What does it mean to tell Jewish stories in a moment of political polarization and distortion? On this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela to examine the role of the historian in public life: not to offer talking points or easy analogies, but to deepen public understanding in a time of simplification and certainty. Through a conversation about education, Jewish identity, and the place of Jews in American history, they consider why richer storytelling matters—and what it can offer to students, Jews, and the broader public.

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Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:

Register for our virtual day of learning, In the Face of Cruelty: Jewish Responsibilities to Neighbors and Strangers on March 12.

S14 E02: Windrush and the Black Cultural Archives