Transcending Jewish Trauma with Jo Kent Katz
Clarissa digs into a topic that has come up in many of the conversations on this podcast; Intergenerational Trauma. The study of this phenomenon is relatively new, but it’s resonated with many Jews whose ancestors’ survived violence and persecution. To take a closer look at this, she talks to Jo Kent Katz, a Therapist, Ritualist, and Political Educator. In 2020, Jo launched a website called “Transcending Jewish Trauma” to help Jews unpack and heal from inherited unconscious beliefs and behaviors associated with ancestral trauma. Included on the website is a map that explores the many manifestations of collective trauma experienced by white Ashkenazi Jews living in the US.
Jewish Ethnicity, Jewish Joy, Mizrahi Culture, and Decolonizing Jewishness, with Yasmine Esther
Clarissa talks to Yasmine Esther, a community educator, and a Bukharan, Ashkenazi, and Mizrahi Jew. Yasmine’s made it her mission to inform Jews and non-Jews alike about Jewish politics and culture. With over 16 thousand followers on Instagram, Yasmine combats misconceptions and erasure of Jewish customs and history. She often shares about overlooked parts of her multifaceted culture including food, clothing, music and jewelry from her Mizrahi and Bukharin background. Yasmine also has black family members, and her educational work incorporates confronting anti-blackness and racism.
Persian Jewish Culture, Stigmas, Taboos, and Mental Health, with Nicole Nowparvar
Forty years ago, thousands of Jews fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution, settling primarily in Los Angeles. Nicole Nowparvar is a member of that Persian Jewish community. She’s a psychotherapist, and the cofounder of Chaya, a community of intimate gatherings for Jewish Iranians. In this conversation, Clarissa talks with Nicole about how social, familial, and cultural expectations shape the community and the way that Chaya is helping individuals navigate what it means to be Jewish Iranian in the U.S.
Jewish New York with Dr. Deborah Dash Moore
Clarissa talks with Dr. Deborah Dash Moore, a professor of Jewish History, about a city that holds a special place for American Jews and Jewish culture: New York City. They talk about her book “Jewish New York,” how Jews transformed the city of New York, and how the city transformed them.