IN Jewish History

In this episode of "In Jewish History", Mark Lavie reflects on his career as a journalist and his life in Israel. Lavie discusses Israeli politics and culture, meeting various Israeli politicians, and his experience moving from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Israel as a young man.

In this episode of "In Jewish History", Lou Kaplan talks about the Jewish community in Whiting, Indiana, his family's life in Whiting after they came to the United States from Russia, his childhood, the Arbiter Ring (Workmen's Circle), and the future of Jewish Whiting today.

In this episode of "In Jewish History", Dr. Wendy Soltz, an Assistant Professor of History and the Director of the Public History Program at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, discusses the creation of the Indiana Synagogue Mapping Project, an interactive map featuring information about and images of Indiana synagogues from 1865 to 2015. Dr. Soltz talks about the research that went into the project, what surprised her about her research, and why the project is vital to understanding Jewish history in Indiana. You can explore the Indiana Synagogue Mapping Project by clicking on this link: https://synagogues.wendysoltz.com/#

In this episode of "In Jewish History", Benjamin Franz discusses Jewish Sephardic culture in Indiana, his family's role in the Jewish and kosher cuisine of the area, Hebrew National, and the people and events of Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation of Indianapolis.

In this episode, Daniel Schulman discusses his book, The Money Kings: The Epic Story of Jewish Immigrants Who Transformed Wall Street and Shaped Modern America. Focusing on the financial dynasties of Joseph Seligman, Solomon Loeb, and Marcus Goldman, Schulman talks about the journey of Kuhn & Loeb from Jewish immigrant peddler to shopkeeper to establishing the largest and most well-known investment banks in the world, which have roots in Lafayette, Indiana.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Shari Rabin, a scholar of modern Judaism and American religions and an Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and Religion at Oberlin College in Ohio discusses Jewish culture and gender roles in Judaism during westward expansion in the United States, which in turn, also expanded American Jewish life in Indiana.

In this episode, Sean Lutes talks about his valiant and undaunted efforts to preserve Jewish buildings in the city of Lafayette, Indiana. Tune in to learn about the problems facing historic buildings in Lafayette today, why Sean is passionate about his work, and what can be done in the future to preserve Jewish Lafayette.

In this episode, Brian Shapiro, the owner of Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis, recounts tales of his family's journey from Czarist Russia to Indiana, their dedication to providing delicious food for the Indianapolis community and beyond, and their relentless endeavors to keep Jewish traditions alive through food. Shapiros Deli is the last remnant of the once flourishing Jewish Immigrant Enclave on the South Side of Indianapolis and symbolizes a past era of Jewish Culinary Traditions.

Sidney Dunn. Executive VP Emeritus at Alpha Epsilon Pi discusses his time at the helm of the AEPI Jewish Fraternity and its story of rebounding after a period of decline and what this story can tell other Jewish Non-Profits about how understanding historical shifts and trends can help them recover in the Post-Pandemic landscape; Sidney also discusses his work with the Indianapolis Jewish Community in creating a new Synagogue Congregation Shaarey Tefilla and maintaining the Historic Jewish Cemetery on the South Side of Indianapolis.

Pictured AEPI House at Purdue University from Wikipedia

We join long-time Jewish community member and community organizer Robin Rich who discusses how she discovered a resilient, forward-thinking Jewish community in Gary, Indiana, while working in the Steel industry in Gary, Indiana. Robin also discusses different Jewish individuals who participated in various Labor Movements in Northwest Indiana. We also discuss the struggles that Gary, Indiana, has faced in the recent past and how it continues to address multiple issues of economic and racial inequality.

Jews, since the time of Jacob from the Biblical text, have been described as those who wrestle with the divine its in that vein that Scott Romer shares his story of covering boxing and wrestling matches and working as a photographer for both the local Indianapolis Jewish Community but also for significant figures around the world and discusses his time entering the ring himself for an unexpected boxing match. Scott also encounters a surprising number of other prominent Jewish contributors to the wrestling and boxing worlds during his career.

Over 20 years ago, Dr. David Silverstein was part of a groundbreaking documentary, "Trembling Before G-d," A film that describes itself as "about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews trying to reconcile their sexuality with their faith." On the Podcast, Dr. David Silverstein discusses his childhood in the 1960s and 1970s growing up in a tradition-oriented Jewish family in Gary, Indiana, in a time of large-scale transition that would soon close Temple Beth El of Gary, a Jewish community he cherished.

Pictured: The Doors to the Sanctuary of Temple Beth El in Gary, Indiana.

Rabbi Jonathan Stein, a former Rabbi at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, shares his memories of the Free Soviet Jewry Movement and what he brought with him on his trips to meet Soviet Jewish Refuseniks trapped inside the Iron Curtain. 

Small-town Jewish life is essential to understanding the Hoosier States Jewish Past. We meet Lee Shai Weissbach z”l, the foremost expert on small-town Jewish life and History in the Midwest and South, and discuss the pull factors that encouraged Jews to move to small American Towns. 

Few people make contributions that transcend generations and change the landscape of a Community Kurt Simon was one such person.

We sit down to talk to Kurt Simon's Biographer, Dr. Gabrielle Robinson, who elegantly writes about A legendary philanthropist who is little known outside of South Bend; Kurt Simon's acts of kindness and instrumental giving helped to make his adopted community of South Bend, Indiana, a better place for everyone. A Jewish German immigrant, Kurt Simon's heart was more significant than even his tremendous work ethic in Business.

Judith Endelman joins us on the Podcast to discuss historical research processes and memories of her seminal 1984 work on the History of the Jewish Community of Indianapolis.

Rabbi David Gerber joins us to discuss his time in Kokomo, Indiana, writing a History of the Jewish Community of Kokomo going back to its founding in 1942 as a student Rabbi working with Temple B'nai Israel and the local Prison population.

Listen to Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize winner in Economics, discuss growing up in Gary, Indiana, and his family's Jewish life. Joseph discusses what inspired his passion for Civil Rights and his thoughts about the economic futures of Rust Belt Cities like Gary, Indiana. 

Pictured: Temple Beth El in Gary, where Joseph Stiglitz attended Synagogue as a child.

Noted author Eric Kimmel shares his passion and inspiration as a Jewish writer, his experiences in Indiana, and exploring his Ukrainian Jewish Heritage. Eric wrote such beloved books as "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins."

In this episode of IN Jewish History, we have a guest whose service to the United States is incredible. Rear Adm Rabbi Harold Robinson was Rabbi of Temple Israel of Gary, Indiana, 1974-1977.

A true innovator and trailblazer, Rabbi Robinson was the first Rabbi and non-Protestant to serve as chair of the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces.

And as Director of JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, The first Siddur or Jewish Prayer book for US Military Personnel was Published and Distributed to our Armed Forces since World War Two. 

We are joined by Rabbi Dr. Gary Zola, Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives, as we discuss how some of Indiana's early Rabbis were trailblazers who shaped the future of American Judaism. 

Pictured Rabbi Bernhard Felsenthal 

Warren Rosenberg, Professor Emeritus from Wabash College, discusses what it was like being one of the few Jews in a small Indiana Town and how being a Professor at an All-Male College with few Jews informed many of his ideas about Jewish Masculinity and the role of the Jew in American pop culture.  

Michael speaks with William Lasser, author of "Benjamin V. Cohen: Architect of the New Deal" We learn how a shy genius from Muncie, Indiana, shaped World History and Legal Policy with legislation that still shapes our lives. 

Caitlin and Alex from The Shapell Roster Project discuss discoveries about Indiana's Jewish Service Members in the US Civil War. 

Professor Carl Zimring, an Environmental Historian from the Pratt Institute and the author of Cash for Your Trash: Scrap Recycling in America (Rutgers University Press, 2005), discusses how Scrap Metal is an integral part of the American Jewish Experience. And why Scrape Metal was so important to Jews in Indiana. 

Historian Dr. Rabbi Lance Sussman was a three-year Rabbinic student who served the Jewish Community of Richmond Indiana almost 40 years ago.

Rabbi Sussman published a History of the community with the Indiana Jewish Historical Society in 1981 called "The Emergence of a Jewish Community in Richmond, Indiana."

We talk about the uniqueness of Of Temple Beth Boruk in Richmond Indiana where Rabbi Sussman served as Student Rabbi and how it differs from other Jewish communities of similar size in Indiana. We discuss how small communities such as Richmond Indiana can be a great launching pad for future Rabbinic carriers. 

Dr. Susan Hyatt, the Chair of Anthropology at IUPUI, discusses how marginalized groups of African Americans and Sephardic Jews bonded in Indianapolis. The two communities were dispersed after the South Side of Indianapolis was torn down to make way for a highway system. To save the History of this unique integrated community, Dr. Hyatt discusses how she learned about its History. And how she worked with both the Jewish Community and African American Communities to preserve their history and legacy.

Funding Support for the IN-Jewish History Podcast came from the Leonard & Marion Freeman Charitable Fund.

On the occasion of her lifetime membership to the Indiana Jewish Historical Society, Judy Weitzman discusses growing up in the greater Lafayette area discussing her family's early contributions to Purdue University and her time becoming a board member of Purdue Hillel when the organization was in a time of transition.

Funding Support for the IN-Jewish History Podcast came from the Leonard & Marion Freeman Charitable Fund.

Peter Plotke speaks of his father, Frank Plotke, a Rabbi who fled from Nazi Germany, and discusses how his family was rescued from the Holocaust.

After a few different American Pulpets, Peter Plotke's family finally settled in Hammond. Later, Peter went to Indiana University, where he was one of the founding members of the AEPI Jewish Fraternity at IU. 

Funding Support for the IN-Jewish History Podcast came from the Leonard & Marion Freeman Charitable Fund.

In our first episode, we go on a historical journey with Dr. Hasia Diner Paul, And Sylvia Steinberg, Professor of American Jewish History at NYU. Who joins us to speak about the Jewish Peddlers who changed how Americans shopped. Then, going a little deeper, we learn about how a Jewish Peddler from Bavaria named Adam Gimbel started a retail empire from his first shop In Vincennes, Indiana. Finally, we find out how Jewish Peddlars positively shaped the way Non-Jews perceived Jews across the US and ultimately shaped the destinies of Jewish immigrants to follow. 

Funding Support for the IN-Jewish History Podcast came from the Leonard & Marion Freeman Charitable Fund.