Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

In this episode of 30 Minute Mensches, host Jonah Platt sits down with Rachael Fried, the Executive Director of JQY (Jewish Queer Youth). Rachael shares her personal journey from being a closeted Orthodox participant to leading the organization, which now operates a professional center in New York's Times Square with a $2 million budget. JQY serves as a vital mental health nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth (ages 13–23) from "historically non-accepting communities," specifically those from Orthodox, Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Russian-speaking backgrounds.

The discussion covers the critical safety risks facing these teens, including suicide and homelessness, and the creative "guerrilla marketing" JQY employs to reach youth in insular environments where internet access is restricted. Fried addresses the intersection of queer identity and Halakha (Jewish law), referencing Leviticus 18:22 and the principle of Elu v’Elu to advocate for the healthy coexistence of religious and queer identities. Finally, she highlights JQY’s national expansion through virtual drop-in centers, a mobile app, and a national Jewish queer book club.

Topics Include:

• They discuss the scale of need (potentially hundreds of thousands)
• The episode addresses high-risk factors for queer Jewish youth, including increased rates of suicide, homelessness, and addiction.
• The discussion explores barriers to information for youth using "kosher phones" or restricted internet in ultra-Orthodox communities.
• Rachael explains how religious texts are often used to justify cultural homophobia beyond the literal interpretation of the law.
• The Jewish principle of "Elu v’Elu" (both these and those) is highlighted as a core philosophy for holding both queer and Jewish identities as true.
• Student activism surrounding a queer club at Yeshiva University
• The cultural dimensions of halakha-based rejection
• Getting in-contact with the organization if you aren’t in New York City

Mentioned In The Episode:

Rachael Fried Instagram

Jewish Queer Youth (JQY) Facebook

JQY app

JQY Instagram

JQY Website

About JQY

LGBTQ+ Jewish Demographic Pew Stud

Kosher Phone

Hechsher

Halacha

Leviticus 18:22

Turning it over in the Torah

B’tselem Elohim

Cis/ Cisgender

Elu v’elu

Yeshiva University

Jewish Queer Book Club JQY

Ruth Bader Ginsberg

JQY Drop In

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

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[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Story Producer: Sasha Nelson, Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

At this live “Being Jewish with Jonah Platt” event in San Diego, supported by Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, and the Jim Joseph Foundation, Jonah Platt welcomes two influential spiritual leaders: Rabbi Sharon Brous, founding rabbi of IKAR in Los Angeles, and David Ingber, founding rabbi of Romemu in New York. Together, they explore how their egalitarian, non-denominational communities are reimagining synagogue life by emphasizing spiritual aliveness, engaging prayer, and social justice.

Brous and Ingber speak candidly about the challenges of leading “big tent” communities in a deeply polarized time, where congregants often expect rabbis to mirror their views, and leave when they don't. Brous discusses transforming sermons into collective responsibility and action, while Ingber critiques what he calls a more consumer-driven performative Judaism, shaped by convenience rather than commitment. Drawing on experience from the Women’s March controversy through the aftermath of October 7th, they examine what it means to lead with integrity when every word carries weight. 

The conversation also grapples with enduring questions at the heart of Jewish life: the role of prayer, the tension between universal values and particular Jewish obligation, and the importance of humility and patience in leadership. Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and growing political divisions around Israel and America, this episode looks at what Jewish leadership demands and what the Jewish community can become in this moment of urgency and change.  

This is Part One of a Two-Part conversation. 

In the episode, they discuss:

• The founding visions behind IKAR and Romemu 
• How Brous and Ingber are reimagining synagogue life 
• The rabbinical role in modern society
• Silence from progressive allies following October 7th  
• Rabbi David Ingber’s experience confronting Tamika Mallory and Louis Farrakhan
• The concept of “raising flawed flags”
• The Talmudic story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza
• Balancing universalism and particularism through Torah teachings 
• The pressure to respond instantly on social media versus engaging in thoughtful reflection

A special thanks to our partners on this episode:

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Crown Family Philanthropies

Jim Joseph Foundation

Mentioned In The Episode:

Rabbi Sharon Brous Instagram

Rabbi David Ingber

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt Webby Award

BJJP: Religious Communicators Council Award: Best Audio Visual Program

BJJP: 2025 W3 Award Winner: Best Podcast Host

David Rittberg

IKAR

Romemu

Columbia students criticize University’s handling of antisemitism at federal civil rights listening session

Remembering Jesse Jackson

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza

Brooklyn Yeshivas Circa 1937 Part I

What Is Kabbalat Shabbat?

Women First Marched to Challenge Trump. Now They Are Challenging Each Other

Tamika D. Mallory Instagram

Louis Farrakhan

Genesis 18:22-33

Judaism is About Love by Rabbi Shai Held

What Did the People Hear at Mount Sinai?

Gazing Into the Digital Face of Levinas: The Ethics of Self and Other in Cyberspace

NYC bill allowing protest ‘buffer zones’ around houses of worship passes with veto-proof majority

Antisemitic mob descends on historic NYC synagogue — urging the ‘resistance’ to ‘take another settler out’

Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger

Zohran Mamdani has no opinion on a united Ireland. That matters more than you think

Horseshoe Theory in American Politics

Governor Gavin Newsom

American Jews May Be Moving Right

The Purim Story

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

She converted to Judaism yesterday! Jonah Platt interviews transgender activist, Emmy-nominated TV writer-director (Transparent, American Horror Story, Pose), and musician Our Lady J (Yona Speidel), less than 24 hours after she formally converted to Judaism. She describes her 12-year path, the beit din with three rabbis, her written reflection on Isaiah 56 and intersex identity, her mikvah immersion, and why she chose the Hebrew name Yona. She recounts growing up in a Mennonite household, losing trust in organized religion amid homophobia during the AIDS crisis, and later returning to spirituality through Judaism. The conversation addresses unconscious antisemitism, queer-community susceptibility to “they” conspiracies, and rising antisemitism in LGBT spaces after October 7. She discusses BDS (The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement) pressure on Transparent, later learning German courts found BDS antisemitic, and argues for fact-based definitions of Zionism, while saying she is pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli. 

Topics discussed include:

• The emotional experience of completing the Beit Din and mikvah after a 12-year spiritual journey 
• Guidance from three rabbis during the conversion process 
• The significance of Isaiah 56 and its message welcoming eunuchs, and those who might not have a binary identity of sex or gender
• Growing up in an ex–Old Order Mennonite Christian background and early perceptions of Jews 
• The evolution of Lady J’s identity through names like Justin, Jonah, and Yona, and their biblical significance 
• Influence of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, pioneer of trans medicine in Berlin (1909), on understanding antisemitism and queer history 
• How Nazi book burnings in the 1930s destroyed Hirschfeld’s research at the Institute of Sexology
• The intersection of antisemitism, transphobia, and homophobia throughout European and modern history 
• The rise of antisemitism within the LGBTQ community following October 7 and shifting attitudes toward Israel
• Lady J’s experience working on Transparent (Amazon Prime Video)
• Referencing activist Larry Kramer and ACT UP in discussions of queer organizing and Zionist parallels 
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on spiritual reflection, including cross-country travel and research in Berlin archives
• Jewish values of perseverance illustrated through Torah learning, including lessons about continuing even when struggling

Thank you to this episode's sponsor:

Jewish Communal Fund

MENTIONS

Ms. Rachel draws ire over appeals for Gazan children

Why Is Everyone Talking About Ms. Rachel Right Now?

YouTube star Ms. Rachel should be investigated for spreading Hamas propaganda 

Who is the Bibas family?

In the Sudan sick and starving children continue to waste away

Violations against children have tripled in the Congo

Russia’s kidnapping of Ukrainian children

Iranian children killed by Iranian security forces in crackdown of protests

12 Israeli Druze children killed in Hezbollah rocket attack

Lady J First day of Judaism post

Our Lady J’s Film and TV Credits

The Mikvah

The Beit Din (Rabbinic Court) and Conversion

Rabbi Iggy

‘Transparent’ Writer Our Lady J: Hollywood ‘Needs to Put Stories Into the Hands of Trans People’

What is intersex?

What is a eunuch in the Bible?

