Chosen People Problems
Yael Bar tur, a secular sinner, and Chaya Leah Sufrin, a pious Haredi woman, host this podcast where they ask each other difficult questions about Jewish life and belief. Their conversations range from Torah study to modern dating apps like Tinder, exploring where their worldviews collide and connect. With humor and honesty, they tackle topics that many in the Jewish community avoid. The show is produced by Ark Media and is connected to the Ask a Jew Substack.
Episodes
Michael Moynihan is our Oskar Schindler
You know the Righteous Among the Nations Michael Moynihan from the Fifth Column Podcast, The Free Press, Vice, Bill Maher, his show “The Moynihan Report”, but most importantly - he is a dear friend of the Jews and our emotional support guest. He is our...
Ask Me Anything with Dan Senor, Yael Bar tur, and ChayaLeah Sufrin
Today we are joined by some guy named Dan Senor for a wide-ranging Ask Me Anything. We tackle questions about the state of Jewish education, why we should stop calling everyone an antisemite, how Fauda is shaping perceptions of Israel globally, and wha...
Group Chat: Are the Ninja Turtles Zionists? And more…
What happens when two very different Jews answer your most personal, random, and serious questions? We open up our chat for a mostly fun, sometime serious conversation about how we became friends and podcast partners, how an Orthodox matchmaker really ...
Don’t Rely on the Houthis to Cure Cancer - with Douglas Murray
Which is more important for Israel–winning the war or the PR battle? The one and only Douglas Murray is with us today, to talk Israel, poetry, and…true crime? We start off by accidentally insulting him, but don’t worry, he still likes Jews! Also: Why d...
Ark Media is Our Daddy
Guys, we have big news. Really big. Like, Dan Senor Big. We are thrilled to announce we are joining Ark Media! Yes, Dan Senor bought us (actually, his company), and we now belong to him. Don’t worry, though; he hasn’t spent as much time with us as you ...
Are we fat because of the Holocaust? And other questions for an evolutionary psychologist - with Rob Kurzban
Who knew that you could blame evolutionary biology for doom scrolling, binging on donuts or getting seasick? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Rob Kurzban, an evolutionary psychologist, about how human feelings and behaviors are shaped by evolution. He e...
Jews Have Terrible Marketing, but an Amazing Brand
This week, we’re joined by the one and only Dara Horn ( https://www.darahorn.com ) to discuss her new book, The Final Solution to the Jewish Question: A Love Story for the Living ( https://a.co/d/03XFtiB3 ). It’s an incredible book that will make you b...
Is the Constitution Still a Thing?? With Ilya Shapiro
Ilya Shapiro ( https://manhattan.institute/person/ilya-shapiro?shown=10 ) is a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute and briefly, but not insignificantly, the executive director of the Georgetown Center for the...
How Not to Screw Up the New Year
Dear Jews and regular people, Rosh Hashana is upon us, which means it’s time to reflect on the past year, take a hard look at our behavior, ask forgiveness from the people we’ve wronged, and then immediately start judging everyone again. What a year it...
Remembering to Never Forget
25 years ago, we told people to never forget September 11th, and how’s that going for us? On this special episode, we are happy to interview Larry Wein, a tribe member, former NYPD Homicide detective, and 9/11 first responder. We heard what that day wa...
A Deep Dive Into The War of 1812 - Just kidding, but CBS’s National Security Analyst Aaron MacLean is here
Aaron MacLean ( https://x.com/AaronBMacLean ) is host of the ( https://www.youtube.com/@SchoolofWarPodcast )School of War ( https://www.youtube.com/@SchoolofWarPodcast ) podcast, a National Security Analyst at CBS, a columnist at the Free Press ( https...
Zionism Is Punk Rock - with Warren Kinsella.
Warren Kinsella wears many hats: a lawyer hat, a punk-rock musician hat, an author hat - and our favorite - a pissed-off Canadian hat. We chat with him about his new book, The Hidden Hand: The Information War and the Rise of Antisemitic Propaganda. Aft...
Cowboys and Coalitions - Live from Jackson Hole with Nadav Eyal!
We just wrapped up our first ever live show in Wyoming (naturally), and we had a blast!! Thank you so much to the Jackson Hole Jewish Community for hosting us, to the amazing listeners who traveled to be there, and to our special guest Nadav Eyal, who ...
From Gaza to Killer Bees: Twenty Near-Death Lessons with John Spencer
John Spencer is a retired Army officer, Urban Warfare expert, Chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum and Executive Director at the Urban Warfare Institute. He’s been in some funky situations (including seven visits to Gaza), and encountered e...
1-800-Antisemitism
Hi Jews and Jew Lovers! It’s been an exhausting week running the world, but we still had some time to sit and catch up about Spain, Morocco, water guns and the kingdom of Cerritos Auto Square (mentioning them in case they want to sponsor the podcast.) ...
The Foundation Against Deadly Dumbasses - with Mark Dubowitz
Mark Dubowitz is the chief executive of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and our new reluctant friend. We sit him down to talk about Iran, Saudi Arabia, why the IRGC wants Ted Kaczynski to kill him, why we can’t just send Bruce Willis (...
Kooksmaxxing
Ask A Jew is going to Wyoming!! We’ll be hosting a live show Monday, August 10th in Jackson Hole, how cool would it be if you join us there? If not for us, do it for Nadav Eyal, who will be our special guest, and who we didn’t add to the above AI image...
The People's Republic of NYC - With Rafael Mangual
Rafael Mangual is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and authour of the book Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most. He joins us to...
Adam Got Around a Bit Before Eve
Ben Kawaller is a writer and journalist who you may know from his video series “Ben Meets America” in the Free Press, and from the Reflector podcast series “Strange Bedfellows” about how the LGBT movement went slightly off the rails. We discuss coming ...
Israel on Trial — with Judge Roy K. Altman
In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the judges who rule on justice, and the clueless podcasters who interrogate them. Thanks for reading Good for the Jews! This post is public so feel...
Dan Senor Sends Us to Voicemail
It’s 9:04 in New York and we finally reached boss level. Today’s guest is Dan Senor of the “Call Me Back” podcast, bestselling co-author of “Start-Up Nation” and “The Genius of Israel”, and all-around great guy. We chain him to the chair for a good 90 ...
Jews Are Not a Minority Group - With Batya Ungar-Sargon
Batya (!) Ungar-Sargon needs no introduction, but if you insist: she’s the host of of “Batya!” on News Nation (Saturday at 7PM & Sunday at 11AM EST), host of the YouTube show “Prove It! With Batya”, and author of the brand new book, The Jews and the Le...
A Nice Jewish Love Story with Jean Meltzer
Are you in or around New York City?? Mark your calendars for Monday, June 1st at 6pm!! Come have a drink with ChayaLeah and Yael! Spring Lounge 48 Spring St, New York, NY 10012 Comment if you plan to attend! Special guests may make an appearance… Good ...
Jew-Washing
WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE! Hello - SURVEY. Fill out the SURVEY. Last one to fill out the SURVEY is an antisemite. Plus you have a chance to win Chaya Leah’s baked goods, made especially for you! If you already filled it out, you are our favorite! I...
Undocumented Love Making - With Gad Saad
Dr. Gad Saad is a scholar at the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom at the University of Mississippi, and all-around Mensch. As a Lebanese-Canadian-Jewish academic, let’s just say he knows a thing or two about the cult...
Your Personality Is Not a Disorder: Social Media, Girls and Gen Z, with Freya India
Today on Ask a Jew, we’re joined by writer Freya India, author of Girls: Generation Z and the Commodification of Everything, to talk about what growing up as a girl looks like in the age of Instagram, how we are all carrying generational trauma from Ev...
Uncomfortably Numb
Two episodes in one week? You lucky ducks! Maybe there’s even a third one coming…Only Hashem (and maybe producer Gabi) knows. BUT FIRST - are you following us on YouTube? Listen, I get if you’re an antisemite and don’t want to show your cards. We won’t...
Live with David Christopher Kaufman
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe
"If Iran can't export oil, they’re going to lose their wells" With Sal Mercogliano
Watch this episode on YouTube!! Yes, it's happening! Please susbcribe to our brand new channel. Are the Straits of Hormuz open or closed? Is "free shipping" actually real? How do you clear underwater mines? Do ships draw crude drawings on tracking maps...
Paging Dr. McJewy - With Jamie Denbo
Jamie Denbo is an actress, comedian, formerly a writer and producer on Grey’s Anatomy (yes, that Grey’s Anatomy), and creator of The Beverly Podcast! Oh, you may have also seen her on Curb Your Enthusiasm and How I Met Your Mother. We talk to Jamie (an...
We'd Rather Be Alive Than Be Liked
During these trying times, we’re here for you to process the shattering news of the last few weeks: Abby and David from Love on the Spectrum have broken up. What will happen to the lions? We also talk about the war in Iran, settlers, cutting off family...
