Unorthodox

By Tablet Magazine

What's Unorthodox about?

Unorthodox is the world’s leading Jewish podcast - but you don’t have to be Jewish to love it! Hosted by Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz of Tablet Magazine, each episode we bring you interesting guests, News of the Jews, and so much more.

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LAST EPISODE

In Bloom: Ep. 355

03.30.2023

This week on Unorthodox, we’re investigating Faux-hanim. Our first guest is Chanie Apfelbaum, creator of the popular kosher food blog Busy in Brooklyn. She joined us to talk about her new cookbook, Totally Kosher, and share fun ways to incorporate ...

Unorthodox episodes:

03.30.2023 In Bloom: Ep. 355 This week on Unorthodox, we’re investigating Faux-hanim. Our first guest is Chanie Apfelbaum, creator of the popular kosher food blog Busy in Brooklyn. She joined us to talk about her new cookbook, Totally Kosher, and share fun ways to incorporate ...
03.23.2023 Sesame Shtisel: Ep. 354 This week on Unorthodox, are the Muppets Jewish? Our Jew of the Week is Ruth Markel, whose son, Dan Markel, was murdered in 2014 (the case is featured on the first season of the podcast Over My Dead Body). She ...
03.16.2023 Bunny Business: Ep. 353 This week on Unorthodox, we’re going down the rabbit hole. Our Jew of the Week is Hen Mazzig, who joined us to talk about fighting antisemitism online, as well as his new book, The Wrong Kind of Jew: a Mizrahi ...
03.09.2023 Tuning In: Ep. 352 This week on Unorthodox, we’re streaming History of the World, Part II. Our Jew of the Week is professor and Jewish comedy expert Jeremy Dauber, who joins us to talk about his new book, Mel Brooks: Disobedient Jew. Our Gentile ...
03.02.2023 The Whole Megillah: Ep. 351 This week on Unorthodox, it’s Purim! We’re bringing you fresh takes about the holiday Purim from our own Liel Leibovitz, as well as friend of the pod—and frequent Take One guest—Dovid Bashevkin. In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion ...
02.23.2023 Threading the Needle: Ep 350 This week on Unorthodox, pshhhhhhhhhh. Our gentiles of the week are Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis, the hosts of the Jesuitical podcast. We each assign them something to give up for Lent and also prepare Rootless Cosmopolitans for them (the ...
02.16.2023 New Wave: Ep. 349 This week on Unorthodox, do Jews celebrate Valentine’s Day? Our Jew of the Week is returning guest David Sax, who joins us to talk about his newest book, The Future Is Analog: How to Create a More Human World. Our ...
02.09.2023 Us People: Ep. 348 This week on Unorthodox, Belgium is still the worst. Our Jew of the Week is the novelist Gabrielle Zevin. She joins us to talk about her newest novel, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, plus how video games can be vehicles ...
02.02.2023 Reading Together: Ep. 347 This week on Unorthodox, we’re eating macaro(o)ns. Our Jew of the Week is writer Bill Deresiewicz, who returns to the show to talk about his latest book, The End of Solitude, which laments how we’ve forgotten how to be alone ...
01.26.2023 Memories, Revisited: Ep. 346 This week on Unorthodox, stories of survival and Jewish pride in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. First, host Stephanie Butnick shares the lesson her Holocaust survivor grandparents taught her about taking every opportunity to celebrate life, starting with her ...
01.19.2023 Moving Mountains: Ep. 345 This week on Unorthodox, who deserves a spot on the Jewish Mount Rushmore? Our first guest is author Rina Raphael, who joins us to talk about her book, The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of ...
01.12.2023 Hitting the Road: Ep. 344 This week on Unorthodox, we’re starting our journey Across the JEW.S.A. But first, viral Yiddish singing sensation Mendel Goldman stops by to treat us to his musical stylings. Then, we bring you the first installment of our new series, Across ...
12.22.2022 An Unorthodox Christmas Spectacular This week on Unorthodox, we’re wishing you a Christmas Sameach. We have two gentiles this week—a Christmas miracle! First, CBS Sunday Morning contributor Faith Salie returns to the show to tell us about how her interfaith family navigates the holidays. ...
12.15.2022 Bright Lights: Ep. 342 This week on Unorthodox, we’re celebrating Hanukkah with eight stories that bring light to the Jewish world. We talk with 102-year-old former Nuremberg war crimes prosecutor Ben Ferencz, sing with rabbi and musician Josh Warshawsky, and tell stories with Peninnah ...
12.08.2022 Work It: Ep. 341 This week on Unorthodox: do Jews have Sweet Sixteen parties? Our Jewish guest this week is the writer Isabel Kaplan. She joins Stephanie to talk about her new novel, NSFW, the subtle ways that sexism crops up in everyday life ...
12.01.2022 Tough Talkers: Ep. 340 This week on Unorthodox, we’re lining up outside Santa’s Court at the mall. First we talk with MSNBC anchor Katy Tur about her memoir Rough Draft. She tells us about her experience covering the Trump campaign, her relationship to her ...
11.25.2022 Bonus: A Conversation with Tablet’s Editor in Chief Alana Newhouse Hey there J-Crew! We are dropping into your feed on Black Friday, or Black Shabbos, as we call it, to share a conversation with Tablet’s editor in chief Alana Newhouse, who published a piece this week that offers a new ...
11.24.2022 Truly Thankful: Ep. 339 This week on Unorthodox, the mystery boxes are revealed! Mark, Stephanie, and Liel reveal the contents of their fundraiser giveaways, as well as the lucky winners. Culinary historian Michael Twitty returns to the show to talk about his new book, ...
11.17.2022 Building Bridges: Ep. 338 This week on Unorthodox, we’re hiring a bat-tender. Our Jew of the Week is actor Eric Ladin. You might know him from Ozark, Boardwalk Empire, or the film version of Where the Crawdads Sing. He tells us about growing up ...
11.10.2022 Spirited Debate: Ep 337 This week on Unorthodox, an upcoming Oppenheimer simcha sparks a spirited debate. Our Jew of the Week is the one and only Letty Cottin Pogrebin—feminist icon, writer, activist and author of the new book Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and ...
11.03.2022 Generally Assembling: Ep. 336 This week on Unorthodox, we’re debuting a new look and some brand new merch! We’ve got three great guests. First, we’re bringing you an interview we recorded live at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly this past week ...
10.31.2022 Halloween bonus Liel takes us on a tour of the horror movies of his childhood and wonders how Jews can participate in Halloween… Jewishly. Plus, what horror movies can teach us about us ourselves and Jewish identity
10.27.2022 Around the Table: Ep. 335 This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting together around the table. Our Jewish guest is Phil Rosenthal, who returns to the show to tell us about Season 6 of his delightful travel food show, Somebody Feed Phil, which includes a tribute ...
10.13.2022 Raising the Roof: Ep. 334 This week on Unorthodox, we’re raising the roof. First we check in with Israeli actor Michael Aloni of Shtisel and Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, to hear about his new film Plan A, in theaters and streaming this week. Then we ...
10.07.2022 Presenting - The Franchise: Jews, Sports and America Hey JCrew, we've got something extra we want to share with you. The Franchise is a new, eight-part series exploring how contemporary American Jewish culture imprinted itself onto sports and how sports imprinted itself onto Jewish traditions. Hosted by Meredith ...
10.06.2022 Absolute Citron: Ep. 333 This week on Unorthodox, we’re shaking the lulav and the etrog and celebrating Sukkot. First, we’re learning all about the global history of the etrog thanks to Be Fruitful: The Etrog in Jewish Art, Culture, and History. We talk to ...
09.29.2022 The Apology Episode, 5783: Ep 332 This week on Unorthodox, we’re sorry. It’s our eighth annual Apology episode, and we’re bringing you stories of reckoning, atonement and… goats? Stephanie Butnick visits the goats who inhabit a steep, rocky patch of Manhattan each summer to learn about ...
09.22.2022 Family Hold Back: Ep. 331 This week on Unorthodox, we’re not holding back. Our Jewish guest this week is Kim Kushner, who joins us to talk about her Moroccan-influenced take on kosher cooking, her favorite Shabbat meals, and her new cookbook, The Modern Table. We ...
09.15.2022 Class Acts: Ep. 330 This week on Unorthodox, lots of lox drama at one Manhattan synagogue. Our Gentile of the Week is author and podcaster Michael Lewis, who gamely revisits his 1993 Toy Goy article in the New Republic, tells us about being on ...
09.08.2022 Gatecrashers: Our Newest Podcast We're excited to introduce Gatecrashers, our newest Tablet Studios podcast. This 8-part series, hosted by our own Mark Oppenheimer, tells the hidden history of Jews in the Ivy League. Each episode focuses on one of the Ivies, and the series ...
08.25.2022 Mystery Box 5782 We're off this week, but our fundraiser keeps going! For every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox. We're so grateful for your support, which lets ...
08.18.2022 Dog Days: Ep. 329 Our annual fundraiser is underway, and this year we’re upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox, and thank you for your ...
08.11.2022 Inside and Out: Ep 328 This week on Unorthodox, we’re kicking off our annual fundraiser and upping the stakes: for every $100 you donate, you’ll be entered to win a mystery gift box curated by Stephanie, Mark, or Liel. Donate at tabletm.ag/mysterybox. Abby Pogrebin returns ...
08.04.2022 Moving Forward: Ep 327 This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting serious. It’s Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning that commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. (Read more about it here.) Our Jewish guest is Rebecca Soffer of Modern Loss, who returns ...
07.28.2022 Staying Cool: Ep. 326 This week on Unorthodox, we’re melting down. To beat the heat, we’re bringing you interviews with two very cool Jews. First we talk to singer songwriter Lisa Loeb, who has been entertaining music lovers of all ages since her breakout ...
07.21.2022 Funny Girls: Ep. 325 This week on Unorthodox: ‘Funny Girl’ casting shakeups, letters from camp, and more. Our Jewish guest this week is Michael Uslan, who produced the Batman films. He talks with us about comic books as literature, and what makes Batman different ...
07.14.2022 Mellow Yellow, Ep. 324 This week on Unorthodox, we’re wishing you a hearty ‘Shalom yellow.’ Our first Jew of the Week is Mike Pesca, host of the long-running daily podcast “The Gist,” which he recently relaunched independently. He tells us what podcasts he’s listening ...
06.30.2022 Good Sports: Ep 323 This week on Unorthodox, we’re packing our trunks and heading to summer camp. Our Jew of the Week is Meredith Shiner, host of our forthcoming Tablet Studios podcast about Jews and sports. She joins us today to discuss the new ...
06.23.2022 Stage Hand: Ep. 322 This week on Unorthodox, bubbe or buh-bye? Our Jew of the Week is Zachary Noah Piser, the new star of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. He joins us to talk about his experience taking over the title role in the show—which ...
06.16.2022 Stirring the Pot: Ep 321 This week on Unorthodox, we’re digging in. Benedetta Guetta, author of the new cookbook, Cooking alla Giudia, joins us to discuss the fascinating—and delicious—culinary history of the Jews of Italy. We learn that Jews are responsible for bringing the orecchiette ...
06.09.2022 Mixed Grill: Ep. 320 This week on Unorthodox, three of our favorite guests return to the show to tell us about their latest projects. First we visit Philadelphia restaurateurs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook at their new Brooklyn restaurant Laser Wolf, a shipudiya, or ...
06.05.2022 49 Days: Week 7, Malchut Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a ...
05.29.2022 49 Days: Week 6, Yesod Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a ...
05.26.2022 The Conversion Episode, 2022: Ep 319 This week, we present our fifth-annual Conversion Episode. Each year on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, we read the Book of Ruth, which tells the story of the first convert to Judaism. To celebrate Ruth and all the Jews by ...
05.22.2022 49 Days: Week 5, Hod Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a ...
05.19.2022 Unorthodox Comes Alive!: Ep. 318 This week, we’re back together, and totally off the wall. We’re airing the interviews from our live show in Virginia Beach, hosted by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Our Jew of the Week is Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who represents ...
05.15.2022 49 Days: Week 4, Netzach Today we are sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a ...
05.12.2022 Big Bang Slice: Ep. 317 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, ...
05.08.2022 49 Days: Week 3, Tipheret Today we’re sharing a special weekly edition of Kylie Unell’s podcast miniseries, 49 Days to Stretch My Soul. Kylie is putting her own spin on the Jewish tradition of counting the Omer—the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot—with a daily ...
05.05.2022 The Mothership: Ep 316 This week, we’re celebrating motherhood: the messy, the funny, the sad, and the profound. First, an interview with Jewish Fertility Foundation’s Elana Frank, host of the podcast Fruitful and Multiplying. Then we talk to comedian Ester Steinberg about her postpartum ...

Older episodes

Unorthodox

What's Unorthodox about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Unorthodox episodes:

In Bloom: Ep. 355

Sesame Shtisel: Ep. 354

Bunny Business: Ep. 353

Tuning In: Ep. 352

The Whole Megillah: Ep. 351

Threading the Needle: Ep 350

New Wave: Ep. 349

Us People: Ep. 348

Reading Together: Ep. 347

Memories, Revisited: Ep. 346

Moving Mountains: Ep. 345

Hitting the Road: Ep. 344

An Unorthodox Christmas Spectacular

Bright Lights: Ep. 342

Work It: Ep. 341

Tough Talkers: Ep. 340

Bonus: A Conversation with Tablet’s Editor in Chief Alana Newhouse

Truly Thankful: Ep. 339

Building Bridges: Ep. 338

Spirited Debate: Ep 337

Generally Assembling: Ep. 336

Halloween bonus

Around the Table: Ep. 335

Raising the Roof: Ep. 334

Presenting - The Franchise: Jews, Sports and America

Absolute Citron: Ep. 333

The Apology Episode, 5783: Ep 332

Family Hold Back: Ep. 331

Class Acts: Ep. 330

Gatecrashers: Our Newest Podcast

Mystery Box 5782

Dog Days: Ep. 329

Inside and Out: Ep 328

Moving Forward: Ep 327

Staying Cool: Ep. 326

Funny Girls: Ep. 325

Mellow Yellow, Ep. 324

Good Sports: Ep 323

Stage Hand: Ep. 322

Stirring the Pot: Ep 321

Mixed Grill: Ep. 320

49 Days: Week 7, Malchut

49 Days: Week 6, Yesod

The Conversion Episode, 2022: Ep 319

49 Days: Week 5, Hod

Unorthodox Comes Alive!: Ep. 318

49 Days: Week 4, Netzach

Big Bang Slice: Ep. 317

49 Days: Week 3, Tipheret

The Mothership: Ep 316

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