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Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jonah Platt
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves.
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- Today54 min
Call Me Back x Being Jewish Crossover! Dan Senor predicts the Jewish Future, plus A New Kind of Aliyah
From Saudi officials to diaspora Jews, why are so many people listening to Dan Senor?Dan Senor, host of the Call Me Back podcast and co-author of Start-Up Nation, joins Jonah for a deep dive on Israel, Jewish identity, and the future of Jewish life in the Diaspora. Senor explains how Call Me Back built a devoted audience organically, attracting diaspora Jews seeking trustworthy information, journalists looking for good-faith dialogue, and even international listeners, including Saudi officials, drawn to its thoughtful, long-form conversations about Israel and the Middle East.Senor discusses how the October 7 attacks reshaped Jewish engagement, the sense of political homelessness many moderate Jews have experienced, and the opportunities emerging from one of the most consequential moments in modern Jewish history. He also emphasizes the need for a Jewish Renaissance centered on expanding access to Jewish day schools, Jewish summer camps, Israel programs, and lifelong Jewish learning. Senor argues that investing in Jewish education and community infrastructure is essential for Jews to flourish.THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah reflects on the importance of allies, why he'll sell tickets to future events in pairs, and why “ALLY-ah” may be just as important - if not more important - than aliyah right now. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:07:30 — How Call Me Back Became the World’s Number One Israel PodcastDan on building the top Israel podcast organically after October 7th.Call me Back Podcast - with Dan Senor - YouTube00:10:45 — “Israel Was at War. The Diaspora Was Under Attack.”Dan quotes Rabbi Ingber's defining line on October 7th: Israel was at war, but the diaspora had no army to fight back.The toll of the Israel-Hamas War on diaspora Jews00:15:09 — Would Dan Interview Former Allies Who’ve Gone to a “Dark Place”?Dan considers hosting antisemitic voices to understand, not challenge, their logic.00:27:33 — Why “Call Me Back” Audience Skews Left of Dan SenorThe “October 8th Jew” phenomenon and left-of-center Jews finding community.A look at the October 8th Jews | The Jerusalem Post00:31:42 — The Jewish Future Is Too Expensive. Here’s How to Fix It.Dan on day schools, affordability gaps, and the case for a Jewish renaissance.Why Jewish Living Feels So Expensive These Days | Kosher Money00:43:37 — Where Do Adult Jews Without Kids Find Jewish Community?Dan on Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the Hartman Institute, and adult entry points to Jewish life.<a href="https://religionnews.com/2026/04/29/rachel-goldberg-polin-on-her-jewish-faith-and-her-slain-son-hersh-goldberg-polin-spiritual-quest/" target="_blank" style="bac
- 1 weeks ago1h 13m
Does Mayim Bialik Feel Safe in Public? & The Collective Punishment Paradox
SUMMARYFrom The Big Bang Theory to Jewish advocacy, Mayim Bialik shares the personal journey behind the public persona.Jonah Platt interviews actress, neuroscientist, author, and Orthodox Jew Mayim Bialik (Blossom and The Big Bang Theory) about rising antizionism and antisemitism, arguing it functions as a hate movement that shuts down dialogue through intimidation and threats.The conversation explores the rise of antizionist activism on college campuses, her parenting two sons amid the campus hostility, and her experiences navigating public criticism. She shares about her experiences visiting family in the West Bank, and her identification with Israel as her homeland. Jonah and Mayim discuss personal experiences of being confronted online and in public. Such as being protested for being labeled a “Zionist,” and her experience with shifting attitudes at UCLA in the late 1990s/early 2000s. She also reflects on her directorial debut, As They Made Us, pressures in Hollywood such as lost sponsorships and exclusion from liberal spaces, and the courage required to remain visibly Jewish in public life. Thoughtful, honest, and often humorous, this episode offers a powerful exploration of identity, resilience, and what it means to live proudly as a Jew in the modern world.THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah unpacks the paradox of two true statements, both seemingly made untrue by the other: Denying the connection of the Jewish people to Israel is bigotry. AND, conflating the Jewish people with Israel is also bigotry.MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:00:08:15 — Being