Mennonite History

Snapshots of an Epidemic: An HIV/AIDS Timeline

Lady Chablis

Queer Jews Forced into a Different Closet: Antisemitism and Conditional Acceptance

“Through Science to Justice”: The Story of Magnus Hirschfeld, a Gay Jewish Trailblazer

Lady J Zionism Instagram post

The TV series Transparent

Germany Declares: BDS is Antisemitic

Miller Intro to Judaism

Jay Sanderson BJJP Episode

Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh, Mandana Dayani, and Matthew Nouriel BJJP Episode

Jonah and the Whale - Bible Story Meaning

Jacob Wrestles with the Angel

Is MAGA really pro-Israel?

The Holiday You’ve Never Heard Of: Why Shmini Atzeret Matters

Why Are Grasshoppers (Locusts) Kosher for Some Jews?

What’s So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?

Ask the Expert: Kosher Wine and Kosher Mevushal Wine

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

Jonah interviews Daniel Lubetzky, Mexican-American Jewish founder of KIND, Shark Tank investor, and longtime bridge-builder, about how his Holocaust-survivor father and Mexican Jewish upbringing shaped his commitment to connecting communities. Lubetzky describes mourning his father, saying Kaddish, and launching both KIND and the OneVoice Movement the same year, crediting prayer and purpose with keeping him grounded. He explains PeaceWorks, a trade-based social enterprise linking Israelis and Arabs (and later other conflict regions), which succeeded in sustaining relationships but never scaled and ultimately closed. He recounts OneVoice’s effort to empower moderates against media-driven extremism, mobilizing nearly a million Israelis and Palestinians, yet falling short of ending the conflict. Lubetzky outlines his latest project, the Builders Movement, and its “builders vs. destroyers” framework, its education, media, and civics work, and argues kindness is strong, honest action.

• Lubetzky reflects on the impact of reciting Kaddish after his father’s death and how Jewish ritual shaped his worldview.
• The founding story behind KIND Bars and why Lubetzky named the company after his father’s values.
• Lubetzky’s first social enterprise PeaceWorks, connecting Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, Egyptians, and Turks through trade.
• How PeaceWorks also operated in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Chiapas, Mexico to foster cooperation across conflict lines.
• The creation of the OneVoice Movement, which mobilized nearly 1 million Israelis and Palestinians around shared peace principles.
• Why Lubetzky believes media narratives often amplify extremists instead of moderates in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Launching the Builders Movement, a global initiative promoting cooperation over division.
• The Builders Movement framework built around the “Four Cs”: Curiosity, Compassion, Creativity, and Courage.
• Educational partnerships with institutions such as Stanford University to promote builder-mindset leadership programs.
• Collaboration with leaders like Van Jones to strengthen alliances between Jewish and Black communities.

Thank you to this episode's sponsor:

Jewish Communal Fund

Mentioned In The Episode:

Three synagogue attacks in Toronto in one week.

Blast Outside Begum Synagogue

Arrests made in Norway Synagogue attack

San Jose pedestrians attacked in hate crime

Police Arrest Suspect in Ramat Gan Stabbing

Man, Rams Truck Into Michigan Synagogue With Over 100 Children Inside

The Story Is with Exel Michaelson

The Lead with Jake Tapper

Daniel Lubetzky

Daniel Lubetzky on Shark Tank

Camp Ramah

PeaceWorks Foundation

Van Jones BJJP Episode

Dachau

KIND Snacks

Jason Alexander BJJP Episode

Al Jazeera Propagates Hatred. Is it also a Foreign Agent?

1993 Oslo Accords

Kind Creates the Kind Foundation to Help Foster Kinder and Healthier Communities

Lubetzky Family Foundation 

Builders Movement 

Builders on Instagram

Builders on YouTube

Jewish Neighborhoods: Mexico City

Mexican school merger will expand ORT’s presence in Latin America

Marc Platt BJJP episode

Julie Platt BJJP episode

Mexican Gefilte Fish

The Rise and Fall of Eliot Ness



Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this delectable episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah records on location in Harlem, New York, at Tsion Café, America’s only Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant, for a conversation with owner and chef Beejhy Barhany about Ethiopian Jewish (Beta Israel) culture, food, and identity. Beejhy explains Tsion Café’s mission of bridge-building through vegan kosher cuisine and storytelling, and why she recently closed daily dining and now hosts only private events, due to years of anti-Zionist harassment, threats, and vandalism that intensified after October 7 and after becoming fully kosher. She discusses Harlem’s support, her meaning of “Zion,” and her belief that food can break barriers. Beejhy discusses Beta Israel’s unique history, questions of legitimacy, her family’s 1980–83 trek from Ethiopia to Israel, and experiences of discrimination and “conversion” pressures in Israel. 

