//podcastplus.net/feed/podcast~07de9c69368b637a949f9f397d36943e09260f5e94750a9b6fe394c28eee8bd8 What is being "Jewish"? What are Jews? What do Jews believe? What do Jews do? What's happening in those mysterious synagogues with all that weird language (it's Hebrew)?Jew curious? The thing about being Jewish is, you can't tell us apart by looking (well, not always), we often look the same, dress the same, work and play and eat right alongside our non-Jewish counterparts, and yet, as a teeny tiny minority--only 0.2% of the global population, and 2-3% of the U.S. population--plenty of people have probably never met a Jewish person, or if they did, they didn't even know it.  For as much as we share (and it's probably way more than you think), somehow, moving through the world as a Jew really is different. Everything looks different through a Jewish lens, even for those who aren't particularly religious, the ones who describe themselves as "Jew-ish." But honestly, none of this is really that mysterious. And, if you're curious or confused, you can always just ask the internet--or, now you can also come here and check in with your new Jewish friend.So, if you have questions about being Jewish, we're here to introduce, explain, ask alongside, and generally demystify Judaism for Members of the Tribe (Jews) and goyim (non-Jews) alike, exploring and showcasing the infinite ways there are to be Jewish.  Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:05:42 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17893220-rosh-hashanah-for-my-non-jews-repub-from-2024.mp3 Send us a text This episode was originally published for Rosh Hashanah on October 9, 2024. One of my nearest and dearest non-Jewish friends asked if she could join me for Rosh Hashanah last year, and we thought it would be useful to other Jew-curious listeners to share some of her questions and thoughts about that experience.  You may know Rosh Hashanah as the Jewish New Year, and you're mostly right (it's technically the anniversary of creation ), but there's much more to it than that! Check the original show notes for tons more info, but I've copied some of the highlights below. Also, check out the Happy Jew Year! episode from 2023, with my mother and brother who are both Jewish educators, to learn even more. They teach me something new every time we talk.  Thanks to my friend and to all the non-Jewish friends who ask questions rather than make assumptions, and everyone who, regardless of creed, cultural background or affiliation, shows up with curiosi... Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17893220-rosh-hashanah-for-my-non-jews-repub-from-2024.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17629816-people-are-starving-in-gaza-hostages-are-still-missing-and-the-u-s-remains-israel-s-closest-ally-what-s-a-jewish-lawmaker-to-do.mp3 Send us a text Right after a flurry of activity around Israel and Gaza on the Hill, I connected with Congressman Greg Landsman, one of only 32 Jews in Congress (9 in the Senate, 23 in the House). Landsman has been a voice defending Israel and demanding humanitarian aid to Gaza , and like myself, does not believe the two are mutually exclusive. In June, he declined an invitation to his staff from Qatar, saying they could discuss how to end the war in Gaza instead, and since recording, he joined a bipartisan Congressional delegation visit to Israel. We talked on August 1, as Congress went on recess, and much has happened since then that won't be covered in the episode, obviously. But we did cover a lot, including growing up as a Nice Jewish Boy (he has sisters) in Ohio, raising cool kids, and some of the work he is most proud of. More about Greg, his beloved Ohio, and other stuff: Hebrew Union College was established in 1875 to train rabbis, and is generally considered the birthpl... Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17629816-people-are-starving-in-gaza-hostages-are-still-missing-and-the-u-s-remains-israel-s-closest-ally-what-s-a-jewish-lawmaker-to-do.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17564996-jews-helping-jews-have-babies-but-not-like-that.mp3 Send us a text Jews and money and babies, oh my! Our mission of destigmatization continues with a look at IVF, and some Jewish perspectives on fertility--and infertility--with Sarah Shah, Director of Operations for the Jewish Fertility Foundation.   Appropriately enough, this episode is late because I just had my own egg retrieval as part of my IVF journey; which was aided in part by a JFF grant, as well as by the Hebrew Free Loan Association , which you'll hear more about in another episode. So, after I took a little time to recover, it seemed right to pay it forward by sharing about these resources, including a bit about both of our journeys (Sarah too!), and the amazing support--not just financial--from the JFF and the HFL, resources individuals and organizations in the Jewish community have worked to provide for one another. Infertility and IVF are hard, but it's even harder alone. Glad you're here.  GLOSSARY Mi Shebeirach: a Jewish prayer for healing Kinahor... Thu, 07 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17564996-jews-helping-jews-have-babies-but-not-like-that.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17470762-what-does-being-jewish-now-mean.mp3 Send us a text Ask a Jewish question, get a Jewish answer: It's complicated. It would be impossible to fully represent the richness and variety of Jewish experiences, but who better to try than a bunch of writers? So, author, publisher, and podcaster Zibby Owens took on the task in her anthology, " On Being Jewish Now " (see what I did there?); also a Substack where anyone can submit an essay. You may know Zibby from her long-running podcast, Totally Booked , (formerly Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books) which started in 2018 and has hosted more than 2100 authors since then. Zibby is a gifted interviewer, but she's also a fascinating guest! GLOSSARY and More: The global Jewish population is just under 16 million people, or about 0.19% of the global population. Nearly half reside in Israel, the Jewish ancestral homeland , from which they were expelled by the Romans in 70 CE after residing there for centuries, of which there is recorded history going back to at l... Thu, 10 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17470762-what-does-being-jewish-now-mean.