Conversations with B’nai B’rith

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠? B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with David Fishof, founder of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp, about the origins of Rock Camp, his experiences working with rock legends like Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey and The Monkees, the role Judaism plays in his professional and personal life, and much more. Fishof also executive produced the 2021 documentary “Rock Camp: The Movie," and has been a pioneer in the entertainment world for more than four decades. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Tune in as we delve into a fascinating, little known piece of Jewish history in the Southern United States – of course, with a B’nai B’rith connection! Lawyer and author Marlene Trestman speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about her upcoming book, “Most Fortunate Unfortunates,” which explores the story of the long-shuttered Jewish Orphans’ Home of New Orleans – the first purpose-built Jewish orphanage in the nation. More information about "Most Fortunate Unfortunates" and the history of the Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans can be found here. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

In a special conversation, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv about his new movie, "Golda," which stars Dame Helen Mirren as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. In "Golda," Nattiv and screenwriter Nicholas Martin shed new light on Meir’s life, and frame Meir’s incredible triumphs and failures in the 19 critical and intense days of her country’s worst military crisis, the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Nattiv takes us through his decision to have Mirren play the “Iron Lady of Israel," Meir's legacy today, and why he and Martin decided to focus on such a short amount of time in her life – especially when considering her lifelong dedication to the Jewish state's establishment and protection. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

CEO Dan Mariaschin talks with Alberto Dorfzaun, B’nai B’rith member and president of K. Dorfzaun, the most trusted name in the Panama Hat industry based in Cuenca, Ecuador. K. Dorfzaun was founded in 1939 by the first generation of the Dorfzaun family who arrived in Ecuador – among the 3,000-4,000 Jews who fled there, escaping the horrors of World War II and the Shoah. Famous for its history and quality, the K. Dorfzaun Panama toquilla straw hat’s traditional weaving became part of UNESCO’S Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012 as an important world artifact. Alberto Dorfzaun is former president of the Jewish community in Quito, Ecuador, and a descendant of Holocaust refugees. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Harvey Lisberg speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his revealing, entertaining and moving new memoir, "I'm Into Something Good: My Life Managing 10cc, Herman's Hermits and Many More!" Lisberg shares the highs and lows of managing Rock 'n' Roll legends, eccentric snooker (pool) superstars and famous athletes, growing up Jewish in Manchester, England, and the ever-changing complexities of the music business. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

The B’nai B’rith Podcast is now “Conversations with B’nai B’rith"! Dr. Edyta Gawron speaks with CEO Dan Mariaschin about B'nai B'rith's storied history in Poland before and leading up to World War II, the history of Jews in modern Poland and the cultural impact of "Schindler's List" on Polish society today. Dr. Gawron is an assistant professor at the Institute of Jewish Studies, part of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and is an expert on the 20th century history of Polish Jews, Holocaust studies and the contemporary Jewish Diaspora. She recently spoke during a conference in Warsaw marking 100 years of B'nai B'rith in Poland. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Big news! The B’nai B’rith Podcast is now “Conversations with B’nai B’rith"! In this episode, University of Munich Prof. Cornelia Wilhelm joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to discuss her in-depth study of the German refugee rabbis who immigrated to the United States after 1933 and their impact on Jewish American communities in the 20th century. Prof. Wilhelm's painstaking research also inspired her to create the impressive “German Refugee Rabbis in the United States, 1933–1990” digital database, which can be found at mira.geschichte.lmu.de. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.

Eitan Bergman, Executive Director of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), and Emily Bowman, EUJS Policy Officer, speak with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about life for young Jews in Europe. Their conversation focuses on the perceptions and experiences of students facing anti-Semitism on European university campuses, and how the EUJS (as an organization) engages with the European Union in its efforts to combat anti-Jewish hate and foster Jewish life and culture. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Please leave us a rating! Stay connected with B'nai B'rith: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

