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Proudly Jewish

Proudly Jewish

Written by: Eyal Bitton
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 As the Jewish world processes the October 7 massacre and the ensuing worldwide wave of antisemitism, we seek to understand what we have witnessed and to assess what it all means for us as Jews. We want to be aware of the risks and challenges around us and we also want to affirm our identity as Jews - members of an ancient faith and an ancient people whose homeland is the land of Israel.

This podcast features conversations on Israel and Jewish identity, hosted by Rabbi Eyal Bitton.

To confront the challenges, obstacles, risks, and dangers in this changing world we must first assert that we are PROUDLY JEWISH.Copyright Eyal Bitton Judaism Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • Forget Nazi Germany — What If Today Looks More Like the Arab World Before the Jewish Exodus?

    Forget Nazi Germany — What If Today Looks More Like the Arab World Before the Jewish Exodus?
    Mar 17 2026
    What if we’re looking at the wrong historical comparison?

    When antisemitism rises, many people immediately think of Nazi Germany in the 1930s. But what if a closer parallel is something far less discussed — the Arab world in the 1940s and 1950s, just before nearly one million Jews disappeared from the region?

    In this episode of Proudly Jewish, Rabbi Eyal Bitton explores a largely forgotten chapter of history: the disappearance of ancient Jewish communities across the Middle East and North Africa — communities that had existed for centuries, and in some cases, millennia.

    Through historical examples and current events, this episode examines: The warning signs that preceded the Jewish exodus from Arab lands How hostility toward Israel often translated into violence against local Jews Why “antizionism” has historically not remained separate from antisemitism and what lessons this history may hold for today.

    From Iraq to Egypt, from Morocco to Yemen, an entire Jewish civilization vanished within a single generation.

    The question is not only what happened then — but whether we are recognizing similar patterns now.
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    16 mins
  • Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle | Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray on Jewish Survival, Music, and Identity

    Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle | Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray on Jewish Survival, Music, and Identity
    Mar 9 2026
    (00:00:00) Why “Every Jew Alive Is a Miracle” | Introduction
    (00:02:00) What she loves about being Jewish
    (00:05:00) Growing up in a family of cantors and Jewish music
    (00:09:43) Becoming one of the first women cantors
    (00:12:59) Family legacy, Holocaust memory, and Jewish continuity
    (00:16:12) Finding a congregation that truly valued Jewish music
    (00:18:25) What a cantor really gives to a community
    (00:21:16) Tradition, new music, and serving a congregation well
    (00:25:03) Being a pioneer in the Conservative movement
    (00:27:20) Founding the Women Cantors’ Network
    (00:35:14) Sacred Sounds Reborn: bringing nusach to new music
    (00:41:27) “Rewirement,” not retirement
    (00:44:44) Studying with Elie Wiesel
    (00:52:30) “Every Jew alive is a miracle”
    (00:59:20) Antisemitism, courage, and speaking up
    (01:01:22) Advice for Jewish students facing hate on campus
    (01:07:17) The future of American Jewish life
    (01:10:26) Is Jewish music stronger today than it was 40 years ago?
    (01:16:20) Final reflections

    In this episode of Proudly Jewish: Conversations on Israel and Jewish Identity, Rabbi Eyal Bitton is joined by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray — pioneering woman cantor, composer, educator, and founder of the Women Cantors’ Network.

    They talk about her extraordinary path into the cantorate, her family’s deep musical legacy, the influence of Elie Wiesel, the meaning of Jewish pride, and her beautiful new project, Sacred Sounds Reborn, which brings traditional nusach into fresh contemporary expression.

    This is a rich and moving conversation about Jewish identity, resilience, sacred music, memory, creativity, and hope.

    If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share.
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Iran, Israel, and a New Middle East: Hope on the Horizon

    Iran, Israel, and a New Middle East: Hope on the Horizon
    Mar 2 2026
    Iran’s Supreme Leader is dead.

    After coordinated US-Israeli strikes, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the man who led a regime devoted to Israel’s destruction — is gone.

    What does this mean for Israel?
    For the Middle East?
    For the Jewish people?

    October 7 was meant to ignite a regional war and isolate Israel. Instead, we may be witnessing the weakening of the very forces that sought Israel’s erasure.

    In this episode, Rabbi Eyal Bitton explores:
    • The ideological role Iran played in funding Hamas and Hezbollah
    • The difference between the Iranian regime and the Iranian people
    • Why normalization with Saudi Arabia may not have stopped
    • What this moment means for Jewish identity and Jewish pride
    • Why Israel’s permanence matters for Jews everywhere

    For 2,000 years, the Jewish people lived without sovereignty. The destruction of Israel would mean the destruction — or expulsion — of half the world’s Jews. This moment may signal something very different. A new Middle East. One that lives with Israel — not against it.

    📌 Subscribe to Proudly Jewish for weekly conversations on Israel and Jewish identity.
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