Tablet Studios

There are few political issues we consider more contentious than abortions. But what if we are getting this critical subject all wrong? Erica Pelman, the founder and director of SHIFRA, a group that helps Jewish women dealing with unplanned pregnancies, tells Liel about her journey from a high-powered job at the Department of Labor to starting her own organization, about the importance of listening to expecting mothers in distress, and about how we should rethink pretty much everything we think we know about abortion and have a more soulful and helpful debate that transcends those deeply flawed labels, “pro-choice” and “pro-life.”

Earlier this week, Israel signed a controversial ceasefire deal with Lebanon, brokered by the Biden administration. Tablet’s news editor Tony Badran joins Liel to explain why the deal is the culmination of Barack Obama’s anti-Israeli vision for the region, how it might complicate the Trump administration’s foreign policy, and what reasons, if any, Israel had for signing such an agreement.

In 2017, Liel, back then no fan of Donald Trump, wrote a piece defending one of the president’s advisors, Sebastian Gorka, who was outrageously accused of being an actual Nazi. The reaction it generated sent Liel on a journey of political transformation, one that many Americans have recently shared, away from intimidation and lies and towards freedom and enthusiastic faith in America. Dr. Gorka joins Liel to talk about why Trump’s detractors are still smearing his top aides as extremists, and why we even conservatives should want the Democrat Party to reinvent itself and grow saner and stronger. Tale of Trump Adviser’s Alleged Nazi Ties Unravels What We Talk About When We Talk About Gorka The Turn

Once upon a time, American publishing houses were paragons of excellence, championing writers like Cytnhia Ozick or Saul Bellow and helping create a robust culture. These days, however, the industry has been hijacked by inflamed activists who are more interested in banning books than publishing them, and who are especially keen to target Jewish writers, editors, and colleagues. Liel is joined by editor and publisher Adam Bellow to discuss how book publishing descended into madness, and what might yet be done to save it.

With Donald Trump slated to return to the White House after a truly historic upset, many Americans are feeling joyful and many others bereft. Both may be missing the point, which is that change, in America, often comes by precisely in a string of revolutions, tearing down old and crumbling institutions and replacing them with ones better geared to serve the needs of their constituents. Free Press columnist Eli Lake joins Liel to deliver a quick and insightful recap of what happened on Tuesday and what it means for Democrats, Republicans, Israel, the media, and everybody else. And Tablet's Editor in Chief Alana Newhouse delivers a master class on why everyone, regardless of party affiliation, should feel tremendously hopeful about America's future.

With just a few days to go before the 2024 presidential elections, we hear a lot of chatter about American democracy, usually from partisan hacks who are more interested in touting self-serving lies than honing up to inconvenient truths. But the actual hurdles we face as we try to heal our ailing system are much more complicated, and overcoming them is going to take much more than lofty slogans. Liel is joined by writer Will Tanner, who delivers a cautionary tale from the late Roman Republic contemporary Americans should heed, and explains why the policies too many of our lawmakers are pursuing have led another nation grappling with racial justice, South Africa, to the brink of collapse.

On this episode of Tablet Radio Hour, our Minyans are casting their vote. Tablet executive editor Wayne Hoffman, Jamie Betesh Carter and author and journalist Abigail Pogrebin assembled not one, but TWO minyans, one of which was made up of of Harris/Walls supporters and a second made up of of Trump/Vance supporters. They discuss their methods and what they learned from each group and why each group of has chosen their candidate for the upcoming election. You can find the stories from both on Tabletmag.com. The Harris/Walz voters are here, and the Trump/Vance voters are here.

These days, a lot of people are feeling anxious about America, Israel, and the precarious state of the world. But Jews have always had a superpower—hope, not the facile and silly sort but the kind that motivates people to change the world. Liel is joined by singer, songwriter and author Peter Himmelman, who explains why giving up is never an option, why he chose a life of Jewish observance and reflection over greater fame and fortune, and why he decided to write a deeply moving song dedicated to the Bibas boys, Kfir and Ariel, still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, a song he shares on the show. They also discuss Himmelman's new book, Suspended by No String.

On this episode of Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement, we use our final episode to look at the current state of Zionism in the Reform movement. We’re joined by Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, whose recent, viral Yom Kippur sermon emphasized his stance that Zionism is an imperative for Jews today. You can watch or listen to the sermon here.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’s latest book, The Message, details his travels from Dakar, to South Carolina, to the West Bank and Jerusalem. Liel is joined by NY Post and Fox News contributor Karol Markowicz to discuss Coates’s problematic approach to “research,” in which he chose not to speak to Israelis directly.

On this episode of Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement, we look at the Reform movement’s approaches to dealing with members who are increasingly marrying people of other faiths.We are joined by Rabbi Beau Shapiro from the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and Rabbi Dr. Lisa D. Grant, who serves as Director of the Rabbinical Program at HUC-JIR/New York

This is an October 7th story, but one that begins not in 2023, but in October of 1894 with the arrest of French military officer Alfred Dreyfus, who also happened to be a Jew. The implications of his framing, arrest, incarceration and the fallout of his eventual exoneration reverberate today. Over this five-episode series, we examine how these events unfolded, and how they connect to the antisemitism that exists today. In this first episode, we begin with the fraught political climate in France, a secretly gay general, and an illiterate cleaning lady-turned-spy had to do with it all.

An ambitious soldier with a fraudulent smoking gun sets off a chain of events that leads to the embarrassment and punishment of an innocent Jew.

As Dreyfus wastes away on Devil’s Island, his wife and brother back in France fight for his freedom and exoneration. Dreyfus struggles to survive. We speak to Dreyfus's great-great granddaughter about his legacy.

France's most influential writer of its time, Emile Zola , becomes the champion of the victim, even at his own, perhaps fatal expense. We’re joined by his great granddaughter, who speaks of the cost Zola paid in fighting for freedom.

But what about France today, and the world for jews? French activist Carloline Fourest connects the affair to antisemitism today.

The conflict in the Middle East isn’t about religion, or national aspirations, or any of the wonderfully abstract things us westerners like to dream about: Tony Badran, Tablet’s news editor, joins Liel to explain the logic that has governed the Levant since at least the Bronze Age, and argue that Israel now has a historic opportunity to change history by disrupting Iran’s imperialist aspirations in the region.

This week on Re-Form, we’re taking a break from the interviews to look at some of the feedback we’ve been getting from you, our listeners. We find praise, questions, and even a reform rabbi who disagrees with … a lot. If you want to send more feedback reach out at [email protected]

On the first episode of our new flagship series, Liel Leibovitz puts the current wars in Israel in context. He is then joined by Amiad Cohen, Founder and CEO of Herut, a leading Israeli think tank, to discuss a novel argument for a path to lasting peace on Israel’s borders.

On this episode of Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement, we look at the positive impacts of the Reform movement’s focus on inclusivity. We’re joined by Rabbi Karen R. Perolman of Congregation B’Nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, NJ.

On this episode of Beautifully Jewish, we’re preparing for 5785 with a focus on the holiday table. Rethinking the table just might ground you and bring some clarity as you get ready for these days of awe. Tanya begins the episode with her reflections on the spiritual significance of the table before she and guest host Shannon Sarna share three interviews that serve up some sage advice. First, we learn about creating your own beautiful holiday table with blogger Rebekah Lowin, aka The Jewish Martha Stewart, who shares some surprisingly simple ways to elevate your holiday table. Next, etiquette expert and author Lisa Gaché joins us to talk about how to bring our best selves to holiday meals (hint: it starts with a smile). We couldn’t fit all of Lisa’s ideas into this episode, but if you’re interested, check out this link about Talmudic table manners. Finally, we chat with Jewish culinary legends Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook to hear more about their new book Zahav Home: Cooking for Friends and Family and get their recommendations for a delicious holiday menu. Listen to the end to hear their true thoughts on that old Jewish pantry staple: Lipton French Onion Soup Mix. This episode of Beautifully Jewish is hosted by Tanya Singer with guest co-host and Queen of Jewish comfort food, Shannon Sarna who shares her recipe for Balsamic Apple Date Challah. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week we talk to Erin Foster, the creator and writer of new Netflix comedy Nobody Wants This, starring Adam Brody, Kristen Bell, and Unorthodox alum Tovah Feldshuh. Then we visit the special collections of Hebrew University. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember Podcast Audio Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSOR: Join us in celebrating 100 years of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem—a true cornerstone of Israel's success and a leader in global innovation. From pioneering academic research to fostering social progress, the university has made an indelible impact on the world. As it enters its second century, the university remains dedicated to empowering future leaders and advancing human knowledge. Learn more about how you can support Hebrew University and be part of its journey toward a brighter future at AFHU.org.

On this episode of Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement, we look at the Reform movement’s focus on Social Justice, and how the emphasis on it can impact Jewish practice. We spoke with Rabbi Sari Laufer, Chief Engagement Officer at Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles and a veteran of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Executive Producer Courtney Hazlett sits down with Tanya Singer and Talia Elkin to discuss the Simchat Torah Challenge, a new project aimed at getting 10,000 Jews to read the Torah portion every week. Learn more and join the challenge at www.simchattorahchallenge.org. Then, Courtney brings us back to Israel with a visit to the Shura military base to learn about the IDF Rabbinate’s role in catering to the religious needs of all their soldiers, including sending Torah scrolls to battle. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

On this episode of Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement, we look at the Reform movement’s decision about patrilineal descent, and how it re-defined who is a Jew. Rabbi Mark Washofsky joins us to discuss a pivotal 1983 responsa.

Introducing, Re-Form: Examining the Challenges and Choices of America’s Largest Jewish Movement. Hosts Josh Kross and Rabbi Diana Fersko walk us through the big decisions — from patrilineal descent to Zionism to intermarriage — that brought the movement to the crossroads it is at today.

Liel Leibovitz sits down with the French philosopher, journalist, and filmmaker Bernard-Henri Lévy to discuss his new book, Israel Alone

For this week of our summer vacation, we went to camp, and to the old city. First, we bring you a dispatch from a day of Beautifully jewish Day camp from earlier this month Then, Liel took a tour of Jerusalem’s Armenian quarter with the Father Koryoun Baghdasarian, Chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Dean of the Armenian Theological Seminary of Jerusalem, to get insight into the least examined part of the Old city.

Two very Jewish movies have just been released. First, Between the Temples, a comedy about a cantor who has lost his way. We talk to director Nathan Silver, and Robert Smigel, who plays a rabbi in the film. Then, there’s a conversation with Swell Ariel Or who stars in Israeli coming-of-age film Kissufim. Along with director Keren Nechmad we discuss what they hope audiences take away from this film, post 10/7.

This week we’re testing your metal in Israel! FIrst we meet Ben Zion David, an eighth generation jeweler from a Yemenite family. We met him at his shop in Jaffa to find out more. Then we talk to to two Iraelis using martial arts to better themselves and overcome PTSD.

This week on the show, we’re bringing you two stories from our producer Quinn Waller. First up, we hit the road. After getting to know “Jeff the Truck Driver” through his Unorthodox voice mail submissions about keeping kosher while on his long-haul deliveries, we had to know more about this very unique Jew. Quinn hit the highways to figure out the challenges observant Jews face in this industry. Then, Quinn brings us a story closer to home. She checks out Bagel Joint, a unique new bagel place in NYC that’s serving non-traditional flavors while still hewing to the legacy of traditional Jewish food. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

It's been almost ten months since the Oct. 7 attacks, and Israelis are adjusting to a new normal. Executive producer Courtney Hazlett visits the Reich family home and speaks with mother and son Osnat and Chen Reich to learn more about daily life since Oct. 7, from coping with grief to the fatigue of war for both soldier and mother. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

India Abraham, a new immigrant from California who is also a medical tattoo artist, is offering free consultations and reduced-rate scar camouflage for victims of the October 7 massacre. Liel Leibovitz returns to the National Library of Israel for a tour.

Reuven Fenton has been covering breaking news for the New York Post since 2007. He comes to us today to talk about his first work of fiction, Goyhood: A Novel, and the magic of local news.

As the war moves into its ninth month, having non-Jewish allies is more important than ever to many of us. Tablet Magazine’s own Religious Affairs Correspondent Maggie MacFarland Philips leads a conversation with Luke Moon, Executive Director of the Philos Project and Father Steve Grunow, CEO and Executive Producer of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries as they discuss ways Christian communities can support Jews.

With the 4th of July comes the official BBQ season, so this week we’re bringing you some musicians who can help with your summer soundtrack. We have Shlomo Gaisin and Zachariah Goldschmiedt of the band Zusha, who combine Hasidic vibes with secular styles. We also go to Nashville to talk to the only Jewish-Israeli country music artist there, Omer Netzer. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein.

This week on the show, we’re throwing our duffel bags into El Al’s overhead bins. Journalist and author A.J. Jacobs returns to the show (for the sixth time!) to discuss his newest book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning. If you want to catch up on A.J.’s previous stints as Jew of the Week, you can find him on our very first episode, as well as here, here, here, and here. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming platform, presents Kafka, its newest exclusive drama series on the life of legendary author Franz Kafka. Starring Joel Basman, David Kross, and Christian Friedel, the show uncovers the mysteries, scandals, romances, and imagination of the author behind masterpieces like The Metamorphosis. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and use code KAFKAPOD at checkout for 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial.

New York Congressman Ritchie Torres sits with Tablet Magazine’s Liel Leibovitz and Alana Newhouse to discuss Zionism, social media’s role in antisemitism, and the necessity of patriotism.

This week on the show, we know what you should add to the queue. Stephanie, Liel, and Joshua have come with their recommendations for the best TV, films, and books for a hot, hot summer. Chelsea Film Festival founder Ingrid Jean-Baptiste joins the show to discuss the festival’s global mission and her Martinique Jewish heritage. Maya Lasker-Wallfisch comes by to talk about The Commandant’s Shadow, a new documentary in which Maya and her Auschwitz survivor mother meet the family of the camp’s former commandant, Rudolph Höss. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming platform, presents Kafka, its newest exclusive drama series on the life of legendary author Franz Kafka. Starring Joel Basman, David Kross, and Christian Friedel, the show uncovers the mysteries, scandals, romances, and imagination of the author behind masterpieces like The Metamorphosis. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and use code KAFKAPOD at checkout for 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial.

This week on the show, we’re marking Father’s Day and Shavuot with reflections on fatherhood, loss, and collective Jewish responsibility. Director Adam Nimoy shares stories from his memoir, The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy. He details what it was like to be the son of Spock, as well as how he and his father reconnected before Leonard’s death in 2015. Tablet writer Gabe Sanders returns to the show with a personal essay about finding unexpected meaning while saying Kaddish for his father. Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin of Wisdom Without Walls explains the big ideas behind his new book, Tikkun Ha’am/Repairing Our People: Reimagining Liberal Judaism in America, which calls for a renewed emphasis on Jewish responsibility. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming platform, presents Kafka, its newest exclusive drama series on the life of legendary author Franz Kafka. Starring Joel Basman, David Kross, and Christian Friedel, the show uncovers the mysteries, scandals, romances, and imagination of the author behind masterpieces like The Metamorphosis. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and use code KAFKAPOD at checkout for 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial.

This week on the show, we’re examining the most Beautifully Jewish object of all time: the Torah. In celebration of Shavuot, Beautifully Jewish hosts Stephanie Butnick and Tanya Singer explore creative, unexpected ways of connecting with the Torah. Israeli journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir, host of the Tablet podcast Sivan Says: Taking the Torah Personally, shares how she found her way into the Torah, and the daily wisdom it offers her. Dr. Carol Meyers of Duke University, who as Stephanie’s professor inspired her love of Jewish stories, explains why it’s so important to examine women’s lives, in the Bible and beyond. Lili Shain tells us about Torah Stitch by Stitch, a project started by the late artist Temma Gentles, in which people around the world cross-stitched panels featuring every verse in the Torah. If you’re as excited by Torah Stitch by Stitch as we are, you’re in luck: We’re going to be hosting a Beautifully Jewish stitch-along where we’ll all learn to cross stitch together. We’ll be stitching meaningful verses selected for us by Lili Shain herself. Join us at tabletm.ag/beautiful to become a member and get access to the pattern and instructional videos (you don’t need any experience in cross stitching, we promise!). Daniella Rabbani and Zalmen Mlotek perform “Der Eybershter Iz Der Mekhutn,” or “The Almighty Is The Bride’s Father,” a Yiddish song about the relationship between the Jews, the Torah, and the divine. You can read the English translation here. We’re keeping the Shavuot learning going: Join us Tuesday, June 11 from 9 p.m. to midnight for a special event featuring Liel Leibovitz, Tablet critic-at-large Marco Roth, and special guests reading and moderating a discussion of modernist literature in the upstairs lounge of The Russian Samovar at 256 West 52nd Street in Manhattan. In the spirit of Shavuot, expect riffing on passages by Marcel Proust, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf, as well as from the Torah. Register here. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. Since October 7, Meir Panim has provided over 2.5 million meals, essential items, and care packages to IDF soldiers and displaced families, as well as organizing events and daily support for thousands. Donate at meirpanim.org/unorthodox. ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming platform, presents Kafka, its newest exclusive drama series on the life of legendary author Franz Kafka. Starring Joel Basman, David Kross, and Christian Friedel, the show uncovers the mysteries, scandals, romances, and imagination of the author behind masterpieces like The Metamorphosis. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and use code KAFKAPOD at checkout for 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial.

