TFJ: Series 1 Episode 25: The Birth of Israel During the 1995-96 academic year, Yale University altered its housing policy to require freshmen and sophomores to live in coed dormitories without gender-specific bathrooms. Four (originally five) Orthodox Jewish freshmen appealed to the administration to absolve them from this requirement as it violated Jewish norms of modesty. Although Yale granted exemptions to others, it would not budge for the Yale Five who ended up suing the college for violating their constitutionally protected freedom of religion. Here is another poignant example of people expressing opinions despite their ignorance.  Edited and Produced by Alex Drucker  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

TFJ: Series 1 Episode 24: Special Episode: The Birth of Israel   After the French Revolution there was a sense that the quest for liberty, egalitarianism and brotherhood were attainable, just like after the American revolution there was a sense that the pursuit of happiness was an attainable goal. Borders were changing, maybe even human nature was changing. Maybe, maybe there was even hope that a Jewish state could be restored.  To enlarge his empire and further secure his personal record in history, Napoleon traveled with his army to Egypt. And even though he was routed by the British in the Battle of the Nile, this did not dampen his visions of grandeur and he decided to invade Palestine. After some initial successful battles, basing himself on a sense of overconfidence and being undefeatable, he granted the Jews freedom to their own land and signed his proclamation from his headquarters in Jerusalem that he had not yet captured and never would.  He gave the Jews hope for their homeland, and then dashed it when it turned out to be a promise that he could never deliver. His second blow was even more devastating: in 1791 France declared all men to be equal, even Jews.  Napoleon and the French people, then had second thoughts. They had given the Jews equal rights too cheaply. For the Jews to be awarded the status of equality they would have to swear that they were Frenchman with loyalties exclusively to fellow Frenchmen, not fellow Jews, with no national aspirations for the Land of Israel. This affirmation was to be sanctioned by the Sanhedrin which had been defunct for 13 centuries.  Any observer viewing matters in 1807 would have concluded that the idea of Jews returning to the Land of Israel was over for good. History had the last laugh.  This episode is dedicated in memory of Yocheved Orbach by her family.    Edited and Produced by Alex Drucker  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc  

TFJ: Series 1 Episode 23: Character Workshop With Special Guest Dr. David Pelcovitz  Dr Pelcovitz is a universally renowned psychologist, famed for his uncanny ability to offer advice that is always useful, unimpeachable and heavily supported by statistics. No matter what the problem, Dr. Pelcovitz, holder of the Straus Chair of psychology at Yeshiva University, is the go to. TFJ could not be more blessed than to bring our listeners some trenchant pearls from the expert who knows best how to embrace a life of character and convey this message and direction to youngsters.  Edited and Produced by Alex Drucker  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

TFJ: Series 1 Episode 21: The Birth of Israel At the beginning of the 1900s new settlers arrived in Israel who were very different from the earlier, pious settlers living in Israel. In garb, outlook and conduct the differences were vast, and it was Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, better known as Rav Kook who attempted to bridge the gap by not veering from tradition, but also not writing off the new immigrants. Rav Kook was exiled from Israel during WWI and spent the duration in London at the time of the Balfour Declaration. Jewish parliamentarians, afraid that they might be accused of dual loyalty for supporting the creation of a Jewish state in Israel, shamelessly asserted that Judaism does not require a Jewish homeland. This commenced a discussion that will last through three episodes regarding man’s ability, and sometimes even predilection, to render an opinion whether or not they are qualified to do so. Edited and Produced by Alex Drucker  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

Teller From Jerusalem: The Birth of Israel Series Episode 19 For those concerned for the future Jewish state, it became apparent that the first priority was to wrest the land from the brutish Ottoman regime. This would entail the Aaronsohn spy ring supplying information to Allenby’s Egyptian Expeditionary Force, Dr. Chaim Weizmann developing a method to create acetone by fermenting chestnuts, and British determination that poor Jews fleeing persecution in Russia should not settle on their shores.     Edited and Produced by Alex Drucker  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

TFJ: Series 1 Episode 15: The Birth of Israel Over six thousand gathered for Herzl’s funeral in Vienna. In 1949 the State of Israel honored Herzl’s request and brought his bones to be buried in the state that he envisioned. Assimilated Herzl did not appreciate the meaning of the Land of Israel to the Jews, and was more concerned about acquiring a pragmatic solution – even if it would not be in Israel. TFJ takes a look at other lands that were offered to the Jews such as Birobidzan in far-eastern Siberia. Herzl’s family did not follow in his path, leaving his legacy to be treasured by those who moved to the land that he foresaw. Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  Don't forget to subscribe, like and share! Let all your friends know they too can have a new favorite podcast.  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

Teller From Jerusalem – Series 1 Episode 8 – The Birth of Israel Suffering from government-sponsored violent and lethal anti-Semitism, Russian Jews had basically once choice: to stay and endure, or to leave. The majority who left departed to America; a small fraction ascended to Palestine. Young Jewish boys under Tsarist decree had to suffer the plight of becoming “cantonists.”   Song courtesy of JEP, Rabbi Yosef Golding  Film courtesy of video of Rabbi Yaacov Yisroel Zuber the Rav of Stockholm, Sweden. Photograph courtesy of Itanari  Teller From Jerusalem will take a two week hiatus after this episode. We will be back with Episode 9 on April 7, 2021.  Find Video Episodes at http://www.youtube.com/hanochteller Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

