Podcast Summary: Identity/Crisis — “On Not Standing Idly By”
Host: Yehuda Kurtzer, Shalom Hartman Institute
Date: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Identity/Crisis dives into the obligation of moral action in times of crisis, focusing on the Jewish community’s response to recent aggressive immigration enforcement actions in the U.S. Yehuda Kurtzer reflects on the challenges of claiming “moral truth” in pluralistic society and introduces producer Tessa Zitter, who reports from the “Jews Against ICE” rally in Washington, D.C. The discussion mixes reflections on protest, Jewish values, communal leadership, and the complexities of collective action, exploring what it really means—and costs—to show up and “not stand idly by.”

Main Themes & Key Points

The Challenge of Moral Truth in Pluralistic Communities

[00:00–08:42] Yehuda Kurtzer

• Yehuda introduces the tension between plurality and certainty, especially when speaking from a place of moral truth. He references philosophers like Isaiah Berlin and Yitz Greenberg, who urge humility in moral claims post-Holocaust.
• Reflects on a previous episode (“America Betrays the Stranger”) and feedback received, acknowledging both support and critique but maintaining the core moral conviction that Jewish Americans must protest unjust immigration crackdowns.
  • Quote [04:15]: “I still think, though, that my point stands... the organizations who claim to represent the American Jewish community... their silence is, frankly, embarrassing.”
• Explains how and when the Hartman Institute chooses to move from education to public protest, seeing it as justified when there is an “unusual moral imperative” and their voice can provide “moral courage” to others.
  • Quote [07:55]: “Once in a while, with the blood of our neighbor in the streets, we dare to speak the language of moral truth about what has gone wrong all around us...”

Moving From Ideas to Action: Attending the Protest

[08:42–13:50] Tessa Zitter & Annie Byer Chaffetz

• Tessa shares her personal motivation for joining the protest, referencing the earlier call to action from Yehuda and a desire to stand in community. She is aware of the privileged platform her work offers.
  • Quote [09:24, Tessa]: “I was craving an opportunity to get out and do something... to stand in community with others and raise my voice.”
• Annie discusses her conflicted relationship with protest, describing both a “revolutionary streak” and disappointment in the impact of past activism.
  • Quote [12:04, Annie]: “There is this... revolutionary streak within me, but my relationship to protest has gotten complicated... Is protest important? Does it matter?”

The Protest Itself: Jewish Solidarity and Nuance

[13:50–18:22]

• The protest in D.C. brings together rabbis, cantors, laypeople, and over 60 Jewish organizations with slogans like “Faith melts ICE,” “Let my people go,” and “This is what theology looks like.”
• Jill Jacobs (CEO of Truah) explains coalition-building and the deliberate focus on ICE and immigration, excluding other divisive issues.
  • Quote [15:58, Jill Jacobs]: “In coalitions you come together about what you can agree on... especially now, when democracy is at stake...”
• Protest highlights Jewish history as immigrants and collective willingness to put aside disagreements over other issues, uniting around the urgent need to protect immigrants.
  • Quote [18:22, Jill Jacobs]: “Immigration is a consensus issue in the Jewish community... we can come together on because it’s urgent.”

What Does Protest Accomplish?

[18:55–23:31]

• Protesters express a clear, united moral message: “Get ICE out of our cities.”
• Brad Lander (former NY City Controller) contextualizes the protest in Jewish historical and communal experience.
  • Quote [20:02, Brad Lander]: “One thing Jews overwhelmingly know... We stand with immigrants. We are immigrants.”
• Rabbis at the event invoke Jewish tradition, explaining the use of the shofar as a call for communal action in times of calamity.
  • Quote [20:34, Rabbi]: “Mishnah teaches that when such a group surrounds a city, we sound the shofar everywhere...”

Personal Encounters and Lingering Questions

[23:31–27:44]

• Tessa and Annie reflect on uncertainties about the impact of protest: Does showing up matter if the results aren’t obvious?
• Annie has a real-time encounter in an Uber with an immigrant driver threatened with an ICE call, connecting the personal with the political.
  • Quote [25:35, Annie]: “I don’t know if... talking this woman down on the phone changed the way that she’s going to treat her neighbor. And at the same time, it helped clarify for me what matters... why it feels important to me to show up.”

Continuing Moral Striving

[28:06–29:09] Yehuda Kurtzer

• Yehuda thanks listeners—including those who disagree—and affirms that the community is strengthened through listening and engagement, whether or not one participates in protest.
  • Quote [28:14]: “I appreciate those of you who may disagree... but who listen anyway. And I appreciate those of you who wouldn’t go to the protest... but were willing to hear us out. You too are part of this growing Hartman community.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the tension between education and activism:
  Yehuda Kurtzer [07:12]: “Once in a while, you shed your fears about nuance and insist on some clarity.”
• On consensus across divides:
  Jill Jacobs [15:54]: “This shows that... this is a consensus issue in the Jewish community.”
• On Jewish tradition as a source of action:
  Rabbi (at rally) [20:34]: “Jewish tradition gives us a roadmap in our most profound grief... we sound the shofar everywhere because those are calamities that spread.”
• On the limits and importance of individual action:
  Annie Byer Chaffetz [27:44]: “...it helped clarify for me what matters... why it feels important to me to show up...”

Important Segment Timestamps

Setting the Tone

• [00:40] The pastoral role of the podcast in times of crisis
• [03:45] Audience response to moral clarity in past episodes

Mailbag & Criteria for Protest

• [05:00] Community feedback and institutional silence
• [07:40] Criteria for when Hartman chooses direct action

First-Hand Protest Experience

• [08:42] Tessa Zitter introduces her motivation and preparation
• [10:56] Annie Byer Chaffetz on the complicated relationship with protest

At the Rally

• [13:50] Describing the protest’s community and aesthetics
• [15:54] Jill Jacobs explains coalition-building
• [18:07] Brad Lander contextualizes Jewish unity on immigration

Questions About Impact and Unexpected Encounters

• [22:41] The significance of Hartman’s visible presence
• [24:05] Annie’s Uber encounter and its impact

Reflection and Looking Ahead

• [28:06] Yehuda’s closing words on community and listening

Conclusion

On Not Standing Idly By examines the urgent need for moral clarity and communal action in the face of injustice, especially for Jewish Americans responding to immigration crackdowns. The episode offers a rare glimpse into how one thoughtful, values-driven organization navigates the balance between nuance and prophetic activism. It features deeply personal stories from the field, honest reflections on the limits of protest, and a call to act—even when results feel intangible. Whether or not listeners attend protests themselves, the episode urges all to consider what it means to be part of a moral community that refuses to stand idly by.

For more conversations on contemporary Jewish life and values, visit the Shalom Hartman Institute website or subscribe to Identity/Crisis wherever you get your podcasts.