Unorthodox is off this week, but today we’re sharing an episode of the Tablet podcast Sivan Says: Taking the Torah Personally, featuring Sivan Rahav-Meir and our own Liel Leibovitz. Parshat Bechukotai’s got a lot of blessings, and a lot of curses. Follow God’s commandments, you’re in the clear. Don’t follow them, some gnarly stuff can happen. Persecution. Exile. A divine wrath. But could it be that it’s all a blessing, even the curses? That the worst sin isn’t some particular action, but apathy towards our connection to God? Tune in to find out. Sivan Rahav-Meir is a leading Israeli journalist, media personality, and Torah scholar. You can sign up for her The Daily Thought WhatsApp group, where Sivan sends small insights about Judaism and current affairs. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. Since October 7, Meir Panim has provided over 2.5 million meals, essential items, and care packages to IDF soldiers and displaced families, as well as organizing events and daily support for thousands. Donate at meirpanim.org/unorthodox.

This week on the show, we’re catching a wave. Producers Courtney Hazlett and Elie Bleier head to Tel Aviv to learn about the history of Israeli surfing from surfer Arthur Rashkovan. Accompanying Tablet’s just-published reflections from Jewish college students about a semester like no other, producer Josh Kross heads to the University of Chicago to catch up with one of the essay writers. You’ll also hear from Stephanie and Liel about the Torah class they led in a local correctional institute, organized by the Aleph Institute. Learn more about becoming a Tablet member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. Koren Jerusalem, the largest religious Zionist publisher in the world, has published roughly 1,500 titles in Hebrew and English over the last sixty years. You can pre-order the English translation of the bestselling book One Day In October, documenting the stories of the heroes of October 7, at korenpub.com.

This week on the show, we’re Eden Golan’s biggest fans. TikTok phenom and cookbook author Eitan Bernath tells us about the Jewish foods featured in his new series, “Eitan Explores: Mexico City.” Rabbi Shai Held of the Hadar Institute and the Answers WithHeld podcast delves into his new book, Judaism Is About Love. And Orthodox clothing designer Rivky Itzkowitz shows off Impact Fashion, her size-inclusive fashion brand offering modest clothing for all. The Israeli Eurovision winners heard in today’s episode are: “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta, “Hallelujah” performed by Milk and Honey, “Diva” by Dana International, and “Toy” by Netta Barzilai. Remember Shavit Romero, the gentile IDF soldier whose story we brought you a few weeks ago? He was just released from the hospital and now his real battle is beginning. If you’d like to support him as he recovers, you can chip in here: https://my.israelgives.org/en/fundme/shavit Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein. Emanu-El Downtown’s Religious School Lab opens this fall in Manhattan for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, offering a welcoming community, pick-up from local schools, and one-to-one virtual Hebrew instruction. Visit EmanuelDowntown.org for more. On May 21 at 7pm, The 14th Street Y in New York City is hosting a conversation with cast members from the Tony-nominated play Prayer for the French Republic. Cast members including Tony nominee Betsy Aidem will talk about the play’s themes of Jewish identity, French culture, and Zionism in times of rising antisemitism. Visit 14streety.org to learn more and get tickets to Broadway at 14Y.

