Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

Can a CEO speak out against antisemitism without becoming the story? Sweetgreen co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman reflects on his Persian Jewish family's escape from Iran to Los Angeles and the entrepreneurial spirit and contributions of the Persian Jewish community. He talks about his mother’s arrival in Los Angeles in 1979 for what was supposed to be a summer visit and never returned to Iran, an...

On the third anniversary of October 7th, Jonah delivers a powerful and deeply personal open letter to his non-Jewish friends, colleagues, and allies about what it means to stand with the Jewish people.  In this special solo episode of Being Jewish , Jonah reflects on the past three years of rising antisemitism, fractured friendships, and the growing isolation of Jewish communities. He addresses t...

On the third anniversary of October 7th, Jonah delivers a powerful and deeply personal open letter to his non-Jewish friends, colleagues, and allies about what it means to stand with the Jewish people. In this special solo episode of Being Jewish , Jonah reflects on the past three years of rising antisemitism, fractured friendships, and the growing isolation of Jewish communities. He addresses the...

Today we remember the 1,200 victims, the hostages, and the profound trauma of the October 7th terror attacks in Israel. We remember the loss of innocence and the incredible resilience of the Jewish people. We remember the hostages taken, the global reaction, the rise of anti-Jewish hate, and the enduring strength of the Jewish State. Join the conversation and share this message of remembrance and...

What if the most dangerous lies about Jews are the ones we’ve been taught to believe? Bestselling author Dara Horn returns to Being Jewish for a super-sized episode to discuss her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question and why she believes antisemitism is more than prejudice. Dara describes antisemitism as a power-serving lie built around the idea that Jews are destroying what others v...

What can a temporary hut teach us about living a meaningful life? In this special Sukkot episode of Being Jewish, Jonah sits down with Rabbi Adam Greenwald to unpack one of Judaism’s most joyful, and perhaps most misunderstood holidays. They explore Sukkot’s ancient origins as a harvest festival tied to the Land of Israel, why Jews shake the lulav and etrog in every direction (maybe like a certain...

What happens when the son of a Hamas founder becomes one of the terrorist organization’s biggest enemies? Season 3 of Being Jewish kicks off with a powerful live conversation between Jonah Platt and Mosab Hassan Yousef, known as “The Green Prince,” recorded at the Jewish American Summit in Los Angeles. The son of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, Mosab shares the extraordinary story behind hi...

Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal joins Jonah to break down the upcoming Israeli elections and the fight for Benjamin Netanyahu's political future. Nadav lays out what a Netanyahu win would really signal about Israeli society, who is quietly considering leaving the country, and why the opposition still hasn't found the candidate to beat him. Then the flip side: what actually happens if Netanyahu loses...

What does it actually cost to tell the truth about Jews and Israel? Erin Molan discusses Israel's controversial decision to withhold some of the most horrific October 7th footage, why a 30-second radio soundbite can shape public opinion more than a protest, and the letter from an Australian miner that changed how she measures impact. Bernard-Henri Lévy draws on his reporting from Rwanda and Darfur...

What does it mean to go “Full Jew?” In this inspiring monologue, Jonah talks about what he’s learned from his engagement with thousands of Jews online, in Israel, and across the U.S. He shares three major revelations about Jewish identity, anxiety, and the hesitation many feel about leaning into their Jewishness aka “Going Full Jew.” If you’ve wanted to be more proud of your Judaism and don’t know...

What do Israelis know about Israel that the rest of us don’t? Noa Tishby discusses how she noticed the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism long before October 7th, why she focuses on reaching moderates, and shares a powerful story of a Pro-Palestine college student who changed her views on Israel after reading Noa’s book. Einat Wilf describes what it means to belong to the Israeli collective, he...

Why are some young Jews turning against Israel? In this compassionate monologue, Jonah dives into one of the most misunderstood and emotionally charged dynamics in modern Jewish life: the rise of young and progressive Jews who identify as Anti-Zionist.  More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish: Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah. To contact us & all things BJJ...

How do you build a billion-dollar business without sacrificing your values? Mark Wilf shares how his family turned a dream of owning an NFL team into a multibillion-dollar franchise, why he feels a responsibility to foster a community of acceptance through the Minnesota Vikings, and how his family’s Holocaust survival story shaped his commitment to giving back. Sheryl Sandberg reflects on her jour...

