Timestamps:

- 0:00 — Opening:

- 0:38 — Podcast intro (host & Rabbi Hersh).

- 1:14 — Memorial/announcements.

- 2:17 — Episode topic introduced: “Where is the menorah?”

- 4:00 — Menorah as Jewish symbol; historical significance.

- 8:00 — Arch of Titus / Josephus / early Roman display.

- 10:00 — Fire in 191 CE and disappearance possibilities.

- 15:00 — Jews in ancient Rome / social context.

- 20:00 — Constantine/Byzantine period and relocation theories (312 CE).

- 25:00 — Christian adoption/use of menorah imagery.

- 30:00 — Vatican holdings, openness, and inventories.

- 34:30 — Eyewitness claims overview; Rabbi Stencil letter exchange.

- 40:00 — Oscar Goldman 1962 account (electrician shown items).

- 41:30 — 1970s rabbi’s underground Vatican visit description.

- 52:40 — Testimony analysis: credibility issues and scholarly skepticism.

- 1:03:47 — Theological point: first‑ vs. second‑Temple vessels and redemption.

- 1:10:00 — Halachic notes on making/holding menorah replicas; closing.

Chanukah is central to our Jewish Calendar and way of life, but there are many unanswered questions: Why celebrate defeat? What was the real role of Kohanim during the Second Temple? Why was this Yomtov chosen to reflect the ultimate ideal ?

Tracing the story from Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzaddik through the corruption of the Second Temple and the rise of Hellenism, the podcast redefines the central idea of Chanukah - the only festival established by the Sages post-prophecy

Connecting the ancient clash of civilizations to the battles which echo down through Russia, America and Eretz Yisrael; It defines Who is a Jew.

Timestamps

[0:00:00] Introduction to Greek Exile and Historical Context

[0:01:07] Podcast Dedication and Welcome

[0:02:05] Setting Up the Hanukkah Discussion

[0:04:13] Questioning the Purpose of Hanukkah Celebration

[0:14:44] Historical Prequel: Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzadik

[0:22:49] Corruption of the Priesthood

[0:26:38] Empire Dynamics After Alexander

[0:31:05] Jewish Attraction to Greek Culture

[0:40:41] The Spiritual Victory of Hanukkah

[0:49:26] Comparing Purim and Hanukkah

[0:50:44] Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-up

Yitzchak Trebitsch was an active participant - under various names - in some of the twentieth century’s most important events: mass immigration, WWI wartime espionage, radical right-wing Germany, Chinese civil war and the Japanese invasion during WWII. But in the end he was a nobody.

His death was attributed variously to Nazi poison, Allied vengeance, Buddhist enemies, or enraged Jews.

His story is stranger than fiction, but there are important lessons we can take from it.

Timestamps

[0:03:07] Origins: Hungarian Jewish Childhood

[0:04:40] Early Crimes: Theft and Deception

[0:07:54] Religious Transformations: Conversions and Missionaries

[0:11:00] Political Ambitions: Brief Parliamentary Career

[0:18:23] Wartime Intrigue: Espionage and Escapes

[0:28:00] Political Extremism: Far-Right Conspiracies

[0:35:00] Global Wanderings: International Adventures

[0:41:30] Spiritual Journey: Becoming a Buddhist Monk

[0:45:00] World War Machinations: Nazi and Japanese Connections

[0:48:44] Final Act: Decline in Shanghai

Chapters

00:00:00 Doctor Lopez and the Earl of Leicester

00:00:26 Podcast Introduction and Listener Letter

00:36:32 Rodrigo Lopez: Early Life and Arrival in England

00:05:10 Lopez’s Rise and Role at Court

00:08:14 Espionage and the Don Antonio Affair

00:09:41 Jewish Community as Diplomatic Asset

00:11:02 International Intrigue and Spanish Spies

00:13:39 The Spanish Armada and Aftermath

00:15:22 Lopez’s Espionage and Double Agency

00:16:40 The Andrada Case and Rising Suspicion

00:19:12 Arrest and Trial of Lopez

00:21:52 Charges, Confession, and Execution

00:24:35 Was Lopez Guilty?

00:27:08 Lopez’s Legacy and Impact on Literature

00:30:44 Jewish Life in England: 1300s–1400s

00:32:50 Conversos and Marranos in Tudor England

00:36:32 Risks and Persecution of Marranos

00:38:42 Elizabethan Era and Secret Jewish Life

00:40:35 Religious Practice and Open Jews

00:43:10 Persistence of Jewish Identity

00:45:12 The Talmud in England: The Henry VIII Legend

00:48:35 Conclusion and Next Series Teaser

A wide-ranging and personal discussion with former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman, describing how his Sledgehammer of Diplomacy shattered old conventions to achieve the historic U.S. Embassy move and usher in the Abraham Accords, exploring the deeply personal balance between his religious conviction and political power in crafting high-stakes foreign policy, laying out his forceful argument for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, and his definitive vision of One Jewish State.

Hear his incredible story, as he reflects on Jewish history, the Hand of Hashem and the divine continuum that continually strengthens Israel's destiny, while also sharing his candid personal insights on figures like President Trump, Mike Pompeo, and the future evolution of the Middle East over the next 12 to 24 months.