First hour: Jewish perspectives on Gaza and antisemitism
Second hour: "Cabaret" in 2024
Peter Beinart writes in the New York Times about the "great rupture in American Jewish life." He writes of a generational split when it comes to opinions on the Netanyahu government and the actions of the state of Israel. And he writes that many Jewish leaders have differing ideas about what meets the definition of antisemitism, and what to do about it. Our guests discuss how they see these issues, and what a productive path forward might look like. In studio:
- Meredith Dragon, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester
- Rabbi Shalom Schlagman, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, pediatrics, and health humanities and bioethics at the University of Rochester Medical Center
- Rami Katz, chief operating officer, Excell Partners Inc.
- Nora Rubel, Ph.D., Jane and Alan Batkin Chair of Jewish Studies and chair of the Department of Religion and Classics at the University of Rochester
Then in our second hour, it’s one thing to stage a production like “Brigadoon” in 2024; it’s another to stage “Cabaret.” Over the years, think pieces and reviews have analyzed the musical’s political and cultural themes. From political disorder and uncertainty to social freedoms and artistic movements, our guests discuss the parallels between life during the setting of “Cabaret” in the Weimar Republic and today. We also preview a local production of the musical. In studio:
- Thomas Fleischman, associate professor of history at the University of Rochester, who is currently teaching a course on the Weimar Republic
- Brynn Tyszka, artistic director for Blackfriars Theatre and director of "Cabaret"
- Mandi Lynn Griffith, president of the board of directors at Blackfriars Theatre and choreographer for “Cabaret”
- Stevie Burggraaf, actor who plays Lulu, a Kit Kat Klub dancer in “Cabaret”
