Unorthodox

This week on Unorthodox, we’re preparing for Yom Kippur by learning how to communicate better.  We interview linguist Deborah Tannen, who coined our favorite phrase, “cooperative overlap.” She explains the real reason why we’re always interrupting each other on this show, and shares some tips for talking to people with different conversational styles.  We talk to Julie Rice, co-founder of Soul Cycle, whose new project, Peoplehood, teaches people how to better listen and communicate with each other. She tells us why we should be working out our “empathy muscles,” and what we can learn when we finally shut up and listen. We chat with Mitchell Silk, the former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Markets (and the first Hasidic Jew to be appointed to a Senate-confirmed position in the federal government). He recently published the first English translation of the Kedushas Levi, a classic Hasidic commentary on the Torah. He shares how communication, whether in Chinese, Hebrew, or English, is the key to revealing what we all have in common.  Vote for us in the Signal Awards! We’re finalists for our ‘Across The JEW.S.A: Louisville, Kentucky’ episode (vote here!) and for our limited series podcast ‘The Franchise: Jews, Sports, and America’ (vote here!). We appreciate your support.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  This High Holiday season, help HIAS provide vital services to refugees in more than 20 countries around the world. All donations through September 22 will be matched, doubling your impact. You can learn more at hias.org/unorthodox.  American Jewish University (AJU) invites you to join them for their Fall semester of online learning. To learn more and register, visit aju.edu/open and use code unorthodox for a 10% discount.

This week on Unorthodox, you’re totally invited to our bat mitzvah.  First we talk to Amanda Stern—aka Fiona Rosenbloom—the author of the young adult novel You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, which the new Netflix film is based on. She shares (pre-strike!) what it was like to have her novel adapted into an Adam Sandler movie and gives us an update on what she’s working on now.  Then director Guy Nattiv joins us to discuss Golda, his new film about former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir. He tells us about the experience of making a film about one of Israel’s most iconic figures, working with Helen Mirren, and more. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  This High Holiday season, help HIAS provide vital services to refugees in more than 20 countries around the world. All donations through September 22 will be matched, doubling your impact. You can learn more at hias.org/unorthodox. American Jewish University (AJU) invites you to join them for their Fall semester of online learning. To learn more and register, visit aju.edu/open and use code unorthodox for a 10% discount.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re unveiling our newest series: Beautifully Jewish, hosted by Stephanie Butnick with Tanya Singer. It’s a celebration of the objects that enrich our Jewish identities and observance, from Shabbat candlesticks to menorahs, tallis covers, mezuzahs, and much more.   Each month, Beautifully Jewish will celebrate Jewish material culture, the ritual objects that inspire us, and the people who make them. We’ll also get hands on, helping listeners create new Jewish things to connect with.  We’re starting our journey at the very beginning: Gabriel Goldstein, interim director and chief curator at Yeshiva University Museum, helps us understand the deep connection between Jews and things, tracing it all the way back to the creation of the Mishkan, in Exodus. Fiber artist Heather Stoltz shows us the High Holiday Torah covers she made for her synagogue, Temple Israel Center of White Plains. And Tanya teaches Stephanie to knit, helping her on her journey to explore the many ways in which Judaism celebrates beauty and craft.  Share your favorite beautifully Jewish things in our unorthodox Facebook group, via email at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or on social media using the hashtag #beautifullyjewish.   Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  HIAS: This High Holiday season, help HIAS provide vital services to refugees in more than 20 countries around the world. All donations through September 22 will be matched, doubling your impact. You can learn more at hias.org/unorthodox. American Jewish University (AJU) invites you to join them for their Fall semester of online learning. To learn more and register, visit aju.edu/open and use code unorthodox for a 10% discount.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re chowing down.  Cookbook author and chef Jake Cohen returns to the show to tell us about his new cookbook, I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day. He also shares some recipes for your Rosh Hashanah table.  Producer Quinn Waller brings us along to Lee Lee’s Baked Goods in Harlem to talk to Alvin Lee Smalls, the man behind some of the best rugelach in New York City.  Tablet writer Maggie Phillips returns to the show to visit PLNT Burger and chat with co-founders Seth Goldman and Julie Farkas about the surprising Jewish ethos behind the business and their work to make burgers available to people of all faiths.  We’re also taking a trip Across the JEW.S.A to the thriving Orthodox community in the Catskills. Across the JEW.S.A. is created with the support of the Jewish Federations of North America. You can catch up on the rest of our travels across the JEW.S.A. at tabletmag.com/jewsa. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is fighting hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. Visit mazon.org/unorthodox to join their fight to end hunger: Right now your donation will be doubled, up to $100,000!

This week on Unorthodox, we’re continuing our journey through the Hebrew month of Elul up to the High Holidays by focusing on music. Rabbi Josh Warshawsky returns to the show to walk us through the melodies of the High Holidays, plus he shares his new version of Hineni.  Then, we’re re-airing a segment with Ladino singer Sarah Aroeste, who shares her musical tribute to the lost Sephardic community of Monastir.  We’re also bringing you our latest installment of The Archive, our series exploring the collections of the National Library of Israel. This week, we dive into the library’s music collection and sound archive.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  Cutting Edge Foods is a family business that has been producing premium kosher meats for over four decades. Get 10% off your order at cuttingedgefoods.com with the code UNORTHODOX.  NLI, the National Library of Israel, proudly supports our series The Archive. Discover the treasures, collections, and stories of the National Library of Israel here.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re entering Elul, the Hebrew month leading up to the High Holidays. During this period, we try to be a little more introspective, to consider how we spent the last year, and how we are preparing for the next. But how do we do that, exactly?  To guide us, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to discuss the purpose of Elul and how we can get the most out of this month. (Rabbi Bashevskin’s book, Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought, is another helpful tool.)  Then, we talk with Rabbi Diana Fersko about her new book, We Need to Talk About Antisemitism. (The other book Rabbi Fersko recommends is Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition, by David Mirenberg.)  We’re also sharing our favorite archival excerpts from our 2021 Elul podcast, How to Fix a Soul in 30 Days, hosted by Kylie Unell. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire.  The Glue, with Eric Fingerhut, is a podcast that explores what holds us together in divided times. Listen to their latest episode about social media at jfeds.org/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Cutting Edge Foods is a family business that has been producing premium kosher meats for over 4 decades. Get 10% off your order at cuttingedgefoods.com with the code UNORTHODOX.

This week on Unorthodox, was Oppenheimer a flop-enheimer? Our Gentile of the Week is podcaster and musician Hrishikesh Hirway. He hosted The West Wing Weekly with Joshua Malina, and he returns to Unorthodox to talk about his current podcast (and Netflix series) Song Exploder. He also shares his new single, Cascade, and asks a music-themed GOTW question.  We’re also taking a trip Across the JEW.S.A. Liel brings us along to a Jewish summer camp off the beaten path in Colorado. Across the JEW.S.A. is created with the support of the Jewish Federations of North America. You can catch up on the rest of our travels across the JEW.S.A. at tabletmag.com/jewsa. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  PJ Library sends thousands of children free Jewish storybooks and activities every month. Sign up Jewish kids from age zero to 12 to start reading this summer at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox.   Hadassah is hosting “Inspire Zionism: Tech, Trailblazers and Tattoos,” a two-day online event featuring panels with inspiring Zionist women, hosted by our own Stephanie Butnick. To join the conversation October 25 and 26, register at go.hadassah.org/inspire. The Glue, with Eric Fingerhut, is a podcast that explores what holds us together in divided times. Listen to their latest episode about social media at jfeds.org/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re talking about Tisha B’Av and what we can learn from this ancient day of mourning. Then, we’re bringing you an extended conversation with our Gentile of the Week Bill Courtney about the things we all can do to give up resentment and division and commit ourselves to empathy and change. He’s the football coach depicted in the Academy Award-winning documentary, Undefeated, and now hosts the new podcast, An Army of Normal Folks.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox: Kosher shrimp cocktail?  Our Jew of the Week is comedian and podcaster Sarah Silverman. She joins us to talk about her new—and extremely Jewish—comedy special, Someone You Love, plus what it’s like playing poker with Joshua Malina  We’re also bringing you our latest installment from The Archive, our series exploring the collections of the National Library of Israel. This week, we learn about the manuscripts of Ahmed Ibn Taymiyya, one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Islam.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  PJ Library sends thousands of children free Jewish storybooks and activities every month. Sign up Jewish kids from age zero to 12 to start reading this summer at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox.   NLI, the National Library of Israel proudly supports our series The Archive. Discover the treasures, collections, and stories of the National Library of Israel here.

This week on Unorthodox, class is in session.  First, we discuss the new Israeli TV show The Lesson, and talk to the show’s writer and creator, Deakla Keydar. (Sponsor note: You can stream ‘The Lesson’ exclusively on ChaiFlicks; Unorthodox listeners get 40% off a subscription with the code LESSONPOD).  Then, we chat with Benyamin Cohen, who runs Albert Einstein’s official social media presence. He returns to the show to tell us about his new book, "The Einstein Effect: How the World’s Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds.” We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS The Lesson stars Doron Ben-David (Steve from Fauda) and just won Israel’s Best TV Drama Series award. The show is streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, and you can get 40% off your new subscription by using the code LESSONPOD at checkout.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re playing the name game. First, we’re re-airing a 2019 segment in which our former editor Noah Levinson investigates the real story behind the myth of name changes at Ellis Island. For more, check out A Rosenberg by Any Other Name: A History of Jewish Name Changing in America, written by Kirsten Fermaglich. We’re also bringing you a preview of our new Tablet Studios podcast, What Really Matters with Walter Russell Mead. We’re joined by the podcast’s co-host, Tablet deputy editor Jeremy Stern, to discuss the show and play a segment. You can subscribe to What Really Matters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you listen to podcasts. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS The Lesson stars Doron Ben-David (Steve from Fauda) and just won Israel’s Best TV Drama Series award. The show is streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, and you can get 40% off your new subscription by using the code LESSONPOD at checkout. Betrayal: The Failure of American Jewish Leadership is a new book edited by Dr. Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser. Get your copy at Amazon and check out their movement to challenge Jewish leaders at jewishleadershipproject.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re ready to buzz in. Our Jew of the Week is JCC Krakow director Jonathan Ornstein, who returns to the show to tell us about Jewish life in Poland today.  Our Gentile of the Week is Antonio Pagliarulo, who joins us to talk about his new book, The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery, and Magic of the Quiet Curse.  Plus, we’re taking a trip Across the JEW.S.A. to Deadwood, South Dakota, to learn about its surprising Jewish history. Across the JEW.S.A. is created with the support of the Jewish Federations of North America. You can catch up on the rest of our travels across the JEW.S.A. at tabletmag.com/jewsa.   We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS The Lesson stars Doron Ben-David (Steve from Fauda) and just won Israel’s Best TV Drama Series award. The show is streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks, and you can get 40% off your new subscription by using the code LESSONPOD at checkout. Betrayal: The Failure of American Jewish Leadership is a new book edited by Dr. Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser. Get your copy at Amazon and check out their movement to challenge Jewish leaders at jewishleadershipproject.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re looking for the recipe for Coronation Cholent.  Our Jew of the Week is Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis. He joins us to talk about life as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, what it was like to spend the night at St. James’s Palace when King Charles’s coronation fell over Shabbat, and why he’s so dedicated to interfaith work. Our second Jew of the Week is Zak Rosen. He hosts the podcast The Best Advice Show and co-hosts Slate’s parenting podcast, Mom and Dad Are Fighting. He joins us to share some of the unconventional advice he’s received. We’re also bringing you our latest installment from The Archive, our series exploring the collections of the National Library of Israel. This week, we learn about Gandhi’s surprising letter to Hitler, and his correspondence with the Jews of Bombay. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS Hebrew College offers educators a Master in Jewish Education degree, graduate certificates, and non-credit options like short courses, workshops, and coaching. Learn more at hebrewcollege.edu/matarot.  NLI, the National Library of Israel proudly supports our series The Archive. Discover the treasures, collections, and stories of the National Library of Israel here.  NATIV is a college leadership gap-year program that invites you to explore Israel from big cities to small villages and historical sites. Grow your independence, make lifelong friends and participate in specialized leadership seminars. Apply today at www.nativ.org.  Betrayal: The Failure of American Jewish Leadership is a new book edited by Dr. Charles Jacobs and Avi Goldwasser. Get your copy at Amazon and check out their movement to challenge Jewish leaders at jewishleadershipproject.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating our proximity Tony Award. Our Jew of the Week is the comedian Alex Edelman. He returns to Unorthodox to celebrate his solo show, Just for Us, heading to Broadway for the summer. He also shares why it’s important to him to be pushing the conversation on Jewish art forward, beyond the low-hanging fruit of “bubbes, brisket, and bagels." Our Gentile of the Week is author and sportswriter Will Leitch. He joins us to talk about his new novel, The Time Has Come, and share his insights about the challenges and joys of fatherhood, baseball, and Little League. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS Hebrew College offers educators a Master in Jewish Education degree, graduate certificates, and non-credit options like short courses, workshops, and coaching. Learn more at hebrewcollege.edu/matarot

This week on Unorthodox, we’re marching together. Or are we? Our Jew of the Week is the comedian Modi. He joined us to talk about coming out to his mother about being a comedian, and why he’s finding what he calls “moshiach energy” in being openly gay—and proudly Jewish.  And returning to the show as our most gentilic gentile of the week is our friend and rabbi, Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor at large for America Magazine. He joined us to talk about his work on LGBTQ issues within the Church, as well as his last book, Learn to Pray and the upcoming Come Forth.  Join us June 22 for a special Unorthodox night on Broadway! We have a block of orchestra tickets for Leopoldstadt, starring our new co-host Joshua Malina, and after the show Stephanie and Liel will do a Q&A on-stage with Joshua. Get your tickets at bit.ly/uobroadway. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Soul Doctor - On June 13th, experience the untold story of the powerful friendship between high priestess of soul, Nina Simone, and Jewish music icon Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach on the big screen. For one day only, movie theaters nationwide will be screening "Soul Doctor," the smash-hit Broadway musical the New York Times called "inspiring and absorbing with beautiful music." Visit SoulDoctorMovie.com.

This week on Unorthodox, the curious case of the Hitler-branded cocaine.   Our Jewish guest this week is David Cowan, who produced the documentary Afghan Dreamers, which follows an all-girls robotics team from Afghanistan as they compete in international competitions against the backdrop of the threat of Taliban rule.  We’re also bringing you another installment of our series Across The JEW.S.A., created with the support of the Jewish Federations of North America. We head to New Orleans for Jazz Fest and a very special Shabbat.  Join is June 22 for a special Unorthodox night on Broadway! We have a block of orchestra tickets for Leopoldstadt, starring our new co-host Joshua Malina, and after the show Stephanie and Liel will do a Q&A on-stage with Joshua. Get your tickets at bit.ly/uobroadway. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  PJ Library sends thousands of children free Jewish storybooks and activities every month. Sign up Jewish kids from age zero to twelve to start reading this summer at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox.   The Jewish Federations of North America represent over 350 Jewish communities in the U.S. and Canada and raise and distribute more than $1 billion annually to build flourishing Jewish communities domestically, in Israel, and around the world. Find out more at jewishfederations.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re officially welcoming our new co-host, Joshua Malina! To celebrate Joshua’s arrival and his role as Hermann Merz in the Tony-nominated play Leopoldstadt, join us June 22 for a special Unorthodox night on Broadway. After the show, Stephanie and Liel will do a Q&A on-stage with Joshua. Get your tickets at bit.ly/uobroadway. Our Jew of the Week is Aaron Saidman, executive producer of Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking, as well as its predecessor, Indian Matchmaking. We chat with him about the pressure of representing Judaism on TV, and what his mom thinks of the hit show.  Our Gentile of the Week is actor Aaron Neil, who plays Ernst in Leopoldstadt on Broadway and shares a dressing room with our own Joshua Malina. He tells us about originating the role of Ernst in London before the show came to Broadway, shares his experience being part of the beloved film ‘Paddington 2,’ and discusses his own faith journey.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  PJ Library sends thousands of children free Jewish storybooks and activities every month. Sign up Jewish kids from age zero to twelve to start reading this summer at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox.

Each year for Shavuot, we air our annual Conversion Episode, in which we share stories of people finding their way to Judaism. This year, inspired by our showrunner Courtney Hazlett’s Tablet article, “Don’t Call Me a Convert,” we’re focusing on the Jewish journeys we’re all on. Plus, at the end of the episode, we reveal our new co-host!  But first: We’re talking about interfaith relationships, and what we can learn from them, with Dr. Keren McGinity, interfaith specialist at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and a research associate at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute. She consults with Jewish clergy and congregations and has written two books about intermarriage: Still Jewish: A History of Women & Intermarriage in America and Marrying Out: Jewish Men, Intermarriage, and Fatherhood.  Next we talk with Vicki Messler, who works at a Jewish day school, helps with programming at her local JCC, and is raising a Jewish family, all while not being halachically Jewish herself. She tells us why she’s committed to creating Jewish community, and about her own faith journey.  Then we hear a candid conversation between our own Liel Leibovitz and his wife Lisa Ann Sandell, which was excerpted from their appearance on Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin’s 18Forty podcast. Liel and Lisa, who are both Jewish, discuss what happened when Liel started living a more observant life about a decade ago, keeping kosher and praying regularly, and taking on a host of other practices that Lisa hadn’t necessarily signed on for as his spouse. Their honest and intimate discussion reveals how we’re all evolving in our Jewish practice, and how those changes play out within ourselves, our families, and our communities.  Finally, we call up the listener who wrote to us asking, as an “aspiring Jew” going through the conversion process, whether she would ever feel Jewish enough. Spoiler alert: We’re all Jewish enough.  We want to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re smuggling fruit roll-ups into Israel.  First, we chat with Rabbi Ari Lamm about the surprising spirituality of this year’s NBA Playoffs.  Journalist Gabby Deutch joins us to talk about her 5-part investigative series about the 1984 murder of Rabbi Philip Rabinowitz of Kesher Israel Congregation in Washington, DC, a crime which remains unsolved nearly 40 years later.  We’re also bringing you the second installment of The Archive, our series exploring the collection of the National Library of Israel. Liel takes a look at Maimonides’ 12th-century manuscripts and learns about the Jewish thinker’s nomadic adventures. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Join Hadassah for “Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges,” a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75. Tivnu is a gap year program that brings high school grads to Portland, Oregon for social justice internships, adventures in the Pacific Northwest, and Jewish inspiration. Attend a Tivnu info session on May 18 at 8 p.m. EST, and find out more at tivnu.org.

This week on Unorthodox, Grover goes to Israel, and we go to Portland, Maine!  Our Jewish guest this week is Natasha Feldman, aka Nosh With Tash. She tells us about her new cookbook, “The Dinner Party Project,” and gives us some fool-proof tips on throwing a successful, low-stress dinner party.  We’re also sharing the latest installment of our Across the Jew.S.A. series, created with support of the Jewish Federations of North America. Producers Robert Scaramuccia and Quinn Waller traveled to Portland, ME, to learn how Jewish immigrants made a home there, and how today’s Jewish community is helping new immigrants feel at home, too.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Join Hadassah for “Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges,” a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75. The Inaugural Global Jewish Fertility Support Summit is taking place Sunday, May 7 via Zoom, and features prominent voices from major fertility organizations worldwide. Learn more and register for FREE at iwassupposedtohaveababy.org.   Tivnu is a gap year program that brings high school grads to Portland, Oregon for social justice internships, adventures in the Pacific Northwest, and Jewish inspiration. Attend a Tivnu info session on May 18 at 8 p.m. EST, and find out more at tivnu.org.

After 360 episodes, we’re bidding adieu to our founding host, Mark Oppenheimer. We have good wishes from a famous friend, memories from listeners and Tablet staff, poignant interviews, and a final trip to Friendly’s.  To keep up with Oppenheimer happenings, you can subscribe to Mark’s newsletter at markoppenhiemer.substack.com.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Join Hadassah for “Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges,” a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75. storymark is a podcast about leaders and the moments that make them. Each guest is leaving a unique mark on their industry and the world—and all are anchored by a connection to Israel. Learn more at storymarkpodcast.org. The Inaugural Global Jewish Fertility Support Summit is taking place Sunday, May 7 via Zoom, and features prominent voices from major fertility organizations worldwide. Learn more and register for FREE at iwassupposedtohaveababy.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we're discussing the protests in Israel and the larger context in which they are occuring.  Our Jewish guest this week is the writer Jonathan Rosen. He joined us to talk about his new book, The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions.  We’re also bringing you a dispatch from Armenia. Liel traveled to Yerevan to learn about Birthright Armenia, and how it could teach Israelis and American Jews a lesson or two.  Check out Zionism: The Tablet Guide, a new book edited by Liel Leibovitz and Tablet Magazine. Unorthodox listeners are invited to an exclusive Zoom webinar with Liel where he will discuss the history of Zionism and answer your questions, free with purchase of a copy of the book. Register at tabletm.ag/listenerzoom.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Join The 92nd Street Y, New York for a series of conversations and celebrations with some of today’s leading Israeli thinkers and artists as part of their 150th anniversary series, “Israel at 75,” starting April 16. Tickets at 92ny.org. Join Hadassah for “Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges,” a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75.

This week on Unorthodox, are green eggs and ham kosher?  Our Jew of the Week is audio producer and podcast guru Arielle Nissenblatt, who joins us to talk about all things audio and gives us some podcast recommendations.  Our Gentile of the Week is Andrea Wakefield, co-owner of the Italian restaurant Mrs. Robino’s in Wilmington, Delaware (and Liel’s favorite restaurant on the planet). She joined us at our live show in Wilmington and tells us all about the restaurant and her family’s story. We’re also bringing you the first installment in a new series called The Archive, in which we explore the collection of the National Library of Israel. We kick things off with a look at Sir Isaac Newton’s Hebrew-inflected writings on … the end of days.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS:  Join The 92nd Street Y, New York for a series of conversations and celebrations with some of today’s leading Israeli thinkers and artists as part of their 150th anniversary series, “Israel at 75,” starting April 16. Tickets at 92ny.org. Join Hadassah for “Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges,” a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75. storymark is a podcast about leaders and the moments that make them. Each guest is leaving a unique mark on their industry and the world—and all are anchored by a connection to Israel. Learn more at storymarkpodcast.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re revisiting our 2020 Passover episode, in which we served up everything you need to know to pull off a meaningful and memorable Seder. The episode was created to address the fact that many people were suddenly hosting a Passover Seder for the very first time, under challenging and confounding circumstances, but we think there’s still a lot to be gained from going back to the basics. We walk you through the steps of the Seder, with special guests, perfect-for-Passover music, 10 Plagues cocktails, and more. Our guide is Tablet’s own “Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times.”  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSOR:  Join Hadassah for "Israel at 75: Successes and Challenges," a free Zoom event on May 18 featuring Yossi Klein Halevi, Isabel Kershner, and Hen Mazzig. Register at events.hadassah.org/75.

This year we’re traveling Across the Jew.S.A – visiting 12 places around the country with fascinating Jewish stories. On this installment, producer Josh Kross and showrunner Courtney Hazlett head to Louisville, Kentucky to learn about the bourbon industry’s Jewish history, find a surprising Seinfeld connection, and more Across the JEW.S.A. is created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re investigating Faux-hanim. Our first guest is Chanie Apfelbaum, creator of the popular kosher food blog Busy in Brooklyn. She joined us to talk about her new cookbook, Totally Kosher, and share fun ways to incorporate all sorts of cuisines into your kosher cooking.  Next we celebrate Opening Day with a chat with Zack Hample, a baseball fanatic who has caught more than 12,000 baseballs at Major League stadiums.  Plus, some big news from the Corduroy Rav. (You can subscribe to Mark’s newsletter here.)  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSOR: storymark is a podcast about leaders and the moments that make them. Each guest is leaving a unique mark on their industry and the world—and all are anchored by a connection to Israel. Learn more at storymarkpodcast.org.

This week on Unorthodox, are the Muppets Jewish?  Our Jew of the Week is Ruth Markel, whose son, Dan Markel, was murdered in 2014 (the case is featured on the first season of the podcast Over My Dead Body). She joined us to discuss the book she’s written about dealing with the trauma of losing a son to murder, as well as becoming an activist against grandparent alienation.  Our Gentile of the Week is comedian Zarna Garg, who tells us how her experience as an Indian immigrant influences her comedy, as well as the role of funny Jewish moms in her comedy journey.  Her question for the hosts is a spicy one: how do Jewish parents feel about their kids dating outside the religion?  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSOR: The Sassoons, now on view at the Jewish Museum, reveals the fascinating story of a remarkable Jewish family. Explore a rich selection of artwork collected by family members over time, including portraits by John Singer Sargent, illuminated manuscripts, and rare Judaica. Learn more at thejewishmuseum.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re going down the rabbit hole.  Our Jew of the Week is Hen Mazzig, who joined us to talk about fighting antisemitism online, as well as his new book, The Wrong Kind of Jew: a Mizrahi Manifesto. Our Gentile of the Week is Gabriel Said Reynolds, who teaches theology at Notre Dame and runs a popular YouTube channel called Exploring the Quran and the Bible.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSOR: The Sassoons, now on view at the Jewish Museum, reveals the fascinating story of a remarkable Jewish family. Explore a rich selection of artwork collected by family members over time, including portraits by John Singer Sargent, illuminated manuscripts, and rare Judaica. Learn more at thejewishmuseum.org.  storymark is a podcast about leaders and the moments that make them. Each guest is leaving a unique mark on their industry and the world - and all are anchored by a connection to Israel. Learn more at storymarkpodcast.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re streaming History of the World, Part II. Our Jew of the Week is professor and Jewish comedy expert Jeremy Dauber, who joins us to talk about his new book, Mel Brooks: Disobedient Jew.  Our Gentile of the Week is actress Elisa Donovan, who tells us about acting in Clueless, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Beverly Hills, 90210, and about the experiences she writes about in her new book, Wake Me When You Leave: Love and Encouragement via Dreams from the Other Side. Her question for the hosts is what to give as a bar mitzvah gift. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: The Sassoons, now on view at the Jewish Museum, reveals the fascinating story of a remarkable Jewish family. Explore a rich selection of artwork collected by family members over time, including portraits by John Singer Sargent, illuminated manuscripts, and rare Judaica. Learn more at thejewishmuseum.org.

This week on Unorthodox, it’s Purim! We’re bringing you fresh takes about the holiday Purim from our own Liel Leibovitz, as well as friend of the pod—and frequent Take One guest—Dovid Bashevkin.  In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion month, we visit Shemesh Farms in Malibu, CA, to learn about how they provide meaningful work and community to adults with diverse abilities.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, pshhhhhhhhhh.  Our gentiles of the week are Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis, the hosts of the Jesuitical podcast. We each assign them something to give up for Lent and also prepare Rootless Cosmopolitans for them (the recipe for which can be found on our newsletter).  We’re also bringing you the second installment of Across the JEW.S.A., our series highlighting different Jewish communities across America. Stephanie Butnick travels to Seattle, Washington, to discover the city’s surprising Sephardic history and learn about the challenges facing of the future of Sephardic Seattle. Across the JEW.S.A. is created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, do Jews celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Our Jew of the Week is returning guest David Sax, who joins us to talk about his newest book, The Future Is Analog: How to Create a More Human World.  Our Gentile of the Week is writer and surfer (and surf writer) William Finnegan, who talks to us about his memoir, Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, and his experiences reporting on war and poverty around the world.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, Belgium is still the worst.  Our Jew of the Week is the novelist Gabrielle Zevin. She joins us to talk about her newest novel, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, plus how video games can be vehicles for teaching morality and how she approaches writing about Holocaust survivors.  Plus, the hosts discuss the new Netflix disaster that is You People, with insight from our managing producer and Hollywood correspondent, Courtney Hazlett.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Study and practice Jewish sacred chanting with Sacred Chant: Healing the Spirit, Transforming the Mind, Deepening Love, the new four-week program from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Sign up by February 10th at JewishSpirituality.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re eating macaro(o)ns.  Our Jew of the Week is writer Bill Deresiewicz, who returns to the show to talk about his latest book, The End of Solitude, which laments how we’ve forgotten how to be alone in the digital age.  Our Gentile of the Week is audiobook narrator and author Julia Whelan, who tells us about her new book, Thank You for Listening, and what it’s like to be the voice behind so many of today’s bestsellers.   We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, stories of survival and Jewish pride in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.  First, host Stephanie Butnick shares the lesson her Holocaust survivor grandparents taught her about taking every opportunity to celebrate life, starting with her over-the-top baby party.  California restaurateur Victor Ivry shares the story of honoring his mother, Auschwitz survivor and “witness to history” Liselotte Ivry, by getting a tattoo of her concentration camp number on his arm.  Abigail Pogrebin shares a preview of the latest installation of The Minyan, featuring her conversation with 10 Holocaust survivors. You can read the full version at tabletmag.com/minyan.  Host Mark Oppenheimer offers his take on how to reframe our response to antisemitism. First graders at Central Synagogue in New York City share their favorite blessings in an excerpt from our kids game show podcast, Hebrew School.  Jewelry designer Rachie Shnay tells us about her Mazel Collection, a line of Star of David bling that Jewish celebrities like Gal Gadot, Debra Messing, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Selma Blair have been wearing loudly and proudly.  And finally, Tablet Studios’ general manager Tanya Singer introduces us to her relatives Eva Bender and Samuel Marder, who share their moving story of survival and strength.  We love to hear from you. Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, who deserves a spot on the Jewish Mount Rushmore?  Our first guest is author Rina Raphael, who joins us to talk about her book, The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care.  Then we’re joined by "Weird Al" Yankovic’s drummer of more than 40 years, Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, who talks with Liel about bringing brilliant parody music to life for more than 40 years.  Plus, our hosts answer a Gentile of the Week question from Tabitha Soren, who was our guest a few episodes back.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re starting our journey Across the JEW.S.A.  But first, viral Yiddish singing sensation Mendel Goldman stops by to treat us to his musical stylings. Then, we bring you the first installment of our new series, Across the JEW.S.A. In the inaugural segment, Liel travels to the first state of Delaware to see the unique way that Wilmington is building Jewish community. Across the JEW.S.A. is created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America.  Finally, our Gentile of the Week is walker and writer Jonathon Stalls, who tells us about walking across America and his book WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles per Hour.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management: Earn your master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Innovation while you work. Learn more at zschool.huc.edu.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re wishing you a Christmas Sameach.  We have two gentiles this week—a Christmas miracle! First, CBS Sunday Morning contributor Faith Salie returns to the show to tell us about how her interfaith family navigates the holidays. We’re also sharing our interview with gospel legend Donald Lawrence, recorded live in Chicago at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly. Then we hear from Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern about why he doesn’t let his kids watch That Very Special Christmas Episode. Plus, the story of a Jewish mall santa.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating Hanukkah with eight stories that bring light to the Jewish world.  We talk with 102-year-old former Nuremberg war crimes prosecutor Ben Ferencz, sing with rabbi and musician Josh Warshawsky, and tell stories with Peninnah Schram. We gab with former Real Housewife and new Jew Leah McSweeney and visit Muhlenberg College, a Lutheran liberal arts school that has become an unexpected haven for Jewish students. We stop by the butcher, meet one of the very few female Jewish Torah scribes, and learn the story behind this year’s official USPS Hanukkah stamp.  We love to hear from you! Send us your New Year’s Resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox: do Jews have Sweet Sixteen parties? Our Jewish guest this week is the writer Isabel Kaplan. She joins Stephanie to talk about her new novel, NSFW, the subtle ways that sexism crops up in everyday life and work, and more.  Our Gentile of the Week is photographer Tabitha Soren. She chats with Mark about her approach to her work as an artist and remembers her on-air days at MTV News.  We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Merch alert! Check out our new Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re lining up outside Santa’s Court at the mall.  First we talk with MSNBC anchor Katy Tur about her memoir Rough Draft. She tells us about her experience covering the Trump campaign, her relationship to her jewish identity, and what it was like growing up with parents who brought new meaning to the phrase, “helicopter parent.” Then, we catch up with writer and Tablet contributor Douglas Century, who joins to talk about his book, The Last Boss of Brighton: Boris “Biba” Nayfeld and the Rise of the Russian Mob in America.  We have brand new Unorthodox swag! Get your tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Across the JEW.S.A. is a new Unorthodox project that will showcase 12 of the most inspiring Jewish stories across the country. Nominate your hometown at tabletm.ag/acrossthejewsa. Across the JEW.S.A. was created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Hey there J-Crew! We are dropping into your feed on Black Friday, or Black Shabbos, as we call it, to share a conversation with Tablet’s editor in chief Alana Newhouse, who published a piece this week that offers a new framework for viewing the divides facing Americans today. She tells us why she wrote the piece and what we can take away from it in our own lives.  The art is an illustration by Doug John Miller

This week on Unorthodox, the mystery boxes are revealed! Mark, Stephanie, and Liel reveal the contents of their fundraiser giveaways, as well as the lucky winners. Culinary historian Michael Twitty returns to the show to talk about his new book, Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.  Then, producer Quinn Waller teams up with cookbook author and Food Network star Molly Yeh to make challah in the latest installment of Quinn’s Cook Like a Jew series.  Finally, we share an interview with food writer and self-professed 'pizza bagel' Shannon Sarna, recorded live at our recent West Orange, NJ live show. She tells us about her new book, Modern Jewish Comfort Food, and shares her tricks for the perfect challah.  We have brand new Unorthodox swag! Get your tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  Across the JEW.S.A. is a new Unorthodox project that will showcase 12 of the most inspiring Jewish stories across the country. Nominate your hometown at tabletm.ag/acrossthejewsa. Across the JEW.S.A. was created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re hiring a bat-tender.  Our Jew of the Week is actor Eric Ladin. You might know him from Ozark, Boardwalk Empire, or the film version of Where the Crawdads Sing. He tells us about growing up in Houston’s Jewish community, plays some Jewish geography (Camp Greylock forever), and introduces Mark to middle-aged dad whiskey.   Our Gentile of the Week is author and interfaith leader Eboo Patel. He’s the founder of Interfaith America, and he joins us to explain what interfaith work really looks like (hint: it’s not what you think), and why it’s anything but boring.  Across the JEW.S.A. is a new Unorthodox project that will showcase 12 of the most inspiring Jewish stories across the country. Nominate your hometown at tabletm.ag/acrossthejewsa. Across the JEW.S.A. was created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. Check out the latest installment of The Minyan, Abby Pogrebin’s roundtable series about the state of the American Jewish community, which features her conversation with 10 Jews with disabilities. Read it at tabletmag.com/minyan We have brand new Unorthodox swag! Get your tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com.  We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, an upcoming Oppenheimer simcha sparks a spirited debate.  Our Jew of the Week is the one and only Letty Cottin Pogrebin—feminist icon, writer, activist and author of the new book Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy. She tells us about her personal Jewish awakening, and about reckoning with her Jewish identity within the feminist movement. (If Cottin Pogrebin’s description of being excluded from the minyan at her mother’s shiva sounds familiar, here is her daughter Abigail Pogrebin sharing a similar story from Ruth Bader Ginsburg.)   Across the JEW.S.A. is a new Unorthodox project that will showcase 12 of the most inspiring Jewish stories across the country. Nominate your hometown at tabletm.ag/acrossthejewsa. Across the JEW.S.A. was created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.   Institute for Jewish Spirituality: Sign up today for Shema: The Practice of Sacred Listening at JewishSpirituality.org. Registration closes on November 11.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re debuting a new look and some brand new merch!  We’ve got three great guests. First, we’re bringing you an interview we recorded live at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly this past week in Chicago. We talked to Jewish Federations of North America President and CEO Eric Fingerhut about the most important issues facing American Jews, what he loves most about his job, and how we build a stronger Jewish community. Our Gentile of the Week is Joe Coscarelli, New York Times culture reporter and author of Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story. He explains how Atlanta rap became the most consequential musical ecosystem, tells us about #billiondollarlawyer Drew Findling, and breaks down the long and complicated relationship between Jewish music executives and hip hop artists. We’re also bringing you a conversation between Tablet executive editor Wayne Hoffman and author Roslyn Bernstein, whose new book, The Girl Who Counted Numbers, is a historical novel set in Jerusalem during the 1961 Adolf Eichmann trial.  We’re excited to announce Across the JEW.S.A. — a new project that will take us to 12 cities or towns in 2023 to showcase the most inspiring Jewish stories across the country. Nominate your hometown at tabletm.ag/acrossthejewsa. Across the JEW.S.A. was created with support from the Jewish Federations of North America. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.   The Other Israel Film Festival returns with eye-opening films and in-depth conversations exploring the relationship between history, culture, and identity in Israeli and Palestinian societies. The festival takes place Nov. 3–10 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, with films also streaming online. For more information and tickets, visit otherisrael.org. Institute for Jewish Spirituality: Sign up today for Shema: The Practice of Sacred Listening at JewishSpirituality.org. Registration closes on November 11.

Liel takes us on a tour of the horror movies of his childhood and wonders how Jews can participate in Halloween… Jewishly. Plus, what horror movies can teach us about us ourselves and Jewish identity

This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting together around the table.  Our Jewish guest is Phil Rosenthal, who returns to the show to tell us about Season 6 of his delightful travel food show, Somebody Feed Phil, which includes a tribute to his late parents, Max and Helen Rosenthal, and the accompanying cookbook, Somebody Feed Phil: The Book. He also tells us what his Yom Kippur break-fast looks like, why he scoops out his bagel, and why Jews aren’t the only cultural group who finds connection over food.  Our Gentile of the Week is the multi-talented Faith Salie, a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning, frequent panelist on NPR’s “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me,” and author of Approval Junkie. She brings us Coca-Cola Cake and tells us about growing up Catholic in Atlanta and learning about Judaism as she raises Jewish children with her husband.  We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.   The Other Israel Film Festival returns with eye-opening films and in-depth conversations exploring the relationship between history, culture, and identity in Israeli and Palestinian societies. The festival takes place Nov. 3–10 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, with films also streaming online. For more information and tickets, visit otherisrael.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re raising the roof. First we check in with Israeli actor Michael Aloni of Shtisel and Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, to hear about his new film Plan A, in theaters and streaming this week.  Then we hear from Mordechai Levovitz, founder of JQY, an organization that supports queer Jewish youth, about his personal journey and the ongoing legal battle between Yeshiva University and the YU Pride Alliance.   Our Gentile of the Week is Pastor Corey Brooks, founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and founder and CEO of Project H.O.O.D. He tells us about the great work he is doing for his Chicago community, including living on a roof to raise money for a new community center. This interview was recorded live at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, IL.  Finally, we call up our friend and former colleague Yair Rosenberg, who now writes the Deep Shtetl newsletter for The Atlantic, and who just released a beautiful album of Shabbat music called Az Yashir. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.

Hey JCrew, we've got something extra we want to share with you. The Franchise is a new, eight-part series exploring how contemporary American Jewish culture imprinted itself onto sports and how sports imprinted itself onto Jewish traditions. Hosted by Meredith Shiner and produced by the team behind Unorthodox, the No. 1 Jewish podcast, The Franchise highlights the moments and the people—athletes, fans, stat geeks, journalists, and team owners—who are writing this uniquely, American Jewish story. The series begins in 1965 with Sandy Koufax, and traces the arc of American Jews and sports since then: from probing the so-called Koufax curse that befalls Jewish athletes who play on Yom Kippur to reevaluating the "Jewish Jordan" phenomenon and wondering why Jews love teams that always seem to lose, and much more. The Franchise premiers on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re shaking the lulav and the etrog and celebrating Sukkot.   First, we’re learning all about the global history of the etrog thanks to Be Fruitful: The Etrog in Jewish Art, Culture, and History. We talk to Warren Klein, one of the collection’s editors, and Jenna Weissman Joselit, a favorite Unorthodox guest and contributor to the collection.  Next, we talk with Roger Studley, the founder of Urban Moshav, a nonprofit dedicated to creating Jewish co-housing communities, about Berkeley Moshav and the role that co-housing plays in building community.  Finally, we’re re-sharing the 2018 trip our former editor Sophia Steinert-Evoy’s took to the only commercial etrog farm in the U.S., in Exeter, CA, to meet the non-Jews running it.  We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re sorry. It’s our eighth annual Apology episode, and we’re bringing you stories of reckoning, atonement and… goats? Stephanie Butnick visits the goats who inhabit a steep, rocky patch of Manhattan each summer to learn about the biblical scapegoat of Yom Kippur, with help from Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky and former Riverside Park Conservancy President and CEO Daniel Garodnick.  What’s repentance all about, anyway? Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain the concept of teshuva, and what the medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides has to say about asking for forgiveness.  Professor and author Stewart Davenport, who grew up in Birmingham, AL, shares a candid reflection about arriving at Princeton as a college freshman and seeing the world differently. Plus, Liel starts a new Tzom Gedaliah tradition with a call to Rabbi Rachel Timoner. Don’t miss our previous Apology episodes: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.  We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom: Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.   HIAS: This High Holiday season, help HIAS help refugees in the United States, Ukraine and more than 20 other countries. Make a matched gift today at hias.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re not holding back.  Our Jewish guest this week is Kim Kushner, who joins us to talk about her Moroccan-influenced take on kosher cooking, her favorite Shabbat meals, and her new cookbook, The Modern Table.   We also bring you Gentile-Jewish filmmaker combo Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein, who tell us about the process of making their new PBS documentary, The U.S. and the Holocaust, which explores America’s response to World War II.  Our annual fundraiser is underway, and this year we’re upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox, and thank you for your support. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, lots of lox drama at one Manhattan synagogue. Our Gentile of the Week is author and podcaster Michael Lewis, who gamely revisits his 1993 Toy Goy article in the New Republic, tells us about being on the receiving end of antisemitic taunts for attending the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans and shares what he learned researching his 2016 book, The Undoing Project, about the friendship between Israeli cognitive psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman. Our Jew of the Week is Dana Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent and the co-anchor of CNN’s State of the Union. She joins us to tell us what she learned while reporting her recent CNN special, “Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America,” and why she decided to also make the story personal.  Our annual fundraiser is underway, and this year we’re upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox, and thank you for your support. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  Soom tahini is the perfect ingredient for your fall meals. Use discount code UNORTHODOX22 for 10% off your next order at soomfoods.com.

We're excited to introduce Gatecrashers, our newest Tablet Studios podcast. This 8-part series, hosted by our own Mark Oppenheimer, tells the hidden history of Jews in the Ivy League. Each episode focuses on one of the Ivies, and the series spans the last hundred years. Today, Mark shares the trailer and offers a behind the scenes look at Gatecrashers, with the help of Tablet Studios producer Quinn Waller and director of partnerships Tanya Singer. Stick around to the end for an exclusive preview of the first episode, about Columbia University and its forgotten campus for Jews. Gatecrashers launches on September 13 with two episodes: Columbia and Princeton. Subscribe now to Gatecrashers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find Unorthodox.

We're off this week, but our fundraiser keeps going! For every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox. We're so grateful for your support, which lets us continue to make not just Unorthodox, but also our growing slate of Tablet Studios shows. One of them is Liel's daily Talmud podcast, Take One, and today he is sharing a favorite episode from the archive. We’ll be in the Chicagoland area on September 8th for a live podcast taping at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois. Our Jewish guest is Chicago food writer John Kessler and our Gentile of the Week is Corey Brooks, founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and founder and CEO of Project H.O.O.D. We'll also be joined by Meredith Shiner, the host of our forthcoming podcast about Jews and sports. There will be schmoozing, giveaways, and more. Get your (free!) tickets at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive.

Our annual fundraiser is underway, and this year we’re upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox, and thank you for your support. Our Jew of the Week is Ilana Horwitz, who teaches the sociology of religion and education at Tulane. She joins us to talk about her new book, God, Grades, and Graduation: Religion's Surprising Impact on Academic Success.    Our gentile of the week is Australian writer Tim Winton, who chats with us about surfing, writing, and the feral camel population in Australia. We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Explore the fundamentals of Jewish mindfulness practices with Awaken: Essential Jewish Mindfulness, the new four-week intro program from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Sign up today at JewishSpirituality.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re kicking off our annual fundraiser and upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox. Abby Pogrebin returns to the show to tell us about the latest installment of The Minyan, her roundtable interview series for Tablet. She spoke with 10 Orthodox women about their identities and experiences and shares some of that conversation, and the insights it inspired. Check out The Minyan at tabletmag.com/minyan.  We also talk to Allison Josephs of Jew in the City about her work getting Hollywood to portray Orthodox Jews with more accuracy and depth.   We’re heading back on the road! Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Explore the fundamentals of Jewish mindfulness practices with Awaken: Essential Jewish Mindfulness, the new four-week intro program from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Sign up today at JewishSpirituality.org.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting serious. It’s Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning that commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. (Read more about it here.) Our Jewish guest is Rebecca Soffer of Modern Loss, who returns to the show tell us about her new book, The Modern Loss Handbook: An interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience.  Our Gentile of the Week is Walter Russell Mead, who joins us to discuss his new book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People. He tells us why he wanted to dispel many preconceived notions about America’s support for Israel, and explains why so many non-Jews throughout American history have supported the creation of a Jewish state. We’re heading back on the road! Check out our tour schedule at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive.  Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re melting down. To beat the heat, we’re bringing you interviews with two very cool Jews.  First we talk to singer songwriter Lisa Loeb, who has been entertaining music lovers of all ages since her breakout 1994 hit “Stay.” She shares how her childhood love of summer camp inspired her “Camp Lisa” record and foundation, plus she tells us about her eyewear collection and the similarities she’s discovered between performing for toddlers and drunk adults.  Our second guest is cantor-turned-jazz-singer Yisroel Leshes, who tells us about digging into the rich archives of 1920s-1940s Yiddish theater and reinterpreting those songs for a modern audience. You can catch Yisroel performing his music and showcasing other Jewish and Israeli music at his monthly pop-up series in New York City.   Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox: ‘Funny Girl’ casting shakeups, letters from camp, and more.  Our Jewish guest this week is Michael Uslan, who produced the Batman films. He talks with us about comic books as literature, and what makes Batman different from other superheroes.  Our Gentile of the Week is Iranian-American comedian and “Fake the Nation” podcast host Negin Farsad. She tells us about being mistaken for a Jew and shares her upcoming projects.  We want to hear from you! Take our listener survey and be entered to win a Russ & Daughters gift card: tabletm.ag/survey2022  We’re looking for contestants on our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! Do you know a curious kid aged 7-12 who wants to be challenged with fun Jewish quizzes and games? Go to tabletm.ag/hebrewschool for more information and to apply.  Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re wishing you a hearty ‘Shalom yellow.’ Our first Jew of the Week is Mike Pesca, host of the long-running daily podcast “The Gist,” which he recently relaunched independently. He tells us what podcasts he’s listening to, why it’s important to talk to people you disagree with, and about his childhood as a self-described ‘pizza bagel’ (half Jewish, half Italian).   Our second Jew of the Week is Argentinian journalist Javier Sinay, author of the newly translated book, The Murders of Moisés Ville: The Rise and Fall of the Jerusalem of South America. He tells us about the Jewish immigrant colony in Argentina that was home to Jewish gauchos, and how he went about solving a series of mysterious 1897 murders in the thriving Jewish enclave.  We want to hear from you! Take our listener survey and be entered to win a Russ & Daughters gift card. TK here:  We’re looking for contestants on our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! Do you know a curious kid aged 7-12 who wants to be challenged with fun Jewish quizzes and games? Go to tabletm.ag/hebrewschool for more information and to apply.  Send us emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re packing our trunks and heading to summer camp.   Our Jew of the Week is Meredith Shiner, host of our forthcoming Tablet Studios podcast about Jews and sports. She joins us today to discuss the new Sandy Koufax statue at Dodger Stadium, which was unveiled during Shabbat. Stay tuned for more about Meredith’s show, which launches this fall.    Our Gentile of the Week is Swami Tyagananda, a teacher at the Vedanta Center in Boston and Hindu chaplain at MIT and Harvard, who was part of The Tent, Tablet’s interfaith project. He explains how religion and spirituality play an important role in modern life, and asks a profound question about what Judaism believes about reincarnation. For more Swami Tyagananda, you can listen to his podcast here. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, bubbe or buh-bye?  Our Jew of the Week is Zachary Noah Piser, the new star of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. He joins us to talk about his experience taking over the title role in the show—which ends its Broadway run this fall—and his Jewish-Asian identity.  We hear from friend of the show Abigail Pogrebin about her new Tablet project, The Minyan, a series of roundtable discussions about the state of the Jewish community in America from a variety of perspectives. She shares a bit of audio from her first installment, a discussion with LGBTQ Jews.  We also check in with former guest Jonathan Ornstein, director of the Krakow JCC, who tells us about the work they are doing to help Ukrainian refugees.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re digging in.  Benedetta Guetta, author of the new cookbook, Cooking alla Giudia, joins us to discuss the fascinating—and delicious—culinary history of the Jews of Italy. We learn that Jews are responsible for bringing the orecchiette pasta shape to Italy, that Jews taught Italians how to cook eggplant, and that the Jews of Italy made kosher prosciutto using goose (here’s her recipe).  Barry Levenson tells us about the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, WI, which the former Wisconsin assistant attorney general founded to celebrate the condiment. He tells us about hosting the World-Wide Mustard Competition, the connections between Jews and mustard, and shares some of his favorite mustards, all of which are available for purchase through the museum’s store..   Our Gentile of the Week is Eric Huang, the former 11 Madison Park chef behind the fried chicken pop-up Pecking House. He tells us about shifting from fine dining to pandemic pop-up fame and shares his thoughts on a few of the Jewish culinary staples he grew up eating at friends’ houses.   We’re excited to feature the second installment of Cook Like a Jew, from associate producer Quinn Waller. First she learned to make chicken soup, and today she’s back to uncover the secrets of making homemade hummus with Liel. Join us June 16 at 5 p.m for “Can I Laugh At That?” a virtual panel discussion about comedy during trying times, hosted by Judy Gold and featuring Alex Edelman, Negin Farsad, and Mike Yard. Learn more and register at tabletm.ag/canilaugh.   We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, three of our favorite guests return to the show to tell us about their latest projects.  First we visit Philadelphia restaurateurs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook at their new Brooklyn restaurant Laser Wolf, a shipudiya, or Israeli skewer house, named for the butcher in Fiddler on the Roof. You can listen to our 2019 road trip to Philadelphia, where we spoke to Solomonov and Cook at their restaurant Zahav, on Episode 204.  Tablet columnist James Kirchick also returns to the show to talk about his new book, Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington.  Unorthodox joins The WNET Group’s Exploring Hate and All Arts on June 16 at 5 p.m to present “Can I Laugh At That?” a virtual panel discussion about comedy during trying times, hosted by Judy Gold and featuring Alex Edelman, Negin Farsad, and Mike Yard. Learn more and register at tabletm.ag/canilaugh.   We are hiring a community manager! Help us connect with the audiences of all our shows, run our social media, and generally be our cheerleader. It’s a paid six-month, part-time position, and a chance to work with your favorite Jewish podcasters. Learn more at tabletm.ag/community. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This final week is all about queenliness, and majesty.

Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This sixth week is all about connection and foundation.

This week, we present our fifth-annual Conversion Episode. Each year on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, we read the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of the first convert to Judaism. To celebrate Ruth and all the Jews by choice since then, we’re sharing three deeply personal stories about the path to becoming Jewish.  First we hear from our associate producer Quinn Waller, who is in the process of converting. Despite all her learning and studying, she is still dogged by feelings of inauthenticity, and she brings us along as she works through those emotions.  Listener Hunter Thomas shares his story of how a Jewish podcast (hi!) and a Jewish museum ultimately sparked his decision to convert.  We also catch up with Yael Wallace, whose story we shared on our 2019 conversion episode, and whose life since then has taken several dramatic turns. It’s an update you won’t want to miss.  Listen to all our conversion episodes here. To learn all about the holiday of Shavuot and get delicious dairy recipes, including Joan Nathan’s blintzes and cheesecake, head to tabletmag.com/shavuot.We are hiring a community manager! Help us connect with the audiences of all our shows, run our social media, and generally be our cheerleader. It’s a six-month, part-time position, and a chance to work with your favorite Jewish podcasters. Learn more at tabletm.ag/community We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This fifth week is all about endurance and perseverance.

This week, we’re back together, and totally off the wall.  We’re airing the interviews from our live show in Virginia Beach, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Our Jew of the Week is Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who represents Virginia's Second Congressional District. She tells us about her 20-year career in the Navy; being a fourth-generation Jewish Alabaman before moving to Virginia; and hosting a Passover Seder on an aircraft carrier.  Our Gentile of the Week is NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, who played for the Buffalo Bills for 15 seasons and finished out his career with the Washington Redskins. After he retired, he moved back to Virginia Beach. He tells us how to pronounce words like a local, what he learned from his football career, and whether Liel could make it in the NFL.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This fourth week is all about Netzach, or endurance and perseverance.

This week, we’re deep dishing about Licorice Pizza. Our Jew of the week is actress, neuroscientist, and Jeopardy! co-host Mayim Bialik, who makes her directorial debut with the “very, very Jewish” film As They Made Us.  Mayim wrote the film, about a woman coming to terms with her father’s decline and death, at the end of the traditional Jewish year of mourning following her own father’s death in 2015. She tells us about the film’s casting (Dustin Hoffman and Candace Bergen play the parents to Glee star Dianna Agron), how Jewish mourning rituals deepened her connection to Judaism, and what she’s learned from hosting the iconic game show.  Our Gentile of the Week is Eddie Chang, who moderates the Buy Nothing Facebook group for New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood. He tells us why he prefers sourcing items from the group’s twelve thousand members to buying things on Amazon, the best things he’s found through the group, and what he’s learned about the power of community along the way. His question for the hosts is which Jewish TV show is superior: Seinfeld or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Upcoming events: May 11. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.    May 25, 2022 — Mark, Stephanie, and Liel will be live in New York City for Central Synagogue’s Shavuot Boot Camp with Abigail Pogrebin. 5:30 p.m. Eastern; stream the event here. Find all our events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way, contact tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Spertus Institute’s Jewish Studies graduate programs make serious study available in a flexible formate for students of all ages, backgrounds, and knowledge levels. Find out more at spertus.edu/jewishstudies.

Today we’re sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This third week is all about Tipheret, or discipline and harmony.

This week, we’re celebrating motherhood: the messy, the funny, the sad, and the profound.  First, an interview with Jewish Fertility Foundation’s Elana Frank, host of the podcast Fruitful and Multiplying. Then we talk to comedian Ester Steinberg about her postpartum comedy special, Burning Bush. We also hear from Rabbi Ilana Garber about her son’s diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome, and Unorthodox producer Robert Scaramuccia shares a moving story about his mother. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Upcoming events: May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here.   May 25, 2022 — Mark, Stephanie, and Liel will be live in New York City for Central Synagogue’s Shavuot Boot Camp with Abigail Pogrebin. 5:30 p.m. Eastern; register here Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Get your copy of The Tab, Tablet’s free, printable weekly digest, at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Today we’re sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This second week is all about Gevurah, or discipline and restraint.

This week, we’re putting the pieces together.  Our Jewish guest is A.J. Jacobs, whose new book [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622520/the-puzzler-by-aj-jacobs/] is The Puzzler: One Man’s Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, From Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life. He explains why puzzles are such a useful way to see the world, tries to stump us with some Jewish riddles, and tells us what it’s like to appear as a New York Times Crossword clue. Listen to A.J.’s previous appearances on Unorthodox—on our very first episode in 2015, in 2017, and in 2018. We mark Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, with two special segments. First Liel talks to director Barry Levinson, whose latest film, The Survivor [​​https://www.hbo.com/movies/the-survivor], tells the true story of Harry Haft, a boxer who was forced to fight fellow inmates in Auschwitz. Then we hear a recording of a Yiddish song performed by Avi Wisnia and his late grandfather, Cantor David Wisnia. For more check out mypolishwisnia.com. [https://mypolishwiznia.com] We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Upcoming events: May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: HIAS: Make a gift to support HIAS’ emergency response in Ukraine at hias.org/unorthodox.

Today we’re sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s new podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily practice that includes everything from exploring the lyrics of Steven Sondheim, interviewing a ballet dancer, immersing herself in nature, and more. This first week is all about Chesed, or Lovingkindness.

This week, we’re grabbing our passports.  First we talk to Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman about their off-Broadway musical Harmony, which tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a trailblazing troupe of Jewish-and-gentile entertainers in 1920s Germany.    Professor Andy Markovits joins us to discuss his new memoir, The Passport as Home: Comfort in Rootlessness, about what he learned growing up as a Jew in Romania and Vienna before emigrating to the United States, and why he’s chosen to embrace the idea of the rootless cosmopolitan, despite (or perhaps in spite of) the term’s antisemitic origin.   Our Gentile of the Week is Tablet’s own Maggie Phillips, who reports about different religious communities in the U.S. as part of a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to improve religious literacy. You can read Maggie’s work here.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Upcoming events: May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: HIAS: Make a gift to support HIAS’ emergency response in Ukraine at hias.org/unorthodox.

We're excited to share a brand new Tablet Studios podcast hosted by our friend Kylie Unell. You might remember Kylie's spiritual journey in the lead-up to the High Holidays last year on "How to Fix a Soul in 30 Days". Now, Kylie is back with another show for another holiday season. The Jewish tradition of counting the Omer, or Sefirat Haomer, marks the 49 days between the second night of Passover and the start of Shavuot, and offers daily opportunities for spiritual challenge and growth. Kylie is putting her spin on this age-old tradition with "49 Days to Stretch my Soul," a new podcast featuring her daily reflections, readings, and conversations. "49 Days" airs each weekday for the seven weeks of the Omer. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and please leave a review. Write to us at podcasts@tabletmag.com. For more information about all of Tablet’s podcasts, visit tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week we’re sharing a special bonus episode to accompany your pre-Passover prep.  You heard musician Josh Warshawsky sing the order of the Seder on last week’s Passover episode, proving that even the Haggadah's table of contents offers musical inspiration. Today we’re airing Mark’s interview with Warshawsky, in which the rabbi and song leader discusses the various melodies of the Haggadah and takes us on a song-filled journey from start to finish.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Check out our upcoming events: tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Download The Tab, a printable weekly digest from Tablet: tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re digging into Passover traditions.   Stephanie Butnick rids her home of chametz, or leavened bread, with a legalistic assist from producer Robert Scaramuccia. Featuring Rivkah Slonim.  Liel Leibovitz explores the tradition of Jewish first-born sons fasting before Passover, which takes him in some unexpected literary directions. Featuring Erica Brown and Andre Aciman.  Producer Josh Kross interrogates the Wicked Child archetype, with the help of his teenage son. Featuring Rabbi Sari Laufer. Mark Oppenheimer explores the meaning behind the afikoman, and the various traditions surrounding the end-of-Seder snack. Featuring Dovid Bashevkin. Get prepared for Passover with Tablet's “Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times,” available at tabletm.ag/passover.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. April 11, 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Lisa Bar­r and James McAuley. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, a new printable weekly digest from Tablet: tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s New customers can get a Harry’s Trial Set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox. KOL Foods Use code UnorthodoxPesach for 10% off your Passover order at kolfoods.com.  HIAS Make a gift to support HIAS’ emergency response in Ukraine at hias.org/unorthodox.  ChaiFlicks Get your first month of streaming for only $3 by entering code UNORTHODOX at checkout at chaiflicks.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re calling the lox-smith.  Our Jew of the Week is Massachusetts State Senator Eric Lesser, who worked for the Obama campaign and administration and helped bring the first Seder to the White House. He’s now running for Lieutenant Governor, and he joins us for some Western Massachusetts Jewish geography and Friendly’s reminiscences.  Then we share a segment from our producer Quinn Waller. She’s converting to Judaism, and with her first Passover coming up, she’s getting into the kitchen and learning how to do it right.  Get prepared for Passover with Tablet's “Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times.” Our publisher is offering discounted sets at tabletm.ag/passover.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. April 11, 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Lisa Bar­r and James McAuley. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, a new printable weekly digest from Tablet: tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods offers healthy, sustainable, kosher meat and poultry. Use code UnorthodoxPesach for 10% off your order at kolfoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re all connected.  Our Jewish guest is Julie Platt, the new chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, and the mother of some very talented Jewish children. She tells us about the work JFNA is doing to help Jews in Ukraine, and shares her theories on why so many Camp Ramah alums end up on Broadway, her sons included.  Our Gentile of the Week is Father Thomas Soroka, an Eastern Orthodox priest at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh. He’s one of the faith leaders participating in The Tent, Tablet’s month-long project to promote faith accessibility and interfaith conversation. We talk about what orthodoxy means for Christians and he sheds some light on the religious context of the war in Ukraine. You can listen to Father Soroka’s radio shows here.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. April 11, 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Lisa Bar­r and James McAuley. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here.  May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods offers healthy, sustainable, kosher meat and poultry. Use code UnorthodoxPesach for 10% off your order at kolfoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re throwing a party. Our Jewish guest this week is Judith Rosenbaum, CEO of the Jewish Women’s Archive, who joins us to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the bat mitzvah in America. We talk about the first girl to be become a bat mitzvah, in 1922, plus what bat mitzvahs have meant for Jewish girls and women in the intervening century .  We also speak with Debbie Haback, who co-wrote the 1986 Preppy Handbook parody, The Jewish American Princess Handbook. Plus, we hear an essay from lawyer and writer Emma Sokoloff-Rubin about growing to love her curly Jewish hair.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out Tablet’s month-long interfaith project, The Tent, at welcometothetent.com.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. April 11, 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Lisa Bar­r and James McAuley. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods offers healthy, sustainable, kosher meat and poultry. Use code UnorthodoxPesach for 10% off your order at kolfoods.com.  ChaiFlicks, the Jewish streaming service, features the best TV and film from across the Jewish world. Get your first month’s subscription for only $3 by using code UNORTHODOX at checkout : www.chaiflicks.com

This week on Unorthodox, we’re doing the Wordle.   Evan Jacobson is a TikTok saxophone sensation. You might have seen his viral series where he adds sax solos to “songs that don’t need them.” We got him to compose sax solos to such cultural Jewish anthems as "Sunrise, Sunset" and Jeff Buckley’s cover of "Hallelujah." Shawn Setaro is a writer and podcaster, who created and hosted The Cipher, a hip-hop podcast produced by Unorthodox's own Josh Kross. He talks with us about his new book, Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from.  Check out Tablet’s month-long interfaith project, The Tent, at welcometothetent.com Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. April 11, 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Lisa Bar­r and James McAuley. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. May 22. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set—which includes a five-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel with aloe, and a travel cover—for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting jiggy with it.  Our Jewish guest is Lenny Solomon, frontman of the Jewish rock band Shlock Rock. He talks with us about what it takes to create a great parody song, the role of humor in music, and accounting. You can donate to his fundraiser for his musical, Daniel in Babylon, here. Our Gentile of the Week is professor and writer Devoney Looser, who teaches us about Jane Austen and roller derby, and the surprising ways in which these two subjects intersect. Check out Tablet’s month-long interfaith project, The Tent, at welcometothetent.com. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re lifting off.  This week we’re doing things a little differently. With the situation in Ukraine heating up, two Tablet writers offer their perspective. Vladislav Davidzon talks to us from the ground in Kyiv and Armin Rosen takes us to Uman for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.  We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. We’ve got events coming up! Feb. 24 — Mark will be the keynote speaker at the Jewish Festival of Learning at Cal Poly State University - San Luis Obispo. 5 p.m. PST; register here.  Feb. 24 — Stephanie will be in conversation with authors Gal Beckerman (“The Quiet Before”) and Talia Lavin (“Culture Warlords”) for the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. EST; register here. Feb. 25-27 — Mark will be the Scholar in Residence at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, PA. Register for his talks here.  April 7 — We’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. 7:30 p.m. Eastern, get your tickets here. Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re ordering gazpacho for the table.  Our Jewish guest this week is Tablet’s very own Wayne Hoffman, whose new book is The End of Her: Racing Against Alzheimers to Solve a Murder. He talks with us about family legends, coming to terms with his mother’s decline, and the morass of memory. We’re giving away a few free copies of Wayne’s book on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.  We’ve got events coming up! Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, we’ll be doing a live show at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with schmoozing and book signing afterwards. Get your tickets here. Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Eastern, Stephanie will be discussing Wayne Hoffman’s new book, The End of Her, at Manhattan’s KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St.  Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Eastern (virtual), Stephanie will be in conversation with authors Gal Beckerman (“The Quiet Before”) and Talia Lavin (“Culture Warlords”) for the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. Register here.    Get all our events info at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: ChaiFlicks is now streaming the hit Israeli comedy called “The New Black,” which follows four rebellious students at a yeshiva in Jerusalem as they try to reconcile their desire for modern life with their religious upbringing. Watch it now at chaiflicks.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re throwing it back.  Our Gentile of the week is writer Chuck Klosterman, whose new book is The Nineties. He tells us why the 90s were the last real decade, plus what it’s like to earnestly promote a book about an era when apathy reigned supreme. We, on the other hand, are happy to be commercial sellouts—we’re giving away copies of The Nineties on our Instagram and Facebook accounts. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel. Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tablet.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tsinger@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set—which includes a five-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel with aloe, and a travel cover—for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re all self-upgrading to business class.  Our Jewish guest is investigative journalist Carl Bernstein, of Watergate team Woodward and Bernstein, whose new memoir is Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom.   Our Gentile of the Week is The Great British Baking Show semi-finalist Jürgen Krauss, who won our hearts with his Passover plava recipe on Season 9. Krauss, who isn’t Jewish himself but is married to a Jewish woman and raising a Jewish family, tells us about representing his family’s Jewish faith in his flavors. He also shares a new Passover pavlova recipe with Unorthodox—check it out here. We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel.  Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tabletm.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way? Email tabletstudios@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Thirty Six is a new podcast from SoulShop and Bnai Zion hosted by Justin Hayet, who scours Israel to find the 36 most fascinating souls who bring an ancient Jewish tradition to life. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re bringing you a conversation with Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Temple Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX, who was held hostage along with three congregants during a Shabbat service two weeks ago Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Check out The Tab, Tablet magazine's new printable weekly digest. Laid out in an attractive PDF for reading on a tablet or desktop, or to be printed, The Tab takes you into Shabbat and through the weekend, for free. Get your copy at tablet.ag/tab.  Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Thirty Six is a new podcast from SoulShop and Bnai Zion hosted by Justin Hayet, who scours Israel to find the 36 most fascinating souls who bring an ancient Jewish tradition to life. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.    American Jewish World Service Renew your commitment to tikkun olam with a twice-matched gift to support social justice organizations in 18 countries around the world. Make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.   The Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s online introductory course in Jewish meditation will help you find calm in challenging situations. Sign up for “The Gift of Awareness” at jewishspirituality.org and use discount code Unorthodox for 20% off the 8-part course.

This week, we’re reflecting on the rabbi and three congregants held hostage at a Texas synagogue last Saturday.  We’re also sharing an interview with Mark Podwal, an artist who has illustrated for the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Times —and who has a day job as a dermatologist. He tells us how his art, rich with Jewish themes and imagery, is his expression of his Jewish identity Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors   The Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s online introductory course in Jewish meditation will help you find calm in challenging situations. Sign up for “The Gift of Awareness” at jewishspirituality.org and use discount code Unorthodox for 20% off the 8-part course.     American Jewish World Service Renew your commitment to tikkun olam with a twice-matched gift to support social justice organizations in 18 countries around the world. Make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Thirty Six is a new podcast from SoulShop and Bnai Zion hosted by Justin Hayet, who scours Israel to find the 36 most fascinating souls who bring an ancient Jewish tradition to life. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.  Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a trial set for just $3 when you go to HARRYS.COM/UNORTHODOX.

This week on Unorthodox, more Israel-related animal conspiracy theories.   Before she was Liz Lange, our Jewish guest was Liz Steinberg, niece of corporate raider Saul Steinberg. She tells the story of her family’s spectacular rise and eventual fall in the new podcast, “The Just Enough Family.”  Our Gentile of the Week is Delvyn Case, a Christian composer who has written a cantata about the binding of Isaac, based on his reading of one rabbi's midrash that suggests that Abraham actually killed Isaac. Plus, more news from Belgium!  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management Earn your master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Innovation while you work. Learn more about the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management at zschool.huc.edu. Scholarships available. AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world, and when you donate to AJWS this holiday season, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Thirty Six is a new podcast from SoulShop and Bnai Zion hosted by Justin Hayet, who scours Israel to find the 36 most fascinating souls who bring an ancient Jewish tradition to life. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.  The Power Of is a new podcast featuring host Noam Weissman and a diverse range of guests discussing how Jewish wisdom can help us find real, practical meaning within our own lives. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, we’re celebrating a major milestone: 300 episodes. That’s more than 18,000 minutes of tape over six years, featuring thousands of News of the Jews items, hundreds of amazing Jews and Gentiles of the Week, and way too many jokes about Belgium. We’ve been through a lot together, J-Crew. There was the Saran Wrap vs. tin foil fight, the debate over backing into parking spaces, and endless discussions of what activities might accurately be categorized as “Jewish.” We’ve shared stories of conversion and atonement and nose jobs, and performed live shows across the country, from St. Louis to San Diego, and Denver to Detroit. Along the way, our team wrote a book, welcomed three human children and six podcast babies, and even got to be part of a proposal and then a wedding. Today, we’re celebrating everything that makes Unorthodox the #1 Jewish podcast with a special episode hosted by friend-of-the-show and “Making It” judge Simon Doonan. You’ll hear stories from our hosts—about Stephanie finding her voice, Mark learning what happens when an off-hand comment incites an unexpected online mob, and Liel realizing that fighting about politics isn’t always worth it — and messages from listeners and some of our favorite former guests. On behalf of the entire Unorthodox team, Shalom friends—and thanks for listening. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management - Earn your master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Innovation while you work. Learn more about the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management at zschool.huc.edu. Scholarships available. The Power Of is a new podcast featuring host Noam Weissman and a diverse range of guests discussing how Jewish wisdom can help us find real, practical meaning within our own lives. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world, and when you donate to AJWS this holiday season, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re drinking the eggnog and going all in on Christmas. Did you know your favorite Christmas song was probably written by a Jew? Marc Tracy returns to the show to shed light on the surprising history of Jewish songwriters and Christmas music, and shares a list of the 10 best Christmas songs written by Jews.  It wouldn’t be a bunch of Jews talking about a holiday—even one that isn’t our own—without a serious discussion of food. Jewish cookbook author and New York Times Cooking columnist Melissa Clark tells us about the chocolate babka rugelach recipe she contributed to the Times’ Christmas cookie collection. Our super-intern Quinn Waller—our Quinntern—brings us an amazing personal story about the Christmas spirit she grew up with, and how she continued to believe in Santa long after all her friends stopped.  What’s it like being a Jewish ballerina and dancing in “The Nutcracker,” the most Christmas-y ballet of all time? American Ballet Theater principal dancer Skylar Brandt, who this year is performing the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” tells us all about it.   New York-area listeners, travel back in time to 1970s NYC's haute kosher Chinese restaurant, Moshe Peking, for a prix-fixe dinner to remember on December 25, 2021. Chef Eric Huang of Pecking House and Wall Street Grill’s Joey Paulino reimagine the iconic Moshe Peking menu with a 5-course feast of short ribs, duck dumplings, sesame noodles, and more, all under OU supervision at Wall Street Grill. Get your ticket at bit.ly/moshepeking. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world, and when you donate to AJWS this holiday season, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers with $36,000 toward their initiatives. Learn more and apply or nominate a teen at dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox.  Spertus Institute’s Certificate in Jewish Leadership is a skill-building resource specifically geared to the particular needs of Jewish organizations. Find out more at spertus.edu/certificate.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re diving deeper into the cream cheese shortage.  Our first guest is Dorothy Kalins, cookbook writer and former editor in chief of Saveur magazine. Liel talks to her about her new book, “The Kitchen Whisperers: Cooking with the Wisdom of Our Friends.” Then Liel sits down with retired Harvard professor Ruth Wisse, whose new memoir is “Free Like a Jew: A Personal Memoir of National Self-Liberation.”  Our 300th episode is coming up this month, and we want you to be part of it. Has Unorthodox meant something to you, or played a part in your Jewish journey? Has a particular interview made you think, or a special episode stuck with you? Share your Unorthodox story by recording a voice memo on your phone and emailing it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leaving a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you're calling from.  New York-area listeners, travel back in time to 1970s NYC's haute kosher Chinese restaurant, Moshe Peking, for a prix-fixe dinner to remember on December 25, 2021. Chef Eric Huang of Pecking House reimagines the iconic Moshe Peking menu with a 5-course feast of short ribs, duck dumplings, sesame noodles, and more, all under OU supervision at Wall Street Grill. Get your ticket at bit.ly/moshepeking. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors:  AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world, and when you donate to AJWS this holiday season, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers with $36,000 toward their initiatives. Learn more and apply or nominate a teen at dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox.  Rothys makes stylish and sustainable shoes and accessories. Get $20 off your first  purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re prepping for the great cream cheese shortage of 5782. First we call up friend of the show Joshua Malina, who wrote an impassioned essay in the Atlantic asking why, after such a public history of antisemitism, Mel Gibson is still getting work in Hollywood.  Then we talk to Yonit Levi, Israel’s Channel 12 evening news anchor, who recently launched the podcast Unholy with The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland.  Our Gentile of the Week is University of Oregon professor Annelise Heinz, whose new book, Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture, delves into the Jewish community’s enthusiastic embrace of the tile game.  Our 300th episode is coming up this month, and we want you to be part of it. Has Unorthodox meant something to you, or played a part in your Jewish journey? Has a particular interview made you think, or a special episode stuck with you? Share your Unorthodox story by recording a voice memo on your phone and emailing it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leaving a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you're calling from.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world, and when you donate to AJWS this holiday season, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers with $36,000 toward their initiatives. Learn more and apply or nominate a teen at dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox.  Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get $5 off any holiday shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we really can’t stop talking about Hanukkah—read our op-ed all about it in the Washington Post. First we talk to actress Sarah Podemski, who stars on the new FX on Hulu show Reservation Dogs. She tells us about her “Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi” heritage and growing up in Toronto’s Jewish community, plus her experience working with an all-Indigenous cast and creative team on Reservation Dogs.     Then Liel has a candid conversation with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat about his new book, The Deep Places, an account of his confounding struggle with chronic Lyme Disease.    Throughout the episode you’ll hear “The Hanukkah Song 2.0” from our friends Kosha Dillz and Nissim Black.  We’re looking for listeners to be part of two upcoming episodes. Send us your best Jew-at-Christmas stories, like the time you accidentally ruined Santa for the whole class. And on a more earnest note, has Unorthodox meant something special to you? Share your story for our 300th episode. You can leave us a voicemail at 914-570-4869 or even better, record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers with $36,000 toward their initiatives. Learn more and apply or nominate a teen at dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox.  AJWS supports activism in 18 countries around the world. When you give to AJWS this Hanukkah, your gift will be matched to make double the impact. Give today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Chai Flicks streams Jewish and Israeli movies and TV, with hundreds of films, series, and documentaries to choose from. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and enter code CHECKOUT to get 50% off your first month subscription. Hanukkah Homecoming Hundreds of communities are throwing Hanukkah Homecoming events this weekend. Find all the Hanukkah happenings in one place at hanukkahhomecoming.org.  Tikvah Scholars Program at Yale University brings together Jewish 10th and 11th grade students to push their intellectual limits with world-class faculty. Learn more and apply or nominate a teen at tikvahscholars.org.

Stacy Keach joins Liel to discuss his upcoming presentation of the play "Vienna," created by Stacy Keach Zoom Theater (SKZ). The show begins airing on YouTube on Sunday, November 28, and will be available through Wednesday, December 1. Admission is free. Donations are welcome to benefit The Actors Fund of America. To access the production, visit stacykeachzoomtheater.com.

Unorthodox is off this week for Thanksgiving, but we're bringing you "Pigging Out," an episode from our friends at Israel Story: "Not once, but twice, does the Bible admonish us to abstain from eating the flesh of the pig. And though there are many other animals we are commanded to avoid, the pig has—over the centuries—become the quintessential symbol of all that is unkosher, impure, and morally reprehensible. But was that always the case? In an episode that starts in prehistoric times and ends in the 21st century, we explore the place of all kinds of porcines—from piggy banks to pork sausages and from wild boars to Iron Age bones—in Israeli society." Send us your stories for our Unorthodox Christmas episode at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, it’s beginning to look a lot like Hanukkah! The Festival of Lights starts Sunday, Nov. 28, and we could think of no better way to kick off a holiday about the triumph of Jewish observance over assimilation than with a special episode featuring some amazing Jews whose work celebrates Jewish culture and identity.  Comedian and proud Jew Judy Gold—aka @jewdygold—joins us to discuss embracing her Jewishness on stage and off, and lighting Hanukkah candles in hotel rooms as she tours the country during the ‘holiday season.’ For more Judy Gold, check out her podcast “Kill Me Now” and her book Yes, I Can Say That, and find her tour schedule at judygold.com. Listen to Judy’s previous appearances on the show here and here.  Jake Cohen, author of Jew-ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch, shares his Hanukkah menu (a latke bar!) and tells us why he loves wearing his Star of David necklace on Good Morning America. We’re giving away free copies of Jew-Ish to a few lucky listeners! Check out the giveaway on our Instagram and in our Facebook group.  Plus we talk #HanukkahFails with Rachel Kenneth and hear new Hanukkah music from Sarah Aroeste and Jeremiah Lockwood. Tablet’s 100 Most Jewish Foods book has been reimagined as a jigsaw puzzle, memory game, and sticker book, just in time for Hanukkah. Shop the whole set here. Send us your stories for our Christmas episode at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports more than 500 grassroots human rights organizations in 18 countries around the world. Made a twice matched donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox.  Rothy’s shoes are stylish, comfortable, and sustainable. Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX. Chai Flicks is a streaming service dedicated to Jewish and Israeli movies and TV, with hundreds of films, series, and documentaries to choose from. Visit ChaiFlicks.com and enter code CHECKOUT to get 50% off your first month subscription. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set—which includes a five-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel with aloe, and a travel cover—for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, are we ready for a Better Bagel? Our guest is novelist Alice McDermott, whose latest book is What About the Baby? Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction. She tells us about her 1998 National Book Award-winning novel, Charming Billy, as well as her Catholic faith, relationship with the church, and what she misses now that she’s no longer teaching. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Tablet’s 100 Most Jewish Foods book has been reimagined as a jigsaw puzzle, memory game, and sticker book, just in time for Hanukkah. Check out the whole set here. Sponsors: Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers from across the United States with an award of $36,000 to honor their initiatives to help change the world. Nominate a teen by January 7 at dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox. AJWS supports more than 500 grassroots human rights organizations in 18 countries around the world. Made a twice matched donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Spertus Institute’s Certificate in Jewish Leadership is specifically geared to the particular needs of Jewish organizations. Find out more at spertus.edu/certificate.

This week on Unorthodox, our national nightmare is over: Stephanie returns to the show! We talk to comedian Alex Edelman, whose new one-man show, “Just For Us,” is about the time he infiltrated a white supremacist gathering. Edelman, who was raised Orthodox, tells us about starting to wrap tefillin again during the pandemic, his work on Saturday Night Seder, and why some Jewish comedians miss the mark for him. “Just For Us” runs Dec. 1-19 at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. Then we visit Sherry Herring, New York City’s latest culinary import from Tel Aviv and Liel’s favorite place on Earth, to sample chipotle tuna and piri piri sardine sandwiches and learn about the Jewish love of smoked fish. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards recognize 15 extraordinary Jewish teenagers from across the United States with an award of $36,000 to honor their initiatives to help change the world. You can nominate a teen today or they can apply directly by January 7. Visit dillerteenawards.org/unorthodox to learn more. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set—which includes a five-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel with aloe, and a travel cover—for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox. Rothy’s shoes are stylish and sustainable, and now they’re available for men too! Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX.

Three years after the Tree of Life synagogue shooting that killed 11 Jews, we return to Pittsburgh with a special episode based on Mark Oppenheimer's reporting for his new book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood. You’ll hear from the local high schoolers who planned the Saturday night vigil that drew thousands of people, from the Pulitzer-winning editor of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette explaining how he conceived the paper's famous Hebrew-language front page headline, and from the archivist responsible for cataloging the thousands of pieces of mail received by the synagogue from around the world. Listeners will learn about the evangelical Christian carpenter who drove nine hours to place handmade crosses, to which he affixed Stars of David, outside the synagogue, and the member of the Jewish burial society who was shot in the attack and who then helped prepare the bodies of fellow members for burial. Listen to our 2018 episode, recorded from Pittsburgh in the hours following the shooting, here. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: The 15th annual Other Israel Film Festival is taking place November 4–11 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. This festival provides an in-depth look into Israeli and Palestinian societies, and this year features both in-person and virtual screenings. For more info and tickets, visit otherisrael.org.

This week on Unorthodox, former guest Gavriel Savit joins us for a spooktacular Halloween episode. We talk about the Jewishness of Dune, William Shatner’s mission to the moon, why some religious Jews don’t celebrate Halloween, and more. Our Jewish guest is actor, author, and substance abuse counselor Stacey Nelkin, who starred in the 1982 film Halloween III: Season of the Witch. She joins us to reminisce about the critically panned cult classic. Our Gentile of the week is Carrie Harris, a fiction writer whose work features monsters, mayhem, and murder. She tells us why horror writing flourishes in uncertain times, and reads a passage from her new young adult book, Elder God Dance Squad, which she describes as ‘Stranger Things meets Bring It On.’ Dara Horn, author of the new book People Love Dead Jews, and host of the podcast “Adventures with Dead Jews,” gets us in the holiday spirit with a reading of “The Dead Town” by Yiddish writer I.L. Peretz. (Translated by Helen Frank and Hillel Halkin, abridged and adapted by Dara Horn.) Listen to Liel on a special crossover episode of “People of the Pod,” discussing “How the Jews Went Right in Britain.” It’s the first installment of “21st Century Europe and the Jews,” a four-part collaboration between Tablet and American Jewish Committee. Listen to the episode here, and learn more about the series here. It’s that time of the year! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox. Send comments and questions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Rothy’s shoes are stylish and sustainable, and now they’re available for men too! Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX

This week, while Mark’s on book tour and Stephanie is dancing with diapers, we’re bringing you a minisode with a special story of the impact of a single hungry draft dodger. Enjoy! On October 19 at 12pm ET, Liel will be moderating a live discussion along with Manya Brachear Pashman of American Jewish Committee's podcast, People of the Pod. This is the first in a four-part series by Tablet Magazine and AJC titled “21st Century Europe and the Jews”, which aims to address timely issues related to Jewish life and the protection of democracies in Europe. The series will delve into the most pressing issues in the United Kingdom, Poland, France, and Germany. The October 19th live program, “How the Jews Went Right in Britain,” will start with the UK. Go to AJC.org/Tablet to register, and for more details! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! Aa always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

In this week's news, the Orthodox Union won't certify "Impossible Pork," Maccabi Haifa receives an interesting welcome in Berlin, and Mark owns a wetsuit. Tablet Studios is proud to bring you Radioactive, a new narrative podcast about Radio Priest and renowned antisemite Father Charles Coughlin. Enjoy this sneak peek, as well as Liel's conversation with host Andrew Lapin, and make sure to subscribe Liel also sits down with pianist Simone Dinnerstein, who recently conducted a walking tour throughout Green-Wood Cemetery including performances on several pianos scattered throughout the route. We are launching our fundraiser! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! Aa always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a Harry's trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we interrupt our usual programming to talk about interrupting, and the battle between extroverts in introverts. Liel speaks with Professor Jacques Berlinerblau about his new book The Philip Roth We Don't Know: Sex, Race, and Autobiography, and Mark speaks with Hanna Stein, who portrays Shira Liedman on the Netflix's Never Have I Ever, and who was connected to us by her dad, a proud member of the J-Crew. We are launching our fundraiser! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Happy Sukkot, J-Crew! While we sit here in our huts, shaking our palm fronds and citrons,we bring you a slew of Jews redefining the term "modern day heroes." First, Tablet Chief Administrative Office Sam Hacker heroically swoops in to guest host, saving the show from another week of just Mark and Liel. Then, Liel speaks with author E. Lockhart, the author of Whistle: A New Gotham Hero, featuring DC Comics' first Jewish superhero in over 40 years, Willow Zimmerman. Finally, Mark speaks with Jonathan Lipnicki, a jiu-jitsu and MMA trained fighter using his talents to protect Jews from antisemitic attacks. Oh and you might remember him from such movies as Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists working with vulnerable communities around the globe throughout the ongoing pandemic. Make your double-matched, tax-deductible donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Rothy's shoes aren't just for women anymore! Rothy’s now sells men’s sneakers and men’s driving loafers. Right now, you can get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/UNORTHODOX

Welcome to our annual apology episode! As we do every year, we searched far and wide for stories about apologies, forgiveness, and repentance. We hope this episode inspires you to approach Yom Kippur with some new insights and appreciation for making amends. First, we speak with legal scholar and Former Dean of Harvard Law School Martha Minow about US law and forgiveness, and whether the justice system should perhaps be more forgiving. Then, Rabbi Jonathan Spira-Savett, host of the new podcast Tov!, speaks with Producer Robert about the concept of teshuva, repentance, and the source he believes can educate us all on repentance--NBC's The Good Place, starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. Next, writer Simone Ellin recounts her experience confronting her childhood bullies, and uncovers the surprising truth about how others remember events that were so traumatic to her. We hear from author Susan Shapiro about her new memoir, The Forgiveness Tour, which explores many of the subjects we talk about when we talk about apologies--should you forgive someone who doesn't apologize, what Judaism has to say about forgiveness, and whether some sins are truly unpardonable. And you know it isn't an Unorthodox apology episode without a visit from our favorite apology expert, former Tablet colleague and Founder of the blog SorryWatch, Marjorie Ingall. Sorry, not sorry. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists working with vulnerable communities around the globe throughout the ongoing pandemic. Make your double-matched, tax-deductible donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a Harry's trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Happy Jewish Year 5782! While we normally celebrate new beginnings on Rosh Hashana, this year we are choosing to turn to the comfort of some of our favorite things. Join us to celebrate Rosh Hashana and celebrate the new Jewish year with the equivalent of a hug for your years. First, we bring you our interview with star of stage and screen Tovah Feldshuh, who spoke with us a couple months back as part of a live show with the Community Scholar Program  and the Merage Jewish Community Center sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County and Jewish Federation Orange County. Then, Liel speaks with Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg of the Jewish Bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain.  The duo also perform a special song to ring in the new year with Unorthodox. Finally, we bring you a sneak peak of our new Tablet Studios podcast, Adventures with Dead Jews, hosted by author Dara Horn. Join her as she endevours to uncover why everyone loves dead Jews. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists working with vulnerable communities around the globe throughout the ongoing pandemic. Make your double-matched, tax-deductible donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Unpacking Israeli History the hit podcast from Unpacked is now available wherever you find your podcasts.

While the Unorthodox team is taking a short break, we wanted to share a sneak peek into Antisemitism, Explained, a new project by Tablet journalist (and former Unorthodox guest) Yair Rosenberg. You can watch the whole series at: http://bitly.com/AntisemitismExplained The resurgence of attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions across the USA and the globe has brought the issue of antisemitism into sharp focus once again. To understand the historical roots of current antisemitic events and to unpack how antisemitism shapes and affects young Jews’ identities and the world in which they live, OpenDor Media’s division Unpacked produced a series of six YouTube videos written by award-winning journalist Yair Rosenberg, designed to debunk seven of the most common myths about this phenomenon. Listen for a taste of what you might learn from these videos, as well as an interview between Liel and Yair. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

While Stephanie is off hanging with baby Edith, Mark and Liel are taking a serious look at the relationship between Israeli Jews and the American Diaspora.  Massachusetts born and raised Mark digs deep into Liel’s perspectives about the United States while growing up in Israel, and how they have changed now that he’s been in America for over 20 years. Are the American and Israeli Jewish communities heading for a “divorce" like so many have predicted, or can we bring the communities closer together, and how. Can sports help? Liel speaks with Zvika Klein, an American born Israeli journalist covering American Jewry on how he sees this very special relationship. Liel also speaks with Guri Alfi, Israel's top stand-up comic who just starred in a reality show called The New Jew, all about American Jews, the first ever of its kind. Finally, we hear from Yoni Rosenblatt, a doctor for Israel's baseball team on their recent Olympic journey, and what it means for the Americans on the team to represent the Jewish state. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods wants to give you a free turkey breast! Head to KOLFoods.com and use promo code UnorthodoxRH while you check out for 10% off your order. If you're one of the first 15 new customers to order, you'll get a free turkey breast. And remember, you have until Monday, August 16 to save on shipping. Shana tovah!

This week on Unorthodox, we have a very special guest host! Former all-star Unorthodox guest Kylie Unell joins Mark and Liel to talk about the important news of the Jews, including Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher's lack of showers, and Argentina's lack of tact. Enjoy a sneak peak of Kylie's upcoming Tablet podcast How to Fix a Soul in 30 Days. Get ready for Jewish Year 5782 by traveling along with Kylie as she searches for her soul. We also speak with GOTW Liam McCabe, senior staff writer for Wirecutter, about the high stakes responsibility of recommending home appliances. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods wants to give you a free turkey breast! Head to KOLFoods.com and use promo code UnorthodoxRH while you check out for 10% off your order. If you're one of the first 15 new customers to order, you'll get a free turkey breast The Institute for Jewish Spirituality presents The Shofar Project  an incredible, free program. It runs throughout the month of Elul, right up to Rosh Hashanah. Sign up at jewishspirituality.org. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a Harry's trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, it's all about free lobster, dog crimes, and of course...Israeli stray cats. We speak with Jaren Lewison, star of the Netflix show "Never Have I Ever." He tells us about playing a Jewish character on a hit TV show, working with Mindy Kaling and Andy Samberg, and balancing college life (go ZBT!) and acting. Then we hear from Gentile of the Week Andrew Gruel, Founder and Executive Chef of Slapfish Restaurant, who spoke with us about his work combating hunger, including providing free lobster to those in need. But first, an important request from our own Mark Oppenheimer. Can you help him out? Leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or email him at moppenheimer@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: KOL Foods wants to give you a free turkey breast! Head to KOLFoods.com and use promo code UnorthodoxRH while you check out for 10% off your order. If you're one of the first 15 new customers to order, you'll get a free turkey breast

This week on Unorthodox, we’re talking all things Jewish pregnancy, from traditions and superstitions to genetic testing and fertility treatment. First we hear from Estie Rose, a genetic counselor and outreach coordinator for JScreen, a genetic testing nonprofit based at Emory University, about the importance of screening for Tay-Sachs, the BRCA gene, and other specifically Jewish conditions when planning for pregnancy. Then Dr. Bat-Sheva Maslow, a reproductive endocrinologist at Extend Fertility, explains halachic infertility, how common it really is, and what experts like them can do to solve/cure/manage fertility challenges. Next, we dive into the superstitions that arise when you’re expecting Jewishly. To cover what these traditions are and why they have such a strong hold over so many of us, we turn to Rabbi Mychal Springer, adjunct professor at Jewish Theological Seminary and manager of clinical pastoral education at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dara Horn, whose forthcoming book is People Love Dead Jews, and Esther Levy-Chehebar, a Tablet contributor who has written about her family’s Syrian Jewish pregnancy traditions. Then Rabbi Miriam-Simma Walfish, faculty and senior pedagogy coach at the Hadar Institute, tells us about some of the biblical mothers whose stories still resonate today. Finally, we speak to Anita Diamant, the bestselling author of novels like The Red Tent, about her pregnancy guide The New Jewish Baby Book and why we spend so much time puzzling over baby names. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists working with vulnerable communities around the globe throughout the ongoing pandemic. Make your twice-matched, tax-deductible donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. KOL Foods wants to give you a free turkey breast! Be one of the first ten people to head to KOLFoods.com and use promo code UnorthodoxRH while you check out for 10% off your order.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re observing Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning, and Tu B’Av, the Jewish Valentine’s Day, all at once. First we hear from Menachem Kaiser, author of “Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure,” his story of attempting to reclaim an apartment building in Sosnowice, Poland that his family owned before the Holocaust, and his unlikely discovery of a familial connection to... Nazi treasure hunters. Then we talk to NFL reporter Jori Epstein and Holocaust survivor Max Glauben about collaborating to write “The Upstander,” a book that tells the story of Max’s life and the lessons he wants to share. And finally, in honor of Tu B’Av, the Jewish Valentine’s Day, we check in with Unorthodox listeners Sabrina and Brian Cartan, who ran into Jeff Goldblum while taking their wedding photos this weekend. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists working with vulnerable communities around the globe throughout the ongoing pandemic. Make your twice-matched, tax-deductible donation today at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Unorthodox is off this week, but we wanted to bring you the latest from two of our other podcasts. First you'll hear an update from our Tablet colleague Armin Rosen, who spent last week reporting from the aftermath of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, and who dropped by Take One, our daily Talmud podcast, to weigh in on a page of Talmud that feels eerily relevant to the Surfside tragedy. Then you'll hear Episode 4 of our kids quiz show Hebrew School, which is back for Season 2, hosted by Sabrina Marielle Friedman and Frank Spiro. We'll be back next week with a new episode of Unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: Bagels and latkes and shvantzes, oh my. Our first guest is David Fishof, the longtime music agent and producer who created Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, where music fans get to schmooze with rock icons. He tells us about the Jewish influences behind his work, his favorite musicians to work with, and the new documentary about Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. Next we talk to Sports Illustrated’s L. Jon Wertheim, who returns to the show to tell us about his latest book, Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever. Be part of our upcoming Yom Kippur apology episode! Do you have a story of an apology given or owed? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Starter Set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, vegemite drama in Israel. Our first guest is Shira Haas, the Israeli actress best known for her starred role on the Netflix series Unorthodox and the Israeli hit Shtisel. She tells us about learning English by watching TV as a kid, how she responds to criticism of Unorthodox’s portrayal of Orthodox Judaism, and her upcoming role as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. Our next guest is Daniel Oppenheimer, brother of our host Mark, who returns to the show to tell us about his latest book, an appreciation of the critic Dave Hickey. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, the curious case of the kosher ham. Our Jewish guest is Raviv Ullman, who starred in the early aughts Disney Channel show Phil of the Future and who now hosts the weekly parsha podcast “The Study.” The Israeli-born actor tells us about embracing the rituals of Jewish life during the pandemic, and finding the value of identifying modern themes in ancient Jewish texts, even when those themes might be challenging. Our Gentile of the Week is investigative reporter Madeleine Baran, who hosts the podcast “In The Dark” from APM Reports. Her reporting for the show helped lead the Supreme Court to overturn the conviction of death row inmate Curtis Flowers. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, it’s everyone vs. Bibi. Our Jewish guest is Iranian American writer Roya Hakakian, whose latest book, A Beginner's Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious, paints a portrait of what the new immigrant experience in America is really like. She explains how, in addition to the grand ideals of liberty and opportunity offered in America, the mundane day-to-day elements of American life—like being able to return clothing to a store—remain jaw-droppingly liberating for immigrants, long after they’ve arrived. Our Gentile of the Week is poet and Yale Divinity School professor Christian Wiman, who shares how Abraham Joshua Heschel inspired his personal religious journey, and how that journey is foundational to his poetry. His question for the hosts is a personal one: Do they believe in god, or is their connection to Judaism more cultural? Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists defending the sexual health and rights of women, girls and LGBTQI+ people across the world. This Pride Month, make a twice-matched gift to AJWS that supports local organizations advocating for justice for all people and building equitable communities at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is the perfect gift for Father’s Day. New customers can get a Starter Set for just $3, and from now until June 20, take $5 off any shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Unorthodox is off this week, but we’re bringing you "The Deal with Nissim Black," a new podcast from our friends over at the Joshua Network, [link out]. The show features Nissim Black, who was featured on our conversion episode last month, in conversation with a wide range of Jewish guests. This episode features Nissim’s interview with former Unorthodox guest Eve Barlow . In this conversation, which was recorded about a month ago, Nissim and Eve get deep into their experiences of being Jews and finding their place in the world. Have a story to share on our upcoming episode about Jewish scouting or our annual Apology Episode? Send us an email or voicenote at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at at (914) 570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, ceasefire in Israel and chaos on social media. Our Jewish guest this week is former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer Jen Spyra, who returns to the show to discuss her debut book, a wacky collection of short stories called Big Time. Our Gentile of the week is novelist John Green, whose latest book, The Anthropocene Reviewed, is based on his podcast of the same name, which reviews various facets of our modern lives using a five-star scale. He also tells us about the infamous Anne Frank house kissing scene in his novel-turned-film, The Fault in Our Stars. Join us for virtual events! Sunday, May 30 — Liel will be talking to Andrew Fox about his new book, The Bad Luck Spirits' Social Aid and Pleasure Club, a fantasy tale about a Jewish ayin harah, or evil eye, named Kay Rosenblatt living in New Orleans and doing her best to deal with the chaos that ensues after her fellow demons summon a hurricane. 11:30 a.m. EDT; register here. Tuesday, June 1 — Liel will be talking to Sohrab Ahmari, New York Post op-ed editor and author of The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos, about his journey from Iran to America, his conversion to Catholicism, and about how our faith traditions give us the tools we so desperately need to survive and thrive in these scary and tumultuous times. 7:30 p.m. EDT; Register here. Thursday, June 3 — Stephanie will be interviewing Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times reporter and author of Horse Crazy: The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal, about her family’s Holocaust history (and, of course, horses), presented by the Museum of Jewish Heritage. 7 p.m. EDT; Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a starter set valued at $13 for just $3 at HARRYS.COM/UNORTHODOX.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re doing our best to process—and to help you process—what’s going on in Israel and Gaza. First we talk with Israeli journalist Matti Friedman, whose recent article for Tablet, “Jerusalem of Glue,” highlights the gap between the outward narrative of conflict and the more cohesive day-to-day reality on the ground in the city. He’s been on the show before, talking about his book Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel. Then we take you into the bomb shelters of Tel Aviv, where Carrie Keller-Lynn and Aliza Landes, hosts of the podcast “Us Among the Israelis, have been documenting their experiences as an audio diary. We're here for you as we all process this together. Send us a note at unorthodox@tabletmag.com and let us know how we can be a resource for you.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re proud to present our fourth-annual conversion episode. On Shavuot we read the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of the first convert to Judaism. To celebrate Ruth and all the Jews by choice since then, we’re sharing stories of conversion from all over the world. First, an interview with New York Times reporter Nellie Bowles, who has been chronicling her conversion process in her online newsletter, “Chosen by Choice.” Tablet Fellow Nina Lichtenstein describes converting for her Jewish husband (and her Jewish mother-in-law) more than two decades ago, and staying Jewish for herself after their divorce. Rapper Nissim Black shares his spiritual journey, which took him from devout Christianity to gangster rap and finally to Orthodox Judaism. Novelist Jessamyn Hope tells the story of her Italian Catholic mother’s conversion to Reform Judaism, and the many conflicted feelings Jessamyn had about it throughout her own life. Tablet Fellow Elie Bleier brings us a report from Israel about Nativ, a program that expedites conversions for soldiers serving in the IDF who aren't considered Jewish by the rabbinate. Plus, hear stories from our listeners about their own conversion experiences. Want more Unorthodox? Listen to our previous conversion episodes: 2020 Conversion Episode 2019 Conversion Episode 2018 Conversion Episode Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: AJWS supports activists on the ground in India helping communities during the COVID-19 surge. You can help get personal protective equipment, psychosocial support, and other critically needed aid to communities like those in India by making a twice-matched, tax-deductible donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: Gal Gadot’s pandemic injury. First we speak to Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, the Linfield University professor who was fired after publicizing accusations of sexual misconduct and anti-Semitism regarding the board of trustees and the college president. Then we welcome back one of our favorite Gentiles of the Week, Noreen Malone, who is hosting the fifth season of Slate’s Slow Burn podcast, where she breaks down the lead-up to the second Iraq War. Her question for the hosts is whether it’s rude to order blatantly non-kosher items when dining out with people who keep kosher. And finally, we call up Tel Aviv-based Tablet contributor Dana Kessler, who tells us about her most recent article for the magazine, about a new digital compilation of Turkish and Israeli music. We’re recording a new season of Hebrew School, our kids game show podcast! Do you know a child aged 7-12 who should be a contestant? Email hebrewschool@tabletmag.com to apply. Upcoming virtual events: Sunday, May 23 — Stephanie and Liel will be speaking with the Jewish Federation of Reading, PA. 11 a.m. EDT; Register here. Thursday, June 3 — Stephanie will be interviewing journalist Sarah Maslin Nir about her book Horse Crazy and her family’s Holocaust history. 7 p.m. EDT; Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a special offer and a Harry’s Starter Set and Body Wash at harrys.com/unorthodox. AJWS supports activists on the ground in India helping communities during the COVID-19 surge. You can help get personal protective equipment, psychosocial support, and other critically needed aid to communities like those in India by making a twice-matched, tax-deductible donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating Lag B’Omer (and figuring out what, exactly, this holiday is all about). Our first guest is Juliet Litman, podcast host and head of production at the Ringer. She discusses one of her favorite podcasts, the surprisingly Jewish “Table Manners with Jesse Ware,” gives us her take on last season’s Bachelorette bagel drama, and offers her pick for the most Jewish sports team. Then it’s a Jew-Gentile double header: TV producer Amy Solomon, editor of the new book Notes from the Bathroom Line: Humor, Art, and Low-Grade Panic from 150 of the Funniest Women in Comedy, and actress and comedian Lauren Lapkus, one of the book’s contributors, join us to discuss Gilda Radner, funny women, and the perfect Hanukkah dessert. Join us Sunday, May 2 at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT for a special free virtual live show with Tovah Feldshuh, presented by the Community Scholar Program of Orange County California. Register at http://bit.ly/cspunorthodoxlive.This event is co-sponsored by the Merage Jewish Community Center and is made possible by a grant from the Albert and Rhoda Weissman Arts Endowment Fund, a joint program of Jewish Community Foundation Orange County and Jewish Federation Orange County Share your conversion story for our annual Shavuot episode! Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. We’re launching a new season of Hebrew School, our kids game show podcast! Do you know a child aged 7-12 who should be a contestant? Email hebrewschool@tabletmag.com to apply. Upcoming virtual events: Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Liel will be talking about podcasting with JCast Network's Darone Ruskay, presented by Ansche Chesed. 7 p.m. EDT; Register here. Sunday, May 23 — Stephanie and Liel will be speaking with the Jewish Federation of Reading, PA. 11 a.m. EDT; Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world, including at the forefront of action against the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it’s created.AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, Andrew Cuomo’s Jewish “tree houses” and Israel’s wild boars. Our Jewish guest is Devin Gordon, author of the new book “So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin' True Story of the New York Mets—the Best Worst Team in Sports.” He tells us why Mets fandom is a profound spiritual exercise in perpetual disappointment, and Liel offers his take on why the Mets are a fundamentally Jewish team. Our Gentile of the week is writer, speaker, and activist Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of “How to Raise an Adult,” and most recently, “Your Turn: How to Be an Adult.” She explains the societal factors making it harder for today’s young adults to grow into their full potential, and offers advice for young people on how best to build meaningful and full adult lives. Her question for the hosts is how non-Jews can be better allies to the Jewish community. Share your conversion story for our annual Shavuot episode! Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com by April 30 to be featured on the episode. Upcoming virtual events: Sunday, May 2 — Join us at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PT for a special virtual live show with Tovah Feldshuh, presented by the Community Scholar Program of Orange County California. It's free, but you'll need to register: http://bit.ly/cspunorthodoxlive. This event is co-sponsored by the Merage Jewish Community Center and is fully funded by a grant from the Albert and Rhoda Weissman Arts Endowment Fund, a joint program of Jewish Community Foundation Orange County and Jewish Federation Orange County Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Liel will be talking about podcasting with JCast Network's Darone Ruskay, presented by Ansche Chesed. 7 p.m. EDT; Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world, including at the forefront of action against the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it’s created.AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a special offer and a Harry’s Starter Set and Body Wash at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, Stephanie is out and Liel and Mark are podcasting from their man cave. Our Jewish guest is author Walter Isaacson, known for his biographies of Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci, whose latest book is The Code Breaker Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. We talk to him about the Jewish implications for the CRISPR gene editing technology, and the way that Jewish history can be mapped onto the history of scientific developments in America over the past century. He also tells us about growing up in Jewish New Orleans, and why his high school alma mater, the Isidore Newman School, produces so many fellow luminaries, like Michael Lewis, Eli and Payton Manning, and Odell Beckham Jr. Our Gentile of the week is Anne Bogel, who runs the literary community Modern Mrs. Darcy and hosts the podcast “What Should I Read Next?” She talks to Stephanie and Unorthodox producer Sara (who recently appeared on Anne’s podcast) about how she comes up with book recommendations for each of her podcasts guests based on their favorite and least favorite books, and explains why it’s important to understand and articulate why you don’t like a particular book. Her question for us is about bar and bat mitzvah gifts for her children’s classmates. Share your conversion story for our annual Shavuot episode! Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com by April 30 to be featured on the episode. Upcoming virtual events: Tuesday, April 20 — Stephanie will be interviewing Bess Kalb, author of No One Will Tell You This But Me, for the Mandel JCC Book Festival, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world, including at the forefront of action against the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it’s created.AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at JTS provides an unparalleled academic experience that prepares its educators to work in diverse settings. MA degrees can be pursued fully online, for professionals in the field, or full-time in-residence in New York City. Learn more about the William Davidson School here or email edschool@jtsa.edu. Unstoppable is the ultimate immigrant story and an inspiring manual for survival in the face of tremendous odds. The true-life story of Siggi Wilzig offers a roadmap for recovery, vividly rendered by biographer Joshua M. Greene. Order this breathtaking and timely read here.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re down to the championship round of our Jewish Name of the Year bracket. Our Jewish guest is Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby, whose new book is Israel: a Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth. Tishby, who describes herself as “100% Israeli and 100% American,” tells us about bringing the Israeli show In Treatment to American audiences, her first experience in bridging Israeli and American culture. She also explains how her pro-Israel activism grew from dinner party defenses to her latest project, a book designed to demystify the Jewish State for international audiences. Enter to win a free copy of Noa Tishby's book here: bit.ly/tishbygiveaway Our Gentile of the Week is Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz, whose memoir is Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina. He tells us about attending Shadyside Academy in Pittsburgh (where he was friends with Mark Oppenheimer’s uncle!) before meeting future Talking Heads bandmates David Byrne and Tina Weymouth (also his future wife) at the Rhode Island School of Design and going on to conquer the music scene. His question for us is about what it means, logistically, to keep kosher. Upcoming virtual events: Tuesday, April 20 — Stephanie will be interviewing Bess Kalb, author of No One Will Tell You This But Me, for the Mandel JCC Book Festival, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. As always, send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world, including at the forefront of action against the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it’s created. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at JTS provides an unparalleled academic experience that prepares its educators to work in diverse settings. MA degrees can be pursued fully online, for professionals in the field, or full-time in-residence in New York City. Learn more about the William Davidson School here. Unstoppable is the ultimate immigrant story and an inspiring manual for survival in the face of tremendous odds. The true-life story of Siggi Wilzig offers a roadmap for recovery, vividly rendered by biographer Joshua M. Greene. Order this breathtaking and timely read here.

This week, we’re filling up on matzo and revealing the Final Four competitors in our Jewish Names of the Year bracket. Our first guest is actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, who starred as Sloan in Entourage and Dalia in You Don’t Mess with The Zohan. She tells us about growing up in Canada to Moroccan Jewish parents, her latest TV role, and her involvement with the Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance . Then, Orthodox sex therapist Bat Sheva Marcus returns to the show talk about her new book, Sex Points: Reclaim Your Sex Life with the Revolutionary Multi-point System. Lastly, Mark spoke with Shuly Rubin Schwartz, the first woman to serve as chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Upcoming virtual events: Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a Harry’s Starter Set and a free body wash at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week, it’s the full Oppenheimer. First, Mark interviews McKay Coppins, a staff writer at The Atlantic who recently wrote an article about the future of Mormonism—“the most American religion”—and America. He talks about his own Mormon faith, confirms Mark’s assessment that Jews and Mormons have a lot in common, and asks how to ready his home to invite kosher-keeping Jewish friends over for a meal. Then, it’s everything you’ll ever need to know about what Jewish law says about pets! Mark offers a reading from a book called Pets in Halacha: A Comprehensive Halachic Guide for Pet Owners, by Rabbi Chaim L. Belsky. There’s still time to order Tablet’s The Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times before Passover! Upcoming virtual events: Thursday, March 25 — Stephanie will be prepping for Passover with Jake Cohen, author of the new cookbook Jew-ish.Join them for cooking and conversation, presented by the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, at 5 p.m. EDT. Register here. Later that evening, Stephanie will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our  Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger is working to ensure that everyone in this country can feed themselves and their families with dignity. All donations are being doubled through the month of April; make your donation at MAZON.org.

This week, we’re kicking off our Passover celebrations, live from the Oppenheimer home. Mark is joined by four of his children as they sit around the Seder table and wonder where, exactly, all these Passover traditions came from. Helping them along the way are co-hosts Stephanie and Liel, and a near minyan of all-star guests. First, historian and Tablet columnist Jenna Weissman Joselit expounds on the material culture associated with the home-based holiday—Seder plates, matzo covers, and afikoman bags—and wonders why Jewish ritual objects don’t always rise to the level of beauty of our other cherished home items. (Stephanie offers some beautiful holiday favorites: Seder plates from Isabel Halley Ceramics, Judaica Standard Time, Via Maris, and Apeloig Collection.) Then we talk to family therapist (and Mark’s sister-in-law!) Dr. Jessica Grogan, who tells us how the rigid archetypes of the Four Children can serve as a useful counter-example for how we see our own children. Adam Teeter of Vinepair shares the secrets of how wine can unlock memories through your olfactory system. Rabbi Gabi Weinberg from The Bnai Zion Foundation shares a story about the significance of buying matzo—and keeping the receipts—in his family. Dovid Bashevkin explains why Passover is such a big deal in the of Jewish holidays. The hosts interview Ben Freeman about his new book, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, and makes the case that Passover is a holiday all about Jewish pride. And finally, our favorite cantorial student, Jacob Sandler, returns to the show to teach the hosts that there is more fun to be had after the Seder meal, specifically in the singing of “Hallel.” Check out last year’s Passover episode, “Our Socially Distanced Seder Guide,” for more on hosting a Seder on your own or for the first time. Need a Haggadah? Check out Tablet’s The Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times. Upcoming virtual events: Thursday, March 25 — Stephanie will be prepping for Passover with Jake Cohen, author of the new cookbook Jew-ish. Join them for cooking and conversation, presented by the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, at 5 p.m. EDT. Register here. Later that evening, Stephanie will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Kol Foods has everything you need to create a kosher, ethical, sustainably-sourced Passover Seder spread, from delicious briskets to 100% grass-fed lamb shank bones. Use promo code UNORTHODOXPESACH for 10% off your entire Passover order at KOLFoods.com. “The Telling: How Judaism's Essential Book Reveals the Meaning of Life” is a new book by Mark Gerson all about the Passover Haggadah. This book enables readers to make the Seder what it should be: the most interesting, inspiring, and memorable night of the Jewish year. Find out more and get your copy at thetellingpassover.com. American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, Charles Barkley does the hora. Our Jewish guest is Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer, who stars in the new Apple TV+ psychological thriller Losing Alice, Israel’s latest international TV export. Zurer tells us about being part of that other hit Israeli show, Shtisel, and about the unlikely acting role that got her cast by Steven Spielberg in his 2005 film, Munich. Our Gentile of the Week, Father James Martin, joins us again on the show, this time to tell us about his latest book, Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone. Our favorite Jesuit priest and America Magazine editor at large comes bearing simple and universal tips for understanding prayer and incorporating it into our lives, whatever they look like. (You can also listen to Father Jim live with Judy Gold in 2018, and, more recently, helping us ring in the Jewish New Year in 2020.) We’re taking votes for our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Join our. Facebook group to submit your votes. Get the Tablet Haggadah in time for Passover. Click here for information. Join us for our virtual events! Thursday, March 11: Stephanie and Mark will be discussing The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia as part of the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches' Book Festival at 7:30 p.m. EST. Register here. Thursday, March 25: Stephanie Butnick will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie Butnick will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our. Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re sharing an episode of “Hearing with Tali Farhadian Weinstein,” a podcast from Pushkin Industries. Tali is an Iranian-Jewish prosecutor running for District Attorney in Manhattan, and her show features interviews with policy experts, journalists, and community members. In this episode of Hearing, Tali talks to former Unorthodox guest Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of Manhattan's Central Synagogue about the points of intersection around faith, personal identity, and the fight for racial justice. To hear more episodes of Tali's show, check out www.pushkin.fm/show/hearing-with-tali-farhadian-weinstein/. Join us for these upcoming ‘Unorthodox’ virtual events! Wednesday, March 10: Mark, Stephanie, and Liel will be returning to the Washington Hebrew Congregation virtually to discuss The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia at 8 p.m. EST. Register here. Thursday, March 11: Stephanie and Mark will be discussing The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia as part of the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches' Book Festival at 7:30 p.m. EST. Register here. Thursday, March 25: Stephanie Butnick will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EST. Register here. As always, send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Kol Foods has everything you need to create a kosher, ethical, sustainably-sourced Passover Seder spread, from delicious briskets to 100% grass-fed lamb shank bones. Use promo code UNORTHODOXPESACH for 10% of your entire Passover order at KOLFoods.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating Purim and breaking the mold. First, Stephanie welcomes her special Purim co-hosts, friends of the show Kylie Unell and Abigail Pogrebin, who help her tell the story of Purim and offer their takes on some of the holiday’s larger themes. Next, Stephanie is joined by Anna Solomon, author of The Book of V., a fictionalized redefining of the story of Vashti. She explains that the binaries we’ve been taught — “that Vashti is wanton, wicked, selfish; and Esther virtuous, brave, selfless” — don't match up with what we actually find in The Book of Esther. From Vashti to Esther: Liel sits down with English professor Shaina Trapedo, who wrote about Purim-inspired beauty pageants for Esther in America, a new collection edited by former Unorthodox guest Stuart Halpern. She tells us about the surprising history of Jewish beauty pageants in America, and explains why the Esther aesthetic is more complex than it may seem. And finally, Mark checks in with former guest Shay Khatiri to find out what it’s like to be named after Ahasuerus. There’s just one week left to enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Join us Tuesday, March 2 at 2 p.m. EST for Zibby Owen’s next virtual book club. Stephanie will be joining Zibby to talk to Melissa Gould about her memoir Widow-ish, her story of young widowhood, grief, and finding love again. Sign up at zibbyowens.com/virtualbookclub. As always, let us know what you think of the show. Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. We’ve got virtual events! Tuesday, March 2: Stephanie will be discussing Tablet's first book, The 100 Most Jewish Foods: A Highly Debatable List, at the Springfield JCC at 7 p.m. EST; Register here. Wednesday, March 10: Mark, Stephanie, and Liel will be returning to the Washington Hebrew Congregation virtually to discuss The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia at 8 p.m. EST. Register here. Thursday, March 11: Stephanie and Mark will be discussing The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia as part of the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches' Book Festival at 7:30 p.m. EST. Register here. Thursday, March 25: Stephanie Butnick will be interviewing Menachem Kaiser about his new book, Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, at 7 p.m. EST. Register here. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Kol Foods has everything you need to create a kosher, ethical, sustainably-sourced Passover Seder spread, from delicious briskets to 100% grass-fed lamb shank bones. Use promo code UNORTHODOXPESACH for 10% of your entire Passover order at KOLFoods.com.

Ep. 263:This week on Unorthodox, we’re waiting for our Israeli Pizza Hut delivery by drone. Our first Jewish guest is actress Jackie Tohn, host of the Netflix cooking competition Best Leftovers Ever! She tells us about understanding the importance of leftovers from a young age as the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, and also about using that real-life identity to inform her character Melrose on the hit Netflix series G.L.O.W. Then we’re joined by linguist Sarah Bunin Benor, who returns to the show to tell us about the strange trend of anti-Semites adopting Yiddishisms, plus her research into the world of Jewish summer camp Hebrew. Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: Harry’s: Get a starter shave set plus a free body wash for just $3 when you visit harrys.com/unorthodox. Hebrew Union College: Discover HUC’s new series of free public programs that offer a scholarly Jewish lens on issues that shape our identity today. Find out more and sign up at huc.edu/HUCconnect.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re giving you a taste of some other podcasts we’ve been working on. First, you’ll hear an episode of Liel’s daily Daf Yomi podcast, Take One, featuring special guest Sister Helen Prejean, a passionate advocate against capital punishment, as they discuss a page of Talmud that references the death penalty. Next, you’ll hear Stephanie’s interview with Tablet’s newest podcast hosts, Aimee Friedman and Lisa Sandell, about their show Anxiously. Each week Lisa and Aimee grapple with one of their anxieties—from the trivial to the existential—in a humorous and heartfelt way, helped along by smart and entertaining guests who offer perspective and advice. After the interview you’ll hear the pilot episode of Anxiously, and you can listen to the second and third episode as well. Subscribe to Anxiously and Take One wherever you listen to podcasts, and please consider rating and reviewing both shows (and Unorthodox!) on iTunes. We’re getting our Jewish Name of the Year bracket ready for March Madness! Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Email suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re firing up our Jewish space lasers. Mark and Liel talk to legendary actor Ed Asner about his latest project, The Tattooed Torah, an animated short about the inspiring journey of a Torah scroll and the little boy who swore to rescue it from the Nazis, about great TV and why they don't make shows like they used to, and about standing up to your political beliefs, even when you have to pay the price. Then Liel talks with author Cambria Gordon about her YA book, The Poetry of Secrets, which tells the story of a young Jewish woman in Inquisition-era Spain whose family was forced to convert to Catholicism, but continue to practice Judaism in secret. Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com.

This week on Unorthodox, two Jewish guests and a whole lot of books. Our first guest is Zibby Owens, host of the podcast “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.” She tells us about tirelessly promoting book authors during the pandemic, even as she dealt with her own family’s COVID-19 trauma (and planned two Zoom bar and bat mitzvahs). The resulting quarantine anthology, Moms Don’t Have Time To, features essays from more than 60 writers, including a few Unorthodox guests. Our second guest is poet David Beispiel, whose recent memoir is A Place of Exodus: Home, Memory, and Texas. He tells us about being kicked out of Hebrew School as a questioning teen in Houston’s heavily Jewish Meyerland community, and ultimately being pulled back to Jewish Houston after years of spiritual and physical wandering. We’re looking for two new hosts for our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! All you need to do is record a short video introducing yourself and telling us why you'd make the perfect host, and send it to hebrewschool@tabletmag.com. Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. The Branch is a podcast that shares stories about Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians who are breaking barriers, creating bonds, having tough conversations, and demonstrating what equal, shared society can look like. Listen to the branch wherever you get your podcasts or at hadassah.org/thebranch. American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re live (virtually) from Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Our special guests this week are Jamie and Brian Stelter. Jamie Stelter, who had her bat mitzvah at Beth Sholom, is the traffic reporter for NY1, and Brian Stelter is the chief media correspondent for CNN and host of Reliable Sources. They talk to us about filming their TV appearances from their apartment during the pandemic, the first rule of Challah Club, and why they love Shabbat. We’re looking for two new hosts for our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! All you need to do is record a short video introducing yourself and telling us why you'd make the perfect host, and send it to hebrewschool@tabletmag.com. Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule here. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. The Beren Summer Fellowship is the Tikvah Fund’s premier summer program for undergraduates or recent graduates in New York City. Fellows will partake in intensive academic seminars led by world-class teachers and will conduct their own research projects. Visit TikvahFund.org/college for more information and to apply. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Our Jewish guest is Mike Rothschild, a conspiracy theory researcher and debunker who is writing a book about the QAnon conspiracy theory. He tells us what QAnon is and explains the anti-Semitism inherent in the conspiracy theory, confirming for us that all conspiracy theories have Jew-hatred at their core. He also confirms that everyone he interacts with in these worlds asks if he’s one of those Rothschilds. Our Gentile of the Week is NPR and Slate sports commentator Stephen Fatsis, author of Word Freak, a book about the world of competitive Scrabble players. He tells us about his annual Name of the Year bracket, which he has been running with his college friends since the 80s, and gives us tips on how to start our own Jewish Name of the Year bracket. Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year contest! Email your suggestions to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. We’ve got virtual events! Join us tonight at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center, where we will be talking about our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. See our full schedule of events here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. “Hadassah on Call” is the new podcast from former Unorthodox guest Benyamin Cohen. He goes behind the scenes of Hadassah's world-renowned hospital in Israel, checking in with the healthcare superstars saving lives every day. Subscribe to “Hadassah On Call” wherever you get your podcasts or at hadassah.org.

This week on Unorthodox: the full Luxembourg. Our first guest is essayist and critic William Deresiewicz, whose new book The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech. He tells us about getting kicked out of Jewish day school as a teen, his work since then, and why it’s so hard to be an artist today. Our second guest is sportswriter and Tablet contributor Yaron Weitzman, author of the book Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports. He tells us about being Shabbat-observant in a world of weekend sporting events, and shares his thoughts on Deni Avdija, Israel’s new NBA draft pick. Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here. On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here. See our full schedule of virtual events here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership’s Certificate in Jewish Leadership is a four-part program geared to the particular needs of Jewish organizations. Find out more at spertus.edu/certificate. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating the other New Year. Our Jewish guest is Rabbi Tiferet Berenbaum of Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, Massachusetts. She tells us about her path to the rabbinate, her passion for Jewish education, and what she’s learned running TBZ’s Hebrew school. Our Gentile of the Week is Peter Sis, the Czech-American illustrator, author, and MacArthur genius. He tells us about his latest picture book, Nicky and Vera, which tells the story of Nicholas Winton, the “British Schindler” who saved hundreds of Czech children from the Nazis. Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here. On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here. See our full schedule of virtual events here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating the very 2020 calendar crossover of Christmas and the 10th of Tevet, a minor Jewish fast day. Our Jewish guest is writer and comedian Merrill Markoe, whose new graphic memoir is “We Saw Scenery: The Early Diaries of Merrill Markoe.” Our Gentile of the Week is Phillipe Etienne, the French ambassador to the United States, who gave us a lesson in the French notion of secularism and discussed rising anti-Semitism in France. Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here. On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here. See our full schedule of virtual events here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education is offering a special one-day online program for young professionals and college students called “Jewish Ed U: Creating Joyful Learning.” Learn more about the Jan. 10 event at www.jtsa.edu/jewishedu. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: Hallmark Hanukkah movies, puppies for Hanukkah, and so much more. First we talk with linguist Sarah Bunin Benor, who made her first Unorthodox appearance all the way back on Ep. 102. She returns to the show to explain why some people say “lat-key” instead of “latke,” and settle other holiday pronunciation debates. Then it’s time for some music to get us in the holiday spirit! Jazz guitarist Peter Curtis tells us about being so inspired by the fact that Jewish songwriters created some of the most famous Christmas songs that he recorded his own album of covers, called “Christmas With Your Jewish Boyfriend.” Shira Kobren is the band leader of Shira & Friends, a New York City-based “kindie” rock band, whose new album, “B’yachad,” features a special Hanukkah song for kids. Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz shares his new Hanukkah song, Schmoozin’, on which he raps about “farbrengen the party,” much to Liel’s delight. He also gives us Jewish rap names and helps kickstart our freestyle careers. We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. Thursday, Dec. 10: Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register here. Saturday, Dec. 12: All three hosts will be speaking at the JCC Ann Arbor Jewish Book Festival. 8 p.m. EST; Register here. Monday, Dec. 14: Stephanie joins Liberation75, 3GNY, and Shai DeLuca for a Hanukkah fireside chat. 12 p.m. EST; Register here. Tuesday, Dec. 15: Liel and Stephanie will be speaking at Sarasota, FL’s ‘People of the Book’ author series. 7 p.m. EST; Register here. Wednesday, Dec. 16: All three hosts will be at Richmond VA’s Weinstein JCC Front Row at the J: Sip and Learn Series. 7:30 p.m. EST; Register here. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org.

This week on Unorthodox, one Mark Oppenheimer is not enough. Our first guest is Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is the state’s first Jewish governor and the first openly gay governor in the U.S. He tells us about his Jewish upbringing, extolls the many virtues of the State of Colorado, and explains why he’s got his eyes on 2022, not 2024. Next we talk to the other Mark Oppenhemer: the South African advocate, podcaster (our own Mark Oppenheimer was a guest on his show, Brain in a Vat), and general Oppenheimer-about-town. He recalls the moment he first discovered that he wasn’t the only Mark Oppenheimer, explains his legal work surrounding free speech, and tells us about the South African Jewish community. Our third guest is Brian Hersch, the inventor of party games like Taboo, Jewish Taboo, and Super Scattergories. His latest game is Boom Again, a trivia game designed for Baby Boomers. He quizzes us on I Love Lucy and The Jetsons, and we find out that Liel might secretly be a Boomer. Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register at nuroots.org/firstnight. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: The Other Israel Film Festival provides an in-depth look into Israeli and Palestinian societies through films and conversations. Films stream December 3 through 10, with daily Q&As and other live events; find the full schedule at otherisrael.org. Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org. Harry’s Holiday Shave Sets make the perfect gift this season. Get 5$ off a holiday shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week, a mini-holiday mashup. First, associate producer Robert Scaramuccia brings us the story of Aaron Hartman, a Jewish man from Atlanta, GA with Williams Syndrome, and his very unique pandemic birthday present. We also bring you a Hanukkah gift guide that includes products our listeners make themselves! Find these suggestions and more by joining our Facebook group. Join the hosts Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. E.S.T. for the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Generation to Generation event, which is honoring the Butnick family. Stephanie will be interviewing Michael Zegen from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and the band Golem will be performing. Register at bit.ly/butnickfam. Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register at  nuroots.org/firstnight. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Shalom, friends

This week on Unorthodox, Mark says goodbye to a staple of his childhood as Friendly’s files for bankruptcy. To cheer him up, we’ve got two great Jewish guests. First we talk to comedian Gilbert Gottfried, whose voice you may have recognized on our 2019 episode celebrating the publication of our book, “The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia.” He explains why comedy in dark times is essential and cathartic, tells us about his own podcast, "Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast," where he schmoozes with and celebrates show business legends, and regales us with the story of his family’s infamous Zoom bat mitzvah incident. Our next guest is Gavriel Savit, who started his Unorthodox journey as an angry letter-writer, became Mark’s neighbor in New Haven, welcomed us into his home to record an episode, and finally joins us as a proper guest to tell us about his magical and deeply Jewish young adult novel, “The Way Back.” He makes the case that the fantasy genre is in fact quite Jewish—is Hogwarts basically a yeshiva?—and explains why a book like his, which is proudly filled with Jewish imagery and takes place in an Eastern European shtetl, can still hold universal appeal. Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: Wisdom Studio is offering two new four-week programs focused on Jewish Women. “When Bubbe Met Amy” explores the work of funny Jewish women like Amy Schumer, Tiffany Haddish, Rachel Bloom, Abbi Jacobson, and Ilana Glazer, and “Not a Nice Jewish Girl” explores the role and history of women in Israeli cinema. Learn more at gordoncenter.com/wisdom-studio. The Great Courses Plus offers thousands of online classes on hundreds of topics, all taught by professors and experts in their fields. We’re currently streaming the course on “Jewish Intellectual History: 16th to 20th Century.” Start your free trial at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox. American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. ORT America combines Jewish values with an education that prepares students for careers and lives of meaning. Thousands of ORT students in 30 countries are learning to address today’s most urgent challenges: climate change, cybersecurity, medical advancements and more. Change the world with them at ortamerica.org. PJ Library sends free storybooks to children (newborn to 12 years old), making it easy to start sharing Jewish traditions. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we remember Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who died this week at 72. He first visited the show in December 2018, and he returned in September 2020 to discuss his most recent book, “Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times.” May his memory be a blessing. Our Gentile of the Week is Tom Colicchio, head judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and founder of Crafted Hospitality. He shared his love of whitefish in Tablet’s “100 Most Jewish Foods” book, and he joins us to talk about his first Passover Seder with his now-wife’s family, proposing to her over pastrami at New York’s 2nd Ave Deli, and his heightened awareness of anti-Semitism as he raises Jewish children. Our Jewish guest is Temple University professor Lila Corwin Berman, who spoke with us about her new book, “The American Jewish Philanthropic Complex: The History of a Multibillion-Dollar Institution.” Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus offers thousands of online classes on hundreds of topics, all taught by professors and experts in their fields. We’re currently streaming the course on “Jewish Intellectual History: 16th to 20th Century.” Start your free trial at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox. Kol Foods Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Order your delicious, ethically raised Glatt Kosher turkey at kolfoods.com and use the code UNORTHODOX1120 to save 10% off your order. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week, we’re dropping an early episode to keep you company while you vote. Our first Jewish guest is Eve Barlow, a Scottish music journalist in LA who has lately started calling out anti-Semitism in America and abroad, including in her recent Tablet essay, “Wake Up America, and Smell the Anti-Semitism,” Next we talk to Gentile of the Week Vineet Chander, the Hindu chaplain at Princeton University and the first full-time Hindu chaplain at a U.S. university.  And for a final treat, we’re joined by Adam Weiner, frontman of the band Low Cut Connie, who shares a song with us.   Send us questions and comments at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.    Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.   Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.    Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.   Sponsors:   American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently matching all donations tenfold; find out more about the organization and to make your matched donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.   Kol Foods Thanksgiving is coming! Order your delicious, ethically raised Glatt Kosher turkey at kolfoods.com and use the code UNORTHODOX1120 to save 10% off your order.    Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Comedian Judy Gold on her new book, “Yes I Can Say That,” and California Representative Katie Porter on the key to pandemic economic recovery This week on Unorthodox, we’re spoiling the new Borat movie for you. But we have two all-star returning guests that more than make up for it. Jewish guest Judy Gold was on our January 2018 live show with Father Jim Martin, and she joins us again to tell us about her new book. “Yes, ICan Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble.” She explains the value of comedy in dark times, why Jews rely so deeply on humor for healing, and why she always talks about the Holocaust in her sets. Our Gentile of the Week is Congresswoman Katie Porter, who represents California’s 45th Congressional District and who was our guest at our January 2019 live show in Washington, D.C. Representative Porter joins us with her trademark whiteboard to explain why she decided to run for Congress in 2018, what she’s learned since then, and why childcare is key to our economic recovery. Her question for us: Why do Jews donate money in increments of $18? Send us questions and comments at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: Hebrew College trains aspiring rabbis, cantors, and educational leaders. Join us for an online open house on November 16, to experience the vibrant pluralistic communities of Hebrew College. Learn more and register at hebrewcollege.edu/virtualvisit. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Kol Foods Thanksgiving is coming! Order your delicious, ethically raised Glatt Kosher turkey at kolfoods.com and use the code UNORTHODOX1120 to save 10% off your order American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently matching all donations tenfold; find out more about the organization and make your matched donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re recovering from our potentially poisonous etrog-tinis. Our first Jewish guest is actor and comedian Michael Ian Black, best known for "Wet Hot American Summer" and VH1’s “I Love The …” series, whose latest book is "A Better Man," a meditation on masculinity written in the form of a letter to his college-aged son. He tells us about the book, which is far more earnest than you might expect from the comic actor, and why he wants to offer boys and young men a better path than “toxic masculinity.” He also explains the Jewish influences on his thinking and parenting, and tells us about changing his name from Schwartz to Black when he got into showbiz (there was another Michael Schwartz in the Guild already). Our second Jewish guest is Kylie Unell, a Ph.D. student in Jewish thought at New York University and the author of an essay in JTA titled, “My mom is white and my dad is black. Don’t call me a ‘Jew of Color.’” She tells us how growing up in Kansas and then Israel and attending college in New York City shaped her Jewish identity and pushed her to reject other labels—like “Modern Orthodox”—which she felt didn’t fully capture her identity. She also tells us about drawing on Jewish history (like hosting a Moses Mendelssohn-themed Shabbat dinner) to create a new spiritual community for young Jews. Join us for our upcoming virtual events! Thursday 10/22, 6:30 p.m. EDT: Mark will be part of the panel event “What Have We Learned from the Pittsburgh Synogogue Attack?” Register here. Thursday 10/22, 7 p.m. EDT: Stephanie will be interviewing (a different) Ben Cohen as part of Generally Speaking, her interview series with children of Holocaust Survivors, presented by the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Register here. Saturday, 10/24, 7:30 p.m. PT: An Evening with Unorthodox, brought to you by the Stroum JCC Virtual BookFest. Register here. Send us questions and comments at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently matching all donations tenfold; find out more about the organization and to make your matched donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Decision Points is a podcast that examines the key moments and figures that impacted the relationship between Israel and the U.S. The show, which just launched its second season, is hosted by David Makovsky, director of the Project on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East policy and a member of the peace team during the Obama Administration. The Bronfman Center at NYU congratulates Rabbi Yehuda Sarna for his 18 years of service to the Bronfman Center and the global Jewish community. Find out more at bit.ly/sarna18.

This week on Unorthodox, it’s Nobel Prize season! We're celebrating by airing a special virtual live show, presented by ORT America, featuring actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik, who shares our hobby of Googling Nobel Prize winners to see if they’re Jewish. Stars—they’re just like us! Listen as we chat with the Blossom and The Big Bang Theory actress about discovering observant Judaism in college, singing Jewish music with her quartet, and getting stopped by star-struck fans in synagogue. She also gives us a preview of her new mental health podcast, Mayim Bialik's Breakdown. We're almost at 1,000 donors in our fundraising drive! Help us get over the finish line by donating at bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser. Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Let us know what you think of the show, and share your 5781 resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently matching all donations tenfold; find out more about the organization at AJWS.org/unorthodox. Hebrew College trains aspiring rabbis, cantors, and educational leaders. Join us for Ta Sh'ma, an online open house on November 16, to experience the vibrant pluralistic communities of Hebrew College. Learn more and register at hebrewcollege.edu/virtualvisit. A Better Man is the latest book by comedian and actor Michael Ian Black. Part memoir, part advice book, it’s a heartfelt look at boyhood and a radical plea for rethinking masculinity, in the form of a letter from the comedian to his son. On sale now; Michael Ian Black will be the guest on next week’s Unorthodox episode.

This week on Unorthodox, we're shaking that lulav and etrog for Sukkot. To help us understand the various Jewish holidays that arrive in quick succession after the High Holidays—Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Shemini Atzeret—we talk to Roberta Kwall, author of Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World. She tells us about the traditional “smashing of the willows” and other lesser known Jewish practices that can add meaning to our modern Jewish identity. Then we're joined by Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me. He tells what he's learned from hosting the very entertaining news quiz show for more than 20 years, and why it's important to find humor even when the headlines are bad. Finally Mark chats with David French, senior editor at the Dispatch and author of Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. He explains the rift between Conservatives who, like him, don't support Trump and those who do, and warns against the danger of today's hyperpartisan era. Help us get to 1,000 donors in our fundraising drive! Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Donate at bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser. Let us know what you think of the show, and share your 5781 resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Sponsors: PJ Library sends free storybooks to children (newborn to 12 years old), making it easy to start sharing Jewish traditions. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox. American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. AJWS is currently triple-matching all donations; go to AJWS.org/unorthodox to find out more about the organization and to make your matched donation. Harry's is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Just a few updates while we take the week off to celebrate 5781. Please join us for a virtual live show presented by ORT America with special guest — actor, author, and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik. Details at bit.ly/unorthodoxliveevents Please consider donating to Unorthodox! Our annual fundraiser is underway, and we're trying to get to 1,000 donors. Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Donate at bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser.  Join Mark for a storytelling class as part of the Wisdom Studio. Visit here for more details. Finally, send us your stories about Jews and the Boy Scouts of America. Call us at ‪(914) 570-4869‬ and tell us your story!

Each year for Yom Kippur, we bring you a special episode all about apology and atonement. (Listen to our previous episodes: from 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.) This year, we’re focusing on the theme of reconciliation—across the political divide and the religious spectrum, and beyond. Our first story comes from Chris Haugh and Jordan Blashek, two friends who decided to drive across the country together in 2016. Chris, a Berkeley born, Obama-loving liberal, and Jordan, a former marine and proud conservative, were forced to confront their vast political differences as the presidential campaign unfolded around them across the United States. You can read the full story of this and their subsequent cross-country drives in their new book, Union: A Democrat, A Republican, and a Search for Common Ground. Next we talk to Tablet columnist Marjorie Ingall, whose website (and soon to be book) SorryWatch.com chronicles the good, the bad, and the ugly of public apologies. She reminds us how to apologize (there are six steps!), helps us interpret corporate apologies in a year full of them, and reminds us that forgiveness isn’t mandatory. Then we hear from Jericho Vincent, author of the 2014 memoir Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood, which tells the painful and traumatic story of leaving Orthodox Judaism as a teen. Since then, Jericho has been on a long and winding spiritual journey, exploring Buddhism, Sufi Islam, scientific atheism, and ultimately creating an entirely new conception of Judaism—and starting in a rabbinical program. This summer, Jericho struck up a correspondence with Orthodox writer and educator Dovid Bashevkin, whose book Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought covers many of the areas that have long fascinated Jericho. Jericho and Dovid tell us what their ongoing conversations—about everything from Jewish texts to the ongoing social and political unrest in America—can teach us about reconciliation and rebuilding in today’s stratified world. Finally, our associate editor Robert Scaramuccia tells the story of an offhand joke he made as a teenager at the Boys State summer camp, and how it has haunted (and helped) him ever since. Robert brings us along on his quest to apologize for what he said—once he figures out what exactly that was.  Please consider donating to Unorthodox to help us keep making shows like this. Our annual fundraiser is underway, and everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Donate at bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser.  Let us know what you think of the show, and share your 5781 resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Sponsors American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. AJWS will triple match any donation made before midnight Sept. 27; go to AJWS.org/unorthodox to find out more about the organization and to make your donation.  Soom Foods is the preferred tahini of restaurants like Michael Solomonov’s Zahav. Soom Foods also makes a chocolate tahini spread and silan date syrup. All products are dairy-free, gluten-free, and certified kosher. Go to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. PJ Library sends free storybooks to children (newborn to 12 years old), making it easy to start sharing Jewish traditions. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox, The Great Courses Plus offers online classes on everything from film to wine, personal finance, and public speaking, from professors and experts in their fields. Start your free trial at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox.

As the sun set for Rosh Hashanah this past Friday night, Jews in America and across the world learned of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It was like a gut punch, resounding across social media. The 87-year-old trailblazing Supreme Court Justice-- the second female Justice-- spent her entire career, her entire life really, fighting for equal rights for women and minorities, fighting so that everyone could have an equal shot. Her death, which plunges the country into a fight over exactly when, and by whom, she will be succeeded, is keenly felt by the Jewish community, who mourns her as a tzaddik, or righteous person.  Today you’re going to hear from Abigail Pogrebin, writer, friend of the show, and host of Tablet’s Parsha in Progress podcast. In 2005 she published a book called Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. She has kindly agreed to read the chapter on Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  You can find Stars of David, and more of Abby’s work, including her latest book -- My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays; One Wondering Jew -- at https://abigailpogrebin.com/ For more RBG on Unorthodox, listen to episode 19, Leading Ladies, in which we interview Irin Carmon about her book, Notorious RBG, which details the Justice’s most recent turn as feminist pop culture icon. https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/unorthodox/leading-ladies We’re at work on our annual apology episode, which airs this Thursday, and which focuses on the notion of reconciliation, which, frankly, has never seemed so important.

This Jewish New Year will definitely be different from all others, but we're here to help you ring in 5781 with as much enjoyment and enlightenment as possible. First we talk to Rabbi Sandra Lawson of Elon University about her plans for High Holiday services on campus this year, as well as her experience as a gay, black rabbi navigating the Jewish world. She also shared how she uses music and social media to get her rabbinic message out to broad audiences. You can follow Rabbi Sandra on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Then Stephanie talks with Aliza Kline and Zoe Plotsky of OneTable, a platform that helps millennials gather for Shabbat meals. They tell us about their new High Holiday initiative, HereFor, which offers a variety of resources and virtual gatherings to help Jews feel connected and engaged this holiday season. Our Gentile of the Week is Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large at America magazine, who first joined us on the show for Ep. 121 alongside comedian Judy Gold (he then appeared on her podcast, too). He shares his thoughts on the need for humor in dark times, and offers us some Jesuit-inflected wisdom for the Jewish New Year. Want more of the hosts? Listen to Stephanie on the Change Talk podcast as she sets intentions for 5781 with host Noah Pile. And share your 5781 intentions and resolutions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Our annual fundraiser is underway, but we're doing things a little differently this year. We're looking to get as many participants as we can, giving whatever amount they're able. Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Head to bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser to donate. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube page! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus Learn about everything from film to wine, personal finance, and public speaking, from professors and experts in their fields. Start your free trial at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox. Harry's is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. PJ Library sends free storybooks to children (newborn to 12 years old), making it easy to start sharing Jewish traditions. Sign up at pjlibrary.org/unorthodox, and check out their digital guide to High Holidays at home at pjlibrary.org/highholidays.

Our Jewish guest is Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. and a former member of the Knesset. He talks to Liel about his new collection of short stories, The Night Archer, plus how writing fiction has long been an escape from his day job in politics. Our Gentile of the Week is political satirist and journalist P.J. O'Rourke. He talks to Mark about his latest book, A Cry from the Far Middle: Dispatches from a Divided Land, plus whether conservatives can be as funny as liberals, and whether gentiles can be as funny as Jews. His question for us: Does the god of the Hebrew Bible have a sense of humor? We're doing our annual fundraiser a little differently this year. We're not looking to hit a specific dollar amount. Instead, we're looking to get as many participants as we can, giving whatever amount they're able. Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Head to bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser to donate. Tablet Magazine's Fall 2020 journalism program is a paid three-month remote fellowship for 10 aspiring journalists, run by our very own Mark Oppenheimer. More information here; apply by Sept. 11 to fellowship@tabletmag.com. What are your 5781 resolutions? Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube page! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Kol Foods is getting you ready for the High Holidays with kosher and ethically raised meat. Go to KOLFOODS.com and use the code UNORTHODOX0920 to get 10% on your order. Soom Foods is the preferred tahini of restaurants like Michael Solomonov’s Zahav, and their silan date syrup is the perfect addition to your High Holiday table. All Soom products are dairy-free, gluten-free, and certified kosher. Go to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order. Unorthodox Wines are perfect for Rosh Hashanah—try their Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux blend. Unorthodox Wines are all vegan and certified kosher by the OU. Go to bit.ly/unorthodoxwine and get their wines delivered to you for free, for a limited time. You can also find Unorthodox Wines at a wine store near you.

This week on Unorthodox, summer trips to the beach spark our latest debate: Do Jews like the beach? Our Jewish guest is Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, who returns to the show to talk about his latest book, Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times. Listen for Rabbi Sacks' advice for how we can build a more moral society, plus why he thinks the themes of the High Holidays have never been more relevant, and his take on the Queen's corgis. Our Gentile of the Week is Holly Huffnagle, the American Jewish Committee's newly appointed U.S. director for combating anti-Semitism. Shes's worked in the State Department and at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and volunteered at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oswiecim, Poland. She explains why she believes anti-Semitism is a societal problem, not a Jewish one, tells us about the surprising Twitter backlash following the announcement of her new role, and shares what she told Nick Cannon when she met with him after his recent anti-Semitic remarks. We're doing our annual fundraiser a little differently this year. We're not looking to hit a specific dollar amount—instead, we're looking to get as many participants as we can, giving whatever amount they're able. Everyone who gives will be entered into a raffle to spend some virtual time with the hosts. Head to bit.ly/unorthodox2020fundraiser to donate. Tablet Magazine's Fall 2020 journalism program is a paid three-month remote fellowship for 10 aspiring journalists, run by our very own Mark Oppenheimer. More information here; apply by Sept. 10 to fellowship@tabletmag.com. What are your 5781 resolutions? Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube page! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Kol foods is getting you ready for the High Holidays. Go to KOLFOODS.com and use the code UNORTHODOX0920 to save 10 percent on your order.

This week on Unorthodox: The Israeli hockey star playing for Auschwitz. Our first guest is Esther Povitsky, who played Maya on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend“ and whose new Comedy Central stand-up special is “Hot For My Name.” Esther tells us about growing up in Skokie, IL, why she decided to include her parents Maury and Mary in her special, and how her Jewish identity has influenced her comedy. Next we talk to Natan Sharansky, the legendary refusenik (the term for Jews who were refused exit visas by the Soviet authorities). He was imprisoned for nine years — at one point being held a Soviet gulag — and after his release he emigrated to Israel, where he served as a member of the Israeli Parliament and the head of the Jewish Agency. He tells us about his new memoir, “Never Alone: Prison, Politics, and My People,” and what he's learned over a lifetime of activism. Joan Knows Best is a weekly video series featuring Joan Nathan cooking her favorite Shabbat recipes with her son, David Henry Gerson. This Friday, August 14, at 1 p.m. EDT, they'll be making a rhubarb tart with fresh strawberries and currant glaze. Tune in on Tablet's Facebook page, and get the recipes and more info here. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube page! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Harry's: Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Harry’s is donating $1 million worth of shaving supplies to hospitals across the U.S.

This week on Unorthodox, we're calling an emergency meeting of the Unorthodox club. First we talk to Rachel Shukert, a longtime Tablet contributor (and a contributor to The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia!) who is an executive producer and showrunner for The Baby-Sitters' Club reboot on Netflix. She tells us about growing up reading the series of books by Ann M. Martin, recreating the 90's series as a TV show set in the present, and what she's learned about today's teenagers from working with the actors on the show. Then Stephanie sits down with Adam Eli, the activist and author of "The New Queer Conscience," which is part of Penguin Random House's Pocket Change Collective. He tells us about initially rejecting his Jewish identity after he came out as queer, then ultimately realizing that his Jewish and queer identity could actually strengthen and reinforce each other. He shares how his Jewish background influences his queer activism, and offers advice to families whose children may be queer or questioning. Follow Adam Eli on Instagram @AdamEli and get a discount (!) on "The New Queer Conscience" using this link. Join Stephanie and former Unorthodox guest Beth Ricanati for a live challah-baking workshop Thursday, August 6 at 5 p.m. EDT in the Unorthodox Facebook group. Beth is a doctor who strongly believes in the healing power of baking bread, and she's going to share the magic of weekly challah baking with us. "Joan Knows Best" is a new weekly video series featuring Joan Nathan cooking her favorite Shabbat recipes with her son, David Henry Gerson. This Friday, August 7, at 12 p.m. EDT, they'll be making double-roasted lemon chicken. Tune in at live.tabletmag.com/joanknowsbest and get the recipes here. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube page! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus: With thousands of lectures on all kinds of topics presented by subject-matter experts from top universities and institutions, keep learning with the Great Courses Plus. Get a free trial with unlimited access at thegreatcoursesplus.com/UNORTHODOX.

This week on Unorthodox, we’re observing Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. Observant Jews typically fast on this day, and because the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av falls during the summer months, it makes for one strange and somber day at Jewish summer camps. Because the destruction of the ancient temples can seem a bit, well, distant, the Ninth of Av has become in recent years a kind of catch-all day for Jewish mourning: a commemoration of all the historic suffering we’ve faced as a people. Today we’re focusing on the legacy of the Holocaust, as seen through three different families. Our guests are the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who pieced together their family’s story through research, travel, and interviews, and who now are sharing those stories in book—and podcast—form. Our first guest is Esther Safran Foer, whose memoir I Want You to Know We’re Still Here is about her journey to uncover what happened to her parents during the Holocaust. Tragedy followed her parents when they immigrated to America, and only later in life did her mother finally open up about her painful past. Next we speak with British musician Andrew Evans, who was raised in the Church of England but was inspired by Brexit to dig into his unspoken family history and uncover the true story of his Holocaust-surviving grandfather. He chronicles his discoveries in the podcast “Unbordered.” Our third guest is Daphne Geismar, a book maker by trade, who turned her craft on her own family’s story of survival in Nazi-occupied Netherlands. The result is her book Invisible Years. Let us know what you think of the show: Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus: With thousands of lectures on all kinds of topics presented by subject-matter experts from top universities and institutions, keep learning with the Great Courses Plus. Get a free trial with unlimited access at thegreatcoursesplus.com/UNORTHODOX. Harry's: Get a free Harry's trial shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox. Harry’s is donating $1 million worth of shaving supplies to hospitals across the U.S.

This week on Unorthodox, we're working on our topspin. Our first guest is Noah Rubin, a former Wimbledon junior singles champion who went pro at age 19. He tells us about his tennis-themed bar mitzvah, the reality of life on the professional circuit, and his project Behind the Racquet: a website and podcast that sheds light on the often overlooked mental health challenges that face professional tennis players. Our next guest is Jenny Caplan, who teaches religious studies and Jewish studies at Towson, and whose work focuses on expressions of Jewish identity in American pop culture. She tells us about her recent scholarly article, published in the Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, that calls for retiring the Jewish American Princess archetype and replacing it with a new one: the Modern Ashkenazi-American Woman. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here.

This week on Unorthodox, we puzzle over swastika jewelry and celebrities saying anti-Semitic things. We also hear from Zack Banner, the Pittsburgh Steelers player who spoke out against anti-Semitism. Read his full interview with Tablet’s Yair Rosenberg on tabletmag.com. Our Jewish guest is Brad Kolodny, author of Seeking Sanctuary: 125 Years of Synagogues on Long Island, a photo-filled survey of Jewish life in the New York City suburb. He tells us about some of the most iconic synagogues in the area, and quizzes Stephanie about Jewish celebrities from Long Island. Next we hear from three people behind the Jewish book and film festivals in Wyomissing PA, all of whom are gentiles. Nancy Russo, Amanda Hornberger, and John Nelka tell us how they became involved in Jewish arts programming, and what they've learned along the way. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s new online retreat-at-home, running Sunday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 21. Go to jewishspirituality.org to learn more and register. Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s new online retreat-at-home, running Sunday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 21. Go to jewishspirituality.org to learn more and register.

This week on Unorthodox, we're talking Yiddish, curse words, and much more. Our first guest is return Gentile of the Week John McWhorter, linguist and host of the Lexicon Valley podcast. John was a guest on the show back in 2016, and then we did an Unorthodox/Lexicon Valley crossover episode the following year. He returned to the show to tell us all about his upcoming book on curse words (note: this segment is definitely NSFW) and his enduring love of Yiddish. In addition to that interview, which was recorded in May, we check back in with McWhorter to discuss America's racial reckoning, and the language that surrounds it. Then we hear from Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll, co-founder of Chochmat Nashim, an organization that supports women in Orthodox Jewish spaces. She tells us about the custom in some Orthodox communities in Israel and the U.S. to exclude images of women and girls from newspapers, advertisements, and even health brochures, which she is working to change. As always, let us know what you think of the show. Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Harry's: Get a free Harry's trial shave set—complete with a 5-blade razor with a weighted ergonomic grip, rich lathering shave gel, and a travel blade cover—at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we explore the role Jews played in the American psychedelic movement of the 1950s and 60s, and learn why some rabbis and spiritual leaders today are advocating for using psychedelics to unlock Jewish spiritual experiences. First, we talk to Jesse Jarnow, author of Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America, who tells us about the emergence of psychedelic use in mid-century America, and the many Jews involved in that countercultural scene. Then, contributor Alix Wall brings us the story of three Jews—a Holocaust survivor, a Bay Area rabbi, and a Harvard professor-turned-guru—who all advocate for psycheledics playing a larger role in our personal and communal lives. Featured in this segment is Rabbi Zac Kamenetz, who is undergoing certification by the California Institute for Integral Studies to become the first rabbinic psychedelic guide. He wants to rekindle the mystical core of Jewish tradition, allowing Jews to connect with the divine through safe and supported experiences using a clinical model within a distinctly Jewish context. Also featured is George Sarlo, an 82-year-old Holocaust survivor from Hungary whose guided experience with ayahuasca in Mexico healed his childhood trauma and lifelong depression, and also brought him back into the Jewish community. He established the George Sarlo Foundation to provide funding and research for the use of psychedelics to treat addiction and trauma. Dr. Gabor Maté was the friend who convinced Sarlo to try psychedelics as treatment for trauma, an approach pionered by Dutch psychiatrist Jan Bastiaans, who treated hundreds of Holocaust survivors with psychedelic drugs. As always, let us know what you think of the show. Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies here.

This week on Unorthodox, three books to add to your summer reading list. Our first guest is historian and U.C.L.A professor Sarah Abrevaya Stein, who is the author of Family Papers: A Sephardic Journey Through the Twentieth Century. She tells us how she pieced together the Levy family story across generations and continents through their correspondence, what this family's journey can teach us about the global Sephardic experience, and what the records we leave behind today might look like to future historians. Next we talk to David Sax, author of The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter and, most recently The Soul of an Entrepreneur: Work and Life Beyond the Startup Myth. He explains the value of analog products and ideas in today's tech-saturated climate, argues that true entrepreneurs aren't the Silicon Valley disrupters we read about in the news, and makes the case for entrepreneurship as an often necessary Jewish habit. Our final guest is Daniel Torday, who teaches creative writing at Bryn Mawr college and whose latest novel is BOOMER1, a tale of ageist angst taken to farcical and violent extremes. He tells us why our current cultural and economic moment is ripe for resentment towards Baby Boomers (Americans born roughly between 1946 and 1964), why intergenerational strife was such a compelling topic to take on, and what it's like to have his novel exist in the world alongside memes like 'OK Boomer.' Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Consider making a donation to Unorthodox. Sponsors: Masa Israel: Whether you’re interested in making a career change, volunteering, or just finding a new adventure, join young professionals from around the world and experience Israeli society first-hand through one of Masa Israel’s career development programs. If you or someone you know is looking to make next year meaningful and productive, visit masaisrael.org/unorthodox.

This week, we reflect on the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that have spread across the world, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to decry racism and police violence. Our first guest is Jason Kirschner, Mark's first cousin and close friend from childhood. Their Northeast Jewish suburban upbringings were strikingly similar, except that Jason is black. The cousins catch up by phone, and discuss race for the first time. Then we talk to Rabbi Alex Ozar of Yale's Slifka Center for Jewish Life, who is writing his PhD on what Jewish ethics teach us about our responsibility for social justice, focusing on the work of Hannah Arendt, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Joseph Soloveitchik. He explains what our obligations are as Jews in the face of injustice. Let us know what you think of the show: Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

This week on Unorthodox: Nazi alligators and Hitler's childhood home. First we talk to Naama Shefi of the Jewish Food Society, who returns to the show along with Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper, the fourth-generation owners of Russ and Daughters, to tell us about their work feeding healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can support the Jewish Food Society's initiative here. Then we sit down with Israeli musician Yair Nitzani, who talks about the strange reality of being a rock star in Israel (he'd head home on his moped after playing stadium shows), plus his work with the hit Israel band T-Slam and his Jon Stewart-inspired news satire television show. Have thoughts about the show? Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Join our Facebook group to get more Unorthodox and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Consider making a donation to Unorthodox if you like what you hear each week. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: "PsalmSeason: An Online Encounter with the Wisdom of the Psalms" is a new interfaith initiative that launched with a concert featuring 18 performances from artists around the world. Watch the concert at IFYC.org/psalmseason, and stay tuned for new personal reflections, poetry, and music every week for 18 weeks. The Institute for Jewish Spirituality has pioneered the development and teaching of Jewish mindfulness practices for over 20 years. Save $50 now by going to jewishspirituality.org and clicking on The Gift of Awareness. Harry's is a great shave at a great price. Get a free Harry's trial shave set—complete with a 5-blade razor with a weighted ergonomic grip, rich lathering shave gel, and a travel blade cover—at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we're proud to present our third annual conversion episode. On Shavuot, the Jewish holiday that starts tonight at sundown, we read the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of a Moabite woman who converts to Judaism and becomes the great-great-grandmother of King David. Shavuot is the perfect time to celebrate those who convert to Judaism, and on today's episode you'll hear a variety of stories featuring Jews by choice and their different journeys. (Listen to our 2019 episode here and our 2018 episode here.) First, we hear from Lynn Hyde, a resident of Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood, who was living a Jewish-adjacent life but was moved to undergo conversion following the Tree of Life shooting in 2018. Stephanie talks to two of her Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sisters—her 'little little' and her 'little little little'—who are both in the process of converting. (One of them even sent Stephanie the mezuzah that she mounted on her doorpost in a previous episode) David Ben-Moshe shares his complex journey to Judaism, exposing some of the injustices within the American criminal justice system as well as the Israeli rabbinate’s standards for who is a Jew. We also hear from Rabbi Shira Stutman of Sixth and I in Washington, D.C., who has overseen more than 300 conversions in the DC area and for 10 years has led Jewish Welcome Worship, a year-long course designed for people in their 20s & 30s who want to learn more about Judaism and/or convert. She takes us behind the scenes on the other side of the conversion process, telling us about the different types of people she's encountered, why they want to convert, and why the Jewish partners can sometimes be a real pain. And finally, Alix Wall brings us the moving story of Vy Nguyen, who at 25 was diagnosed with an extremely rare soft-tissue cancer. She was raised Buddhist, but met with every chaplain at the hospital to see what their religion had to say about her predicament. Moved by the words of the hospital's Jewish chaplain, Dr. Bruce Feldstein, she began an Orthodox conversion, a process that continued throughout many hospitalizations and surgeries, and finally took her to the mikveh and then the chuppah. If you like what you heard today, please consider making a donation to Unorthodox. Your generous support allows us to continue bringing you ambitious episodes and reported features, and we're deeply grateful. Tell us what you thought of the show: Email us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Join our Facebook group to get more Unorthodox and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Shalom, friends.

Description: Join us this Saturday, May 23 at 9 p.m. for a virtual Unorthodox live show! It's part of the Great Big Jewish Food Fest, and we'll be joined by Bon Appetit's Sarah Jampel. RSVP at bit.ly/unorthodoxjff. This week on Unorthodox, we're heading to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Our guest is Matthew Weiner, creator of the TV series 'Mad Men' and 'The Romanoffs,' and an executive producer on 'The Sopranos.' He joins us to talk about why everyone seems to be binge-watching 'Mad Men' lately, as well as what the show had to say about Jewishness in 1960s America, and how it was influenced by his own Jewish upbringing in Los Angeles. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our Spring and Summer 2020 tour events have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Harry's: Get a free Harry's trial shave set—complete with a 5-blade razor with a weighted ergonomic grip, rich lathering shave gel, and a travel blade cover—at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: How to build an eruv in Animal Crossing, and saying goodbye to Jerry Stiller. Our first guest is former Israeli Member of Knesset Einat Wilf. Well known in Israeli politics for her left-wing positions and advocacy of education and women's rights, she joins us to talk about her shift in thinking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which culminated in a book she co-authored, newly published in English, called The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace. Next we talk to Adam Zucker, the filmmaker behind American Muslim, and Mohamed Bahi, one of the activists in the film. Bahi—who was inspired to learn more about his Muslim faith after 9/11, when his high school football teammates stopped calling him "Mo" and started calling him "Mohamed"—tells us about his organization Muslims Giving Back, and how he helps New York's Muslim community through food banks, volunteer work, and refugee assistance. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about conversion, and what books or movies helped you along the way? Want to tell us about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our tour events for Spring 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is offering a free month of unlimited access to their entire library of online courses. Start your free month at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox.

This week, it's vinyl records vs. Spotify playlists. We talk to Nick Hornby, the English author of High Fidelity, Fever Pitch, About a Boy and many other books that were also adapted into feature films. We chatted with him about the new Hulu adaptation of High Fidelity starring Zoë Kravitz as a record store owner in Brooklyn, what music means to the kids today, and how his puzzle hobby is keeping him busy in quarantine. Then, Stephanie talks to Rachel Rosenthal, who teaches Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary and writes frequently about the intersection of Jewish text and modern life. She discusses stories of infertility in the Hebrew Bible, as well as her own experience with infertility as a Modern Orthodox woman. Finally, we check back in 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, who were guests on Unorthodox back in 2018, tell us about adjusting to life in quarantine, and the surprising new Shabbat traditions their family has created. Join us for Tablet Live, a series of Zoom conversations with some of the most interesting artists, writers, and thinkers around. On Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m., Stephanie and Liel will be in conversation about Liel's new book, Stan Lee: A Life in Comics, and on Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m., Stephanie will be joined onscreen by Israeli chef (and former Unorthodox guest) Einat Admony, as they make a recipe from Einat's cookbook, Shuk. More info at bit.ly/tabletlive. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about conversion, and what books or movies helped you along the way? Want to tell us about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our tour events for Spring 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is offering a free month of unlimited access to their entire library of online courses. Start your free month at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: Anne Frank the vlogger. Our guest this week is Michael O’Loughlin, a reporter at America Magazine and the host of their new podcast 'Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church.' We set down with him in early March to talk about the history of gay Catholics and the AIDS epidemic, the unexpected stories he spotlights on the podcast, and whether the Catholic church was prepared to handle the COVID crisis. A.J. Jacobs also returns to give us an update on a homework assignment. Then, we hear a new song by Israeli-born, New Jersey-bred musician Eef Barzelay, of the band Clem Snide. We've got (virtual) events! Join us for Tablet Live, a series of Zoom conversations with some of the most interesting artists, writers, and thinkers around. Check out the full schedule at bit.ly/tabletlive. Stephanie will be in conversation with Keith Gessen and Esther Safran Foer on Thursday, April 20th at 7 p.m. as part of the Unpacking the Book Series with the Jewish Book Council and The Jewish Museum. RSVP and get the Zoom info at  https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about conversion, and what books or movies helped you along the way? Want to tell us about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our tour events for Spring 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. This episode is sponsored by Harry's, a great shave at a great price. Get a free trial set with a 5-blade razor, shave gel, and a travel blade cover at harrys.com/unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox, we're talking about why everyone seems to be talking about Anne Frank these days. Our first guest is comedian Ophira Eisenberg, who tells us about hosting NPR's usually-live game show Ask Me Another remotely, and how humor is helping her through these strange and scary times. Stephanie talks with Israel Story host Mishy Harmon about Israpalooza, the day-long virtual celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut. Log on Wednesday, April 29 to hear from Itkhak Perlman, David Broza, Joan Nathan, Moshe Safdie, and more. More info at israpalooza.org/. Then, we talk to our super secret special guest. It's ... Liel! He joins us to discuss his brand new book, Stan Lee: A Life in Comics. This wonderful book offers a spiritual biography of the Marvel Comics legend, and makes a compelling case for just how deeply spiritual—and deeply Jewish—Lee's work was. Plus he tells us which Marvel character was inspired by which biblical figure. (P.S. Get 25 percent off the book price and free shipping when you use the code STAN LEE at www.jewishlives.org) We've got (virtual) events! Join us for Tablet Live, a series of Zoom conversations with some of the most interesting artists, writers, and thinkers around. The series kicks off Thursday, April 23 7 p.m. at bit.ly/tabletlive with hear Liel talk to Israeli-born musician Eef Barzelay, the lead singer and songwriter of the band Clem Snide. Stephanie will be in conversation with Keith Gessen and Esther Safran Foer on Thursday, April 20th at 7 p.m. as part of the Unpacking the Book Series with the Jewish Book Council and The Jewish Museum. RSVP and get the Zoom info at https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/events. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about conversion, and what books or movies helped you along the way? Want to tell us about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our tour events for Spring 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here.

Heya, J-Crew! It's us, your favorite chatty Jews. We know, it's not Thursday, and the next episode of Unorthodox doesn't drop for a bit (although, let us tell you, it's going to be a beauty). But we're here today to break a very special bit of news: We've got a brand new podcast! It's called Hebrew School, and it's the perfect game show for kids who want to learn a bit about Judaism and have some fun doing it. Adults will love it too, we promise.  Hosted by Stephanie and Liel, and featuring real kids as contestants, the show is a weekly, 20-minute session of the best—and wildest—Hebrew school you have ever attended. Want to hop in a time machine and eavesdrop on key moments in Jewish history? Wonder how to say "app" or "chat" in Hebrew? Think you can tell which quote comes from the Bible and which is a Taylor Swift lyric? This, friends, is the perfect game for you. Think you can beat the experts? Then listen and play along at home. Want to be on the show, and are between the ages of 7 and 12? Email us at hebrewschool@tabletmag.com.  And, as ever, please please please subscribe and rate us on iTunes.

This week, two Jews and a Quaker walk into a podcast! First, Stephanie has lunch with A.J. Jacobs—over Zoom. He explains his fondness for dining via the videoconferencing service, which he started doing five years ago while working from home. He tells us about returning to the germaphobic habits he worked hard to abandon, reminds us to remain grateful during trying times, and tells us about his puzzling latest project. Then, Mark checks in with Eric Ackland, owner of Amazing Books and Records in Pittsburgh, PA. Eric was on our conversion episode in 2019, telling the story of his journey from secular Judaism to Orthodoxy. He returns to candidly share the financial uncertainty now facing his business, which has closed both its locations and is now relying on online sales. Finally, we talk to Andy Boone, our first Quaker guest, and Mark's poker buddy. He tells us about his love of hobbies, including most recently, birding, and helps us embrace the Quaker-friendly values of silence and contemplation. Be part of our upcoming special episodes! Do you have a story to share about conversion, and what books or movies helped you along the way? Want to tell us about a lesser-known Jewish community for our Jews Around the World episode? Send us your story as a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com. Our tour events for April 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us, and connect with other listeners. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is offering a free month of unlimited access to their entire library of online courses. Start your free month at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox.

On today’s Unorthodox bonus episode, Liel has a conversation with author Sharon Cameron about her new novel, The Light in Hidden Places, which is based on the true story of a 16-year-old girl who hid thirteen Jews in her attic, while Nazis bunked below. Then we have another joke by Columbia University professor Jeremy Dauber, an expert on Jewish humor. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

This week, an episode all about… food! Listen in as Stephanie tours the Joyva factory and learns about how the Passover jelly rings (and the marshmallow twists, and the halvah bars) get made at the family-run confection company. Then, live from Encinitas, CA, our interview with chef Einat Admony recorded at The Hive at Leichtag Commons. She tells us about her Taim falafel empire, growing up Mizrahi in Israel, and bringing the eggplant dish known as sabich to American diners. You’ve heard us talk about Soom Foods and their tahini-based products, and this week we sit down with Amy Zitelman, who founded the company with her two sisters. (You better believe their parents are kvelling.) Last but not least, Stephanie chats with Pati Jinich [https://patijinich.com/], the host of Pati’s Mexican Kitchen on PBS. She tells us about growing up in Mexico City eating Ashkenazi dishes that incorporated elements of Mexican cuisine, like gefilte fish a la Veracruzana, and why her family’s Yom Kippur break-fasts are unlike anything she’s experienced in the U.S. Tell us what you're doing for this year's Seder. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Our tour events for April 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us, virtually, in the coming weeks. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is offering a free month of unlimited access to their entire library of online courses. Start your free month at thegreatcoursesplus.com/unorthodox. Harry's, a great shave at a great price. Get a free trial set with a 5-blade razor, shave gel, and a travel blade cover at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Today we're bringing you two very special interviews. First, we talk with Marcy Goldman, author of the perfectly named Newish Jewish Cookbook, about her Caramel Matzoh Crunch recipe and what else she's making for Passover. And then, we listen in on Stephanie's early March visit to New York City restaurant Jack’s Wife Freda. She sat down with owners Maya and Dean Jankelovitz, who told me about their Seders growing up in Israel and South Africa, and offered some expert tips about hosting a Passover seder. Tell us what you're doing to make this year's Seder special: Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here.

On today’s Unorthodox dispatch, Liel prepares for Shabbat HaGadol with a conversation with Yeshiva University's Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern about someone who is clearly missing from the Passover story. You can read Stu's article about it here. Then we have another joke by Columbia University professor Jeremy Dauber, an expert on Jewish humor. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

Passover has always offered solace and meaning during difficult times. This year's Seder looks very different from all other Seders, and we've got you covered. This episode walks you through the steps of the Seder, with special guests, perfect-for-Passover music, and more. Our guide is Tablet's new Passover Haggadah: An Ancient Story for Modern Times, which you can still order online on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. A digital version is available at bit.ly/tablethaggadahdigital. Tell us how you're making this year's Passover Seder special. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Our tour events for April 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us, virtually, in the coming weeks. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: In this time of anxiety, Jewish-based mindfulness and meditation may be the thing you need. Check out the Institute for Jewish Spirituality at Jewishspirituality.org/unorthodox and use the code Unorthodox20 at checkout for a 20% discount. From South Africa, Unorthodox Wines are perfect for the Passover seder, and a good companion during these most trying of times. Try the Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or a Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux blend. All the wines are Mevushal and Kosher for Passover and certified kosher by the OU. Go to bit.ly/unorthodoxwine and get Unorthodox Wines delivered to your door. You can also purchase Unorthodox Wines at wine stores, which currently remain open in the Northeast, Missouri, Michigan, the Mid-Atlantic and Florida.

Producer Josh Kross goes deep into the Facebook group to make another Havdalah service to bring a little light into your Saturday night social distancing. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

On today’s Unorthodox dispatch, Liel prepares for a much-needed Shabbat with a joke by Columbia University professor Jeremy Dauber, an expert on Jewish humor, as well as a couple songs by Avi Wisnia, and a few timely words of wisdom from this week's parsha. Avi Wisnia is an award-winning singer, songwriter, storyteller and educator based in Philadelphia. For more information visit www.aviwisnia.com or find him on social media @aviwisnia You can also stream and download all music at aviwisnia.bandcamp.com If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

This week on Unorthodox, the hosts catch up from their home studios and discuss the latest News of the Jews in this strange new world. Actor and writer Jesse Eisenberg returns to the show to discuss his two new movies out this week, Resistance and Vivarium. He tells us about playing a young Marcel Marceau saving Jewish children in France during the Holocaust in Resistance, and how Coronavirus shutdowns are affecting the movie industry. (You can watch Resistance on Video on Demand starting March 27.) We’re going to continue dropping mini episodes in addition to our weekly Thursday episodes, so watch your podcast feeds for more (and subscribe on iTunes). Our tour events for March and April 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us, virtually, in the coming weeks. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: In this time of anxiety, Jewish-based mindfulness and meditation may the thing you need. Check out the Institute for Jewish Spirituality at Jewishspirituality.org/unorthodox and use the code unorthodox20 at checkout for a 20 percent discount. Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get $5 off a Trial Set when you go to harrys.com/unorthodox. Kol Foods is the organic kosher butcher offering delicious meats from animals raised using healthy, ethical, and sustainable methods. Kol has everything you need for the Passover Seder and beyond, delivered safely to your door. Go to Kol Foods.com and use coupon code Unorthodox3020 to get 10 percent off your order.

Producer Josh Kross does another impromptu Havdalah service to bring a little light into your Saturday night social distancing. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

On today’s Unorthodox dispatch, Liel prepares for a much-needed Shabbat with a joke by Columbia University professor Jeremy Dauber, an expert on Jewish humor, as well as a song by the Jewbador, Jim Knable, and a few timely words of wisdom from this week's parsha. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

This week, our hosts are connecting via Zoom conference to discuss their new remote realities and read a lot of listener mail. We also hear from Tablet writer Yair Rosenberg, who composed and recorded an album of original modern melodies for traditional Jewish songs (listen to the first single, a Mumford and Sons-esque “Shalom Aleichem,” here). We’re going to continue dropping mini episodes in addition to our weekly Thursday episodes, so watch your podcast feeds for more (and subscribe on iTunes). Our tour events for March and April 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for updates on rescheduled dates, and join our Facebook group to see much more of us, virtually, in the coming weeks. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is an online streaming service that offers unique perspectives from engaging experts at the top of their fields. Get an entire month of courses for free when you sign up at thegreatcoursesplus.com/UNORTHODOX. Fleishigs magazine is like getting a gorgeous kosher cookbook delivered every month. Each issue features restaurant reviews, wine pairings, kosher destination wedding reviews, and more. Save Monday when you subscribe at fleishigs.com using discount code UNORTHODOX. Kol Foods is the organic kosher butcher offering delicious meats from animals raised using healthy, ethical, and sustainable methods. Kol has everything you need for the Passover Seder and beyond, delivered safely to your door. Go to Kol Foods.com and use coupon code Unorthodox3020 to get 10% off your order.

On today’s Unorthodox dispatch, producer Sara Fredman Aeder shares an audio diary recorded over the last week as her family has been living under quarantine in Westchester, NY. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

On today’s Unorthodox dispatch, we’re talking to Tablet’s book critic Adam Kirsch about what to read now that you might have a bit more time on your hands. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’d love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one fancy coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate. And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

On the latest Unorthodox COVID-19 minisode, Mark pulls his daughter Klara, age nine, into his basement studio, where she offers reflections on how real-life self-quarantine differs from the good times she’d come to expect from the scarlet-fever chapter in Sydney Taylor’s classic children’s novel. Also, Mark reflects on attending twins’ double bat mitzvah on Shabbat morning ... despite all the shul closings around the country. With music from Coma Svensson. If you want to keep these minisodes going, we’s love for you to rate Unorthodox on iTunes and set up a recurring donation—we suggest $5/month, which is to say one gourmet coffee a month—at tabletmag.com/donate. And, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here! Shalom, friends. Stay well.

Unorthodox producer Josh Kross tries to bring some light at the end of Shabbat with some help from our Facebook group and Stephanie's talk with Swipe Out Hunger's Rachel Sumekh about her organization's response to COVID-19.

While the world is quarantining and canceling around us, we decided to bring you all a little Shabbat light.

This week, it’s coronavirus vs. Purim, with a quarantine update from one of our producers. Our Jewish guest is Wall Street Journal sports reporter Ben Cohen, who joins us to discuss his new book, The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks. The last of the host’s spouses to appear on the show, Ben tells us about his deep dive into the world of patterns, probability, and statistics, plus the many Israeli psychologists he encountered in his research, and, of course, life with Cat Stevens. Our Gentile of the Week is Mo Rocca, who returns to the show to discuss his new book Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving, an outgrowth of his podcast of the same name. He tells us why he was inspired to dig through history to discover quirky and overlooked life stories, and what he learned about humanity along the way. Our tour events for March 2020 have been postponed. Stay tuned for more information about livestream offerings and rescheduled dates. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: The Great Courses Plus is an online streaming service that offers unique perspectives from engaging experts at the top of their fields. Get an entire month of courses for free when you sign up at thegreatcoursesplus.com/UNORTHODOX. Fleishigs Magazine is like getting a gorgeous kosher cookbook delivered every month. Each issue features restaurant reviews, wine pairings, kosher destination wedding reviews, and more. Save monday when you subscribe at fleishigs.com using discount code UNORTHODOX. Kol Foods is the organic kosher butcher offering delicious meats from animals raised using healthy, ethical, and sustainable methods. Kol has everything you need for the Seder, including Seder plate bones. Go to KolFoods.com and use coupon code Unorthodox3020 to get 10% off your order.

This week, we’re getting into the festive Purim spirit. Our first guest is fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, who tells us about growing up gay in Brooklyn’s Syrian Jewish community, how his years at Yeshiva at Flatbush instilled in him a strong work ethic, and getting his first taste of high fashion at synagogue. For more from Isaac, check out his memoir, I.M. (You can read Adam Kirsch’s review for Tablet here.) Next Stephanie talks to Simi Polonsky and Chaya Chanin, the sisters behind The Frock NYC, which offers high end, unique, modest clothing. They tell us about growing up Orthodox in Australia and bristling against the restrictive clothing conventions of their religious community, and explain why they believe being modest and fashionable aren’t mutually exclusive. Finally Rabbi Ari Lamm returns to the show to offer a truly unexpected take on the Purim story. Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! March 12 – Boca Raton, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, New York: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, Virginia: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. Get $5 off a Trial Set when you go to harrys.com/unorthodox. Fleishigs Magazine is like getting a gorgeous kosher cookbook delivered every month, with recipes ranging from traditional orange beef and kugel to more out-there ideas like cholent pot-pie and liver tacos. Each issue features restaurant reviews, wine pairings, travel features, kosher destination wedding reviews, and more. Save money and subscribe at fleishigs.com using discount code UNORTHODOX. “Declaring Israel’s Independence” is a free online course from the Tikvah Fund, taught by historian Martin Kramer. Immerse yourself in this sweeping study of the most dramatic days of 1948, when Israel’s founders tackled the deepest questions of Zionist statecraft as they wrote Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Enroll today at Declaration.TikvahFund.org/Tablet.

This week on Unorthodox: Jewish royal watching, Belgian parades, and more. Liel speaks with Harvard professor emeritus Ruth Wisse about the reissue of her book Jews and Power. She shares her theory about how the impulse to want to be a mensch might be leaving Jews defenseless, why she thinks the Holocaust is being mistaught in American schools, and more. Our Gentile of the Week is Antonia Eliason, an associate professor of law at the University of Mississippi who is running for U.S. Congress as a democratic socialist. She tells us what democratic socialism means, why she thinks her campaign has a shot in a red state, and gives us a bit of background on Jews and socialism. Her Gentile of the Week question is about Tisha B’Av today. Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! March 2 – New York, NY: Stephanie in conversation with Matti Friedman @ 92Y March 6 – Amherst, Massachusetts: Stephanie @ Yiddish Book Center March 12 – Boca Raton, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, New York: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, Virginia: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Get ready for Purim with an order of delicious tahini products from Soom Foods. Head to soomfoods.com and use the code UNORTHODOX to receive 15% off your order. Try the pantry sampler, which includes their tahini, chocolate sweet tahini halva spread, and silan date syrup.

This week we’re bringing you two interviews from our live show at the Valley of the Sun JCC in Phoenix, Arizona. First up, we get a double shot of rabbinical wisdom from Pinchas Allouche, the founding rabbi of Congregation Beth Tefillah, and Shmuly Yanklowitz, the president & dean of Valley Beit Midrash. They each share the story of their unlikely journey towards becoming a rabbi, and explain how they’re trying to make Judaism accessible to all sorts of Jews today. Our Gentile of the Week is NBA Hall-of-Fame player Paul Westphal. Westphal won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and coached the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993. He tells us about his love of Israel, and brings the hosts one of the thorniest Gentile of the Week questions ever. We also have a special treat: Mark and Stephanie’s appearance on Liel’s other podcast, Take One. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! Feb. 20 – New York City: Stephanie in conversation with authors Goldie Goldbloom and Abby Chava Stein Feb. 26 – Naples, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Mark March 6 – Amherst, Massachusetts: Stephanie @ Yiddish Book Center March 12 – Boca Raton, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, New York: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, Virginia: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Send your kids to a Jewish camp this summer! More than 180,000 campers and college-age counselors use the Foundation for Jewish Camp website to find their camp every summer. Go to onehappycamper.org/unorthodox and find the right camp for you. Get ready for Purim with an order of delicious tahini products from Soom Foods. Head to soomfoods.com and use the code UNORTHODOX to receive 15 percent off your order. Try the pantry sampler, which includes their tahini, chocolate sweet tahini halva spread, and silan date syrup.

This week, we’re celebrating secular Tu B’Av, aka Valentine’s Day. The creator of stars of Soon By You, the popular web series that’s basically ‘Friends’ with modern Orthodox Jews, return to the show to update us on their latest season, deciding to take on controversial issues like LGBT dating in the religious world, and what it’s like to write and star in a show about singles now that they’re married. Next, very few things leave all three of us speechless, but this update from contributor Hal Karp truly blew us away. We hope you enjoy listening. And finally, Cantorial student Jacob Sandler joins us to teach us how to bring more life info synagogue services, and leads us in a rousing rendition of “Adon Olam,” set to a Backstreet Boys song. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! Feb. 20 –New York City: Stephanie in conversation with authors Goldie Goldbloom and Abby Chava Stein Feb. 26 – Naples, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Mark March 6 – Amherst, Massachusetts: Stephanie @ Yiddish Book Center March 12 – Boca Raton, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, New York: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, Virginia: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Send your kids to a Jewish camp this summer! More than 180,000 campers and college-age counselors use the Foundation for Jewish Camp website to find their camp every summer. Go to onehappycamper.org/unorthodox and find the right camp for you. This episode is also sponsored by Harry's. New customers get $5 off any shave set with a 5-blade razor, weighted handle, foaming shave gel with aloe, and a travel cover when they go to Harrys.com/UNORTHODOX.

This week, we’re putting more truth on the wheel. First, Mark talks to Mark Galli, who until recently was the editor in chief of evangelical magazine Christianity Today. Just before retiring he published a highly controversial editorial arguing that President Trump should be removed from office. He describes the fallout from the article, and shares his thoughts about where evangelical Christians stand politically and culturally today. Then we welcome back film critic Jordan Hoffman, who tells us about the Jewish films, actors, and directors to look out for at this Sunday’s Academy Awards, and gives us his Oscars predictions. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! Feb. 6 – Scotch Plains, New Jersey: Book talk with Stephanie Feb. 9 – Wyomissing, Pennsylvania: Book talk with Mark Feb. 11– New York City: Stephanie moderating Q&A following ‘Latter Day Jew’ screening Feb. 20 –New York City: Stephanie in conversation with authors Goldie Goldbloom and Abby Chava Stein Feb. 26 – Naples, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Mark March 6 – Amherst, Massachusetts: Stephanie @ Yiddish Book Center March 12 – Boca Raton, Florida: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, New York: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, Virginia: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: Send your kids to a Jewish camp this summer! More than 180,000 campers and college-age counselors use the Foundation for Jewish Camp website to find their camp every summer. Go to one happycamper.org/unorthodox and find the right camp for you.

This week, presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg are leaning into their Jewishness (see here and here), and we’re here to analyze their efforts. Our Jewish guest is Andrew Rehfeld, the new president of Hebrew Union College, the Reform movement’s rabbinic and educational training ground. He tells us how the institution is adapting to face the challenges of the 21st century, targeting three areas: strengthening Jewish education, Jewish engagement, and Jewish identity; as he puts it, “the knowing, the doing, and the being of Jewish.” He also explains the history and theology of Reform Judaism, and shares where he sees the movement today and going forward. Our Gentile of the Week is Ed Gaskin, a devout Christian who started attending Shabbat services following the Tree of Life shooting in October 2018, to show solidarity with the Jewish community. He’s attended all but four weekly Shabbat services since. He tells us what he’s learned from a year at Temple Beth Elohim in Boston, as well as some of the questions he’s received about his undertaking, both from Jewish congregants and his Christian friends. Let us know what you think of the show: Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Come see us on tour! Feb. 6 – Scotch Plains, NJ: Book talk with Stephanie Feb. 9 – Wyomissing, PA: Book talk with Mark Feb. 11– New York, NY: Stephanie moderating Q&A following ‘Latter Day Jew’ screening Feb. 20 –New York, NY: Stephanie in conversation with authors Goldie Goldbloom and Abby Chava Stein Feb. 26 – Naples, FL: Book talk with Stephanie and Mark March 6 – Amherst, MA: Stephanie @ Yiddish Book Center March 12 – Boca Raton, FL: Book talk with Stephanie and Liel March 17 – Long Island, NY: Book talk with Stephanie March 19 – Virginia Beach, VA: Unorthodox live show Like the book? Leave us a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here. Sponsors: “Those Who Were There” is a podcast presented by the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. The Fortunoff Archive holds more than 4,400 testimonies recorded in over a dozen countries, and the first season of the podcast features 10 episodes drawn from the archive. In every episode, a survivor or wit