Christmas & Hanukkah
Hello! and welcome to Talking in Shul, a roundtable podcast. I’m your host, Tamar Fox, and I’ve got Zahava Stadler joining us from Toronto. Hi Zahava! And Mimi Lewis is joining us from Somerville, MA. Hi Mimi!
You may have noticed that we took a bit of a break since our last episode. We are getting pretty busy and so we are going to spend the next couple of months experimenting with how we can make the podcast a bit more manageable from our end so it’s easier for us to record a show consistently. We would really love your feedback on the show. If you have thoughts on this or any other episode, please send them to me Tamar.fox@gmail.com with the subject line Talking in Shul.
It’s mid December, which means the world around is in full Christmas mode. This month we’re talking about how we do and don’t want our Jewishness to show up in a world obsessed with Christmas.
Links:
Zahava’s video shiur on Chanukah miracles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6EG4VJ7lW8
Endorsements
Mimi endorses
Zahava is seeking a good journal or daily reflection prompt for personal and spiritual growth, and kind-of endorses the Life Audit Workbook from theeverydayeditshop on etsy.com.
Tamar endorses
Thanks for listening, and thanks to Jordan Daniel Mills for editing our show! If you have a minute, please leave a review for us on Apple podcasts or let us know what you’d like us to discuss on a future episode. You can leave a comment on a post on our facebook page (search for Jewish Public Media) or on our website–jpmedia.co, choose Talking in Shul from the list of podcasts. You can also donate to jewish Public Media at jpmedia.co, which is a great way to support our show and ensure that we’re able to bring you new episodes.
See you next month!
Beauty Queen of Jerusalem & The Shivah by Gog
Beauty Queen of Jerusalem
Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a new show on Netflix (it previously came out as 20 30 min episodes in Israel. Netflix has made it into 10 hour long episodes). It follows the Hermosas, a wealthy Sephardic family who own a shop in Machane Yehuda in Jerudalem. Gabriel runs the shop, his overbearing mother Mercada runs his life, including his marriage to his wife, Rosa, and eventually their daughters, including Luna, the eldest. The show is heavy on scandal–affairs, terrorism, threats of marriages between sephardim and ashkenazim–and looks closely at life in Palestine in the teens, twenties, and thirties.
Why ‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’ matters by Jeffrey Salkin in Religion News Service‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’: Can a new Israeli Netflix series succeed if it flunks history? By Mira Fox in J
‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’ Is Coming to Netflix. Read the Book First. By Bridget Sendziak in Alma
The Problem with the Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Michael Oren in Tablet
Second segment
The Shivah by Gog $4.99
The Shivah quick walkthrough in Steam Community
Tweet thread by Jessica Price
Endorsements
Mimi is looking for a sukkah that doesn’t require a trip to Home Depot.
Zahava endorses the short story Tower of Babylon by Ted Chiang and re-endorses watching the Danish TV show Borgen to understand parliamentary politics
Tamar endorses the game Wingspan, and Ruth Franklin’s newsletter about the diaries of Anne Frank.
Thanks for listening, and thanks to Jordan Daniel Mills for editing our show! If you have a minute, please leave a review for us on Apple podcasts or let us know what you’d like us to discuss on a future episode. You can leave a comment on a post on our facebook page (search for Jewish Public Media) or on our website–jpmedia.co, choose Talking in Shul from the list of podcasts. You can also donate to jewish Public Media at jpmedia.co, which is a great way to support our show and ensure that we’re able to bring you new episodes.
See you next month!
Recipe for Change: Standing Up to Antisemitism & Abortion Rights
This month we’re talking about a YouTube special called Recipe for Change: Standing up to Antisemism. And for our second segment we’re talking about how the expected end of Roe v Wade impacts the Jewish community, and how the Jewish community can and should be responding. For that segment we’ll be talking with my good friend, and a speaker at the NCJW abortion rights rally, Rabbi Annie Lewis.
