Reclaiming the Jewish Story - with Sarah Hurwitz

2025-09-08

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Support Birthright Israel: https://birthrightisrael.foundation/callmebackTo register for Wednesday’s (09/10) Streicker Center event featuring Sarah Hurwitz, Dara Horn, Abigail Pogrebin, and Dan Senor: streicker.nyc/events/hurwitzTo order As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story From Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us: sarahhurwitz.net/books/as-a-jewSubscribe to Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.orgYou can listen to more from Sarah Hurwitz on the Hartman's Institute's Identity Crisis podcast here: ht...

Support Birthright Israel: https://birthrightisrael.foundation/callmeback

To register for Wednesday’s (09/10) Streicker Center event featuring Sarah Hurwitz, Dara Horn, Abigail Pogrebin, and Dan Senor: streicker.nyc/events/hurwitz

To order As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story From Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us: sarahhurwitz.net/books/as-a-jew

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org

You can listen to more from Sarah Hurwitz on the Hartman's Institute's Identity Crisis podcast here: https://link.chtbl.com/Identity-Crisis-CMB

Gift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/gifts

Subscribe to Amit Segal’s newsletter ‘It’s Noon in Israel’: arkmedia.org/amitsegal/

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To order Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdn

Today’s Episode:

On today’s episode we are joined by Sarah Hurwitz, author of the new book As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story From Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. It is an urgent exploration of how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity and how Jews can reclaim their tradition. Sarah was a senior speechwriter in the White House under President Obama, including as Chief Speechwriter for Michelle Obama from 2010-2017.

(00:00) Introduction

(05:30) How American Jews identify with Judaism

(08:35) Sarah’s Jewish journey

(11:36) Why “cultural Judaism” isn’t enough

(13:00) What prompted Sarah to write As a Jew

(18:00) The phenomenon of antizionist Jews

(25:12) Blaming Jews for antisemitism

(29:00) Normalizing Israeli history

(33:08) How Jewish kids will experience Israel

(38:47) Antisemitism on the Right

(40:35) Using Jewish wisdom in modern American life

CREDITS: