Part 1/12:

The Remarkable Legacy and Complex History of the Jewish People

An Overview of Jewish Influence in World History

The transcript begins with a reflection on the extraordinary impact of the Jewish people relative to their small global population—just over 15 million today—compared to other ethnicities such as the Chinese, Greeks, and Germans, each numbering in the hundreds of millions or billions. The speaker underscores the paradox: despite their tiny numbers, Jews have profoundly shaped history, founding major religions like Christianity and Islam, and remaining influential in politics, science, and culture.