This Week’s Guest: Annika Hernroth-Rothstein

Since the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans until now, a span of over two millennia, most Jews have lived in the diaspora. While frequently far from easy, diaspora life, with its endurance and with the way far-flung communities have remained connected to the Jewish people as a whole, constitutes something of a miracle.

In researching her forthcoming book Exile: Portraits of the Jewish Diaspora, the Swedish-born journalist Annika Hernroth-Rothstein visited a dozen small surviving diaspora communities, roaming from Iran to Tunisia, Uzbekistan to Siberia, Cuba to Venezuela. In this podcast, Ms. Hernroth-Rothstein joins Jonathan Silver for a conversation about her journeys around the world. You’ll hear what it was like to pray in a synagogue with Tehran’s remaining Jewish community, what she learned speaking with pious Jews in Djerba, Tunisia, and how, while fleeing a warrant for her arrest in Venezuela, she was reminded that, wherever Jews find themselves in the world, they are family.

Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble, as well as “Shining Through the Rain” by Big Score Audio.

Listen via iTunes Podcasts | Google Play | Stitcher | Spotify

Background

Every Thursday, the Tikvah Podcast at Mosaic will bring to to your car/earbuds/home stereo/Alexa the latest in our efforts to advance Jewish thought. For more on the new podcast, check out our inaugural post here.

A final note: If you would like to share your thoughts on the podcast, ideas for future guests and topics, or any other form of feedback, just send us an email at [email protected]. We’re grateful for your support, and we look forward to a new year of great conversations on Jewish essays and ideas.