The Jews Cannot Survive on Hate Alone
Rabbi David Wolpe needs no introduction, but if you insist: He’s a scholar in residence at the Maimonides Fund, Rabbi Emeritus at LA’s Sinai Temple, and formerly a visiting scholar at the Harvard Divinity School (where, you know, Yael…never mind). This...
We’ve Gone from Darkness to Light Before, We’ll Do It Again
Dr. Jonathan Sarna is one of the most well-regarded historians in America and the Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University. He has written and edited over 30 books (which is more than we have read…combined) and is the expert on the J...
A Traffic Jam in Hell: What Comes Next for the Iranian Regime, with Beni Sabti
Happy Nowruz! Is Iran winning? Do the people support the regime? Are the Arab countries mad at us? Beni Sabti has no time for your nonsense. Born and raised in Iran, Beni is one of Israel’s top war commentators and a fellow at the Institute for Nationa...
Women at Work - With Quillette's Claire Lehmann
Today on Ask A Jew, we fly into the future to talk to Claire Lehmann, the founder and editor-in-chief of Quillette, a fantastic Australia-based online publication. We talk about the state of the nation in the land down under, how Australians are grappl...
Sunday's LIVE Ask a Jew
These are trying times for the United States, Israel, and the good people of Iran. Thankfully, we gathered on a Substack Live with our community to talk sh*t about Malala Yousafzai! Also: funny memes from Israel, we love the USA, Hashem trolls Chaya Le...
The Only Way Out of Iran is Through
Behnam Ben Taleblu is senior director of the Foundation For Defense of Democracy’s Iran Program, and a senior fellow specializing in Iranian security and political issues. We ask this noted scholar the burning questions of the day like, “Do you lose we...
How much do you need to give to charity for eating a Big Mac?
Happy almost-Iran war day! On this solo pod, we discuss our respective Valentine’s Days, whether or not the US should start executing Olympic athletes who don’t bring home medals, and Chaya Leah’s near Holocaust experience at a fancy kosher restaurant ...
B-2s > Blue Squares 🟦 With Lahav Harkov
Lahav Harkov is the Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider, formerly of the Jerusalem Post, and most importantly - a repeat offender on AAJ. She’s here to answer all our current affairs questions, and some of our stupid questions too. We cov...
Women Don't Belong in the Kitchen
What’s this?? Is it your birthday? Or are you just getting two episodes in one week because we love you so much?? As Jews around the world gather to celebrate Tu B’Shvat and the New England Patriots, we caught up to discuss everything that’s on our min...
Israel’s Information War: A View from the Trenches with Eylon Levy
Eylon Levy is a former Israeli Government Spokesman and one of Israel’s most recognized faces on the global stage since October 7th. A graduate of Oxford and Cambridge (which is like Harvard in the UK - ybt), he founded the Israeli Citizen Spokesperson...
The Jewish Conspiracy to Change Yassine Meskhout's Mind
Yassine Meskhout is a public defender, a Moroccan, an anarchist, a liberterian, a cyclist (*shudder*) and now, our new best friend. We’ve become obsessed with his writing since his viral November 2023 essay “The Jewish Conspiracy To Change My Mind” and...
The Arab Case For Israel
Much more on Substack! Iran, Lebanon and Syria, Oh My! Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a fellow at the The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), hailing from Beirut via Baghdad and all the way to Washington DC. We talk about how he learned Hebrew by ch...
Israel and Somaliland, Sitting in a Tree...😍
Iran who? Venezuela what? The hottest place you need to know about right now is a little Muslim democracy in the horn of Africa called Somaliland. Recently, Israel just became the first country to recognize Somaliland as it cements its independence fro...
Live with Eli Lake & Ask a Jew
Last night we went Live on Substack with our listeners and AAJ BFF and The Free Press contributer, Eli Lake. Bummed you missed it? Want to watch a video version? Subscribe for free at askajew.substack.com Read Eli’s latest about Venezuela, Iran and oth...
Why More People Should Hate Themselves – With Michael Moynihan
Our podcast daddy Michael C. Moynihan is back from the dead for a long (and long awaited) discussion on conspiracy theories, antisemitism, dumb people, and why you shouldn’t end every conversation with a Jew with: BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEDOPHILES?? Anyway...
SUPRISE! Live with Ask a Jew
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit askajew.substack.com Hi everyone, Last night we were supposed to interview Michael C. Moynihan, but unfortunately he tragically passed away. At least that’s what we think, we don’t know wher...
Everybody Knows You Never Go Full Antisemite
All photos and videos to accompany this episode are on our substack! Askajew.substack.com In this episode we cover the events of last week, from the horrific murders in Sydney, to Ben Shapiro at TPUSA, to - of course - Mandy Patinkin. In case you misse...
I For One Welcome Our New AI Overlords - With Andy Mills
You know Andy Mills from such podcasts as “The Daily” from The New York Times, “The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling” from The Free Press, and most recently, the award winning show “The Last Invention” about the Al revolution from his new company ”Longview...
Reclaiming our Confidence, with Dr. Mijal Bitton
*No International Laws were broken during the recording of this episode.* Dr. Mijal Bitton is a spiritual leader at the Downtown Minyan, an NYU sociologist, a scholar-in-residence at the Maimonides Fund, co-host of the Wondering Jew podcast AND she’s r...
Peter Beinart and the Case of the Missing Spine
Chaya Leah is back from Vegas, and boy does she have some stories to tell (not the kind you think, though. They are much, much worse). Also, are orthodox Jews allowed to celebrate Thanksgiving? Was Yael disappointed when she met hostages in real life? ...
Viva La Revolution of Common Sense With Scott Jennings
Happy Thanksgiving! Today on Ask A Jew, CNN Political Contributor and author of the new book “A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization”, Scott Jennings!. You know Scott as the “spokesperson f...
Live From the Kosher Table - With Periel Aschenbrand
Periel Aschenbrand is a writer, comedian, author, and producer of the Comedy Cellar podcast “Live From the Table”. We discuss her life in comedy, post-October 7th stand up, and the irony of hiding in a baker’s oven during the holocaust. Find Periel on ...
Zohran Mamdani is Making us Fat
Join the conversation on Substack askajew.substack.com Hello from NYC, where everything is going juuuussstttt grrreeaaat. Don’t worry though, we’ll protect you. What really was great was our Shabbat dinner with our friends at the Six Street Synagogue! ...
Standing Up to the "Woke Right" - with The Babylon Bee's Seth Dillon
Need a break from the NYC mayoral race and the left-wing antisemitism of Zohran Mamdani? Let’s dive into the refreshing world of right-wing antisemitism! See you this Friday at Ask A Jew’s NYC Shabbat Dinner! Tickets Here. No, you don’t need to be Jewi...
Eat, Pray, Blah
Join us November 7th in NYC for a Shabbat dinner!! Tickets here! There will be food, there will be alcohol, there will be listeners just like you. Tickets are limited. In this solo-pod, we recommend taking smartphones away from your kids and giving the...
Untangling Israeli Politics - with Amit Segal
You may recognize journalist Amit Segal from Dan Senor’s “Call Me Back” podcast, or his contributions to The Free Press. Israelis know him as Channel 12’s Chief Political Correspondent, co-host of our local version of “Meet the Press”, and author of th...
Cautious Euphoria
More photos and videos on askajew.substack.com Good morning from a different Israel, Something feels lighter in the air today. It’s been this way since I landed yesterday and probably started Wednesday evening when Trump announced a deal had been reach...
The Jews are Tired Y'all
Hi everyone, It’s a week of hope, despair, commemoration and as usual, unbridled rage. We caught up Friday to cover the many events of the last few weeks. Also we recorded this before the announcement of the Trump plan, sorry. Hard to keep up with the ...
Podhoretz Save America
Shana Tova from Chaya Leah’s kitchen table! It is not even 8am, and she already peeled 400 apples, made 200 matza balls, and skinned 3 chickens. I am sitting here trying to stay out of the way while working on our business aka this podcast. It’s very t...
We Don't Get Us - With Sarah Hurwitz
Sarah Hurwitz served as a White House speechwriter from 2009 to 2017, first as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. She’s with us to discuss her new brilliant book: As a Jew: Recl...
Stop It.
We are happy to welcome author, cultural critic, and social media explainer Leigh Stein to Ask A Jew today! We discuss her new novel, If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You — a modern-day gothic page-turner set in a Los Angeles social media influenc...
Hard Boiled Eggs and Softly Held Opinions
A long overdue solo awaits for those who dare! First of all we apologize for the lack of Taylor/Travis content here, we recorded this a few days ago before the breaking news. We hope you can still enjoy this discussion that covers: * ICE and immigratio...
Cry Me a River to the Sea
Shabbos Kestenbaum is probably the most famous Jewish Harvard grad since Natalie Portman. You may know him as a former Bernie Bro and divinity student who went on to sue Harvard for discrimination, speak at the Republican National Convention, and accom...
Accidental antisemitism
This week we welcome one of our favorite journaists of the moment, Olivia Reingold of The Free Press! We discuss her Jewish roots, atheism, how she went from an NPR fangirl to working for (gasp!) Bari Weiss, what’s wrong with Gen Z, accidental antisemi...
Hey Jewish People!! You're OK
We are so excited to have the one and only Babka King, Chris Cares None with us! If you haven’t seen Chris’s videos on Instagram and TikTok where he reviews foods from different ethnicities, with some special love to Babka and Rugelach, why are you eve...
Unconditional Love on the Spectrum
Happy Sunday and a blessed week to everyone, except Mandy Patinkin. In this catch-up we talk about the unfolding situation in Gaza (spoiler: some healthy disagreement!), the meaning of being able to criticize someone you love, toothaches and heartaches...
Helen Lewis Spills the Tea
Helen Lewis is a big deal y’all, and yes we’d be saying that even if she didn’t have a British accent. She’s a staff writer at The Atlantic, author of the new book The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea, as well as Difficult Women: An I...
Group Therapy with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist, podcaster, mentalist and author of 11 (!!) books. We had him on to talk about his latest “ Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential, and were diagnosed wi...
Battle of the Moms
Bethany Mandel is the co-author of the bestseller “ Stolen Youth ” (with former guest Karol Markowicz!) and blogger/podcaster at The Mom Wars. We recorded this one a little while ago (there’s been an entire war in between) so excuse our tardiness. We t...
The Reverse Exodus Kindertransport Spring Break Cruise Evacuation
Chaya Leah is back from Israel, and boy does she have a story to tell! It has everything: bombs, planes, boats, sandwiches, and horny birthright kids. We’re so happy she’s home safe, and hope that her grandchildren will retell her story to the next gen...
Mother of All Bombs
Since Chaya Leah is lost at sea somewhere between Cyprus and Natanz, I was joined by Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov, formerly a senior contributing editor, diplomatic reporter and knesset Reporter for The Jerusalem Post, and of course former Ask A Jew g...
Operation SURPRISE with Andrew Fox
Thank you to Andrew Fox for jumping on our live Substack video to talk about Israel, Iran, and answer your questions. Send your prayers to the IDF, the people of Israel, and the people of Iran. Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To re...
Wait Wait...Tell Me Everything!
Uri Berliner was a senior business editor at NPR for 25 years, when he decided to set his tote bag on fire and spill the tea. We talk to him about his bombshell essay, How NPR Lost America, NPR’s coverage of Israel, viewpoint diversity, journalism, pod...
The fate of the Jewish people relies on Brigitte Macron not being a man
Chaya Leah Sufrin and Yael Bar tur are two of the most influential Jewish women in America. Known for their compassionate and thoughtful discussions, they discuss topics ranging from antisemitism to The Social Security Act of 1935. Their guests include...
The Book of Jonah... Platt
Today is a heartbreaking and terrifying day for Jews in America—and for anyone who cherishes the values of decency, freedom, and civilization itself. The cold-blooded murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim last night in Washington, D.C., has shat...
"We are not going to divide ourselves" - Interview with Eric Fingerhut, President & CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America
We got the top Jew everyone! Eric D. Fingerhut is the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), previously the President and CEO of Hillel International, and also a former congressman for the great state of Ohio. Take that re...
Call your Mother!
Happy Mother’s Day! This week, we invited the women who have been listening to us blabber for over 40 years — our biggest fans and fiercest critics: our own moms! Please enjoy our conversation with Chanie Perelmuter and Liora Bar tur. We talk childhood...
Days of Blah
Today is the specialest day in Israel. We just exited Memorial Day for soldiers and victis of terror, the saddest day of the year by far, and went straight — and I mean straight, within minutes — into Independence Day, the happiest. 24 hours of pain an...
The free speech recession - with Jacob Mchangama
Happy Good Friday! Shh, we have a serious guest, everyone behave please in the comment section. Today we welcome Jacob Mchangama. Jacob is the author of the breezy beach read “ Free Speech – A History from Socrates to Social Media”, research professor ...
Recommended
زن بودن
Medicine with Meaning
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Collection
Take Back Your Health®
CBS Radio Mystery Theater | Old Time Radio
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
紐約鳥｜New York Aperture
The Swerve Podcast: Obscure Topics | Conspiracy Theories
The Bread and Banter Podcast
The Church of What's Happening Now: The New Testament
Busted Open
Deadline: White House