This week on the show, we’re opening a dialogue. Jewish actor Noa Tishby and Gentile sports commentator Emmanuel Acho share what they learned from each other while co-writing their new book, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew. Actor Michael Rapaport and Dr. Aliza Erber talk about their involvement in the Sharing Memories project, an effort by Israeli aid organization Latet and Meta in Israel that’s bringing Holocaust survivors’ stories to social media for Yom HaShoah. And we speak with Barnard College senior Noa Fay about speaking out as a Zionist during weeks of disruption from anti-Israel protests. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: The BGU MBA International Program is a one-year English-language MBA led by industry experts in Israel’s innovation hub. Designed for global success, the program includes entrepreneurship masterclasses, networking opportunities, and hands-on startup idea development, all within a vibrant campus. Learn more here. Brandeis University offers an online master’s certificate in Jewish Professional Leadership, training creative and compassionate Jewish leaders on a flexible schedule. Learn more at brandeis.edu/hornstein.

This week on the show, we’re diving into the newest must-watch Israeli television series, thanks to our friends at ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming service. Israeli filmmaker Rama Burshtein-Shai discusses her new drama, Fire Dance, a tale of passion, fulfillment, and faith set in an ultra-Orthodox community near the Sea of Galilee. Unorthodox listeners get 50% off new ChaiFlicks subscriptions and a seven-day free trial with code FIREPOD at checkout. Visit ChaiFlicks.com to get started. We’re excited to share a special opportunity for Unorthodox listeners to join Tablet. As Tablet members, you’ll get exclusive access to Tablet events, a chance to hear your name in an on-air mazel tov, and more! Learn more at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Fire Dance, a tale of passion, fulfillment, and faith, is now streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming service. Starring Yehuda Levi and Noa Koler, the series paints a picture of an ultra-Orthodox community at the foot of the Sea of Galilee. Unorthodox listeners get 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial with code FIREPOD at checkout. Visit ChaiFlicks.com to get started.

This week on the show, we’re reporting from Columbia University, where in recent days anti-Israel protesters have set up an encampment and occupied an administrative building. You can read Tablet’s long-running coverage of the escalating situation on American college campuses here, and Liel’s 2019 article “Get Out” here. Liel and Tablet editor-in-chief Alana Newhouse speak with New York City Mayor Eric Adams about the protests, the NYPD response, and more. Stephanie heads to Columbia to see what’s happening on campus and talk to students. Plus, we’re sharing a recent Tablet conversation, moderated by Liel, between professors Shai Davidai of Columbia and Ron Hassner of Berkeley about their efforts to combat antisemitism on their campuses. Learn more about becoming a Tablet Member at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re highlighting the latest installment of The Minyan, Tablet’s roundtable series on American Jewish life, hosted by Abigail Pogrebin. Tablet’s Executive Editor Wayne Hoffman discusses the newest offering, which features a conversation with Jews from the former Soviet Union. Their stories of endurance and emigration resonate always, but especially during Passover. You can read this and previous installments of The Minyan at tabletmag.com/minyan. And don’t miss the Tablet member Zoom on May 9 discussing the issues raised by participants. Find out more at tabletmag.com/sovietjews. We’re excited to share a special opportunity for Unorthodox listeners to join Tablet. As Tablet members, you’ll get exclusive access to Tablet events, a chance to hear your name in an on-air mazel tov, and more! Learn more at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on the show, we’re taking time to remember. Memory is at the core of so much of Jewish life and tradition, especially during Passover. So we’re sharing several stories about memories, from the individual to the collective, and from the difficult to the uplifting. Tablet writer Gabriel Sanders reads his essay about preparing for his first Passover without his father, who spent the last years of his life with Alzeimer's disease. (The version of Ma Lecha Hayam featured in this story is performed by Paul and Lila Shapiro.) Jenny Rozbruch, who designed our Unorthodox and Beautifully Jewish logos, shows us the handmade biography she made for her survivor grandmother whose memories had begun to fade. Producers Courtney Hazlett and Elie Bleier join photographer Ken Taranto as he documents the damage done to the south of Israel on October 7th, as well as the efforts to rebuild. Author Rebecca Sugar discusses her new novel, Everything Is a Little Broken, based heavily on caring for her dad as he ages. We’re excited to share a special opportunity for Unorthodox listeners to join Tablet. As Tablet members, you’ll get exclusive access to Tablet events, a chance to hear your name in an on-air mazel tov, and more! Learn more at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: The BGU MBA International Program is a one-year English-language MBA led by industry experts in Israel’s innovation hub. Designed for global success, the program includes entrepreneurship masterclasses, networking opportunities, and hands-on startup idea development, all within a vibrant campus. Learn more here. Berkeley Moshav is a multigenerational Jewish cohousing community in Berkeley, California. Open to all backgrounds and family types, Berkeley Moshav offers family-focused, Jewishly diverse living. To learn more, visit BerkeleyMoshav.org and sign up for an information session. Leket, Israel’s National Food Bank, is feeding vulnerable Israelis struggling with cost-of-living increases and the many other impacts of the war. Donations make a difference: $180 provides 130 rescued meals, leaving no one behind this Passover. Visit www.Leket.org/en to donate today. MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger works to help the millions of people struggling daily with food insecurity, both in the U.S. and Israel. Make a gift at MAZON.org to help ensure that everyone can feed themselves and their families with dignity, this Passover and beyond. Meir Panim has served over one million meals to Israelis in need since the start of the war, many of them displaced and jobless due to the conflict. Consider a donation to Meir Panim at israelcharity.org to bring hope to their Passover tables. Fire Dance, a tale of passion, fulfillment, and faith, is now streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming service. Starring Yehuda Levi and Noa Koler, the series paints a picture of an ultra-Orthodox community at the foot of the Sea of Galilee. Unorthodox listeners get 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial with code FIREPOD at checkout. Visit ChaiFlicks.com to get started.

