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This week, Brad and Steven are in good moods, discussing the recent midterm elections and the “Blue Tsunami.” They talk about the unexpectedly overwhelming outcome, some things to be cautious about, and the emerging presidency of newly-appointed White House Chief of Staff, the ghoulish and horrid Stephen Miller. While we’re not out of the woods […]

Brad and Steven are back this week, talking about Halloween, the upcoming mid-term elections, Republicans who are still afraid of the president, Monica Lewinsky and “the good old days, and the eventual need for a truth and reconciliation commission when this all ends. Have a listen, Happy Halloween, and don’t forget to set your clocks back! You […]

Social media promised to bring us together. Unfortunately, things haven’t quite turned out that way. In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning and our complicated relationship with the platforms we can’t seem to quit. What does Jewish tradition have to say about disagreement, responsibility, and staying in community when we […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, with Steven coming in live from Israel. The guys talk about Hummus, for obvious reasons, as well as Israeli transit, parking in Tel Aviv, the baseball playoffs and World Series preview as well as comings and goings (mostly goings) in the Trump administration. Spoiler alert: new […]

Being fearless sounds like a pretty good qualification for a superhero. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into DC’s Lanterns, where cosmic powers collide with some very human problems. Along the way, we explore courage, the possibility of change, and what Jewish […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back for episode two of the new season. They bemoan the fate of the 2026 New York Yankees, who once again failed to perform well in the postseason, talk about US behavior on the world stage (spoiler alert: it’s not good), and wonder why the Secretary of Defense/War wants […]

Welcome back to all of our loyal listeners for the eleventh(!) season of the Amen Corner. After much delay, Brad and Steven are back at it, reflecting on their changes since the podcast began back in 2016. But as much as things change, there will always be some constants: this week, the guys talk about […]

What happens when your shot at redemption begins with a lie? In Hulu’s Chad Powers, disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday (Glenn Powell) disguises himself as an eccentric walk-on for the struggling South Georgia Catfish (get it?), hoping to play the game he loves again. It’s a ridiculous premise with a surprisingly serious question at its heart: Can […]

Five years ago, we declared that we believed in Ted Lasso, whose radical kindness and relentless optimism felt like just what the world needed. Now Ted is back — this time coaching AFC Richmond’s new women’s team — and so are we. In this episode of PopTorah, we return to the Torah of Ted Lasso and ask what […]

In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky debate whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day succeeds as a Spider-Man story — or gets tangled in the MCU’s ever-expanding web. Along the way, we explore Peter Parker’s self-imposed isolation, the ways protecting others can become an excuse for keeping them at a distance, and the Torah’s insistence […]

Christopher Nolan turns one of Western literature’s oldest homecoming stories into something darker: an epic about war, moral consequence, and the difficult work of return. In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we discuss how Nolan transforms Odysseus from a triumphant hero into a man slowly awakening to the destruction he has caused—and what the film’s […]

What happens when playtime gives way to screen time? In this  episode of PopTorah, we explore Toy Story 5’s encounter between beloved old-school toys and a new generation of smart devices. Along the way, we discuss parenting in the age of tablets and social media, the pressure children feel to fit in, what technology does to […]

What if humanity learned, once and for all, that we are not alone? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, a film about revelation, secrecy, fear, and the courage to face truths that powerful people would rather keep hidden. Along the way, we discuss what extraterrestrial life might mean […]

In this episode of PopTorah, we dive into Netflix’s new supernatural sci-fi series The Boroughs, about a group of unlikely heroes in a seemingly perfect retirement community who discover that their “golden years” may be more dangerous — and more meaningful — than anyone imagined. The series, produced by the Duffer Brothers of Stranger Things fame, centers on […]

In this episode of PopTorah, we dive into the acclaimed HBO series Hacks. Beneath the sharp jokes and show-business drama lies a surprisingly rich story about reinvention, aging, ambition, and the complicated relationships that shape us. Through the evolving partnership between Deborah and Ava, Hacks asks what we owe one another, whether people can truly change, and how […]

This week, in a super very special Amen Corner, our guest is Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay. Stephanie is not only the wife of our producer Darone, but she’s running for New York State Assembly. She took time to speak with us about the issues that are important to her, her reasons for running, and why her […]

Star Wars is back on the big screen, and in this episode of PopTorah, we discuss The Mandalorian and Grogu alongside a broader conversation about the state of Star Wars and franchise storytelling in the age of streaming. What is the difference between fan service and meaningful storytelling? What happens when institutions focus more on keeping insiders happy […]

After a couple of weeks off, Brad and Steven are back at it, talking about Brad’s trip to Israel, the renaming (and un-naming?) of the Kennedy Center, confederate flags, and of course, the ascendence of the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals. Have a listen and enjoy! You can listen to The Amen Corner […]

In this very special episode of PopTorah, recorded LIVE at Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT in front of a packed sanctuary, we dive into Michael, the long-awaited and deeply complicated biopic about Michael Jackson — an artist whose music reshaped popular culture even as his life and legacy remain fiercely contested. Join us as we […]

Brad and Steven are back this week, talking about David Lee Roth with and without Van Halen, Graham Platner and Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and music that is the “soundtrack to your life. Have a listen and enjoy! You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, […]

In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Project Hail Mary, a sci-fi space adventure starring Ryan Gosling. What begins as a desperate mission to save humanity becomes something far more intimate — a story about unlikely friendship and courageous faith. Join us as we discuss what Project Hail Mary has to say about bridging difference, […]

Bad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about tea, loyalty and fandom, Steven’s interaction with a guy wearing a shirt with the flag of Iran on it, the Hulk Hogan documentary and how to properly pronounce the name, “The Iron Sheik,” and Graham Platner’s senatoral candidacy. Have a listen! You can listen […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, wondering if the Strait of Hormuz is opened or closed and thinking about how some people are making lots of money off of oil futures these days. they also talk about Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungary, JD Vance taking on the Pope, how the midterms could […]

In this episode of PopTorah, we break down Hulu’s Paradise — a gripping, twist-filled series about a so-called perfect society that quickly reveals its cracks. With full spoilers, we explore how Paradise wrestles with power, control, and the moral cost of creating order out of chaos. Drawing on Jewish tradition, we unpack the dangers of manufactured perfection […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back at it, talking about chocolate bunnies and chocolate matzoh, Seders on the subway, the rapper Kosha Dillz, eating in Montreal, and our unhinged president. Have a listen and have a Joyous Easter, Happy Passover and  good whatever else you want to celebrate! You can listen to The Amen […]