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17400547-can-you-be-a-christian-and-still-be-a-jew.mp3 Send us a text As a wise rabbi once said (It was Rabbi Susan Shankman, our very first episode ), there as many ways to be Jewish as there are Jews. Well, friend-of-the-show Evan Feinberg is a living example of how one can live their "Jewishness"....as a Christian? Evan is Chairman of the Stand Together Foundation, and through the work he's done with non-profits like CarePortal , Points of Light, and Good Soil , among other things, he's kind of become "the faith guy" at work. We bonded when we met at Stand Together, both being obvious MOTs (members of the Tribe) and each time we worked on a project together, we'd have to spend the first few minutes trying to figure out the latest Gabers he'd discovered in his family tree and how the heck we must be related. TBD, by the way. I'll keep you posted.  But, I discovered later: Evan is a practicing Christian. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't met many Jews who converted away from Judai... Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17400547-can-you-be-a-christian-and-still-be-a-jew.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17315671-still-jew-ish-season-3-trailer.mp3 Send us a text Your Jewish friend is back!! Season 3 of Jew-ish has a whole new roster of stories and voices from all the usual and unusual suspects: Jews, non-Jews, former Jews, and the generally Jew-curious.  As usual, we'll tackle the questions you're not sure if you should ask, with our usual irreverence, humor, curiosity and deep thoughts.  Jew got questions? We got answers(or know someone who might)! Follow, subscribe and tell a friend!  Support the show Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/17315671-still-jew-ish-season-3-trailer.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/16340170-the-christmas-hanukkah-chrismukkah-hallmark-style-romance-novels-you-ve-been-waiting-for.mp3 Send us a text Content warning below On the first night of Hanukkah 2024, I give to all of you, by way of my seventh-grade bestie and USA TODAY bestselling author Helena Greer , the story of Carrigans Christmasland ! Inspired by rage-Tweets about Hallmark movies, these steamy stories dare to ask the important question: "what if this beloved trope was gay?" (and Jewish). Helena and I did the math, and we have known each other for nearly 30 years now (yikes...). We met during the formative, chaotic, defining days of trauma that is middle school in our hometown of Tucson. Those experiences, and more, are central to who we have become, and the exploration and identity we began to discover in those days, like so many of us, has shaped much of who we became, and in Helena’s case, her return to writing and the birth of the Jewish Christmas-tree-farm-owning Carrigans.  This episode will probably resonate with a lot of '90s kids, but we do discuss some of our and our peers' struggles,... Wed, 25 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/16340170-the-christmas-hanukkah-chrismukkah-hallmark-style-romance-novels-you-ve-been-waiting-for.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15929473-rosh-hashanah-and-yom-kippur-questions-answered-repub-from-2023.mp3 Send us a text What is Rosh Hashanah? How do you wish someone a good Yom Kippur? What are the High Holy Days? All this and more with Jewish educators spanning two generations, who happen to also be my family! This episode is republished from 2023, and was recorded while on a work trip, so it's over Zoom and the sound isn't the best, but it's packed full of information and stupid questions I asked so you don't have to! Find the original episode here: Happy Jew Year! What does Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mean, and what to do And find 2024's Rosh Hashanah episode here: A non-Jew's first Rosh Hashanah, one year after the October 7 Hamas attacks Support the show Wed, 16 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15929473-rosh-hashanah-and-yom-kippur-questions-answered-repub-from-2023.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15897512-a-non-jew-s-first-rosh-hashanah-one-year-after-the-october-7-hamas-attacks.mp3 Send us a text You may know Rosh Hashanah as the Jewish New Year, and you're mostly right (it's technically the anniversary of creation ), but that might be about it. Maybe you have some questions, like: when was Rosh Hashanah 2024 (October 2-4)? What are you supposed to wear (white)? What can you do and not do (don't work, but you don't have to fast)? And a very close friend of mine had a really good one: can I come? The answer: HECK YEAH!  So baby had her first Rosh Hashanah, and she let me record her questions afterward, in case it could help other Jew-curious individuals like her--or you? To note: we've known each other a long time, traveled together, met one another's families, and I can assure you she is a real person. But, because of the nature of her work, we decided to keep her anonymous so she could speak freely and ask all her questions. ICYMI: neither she nor I represent any other organization or individual's perspectives ... Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15897512-a-non-jew-s-first-rosh-hashanah-one-year-after-the-october-7-hamas-attacks.mp3 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15617647-mysticism-and-judaism-and-dreams-oh-my.mp3 Send us a text Growing up Conservative Jewish in Ohio, Rabbi Cantor Judy Greenfeld turned away from her family traditions after her beloved father was murdered. Judaism became an unbearably painful reminder of her loss, and she became a "seeker" of other spiritual pathways as she tried to outrun her mourning. She explored, Buddhism, dance, holistic medicine, and psychology. Eventually, she found her way through dreams and mysticism back to Judaism, embracing traditions like Kabbalah, back to the religion and community she was born into, and discovered she had never really left. In her books , she uses her unique interpretations and experiences to make Jewish traditions accessible for anyone, offering practices and prayers to make the day to day business of living just a little bit easier for everyone. GLOSSARY: Zionism : A political movement founded by Theodor Herzl in the 1890s to create a Jewish homeland, based in an assimilationist philosophy and cemented by antisemitic incidents like th... Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/episodes/15617647-mysticism-and-judaism-and-dreams-oh-my.mp3