x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam

Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman are two of the most dynamic, interesting, and thought-provoking Jewish leaders today. Two seasoned educators who love to talk, listen, laugh, challenge, and grow, Mijal and Noam are the Wondering Jews, leading us through thought-provoking discussions that are as serious as they are entertaining. Whether you"re a seasoned scholar or just curious about Jewish culture, this show offers a refreshing perspective that"s both enlightening and enjoyable. It"s not just a

religion & spirituality judaism

All Episodes

38:02

Why Does Judaism Have Denominations? With Zev Eleff

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/04/07

Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist... where do these religious practices come from? What do they even mean? Zev Eleff, the president of Gratz College, is here to lay out the fascinating origins of denominations, and how they intersect with Protestantism and American culture. Plus: Zev, Mijal, and Noam reflect on the rich tapestry of Orthodox Judaism, and what its future might be.Get in touch at WonderingJews@unpacked.media. Follow @wonderingjews on Instagram, and watch and

en

35:24

Straight Outta Egypt with Michael Rapaport

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/31

For this special Passover episode, Mijal and Noam open their door to actor and comedian Michael Rapaport (Friends, Only Murders In The Building, The Traitors). If the conversation had only been about the holiday, dayenu. But there's plenty more on the seder plate, including that viral meal from The Traitors and Michael's campaign to become the next mayor of New York City. Careening between moments that are funny, irreverent, wistful, and poignant, this is a conversation you won't want to

en

33:04

The Greatest Rabbi Of All Time? With Jenna Weissman...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/25

In this episode, Noam and Mijal begin their multi-part exploration of Jewish denominations in America with one of the most influential rabbis in history: Mordecai Kaplan. Kaplan is known as a trailblazer who emphasized community over kashrut and gave the very first bat mitzvah to his own daughter. But what was Kaplan's inner life? The conversation becomes a joyous family affair as Noam welcomes in his aunt, Jenna Weissman Joselit, author of the new book Mordecai M. Kaplan: Restless Soul.This

en

30:38

What The Headlines Mean For American Jews with Bret...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/18

An anti-semitic attack in Michigan. War with Iran. The news cycle is spinning so rapidly that it’s hard to make sense of it all. This week, Noam and Mijal turn to Bret Stephens (New York Times Opinion columnist and Editor-In-Chief of Sapir) to help them understand the big picture. How should Jews—and Americans in general—be responding to conflicts at home and abroad? Plus: Bret discusses his latest article for Sapir, and how academia can set the record straight on Israel.Read Bret’s latest

en

38:45

The Truth About Antizionism with Adam Louis-Klein

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/11

Perhaps the only thing more contentious than the definition of antisemitism is the definition of antizionism; when is criticism of Israel legitimate, and when is it hateful? In this episode, Noam and Mijal look to Adam Louis-Klein for answers. In the aftermath of October 7th, Adam committed himself to defining and fighting antizionism, using the tools of academia. But is it working?Adam Louis-Klein is a writer, philosopher, and anthropologist completing a PhD in Anthropology at McGill University

en

28:20

The Rhymes of History with Professor Jonathan Sarna

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/04

Note: this episode was recorded before the latest developments in Iran.What can incidents of antisemitism from America's past tell us about its future? For Mijal and Noam, there's no one better to answer this question than Professor Emeritus Jonathan Sarna. Professor Sarna--a legendary scholar and author of the essential book American Judaism--takes our hosts on a tour of the late 19th century, when Jews found themselves excluded from a variety of spaces. Together with Mijal and Noam, he finds

en

25:44

Dispatch From Irangeles with Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/03/02

War with Iran is unfolding days before Purim, so Mijal and Noam step back from the news cycle to process this moment emotionally and theologically. Joining them is Tarlan Rabizadeh, a rabbi, activist, and Persian Jew who is deeply imbedded in LA's "Irangeles" community. With wit, passion, and humor, rabbi Tarlan breaks down what the media has been missing, and the sights and sounds that are filling her with hope. Follow Rabbi Tarlan on Instagram: instagram.com/rabbitarlan/ Learn more about Rabbi

en

64:02

Clarity to Confusion: Reflections on Purim With...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/02/25

