Episode Description Before there were influencers, there was Abraham Hollandersky — better known as Abe the Newsboy — who built himself into a one-man brand long before social media or publicists. Born to poor Jewish immigrants, Abe hustled his way from selling newspapers on the docks to boxing world champions and rubbing elbows with presidents, generals, and movie stars. He fought hundreds of bouts (depending who you ask), sold papers on every coast, and somehow convinced half the Navy he was one of them. A sailor, scrapper, and storyteller with enough chutzpah to fill Madison Square Garden, Abe was the original self-promoter — a mensch with muscle and a mouth. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg dive into the outrageous life of Abraham Hollandersky, the Jewish newsboy who turned every punch, sale, and handshake into legend. From the shtetl to the shipyard, Abe proved that you don’t need a title belt to be a champion — just grit, charm, and a good story to tell. Podcast: Badass JewsHosted by Aaron Berg and Andrew DavidsburgProduced by Andrew Davidsburg and 30 Irving Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Dreben did not just fight one war, he practically collected them like baseball cards. Born in the Russian Empire, he schlepped to America with nothing and somehow ended up as one of the most fearless fighters of the early 20th century. He served in the U.S. Army during the Philippine American War, dabbled in Mexican revolutions, and still had enough energy left to march with American forces in World War I. Known as “The Fighting Jew,” Dreben was the guy you wanted in your corner: tough, loyal, and never afraid to put a little extra chutzpah behind his trigger finger. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg unravel the wild, globe-trotting tale of Sam Dreben, the Jewish kid from the shtetl who made Texas proud and proved that sometimes a bissel Yiddishkeit can carry you all the way to the front lines of history. Hosted by Aaron Berg and Andrew DavidsburgProduced by Andrew Davidsburg and Patrick Samaha Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barney Ross wasn’t just a prizefighter. He was the son of immigrants, a scrappy Chicago street kid who turned his fists into fame, fortune, and Jewish pride. As a three-time world champion in three different weight classes, Ross fought like he had something to prove because he did. But the ring was only half the story. During World War II, he enlisted in the Marines, survived some of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific, and came home with medals, scars, and a story that blurred the line between man and myth. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg step into the ring with the life of a true badass Jew who punched his way out of the ghetto, fought Nazis overseas, and became a symbol of Jewish strength when the world needed it most. Podcast: Badass JewsHosted by: Aaron Berg and Andrew DavidsburgProduced by: Andrew Davidsburg and Peter Banos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Google Maps, encrypted apps, or even a proper state to fight for, Sarah Aaronsohn was running a full-blown spy ring out of a sleepy farming village in Ottoman Palestine. She helped build NILI, a Jewish underground network smuggling secrets to the British, all while pretending to be just another nice girl from Zichron Yaakov. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg dig into how Sarah went from agronomy to espionage, wrote coded letters in lemon juice, and kept her mouth shut even when the Ottomans came knocking. Tortured, outnumbered, and outgunned, she stayed defiant to the end. Sarah didn’t live long, but her impact did. She outwitted an empire, helped pave the way for a future Jewish state, and made it clear: never underestimate a Jewish girl with a pen, a mission, and serious chutzpah. Created and Hosted by: Aaron Berg & Andrew Davidsburg Produced by: Pete Banos and Andrew Davidsburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before he became the most famous hairdresser in the world, Vidal Sassoon was scrapping in the streets of London. Raised in a poor Jewish neighborhood and shuffled through orphanages, Sassoon learned to fight early — not just with his fists, but with purpose. He joined a Jewish self-defense group that took on British fascists in the 1930s, then later enlisted to fight in Israel’s War of Independence. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg trace Sassoon’s journey from throwing punches at street-corner Nazis to slicing through cultural norms with a pair of shears. His cuts were sharp, geometric, and defiant — turning hair into a symbol of freedom and modernity. He didn’t just revolutionize style. He weaponized elegance. A true badass Jew who fought fascism, built an empire, and never forgot where he came from. Hosted by: Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg Produced by: Andrew Davidsburg and Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Kirby was a scrappy Jewish kid from the Lower East Side who threw fists at bullies before joining the fight against Nazis in Europe as a U.S. soldier. In this episode, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg tell the story of how this mensch with serious chutzpah went from back-alley brawls to co-creating some of Marvel’s most iconic superheroes including Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Hulk. He didn’t just draw heroes he lived like one turning grit, heart, and talent into a legacy that still inspires today. Created By: Aaron Berg & Andrew Davidsburg Production By: Pete Banos & Andrew Davidsburg Proud Member of the Witz Comedy Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before there was Captain America, there was The Mighty Atom. On this episode of Badass Jews, hosts Aaron Berg and Andrew Davidsburg dive into the unbelievable true story of Joseph Greenstein—a 5-foot-tall strongman with sidecurls, superhuman strength, and a heaping dose of chutzpah. He bent steel with his bare hands, bit through chains, and bashed bigots without breaking a sweat. From circus arenas to street fights with fascists, Greenstein wasn’t just strong, he was a one-man wrecking crew in a tank top. Created By: Aaron Berg & Andrew Davidsburg Production By: Pete Banos & Andrew Davidsburg Proud Member of the Witz Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices