Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

Episoade

• ON LOCATION! Jonah visits Washington D.C.'s Abrahamic House with interfaith activist Mohammed Al Samawi 01.07.2026 1h 2min

  What happens when a boy raised on antisemitic propaganda becomes a Muslim bridge-builder whose life is saved by Jewish friends?Mohammed Al Samawi, Yemeni refugee and author of The Fox Hunt, joins Jonah on location at Abrahamic House in Washington, D.C., for a conversation about the painstaking work of learning another person’s story. Al Samawi founded the multi-faith co-living and community space, where Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Bahá’í fellows share meals, host Shabbat and Ramadan gatherings, and create a safer way for people to ask hard questions. In this episode, Al Samawi describes growing up in Sanaa, where slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” were used to redirect anger away from corrupt leaders and toward Jews. As a teenager, he internalized violent antisemitic ideas, but learning English through movies, reading the Bible in secret, and asking forbidden questions began to unravel what he had been taught.The conversation follows Al Samawi, from reading Torah and messaging Israelis on Facebook to attending his first Muslim-Jewish conference. Later, as the Houthis and Al-Qaeda closed in, three Jewish friends and one Christian friend helped coordinate his evacuation from Yemen. Those experiences became the foundation for Abrahamic House. After October 7, Al Samawi says the house became even more necessary: a place where grief did not have to become separation, and where hospitality could make room for truth.Ultimately, Mohammed’s story makes the case that interfaith work is not abstract idealism; it can be the difference between inherited hatred and real human connection.MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:01:22 — Inside Abrahamic House, Where Shabbat Meets RamadanMohammed shows Jonah the dining room where fellows host Shabbats, Ramadan celebrations, Eid gatherings, and family-style meals for the community.Abrahamic House00:08:15 — From Antisemitic Indoctrination to Questioning Jewish HateMohammed recalls the violent anti-Jewish ideas he absorbed as a teenager and how religious curiosity eventually pushed him to investigate for himself.The Against the Odds Escape of Mohammed Al Samawi | AJC00:23:30 — How Facebook Became a Window Past PropagandaMohammed explains how social media helped him meet Jews and Israelis, ask forbidden questions, and discover shared values outside state-controlled narratives.Mohammed Al Samawi: How Interfaith Activism Became, and Saved, His Life00:34:00 — The 13 Days Hiding from Houthis and Al-QaedaMohammed describes hiding in Aden with no safe way out, praying for help, and posting on Facebook in hopes someone could evacuate him.How Facebook friends saved one man from execution00:42:45 — Why Mohammed Created Abrahamic House in Washington, D.C.Mohammed explains how loneliness as a refugee, his love of friendship, and the model of Friends inspired a real-life interfaith home.00:51:00 — How to Meet Muslims Beyond Fear and StereotypesMohammed urges listeners to investigate Islam the way he investigated Judaism: by meeting people, asking human questions, and resisting extremist narratives.More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:partnerships@jonahplatt.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn more about Mohammed Al Samawi:Mohammed Al Samawi - Abrahamic HouseThe Fox Hunt: A Memoir of Yemen and My Odyssey to America – A True Story of Courage and Escape Through Social MediaMohammed Al Samawi InstagramWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Sasha Fiora, Production Intern: Emma Webb,Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• YouTube’s Most Popular (Hasidic!) Rabbi Manis Friedman & How Engaged a Jew are You? 23.06.2026 54min

  How did an 80-year-old Chabad rabbi become a global social media phenomenon, and why is his message resonating from Los Angeles to New Guinea?Rabbi Manis Friedman, author, longtime educator, and one of the world’s most-followed rabbis on YouTube, joins Jonah to ask a deceptively simple question: why are we here? Friedman argues that creation has a direction and that modern anxiety grows from meaninglessness, not deprivation. People are safer and more comfortable than ever, he says, but without knowing what life is for, comfort becomes a treadmill. From tikkun olam to the follower in New Guinea who walked eight hours for internet access and later built a Torah center, Friedman shows how a clear sense of purpose can cross cultures and transform lives.Friedman reframes Torah not as a list of commandments, but as God explaining Himself and inviting humanity into a relationship. For him, that is Chabad’s mission: making God knowable so that love can be real. He explains Shabbat as resting alongside God, modesty as protecting intimacy from the distraction of appearances, and ordinary work as service when it improves the world. When Jonah asks how a parent should respond to a child who says, “I didn’t ask to be born,” Friedman turns the question into the episode’s central claim: stop thinking of yourself as needy. You are needed. His message is bracing but hopeful: meaning begins when life stops being about what we can get and becomes about what we are here to give.THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Are you a “bad Jew”—or simply disengaged? Jonah replaces guilt with a sharper test: where are your time and energy actually going?MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:01:43 — Why Judaism Says Creation Has a Purpose and DirectionRabbi Manis Friedman explains tikkun olam, humanity’s role in perfecting creation, and why the question of purpose has become urgently modern.What Is Tikkun Olam? - Chabad.org00:16:10 — The Man Who Walked Eight Hours to Learn TorahFriedman shares how a follower in New Guinea walked eight hours to access internet, then built a Torah center for villagers arriving by canoe.00:22:45 — The Torah Is God Explaining Why He Needs UsFriedman reframes the Torah and Ten Commandments as God revealing Himself and asking humanity to choose relationship rather than programmed obedience.The Ten Commandments | My Jewish Learning00:29:13 — How Chabad Makes God Knowable Through Torah and RelationshipsFriedman explains Chabad as the work of making God knowable, arguing that genuine love—of God or a spouse—depends on understanding.What Is Chabad?00:35:21 — You Are Not Needy—You Are Needed by GodFriedman argues that humanity’s existence matters because God has “skin in the game,” transforming life from a burden into a divine necessity.00:46:56 — Why Rabbi Manis Friedman Says Seeing Kills IntimacyFriedman connects modesty to intimacy, arguing that appearances can distract us from loving the person rather than merely their visible qualities.Why Doesn't Anyone Blush Anymore? - Reclaiming Intimacy, Modesty, and Sexuality - Chabad.orgMore Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:partnerships@jonahplatt.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn more about Rabbi Manis Friedman:Rabbi Manis Friedman - YouTubeIt’s Good to Know - Rabbi Manis Friedman Rabbi Manis Friedman - InstagramWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Sasha Fiora, Production Intern: Emma Webb,Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Call Me Back x Being Jewish Crossover! Dan Senor predicts the Jewish Future, plus A New Kind of Aliyah 16.06.2026 55min

  From Saudi officials to diaspora Jews, why are so many people listening to Dan Senor?Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast and co-author of Start-Up Nation, joins Jonah for a deep dive on Israel, Jewish identity, and the future of Jewish life in the Diaspora. Senor explains how Call Me Back built a devoted audience organically, attracting diaspora Jews seeking trustworthy information, journalists looking for good-faith dialogue, and even international listeners, including Saudi officials, drawn to its thoughtful, long-form conversations about Israel and the Middle East.Senor discusses how the October 7 attacks reshaped Jewish engagement, the sense of political homelessness many moderate Jews have experienced, and the opportunities emerging from one of the most consequential moments in modern Jewish history. He also emphasizes the need for a Jewish Renaissance centered on expanding access to Jewish day schools, Jewish summer camps, Israel programs, and lifelong Jewish learning. Senor argues that investing in Jewish education and community infrastructure is essential for Jews to flourish.THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah reflects on the importance of allies, why he'll sell tickets to future events in pairs, and why “ALLY-ah” may be just as important - if not more important - than aliyah right now.MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:07:30 — How Call Me Back Became the World’s Number One Israel PodcastDan on building the top Israel podcast organically after October 7th.Call me Back Podcast - with Dan Senor - YouTube00:10:45 — “Israel Was at War. The Diaspora Was Under Attack.”Dan quotes Rabbi Ingber's defining line on October 7th: Israel was at war, but the diaspora had no army to fight back.The toll of the Israel-Hamas War on diaspora Jews00:15:09 — Would Dan Interview Former Allies Who’ve Gone to a “Dark Place”?Dan considers hosting antisemitic voices to understand, not challenge, their logic.00:27:33 — Why “Call Me Back” Audience Skews Left of Dan SenorThe “October 8th Jew” phenomenon and left-of-center Jews finding community.A look at the October 8th Jews | The Jerusalem Post00:31:42 — The Jewish Future Is Too Expensive. Here’s How to Fix It.Dan on day schools, affordability gaps, and the case for a Jewish renaissance.Why Jewish Living Feels So Expensive These Days | Kosher Money00:43:37 — Where Do Adult Jews Without Kids Find Jewish Community?Dan on Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the Hartman Institute, and adult entry points to Jewish life.Rachel Goldberg-Polin on her Jewish faith and her slain son's spiritual questMore Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn More about Dan Senor:Call Me Back - with Dan Senor - PodcastDan Senor WebsiteDan Senor XCredits:Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Sasha Fiora, Production Intern: Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Does Mayim Bialik Feel Safe in Public? & The Collective Punishment Paradox 09.06.2026 1h 14min

  From The Big Bang Theory to Jewish advocacy, Mayim Bialik shares the personal journey behind the public persona.Jonah Platt interviews actress, neuroscientist, author, and Orthodox Jew Mayim Bialik (Blossom and The Big Bang Theory) about rising antizionism and antisemitism, arguing it functions as a hate movement that shuts down dialogue through intimidation and threats.The conversation explores the rise of antizionist activism on college campuses, her parenting two sons amid the campus hostility, and her experiences navigating public criticism. She shares about her experiences visiting family in the West Bank, and her identification with Israel as her homeland. Jonah and Mayim discuss personal experiences of being confronted online and in public. Such as being protested for being labeled a “Zionist,” and her experience with shifting attitudes at UCLA in the late 1990s/early 2000s. She also reflects on her directorial debut, As They Made Us, pressures in Hollywood such as lost sponsorships and exclusion from liberal spaces, and the courage required to remain visibly Jewish in public life. Thoughtful, honest, and often humorous, this episode offers a powerful exploration of identity, resilience, and what it means to live proudly as a Jew in the modern world.THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah unpacks the paradox of two true statements, both seemingly made untrue by the other: Denying the connection of the Jewish people to Israel is bigotry. AND, conflating the Jewish people with Israel is also bigotry.MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:08:15 — Being a Public Jew in the Age of Social Media and Online ThreatsMayim on how social media exposed her to antisemitic threats long before October 7th.Mayim Bialik: Our safety is at risk we've never experienced before00:17:00 — Anti-Zionism on Campus: 30 Years of Hostility from Cincinnati to UCLAMayim traces three decades of campus anti-Zionism from UCLA swastikas to university protests.Jewish Faculty Members at UCLA Say Enough is Enough - File Legal Documents to Join a Federal Lawsuit to Stop Antisemitic Incidents on Campus00:32:15 — Liberal Zionism: The Strange IntersectionMayim on staying a committed Zionist while the Democratic Party distances itself.What does it mean to be a Liberal American Zionist?00:40:15 — Life in the West Bank: Armed Settlements, Checkpoints, and Human ComplexityMayim on her family's 50-year life on armed West Bank settlements.‘Jew-Free Zone’ – My Experience in the West Bank00:53:47 — Hollywood Post-October 7th: Sponsors Lost, Silence, and Jewish Self-SegregationMayim on losing podcast sponsors and Hollywood's silence after October 7th.I was betrayed by Hollywood for speaking out after October 7, says Will & Grace star Debra Messing01:05:24 — Baal Teshuva: From Reform Roots to Modern Orthodoxy, Divorce, and the Gaps in Jewish CommunityMayim traces her baal teshuva path from Reform childhood to Modern Orthodoxy.What Is a Baal Teshuvah?This Episode’s Partner:Start watching or listening to Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam at unpacked.bio/WJ More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn more about Mayim Bialik:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missmayim/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MayimBialikPodcast: https://www.bialikbreakdown.com/Credits:Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Sasha Nelson Production Intern: Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Is Antizionism Antisemitism? Adam Louis-Klein, Founder of Movement Against Antizionism 02.06.2026 1h 16min

  What if the answer to "is antizionism antisemitism" is NO...but not for the reason you think? Adam Louis-Klein breaks down the history, language, and ideas driving the debate. In a thought-provoking conversation, host Jonah Platt interviews Adam Louis-Klein, who returned from anthropological fieldwork with the Desana in the Amazon just after October 7, 2023, to discover the horrors of the attack on Israel. This drove him to become a leading voice opposing antizionism through his writing, appearances, and the organization he founded, Movement Against Antizionism (MAAZ). Adam defines antizionism as hatred of Israel and argues it functions like racism via obsessive libels, such as “colonizer,” “apartheid,” and “genocide,” used to justify hostility and violence against Jewish people. He distinguishes pre-1948 Jewish antizionism from modern antizionism, which he traces to Arab nationalist and Soviet propaganda, and criticizes institutional normalization in universities, NGOs, media, and governments. Klein contends antizionism harms Palestinians by empowering militias like Hamas and Hezbollah and outlines a “truth and reconciliation” vision including antizionism studies and memorialization.  Together, Jonah and Adam discuss the history of Bundism, Reform Judaism, Neturei Karta, the Oslo Accords, and debates surrounding the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, and Israeli identity. The episode also explores how to engage progressive audiences, respond to antizionist rhetoric, and build institutions capable of addressing one of the most consequential ideological battles facing the Jewish community today. Plus, this week Jonah is back with the fourth installment of L’Dor V'adorable! We thought it couldn’t get any more adorable. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:16:17 — The Three Core Antizionist Libels: Colonizer, Apartheid, and GenocideKlein breaks down the foundational accusations driving the antizionist movement — how the colonizer, apartheid, and genocide narratives were engineered to exploit modern moral sensibilities.Defeating Antizionism23:37 — Why "Antizionism" Is the Right Term (Not "Antisemitism")Klein explains why the hate movement has been named as antizionism rather than antisemitism — including the historical parallelism between the two terms and why the distinction actually reaches more people.Understanding Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism51:29 — How Antizionism Harms Palestinians, Allies, and Civilization ItselfA breakdown of the collateral damage antizionism causes beyond Jews — including Palestinians living under Hamas/Hezbollah, non-Jewish allies marked as Zionists, and the broader erosion of democratic norms.Antizionism Is a Hate Movement That Harms Palestinians and All Western Societies1:15:03 - A Vision for a Post-Anti-Zionism WorldKlein's framework for what it would take for society to fully reckon with antizionism the way it has with the Holocaust, including media accountability, university reform, and memorialization.This Episode’s Partner:Thank you to Birthright Israel FoundationMore Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn More about Adam Louis-Klein:Adam Louis-Klein WebsiteAdam Louis-Klein Instagram Movement Against Antizionism(MAAZ)MAAZ ToolkitsCREDITS:Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Sasha Nelson Production Intern: Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Israeli Comedian Yohay Sponder, Plus Finding Your Jewish “Ikigai” (Reason for Being) 26.05.2026 1h 14min

  Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder turns grief, antisemitism, and the Jewish experience into one of the funniest and most unexpectedly moving conversations you’ll hear all year.In this hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound episode, stand-up comic Yohay Sponder joins host Jonah Platt for a wide-ranging conversation about comedy, Jewish identity, Israel, and the global Jewish experience. Known for his viral English-language stand-up and international tours, Sponder reflects on performing for Jewish audiences across Australia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States while witnessing rising antizionist hate around the world. Sponder recounts the shocking experience of show cancellations in Amsterdam and Australia after public threats and claims of “perceived insensitivity” in his material. Along the way, the two discuss why Yohay performs in English, what he’s learned being married to an American, and how growing up the grandchild of Holocaust survivors influenced his comedic spark. He shares his goals of making people laugh while spreading Jewish pride and the inspiration behind his comedy specials, Self-Loving Jew and Genesis. Using humor and vulnerability, Sponder examines what connects Jews globally, emphasizing comedy’s role in strengthening cultural bonds. The episode dives into Sponder’s evolving relationship with Judaism following the death of his father, Holocaust-survivor grandparents, his embrace of traditions like tefillin and wearing a (giant) Star of David. THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah ponders Ikiagi, the Japanese concept for “your reason for being,” and how you can find your own Jewish version to guide you in these challenging times. TIMESTAMPS2:08 — Why Yohay performs in EnglishYohay explains why English became the perfect language for his comedy, saying its structure naturally works better for punchlines than Hebrew.14:26 — The Amsterdam cancellationYohay recounts how his sold-out Amsterdam shows were canceled days before showtime after threats against the venue 18:20 — When boycotts backfireYohay explains how protests and cancellations have often helped his career by bringing more publicity, support, and ticket sales.28:06 — The fan who said his comedy saved her familyYohay recalls a fan sharing how his comedy helped her and her father through his cancer treatments30:32 — His father’s Holocaust survivor upbringingYohay reflects on his father’s painful childhood as the son of Auschwitz survivors — and how he chose to raise his own family with joy and laughter instead.49:41 — The meaning of “Self-Loving Jew”Yohay explains why he named his previous tour Self-Loving Jew, framing it as a response to Jews who publicly criticized Israel after October 7th.This Episode’s Partner:Thank you honeymoonisrael.org/beingjewishMore Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishLearn More About Yohay Sponder:Yohay Sponder YoutubeYohay Sponder InstagramYohay Sponder Stand-Up and AppearancesCREDITS:Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Sasha Nelson Production Intern: Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• She's Not Italian, She's Jewish! The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler + What is Shavout?! 18.05.2026 1h 12min

  The Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler gets brutally honest about Judaism, fame, motherhood, and living with MS in one of her most personal interviews ever.In one of the podcast’s most open and deeply personal episodes so far Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for playing Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos, reflects on growing up Jewish on Long Island, navigating Hollywood at a young age, and finding strength in Jewish identity and community. The two discuss that advocacy doesn't have to be about conflict, but about just sharing your positive experiences with the world. She shares how a transformative Birthright Israel trip deepened her connection to Judaism and Israel especially through experiences in Jerusalem.Sigler also opens up about living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the emotional toll of hiding her diagnosis for years, and how finally speaking publicly changed her life. The conversation explores marriage, mental health, and the pressure to appear “perfect” while struggling privately. Jamie-Lynn talks about her new memoir, And So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope, and her podcasts MeSsy with Christina Applegate and Not Today, PAL. Together, she and Jonah connect with each other on their vulnerability, Jewish pride, and the freedom that comes from finally being fully yourself.Plus, Rabbi David Ingbar returns to the podcast (Three-Timer!!!) to discuss the history and importance of the Jewish Holiday, Shavout. Topics discussed:Discussion about Jewish visibility, stereotypes about what Jewish people “look like,” and proudly embracing her Cuban, Greek, and Jewish heritage.Sigler talks about living with Multiple Sclerosis (“MS”) and why going public about her diagnosis changed her life.The emotional process behind writing her memoir And So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope and narrating the audiobook herself.How podcasting opened her emotionally Caregiving, marriage, and parenting with her husband Cutter while navigating life with MS. Sigler explains how The Sopranos became a “safe haven” during struggles with eating disorders, MS, and personal insecurities. The Sopranos Executive Producer David Chase and how Meadow Soprano served as Sigler’s “Sasha Fierce” alter ego. The importance of Jewish community, Shabbat dinners, and raising her sons Jack and Beau with pride in their Jewish heritage.Sigler shares her perspective on Israel, Holocaust education, and visiting the Holocaust Museum during her Birthright experience. Discussion of disability representation in Hollywood and why productions should hire actors actually living with disabilities and chronic illness. Sigler discusses acting projects including Big Sky and how accommodations on set helped her work comfortably with MS.Mentioned in the episode:Rabbi David IngberWhat is Shavuot?Why Cheesecake on Shavuot?What Are the Five Books of Moses?Simon SinekCounting Up to ShavuotThe Intrinsic Unity of IsraelMount SinaiHEBREW WORD OF THE WEEK —TIKUN Dara Horn BJJP EpisodeAnd So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and HopeMultiple Sclerosis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment OptionsJamie Lynn Sigler InstagramJamie Lynn Sigler IMDbThe Sopranos IMDbYad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance CenterEmmanuel Chriqui InstagramHollywood stars boycott Israeli film companies in response to Gaza crisisJamie-Lynn Sigler and Lance Bass' whirlwind trip to Israel in photosA Course in MiraclesMeSsy PodcastNot Today, PAL with Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler (Podcast)David Chase IMDbWhat Jamie-Lynn Sigler Wants You to Know About MSWho Is Jamie-Lynn Sigler’s Husband? All About Cutter DykstraBirthright IsraelSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Hollywood to Holy Land: Screenwriter-turned-Orthodox Rabbi Shmuel Lynn 15.05.2026 27min

  A Hollywood writer turned rabbi reveals the unbelievable true stories of Jewish survival history that they never taught in school.Host Jonah Platt reunites with Rabbi Shmuel Lynn, his former University of Pennsylvania Maimonides Leadership Program teacher, to discuss Lynn’s path from screenwriting (Duke, NYU Film School, LA) to Orthodox Jewish education and leading young adults. Lynn describes growing up amid antisemitism in Palm Beach, discovering observant Jews in Hollywood, and being drawn to meaningful Jewish history through a Holocaust writing job. He explains his focus on college and post-college Jews through Olami in Greenwich Village, emphasizing immersive, curated experiences and storytelling to create individual and generational change.Topics include:Jonah Platt reflects on meeting Rabbi Lynn through the Maimonides Leadership Program while attending the University of Pennsylvania. Working in Hollywood with writers from The Cosby Show and Will & Grace sparked Rabbi Lynn’s deeper exploration of Judaism and observant Jewish life. Rabbi Lynn discusses writing a Holocaust screenplay centered on Kristallnacht and how that project deepened his connection to Jewish history. The episode explores Rabbi Lynn’s Holocaust film about Bardejov and the true story of 999 Slovakian Jewish girls bound for Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. Rabbi Lynn recounts how Jews in Slovakia prevented deportations by staging a fake typhus outbreak during the Holocaust. Rabbi Lynn explains the mission behind Olami and his Jewish center in Greenwich Village focused on college students and young professionals.The conversation highlights immersive Jewish education, including theater productions about the Spanish Inquisition and immigrant journeys through Ellis Island.Rabbi Lynn discusses leading student trips through Poland, Krakow, Budapest, and Slovakia to teach Holocaust history and Jewish perseverance.The episode explores the upcoming screenplay Rabbi Lynn is developing about the Soviet Jewry movement, including references to the KGB, the Iron Curtain, and Soviet Jewish activism.Mentioned in the episode:Rabbi Shmuel Lynn InstagramRabbi Shmuel Lynn LinktreeRabbi Shmuel Lynn FacebookRabbi Shmuel Lynn LinkedInUniversity of PennsylvaniaMaimonides Leaders FellowshipPalm Beach FloridaDuke UniversityNYU Film SchoolCosby ShowWill and GraceKristallnachtBardejov (Film)BardejovTransportation to AuschwitzAuschwitzOlamiOlami ManhattanBishvili nivra ha-olamNew York, Circa 1909ShemaOlami Events Julie PlattSoviet Jewry MovementSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Nayman, Story Producer: Sasha Nelson, Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• “Bad Jews” (replay) & Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt 12.05.2026 1h 3min

  What happens when one of the world’s leading Holocaust scholars says today’s antisemitism feels frighteningly familiar?In this vital episode Holocaust historian and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt discusses the dangerous surge and normalization of antisemitism worldwide, citing the incidents in London and the October 8, 2023 Sydney Opera House rally. Lipstadt argues antisemitism now operates as a “horseshoe” uniting extremes at the far right and left. She uses the analogy of an upside-down pyramid  to illustrate the threat to Jews, democracy, and international security (including “utilitarian antisemitism” on PRC platforms). She compares today to the 1930s while noting key differences. She critiques university groupthink and campus failures at UCLA and Columbia to protect Jewish students. She describes her envoy work shifting from Abraham Accords, including global guidelines signed by 44 entities and a symposium with major tech platforms. She calls for unequivocal leadership, depoliticized action, education, and everyday speaking up. She emphasizes that there must be Jewish joy alongside fighting hate.Topics include:Lipstadt’s legal battle against Holocaust denier David Irving and the film adaptation starring Rachel Weisz. Lipstadt warns about rising antisemitic violence in London, including incidents in Golders Green and the Finchley Reform Synagogue. The episode examines antisemitic protests outside the Sydney Opera House following October 7, 2023. The discussion references the spread of antisemitic content on social media platforms including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X. Lipstadt describes international diplomacy surrounding the Abraham Accords and outreach to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Lipstadt praises cooperation from officials in Austria, Germany, and France in combating antisemitism. The Paris Peace Forum and comments by former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls following the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket siege. Lipstadt discusses online hate campaigns targeting Jewish institutions including the 92nd Street Y and AIPAC. The murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran and global protests over women’s rights. Lipstadt and Platt discuss authors and commentators including Dara Horn, Douglas Murray, Bret Stephens, Candace Owens, and Tucker Carlson. Lipstadt reflects on Jewish education through organizations like BBYO, USY, and institutions including Emory University and Brandeis University. Surprising Global Allies in France and AustriaMentioned in the episode:Deborah LipstadtBrandeis UniversityEmory UniversityThe Tam Institute for Jewish StudiesDenying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and MemoryDenial (2016 film)Rachel Weisz InstagramPresident Joe BidenA Conversation With U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah LipstadtAntisemitism being 'normalized' and not taken seriously enough, chief rabbi tells BBCThird arrest over attempted arson at synagoguePolice investigate pro-Palestinian protest at Sydney Opera House over alleged anti-SemitismMarjorie Taylor Greene to resign from Congress amid clashes with Trump over Israel, EpsteinBinyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu - BiographyCode Pink Outs Itself as Anti-Jewish Hate GroupRothschild familyGunman Kills Three at Kansas City Jewish Community Center, Retirement HomeUCLA can’t allow protesters to block Jewish students from campus, judge rulesFinal Columbia University antisemitism report details disturbing examples of Jewish students being cruelly singled outMet Police apologizes for 'openly Jewish' commentParis Peace ForumManuel VallsCharlie Hebdo attack: Three days of terror‘Déjà Vu’: Remembering Hyper Cacher Five Years LaterOtto FrankReport of the Yale Committee on Trust in Higher EducationTel Aviv UniversityBBYOVenice Biennale previews in chaos, overshadowed by row over Israeli and Russian participationSara J. BloomfieldAbraham AccordsLeading Jewish Organizations Disturbed By Saudi Arabia’s Islamist TurnWahhabismFight against antisemitismKeir Starmer: ‘If you stand alongside people who say Globalize the Intifada, you are calling for terrorism against Jews’‘Globalize the Intifada’: Meaning, Origins, and Why The Slogan Is a Call for ViolenceEmory Together: Countering Antisemitism // DCCouncil of EuropeOrganization of American StatesOSCEWould-be Michigan car bomber rammed explosives-laden truck into Temple Israel preschool — before security guards shot him deadNCSYUSYA Break in the Argentina Murder Case Tied to IranIran: Mahsa Amini's father accuses authorities of a cover-up92nd Street YAIPACDebbie Wasserman SchultzDutch ministers decry Israeli ministry’s report on Amsterdam violenceTrump Is Right to Deport Hamas SupportersFiddler on the RoofGrace and FrankieJon OssoffThe Presidential Campaign That Changed American PoliticsShabbatPurimPassoverThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtWhat Is the Amidah?After Senate Confirmation Hearing, CAM Voices ‘Unqualified Support’ for Appointment of Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as Next US Antisemitism Special EnvoySix-Day WarThe Western Wall: The Western Wall TunnelsMandelbaum GateHow Golda Meir Rose to Become the ‘Iron Lady’ of IsraelArab Terrorists Murder Israelis at Munich OlympicsNatan Sharansky, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Advisory BoardFear No EvilGal BeckermanWhen They Come for Us, We'll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet JewryThe Adventures of Rabbi JacobSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Epistemic Antisemitism and Black Conservative Influencer Xaviaer DuRousseau 05.05.2026 1h 9min

  From viral firestorms to death threats, this man isn’t backing down from the Israel conversation.Jonah Platt sits down with conservative activist Xaviaer DuRousseau, who describes his rapid shift from a Bernie-supporting, BLM-boosting young liberal to a professional Republican who appears on Fox News, visits the White House, and publicly supports Israel, including traveling to Gaza during the war. Xaviaer recounts growing up in Chicago and Central Illinois with Marxist family influences, becoming an activist, then researching BLM finances and concluding the movement was fraudulent, which led him to vote for Trump and face family accusations of white supremacy. He argues Bernie-to-Trump is a seamless anti-establishment pipeline, rejects widespread student-loan forgiveness as a solution, and says crime drives businesses and jobs out of black neighborhoods. Xaviaer credits a 2023 Shabbat dinner at PragerU and multiple Israel trips with deepening his connection to Jewish life, describing backlash, antisemitism, death threats, and filming humanitarian aid in Gaza to counter starvation claims. He criticizes anti-Israel voices across the left and right, advocates a black/Jewish alliance based on shared history, and discusses resentment, Marxism, and cultural lessons between the communities.Xaviaer presents his “hot takes” on most modern-day racism being against white people and asians, how he would be talking shit all day if he were jewish, and how “hood” black folks love Trump.Plus, Jonah explains why epistemic antisemitism, despite its subtlety and widespread normalization, is so terribly destructive.Topics Include: Xaviaer DuRousseau’s viral trip to Gaza documenting humanitarian aid and response to misinformation and the backlash from European audiences and online threats following his Gaza video How a Netflix show called The Circle was the unexpected catalyst for DuRousseau's political awakeningHis criticism of influencers like Hasan Piker, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Nick FuentesHow PragerU’s CEO Marissa Streit in 2023 was DuRousseau's first real introduction to Jewish culture and traditionHis fallout with Candace Owens Experiences attending Passover Seder hosted by Montana TuckerThe historical alliance between Black Americans and Jewish Americans during the Civil Rights MovementCritique of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and discussions of Marxism in modern activism Exploration of Igbo Jews in Nigeria and Xaviaer’s possible ancestral ties to IsraelInfluence of activist Rudy Rochman in discussing Jewish identity and African connections Commentary on celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Seth Rogen in relation to Jewish identityMentioned in the episode:Law Scholar Christine A. LittletonEpistemic Antisemitism: “Good People Gone Wild”David Schraub’s The Epistemic Center of AntisemitismJonah’s take on Cognitive BiasAJC Warns: Staggering FBI Hate Crimes Data Likely Represents Under-Reporting of Anti-Jewish Hate CrimesReport on the Rise of Antisemitic Incidents in the U.S.Man Pleads Guilty for Displaying Nazi Flay at Pro-Palestine RallyTwitch streamer commenting on what “real antisemitism” is. When Did Jews Become White?Van Jones’s Statement Supporting the People of IranIsraeli’s Voice Dissent of War in GazeReverse CausationBeing Jewish Podcast Featuring Bishop Michael J. FisherXaviaer DuRousseau InstagramRespectfully, Xaviaer | PragerUBernie SandersHe used to march for BLM. Now he’s calling for mass incarceration to save Black AmericansXaviaer’s Instagram Post on Visiting Gaza During the WarThe debate on Latino vs. Latinx vs. Hispanic is the song that never endsThe Circle: TV’s Trashiest Reality Show We Can’t Stop WatchingXaviaer DuRousseau: PragerU Personality, Commentator, and Content CreatorAP lands national scoop on a Black Lives Matter fraud investigationActBlueNew Report Reveals Illicit Foreign Donations and Mass Resignations at ActBluePresident Donald J. TrumpKamala D. Harris Here's How Bernie Sanders Explained Democratic SocialismPresident Barack ObamaJoseph R. Biden Jr.Xaviaer’s Appearance on Dr. PhilBlack Unemployment is Surging Under Donald TrumpCandace Owens Instagram5 of Kanye West’s Antisemitic Remarks, ExplainedBLEXIT, ‘Black Exit’ Foundation Now Powered By Turning Point USAQuotas are a diversity quick-fix, but companies must dig deeperRacism in the music industry 'is upfront and personal'K. Michelle Talks Double-Standard for Black Pop SingersFox News Gues Called Out for Shading Beyoncé’s Appearance at Harris Houston Rally Despite Past PraiseBeyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, explainedAre Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market DiscriminationMarissa StreitWhat to Expect at a Shabbat DinnerWas I Paid to Visit Israel?Myth: The Jewish people are white settler colonialists who have no connection to the land of IsraelWhat Is the Correct Term for Someone Who Is Not Jewish?Debra Lea InstagramYad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance CenterHorseshoe Theory in American PoliticsWho is Nick Fuentes and Why Is His Antisemitism Dangerous for America?Tucker Carlson YouTubeCameron HickeyPalestinian Elections, 15 Years and CountingRepublicans are more likely than Democrats to see Israel as a US ally: AP-NORC pollHasan Piker has said that “America deserved 9/11” (yes, that is a direct quote).Alex JonesTucker Carlson’s Biggest Conspiracy Theory YetMontana Tucker BJJP EpisodeBlack Lives Matter Issues Statement Of Support For Free Palestine MovementRoy unveils immigration bill dubbed ‘MAMDANI Act’ Xaviaer Walk With Me Video on Chinese HeritageThe Igbo, DNA, Struggle for Jewish soulsRudy Rochman InstagramLiz Kennedy InstagramWe Were Never Lost DocumentaryXaviaer DuRousseau: The Black Christian Zionist, Former BLM Activist Fighting for Israel and the JewsThe Strokes frontman says ‘privileged’ Zionists talk ‘like Black people during slavery’We Have Our Eyes on Timothée ChalametEsDeeKid ft. Timothée Chalamet - 4 Raws Remix (Official Music Video)Israel’s Deni Avdija finishes 3rd in vote for NBA’s Most Improved PlayerSandy KoufaxHank AaronWhy We Care About How Seth Rogen Went From Jewish Day School to Saying ‘WTF’ to IsraelThe Jewish Fam Behind TimberlandSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Shopify President Harley Finkelstein & The Jews of Thessaloniki 28.04.2026 1h 17min

