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Tablet Studios

Investigating Histories: Ep. 238

Tablet Studios

Tablet Magazine

Judaism, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality

4.61.5K Ratings

🗓️ 29 July 2020

⏱️ 61 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week on Unorthodox, we’re observing Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. Observant Jews typically fast on this day, and because the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av falls during the summer months, it makes for one strange and somber day at Jewish summer camps. Because the destruction of the ancient temples can seem a bit, well, distant, the Ninth of Av has become in recent years a kind of catch-all day for Jewish mourning: a commemoration of all the historic suffering we’ve faced as a people. Today we’re focusing on the legacy of the Holocaust, as seen through three different families. Our guests are the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who pieced together their family’s story through research, travel, and interviews, and who now are sharing those stories in book—and podcast—form. Our first guest is Esther Safran Foer, whose memoir I Want You to Know We’re Still Here is about her journey to uncover what happened to her parents during the Holocaust. Tragedy followed her parents when they immigrated to America, and only later in life did her mother finally open up about her painful past. Next we speak with British musician Andrew Evans, who was raised in the Church of England but was inspired by Brexit to dig into his unspoken family history and uncover the true story of his Holocaust-surviving grandfather. He chronicles his discoveries in the podcast “Unbordered.” Our third guest is Daphne Geismar, a book maker by trade, who turned her craft on her own family’s story of survival in Nazi-occupied Netherlands. The result is her book Invisible Years. Let us know what you think of the show: Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus: With thousands of lectures on all kinds of topics presented by subject-matter experts from top universities and institutions, keep learning with the Great Courses Plus. Get a free trial with unlimited access at thegreatcoursesplus.com/UNORTHODOX. Harry's: Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Harry’s is donating $1 million worth of shaving supplies to hospitals across the U.S.

Transcript

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0:00.0

What better way to be proudly Jewish right now than with our book, the newest Jewish

0:06.2

Encyclopedia?

0:07.2

It's the perfect coffee table book for your proud Jewish home, and it covers everything

0:11.3

from Jewish history, pop culture, holidays, and of course food,

0:14.9

all with our trademark, irreverence, and love.

0:17.5

Our publisher is offering a special 20% discount on newest Jewish and their entire Hanukkah shop.

0:22.4

So head to Artisan Books.com

0:24.0

and use the code unorthodox at check out.

0:26.5

That's Artisan Books.

0:28.2

Discount code, unorthodox, all caps.

0:33.0

This is on Orthodox, the leading Jewish podcast.

0:37.0

I am one of your hosts, Stephanie Butnik,

0:40.0

and today we have something a bit different for you.

0:42.0

This episode comes out on Tishabob. Today we have something a bit different for you.

0:42.8

This episode comes out on Tishabov, the commemoration of the destruction of both temples

0:47.2

in Jerusalem.

0:48.2

Observant Jews typically fast on this day.

0:51.2

It's a long summer fast. And because the ninth day of the Hebrew

0:54.7

month of Av falls during summer months, it makes for one very strange in summer day

0:59.5

at Jewish summer camps. Because the destruction of the ancient temples can be a bit well

1:04.6

distant, the ninth of Av has become in some ways a kind of catch all day for Jewish

1:10.0

mourning, a commemoration of all the historic suffering we faced as a people.

...

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