PopTorah

‘The Mandalorian,’ whose third season is now streaming on Disney+, is one of the most critically and commercially successful offerings of Disney-era Star Wars. Noted Star Wars nerds Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss the show’s very Jewish themes, its relationship to Torah and Midrash, and the relative value of complex mythology in modern pop culture. […]

Mario, Luigi, Toadstool, Princess Peach, and Bowser are back — this time in the cleverly-titled blockbuster animated comedy ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie.’ Is it super? Or is it the film equivalent of hitting a banana peel on Rainbow Road? What does it say about the state of entertainment and society? And what does it […]

‘Shrinking,’ the new series streaming on AppleTV+ boasts some big names (have you heard of this guy Harrison Ford? We think he’s got a promising future in showbiz…) and a big premise: what would happen if therapists got more involved in their patients’ lives, and let their patients get more involved in their own lives? […]

It finally happened! The sequel to Mel Brooks’ 1981 classic ‘History of the World: Part I’ that nearly every Jew of a certain age has been waiting for is here at last. Was it worth the wait? Is it the greatest sequel in ‘The History of the World: Part II’? Or is it more of […]

The 95th Academy Awards are fast approaching, and Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are here to talk about the Torah of this year’s Best Picture nominees. In this special episode, we discuss Avatar, Elvis, Top Gun, The Fabelmans, and more! Who should walk away with this year’s top prize? Who will win? And, most importantly, which movie […]

The new HBO series, ‘The Last of Us,’ based on the acclaimed video game of the same name, explores what life might look like 20 years after a pandemic decimates the world. The show features plenty of terrifying zombies (especially if you’re freaked out by fungus), but more importantly explores what remains — love and […]

The new Netflix film ‘You People,’ starring Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill, is a romantic comedy in the mold of ‘Meet the Parents.’ The twist, however, is that this time, the parents are African American members of the Nation of Islam, and the prospective son-in-law is a white Jew from West LA. While the movie […]

The first three seasons of Darren Starr’s guilty pleasure series ‘Emily in Paris’ are now streaming on Netflix. Most viewers agree that the show is the pop culture equivalent of junk food: delightful, but mostly empty calories. But what would happen if we took the show (too) seriously? Thankfully, that is Rabbi Knopf and Rabbi […]

The new film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his critical and commercial 2019 hit Knives Out. Once again starring Daniel Craig as “world’s greatest detective” Benoit Blanc and an all-star cast (including some incredible cameos), Glass Onion finds Blanc attempting to solve a mysterious murder that has taken place against the backdrop […]

The follow-up to the smash HBO limited series ‘The White Lotus’ explores issues of sex and relationships, trust and power, class and privilege, beauty and treachery in a new luxurious setting. Also, can you believe that <SPOILER> died?! And also <SPOILER>, <SPOILER>, and <SPOILER>?! Intrigued? Enticed? Enjoy a romantic, exotic, and dangerous getaway with Rabbis [&#8...

The new Hulu series ‘Fleishman is in Trouble’, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Claire Danes, is a show about how love can become hate, marriage can devolve into divorce, midlife can spiral into a crisis, comfort can turn into boring routine, and the blessing of kids can turn into the thankless burden of parenting. In other […]

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is the eagerly-awaited sequel to one of the most critically and commercially successful films of all time. The original ‘Black Panther’ was not only a mega-hit, but a watershed in pop culture, particularly for many in the African-American community. Adding to the significance of ‘Wakanda Forever’ is the fact that the […]

The new Prime Video series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,’ is based on one of the most popular book and film series ever, and is the most expensive TV show ever produced. Does it rule them all? Has the king returned? And just how Jewish are harfoots and hobbits, anyway? Rabbis […]

The new FX/Hulu series The Patient is a psychological thriller about a therapist, played by Steve Carell, who is kidnapped by and forced to treat his patient, a serial killer, played by Domnhall Gleeson. The show touches on many powerful Jewish themes appropriate for the High Holy Day season, as well as the complicated dynamics of families […]

The new Marvel TV series ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ is currently streaming on Disney+, “hulking out” on subjects ranging from toxic masculinity to celebrity culture to embracing one’s power and taking responsibility for others. As always, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky have thoughts. What does this series say about the state of the MCU, and what […]

So much great TV, so little time! Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky recap everything Jewish about the 2022 Emmy awards. Who won, who was robbed, who wore what best, and who got that coveted PopTorah bump? Plus we discuss what the night’s biggest winners and losers tell us about the state of pop culture today, and what it […]

Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are back from summer vacation and eager to catch up on everything Jewish about our favorite pop culture offerings of the summer. Join us as we discuss the blockbuster film Thor: Love and Thunder, the provocative Netflix docuseries Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99, the Apple TV+ gem For All Mankind, and the latest Disney+ MCU series Ms. […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky just finished binging the fourth […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most important characters […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new FX/Hulu miniseries Pistol tells the true story of The […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Do you seek better work-life balance? Tired of taking […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new Hulu series ‘Under the Banner of Heaven,’ […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new HBOMax series ‘Winning Time: The Rise of […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. What does it mean to grow up? How do […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. ‘The Batman’, starring Robert Pattinson, is a newer, darker […]