Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-nominated writer and showrunner Debora Cahn, creator of Netflix’s hit series The Diplomat, for a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, power, and the human drama behind global politics. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Cahn traces her path from training as an actress at Harvard to shaping some of television’s most influential political dramas, including The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, and Homeland. She reflects on how growing up as a descendant of Holocaust survivors shaped her understanding of the world and human behavior, and how real-world diplomacy inspired the creation of The Diplomat. Exploring the blurred lines between personal relationships and geopolitical stakes, Cahn discusses writing political drama in an age when reality often outpaces fiction. The conversation touches on mentorship, gender in writers’ rooms, and what fiction writing can teach us about leadership, compromise, and destination–both on screen and in life.
Check out Debora Cahn’s filmography imdb.com/name/nm1263223
Rabbi Ingber’s IG instagram.com/rabbiingber
92NY Bronfman Center Events: 92ny.org/jewish-life
Producer: Efrat Bigger
Content Editor: Maya Gayer
Video Editor: Sean Kennedy
Music By: Shimon Smith
Special Thanks: Eden Sidney Foster
Your support helps us continue creating online content for our community. Donate now: 92NY.org/Donate
Facebook: facebook.com/92ndStreetY
Instagram: Instagram.com/92ndStreetY
TikTok: tiktok.com/@92ndstreety
Archives: 92ny.org/archives
In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-nominated writer and showrunner Debora Cahn, creator of Netflix’s hit series The Diplomat, for a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, power, and the human drama behind global politics. Together with Rabbi David Ingber, Cahn traces her path from training as an actress at Harvard to shaping some of television’s most influential political dramas, including The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, and Homeland. She reflects on how growing up as a descendant of Holocaust survivors shaped her understanding of the world and human behavior, and how real-world diplomacy inspired the creation of The Diplomat. Exploring the blurred lines between personal relationships and geopolitical stakes, Cahn discusses writing political drama in an age when reality often outpaces fiction. The conversation touches on mentorship, gender in writers’ rooms, and what fiction writing can teach us about leadership, compromise, and destination–both on screen and in life.
Check out Debora Cahn’s filmography imdb.com/name/nm1263223
Rabbi Ingber’s IG instagram.com/rabbiingber
92NY Bronfman Center Events: 92ny.org/jewish-life
Producer: Efrat Bigger
Content Editor: Maya Gayer
Video Editor: Sean Kennedy
Music By: Shimon Smith
Special Thanks: Eden Sidney Foster
Your support helps us continue creating online content for our community. Donate now: 92NY.org/Donate
Facebook: facebook.com/92ndStreetY
Instagram: Instagram.com/92ndStreetY
TikTok: tiktok.com/@92ndstreety
Archives: 92ny.org/archives
