Search for Daas
by Tyler Godoff
Search for Daas calls on great minds from the Jewish tradition to unlock meaningful lessons, explore challenging ideas and reveal personal journeys.
Podcast episodes
Ben Marchette - CEO of an organization transforming how at-risk youth are educated and supported
Meet Ben Marchette, CEO of ImpactIsrael. Ben has dedicated his career to leading organizations that support the civic foundations of Israel. As CEO of ImpactIsrael, Ben mobilizes American supporters to support Yemin Orde Youth Village and Village Way Educational Initiatives. Yemin Orde Youth Village, established in 1953, serves as a sanctuary and educational center for at-risk and immigrant youth in Israel. Under the leadership of Dr. Chaim Peri, the village developed the "Village Way" educational methodology. This holistic approach focuses on creating a supportive community that addresses the unique needs of at-risk youth, emphasizing the importance of cultural identity, education, and personal development. Today, Yemin Orde continues to provide a nurturing environment for hundreds of young people, offering individualized therapeutic care, academic support, and a sense of community. Its enduring mission is to empower these youth to overcome their past adversities and become productive, confident members of society. Outro music: Star Wars Theme Song - John Williams
Judge Roy K. Altman - Federal judge on standing up for the Jewish people and Western civilization
Meet Judge Roy K. Altman, a U.S. District Court judge in the Southern District of Florida. Judge Altman was born in Caracas, Venezuela and immigrated with his family to Miami. After growing up in Miami, he graduated from Columbia University where he quarterbacked the football team and pitched on the baseball team. Following Columbia, Judge Altman went on to study at Yale Law where he served as Projects Editor for the Yale Law Journal. After Yale, Judge Altman went on to serve as a federal prosecutor, twice receiving the Director of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys’ Award for Superior Performance. After several years as a partner in a law firm, on April 4, 2019, Judge Altman was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. At 36 years old, Judge Altman became the youngest federal district court judge in the country and the youngest federal judge ever appointed in the Southern District of Florida. In my opinion, you are about to meet a generational mind. Born in 1982, Judge Altman is technically a millennial. Forget millennials, few Boomers or Gen Xers have reached the heights Judge Altman has obtained. To put it into context, in the United States, there are 1.35 million lawyers, and 30,000 of them are judges. Of that 30,000, only 870 are Article III judges. This means that after graduating law school, a lawyer has a 0.064% chance of becoming an Article III judge. It isn’t an overstatement to say that Judge Altman is one of the most accomplished individuals in America. But this achievement isn’t what is most impressive about him. What makes Judge Altman outstanding is his moral leadership. An example of his moral leadership is highlighted in a recent article in Bloomberg. In my view, Judge Altman is setting the type of example Americans should follow. He is pursuing an honest and fact-based discussion about the conflict while refusing to cower to the mob of moral relativism. When I think about Judge Altman and his actions after October 7, I recall a quote from the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks as he analyzed Esther’s plea: “How can I stand and watch disaster befall my people?” To this, Rabbi Sacks said, “To be moral is to live with and for others, sharing their responsibility, participating in their suffering, protesting their wrongs, arguing their cause.” Thankfully, because of Judge Altman, we have one of the great legal minds of the 21st century arguing the cause of Israel, the Jewish people, and all of Western civilization.
Ran Bar-Yoshafat - IDF special forces reservist on what is at stake
Meet Ran Bar-Yoshafat, the deputy director of the Kohelet Policy Forum and an IDF special forces reservist. I reached out to Ran after learning about his experience speaking at UC Berkeley. On February 26, Ran was scheduled to speak on campus about his experience fighting in Gaza and the role of international law and the rules of wartime conduct. What transpired, even before he spoke, was a riot. 200 protesters stormed the venue, breaking glass at the entrance and forcing students and Ran to evacuate through a tunnel under police protection. When asked about the rioters’ expressions of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, Ran said, “it is a much bigger problem than a Jewish or Israeli problem. It’s the collapse of Western civilization.” Let us not forget - Israel is at war. It is fighting a terrorist regime that has the explicit goal of eliminating Israel and the Jewish people. In an interview after the attacks of October 7th, Ghazi Hamad, a top Hamas official said the Oct. 7 bloodletting is “just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth, because we have the determination, the resolve and the capabilities to fight. We will do this again and again.” Ran is well aware of what is at stake and he is putting his life on the line to protect not only his nation but also the values and interests of the Western world. Many in the west are failing or flat out refusing to take the words of Iran and its proxies at face value. At this current moment, the words of Natan Sharansky come to mind: “Over the years, I have come to understand a critical difference between the world of fear and the world of freedom. In the former, the primary challenge is finding the strength to confront evil. In the latter, the primary challenge is finding the moral clarity to see evil.” Natan Sharansky’s quote helps put into context our conversation with Ran. As you will soon hear, Ran has the immense task of confronting evil. Here in the west, at this moment at least, all we are being asked to do is obtain the moral clarity to see the evil embodied by Hamas? We are meeting Ran today because few media outlets have chosen to amplify the voices of IDF soldiers. I encourage us all to listen to Ran and think deeply about his perspective and why he has chosen to fight for Israel’s right to fight.
Dani Menkin - Filmmaker on the Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis
Meet Dani Menkin, an American-Israeli film producer who lives in LA in the process of creating a documentary about the synagogue hostage crisis that took place in North Texas in 2022. Dani has won over 30 awards for his films including an Israeli Academy Award for '39 Pounds of Love' and 'Is That You? In addition, Dani created the film production company 'Hey Jude Productions' and a non-profit dedicated to producing heart-warming stories. I asked Dani to join us for a few reasons. The first is to better understand what transpired in North Texas on January 15, 2022. Like most news stories, this hostage situation was gone from most Americans’ conscience within days. But thanks to Dani and his filmmaking skills, we will all soon be intimately familiar with this event and the Islamic extremism that shaped its circumstances and the brave souls who faced down evil and triumphed. The second reason is because film is such a powerful medium to convey messages. As you will soon hear, Dani doesn’t create films to convey specific messages, however, through his vivid storytelling, viewers gain an understanding of the thinking and emotions that drive us all. The last reason is because Dani is a proud Israeli. At this moment in our history, as the mainstream media paints Israel and Israelis as villains, it is critical we elevate and amplify the voices of those who know Israel so well. This episode begins with the audio from the trailer for Dani’s documentary, Colleyville. After the trailer finishes, you will find my conversation with Dani. If Colleyville is a project you are interested in supporting, please reach out to me or Dani. I know Dani would appreciate your support in launching this important project. Colleyville trailer: https://vimeo.com/858969151 Dani's production company: https://www.heyjudeproductions.com/
David Bernstein - Liberal who identified the flaws of progressive ideology
Meet David Bernstein, the founder and CEO of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values (JILV). JILV helps Jewish organizations and individuals hold constructive conversations about critical social justice. David is the past President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and former executive director of the David Project. David is also the author of the book “Woke Antisemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews.” As many listeners know, since 2014 I have been concerned about progressive thought and the negative impact it is having on our sense making institutions. Pointing out flaws of this school of thought pre 10/7 was difficult. Criticism of social justice theory, diversity equity and inclusion and indigenous land recognition was oftentimes met with accusations of racism and hate. However, since 10/7 it has become easier. The reaction progressives had to the horrors Hamas unleashed on the Jewish people have awoken American liberals. As a result, many liberals are starting to understand the negative implications of progressive ideology. As you will soon hear, David is a liberal who has been thinking about this ideology for way longer than I have...and he has the scars to prove it. I respect David for the decades he has spent attempting to educate the liberal world of the harms progressive ideology presents. When I look at David's career, I think of the quote from John Ruskin: “The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something and tell what it saw in a plain way. Hundreds of people can talk for one who can think, but thousands can think for one who can see. To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion, all in one.” In this episode we cover... The difference between liberals and progressives The reasons why liberals went along with progressive thought for so long Why the current social justice movement isn't an extension of Martin Luther King's civil rights movement What is the best path forward with regards to DEI Why the Jewish people returning to their ancestral homeland doesn't meet the criteria of progressives who promote indigenous groups reclaiming their land. David's views on Israel's war against Hamas and the concept just war theory The difference between antisemitism on the left and right and which form David believes is the greatest threat And finally, how best to speak to liberals about why progressive thought is a threat to the American Jewish community