Frankely Judaic: Explorations in Jewish Studies

University of Michigan Frankel Center for Judaic Studies
  • 4.8 (16)
  • EDUCATION
Frankely Judaic: Explorations in Jewish Studies

A Jewish Studies podcast series featuring the research of Frankel Institute fellows at the University of Michigan.

  1. Golan Moskowitz, "Exploring Jewish American Drag: History, Identity, and Influence"

    APR 1

    Golan Moskowitz, "Exploring Jewish American Drag: History, Identity, and Influence"

    In this episode, cultural historian and literary scholar Golan Moskowitz discusses his current book project, which explores the cultural history of Jewish drag and its relationship with Jewish identity in America. Through detailed analysis of significant figures such as Adah Isaacs Mencken, Flawless Sabrina, Harvey Fierstein, Charles Busch, Sadie Sadie the Rabbi Lady, and Sasha Velour, Moskowitz highlights how Jewishness and drag have intertwined to challenge social norms and reflect shifting cultural and political climates. He also delves into the concept of 'transcreativity' and how Jewish drag performers have contributed to broader American drag culture, emphasizing the importance of recognizing queer, trans, and non-binary Jews in the art of drag.

    19 min
  2. Marce Butierrez: "Intersecting Histories: Jewish and LGBTQ+ Persecution in Argentina"

    JAN 23

    Marce Butierrez: "Intersecting Histories: Jewish and LGBTQ+ Persecution in Argentina"

    In this captivating episode, host Jeremy Shere from Connversa speaks with Marce Gutierrez, a research fellow at the National University of Salta in Argentina. Marce shares her unique perspective as a trans woman and an anthropologist, studying the interconnected histories of Jewish and LGBTQ+ persecution in Argentina. She delves into the story of Rabbi Marshall Meyer, a key figure during Argentina's turbulent 20th century, and how the violent legacy against marginalized groups spans from the early 1900s through the military dictatorship of 1976-1983. Marce also discusses her research into archives that reveal the struggles and resilience of these communities, highlighting the need for recognition and reparations, and reflecting on the power of community connections in overcoming historical injustice.

    17 min
  3. Rafe Neis, "When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven"

    11/21/2024

    Rafe Neis, "When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven"

    In this episode, we explore the work of Raphael Rachel Neis, a professor of ancient history at the University of Michigan, whose book, When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven, delves into ancient rabbinic understandings of reproduction and identity, focusing on how the rabbis of the Talmud viewed the emergence of new life. The book aims to reveal a more complex, varied, and open ancient world, countering the traditional Judeo-Christian perspectives on family, reproduction, and identity.

    24 min
  4. Anna Hajkova, "Quartet: A Story of Survival"

    10/28/2024

    Anna Hajkova, "Quartet: A Story of Survival"

    In this episode, historian Dr. Anna Hejkova from the University of Warwick explores rarely discussed queer histories and enforced relationships during the Holocaust. The narrative delves into the lives of concentration camp guard Anneliese Kohlmann; Helene Sommer, a female prisoner who Kohlmann forced into a relationship; Margot Heumann, a teenage prisoner who witnessed the relationship; and Willie Brachmann, a kapo in Auschwitz. Shedding light on the complex dynamics, power imbalances, and survival strategies within labor and concentration camps, these individual stories reveal how prisoners navigated their dire circumstances, using appearance and sexuality for survival, while also acquiescing to relationships with guards. Reflecting on societal attitudes, moral complexities, and post-war ramifications, this episode provides a nuanced understanding of human resilience, solidarity, and the multifaceted nature of historical memory.

