Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

• What Gives Me Hope and Broadway Legend Seth Rudetsky

  In this spirited and emotional episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Broadway legend Seth Rudetsky — actor, pianist, musical director, SiriusXM host (Seth’s Big Fat Broadway, Seth Speaks), comedy writer, and tireless advocate — joins Jonah for an honest conversation about the deep history of Jewish contributions to Broadway. They discuss the rise of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment in the arts world, and the creations of the Jewish Broadway Alliance, a grassroots effort Seth launched in the wake of October 7th. Drawing from decades on stage and behind the piano, Seth opens up about the challenges of Jewish advocacy, the shock of Broadway’s silence that drove him to speak up, and the emotional weight of organizing initiatives like the Broadway-hosted hostage video and Broadway Shabbat. Seth and Jonah also delve into the highlights from Rudetsky's extraordinary career — from hosting Stars in the House during the COVID-19 pandemic to his concerts for social justice causes — and his dream of creating new educational content celebrating Jewish history through music. This conversation is a celebration of Jewish creativity and the deep-rooted bond between Jewish artists and the Broadway stage. And if you listen through to the end, you’ll find a special surprise that captures the spirit, heart, and joy that Seth brings to every room he enters.The Importance of Jewish Influence on BroadwayIntroducing the Special Episode and GuestSeth Advocacy and Jewish IdentityThe Impact of October 7th on SethForming the Jewish Broadway AllianceChallenges and Support in the Broadway CommunityBroadway Shabbat and Jewish JoyConcerts and Fundraising for Social JusticeStars in the House: A COVID-Time InitiativeCameron Crowe's Scaled-Down Broadway ProductionSupporting a One-Man Show: Ariel Stachel's StoryJewish Upbringing and Summer Camp MemoriesFive Deep Questions with Seth RudetskyGrand Finale: A Musical PerformanceThis episode is supported by Berkeley Mosha, a Jewish co-housing community in California.Seth Rudetsky InstagramSeth Rudetsky CareerJewish Broadway Alliance YouTubeSiriusXM On Broadway Seth’s Big Fat Broadway CruiseEntertainment Community FundSeth’s Posts after October 7thBroadway community “Bring Them Home” song for the HostagesBroadway for Orlando “What the World Needs Now”Broadway for Biden/Harris Inauguration Black Theater UnitedStars in the House YouTubeJack PlotnickShabbat on BroadwayAmanda LipitzJulie Benko Sings “Tomorrow” - Hanukkah on BroadwayEverything’s Coming Up Moses by Rachel Shukert: A Biblical Fable based on GYPSYUnited Voices For ChangeAJC: 5 Facts About Jewish Connection to IsraelZionism has become a 'bad' word. It is anything but.Jewish Broadway Alliance with Roz RothsteinJewish Broadway Alliance with Ritchie TorresDefining AntizionismDreamgirls Reunion (Stars In The House)Congregation Beit Simchat TorahHelp is on the Way - David FriedmanConcert for AmericaCornell BrooksGrey’s Anatomy on Stars In The House30 Rock Special Stars In The HouseMaui Wildfires of 2023Stars in the House Offers Avenue Q Sing Through August 24 to Raise Funds for Hawaii Wildfire VictimsAri’el StachelAri’el Stachel’s play, OtherAriel Stachel videos about Jewish identityCamp HillelUSDAN Summer Camp Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

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• L’Dor V’adorable Returns! and 3x Academy-Award Nominated Producer Lawrence Bender

  In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Academy Award-nominated producer Lawrence Bender — the creative producing force behind Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Reservoir Dogs, An Inconvenient Truth and Inglorious Basterds — Joins Jonah for a candid conversation about the film industry’s reckoning after October 7th and the moral weight of telling real stories in the aftermath of tragedy. Bender’s latest project, Paramount+ miniseries Red Alert, dramatizes the true stories of horror, heroism, and hope that took place on October 7th, 2023, the darkest chapter in Israel’s history.Bender shares what drew him to the series — from his deep personal connection with Israel, to his collaboration with Israeli production company Keshet, to the emotional and logistical challenges of bringing real stories to screen amid an ongoing conflict. He opens up about the silence he witnessed from Hollywood and his peers in the aftermath of October 7th, and reflects on how his Jewish identity has shaped his life and career.This episode is both an exploration on the power of art and a call to conscience, illuminating how filmmakers like Bender use their craft to bear witness, challenge complacency, and re-humanize the media headlines that shape our world.In the episode they discuss:From civil engineer to dancer to Hollywood mega-producerGrowing up in Antisemitic AmericaThe Impact of October 7th and the Birth of Red AlertLawrence's Meeting with Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon PeresMeeting the Real Heroes of Red AlertBeing Quentin Tarantino’s Partner & Inglorious BastardsThe Challenges of Filming in During a WarSelling an Israel-focused Series in Today’s Anti-Israel HollywoodMentioned In The Episode:Lawrence Bender On InstagramRed Alert on Paramount PlusKeshet Israel Policy ForumAbu Mazin (Mahmoud Abbas) Believes in a Two State Solution and Opposes ViolenceJoc Pederson (Former Dodger)Domantas Sobonis (King’s Basketball Player)Jackie Thon on Being Jewish with Jonah PlattDuffy DiggsHosni MubarakBoaz YakinTwo Distant Strangers - Best Live-Action Short Oscar-WinnerCops and Robbers short filmJordana Reuben Yecheil Oct 7 billboardsLior ChefetzThe StrongholdOct. 7 series ‘Red Alert’ a harrowing global reminder of what unfolded in Hamas massacreRocket Alerts from GazaThe Gay Parade in IsraelYad Vashem Holocaust MuseumOhad Yahalomi Ziv KorenActors and directors pledge not to work with Israeli film groups ‘implicated in genocide’Skip Brittenham ObituaryDavid Ellison Brings New Direction to ParamountShimon PeresWritten and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

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• Jew on Jew Hate and CNN’s Anchor Jake Tapper

  In this special Election Day episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Emmy Award–winning journalist Jake Tapper joins Jonah for a candid and wide-ranging conversation on politics, identity, and truth-telling in a polarized world. Best known as the anchor of CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper and State of the Union, Jake reflects on his decades covering America’s most defining political moments — from the Virginia governor’s race to the New York City mayoral election — and how journalism has evolved in an era of social media outrage and political echo chambers.Together, Jonah and Jake explore the intersections of Jewish identity, antisemitism — past and present — and the evolving challenges of journalistic integrity in today’s press environment. Jake also opens up about his writing process and his latest books — Race Against Terror, which follows the pursuit of an Al-Qaeda killer, and Original Sin, his political thriller about a presidential cover-up during the 2024 election. This episode is a deep dive into the ethics of journalism, the responsibility of storytelling, and what it means to stay empathetic and informed in turbulent times. It’s a timely, thought-provoking listen for anyone who cares about democracy, truth, and the power of Jewish values in public discourse.Topics covered include:Discussing Key Political RacesThe Democratic and Republican PartiesConcerns Within the Jewish CommunityAntisemitism in PoliticsPersonal Experiences with AntisemitismChallenges in Media ReportingJake Tapper's Jewish IdentityJewish High School ExperiencesJewish Summer Camp MemoriesInterfaith Marriages and Family TraditionsWriting About Joe BidenRace Against Terror: A New BookFive Deep Questions with Jake TapperSponsorsSponsored by Berkeley Moshavhttps://www.berkeleymoshav.org/Mentioned in the Episode:Understanding The Tower of BabelSodom and Gomorrah; The Cities Destroyed by GodWhat Really Happened at Mount SinaiBullsh*t Behavior & Central Synagogue's Rabbi Angela BuchdahlBuchdahl Has Faced Criticism for Declining to Sign a Rabbinic Letter Condemning the Mayoral Candidate.Increase in Jewish HateJewish Population ChangesRace Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War by Jake TapperOriginal Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Jake Tapper and Alex ThompsonJake Tapper InstagramJake Tapper XThe Lead with Jake TapperKey Early ElectionsThe Danger of Zohran MamdaniWhat Does “Globalize the Intifada” Mean and How Can it Lead to Targeting Jews with Violence?The Overton WindowThe Lynching of Leo FrankDana Bash BJJP EpSheryl Sandberg BJJP EpProtests at Jake Tapper’s HomeHamas Weaponizes Sexual Assault in GAZAAdi Vital-Kaploun, killed on October 7th, 2023NY Times Admits to Relying Too Heavily on Hamas ReportingNews outlets’ erroneous “14,000 babies” claimWatch the 2024 Presidential DebateInside the Trump Family’s Global Crypto Cash MachineWho is Spin Ghul?United States vs Ahmed Ghailani Call Your Mother Deli Rabbi Solomon ibn GabirolSelected Religious Poems Of Solomon Ibn Gabirol Translated Into English Verse By Israel ZangwillBenjamin Franklin BacheWatch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:[email protected] contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewish

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• Navigating Comedy, Antisemitism, and the Gaza/Israel War with Impressionist Ami Kozak

