Unorthodox

This week on Unorthodox, former guest Gavriel Savit joins us for a spooktacular Halloween episode. We talk about the Jewishness of Dune, William Shatner’s mission to the moon, why some religious Jews don’t celebrate Halloween, and more. Our Jewish guest is actor, author, and substance abuse counselor Stacey Nelkin, who starred in the 1982 film Halloween III: Season of the Witch. She joins us to reminisce about the critically panned cult classic. Our Gentile of the week is Carrie Harris, a fiction writer whose work features monsters, mayhem, and murder. She tells us why horror writing flourishes in uncertain times, and reads a passage from her new young adult book, Elder God Dance Squad, which she describes as ‘Stranger Things meets Bring It On.’ Dara Horn, author of the new book People Love Dead Jews, and host of the podcast “Adventures with Dead Jews,” gets us in the holiday spirit with a reading of “The Dead Town” by Yiddish writer I.L. Peretz. (Translated by Helen Frank and Hillel Halkin, abridged and a

This week, while Mark’s on book tour and Stephanie is dancing with diapers, we’re bringing you a minisode with a special story of the impact of a single hungry draft dodger. Enjoy! On October 19 at 12pm ET, Liel will be moderating a live discussion along with Manya Brachear Pashman of American Jewish Committee's podcast, People of the Pod. This is the first in a four-part series by Tablet Magazine and AJC titled “21st Century Europe and the Jews”, which aims to address timely issues related to Jewish life and the protection of democracies in Europe. The series will delve into the most pressing issues in the United Kingdom, Poland, France, and Germany. The October 19th live program, “How the Jews Went Right in Britain,” will start with the UK. Go to AJC.org/Tablet to register, and for more details! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! Aa always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and

In this week's news, the Orthodox Union won't certify "Impossible Pork," Maccabi Haifa receives an interesting welcome in Berlin, and Mark owns a wetsuit. Tablet Studios is proud to bring you Radioactive, a new narrative podcast about Radio Priest and renowned antisemite Father Charles Coughlin. Enjoy this sneak peek, as well as Liel's conversation with host Andrew Lapin, and make sure to subscribe Liel also sits down with pianist Simone Dinnerstein, who recently conducted a walking tour throughout Green-Wood Cemetery including performances on several pianos scattered throughout the route. We are launching our fundraiser! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! Aa always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, 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

This week on Unorthodox, we interrupt our usual programming to talk about interrupting, and the battle between extroverts in introverts. Liel speaks with Professor Jacques Berlinerblau about his new book The Philip Roth We Don't Know: Sex, Race, and Autobiography, and Mark speaks with Hanna Stein, who portrays Shira Liedman on the Netflix's Never Have I Ever, and who was connected to us by her dad, a proud member of the J-Crew. We are launching our fundraiser! Please support Unorthodox and the other Tablet shows you know and love by visiting bit.ly/givetounorthodox and giving a gift of any amount! As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, 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. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our record

Happy Sukkot, J-Crew! While we sit here in our huts, shaking our palm fronds and citrons,we bring you a slew of Jews redefining the term "modern day heroes." First, Tablet Chief Administrative Office Sam Hacker heroically swoops in to guest host, saving the show from another week of just Mark and Liel. Then, Liel speaks with author E. Lockhart, the author of Whistle: A New Gotham Hero, featuring DC Comics' first Jewish superhero in over 40 years, Willow Zimmerman. Finally, Mark speaks with Jonathan Lipnicki, a jiu-jitsu and MMA trained fighter using his talents to protect Jews from antisemitic attacks. Oh and you might remember him from such movies as Jerry Maguire and Stuart Little. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, 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. Join our Facebook group, a

Welcome to our annual apology episode! As we do every year, we searched far and wide for stories about apologies, forgiveness, and repentance. We hope this episode inspires you to approach Yom Kippur with some new insights and appreciation for making amends. First, we speak with legal scholar and Former Dean of Harvard Law School Martha Minow about US law and forgiveness, and whether the justice system should perhaps be more forgiving. Then, Rabbi Jonathan Spira-Savett, host of the new podcast Tov!, speaks with Producer Robert about the concept of teshuva, repentance, and the source he believes can educate us all on repentance--NBC's The Good Place, starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. Next, writer Simone Ellin recounts her experience confronting her childhood bullies, and uncovers the surprising truth about how others remember events that were so traumatic to her. We hear from author Susan Shapiro about her new memoir, The Forgiveness Tour, which explores many of the subjects we talk about when we talk

Happy Jewish Year 5782! While we normally celebrate new beginnings on Rosh Hashana, this year we are choosing to turn to the comfort of some of our favorite things. Join us to celebrate Rosh Hashana and celebrate the new Jewish year with the equivalent of a hug for your years. First, we bring you our interview with star of stage and screen Tovah Feldshuh, who spoke with us a couple months back as part of a live show with the Community Scholar Program  and the Merage Jewish Community Center sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County and Jewish Federation Orange County. Then, Liel speaks with Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg of the Jewish Bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain.  The duo also perform a special song to ring in the new year with Unorthodox. Finally, we bring you a sneak peak of our new Tablet Studios podcast, Adventures with Dead Jews, hosted by author Dara Horn. Join her as she endevours to uncover why everyone loves dead Jews. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us

While the Unorthodox team is taking a short break, we wanted to share a sneak peek into Antisemitism, Explained, a new project by Tablet journalist (and former Unorthodox guest) Yair Rosenberg. You can watch the whole series at: http://bitly.com/AntisemitismExplained The resurgence of attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions across the USA and the globe has brought the issue of antisemitism into sharp focus once again. To understand the historical roots of current antisemitic events and to unpack how antisemitism shapes and affects young Jews’ identities and the world in which they live, OpenDor Media’s division Unpacked produced a series of six YouTube videos written by award-winning journalist Yair Rosenberg, designed to debunk seven of the most common myths about this phenomenon. Listen for a taste of what you might learn from these videos, as well as an interview between Liel and Yair. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or

While Stephanie is off hanging with baby Edith, Mark and Liel are taking a serious look at the relationship between Israeli Jews and the American Diaspora.  Massachusetts born and raised Mark digs deep into Liel’s perspectives about the United States while growing up in Israel, and how they have changed now that he’s been in America for over 20 years. Are the American and Israeli Jewish communities heading for a “divorce" like so many have predicted, or can we bring the communities closer together, and how. Can sports help? Liel speaks with Zvika Klein, an American born Israeli journalist covering American Jewry on how he sees this very special relationship. Liel also speaks with Guri Alfi, Israel's top stand-up comic who just starred in a reality show called The New Jew, all about American Jews, the first ever of its kind. Finally, we hear from Yoni Rosenblatt, a doctor for Israel's baseball team on their recent Olympic journey, and what it means for the Americans on the team to represent the Jewish stat

This week on Unorthodox, we have a very special guest host! Former all-star Unorthodox guest Kylie Unell joins Mark and Liel to talk about the important news of the Jews, including Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher's lack of showers, and Argentina's lack of tact. Enjoy a sneak peak of Kylie's upcoming Tablet podcast How to Fix a Soul in 30 Days. Get ready for Jewish Year 5782 by traveling along with Kylie as she searches for her soul. We also speak with GOTW Liam McCabe, senior staff writer for Wirecutter, about the high stakes responsibility of recommending home appliances. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, 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. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube

This week on Unorthodox, it's all about free lobster, dog crimes, and of course...Israeli stray cats. We speak with Jaren Lewison, star of the Netflix show "Never Have I Ever." He tells us about playing a Jewish character on a hit TV show, working with Mindy Kaling and Andy Samberg, and balancing college life (go ZBT!) and acting. Then we hear from Gentile of the Week Andrew Gruel, Founder and Executive Chef of Slapfish Restaurant, who spoke with us about his work combating hunger, including providing free lobster to those in need. But first, an important request from our own Mark Oppenheimer. Can you help him out? Leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869, or email him at moppenheimer@tabletmag.com. As always, let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, 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. Join our Fac

This week on Unorthodox, we’re talking all things Jewish pregnancy, from traditions and superstitions to genetic testing and fertility treatment. First we hear from Estie Rose, a genetic counselor and outreach coordinator for JScreen, a genetic testing nonprofit based at Emory University, about the importance of screening for Tay-Sachs, the BRCA gene, and other specifically Jewish conditions when planning for pregnancy. Then Dr. Bat-Sheva Maslow, a reproductive endocrinologist at Extend Fertility, explains halachic infertility, how common it really is, and what experts like them can do to solve/cure/manage fertility challenges. Next, we dive into the superstitions that arise when you’re expecting Jewishly. To cover what these traditions are and why they have such a strong hold over so many of us, we turn to Rabbi Mychal Springer, adjunct professor at Jewish Theological Seminary and manager of clinical pastoral education at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dara Horn, whose forthcoming book is People Love Dea

This week on Unorthodox, we’re observing Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning, and Tu B’Av, the Jewish Valentine’s Day, all at once. First we hear from Menachem Kaiser, author of “Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure,” his story of attempting to reclaim an apartment building in Sosnowice, Poland that his family owned before the Holocaust, and his unlikely discovery of a familial connection to... Nazi treasure hunters. Then we talk to NFL reporter Jori Epstein and Holocaust survivor Max Glauben about collaborating to write “The Upstander,” a book that tells the story of Max’s life and the lessons he wants to share. And finally, in honor of Tu B’Av, the Jewish Valentine’s Day, we check in with Unorthodox listeners Sabrina and Brian Cartan, who ran into Jeff Goldblum while taking their wedding photos this weekend. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apolog

Unorthodox is off this week, but we wanted to bring you the latest from two of our other podcasts. First you'll hear an update from our Tablet colleague Armin Rosen, who spent last week reporting from the aftermath of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, and who dropped by Take One, our daily Talmud podcast, to weigh in on a page of Talmud that feels eerily relevant to the Surfside tragedy. Then you'll hear Episode 4 of our kids quiz show Hebrew School, which is back for Season 2, hosted by Sabrina Marielle Friedman and Frank Spiro. We'll be back next week with a new episode of Unorthodox.

This week on Unorthodox: Bagels and latkes and shvantzes, oh my. Our first guest is David Fishof, the longtime music agent and producer who created Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, where music fans get to schmooze with rock icons. He tells us about the Jewish influences behind his work, his favorite musicians to work with, and the new documentary about Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. Next we talk to Sports Illustrated’s L. Jon Wertheim, who returns to the show to tell us about his latest book, Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever. Be part of our upcoming Yom Kippur apology episode! Do you have a story of an apology given or owed? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and In

This week on Unorthodox, vegemite drama in Israel. Our first guest is Shira Haas, the Israeli actress best known for her starred role on the Netflix series Unorthodox and the Israeli hit Shtisel. She tells us about learning English by watching TV as a kid, how she responds to criticism of Unorthodox’s portrayal of Orthodox Judaism, and her upcoming role as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. Our next guest is Daniel Oppenheimer, brother of our host Mark, who returns to the show to tell us about his latest book, an appreciation of the critic Dave Hickey. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be featured on the episode. Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and

This week on Unorthodox, the curious case of the kosher ham. Our Jewish guest is Raviv Ullman, who starred in the early aughts Disney Channel show Phil of the Future and who now hosts the weekly parsha podcast “The Study.” The Israeli-born actor tells us about embracing the rituals of Jewish life during the pandemic, and finding the value of identifying modern themes in ancient Jewish texts, even when those themes might be challenging. Our Gentile of the Week is investigative reporter Madeleine Baran, who hosts the podcast “In The Dark” from APM Reports. Her reporting for the show helped lead the Supreme Court to overturn the conviction of death row inmate Curtis Flowers. Send us your stories for our upcoming special episodes. Were you or someone you know a Jewish scout? Do you have stories of apologies given or owed, for our annual Yom Kippur Apology episode? Leave us a voicemail (under a minute long) at (914) 570-4869, or record a voice memo on your phone and email it to unorthodox@tabletmag.com to be feat

This week on Unorthodox, it’s everyone vs. Bibi. Our Jewish guest is Iranian American writer Roya Hakakian, whose latest book, A Beginner's Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious, paints a portrait of what the new immigrant experience in America is really like. She explains how, in addition to the grand ideals of liberty and opportunity offered in America, the mundane day-to-day elements of American life—like being able to return clothing to a store—remain jaw-droppingly liberating for immigrants, long after they’ve arrived. Our Gentile of the Week is poet and Yale Divinity School professor Christian Wiman, who shares how Abraham Joshua Heschel inspired his personal religious journey, and how that journey is foundational to his poetry. His question for the hosts is a personal one: Do they believe in god, or is their connection to Judaism more cultural? Like the show? Rate us on iTunes! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow

Unorthodox is off this week, but we’re bringing you "The Deal with Nissim Black," a new podcast from our friends over at the Joshua Network, [link out]. The show features Nissim Black, who was featured on our conversion episode last month, in conversation with a wide range of Jewish guests. This episode features Nissim’s interview with former Unorthodox guest Eve Barlow . In this conversation, which was recorded about a month ago, Nissim and Eve get deep into their experiences of being Jews and finding their place in the world. Have a story to share on our upcoming episode about Jewish scouting or our annual Apology Episode? Send us an email or voicenote at unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave us a voicemail at at (914) 570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at b

This week on Unorthodox, ceasefire in Israel and chaos on social media. Our Jewish guest this week is former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer Jen Spyra, who returns to the show to discuss her debut book, a wacky collection of short stories called Big Time. Our Gentile of the week is novelist John Green, whose latest book, The Anthropocene Reviewed, is based on his podcast of the same name, which reviews various facets of our modern lives using a five-star scale. He also tells us about the infamous Anne Frank house kissing scene in his novel-turned-film, The Fault in Our Stars. Join us for virtual events! Sunday, May 30 — Liel will be talking to Andrew Fox about his new book, The Bad Luck Spirits' Social Aid and Pleasure Club, a fantasy tale about a Jewish ayin harah, or evil eye, named Kay Rosenblatt living in New Orleans and doing her best to deal with the chaos that ensues after her fellow demons summon a hurricane. 11:30 a.m. EDT; register here. Tuesday, June 1 — Liel will be talking to Sohrab Ahmari