This week, we wrap up our Staff Pick countdown with our #1 episode of the year . What Is Shabbat—Really? goes beyond the long list of “don’ts” to uncover the deeper joy and purpose of the Jewish Sabbath. Grounded in Genesis, Exodus, and the writings of Abraham Joshua Heschel and Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Mijal and Noam explore Shabbat as a 25-hour “palace in time”—a weekly digital detox, spiritual reset, and celebration of meaning. We’re proud to be collaborating with Sefaria and The Simchat Torah...
Jan 21, 2026•36 min•Season 4Ep. 22
What does Chabad have to offer a fractured world in 2025? On Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam , Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman are joined by renowned Chabad scholar and speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson to explore the enduring power of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legacy. Chosen by our staff as the #2 top episode of the year and part of our countdown to the #1 Staff Pick, this conversation leans into Chabad’s worldview, its nuanced relationship with Zionism, and its bold response to antisemitism. Rabbi Jac...
Jan 14, 2026•37 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Noam revisits his conversation with actor, Jewish advocate and fellow podcast host, Jonah Platt. In the episode, voted the #3 staff pick, Noam and Jonah sit down in LA to talk about identity, Israel, Hollywood, and why October 7 turned him into what he calls an “October 8th activist.” Jonah reflects on his Jewish upbringing, the rising fear around Jewish identity, and why he now proudly wears a Magen David. They dig into what Hollywood gets right (and wrong) about Jewish stories, why so few cele...
Jan 07, 2026•54 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 As 2025 ends, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman look back on a year that felt both relentless and revealing, then name ten themes that shaped Jewish life, Israel, and the diaspora, except it’s nine , because they’re contrarians, plus what they hope 2026 can become. They unpack the shift from acute crisis to chronic challenge , why “ that feeling you’re feeling is peoplehood ,” the...
Dec 31, 2025•48 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam explore how generosity—of time, money, talent, and attention—has powered the Jewish story across generations, and what it means to make giving a lifelong practice rather than a one-time donation. They’re joined by Mitchell R. Julis, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Canyon Partners, for a wide-ranging conversation about Jewish identity, philanthropy, and responsibility.Dra...
Dec 29, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam dive into one of Judaism’s biggest—and most deliberately open-ended—questions: What does Judaism say about the afterlife, Olam HaBa, the World to Come? They explore why humans across cultures care so deeply about life after death—justice, grief, meaning, and reward—and why the Torah is famously sparse on the subject. Drawing on classical Jewish sources from the Mish...
Dec 24, 2025•39 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam dive into the fraught conversation around tzniut (modesty), blending Jewish sources with personal stories and lived experience. They unpack what Jewish law actually says, debunk common myths about dress codes, oppression, and liberation, and wrestle honestly with how modesty shows up in real communities. Ultimately, they expand tzniut beyond clothing—toward dignity, h...
Dec 17, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 16
A Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach became the site of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the diaspora in decades. Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy, who grew up in Sydney and now lives in Jerusalem, joins Noam and Mijal to explain what happened, why many in the community say it was “horrifying but not shocking,” and what this moment demands next. Here's a link to donate to the Bondi terror attack response: https://donate.thedorfoundation.org.au/bondi-beach-terror-attack-response/donate Help us ta...
Dec 16, 2025•43 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: sababatravel.com In Part 2 of The Battle Over Jewish Storytelling: A Hanukkah Conversation , Mijal sits down with Dr. Tanya White to explore the deeper meaning of Hanukkah—beyond the oil. Together they unpack the three major narratives of the holiday: the historical Maccabee revolt, the rabbinic miracle ...
Dec 10, 2025•47 min•Season 4Ep. 14
In preparation for Hanukkah, Mijal sits down with her friend and bestselling author Sarah Hurwitz to rediscover the holiday’s deeper meaning. Together they explore the grown-up story of the Maccabees, the complexities of assimilation and resistance, and how Hanukkah’s themes echo the identity struggles facing Jews today. Drawing on insights from Here All Along and As a Jew , Sarah reflects on courage, community, and what it means to live proudly and unapologetically Jewish in 2025. Here is Sarah...
Dec 03, 2025•42 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam break down Jewish law (halacha) as a living legal system—tracing its path from Sinai to the Mishnah, Talmud, Maimonides, and the Shulchan Aruch. They explore how halacha is interpreted, how Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions differ, the role of custom (minhag), and why debates across denominations shape Jewish life today. They share personal stories that reveal just how...
Nov 26, 2025•42 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Noam sits down in LA with actor, Jewish advocate and fellow podcast host, Jonah Platt, to talk about identity, Israel, Hollywood, and why October 7 turned him into what he calls an “October 8th activist.” Jonah reflects on his Jewish upbringing, the rising fear around Jewish identity, and why he now proudly wears a Magen David. They dig into what Hollywood gets right (and wrong) about...
Nov 19, 2025•53 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam dive into the first national study of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States. The study was directed by Dr. Mijal Bitton at NYU in partnership with JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa). Mijal and Noam discuss a missing chapter in the American Jewish story. Through new research and personal reflection, they explore what Sephardic and Mizr...
Nov 12, 2025•36 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Mijal and Noam step back from politics to ask bigger questions: how should Jews meet a world where hostages come home under a ceasefire, Nick Fuentes inches into mainstream discourse, and NYC debates Mamdani? Fresh off a trip to Israel, Mijal shares what resilience looks like on the ground in a culture that rejects self-pity. Mijal and Noam discuss a strategy to fight antisemitism on ...
Nov 05, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special crossover episode, host Noam Weissman shares one of the most powerful conversations he’s ever had—an interview with Eli Sharabi, who survived 491 days as a Hamas hostage in Gaza. Noam talks to Eli about his new memoir, Hostage , where he recounts life 50 meters underground: the starvation, humiliation, and small acts of spiritual defiance that kept him alive. Eli's wif...
Oct 29, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special crossover episode, Noam Weissman explores what it feels like to live through this moment in Israel. Mijal is away so Noam sits down with writer and Times of Israel editor Sarah Tuttle-Singer , author of Jerusalem Drawn and Quartered , for a raw, empathetic conversation about daily life in Jerusalem after October 7. They talk about euphoria and grief around hostage retu...
Oct 22, 2025•45 min•Season 4Ep. 7
As Sukkot begins, Mijal and Noam revisit a favorite episode about what it really means to live with fragility and joy. From stepping into temporary huts to Rabbi Nachman’s teaching to “always be in a state of joy,” they explore how Judaism reframes happiness—not as comfort or control, but as presence, purpose, and connection. Mijal Bitton: Committed by Mijal Bitton | Substack Martin Seligman: Pursuit of Happiness Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz (Harvard study on happiness): The Good Life...
Oct 06, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 What is Shabbat -- really? Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman go beyond the long list of “don’ts” to uncover the deeper joy and purpose of the Jewish Sabbath. Grounded in Genesis, Exodus, Heschel, and Rav Soloveitchik, they explore Shabbat as a 25-hour “palace in time”—a weekly digital detox, spiritual reset, and celebration of meaning. We’re proud to be collaborating with Sefaria and The...
Sep 29, 2025•34 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 In this special episode of Wondering Jews , Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman sit down with Prof. Moshe Halbertal to reflect on the High Holidays. Together they explore why the “Days of Awe” feel both intense and joyful, and how teshuva, tefillah, and tzedakah can restore a sense of agency and open the future. https://its.law.nyu.edu/facultyprofiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.overview&...
Sep 25, 2025•51 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Why do Jews mark life’s biggest moments with rituals—and what happens when those rituals clash with modern life? In this rich, personal, and sometimes hilarious episode, Mijal and Noam take you on a journey through the Jewish life cycle—from brit milah to bar mitzvah, weddings to funerals. They explore how different communities (Syrian, Moroccan, Ashkenazi, Persian, and more!) celebra...
Sep 17, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 3
BOOK NOW FOR UNPACKING ISRAELI HISTORY LIVE IN LA - Nov 12 at Sinai Temple with special guest Ronen Bergman . Last stop for 2025! Use the coupon code UIH20 to get a discount on your tickets: https://unpacked.bio/UIHLA25 Prayer can feel abstract—so Mijal and Noam get practical. In the second part of our In the Beginning mini-series on foundational Jewish topics, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman explore what Jewish prayer ( tefillah/davening ) is. They look at why we pray, who we pray to, and t...
