Musician and nomad, Nolan Marsh (@livefromthebus), joins us to talk about being Jewish in the U.S. Army, jamming at a neo-Nazi bar, life lessons from the road, and making music across the world. Follow him on Instagram & TikTok @livefromthebus!
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
04:45 Nolan's story & Jewish upbringing
9:41 On serving in the U.S. Army as a Jew
11:26 A blues jam at a Neo-Nazi bar
19:00 The story of Daryl Davis, the black man who befriended the grand wizard of the KKK
22:00 Nolan's biggest lesson from living a nomadic life
30:21 Has Nolan been to Israel?
31:30 Nolan's take on staying relevant on social media
33:20 On making music all over the world
40:30 Nolan's musical inspirations
45:29 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Bonus episode featuring Hadar Baron, NYC-based singer, actress, songwriter & musician. Hadar won a giveaway Margarita did to be featured on the podcast!
Bonding over their immigration experiences, a love for art, and Jewish life, this conversation will remind you just how many remarkable Jewish people we have in our community.
🎤 Follow Hadar on Instagram & TikTok: @hadarbaron / @hadarbaronmusic
🌐 Explore her work: www.hadarbaron.com
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
03:23 From Israeli Immigrant to American Artist
06:38 The immigrant experience
11:54 The last 2 years as an Israeli artist
16:20 Playing Carole King
22:23 Hadar's message to the Jewish people
23:41 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Sam Silverman—aka @BagelAmbassador—left the world of finance to build a bagel empire and uncover the deeper story behind this iconic Jewish food. He shares the surprising history of New York bagels, how the bagel industry has evolved, and, most importantly, why blueberry bagels are the worst. Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknowWhat We Discuss: 00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda02:19 From Finance to Bagels?!08:24 Sam's trip to Poland10:40 Sam's Jewish upbringing12:19 What is the bagel history of NYC? 17:19 How has bagel culture changed post-pandemic19:50 How Margarita waited almost an hour for a bureka 24:11 Bagel-making classes in Philly26:32 What's up with open-faced bagels? 28:30 Surprising piece of history about bagels 30:35 Sam's message to Jewish people 33:38 Lightning Round! 38:31 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Bonus episode featuring Rachel Lander, a software engineer from the Upper East Side who decided one stressful career wasn’t enough, so now she does stand-up too.
Margarita and Rachel chat all things NYC, dating, & comedy.
Follow Rachel on Instagram & TikTok @rlandz
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
03:05 Rachel's eclectic NYC life & Jewish upbringing
07:57 How does Rachel think about comedy material?
11:20 Jeff Ross' one man comedy show
13:54 Why are sex jokes a comedic crutch for women?
16:14 Rachel's Jewish cookbook & how she met Brad Lander
17:50 Rachel's message to Jews today
20:28 How Margarita ran into Fran Lebowitz on the street
23:00 Rachel's dream dinner guest list of NYC people
24:33 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Healthcare professionals Julie and Danielle had zero tech experience—yet they built PlotTwist, a social and dating app reshaping how people connect. They share what inspired their leap from medicine to matchmaking, what sets Jewish dating apart, and the behavioral science behind finding “the one.” Follow @joinplottwist to see how they’re redefining modern dating!Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknowWhat We Discuss: 00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda03:28 Julie & Danielle's backgrounds05:13 Latest research on dating & what PlotTwist was created to solve11:30 What dating phenomenon has not been cracked? 13:06 Jewish dating vs. non-Jewish dating on PlotTwist15:56 How did Julie & Danielle learn how to start an app company? 20:04 Establishing boundaries as co-founders vs. best friends22:56 Julie & Danielle's own dating life 27:38 Behavioral Science dating tips from Logan Ury 29:34 Using Pareto Efficiency/ AI in dating32:54 What are some business do-overs Julie & Danielle would like to have? 35:02 Lightning Round! 42:07 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Margarita sits down with Shabbos Kestenbaum to unpack his unconventional journey—from Bernie supporter to PragerU, from suing Harvard to calling out Jewish nonprofits—and his bold vision for the Jewish future. Connect with Shabbos and follow his work on Twitter/X @shabbosk and Instagram @shabboskestenbaum.
