Storied: The Untold Jewish Stories Behind Your Favorite Music

In this powerful episode of Storied, host Benji Rosenzweig takes us behind the scenes of one of music history’s most iconic moments: The Beatles’ legendary 1965 Shea Stadium concert—the first outdoor stadium rock show ever performed. But what if we told you that the story of this watershed event also includes a deep and often-overlooked Jewish connection?

Benji sits down with Brent Berns, son of the legendary Burt Berns—the Jewish-American songwriter who penned “Twist and Shout,” a defining Beatles hit that shook Shea Stadium and became a staple of their live shows. Together, they explore Bert’s pivotal role in the Brill Building era, his influence on legends like Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, and Janis Joplin, and his powerful Jewish identity—including turning a Van Morrison record release party into a fundraiser for Israel.

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• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Check out our sponsor, Tekiah Taquila, for 100% kosher & 100% additive-free Tequila. Buy.TekiahSpirits.com

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt

Research by Avishai Bauman
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

In this thought-provoking episode of Storied, host Benji Rosenzweig sits down with actor, filmmaker, and activist Yuval David for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the intersection of pop culture, identity, and advocacy. From the Beatles’ subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) brushes with antisemitism and homophobia to the role of comedy in confronting hate, this episode examines how cultural icons shape — and reflect — social narratives. Yuval shares insights from his work as an LGBTQ+ and Jewish activist, offering a compelling take on when a joke crosses the line and how communities can respond with resilience.

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• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt

Research by Avishai Bauman
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

Episode 4 of Storied takes us into the world of media personalities who didn’t just report on the Beatles — they helped launch their legend. Host Benji Rosenzweig shines a spotlight on Cousin Brucie and Murray the K, two wildly charismatic figures who served as transatlantic megaphones for the Fab Four’s arrival in America. Their impact went far beyond radio; they shaped the cultural zeitgeist that made Beatlemania possible. Joining Benji is music executive Lee Trink, former President of Capitol Records — the very label that released the Beatles’ music in the U.S. — who shares insider stories and insights from decades in the music industry.

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• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt

Research by Avishai Bauman
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

In this episode, we talk about everything from Holocaust education to our love for Beatles songs and how they could replace children’s music. We dive into some of Dick James' story and his involvement with the original Robin Hood show with the incredible Hannah Weinstein.

We talked about the thrill the Fab Four must have felt getting on the show Thank Your Lucky Stars, and how George Martin was more than a producer, he was the piano player.

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• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt

Research by Avishai Bauman
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

In Episode 2, we talked to Leslie Cavendish, known in The Beatles world for his book The Cutting Edge: The Story of the Beatles’ Hairdresser Who Defined an Era. 

This isn’t a story about Leslie, it’s Leslie’s story!

As you will hear, Leslie shares his experience as The Beatles' barber. The history, the lessons, the behind-the-scenes.

He talks about Vidal Sasson and his life as a visionary hairdresser, plus his inspiration as a Zionist. 

He also confirmed many of my theories and insights about some of the other stories in this season.

• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt

Research by Avishai Bauman
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

In Episode 1, we talked to Moodie Sandberg, who has hosted a weekly radio show on 88 FM in Israel about the Beatles. 
We walked through the early years of the Beatles, from them playing Bar Mitzvahs in synagogues to the Cavern Club. As well as hiring Brian Epstein, Moodie shared a wide range of incredible stories. 

In addition to hosting the Beatles radio show in Israel, Moodie is a former Knesset member in Israel's Parliament.

Some of the stories Moodie shared included John and Yoko Learning Kabalah in New York City with Rabbi Riskin, the founder of Efrat, Israel. He expanded on the story about Akiva Nof and the Bed-In, gave more details about Sid Bernstein and Brian Epstein, and talked about how the Beatles changed culture in Israel.

• Learn more about Storied: www.Storied.show
• Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
• Check out our upcoming live events on our website!

Check out our sponsor @YonaTees on Instagram or at their website www.yonatees.com for custom merch, or some incredible Jewish band mashups!

If you would like to sponsor the show, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Storied was started in The J Detroit in partnership with The Berman Theater

Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Benji Rosenzweig.
Producer: Ryan Storm
Editing: Andrea Rizzuto
Production and Project Management: Eric Nelson - [email protected]
Booking by Leanne Deutsch of 16 Mile Talent [email protected]
Design: Tessa Hewitt
Music was recorded by Evan Sherman
The song was written by Benji's late father, Rabbi Yosil Rosenzweig, as the original opening of the song that he wrote for the diaspora Yeshiva band, Pitchu Li 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and join us as we continue exploring the Jewish contributions to music history.

Storied: The Untold Jewish Stories Behind Your Favorite Artists