    17 min
  5. Debora Kantor, "Examining Jewish Identity in Argentine Cinema: Nonfiction Films on Israel"

    09/12/2024

    Debora Kantor, "Examining Jewish Identity in Argentine Cinema: Nonfiction Films on Israel"

    In this episode, Debora Kantor, a lecturer at the National University of San Martin, Buenos Aires, discusses her research on the representation of Jews and Jewishness in Argentine modern and contemporary cinema. She delves into her specific project on Argentine nonfiction films about Israel, examining how these films reflect both collective and personal understandings of Jewish identity. The discussion includes her analysis of autobiographical turns in contemporary Argentine cinema and the transformation of Jewish portrayals in this context. Cantor highlights significant films and directors, illustrating how they address themes such as the imagination of Israel, the intergenerational transmission of the Holocaust, and the depiction of Jewish spaces in Buenos Aires. She provides detailed insights into specific films like Nicolás Abruj's 'Us, Them and Me', Ivo Eichenbaum's 'The Automatic Part', and Flora Resnick's 'Peromaisk', among others, elaborating on their thematic exploration of political utopia, left-wing melancholia, and the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Jewish diasporic identity. The music used in this episode, "Moisesville", by Argentine Jewish musician Jevel Katz, is the name of one of the most important Jewish agricultural colonies settled by the Jewish Colonization Association in Argentina and his music is very relevant to the cultural heritage of Argentine Jews.

    20 min
  6. Jeffrey Abt, "The Jewish Museum: A Story of Art, Identity, and Controversy"

    08/21/2024

    Jeffrey Abt, "The Jewish Museum: A Story of Art, Identity, and Controversy"

    In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of the Jewish Museum in New York City. From its humble beginnings in 1904 as a small collection of ceremonial objects to its current status as a renowned institution grappling with questions of identity and purpose, the museum's story is one of constant evolution and debate. We discuss the museum's origins and early years, including the significant contributions of Cyrus Adler and the impact of the Holocaust on its collection. We delve into the mid-20th century, when the museum gained a reputation for showcasing avant-garde art, sometimes sparking controversy within the Jewish community. We examine the museum's shifting focus over the decades, from Jewish cultural history to contemporary art and back again. We hear from artist and scholar Jeff Abt, author of "Too Jewish or Not Jewish Enough: Ritual Objects and Avant-Garde Art at the Jewish Museum of New York," who shares his insights on the museum's ongoing struggle to define its mission. Join us as we explore the complex and captivating story of the Jewish Museum, a reflection of the ever-evolving American Jewish experience.

    16 min
  7. Julia Cohen & Devi Mays, "Global Threads: An Alternative History of Fin-de-Siecle Parisian Fashion"

    06/03/2024

    Julia Cohen & Devi Mays, "Global Threads: An Alternative History of Fin-de-Siecle Parisian Fashion"

    The history of European fashion typically focuses on singular, Christian European geniuses who conjured bold designs and created cutting-edge garments. But in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jews from the Middle East and North Africa played important roles in shaping European tastes in fashion. In this episode, Devi Mays, an associate professor of Judaic Studies and history at the University of Michigan, and Julia Phillips Cohen, an associate professor of Jewish Studies and history at Vanderbilt University, tell the story of the rise and fall of the Babanis, an Ottoman Jewish family with origins in Istanbul, Tunis, and Algiers, who built a fashion house that counted scored of prominent celebrities and socialites among its clients

    18 min
  8. Zoya Brumberg-Kraus, "Ethnic Identity in California’s Architectural Vernacular"

    03/11/2024

    Zoya Brumberg-Kraus, "Ethnic Identity in California’s Architectural Vernacular"

    From Gold Mountain to Tinseltown: Ethnic Identity in California’s Architectural Vernacular It’s well known that millions of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe immigrated across the Atlantic to the United States, settling mostly in New York and other large cities. But some Jewish immigrants crossed the Pacific and settled on the West Coast of the United States, in cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. In this episode, we explore the research of Zoya Blumberg-Kraus, an independent scholar and fellow at the Frankle Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan, which looks at how West Coast Jewish communities used architecture to express their identities as both fully American while also retaining vestiges of their Jewish origins.

    18 min
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4.8
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16 Ratings

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A Jewish Studies podcast series featuring the research of Frankel Institute fellows at the University of Michigan.

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