Rephonic
Artwork for Identity/Crisis
Israel
Jewish Identity
Zionism
Anti-Semitism
Shalom Hartman Institute
Judaism
Hamas
Jewish Community
Antisemitism
Leadership
American Judaism
Liberalism
Political Polarization
Gaza
Anti-Zionism
Holocaust
American Jewry
Passover
October 7 Attacks
J Street

In a frenzied media cycle, Identity/Crisis creates better conversations about the issues facing contemporary Jewish life. Host Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, talks with leading thinkers to unpack current events affecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter most to you. JOIN... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes319Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
JudaismNewsNews CommentaryReligion & Spirituality

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Identity/Crisis

Latest Episodes

At a time of rising political fear and social distrust, how can kindness become more than a private virtue?

For this special episode, recorded live in San Francisco last month, Yehuda Kurtzer delivered the Hartman Institute’s inaugural Dan Rubin Mem... more

As debates over Israel reshape Jewish communal life, who gets

included in the conversation and who gets pushed outside the tent?

Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with John Ruskay, executive vice president

emeritus of the UJA-Federation of New York, to discu... more

YouTube

In an age of rising hate speech, can liberalism protect the Jews?

Yehuda Kurtzer and historian James Loeffler explore why antisemitism has remained a persistent feature of American life, even during periods when Jews appeared more secure and accepte... more

YouTube

With Israel's elections just weeks away, what

vision for the country's future will ultimately prevail?

In this episode, the third installment of our Israel/Today mini-series, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with Israeli journalist Tamar Ish-Shalom. They exami... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's SakeShalom Hartman Institute, Ark Media
A Mandatory Listen
A Mandatory ListenThe Times of Israel
Ask Haviv Anything
Ask Haviv AnythingHaviv Rettig Gur

Recent Guests

John Ruskay
Executive vice president emeritus of UJA-Federation of New York and Jewish educator
UJA-Federation of New York
Episode: J Street’s Place in the Jewish Tent – with John Ruskay
James Loeffler
Historian and Felix Posen Professor of Jewish History at Johns Hopkins University.
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Why America Protects Hate Speech – with James Loeffler
Tamar Ish-Shalom
Israeli journalist and news anchor, former Channel 10 and Channel 13 anchor, and senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute.
Jewish People Policy Institute
Episode: Israel/Today: Israel’s Elections, Netanyahu’s Shadow – with Tamar Ish-Shalom
Yossi Klein Halevi
Prominent Israeli journalist and thinker
Shalom Hartman Institute (guest on episode)
Episode: Israel/Today: How October 7 Changed the Jewish Story – with Yossi Klein Halevi
Dahlia Scheindlin
Public opinion expert, political scientist and political consultant
Haaretz (English edition)
Episode: Israel/Today: The Politics of Settler Violence — with Dahlia Scheindlin
Avi Helfand
Professor at Pepperdine Law School; affiliated with Orthodox Union and related coalitions
Pepperdine University; Yale University (affiliation); Orthodox Union
Episode: Jewish Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court – with Michael Avi Helfand
Judith Rosenbaum
CEO of Jewish Women's Archive, public historian
Jewish Women's Archive
Episode: Feminism, Jews, and the Legacy of Gloria Steinem—with Judith Rosenbaum
Noa Kushner
Rabbi, founding rabbi of The Kitchen in San Francisco
The Kitchen, San Francisco
Episode: Don't Believe in God? Try It Anyway – with Noa Kushner
Dara Horn
Cookbook author and writer discussing anti-Semitism and her latest book
Episode: Where Criticism Ends and Antisemitism Begins — with Dara Horn

Host

Yehuda Kurtzer
Host focused on guiding nuanced discussions on Jewish life and politics.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 328 ratings
  • Important context needed

    In the show with Dahlia Scheindlin, you really should give the critically important context that Palestinians rejected states offered in 1937, 1947, 1967, 2000, 2001, 2008, and 2020.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    DBCUS
    United Statesa month ago
  • Most measured, serious Jewish podcast

    'Measured' conveys highest praise for a podcast that aims to thread the needle, to hew to an ethical standard worthy of Jewish tradition. Among so many jingoist, self-satisfied, oddly childish and self-soothing Jewish podcasts, so simplistic (and patronizing to listeners), I appreciate Kurtzer and guests' integrity and serious confrontation with the corruption around us and within. Thanks for the thoughtful discussion.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    neworleansditty
    United States5 months ago
  • Please stop with the divisive domestic politics

    Lowered my review based on the most recent episode about US domestic immigration policy. This topic is obsessively covered by the MSM and other liberal podcasts. I don’t need to hear more of the same but from a “Jewish” perspective. I subscribe to this podcast to hear subjects that I don’t hear anywhere else—this ain’t it. As a community we need to stop trying to universalize everything if we want to see the next generation of American Jews live proudly and freely as Jews. Also, framing the immi... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    CuckerQatarlson
    United States8 months ago
  • not good

    Responding to a recent episode which I endured, called "America Betrays the Stranger"… while I happen to disagree with the esteemed podcasters on the central issue (I mean, why is every other country on the planet free to enforce their borders but not America?), that is not the real problem here… the real problem is telling people how they should be thinking on a given subject based on their ethnicity. If you are someone who thinks a Jew needs to hold this or that political opinion based on the ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    DareBoBear
    United States9 months ago
  • Interesting discussions.

    Mostly an interesting podcast with well thought out debate. I do question a lot what you say about genocide. If decades of oppression and bias, and then such extreme cruelty and killing was done to Jewish people, you would speak so differently. it doesn't diminish the horror of the terrorism against the Jewish people, to say that what has been done to the Palestinians is categorically wrong. The extreme and inhuman violence done to them is on an incomparable scale. If the positions were reversed... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    3.Elena
    United Kingdom9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Offers deep dives into Jewish life without dogmatic takes.
listener feedback often highlights quality guest intellect and moderation.
Thoughtful, serious discussions with strong guest lineups.
Balances rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling.
Engaging, civil debates that stay humane and constructive.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

J Street’s Place in the Jewish Tent – with John Ruskay
Q: Does that concern you at all? Does it interest you at all? Or do you think that we're like losing the plot on this story?
Ruskay says he is less focused on an advocacy contest between J Street and AIPAC than on making room for debate and Israel education. He believes people should be able to examine different views and develop their own commitments.
J Street’s Place in the Jewish Tent – with John Ruskay
Q: What initiated it for me and some others was hearing that J Street was actually having difficulty having access to a range of national Hillel gatherings, including many local campus-based Hillels.
Ruskay joined the advisory effort because he believed J Street's perspectives should be present in campus and communal discussions. He hopes that broader participation will help Jews debate Israel and feel there is a place for them in Jewish life.
Why America Protects Hate Speech – with James Loeffler
Q: What do you think we should be watching for in these upcoming midterms which are so consequential in America?
Loeffler says to consider candidates' overall values and commitments, including their commitment to civil rights, and whether they can distinguish offensive speech from evidence that a candidate rejects liberal principles.
Why America Protects Hate Speech – with James Loeffler
Q: How does how we understand the last 100 years inform how we're going to think about antisemitism right now?
Loeffler argues that antisemitism did not simply disappear during an American Jewish Golden Age. It has persisted in different forms and is activated by changing disputes over identity, race, religion, and belonging.
Israel/Today: Israel’s Elections, Netanyahu’s Shadow – with Tamar Ish-Shalom
Q: Can you unpack that a little bit? Because even the very notion of everybody is against us is its own form of a conspiracy theory, and like as it goes.
Ish-Shalom describes theories that officials inside the military and security services withheld warnings to damage Netanyahu politically. She says political promotion, social media, and the psychological difficulty of accepting the October 7 failure help explain their spread.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Identity/Crisis

What is Identity/Crisis about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program explores contemporary Jewish life through thoughtful, often provocative conversations with scholars, authors, and cultural leaders. Across episodes, topics span religious liberty, feminism and Jewish identity, antisemitism, Zionism, Israeli society, Jewish literature and food, education, philanthropy, and the role of culture in public life. The approach tends to blend historical context with current events, emphasizing pluralism, civil discourse, and practical implications for communities, institutions, and policy. A notable strength is hosting a diverse slate of guests—from legal scholars to chefs to journalists—while maintaining a steady throughline of shared humanity and democracy-centered values. Potential listeners will li... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Identity/Crisis?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Identity/Crisis. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Identity/Crisis and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Identity/Crisis get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Identity/Crisis, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Identity/Crisis?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Identity/Crisis, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Identity/Crisis have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Identity/Crisis has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Identity/Crisis?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Identity/Crisis:

1. For Heaven's Sake
2. A Mandatory Listen
3. Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam
4. The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
5. Ask Haviv Anything

How many episodes of Identity/Crisis are there?

Identity/Crisis launched 7 years ago and published 319 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Identity/Crisis?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Identity/Crisis?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Identity/Crisis from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Identity/Crisis?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Identity/Crisis. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Identity/Crisis?

Recent guests on Identity/Crisis include:

1. John Ruskay
2. James Loeffler
3. Tamar Ish-Shalom
4. Yossi Klein Halevi
5. Dahlia Scheindlin
6. Avi Helfand
7. Judith Rosenbaum
8. Noa Kushner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days