World-renowned and highly respected cantor Joseph Malovany has dazzled audiences with his musical talents for nearly his entire life, despite his humble beginnings in Tel Aviv. In fact, his musical talents were so exceptional that his mother sold her wedding ring and used that money to purchase a piano for him so he could hone his skills – a gamble that certainly paid off. In our first episode of 2023, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Malovany about his lifetime of achievements as a cantor, tenor soloist and distinguished representative of world Jewry. Malovany served as Cantor of New York’s Fifth Avenue Synagogue for from 1973 until his retirement, recently attaining the title of Cantor Emeritus. Malovany has also held numerous distinguished academic positions, like the post of Distinguished Professor of Liturgical Music at Yeshiva University; received countless prestigious awards, including receiving the Cross of Merit – Commander of the Legion of Honor from Poland’s President; taught his craft to countless students; and performed in front of world leaders like Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, as well as audiences around the globe from Warsaw to Vilnius to Paris to New York and beyond. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And please rate and review us! Follow B'nai B'rith Intl.: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Since its founding in 2005, AJIRI – the American-Jewish International Relations Institute – has been forward-thinking about combating anti-Israel bias at the United Nations. Now an affiliate of B'nai B'rith, AJIRI-BBI works directly with B’nai B’rith’s long-standing Office of U.N. Affairs to overcome anti-Israel efforts engrained at the United Nations, securing important vote changes – with fewer countries now supporting the annual U.N. resolutions that renew mandates and funding for the U.N.’s anti-Israel propaganda apparatus. B’nai B’rith has been accredited at the U.N. since its founding in 1945. Read more about our work at the world body here. In this episode, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin sits down with AJIRI-BBI Chair Rick Schifter and Executive Director Gil Kapen to discuss anti-Israel bias at the United Nations and why combating it is critical to the future of the Jewish state. Learn more about AJIRI-BBI at ajiri.us. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Author and military historian Bruce Henderson speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his brand-new book, "Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II," and his 2017 New York Times bestseller "Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with U.S. Army to Fight Hitler." In “Bridge to the Sun," Henderson captures an unforgettable story of patriotism through the eyes of Japanese American U.S. soldiers who helped save countless American lives during World War II – even as their families were being imprisoned in internment camps back home. “Sons and Soldiers" highlights the epic, previously untold story of the Ritchie Boys. Jewish families sent their young sons away from danger to safety in America, knowing they may never meet again. When these young men came of age, they became American soldiers determined to return to Europe to fight for their adopted homeland and for the families they had left behind. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin, and Director of Legislative Affairs and Deputy Director for Human Rights and Public Policy Eric Fusfield discuss the impact of the Abraham Accords on Israel and the region two years after the agreement was signed, as well as prospects for continued regional peace, security and prosperity, the growing threat from Iran, and more. When the United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel signed the historic Accords on September 15, 2020, the UAE and Bahrain formally recognized the State of Israel and normalized relations with the Jewish state – ultimately charting a new course in the history of Arab-Israeli relations. This achievement set the stage for Morocco and Sudan to follow suit and join the Accords later in 2020 – raising the number of Arab States with formal diplomatic ties to Israel from two to six. Just two years into the agreement, the magnitude and importance of the Abraham Accords cannot be understated. Tune in to this episode to find out why! Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Before Elvis Presley was "The King," he was a poor kid who spent his free time staring at the windows of Lansky Brothers in the heart of Memphis' music district. One day in 1952, Bernard Lansky saw a young, skinny kid admiring the clothes and invited him in. So began a lifelong friendship built on trust and respect, one that Hal Lansky, Bernard's son, witnessed firsthand. Almost exactly 45 years after Elvis Presley’s passing, Hal Lansky joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to help celebrate Elvis’ life and legacy. They talk about how Lansky Brothers became clothier to the King, his family’s special relationship with Elvis, how Hal’s father and uncle felt about being the men who dressed one of the 20th century’s most iconic cultural figures, and of course Baz Luhrmann's new biopic, Elvis. More about Lansky Brothers. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

