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Send us Fan MailHabits of a Whole Heart (Episode 456, Part 2) Host: Arnie Herz Guest: William Spencer Series: Humanity Matters / hmTvIn Part 2 of this engaging conversation, Arnie Herz continues his discussion with William Spencer, moving beyond the remarkable bicycle journey from London to India and into the deeper lessons it sparked for the rest of his life.After returning home transformed, William shifted his focus from technology and career success to understanding people. Today he works with leaders and organizations, helping them develop awareness, trust, and authentic communication. Drawing from experiences on the road and decades of consulting, he explains why most conflicts in workplaces, families, and even societies are not really about issues, but about not feeling heard.William and Arnie explore powerful ideas about vulnerability, listening, leadership, and the hidden emotional climate inside organizations. They discuss how self-awareness changes the way we relate to others, why fear shuts down cooperation, and how genuine human connection can bridge even deep differences.This episode is less about an adventure story and more about what the adventure revealed: happiness does not come from accumulation or control, but from presence, attention, and relationship. It’s a thoughtful conversation about living intentionally and building healthier communities, one interaction at a time.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHabits of a Whole Heart (hmTv) Episode 454 – Ron “Yogi” Brent (Part 2) Host: Arnie HerzHow do you actually live a more aware life, not just talk about it?In Part 2 of Arnie Herz’s conversation with Ron “Yogi” Brent, the discussion moves from philosophy to practice. Yogi explains the origins of Know Your Muse, a creative and contemplative process designed to help people discover their inner source of inspiration. Through art, reflection, and guided awareness exercises, participants begin to recognize something surprising: creativity is not limited to artists. It is the foundation of every meaningful action, decision, and relationship.Arnie and Ron explore how aesthetic experiences, whether a painting, music, or even human interaction, can transmit energy and insight. They discuss why stillness is necessary for clarity, how daily habits shape consciousness, and why many people feel disconnected in a noisy, reactive culture. The conversation also addresses practical steps listeners can take immediately, including reflective practices, observing thoughts, and intentionally reducing the constant pull of media and distraction.At its heart, this episode offers a hopeful message: even in a chaotic world, a person can cultivate an inner steadiness. By developing awareness and reconnecting with creativity, individuals can better understand their purpose and positively influence the lives around them.A thoughtful and grounding follow-up that turns spiritual ideas into practical guidance for everyday living.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHabits of a Whole Heart (hmTv) Episode 453 – Ron “Yogi” Brent (Part 1) Host: Arnie HerzWhat happens when someone walks away from the dream life most people chase?In Part 1 of this deeply reflective conversation, Arnie Herz sits down with longtime friend Ron “Yogi” Brent, a spiritual teacher, scholar of Eastern philosophy, and co-founder of Know Your Muse. After a profound awakening in his early twenties, Ron left behind a fast-paced lifestyle in Beverly Hills for the solitude of the mountains, beginning a lifelong exploration of meditation, consciousness, and meaning.Together, Arnie and Ron explore what an awakening actually is, why words can barely describe it, and how experiences of stillness, awareness, and perception can completely reorder a person’s priorities. They discuss the Yoga Sutras, the nature of reality, and the idea that awareness is not a vague concept but a trainable skill, one that shapes empathy, relationships, leadership, and purpose.The conversation also connects spirituality with real life: careers, family, crisis, and even near-death experiences. Arnie reflects on how his own health crisis changed his understanding of what truly matters, while Ron explains “awareness cultivation” and why learning to observe our own thoughts may be the most important habit a person can develop.This episode lays the philosophical foundation for practical tools to follow in Part 2, offering listeners a thoughtful invitation to slow down, pay attention, and live with greater clarity and intention.A powerful discussion about consciousness, values, and the everyday practice of becoming more fully human.