  He's worth hundreds of millions, runs one of Canada's most powerful companies, and he still gets antisemitic replies every Friday when he posts “Shabbat Shalom,” here's why he refuses to stop.Shopify President Harley Finkelstein joins host Jonah Platt for a wide-ranging conversation about Jewish identity, antisemitism, entrepreneurship, and legacy. Finkelstein, a grandson of Holocaust survivors whose family fled Hungary during the Soviet crackdown of the 1950s, opens up about why he has grown increasingly vocal as a public Jewish figure in Canada, especially in the wake of October 7th. He recounts two pivotal incidents that motivated his public advocacy: protesters storming his Big Shot podcast recording at Startup Fest, and demonstrators disrupting his speech at the opening of the Finkelstein Chabad Center in Ottawa. He discusses his relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Shopify's massive e-commerce footprint (14% of all U.S. e-commerce), and his journey from being one of Shopify's first 136 merchants to its president. He also digs into Big Shot, his podcast with David Siegel that archives the stories of legendary Jewish entrepreneurs, from Charles Bronfman to Jeffrey Katzenberg, arguing that grit is the defining trait behind Jewish entrepreneurial success.Plus, Jonah shares about his recent trip to Thessaloniki, Greece where he explored Jewish history. Topics:His published an op-ed in the National Post about rising antisemitism in CanadaMeeting Shopify founder Tobi Lutke at a Saturday entrepreneur coffee groupFinkelstein advocates loudly for visible Jewish philanthropy, arguing that public giving creates a "flywheel" of inspirationFinkelstein and David Siegel co-founding Fire Belly TeaFigures who inspired him like Jerry Schwartz and Izzy Sharp. His optimism for AI and technologyMeeting his wife Lindsay Taub, and his view on her being a partner in lifeWhy he does the Big Shot podcastBeing in a public role and the responsibility that comes with thatThe importance of jewish advocacy and leading by exampleA special thanks to our partner this week - Hadassah.orgDonation Links:Synagogue of the Monasteriotes (Thessaloniki)The Jewish Community of AthensChabad of GreeceJewish Museum of GreeceMentioned in the episode:The Jews of Thessaloniki, a Once Great Jewish CitySephardic Jews in Eastern Europe and GreeceRomaniote Jewish HistoryThe Route Saint Paul Followed In Greece1492 Alhambra DecreeTalmud Torah HaGadolThe Cooking Accident that Decimated a Jewish Community of 70,000The Treaty of LausanneThe Nazi Occupation of GreeceAristotle University Built on The Ruins of Jewish CemeteriesJewish Federations’ National Young Leadership CabinetJonah Describes “The Jeremiah Effect”Ladino! Ron Eliran: Folk Songs for Sephardic JewsHarley Finkelstein InstagramHarley Finkelstein LinkedInRed ScareHow September 11 Affected the U.S. Stock MarketShopifyBig ShotHarley Finkelstein weekly Shabbat Shalom post on XHarley Finkelstein’s Article: Canadian Jews are being targeted simply because they are JewishHeather ReismanShopify President Makes Good on 18-Year-Old Promise to His Campus RabbiTobias Lütke LinkedIn Harley Finkelstein X Jonathan GreenblattThe Right Honorable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of CanadaJustin Trudeau | Former Prime Minister of CanadaSamuel BronfmanBobby KotickIsadore SharpDubai-based Augustus Media pushes Shopify boycott over president’s tweet supporting fair reporting about IsraelGerry SchwartzBJJP Howie Mandel EpisodeLindsay Taub (Harley Finkelstein’s spouse)David SegalHollywood’s Jewish FoundersCharles Bronfman: A Lifetime of GivingJeffrey KatzenbergBarry DillerLynda ResnickThe Merchant Prince: The Man Behind The Gap, Old Navy, and J. Crew | Mickey DrexlerLarry SilversteinDeni Avdija becomes 1st Israeli named to NBA All-Star GameSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• The KKK vs. Antizionism and Congressman Josh Gottheimer (Dem, NJ-5) 21.04.2026 59min

  In this timely episode, host Jonah Platt sits down with Josh Gottheimer, the five-term U.S. Congressman serving New Jersey’s Fifth District. Josh is a leading pro-Israel voice in the Democratic Party and Vice-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus (which he co-founded). In Congress, Josh serves on two Committees, including the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee and is a member of the Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture Subcommittee. Gottheimer shares candid insights on navigating politics while being Jewish. He discusses U.S. action against Iran, arguing Iran is a major threat but criticizing the administration for shifting objectives and failing to clearly explain goals, which fuels public skepticism and risks a drawn-out conflict affecting oil prices, markets, and regional stability. He rejects conditioning aid to Israel as unfairly targeting a key democratic ally and condemns the use of “apartheid” rhetoric. He describes a major rise in antisemitism, political incentives pushing members of Congress to retreat from support for Israel, and calls for coordinated Jewish-community investment in K–12 and campus education, accountability for institutions, and tougher political engagement.Plus, Jonah answers a podcast fan’s question on how to make anti-zionism taboo. Topics discussed include: The shifting center of the left and the rightThe role of the Problem Solvers Caucus in bipartisan cooperation in Congress Why the U.S.-Israel relationship is vital to American national securityGottheimer’s work on the House Intelligence Committee and focus on Iran and GazaCriticism of Gavin Newsom for using the term “apartheid” regarding IsraelThe influence of social media figures like Hasan Piker and political figures like Donald Trump on polarization Addressing antisemitic rhetoric tied to movements like BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions)Concerns about antisemitism and activism on college campuses like the University of PennsylvaniaHolding elected officials accountable at the local, state, and federal levels for antisemitism The importance of strategic philanthropy and community coordination within the American Jewish communityA special thanks to our partner this week Hadassah.orgMentioned in the episode:Founding of the Ku Klux KlanThe Transformation of the KKK from Fraternity to Religious Extremists. 1924 Democratic National Conventions - “Klanbake”DNC Avoids Taking a Stance on Israel, AIPACThe Growing Antisemitism Among Young AmericansVanderbilt Professor Shaul KelnerBriahna Joy Gray fired from The Hill after rolling her eyes at the sister of Oct 7 hostage during an interviewThe Timeline of the SPLC Case That Bankrupted the KlanBrandies CenterStudents Against AntisemitismThe Lawfare ProjectKlan Members Murder Conviction Leads to Decline in Membership and Political InfluenceJosh GottheimerJosh Gottheimer InstagramJosh Gottheimer TwitterSarah Hurwitz BJJP EpisodeRep. Josh Gottheimer: The New Jersey Democrat defending Israel, battling antisemitismProblem Solvers CaucusCongressman Thomas SuozziNational Security Agency & Cyber SubcommitteeGottheimer Votes to Pass War Powers Resolution By the numbers: US thrashed military targets in Iran, but some capabilities remainIranian attack on Saudi base injures U.S. troops as more American forces arrive in the Middle EastHow the US Navy could blockade Iran’s ports and sweep mines from the Strait of HormuzIsrael didn’t drag the US into war with Iran — they enabled us to fight it smarter and fasterU.S. Capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro: Considerations for CongressOil prices rise on doubts US-Iran peace talks will ease Hormuz disruptionThe Abraham Accords, ExplainedArmy survivors of deadly attack in Kuwait dispute Pentagon's account, say unit "was unprepared" to defend itselfGottheimer Statement in Opposition to Conditioning Aid to IsraelSharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law Are Incompatible with the U.S. ConstitutionAyaan Hirsi Ali: 'Queers for Palestine' shows how stupid our society isGottheimer, Foxx Introduce Bill to Hold Higher Education Accountable for Anti-Israel, BDS ActivityGottheimer calls Newsom’s Israel apartheid comments ‘dangerous’Genocide, apartheid? A poll Israel cannot allow itself to ignoreCandace Owens“The Squad” Doubles Down on Anti-Israel CommentsRepresentative Elaine G. Luria Hasan Piker doubles down on Hamas supportUPenn must comply with federal subpoena seeking list of Jewish community members, judge rulesSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Should Jews Proselytize? & Dueling Rabbis PART 2 with Sharon Brous & David Ingber 14.04.2026 1h 18min

