This week, we’re deep dishing about Licorice Pizza.

Our Jew of the week is actress, neuroscientist, and Jeopardy! co-host Mayim Bialik, who makes her directorial debut with the “very, very Jewish” film As They Made Us. 

Mayim wrote the film, about a woman coming to terms with her father’s decline and death, at the end of the traditional Jewish year of mourning following her own father’s death in 2015. She tells us about the film’s casting (Dustin Hoffman and Candace Bergen play the parents to Glee star Dianna Agron), how Jewish mourning rituals deepened her connection to Judaism, and what she’s learned from hosting the iconic game show. 

Our Gentile of the Week is Eddie Chang, who moderates the Buy Nothing Facebook group for New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood. He tells us why he prefers sourcing items from the group’s twelve thousand members to buying things on Amazon, the best things he’s found through the group, and what he’s learned about the power of community along the way. His question for the hosts is which Jewish TV show is superior: Seinfeld or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

We love to hear from you! Send us your emails and voice memos at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Remember to tell us who you are and where you’re calling from. 

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Upcoming events:

May 11. 2022 (virtual) — Stephanie Butnick will be in conversation with authors Gary Shteyngart and Claire Stanford as part of the Jewish Book Council and the Jewish Museum’s Unpacking the Book series. 7 p.m. Eastern; register here.

May 15, 2022 - Mark Oppenheimer will be discussing his book, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie Illinois. 10 a.m. Central; tickets here. 

May 25, 2022 — Mark, Stephanie, and Liel will be live in New York City for Central Synagogue’s Shavuot Boot Camp with Abigail Pogrebin. 5:30 p.m. Eastern; stream the event here.

Find all our events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive.

To book us for a live show or event in your area, or partner with us in some other way, contact [email protected].

Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

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Spertus Institute’s Jewish Studies graduate programs make serious study available in a flexible formate for students of all ages, backgrounds, and knowledge levels. Find out more at spertus.edu/jewishstudies.