a Public Jew in the Age of Social Media and Online ThreatsMayim on how social media exposed her to antisemitic threats long before October 7th.Mayim Bialik: Our safety is at risk we've never experienced before00:07:00 — Anti-Zionism on Campus: 30 Years of Hostility from Cincinnati to UCLAMayim traces three decades of campus anti-Zionism from UCLA swastikas to university protests.Jewish Faculty Members at UCLA Say Enough is Enough - File Legal Documents to Join a Federal Lawsuit to Stop Antisemitic Incidents on Campus00:32:15 — Liberal Zionism: The Strange IntersectionMayim on staying a committed Zionist while the Democratic Party distances itself.What does it mean to be a Liberal American Zionist?00:40:15 — Life in the West Bank: Armed Settlements, Checkpoints, and Human ComplexityMayim on her family's 50-year life on armed West Bank settlements.‘Jew-Free Zone’ – My Experience in the West Bank00:53:47 — Hollywood Post-October 7th: Sponsors Lost, Silence, and Jewish Self-SegregationMayim on losing podcast sponsors and Hollywood's silence after October 7th.I was betrayed by Hollywood for speaking out after October 7, says Will & Grace star Debra Messing01:05:24 — Baal Teshuva: From Reform Roots to Modern Orthodoxy, Divorce, and the Gaps in Jewish CommunityMayim traces her baal teshuva path from Reform childhood to Modern Orthodoxy.What Is a Baal Teshuvah?This Episode’s Partner:Start watching or listening to Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam at unpacked.bio/WJ <strong style="background-color: rgb(253, 252, 252); color: rgb(38, 23, 2
- 2 weeks ago1h 16m
Is Antizionism Antisemitism? Adam Louis-Klein, Founder of Movement Against Antizionism
Why are so many people talking past each other when it comes to Israel? Adam Louis-Klein breaks down the history, language, and ideas driving the debate. In a thought-provoking conversation, host Jonah Platt interviews Adam Louis-Klein, who returned from anthropological fieldwork with the Desana in the Amazon just after October 7, 2023, to discover the horrors of the attack on Israel. This drove him to become a leading voice opposing antizionism through his writing, appearances, and the organization he founded, Movement Against Antizionism (MAAZ). Adam defines antizionism as hatred of Israel and argues it functions like racism via obsessive libels, such as “colonizer,” “apartheid,” and “genocide,” used to justify hostility and violence against Jewish people. He distinguishes pre-1948 Jewish antizionism from modern antizionism, which he traces to Arab nationalist and Soviet propaganda, and criticizes institutional normalization in universities, NGOs, media, and governments. Klein contends antizionism harms Palestinians by empowering militias like Hamas and Hezbollah and outlines a “truth and reconciliation” vision including antizionism studies and memorialization. Together, Jonah and Adam discuss the history of Bundism, Reform Judaism, Neturei Karta, the Oslo Accords, and debates surrounding the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, and Israeli identity. The episode also explores how to engage progressive audiences, respond to antizionist rhetoric, and build institutions capable of addressing one of the most consequential ideological battles facing the Jewish community today. Plus, this week Jonah is back with the third installment of L’Dor V'adorable! We thought it couldn’t get any more adorable. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:16:17 — The Three Core Antizionist Libels: Colonizer, Apartheid, and GenocideKlein breaks down the foundational accusations driving the antizionist movement — how the colonizer, apartheid, and genocide narratives were engineered to exploit modern moral sensibilities.Defeating Antizionism23:37 — Why "Antizionism" Is the Right Term (Not "Antisemitism")Klein explains why the hate movement has been named as antizionism rather than antisemitism — including the historical parallelism between the two terms and why the distinction actually reaches more people.Understanding Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism51:29 — How Antizionism Harms Palestinians, Allies, and Civilization ItselfA breakdown of the collateral damage antizionism causes beyond Jews — including Palestinians living under Hamas/Hezbollah, non-Jewish allies marked as Zionists, and the broader erosion of democratic norms.Antizionism Is a Hate Movement That Harms Palestinians and All Western Societies1:15:03 - A Vision for a Post-Anti-Zionism WorldKlein's framework for what it would take for society to fully recko
- 3 weeks ago1h 14m
Israeli Comedian Yohay Sponder, Plus Finding Your “Ikigai” (Reason for Being)
Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder turns grief, antisemitism, and the Jewish experience into one of the funniest and most unexpectedly moving conversations you’ll hear all year.In this hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound episode, stand-up comic Yohay Sponder joins host Jonah Platt for a wide-ranging conversation about comedy, Jewish identity, Israel, and the global Jewish experience. Known for his viral English-language stand-up and international tours, Sponder reflects on performing for Jewish audiences across Australia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States while witnessing rising antizionist hate around the world. Sponder recounts the shocking experience of show cancellations in Amsterdam and Australia after public threats and claims of “perceived insensitivity” in his material. Along the way, the two discuss why Yohay performs in English, what he’s learned being married to an American, and how growing up the grandchild of Holocaust survivors influenced his comedic spark. He shares his goals of making people laugh while spreading Jewish pride and the inspiration behind his comedy specials, Self-Loving Jew and Genesis. Using humor and vulnerability, Sponder examines what connects Jews globally, emphasizing comedy’s role in strengthening cultural bonds. The episode dives into Sponder’s evolving relationship with Judaism following the death of his father, Holocaust-survivor grandparents, his embrace of traditions like tefillin and wearing a (giant) Star of David. THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah ponders Ikiagi, the Japanese concept for “your reason for being,” and how you can find your own Jewish version to guide you in these challenging times. TIMESTAMPS2:08 — Why Yohay performs in EnglishYohay explains why English became the perfect language for his comedy, saying its structure naturally works better for punchlines than Hebrew. 14:26 — The Amsterdam cancellationYohay recounts how his sold-out Amsterdam shows were canceled days before showtime after threats against the venue 18:20 — When boycotts backfireYohay explains how protests and cancellations have often helped his career by bringing more publicity, support, and ticket sales.28:06 — The fan who said his comedy saved her familyYohay recalls a fan sharing how his comedy helped her and her father through his cancer treatments30:32 — His father’s Holocaust survivor upbringingYohay reflects on his father’s painful childhood as the son of Auschwitz survivors — and how he chose to raise his own family with joy and laughter instead.49:41 — The meaning of “Self-Loving Jew”Yohay explains why he named his previous tour Self-Loving Jew<span sty
- 4 weeks ago1h 12m
She's Not Italian, She's Jewish! The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler + What is Shavout?!
The Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler gets brutally honest about Judaism, fame, motherhood, and living with MS in one of her most personal interviews ever.In one of the podcast’s most open and deeply personal episodes so far Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for playing Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos, reflects on growing up Jewish on Long Island, navigating Hollywood at a young age, and finding strength in Jewish identity and community. The two discuss that advocacy doesn't have to be about conflict, but about just sharing your positive experiences with the world. She shares how a transformative Birthright Israel trip deepened her connection to Judaism and Israel especially through experiences in Jerusalem.Sigler also opens up about living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the emotional toll of hiding her diagnosis for years, and how finally speaking publicly changed her life. The conversation explores marriage, mental health, and the pressure to appear “perfect” while struggling privately. Jamie-Lynn talks about her new memoir, And So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope, and her podcasts MeSsy with Christina Applegate and Not Today, PAL. Together, she and Jonah connect with each other on their vulnerability, Jewish pride, and the freedom that comes from finally being fully yourself.Plus, Rabbi David Ingbar returns to the podcast (Three-Timer!!!) to discuss the history and importance of the Jewish Holiday, Shavout. Topics discussed:Discussion about Jewish visibility, stereotypes about what Jewish people “look like,” and proudly embracing her Cuban, Greek, and Jewish heritage.Sigler talks about living with Multiple Sclerosis (“MS”) and why going public about her diagnosis changed her life.The emotional process behind writing her memoir And So It Is: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope and narrating the audiobook herself.How podcasting opened her emotionally Caregiving, marriage, and parenting with her husband Cutter while navigating life with MS. Sigler explains how The Sopranos became a “safe haven” during struggles with eating disorders, MS, and personal insecurities. The Sopranos Executive Producer David Chase and how Meadow Soprano served as Sigler’s “Sasha Fierce” alter ego. The importance of Jewish community, Shabbat dinners, and raising her sons Jack and Beau with pride in their Jewish heritage.Sigler shares her perspective on Israel, Holocaust education, and visiting the Holocaust Museum during her Birthright experience. Discussion of disability representation in Hollywood and why productions should hire actors actually living with disabilities and chronic illness. Sigler discusses acting projects including Big Sky and how accommodations on set helped her work
- May 15, 202626 min
Hollywood to Holy Land: Screenwriter-turned-Orthodox Rabbi Shmuel Lynn
A Hollywood writer turned rabbi reveals the unbelievable true stories of Jewish survival history that they never taught in school.Host Jonah Platt reunites with Rabbi Shmuel Lynn, his former University of Pennsylvania Maimonides Leadership Program teacher, to discuss Lynn’s path from screenwriting (Duke, NYU Film School, LA) to Orthodox Jewish education and leading young adults. Lynn describes growing up amid antisemitism in Palm Beach, discovering observant Jews in Hollywood, and being drawn to meaningful Jewish history through a Holocaust writing job. He explains his focus on college and post-college Jews through Olami in Greenwich Village, emphasizing immersive, curated experiences and storytelling to create individual and generational change.Topics include:Jonah Platt reflects on meeting Rabbi Lynn through the Maimonides Leadership Program while attending the University of Pennsylvania. Working in Hollywood with writers from The Cosby Show and Will & Grace sparked Rabbi Lynn’s deeper exploration of Judaism and observant Jewish life. Rabbi Lynn discusses writing a Holocaust screenplay centered on Kristallnacht and how that project deepened his connection to Jewish history. The episode explores Rabbi Lynn’s Holocaust film about Bardejov and the true story of 999 Slovakian Jewish girls bound for Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. Rabbi Lynn recounts how Jews in Slovakia prevented deportations by staging a fake typhus outbreak during the Holocaust. Rabbi Lynn explains the mission behind Olami and his Jewish center in Greenwich Village focused on college students and young professionals.The conversation highlights immersive Jewish education, including theater productions about the Spanish Inquisition and immigrant journeys through Ellis Island.Rabbi Lynn discusses leading student trips through Poland, Krakow, Budapest, and Slovakia to teach Holocaust history and Jewish perseverance.The episode explores the upcoming screenplay Rabbi Lynn is developing about the Soviet Jewry movement, including references to the KGB, the Iron Curtain, and Soviet Jewish activism.Mentioned in the episode:Rabbi Shmuel Lynn InstagramRabbi Shmuel Lynn LinktreeRabbi Shmuel Lynn FacebookRabbi Shmuel Lynn LinkedInUniversity of PennsylvaniaMaimonides Leaders FellowshipPalm Beach FloridaDuke UniversityNYU Film SchoolCosby ShowWill and GraceKristallnachtBardejov (Film)BardejovTransportation to AuschwitzAuschwitzOlamiOlami ManhattanBishvili nivra ha-olam<a href="https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/opinion/350037/new-york-city-1909/" target="_blank" st
- May 12, 20261h 3m
“Bad Jews” (replay) & Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt
What happens when one of the world’s leading Holocaust scholars says today’s antisemitism feels frighteningly familiar?In this vital episode Holocaust historian and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt discusses the dangerous surge and normalization of antisemitism worldwide, citing the incidents in London and the October 8, 2023 Sydney Opera House rally. Lipstadt argues antisemitism now operates as a “horseshoe” uniting extremes at the far right and left. She uses the analogy of an upside-down pyramid to illustrate the threat to Jews, democracy, and international security (including “utilitarian antisemitism” on PRC platforms). She compares today to the 1930s while noting key differences. She critiques university groupthink and campus failures at UCLA and Columbia to protect Jewish students. She describes her envoy work shifting from Abraham Accords, including global guidelines signed by 44 entities and a symposium with major tech platforms. She calls for unequivocal leadership, depoliticized action, education, and everyday speaking up. She emphasizes that there must be Jewish joy alongside fighting hate.Topics include:Lipstadt’s legal battle against Holocaust denier David