  Host Jonah Platt moderates part two of a spirited conversation between Rabbi Sharon Brous (IKAR, Los Angeles) and Rabbi David Ingber (Romemu, New York) about how Jewish leaders should balance moral self-critique of Israel with addressing antisemitism, especially after October 7. Ingber argues progressive Jews and rabbis overemphasize public Jewish self-criticism, undercall out antisemitism and extremism from allies, and should name today’s anti-Zionism as an ever-evolving hate movement that erases Jewish self-determination. Brous defends the Jewish tradition of teshuvah and accountability, urges speaking against West Bank settler violence and occupation, and warns that labeling all criticism or Palestinian solidarity as antisemitic blunts the response to real threats. They also debate U.S. politics, liberal democracy’s role in Jewish safety, Jewish political “homelessness,” and the inclusion of anti-Zionist Jews.Ultimately, the conversation models a deeply Jewish tradition of debate, machloket l’shem shamayim, while emphasizing unity, responsibility, and the need to continue investing in community and the next generation.  Topics Include:Trading ideas on whether anti-Zionism is a form of modern antisemitismThe responsibility of rabbis to address West Bank settler violence and Jewish extremism References to Baruch Goldstein and the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre as a moral comparison The role of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran in shaping Jewish security concerns The influence of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X on Israel narratives Criticism of language like “apartheid” in discussions about Israel and PalestineThe symbolism of the watermelon flag in pro-Palestinian activism Gavin Newsom and his appearance on Pod Save AmericaThe importance of protecting liberal democracy for Jewish safety in America Failures in Jewish education, including overreliance on programs like Birthright IsraelThe role of JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) and synagogues in strengthening Jewish life The need for machloket l’shem shamayim (debate for the sake of heaven) in shaping the Jewish futureA special thanks to our partners on this episode:Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropieshttps://www.schusterman.orgCrown Family Philanthropieshttps://crownfamilyphilanthropies.org/Jim Joseph Foundationhttps://jimjosephfoundation.org/Mentioned In The Episode:Why Don’t Jews Proselytize?Conversion HistoryThe Converso: Jews converting to Christianity in Spain and Portugal in the 1300sRuth: The First Jewish ConvertHow Many Jews Are In The World?The Jewish BirthrateJewish Intermarriage RatesOur Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (U.S. Public Health Service)American’s Religious Engagement Stays LowGlobal “Wellness” Business Grows to $6.8 TrillionJewish Prayers and Their MeaningsHow to Become JewishSharon Brous InstagramRabbi David IngberIKARRomemu'My mother cried out one last time': Palestinian boy, 12, describes how Israeli forces killed his family in carSurveillance soldiers charge sexism a factor in their Oct. 7 warnings being ignoredWho was Baruch Goldstein? Massacre in HebronSilence is not solidarity: Diaspora Jews must speak when Israel straysWhat is Cheshbon Hanefesh?PogromsWave of settler attacks against Palestinian herders reported in central West BankFourth suspect arrested over Jewish charity ambulance arson attackThe Importance of Tochachah-RebukeAnti-Trump rallies hit thousands of US cities for 'No Kings' protestExplosion rocks Amsterdam Jewish school in what mayor says is ‘targeted attack’ against Jewish communityAs A Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase UsNewsom ramps up his criticism of Israel, accuses Netanyahu of leading Trump into war with IranHorseshoe Theory in American PoliticsThe Z Word: Reclaiming ZionismProtocols of the Elders of ZionVenezuelan VP: US attack capturing Maduro has 'Zionist undertones'Renee Good was shot in the head, autopsy commissioned by her family findsWhy watermelons are a symbol of Palestinian solidarityIsraeli opposition members shout at Netanyahu as he tries to address parliamentEarly History of IsraelWhat Is Tikkun Olam?How to Teach the Jewish StorySvalbard Global Seed VaultThe Valley of Dry Bones and the Resurrection of the Dead--Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Jewish Queer Youth (JQY) Executive Director Rachael Fried 10.04.2026 31min

  In this episode of 30 Minute Mensches, host Jonah Platt sits down with Rachael Fried, the Executive Director of JQY (Jewish Queer Youth). Rachael shares her personal journey from being a closeted Orthodox participant to leading the organization, which now operates a professional center in New York's Times Square with a $2 million budget. JQY serves as a vital mental health nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth (ages 13–23) from "historically non-accepting communities," specifically those from Orthodox, Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Russian-speaking backgrounds.The discussion covers the critical safety risks facing these teens, including suicide and homelessness, and the creative "guerrilla marketing" JQY employs to reach youth in insular environments where internet access is restricted. Fried addresses the intersection of queer identity and Halakha (Jewish law), referencing Leviticus 18:22 and the principle of Elu v’Elu to advocate for the healthy coexistence of religious and queer identities. Finally, she highlights JQY’s national expansion through virtual drop-in centers, a mobile app, and a national Jewish queer book club.Topics Include:They discuss the scale of need (potentially hundreds of thousands)The episode addresses high-risk factors for queer Jewish youth, including increased rates of suicide, homelessness, and addiction.The discussion explores barriers to information for youth using "kosher phones" or restricted internet in ultra-Orthodox communities.Rachael explains how religious texts are often used to justify cultural homophobia beyond the literal interpretation of the law.The Jewish principle of "Elu v’Elu" (both these and those) is highlighted as a core philosophy for holding both queer and Jewish identities as true.Student activism surrounding a queer club at Yeshiva UniversityThe cultural dimensions of halakha-based rejectionGetting in-contact with the organization if you aren’t in New York CityMentioned In The Episode:Rachael Fried InstagramJewish Queer Youth (JQY) FacebookJQY appJQY InstagramJQY WebsiteAbout JQYLGBTQ+ Jewish Demographic Pew StudKosher PhoneHechsherHalachaLeviticus 18:22Turning it over in the TorahB’tselem ElohimCis/ CisgenderElu v’eluYeshiva UniversityJewish Queer Book Club JQYRuth Bader GinsbergJQY Drop InSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Story Producer: Sasha Nelson, Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• LIVE FROM SAN DIEGO! Rabbis Sharon Brous (IKAR) & David Ingber (Romemu/92NY) 31.03.2026 1h 1min

  At this live “Being Jewish with Jonah Platt” event in San Diego, supported by Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, and the Jim Joseph Foundation, Jonah Platt welcomes two influential spiritual leaders: Rabbi Sharon Brous, founding rabbi of IKAR in Los Angeles, and David Ingber, founding rabbi of Romemu in New York. Together, they explore how their egalitarian, non-denominational communities are reimagining synagogue life by emphasizing spiritual aliveness, engaging prayer, and social justice.Brous and Ingber speak candidly about the challenges of leading “big tent” communities in a deeply polarized time, where congregants often expect rabbis to mirror their views, and leave when they don't. Brous discusses transforming sermons into collective responsibility and action, while Ingber critiques what he calls a more consumer-driven performative Judaism, shaped by convenience rather than commitment. Drawing on experience from the Women’s March controversy through the aftermath of October 7th, they examine what it means to lead with integrity when every word carries weight. The conversation also grapples with enduring questions at the heart of Jewish life: the role of prayer, the tension between universal values and particular Jewish obligation, and the importance of humility and patience in leadership. Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and growing political divisions around Israel and America, this episode looks at what Jewish leadership demands and what the Jewish community can become in this moment of urgency and change.  This is Part One of a Two-Part conversation. In the episode, they discuss:The founding visions behind IKAR and Romemu How Brous and Ingber are reimagining synagogue life The rabbinical role in modern societySilence from progressive allies following October 7th  Rabbi David Ingber’s experience confronting Tamika Mallory and Louis FarrakhanThe concept of “raising flawed flags”The Talmudic story of Kamtza and Bar KamtzaBalancing universalism and particularism through Torah teachings The pressure to respond instantly on social media versus engaging in thoughtful reflection A special thanks to our partners on this episode:Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family PhilanthropiesCrown Family PhilanthropiesJim Joseph FoundationMentioned In The Episode:Rabbi Sharon Brous InstagramRabbi David IngberBeing Jewish with Jonah Platt Webby AwardBJJP: Religious Communicators Council Award: Best Audio Visual ProgramBJJP: 2025 W3 Award Winner: Best Podcast HostDavid RittbergIKARRomemuColumbia students criticize University’s handling of antisemitism at federal civil rights listening sessionRemembering Jesse JacksonKamtza and Bar KamtzaBrooklyn Yeshivas Circa 1937 Part IWhat Is Kabbalat Shabbat?Women First Marched to Challenge Trump. Now They Are Challenging Each OtherTamika D. Mallory InstagramLouis FarrakhanGenesis 18:22-33Judaism is About Love by Rabbi Shai HeldWhat Did the People Hear at Mount Sinai?Gazing Into the Digital Face of Levinas: The Ethics of Self and Other in CyberspaceNYC bill allowing protest ‘buffer zones’ around houses of worship passes with veto-proof majorityAntisemitic mob descends on historic NYC synagogue — urging the ‘resistance’ to ‘take another settler out’Rabbi Hanan SchlesingerZohran Mamdani has no opinion on a united Ireland. That matters more than you thinkHorseshoe Theory in American PoliticsGovernor Gavin NewsomAmerican Jews May Be Moving RightThe Purim StorySupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• The Ms. Rachel Monologue & The 22-Hour Jew, Trans TV Writer Our Lady J 24.03.2026 1h 17min

  She converted to Judaism yesterday! Jonah Platt interviews transgender activist, Emmy-nominated TV writer-director (Transparent, American Horror Story, Pose), and musician Our Lady J (Yona Speidel), less than 24 hours after she formally converted to Judaism. She describes her 12-year path, the beit din with three rabbis, her written reflection on Isaiah 56 and intersex identity, her mikvah immersion, and why she chose the Hebrew name Yona. She recounts growing up in a Mennonite household, losing trust in organized religion amid homophobia during the AIDS crisis, and later returning to spirituality through Judaism. The conversation addresses unconscious antisemitism, queer-community susceptibility to “they” conspiracies, and rising antisemitism in LGBT spaces after October 7. She discusses BDS (The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement) pressure on Transparent, later learning German courts found BDS antisemitic, and argues for fact-based definitions of Zionism, while saying she is pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli. Topics discussed include:The emotional experience of completing the Beit Din and mikvah after a 12-year spiritual journey Guidance from three rabbis during the conversion process The significance of Isaiah 56 and its message welcoming eunuchs, and those who might not have a binary identity of sex or genderGrowing up in an ex–Old Order Mennonite Christian background and early perceptions of Jews The evolution of Lady J’s identity through names like Justin, Jonah, and Yona, and their biblical significance Influence of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, pioneer of trans medicine in Berlin (1909), on understanding antisemitism and queer history How Nazi book burnings in the 1930s destroyed Hirschfeld’s research at the Institute of SexologyThe intersection of antisemitism, transphobia, and homophobia throughout European and modern history The rise of antisemitism within the LGBTQ community following October 7 and shifting attitudes toward IsraelLady J’s experience working on Transparent (Amazon Prime Video)Referencing activist Larry Kramer and ACT UP in discussions of queer organizing and Zionist parallels The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on spiritual reflection, including cross-country travel and research in Berlin archivesJewish values of perseverance illustrated through Torah learning, including lessons about continuing even when strugglingThank you to this episode's sponsor:Jewish Communal FundMENTIONSMs. Rachel draws ire over appeals for Gazan childrenWhy Is Everyone Talking About Ms. Rachel Right Now?YouTube star Ms. Rachel should be investigated for spreading Hamas propaganda Who is the Bibas family?In the Sudan sick and starving children continue to waste awayViolations against children have tripled in the CongoRussia’s kidnapping of Ukrainian childrenIranian children killed by Iranian security forces in crackdown of protests12 Israeli Druze children killed in Hezbollah rocket attackLady J First day of Judaism postOur Lady J’s Film and TV CreditsThe MikvahThe Beit Din (Rabbinic Court) and ConversionRabbi Iggy‘Transparent’ Writer Our Lady J: Hollywood ‘Needs to Put Stories Into the Hands of Trans People’What is intersex?What is a eunuch in the Bible?Mennonite HistorySnapshots of an Epidemic: An HIV/AIDS TimelineLady ChablisQueer Jews Forced into a Different Closet: Antisemitism and Conditional Acceptance“Through Science to Justice”: The Story of Magnus Hirschfeld, a Gay Jewish TrailblazerLady J Zionism Instagram postThe TV series TransparentGermany Declares: BDS is AntisemiticMiller Intro to JudaismJay Sanderson BJJP EpisodeRabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh, Mandana Dayani, and Matthew Nouriel BJJP EpisodeJonah and the Whale - Bible Story MeaningJacob Wrestles with the AngelIs MAGA really pro-Israel?The Holiday You’ve Never Heard Of: Why Shmini Atzeret MattersWhy Are Grasshoppers (Locusts) Kosher for Some Jews?What’s So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?Ask the Expert: Kosher Wine and Kosher Mevushal WineSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Jonah Does CNN and KIND Founder Daniel Lubetzky 17.03.2026 1h 11min

  Jonah interviews Daniel Lubetzky, Mexican-American Jewish founder of KIND, Shark Tank investor, and longtime bridge-builder, about how his Holocaust-survivor father and Mexican Jewish upbringing shaped his commitment to connecting communities. Lubetzky describes mourning his father, saying Kaddish, and launching both KIND and the OneVoice Movement the same year, crediting prayer and purpose with keeping him grounded. He explains PeaceWorks, a trade-based social enterprise linking Israelis and Arabs (and later other conflict regions), which succeeded in sustaining relationships but never scaled and ultimately closed. He recounts OneVoice’s effort to empower moderates against media-driven extremism, mobilizing nearly a million Israelis and Palestinians, yet falling short of ending the conflict. Lubetzky outlines his latest project, the Builders Movement, and its “builders vs. destroyers” framework, its education, media, and civics work, and argues kindness is strong, honest action.Lubetzky reflects on the impact of reciting Kaddish after his father’s death and how Jewish ritual shaped his worldview.The founding story behind KIND Bars and why Lubetzky named the company after his father’s values.Lubetzky’s first social enterprise PeaceWorks, connecting Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, Egyptians, and Turks through trade.How PeaceWorks also operated in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Chiapas, Mexico to foster cooperation across conflict lines.The creation of the OneVoice Movement, which mobilized nearly 1 million Israelis and Palestinians around shared peace principles.Why Lubetzky believes media narratives often amplify extremists instead of moderates in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Launching the Builders Movement, a global initiative promoting cooperation over division.The Builders Movement framework built around the “Four Cs”: Curiosity, Compassion, Creativity, and Courage.Educational partnerships with institutions such as Stanford University to promote builder-mindset leadership programs.Collaboration with leaders like Van Jones to strengthen alliances between Jewish and Black communities.Thank you to this episode's sponsor:Jewish Communal FundMentioned In The Episode:Three synagogue attacks in Toronto in one week.Blast Outside Begum SynagogueArrests made in Norway Synagogue attackSan Jose pedestrians attacked in hate crimePolice Arrest Suspect in Ramat Gan StabbingMan, Rams Truck Into Michigan Synagogue With Over 100 Children InsideThe Story Is with Exel MichaelsonThe Lead with Jake TapperDaniel LubetzkyDaniel Lubetzky on Shark TankCamp RamahPeaceWorks FoundationVan Jones BJJP EpisodeDachauKIND SnacksJason Alexander BJJP EpisodeThe History, Significance, and Meaning of KaddishAl Jazeera Propagates Hatred. Is it also a Foreign Agent?Annapolis Peace Conference (2007)1993 Oslo AccordsKind Creates the Kind Foundation to Help Foster Kinder and Healthier CommunitiesSave Your Relationships! How To Talk to Antizionist Loved Ones About Israel - Jonah Platt’s 5 C'sLubetzky Family Foundation Builders Movement Builders on InstagramBuilders on YouTubeJewish Neighborhoods: Mexico CityMexican school merger will expand ORT’s presence in Latin AmericaMarc Platt BJJP episodeJulie Platt BJJP episodeJewish Nobel Prize LaureatesSebastian Maniscalco - Italians at Passover (Aren't You Embarrassed?)Mexican Gefilte FishRed snapper with Veracruz-style sauce (huachinango a la Veracruzana)The Rise and Fall of Eliot NessSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• On Location with Ethiopian-Jewish Chef and Restaurateur Beejhy Barhany 10.03.2026 1h 1min

  In this delectable episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah records on location in Harlem, New York, at Tsion Café, America’s only Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant, for a conversation with owner and chef Beejhy Barhany about Ethiopian Jewish (Beta Israel) culture, food, and identity. Beejhy explains Tsion Café’s mission of bridge-building through vegan kosher cuisine and storytelling, and why she recently closed daily dining and now hosts only private events, due to years of anti-Zionist harassment, threats, and vandalism that intensified after October 7 and after becoming fully kosher. She discusses Harlem’s support, her meaning of “Zion,” and her belief that food can break barriers. Beejhy discusses Beta Israel’s unique history, questions of legitimacy, her family’s 1980–83 trek from Ethiopia to Israel, and experiences of discrimination and “conversion” pressures in Israel. Walking through the café, Beejhy shares the venue's legacy and culinary inspirations with Jonah. The two head into the kitchen to make samosas, discuss injera, dabo, spices, and her NY Times bestselling cookbook (Gursha). During the discussion, she describes founding the BINA (Beta Israel of North America) Cultural Foundation and raising her children with multifaceted identities.TOPICS INCLUDE:The story of the Beta Israel Jewish community of Ethiopia and their ancient connection to Judaism.Beejhy recounts her family’s escape from Ethiopia and years spent in Sudan before immigrating to Israel.Discussion of major Ethiopian Jewish airlifts, including Operation Moses and Operation Solomon.Life in immigrant absorption centers in Israel alongside newcomers from Ukraine and Russia.The role of Tsion Cafe as a cultural hub for Ethiopian Jews and the wider Jewish diaspora.Why Beejhy founded the Beta Israel North American Cultural Foundation (BINA) to promote Jewish diversity.The closing of Tsion Cafe’s regular dining service due to anti-Zionist harassment following October 7.Conversations about racism, identity, and the need for unity within the global Jewish community.How Ethiopian cuisine, such as traditional dishes served with injera, helps build cultural bridges.Reflections on raising multicultural Jewish children in New York City.The importance of celebrating Jewish diversity across communities from Israel to Africa and the United States.Thank you to our sponsors and promotional partners:Jewish Communal FundChutzpodAnd a Special Thanks to our production partner on this episode: Jewish Broadcasting Services (JBS)Mentioned In The Episode:Beejhy Barhan InstagramTsion CafeFar from the Eye, Close to the Heart: The Fascinating History of the Beta Israel Community in EthiopiaNYC’s only Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant closes after anti-Zionist harassment: ‘So much animosity’What is a Mezuzah?W. E. B. Du BoisThe Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley How This New York Restaurant Is Carrying on the Legacy of the Harlem RenaissanceCharlie ParkerRedd FoxxArt Tatum: A Talent Never to Be DuplicatedEthiopia, the home of coffeeEthiopian immigrantsThe Queen of Sheba  The Incredible Story of Ethiopian Jews and Their Journey to IsraelGursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond: A Cookbook Operation MosesOperation SolomonEthiopia’s Turbulent HistoryThe Law of ReturnAbsorption CentersDabo (Ethiopian Bread)Injera: Ethiopia’s Traditional Bread in Pictures and WordsLost Tribes beer company resurrects ancient brewsBeta Israel of North American Cultural FoundationShop Tsion CafeSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• Is Israel an Ethnostate? And the 2026 Israeli Olympic Bobsled Team 03.03.2026 1h 12min