Around the world, food insecurity impacts far too many lives. As the war rages on, and hunger threatens so many inside and outside of Israel, the words of the Haggadah implore: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” Before we sit down for our festive Passover meals, Unorthodox is shining a light on those who help make sure everyone has access to food, year-round. Producers Courtney Hazlett and Elie Bleier visit the Jerusalem food pantry of Meir Panim, which gives out meals to those in need, including many affected by October 7th and the war. We also meet Joseph Gitler, who founded Leket, Israel’s National Food Bank, to rescue leftover food from farms and restaurants and distribute it to pantries, shelters, and now, temporary housing for displaced Israelis. Abby Leibman, president and CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, discusses the organization’s efforts to fight hunger through national policy making both in the U.S. and Israel. We’re excited to share a special opportunity for Unorthodox listeners to join Tablet. As Tablet members, you’ll get exclusive access to Tablet events, a chance to hear your name in an on-air mazel tov, and more! Learn more at tabletm.ag/uomember. Write to us at [email protected], or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Meir Panim has served over one million meals to Israelis in need since the start of the war, many of them displaced and jobless due to the conflict. Consider a donation to Meir Panim at israelcharity.org to bring hope to their Passover tables. Leket, Israel’s National Food Bank, is feeding vulnerable Israelis struggling with cost-of-living increases and the many other impacts of the war. Donations make a difference: $180 provides 130 rescued meals, leaving no one behind this Passover. Visit www.Leket.org/en to donate today. MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger works to help the millions of people struggling daily with food insecurity, both in the U.S. and Israel. Make a gift at MAZON.org to help ensure that everyone can feed themselves and their families with dignity, this Passover and beyond. Berkeley Moshav is a multigenerational Jewish cohousing community in Berkeley, California. Open to all backgrounds and family types, Berkeley Moshav offers family-focused, Jewishly diverse living. To learn more, visit BerkeleyMoshav.org and sign up for an information session. Fire Dance, a tale of passion, fulfillment, and faith, is now streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming service. Starring Yehuda Levi and Noa Koler, the series paints a picture of an ultra-Orthodox community at the foot of the Sea of Galilee. Unorthodox listeners get 50% off new subscriptions and a 7-day free trial with code FIREPOD at checkout. Visit ChaiFlicks.com to get started.