Russia, Vladimir Putin and Ukraine: The Struggle Between Authoritarianism and Democracy with Natan Sharansky and Robert Siegel

Natan Sharansky, born in Donetsk, Ukraine, spent nine years imprisoned in the Soviet Union, becoming the face of the Soviet Jewry movement. He eventually emigrated to Israel and has served as a member of the Knesset, deputy prime minister, chair of the Jewish Agency among other positions. The author of many books including The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror, he is currently chair of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy. Sharansky and Robert Siegel, Moment special literary contributor and former senior host of NPR’s All Things Considered discuss Vladimir Putin’s motivations for invading Ukraine, Russian history and politics, possible short- and long-term outcomes of war—and the struggle between authoritarianism and democracy.

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Why Women Need to Pray at the Western Wall with Anat Hoffman, Susan Silverman & Deborah Katchko-Gray

Anat Hoffman, board chair of WOW and board member Rabbi Susan Silverman discuss the history of Women of the Wall, why it’s important to continue demanding equality for women praying freely at this holy site as well as the setbacks and triumphs the movement has faced over the years. Hoffman and Silverman are in conversation with Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray, founder of the Women Cantors’ Network and organizer of the first WOW choir to help lift women’s voices through song.

This program is in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

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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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