Should Jews start recruiting? In this insightful monologue, Jonah Platt asks why Jews don’t proselytize, and whether that long-standing tradition still benefits the Jewish people today. Judaism offers a rich framework of ritual, purpose, and community, and yet does almost nothing to reach the millions of spiritually searching people who might genuinely thrive within it. Meanwhile, the Jewish popul...

In this special live episode of Being Jewish , Jonah takes the show on the road to Atlanta for a one-night-only “Concert-Sation” with Neranenah Executive Director and pianist Joe Alterman at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Blending conversation with live music, Jonah performs a medley of music including a mashup of songs from Broadway, Jonah’s original never-before-heard song “A Tear in...

What does it really mean to call yourself a “Zionist” in today’s world?  In this provocative monologue, Jonah argues that the term “Zionist” is vastly misunderstood and weaponized against the Jewish people. Jonah says we should ditch the term altogether by breaking down why continuing to defend Israel’s “right to exist” is a pointless debate.  Israel already exists. It is the Jewish home...

What does it take to be a true icon?  Stuart Weitzman shares his journey from creating one sketch to building one of today’s most recognizable luxury shoe brands, how Aretha Franklin helped turn him into the “shoemaker to the stars,” and the Jewish values he carries into his philanthropy. He also reflects on what it means to have Jewish pride, and how we can pass it to the next generation. Ci...

Is it possible to build a bridge between Muslims and Jews? In this eye-opening monologue, Jonah Platt shares his transformative experience joining a Muslim-Jewish delegation to the annual March of the Living. Jonah visited Auschwitz and Birkenau for the first time, and traveled through Europe with 20 moderate Muslims committed to building bridges with the Jewish world.  Jonah reflects on the...

How do four Jewish comedians find their voice and turn their experiences into comedy? Howie Mandel shares why the stage is where he feels most calm, present, and in control while navigating mental health struggles. He also opens up about being proud of his Jewish identity despite not being highly observant, saying Kaddish for a year while touring by requiring shows to start after sundown so he cou...

Can someone deeply connected to Judaism wrestle with God and still belong?  In this contemplative monologue, Jonah explores his lifelong struggle with belief, the nature of G-d, and the tension between faith and doubt. From questioning divine presence to contemplating the vastness of the universe, Jonah examines whether spirituality requires certainty, or if the act of searching is its own fo...

What happens when five rabbis share their Jewish wisdom?  In this special BEST OF: Jewish Wisdom mashup, Rabbis David Wolpe, Angela Buchdahl, David Lichtenstein, Sharon Brous, and Manis Friedman tackle some very Jewish questions about faith, identity, meaning, Israel, and how to make sense of the world around us. Rabbi David Wolpe explores whether you need to believe in God to be Jewish, why...

What do you do when millions of people have been taught by teachers, influencers, and even professors, that Zionism is a form of evil? In this searing and personal monologue, Jonah analyzes thousands of hateful messages he’s received to uncover important truths: How millions have been brainwashed to believe Zionism is evil, how social media erases Jewish voices and spreads misinformation about Isr...

What happens when a movie shoot brings its cast and crew to Jewish summer camp – and then throws bears and lightning into the mix?  Following the Los Angeles premiere of The Floaters at the Laemmle Royal in Santa Monica, Jonah sits down with stars of the film Jackie Tohn, Ben Krieger, Jillian Jordyn, and Bekah Zornosa, alongside producers Shai Korman and Andra Gordon, for a special Being Jewi...

Why won’t people call antisemitism what it really is? In this powerful monologue, drawing from personal experience, Jonah shares why the word "antisemitism" is outdated, misunderstood, and often ineffective at calling out real, harmful bigotry. Jonah breaks down the urgent need for clarity in how we talk about hate toward Jews.  If you’ve ever been frustrated by the muddled debates around ant...

Are Jews safer in Uganda than in America? Jonah interviews Shoshana McKinney Kirya Ziraba, a Southern California-born Black Jewish woman, now living in Eastern Uganda among the Abayudaya Jewish community. Shoshanah tells us about the nonprofit she runs called Tikvah Chadasha Uganda, Hebrew for "New Hope for Uganda,"  which provides women in Uganda with sustainable chicken farms, vocational an...