Herzl’s House, Mourning Jerusalem, the Value of the Soul

This week on The Jew and Gentile Podcast, Chris gives listeners an update on his health and recovery, and Steve joins him for a wide-ranging conversation about Jewish history, faith, and the enduring connection of the Jewish people to their homeland. They discuss the surprising fate of Theodor Herzl’s former home, which has become a pizzeria, before turning to Tisha B’Av—the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. Chris and Steve explain the tragedies traditionally remembered on the ninth of Av, including the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem, the defeat of the Bar Kochba revolt, and the expulsions of Jewish communities from England and Spain. They also revisit the famous story of Napoleon recognizing that a people who mourned Jerusalem for nearly 2,000 years would surely one day return.