What is a bad jew? What does it take to not be one? Is it anti-Semitic to say? Or is it just a phrase that Jews use to cruelly judge one another? Chaz Volk, a newly observant Jew, shares that the greatest way to embrace your identity is to question everything. And we mean EVERYTHING! Chaz questions the Torah, law, politics, standards, communities and even G-d itself in this confrontational and edgy show.
About Chaz:
Chaz Volk grew up in Thousand Oaks, California where he began Torah studies until he was Bar Mitzva'ed at Temple Etz Chaim. From a young age, he was very aware of his uniqueness and how he was the token-Jew outside of Jewish settings. In middle school, Chaz experienced his first taste of antisemitism which brought him closer to his identity, despite his adversaries' wishes. Later, he'd attend San Francisco State University, where he'd get deeply involved at SF Hillel as a volunteer and intern. SFSU's social climate and its perspective on Jews and Zionism became clear from an early point. He'd later become the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit known today as Volk v. CSU Board of Trustees. In this class action case, Chaz Volk and his representation won. Since then, Chaz has proudly immersed himself in his identity and partaken in communities across southern California. Most recently, Chaz's emotional awakening occurred on an organized trip to Israel. There he adopted new practices that he instilled in his lifestyle to this day. Today, he's a volunteer and frequent of Aish HaTorah's programming and plans to use this show to promote their programs, events, and resources along with valuable Jewish teachings.
Want to engage with our online WhatsApp community?
Email: BadJewPod@gmail.com
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IG: @badjewpod
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What is a bad jew? What does it take to not be one? Is it anti-Semitic to say? Or is it just a phrase that Jews use to cruelly judge one another? Chaz Volk, a newly observant Jew, shares that the greatest way to embrace your identity is to question everything. And we mean EVERYTHING! Chaz questions the Torah, law, politics, standards, communities and even G-d itself in this confrontational and edgy show.
About Chaz:
Chaz Volk grew up in Thousand Oaks, California where he began Torah studies until he was Bar Mitzva'ed at Temple Etz Chaim. From a young age, he was very aware of his uniqueness and how he was the token-Jew outside of Jewish settings. In middle school, Chaz experienced his first taste of antisemitism which brought him closer to his identity, despite his adversaries' wishes. Later, he'd attend San Francisco State University, where he'd get deeply involved at SF Hillel as a volunteer and intern. SFSU's social climate and its perspective on Jews and Zionism became clear from an early point. He'd later become the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit known today as Volk v. CSU Board of Trustees. In this class action case, Chaz Volk and his representation won. Since then, Chaz has proudly immersed himself in his identity and partaken in communities across southern California. Most recently, Chaz's emotional awakening occurred on an organized trip to Israel. There he adopted new practices that he instilled in his lifestyle to this day. Today, he's a volunteer and frequent of Aish HaTorah's programming and plans to use this show to promote their programs, events, and resources along with valuable Jewish teachings.
Want to engage with our online WhatsApp community?
Email: BadJewPod@gmail.com
Brand partnership: BadJewPod@gmail.com
IG: @badjewpod
TikTok: @badjewpod
Jews have a specific relationship with money that others tend to blow out of proportion. Some Jews go out of their way to make fun of this antisemitic trope by turning themselves into caricatures in hopes of revealing such lunacy with satire. However, the Torah has so many laws around how we handle money that it must be spotlighted!
Rachel Grose, the executive director of the Jewish Free Loan Association knows a thing or two about cash from the Jewish perspective. Loaning in itself is a tricky bundle of laws to navigate, especially when it comes to the Jewish world. Grose discusses the enticing world of money with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, in an effort to destigmatize the misunderstanding and highlight what makes the Jewish community so successful.
00:00 Introduction
05:12 Principles of society
09:01 Zero-interest loans
11:33 Circulation in Jewish communities
16:11 History of Jews and money
20:03 Case study of Jewish Free Loan Association
23:53 Jewish privilege and challenges
24:44 Repaying loans
29:20 Jewish loans help communities grow and thrive
About Rachel Grose:
Rachel Grose grew up in a Washington D.C. suburb, surrounded by politics but uninterested in campaigns or running for office. Her passion for creating change began in high school when she became involved with Amnesty International, where she connected deeply with the stories of people impacted by systemic issues. After earning a BFA in art, Rachel discovered an MBA program focused on nonprofit management, which launched her career in the nonprofit sector. For the past 21 years, she has served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA), a financial nonprofit that provides zero-interest, no-fee loans to residents of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.
Rachel takes pride in JFLA’s mission to help individuals manage life’s unexpected challenges without turning to high-interest credit cards or predatory loans. Under her leadership, the organization supports clients through every stage of life, offering loans for post-secondary education, small businesses, medical needs, fertility treatments, and funeral expenses, among others, while maintaining a remarkable 99% repayment rate. Despite the challenges of being a woman leader in one of the largest cities in America, Rachel remains committed to equitable lending and the impactful cycle of “paying it forward.”
Beyond her professional achievements, Rachel cherishes warm memories of summers spent in Ocean City, Maryland with her extended family. Days on the beach—collecting shells, jumping in the waves, and sharing snacks under umbrellas with her grandmother—left a lasting impression on her heart. These personal experiences fuel her drive to build a meaningful career while balancing family life. Rachel is often asked, “How do you do it all?” Her response is evident in her decades-long dedication to fostering financial empowerment and community impact through JFLA.
Connect with Rachel Grose:
IG @Jewishfreeloanassociation
FB @JewishFreeLoan
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE:
JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES!
Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship
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Bad Jew
What is a bad jew? What does it take to not be one? Is it anti-Semitic to say? Or is it just a phrase that Jews use to cruelly judge one another? Chaz Volk, a newly observant Jew, shares that the greatest way to embrace your identity is to question everything. And we mean EVERYTHING! Chaz questions the Torah, law, politics, standards, communities and even G-d itself in this confrontational and edgy show.
About Chaz:
Chaz Volk grew up in Thousand Oaks, California where he began Torah studies until he was Bar Mitzva'ed at Temple Etz Chaim. From a young age, he was very aware of his uniqueness and how he was the token-Jew outside of Jewish settings. In middle school, Chaz experienced his first taste of antisemitism which brought him closer to his identity, despite his adversaries' wishes. Later, he'd attend San Francisco State University, where he'd get deeply involved at SF Hillel as a volunteer and intern. SFSU's social climate and its perspective on Jews and Zionism became clear from an early point. He'd later become the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit known today as Volk v. CSU Board of Trustees. In this class action case, Chaz Volk and his representation won. Since then, Chaz has proudly immersed himself in his identity and partaken in communities across southern California. Most recently, Chaz's emotional awakening occurred on an organized trip to Israel. There he adopted new practices that he instilled in his lifestyle to this day. Today, he's a volunteer and frequent of Aish HaTorah's programming and plans to use this show to promote their programs, events, and resources along with valuable Jewish teachings.
Want to engage with our online WhatsApp community?
Email: BadJewPod@gmail.com
Brand partnership: BadJewPod@gmail.com
IG: @badjewpod
TikTok: @badjewpod