Character Workshop  What is motivating your actions? Is it the Good or the Evil Inclination? TFJ takes a look at the Broken Window Theory and sees practical application in character improvement: Thanks: video, Eliezer Cohn; special thanks: William Goldstein, Julie Snyder, Diana Epstein. Photo credit: Cottonbro Pexels.com, Luis Adolfo Burgos Pexels.com, Jack Gittoes Pexels.com, Pixabay, Pexels.com, Eagle Rock Baptist Church, Steve Sack The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jewish Life Television, homemade documentaries, Film: courtesy of Pexels.com Find Video Episodes at http://www.youtube.com/hanochteller Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

Generous Baron Maurice de Hirsch refused to contribute to Herzl’s plan which he considered a fantasy. Eventually, as Daniel Gordis points out, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Herzl. “Better luck next time” wasn’t an option, and the need to improve resulted in Der Judenstaat. When things look catastrophic there is often a silver lining, case in point: The Auschwitz Protocols. As Dreyfuss languishes on Devil’s island, Emil Zola comes to his rescue by publishing, J’accuse. The most important work on sparking antisemitism,  the fictitious Protocols of the Elders of Zion, finds an enthusiastic supporter and disseminator in America, car magnate, Henry Ford.  Photo Credits: Vrba-Wetzler Memorial  Auschwitz Fence – Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem J’accuse headline – J’accuse by Gaumont Cover image Protocols Elders of Zion: Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem  Find Video Episodes at http://www.youtube.com/hanochteller Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc

Hatikva is unique among national anthems. A maid employed by the French military found a memo in the trash in the German embassy in Paris with military secrets. The French Minister of War connected the document – despite not a shred of evidence – to a Jewish artillery captain, Alfred Dreyfuss, who subsequently was convicted of spying and denounced as a traitor. This set off anti-Jewish rioting, similar to blood libels, which also made no sense, but were lethal and costly for innocent Jewish victims. This was a tipping point for a reporter covering the trial named Theodore Herzl.  Generous Baron Maurice de Hirsch refused to contribute to Herzl’s plan which he considered a fantasy. Eventually, as Daniel Gordis points out, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Herzl. “Better luck next time” wasn’t an option, and the need to improve resulted in Der Judenstaat. When things look catastrophic there is often a silver lining, case in point: The Auschwitz Protocols. As Dreyfuss languishes on Devil’s island, Emil Zola comes to his rescue by publishing, J’accuse. The most important work on sparking antisemitism,  the fictitious Protocols of the Elders of Zion, finds an enthusiastic supporter and disseminator in America, car magnate, Henry Ford.  Photo Credits: Vrba-Wetzler Memorial  Auschwitz Fence – Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem J’accuse headline – J’accuse by Gaumont Cover image Protocols Elders of Zion: Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, Jerusalem  Find Video Episodes at http://www.youtube.com/hanochteller Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc   Audio Credits: Star Spangled Banner – USA Patriotism.org Hatikva sung by Enrico Massias  Visual Credits: Picture of Rabbi Aharon Soloveitchik courtesy of YUTorah.org Picture of Albert Dreyfus – J’accuse! The History of the Dreyfuss Afair. This is Barris! – French History Dreyfuss Humiliation – J’accuse by Gaumont Picture of Le Petit Journal nili.org.il Blood Libel Illustration – Leo Baeck Institute – New York/ Berlin Find Video Episodes at http://www.youtube.com/hanochteller Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com 

The dream to return to the homeland and the challenges of Israel’s early settlers in the late 1800s. Visual Credits: Titus Arch: www.bnaibrith.ca, Photo of Kite: Unsplash, Squeezing citrus: courtesy of Pexels.com Pouring wine: courtesy of Pexels.com, Edmund De Rothschild: courtesy of Ramat Hanadiv, Picture of Laurence Oliphant care of FOZmuseum.com, Carmel historical photographs courtesy of Wikimedia commons, “Jews at the Western Wall 1870” Photo credit: Félix Bonfils (1831-1885). Audio Credits: Little Kite sung by Abie Rotenberg & Avrumy Kalter permission form producer Sheya Mendlowitz Find Video Episodes at https://www.youtube.com/user/hanochteller  Learn more at TellerFromJerusalem.com  © 2021 Media Education Trust llc  

The weekly podcast of ever popular author, lecturer, film producer and historian, the inimitable Rabbi Hanoch Teller, takes an intelligent and thought-provoking look at the early struggle to establish the State of Israel. Through analysis of key events of the past, insight is acquired on the present. Every fourth week is devoted to the fundamentals to becoming a morally sensitive, dignified individual; enhancing personal character has never been so uplifting. Teller From Jerusalem is ear candy for those who seek instruction and self-improvement. www.hanochteller.com (CEDAR MEDIA PODCASTING 2020)