The Zal

People are putting up and ripping down signs about hostages and casualties of war. People filming people filming, people losing jobs. We have a lot of questions.

What consequences constitute "cancellation"? Is silencing a form of speech? What does the first amendment have to say about all of this? (And yes, cards on the table — we've got a lot more questions than answers.)

We should probably ask, too: posting and ripping and firing and yelling... does any of it ever move the needle?

Music: Naseer Shamma's solo oud from Baghdad in the intro, and Trace Adkins' "Help Me Understand" at the end.

The war in Israel has shifted, or at least recast, certain political alliances - especially for progressive Jews.

There was a tacit understanding in the minds of many, that if I march for your cause, you'll march for mine.

Many of those who would march arm-in-arm for other humanitarian causes have discovered a newfound silence - or even taken up ranks on the anti-Israel side. And vice versa.

In this episode we discuss: false binaries vs. that famous poem and pragmatic support vs. creepy motives.

If this discussion is nothing else - it is a pretty solid (if we may say so) attempt at civility in debate.

Credits: Cole Porter's "Let's Not Talk About Love," arr. Hubble Pierce, "Mamele" by Percy Haid, and Mel Brooks' The 2000 and Thirteen Year Old Man. And hey, support our sponsors.

It feels both sad and true that it took this October's tragedies to rouse a oneness among Jews that would be a dream at times of peace. All too often, it's an outside threat that lumps us together as “the Jews.”

In this episode, we talk about that lump. We talk about beards.

Episode 40 was recorded in the good ol' days of a few weeks ago, before we were swallowed up. When we could whimsically dissect our differences with that constant belief: they don’t ultimately matter.

We’ll be recording something soon that doesn't pretend the outside world doesn't exist — but in the meantime, here's a couple voices from a lighter time.

Credits: Neighs, neighs (Ancient Lithuanian War Song), Umbrella by The Laurie Berkner Band, Our Way and Something To Live For by Nosson Zand, Uniform Convergence by Stephanie Chou and Mr. Kim Gotlieb teaches Tefillin.

A big percentage of our audience (more than just our mothers, less than all of your mothers) commented to us (verbatim): "We love absolutely everything about the pod and have no notes at all, but we would like to hear more about you as individuals. Who are you guys?"

So for this last episode of the year 5783, we put humility further to the side and put ourselves under the magnifier to compare some differences of our infra-reform and ultra-orthodox backgrounds and how they shape our perspectives now. 

Big questions: is there such a thing as a Jewish Santa? Can we all fit under the same umbrella? Can Dovid count to seven? 

Music credits to:

Piano Prelude #1 — Stephanie Chou

James Gang — Tend My Garden

The Jakeleggers — (Unreleased studio edit)

And a couple more, no spoilers, but thanks to Martin Trevy's remix for reminding us that as we move into the new year, we should still hold on to some past treasures.

Shana tova y'all — see you in 5784

Does engaging in (political) protest make a difference?

Is it apathy to stay home? Is silence concurrence? What is virtue and what is signaling? 

These questions grow more pertinent with the spotlight on protests, from America, to Israel, to... Kenya.

Reporting from Nairobi is our man Adam, where national unrest had the city half-closed, with millions taking to the streets or deciding not to.

We tangle up a list of whys and why nots.

Here, take some credit:

Casino - What Am I Doing Here
Stephanie Chou - Perugia
The poignant and provocative Martin Niemöller poem

In this episode of The Zal, meet David Yarus, Founder at JSwipe (affectionately: Tinder for Jews).

We talk about the difficulties of modern dating: paradox of choice, cowardice, ghosting and worse.

Along the way we discuss insights for individuals in the journey for their “one” and, fixes for what David refers to as “Big Jewish.”

Music: Nostalgic Longing, Jovial Longing, Modern Contentment - Thanks artists!

#AirTags #Bashert

The kerfuffle over 'Taco Tuesday' that pitted Taco Bell and LeBron James against Taco John’s, a far smaller taco purveyor, got us thinking about owning things that can’t be touched. 

What are the differences between trademarks and copyrights? What would the ancient scholars think about Taco Bell's case? How can anyone argue LeBron isn’t the G.O.A.T.?

We give great answers to 0 out of 3 of these questions, but hey, we only had twenty minutes.

Lewis Franck is on a first-name basis with some of the great drivers of all time — but, you might ask... is this a NASCAR podcast now?* What makes racing bigger than just turning left a lot?

Lewis schmoozed, reported, investigated, philosophized.  In the Zal, he tells us about the benefits of trespassing, what racing tells us about class and future (im)possibilities for egality, and how he gave bar mitzvah lessons in the Sistine Chapel.

We got metaphors baby.

Intro music: ("Indianapolis Song Forever!")

Better music: Zusha

*We do, however, love the movie Cars.

Three time Indy 500 winner, Mauri Rose, was a member of the tribe. Or he wasn't. 
The standout driver faced the slurs of anti-Jew leaflets, was inducted to The Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and - went to a Lutheran church.
Michael Brown, of the Indiana Jewish Historical Society, enters The Zal to help us untangle the story.
Indy 500 Highlights from 1939 & 1941

(Warning ↑↑ contains b&w news footage of violent accidents.)

Music by Zusha Band: "Dovber"

Rabbi Raps is back for part 2 of his visit into The Zal. In this episode he shares how he originally was compelled to influence, his need to remain not overly-prepared and why he loves an audience of gentiles. (That is: people who are fine with the temperature in the room.)

Plus, there are humans on the internet! Real ones. Individuals!

Music by the Chassidim at Zusha Band

Audio snippets from @RabbiRaps