This week on Unorthodox, the hottest meal in Scottish prisons is… kosher. Our Jewish guest is Willard Spiegelman, longtime English professor at Southern Methodist University and author of the new book of essays, Senior Moments: Looking Back, Looking Ahead. He tells us the worst fashion trend among college students today and why retiring to Manhattan is the secret to a long life. Our Gentile of the Week is R.J. Hernández, whose new novel, An Innocent Fashion, which tells the story of a Cuban-Amer...
Sep 08, 2016•50 min
This week on Unorthodox, singer Sia gets sued for a sub-par Tel Aviv concert. Our Jewish guest is Justin Sakofs, creator of MagneticShul, a toy designed to engage kids in ritual Jewish life (yes, we try it out). Our Gentile of the Week is Paris-based writer Thomas Chatterton Williams, who tells us about his perspective on American politics as an ex-pat and his next book, a reckoning with how we define race in America, based on his 2015 essay about being a black man with a blonde daughter. His qu...
Aug 25, 2016•56 min
This week on Unorthodox, we’re obsessed with the Olympics. Our Jewish guests are 20-year-old twins Jack and David Cahn, co-authors of a new book called When Millennials Rule: The Reshaping of America. They tell us what they think of the 2016 election, which twin is better at chess, and how to prepare for the Millennial takeover. Our Gentile of the Week is Gaura Vani, a lifelong Hare Krishna and performer of Mantra Music, which is based on the ancient call-and-response devotional tradition known ...
Aug 18, 2016•50 min
We’ve got a special show for you this week, Unorthodoxers. We’re excited to have Tablet columnist Marjorie Ingall back on to discuss her new book, Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Successful, Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children, which comes out August 30. In it, she challenges the stereotype of the overbearing, coddling Jewish mother, arguing that Jewish mothers actually instill in their children confidence, independence, and a healthy skepticism of authority. She’s joi...
Aug 11, 2016•39 min
This week on Unorthodox, Amar’e Stoudemire ditches the NBA for the Holy Land. Our Jewish guest is BuzzFeed reporter Rosie Gray, who has spent the past six months following the Republican presidential candidates on the campaign trail, producing behind-the-scenes dispatches from everything from white supremacist rallies to contentious Republican meetings, and reporting on Donald Trump’s nomination at the RNC in Cleveland. Our Gentile of the Week is actor, director, and screenwriter Adam Linn, auth...
Aug 04, 2016•57 min
This week, Vilnius's hottest wedding destination is a former concentration camp. Our Jewish guest is Deena Gottlieb, who just finished her first year of reform rabbinical school. She tells us what that first year in Israel was like (less Real World, more studying), why she wants to become a reform rabbi, and how she gets through to distracted bar mitzvah students. Our Gentile of the week is Arsalan Iftikhar, aka @TheMuslimGuy, human rights lawyer, media commentator, and author of the recent book...
Jul 28, 2016•50 min
This week, we can't stop talking about the Republican National Convention. Our Jewish guest is the very funny Catie Lazarus, writer and host of "Employee of the Month," a monthly live talk show at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, for which she’s interviewed Bette Midler, Jon Stewart, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. She tells us how she found her calling as a live interviewer and about the time she went to Park Slope, Brooklyn to hawk truly local milk—breast milk. Our Gentile of the Week is Scott Jones, ...
Jul 21, 2016•48 min
This week on Unorthodox, our favorite Jewish gymnast is headed to Rio. Our Jewish guest is Deborah Pardo-Kaplan, a freelance journalist working on a memoir about her life as a Messianic Jew. She explains what Messianic Jews believe, and her journey from a traditional Jewish upbringing to ultimately adopting those beliefs—plus the unexpected difficulties of dating as a Messianic Jew. Our Gentile of the Week is Bruce Barber, the general manager of WNHU-FM, the campus and community run radio statio...
Jul 14, 2016•56 min
Our Jewish guest is writer and illustrator Christopher Noxon, author of the novel, Plus One, and the husband of Weeds and Orange is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan. He tells us why he prefers the term ‘domestic first responder’ to ‘house husband,’ and about the ritual bloodletting required to complete his conversion to Judaism. Our Gentile of the Week is rock critic Jim DeRogatis, co-host of the WBEZ talk show “Sound Opinions.” He tells us how meeting Lester Bangs made him want to become a roc...
Jul 07, 2016•1 hr
This week on Unorthodox: Kappa connections, ruff times for dogs in Iran, and a new original song from our in-house Jewbadour Jim Knable. Our Jewish guest is Rebecca Schiff, whose debut short story collection, The Bed Moved, was published in April . She reads us one of the stories, and tells us what her mom thinks of the sex and pot references in the book, and why she’s attracted to Jewish guys. Our Gentile of the Week is Mo Rocca, NPR ‘Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me’ regular. The former Daily Show fixt...
Jun 30, 2016•53 min
This week, El Al helps herd biblical sheep to Israel. Our Jewish guest is Matthew Futterman, senior special writer for sports at The Wall Street Journal and the author of Players: The Story of Sports and Money, and the Visionaries Who Fought to Create a Revolution. He tells us how NFL quarterbacks used to sell real estate in the off-season to support themselves, plus what he’s looking forward to at this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio and why water polo is an underrated Olympic sport. Our Gentile ...
Jun 23, 2016•52 min
This week on Unorthodox: public swimming pool drama in Brooklyn, and one Jewish man’s unusual sperm donation program. We don’t have a Jewish guest this week, but we have reached peak gentile: award-winning architect Duo Dickinson, a cradle Episcopalian, joins us for a lively discussion about Jews, WASPs, and the difference between designing a church and a synagogue. We also get a visit from our producer Julie’s daughter Leah, who joins us on-air for a discussion of presumed Republican presidenti...
Jun 16, 2016•55 min
This week, Unorthodox jumpstarts the Father’s Day festivities with a special episode—because is there any figure more overlooked and misunderstood than the Jewish father? Liel talks to Tablet’s Gabe Sanders about archetypal father figures, starting with the biblical Abraham, and how their own identities changed when they became fathers. Stephanie sits down with Unorthodox regular Marjorie Ingall to break down the problematic aspects of Father’s Day, as well as the tough rap Jewish dads get—and h...
Jun 09, 2016•39 min
This week on the show: Nazis, Taylor Swift, and cats—the Unorthodox trifecta. Our Jewish guest is Chicago native Jeff Aeder, who founded the online Jewish Baseball Museum. The Cubs fan tells us about some of the lesser-known Jewish figures in America’s national pastime, why he thinks we need a museum dedicated to Jews in baseball, and when we can expect a brick-and-mortar outpost. Our Gentile of the Week is Carrie Poppy—writer, actress, and co-host of the podcast Oh No Ross and Carrie, which inv...
Jun 02, 2016•47 min
This week on Unorthodox, the '90s are back: The Intifada is all the rage at UC Irvine, 90210's Andrea Zuckerman is on our minds, and a Clinton is running for president. Our Jewish guest is BuzzFeed News national reporter Amanda Chicago Lewis, who covers the burgeoning marijuana industry and the politics of legalization. In lieu of a Gentile of the Week, we read from a Jews for Jesus pamphlet left in the lobby of our producer Julie’s apartment building. We love to hear from you! Email us at Unort...
May 26, 2016•47 min
This week, Unorthodox goes back to high school. This episode was recorded live from the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro, N.C, the world's only International Jewish College Prep boarding school. Our Jewish guest is former North Carolina State Senator Marshall Rauch, who when he was elected in 1967 became the first Jew in the state senate, where he spearheaded legislation making Yom Kippur a state holiday. Our Gentile of the Week is musician Judith Saxton, who is in her tenth year as Trumpet...
May 19, 2016•40 min
This week on Unorthodox: Gentiles love Manischewitz, the new Han Solo’s Jewish, and Nazi pugs exist. Our Jewish guest is Rosie Schaap, “Drink” columnist for the New York Times Magazine and the author of Drinking With Men: A Memoir. She tells us why there’s more to bars than drinking and the cocktail essentials every drinker should have at home. Our Gentile of the Week is Doug Henwood, publisher of Left Business Observer and the author of the 2015 anti-Hillary book, My Turn: Hillary Clinton Targe...
May 12, 2016•52 min
This week on Unorthodox: Broad City skewers Birthright. Our Jewish guest is literary agent and author Betsy Lerner, whose latest book, The Bridge Ladies, tells the story of the women in her mother’s bridge group, which has been meeting weekly for 50 years. Our Gentile of the Week is CNN political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, who covers the 2016 election with a special focus on identity politics, exploring the dynamics of demographics, race and religion. We love to hear from you! Email us at Un...
Apr 28, 2016•41 min
This week on Unorthodox, we’re searching for chametz and waiting for the Red Sea to part. Our Jewish guest is comedian David Tuchman, who hosts the lively and irreverent-er OMGWTFBIBLE podcast, which each week features a guest reading from Tuchman’s own translation of the Bible, while he chimes in with jokes. He tells us how getting started in comedy unexpectedly brought him back to his yeshiva roots. Our Gentile of the Week is Irish journalist Maitiú Ó Coimin, who took issue with Mark Oppenheim...
Apr 21, 2016•45 min
This week, Unorthodox heads to Palo Alto, California, for a special live taping at the Oshman Family JCC. Our Jewish guest is Eddan Katz, a cyber-crime lawyer who founded Sudo Room, a hackerspace in Oakland. Our Gentile of the Week is Amanda Bradford, founder and CEO of The League, an invite-only dating app that uses data from Facebook and LinkedIn to match its highly selective pool of ambitious singles. We love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]. Sign up for our weekly newsl...
Apr 14, 2016•49 min
This week on Unorthodox: Tel Aviv, so hot right now. Our Jewish guest is writer Jillian Keenan, whose first book, Sex with Shakespeare, explores her dual passions for the Bard and BDSM. She tells us why she identifies with Caliban from The Tempest, and who she thinks is the most underrated Shakespeare character. Our Gentile of the Week is Jeff Yang, editor and publisher of aMagazine, an Asian American periodical, whose son, Hudson Yang, stars on ABC’sFresh Off the Boat. He tells us about his end...
Apr 07, 2016•46 min
This week on Unorthodox: Scottish Jews get their own official tartan. Our Jewish guest is L. Jon Wertheim, executive editor of Sports Illustrated and the co-author of the book, This is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What we Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon. He tells us how he got into sports journalism, and what he thinks the least Jewish sports are. Our Gentile of the Week is Imani Perry, professor in the Center for African American Studies at Princet...
Mar 31, 2016•36 min
This week on Unorthodox: Israeli actress Gal Gadot proves she’s Wonder Woman off-screen, too. Our Jewish guest is Ladino singer-songwriter Sarah Aroeste, who tells us what Ladino is, and why it’s so important to keep the Sephardic language and culture alive. She performs a song from her new Ladino children’s album, and (warning!) even gets the hosts to sing along. Our Gentile of the Week is ACLU lawyer Gillian Thomas, whose new book, Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Chang...
Mar 24, 2016•46 min
This week on Unorthodox: Name-calling at a basketball game between a Catholic high school and a heavily Jewish public school in a Boston suburb takes a weirdly dark turn. Our Jewish guest is Jessamyn Hope, whose debut novel, Safekeeping, tells the intertwined stories of several strangers who find their way to a kibbutz in the summer of 1994, and was partly inspired by her own brief stay on a kibbutz. Our other Jewish guest (we are short a Gentile of the Week–forgive us!) is legal scholar Lawrenc...
Mar 17, 2016•42 min
This week on Unorthodox: Israeli settlers and Palestinians working together… to grow marijuana. Our Jewish guest is Eric Weiner, author of the new book, The Geography of Genius. He tells us the cities throughout history most conducive to breeding genius, how he really feels about Silicon Valley, and whether cats are smarter than dogs. Our Gentile of the Week is Katherine Connor Martin, editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and the New Oxford American Dictionary. She tells us why "Trumpmentum" ...
Mar 10, 2016•52 min
This week on Unorthodox: the Oscars' Jewish highlights (and lowlights). Our Jewish guest, Adam Kantor, plays the tailor Mottel Kamzoil in the Broadway revivial of "Fiddler on the Roof," which opened in December. He made his Broadway debut in 2008 as Mark Cohen in "Rent." Our Gentile of the Week is writer and comedian Mandy Stadtmiller. She discusses her new Unwifeable column for New York magazine (and her recent wedding) and the mysteries of Kabbalah. We love to hear from you! Email us at Unorth...
Mar 03, 2016•34 min
Our Jewish guest this week is Ben Ostrower, whose design firm created Bernie Sanders’ logo. He tells us how campaign logos have evolved over time and how the Obama campaign catapulted branding and logos to the forefront of election-season consciousness. Our Gentile of the Week is Chris Eigeman, who made his acting debut as preppy New York City teen Nick Smith in Whit Stillman’s 1990 film, Metropolitan. He tells us about playing an Upper East Side WASP despite being from Denver and his latest dir...
Feb 25, 2016•40 min
This week on Unorthodox: Klezmer aerobics and the strangest bris story you've ever heard. Our Jewish guest is Daniel Oppenheimer, author of the new book, Exit Right: The People Who Left the Left and Reshaped the American Century. He’s also—you guessed it—the brother of our host Mark Oppenheimer. Our Gentile of the Week is novelist and essayist Roxane Gay, whose latest book, Bad Feminist, cleverly tackles issues in contemporary feminism alongside considerations of culture, identity, and race. We ...
Feb 18, 2016•40 min
This week on a special Valentine’s Day episode, Unorthodox plays Yenta. Our Jewish guest is Jill Kargman—creator, writer, producer, and star of the Bravo comedy Odd Mom Out, a thinly-veiled satire of life and motherhood on the Upper East Side, a world the lifelong New Yorker is no stranger to and isn’t afraid to lampoon. A few weeks ago we put out a call for listeners who wanted to be set up by Unorthodox, and we were so overwhelmed by the amount and quality of the submissions we received that w...
Feb 11, 2016•53 min
This week on Unorthodox: Miley meets Woody. Our Jewish guest is word maven Lizzie Skurnick, whose book, That Should Be A Word, is based on her popular New York Times Magazine column of the same name. In 2013 she founded Lizzie Skurnick Books, which reissues classic young adult literature. Our Gentile of the Week is Bill Schulz, former co-host of Fox News Channel's 3 a.m. satirical talk show, Red Eye. He claims Amy Schumer, a frequent guest on Red Eye, based the terrible character Schultz in her ...
Feb 04, 2016•43 min
