporas, Ibo Jewish communties' relationship to hegemonic Jewishness (Zionism, Orthodoxy and Ashkenormativity) and much more. This episode is in direct dialogue with Rafael Shimunov's recent interview with one of the organizer's of the trip, Rabbi Dr. Koach Frazier and two other participants. Check out Beyond the Pale's Episode on the BJLC's Teshuvah Across Waters to learn more about this powerful heritage trip. Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube Follow us on Instagram If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Thank you to Dan Nichol's for continuing to allow us to use his music!

  • WUJS Conference: A Diasporist Retrospective

    WUJS Conference: A Diasporist Retrospective

    The World Union of Jewish Students hosts its annual congress over the new year. Zach retells Ben his experiences from the 2023/24 conference in Prague. They chat about the participants, location, events, conference, and why and how Jewish student diasporists should engage with Jewish student unions at the local, national, regional and global level. Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube Follow us on Instagram If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

  • Grounding our Critique w/ Becca Explains the Occupation

    Grounding our Critique w/ Becca Explains the Occupation

    Becca Strober joins Ben & Zach to speak about her educational organizing and activism as an American-Israeli, both online and on the ground. We speak about the Jerusalemite identity, diverse semantic labels, productive engagement with those who disagree with us, and a road forward for Israelis and the movement for Palestinian liberation. Check out Becca's work on Instagram and her podcast! Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube Follow us on Instagram If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!

  • Building the Bund: The Provisional Steering Committee

    Building the Bund: The Provisional Steering Committee

    Ben & Zach are joined by Hallie Appel and Maddan Eisenberg. Together, they discuss their organising efforts as the Provisional Steering Committee of the International Jewish Labor Bund. If you interested in getting involved, click HERE Support the Rayyan Family Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube Follow us on Instagram If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Big thank you to Isabel Frey for her beautiful rendition of Di Shvue!

  • Oy Vey! (Amsterdam): A New Jewish Manifesto

    Oy Vey! (Amsterdam): A New Jewish Manifesto

    Although recent news has led some to portray Amsterdam (and Diaspora more broadly) as inhospitable for Jewish life, it is home to a thriving Jewish community that has been charting a path toward a diasporist Jewish Future. Ben and Zach are joined by Jelle and Tori, two organizers of Oy Vey, an outward-facing, radically inclusive and unapologetically Jewish hub in Amsterdam. Drawing on hundreds of conversations with community members and Amsterdam's wider Jewish community, they have created A New Jewish Manifesto which seeks to provide a positive vision for Jewish life in Diaspora. This timely text is being launched in multiple languages at the Jewish Manifestival, a hybrid event on Thursday November 21 starting at 7:00pm (GMT +1). In this conversation, Jelle and Tori explore the work of Oy Vey, and guide us through the social and institutional context it has been built in. Alongside many other insights, they provide perspectives on the constructive relationship they have with the many other Jewish communities in the city. Subscribe to our collaborative YouTube Follow us on Instagram If you like the work we're doing here, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Big thank you to Aly Halpert for continuing to allow us to use her music!