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568 episodes — Page 9 of 12

Ep 158Thanks in Advance: Ep. 158
This week on Unorthodox, boy are we grateful. We're grateful for our gentile of the week, Shay Khatiri, the Iranian-born political refugee who raised more than $1 million for the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh following the Oct. 27 massacre. He set up a GoFundMe page, which quickly went viral, and the campaign has so far raised $1.2 million, which will go directly into the synagogue's bank account. He also tells us about being blacklisted by the Iranian government after signing a 2016 letter urging President Trump to impose sanctions on the country, disappointing his mother by not becoming a doctor, and the asylum trial that awaits him in order for him to stay in the U.S. And we are triply grateful for our Jewish guest, bestselling author A.J. Jacobs, who returns to the show for the third time! (Don't miss his first and second visits.) He tells us about his new book, Thanks a Thousand: a Gratitude Journey, in which he thanked every single person responsible for his morning cup of coffee—from the barista at his local coffee shop to the coffee farmers in South America. He tells us why gratitude is a deeply Jewish value, and offers advice on how we can all embrace our Mr. Rogers side instead of our Larry David side. We love to hear from you: Send comments and questions for Unorthodox to [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by: Little Passports, the perfect holiday gift for the curious kid in your life. Each month they’ll get a fun-filled package with hands-on activities and interactive projects designed to spark their curiosity about geography, world cultures or science. Order today at Littlepassports.com/unorthodox. Belvedere Vodka, certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union and produced in accordance with the legal requirements of Polish Vodka. Jewish National Fund, As you plan your year-end giving, go to JNF.org/tablet to take part in fulfilling that vision. Rabbi Eitan Tours, a unique way to experience Israel. Go to rabbieitan.com/unorthodox for a free consultation and itinerary planning. Unorthodox listeners also get $50 off a tour of at least one day with Rabbi Eitan.

Ep 157Mish-Mosh Mash-up: Ep. 157
This week on Unorthodox, we’ve got a bit of a mish-mash (mish-mosh?) for you. First, a taste of our visit to Cleveland, where we recorded a live episode at the Mandel JCC (and ate a lot of deli). Then, Stephanie sits down with Jewish author Gary Shteyngart, whose new novel Lake Success is about a Manhattan hedge fund manager named Barry Cohen who abandons his wife and son for a Greyhound road trip across America with the backdrop of the 2016 election. In the wake of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, Gary talks about his personal connection to Squirrel Hill, and how HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, resettled him and his family when they fled the Soviet Union for America. Plus, he explains why dachshunds are the ultimate Jewish dog. Our gentile of the week is comedian and Risk! podcast host Kevin Allison, recorded live at the Manhattan JCC earlier this month. A member of the 90s sketch comedy troupe The State, Kevin told us about working as a bartender at the Grammys while having a show on MTV (Sarah McLachlan recognized him), plus how he started his storytelling podcast, where notable figures share true stories they never thought they’d dare to share. His question for the panel: Why are so many American Buddhists Jews? We love to hear from you! Send comments and questions for Unorthodox to [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt! Shalom, friends. Sponsors: Little Passports. A subscription to Little Passports is the perfect holiday gift for the curious kid in your life. Each month they’ll get a fun-filled package with hands-on activities and interactive projects designed to spark their curiosity about geography, world cultures or science. Order today at Little Passports. Rabbi Eitan Tours, a unique way to experience Israel. Go to rabbieitan.com/unorthodox for a free consultation and itinerary planning. Unorthodox listeners also get $50 off a tour of at least one day with Rabbi Eitan. The Branch, a new podcast from Hadassah. Each episode explores how positive relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs can bring new hope for a truly shared society. Check it out at Hadassah.org/thebranch. Harry’s, a great shave at a great price. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX.

Ep 156On Squirrel Hill: Ep. 156
On Saturday morning, 11 Jews were murdered in a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Like Jews and their friends everywhere, we were heartbroken by this heinous anti-Semitic massacre, the first-ever large-scale attack against Jews on American soil. To grieve with our brothers and sisters in Pittsburgh and hear their stories, We traveled to Squirrel Hill, the city's Jewish enclave, along with a team from Tablet. What we found was a unique and committed Jewish community, where congregations are intertwined and neighbors check in on each other and young adults return to raise their families. A close-knit community, within a larger city, now reeling from the weekend's senseless horror. In this special episode, we bring you the voices we captured, from the French family who fled violence in Paris only to meet it again in Pennsylvania, to the rabbis whose congregations were targeted, to the neighbors and community members who now face the daunting task of mourning the dead and rebuilding all that was destroyed. If you want to share thoughts or stories about Pittsburgh's Jewish community, email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. Unorthodox is a smart, fresh, fun weekly take on Jewish news and culture hosted by Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz and brought to you by Tablet Studios.

Ep 155Free Your Palate: Ep. 155
This week on Unorthodox, we're going fer-mental. Liel and Stephanie sit down with chef David Zilber, the director of the fermentation lab at Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant credited with redefining Nordic cuisine. He and Noma chef and co-owner Rene Redzepi just came out with The Noma Guide to Fermentation, which has everything you could ever want to know about fermenting. He tells us about growing up eating Ashkenazi and Caribbean cuisine in Toronto, seeing Drake and the cast of Degrassi on the subway, and what his favorite Jewish comfort food, latkes, would look like fermented. Sophia talks to journalist Alix Wall, whose March 2018 article about inmate James A. White Jr. in J., the Jewish News of Northern California, may help get the septuagenarian pardoned next month. White, who is serving life without parole for murder and has been incarcerated for the past 37 years, spearheaded programs that give inmates a college education—1,500 men in his prison have since gotten their college degrees. We're heading to Cleveland! Join us Nov. 5 for a live show at the Mandel JCC with special guests David Gilbert, CEO of Destination Cleveland, and former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame president Terry Stewart. Get your tickets here. We'll also be in We'll also be in Houston Nov. 6, at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC with Rice Jewish Studies professor Joshua Furman and other guests. Those tickets are here. Have a question for Unorthodox? Send it to [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869.

Ep 154Neighborhood Watch: Ep. 154
This week on Unorthodox, we're on patrol. We talk to Ruchie Freier, the founder of Ezras Nashim, the first all-female volunteer ambulance in New York City, founded and staffed by Hasidic women in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Ruchie and Ezras Nashim are the subject of the documentary '93Queen', made by filmmaker Paula Eiselt, who also joins us. Ruchie Freier is a New York City Criminal Court judge, and the first Hasidic woman to hold elected office in the US. Paula Eiselt is an independent filmmaker. '93Queen' is her feature film directorial debut. Join us at October 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marlene Meyerson JCC! Our special guests are New York Times writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, RISK! podcast host Kevin Allison, and rapper MC Paul Barman. Get your tickets here!. This episode is sponsored by the 2019 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards. Do you know a Jewish teen making a difference? Nominate them for the $36,000 award at dillerteenawards.org. This episode is sponsored to you by Harry’s. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX. This episode is sponsored by Belvedere Vodka, certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union and produced in accordance with the legal requirements of Polish Vodka. For more, visit belvederevodka.com. Reimagine End of Life is a weeklong festival to spark dialogue, break down taboos, and bring diverse communities together around the universal topics of life and death. Reimagine End of Life is taking place all over New York City from October 28th to November 3rd. For a full list of events, visit jccmanhattan.org/reimagine.

Ep 153Einstein on the Mound: Ep. 153
This week on Unorthodox, we're still recovering from all the Jewish holidays. Our Jewish guest is Benyamin Cohen, host of the weekly podcast "Our Friend from Israel." He's also the guy who manages the official social media feeds for Albert Einstein, which might just be the best job ever. He tells us about tweeting for the late genius, plus his journey into megachurches while writing his 2009 book, “My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith." Our gentile of the week is Wall Street Journal sports columnist Jason Gay, who returns to the show to talk unconventional baseball propositions, Yiddish colloquialisms, and the other Ben Cohen. Join us at our next NYC live show on October 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marlene Meyerson JCC! Returning to the show will be New York Times writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, plus some special surprises. You won't want to miss it Have a question for Unorthodox? Send it to [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We’re also looking for stories about Jewish superstitions for our Halloween episode. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt! This episode is also sponsored by One Day University. Get 20% off your ticket to see Mark Oppenheimer's Oct. 14 lecture on religion in America by using the code MARK when you register at OneDayU.com. Additional support for this episode comes from The Branch, a new podcast from Hadassah. Each episode explores how positive relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs can bring new hope for a truly shared society. Check it out at Hadassah.org/thebranch.

Ep 152Texting with Barney Miller: Ep. 152
This week on Unorthodox, we're going down to the station. Our guests are Hal Linden and Ryan Ochoa, who co-star in the new film The Samuel Project. Linden is best known for his portrayal of police precinct captain Barney Miller in the eponymous TV series, which aired from 1975-1982 (millennials, you can binge it on Amazon Prime), but his prolific six-decade career has included perfomances on stage and in film. Ochoa is an actor and musician who has appeared in the Disney series "Pair of Kings" and the Nickelodeon series "iCarly." They tell us about their intergenerational new film, about a Jewish grandfather and grandson who connect over a school project that reveals the grandfather's little-known story of survival. They also tell us about their real-life frienship: Linden, born Harold Lipshitz in the Bronx in 1931, has become something of a mentor to the 22-year-old Ochoa as he works to break out of the Disney-kid mold and take on serious roles. Ochoa is serious in his study: Linden is the only person he actually calls on the phone. We also drop by a Yiddish for Dogs workshop in New York's Central Park hosted by the Workmen's Circle. Have a question for Unorthodox? Send it to [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We’re also looking for stories about Jewish superstition for our Halloween episode. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt! This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX

Ep 151Farm to Sukkah: Ep. 151
This week on Unorthodox, we're celebrating the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot! Farmers and Etrogs and more! Who says Jews don't farm? Stephanie Butnick reports from Petaluma, CA, where activist Jews fleeing Eastern Europe in the early 1900s settled and became chicken ranchers. The politically-minded chicken-farming Jews of Petaluma even got a visit from Golda Meir! What's Sukkot all about anyway? And what's with the lulav and etrog? Liel Leibovitz and producer Josh Kross head to West Side Judaica to check out their etrog selection and chat with customers looking to stock up before Sukkot. Where exactly do those etrogs come from? We sent our assistant editor Sophie Steinert-Evoy to Lindcove Ranch in Exeter, CA, to visit the country's only commercial etrog farm. It's run by two generations of the Kirkpatrick family, who aren't Jewish but know way more about etrogs than most Jews. And finally, we have a visit with our favorite Minnesotan sugar beet farmer, Nick Hagen, and we find out how his produce winds up our tables and at Russ and Daughters. And Have a question for Unorthodox? Send it to [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We’re also looking for stories about Jewish superstition for our Halloween episode. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt! This episode is sponsored by One Day University. Get 20% off your ticket to see Mark Oppenheimer's Oct. 14 lecture on religion in America by using the code MARK when you register at OneDayU.com. Additional support comes from The Branch, a new podcast from Hadassah. Each episode explores how positive relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs can bring new hope for a truly shared society. Check it out at Hadassah.org/thebranch.

Ep 150The Apology Episode: 5779 Edition: Ep. 150
This week on Unorthodox, we're really, really sorry. We're marking the Days of Awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with our annual apology show. We're joined again this year by Tablet contributor Marjorie Ingall, who runs the website SorryWatch, which analyzes apologies in the news. She goes over the best and worst public apologies of 5778, and offers tips for how to make a meaningful apology. Storyteller Hal Karp tells of how, during a particularly dark period of his life, he goaded his brother into a fight that got him arrested—and how he ultimately repaired that relationship years later. Plus, our producer Noah Levinson catches up with Yonkers resident Quai Stewart, who gained Internet notoriety after his video mocking a young Hasidic boy’s haircut went viral—and whose subsequent apology video won him fans in the Jewish community. And finally, Sarah Lefton from BimBam.com joins us with a little lesson about Tzom Gedaliah. Want more Yom Kippur inspiration? You can listen to our previous apology episodes. In honor of the Jewish new year, we're giving away 10 beautiful mezuzahs from Apeloig Collection, a line of sleek and modern Judaica founded by sisters Daniela and Gabriela Apeloig. Join our Facebook group and look out for a prompt to enter. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] with memories from your favorite episodes or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind the scenes! Show your love for Unorthodox with our T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here. This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX. Additional support comes from The Branch, a new podcast from Hadassah. Each episode explores how positive relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs can bring new hope for a truly shared society. Check it out at Hadassah.org/thebranch.

Ep 149Unorthodox Turns 3! Ep. 149
Happy birthday to us! We're celebrating three years of Unorthodox with a very special episode featuring our hosts, producers, and Tablet staffers reflecting on some of our most memorable segments. Tablet editor-in-chief Alana Newhouse revisits our very first episode, and shares her initial doubts about our audio adventure; host Liel Leibovitz reflects on his contentious Ep. 25 interview with Jewish Voice for Peace's Rebecca Vilkomerson, and what he learned from the interaction; and Tablet executive editor Wayne Hoffman delights in our Ep. 121 live show interview with comedian Judy Gold, where she offered a Field Guide to the Jewish Mother. Producer Noah Levinson teleports a few hundred news cycles back to Ep. 120 , where we called up Roy Moore's Jewish lawyer Martin Wishnatsky, who also happens to be a practicing Christian; and producer Shira Telushkin shares her unexpected takeaway from Ep. 137, where Yossi Klein Halevi discussed his book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Host Mark Oppenheimer reminisces about his Ep. 119 interview with West Virginia rabbi Joseph Hample, who described his unlikely journey to the rabbinate—and West Virginia; Producer Josh Kross gets taken for a ride in the Mitzvah Tank in Ep. 143, and is surprised to find he doesn't hate it; and host Stephanie Butnick takes a trip to East Grand Forks, Minnesota, to visit one of our favorite guests. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] with your favorite interviews over the past three years, or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Please also consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt This episode is also brought to you by Harry’s. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX. This episode is also sponsored by the 2019 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards. Do you know a Jewish teen making a difference? Nominate them for the $36,000 award at dillerteenawards.org.

Ep 148Operation Unorthodox: Ep. 148
This week on Unorthodox, we're all about Eichmann. We sit down with Operation Finale director Chris Weitz and actor Nick Kroll to discuss the new film, which depicts the 1960 covert mission to capture Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi architect of the Final Solution, who was living under an assumed identity in Argentina. Kroll, who is best known as a comic actor, plays Rafi Eitan, the Shin Bet leader who coordinated the mission, alongside Oscar Isaac as legendary Mossad agent Peter Malkin, Ben Kingsley as Eichmann, and French actress Mélanie Laurent, of Inglourious Basterds fame. They tell us how their respective backgrounds and upbringings, while different, each drew them to this film; what it was like to work with Ben Kingsley; and why telling this story now is more important than ever. Our summer fundraising effort is almost over! Consider making a donation at tabletmag.com/donate. Write the name of your favorite host in the note. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Please also consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up [http://bit.ly/UnorthodoxPodcast] for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt Support for this podcast comes from the MGM film Operation Finale, starring Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, in theaters now. Additional support comes from The Branch, a new podcast from Hadassah. Each episode explores how positive relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs can bring new hope for a truly shared society. Check it out at Hadassah.org/thebranch. This episode is also brought to you by Harry’s. Get your trial shave set at Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX.

Ep 147Keeping the Faith: Ep. 147
This week on Unorthodox, the producers take over while Mark, Liel, and Stephanie are off having summer fun. Shira, Noah, and Josh bring you three stories of people sharing, studying and challenging their faith. First up, Unorthodox couples counseling. Listeners Ken Rosen and Elettra Pauletto came to us to discuss their pre-marriage anxieties about conversion, kids, and Jewish practice. Second, Shira sits down with her favorite gentile, Harvard Divinity School professor Charles Stang, to talk about how he formed his Christian identity, discovering his love of Ashkenazi food, and the challenge of finding good babka in Israel. Finally, we check in with Franciscan Sister Julia Walsh, who was a guest on our Mother’s Day episode. After she mentioned she didn’t think there were any Jews up in the Northern Woods of Wisconsin, our listeners in the area invited her to a Shabbat dinner. We’ve got the tape. We also bring you an update on our fundraising drive. If you like listening to us, consider making a donation at tabletmag.com/donate. Write the name of your favorite host in your donation notes. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like listening, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt This episode is sponsored by Simple Contacts. Get 20 dollars off your first order of contacts at simplecontacts.com/UNORTHODOX or enter code UNORTHODOX at checkout! This episode is also sponsored by the 2019 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards. To learn more–and nominate a Jewish teen making a difference–check out dillerteenawards.org.

Ep 146Call Us By Your Name: Ep. 146
This week on Unorthodox, we're wining and dining. Our Jewish guest is author Andre Aciman, whose 2007 novel Call Me By Your Name was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film starring Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet. He tells us about being forced to leave Egypt with his family as a teenager, getting recognized on the Upper West Side after the film premiered, and his absolute favorite coffeemaker. Our gentile of the week is journalist Kevin Begos, whose new book is Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Origins of Wine, a literary undertaking that began when he found an obscure wine from Bethlehem in a hotel room minibar. He tells us how local Israeli grapes got overshadowed when Edmond de Rothschild arrived in the 19th century and started making European wine in the Holy Land, and why we should ditch the Pinot Noirs and Cabernets and drink wine made from local Israeli grapes like jandali, hamdani, and dabouki instead. This is the last week of our fundraising drive. If you like listening to us, consider making a donation at tabletmag.com/donate. Write the name of your favorite host in your donation notes. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like listening, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt This episode is sponsored by One Day University. Get 20% off your ticket to see Mark Oppenheimer's Oct. 14 lecture on religion in America by using the code MARK when you register at OneDayU.com. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get $5 off a shave set from Harry’s with code UNORTHODOX at Harrys.com.

Ep 145If I Were a Fiddler: Ep. 145
Tradition, tradition! In honor of a new Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof, we're heading back to Anatevka. Our Jewish guest is Rachel Zatcoff, who plays Tzeitel in The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Off-Broadway production, Fidler afn Dakh. Our Gentile of the week is James Monroe Števko, who plays Mendl, the rabbi's son. They tell us about learning Yiddish for the show and what it's like working with director Joel Grey and Jackie Hoffman, who plays Yenta. We also sit down with Alisa Solomon, author of Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof, to discuss the cultural significance of Fiddler on the Roof, which first opened on Broadway in 1965, as well as the Sholem Aleichem stories the play is based on. We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like listening, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt This episode is sponsored by One Day University. Get 20% off your ticket to see Mark Oppenheimer's Oct. 14 lecture on religion in America by using the code MARK when you register at OneDayU.com.

Ep 144The JAP Show–Live: Ep. 144
This week on Unorthodox: Is it OK to say 'JAP'? We were joined by Odd Mom Out's Jill Kargman, Broadway legend Tovah Feldshuh, and Jewish Women's Archive director Judith Rosenbaum at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan last week for a lively discussion and debate about the Jewish American Princess stereotype–its origins, implications, and cultural staying power. We also screened a short film we made about the JAP stereotype, which you can watch here, and heard from audience members about what the phrase means to them. Let us know what you think about the JAP debate–email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like listening, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get $5 off a shave set from Harry’s with code UNORTHODOX at Harrys.com This episode is also sponsored by the 2019 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards. To learn more–and nominate a Jewish teen making a difference–check out dillerteenawards.org.

Ep 143The One With the Mitzvah Tank: Ep. 143
"Hi, are you Jewish?" It's a question you may have been asked in any number of towns or cities by a smiling bearded man wearing a yarmulke. It's one of the trademarks of Chabad, the Hasidic movement that dispatches its young men around town to help Jewish strangers perform a mitzvah—Jewish women are offered Shabbat candles, and Jewish men are encouraged to put on tefillin. We've always been fascinated with this practice, with some of us finding it charming and others, frankly, terrifying. So we did the only thing we could do: We went to Manhattan's crowded Union Square during lunchtime, accompanied by our very own Chabad sherpas, to see what it was like to talk to absolute strangers about religion. While we're asking questions: Is it OK to say "JAP"? That's what we'll be discussing at our live show Wednesday, June 18, at the JCC Manhattan. Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out will join us to screen a short film we made about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. Broadway legend Tovah Feldshuh and Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out will join us to screen a short film we made about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. There will be a lively discussion, audience questions, and much more. Get your tickets here. Our donation drive is live! We have fun prizes for all levels of giving, including a special Camp Unorthodox T-shirt, an Unorthodox enamel pin, an 'Unorthodox Approved' laptop sticker, and more. And this year are hosts are upping the stakes with a contest: When you give, include a note with the name of your favorite host. The host who gets the least love will have to face a very creative and amusing penalty on air. Visit tabletmag.com/donate to be part of the fun. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. New customers get 5 dollars off a shave set from Harry’s when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Ep 142Jews Across America: Ep. 142
In honor of July 4th, we're celebrating the diversity of American Jewish life—which, as we've learned, goes well beyond eating bagels on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Up first, we get a crash course in the history of Jews in the South from Stuart Rockoff, who created the Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities, a rich online resource from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Next, Sammy Potter tells us about driving an hour to synagogue from his home in Yarmouth, ME, and why he wants to return to Maine after college. Yemile Bucay then describes her Mexican Syrian family's move from Mexico City to San Antonio, TX, and how she ended up raising her family in Great Neck, NY. Rabbi Tirzah Firestone follows to tell us about the Jewish Renewal movement in Boulder, CO. Finally, from Tulsa, OK, a vibrant Jewish community in the American heartland, we speak with Rabbi Marc Fitzerman and his children, Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Nina Fitzerman-Blue, about the unique landscape of Jewish life on the Arkansas River. Plus we hear from a couple listeners! Our donation drive is live! We have fun prizes for all levels of giving, including a special Camp Unorthodox T-shirt, an Unorthodox enamel pin, an 'Unorthodox Approved' laptop sticker, and more. And this year are hosts are upping the stakes with a contest: When you give, include a note with the name of your favorite host. The host who gets the least love will have to face a very creative and amusing penalty on air. Visit tabletmag.com/donate to be part of the fun. Is it OK to say ‘JAP’? That’s the subject of our next live show, June 18 at the JCC Manhattan. Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out and Broadway legend Tovah Feldshuh will join us to screen a short film we made about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. We’ll follow with a lively discussion, audience questions, and much more. Get your tickets now! We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Ep 141Losing It: Ep. 141
This week on Unorthodox, we have three special guests. Jonathan Ornstein is the executive director of the JCC Krakow, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. With more than 10,000 visitors a month, the JCC is at the center of a Jewish revival in Poland, that Ornstein, a New York native, is witnessing—and cultivativating—firsthand. We also talk with Gabi Birkner and Rebecca Soffer of Modern Loss, a website that aims to make conversations about grief less fraught and awkward. Their book, Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief, Beginners Welcome, was published this year. They share their personal stories of loss and explain how Jewish rituals surrounding loss can sometimes fall short. Our donation drive is live! We have fun prizes for all levels of giving, including a special Camp Unorthodox T-shirt, an Unorthodox enamel pin, an 'Unorthodox Approved' laptop sticker, and more. And this year are hosts are upping the stakes with a contest: When you give, include a note with the name of your favorite host. The host who gets the least love will have to face a very creative and amusing penalty on air. Visit tabletmag.com/donate to be part of the fun. Is it OK to say ‘JAP’? That’s the subject of our next live show, July 18 at the JCC Manhattan. Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out will join us to screen a short film we made about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. We’ll follow with a lively discussion with guests including Judith Rosenbaum of the Jewish Women’s Archive and Bat Sheva Marcus of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, audience questions, and much more. Get your tickets here. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Ep 140Roots and Boots: Ep. 140
This week on Unorthodox, we’re all about food and futbol. Our Jewish guest is writer and food historian Michael Twitty, whose book The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South, won two James Beard Awards this year. He describes being told that a book by a black, Jewish, gay man would never succeed (and how it felt to prove them wrong!), explains how most of the foods we eat today originated in Africa, and tells us why Jewish food is more than just gefilte fish. Our Gentile of the Week is Simon Doonan, creative ambassador-at-large for Barneys New York, whose latest book, Soccer Style: The Magic and Madness, is out in time for World Cup madness. He returns to the show (last time is here) to dish on life with his Jewish husband Jonathan Adler, tell us what to look out for in this summer's World Cup, and explain why, despite being British, he calls it soccer, not football. Finally, fan favorite Molly Yeh calls in to tell us about her new Food Network show, Girl Meets Farm, which premieres June 24. (Here she is telling the Food Network about her "favorite podcast of all time" and making us blush.) Our next live show is July 18 at the JCC Manhattan, and it’s an episode devoted to the question, “Is it OK to say ‘JAP’”? Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out joins us to screen a short film we made about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. We’ll follow with a lively discussion with guests including Judith Rosenbaum of the Jewish Women’s Archive and Bat Sheva Marcus of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, audience questions, and much more. Get your tickets here. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Ep 139Kung Fu Naches: Ep. 139
This week on Unorthodox, we talk to Rabbi Mike Moskowitz, the new scholar in residence for trans and queer Jewish studies at CBST, the world's largest LGBTQ synagogue. He's the first Orthodox rabbi at the New York City synagogue, and he explains how Judaism, even at its most observant, can make room for transgender adherents—and how Jews could learn a lot from the trans community. We're also joined by Gentile of the week Matthew Polly, whose latest book is Bruce Lee: A Life. He tells us about Lee's continued influence in not just martial arts but Hollywood as well, describes his own two-year study of kung fu at the Shaolin Temple in China, and shares a surprising discovery he made while researching the book: Bruce Lee is one-eighth Jewish! Mark sits down with our Jewish guest, Arnold Gorlick, owner of Madison Art Cinemas, one of the country's last great arthouses. He tells Mark about growing up in Brooklyn as the son of an appetizing store owner before moving to Connecticut and devoting himself to indie movies. And in honor of Father's Day, we're airing Liel's moving story about fatherhood, and his own father, which he shared at a Moth storytelling event. Our next live show is July 18 at the JCC Manhattan, and it’s an episode devoted to the question “Is it OK to say ‘JAP’?” Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out joins us to screen our short film about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. We’ll follow with a lively discussion with guests including Judith Rosenbaum of the Jewish Women’s Archive and Bat Sheva Marcus of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, audience questions, and much more. Get your tickets here. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Ep 138People of the Book: Ep. 138
For our first book club episode, we talk to Israeli-born writer Ruby Namdar about his ambitious second book, The Ruined House, which won Israel's most prestigious literary award and was recently translated into English. The book is set in New York City, where he's lived for the past 18 years, and follows a charming and successful professor named Andrew P. Cohen as he descends into a very peculiar kind of madness. Ruby tells us why he made his protagonist such a specific male archetype, and explains the difference between American and Israeli literary culture (he didn't discover Philip Roth until he moved to the U.S.). He also answers questions from listeners who read the book along with us, such as, "Why does the main character live near Columbia if he teaches downtown at NYU?" Plus, New York Times writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner joins us to talk about her essay about what reading Philip Roth in an observant household taught her about being an American Jew. New York listeners, come see Stephanie moderate the Jewish Book Council's Unpacking the Book event at the Jewish Museum on June 14 at 7 p.m. Info here. Our next full live show is July 18 at the JCC Manhattan, and it's an episode we're calling: "Is it OK to say ‘JAP’?”. Jill Kargman of Odd Mom Out joins us to screen a new short film about the persistence of the Jewish American Princess stereotype. We'll follow with a lively discussion with guests including Judith Rosenbaum of the Jewish Women's Archive and Bat Sheva Marcus from the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (who appear in the film) and more. There will be loads of audience participation as well! Get your tickets here. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

A Philip Roth Bonus Minisode
bonusPhilip Roth died on May 22, 2018, and we wanted to bring you a few pieces while you wait for our next episode. First up, Mark Oppenheimer visited The Gist to talk with host Mike Pesca about Roth's place in the literary and Jewish canon. Plus, our editor Noah Levinson goes on the Newark public library's tour around the Weequahic neighborhood where Roth grew up. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Ep 137Telling Truths: Ep. 137
This week on Unorthodox, Liel prepares for his role as honorary grand marshal at New York City's Celebrate Israel Parade on June 3. Our Jewish guest is Yossi Klein Halevi, senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and the author of 'Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor.' He tells us how he, as a religious Jew in Jerusalem, came to understand the Palestinian perspective, why he framed the book as a letter to an imagined interlocutor, and the crucial need to recognize that both sides have their own truths, and that respecting each of those truths is the first step towards any reconciliation. Our gentile of the week is Astead Herndon, who recently joined the New York Times as a national political reporter from the Boston Globe. He tells us about the challenges of covering the Trump administration, growing up as the son of two Pentecostal preachers, and the summer he spent as a JCC camp counselor in Chicago. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Ep 136The Conversion Episode: Ep 136
On Shavuot we read the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of Ruth, the first convert to Judaism, who ultimately becomes the great-grandmother of King David. In Ruth's honor, this week we're talking about conversion to Judaism, and hearing stories from people around the globe who have chosen to become Jewish—starting with our listeners. Reporter Abby Holtzman travels to Savannah, Georgia, to bring us the story of a 13-year-old girl who has taken the plunge, literally, to convert to Judaism. Rabbi Seth Farber, the director of ITIM, an advocacy organization that helps people convert to Judaism outside the Orthodox Rabbinate, explains the complexities of conversion in Israel, and how he's trying to change that. Nathan Steiger shares his story of losing his Mormon faith and, together with his wife and daughters, embracing Orthodox Judaism and converting as a family. Naomi Telushkin (sister of our producer Shira Telushkin) and her fiancee, Ben Pigett, an Australian submariner converting to Judaism, discuss what Judaism—and Ben's conversion—means to both of them. Listener Yolanda Wu tells us about her decision to finish her conversion 20 years after she started it — and the very jewish life she and her family lived in that time. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by One Day University, which brings together the greatest professors from the world's top schools to present special versions of their best lectures live. Register for upcoming events at www.onedayu.com using the code JEWISH for 30 percent off.

Ep 135Motherhood, Burgers, and Bacon: Ep. 135
Our Jewish guest this week is Peninah Lamm Kaplansky, who in 2015 wrote a candid and moving account of her miscarriage, at 21 weeks, and the need for more resources and discussion surrounding infertility and miscarriage in Jewish communities. Our Gentile of the Week is Sister Julia Walsh, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and a Catholic youth minister. Sister Julia tells us about the painful decision to give up motherhood, something she had always dreamed of, when she entered the life at 24, and the unexpected freedom she found in her work for the church. We also sit down with filmmaker Rachel Myers and her grandmother Roberta Mahler, the director and star of Wendy’s Shabbat, a documentary about a group of seniors who meet each week for Shabbat dinner at a local Wendy’s fast-food restaurant. Rachel and Roberta tell us what they learned about each other while making a film together, Roberta’s newfound celebrity status, and the ways Jewish community can be forged in the unlikeliest places. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by One Day University, which brings together the greatest professors from the world's top schools to present special versions of their best lectures live. Register for upcoming events at www.onedayu.com using the code UNORTHODOX for 30 percent off. This episode is also sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Ep 134Checks and Balances: Ep. 134
It's Lag Ba'Omer, aka the 33rd day of the Omer, aka the period between Passover and Shavuot! Our Jewish guest is Sen. Joe Lieberman, whose new book, 'With Liberty & Justice: The 50-Day Journey from Egypt to Sinai,' explores the importance of the Omer. He tells us about being one of the most publically observant Jews in politics, why he never wore a yarmulke in the Senate, and whether the Gore White House would have had a kosher kitchen. Our Gentile of the week is Skylar Inman, the host of Intractable, a podcast that explores the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by sharing the narratives and stories of people living on both sides. Skyler, who was raised Evangelical in Houston, Texas, tells us why she decided to move to Israel after college and the unexpected benefits of approaching such a heated topic as a complete outsider. We also call up Tobias Wilinski, host of the German rap podcast ThemaTakt, to get the full story behind the two German rappers whose album featuring anti-Semitic lyrics won a music award. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by One Day University, which brings together the greatest professors from the world's top schools to present special versions of their best lectures live. Register for upcoming events at www.onedayu.com using the code UNORTHODOX for 30 percent off.

Ep 133Knocked Out: Ep. 133
Natalie Portman won't accept 'Jewish Nobel Prize' in Israel, plus Jewish artichoke drama in Italy. Our Jewish guest is Rachel Simmons, the author of Enough As She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy and Fulfilling Lives. Rachel explains the pressures facing young girls in America today, how we can support our daughters and nieces and friends, and whether things are any better at Jewish schools. Our gentile of the week is Linda Curtis, whose memoir Shunned: How I Lost My Religion and Found Myself, chronicles her decision to leave her close-knit Jehovah’s Witness community and ultimately being formally shunned by the religion. Linda tells us about life as a Jehovah's Witness, why she left, and why she has no animosity towards the community—and family—that shunned her. Her question for the panel is whether Jews are ever formally excommunicated like she was. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. If you like us, please consider leaving a review in iTunes. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Follow us on Twitter and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours at bit.ly/Unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox. This episode is sponsored by One Day University, which brings together the greatest professors from the world's top schools to present special versions of their best lectures live. Register for upcoming events at www.onedayu.com using code UNORTHODOX for 30 percent off.

Ep 132Sabra Cadabra: Ep. 132
This week on Unorthodox, we're celebrating 70 years of Israeli food, music, and culture in honor of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's independence day. First, we're joined by writer and comedian Periel Aschenbrand, who tells us what it's like to be married to an Israeli man. Next, we check out the newest outpost of Israeli chef Eyal Shani's pita empire, Miznon, here in New York, and chat with Shani over his world famous cauliflower pita. We also chat with Israeli singer and activist Yael Deckelbaum, whose song "Prayer of the Mothers" is a call for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Follow us on Twitter and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here: bit.ly/Unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by One Day University, which brings together the greatest professors from the world's top schools to present special versions of their best lectures live. Register for upcoming events at www.onedayu.com using the code UNORTHODOX for 30 percent off.

Ep 131Walk With Me, Unorthodox: Ep. 131
This week on Unorthodox, a crossover episode! We're joined by Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway, hosts of The West Wing Weekly podcast, an episode-by-episode discussion of one of television's most beloved shows. Malina, who played Will Bailey on The West Wing, currently stars in Scandal, which will air its series finale later this month. Hirway, a musician and composer, is the creator and host of the Song Exploder podcast. We talk about revisiting the glory days of early aughts TV programming, being Jewish on Twitter, and, of course, Jewish food. We also talk to Rabbi Rick Eisenberg, who left the pulpit to work as an opioid addiction counselor in the Jewish community. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here: bit.ly/Unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by the UJA Federation of New York. Join their “Matzah Challenge” on social media. Snap a picture of your matzah using the hashtag #MatzahChallenge. Every photo posted with the hashtag will result in an $18 donation to help someone in need. This episode is also sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Ep 130Ask Unorthodox: Passover Edition: Ep. 130
Download your free copy of the Unorthodox Haggadah! This week on Unorthodox, everything you ever wanted to know about Passover. We answer listener questions, writer Roya Hakakian tells us about Persian Passover traditions, including scallion whipping at the Seder, and producer Josh Kross’s mother-in-law Elsie Apfelbaum shares the magic of Mimouna, the Moroccan festival celebrating the end of Passover (with some help from Josh’s daughter Stella). Jay Miah tells the story of how his father worked at the Streit’s Matzo Factory upon immigrating to America from Bangladesh, and humorist Adam Mansbach talks about comedic haggadot—he cowrote For This We Left Egypt with Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel—and the enduring power of the Passover story. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here.

Ep 129Snowfu: Ep. 129
Proof that Jews don't control the weather? Our live show was cancelled due to snow in the New York area. But thanks to a pre-Passover miracle we were able to record an interview with our gentile of the week, Bart Campolo, in producer Josh Kross' living room. (With everyone's kids, since school was cancelled.) Bart Campolo is evangelical Christian royalty—his father, Tony Campolo, is one of the most well-known leaders of the evangelical left—and became a believer himself as a teenager. He spent the next 30 years as an evangelical preacher, but his faith slowly unraveled until 2011, when he finally came out as secular. Bart now works as a humanist chaplain at the University of Cincinnati. He tells us about his dramatic journey, explains what a campus humanist chaplain does, and describes his coaching practice with people navigating their own faith transitions. Learn more about Bart and his podcast, Humanize Me, at bartcampolo.org. Head over to www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxhaggadah to get the official Unorthodox Haggadah. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, and baby onesies. Get yours here: bit.ly/Unorthoshirt. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox This episode is also sponsored by Hello Fresh. Visit hellofresh.com and use promo code UNORTHODOX for $30 off your first week of deliveries.

Ep 128Leading the Pack : Ep: 128
Our Jewish guest this week is Leah Sarna, a student at Yeshivat Maharat, the first yeshiva to ordain women as Orthodox Jewish clergy. She explains the institutional conflict over female ordination in the Orthodox community and tells us what her role will be at an Orthodox congregation in Chicago after graduation —and what title she’ll go by. Our Gentile of the week is writer Lauren Oyler, who tells us why honest cultural criticism is more important than ever, and recommends some books for our listeners to check out. New York-area listeners, join us for a live Unorthodox taping with guests Senator Joe Lieberman and Bart Campolo, host of the podcast Humanize Me, on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Buy tickets here. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers, and, of course, baby onesies. Get yours here. This episode is sponsored by the Jewish Activism Summer School in Berlin. To learn more about the program, visit www.jassberlin.org.

Ep 127Candy for Salome: Ep: 127
Be part of our next Ask Unorthodox episode, airing during Passover. Send us your burning questions about Jewish ritual, culture, or traditions by March 9. Email them to [email protected] or leave us a message at 914-570-4869. Our first guest is Israeli food writer and tv personality Gil Hovav, whose new memoir, Candies from Heaven, is about growing up in Jerusalem in a close-knit family (and not just any family: Hovav's great grandfather is Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who revived the modern Hebrew language). Our second guest is Alan Robert Ginsberg, author of The Salome Ensemble: Rose Pastor Stokes, Anzia Yezierska, Sonya Levien, and Jetta Goudal, about the four Jewish women behind the novel and subsequent 1925 film Salome of the Tenements. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Tickets here. Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here: bit.ly/Unorthoshirt. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Ep 126Winner's Circle: Ep. 126
This week, we're getting our grogger on for Purim. Returning to the show is film critic Jordan Hoffman, who preps us for the Oscars this weekend and offers his picks for the big winners. We're also joined by former FBI counterintelligence agent Asha Rangappa, now a CNN analyst an senior lecturer at Yale, who tells us how being an FBI agent is not what it looks like on TV. Be part of our next Ask Unorthodox episode, airing during Passover. Send us your burning questions about the holiday, or really anything—Jewish traditions, baby names, etiquette—by March 9. Email them to [email protected] or leave us a message at 914-570-4869. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Tickets here. We've got swag! Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Ep 124Netflix and Phil: Ep. 125
Our Jewish guest is Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal, whose new Netflix series 'Somebody Feed Phil' chronicles his eating adventures around the word. He tells about the episode filmed in Tel Aviv—with cameos from chefs Michael Solomonov and Uri Buri—and why he thinks food is such a unifying force. Our gentile of the week is June Thomas, managing producer of Slate podcasts and one of the hosts of the Double X Gabfest. She explains why podcast hosts like talking to other podcast hosts, and presents the panel with a great question: Who’s the best Jewish character in U.S. television history? Mark Oppenheimer will be speaking at the Greenwich Reform Synagogue Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. More info here. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. We've got swag! Show your love for Unorthodox with our new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies. Get yours here. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Unorthodox Presents: Israel Story: King of the Hill
We're bringing you a special treat in our feed, a taste of our sister podcast, Israel Story. First, we talk to the creator of Israel Story, and then we share one of our favorite episodes, King of the Hill. From the top of Tell El-Ful, an abandoned hilltop in East Jerusalem, you can see all the way from Amman to Tel Aviv, from Jerusalem to Ramallah. And you can also travel back and forth in time, moving between the biblical King Saul and the bearded King Hussein. Along the way, we'll hear tales of brutalized concubines, murderous tribesmen, biblical archeology, royal families and devastating wars. We're pretty sure that once you're done, you'll want to subscribe to their show as well. Buy an Unorthodox shirt! Click here and use the coupon code UnorthodoxLaunch2018. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Buy tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air.

Ep 124The Kids are Alright: Ep. 124
This week, we talk to writer Molly Lambert, who shares the story of her grandmother Margaret Bergmann Lambert , a German-Jewish high jumper barred from the 1936 Olympics. We're also joined by Annette Ezekiel Kogan and Jeremy Brown of Golem, the klezmer-rock band behind our theme music. They perform a few favorites for us, including 7:40, a song based on the "Hava Nagilah of Russia." But wait, there's more! We visited the Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School, a diverse dual-language elementary school in New York City, to see if Liel could keep up with the students b'ivrit. Buy an Unorthodox shirt! Click here and use the coupon code UnorthodoxLaunch2018. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Buy tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air.

Ep 123Across the Pond: Ep. 123
Recorded live at at the Limmud Festival, an international celebration of Jewish learning and culture, in Birmingham, U.K. over Christmas. Mark hosted the show with writer and challah maven Sarah Klegman. Our guests are Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, a vocalist, composer, and arranger specializing in Yiddish art and folk song, and Gabby Edlin, the founder of Bloody Good Period, which provides sanitary supplies to asylum seekers, refugees & those who can't afford them. Tablet is conducting a reader survey, and we'd love to hear from Unorthodox listeners (even if you don't read Tablet and only listen to Unorthodox). Plus, you'll be entered to win a $250 Russ & Daughters gift card! Take the survey here. Upcoming events: Stephanie will be moderating a discussion between Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler about their relationship and how Judaism figures in it on Thursday, February 15th at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City. It's free—RSVP here. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Buy tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Ep 122Leaving the Nest: Ep. 122
Our guest this week is Tova Mirvis, whose memoir, The Book of Separation, tells the story of her decision to leave Modern Orthodox Judaism, a world she recreated vividly for readers in the novels Visible City, The Outside World, and The Ladies Auxiliary. Our next live show is Wednesday, March 21 at the JCC Manhattan. Tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Ep 121The Golden Rule: Ep. 121
This week's episode was recorded at the Manhattan JCC. Our Jewish guest is comedian and actor Judy Gold, host of the podcast Kill Me Now. Our gentile of the week is Father James Martin, Jesuit priest and editor at large of America magazine. Missed the live show? Join us Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. for an intimate, off-the-record chat with Rabbi Sara Luria at Beloved in Brooklyn. Tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow us on Twitter: @tabletmag, @liel, and @stuffism. You can also hear Stephanie discussing immigration and the American Dream under Trump on the Jan 29 episode of WNYC Midday, with two-time Unorthodox guest Negin Farsad. We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air.

A Helping Hand
This week, we've got something a little different for you. In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan 27, we sat down with Sandy Myers and Desiree Nazarian of Selfhelp Community Services, an organization that provides assistance to Holocaust survivors in need in the New York area. There are thousands of survivors living in the New York area today, and they have very particular emotional and physical needs as they age. You can read more about the work of the organization—and how to help—in this extended feature on Tablet. Our next full episode will drop on Monday, Jan 29. Some announcements: Come hang with us on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m! We’ll be joining Rabbi Sara Luria for an intimate, off-the-record chat at Beloved in Brooklyn. Tickets here. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! And subscribe to our newsletter here. (Yep, it's different to the main Tablet newsletter!) We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Visit hellofresh.com and use promo code UNORTHODOX for $30 off your first week of deliveries.

The Big Q&A: Ep. 120
Come see us live at the Manhattan JCC on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m., with special guests comedian Judy Gold and Father James Martin! More info and tickets here. And on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m., we’ll be joining Rabbi Sara Luria for an intimate, off-the-record chat at Beloved in Brooklyn. Tickets here. This week on Unorthodox, Mark calls up Roy Moore's 'Jewish lawyer,' and Stephanie sits down with Jeffrey Masters, host of the podcast LGBTQ&A, which documents stories of the LGBTQ community. We're also joined by Anne Edelstein, author of a new memoir about death and grief, Lifesaving for Beginners. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our official Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at our new listener line: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. This week's episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Song of Songs: Ep. 119
We have two upcoming events! A live recording at JCC Manhattan on 1/24 (tickets here), and a intimate, off-the-record schmooze with the hosts at Beloved in Brooklyn on 1/30 (tickets here). Plus, we're looking for a new producer—maybe that person is... you? This week, Mark sits down with Rabbi Joseph Hample of the Tree of Life Congregation in Morgantown, West Virginia. We're also joined by musicians David Chevan and Warren Byrd of the Afro-Semitic Experience, who tell us about fusing Jewish and African American liturgical traditions. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Sign up for our newsletter, and join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected] or leave a message on our hotline: 914-570-4869. We may share your note on the air. This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Dear Unorthodox: Ep. 118
We'll be recording live at the Manhattan JCC on Wednesday 1/24 at with special guests Judy Gold and Father James Martin! Get your tickets here. This week on Unorthodox, we respond to your questions on everything from Jewish pregnancy superstitions to what to read and watch while converting to Judaism. Plus we dive into the great tin foil vs. plastic baggie debate. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! And sign up for our weekly newsletter here. We love hearing from our listeners. Please send your feedback to [email protected]—we may read your comments on the air.

