Our journey begins in Madrid’s Plaza de España, standing before the weathered bronze figures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza as Miguel de Cervantes watches from above. We explore why this "Impossible Dreamer" became a profound symbol for the Jewish experience, from the 19th-century Yiddish schlemiel to the "Prince of Dreams" in modern Israeli pop. From the shadow of the Expulsion to the stages of Broadway, we trace the knight’s journey and the "messianic yearning" that makes this 400-year-old character feel like a member of the Tribe.

Links for Additional Reading

The Secret Jewish History of Don Quixote by Benjamin Ivry (The Forward, 17 February 2014)

Why You Should Read ‘Don Quixote’? by Ilan Stevens (Ted Ed, 18 October 2018)

Don Quixote: An Honorary Wandering Jews – A Spotify Playlist

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Discover how the Israeli Supreme Court’s design serves as a "physical articulation" of the state’s democratic architecture and the values it aspires to uphold. From the "square" of human law to the "circle" of timeless justice, we explore a building rooted in Jerusalem stone yet open to the future. Join us as we discuss how this landmark translates the ancient command "Justice, justice shall you pursue" into a modern judicial shield for all inhabitants.

Links for Additional Reading

The Israel Supreme Court – A Virtual Tour

Jewish or Democratic? Israel’s Former Top Judge Reflects on Values, Aharon Barak, My Jewish Learning

The Israel Religious Action Center

The Israel Democracy Institute

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Greek music fills Israeli weddings, cafés, and stadiums — but why? Israel doesn’t just listen to Greek music; it needs it. Listen to ‘Wandering Jews’ as we uncover how a “foreign” sound became a cultural safe harbor, revealing the Israeli search for identity and belonging. Through stories of exile, trauma, and survival, Greek music became a borrowed and reimagined sound of a Mediterranean home. What we listen to, it turns out, tells us who we want to be.

Links for Additional Readings:

Rosa Eskenazi, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women

Yehuda Poliker – My Eyes

The Mediterranean Israeli Identity, A.B. Yehoshua, the European Institute of the Mediterranean

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