Recipe for Change: Standing Up to Antisemitism
Idina Menzel, Ilana Glazer, Rachel Bloom and several other Jewish celebs discuss antisemitism on YouTube show by Evelyn Frick in JTA
Abortion rights
‘My dark secret’: Orthodox women reveal their abortion stories By Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt in the Forward
“What You’re Getting Wrong about Abortion and Judaism” By Rabbi Ellie Fischer in the Forward (2018)
“Doctors in Alabama are Already Turning Away Miscarrying Patients. This Will Be America’s New Normal.” by Leah Torres in Slate
Endorsements
Mimi endorses I’ll Show Myself Out by Jessi Klein and Offspring, an Australian show on Netflix
Zahava endorses the “The Other History of the Holocaust” by Alex Zeldin in The Atlantic, and the novel Safekeeping by Jessamyn Hope Tamar endorses The JOFA Scandal Confirms that All Workplaces are Toxic by Chanel Dubofsky and Alana Suskind in Jewschool, American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser, Couples Therapy on Showtime.
Talking In Shul Ep. 82: Book Bans & Sedar Topics
This month we’re talking about the TN school ban of Maus, and other attempts to limit education around difficult or uncomfortable subjects like the Holocaust and slavery.
And for our second segment we’re, oof, we are getting ready for pesach and thinking about some Seder topics we are (and aren’t) excited to discuss at our Seders.
Book bans
The Fight Over ‘Maus’ Is Part of a Bigger Cultural Battle in Tennessee by Stephanie Kasakove in the New York Times
Why a school board’s ban on ‘Maus’ may put the book in the hands by Rachel Treisman in NPR
Book bans have reached levels not seen in decades — but nationwide activism to oppose them is growing, too by Heather Hollingsworth, Hillel Italie in PBS NewsHour
Seder topics
20 Table topics for your seder from Camp Beber
Four more questions for the Passover seder from Temple Aliyah
Questions for the seder table from Bet Am Shalom
10 Great Discussion Topics for Your Passover Seder from Reform Judaism
Endorsements
Group endorsement: Jews on Film podcast
Miriam endorses These Precious Days by Ann Patchett in Harpers, the 100th birthday of the bat mitzvah (https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/through-instagram-ceremony-and-celebration-synagogues-in-new-york-city-and-beyond-mark-the-centennial-of-the-first-bat-mitzvah/) and Turning Red
Zahava endorses the book Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck, which Tamar has endorsed before, and the Rainbow Plant Life vegan cooking website/youtube channel/newsletter/instagram Tamar endorses Normal Gossip podcast, Torah Time podcast, and His software sang the words of God. Then it went silent. By SI Rosenbaum in Input Magazine
Interfaith Chaplain Marcie Greenfield Simons & Times of Israel “State of Jerusalem” Documentaries
This month we’re talking Marcie Greenfield Simons about what it’s like to be an interfaith chaplain in these intense covid times.
And for our second segment we’re talking about a series of video documentaries from the Times of Israel about three somewhat neglected populations within Jerusalem: secular Jews, Christians, and Arabs who might want to become Israeli citizens.
First segment
Marcie Greenfield Simons was formerly a Jewish educator and then Director of PJ Library, before she pursued a third career as an Interfaith hospital chaplain. She currently serves in that role at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA.
Second segment
State of Jerusalem: The Secular Struggle from the Times of Israel
State of Jerusalem: The Christian Community from the Times of Israel
State of Jerusalem: The Maqdasyin from the Times of Israel
Endorsements
Zahava endorses the book The Loneliest Americans by Jay Caspian Kang and the poem Mosaic by Linda Pastan
Tamar endorses We Need You by the Miami Boys Choir and the Bohemian Balabusta on instagram.
“Warm & Welcoming” Book Review and “The Club”
This month we’re talking about the new book, Warm and Welcoming: How the Jewish Community can Become Truly Diverse and Inclusive in the 21st Century, edited by Warren Hoffman, and Miriam Steinberg Egeth.
And for our second segment we’re talking about The Club, a new show on netflix that centers on a Jewish woman in Istanbul in the 1950s.
Endorsements
Mimi endorses ridiculous Chasidic pop songs. In particular, Gevaldig by Lipa Schmeltzer and Charosho by Benny Friedman.
Zahava endorses making chicken soup one night and then using leftovers to make Miso Soup and chicken fajitas on subsequent nights.
Tamar endorses The Band Sinister by KJ Charles.
Keeping Jewish Kids Safe from Abuse & Hannukah Kitsch
This month we’re talking about several recent scandals involving Jewish youth groups and youth leaders. What if anything can we hope Jewish organizations do to keep children and employees safe from sexual predators?
And for our second segment we’re talking about Hanukkah kitsch.
Sexual abuse and assault in Jewish youth spaces
Celebrated Haredi children’s author accused of sexually abusing teen girls by TOI staff in the Times of Israel
Sharon rabbi: ‘Hundreds’ may have been abused by USY adviser by Steven A. Rosenberg in the Jewish Journal
Jewish survivors of harassment & abuse network
Hanukkah merch
The fascinating history of Hanukkah merch in America by Rabbi Yael Buechler in Kveller
Hanukkah, Why? By Emma Green in the Atlantic.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Hanukkah Kitsch by Paula Simons in the Edmonton Journal
Endorsements
Mimi endorses a different tune for Hinei Mah Tov, this one by Shir Appeal, the Tufts University Jewish A Cappella group.
Erin endorses the Crock pot episode of the Nice Try podcast, and the Leiah Moser interview on the Judaism unbound podcast.
Tamar endorses Driven Day planner, the Commentator’s Bible by Michael Carasik, particularly the various burns from one commentator to another, Girls and Sex by Peggy Orenstein
Jewish Day Planners & Jewish Romance Novels
This month we’re joined by guest host Miriam Steinberg-Egeth. Among Miriam’s many claims to fame are her Jewish advice column in the Exponent, and her forthcoming book, Warm and Welcoming: How the Jewish Community Can Become Truly Diverse and Inclusive in the 21st Century which she co-edited with Warren Hoffman and which is coming out in December.
This month we’re talking about Jewish day planners. We’ve got a review copy of the Olam Haba Dreaming the world to come day planner that we’re going to talk about, as well as some other Jewish planners and planning techniques that we like and dislike.
And for our second segment we’re talking about Jewish romance novels. This year brings us the Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan, as well as The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer. So, what does it look like for a romance to be Jewish?
Jewish planners
Dreaming the World to Come, a Magical Planner for 5782
@Jewishbulletjournal on Instagram
Jewish Romance novels
The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
In Jewish Romance Novels Happily Ever After Comes With a Dash of Tikkun Olam by KD Casy in alma
Of the books by Tamar Fox in Tablet
Endorsements
Mimi endorses the name Adva, “They Don’t Understand That We’re Real People” episode of “The Daily NYTimes podcast, and “Never Have I Ever” on Netflix.
Miriam endorses Impossible Pork is Testing My Faith by Aymann Ismail in Slate and
How a Board Game About Birds Became a Surprise Blockbuster by Dan Kois in Slate
Tamar endorses The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast, ‘A Sadness I Can’t Carry’: The Story of the Drum by David Treuer in the New York Times, and Closer to Fine by Jodi S Rosenfeld
Climate Change & “My Unorthodox Life”
This month we’re talking about climate change, grief, and how the Jewish community is and can respond to climate change.
And for our second segment we’re talking about the newish Netflix show My Unorthodox Life.
My Unorthodox Life
My Unorthodox Life Is Compelling TV That Could Make Life Harder for Some Jews by Jenny Singer in Glamour
My ex-Orthodox life isn’t glamorous, but my story should be told by Dainy Bernstein in JTA
Endorsements
Mimi endorses thrillers by Laura Lippman
Zahava endorses the funk band Scary Pockets and their covers of non-funk songs, including Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah
Tamar endorses the film One of Us, and the poem Hope is Not a Bird, Emily, It’s a Sewer Rat by Caitlin Seida
Anti Semitism & Perfect Summer Shabbats
This month we’re talking with Dr. Hannah Lebovits, assistant professor of Public Affairs at the University of Texas- Arlington, to talk about the different kinds of anti-semitism and discrimination.
And for our second segment we’re talking about our perfect summer Shabbat.
We explore our favorite activities and discuss what makes these hot Shabbatot bearable and/or fun. We also chat about what’s our favorite way to approach Shabbat dinner when Shabbat doesn’t officially start until after 8pm.
Zahava’s summer Shabbat recipe: Mango Gazpacho
Mimi recommends the gazpachos from Kitchen Matrix by Mark Bittman
Tamar suggested Nicoise salad with salmon (very adaptable, this recipe looks good)
Endorsements
Mimi endorses the Lifer Bakery episode of the Ear Hustle podcast and this Chelm joke t-shirt.
Zahava endorses the Canadian Jewish Difference episode of the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Identity/Crisis podcast
Tamar endorses the short essay Jesus Dirt by Elna Baker in Every Body: An Honest and Open Look at Sex from Every Angle by Julia Rothman and Shaina Feinberg.