What started as a way for Vassar College alumni to fill open air time on its radio station has turned into a launching pad for Aaron Bendich's "Borscht Beat," a weekly FM radio show (on Radio Catskill, WJFF-90.5) featuring Jewish music, old and new. The 28-year-old launched the hour-long program from his Brooklyn apartment in 2020 (in the throes of quarantine) as a way to revive – and continue – his family's love for Jewish music. In less than two years, Bendich has built up a large community of listeners and has expanded to three additional radio stations – WJFF Catskill, WVKR Poughkeepsie and WCFA Cape May. Now he's launching a record label, also called "Borscht Beat," to more actively engage in the Jewish music scene. In this interview, Bendich speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about "Borscht Beat" – the radio show and the label – the future of Jewish music and much more. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

Why are there so many Jewish comedians? "When Comedy Went to School" answers this question with an in-depth, entertaining portrait of America's greatest generation of comics – including the likes of Jerry Lewis, Joan Rivers, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason and so many others. The feature-length documentary – which aired earlier this year on PBS – tells the story of the Catskill hotels and bungalow colonies that provided the setting for a group of young Jewish-American comedians who forever altered the course of American humor. On this episode, "When Comedy Went to School" executive producer Robert Kosch speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about the film and guides us through the amazing legacy of Jewish comedians who got their start in the Catskills, the origins of the Borscht Belt hotels themselves, the fight against anti-Semitism and more. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bnaibrithinternational

The French Revolution brought the promise of equality to many oppressed groups living in France. French Jews, subject to brutal treatment for centuries, sought to benefit from the new freedoms promised by the Revolution. So they enlisted the help of young Catholic attorney Jacques Godard, who ultimately persuaded the Paris Municipal Assembly to legislate equal rights for Jews. In his new book, "Lobbying for Equality: Jacques Godard and the Struggle for Jewish Equality During the French Revolution," author and international law expert Gerard Leval brings to life the story of a young man who fought for equality for the French Jewish community more than 200 years ago. Leval joins B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin to talk about Godard's life and impact on the Jews of France, how Godard brought about meaningful change, the history of Jews in France and more. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/

In his first book, “Under the Radar: 30 Notable Canadian Jewish Musicians,” music aficionado David Eisenstadt highlights hidden gems in the music world – musicians whose fame and fortune did not match their talent and influence. Eisenstadt writes with acclaim and appreciation for the artists who never quite basked in the limelight, including pop singer Corey Hart, folksingers The Travellers, jazz singer Sofie Milman, rock star and broadcaster Danny Marks, children’s music trio Sharon Lois & Bram, and film score writer and composer Howard Shore, among others. For our 99th podcast episode, Eisenstadt joins CEO Dan Mariaschin for a conversation about Canadian Jewish musicians who never got their proper due – until now. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/

What is it like to represent Israel on the world stage? Former Ambassador Danny Danon has insights few can rival. He spent five years (2015-2020) as Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, a necessary but complex place for Jews and the State of Israel – and an institution known for its systemic bias against the Jewish state. In his upcoming book, "In the Lion's Den: Israel and the World,” Ambassador Danon shares his experiences on the front lines of Israel’s global presence. B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with the Ambassador about “In the Lion’s Den,” his commitment to the Jewish state through public service, key moments from his time representing Israel at the world body, and why he views his country as an increasingly major player on the world stage. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/

Margot Webb hasn't forgotten what happened to her family more than 80 years ago in Nazi Germany. The sacrifices made to save her and her mother. The heartlessness of former friends. The brutality of SS officers. Webb's book, "Tears in the Eyes of My Enemy," follows a slightly fictionalized version of herself – Meryam – as she returns to her childhood homes in Arnstadt and Halle, Germany, and the unlikely friendships she builds with descendants of her former tormentors. In this episode, B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin speaks with Webb about "Tears in the Eyes of My Enemy," her journey back to the places she once called home and her efforts making sure others don't forget the cruelty she witnessed – and experienced. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/

Legendary actor Nehemiah Persoff speaks with B'nai B'rith CEO Dan Mariaschin about his new memoir, “The Many Faces of Nehemiah,” his successes and struggles as an actor spanning more than five decades – with credits from "Some Like it Hot" to "Yentl" to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" – and his experiences as a Jewish performer in Hollywood and on stage. Thanks for checking us out! Subscribe to the B'nai B'rith podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BnaiBrith Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnaibrithinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnaibrith/