Episode 6

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Published on:

6th Aug 2020

#6 - Dr. David Manheim, global catastrophic risk expert on Covid-19 in Israel and around the world

Together with Dr. David Manheim, Jewanced takes a deep-dive into Israel's and the world's response to Covid-19, as well as embarks on a truly mind-blowing journey into the heart of understanding large-scale catastrophic risks to humanity.

We discussed how the pandemic might end and what governments are doing right and wrong. David also introduced us to the incredible idea of effective altruism, as well as how to more effectively conclude arguments.

Dr. David Manheim is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Haifa's Health and Risk Communication Research Center, as well working with universities and NGOs in the UK and US. His recent work has focused on modeling test and trace programs for the UK, and policy options for COVID-19 in the US and internationally.

Long before the pandemic, David was working on understanding and mitigating global catastrophic biological risks including work on bioweapons, natural pandemics, and other disasters with groups at the University of Oxford such as the Future of Humanity Institute and for various nonprofits and NGOs in the United States.

He has a Ph.D. in public policy and decision theory at the RAND Corporation and has done work that ranged from informing policy decision making for infectious diseases to modeling risks from earthquakes, hurricanes, and terrorism, and from flood insurance and resiliency building in the wake of catastrophes, to how bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies affect counter-terrorism finance.

Links

David's Linkedin
A selection of David's published scholarly articles
Oxford University's Future of Humanity Institute
The RAND Corporation
Effective Altruism
"The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity" by Tony Ord
"Automation and Utopia: Human Flourishing in a World Without Work" by John Danaher

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About the Podcast

Jewanced

A nuanced exploration of Israel, the Jewish world and beyond

Jewanced is hosted by Dan Feferman and Benny Scholder, two guys who grew up in America and live in Israel.
They're curious. They want to discuss. They want to challenge popular conceptions, they want to think critically, examine independently, and most of all, they crave nuance.

Each episode features a different guest. All interesting and original people who strive to break boundaries. Together with Dan and Benny, take a deep dive into politics, foreign affairs, religion, science, technology, food, the arts, business – you name it. Explore the nuanced crossroads of Israel, the global Jewish experience, and beyond.

What's the goal? To create a daring platform where people share their stories, insights, creations, and visions. Jewanced has no talking points, no script, no agenda...just a deeper nuanced understanding of our existence.

Join them on a journey as they explore, think, debate and discuss …. And most of all, listen.

About your hosts

Benny Scholder

With over a decade of experience in Israel's tourism industry, Benny has managed sales, marketing, travel content, digital content, and the operations aspects of tour companies and travel agencies. Today, he is the Director of Sales-North America at Kenes Tours, Israel's leading provider of incoming tourism services, where he is proud to deliver transformative, custom-crafted Israel travel experiences designed to exceed expectations.
Originally from Minneapolis, Benny fell in love with Israel as a young adult, moving to the country in 2004. He has an extensive background in everything Israel-travel related, having completed Israel's intensive tour guide course in 2010. His career spans both logistical, content-related, and sales management positions with major and boutique Israeli tour companies alike. Benny lives with his amazing wife Maayan and two incredible children in the charming village of Gedera. In addition to his passion for transformative travel experiences, he's super passionate about food, modern & ancient history, politics, addictive TV, and game-changing podcasts. Contact him at Benny@jewanced.com

Dan Feferman

Dan Feferman is a Major (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces. For almost a decade, he served as a foreign policy and national security analyst, strategist and adviser in the IDF General Staff; as a special assistant to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff; and a commander in an elite intelligence unit of AMAN's Research and Analysis Division.

He is a fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a think-tank focusing on issues of importance to Israel and the Jewish people, where he researches religious pluralism in Israel, trends in Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations. He is also a political and strategic consultant and publishes and speaks widely on the Middle East and Israeli defense and political matters.

He is the author of Rising Streams: Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel, and of a soon-to-be-published book on the changing face of American Judaism.

Dan holds a BA in International Politics and Middle East Studies from the American University in Washington DC and an MA in National Security Studies from Tel Aviv University.

Originally from Indiana, Dan moved to Israel in 2005. He is married to Elisheva, has three amazing kids, and lives in Rehovot. When taking a break, Dan stays busy with Crossfit, martial arts and cooking.