Ashamed to Admit

Tami sits down with Mizrahi comedian Rapha Manajem to talk about his upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, The Salmon Was Good . Rapha who proudly claims a Mizrahi/Ashkenazi – and potentially Sri Lankan Jewish – heritage dives into the chaos of identity, family and his most memorable experience as a Jewish youth movement leader.  As one of many Aussie-Jewish comedians lighting up...

In his third book, The Jews: An Indigenous People , author and advocate Ben M Freeman argues that to fully embrace Jewish indigeneity and reject the non-Jewish world’s attempt to impose its thinking upon us, the Jewish people must re-examine the idea that Judaism is a religion. Tami and Dash have some follow-up questions, and in this episode of ATA, Ben M Freeman answers them.  Articles relevant t...

To celebrate the launch of TJI’s Body Image Series ‘Every Body’, Tami and Dash speak to Dietitian, Nutritionist, Author, Podcaster, Ted X Speaker, TV Personality and Influencer Lyndi Cohen. Lyndi discusses her experience growing up as a South African migrant in Sydney's Jewish community and how cultural norms and expectations shaped her relationship with body image and dieting. Together, they...

Artificial Intelligence is on the rise – even this description could be written by AI! But what does AI think about Jews? In this episode, Tami and Dash talk to Afro-Brazilian, Aussie-Jewish writer and academic Guido Melo about the risks of AI stereotyping and prejudice.  Articles related to this episode: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/what-generative-ai-thinks-about-jews https://thejewishind...

Powerhouse Lynda Ben-Menashe is the current president of the NCJWA (National Council Jewish Women Australia) and she joins Dash and Tami in the ATA studio to chat about her origin story, how she combated imposter syndrome and sexism in Jewish organisations, and the painful end to years of interfaith friendships because of October 7th. It’s our International Women’s Day special, and you’ll love it....

As Sydney celebrates its annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival, Dash and Tami speak with groundbreaking Jewish community activist and elder Dawn Cohen, co-founder of Dayenu Jewish LGBTQ+. Born and raised in apartheid South Africa, Dawn spent decades campaigning – ultimately successfully – for the acceptance of LGBTQ+ Jews in Sydney's Jewish community, standing firm against threats and in...

To celebrate the highly anticipated release of The Holy and The Broken , Tami and Dash talk to the author himself: TJI's Jerusalem Correspondent & Australia’s favourite peacebuilder Ittay Flescher. Plus Dash celebrates Tami's accidental foray into the shmatte business.  Articles relevant to this episode:   https://thejewishindependent.com.au/book-review-a-brave-plea-for-two-peoples-t...

ATA is back. In their first episode for season 3, Dash and Tami discuss the summer of antisemitic attacks launched on Australian Jews. Who is behind the incidents? What is motivating them? How can it be stopped? Dr Josh Roose, political sociologist from Deakin University, shares his analysis.  Relevant articles:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/a-week-of-fighting-australias-antisemitism-crisis...

The end of January means ‘back to school’ time here in Australia. Counting down the days to regain your personal space? Enjoy a bit of nostalgia? Still wake up at 4am to ruminate about the shameful thing you did in Grade 4?  You’ll enjoy the very last instalment of “Summer Shames”.   This episode was brought to you by Talia Levy Realty  https://www.talialevyrealty.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com...

Tami and Dash make the most of their summer break from regular programming to evaluate each other: the good, the bad, the shameful. Will Tami make it back for season 3? What's really been bugging Tami about working with Dash? You'll find out.  Subscribe to The Jewish Independent's bi-weekly newsletter: jewishindependent.com.au Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_writer_celebran...

We’re in the middle of summer down here in Australia and that means it’s beach time, it’s pool time, it’s….shvitz time. Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, everyone has a shvitz story.  This week, Tami and Dash’s shame is your entertainment as they recount their most embarrassing Shvitzy Stories of summers past.  If you like this episode, you might like:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au...

We all had a straight male friend who secretly loved Sex and the City in the noughties. Was Dash ‘that guy?’ And more importantly, is he a Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte or Miranda? Tami investigates.  If you like this episode, you might like:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/miscarriage-menopause-gender-transition-mikvah-reinvented https://thejewishindependent.com.au/books-family-angst-a-synagog...

From kitsch Irish Folk to attending a Hanson concert as a fully grown adult, this second instalment of Summer Shames is the perfect antidote to peacocking your 2024 Spotify Wrapped.  If you like this episode, you might like:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/comfort-using-music-to-heal-post-october-7 https://thejewishindependent.com.au/the-best-jewish-cultural-moments-of-2024 https://thejewishi...