Walking through the café, Beejhy shares the venue's legacy and culinary inspirations with Jonah. The two head into the kitchen to make samosas, discuss injera, dabo, spices, and her NY Times bestselling cookbook (Gursha). During the discussion, she describes founding the BINA (Beta Israel of North America) Cultural Foundation and raising her children with multifaceted identities.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• The story of the Beta Israel Jewish community of Ethiopia and their ancient connection to Judaism.
• Beejhy recounts her family’s escape from Ethiopia and years spent in Sudan before immigrating to Israel.
• Discussion of major Ethiopian Jewish airlifts, including Operation Moses and Operation Solomon.
• Life in immigrant absorption centers in Israel alongside newcomers from Ukraine and Russia.
• The role of Tsion Cafe as a cultural hub for Ethiopian Jews and the wider Jewish diaspora.
• Why Beejhy founded the Beta Israel North American Cultural Foundation (BINA) to promote Jewish diversity.
• The closing of Tsion Cafe’s regular dining service due to anti-Zionist harassment following October 7.
• Conversations about racism, identity, and the need for unity within the global Jewish community.
• How Ethiopian cuisine, such as traditional dishes served with injera, helps build cultural bridges.
• Reflections on raising multicultural Jewish children in New York City.
• The importance of celebrating Jewish diversity across communities from Israel to Africa and the United States.

Thank you to our sponsors and promotional partners:

Jewish Communal Fund

Chutzpod

And a Special Thanks to our production partner on this episode: Jewish Broadcasting Services (JBS)

Mentioned In The Episode:

Beejhy Barhan Instagram

Tsion Cafe

Far from the Eye, Close to the Heart: The Fascinating History of the Beta Israel Community in Ethiopia

NYC’s only Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant closes after anti-Zionist harassment: ‘So much animosity’

What is a Mezuzah?

W. E. B. Du Bois

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley 

How This New York Restaurant Is Carrying on the Legacy of the Harlem Renaissance

Charlie Parker

Redd Foxx

Art Tatum: A Talent Never to Be Duplicated

Ethiopia, the home of coffee

Ethiopian immigrants

The Queen of Sheba  

The Incredible Story of Ethiopian Jews and Their Journey to Israel

Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond: A Cookbook 

Operation Moses

Operation Solomon

Ethiopia’s Turbulent History

The Law of Return

Absorption Centers

Dabo (Ethiopian Bread)

Injera: Ethiopia’s Traditional Bread in Pictures and Words

Lost Tribes beer company resurrects ancient brews

Beta Israel of North American Cultural Foundation

Shop Tsion Cafe

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this inspiring episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with members of the Israeli Bobsled Team (AJ Edelman, Ward Fawarsy, Uri Zisman, Ower Katz, Itamar Shprinz, and Menashem Chen) while in competition in Milano Crotina, to discuss the unlikely journey of building a team for a Winter Olympic sport in a country with no snow. Representing Israel on the global stage, the athletes share how they transitioned from backgrounds in track and field, rugby, crossfit, and other sports into elite bobsled competitors. They discuss training and competing internationally, and navigating the challenges of representing Israel amid rising antisemitism following October 7. Their story is a wild one with robberies, getting booed, a death on a plane, and missing critical training runs. 

The conversation explores patriotism, Jewish pride, and the emotional weight of wearing the Israeli flag at global events sanctioned by the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and the Winter Olympics. The athletes reflect on the powerful symbolism of Israeli athletes competing on the world stage and the importance of positive representation for Israel in international sports. 

Jonah and AJ Edelman, captain of the Israeli Bobsled Team, get some one-on-one time to dig into the team's challenges and the role of the Israeli Olympic Committee. Edelman details self-funding, starting a nonprofit to support the team, and hopes to grow the program.

