A Bintel Brief

Coming Jan. 24. Listen to the trailer for "Playing Anne Frank," a seven-episode series from the Forward about one of America's most iconic cultural works, "The Diary of Anne Frank," and how it shapes all those involved in it. From the original Broadway show, which debuted in 1955 and won Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize; to the Oscar-winning 1959 film; to high school students putting it on today, journalist and novelist Adam Langer takes you deep into the cultural history of the play that introduced millions to the Holocaust. Subscribe to "Playing Anne Frank" wherever you get your podcasts.

At the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, Jodi Rudoren interviewed Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy to combat and monitor antisemitism, about her recent travels to the Middle East, why hate is on the rise around the world, and Ken Burns’ latest documentary.

For the High Holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes of "A Bintel Brief."

This episode features a letter from “Grumpy Gifter,” a listener fed up with the “wedding-and-baby-etiquette industrial complex.” She asks whether she can opt out of the compulsory gift-giving that social norms mandate without offending her community. The episode features advice from Bintel, perspective from the past via the Forward’s archivist, Chana Pollack, and a special visit from Aviva Calmer, founder of the Adventure School.

For the High Holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes of "A Bintel Brief."

Last season, Bintel dispensed wisdom to Heartbroken Bubbe, who wrote to express concern that her grandchild, growing up in a mixed-faith household, might not receive sufficient Jewish influence. The letter garnered strong reactions in our listeners. This episode, Ginna and Lynn share and expound on some of those responses. Our regular featured guest, Chana Pollack, returns, as does a special guest: Heartbroken Bubbe herself, who reflects on what she’s learned.

For the High Holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes of "A Bintel Brief."

In this episode, Ginna and Lynn help a listener distressed by a friend’s dismissive comments about the Holocaust. Chana Pollack, the Forward’s archivist, and Boaz Dvir, Founder and Director of the Holocaust Education Initiative, weigh in.

The Season 2 finale features a letter from “CEOO, Chief Egregious Offense Officer,” an executive who has discovered a photo of one of his employees in blackface — from 40 years ago. The episode features advice from Bintel, perspective from the past via the Forward’s archivist, Chana Pollack, and a special visit from Eve Ng, a professor at Ohio University and author of the new book, "Cancel Culture: A Critical Analysis."

For the High Holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes of "A Bintel Brief."

This episode features a letter from “Unbrotherly Love,” a listener who wonders whether he should attend a wedding at which he would meet a half-brother his father had through an affair. The episode features advice from Bintel and perspective from the past via the Forward’s archivist, Chana Pollack.

Each month on Can We Talk?, the Jewish Women’s Archive features stories and conversations centered around gender and being Jewish. Alternating between a documentary style and a roundtable format, this show includes profiles of historical and contemporary Jewish women, frank discussion of culture, politics, and current events, and little-known stories from our past and present. In advance of our season 2 finale, we're sharing one of our favorite episodes of theirs with you.

For the High Holidays, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes of "A Bintel Brief."

This episode features a letter from “No Dice,” a listener in high school who is wondering whether or not to cut ties with her friends who had her enact a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid during a Dungeons & Dragons game. The episode features advice from Bintel, perspective from the past via the Forward’s archivist, Chana Pollack, and a special visit from Susan McCarthy and Marjorie Ingall, co-creators of the website SorryWatch.com, which tracks apologies in the news.

This special episode features an interview with the Forward's archivist, Chana Pollack, about the Bintel Brief of yore. Plus, in Bintel Blitz, Lynn tries to guess the English meaning of three Yiddish words.