  In this inspiring episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with members of the Israeli Bobsled Team (AJ Edelman, Ward Fawarsy, Uri Zisman, Ower Katz, Itamar Shprinz, and Menashem Chen) while in competition in Milano Crotina, to discuss the unlikely journey of building a team for a Winter Olympic sport in a country with no snow. Representing Israel on the global stage, the athletes share how they transitioned from backgrounds in track and field, rugby, crossfit, and other sports into elite bobsled competitors. They discuss training and competing internationally, and navigating the challenges of representing Israel amid rising antisemitism following October 7. Their story is a wild one with robberies, getting booed, a death on a plane, and missing critical training runs. The conversation explores patriotism, Jewish pride, and the emotional weight of wearing the Israeli flag at global events sanctioned by the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and the Winter Olympics. The athletes reflect on the powerful symbolism of Israeli athletes competing on the world stage and the importance of positive representation for Israel in international sports. Jonah and AJ Edelman, captain of the Israeli Bobsled Team, get some one-on-one time to dig into the team's challenges and the role of the Israeli Olympic Committee. Edelman details self-funding, starting a nonprofit to support the team, and hopes to grow the program.Topics Discussed Include:Competing in sanctioned events under the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) circuitQualification pathways toward the Winter OlympicsBeing champion athletes from other sport disciplinesThe nickname “Shul Runnings”Having a Druze athlete on the teamTraining in the U.S.-based tracks in Lake Placid, New York, and Park City, UtahThe measure of success is how far you’ve come, not how close you are to the topThe mechanics of a two-man and four-man bobsled under IBSF regulationsPutting together an “Ocean’s Eleven” team for bobsledFunding challenges and support from the Israeli Olympic CommitteeHow to support the team in the futureMentioned In The Episode:Advancing Jewish AthleticsDonate to the Israeli Bobsled TeamAJ Edelman InstagramWard Fawarsy InstagramUri Zisman InstagramOmer Katz InstagramItamar Shprinz InstagramMenachem Chen InstagramNOT A Genocide: Jonah Platt's Definitive Takedown of the World's Favorite Anti-Jew, Anti-Israel Lie (Part 2)Anti-Jew Libels DECONSTRUCTED-Jonah Platt Debunks 4 Lies About Israel & The Jewish People (Part 1)The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews: Part 1PART 2 - The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the JewsPART 3 - The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the JewsNatan Sharansky Natan Sharansky 3 D’sIsrael is Among a Number of EthnostatesMyanmar casts minorities to the margins as citizenship law denies legal identityMyanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisisArmenia is 98% Armenian DataKoreans in JapanUAE’s Double-Standard on Citizenship RightsMigrant Rights in UAE and QatarSwiss government rejects automatic citizenship for those born in SwitzerlandCitizenship through Naturalization for Aliens of Greek ethnic originEgypt's Christians face 'constant pressure to hide their faith'Israel’s Right of ReturnOperation SolomonIsraeli Law Declares the Country the ‘Nation-State of the Jewish People’Jewish CalendarArabs Make Up 20% of the Jewish PopulationArab residents of mixed cities disadvantaged compared to Jews - ComptrollerBen Gvir’s policy goals: Going to extremes even Europe’s far right won’t touchPalestinian Authority: You're a "traitor" if you sell land to the JewsWhat does the Hamas charter say?Milano Cortina 2026 OlympicsIsrael’s first Olympic bobsled team heads to Italy in bid they have dubbed ‘Shul Runnings’The Israeli bobsled team is in last place but calls themselves 'victors'Kris Horn OK after solo ride as teammates fail to get into sledBobsled costs are skyrocketing. Can the U.S. keep up in a bedrock Olympic sport?Israel team marches to smattering of boos at Milan Winter Olympics opening ceremonyAJ Edelman, The First Orthodox Jewish Male Olympian, Is Ready For Gold!Meet Bat-El Gatterer, First Orthodox Jewish Female OlympianMIT Alumnus Competes in Winter Olympics                   From obese yeshivah student to Slider-Man – the remarkable run of Israel’s Olympic bobsleigh pilotIsraeli Bobsled Team's Apartment Robbed of 'Thousands of Dollars' Worth of Items During Winter Olympics TrainingWhat To Know About ‘Shul Runnings,’ the Bobsled Team Representing Israel in the Winter OlympicsVitaris ClubAt the Olympics, Israel's athletes pay a high cost in the quest for goldThe Israeli Bobsled Team’s Withdrawal from the last day of Olympic CompetitionBobsledding for IsraelSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishSubscribe to Ora, A Luxury Jewish Lifestyle and Culture Magazine. https://oramag.co/Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
• L’Dor V’adorable is Back! And American-Israeli Cookbook Author Adeena Sussman 24.02.2026 1h 2min

  In this delicious episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with New York Times bestselling cookbook author and Tel Aviv-based food writer Adeena Sussman for a conversation about food, culture, and the rituals of living in Israel today. Living steps from the Carmel Market, Adeena paints a vivid portrait of daily life in Tel Aviv, how Israelis continue daily routines amid rocket alarms, and what it means to compartmentalize in a country where normalcy and uncertainty coexist.Adeena reflects on feeling like an insider-outsider as an “American Israeli,” and how the shuk itself mirrors Israel’s layered religious and cultural diversity. She shares how October 7 transformed her Shabbat cookbook tour into community-centered gatherings and fundraisers, and why she views cookbooks as narrative literature that provide cultural context. She also speaks candidly about her responsibility in culinary storytelling, documenting Yemenite, Iraqi, Moroccan, and broader Middle Eastern Jewish cuisines while crediting provenance and seeking permission for adaptations.Jonah and Adeena also explore her path to co-authoring cookbooks with a number of chefs and celebrities including Chrissy Teigen, her Substack (including a viral post after attending Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s funeral), and the personal accountability she feels towards readers who bring her recipes into their homes. The episode covers her family history and Shabbat hospitality, including her mother Steffi’s influence, and what makes food suitable for Shabbat. Adeena introduces her upcoming cookbook “Zuriz” (“quick”), a collection of 100 one-page recipes designed for real life. This conversation doesn’t just talk about food as sustenance, but as a means of storytelling and connection.Topics Include:Adeena Sussman’s move from New York City to Tel AvivBecoming one of today’s most influential voices in Israeli cuisineWriting Sababa and Shabbat cookbooksLiving with Chrissy Teigen and John LegendHow Israeli Elections Really WorkWriting Cookbooks That Tell a StoryAdeena Sussman’s Recipe Development ProcessLearning the Roots: Respectful Research Across Middle Eastern Jewish CuisinesIsrael and California’s Abundant Local ProduceNYT Bestseller Pressure & What Stays Exclusive to the BooksCulinary influences from Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi traditionsTel Aviv’s food scene and local markets like Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel)Links to Things Mentioned in the Episode:Adeena Sussman InstagramZariz CookbookShabbat CookbookSababa CookbookTrump moves closer to a major war with IranThe Electoral System in IsraelCarmel MarketReal-time red alerts in IsraelShielded by Fire: Middle East Air Defense During the June 2025 Israel-Iran WarFood Network's New York City Wine & Food FestivalUnited HatzalahChanie ApfelbaumBusy in BrooklynNaama ShefiRachel SimonsJake CohenBengingiBreads Bakery Adeena Sussman: Came to Israel for love, stayed for foodAdeena Sussman SubstackA Stain on Israel’s Soul: Remembering Hersh Goldberg-Polin and the Beautiful SixTears From The SkyEllie Krieger CholentFirst Tango with Mango: Iraqi AmbaIsraeli produce is the best. Here’s why:Sisters fight cancer, honor mother by rolling out the doughSheet Pan Latke BoardSupport the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:jonahplattinfo@gmail.comMerchandisehttps://beingjewishpodcast.com/merchTo contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewishSubscribe to Ora, A Luxury Jewish Lifestyle and Culture Magazine. https://oramag.co/Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt