Tablet Studios

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/donateAnd, 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/donateAnd, as always, if you want to keep up with all things Unorthodox, join our Facebook group here!Shalom, friends. Stay well.