Irving and the film adaptation starring Rachel Weisz. Lipstadt warns about rising antisemitic violence in London, including incidents in Golders Green and the Finchley Reform Synagogue. The episode examines antisemitic protests outside the Sydney Opera House following October 7, 2023. The discussion references the spread of antisemitic content on social media platforms including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X. Lipstadt describes international diplomacy surrounding the Abraham Accords and outreach to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Lipstadt praises cooperation from officials in Austria, Germany, and France in combating antisemitism. The Paris Peace Forum and comments by former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls following the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket siege. Lipstadt discusses online hate campaigns targeting Jewish institutions including the 92nd Street Y and AIPAC. The murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran and global protests over women’s rights. Lipstadt and Platt discuss authors and commentators including Dara Horn, Douglas Murray, Bret Stephens, Candace Owens, and Tucker Carlson. Lipstadt reflects on Jewish education through organizations like BBYO, USY, and institutions including Emory University and Brandeis University. Surprising Global Allies in France and AustriaMentioned in the episode:Deborah LipstadtBrandeis UniversityEmory UniversityThe Tam Institute for Jewish StudiesDenying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and MemoryDenial (2016 film)<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachelweisz1/
- May 5, 20261h 9m
Epistemic Antisemitism and Black Conservative Influencer Xaviaer DuRousseau
From viral firestorms to death threats, this man isn’t backing down from the Israel conversation.Jonah Platt sits down with conservative activist Xaviaer DuRousseau, who describes his rapid shift from a Bernie-supporting, BLM-boosting young liberal to a professional Republican who appears on Fox News, visits the White House, and publicly supports Israel, including traveling to Gaza during the war. Xaviaer recounts growing up in Chicago and Central Illinois with Marxist family influences, becoming an activist, then researching BLM finances and concluding the movement was fraudulent, which led him to vote for Trump and face family accusations of white supremacy. He argues Bernie-to-Trump is a seamless anti-establishment pipeline, rejects widespread student-loan forgiveness as a solution, and says crime drives businesses and jobs out of black neighborhoods. Xaviaer credits a 2023 Shabbat dinner at PragerU and multiple Israel trips with deepening his connection to Jewish life, describing backlash, antisemitism, death threats, and filming humanitarian aid in Gaza to counter starvation claims. He criticizes anti-Israel voices across the left and right, advocates a black/Jewish alliance based on shared history, and discusses resentment, Marxism, and cultural lessons between the communities.Xaviaer presents his “hot takes” on most modern-day racism being against white people and asians, how he would be talking shit all day if he were jewish, and how “hood” black folks love Trump.Plus, Jonah explains why epistemic antisemitism, despite its subtlety and widespread normalization, is so terribly destructive.Topics Include: Xaviaer DuRousseau’s viral trip to Gaza documenting humanitarian aid and response to misinformation and the backlash from European audiences and online threats following his Gaza video How a Netflix show called The Circle was the unexpected catalyst for DuRousseau's political awakeningHis criticism of influencers like Hasan Piker, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Nick FuentesHow PragerU’s CEO Marissa Streit in 2023 was DuRousseau's first real introduction to Jewish culture and traditionHis fallout with Candace Owens Experiences attending Passover Seder hosted by Montana TuckerThe historical alliance between Black Americans and Jewish Americans during the Civil Rights MovementCritique of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and discussions of Marxism in modern activism Exploration of Igbo Jews in Nigeria and Xaviaer’s possible ancestral ties to IsraelInfluence of activist Rudy Rochman in discussing Jewish identity and African connections Commentary on celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Seth Rogen in relation to Jewish identityMentioned in the episode:Law Scholar Christine A. LittletonEpistemic Antisemitism: “Good People Gone Wild”David Schraub’s The Epistemic Center of AntisemitismJonah’s take o
About Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves.
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