Topics Discussed Include:

• Competing in sanctioned events under the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) circuit
• Qualification pathways toward the Winter Olympics
• Being champion athletes from other sport disciplines
• The nickname “Shul Runnings”
• Having a Druze athlete on the team
• Training in the U.S.-based tracks in Lake Placid, New York, and Park City, Utah
• The measure of success is how far you’ve come, not how close you are to the top
• The mechanics of a two-man and four-man bobsled under IBSF regulations
• Putting together an “Ocean’s Eleven” team for bobsled
• Funding challenges and support from the Israeli Olympic Committee
• How to support the team in the future

Mentioned In The Episode:

Advancing Jewish Athletics

Donate to the Israeli Bobsled Team

AJ Edelman Instagram

Ward Fawarsy Instagram

Uri Zisman Instagram

Omer Katz Instagram

Itamar Shprinz Instagram

Menachem Chen Instagram

NOT A Genocide: Jonah Platt's Definitive Takedown of the World's Favorite Anti-Jew, Anti-Israel Lie (Part 2)

Anti-Jew Libels DECONSTRUCTED-Jonah Platt Debunks 4 Lies About Israel & The Jewish People (Part 1)

The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews: Part 1

PART 2 - The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews

PART 3 - The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews

Natan Sharansky 

Natan Sharansky 3 D’s

Israel is Among a Number of Ethnostates

Myanmar casts minorities to the margins as citizenship law denies legal identity

Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis

Armenia is 98% Armenian Data

Koreans in Japan

UAE’s Double-Standard on Citizenship Rights

Migrant Rights in UAE and Qatar

Swiss government rejects automatic citizenship for those born in Switzerland

Citizenship through Naturalization for Aliens of Greek ethnic origin

Egypt's Christians face 'constant pressure to hide their faith'

Israel’s Right of Return

Operation Solomon

Israeli Law Declares the Country the ‘Nation-State of the Jewish People’

Jewish Calendar

Arabs Make Up 20% of the Jewish Population

Arab residents of mixed cities disadvantaged compared to Jews - Comptroller

Ben Gvir’s policy goals: Going to extremes even Europe’s far right won’t touch

Palestinian Authority: You're a "traitor" if you sell land to the Jews

What does the Hamas charter say?

Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics

Israel’s first Olympic bobsled team heads to Italy in bid they have dubbed ‘Shul Runnings’

The Israeli bobsled team is in last place but calls themselves 'victors'

Kris Horn OK after solo ride as teammates fail to get into sled

Bobsled costs are skyrocketing. Can the U.S. keep up in a bedrock Olympic sport?

Israel team marches to smattering of boos at Milan Winter Olympics opening ceremony

AJ Edelman, The First Orthodox Jewish Male Olympian, Is Ready For Gold!

Meet Bat-El Gatterer, First Orthodox Jewish Female Olympian

MIT Alumnus Competes in Winter Olympics                   

From obese yeshivah student to Slider-Man – the remarkable run of Israel’s Olympic bobsleigh pilot

Israeli Bobsled Team's Apartment Robbed of 'Thousands of Dollars' Worth of Items During Winter Olympics Training

What To Know About ‘Shul Runnings,’ the Bobsled Team Representing Israel in the Winter Olympics

Vitaris Club

At the Olympics, Israel's athletes pay a high cost in the quest for gold

The Israeli Bobsled Team’s Withdrawal from the last day of Olympic Competition

Bobsledding for Israel

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this delicious episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with New York Times bestselling cookbook author and Tel Aviv-based food writer Adeena Sussman for a conversation about food, culture, and the rituals of living in Israel today. Living steps from the Carmel Market, Adeena paints a vivid portrait of daily life in Tel Aviv, how Israelis continue daily routines amid rocket alarms, and what it means to compartmentalize in a country where normalcy and uncertainty coexist.

Adeena reflects on feeling like an insider-outsider as an “American Israeli,” and how the shuk itself mirrors Israel’s layered religious and cultural diversity. She shares how October 7 transformed her Shabbat cookbook tour into community-centered gatherings and fundraisers, and why she views cookbooks as narrative literature that provide cultural context. She also speaks candidly about her responsibility in culinary storytelling, documenting Yemenite, Iraqi, Moroccan, and broader Middle Eastern Jewish cuisines while crediting provenance and seeking permission for adaptations.

Jonah and Adeena also explore her path to co-authoring cookbooks with a number of chefs and celebrities including Chrissy Teigen, her Substack (including a viral post after attending Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s funeral), and the personal accountability she feels towards readers who bring her recipes into their homes. The episode covers her family history and Shabbat hospitality, including her mother Steffi’s influence, and what makes food suitable for Shabbat. Adeena introduces her upcoming cookbook “Zuriz” (“quick”), a collection of 100 one-page recipes designed for real life. This conversation doesn’t just talk about food as sustenance, but as a means of storytelling and connection.

Topics Include:

• Adeena Sussman’s move from New York City to Tel Aviv
• Becoming one of today’s most influential voices in Israeli cuisine
• Writing Sababa and Shabbat cookbooks
• Living with Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
• How Israeli Elections Really Work
• Writing Cookbooks That Tell a Story
• Adeena Sussman’s Recipe Development Process
• Learning the Roots: Respectful Research Across Middle Eastern Jewish Cuisines
• Israel and California’s Abundant Local Produce
• NYT Bestseller Pressure & What Stays Exclusive to the Books
• Culinary influences from Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi traditions
• Tel Aviv’s food scene and local markets like Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel)

Links to Things Mentioned in the Episode:

Adeena Sussman Instagram

Zariz Cookbook

Shabbat Cookbook

Sababa Cookbook

Trump moves closer to a major war with Iran

The Electoral System in Israel

Carmel Market

Real-time red alerts in Israel

Shielded by Fire: Middle East Air Defense During the June 2025 Israel-Iran War

Food Network's New York City Wine & Food Festival

United Hatzalah

Chanie Apfelbaum

Busy in Brooklyn

Naama Shefi

Rachel Simons

Jake Cohen

Bengingi

Breads Bakery 

Adeena Sussman: Came to Israel for love, stayed for food

Adeena Sussman Substack

A Stain on Israel’s Soul: Remembering Hersh Goldberg-Polin and the Beautiful Six

Tears From The Sky

Ellie Krieger 

Cholent

First Tango with Mango: Iraqi Amba

Israeli produce is the best. Here’s why:

Sisters fight cancer, honor mother by rolling out the dough

Sheet Pan Latke Board

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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this delightful and hilarious episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, comedian Modi Rosenfeld opens up about faith, fame, identity, and building unity through Jewish comedy. Recently named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 10 New York Comedians, Modi discusses what it means to be a proudly Jewish comedian in today’s cultural climate, and why laughter is his path to creating what he calls “Messianic energy.”

From performing at the Comedy Cellar, the Republican Jewish Coalition, and soon Radio City Music Hall, to navigating conversations with fellow comics like Dave Chappelle and Ben Shapiro, Modi shares candid insights on comedy, politics, and Jewish pride.

He reflects on growing up Israeli in America, coming out as gay later in life, marrying his husband Leo, and supporting LGBTQ inclusion within the Orthodox community through organizations like Eshel. Modi also reveals how COVID, Zoom shows, and social media transformed his career into a global brand with audiences in Israel, Europe, and beyond.

With humor and heart, this episode explores Judaism, comedy, Israel, identity, and the power of laughter to bring people together in divided times.

Topics discussed include:

• Modi Rosenfeld on being a “Jewish comedian” vs. a comedian who happens to be Jewish
• Roasting Ben Shapiro at a Commentary Magazine event
• Following Donald Trump at the Republican Jewish Coalition
• Touring internationally in Israel, Paris, Berlin, and London
• Processing October 7th and performing in Europe amid rising antisemitism
• Growing up Israeli-American on Long Island
• Marriage, faith, and partnership with husband Leo
• Supporting LGBTQ Orthodox Jews through Eshel
• Preparing for his upcoming Radio City Music Hall debut
• Building a global audience via Instagram and post-COVID Zoom comedy
• The meaning behind his tour title: Pause for Laughter

Mentioned In The Episode:

Anti-Jew Libels DECONSTRUCTED - Jonah Platt Debunks 4 Lies About Israel & The Jewish People (Part 1)

Modi Rosenfeld Website

Modi Rosenfeld Instagram

The reasons why what is happening in Gaza is not genocide

Amnesty International is among the NGOs bashing Israel

Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and his aid to the Nazis

B’tselem’s “broader analytical framework” 

The U.N. Official Who Said Hamas is not a Terrorist Organization

The U.N. Condemned Israel 17 Times, more than the rest of the world combined 

Alice Nderitu of the U.N. said Israel’s campaign in Gaza doesn’t meet the definition of genocide. She was fired.

Anyone can be a member of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Including Cookie Monster and Emperor Palpatine

Arab countries ban Al-Jazeera 

Israel distributes over 1 million polio vaccines in Gaza

Palestinian death toll passes 70,000

Defining genocide in a post WW2 world

Isreal’s critics rewrite the definition of genocide

Hineni Society Event with World-Renowned Comedian Modi

David Attel Instagram

Jeff Ross Instagram

Jerry Seinfeld Instagram

Chris Rock 

Who are the classic Catskill Comedians

Old Jewish Catskill Comedian's Classic Jokes

The Messianic Era

Release of latest Epstein files unleashes online wave of antisemitic conspiracies

Modi | Know Your Audience (Full Comedy Special)

Q&A | Comedian Modi Is Running on ‘Moshiach Energy’

What Are Tefillin?

The Gestapo: Overview

Jewish comedian Modi Rosenfeld, a mainstay for Orthodox audiences, is gay. So what?

The Comedy Cellar

Ben Shapiro Roasted By MODI

Dave Chappelle Mocks “I Stand With Israel”

Dave Chappelle and the Space Jews

Jon Carhart

Republican Jewish Coalition

U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson

Orthodox Judaism and LGBTQ Issues

Eshel 

Ritual Hand Washing Before Meals

What is Chabad?

A New Light

Fran Liebowitz

Modi Rosenfeld, Gay Jewish Comedian, Talks ‘Moshiach’ Energy, Celebrating Shabbat and Comparisons to Robin Williams and Richard Pryor

Ta’anit 22a-b: A Place in the World to Come

France reports dozens of antisemitic acts since Hamas attack

The History of Hatikvah

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

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For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Subscribe to Ora, A Luxury Jewish Lifestyle and Culture Magazine. 

https://oramag.co/

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Nayman, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this special emergency episode, host Jonah Platt interviews Adam Katz, president of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate. They discuss the purpose and strategy behind the $15 million 2026 Super Bowl ad aired by the organization, founded by Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft. The discussion covers the ad's target audience, primarily the unengaged Americans oblivious to the severity of antisemitism. Adam explains the rigorous data-driven process behind creating and testing the ad and addresses varying reactions and criticisms from the Jewish community.

The episode also explores the effectiveness and future direction of the organization’s campaign to combat Jewish hate, emphasizing the importance of allyship and broader community action.

Topics include:

• The Super Bowl Ad: Goals and Target Audience
• The Creative Process Behind the Ad
• Testing and Refining the Ad
• Addressing Criticisms and Reactions
• The Importance of Allyship and Audience Targeting
• Measuring the Impact of the Campaign
• The Blue Square Initiative
• Evolution of the Organization and Messaging
• What it means to actively participate in fighting Jewish hate

Mentioned in the episode:

Adam Katz

Adam Katz LinkedIn

Blue Square Alliance

Robert Kraft

Blue Square Super Bowl ad

Robert Kraft and the Kraft Group

Blue Square Alliance Jewish Hate Data

Other Blue Square ads

Gen Z & Anti-Jew Hate

Freedom to Marry

Sharing Blue Square on Social Media

Request a Blue Square Pin

Black Unity Event 

Davos Blue Square Pins 

Van Jones Wearing Blue Square on CNN

GLAAD Association

Shift from Combat Hate/Antisemitism to BSA

BSA Super Bowl Commercial 2025 Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady

"Tony" 2023 Swastika Painted on the Garage

Isaiah BSA Spot

What's Up With Hate Instagram

When There Are No Words Ad

Being Jewish: Discussing When There Are No Words

Stand Up To Jewish Hate Instagram

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

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For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Subscribe to Ora, A Luxury Jewish Lifestyle and Culture Magazine. 

https://oramag.co/

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Nayman, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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

In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah speaks with Jewish Iranian advocates, Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh of American Jewish University, Mandana Dayani of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and Matthew Nouriel of JIMENA - Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa, whose families fled persecution by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), offering an urgent and deeply personal look at life under the Iranian regime. The conversation exposes how the IRGC functions not just as a military force, but as an ideological and economic power structure responsible for widespread human rights abuses, political repression, and global terrorism. The guests share personal stories about living under the threat and surveillance of the IRGC. 

The episode explores the Iranian regime’s hostility toward Israel, the Jewish community, and the West, while drawing clear distinctions between the Iranian people and their government. Jonah and his guests discuss how the IRGC funds proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, destabilizing the Middle East and exporting violence far beyond Iran’s borders. The conversation also highlights the challenges refugees face when seeking asylum in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and the importance of educating Western audiences about Iran’s internal resistance movements. Ultimately, the episode is a call to awareness, urging listeners to recognize the human cost of extremism and stand with those fighting for freedom, and truth.

Topics Include:

• Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its role in Iran
• Political repression and surveillance in Iran
• Iranian refugees seeking asylum in the United States and Canada
• IRGC funding of Hamas and Hezbollah
• Iran’s anti-Israel ideology and antisemitism
• Distinguishing the Iranian people from the Iranian regime
• Iranian opposition movements and internal resistance
• Terrorism exported by Iran across the Middle East
• The impact of October 7 on Iranian dissidents worldwide
• Western media narratives about Iran and the IRGC
• Jewish solidarity with persecuted communities under authoritarian regimes

Mentioned In The Episode:

Part 1:The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews

Part 2: The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews

Part 3: The ONLY 3 Facts You Need to Know About Israel, Palestine, and the Jews

Tarlan Rabizadeh Instagram

Matthew Nouriel Instagram

Mandana Dayani Instagram

Brandolini’s Law

Availability Heuristic

Inattention Blindness

Dhimmi Under Muslim Rule

Israel is not an Apartheid State

Are Jews White?

Infant Death During the Hamas Attack on Israel

'They just kept killing': Eyewitnesses describe deadly crackdown in Iran

What Led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution?

Over 36,500 killed in Iran's deadliest massacre, documents reveal

The expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and Iran – an untold history

First Persian Female Rabbi Finds Her Voice

Miller Intro to Judaism

The Battle for Sheikh Jarrah

Why Iranian women are burning their hijabs after the death of Mahsa Amini

“Women, Life, Freedom” a new revolutionary era in Iran

LGBT Rights in Iran

Speaking Up - United Nations Special Session on Oct. 7th: Mandana Dayani

ADL and JLens Urge Accountability Regarding Huda Kattan's Antisemitic Remarks

Huda Beauty faces boycott campaign over founder’s Iran protest video

Rediscovering the Lost Tribes and God’s Faithfulness: The Jewish Diaspora and Aliyah

Iranian Diaspora Collective

How Ancient Persians Essentially Saved Judaism As We Know It Today

Why Are We So Silent About the Uprising in Iran?

Leading Change: How Persian and Jewish Diasporas Can Unite against Antisemitism

I came to Israel for Pride. It got canceled.

Matthew Nouriel, The Empress Mizrahi

American Jewish University

Report Shows Foreign-Born Citizens Are More Socially Conservative Than Their Native-Born Counterparts and Are Less Likely to Identify with Either Political Party

Matthew Nouriel, Community Engagement Director JIMENA

Sephardim, Mizrachim in NY more conservative, less likely to intermarry than peers, per UJA study

Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran

The Ironies of History: The Ukraine Crisis through the Lens of Jewish History

Jimmy Carter, blamed by many Iranians for the revolution, dies at 100

The Fascinating History and Political Lives of Jews in Iran

Jewish students assaulted, threatened and harassed at UCLA campus

Education Department opens second investigation into Yale antisemitism

Iran-Iraq War

HIAS 

United States Holocaust Memorial Council (Board of Trustees)

Steven Wise Temple

German Jews' Passports Declared Invalid

Expulsion to cultural integration: 500 years of Sephardic Jews in Türkiye

Did Ezra Reconstruct the Torah or Just Change the Script?

Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh Named American Jewish University’s VP for Jewish Engagement

Jay Sanderson BJJP

Persian Gondi on Fridays

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:

[email protected]

Merchandise

https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Nayman, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald,  Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb,  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