Tablet Studios

This week on Unorthodox, we’re firing up our Jewish space lasers.

Mark and Liel talk to legendary actor Ed Asner about his latest project, The Tattooed Torah, an animated short about the inspiring journey of a Torah scroll and the little boy who swore to rescue it from the Nazis, about great TV and why they don't make shows like they used to, and about standing up to your political beliefs, even when you have to pay the price.

Then Liel talks with author Cambria Gordon about her YA book, The Poetry of Secrets, which tells the story of a young Jewish woman in Inquisition-era Spain whose family was forced to convert to Catholicism, but continue to practice Judaism in secret.

Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to [email protected].

As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, two Jewish guests and a whole lot of books.

Our first guest is Zibby Owens, host of the podcast “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books.” She tells us about tirelessly promoting book authors during the pandemic, even as she dealt with her own family’s COVID-19 trauma (and planned two Zoom bar and bat mitzvahs). The resulting quarantine anthology, Moms Don’t Have Time To, features essays from more than 60 writers, including a few Unorthodox guests.

Our second guest is poet David Beispiel, whose recent memoir is A Place of Exodus: Home, Memory, and Texas. He tells us about being kicked out of Hebrew School as a questioning teen in Houston’s heavily Jewish Meyerland community, and ultimately being pulled back to Jewish Houston after years of spiritual and physical wandering.

We’re looking for two new hosts for our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! All you need to do is record a short video introducing yourself and telling us why you'd make the perfect host, and send it to [email protected].

Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to [email protected].

As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at [email protected].

The Branch is a podcast that shares stories about Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians who are breaking barriers, creating bonds, having tough conversations, and demonstrating what equal, shared society can look like. Listen to the branch wherever you get your podcasts or at hadassah.org/thebranch.

American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, we’re live (virtually) from Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA.

Our special guests this week are Jamie and Brian Stelter. Jamie Stelter, who had her bat mitzvah at Beth Sholom, is the traffic reporter for NY1, and Brian Stelter is the chief media correspondent for CNN and host of Reliable Sources. They talk to us about filming their TV appearances from their apartment during the pandemic, the first rule of Challah Club, and why they love Shabbat.

We’re looking for two new hosts for our kids game show podcast Hebrew School! All you need to do is record a short video introducing yourself and telling us why you'd make the perfect host, and send it to [email protected].

Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year bracket! Email your suggestions to [email protected].

We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule here.

As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at [email protected].

Sponsors:

American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

The Beren Summer Fellowship is the Tikvah Fund’s premier summer program for undergraduates or recent graduates in New York City. Fellows will partake in intensive academic seminars led by world-class teachers and will conduct their own research projects. Visit TikvahFund.org/college for more information and to apply.

Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Jewish guest is Mike Rothschild, a conspiracy theory researcher and debunker who is writing a book about the QAnon conspiracy theory. He tells us what QAnon is and explains the anti-Semitism inherent in the conspiracy theory, confirming for us that all conspiracy theories have Jew-hatred at their core. He also confirms that everyone he interacts with in these worlds asks if he’s one of those Rothschilds.

Our Gentile of the Week is NPR and Slate sports commentator Stephen Fatsis, author of Word Freak, a book about the world of competitive Scrabble players. He tells us about his annual Name of the Year bracket, which he has been running with his college friends since the 80s, and gives us tips on how to start our own Jewish Name of the Year bracket.

Do you have a great Jewish name or know someone with a great Jewish name? Enter our Jewish Name of the Year contest! Email your suggestions to [email protected].

We’ve got virtual events! Join us tonight at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center, where we will be talking about our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. See our full schedule of events here.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

American Jewish World Service grantees are leading the effort to promote human rights, empower women and girls to fight for equal rights, and advance environmental justice in the face of climate change. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

“Hadassah on Call” is the new podcast from former Unorthodox guest Benyamin Cohen. He goes behind the scenes of Hadassah's world-renowned hospital in Israel, checking in with the healthcare superstars saving lives every day. Subscribe to “Hadassah On Call” wherever you get your podcasts or at hadassah.org.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox: the full Luxembourg.

Our first guest is essayist and critic William Deresiewicz, whose new book The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech. He tells us about getting kicked out of Jewish day school as a teen, his work since then, and why it’s so hard to be an artist today.

Our second guest is sportswriter and Tablet contributor Yaron Weitzman, author of the book Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports. He tells us about being Shabbat-observant in a world of weekend sporting events, and shares his thoughts on Deni Avdija, Israel’s new NBA draft pick.

Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here.

On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here.

See our full schedule of virtual events here.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership’s Certificate in Jewish Leadership is a four-part program geared to the particular needs of Jewish organizations. Find out more at spertus.edu/certificate.

Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating the other New Year.

Our Jewish guest is Rabbi Tiferet Berenbaum of Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, Massachusetts. She tells us about her path to the rabbinate, her passion for Jewish education, and what she’s learned running TBZ’s Hebrew school.

Our Gentile of the Week is Peter Sis, the Czech-American illustrator, author, and MacArthur genius. He tells us about his latest picture book, Nicky and Vera, which tells the story of Nicholas Winton, the “British Schindler” who saved hundreds of Czech children from the Nazis.

Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here.

On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here.

See our full schedule of virtual events here.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating the very 2020 calendar crossover of Christmas and the 10th of Tevet, a minor Jewish fast day.

Our Jewish guest is writer and comedian Merrill Markoe, whose new graphic memoir is “We Saw Scenery: The Early Diaries of Merrill Markoe.”

Our Gentile of the Week is Phillipe Etienne, the French ambassador to the United States, who gave us a lesson in the French notion of secularism and discussed rising anti-Semitism in France.

Join us Monday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m EST. for a virtual Unorthodox live show with special married guests Jamie and Brian Stelter at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA. Jamie is NY1’s traffic anchor and co-hosts Mornings on 1, and Brian hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources. Register here.

On Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. EST, we’ll be at the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center discussing our book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia. Register here.

See our full schedule of virtual events here.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education is offering a special one-day online program for young professionals and college students called “Jewish Ed U: Creating Joyful Learning.” Learn more about the Jan. 10 event at www.jtsa.edu/jewishedu.

American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

Harry’s is a great shave at a great price. New customers can get a Harry’s trial shave set for just $3 at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox: Hallmark Hanukkah movies, puppies for Hanukkah, and so much more.

First we talk with linguist Sarah Bunin Benor, who made her first Unorthodox appearance all the way back on Ep. 102. She returns to the show to explain why some people say “lat-key” instead of “latke,” and settle other holiday pronunciation debates.

Then it’s time for some music to get us in the holiday spirit!

Jazz guitarist Peter Curtis tells us about being so inspired by the fact that Jewish songwriters created some of the most famous Christmas songs that he recorded his own album of covers, called “Christmas With Your Jewish Boyfriend.”

Shira Kobren is the band leader of Shira & Friends, a New York City-based “kindie” rock band, whose new album, “B’yachad,” features a special Hanukkah song for kids.

Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz shares his new Hanukkah song, Schmoozin’, on which he raps about “farbrengen the party,” much to Liel’s delight. He also gives us Jewish rap names and helps kickstart our freestyle careers.

We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive.

Thursday, Dec. 10: Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register here.

Saturday, Dec. 12: All three hosts will be speaking at the JCC Ann Arbor Jewish Book Festival. 8 p.m. EST; Register here.

Monday, Dec. 14: Stephanie joins Liberation75, 3GNY, and Shai DeLuca for a Hanukkah fireside chat. 12 p.m. EST; Register here.

Tuesday, Dec. 15: Liel and Stephanie will be speaking at Sarasota, FL’s ‘People of the Book’ author series. 7 p.m. EST; Register here.

Wednesday, Dec. 16: All three hosts will be at Richmond VA’s Weinstein JCC Front Row at the J: Sip and Learn Series. 7:30 p.m. EST; Register here.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order.

American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Unorthodox, one Mark Oppenheimer is not enough.

Our first guest is Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is the state’s first Jewish governor and the first openly gay governor in the U.S. He tells us about his Jewish upbringing, extolls the many virtues of the State of Colorado, and explains why he’s got his eyes on 2022, not 2024.

Next we talk to the other Mark Oppenhemer: the South African advocate, podcaster (our own Mark Oppenheimer was a guest on his show, Brain in a Vat), and general Oppenheimer-about-town. He recalls the moment he first discovered that he wasn’t the only Mark Oppenheimer, explains his legal work surrounding free speech, and tells us about the South African Jewish community.

Our third guest is Brian Hersch, the inventor of party games like Taboo, Jewish Taboo, and Super Scattergories. His latest game is Boom Again, a trivia game designed for Baby Boomers. He quizzes us on I Love Lucy and The Jetsons, and we find out that Liel might secretly be a Boomer.

Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register at nuroots.org/firstnight.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Sponsors:

The Other Israel Film Festival provides an in-depth look into Israeli and Palestinian societies through films and conversations. Films stream December 3 through 10, with daily Q&As and other live events; find the full schedule at otherisrael.org.

Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order.

American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.

Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for ‘Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,’ a half-day online retreat Sunday, December 13. Learn more and register at  jewishspirituality.org.

Harry’s Holiday Shave Sets make the perfect gift this season. Get 5$ off a holiday shave set at harrys.com/unorthodox.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, a mini-holiday mashup. First, associate producer Robert Scaramuccia brings us the story of Aaron Hartman, a Jewish man from Atlanta, GA with Williams Syndrome, and his very unique pandemic birthday present.

We also bring you a Hanukkah gift guide that includes products our listeners make themselves! Find these suggestions and more by joining our Facebook group.

Join the hosts Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. E.S.T. for the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Generation to Generation event, which is honoring the Butnick family. Stephanie will be interviewing Michael Zegen from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and the band Golem will be performing. Register at bit.ly/butnickfam.

Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and G.L.O.W. star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. P.S.T. Register at  nuroots.org/firstnight.

Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.

Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.

Shalom, friends

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices