Our Crowdfunding Groups
The Jewish History Matters podcast showcases key questions and enduring debates in Jewish studies, and highlights their meaning in the widest possible context. Jewish history offers an important lens through which to look at the treatment of minorities, pressing matters like immigration and refugees, ongoing persecution and prejudice, not to mention the development of global cultures and economies and other issues. And it stands on the principle that scholars should be a part of conversations about social issues that can draw on the lessons of the past.
During these times, when there are no in-person events on college campuses or in the wider community, it is critically important to foster the kinds of conversations we have on the podcast. This initiative stands for the idea that we need critical thinking and historical perspective to understand our world, and we need intellectual sustenance at a time when the world is even more complex than ever.
The podcast also represents a model for events in a time of global pandemic by curating conversations that people can listen to when they have time in their busy and sometimes chaotic schedules. Podcasts allow people all around the world and from all walks of life to partake in a conversation that matters. Today even more than ever, history podcasts like Jewish History Matters are important because they continue these conversations and make them available—and relevant—to the widest possible audience.
Last year, we successfully fundraised nearly $10,000 from a community of more than 100 generous donors. This enabled us to grow the podcast and make the project more sustainable. And while we had a small budget surplus that has enabled us to continue producing the podcast, it's not enough to cover the full costs of this season. We are asking you to join our community of supporters and enable the podcast’s continued development for this year and beyond.
Jewish History Matters represents a unique platform to spread the message about the importance of history. In just the past 30 days, we reached an audience of nearly 6,000 people, showcasing the tremendous growth and potential of this podcast. We are asking you to make a tax-deductible donation to allow us to continue doing this work of highlighting how and why history matters.
In these pandemic times, producing a podcast takes more time and resources than ever. We record all our episodes remotely, which requires extra software and tools, and rely on the skills of our amazing audio engineers to produce the episodes that come out every two weeks. We’re looking to raise $5,000 to fund the remainder of our costs for the current season and look towards the future. Your support will ensure we can continue to share the important new research, engage with critical questions, and consider major social issues through the lens of Jewish history and history at large.
When we began the podcast in 2018, it was an experiment to see how a podcast could showcase scholarship and highlight how it's important. Topics have ranged across the entire arc of Jewish history, and we've always tried to bring it back to what we take away from Jewish life and culture and how its lessons can be broadly applied to diverse questions and issues. Now, after 55 episodes with leading scholars from around the world, we know people tune in because history matters.
We created this podcast not just because we believe Jewish History Matters. In fact, it's all history that matters, and Jewish history just showcases one small corner of a bigger set of issues. We hope you will support this podcast project, and our efforts to make it sustainable and bring it to a wide audience, because you believe as we do that history matters.
In the past two and a half years, we've published over 50 episodes. Support the podcast so we can continue publishing new conversations on compelling issues!
Each episode strives to make scholarly topics and research accessible to a wide audience. Your support at this level will help us make the podcast a resource for anyone who wants to explore Jewish history and why it matters.
Recording an interview is just the first step to making a great podcast episode. Underwrite the cost of producing an episode by providing the funds to hire a professional audio editor—help us make the project sustainable and showcase why history matters! Supporters at this level will receive an advanced line-up of guests, and will be invited to join the conversation by submitting questions and topics you are interested in.
With over 50 episodes in our back catalog, we’ve explored issues across the entire arc of Jewish history. And you won’t have to search and dig for interesting interviews because we'll bring them to you! With so many episodes in our archives, we're certain that there's plenty you have yet to hear. Send us your interests and we will create a personalized playlist of the top 5 interviews we recommend. After having listened to this playlist and with additional feedback, we will send you a second list of 5.
We produce the podcast because we believe history matters, and each topic we focus on deserves attention. And at this generous level of support, we know you feel the same passion for history we do. Based on your specific interests, we will develop a personalized syllabus of 5 books and articles that will let you focus on why Jewish history matters. After you read them, we will schedule a one-hour Zoom meeting with Jason to talk about the books and why Jewish history matters.
Let's get serious. You want to personally help further substantive discussion of issues about Jewish history and why they matter. This is an honorary pledge level and we thank you from the very bottom of our podcasting hearts. In addition to all of the benefits of the other levels, you will receive a dedicated thank you on each of the episodes this year.
