This Week’s Guest: Daniel Krauthammer

It’s hard to believe that almost a year has gone by since Charles Krauthammer, the eminent columnist and great Jewish conservative, passed away. Krauthammer’s clarity of mind and force of argument were cornerstones of American political commentary, and the breadth of his knowledge and interests made him a truly irreplaceable writer.

Luckily, for those who once relied on Krauthammer to help them think through the most pressing issues of the day, his son Daniel has lovingly edited a final volume of his father’s collected essays. Entitled The Point of It All: A Lifetime of Great Loves and Endeavors, the collection spans a huge range of topics, from science, medicine, and bioethics to politics, culture, and history. But in this week’s podcast, Daniel Krauthammer sits down in our studio to focus on something slightly different: his father’s thinking and writing about the state of Israel, about faith, and about Jewish ideas. In so doing, Daniel also remembers what Charles was like as a Jewish father. This conversation is both a meditation and a tribute, and we hope you enjoy it.

And speaking of tributes: listeners and readers are also cordially invited to partake of Terry Teachout’s wonderful essay in Mosaic, “Missing Charles Krauthammer.”

Musical selections in this podcast are drawn from the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, op. 31a, composed by Paul Ben-Haim and performed by the ARC Ensemble.

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Background

Every Thursday, the Tikvah Podcast at Mosaic will bring to your car/earbuds/home stereo/Alexa the latest in our efforts to advance Jewish thought. For more on the new podcast, check out our inaugural post here.

A final note: If you would like to share your thoughts on the podcast, ideas for future guests and topics, or any other form of feedback, just send us an email at [email protected]. We’re grateful for your support, and we look forward to a new year of great conversations on Jewish essays and ideas.