The Nose Job Episode: Ep. 117
We'll be recording live in NYC on 1/24 with comedian Judy Gold and Father James Martin! Buy your tickets here. This week: Everything you ever wanted to know about nose jobs, and their particular prominence in American Jewish life. Tablet editor-in-chief Alana Newhouse and executive editor Wayne Hoffman discuss their personal experiences with rhinoplasty. Plastic surgeon Jonathan Kaplan, founder of price transparency platform BuildMyBod, breaks down exactly what happens during a nose job, and explains how 'deviated septum' became a euphemism. Professor and art historian Matthew Baigell tells us about the first Jewish nose job, performed in Berlin in 1898, and how stereotypes of Jews and noses can be traced all the way back to the 1300s. Filmmaker Gayle Kirschenbaum, who documented her mother's very unsubtle requests that she get rhinoplasty in 'My Nose,' tells us about coming to terms with her nose—and her mother. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Please send your feedback to [email protected]—we may read your comments on the air. This episode of Unorthodox is brought to you by PJ Library, the program that sends FREE Jewish books to more than 200,000 children around the world. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox and they’ll send you a new book each month. This episode of Unorthodox is also brought to you by Wrestling Jerusalem, a unique film about Israel and Palestine, now available on DVD. Learn more at wrestlingjerusalem.com.

Is It OK to Call Someone a 'Jew'?
Hey J.Crew! A little bonus content for you this Monday afternoon: Unorthodox host Mark Oppenheimer published an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this year about our aversion to using the word 'Jew,' as opposed to 'Jewish.' On Wednesday, he appeared on WNYC's 'On the Media' with Brooke Gladstone to discuss these ideas in the context of Kayla Moore's recent controversial remarks about the Moores' Jewish attorney. Give a listen, and, as always, let us know what you think at [email protected]. Our next full episode will drop Thursday, December 21. Happy Hanukkah!

Gelt Trip: Ep. 116
We'll be recording live at the Manhattan JCC on Wednesday, January 24 at 7:30 p.m. with special guests comedian Judy Gold and Father James Martin! Buy tickets here. Our Jewish guest this week is writer Jordana Horn Gordon, who returns to discuss her Hanukkah gifting strategy as the mother of six children. Our gentile of the week is journalist and religion scholar Reza Aslan, who tells us about his latest book, God: A Human History. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! And sign up for our weekly newsletter here. We love hearing from our listeners. Please send your feedback to [email protected]—we may read your comments on the air. This episode of Unorthodox is brought to you by Harry's. As a special holiday offer for fans, we’ve partnered with Harry’s to give you $5 off your order when you go to Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX. This episode of Unorthodox is also brought to you by PJ Library, the program that sends FREE Jewish books to more than 200,000 children around the world. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox and they’ll send you a new book each month.

Hanger Management: Ep. 115
This week we're coming to you live from Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City! Our next live show will take place on January 24 at JCC Manhattan, with Father James Martin and comedian Judy Gold. Get your tickets here! Our Jewish guest is food writer Mark Bittman, who just released the tenth anniversary edition of How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. He talked to us about the link between agriculture and global warming, and why Americans need to eat more real food. (But despite that, he still enjoys the occasional trip to McDonald's.) Our gentile of the week is Kristen Meinzer, co-host of the podcast By the Book. On each episode, Meinzer and her co-host Jolenta Greenberg live by the rules of a different self-help book—their selections include The Secret, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and French Women Don't Get Fat. She explains why women, historically neglected in conversations about health and wellness, are drawn to self-help books, why The Secret is bogus, and tells us what her self-help book would espouse. A Christmas obsessive, her question for the hosts is whether Jewish parents warn their children not to tell their gentile classmates that Santa isn't real. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Please send your feedback to [email protected]—we may read your comments on the air. This episode of Unorthodox is brought to you by PJ Library, the program that sends FREE Jewish books to more than 200,000 children around the world. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox and they’ll send you a new book each month. This week’s episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. For $30 off your first week of deliveries, visit hellofresh.com and enter UNORTHODOX30 when you subscribe.

Movers and Shakers: Ep. 114
This week on Unorthodox: Beauty pageant diplomacy, Gal Gadot's Mossad mix-up, and so much more. Our gentile of the week is Noreen Malone, New York magazine features editor and DoubleX Gabfest panelist. She tells us about growing up Catholic in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Shaker Heights, her powerful 2015 cover story on 35 of Bill Cosby's accusers, and asks whether it's ever okay to call someone "jappy." Our Jewish guest this week is feminist author, speaker, and psychologist Phyllis Chesler. She talks to us about anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in the feminist movement, and the future of feminism. Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group to chat with the hosts and see what happens behind-the-scenes! We love hearing from our listeners. Please send your feedback to [email protected]—we might read your comments on the air. This episode of Unorthodox is brought to you by Harry's. As a special holiday offer for fans, we’ve partnered with Harry’s to give you $5 off your order when you go to Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX. This episode of Unorthodox is also brought to you by PJ Library, the program that sends FREE Jewish books to more than 200,000 children around the world. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox and they’ll send you a new book each month.

Like a Roman Stone: Ep. 113
Our Jewish guest this week is Lani Santo, the executive director of Footsteps, a New York-based organization dedicated to helping formerly-Orthodox Jews establish new lives outside the insular communities in which they were raised. We discuss the new Netflix documentary ‘One of Us,’ which follows the lives of three Footsteps members. Our gentile of the week is Richard F. Thomas, Harvard Classics professor and author of the new book Why Bob Dylan Matters, which explores the literary themes linking the beloved American songwriter with the ancient poets of Greece and Rome. (So maybe that surprise Nobel win last year shouldn't have been a surprise at all.) Want more Unorthodox in your life? Join our Facebook group, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Twitter (@tabletmag , @markopp1, @liel, and @stuffism)! Kvetch and kvell to us directly at [email protected]—we might read your comments on the air. This episode of Unorthodox is brought to you by PJ Library, the program that sends FREE Jewish books to more than 200,000 children around the world. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox and they’ll send you a new book each month.