The logo of That Jewish News Show, the cover of Traffic and a headshot of Ben Smith. Photo by Kate Bubacz, Buzzfeed News 2020

That Jewish News Show

“Talking Traffic with Ben Smith”
April 27, 2023

On the April 27, 2023, episode of That Jewish News Show, Laura E. Adkins and Benyamin Cohen of the Forward discuss the antisemitic 2018 shooting at Tree of Life, Jewish views on the death penalty, and what the trial of the perpetrator of the deadliest mass shooting in American Jewish history means for the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and beyond. They were joined by Ben Smith, currently of Semafor and formerly at Buzzfeed, Politico, The New York Times and even the Forward, to discuss his new book Traffic and the future of journalism.

Listen on Spotify:

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

We want to hear from you! Leave a review below and email editorial@forward.com with your questions and comments.

That Jewish News Show is hosted and produced by Laura E. Adkins and Benyamin Cohen of the Forward. Additional help this week came from Nora Berman, Matthew Litman and Jake Wasserman. Our theme music is by The Fly Guy Five.

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

To ensure you never miss an episode, follow That Jewish News Show on
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

And follow the Forward on
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Referenced articles, books and music

The Tree of Life Trial, Pittsburgh Jews and the death penalty: 

Letter: “Most families of Pittsburgh synagogue victims support the death penalty for the shooter” in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle 

“The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting Could Have Destroyed My Family — but Jewish Tradition Rejects the Death Penalty” by Beth Kissileff in The New York Times

Benyamin’s interview with a Tree of Life shooting survivor, “Postcard from Pittsburgh, on the 4th anniversary of Tree of Life massacre” in the Forward

Main interview:

Ben Smith’s new book, Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral, out on May 2

Recommendations: 

• “A Person is a Person” (אדם הוא אדם) by Benaia Barabi (בניה ברבי)

Music video and lyrics + English translation

“A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them” by Timothy Egan 

Get the Forward every day in your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount