Wandering Jews: A Travel Podcast That Entertains & Informs

J2 adventures
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  • JUDAISM
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to Wandering Jews, our J2 adventures. podcast! Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Jewish experiential travel as we traverse the globe. Whether it’s the ancient streets of Jerusalem or the historic charm of Toledo, each episode offers a fresh perspective and a deeper connection to the Jewish story. See more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. NOV 3

    Mosaic of Memory: Beit Alpha and the Questions Beneath the Stones

    In the Jezreel Valley, a 6th-century synagogue floor reveals a people rooted in their land, inscribing faith into stone. This episode explores how archaeology affirms Jewish indigeneity, why the Binding of Isaac still unsettles us, and what these ancient treasures whisper about return and belonging.   Links for Additional Reading: The Beit Alpha Synagoge at Wellesley College The Beit Alpha Synagogue National Park Jewish Worship, Pagan Symbols, Walter Zanger, Biblical Archeological Society Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min

  2. OCT 20

    Budapest’s Dohany Synagogue: Architecture as Storytelling and Aspiration

    In this episode of Wandering Jews, we journey to Budapest’s Dohany Synagogue, a stunning landmark that became the architectural blueprint for grand synagogues across Europe and the United States. Built in the Neo-Moorish style, the Dohany reflects a dual vision: a nostalgic nod to the Jewish Golden Age in medieval Spain and a bold architectural statement of Jewish modernity, pride, and belonging in 19th-century Europe. When is a building more than just a pile of bricks? Links for Additional reading Tracing the History of Budapest’s Dohany Street Synagogue, Jewish Heritage Europe  Moorish Style: Orientalism, the Jews, and Synagogue Architecture, Ivan Davidson Kalma The Dohany Synagogue: History, Culture, and Sacred Rituals Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min

  3. SEP 22

    Tel Hai and Yosef Trumpeldor: Did He Really Say It?

    In this episode of Wandering Jews, we visit the Galilee outpost of Tel Hai – the story of a battle that became legend, and the life and death of the pioneer activist Yosef Trumpeldor. The story of Tel Hai became a foundational myth of Israeli heroism, encapsulated in the phrase attributed to Trumpeldor, “It is good to die for our country.” We trace how this narrative shaped Zionist identity and military ethos and how, over time, it has been reexamined and debated by Israelis grappling with questions of nationalism, sacrifice, and the evolving meaning of heroism in a maturing society. Links for Additional reading Yosef Trumpeldor, Tel Aviv Streets The Hidden American History of One of Zionism’s Foundational Battles: Tel Hai The Secret Agreement That Shaped the Middle East, Unpacked Kol Galgal – Lyrics in Hebrew and English (‘Something for the Road with Hillary Menkowitz) Kol Galgal – Spotify (‘Something for the Road with Hillary Menkowitz) Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  4. SEP 8

    Pragmatic Dreaming: The Peres Center for Innovation and Peace

    The Peres Center is more than just an interactive exhibition. It is a showcase and lab at the center of Israel’s hi-tech industry and innovation. Visiting the Peres Center inspires us to consider the ongoing relevancy of the vision of Shimon Peres and to grapple with the challenge posed by significant Israeli communities who remain under-represented in Israel’s start-up nation success. It also challenges us to ask – what does it mean to be a ‘pragmatic dreamer’ and work to build hope?   Links for Additional Reading The Peres Center for Innovation and Peace Shimon Peres – A Biographical Sketch Employers On The Front Line: The Labor Market Put To The Test, Tasneem Na’ara, JPost Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  5. AUG 25

    Beyond Schmaltz: The Essence of Yiddish

    For many of us, a Yiddish phrase or word reminds us of parents and grandparents who may have not been Yiddish speakers but held on to a taste of Yiddish that they inherited from their own parents and grandparents. Even when visiting Warsaw – what was the largest Yiddish-speaking city in the world before 1939 – Yiddish is no longer the language of the streets and markets, synagogues and theaters. Yet, Yiddish is more than nostalgia. It was the linguistic home that generations of Eastern European Jews inhabited. We’ll take a deep dive and look at the place of Yiddish in the dreams and fears, the triumphs and defeats of a Jewish civilization now gone… But is it? Links for Additional Reading Yiddish Civilisation: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation, Paul Kriwaczek Learn Popular Yiddish Words with Amy Walker! Yiddish is Making a Comeback, Robin Estrin, All Things Considered, NPR, 22 April 2025 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min

  6. AUG 11

    The Enigma of Qumran: The Elusive Dead Sea Sect

    The story of Qumran – on the Dead Sea Shore – reveals a still unraveled historic riddle about the meanings of one of most important archaeological treasures discovered in the 20th century. In a unforgiving landscape, Qumran reveals the story of the Dead Sea Sect and their expansive hidden library. Join us to venture into the caves and between the dry riverbeds to explore the world of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the community who collected and wrote them. The first Reform Jews? The first kibbutznikim? Join us to find out.   Links for Additional Reading Why Are the Dead Sea Scrolls Important With Dr. Jodi Magnes  Led Astray By a Dead Sea Latrine, The Forward, 16 February 2007 The Shrine of the Book, The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min

  7. JUL 28

    Toledo: The Lost Jerusalem of Spain

    The beautiful city of Toledo – perched on the hills above the Tagus River – was once home to a thriving Jewish community. However for the past 532 years – since 1492 – Jewish children do not run home to the Jewish Quarter, and shabbat hymns do not ring through the streets on Friday evenings. When we visit Toledo, we need conjure through our stories the lives that once were. In this episode, we will visit the synagogues of Toledo – no longer in the hands of a Jewish community – recall the glory that was… as well as the meanings of ownership and remembering.   Links for Additional Reading Toledo: The Cultural Guide to Europe, JGuideEurope  The Many Lives of the Synagogue El Transito, National Library of Israel  Córdoba and Toledo: The Last Synagogues of Sepharad, SLICE Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  8. JUN 23

    Funny, They Don’t Look Jewish: Jewish Pirates, Sailors, and Navigators of the Mediterranean

    Seafaring and piracy are not the first associations that come to mind when we think of the Jews. In this episode, we will travel the Great Sea – the Mediterranean – in search of Jews who had salt water in their blood. We will sail from ancient Israel to the Middle Ages – and even revisit the question often asked – Columbus? Funny, he does not look Jewish!   Links for Additional Reading  The Great Sea, David Abulafia – a Book Review (The Guardian, May 1, 2012) Jewish Pirates of the Mediterranean, Yaakov Landman (Kankan, April 3, 2020) Columbus and the Jews, Jonathan Sarna (Commentary, November 1992) Fado with Lior Hochberg – A Spotify Playlist mentioned in Something for the Road Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Find more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to Wandering Jews, our J2 adventures. podcast! Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Jewish experiential travel as we traverse the globe. Whether it’s the ancient streets of Jerusalem or the historic charm of Toledo, each episode offers a fresh perspective and a deeper connection to the Jewish story. See more at j2adventures.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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