Remember What's Next

Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie jump back on for a special episode discussion the game changing events of this last weekend as Iran fires directly on Israel, and how this relates to our history and the 3337th Seder that the Jewish people are about to partake in.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

What happens if God forbid Israel loses, and Hamas achieves its aims and wipes it out? What are the broader global implications of a Middle East with no Israel? Understanding this is key to understanding what is happening right now in that region and around the world.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

When we talk about Radical Islam what do we mean? In this episode we are trying to define our terms and understand some of the history of the Middle East, Hamas and Israel and what the west and the rest of the world mean when they use these terms.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

As the war continues on for more than 140 days, the tensions between the religious world and the secular in Israel are beginning to show up again, this time over the long history of who should serve in the army and all that entails.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

When we say we want peace what does that mean? A ceasefire? Unicorns and rainbows? A tenuous pause or a lasting connection? In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie discover what is the true meaning of peace from a Jewish perspective and what are the chances of "peace in the Middle East" now?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Redeeming captives and hostages is not a new task in the annals of Jewish history. This discussion talks about what is a hostage vs a prisoner, what are some of the Jewish laws around negotiating for hostages release, and what is our history of getting them back and how does this help us understand what is happening today with over 102 hostages still in captivity in Gaza?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

What is the history of colonization in the Middle East? Are the Arabs indigenous to the Middle East? Are the Jews? Join us as we trace back the more than 3000 years of colonization, empire building and settlement in the cradle of civilization.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

From biblical to modern times what is the history of war in Israel? Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass discuss the purpose of war Jewishly and what is it about Jewish ideology that makes us different when it comes to warfare?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

This week Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing the Jewish history and perspective on war and peace, the history of the UN and how Judeo-Christian values were the foundation stone upon which the rules of engagement were created.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

What is the war of Gog and Mgog? What is the Ishmaelite Exile? How does the question of what is truth relate to what is happening today and historically for the world and the Jewish people? This is Part 2 of the End of Days - Rabbi Spiro gives us a new/old way of looking at what is happening right now in terms of prophecy, history and Jewish theology. What is this unique time in history that we are a part of right now and how can we begin to understand it in the long arc of the Jewish story? Go back and listen to the episode before this to get the context of this topic in full.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Rabbi Spiro gives us a new/old way of looking at what is happening right now in terms of prophecy, history and Jewish theology. What is this unique time in history that we are a part of right now and how can we begin to understand it in the long arc of the Jewish story?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

There is something trending on TikTok right now called JQ, The Jewish Question is a deeply laden paradigm that is both antisemitic and also goes to heart of how we understand ourselves as Jewish people, our mission and what is going on right now in the Middle East and around the world.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

This week Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are confronting some of the myths and facts surrounding the war with Hamas and in the media and on campuses around the world. Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now, some of the history and reasons behind it, what we can understand about the world and what’s coming based on history and how to help. See below in the liner notes for links mentioned in the episode.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Live from Jerusalem with Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass this episode is an insider view and an overview of what is going on in Israel right now, some of the history and reasons behind it, what we can understand about the world and what’s coming based on history and how to help. See below in the liner notes for links mentioned in the episode.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

The finishing sweeping look as we finish this series on how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time and we are now in Part 4 where we ask where we go from here, what is the purpose of the Jewish people and are we in survival mode forever or do we need to turn to a new sense of self and purpose. What is our Jewish hero story?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

We are rounding out this series of discussion on how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time and we are now in Part 3 where we begin from the ashes of the Shoah and see where we are now and how we got here.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

In this episode Rabbi Spiro begins to lead us along the timeline of how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time from just before the beginning of World War 2 until the end of the Shoah. This is Part 2 please go back and listen to Part 1 to follow along this journey.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

In this episode Rabbi Spiro begins to lead us along the timeline of how the Orthodox Jewish world developed over time from the end of the First Temple until the present. This is Part 1.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Season 3 Episode 1: Welcome back as we delve into our most challenging season yet, as we tackle the thorny issues of divisiveness and diversity in Jewish history and in the contemporary world. In this episode we start out with why is unity important to the Jewish mission and what are we missing? 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing the upcoming fast day Tisha B'Av and it's reason for being, what we can learn about ourselves from suffering and how this fast day calls on us to return to some of our deepest core values as Jews. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

In this episode Rabbi Spiro is discussing what the Oral Torah is, where it came from, the history of it from Mishna to Gemara to Talmud and onwards and how we relate to it today.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S2 Ep10: In this episode Rabbi Spiro gives us a tour of Tanach and how each text was transmitted, copied, preserved and shared throughout the centuries. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Happy Birthday Rabbi Spiro! He wanted to have conversation about Judaism, Particularism and Universality. Enjoy!

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

Rabbi Ken Spiro is taking us through the history of some of the most charged and misunderstood words in our language today. Where did these words come from historically, and are they being used in an appropriate manner today that really allows us to accurately diagnose some of the worlds worst ills? 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

As Ukraine continues to be under siege and over 2 million people are now fleeing, including the 5th largest Jewish population of Jewish people in the world, Rabbi Spiro takes us through the very long, and very complex, history of the Jews in Ukraine. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S2 Ep5: Take a trip through the history of Jaffo, one of the oldest port cities in the world, and it's neighbouring wonder Tel Aviv which in just over 100 years has gone from barren waste to one of the most coveted real estate markets in the world as well as become the Tech hub of the Middle East. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S2 Ep4: This week we are "travelling" to Tiberius, the ancient Israelite city with a Roman name. At once an ancient site and now modern vacation hub it is filled with beautiful scenery, winding roads and many burial sites of some of our most well-respected Jewish sages of history. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S1 Ep 3: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie give a historic rundown of Chanukah and where the holidays actually comes from.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S2 Ep 2: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are "travelling" to Hebron/Hevron to unpack why this city is so important to our Jewish history and so bloody in it's past. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

This week we Rabbi Ken Spiro is giving us a guided tour through the history of Jerusalem and why it matters to us. 

S1 Ep 22: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing a push by antisemitic groups to have local governments in the US make resolutions stating that their police force is racist and violent because they trained with the IDF. This has passed in Durham NC, Seattle and it's on the way to several other US cities. We are looking into what is the history and halacha of Jewish rules of engagement in war, what is a moral army and what is the history of how Jewish soldiers are allowed to act, train and carry out missions.

Please refer to the work of Katheryn Wolf and her article about fighting this https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/the-screamers

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S1 Ep 21: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are discussing the recent "boycott" by Ben and Jerry's in Israel, and how we as Jews are called on to respond when people attack us. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S1 Ep 20: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are dissecting the birth of the word “antisemitism” and how only 75 years ago, the racial and scientific dialogue of the age, and well-devised language and marketing, crafted a new and dangerous justification for hatred that ultimately ended up purposefully wiping out ⅔ of the European Jewish world, and ⅓ of all Jews worldwide in full view of civilized humanity.

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

S1 Ep19: In this episode Rabbi Spiro and Ellie drill down into the ancient history of Jew-Hatred, its forms, purpose and ultimately how it morphs through the ages but remains the same. 

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

We are returning to our journey to understand the history of our people, this week we are learning more about what is a Mizrachi Jew, where did they come from, how are we all related (more than we all think!) and how do we understand the Jewish people as a whole when we all look so different? 

S1 Ep 18: This week Rabbi Spiro and Ellie are dissecting the various historical revisionist narratives that are out there surrounding Israel and the Jewish people. 

Why is Jerusalem still the capital of Israel? Rabbi Ken Spiro takes us on a whirlwind tour of the history of Jerusalem.

This week we Rabbi Ken Spiro is talking about Lag B'Omer and the Bar Kochba Revolution as it relates to this holiday.

This week we Rabbi Ken Spiro is taking us on an adventure to Russia, as one of his specialties in history and research he is giving us the on one foot version of Russian Jewry and it’s impact on the world.

Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass discuss the history of the Ashkenazi lineage of the Jewish people. Who are they and where did they come from?

Want more history? Go back and listen to this series from the beginning, as Winston Churchill once said “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” so we are going all the way back, so we can understand what is happening now and plan for the future.

We are talking about what it means to be a leader through a Jewish lens and looking back at Jewish history to see who is the role model of a great leader and who isn't. 

In this episode Rabbi Ken Spiro and Ellie Bass are discussing the landscape of anti-semitic and anti-zionist rhetoric on social media today, and how Jewish history is essential to understanding the multi-layered aspects of this ancient hatred and modern version of it.