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Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 446 – The Fog of War and Humanity (Part 2) Host: Richard Acritelli Guest: Mike WilliamsIn Part 2 of his story, Air Force veteran Mike Williams moves from stateside service into the reality of the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia.After building a life with his young wife while stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Mike receives orders sending him to Ubon Air Base in Thailand, near the Laotian border. What follows is culture shock, a 26-hour journey across the Pacific, and an immediate immersion into the heat, disease outbreaks, and operational intensity of a forward air base supporting combat operations over the Ho Chi Minh Trail.Mike describes the demanding pace of 12-hour shifts keeping F-4 fighters and AC-130 gunships mission-ready, the little-known use of early laser-guided bombs and trail sensors, and the constant awareness that even a base outside Vietnam was still a combat zone. He recounts enemy sapper attacks on the base, working under aircraft while gunfire erupted around him, and the reality that every service member on the installation was a target.He also shares a sobering chapter many veterans recognize: exposure to Agent Orange. Sprayed regularly around the base perimeter for defoliation, the chemical left lasting health effects and a long struggle for recognition and care after the war.This episode reveals the hidden side of the air war in Southeast Asia and the enduring physical and emotional impact carried home by those who served.Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv | Humanity Matters Series Episode 444 – Habits of a Whole Heart Host: Arnie Herz Guest: Dr. Valentin FusterIn this powerful and deeply personal episode, Arnie Herz welcomes one of the most respected physicians in the world, legendary cardiologist Dr. Valentin Fuster. A global leader in cardiovascular research, prevention, and patient care, Dr. Fuster has spent decades studying not only how the heart functions, but how human behavior, stress, purpose, and relationships shape health and longevity.The conversation moves far beyond medicine. Dr. Fuster explains why most heart disease is not primarily biological but behavioral, driven by lifestyle, sleep, stress, and daily choices. He challenges the modern culture of over-consumption and warns that technology and artificial intelligence, while valuable, must never replace empathy in the doctor-patient relationship. As he memorably puts it, physicians should treat people, not statistics.Arnie also shares his own experience as Dr. Fuster’s patient and the life-changing decision to delay surgery, illustrating the importance of individualized care and thoughtful judgment over reflexive intervention.The episode culminates in Dr. Fuster’s guiding philosophy for living a meaningful life, the “Four T’s”: time to reflect, talent to discover, transmit positivity, and tutoring through mentorship and listening. His message is clear: heart health begins in the mind, and a healthy society depends on compassion, education, and human connection.This is not just a conversation about cardiology. It is a conversation about how to live well, care for others, and remain human in an increasingly technological world.Do you like this personality?Support the show

Send us Fan MailhmTv The UN, Society, and Antisemitism – Episode 443 (Part 2) Host: Susanne Seperson Guest: Elias SaratovskyIn Part 2 of The UN, Society, and Antisemitism, host Susanne Seperson continues her in-depth conversation with Elias Saratovsky, President and CEO of the Birthright Israel Foundation. The discussion moves from personal identity and education to some of today’s most difficult public debates, including campus hostility toward Jewish students, the influence of social media, and the growing politicization of attitudes toward Israel.Saratovsky explains how Birthright Israel approaches participants who arrive with skepticism or challenging views, emphasizing that the program is not designed to impose opinions but to provide firsthand experience and understanding. The conversation examines how online misinformation, algorithms, and global narratives shape perceptions of Israel and contribute to rising antisemitism, particularly among younger generations.Seperson and Saratovsky also address broader international issues, including reactions at the United Nations, accusations against Israel in the Gaza war, and the difference between military conflict and public opinion. They discuss whether the Jewish community should feel fear in the United States and explore practical responses, from civic engagement and education to immersive experiences and direct dialogue.The episode concludes with a forward-looking message: strengthening Jewish identity through positive experiences, meaningful relationships, and real-world encounters may be the most effective long-term response to antisemitism. Part 2 offers a candid and thoughtful exchange about advocacy, perception, and the responsibility of individuals and institutions in shaping understanding for the next generation.Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe UN, Society, and Antisemitism – Episode 442 (Part 1)Host: Susanne SepersonGuest: Elias SaratovskyIn this opening installment of The UN, Society, and Antisemitism, host Susanne Seperson welcomes Elias Saratovsky, President and CEO of the Birthright Israel Foundation. Saratovsky shares his personal story as the grandson of Holocaust survivors and the child of Soviet Jewish immigrants who came to America seeking freedom and dignity. He reflects on growing up with a strong awareness of antisemitism but little formal Jewish practice, and how a last-minute acceptance onto one of the very first Birthright Israel trips in 1999 transformed his identity and life direction.The conversation explores how firsthand experiences in Israel can shape Jewish identity, strengthen resilience, and counter rising antisemitism, particularly on college campuses. Saratovsky discusses the mission of Birthright Israel, its expanded programs including Onward internships and post-October 7 volunteer initiatives, and why immersive engagement may be more effective than classroom learning alone.Seperson and Saratovsky also address difficult questions: the increase of anti-Jewish hostility in the United States, the role of education, misconceptions about Zionism, and the growing pressures faced by Jewish students. Together they examine whether today’s protests reflect criticism of policy or something deeper about Western values and Jewish belonging.Part 1 sets the stage for a thoughtful and candid discussion about identity, history, and the challenges confronting Jewish communities today, while pointing toward practical ways individuals and institutions can respond.Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe Israeli Bond (hmTv) Episode 441 | Part 2 – Gal Swisa Cohen with Rick LewisIn Part 2 of The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen continues her powerful conversation with Rick Lewis, CEO of the Mid-Island YJCC and the Suffolk YJCC. Moving beyond headlines and into lived experience, Rick explains why Jewish institutions today cannot afford silence and why visibility, pride, and community engagement have become essential leadership responsibilities.Rick reflects on hosting the UJA Shine a Light gatherings during a period of fear and rising antisemitism, sharing why he insisted the message be clear: the Jewish community will not hide. He discusses security, public courage, and the balance between protecting families and preserving identity in difficult times.The conversation also explores his recent leadership delegation visit to Israel after October 7. Seeing damaged homes, border communities, and the Nova site firsthand reshaped his understanding of Israel and deepened his personal connection to Judaism. Rick opens up about how those experiences affected his family life, his Shabbat practices, and his outlook on Jewish continuity in America.Gal and Rick address a difficult reality: community engagement surged after October 7 but is already beginning to fade. They discuss memorialization efforts, the responsibility of Jewish institutions, and how education, participation, and simple acts of Jewish pride can sustain connection for the next generation.Rick’s message to American Jews is straightforward: get involved, learn, ask questions, and show up. Jewish identity is strengthened not only in crisis, but in everyday participation.A candid, thoughtful, and often personal discussion about leadership, memory, Israel, and what it means to remain visible and proud in uncertain times.Support the show

Send us Fan MailPodcast Description – The Israeli Bond (hmTv) Episode 440 – Rick Lewis (Part 1) Host: Gal Swisa CohenIn this compelling first installment of The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen sits down with veteran Jewish community leader Rick Lewis, CEO of the Mid-Island YJCC and Suffolk YJCC. After more than four decades in Jewish communal service, Rick has built a reputation as a turnaround specialist who strengthens institutions and builds welcoming communities. But the events of October 7th changed his role, and his voice, in ways he never expected.Rick shares how the JCCs transitioned from quietly expressing Jewish identity to openly advocating for Israel, educating the broader public, and supporting the hostages and their families. He reflects on the difficult decision to risk membership and public criticism in order to stand on principle, and explains why he believes Jewish organizations must sometimes lead rather than remain neutral.The conversation also explores the powerful local impact of Long Island hostage Omer Neutra, the meaning of community solidarity, and the creation of the Long Island Jewish Coalition, an effort to unite Jewish institutions during a moment of crisis.This episode is a candid look at leadership under pressure, the responsibilities of communal institutions, and how one executive chose conviction over comfort. Stay tuned for Part 2, where the discussion continues into antisemitism today and how the community is responding.Support the show

