Unorthodox

If you enjoy this podcast, there's something you can do to help keep us going: Donate to the Unorthodox fundraiser and make us stronger in 5780 and beyond. This week, we're pledging our loyalty to Unorthodox with two amazing Jewish guests. Our first guest is actress Michaela Watkins, who you've seen in Casual, Transparent, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. She's in the new film Brittany Runs a Marathon and the new CBS comedy The Unicorn. Michaela talked to Stephanie about playing Jewish (and non-Jewish) characters, how she reconnected with her Judaism through the organization Reboot, and the ways her Jewish identity impacts her political activism. Our next guest is historian Pamela Nadell, whose latest book is America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today. She tells us about unearthing forgotten stories of Jewish women, like Grace Nathan, a wife and mother who witnessed this country's founding, and contextualizing the lives of well-known Jewish women, like Nathan's great-granddaughter

This week: a special update from Stephanie’s apartment and a reminder to donate to the Unorthodox fundraiser! Gifts of $180 and above get you a hot-off-the-press copy of our forthcoming book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia; gifts of any size get you our eternal love and appreciation. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group. Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Don't forget to donate to the Unorthodox fundraiser! Help us keep going strong in 5780 and beyond. This week on Unorthodox: A whole lot of Jewish guests! First we sit down with Cindy Chupack, an Emmy-winning TV writer and producer who's worked on shows like Sex and the City, Modern Family, and Everybody Loves Raymond. Her latest film, which she co-wrote and directed, is Otherhood, now streaming on Netflix. It's about three mothers whose grown sons seem to have forgotten them, and so together they descend on New York City to push their way back into their son's lives. Stephanie chats with Erin Davis, host of the dating show Bubbies Know Best, and S.J. Mendelson, one of the bubbies. The premise of the show? Three grandmothers meet each contestant, ask him or her some probing questions, then select a date for them from a group of prospective suitors. Kibbitzing ensues. Let us know what you think of the show! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Subscribe to

Donate to the Unorthodox fundraising drive and help us keep going strong! Our Jewish guest is Taffy Brodesser-Akner, New York Times Magazine writer and author of Fleischman is in Trouble. She tells us about the moment she learned her debut novel was a New York Times bestseller, why she writes from such a specific—and jewish—place, and why people are always asking her about Philip Roth. Our Gentile of the Week is Umber Ahmad, the banker-turned baker behind Mah-Ze-Dahr bakery in Manhattan's West Village. She brings us their delicious old-fashioned donuts, which are made with buttermilk, lemon zest, and vanilla bean and are fried and then glazed. She tells us about growing up in Northern Michigan to Pakistani immigrant parents, and learning from a young age to use food to tell stories and create community. Her question for the hosts is about how food became such an integral part of the Jewish holiday calendar. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Subscribe t

It’s that time of the year: The Unorthodox fundraising drive! Help us keep going strong in 5780 and beyond—donate here. Our Jewish guest this week is Liz Feldman, writer and creator of Dead to Me, the new Netflix series starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. She tells us about the Jewish elements of the hit traumedy which was just renewed for a second season. Our Gentile of the Week is Dennis Schleicher, who shares his conversion story. After coming out as gay as a teenager and leaving his family and their evangelical church, he ends up converting to Mormonism as an adult. (His book is called ‘Is He Nuts: Why a Gay Man Would Become a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ.’) It’s the last week to fill out our listener survey for a chance to win an autographed copy of our forthcoming book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia.. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Follow us on Tw

We're off this week, recharging in various locations, but we didn't want to leave your feed completely empty.  Instead, Mark has a story he's been trying to find a place to tell for years. As our fourth birthday approaches, we wanted to expand our own creation myth, back to when Mark was 15 years old. Here's a few links for when you're done: First, take our survey here or at http://bit.ly/uosurvey19 Second, our 2019 Fundraiser is here, at http://tabletmag.com/donate

This week in 'News of the Jews,' Israel's new Education Minister endorsed gay conversion therapy, a controversial and widely discredited practice. We're bringing you an interview (recorded before those comments were made) with Mathew Shurka founder of Born Perfect, an organization that lobbies against conversion therapy. Mathew tells us about his own experience—he spent five years in conversion therapy as a teen—and how he found his calling in activism after an 'It Gets Better' video he recorded in 2012 went viral. Our Gentile of the Week, recorded at our Chicago live show last month, is Greta Johnsen, who hosts the Nerdette podcast and anchors Weekend Edition Saturday on WBEZ Chicago. She tells the audience at the Logan Square Auditorium what it means to be a nerdette, shares her favorite moments of the podcast, and asks the hosts a question about Jewish food. Tell us what you really think! Fill out our listener survey for a chance to win an autographed copy of our forthcoming book, The Newish Jewish Encyclo

This episode was recorded live at the Hollis Hills Bayside Jewish Center in Queens. Our Jewish guest is Leon Neyfakh, who hosts the new podcast Fiasco, which tells the story of the 2000 election. He previously hosted two seasons of the hit podcast Slow Burn—the first focused on Watergate, and the second on the Clinton impeachment. He tells us why he focuses on what it was like to live through these explosive moments in American history as they slowly unfolded, and what he's learned about today's political dramas by digging into recent history Our gentile of the week is Clare Malone, a senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight, where she covers the 2020 presidential election and appears on the weekly FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast. She accepts our challenge to name all 24 Democrats running for president, and gives us her predictions of what's to come in the 2020 campaign. Following in the footsteps of her sister Noreen, who in 2017 inquired about the phrase 'Jewish American Princess' and inspired an entire

In honor of the 4th of July, we present our second-annual Jews Across America episode, celebrating the diversity of Jewish life throughout this great nation. (You can listen to last year's episode here) We have a bunch of star-studded guests! Blair Braverman, the second Jewish woman to complete the Iditarod, joined us at our Chicago live show with her dog, Flame, to tell us about how a Jewish girl from California becomes a dog sledding phenom. (Check out her memoir, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, too) Stanford M. Adelstein, a former State Senator from South Dakota and the subject of the new book The Question Is "Why?": A Jewish Life in South Dakota, tells us how Jews got to South Dakota, and how Jewish life there has changed in his 87 years. Melissa Untereker, an lawyer with Frontera Immigration Law in El Paso, Texas, explains how Judaism informs her work, and how local religious groups are stepping up to help refugees. (If you'd like to help, she recommends starting here. Rabbi Neil Amswych of Temple Beth

Unorthodox is off this week, but we have something special for you instead. Mark Oppenheimer was a recent guest on Slate’s Trumpcast, where he explained everything you could ever want to know about Trump and the Jews.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook group.

Our first Jewish guest this week is Matthew Futterman, deputy sports editor at the New York Times and author of the new book, Running to the Edge. A 23-time marathoner, Matt breaks down the major transformations in both professional and recreational running over the past few decades, and describes the more meditative aspects of the sport, explaining how running is, for him, a form of prayer. Our second Jewish guest is Tony and Academy Award-winning actor Joel Grey, whose credits include Cabaret, Wicked, and Chicago. His latest role is directing the Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof at Stage 42. He tells us about growing up around Yiddish (his father was musician and comedian Mickey Katz, who wrote Yiddish parodies of popular songs), having a daughter in the business (Jennifer Grey starred as Baby in Dirty Dancing), and about his love of photography (he just published his fifth book of photography, "The Flower Whisperer"). We'd love to hear what you thought of this week's show. Email us at Unorthodox@t

This week, we're celebrating the papas (the PAPAS!) Our Jewish guest is Violet Ramis Stiel, whose memoir Ghostbuster's Daughter is about growing up as the eldest child of comedy legend Harold Ramis. She tells us about life with an unconventional yet loving father, how her upbringing influenced her own parenting style, and finally grasping the impact her father had on American culture after his 2014 death. Our gentile of the week is Matt Schneider, who created the City Dads Group and hosts The Modern Dads Podcast. The primary care giver for his children, he tells us about how being rejected from the local mom's group inspired him to start a group for fathers, which now offers programming in more than 30 cities, including a New Dad Bootcamp. We'd love to hear what you thought of this week's show. Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com or leave a message at our listener line: 914-570-4869. We’re heading to Chicago! See us live Wednesday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at the Logan Square Auditorium with Iditarod finisher Blair

Last May, in honor of Shavuot, the holiday that celebrates the most famous convert to Judaism, Ruth, we put together a special episode all about conversion. We were so moved by the overwhelming response, both from converts and not, that we made another episode. This year we're back with a whole new range of stories. We hear from Ashley Wallace, who grew up in a Christian family in Alabama and who found support throughout her conversion from her friend Will Docimo. We talk to Rabbi Dr. Stuart W. Halpern, author of the new book, Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth, about why Shavuot is the perfect time to celebrate conversion stories. Listener Rebecca Cynamon-Murphy lets us listen in on her conversion audio diary, all the way to the mikveh. Pittsburgh record store owner Eric Ackland shares his journey from secular Judaism to Orthodoxy (not technically a conversion, but still a great story). Plus we hear from listeners who called in to share their own conversion stories. We'd love to hear what you thought of this wee

Tradition, tradition! We sit down with legendary actress Jackie Hoffman, who plays Yenta in the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene's production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in Yiddish, and Motl Didner, the Folksbiene's associate artistic director. Hoffman tells us about learning her lines in Yiddish and her favorite role of all time. Didner teaches us a few key phrases in Yiddish We also chat with Australian punk rocker-turned-novelist Bram Presser, who wrote The Book of Dirt which won the National Jewish Book Award for debut fiction. He tells us about discovering the real story of his Holocaust survivor grandfather's wartime years, which shapes the book, as well as his Yiddish punk background with the band Yidcore. We’re heading to Chicago! We'll be at the Logan Square Auditorium Wednesday, June 26 at 7 p.m. with special guest Blair Braverman, who recently became the second Jewish woman to complete the Iditarod. Presented with Hadassah Chicago-North Shore. Get your tickets here. Subscribe to our weekly newslett

Our Jewish guest is Judith Viorst, who has written many books for children, including the classic Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. She tells us about her new poetry collection, Nearing Ninety: And Other Comedies of Late Life, which candidly and humorously captures the realities of growing older. Our gentile of the week is Edward Lee, the chef/owner of several restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky. His book Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine, is a memoir of his culinary roadtrip across the United States. He tells us why the best deli in the country is found in Indiana, and what happens when you visit Dearborn, MI looking to eat during Ramadan. Join us Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. at the Hollis Hills Bayside Jewish Center in Queens, NY, for a live taping with Leon Neyfakh, host of the podcasts Slow Burn and the forthcoming FIASCO, and FiveThirtyEight writer and podcaster Clare Malone. Get your tickets here. We’re heading to Chicago! We'll

Spies, sex, and comedy! Our Jewish guest is journalist Matti Friedman, whose newest book, 'Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel', explores the little-known story of four Mizrahi Jews who went undercover as Arabs during the time of the country's founding. He tells us how the story of these young Jewish men from Arab countries, who risked their lives as part of a ragtag intelligence unit, adds texture to the overwhelmingly Ashkenazi narrative of Israel's founding. Our gentile of the week is Pete Holmes, who talks to us about his new book, 'Comedy Sex God', his HBO show Crashing, and his journey from being raised Evangelical Christian to becoming a follower of spiritual teacher Ram Dass. Join us Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. at the Hollis Hills Bayside Jewish Center for a live taping with Leon Neyfakh, host of the podcasts Slow Burn and the forthcoming FIASCO, and FiveThirtyEight writer and podcaster Clare Malone. Get your tickets here. We’re heading to Chicago! See us live Wednesday, June 26 a

We're talking about the mamas (the mamas) in honor of Mother's Day. Our Jewish guest is Catherine Reitman, creator and star of the Netflix show Workin Moms. She tells us how spending Mother's Day after her first child was born on a film set far from her family inspired her to create the show, which follows four mothers as they navigate their personal and professional lives after having children. We also talk to Judith Rosenbaum, executive director of the Jewish Women’s Archive, about their new initiative to honor all the inspirational woman in our lives.  Our gentile of the week is Karen Malone Wright, founder of The Not Mom, an online space for women who do not have children, either by choice or by chance. She tells us what not to say to a woman who doesn't have children, on Mother's Day or any day, and what she's learned from childless and childfree women around the world who have attended her Not Mom summits. Plus, producer Josh Kross brings us an unexpected story of an escape from Russia. Join us Wednesd

It's a star-studded, carb-filled post-Passover episode! Our first Jewish guest is designer Rebecca Minkoff, who tells us about sewing her own bat mitzvah dress, starting a handbag and clothing company with her brother, Uri, and her early involvement with—and break from—the Women's March (plus how she continues to support women today). Our second Jewish guest is Moriel Rothman-Zecher, author of Sadness is a White Bird, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in Debut Fiction. He tells us about moving from America to Israel as a teen--a journey mirrored by the book's protagonist--and how, after years of excitement about the idea of serving in the Israel Defense Forces, he ultimately become a conscientious objector, serving two weeks in military jail after refusing to join the IDF. Our gentile of the week is Gretchen Rubin, whose latest book is Outer Order, Inner Calm. She explains how getting control of our stuff helps us get control of our lives, and describes the four personality tendencies (upholders,

Since we're off this week, we're bringing you a special Kosher for Passover treat in our feed, a taste of our sister podcast, Israel Story.  We've got a Ruth-themed episode from them called Whither Thou Goest.  If you like what you hear, you should subscribe to their show wherever you listen to ours, AND check out israelstory.org to see their upcoming U.S. tour schedule—they’ll be here from May 7 to may 21st, and might just be heading to your city for a live show. With that,  I’ll leave you to listen. Chag Sameach and see you next week!

We're getting in the mood for matzo with a jam packed Passover episode. We speak with New York Times food writer Melissa Clark about her Passover menu, which includes a new brisket recipe, and, later on in the week, matzo lasagna. Paul Germain, the TV writer responsible for the Rugrats Passover episode, which aired in 1995 and offered a remarkable animated retelling of the story of Exodus, tells us about how that episode got made. PLUS Cat Goldberg on 4/20 seders,  Gabriel Stulman on the Moroccan celebration of Mimouna, And thanks to The Marshall Project's Simone Weichselbaum, disgraced former charity head William Rapfogel tells us about the time he threw a Seder behind bars. Episode sponsors: The UJA-Federation Matzah Challenge is back! Here’s how it works: Take a picture of your matzah creation between April 19 and April 27 and post it to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag #matzahchallenge. Tag a friend: for every matzah photo that’s posted, $18 will be donated to someone in need. One Day Univ