Gom Jabbar: A Dune Podcast

The Hidden Jews of Dune With David Zvi Kalman

August 21, 2026·1h 11m
Episode Description from the Publisher

Frank Herbert spent five books showing how faiths merge, mutate, and drift beyond recognition. Then, in Chapterhouse: Dune, he wrote in a community of Jews who had not changed at all. Abu and Leo gather critical takes from Jewish readers and scholars, then sit down with historian David Zvi Kalman to ask whether representation that gets things wrong can still be worth having. This episode contains SPOILERS for all six of Frank Herbert's Dune novels, up through Chapterhouse: Dune! IN THIS EPISODE Rebecca, the Rabbi, and the deal the Bene Gesserit struck with a people nobody could find Where Kwisatz Haderach actually comes from in Jewish mysticism, and why nobody knows how Herbert found it A theory about Beverly Herbert's death, the to-do list she left behind, and what Daniel and Marty have to do with any of it MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE David Zvi Kalman's essay on the Jews of Dune: jellomenorah.com David Zvi Kalman's podcast, Belief in the Future: podcasts.apple.com Michael Weingrad, Jews of Dune: jewishreviewofbooks.com Jonathan Weidenbaum, The Holy Versus the Sacred: doi.org Leigh Kimmel's Chapterhouse Dune review: billionlightyearbookshelf.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Get ad-free episodes and more: patreon.com/gomjabbar Say thank you with a tip: buymeacoffee.com/gomjabbar Buy custom-designed Dune merch: gomjabbar.shop Watch video episodes and clips: youtube.com/@loreparty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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