JTS Torah Commentary

Expanding the Conversation: Dahlia Scheindlin

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program | Public Event audio

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, political strategist and public opinion expert Dr. Dalia Scheindlin explores the urgent challenges facing Israel today. Recorded live at the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Israel at a Crossroads convening, this talk examines three major dilemmas: the war in Gaza and the West Bank, the future of Israeli politics under Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the country’s deepening democratic crisis. Scheindlin discusses possible outcomes—from continued occupation and political stagnation to regional diplomacy, political change, and constitutional reform.

Expanding the Conversation: Raquel Ukeles

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What role can a library play in a time of national crisis?

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Director of Collections at the National Library of Israel, reflects on how cultural institutions like the library serve as spaces of dialogue, connection, and resilience. Drawing on her experience overseeing one of the most important repositories of Jewish, Israeli, and Middle Eastern culture, Dr. Ukeles shares how the National Library has responded to war, social fragmentation, and political tension—not by retreating from controversy, but by doubling down on its mission to collect, curate, and make accessible the voices of all communities.

Expanding the Conversation: Rakefet Ginsberg

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What does Jewish pluralism actually look like in Israel today?

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Rakefet Ginsberg, Executive Director of the Masorti Movement in Israel, reflects on how Israelis are redefining religious identity and reclaiming spiritual space—from the egalitarian Kotel to public Yom Kippur services in Tel Aviv. Drawing on her work at the grassroots level, she offers stories of coexistence, struggle, and hope, and makes a compelling case for expanding access to Judaism that is both meaningful and inclusive.

Expanding the Conversation: Seth Farber

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In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Rabbi Seth Farber, founder and director of Itim, reflects on the intersection of religious authority, individual identity, and democratic values. Drawing from biblical narratives, courtroom battles, and grassroots activism, Rabbi Farber explores how Israel’s religious bureaucracy impacts the lives of citizens at every major life cycle moment—marriage, burial, conversion—and what it will take to create a Jewish state that welcomes all Jews.

Expanding the Conversation: Roy Peled

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

In this episode, Dr. Roy Peled—legal scholar and former youth activist—reflects on the legal and political forces shaping Israel’s identity. Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Peled traces the unfinished story of Israel’s constitution and the impact of Basic Laws on minority rights—especially the Arab minority. With clarity and nuance, he unpacks the political forces behind the Nation-State Law, the shifting role of the judiciary, and the tensions between national identity and democratic principles.

Expanding the Conversation: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

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In this powerful episode, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib—a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Palestinian American raised in Gaza—shares his story of survival, loss, and conviction. Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Ahmed explores the personal and collective traumas that shape Palestinian life today, including the devastating impact of the current war on his own family.