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The Jewish Story: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Daniel Kroft
The Jewish Story is a Jewish History podcast for the 21st Century. In it, we use the latest in archaeology, linguistics, and historical methods to sculpt a history of the Jewish people, from the exodus out of Egypt until the present!
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Jul 20, 202630 min
Episode 5: Life in the Colonies (Iraq, the Ottoman Empire, and the Americas; 1600 - 1700 CE)
In this episode, we meet the first female rabbi in Jewish history, see the fallout from Shabbetai Tzvi's rise and fall in the Ottoman Empire, explore life in the European colonies of South America and the Caribbean in the 17th century, and meet the first Jews to set foot in North America.
- Jul 13, 202635 min
Episode 4: The Mad Messiah (Iran and the Ottoman Empire; 1600 - 1700 CE)
In this episode, we make a brief pit stop in Safavid Iran, before turning to the Ottoman Empire. We see the first cracks form in the Empire, and watch as power shifts between the sultan, his harem, and his slave soldiers. We take an in-depth look at Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire, and then witness the rise and fall of Shabbetai Tzvi, global celebrity and purported messiah.
- Jul 6, 202635 min
Episode 3: Marauders, Money-Lenders and Thieves (Europe; 1600 - 1670 CE)
In this episode, we discuss the Khmelnytskyi rebellion, meet both the Court Jews and Betteljuden of Germany, explore Jewish life in Italy, watch the Jews of France and Spain slowly rebuild, and survey the foundling Jewish communities of Scandinavia.
- Jun 29, 202633 min
Episode 2: Readmittance (England and the Netherlands; 1640 - 1660 CE)
In this episode, we meet the Chief Rabbis of Amsterdam, we hear an explorer's tale of finding ancient Jews in North America, we see the toppling of a king in England, we meet the two men who would go on to overturn the centuries-long ban on Jews in England, and we survey the life of Baruch Spinoza, a controversial secular Jewish figure.
- Jun 22, 202635 min
Episode 1: A New Alliance (The Netherlands; 1600 - 1640 CE)
In the first episode of Season 5, we explore the foundling Jewish community of Amsterdam, and watch it grow to become one of the most important Jewish communities in the world. We witness the explosion of Protestantism across Europe, and meet Uriel Dacosta, one of the first modern secular Jews.
- Jun 16, 202614 min
Episode 0: Season 4 Recap
In this episode, we recap Season 4 of the Jewish Story, spanning from the late 15th to the early 17th century. We review the routes of escape for Iberian Jews at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, the massive rescue network of Gracia Mendes, the first Jews to arrive in the New World, the small Jewish communities of the far East and Africa, and the rising Christian antisemitism of late 16th century Europe.
- Feb 9, 202642 min
Episode 7: A Conversation with Emily Kroft
In this episode, I sit down with my sister, Emily Kroft, to discuss Maimonides, the Spanish Inquisition, internalized antisemitism, the nuances of Jewish assimilation, and what defines Jewish identity.
- Feb 2, 202653 min
Episode 3: A Conversation with Belle Jarniewski
In this episode, I sit down with Belle Jarniewski to discuss the First Crusade, some of Maimonides's most influential ideas, the nature of Jewish resilience, and the expulsion of Jews from Europe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's The Jewish Story daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of The Jewish Story as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
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When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
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How often does The Jewish Story release new episodes?
The Jewish Story publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
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The Jewish Story covers topics including History, Education, Courses. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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