Zoominar speakers for Leonard Cohen

God, Sex and Politics in the Lyrics of Leonard Cohen with writers Erica Jong, Marcia Pally and Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Five years after singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s death, his lyrics and legacy still speak to us with special urgency. Marcia Pally, author of From This Broken Hill I Sing to You: God, Sex, and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen, and Erica Jong, author of Fear of Flying, is in conversation with Moment columnist Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a founding editor of Ms. magazine, about Cohen’s probing of Jewish theology and his doctrine of relationship and personal responsibility and its relevance for the present moment. They also explore his legacy through a Jewish, feminist lens.

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How to Stay Safe in America During a Time of Increased Antisemitism with David Delew, Eva Fogelman Richard Priem, in conversation with Ira Forman

The hostage situation at a Texas synagogue, the latest reminder of rising antisemitism in the United States, has sparked fears that other American Jewish communities could become the target of this virulent hate, which Jews in Europe have experienced for decades. Moment Institute Senior Fellow Ira Forman and former U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism is joined in conversation with David Delew, former CEO of the Community Security Trust in the UK, about the ways Europe keeps its Jewish communities safe. Richard Priem, COO and Deputy National Director of Community Security Services in the U.S. discusses what the American Jewish community has learned from Europe, how and why the situation is different, and what steps are being taken to help Jewish institutions and people around the country stay safe. Noted psychologist and PTSD expert Dr. Eva Fogelman talks about the psychological impact of rising antisemitism and how to help Jews feel safe in America.

This program is part of a Moment series on antisemitism supported by the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation.

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For the Love of Chocolate with author Michael Leventhal in conversation with Sarah Breger

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Whether you eat it as candy, bake with it to make desserts or simply drink it on a cold day, chocolate has the ability to soothe the soul. But did you know that Jews were an integral part of the chocolate trade centuries ago, helping to introduce chocolate to countries around the world? Michael Leventhal, editor of Babka, Boulou & Blintzes and author of The Chocolate King shares the journey of Jews and chocolate, dating back to the 1600s, a sweet pairing that was Beshert, “meant to be.” Leventhal is in conversation with Moment editor Sarah Breger. This program is sponsored by Moment’s Beshert project.

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Head shots of Nadine Eptein and Eric K. Ward

The Holocaust Through the Lens of Black-Jewish Relations with Eric K. Ward and Nadine Epstein

Eric K. Ward, executive director of Western States Center and senior fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center and Nadine Epstein, Moment editor-in-chief, grapple with the complicated conversations taking place around the Holocaust today and lay out some of the many “channels” of the complex relationship between Blacks and Jews in the U.S., starting in the early 20th century through today. Ward and Epstein introduce The Wide River Project, a yearlong, joint initiative of Western States Center and Moment that will take a deep dive—and fresh look—into the art, history and issues that both unite and divide the Black and Jewish communities.

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The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel with journalist Kati Marton in conversation with Amy E. Schwartz

Angela Merkel, who just stepped down as German chancellor after a remarkable16 years, has redefined the image of a woman leader. A pastor’s daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, Merkel worked as a research chemist before entering politics and rising to become the unofficial leader of the West. Award-winning journalist Kati Marton, author of The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel, shares how Merkel helped shape Germany into what some call the world’s moral center, and explores her legacy—including allowing Middle Eastern refugees to enter Germany while the world looked away. She also discusses the rise of the far right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) and Merkel’s complicated relationships with other world leaders such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Marton is in conversation with Amy E. Schwartz, Moment’s Book & Opinion Editor.

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