407: Why Might the Arts Teach the Holocaust More Powerfully Than History Alone?

Dr. Karen Berman discusses how theater, music, visual art, and film illuminate the Holocaust and its aftermath. The two-volume series she co-edited with Dr. Gail Humphries, Stories of the Holocaust: Art for Healing and Renewal, argues that the arts can foster empathy, healing, and social responsibility while inspiring people to become “upstanders” who actively oppose hate and injustice.

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Jeff Ikler
406: "Attack!" How Do the Complexities of Character and Context Converge to Shape History?

“Attack!” Author Bill Whiteside discusses “Operation Catapult,” Winston Churchill’s controversial decision to strike the French fleet in the harbor of Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria, in July 1940, so that it wouldn’t fall into German hands. Whiteside argues that history becomes meaningful when we move beyond headlines and dates to understand the personalities and moral dilemmas that shape decisions and events.

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Jeff Ikler
399: Why Do Public Lands Remain a Source of Controversy?

Jeff and Adam Bronstein, the Oregon Director of the Western Watershed Project, dive deep into a conversation about public lands, livestock grazing, environmental activism, and why rethinking land management—and resisting extractive pressures—are essential to restoring ecosystems held in common.

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Jeff Ikler
396: What We Read and Why in 2025

Jeff Ikler reflects on year-end book lists, reading as curiosity, connection, and resistance, and why thoughtful, attentive reading—especially by podcast hosts—deepens conversations, honors authors, and nourishes both mind and spirit.

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Jeff Ikler