  Ami Kozak is redefining what Jewish comedy and commentary look like in 2025 — blending sharp impressions, fearless satire, and moral clarity in a time of chaos.In this episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with Ami — modern Orthodox comedian, musician, and host of the podcast Ami’s House — to talk about how his Jewish faith and sense of moral clarity shaped his response to anti-Jew bigotry and misinformation after October 7.Ami shares:How growing up modern Orthodox shaped his Jewish identity and worldviewWhy October 7 changed his purpose as a performer — turning laughter into a vehicle for truthWhy he chose to have civil conversations with controversial figures like Candace Owens and Dave Smith — and what those exchanges taught him about engaging bad ideas in good faithThe dangers of moral relativism, false “experts,” and the growing misuse of words like “genocide”What he calls “goosebumps with clarity” — balancing empathy with uncompromising honestyHis creative process for impressions of President Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and Zohran Mamdani — and how humor can cut through disinformationFrom synagogue to stage, from serious debate to satire, Ami Kozak proves that comedy can do more than make people laugh — it can make them think. Hashtags:#AmiKozak #BeingJewish #30MinuteMensches #JewishComedy #ModernOrthodox #Israel #JewishIdentity #Antisemitism #FreeSpeech #JewishHumor #MoralClarityMentioned In The Episode:Ami Kozak InstagramAmi Kozak XAmi Kozak FacebookAmi Kozak YouTubeAmi’s House (podcast)YahudYour Hebrew word for the day: MAMADHuman Rights Council members who abuse human rightsWhat is Tikkun Olam?J-Sketch YouTube Alex EdelmanThe Karate KidAlan DershowitzHasbaraNorman Finkelstein vs Alan Dershowitz On Israel-Palestine War With Piers Morgan | The Full Debate Douglas MurreyTucker Carlson Wedding Vows SkitZohran MamdaniKristallnachtThe Second Intifada 2000Ami Kozak’s Band “Distant Cousins”Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:[email protected] contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewish

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• LIVE FROM PHILLY! Jewish & Native actress Sarah Podemski & activist Lani Anpo (Live from The Weitzman Museum in Philadelphia)

  BEING JEWISH goes live! In our first ever East Coast live pod at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, Jonah Platt welcomes two unique voices, Sarah Podemski and Lani Anpo, who share insights into their dual heritage as both Jewish and First Nation/Native American. Sarah is a Canadian actress, best known for her supporting role as Rita in the hit FX television series Reservation Dogs. Lani is a multi-tribal Native American Jewish advocate and educator, who uses her social media platform to champion the rights of hers and other marginalized groups. Their conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the significance of Jewish and Native cultural practices, the challenges of acceptance within respective communities, and the similarities between the two indigenous groups. Sarah and Lani share personal stories about their mixed heritage and the impact on their identities, both facing and overcoming external skepticism. The episode also delves into historical contexts such as the impact of blood quantum laws and the diaspora experience, and examines how these factors shape both modern-day struggles and triumphs. Sarah and Lani offer thoughtful reflections on the importance of community engagement, cultural preservation, and the struggle for sovereignty, especially for Native American and First Nation tribes. This episode is a powerful testament to the resilience and rich cultural histories of these two unique communities.Topics covered include:Family Histories and Personal JourneysChallenges of Mixed HeritageParallels Between Jewish and Native CulturesSupport Systems and ResilienceNavigating Trauma TogetherExploring Israeli IdentityIndigeneity and the Israeli-Palestinian ConflictNative American ReparationsJewish and Native American Cultural ExchangeNative American History MonthThis episode was produced with and recorded live at the Weitzman NationalMuseum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia.Learn more about The Weitzman at https://theweitzman.organd follow @weitzmanmuseum on Instagram, X, Facebook, andYouTube.Mentioned In The Episode:Lani Anpo InstagramIndijewness on InstagramSarah Podesmski InstagramThe Weitzman Museum on InstagramWatch Reservation Dogs on HuluMandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara NationSicangu Lakota NationSaulteauxThe Floaters (Upcoming Film)Jackie Tohn on BJJPBlood Quantum and Sovereignty: A GuideThe One-Drop RuleThe Jay TreatyLevantDecolonization From 1945Matrilineal Descent in the era of Babylonian ExileCelebrating National Native American Heritage MonthFoundational Essay of Patrick WolfSara’s Summer Camp: Camp ShomriaAbout Givat HavivaFor Jewish Indigenous actress Sarah Podemski, it’s a miracle just to exist (“plugging holes in a sinking ship”)Sarah’s sisters’s PBS series “Little Bird”Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcastSubscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletterFor Sponsorships, please email:[email protected] To contact us & all things BJJP:www.BeingJewishPodcast.comFollow Jonah on:Instagram - @JonahPlattX - @JonahPlattFollow Being Jewish on:Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcastTikTok - @BeingJewish

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