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
02:13 Shabbos' eclectic family & upbringing
05:06 From Bernie supporter to PragerU
11:50 Why Jews are moving to the right
14:20 How to combat antisemitism according to Shabbos
17:20 Why Jewish nonprofits are failing
24:00 The FIDF scam & why we should DOGE Jewish non-profits
26:29 What was the outcome with the Harvard lawsuit?
28:53 A rant about Hillel (of course)
33:50 "We welcome all people, but we don't welcome all ideas"
43:30 On Jewish life in Poland & Ukraine
53:00 Shabbos' message to the Jewish people
55:40 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Margarita chats with Alex Schinasi—mom, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the viral Hulken bag. Alex opens up about her Jewish upbringing, parenting after October 7th, and what it takes to grow a brand in today’s market. From business lessons to mentorship and dream collabs, she keeps it real with wisdom and humor. Follow Alex on Instagram @alexschinasi and check out @hulkenbag to see the bag everyone’s talking about.
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
04:07 Alex Schinasi's background & Jewish upbringing
07:04 How is Alex talking to her kids about life post Oct 7th
11:21 The Hulken bag!!! All about this business
16:12 Tried & true business principles - what are they?18:52 How is Hulken navigating dupes?
20:37 On tariffs
23:17 Alex's mentors
24:45 Alex's proudest achievement
27:42 On the culture of "BSing" in entrepreneurship
32:00 Who would be on Hulken's influencer trip?
33:07 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
In this episode, we sit down with Charlotte Korchak—founder and senior educator of the Jerusalem Education Institute—whose life between the US and Israel, experience at Auschwitz, and work in Jewish education shape a candid dialogue on antisemitism, activism, and resilience amid global crises.
Learn more about JEI at https://www.jerusalemedu.org/
Follow Charlotte on Instagram @charlottekorchak and JEI @jerusalemedu
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
(00:00) Intro & Episode Agenda
(03:39) How Charlotte's life experiences shaped her into an Israel educator
(08:20) Solutions to Israel & Jewish education
(21:38) Trends on antisemitism
(37:36) Charlie Kirk's assassination
(43:10) Charlotte's incident at Auschwitz
(53:00) Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Dara Horn is the bestselling author of People Love Dead Jews and one of today’s sharpest voices on antisemitism. In this episode, she exposes the failures of Holocaust education, the tensions between diaspora and Israel, and the hard truths Jews need to confront now.
Connect with Dara and support her work at www.DaraHorn.com
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
05:03 "Being a writer is less of a career choice and more of a chronic illness"
08:19 Dara, the antisemitism "Lorax"
09:41 How Holocaust education needs to change
18:00 What is the Tell Institute curriculum?
28:16 Role of the diaspora vs. Jews in Israel
33:37 Are Jews like everyone else or like no one else?
44:59 Dara's message to the Jewish people
48:13 Why are you in the defendant's dock against a racist?
48:50 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Author Benjamin Resnick joins Margarita to talk about his debut novel Next Stop, the heart of Jewish storytelling, and the big questions that keep us all up at night. Insightful, thoughtful, and full of stories that linger long after the episode ends.
Follow Benjamin on Instagram @Benjamin_Resnick and buy his book, Next Stop, anywhere where books are sold.
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
06:03 Novelist turned Rabbi
08:44 Rabbis are meant to be storytellers
11:29 On Next Stop - Ben's debut novel
21:15 Jewish vs. Non-Jewish storytelling
28:30 Post Oct 7th, what message does Ben want to leave for Jews?
36:35 Why must there be something bad with something good?
43:10 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Are we already in World War III? Alexander Rojavin—an intelligence, policy, and media expert on the frontlines of information warfare—joins us to untangle the chaos of today’s world. From Soviet anti-Zionist propaganda to TikTok, from the invasion of Ukraine to the weaponization of antisemitism, Sasha explains how politics, media, and culture collide to shape society—and what it will take to push back.