Ashamed to Admit is taking a break over the summer, but Tami and Dash are bringing you short morsels of their the best/worst seasonal shames: welcome to Summer Shames . Chrismukah, reenacting baby Jesus’s bris, nebbish pot plant decorations and the re-gifting section of your cupboard. It’s all here in the first instalment of Summer Shames. Relevant articles:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/ch...

In their last episode for season two, Dash and Tami chat with actor and comedian Josh Glanc about … so many things, including: leaving law behind to pursue a career in entertainment, the unbreakable intergenerational umbilical cord, flipped stereotypes in Australian Jewish schools, wanting to make everyone proud and an anti-Jewish heckler.  Relevant articles:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/m...

In this episode, your favourite ‘girl, interrupted’ chats to her favourite ‘girl, in finance’ Gaby Rosenberg from Blossom. Gaby talks about her (and her sister Ali’s) journey to becoming co-founders of a startup and explains some basic investment terms. Tami spontaneously cries like she did in primary school maths and they both open up about the pressures of having financial security as adults. Pl...

With women's reproductive rights in the United States looking more precarious in the wake of the Trump re-election, Tami and Dash explore Orthodoxy's stance on abortion, family planning, and IVF. Who better to turn to than Melbourne lawyer, Orthodox feminist, an ordained rabbi and mother of four (and soon to be five) Nomi Kaltmann. In this episode, Nomi introduces us to two seminal rabbi...

For too long, the stories and culture of Mizrahi Jews – Jews from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia – have been unrecognised and unrepresented in Australia's Jewish community. Yet Mizrahi music, food, and culture have enriched Jewish traditions and cultural life for generations, weaving vibrant threads into the tapestry of Jewish identity – in Israel, Australia and Jewish communities wor...

The exuberant Alice Zaslavsky graces the ATA studio this week to chat about her new TV show ‘A bite to eat with Alice’, new book ‘Salad for days’ , her (hot) ancestor’s controversial cookbook and food shaming. Plus an angry letter and an apology.  Special thanks to: www.fieldtofork.net.au Articles relevant to today’s episode:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/conversations-with-alice-in-the-uni...

Where should Ashkenazi-Israelis go when the anti-zionists tell them to ‘go back to Europe’? What is (or who are?) The Elders of Zion? What happens when (hot) Rabbis do naughty things and bad TV is made about them? All of these questions are raised and most of them are answered in this week’s episode with your besties Tami and Dash.  Articles relevant to this episode:  https://thejewishindependent....

As the US Presidential election nears, Tami and Dash speak with TJI columnist and  Democrat Dan Coleman about the paradox of American Jewish support for Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Plus, a preview of TJI’s documentary, PITA with VEGEMITE , which is premiering at this year’s Jewish International Film Festival. https://www.jiff.com.au/films/pita-with-vegemite-an-israeli-australia-story# A...

John Safran graces the ATA studio this week to talk about the time he squatted in Kanye (Ye) West’s mansion in Hollywood, Jewish paranoia and petty family dynamics.  John’s new book is called “SQUAT - A week squatting at Kanye’s mansion”  Squat by John Safran - Penguin Books Australia Articles adjacent to this episode:  https://thejewishindependent.com.au/a-cigarette-or-heatstick-how-phillip-morri...

Ahead of YENTL’s run at the Sydney Opera House 17 October - 10 November 2024, Tami and Dash speak to author, playwright & content creator Elise Esther Hearst (who co-wrote the play with director Gary Abrahams and Galit Klas) about the urgency to tell and experience Jewish stories and Yiddish theatre in Australia. They also share some "super gay" talmudic facts.  Special thanks to thi...

In this High Holy Day special episode, one of Australia's leading rabbis, Ralph Genende, joins Dash and Tami to reflect on Yom Kippur and the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks.   Special thanks to Ivany Investment Group for sponsoring this episode:  www.ivanyinvest.com.au Articles relevant to this episode:   https://thejewishindependent.com.au/beyond-a-year-of-shattered-hope https://...

Are Israel and Hezbollah on the brink of an all-out war? We confront the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah with Arab affairs expert and content creator Elhanan Miller. Elhanan sheds light on Israel's recent intelligence and military actions, the influence of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah (who was killed in the days after the episode was recorded), and the intricate t...