Binah

Writer and essayist Adam Gopnik shows how liberalism is one of the great moral adventures in human history and why our lives may depend on its continuation.

Common Sense Media’s Michael Robb and Jill Murphy examine the pattern of media use among young American children, and offer recommendations and tips for parents based on their findings.

Former US Poet Laureate from 2008 to 2010 Kay Ryan colors her writing with sly humor and dramatic imagination, while making poetry accessible to a broad audience.

Chefs and owners of State Bird Provisions and The Progress, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski discuss the intersections of cinema, culture and gastronomy.

Dr. Ira Bowen, Senior Neurosurgical Resident at Riverside University Health System in Southern California, covers the latest research on mild trauma of the brain, and what can be done to heal from these injuries.

Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter Lidia Bastianich discusses her life as a refugee who has lived the American dream, and preserving Italian culture and heritage through food traditions.

Poet, essayist, literary critic, translator, and former US Poet Laureate from 1997 to 2000 Robert Pinsky speaks on death, mourning, and life after loss.

On this edition of Binah, we feature two writers of imaginative and inspiring books for young readers. San Francisco-raised, bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier, whose latest book is Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story, is joined in conversation by NPR’s Guy Raz. Also, actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director B.J. Novak, who is best known for his work on the hit television show The Office, reads from The Book With No Pictures.

Golden State Warriors basketball player, tech-investor and philanthropist Andre Iguodala shares his personal story at the intersections of class, race and sportsmanship. His new memoir is The Sixth Man.

Former US Poet Laureate from 2011 to 2012 Philip Levine depicts the reality of blue collar work and workers in order “to find a voice for the voiceless,” informed by his work experience in the automotive manufacturing plants during the 1950s.

Cultural critic Susie Linfield discusses how twentieth-century intellectuals struggled with Zionism, and how the contemporary Left has become focused on anti-Zionism while Israel itself has moved rightward.

Art critic and historian Hal Foster and SFMOMA senior curator Gary Garrels examine the life and work of San Francisco-born sculptor Richard Serra, whose site-specific steel structures can be seen throughout the Bay Area.

Alana Newhouse and Sue Fishkoff offer contemporary and historical examinations of Jewish foods.

Writer Julie Orringer shares the true story of American journalist Varian Fry’s extraordinary rescue of Jewish artists and writers threatened by the Nazis.

Lizzie Post, great-great granddaughter of Emily Post and Co-President of the Emily Post Institute, explores the wide world of legalized weed and navigates the social etiquette surrounding pot today.

New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks talks about moving from material gain to spiritual satisfaction, to focus on building character rather than attaining status. His new book is The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life.

Legendary investigative journalist Bob Woodward discusses his reporting from Nixon to Trump and the challenges faced by the press, the presidency and American democracy. His latest book is Fear: Trump in the White House.

Karen Coppock of Home Match SF and Wendi Burkhardt of Silvernest highlight their services providing shared housing alternatives. 

Social psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt studies the psychological associations between race and crime, and uncovers disparities in our institutions and our perceptions.

The chef and business partner of San Francisco’s premiere Chamorro and Guamanian pop-up restaurant, talk about bringing a culinary piece of their native Guam to San Francisco.

Philosopher, activist and filmmaker Bernard-Henri Lévy warns of the perils of America abdicating its leadership role on the world stage, and gives his impassioned plea for moral courage and clear thinking in these dark times.

Former editors Sara Colm and Rob Waters and former reporters Chanthanom Ounkeo and Dennis Conkin for The Tenderloin Times discuss the collective power of the publication and its lasting impact on our city. The moderator is Joe Wilson, Executive Director of Hospitality House.

Musician Marky Ramone, the last surviving member of the classic lineup of the Ramones, shares stories of his life and career, as well as tales behind the Ramones’ iconic music.

Former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz shares his personal story and his vision for positive social change and mutual responsibility.

Playwright Young Jean Lee deconstructs topics like race, class, feminism, and religion through storytelling approaches that defy tradition and expectations.

Political commentator, professor and author Robert Reich argues that societies undergo both virtuous and vicious cycles, and that the vicious cycle the US is now undergoing can and must be reversed.

Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States, talks about traveling the country on a quest to bring poetry to people living in rural America.

Rabbi Anne Brener uses Kabbalistic and psychotherapeutic concepts to reframe our understanding of the stages of grief.