Sep 10, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Is it a religion, a people, a culture, a nation - or something that refuses tidy boxes? In the first episode of our In The Beginning mini-series where we'll be covering foundational Jewish topics, Mijal and Noam trace how Jews have defined themselves or been defined across centuries and why it matters now more than ever; impacting belief, peoplehood, culture, land, shared destiny and ...
Sep 03, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Mijal and Noam sit down with award-winning author Dara Horn ( People Love Dead Jews ) to tackle one of the most urgent questions today: What’s wrong with Holocaust education—and how do we fix it? Together, they explore why most American students meet Jews only as Holocaust victims, how teaching the Shoah without Jewish civilization erases the very culture the Nazis tried to destroy, and why that erasure actually fuels antisemitism rather than combating it. From Holocaust denial to October 7th, f...
Aug 27, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 30
In this re-release of one of our most popular episodes, Noam Weissman and Mijal Bitton speak with journalist Haviv Rettig Gur about the history, ideology, and persistence of antisemitism. They trace its roots from early Christian and Islamic theology through Marxist and nationalist movements, examine how it has evolved in the Arab world and on American campuses, and discuss why the current wave feels unprecedented to many American Jews. (Note: this episode was recorded before Mamdani's victory i...
Aug 20, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 29
In a year of division, can Jewish unity still hold? In this special re-release of Wondering Jews , Mijal Bitton sits down with Rabbi David Wolpe for a deep, candid conversation about Jewish solidarity, peoplehood, and the meaning of freedom. They explore why the Seder remains Judaism’s most beloved ritual, how to handle political disagreements at the table, and why Jewish identity is rooted in community as much as in faith. Please follow Wondering Jews on Instagram! instagram.com/wonderingjews. ...
Aug 13, 2025•42 min•Season 3Ep. 28
In one of the most talked-about episodes of Wondering Jews , Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman dive into the emotional and complicated questions facing Jews today: If you love Israel… why don’t you live there? Listen again or for the first time to Mijal and Noam open up about the cognitive dissonance of loving Israel while living in the Diaspora. Along the way, they reflect on the insights of Jewish giants and share candid stories of love, guilt, dreams—and bagels. Here are some of the sources refe...
Aug 06, 2025•47 min•Season 3Ep. 27
What does Chabad have to offer a fractured world in 2025? Mijal Bitton and and Noam Weissman are joined by renowned Chabad scholar and speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson to explore the enduring power of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legacy. Together, they unpack Chabad’s worldview, its nuanced relationship with Zionism, and its bold answer to antisemitism. Rabbi Jacobson shares how every Jew—religious or secular—can become an agent of healing, love, and redemptive consciousness. Click here to read Rabbi Jacobs...
Jul 30, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 26
What does it mean to be Jewish in NYC after Zohran Mamdani’s surprising victory in New York's Democratic mayoral primary? In this candid and passionate conversation, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman reflect on fear, populism, and the strategic mistakes and opportunities facing the Jewish community. From public safety to coalition-building, they explore why this moment matters far beyond New York — and what must happen next. Note: This episode was recorded on July 2nd. Subsequent developments are n...
Jul 23, 2025•25 min•Season 3Ep. 25
Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman sit down with award-winning author and media entrepreneur Zibby Owens to explore what it means to publicly embrace Jewish identity after October 7th. Zibby shares her journey from a largely secular literary figure to an outspoken Jewish advocate. They discuss cancel culture, Zionism, the challenges Jewish authors face in publishing, and the power of Jewish moms stepping up. Note: This conversation was recorded before the Iran-Israel War in June, 2025. On Being Jewi...
Jul 16, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 24
What happens when the artists we love express hatred toward Israel—or Jews ? This week, hosts Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman confront this issue, from Bob Vylan leading chants of “Death to the IDF” at Glastonbury to Dave Matthews Band calling for a Gaza ceasefire. Listen to this timely conversation on the emotional and moral dilemmas of supporting artists whose politics feel threatening. The Free Press: Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Glastonbury—and the Purge of the Jews Please follow Wondering Jews on Instag...
Jul 09, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 23
