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Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Jonah Platt
48 episodes
1 week ago
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves. 2025 Webby Honoree | Podcasts - Best Indie Podcast 2025 Wilbur Award Winner
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Judaism
Religion & Spirituality
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All content for Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the property of Jonah Platt and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves. 2025 Webby Honoree | Podcasts - Best Indie Podcast 2025 Wilbur Award Winner
Show more...
Judaism
Religion & Spirituality
Episodes (20/48)
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Should Music Be Political? With Grammy-Winning Jewish Musician Joanie Leeds

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


It’s music meets mishpacha in this heartfelt new episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches! Grammy-winning Jewish children’s music artist Joanie Leeds joins Jonah to share stories about the triumphs and challenges of making Jewish music in today’s climate. They discuss the debut of her 12th studio album Ageless, an ode to multi-generational heritage and Jewish values. Joanie and Jonah also tackle the line between music as political expression and music as the universal language of unity.  They also get into:

  • 🎶 How Joanie turned banned children’s books into the protest album Freadom
  • ✡️ The challenges of advocating for a Jewish music category at the Grammys
  • 🎤 Collaborating with her daughter on song and on the stage
  • 📚 The greatness of Jewish hero Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • 🎸 Balancing inclusivity and political messaging in family-friendly music

Press Play and join us for 30 minutes of music, meaning, and Jewish joy!

Being Jewish Listener Survey (please help us!)

https://forms.gle/rjvhcKgDD2yUknEw6


 All Things Joanie! 

  • Joanie Leeds’ YouTube Channel
  •  Joanie Leeds’ Spotify Channel
  •  Joanie Leeds on Apple Music
  •  Joanie Leeds’ Website
  •  Pre Order Joanie’s Album
  •  Add your name to Joanie’s Recording Academy Jewish Artists List!

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Sean Leviashvili); Editor: Post Relativity & Mike O’ Brien; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Joanie’s Petition to Make a Jewish Music Grammy Category
  •  What does the Hebrew word “Ruach” mean?
  •  How Mister Rogers Tackled Taboo/Difficult Topics for Children
  •  Joanie wins her first Grammy
  •  Male Acts & Performers Dominate 2018 Grammy Nominations
  •  Coldplay’s Chris Martin Welcomes Israelis & Palestinians at Concerts
  •  Rise in American Book Burning
  •  List of Banned Books
  •  Children’s Book: And Tango Makes Three
  •  Controversy Around Children’s Book “And Tango Makes Three”
  •  “FAUCI OUCHIE” by Joanie Leeds
  •  What is Banned Books Week?
  •  Who was Ruth Bader Ginsburg?
  •  Controversy Surrounding RBG’s Reluctance to Retire
  •  RBG’s Contributions to Female Financial Freedom
  •  Children’s Music Network (CMN)
  •  Joanie Leeds & Mikey Pauker Push For Jewish Music Category in The Grammys
  •  What is Grandparent’s Day?
  •  Joanie’s Upcoming Concert at the Kennedy Center
  •  90s Music Legend Lisa Loeb
  •  Lisa Loeb’s Instagram
  •  Lisa Loeb Dishes on Being A Jewish Mom
  •  “Camp Lisa” Lisa Loeb’s Foundation & Song
Show more...
1 week ago
28 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
The Secret History of Crypto-Jews with Mexican-American Jew Blanca Carrasco

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

What happens when you grow up Catholic in Mexico — and discover you’re secretly Jewish?

In this riveting episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with Blanca Carrasco, a descendant of Crypto-Jews who only discovered her family’s secret heritage at age 50. Now the president of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, Blanca unpacks the unknown history of Crypto-Jews — descendants of Jews who secretly maintained their faith after being forced to convert during the Spanish Inquisition. Blanca shares her extraordinary journey to discover who her true family is. She’s a leader in the global movement helping descendants of forcibly converted Jews reclaim their heritage.

 Blanca opens up about:

  • 🕯️ How the Spanish Inquisition forced her ancestors to flee Spain and hide their Judaism for generations
  • ✝️ Being raised devoutly Catholic — and the moment she began questioning what she was taught
  • 🔯 Her path from Messianic Judaism to a full Jewish conversion
  • 📜 The Facebook post that led to the discovery of her secret family tree
  • 🎓 Her work with the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, and why their academic research has personal meaning for thousands of “Anusim” around the world
  • 🎬 A sneak peek into the Society's upcoming Los Angeles conference, including an opera, film screenings, and a genealogy workshop with Jeannie Milgrom

From Monterrey to El Paso, from the Church to the shul, Blanca’s story is a global tale of discovery, identity, and reconnection. Her life proves that history isn’t just in books — it’s in your blood. Hit play to discover how centuries of hidden history came full circle, and what Blanca’s story means for all of us.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew "MoJo" Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Sean Leviashvili); Editor: Post Relativity & Mike O’ Brien; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Who Were the Crypto Jews? 
  • The Converso History
  • The Alhambra Decree
  • Ottoman Lands provided Safe Haven for Sephardic Jews Expelled from Spain
  • “Anuism” Meaning
  • Captain Marcos Alonso de la Garza del Arcón (1551-1634)
  • Inquisition on the Canary Islands
  • Messianic Jew Jonathan Settel
  • Who are Messianic Jews?
  • Rabbi Stephen Leon
  • Anusim Center of El Paso
  • Common Converso Names
  • Jewish Mourning Traditions (like Covering Mirrors)
  • What is Ladino?
  • Somos Primos Facebook Group
  • Ashkenazi vs Sephardic Jews
  • Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
  • Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies
  • HaLapid Magazine
  • Crypto-Jews of Brazil
  • The Dönmes: Crypto-Jews under Turkish Rule
  • Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies Annual Conference in Los Angeles, August 10-12, 2025
  • Cuban-Jewish Author/Geneologist Genie Milgrom
  • What is a Mikvah?
  • A Long Journey: The Hidden Jews of the Southwest
  • Dona Gracia Mendes-Nasi
  • “La Señora” opera about Dona Gracia by Dr. Michelle Green Willner
Show more...
2 weeks ago
25 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
The Truth about Israeli Minorities with Lebanese Christian activist Jonathan Elkhoury

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


What’s it like to be a gay Lebanese Christian — and proudly Zionist?


In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with international Jonathan Elkhoury, a proud Israeli citizen who is challenging false media narratives and misconceptions about Israel one campus conversation at a time. Born in Lebanon to a father who fought alongside the IDF during Israel’s 1982 intervention in the Lebanese civil war, Jonathan fled Hezbollah rule and found refuge in Israel at age 9. He shares the harrowing story of his family’s escape, his emotional reunion with his father, and how Israel not only gave him safety, but also the freedom to live openly as a gay man — the only Middle Eastern country where that’s possible.

Jonathan also speaks out about:

  • 🏳️‍🌈 Israel’s track record on LGBTQ rights — and the lie of “pinkwashing”
  • 🎓 How he confronts anti-Israel misinformation on college campuses — even after being spat on, kicked, and targeted for his views
  • 🧱 How he combats "Israeli Apartheid Week" with the truth of his lived experiences
  • 👤 What it means to be a “minority within a minority within a minority” — and why he still stands with Israel
  • 📺 Why mainstream media — including the BBC — continues to fail on the Middle East
  • 🔥 The real reasons Israel went into Lebanon in 1982 — and the Palestinian terrorism that sparked a civil war

Jonathan’s story is a living example of intersectionality — and how true human rights work means defending people, not slogans. He is the voice anti-Israel activists try to silence. Don’t miss hearing him on this week’s can’t miss episode.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Emma Webb); Editor: Rainbow Creative Team; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell


Follow Jonathan on:

IG: @jon_elk

X: @Jonathan_Elk


MENTIONED IN EPISODE:

  • Jonah & Jonathan’s trip with Sharaka for March of the Living
  • Jonathan Elkhoury on Defying Stereotypes
  • Backgrounder on the 1982 Lebanon War
  • Lebanese Civil War
  • Anti-Israel “Apartheid Week”
  • Israel’s withdrawal from Southern Lebanon (2000)
  • Israel’s LGBT Rights Timeline
  • How Immigrants Boosted LGBTQ Rights in Israel
  • Lebanese Christians under the French Mandate
  • Timeline: The Rise, Spread, and Fall of ISIS
  • Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum
  • Israel’s Population Diversity
  • Israel defends Druze in Syria
  • Hassan Nasrallah Killed in Israeli Airstrike
  • Jonathan’s Post 10/7 Tweet


Show more...
3 weeks ago
31 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
The Wonderful World of Jewish Identity with Disney Animator Saul Blinkoff

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


In this inspiring episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with acclaimed Disney animator, filmmaker, and motivational speaker Saul Blinkoff for a powerful conversation about Jewish resilience, Disney magic, and living a life of purpose. Together, they explore how timeless Jewish values are embedded in iconic animated films like The Lion King, and Saul speaks passionately about finding meaning in your Jewish identity every day, and the importance of living with responsibility and intention.

Saul reflects on his transformative trips to Israel as a guide with the nonprofit Momentum, and urges Jews worldwide to "LIVE FOR the Jewish people" as Israeli sons and daughters die to defend them. He and Jonah discuss how Jewish resilience, hope, and creativity can be antidotes to despair, even in the face of the horrors of October 7th. They also tackle:

  • ⁇ Was Walt Disney really an antisemite?
  • 🎬 The hidden Jewish values in your favorite Disney films 
  • 🇮🇱 Why Saul insists it’s safe (and necessary) to go to Israel right NOW
  • 🌟 The miraculous story of Omer Shem Tov, who kept his hope and Jewish identity alive, even as a Hamas hostage in Gaza
  • And much more

If you’re looking for inspiration, wisdom, and practical ways to infuse your life with purpose and Jewish pride, this episode is a must-watch!

Subscribe for more episodes of 30 Minute Mensches and join the conversation about what it truly means to be Jewish today.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Nathan Wheatley, Valerie Patterson); Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell


MENTIONED IN EPISODE:


All things Saul Blinkoff:

www.SaulBlinkoff.com

IG: @Saul.Blinkoff 

Life of Awesome Podcast

  • Highest Grossing Animated Movies in History
  • Who were the Sherman Brothers?
  • Was Walt Disney an antisemite?
  • “Path of the Just” 
  • Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato (RaMChaL)
  • Momentum Org
  • Rabbi Noach Weinberg
  • Crave!
  • “We Will Dance Again” (Nova Festival Documentary)
  • The Battle of Sderot
  • Kibbutzim Destroyed on October 7th
  • Tragedy at Nahal Oz
  • “The Killing Roads” documentary
  • Iran lost more Generals in 12 Days than US in Both World Wars
  • “Not That There’s Anything Wrong with That!”
  • Omer Shem-Tov Kept Shabbat in Captivity
Show more...
1 month ago
28 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
SERIES PREMIERE! 30 Minute Mensches: Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

In the premiere of our new series 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah Platt sits down with Michal Cotler-Wunsh — former Knesset member and Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism — for a long-overdue conversation about the eighth front of war: the battle for public opinion. Jonah and Michal discuss how antisemitism has manifested itself today, particularly through using anti-Zionist rhetoric, and how Israelis may feel a disconnect from that. Michal gives her perspective on how institutions such as the UN, Amnesty International, and elite universities have not only tolerated but enabled and normalized antisemitic double standards under the guise of progressive activism. Jonah challenges Michal to help make sense of the widespread moral confusion and media failures that culminate to chants such as “Death to the IDF,” and asks how we can bridge the gap with well-meaning people who have been misled by catchy headlines and ill-informed outrage. This episode answers the question of why antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, but a global one, and what we can do to fight it.


This episode tackles:

  • 🧠 Why Michal’s role as Israel’s antisemitism envoy is so crucial today, especially in combating widespread misinformation and harmful rhetoric.
  • 🎓 How university presidents and U.S. officials have failed to take a stand in the face of rising Jew-hatred
  • 🕍 Why most Israelis don’t understand global antisemitism — and why they need to
  • 📖 The 3 R’s: Remember, Reclaim, Renew — a framework for Jewish pride
  • 👤How human rights advocacy has been hijacked and weaponized  by anti-Zionists.


—

🎙️ 30 Minute Mensches is a new short-form edition of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt — spotlighting diverse voices doing meaningful work across Jewish and allied communities.


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Official Biography of Michal Cotler-Wunsh
  • The Story of Queen Esther
  • IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
  • UN Speech: Michal Cotler-Wunsh Addresses Global Antisemitism
  • Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
  • Glastonbury Festival
  •  Jewish concerns about Mamdani
  • Calling Out Glastonbury Festival for Antisemitic Messaging
  • The 1948 War against Israel’s Existence
  • UN 1975 Resolution Equating Zionism with Racism
  • The Story of Raphael Lemkin
  • Double Standards & Natan Sharansky’s 3 D’s of Antisemitism
  • Iran’s Recent Strikes on Israel
  • Anti-Jew bias in Human Right Watch
  • Al-Ahli Hospital
  • Hamas Terror Tunnels
  • Elite University Presidents Criticized for Antisemitism Hearing Responses

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Nathan Wheatley, Valerie Patterson); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell

Show more...
1 month ago
28 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
SEASON 1 FINALE! My Inspiration & Jewish Federation Chairwoman Julie Platt

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


A VERY special episode!! Julie Platt — lifelong Jewish leader, philanthropist, Chairwoman of Jewish Federations of North America– and Jonah’s mom! — joins Jonah for the highly anticipated Season One finale of Being Jewish. Her tenure as Chairwoman of the Diaspora’s largest philanthropic organization has seen Julie lead the Jewish community through Covid, the war in Ukraine, the horrors of October 7th and its aftermath, Israel’s war with Iran, and more. Through these crises and her decades of leadership, Julie has amassed a lifetime of wisdom and experience that she generously and candidly shares with Jonah and the BJJP community.

If you’ve ever asked, “What can I do to help?” — this is the episode for you. Julie offers rich stories, practical insights, and inspiring advice to power up the leader in each of us.

In this dynamic and heartfelt episode, Jonah and Julie dive into:

  • ✡️ Why and how to be a leader
  • 🏕️ Why Jewish Summer Camp is more than just fun — it’s formative
  • 🌍 All the big Jewish orgs– AJC, ADL, JFNA, FJC, JDC, Hillel, Prizmah, The Jewish Agency– and how they’re trying to work together as never before
  • 🇮🇱 When Julie received Israel’s highest civilian honor from President Isaac Herzog
  • 🎓 Campus antisemitism in America — and how as interim board president, Julie helped steer the University of Pennsylvania through the most chaotic period in the school’s history
  • 😂 A hilarious and personal peek inside Jonah and Julie’s own family dynamic

It’s a finale full of heart, humor, and hope — guaranteed to leave you empowered, emboldened, and inspired to be a leader, even from the comfort of your own home.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb

Sign Up For “One Mitzvah A Day”

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Julie Platt’s Legacy at JFNA
  • JFNA (Jewish Federations of North America)
  • Julie Platt Receives Presidential Medal of Honor in Israel 
  • Who is Eric J. Fingerhut: President & CEO of JFNA
  • JFNA’s Aid Efforts in Ukraine 
  • Hakarat Hatov
  • Thanking The River: Moses & The Concept of Hakarat Hatov
  • Secure Community Network
  • What is LiveSecure? Understanding the Jewish Protective & Security Initiative 
  • Birthright Partners with JFNA to Bring Volunteers to Israel 
  • AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) 
  • Jews Marching For Israeli Hostages Burned & Attacked in Boulder, Colorado 
  • Sarah Milgrim & Yaron Lischinsky Murdered By Assailant in DC
  • Nearly 300,000 People Rally in D.C. for Israel & Hostages (November 2023)
  • Combat Antisemitism Movement
  • The Legacy of Robert M. Beren, Julie Platt’s Father 
  • Camp Ramah - Jewish Sleepaway Camp 
  • The Long Term Impacts of Jewish Summer Camp
  • Foundation For Jewish Camp
  • One Happy Camper - Program To Help Fund Jewish Summer Experiences 
  • Hillel International 
  • Prizmah: Center For Jewish Day Schools
  • Roughly 15 Percent of Jewish Kids Attend Jewish Summer Camp 
  • Jewish Summer Camps Affected by COVID 
  • The Jewish Agency For Israel 
  • American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
  • Who Is Kathy Manning? Former JFNA Chair/North Carolina Congresswoman 
  • Jewish Together & The Covid Relief Effort 
  • Conference of Presidents 
  • What is ADL? Anti-Defamation League 
  • What is AJC? American Jewish Community 
  • University of Penn President Liz McGuill Resigns Over Antisemitism Mishandlings 
  • Late Texas governor Ann Richards
  • Dr. Larry Jameson - Current President of University of Pennsylvania 
Show more...
1 month ago
1 hour 8 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
The Key to Being Jewish & Israeli-American activist Noa Tishby

Thank you to Jacob Fenton & Phil Kastel for sponsoring this episode, in honor of the lives lost during the Shoah, and the blessed lives who endured.


Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


Jonah sits down with Israeli powerhouse Noa Tishby — author of Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, producer of HBO’s In Treatment, and one of the most influential voices in modern Jewish advocacy. From the get-go, they explore a hard truth: Ending antisemitism is not a tangible goal to achieve, but a context in which we live. 


Together, Jonah and Noa dive deep into:

  •  🇮🇱 Noa’s unique journey from Israeli stardom to Hollywood success
  •  🕍 The key differences between Israeli and American Jewish identity
  • 📕Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew, the book she co-wrote with NFL star Emmanuel Acho
  •  🔥 Noa’s take on the Iran threat, Gaza war, and what's happening in Judea & Samaria
  •  📺 Behind-the-scenes on how she brought Peabody-winning series In Treatment to HBO
  •  📸 The story behind her viral celebrity Hanukkah videos with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mila Kunis, Gal Gadot, Tiffany Haddish, Van Jones, and Cindy Crawford
  •  🎓Anti-Jew bigotry, Nova survivors, and having an impact on college campuses
  •  📺 Plus: Noa’s must-watch TV picks, personal stories, laughs, and more

This is a no holds barred, no B.S. conversation – the Jewish advocacy crossover episode you’ve been waiting for!


Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb

Sign Up For “One Mitzvah A Day”

Learn More About Noa Tishby

https://www.noatishby.com/


Israel: A Simple Guide To Understanding The Most Misunderstood Country on Earth by Noa Tishby

Noa’s Favorite Follows on Instagram

@AWiderFrame

@HenMazzig

@MichaelRappaport


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Sarah Hurwitz on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt 
  • Cain & Abel
  • Exodus 23:5 
  • Deuteronomy 22:4
  • What Are the 613 Mitzvot? 
  • What Is The Talmud? 
  • Rabbi Hillel’s Words: If I am not for me, who will be for me?
  • Follow Zach Sage Fox on Instagram
  • Words From Rabbi Tarfon 
  • Talmudic Teaching: All of Israel Are Responsible For One Another 
  • Jonah Discusses “March of The Living”
  • Uncomfortable Conversations With A Jew by Noa Tishby & Emmanuel Acho 
  • Noa Tishby Launches “Voices of October 7th” Tour
  • Noa Tishby’s IMDB Page
  • Noa Tishby’s Role As Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism & The Delegitimization of Israel 
  • Meet Michal Cotler-Wunsch, Israel’s Current Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism & The Delegitimization of Israel 
  • Bennett-Lapid Government 
  • SECCA (Special Envoys & Coordinators Combating Antisemitism) 
  • Understanding Israel’s Judicial Overhaul 
  • Understanding the “Override Clause” in Israel’s Judicial Reform/Overhaul  
  • Noa Tishby Ousted From Envoy Position in Israel 
  • Israel’s Netanyahu’s Return To Power in 2022
  • Noa Tishby’s Op-Ed for YNet About Israel’s Judicial Overhaul 
  • Explaining Mahdism
  • Mahdism & Iran’s Desired Destruction of Israel
  • Noa Tishby’s Event in Atlanta with Israel ParaSport - 2024 
  • Jews in the Quran  
  • History of the Kibbutz Movement 
  • The Story of Degania (Israel’s First Kibbutz) 
  • Noa Tishby Visits Degania (Her Grandmother’s Kibbutz) 
  • Ramat Aviv Gimmel (Israeli Series Noa Starred In) 
Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 6 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
A New Segment! & “Jews Don’t Count” with British comedian David Baddiel

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

David Baddiel — comedian, author, public intellectual, and the UK’s most outspoken Jewish voice — joins Jonah to unpack the core ideas behind his groundbreaking book Jews Don’t Count. With his characteristic wit and unflinching eye for truth, Baddiel deconstructs contemporary anti-Jew racism, explaining how it functions, its origins, why it persists in “progressive” spaces, how it’s different from traditional antisemitism, and why Jews are so often excluded from conversations about representation, identity, and minority status.

💬 Topics include:

  • The double standards in how antisemitism is treated compared to other forms of racism
  • Baddiel’s confusing Jewish upbringing and identity struggles
  • His family’s escape from Nazi Germany and his grandfather’s unjust internment on the Isle of Man
  • Antisemitism in UK football culture
  • What it means to be a “Non-Zionist”
  • Baddiel’s atheist yearning for divine comfort aka The God Desire
  • His podcast with Muslim politician Sayeeda Warsi: A Jew and a Muslim Go There 🎧
  • And why “Jews don’t count” as a minority when it comes to media representation on shows like Friends and Seinfeld 📺

This is a must-watch conversation for anyone interested in understanding contemporary antisemitism, generational trauma, and the challenges of fighting anti-Jew racism in today’s complex “woke” climate.

Like, subscribe, and share to help us keep these important conversations going.


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel 
  • Jews Don’t Count Documentary (For Prime/BBC Select)
  • The God Desire by David Baddiel 
  • My Family: A Memoir by David Baddiel 
  • The Secret Purposes by David Baddiel
  • Watch The Infidel on Tubi
  • David Baddiel: October 7th Was A Pogrom, I Couldn’t Ignore It 
  • Haaretz Article: ‘Jews Are A Glitch In The Matrix’
  • Jeremy Corbyn & Antisemitism in The UK’s Labour Party
  • Antisemitism in the U.K. Has Grown Over the Past Decade
  • A Muslim & A Jew Go There
  • Clips from David Baddiel’s Episode of Who Do You Think You Are?
  • People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn 
  • Being Jewish with Jonah Platt (Dara Horn Episode)
  • Israel: A Simple Guide To The Most Misunderstood Country on Earth by Noa Tishby 
  • George Orwell’s Politics & The English Language
  • How Tottenham Became The “Jewish” Football Team in England 
  • No Room for Racism - Premier League anti-racism program
  • The Y Word Film by David Baddiel (About Anti-Jewish Racism in British Football) 
  • Jeremy Irons Reads T.S. Eliot’s Poetry
  • Burbank With A Baedeker by T.S. Eliot
  • T.S. Eliot & The Jews 
  • Holocaust Survivors Living Below The Poverty Line in Los Angeles 
  • Dara Horn on the Jews of Harbin, China
  • Mumbai Terror Attacks Target Jews
  • Schrödinger’s Cat Theory
  • Who Is Theodor Herzl (Founding Father of Zionism)?
  • The Long Ugly History Behind “The Jews Will Not Replace Us” 
  • What Is The Great Replacement Theory? ADL Explains 
  • Why We Should Retire The Word ‘Antisemitism’ with Jonah Platt 
  • Tree of Life Shooting Motivated by Racist Jew Hate
  • Rachel Dolezal: Woman Pretending To Be Black 
  • Jessica Krug: White Woman Pretends To Be Black 
  • Phil Wang - Asian-British Comedian
  • Miriam Margolyes - Australian/British-Jewish Actress
  • Miriam Margolyes Calls For Ceasefire in Gaza 
  • Is Rachel Green (From Friends) Jewish?
Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 5 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Jewish Women & Auburn Basketball Head Coach Bruce Pearl

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish


Auburn Men's Basketball head coach Bruce Pearl joins Jonah for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about life, leadership, and faith, only a few weeks after leading Auburn to their second NCAA Final Four.  A legendary figure in college basketball, Coach Pearl opens up about his Jewish heritage, his decision to speak up for the Israeli hostages in the middle of the NCAA March Madness Tournament, his ideas for the Middle East post-Gaza/Israel war, and his mission to build bridges between different communities of faith around the world.

🎙️ Other topics include:

  • The Jewish Evangelical Christian Alliance
  • Interfaith marriage
  • The truth about Palestine and Qatar
  • Real-World coaching scenarios
  • Being a Jewish coach in Alabama
  • What’s broken in American Jewish education

Whether you're passionate about sports, Judaism, or geopolitics, this episode offers a rare and inspiring look at the intersection of athletics, identity, and advocacy.

Sign Up For “One Mitzvah A Day”

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Bruce Pearl Coaching Bio
  • What is the Hebrew Word “Kavana?” 
  • Coach Bruce Pearl Uses Post-Game Conference to Speak Up for Eden Alexander | Video + Article
  • Adi Alexander Reacts to Auburn Coach’s Comments About His Son
  • Israeli President Isaac Herzog Thanks Coach Bruce Pearl 
  • Jewish Wedding Traditions Explained 
  • Three Jewish Basketball Coaches Reach The Final Four
  • The 1943 Alabama Resolution on Israel 
  • No Genocide in Gaza 
  • Myth: Israel is An Apartheid State
  • Arabs in Israel Make Up Nearly A Quarter of Healthcare & Medical Workers
  • Israel Removes Jews Out of Gaza in 2005
  • Jewish Graves Disassembled in Gaza During 2005 Withdrawal 
  • What is Mount Moriah & Why is It Significant to Judaism?
  • What is Gethsemane?
  • Jewish Holy Sites in Judea & Samaria/West Bank
  • What is Nakba?
  • Britain, France, Canada release joint statement against Israel
  • Golda Meir quote
  • Qatar Funds Hamas
  • Bruce Pearl Calls On The World to “Wake Up” 
  • Yaron Lischinsky & Sarah Milgrim Murdered in DC by Terrorist Who Shouted “Free Palestine”
  • BBC & NBC Report Erroneous Statistics About Babies in Gaza 
  • Abdul Basheer transfers to play basketball at Auburn University
  • Jonah’s monologue about struggling with God
  • Jonah and Sarah Hurwitz talk Shavuot
  • Jonah’s monologue on “Going Full Jew”
  • Jonah talks Shavuot with Tessa Veksler and Eden Yadegar
  • Jonah’s episode with Chris Caresnone
  • What is the Significance of Shavuot? 
  • What is The Zohar? Sacred Kabbalistic Text
  • Dan Senor’s Podcast “Call Me Back” with Guest Rachel Goldberg-Polin (Shavuot Discussion)
  • The Book of Ruth (Sacred Jewish Text)
  • Understanding King David 
  • Why Do We Study Torah on Shavuot?
Show more...
2 months ago
55 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Darwin’s Finches and “Call Me By Your Name” author André Aciman

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast


Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:

bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter


For Sponsorships, please email:

Jonah@JonahPlatt.com


To contact us & all things BJJP:

www.BeingJewishPodcast.com


Follow Jonah on:

Instagram - @JonahPlatt

X - @JonahPlatt


Follow Being Jewish on:

Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast

TikTok - @BeingJewish

Jonah Platt sits down with celebrated author André Aciman, the literary voice behind the beloved novel Call Me By Your Name, in this intimate and illuminating conversation. Known for his lyrical prose and deep explorations of longing, identity, and exile, Aciman opens up about his Sephardic Jewish heritage, his family's displacement from Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Spain, and the Dalmatian Coast, and how a lifelong sense of otherness has shaped his storytelling.

Together, they dive into the emotional layers of young love, memory, and spiritual yearning that define Aciman’s most iconic works. He also shares behind-the-scenes insights into his latest book, Room on the Sea, and teases what’s next in his creative journey.

Whether you're a longtime fan or new to his world, this episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of our most thoughtful contemporary writers.

Watch the episode on YouTube here! https://youtu.be/kVGjzdl2nEQ


Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

Sign Up For “One Mitzvah A Day”


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Darwin’s Finches & What It Means About Evolution 
  • Evolutionary Theory & Natural Selection Explained 
  • Charles Darwin’s Exploration on the HMS Beagle
  • Jews of Discretion by Andre Aciman 
  • Andre Aciman’s CUNY Profile
  • Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
  • Call Me By Your Name Book Review by The New York Times
  • Find Me by Andre Aciman 
  • Preorder Room on The Sea by Andre Aciman
  • Listen to Room on The Sea on Audiobook
  • Listen to The Gentleman From Peru by Andre Aciman
  • Listen to Mariana by Andre Aciman
  • Roman Year: A Memoir by Andre Aciman
  • Out of Egypt by Andre Aciman
  • False Papers by Andre Aciman
  • Harvard Square by Andre Aciman
  • Eight White Nights by Andre Aciman
  • Watch Call Me By Your Name Film
  • What is Ladino? Understanding the Spanish-Judeo Language
  • Who Are Sephardic Jews?
  • Jewish Population in Egypt
  • The Fascinating History of Jews in Egypt
  • Who Was Gamal Abdel Nasser (Former President of Egypt)?
  • Who Are The Coptic Christians of Egypt?
  • History of Jewish Expulsion from the Middle East & North Africa 
  • Who was poet John Keats?
  • The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome
  • New Yorker Article on the Writing of Marcel Proust
Show more...
2 months ago
59 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Listening to Anti-Israel Jews & “The Babka King” Chris Caresnone

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter

For Sponsorships, please email:
Jonah@JonahPlatt.com

To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Hey Podcast People! In this FLAVORFUL and heartfelt episode, Jonah is joined by rising social media sensation Chris Caresnone — a Black, non-Jewish content creator known for his hilarious multicultural food adventures and cross-cultural humor. 

Together, they dive into the vibrant culinary culture of Los Angeles, sampling iconic Jewish foods from Sephardic pastries to Wagyu shawarma, and more. As Chris shares his transformational journey from unknown content creator to beloved bridge builder, the conversation turns to identity, resilience, and how food can break barriers and foster community.

What you'll hear in this episode:

  • Chris Chris Caresnone’s unique path through the world of digital content
  • A tour of Jewish culinary traditions through a modern lens
  • Real talk about multiculturalism, belonging, and personal growth
  • A hilarious food-focused game Jonah invented just for Chris!
  • Sneak peeks into Chris's next delicious destinations

Whether you're a foodie, a fan of Jewish culture, or just love a good origin story with laughs and heart, this episode delivers.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Sign Up For One Mitzvah A Day!
  • The Four C’s - Episode 6 of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Chris Caresnone’s Instagram
  • Chris Caresnone’s TikTok Page
  • Borekas Sephardic Pastries
  • Recapping Jonah’s Event at Am Shalom in Glencoe, Illinois 
  • Avi-Cue
  • Chef Aviyad Yalin & Avi Cue 
  • Kenny Hamilton on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Jonah Discusses His Journey with ADHD
Show more...
2 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Special Bonus Episode! An interview on "Unholy" featuring Jonah Platt

We're dropping in a compelling conversation from the Unholy podcast, hosted by Jonathan Freedland and Yonit Levi, featuring our very own Jonah Platt.

