Wandering Jews: A Travel Podcast That Entertains & Informs

Explore the dramatic irony of turn-of-the-century Vienna, a city that both nurtured titans of Jewish thought and art—from Freud to Mahler—and became the hotbed for modern, racial antisemitism. Discover how Jewish luminaries defined Viennese modernity while simultaneously facing an increasingly hostile political and social climate. This episode delves into the genius and the heartbreak of the "Wandering Jews" whose contributions and fates molded and reflected the modern European experience. Links for Additional Reading:Our City! Jewish Vienna - Then to Now, The Vienna Jewish MuseumAmbivalent Modernity: the Jewish Population in Vienna by Albert Lichtblau, Issues in Contemporary Jewish HistoryHow To Deal With Anti-Semitic Legacies And Historically Burdened Places In Public Urban Spaces? The Case Of The Lueger Monument In Vienna, OppAttune

From the misty glens of Scotland to the hidden speakeasies of Prohibition America, Jews have shaped the story of whiskey in surprising ways. In this episode, we trace the historic roots of Jewish involvement in the global whiskey trade, uncover the families and fortunes behind the barrels, and ask a question that blends law and spirit: what blessing do you say over a glass of whiskey? And what famous fictional whiskey Jew was created by James Joyce?Lior Hochberg - a J2 tour educator and travel expert - will share her work as a volunteer and champion of a vocational school for women exiting prostitution and abuse. Her Academy is about empowerment and building expertise through vocational and life training. Listen to Lior and learn more about Her Academy at - https://www.heracademy.org.il/ Links for Additional Reading: The Forgotten History of Jews in the Alcohol Industry, Joel Haber, My Jewish LearningThe History Of Jewish Bootleggers, Leah Siesfeld And Heidi Siesfeld, St Louis LightFrom Bourbon to Bagels in Kentucky, Table Studios

In the Jezreel Valley, a 6th-century synagogue floor reveals a people rooted in their land, inscribing faith into stone. This episode explores how archaeology affirms Jewish indigeneity, why the Binding of Isaac still unsettles us, and what these ancient treasures whisper about return and belonging. Links for Additional Reading:The Beit Alpha Synagoge at Wellesley CollegeThe Beit Alpha Synagogue National ParkJewish Worship, Pagan Symbols, Walter Zanger, Biblical Archeological Society

In this episode of Wandering Jews, we journey to Budapest’s Dohany Synagogue, a stunning landmark that became the architectural blueprint for grand synagogues across Europe and the United States. Built in the Neo-Moorish style, the Dohany reflects a dual vision: a nostalgic nod to the Jewish Golden Age in medieval Spain and a bold architectural statement of Jewish modernity, pride, and belonging in 19th-century Europe. When is a building more than just a pile of bricks?Links for Additional readingTracing the History of Budapest’s Dohany Street Synagogue, Jewish Heritage Europe Moorish Style: Orientalism, the Jews, and Synagogue Architecture, Ivan Davidson KalmaThe Dohany Synagogue: History, Culture, and Sacred Rituals

In this episode of Wandering Jews, we visit the Galilee outpost of Tel Hai – the story of a battle that became legend, and the life and death of the pioneer activist Yosef Trumpeldor. The story of Tel Hai became a foundational myth of Israeli heroism, encapsulated in the phrase attributed to Trumpeldor, “It is good to die for our country.” We trace how this narrative shaped Zionist identity and military ethos and how, over time, it has been reexamined and debated by Israelis grappling with questions of nationalism, sacrifice, and the evolving meaning of heroism in a maturing society.Links for Additional readingYosef Trumpeldor, Tel Aviv StreetsThe Hidden American History of One of Zionism’s Foundational Battles: Tel HaiThe Secret Agreement That Shaped the Middle East, UnpackedKol Galgal – Lyrics in Hebrew and English (‘Something for the Road with Hillary Menkowitz)Kol Galgal – Spotify (‘Something for the Road with Hillary Menkowitz)

For many of us, a Yiddish phrase or word reminds us of parents and grandparents who may have not been Yiddish speakers but held on to a taste of Yiddish that they inherited from their own parents and grandparents. Even when visiting Warsaw – what was the largest Yiddish-speaking city in the world before 1939 – Yiddish is no longer the language of the streets and markets, synagogues and theaters. Yet, Yiddish is more than nostalgia. It was the linguistic home that generations of Eastern European Jews inhabited. We’ll take a deep dive and look at the place of Yiddish in the dreams and fears, the triumphs and defeats of a Jewish civilization now gone… But is it?Links for Additional ReadingYiddish Civilisation: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation, Paul KriwaczekLearn Popular Yiddish Words with Amy Walker!Yiddish is Making a Comeback, Robin Estrin, All Things Considered, NPR, 22 April 2025

The story of Qumran – on the Dead Sea Shore – reveals a still unraveled historic riddle about the meanings of one of most important archaeological treasures discovered in the 20th century. In a unforgiving landscape, Qumran reveals the story of the Dead Sea Sect and their expansive hidden library. Join us to venture into the caves and between the dry riverbeds to explore the world of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the community who collected and wrote them. The first Reform Jews? The first kibbutznikim? Join us to find out. Links for Additional ReadingWhy Are the Dead Sea Scrolls Important With Dr. Jodi Magnes Led Astray By a Dead Sea Latrine, The Forward, 16 February 2007The Shrine of the Book, The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls

The beautiful city of Toledo – perched on the hills above the Tagus River – was once home to a thriving Jewish community. However for the past 532 years – since 1492 – Jewish children do not run home to the Jewish Quarter, and shabbat hymns do not ring through the streets on Friday evenings. When we visit Toledo, we need conjure through our stories the lives that once were. In this episode, we will visit the synagogues of Toledo – no longer in the hands of a Jewish community – recall the glory that was… as well as the meanings of ownership and remembering. Links for Additional ReadingToledo: The Cultural Guide to Europe, JGuideEurope The Many Lives of the Synagogue El Transito, National Library of Israel Córdoba and Toledo: The Last Synagogues of Sepharad, SLICE