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This week on How to Be a Jew, we have questions, and answers too. As we all get ready for Passover we’re tackling some of the thorniest… and tastiest questions we’ve gotten. Need to save your matzah balls? What’s up with Christian Seders? Should we feel guilty about the plagues? Tune in for answers to these and other important questions. 

Mark Gerson, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author of "God Was Right," offers fascinating insights into the modern relevance of the Torah. He discusses how biblical teachings can cure contemporary issues like depression through mindful choices, including what we wear. Gerson critiques modern dating habits, urging for more intentional partner selection rooted in shared values. Additionally, he advocates for a shift from victim culture to one of dignity, highlighting the power of personal responsibility and community in fostering both generosity and inclusion.

Ayelet Zurer, the talented Israeli-American actress known for her roles in films like Munich and Man of Steel, joins the conversation. She delves into the representation of Jewish themes in media, sharing insights about her experience in 'House of David' and its parallels to 'Game of Thrones.' The discussion touches on the complexities of biblical storytelling, particularly regarding motherhood and women's roles in historical contexts. Zurer also highlights the importance of multidimensional characters and how ancient narratives still resonate in modern storytelling.

Josh Hammer, Senior Editor at Large for Newsweek and author of "Israel and Civilization," discusses how the future of Western civilization hinges on the success of Israel and the Jewish community. He delves into the rise of anti-Semitism and the necessity of a Jewish-Christian coalition to overcome societal upheaval. Hammer explores the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance, emphasizing its importance for American security. He also shares personal anecdotes about love and identity in Jerusalem, weaving together cultural and political reflections on modern Jewish life.

For more than 3,000 years, prohibitions against eating pig has been central to Jewish dietary laws, but it’s also been a potent symbol of Jewish identity. Other non-kosher animals, like horses, rabbits, squirrels, and even vultures don’t carry the same weight that the pig does in the Jewish imagination. Jordan Rosenblum, Jewish Studies professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, joins us to talk about why. His new book, Forbidden—A 3,000-Year History of Jews and the Pig, traces the history of the pig as a symbol of Jewish identity, and recently won the National Jewish Book Award for Food Writing and Cookbooks.

Universities are meant to be spaces of free inquiry, knowledge, and rigorous debate. But according to academic and writer Cary Nelson, they’ve instead become hotbeds of ideological conformity—long before October 7. In his new essay Mindless, published in the Jewish Quarterly, Nelson traces how universities abandoned shared intellectual principles, paving the way for the antisemitism and misinformation now taking hold on campuses worldwide. He joins Liel to discuss the forces that led to this institutional failure, the consequences for Jewish students and faculty, and what must happen to restore true academic freedom.

A few weeks ago, we brought you a conversation with AJ Edelman, the first Orthodox Jew to compete in the Winter Olympics and the pilot of the current Israeli bobsled team.Shortly after that interview, Tablet signed on as a sponsor for his bobsled team, complete with merch you can find at https://tabletmagstore.com/ This week, we’re bringing you a dispatch from his time at the World Bobsled Championships and the three things you need to know about bobsledding.For more information about the Israel Bobsled team, visit israelbobsled.team. 

The charge of dual loyalty has long been a key weapon in the arsenal of anti-Semites everywhere. But in his new book, The Case for Dual Loyalty: Healing the Divided Soul of American Jews, Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz of Los Angeles’ Valley Beth Shalom argues that it’s time to embrace the idea. He joins Liel to talk about why American Jews should be loyal to Israel and the United States alike, why that is a complimentary rather than contradictory idea, and why it’s time, in the aftermath of October 7th, for Jews to reconsider the way they view their identities

Salvador Litvak, also known as the Accidental Talmudist, is the filmmaker behind the 2005 cult classic When Do We Eat and the author of Let My People Laugh: The Greatest Jewish Jokes of All Time!. He joins us to discuss his new film, Guns and Moses, in which a small-town rabbi becomes an unlikely gunslinger after his community is attacked. Guns and Moses premiered at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival in 2024 and is expected to release nationwide this summer.Sponsors:The Institute for Jewish Spirituality invites you to Mindfulness for the Climate Crisis: Resilience in a Changing World. Register at  Jewishspirituality.orgJoin the American Technion Society for an exclusive briefing with Technion Professor Brigadier General Jacob Nagel, as he shares key finding from his report to the government on Israel’s defense technology and security needs, and the Technion’s vital role in this evolving strategy. Register at link.ats.org/security

Last Saturday, ICE agents detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian who was one of the leaders behind the year-long Tentifadah in Columbia University. Khalil and his group have repeatedly expressed their support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations, a violation of U.S. immigration law. Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, joins Liel to explain why the act is completely legal, and why we shouldn’t fall for the bad faith argument that Khalil’s arrest is a free speech issue.