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHabits of a Whole Heart (hmTv) Episode 452: Doron Keren – Beneath the Lightless Sky (Part 2) Host: Arnie HerzIn this moving continuation of Habits of a Whole Heart, Arnie Herz sits down again with Doron Keren to explore the meaning behind his grandfather’s Holocaust memoir Beneath the Lightless Sky. After recounting the dramatic survival story in Part 1, this episode turns to the deeper lessons that emerge from living 14 months hidden inside the sewers of wartime Lvov.Doron shares how translating his grandfather Ignacy Heger’s manuscript transformed his understanding of family, identity, and responsibility. The conversation highlights the power of maintaining dignity, faith, and compassion even in the harshest conditions, and examines the remarkable courage of Polish sewer worker Leopold Socha, whose decision to help a Jewish family evolved into an act of moral conviction.Together, Arnie and Doron discuss bystanders, rescuers, and the dangers of dehumanization, drawing clear connections between Holocaust history and choices people face today. The episode challenges listeners to recognize that history is shaped not only by governments and armies, but by individual decisions, empathy, and moral courage.Habits of a Whole Heart, part of the Humanity Matters series from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center on hmTv, invites audiences to move beyond remembrance and consider what responsibility looks like in their own lives today.Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 450 – The Israeli Bond (Part 3 – Finale) Host: Gal Swisa Cohen Guest: Amit YaacovIn the final installment of their three-part series, Gal Swisa Cohen and IDF reserve captain Amit Yaacov move from explanation to the hardest question of all: what now?After examining the history of the Haredi draft debate and the practical challenges inside the IDF, Part 3 confronts the emotional reality that has intensified since October 7. With reservists serving repeated tours, families carrying the burden of war, and Israeli society feeling the strain, the issue is no longer only legal or political. It has become deeply personal.Amit shares the perspective from within the serving population, describing the sense not of anger, but of unequal responsibility. The conversation explores Jewish values, shared sacrifice, and why many Israelis are not demanding that others suffer, but asking that the burden of protecting the country be shared. At the same time, Gal emphasizes the fears inside the Haredi community and the need to understand a society built on preserving identity and religious continuity.Rather than offering simple answers, the episode focuses on possible paths forward: meaningful national service options, real incentives and accountability, improved military frameworks, and above all, dialogue. The series concludes with a recognition that the debate reflects a larger struggle within Israel itself—how a diverse society balances faith, democracy, and collective responsibility while still remaining one people.Support the show

Send us Fan MailHabits of a Whole Heart (hmTv) Episode 452: Doron Keren – Beneath the Lightless Sky (Part 2) Host: Arnie HerzIn Part 2 of Habits of a Whole Heart, Arnie Herz continues his deeply meaningful conversation with Doron Keren, grandson of Holocaust survivor Ignacy Heger and the translator and publisher of the memoir Beneath the Lightless Sky. Moving beyond the historical events, this episode focuses on the enduring lessons carried forward from one family’s survival beneath the streets of wartime Lvov.Doron reflects on how reading his grandfather’s words reshaped his own identity and responsibility as a second-generation witness. The discussion explores the moral courage required not only to survive physically, but to preserve dignity, faith, and humanity in unimaginable conditions. Arnie and Doron examine the extraordinary actions of Polish sewer worker Leopold Socha, whose decision to help a Jewish family evolved from a transaction into an act of conscience, illustrating how ordinary individuals can make life-altering moral choices.Together they confront timeless questions: Why do some people become rescuers while others remain bystanders? How does dehumanization begin? And what warning signs should we recognize in our own society today?This episode challenges listeners to see Holocaust history not as distant memory but as a study of human behavior and responsibility. It is a powerful conversation about empathy, moral courage, and the daily choices that shape both character and history.Habits of a Whole Heart is part of the Humanity Matters series from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center on hmTv, inviting audiences to move from remembrance to action.Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 448 – The Israeli Bond (Part 1) Host: Gal Swisa Cohen Guest: Amit YaacovIn this opening episode of the Israel Today mini-series, Gal Swisa Cohen sits down with IDF reserve captain and former Head of the Haredi Department in the Israeli Ground Forces, Amit Yaacov, to unpack one of the most explosive debates in Israel today: the Haredi draft.Often called the conscription law, and by others the draft-dodging law, the issue reaches far beyond military policy. It touches religion, law, equality, coalition politics, and the very social contract of Israeli society. Why were yeshiva students originally exempted from service? How did a decision affecting 400 students in Israel’s early years grow into tens of thousands today? And why has the question returned now as a national crisis?Together, Gal and Amit trace the history from David Ben-Gurion’s original compromise, through the Tal Law and Supreme Court rulings, to the current moment in which the legal framework has expired and the country is grappling with what fairness and shared responsibility really mean.Part 1 lays the foundation for understanding the debate: not as a simple religious versus secular argument, but as a complicated balance between Torah study, national defense, and the principle that every citizen shares the burden of protecting the state.Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 449 – The Israeli Bond (Part 2) Host: Gal Swisa Cohen Guest: Amit YaacovIn Part 2 of their in-depth discussion, Gal Swisa Cohen and IDF reserve captain Amit Yaacov move from history into reality: what actually happens when a Haredi soldier enters the Israeli army?Why can’t Israel simply draft the Haredim and end the controversy? The answer, they explain, lies not only in politics but in culture and identity. Amit describes the Haredi way of life as a closed communal structure developed over centuries in the diaspora, designed to preserve religious practice and protect it from outside influence. The IDF, by contrast, is a shared national institution built on integration.The conversation explores the accommodations the army has created — strict kosher standards, Torah study time, and gender-separate frameworks — and the limits of those efforts. From officer training to technical instruction, the structure of the military inevitably exposes soldiers to broader Israeli society, which many Haredi families fear could erode their religious lifestyle.Part 2 reveals why the debate is so emotionally charged: the issue is not only equality of service, but the clash between a national army meant to unify citizens and a community determined to preserve its identity.Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 447 – The Fog of War and Humanity (Part 3) Host: Richard Acritelli Guest: Mike WilliamsIn the concluding chapter of his story, Air Force veteran Mike Williams reflects on the war that followed him home.After returning from Ubon Air Base in Thailand in 1970, Mike built a life, raised a family, and pursued education and a career, but the emotional impact of service did not disappear. Years later he came to recognize symptoms of PTSD, including anger, guilt, and recurring memories triggered by violence and blood. He recounts a haunting incident he witnessed overseas, an event that stayed with him for decades and shaped his understanding of trauma and survivor’s guilt.Mike also speaks candidly about the long-term consequences of Agent Orange exposure, the health challenges faced by many Vietnam-era veterans and their families, and the struggle for recognition and care. Through counseling, veteran support groups, and his work as an American Legion chaplain, he has learned the importance of talking openly about mental health and supporting fellow veterans.Part 3 completes Mike’s journey, from service in Southeast Asia to the lifelong process of healing and helping others. His story highlights a powerful truth: the war does not always end when a soldier comes home, but understanding, community, and compassion can make the difference in moving forward.Support the show

Send us Fan MailPodcast Description – hmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 445 – The Fog of War and Humanity (Part 1) Host: Richard Acritelli Guest: Mike WilliamsIn Part 1 of this new veteran series, Richard Acritelli sits down with Air Force veteran Mike Williams to trace the journey that led a Queens kid into the Vietnam era military.Mike reflects on growing up in Ridgewood, New York, living in his mother’s storefront business, attending Catholic school with the Franciscan brothers, and learning early lessons about hardship, discipline, and responsibility. He shares vivid memories of a post-war immigrant neighborhood, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the move from city life to suburban Long Island just as the country was changing in the early 1960s.As friends began receiving draft notices, reality set in. Rather than wait, Mike enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, beginning a path that took him from Fort Hamilton to basic training in Texas, technical school in Illinois, and eventually Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, a critical hub during the Vietnam War. He recounts the culture shock of military life, the discipline of training, and the sobering awareness of the war’s human cost at a base where fallen service members returned home.This opening episode sets the foundation for Mike’s wartime story, exploring how ordinary young Americans moved from adolescence to responsibility almost overnight. It is a portrait of upbringing, service, and the life experiences that shaped a generation before they ever set foot near a battlefield.Support the show