Jonah dives into the need for stronger Jewish community security, the tensions within families and institutions, and how Hollywood and college campuses are wrestling with Jewish identity. He also shares why he sees signs of a modern Jewish renaissance—and what gives him hope.

This thoughtful, wide-ranging interview reflects the heart of Being Jewish: honest dialogue, cultural insight, and voices that matter.

Tune in and share—it’s one you won’t want to miss.

Connect with UnHoly
https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/
https://linktr.ee/unholypod

Show more...
3 months ago
31 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
JAHM is My Jam + Animation Icon Tara Strong

The Canadian Queen of Cartoons is in the house! Legendary voice actor Tara Strong has created some of the most iconic characters of all time—Timmy Turner (The Fairly OddParents), Bubbles (Powerpuff Girls), Raven (Teen Titans), Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony), and Dil Pickles (Rugrats)— now she’s speaking out as herself. In this episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah and Tara sit down for a candid and courageous conversation about using your voice—on and off the screen.


Tara opens up about what it’s like to be a proud Jewish woman in the entertainment industry—navigating the intersection of celebrity, activism, and antisemitism in 2025. With humor, heart, and an unapologetic sense of self, she shares the personal cost of standing up for Israel, the vitriol she’s received online, and why she refuses to stay silent.

Watch this episode on YouTube at: YouTube.com/@BeingJewishPodcast


We dive deep into:
✅ Tara’s Jewish roots and her journey to spiritual empowerment
✅ The backlash—and unexpected support—after Tara spoke out on October 7th
✅ Tara’s loving & meaningful connection to the neurodivergent community 

✅ The Jewish takes on classic cartoon characters you never knew you needed!

For Sponsorship Opportunities: Email Jonah@Jonahplatt.com 

Subscribe to the Being Jewish Email List: https://www.jonahplatt.com/ 


Connect with our guest!

Follow Tara Strong

https://www.instagram.com/tarastrong 

https://x.com/tarastrong


Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com


Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Nathan Wheatley & Patrick Edwards); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell


MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Tara Strong’s VO Organization: Voicelings
  • Tara Strong’s IMDB Profile 
  • Tara Strong’s Speech About March of The Living
  • Tara Strong’s Statement on IG After October 7th
  • Tara Strong’s Statement on X After October 7th
  • Gail Simmons on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Jonah Platt Speaks at Book of Life Event in Toronto
  • Tara Strong & Jodi Benson Sing Song From The Little Mermaid Sequel
  • Tara’s 2025 Passover Seder
  • Tara Post About Jewish Solidarity in May 2021
  • Middle East Film & Comic Con 
  • Majdanek Concentration Camp  
  • Hannah Senez’s poem/song “Eli Eli” (performed by Netanela)
  • Children of Peace: Organization Promoting Israeli-Palestinian Coexistence
  • Hand-in-Hand Schools: Jewish-Arab School Program in Israel  
  • Tara Strong “Boxtown” Fallout
  • Dani Bowman from Love on the Spectrum 
  • Danimation Entertainment
  • Watch Love on the Spectrum on Netflix 
  • Remembering Noya Dan: Hamas Victim Who Was on The Spectrum
  • Rachel Goldberg-Polin Joins Tara Strong on IG Live To Discuss Hostages
  • Tara Strong’s Partner Willie Strong & Their Farm
Show more...
3 months ago
53 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
A Mantra for the Digital Age + Jewish Student Leaders Tessa Veksler & Eden Yadegar

Jewish college students are standing up—and they’re not backing down. In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with two outstanding Jewish student leaders: Tessa Veksler (former UCSB Student Body President) and Eden Yadegar (Columbia University senior). These passionate advocates open up about what it's really like to be Jewish students facing antisemitism on college campuses today, no matter what you might see (or not!) on the news. 


Armed with their voices, courage, and personal histories as daughters of immigrants who escaped anti-Jewish regimes abroad, they’re reclaiming Jewish identity, challenging misinformation and demanding visibility, safety, and truth. And they’re doing it all in some of the most charged environments in higher education.


We dive deep into:
✅ The shocking and pervasive rise of Jew hatred on college campuses
✅ The difference between more assimilated American Jews and those from families who fled persecution
✅ What Jewish student leaders are doing well — and where we need to go from here
✅ Engagement with the World Zionist Congress and global Jewish identity
✅ What inspires the next generation of Jewish advocates and how YOU can make a difference

Whether you're a Jewish student, parent, educator, or ally, this episode offers honest insight, personal stories, and empowering takeaways.

This episode is sponsored by PJ Library, the amazing non-profit that sends FREE age-appropriate Jewish storybooks and activities every single month to families with kids age 0-12. Did we mention, it’s free! Sign up today at pjlibrary.org/Jonah

Connect with our guests!

  • Follow Eden Yadegar on Instagram @edenyadegar
  • Follow Tessa Veksler on Instagram @tessaveksler


Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Patrick Edwards); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Sign Up for PJ Library To Receive Free Jewish Children's Books: www.pjlibrary.org/jonah
  • Eden Yadegar’s AISH Profile
  • Tessa Veksler’s AISH Profile 
  • Students Supporting Israel (SSI) - On-Campus Organization
  • October 8th Film
  • “We’re Not Going Anywhere” Featuring Tessa Veksler College Tour
  • ADL’s Report on Antisemitism at Columbia University
  • Federal Civil Rights Complaint Against UCSB (On Behalf of Tessa Veksler)
  • Recall Petition Against Student Body President Tessa Veksler Filed at UCSB
  • Eden Yadegar Files Suit Against Columbia University
  • “Jewish Joy is Resistance” Bracelet 
  • NCSY Teen Trips
  • What is the Kotel? (Wailing Wall in Israel) 
  • Going Full Jew with Jonah Platt
  • Tessa’s Post on October 9th, 2023
  • Columbia University Suspends SJP Chapter in 2023
  • What is Columbia University Apartheid Divest?
  • Families of Hostages Sue Columbia University Groups over Alleged Ties to Hamas 
  • Former Hostage Shlomi Ziv Reveals Hamas Told Him They Provided Financial Support to Student Groups
  • Hostage Edan Alexander Finally Released, May 12th, 2025
  • World Zionist Congress
  • Wilshire Boulevard Temple 
  • What is Tahdig? (Eden’s Favorite Dish From Iran)
  • What are Pelmeni? (Tessa’s Favorite Dish from Russia)
Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 12 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
My Muslim Trip to Auschwitz & Legendary Broadway Composer Jason Robert Brown

In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years, 13) joins Jonah for a raw and thought-provoking conversation about what it means to be Jewish in American theater today. From the complexities of Jewish pride and representation to the discomfort he feels being labeled “America’s greatest Jewish composer,” Jason opens up like never before.

The two dive into Jason’s legendary career, exploring the cultural impact of his shows and how Jewish themes have shaped and challenged his work. Jason shares intimate reflections on his relationships with Broadway icons Hal Prince and Alfred Uhry, the artistic tension between creative integrity and commercial success, and how he’s always felt like an outsider, even within the institutions and communities where he “should” feel at home.

If you care about Broadway, authentic storytelling, identity, or what it means to stay rooted as an artist in turbulent times, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Patrick Edwards); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Sharaka: A Partnership for Moderate Arabs Seeking Dialogue with Jews & Israelis 
  • Understanding the Abraham Accords 
  • See Jonah Platt at Chai Tech in NYC 
  • Hear Jonah Platt at Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL
  • Hear Jonah at UJA’s Westchester Celebration 2015
  • The Last Five Years on Broadway
  • Shiksa Goddess (From The Last Five Years) Performed by Jeremy Jordan
  • The Shmuel Song (From The Last Five Years) Performed by Jonathan Bailey
  • The Story of Leo Frank - the Inspiration Behind Parade
  • National Tour of Parade
  • Who is Broadway Producer Hal Prince?
  • Who is Writer Alfred Uhry?
  • Who is Choreographer Rob Ashford?
  • Donmar Warehouse Production of Parade
  • Who is Performer & Director Michael Arden?
  • Parade at City Center
  • Jason Robert Brown Developing Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil for Broadway
  • Bridges of Madison County Musical
  • The Last Five Years Film
  • 13! The Musical Movie
  • Who is Musical Director Andrew Resnick?
  • Watch Spread on Tubi
  • Honeymoon in Vegas 
  • Chanukah Suite by Jason Robert Brown
  • Maneschewitz Merengue by Jason Robert Brown 
  • Yiddish Theater in NYC
  • Stuart Weitzman on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Who is Broadway’s Daisy Prince?
  • 88 Keys Piano Bar 
  • Songs For A New World by Jason Robert Brown
  • Jackie Tohn on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 6 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Erased by the Algorithm + CNN anchor Dana Bash

News anchor Dana Bash is the face of CNN’s biggest political nights, a trusted voice in American journalism—and deeply, proudly Jewish. In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah and Dana sit down for an unfiltered conversation about media, politics, identity, and what it means to show up as a Jew.

Dana shares the harrowing true story of her grandparents' survival during the Holocaust, revealing the deep personal history that shapes her today. She also opens up about what it was like reporting live on October 7th, 2023, and how the weight of the moment impacted her both professionally and personally.


Dana dishes on the infamous 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden that changed the course of American history, and offers her assessment of today’s Democrat and Republican parties.  Plus, Dana offers a candid look at how Fox News changed the public’s trust in the media, reshaping the landscape of broadcast journalism, and shares the inspiring story of how she got her start at CNN — from the tape library to one of the most trusted faces in news today.

If you're interested in Jewish identity, Holocaust stories, journalism, media trust, or behind-the-scenes moments at CNN, this episode is a must-listen!

Watch this episode on YouTube @BeingJewishPodcast on YouTube! https://youtu.be/Fo5fFkBni-s

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Connect with Dana Bash

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danabashcnn/?hl=en

X - https://www.instagram.com/danabashcnn/?hl=en 


Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Mike O' Brien); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • America’s Deadliest Election Written by Dana Bash & David Fisher
  • Sarah Hurwitz on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Freedom Seder Featuring Van Jones 2025 
  • Project Shema
  • U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer Focused on Bringing Edan Alexander Home
  • Dana Bash’s Mother & Jewish Educator Francie Weinman Schwartz
  • CNN Special Report: Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America
  • Tree of Life Shooting
  • Poway Synagogue Shooting
  • Colleyville Shooting 
  • FDR’s Limits on Jewish Migration During the Holocaust 
  • Why Did FDR Abandon Europe’s Jews? 
  • “Going Full Jew” with Jonah Platt
  • Jewish Camp: Harlam 
  • Jewish Camp: Camp Ramah
  • Who is Jeremy Bash? Dana’s Ex-Husband 
  • Highlights From the Biden Vs. Trump Debate in June 2024
  • Nic Robertson - CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor
  • Meet Jonathan Greenblatt: CEO & National Director for the ADL 
  • What Does L’dor Vador Mean?
  • Learn About Queen Esther in the Bible 
  • Sheryl Sandberg on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Show more...
3 months ago
1 hour 1 minute

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
The Cost of Freedom and Arizona’s Jewish Latina legislators Alma, Consuelo, and Daniel Hernandez

A Jew, Two Jewish Latinas, and a gay Latino mass shooting survivor walk into a podcast… and 3 of them are related! In this unique episode of Being Jewish, Jonah sits down with Arizona legislators Consuelo, Alma, and Daniel Hernandez—three powerhouse siblings shaping Arizona’s Democratic party. Together, they are living proof that representation matters—and that activism starts at home.


🕊️ Alma and Consuelo, the first Jewish Latinas electeds to American political history, share their intimate journeys of converting to Judaism—the backlash they’ve faced and how their experiences as women of color shape their tireless advocacy for inclusivity and equality for all. 

🏛️ Daniel, known for his pivotal role in saving Congresswoman Gabby Giffords' life and currently running for Congress in Arizona’s 7th district Special Election, opens up about his life in public service, his commitment to his LGBTQ+ community, and his unbridled passion for Israel and Jewish culture - despite not technically being Jewish himself!

This isn’t just a conversation—it’s a testament to what’s possible when you choose to show up, speak out, and lead with your full authentic self. Come get inspired!

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

  • Jewish-Muslim Ties in Azerbaijan 
  • Azerbaijan Becomes First Muslim Country to Define Antisemitism in Textbooks
  • Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership Cabinet
  • Germany’s Laws on Hate Speech
  • Meaning Behind Dayenu
  • Who is Alma Hernandez?
  • Who is Daniel Hernandez Jr.?
  • Daniel Hernandez: The Intern Who Helped Rescue Gabby Giffords
  • Who is Consuelo Hernandez?
  • For the Hernandez Siblings, Politics is All In The Family
  • Hernandez Siblings Lead Bipartisan Trip To Israel
  • Meet Rabbi Stephanie Aaron: The Rabbi Who Guided The Hernandez Siblings in Their Jewish Journey
  • Is Learning Hebrew Mandatory When Converting to Judaism?
  • Alma Hernandez’s Bat Mitzvah Announcement
    • https://azjewishpost.com/2017/alma-hernandez/
    • https://azjewishpost.com/2017/progressive-jewish-latina-embraces-community-with-gusto/ 
  • Alma Hernadez’s ZIONIST License Plate
  • How Rep Hernandez’s Jewish Faith Shapes her Work in Politics 
  • Jewish Community in Mexico 
  • A Wider Bridge: An Organization for LGBT+ Jews
  • Recipes from Mexican Jewish Families
  • Medical Crimes - The Experiments of Auschwitz
  • Alma Hernandez with Her Late Father
  • Holocaust Education Bill Passes Due To Alma Hernandez’s Advocacy
  • Bills Passed by Alma Hernandez
  • Bills Passed by Consuelo Hernandez
  • Article: Why the LGBT Community Opposes Israel, According to a Gay Zionist
  • Tel Aviv Pride
  • Why Do Critics Hold Israel To A Higher Standard - And Ignore Other Conflicts?
  • Meet Amir Ohana: Speaker of the Knesset
  • Ritchie Torres on Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
  • Arizona LGBTQ Caucus (Co-founded by Daniel Hernandez Jr.)
  • Alma Hernandez Escorted Out By Police After Anti-Israel Protestors Harrass Her
Show more...
4 months ago
1 hour 7 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
REPLAY: “Bad Jews” + CNN Analyst & Activist Van Jones

It’s Spring Break! So this week we’re bringing you a replay of our Webby & RCC Wilbur Award-winning episode with Van Jones - with whom Jonah will once again be sitting down with for a Passover “Freedom Seder” this week, almost one year to the day from the first Seder where they met. We’ll be back with all new-episodes next week!

Watch this episode on YouTube @BeingJewishPodcast: https://youtu.be/ZR0qUIUGAKM

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Patrick Edwards); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

Show more...
4 months ago
1 hour 7 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
All Things Passover with Author Dara Horn (PART TWO)

Shakespeare hated Jews?? In Part 2 of Jonah Platt’s fascinating conversation with acclaimed author Dara Horn, they dive deep into:

  • 📚 The antisemitism embedded in classic literature — from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice to Roald Dahl’s The Witches
  •  📖 Dara’s entire body of fiction work and what inspires her stories
  •  🍷 Her famously elaborate Passover Seders
  •  🎉 A slew of other fun and thought-provoking Jewish questions
  •  🐐 And of course… her new children’s book One Little Goat — out now!

This episode is a must-listen and watch for lovers of Jewish culture, literature, and tradition — and for anyone seeking deeper insights into how Judaism shows up in the stories we tell and the ones we inherit.

Watch the episode at @BeingJewishPodcast: https://youtu.be/-Hv3F7nV2M8!

Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell


Mentioned In The Episode

  • GET DARA’S NEW BOOK! One Small Goat: A Passover Catastrophe by Dara Horn: https://a.co/d/a54x1wz
  • www.darahorn.com
  • Dara Horn is Obsessed with Passover - Hadassah Magazine Article 
  • Chad Gadya Lyrics Explained
  • Capacity: A Comic by Theo Ellsworth
  • People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
  • In The Image by Dara Horn
  • All Other Nights by Dara Horn
  • Eternal Life by Dara Horn
  • Pre Order As A Jew by Sarah Hurwitz
  • The Jewish History of Tzfat, Israel
  • Who Doesn’t Love Roald Dahl? By Dara Horn
  • Roald Dahl’s Active Antisemitism
    • https://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/our-story/anti-racism-statement/ 
    • https://forward.com/fast-forward/349771/roald-dahls-family-has-apologized-for-his-jew-hatred-what-were-the-5-worst/
  • Dr. Nathan Winter’s Book: Jewish Education in a Pluralist Society
  • Dr. Einat Wilf
  • Yossi Klein Halevi
  • Author Matti Friedman
  • Yiddish Hero Avraham Sutzkever
  • Nuremberg Trial Testimony of Avrom Sutzkever
  • Book: From The Vilna Ghetto to Nuremberg: Memoir and Testimony by Abraham Sutzkever & Justin Cammy 
  • The Paper Brigade & The Holocaust 
  • YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
Show more...
4 months ago
36 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Three Passover Reflections & “People Love Dead Jews” author Dara Horn (PART ONE)

Is the world more comfortable with dead Jews than living ones? In this powerful conversation, bestselling author Dara Horn (People Love Dead Jews) joins Being Jewish with Jonah Platt to discuss the origins of antisemitism, how it manifests today—including on college campuses—and why Holocaust education may be doing Jews more harm than good.


Dara and Jonah also explore the role of Jews as history’s great non-conformists, the truth about Zionism and… ancient Greek reverse circumcisions?! If you want to understand the real story behind antisemitism, Jewish resilience, Israel, and why these issues matter more than ever, don’t miss this episode!

Check out Dara Horn’s newest book, One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZxS8iATYQqY 


Stay Connected

  • Subscribe to the video podcast
  • Follow Jonah on Instagram @jonahplatt 
  • Follow the Show on Instagram @beingjewishpodcast
  • Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt 
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish  
  • Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt

All things Jonah:

www.JonahPlatt.com

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell

Mentioned In The Episode:

  • www.DaraHorn.com
  • Dara Horn’s newest book, One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe
  • People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
  • Is Holocaust Education Making Antisemitism Worse? By Dara Horn
  • Dara Horn’s Article: Becoming Anne Frank
  • Adventures with Dead Jews Podcast
  • Who is Wilhelm Marr? 
  • Jewish Holidays & The Land of Israel
  • A Basic History of Soviet Antisemitism
  • The Jewish Travel Guide That Inspired “The Green Book”
  • Pogroms & Exterminations of Jews in Ukraine
Show more...
4 months ago
58 minutes

Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt is the hit weekly podcast that illuminates the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, through deeply honest and personal conversations with notable Jews and non-Jewish allies alike. Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves. 2025 Webby Honoree | Podcasts - Best Indie Podcast 2025 Wilbur Award Winner