PopTorah

Before they’re the world’s greatest heroes, they’re a family — and family means hard choices. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel’s first family learns that the call to save the world can clash with the call to be there for the people we love most. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the movie’s […]

What if the real superpower isn’t leaping tall buildings — but refusing to harden your heart? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the new Superman film’s bold message: that kindness is a kind of strength, and vulnerability is a virtue. With nods to Jewish teachings on welcoming the stranger, protecting life, […]

In Netflix’s Sirens, myth meets modernity as ancient sea spirits crash into a coastal town’s contemporary chaos — leaving behind a trail of mystery, memory, and moral reckoning. On this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive deep into the show’s haunting exploration of identity, womanhood, trauma, and truth — and the fragile, often painful bonds […]

Mountainhead,’ the sharp new HBO film from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, stars Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef as four tech billionaires on a poker retreat at a mountaintop villa — while the world unravels outside. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as we unpack the film’s biting satire, shocking twists, and […]

In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into Netflix’s new dramedy The Four Seasons, a modern take on love, friendship, and the many seasons of life. Inspired by the eponymous 1981 film, the series invites us to reflect on aging, change, and the beauty and complexity of long-term relationships. Join us as we explore how […]

Set during the ascendancy of the evil galactic empire, Andor, whose full second and final season is now out on Disney+, strips away the mythic and reveals the human cost of rebellion. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore the critically acclaimed Star Wars series that trades spectacle for soul-searching — and asks what it […]

What do a Hollywood studio and a synagogue have in common? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore ‘The Studio’, the Apple TV+ comedy about the pressures of keeping a creative machine running — and what it reveals about the challenges of sustaining meaningful work in the shadow of institutional demands. From […]

Long before Westeros crowned its kings, ancient Israel had its own saga of ambition, betrayal, prophecy, and power. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore House of David, the new Prime series that reimagines the life of Israel’s most iconic and enigmatic ruler. Who really was King David—and who gets to tell his story? […]

Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’ trades Sicilian scandal for Thai transcendence, following guests who journey to Thailand seeking serenity, connection, and maybe even enlightenment. What they find, however, is far more complicated. In this soul-searching episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the show’s exploration of wealth, power, relationships, and the search for […...

When the world seems to be going off the rails, what movies and shows do we turn to for comfort, and why? Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are binge-watching at the edge of the abyss. Join us as we catch up on everything Jewish about our favorite pop culture offerings of this Winter of our Discontent. […]

Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—but what happens when everything goes off the rails? In this celebratory episode of PopTorah, we RSVP to You’re Cordially Invited, the new comedy that turns a dream destination wedding into a hilarious disaster. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as they unpack the film’s themes of love, family, and […]

The 97th Academy Awards are here, and Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are here to talk about the Torah of this year’s nominees. In this special episode, we discuss Emilia Perez, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Wicked, Anora, The Apprentice, and more! Who will win, who should win, who stirred controversy, and who got the coveted “PopTorah Bump”? And, most importantly, which movie […]

What do we owe the past — and each other? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack ‘A Real Pain’, the poignant new film that follows two cousins on a journey through Poland, confronting history, family, and their own complicated relationship. Through the lens of Jewish tradition, we explore how grief, memory, […]

Who is Bob Dylan, really? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are joined by friend-of-the-pod Henry Bernstein to explore ‘A Complete Unknown’, the new biopic that takes us behind the enigmatic persona of one of music’s most influential figures. As we unpack Dylan’s journey of self-discovery and reinvention, we examine how his […]

What can an undercover spy in a retirement home teach us about aging, purpose, and truly living? In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss ‘A Man on the Inside,’ the new Netflix comedy from show runner Michael Schur and star Ted Danson that finds meaning — and some mischief — in life’s later years. […]

In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into ‘Moana 2’, Disney’s follow-up to the beloved original. How does the sequel build on Moana’s journey of self-discovery and leadership? What new lessons does it offer about courage, identity, and the interconnectedness of generations? And how does this chapter deepen the story’s resonance with timeless values […]

What does it mean to be good? And who gets to decide? In this magical episode of PopTorah, we dive into the world of Wicked, the spellbinding prequel to The Wizard of Oz that flips the script on the nature of good and evil. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as they explore how the tale […]

In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss season 2 of the AppleTV+ hit, ‘Shrinking‘! After our first deep dive into the series, we couldn’t help but return to explore even more of the lessons it has to offer about therapy, grief, and the messiness of human connection. As we revisit the characters and their […]

In this episode, we dive into the rugged and ruthless world of “Yellowstone,” where questions of legacy, land, and loyalty play out against a stunning yet unforgiving backdrop. Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore the show’s themes of justice, tradition, and the pursuit of power, asking what it means to protect — and even “make great”— […]

In this episode, we explore the spellbinding new Marvel TV series “Agatha All Along” (streaming on Disney+), where the lines between power, control, and deception blur in thrilling ways. Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive deep into the show’s themes, unpacking its clever take on leadership, hidden motives, change and the lengths people go to maintain […]

In this episode, we dive into the thought-provoking Netflix series “Nobody Wants This,” exploring its funny and sometimes cringey take on identity, community, and the challenges of belonging. Joined by special guest Rabbi Talia Kaplan of Congregation Beth Shalom in Overland Park, Kansas (whose hot take on the show recently went viral), Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss […]

In this episode, we dive into ‘Between the Temples‘, a quirky new indie comedy about a cantor grappling with a crisis of faith. Starring Jason Schwartzman as Ben, a grief-stricken cantor whose life takes an unexpected turn when his former grade school music teacher (Carol Kane) re-enters his life as an unlikely Bat Mitzvah student, […]

The rabbis are back from break and ready to talk Torah! The summer of 2024 delivered epic superhero showdowns, headline-grabbing streaming series, and some family-friendly fare. As the summer heat fades, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into the season’s biggest pop culture moments, exploring their deeper meanings and connecting the dots to Jewish values and […]

‘Inside Out 2’ is the sequel to the critically acclaimed and widely beloved 2015 Disney/Pixar animated film ‘Inside Out,” and is proving to be just as successful. By depicting the inner life of an adolescent girl, these films explore how our emotions shape us, for good and for ill. The sequel adds to this by […]

Dune: Part 2, now streaming on Max, continues the sprawling epic adapted from Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi series. Featuring an all-powerful psychotropic mineral, a race of space witches, personal force fields, giant sandworms, Dune explores themes such as power, greed, the nature of heroism, and intersectional liberation — topics about which Judaism also has a […]