In The Spotlight with Abigail Pogrebin

In the Spotlight: Rabbi Josh Feigelson - "Eternal Questions"

Abigail Pogrebin is joined by Rabbi Josh Feigelson, President & CEO of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, who describes how we can find meaning and purpose and what a Jewish mindfulness practice can really look like.

In the Spotlight: Wayne Hoffman - "The End of Her"

Abigail Pogrebin is joined by Wayne Hoffman, Executive Editor of Tablet magazine and author of The End of Her: Racing Against Alzheimer’s to Solve a Murder, a memoir that sets out to find the truth behind the 1913 murder of his great-grandmother in Winnipeg’s Jewish neighborhood.

In the Spotlight: Josh Lambert - "The Literary Mafia"

Was the idea of a Jewish “literary mafia” entirely an antisemitic slander, or in any way founded in the reality of the number and influence of Jews in publishing?  Abigail Pogrebin sits with writer Josh Lambert to get at the truth.

In the Spotlight: Rabbis Spratt & Stanton

Having taken an unsparing look at the landscape of Jewish life for their book Awakenings, Rabbis Benjamin Spratt & Joshua Stanton join Abigail Pogrebin to discuss what they see as the next chapter for Jewish legacy institutions and startups, and why they're optimistic.

In the Spotlight: Rabbi Joanna Samuels

The new CEO of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Rabbi Joanna Samuels, describes what it was like taking the reins of a major New York Jewish institution in the middle of a pandemic, when she joins Abigail Pogrebin for her first in-depth conversation.

In the Spotlight: Joseph Rosenstein on Pirkei Avot

Jewish ethics suddenly feel clear and contemporary in the hands of Joseph Rosenstein, who shares with Abigail Pogrebin how he spent the pandemic unpacking the ancient rabbinic texts of Ethics of the Fathers for his new book, "Reflections on Pirkei Avot."

In the Spotlight: Annie Polland- NYC Tenement Museum

Public historian, author, former Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society, and current President of the Tenement Museum in New York City, Annie Polland, discusses the rich history of Jews on the Lower East Side, and more with Abigail Pogrebin.

In the Spotlight: Matti Friedman on Leonard Cohen

Acclaimed Canadian-Israeli author Matti Friedman joins Abigail Pogrebin to discuss Who By Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai, his book that tells the little-known story of Cohen’s concert tour to the front lines of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

In the Spotlight: David Harris

Long-time American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris holds court with Abby as they discuss the state of affairs of the Jewish people, from persistent anti-Semitism in the U.S. to young American Jews' support of Israel (or lack thereof), as well as the refugee situation in Ukraine and the AJC's recent commemoration of the new memorial at Babi Yar before the arrival of war.  Harris also reflects on his illustrious tenure at the AJC as he stands on the brink of retirement and prognosticates about the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the growing toxicity of the American political scene, and the Sisyphean task of countering Jew-hatred on social media.

In the Spotlight: Amy Bloom - "Love and Loss"

Amy Bloom discusses with Abigail Pogrebin her latest book In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss about her husband’s battle with Alzheimer’s and the courageous way the two faced the challenges of this disease and how together decided on the final way to part.