Tune in for a conversation that’s equal parts alarming and hopeful, and discover why fighting disinformation might just be the fight of our time.
Connect with Sasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-rojavin-2a689568/
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
06:34 How a theater kid went into information warfare
11:20 The role of USSR in Anti-Zionism
16:19 How the global climate changed in 2014 because of the invasion of Ukraine
20:10 Antisemitism is a national security issue & why we can't seem to handle it
25:00 How China saved TikTok w/antisemitism
27:00 What are strategies that work to fight postmodernism & our current condition?
41:18 How many years will it take to change culture?
46:48 What are surprising information warfare tactics?
48:33 What gives Sasha hope?
50:29 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
New York Times bestselling cookbook author and social media star Jake Cohen joins People Jew Wanna Know to talk about his upcoming book Dinner Party Animal, what it’s like to be openly pro-Israel in media and TV, and—just maybe—settle the question of whether he’s psychic.
Follow Jake on Instagram and TikTok @jakecohen, and grab your copy of Dinner Party Animal wherever books are sold.
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
03:24 Who is Jake Cohen? His upbringing & career
08:02 Is Jake psychic?
09:28 Being in Israel during the Iran attack
14:41 How is Jake navigating the gay community and Hollywood as a pro-Israel personality?
19:43 Dinner Party Animal
21:40 What has Jake iterated as he has written more books?
22:44 What does Jake keep private vs. share?
27:01 What does Jake eat when he has the munchies?
28:26 Who would play Jake in his biopic? Does any celebrity make him nervous?
30:17 Jake's chef inspirations
32:56 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Margarita’s friend and fellow “Jinsta” activist Z.E. Silver joins People Jew Wanna Know to debate Hillel’s role on campus, unpack the dynamics of Jewish life, and share tips on winning debates.
Z.E. is a content creator focused on Jewish peoplehood, antisemitism, and Israel, with experience at organizations including Chabad, AIPAC, ADL, Jewish Federation, Hillel, and JNF-USA.
Follow Zach on Instagram and TikTok @z.e.silver and @gam_v.gam, subscribe to his newsletter at beacons.ai/gamvgam, and check out his podcast On The Road To Zion.
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
05:05 How Zach went from aspiring author to online Jewish activist
14:05 What does Zach make of the Jewish activism space and what's happening to our community?
24:20 A debate about Hillel
43:42 How do we fix the myriad of issues facing the Jewish community?
52:45 How to debate people who disagree with you
57:04 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
Peter Beinart is one of the most provocative voices in Jewish public life today—a journalist, commentator, and professor who critiques long-held assumptions about Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity.
In this episode of People Jew Wanna Know, Margarita pushes Peter on everything from Zionism's purpose to the future of a binational state.
Follow Peter on X @PeterBeinart and on Instagram @Peter_Beinart
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
09:34 Peter's upbringing & how it shaped his view of Israel
11:59 If Jews don't need Zionism, what do they need?
16:05 Peter's vision for a binational state
23:00 How can we unwind the conflict?
33:58 What has prevented Palestinians from establishing their own society given the billions in aid they've received?
41:29 Peter's message to Jewish people
42:50 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination
In this solo episode, Margarita unpacks her trip to Scotland & Ireland which turned out to be way more complicated than frolicking through fields and drinking Guinness. She explores the current atmosphere toward Jews in both countries, weaves in a sharp look at the history of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and shares the unexpected moment she actually needed the Heimlich (teehee).
For exclusive content, follow the pod @peoplejewwannaknow on Instagram & TikTok
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, Palestinian-American activist and leader of Realign For Palestine, closes the Goy You Will Enjoy season.
Realign For Palestine aims to cultivate a new generation of Palestinian voices committed to a two-nation solution, nonviolence, and radical pragmatism.
Follow Ahmed on X and Instagram @afalkhatib and support Realign For Palestine at https://realignforpalestine.org/
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
04:54 What is Ahmed working on & how is it going?
13:40 Ahmed's upbringing & disillusionment re: the Free Palestine movement
28:50 Appearance on Jubilee's Middle Ground
35:30 "What did they think would happen attacking Israel with the most right-wing government it's ever had?"
37:45 The harm of right-wing Jewish activism & inability to criticize Israel
41:25 Why growing a Muslim majority for Realign For Palestine is no longer the strategy
48:00 "The pragmatists need wins."
49:29 Israel will be a pariah state if it occupies all of Gaza according to Ahmed
51:39 What can Jews do to help?
01:01:00 Ahmed's question to Margarita about anything Jewish
01:04:24 Closing Remarks
This is a PSA to vote for Margarita, who has been nominated for the Z3 Bridge Builder Award!
The Z3 Bridge Builder Award recognizes individuals who are working to bridge divides within the Jewish people—between communities, across ideologies, between the Diaspora and Israel and more.
If Margarita wins, she will use the funds to create, for the first time, video podcast episodes! Your People Jew Wanna Know experience is about to get that much better!
VOTE HERE: https://a.cstmapp.com/gallery/999958/280732/757203924?lc=en-us
Thanks so much!
U.S. Army Veteran and Muslim American, Dan Khan, joins the Goy You Will Enjoy season to share his powerful story of building bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities.
Together, we explore big questions: Has Islam been hijacked? When is it worth forming coalitions with people you fundamentally disagree with? And what does it really take to create understanding across deep divides?
Follow Dan on Instagram: @its_dankhan
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
03:27 On Dan's upbringing, career & interfaith marriage
12:03 Has Islam been hijacked?
16:26 Dan's experience serving in the U.S. Army
23:10 What is American Peace Committee? How do we build bridges with non-Jews?
30:15 Some people are just lost causes
31:38 Demoralization of society & positive reinforcement
35:35 Building coalitions with those you don't agree with
41:08 Dan's question to Margarita about anything Jewish
48:11 Closing Remarks
Melissa Mott, Executive VP of Education Strategy & Programs at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, joins Goy You Will Enjoy for a candid and powerful conversation on the state of antisemitism, Holocaust education, and Jewish identity today.
With a decade at the ADL, and a career rooted in truth-telling and impact, Mel brings clarity, urgency, and no BS to her episode. This is the one Jew need to hear.
Check out the Simon Wiesenthal center at www.wiesenthal.org and follow them on Instagram @simonwiesenthalcenter
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
04:10 Mel's journey to become an educator & Holocaust expert
08:45 Non-Jews raised around Jewish communities often develop more positive views of Jews
12:50 How Margarita met her first Asian person
14:24 What is the work of the Simon Wiesenthal Center?
16:09 What is and is not working in combatting antisemitism?
24:30 Will Jewish orgs ever figure it out or should we assume "it's not coming?"
26:59 Has Mel been able to change hearts & minds?
30:10 What is it like for Mel to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community?
31:58 Mel's experiences in Israel
33:26 What has resonated with Mel from Jewish culture?
36:33 Mel's question to Margarita about anything Jewish
45:04 Closing Remarks
Iconic content creator, Chris Caresnone (The Babka King), joins us on the Goy You Will Enjoy season to discuss building bridges through his love of culture, food, and humor.
In this conversation, Margarita and Chris discuss his career, his POV on the current rise of Jew hatred, and the importance of having positive energy.
Follow Chris on Instagram @chriscaresnone and check out his website www.caresnone.com
Support our work: buymeacoffee.com/peoplejewwannaknow
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda
02:20 How did Chris get into content creation?
06:10 Chris' response to antisemitic remarks on his videos
19:35 Chris' experience with Jewish people & his POV on energy
24:31 "I can create my own narratives, and I had to work through that idea myself."
26:25 Discussing Anti-Zionism
30:29 "If every single person stopped going to MAGA rallies, would it exist?"
34:45 On the importance on seeing positivity vs. negativity
39:35 Chris' question to Margarita about anything Jewish
42:52 Closing Remarks