Joy and pain. Clarity and confusion. Each year--but especially now--the holiday of Purim inspires a wide array of emotions. In this special crossover episode of Wondering Jews and Jewish Insights with Justin Pines, Mijal reflects on what Purim teaches us about the fight against anti-semitism. How can we interpret the actions of legendary figures like Mordecai and Esther, and what inspiration do they have to offer us in today's uncertain world?This episode was produced in collaboration with the

en

30:12

God, the Jews, and Israel: Three Thousand Years of...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/02/18

In this episode, Mijal invites Noam to talk about his most ambitious project yet: a 5-part epic series on the history of Zionism, from biblical beginnings to modern Israel. Years in the making and deeply personal to Noam, this sweeping series on Unpacking Israeli History traces the 3,000-year story of Zionism. Mijal and Noam's conversation touches on collective memory, the cyclical fracturing of the Jewish people, and how an ancient dream finally materialized as a sovereign state. This episode

en

34:35

Soviet Anti-Zionism and the Refuseniks with Izabella...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/02/11

What can Russian Anti-Zionism of 1967 teach us about Anti-Semitism today? This week, Noam and Mijal speak with Izabella Tabarovsky, author of the new book Be A Refusenik: A Jewish Student's Survival Guide. With academic expertise and personal stories, Izabella paints a vivid picture of the Refusenik movement and what lessons it can offer to Jews facing discrimination on college campuses.Order Izabella's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Refusenik-Jewish-Students-Survival/dp/B0G2GKWKCJ Get

en

42:53

Understanding the ICE Surge with Kate Davenport

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/02/04

At a moment when many Americans are either shouting past each other or staying silent, Noam and Mijal pause to reflect on what this moment demands of them as Jews, as leaders, and as citizens. In this episode, Mijal and Noam speak with Minnesota resident and Aspen Civil Society Fellow Kate Moore Davenport. The conversation explores the surge of ICE agents in Minneapolis and why it has ignited a debate over due process, safety, and federal power. Afterwards, Noam and Mijal reflect on polarization,

en

52:25

Inside the American Right: Israel, Antisemitism, and...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/01/28

What’s actually happening inside the American right—and how much of it is real versus online noise? Mijal and Noam talk with Jesse Arm of the Manhattan Institute about the GOP coalition after Trump, the new fault lines on Israel, and why conspiracy culture is becoming a political force. Get in touch at WonderingJews@unpacked.media. Follow @wonderingjews on Instagram, and watch and subscribe on ⁠YouTube⁠. ------------ This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media

en

36:13

Shabbat and the Radical Idea of Rest (#1 Staff Pick)

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/01/21

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

en

36:32

You Think You Know Chabad? Think Again — With Rabbi...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/01/14

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 Jacobson

en

53:39

What it Means to be Jewish: A Conversation with Jonah...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2026/01/07

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

en

47:53

Jewish 2025 Wrap: Peoplehood, Polarization, and Hope

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2025/12/31

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠⁠⁠As 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 rise

en

44:05

Hugging, Hitting, and Helping: Mitch Julis on the...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2025/12/29

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 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

en

38:34

What Happens After We Die?

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2025/12/24

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠⁠Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: ⁠⁠sababatravel.com 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

en

46:17

Modesty in Judaism: What Tzniut Really Means (Beyond...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2025/12/17

Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025⁠Book for the Jerusalem Marathon "Return, Reconnect, and Run for Resilience" tour: ⁠sababatravel.com 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

en

43:24

Unpacking the Bondi Beach Hanukkah Attack with Rabbi...

Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam ·

2025/12/16

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

en

119 results

Similar Podcasts

Jeff Haygood, Pastor

PodPoint

PASTOR ALVARO VALENCIA

Pastor Alvaro Valencia

Grace Life Church CT.

Joseph Levesque

Pleasant View Church

Ted Nance

Christian Heritage Church"s Podcast

PodPoint