Hear O'Washington

World War II veteran Marty Brashem shares his story of life in Tacoma where he worked in the metal business and witnessed the formation of Temple Beth El.

Jamie Margolin is an LGBTQ+ climate justice activist who grew up in Seattle, WA. Her mother is Columbian, her father is Ashkenazi Jewish. She describes her activism as well as her art, and her experience of Judaism.

A Harvard student from Mercer Island, WA, Avi Schiffman discusses his involvement in creating websites under the umbrella of internet activism. In the early days of COVID-19, Avi Schiffman created an acclaimed COVID-19 tracking website. He discusses other projects as well as his personal life.

Rabbi Rachel Kort discusses her congregation at Temple Beth Or in Everett, WA. She describes their Mitzvah Corps, community care through grief and mourning, addressing housing insecurity through Jewish Family Services, and other work from diversity, equity and inclusion to addressing anti-semitism.

Miri Cypers discusses her work as the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League. She discusses strategies for fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate and bigotry. She talks about educational outreach through podcasting and other forms, as well as the impacts of COVID-19.

Harriet Markell discusses her life in Bellingham and her involvement, eventually as vice president, in Congregation Beth Israel. She describes the scene in Bellingham from poetry to politics, including stories about COVID-19 and political challenges within Congregation Beth Israel.

Paul Blum discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jewish congregations in Washington, especially at Congregation Beth Israel where he was a member of the COVID-19 Task Force. He discusses the Task Force's formation, operation, and challenges they faced.

Mark Silver discusses his family's migration story to Spokane and his life there. We learn about Jewish businesses in Spokane, and the generational shift from agriculture to the furniture business.

Rabbi Thal, born in Bellingham in 1942, talks about his path from a small-town childhood to a career as a rabbi after studying at Princeton and Stanford. He shares memories of Bellingham’s Jewish community, how it changed over time, and the important role his family played in it. Even after retiring in 2008, he stayed connected and involved, showing his lasting commitment to the Reform Jewish community and his roots in Bellingham.

Rabbi Samuels describes his journey to become the rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Bellingham, WA. He discusses the challenges of managing a diverse Jewish community and includes thoughts on his future aspirations.

This interview discusses Bruce Kadden's life in Tacoma as the Rabbi at Temble Beth El, especially the way that he navigated merging a reform and conservative congregation into one. He shares observations about Tacoma and the Jewish community there.

Daniel Raas discusses his family and personal history, focusing on his life and work in Bellingham. He discusses his Jewish education and engagement with Congregation Beth Israel, the history of the city and his personal involvement in community dynamics.

Rabbi Buchdahl was born in South Korea and grew up in Tacoma. She describes her journey to become the senior rabbi at the Central Synagogue in Manhattan, NY. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl discusses the impacts of COVID-19 on her congregation, especially about virtual connectivity. She discusses her upcoming memoir.

Paula Podemski worked at the Seattle Opera for nearly thirty years by the time of this interview. She discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the opera as well as some of her personal and family history.

This interview aimed to document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jewish congregations and synagogues in Washington. Rabbi Merlino represents Temple Beth Shalom and Congregation Emanu-El in Spokane, which rae collaborative reform and conservative synagogues. Rabbi Merlino discusses her role over time and describes the impacts of COVID-19.

Harold reflects on the deep-rooted, close-knit Jewish community in Tacoma, emphasizing the importance of mutual support, ethical values, and cultural preservation across generations. He recounts his upbringing in a family active in religious life, the communal sharing of kosher food, and the vital role of institutions like the Sinai Temple and influential figures such as Rabbi Rosenthal. Through personal memories and historical context, Harold illustrates how dispersed yet connected community members sustained their heritage and fostered a strong, resilient identity.

Daughter of the rabbi, Deborah Calderon grew up in Temple Beth El in Tacoma. She reflects on the joy and challenges of her upbringing and records the story of her family's history as well.

Shirley Grossman describes her entry into the Spokane Jewish community, the merge between conservative and reform congregations there in the late 1960's, the changing role of women that she witnessed, as well as her background in music and life as a music teacher.

Dick Arensberg, with the support of his cousin Mel Freeman, shares about his family's migration from Latvia to Bellingham, and his childhood in the tight-knit Jewish community on Capitol Hill. He discusses the family shoe business, and reflects on the importance of kindness and respect.

Deborah Freedman discusses her life in Tacoma and her involvement with the Tacoma Public Library. She highlights her work in genealogy research and storytelling, particularly focusing on the local Jewish community. Deborah volunteered with the Tacoma Historical Society and has published research on Tacoma's Jewish community. She highlights the critical role of the Jewish cemetery in Tacoma.

A Seattle native, Rodney Waldbaum discusses his professional success as a lawyer, community service at Jewish organizations, and his loving family.

Julie Briskman is an actor and producer living in Seattle, WA at the time of this interview. She discusses her experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd Uprising, and her work organizing the Seagull Project company. Julie Briskman discusses her Jewish identity in relationship to acting, and discusses her future aspirations.

Rabbi Daniel Weiner and Pastor Carey Anderson discuss their collaborative interfaith work, which includes shared services. They discuss COVID-19 and the political landscape of the time.

Leslie-Ray Bernstein explores her upbringing in Seattle and her relationship to Judaism and how it changed over time. She discusses her career in the textile industry, her involvement in arts communities, activism in the world of theater, and her family.

Miriam Schwartz is a family practice doctor based in Bellingham. She is a member of Congregation Beth Israel and served as the President of its Board of Directors. This interview discusses her experience during COVID-19, the construction of a new facilities for the congregation and the uniqueness of Bellingham's Jewish community.

Kevin Donner was born in Vancouver, CA and moved several times before settling in Bellingham, WA. He describes his changing relationship to Jewish life and identity over time and the Jewish community in Bellingham as he witnessed it.

Joel Benoliel, a first-generation American from a Sephardic Jewish family, grew up in Seattle surrounded by a tight-knit community that shaped his cultural and religious identity. He pursued law and political science at the University of Washington, co-founded the Sephardic Traditions Foundation, and played a key role in establishing the university’s Sephardic studies program. His professional journey—from law to real estate to executive leadership at Costco—culminated in his appointment to the UW Board of Regents, where he championed Jewish and Sephardic academic initiatives.

Point guard Sue Bird shares her journey in the world of women's basketball, describing the role models and coaches who inspired her personal and professional development. Sue Bird discusses growing up in an interfaith family and her personal background, changes she witnessed in the WNBA, and her future ambitions.

Tana Senn discusses her upbringing in Southern California and her family history - including her grandparents who were holocaust survivors. This interview highlights her legislative achievements, including passing equal pay legislation and addressing children's mental health.

Amy Lavin discusses her upbringing on Mercer Island, her college years from Northwestern to Duke, professional life and eventual return to Seattle. She shares her family's history and immigration story, as well as the changing styles of religious observance in her family. She discusses her long-standing relationship with the Jewish Community Center as well as her passion for cancer research.

Seattle native Bobbe Bridge gives some of her family background and explains her pursuit of a degree in judicial politics. She shares about the challenges she faced as a woman in the field of law and the changes she witnessed over time. Bobbe Bridge is interviewed about her journey from working in a law firm to joining the King County Superior Court Bench, and she reflects on her career and personal life as well.

Michele Rosen was raised by her grandparents in in Los Angeles in a culturally rich home with Yiddish spoken and traditional games played. During her high school years in the 1960s, Michele became involved in political activities, and eventually attended UC Berkeley where she participated in various protests and movements of the time. Michele Rosen is actively involved in volunteer work and have held significant roles at Jewish Family Services and Hillel.

Raised in New Hampshire with a rabbi grandfather, Michelle Goldberg discusses how her Jewish identity has shaped her life. This interview covers Michelle Goldberg's career from venture capital to technology companies, exploring the gender dynamics that she witnessed in these fields. Michelle eventually moved to Seattle and discusses her affection for the city. 

Doreen Alhadeff was raised in a Sephardic family in Seattle. Doreen shares about the time she spent studying in Spain before returning to Seattle to start a family and pursue a career in residential real estate. Doreen Alhadeff helped to found the Sephardic Network, connecting Seattle's Sephardic community and celebrating Sephardic culture. She tells the story of her pursuit of Spanish citizenship, a way that she has been able to honor her ancestors and reclaim her heritage.

Janet Varon's parents were Sephadic and Israeli, and she grew up in the Bronx and eventually in California. She attended Harvard Law School and worked at Evergreen Legal Services, eventually founding Nola, motivated by a desire to address systemic issues in healthcare.

Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney discusses her motivations for entering the music industry and the personal transformations she experienced through the music community. She discusses how her Jewish identity has shaped her life and music, especially the feelings of otherness and displacement. This interview also includes her more recent explorations of film through directing and acting.

Hilary Stern reviews her family history and her upbringing in Seattle and in Israel. As a young adult she taugh English as a second language and become involved in Latin American liberation struggles. Hilary became fluent in Spanish and after living in Nicaragua, returned to Seattle and founded Casa Latina.