About this episode

Yehuda Kurtzer and Natalia Mehlman Petrzela discuss the importance of Jewish storytelling in a politically polarized environment.

This episode of Identity/Crisis was originally released on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 What does it mean to tell Jewish stories in a moment of political polarization and distortion? On this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela to examine the role of the historian in public life: not to offer talking points or easy analogies, but to deepen public understanding in a time of simplification and certainty. Through a conversation about education, Jewish identity, and the place of Jews in American history, they consider why richer storytelling matters—and what it can offer to students, Jews, and the broader public. You can now sponsor an episode of Identity/Crisis. Click HERE to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

People in this episode

Host: Yehuda Kurtzer

Guest: Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

Topics covered

• Jewish history
• political polarization
• education
• Jewish identity
• public understanding
• storytelling

Keywords

• Jewish stories
• historian
• public life
• American history
• education
• identity

More episodes of Identity/Crisis

• Surviving, Thriving, and Excelling in Jewish Life – with Barry Finestone · July 21, 2026 · 57 min
• Hip-Hop, Protest, and Patriotism After October 7 – with Shaanan Streett · July 14, 2026 · 44 min
• The Promise and Peril of Jewish Power — with Zachary Truboff · July 7, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Beyond the Myth of Jewish Wealth – with Ilana Horwitz · June 30, 2026 · 49 min
• Strong Beliefs and Open Minds: A Graduation Challenge — with Jonathan Kroll · June 16, 2026 · 44 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Identity/Crisis podcast page.