Ken Spiro - Speaker, Author, Rabbi & Tour Guide

01/06/2026

When Jewish history is discussed, many people are familiar with the European story.

Far fewer know the history of the Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish communities that lived throughout the Middle East and North Africa for centuries, and in some cases for millennia.

In this episode of Remember What's Next, Professor Elan Javanfard, Coach Ellie Bass, and I explore how those communities experienced trauma, displacement, resilience, and renewal, and why understanding that history is essential to understanding the Jewish story as a whole.

Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/pD6oKRfkKTg?si=ekyibbGTEzW2UDGv

29/05/2026

A lot of people grow up thinking that raised voices automatically mean anger, conflict, or disconnection.

But in many Sephardi and Mizrachi homes, emotional intensity often meant the opposite. It meant people cared enough to stay engaged.

In this special “Remember What’s Next” conversation with Professor Elan Javanfard and Coach Ellie Bass, we explored the deeper connection between Jewish history, trauma, family culture, identity, and resilience.

I think many people will recognize parts of their own family experience in this conversation, even beyond the Jewish world.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/pD6oKRfkKTg?si=ekyibbGTEzW2UDGv

28/05/2026

Not all trauma looks the same in Jewish history.

In this clip from my podcast Remember What is Next, Professor Elan Javanfard makes a distinction that stopped me in my tracks. Ashkenazi trauma tends to involve repeated, catastrophic ruptures. Large, definitive events.

Sephardi and Mizrachi trauma is different. It is more about prolonged instability, navigating impossible relationships, and generations of quiet vulnerability.

He put it simply: Ashkenazim may have experienced more capital T traumas. Sephardim experienced significantly longer, prolonged lowercase T traumas.

This is not trauma Olympics. Every community has carried its weight. But understanding the difference helps us understand each other better.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/pD6oKRfkKTg?si=ekyibbGTEzW2UDGv

26/05/2026

Part 2 of my conversation with Professor Elan Javanfard and Coach Ellie Bass is now available.

We continue exploring a fascinating and important question:

How does thousands of years of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish history, persecution, survival, and collective memory shape a people over time?

This discussion moves beyond history alone and touches on trauma, identity, resilience, biology, and the larger patterns that continue to shape the Jewish experience today.

I think this conversation opens up some important perspectives.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/pD6oKRfkKTg?si=ekyibbGTEzW2UDGv

25/05/2026

There's a reason the Jewish people have survived everything thrown at them. It goes all the way back to Jacob navigating Lavan. Quick on their feet. Proactive. Never wallowing.

In the latest Remember What's Next, Rabbi Ken Spiro joins Professor Elan Javanfard and Coach Ellie Bass to explore Jewish trauma and resilience, and what reconstituting a Jewish state from people with wildly different experiences actually looks like.

It's one of the most grounding conversations we've had on the show. Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/a-PjaXwIfgc?si=Ie7gWv9HS5bg4NGU

21/05/2026

What actually happened on Shavuot?

Most people think Shavuot simply commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. But the deeper story is far more powerful.

In this short teaching, I explore:
• What really happened on Shavuot
• Why the Torah was not actually given on that day
• The mission of the Jewish people
• What it means to be a “light unto the nations”

Shavuot is not only about remembering the past. It is about recommitting to a mission that still shapes the world today.

Watch the full video and let me know what stood out to you most.

20/05/2026

What does centuries of persecution do to a people?

In this episode of Remember What’s Next, Professor Elan Javanfard joined Coach Ellie Bass and me for a fascinating conversation about Jewish trauma, history, identity, and epigenetics.

Swipe through for a few of the ideas we explored.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/a-PjaXwIfgc?si=Ie7gWv9HS5bg4NGU

14/05/2026

It's not too late to join us for a FREE, fantastic Shabbat experience this weekend. To RSVP, email: [email protected].

12/05/2026

https://open.spotify.com/episode/68Cm6VKZKy91sv6PINBIpN?si=A1G9go7DQ_SEQ9byf0MihQ

Remember What's Next · Episode