Navigating Comedy, Antisemitism, and the Gaza/Israel War with Impressionist Ami Kozak
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Outro
Final thanks, where to find Ami's work (socials, Ami's House podcast, band Distant Cousins), and episode closing by Jonah.
Ami Kozak is redefining what Jewish comedy and commentary look like in 2025 — blending sharp impressions, fearless satire, and moral clarity in a time of chaos.
In this episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with Ami — modern Orthodox comedian, musician, and host of the podcast Ami’s House — to talk about how his Jewish faith and sense of moral clarity shaped his response to anti-Jew bigotry and misinformation after October 7.
Ami shares:
- How growing up modern Orthodox shaped his Jewish identity and worldview
- Why October 7 changed his purpose as a performer — turning laughter into a vehicle for truth
- Why he chose to have civil conversations with controversial figures like Candace Owens and Dave Smith — and what those exchanges taught him about engaging bad ideas in good faith
- The dangers of moral relativism, false “experts,” and the growing misuse of words like “genocide”
- What he calls “goosebumps with clarity” — balancing empathy with uncompromising honesty
- His creative process for impressions of President Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and Zohran Mamdani — and how humor can cut through disinformation
From synagogue to stage, from serious debate to satire, Ami Kozak proves that comedy can do more than make people laugh — it can make them think.
Hashtags:
#AmiKozak #BeingJewish #30MinuteMensches #JewishComedy #ModernOrthodox #Israel #JewishIdentity #Antisemitism #FreeSpeech #JewishHumor #MoralClarity
Mentioned In The Episode:
Your Hebrew word for the day: MAMAD
Human Rights Council members who abuse human rights
Norman Finkelstein vs Alan Dershowitz On Israel-Palestine War With Piers Morgan | The Full Debate
Tucker Carlson Wedding Vows Skit
Ami Kozak’s Band “Distant Cousins”
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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Story Producer: Sasha Nelson, Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
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