Send us Fan MailLegacy Chronicles: Honoring the Past and Shaping the Future Episode 439 – Felice Katz Host: Donna Rosenblum | hmTvIn this deeply moving episode of Legacy Chronicles, Donna Rosenblum sits down with second-generation Holocaust survivor Felice Katz to explore memory, inheritance, and responsibility across generations.Felice shares the powerful story of her parents, Julian (Yachil) Katz and Ethel Bauer Katz. Her father carried the physical scars of the camps but rarely spoke of what he endured. Her mother survived three years in hiding in southeastern Poland and miraculously lived after being left for dead in the snow when her family was murdered in 1944. Felice recounts their chance meeting after liberation, their journey through displaced persons camps, and their eventual immigration to America, where they rebuilt their lives in New York.The conversation turns to what it meant to grow up as a child of survivors. Felice reflects on realizing her family was different, discovering the truth of the Holocaust as a young girl, and the emotional weight of having no extended family because an entire world had been erased. She discusses how her mother eventually wrote her memoir Our Tomorrows Never Came, and how Felice herself became the keeper of the story, first assisting her mother’s presentations and ultimately stepping forward to speak when her mother could no longer do so.Felice explains why she continues to share her parents’ experiences at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, honoring a promise that their memory would never disappear. She also offers heartfelt guidance to other second-generation survivors and families everywhere: ask questions, record stories, and preserve testimony while you still can.This episode is a powerful reminder that remembrance is not passive. It is an act of responsibility, courage, and love.Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity Episode 438 – Dennis Moran (Part 5) Host: Richard Acritelli | Guest: Dennis Moran | hmTvIn the concluding chapter of this powerful five-part conversation, Vietnam veteran Dennis Moran shares some of the most personal and lasting memories of his service. He recounts a devastating air-mobile operation in which several close friends were killed moments after landing, describing the chaos of combat, the responsibility of walking point, and the split-second decisions required simply to survive.Richard Acritelli guides the discussion beyond the battlefield as Dennis reflects on coming home at just 21 years old and facing the quieter, more complicated war that followed. He speaks openly about readjustment, survivor’s guilt, coping with memories, visiting fallen comrades, and the emotional impact of seeing their names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The conversation also highlights the lifelong bonds among veterans, his friendship with a wounded fellow soldier, and the healing power of family, work, and community.Dennis shares how he rebuilt his life, found love, raised children, and eventually worked in construction helping shape Long Island’s highways, while continuing to honor those who never returned. The episode closes with a heartfelt reflection on remembrance, service, and why telling these stories matters.A moving and human conclusion to a remarkable series about war, memory, resilience, and brotherhood.Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity Episode 437 – Dennis Moran (Part 4) Host: Richard Acritelli Guest: Dennis MoranIn Part 4 of this powerful series, Vietnam veteran Dennis Moran takes listeners deeper into his experiences during the Cambodian campaign of 1970. What begins as a recollection of a beautiful countryside quickly turns into a stark account of ambushes, unexploded bombs, airstrikes, and the constant uncertainty of jungle warfare. Dennis recounts being sent to destroy a massive live bomb, nights guarding artillery positions, accidental detonations, and the tense moment his platoon unknowingly allowed a suspected enemy collaborator to drive past their ambush site.The conversation also explores the realities behind famous Vietnam War films. Dennis shares how closely Platoon and Forrest Gump captured the weather, the chaos, and the emotional strain soldiers endured, from monsoons and disease to the daily routines of survival in swamps and rice paddies. He describes the logistics networks along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the impact of B-52 bombings, and the strange normalcy soldiers developed while carrying explosives, Claymore mines, and rations on long patrols.The episode becomes especially personal as Dennis recalls leaving Cambodia for R&R in Hawaii while learning his childhood friend had been catastrophically wounded in combat. The story culminates with his emotional visit to the Bronx VA Hospital after returning home, confronting the lasting human cost of the war.Part 4 is a vivid and unfiltered portrait of combat, friendship, and survival, showing that war is remembered not only in battles, but in moments, decisions, and lives permanently changed.Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe Fog of War and Humanity, Episode 436 (Dennis Moran Part 3)In Part 3 of this powerful conversation, host Richard Acritelli continues his discussion with Vietnam veteran Dennis Moran as the memories grow more intense and personal. Dennis recounts river patrols near the Cambodian border, helicopter insertions under fire, and the daily dangers of walking point through rice paddies, swampland, and hidden traps. He shares firsthand observations of allied forces, the harsh realities of survival in extreme heat without water, and the split-second decisions that determined who made it home.The episode also follows his unit’s movement into Cambodia during a large-scale operation, encounters with enemy soldiers, and the unexpected humanity he witnessed from civilians in remote villages. Through vivid storytelling, Dennis reflects on camaraderie, fear, endurance, and the lasting impact of war on the young soldiers who lived it.A candid and gripping chapter in his story, this episode offers listeners an unfiltered look at the uncertainty, brotherhood, and emotional weight carried by those who fought on the front lines of Vietnam.Support the show