Jewish Contrarians - formerly SpeechCast

Jewish Institute For Liberal Values

Jewish Contrarians, a product of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values (JILV), aim to reinforce Jewish values of discourse and debate. David Bernstein, Founder of the JILV, and Brandy Shufutinsky, Director of Education and Outreach for JILV, discuss (and occasionally debate) currents in the culture wars, antisemitism in its various forms, cancel culture (not ok except when it is) and what we Jewish (and non-Jewish) contrarians, thought criminals, and gadflies can do about it all. Join us weekly except when one of our kids needs to be picked up from school.

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Jew Jitsu: Turning Our Enemies' Arguments Against Them

In this episode of Jewish Contrarians David and Brandy discusses the book by Dmitri Shufutinsky - Jew Jitsu: Turning Our Enemies' Arguments Against Them

Feb 14, 2025

26 min

(EP 42) Root causes of the Kindergarten Intifada

David and Brandy discussed the decline in education standards, the politicization of schools, the potential harm of certain teaching methods, and the infiltration of radical ideologies into the education system. They discussed the importance of educating parents and teachers about these ideologies and the need for long-term effort to reverse the current dynamics.

Nov 6, 2024

23 min

Antisemitism in Your Schools - How to Prepare? - Webinar from August 19

As we prepare to send our kids back to school, we know that they will likely face continuing antisemitism. Join us as we discuss what has been happening in K12 districts and teacher unions over the summer and find out how we can prepare for the upcoming school year.

Aug 21, 2024

54 min

(EP41) A view from abroad, An interview with Chuong Nguyen

Jewish Contrarians this week will be joined by Chuong Nguyen, who will discuss his intellectual journey and how a Vietnamese kid ended up hosting a podcast and reading publications such as Tablet and Sapir. ------------------------------Show Notes------------------------------ Podcast: Unlicensed Philosophy with Chuong Nguyen | https://musicallyspeaking.substack.com/ Immigration and American Values (David Bernstein, March 3, 2001) https://jilv.org/immigration-and-american-values-david-bernstein-march-3-2001/

May 10, 2024

26 min

(EP40) Craziness at Columbia and Beyond

David Bernstein and Bar Ilan University professor of English literature William Kolbrener discuss Kolbrener's PhD alma mater, Columbia, and other subjects.

May 3, 2024

42 min

(EP39) How to counter K-12 Antisemitism

David and Brandy delve into the vital work carried out by the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values on the ground, emphasizing the tangible impact JILV has in various communities. They address the experiences of Jewish parents across the country who experience antisemitism launched in an ideological curriculum.

Apr 19, 2024

33 min

(EP38) The "Wicked Child": Should anti-Israel Jews be welcome at our seder table?

David and Brandy are back after a short hiatus traveling. They are joined by JILV's Director of Partnership Development, Rabbi Mark Cohn, to discuss whether guests who actively oppose the existence of Israel would disrupt the purpose of the Seder or enhance it.

Apr 5, 2024

33 min

(EP37) Do Young People Support Hamas?

Fern Oppenheim, cofounder of the Brand Israel Group, joins David and Brandy about her recent analysis of data pertaining to young people's attitudes toward Israel and Hamas.

Mar 8, 2024

33 min

(EP36) The Growing Disconnect Between the Jewish Community and Jewish Organizations

David and Brandy discuss how many Jews feel unrepresented by the traditional Jewish community organizations. They explore how many Jews feel underrepresented by traditional communal bodies and discuss the critical need for these organizations to reassess their alignment with progressive politics.

Mar 1, 2024

31 min

(EP 35) Israel and the Crisis of Liberal Judaism

The podcast speaks with Rabbi Jeff Salkin the author of "Tikkun Ha'am / Repairing Our People: Israel and the Crisis of Liberal Judaism." We discuss the role of faith in challenging society and the reframing needed in our Liberal Jewish institutions.

Feb 23, 2024

39 min