Who The Folk?! Podcast

After the University of Minnesota Board of Regents' April 26 decision to not un-name buildings on the University of Minnesota, we're going to school this week with professor Riv-Ellen Prell, the creator of the exhibit "A Campus Divided" and one of the foremost academics on the racism and anti-semitism on campus in the 1920s. The professor gives us the background on her exhibit, her thoughts on the...

This week I sit down with Talor Blustin, a junior at the University of Minnesota and the marketing intern at Minnesota Hillel. Talor previews this Friday's Maroon & Gold Shabbat, talks about innovating Hillel with data, and the Little League World Series, on this week's Who The Folk Podcast. The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, Inc. Episodes are...

On this week's show we talk to Ben Feldman, the co-owner, general manager and coach of the Minnesota Wind Chill professional ultimate Frisbee team. We talk about ultimate as a Jewish sport, the growth of the game in Minnesota, and how youth teams have an opportunity to play on the field at a Windchill game, on this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast. https://theaudl.com/windchill/news/wind-chill-2019-h...

Joining me this week is Kris Cramer, the St. Paul PJ Library coordinator at the St. Paul Jewish Federation. Kris talks about how she got started with PJ Library, being a cookbook author, and winning all kinds of awards for her baking at the State Fair, on this week's Who The Folk Podcast.  The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, Inc. Episodes are pr...

This week to talk to actor, teacher, and all around wandering spirit Avi Aharoni. Avi is staring in the upcoming Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company world premier of "Shul" opening April 27 to close the company 2018-19 season. We talk about what drew him to theater, travelling the world, and his love of Israel, on this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast!http://mnjewishtheatre.org/shul/ The Who The Folk?!...

This week we sit down with David Lauer, the new director of JFCS NextGen at Jewish Family and Children Services of Minneapolis. We talk about his family ties to Jewish social service work, how he's evolving NextGen, and what he's planning for the organization this year, on this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast. The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, I...

What's the difference between an entrepreneur and an opportunist? Angelica Sirotin has it figured out. Sirotin is a student at the University of Minnesota and entrepreneur who has started up a number of businesses in the past two years since graduating high school. We talk about what motivates her to make her own path, where the passion for this comes from, and what her latest ventures are in this...

Today we talk with Elisia Cohen, who is the Director of the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Minnesota AND – more importantly, perhaps – one of the new members of the board at Jewfolk. We talk to Elisia about educating the next wave of journalists, why she found a niche in health reporting, and how good journalism can make a difference in the 24 hour news c...

We sit down with Sarah McVicar, who besides being a graduate student at Metro State in St. Paul, has become incredibly active at Mount Zion Temple with their mental Health Task Force. As we wrap Jewish Disabilities Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion month, Sarah talks about what Mount Zion focused on this year, how to carry that work through the rest of the year, and how the struggles she has over...

We're back after two weeks of horrible weather that forced some schedule changes! This week, we extend beyond to the border of the Twin Cities to Duluth, where we catch up with journalist, broadcaster and documentarian, Robin Washington. We talk with Robin about growing up a Jew of Color in a household where civil rights activism was at the forefront of all things, where his journalism career has...

This week we are joined by Sara Frailich, CEO of Design Research Collective and one of our new Jewfolk Board members. Sarah and I talk about being flaming extroverts, Buddhism, and exploring Judaism, in this week's Who The Folk Podcast. The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, Inc. Episodes are produced by Jewfolk editor-in-chief Lonny Goldsmith. If...

This week we sit down with Jonathan Gershberg, who is the new JCC Cultural Arts Coordinator, working out of both the Sabes and St. Paul JCCs. We talk about where his interest in the arts comes from, the variety of interests outside of the JCC, and hints at some of the big things ahead, on this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast. The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a produ...

Graphic artist Eli Libson has the very cool job of being the art director for Monster Games, but also is accomplished with display art that's been at Uptown and Edina art fairs. Next week, he'll be the artist featured at the Rimon Artist Salon High-Brow/Low-Brow: An Illustrator Looks Askance at Art, on Jan. 20. Libson talks about how he got into video game design, the challenges of being a gallery...

Welcome to 2019 on the Who The Folk?! Podcast. We're back after a couple week hiatus with the very funny Elise Cole. Elise is an Iranian-Jew and a native St. Paulite who is a wife, mother, grad student waitress and very funny comedian. Elise talks with me this week about her brief but successful start to her comedy career, all the places she finds inspiration, and opening up for Ophira Eisenberg o...

What does working for Minneapolis Jewish Federation, Temple Israel and a grave marking company have in common? Laura Taple knows. Laura talks about taking over as vice president of Katzman Monument Company, connecting with people, and the idea of legacy, In this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast. The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, Inc. Episodes are...

This week we talk with Adam Schwartz, who recently finished his Ph. D., but also started the fantastic Heritage Judaica – a Facebook group that helps get excess Judaic items to new homes. Heritage Judaica has been so successful that it's getting ready to expand to Chicago. We talk about how that got started, what he's thinking for a follow up, and what led him to move to Minnesota 5 years ago, on...

Today we get to sit down in the library at Minnesota Hillel with Eli Singer, the president of the Hillel student board. Eli is immensely dedicated to Jewish life, educating and empowering, and serving others. Although a Deerfield, Illinois, native, he has a deep love for the Twin Cities and TC Jewish community. Learn about his involvement in Jewish fraternity life, a Jewish acapella group, and bot...

What does it take to open a new restaurant? What about turning a bar into a full-service restaurant? This week we sit down with David Benowitz, the COO of Craft & Crew restaurant group who tells us just that. We talk about the recently announced restaurant slated to open next year in St. Louis Park called The Block. But we also talk about how he got started in the restaurant business, how dogs hav...

Today we sit down with one of the newly-elected legislators to the Minnesota House of Representative, Heather Edelson, who will represent Edina in the District 49A. We sat down with Heather for a Who The Folk interview when she first ran the DFL nomination in 2016, but now we talk about what it's like to win, what's changed for her as a candidate in the past two years, and what her policy prioriti...

What are you doing at 22 years old? Imani Jackson is running the catering at Minnesota Hillel, has already been the head chef at the Lumber Exchange Events Center, and has big plans for what's next. A student at MCTC, Imani is planning to transfer to the U soon. On today's podcast, Imani talks about what her life in food, embracing the African-American and Jewish sides of her heritage, and ALL kin...

This week we get to sit down with the Minneapolis PJ Library coordinator Carrie Fink. Carrie is in the midst of planning the upcoming 10th Birthday celebration of the PJ Library program in Minneapolis, where they will celebrate the 100,000th book that has gone out in the community here. And we have a slight correction to something we discussed: We learned about after recording this week, but the 1...

Heidi Fellner said she wanted to be an actress from the time she was a young child. While many relatives didn't believe her, she's gone on to prove them wrong. While she's currently starring in the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company's performance of "The Last Schwartz," you've probably heard her voice on radio or seen her on TV. On this week's podcast, we talk with the versatile actress about the cu...

Kristy Wesson isn't bitter about being rejected when she applied for a job with the National Council of Jewish Women Minnesota (she is), but has gotten over it as she's now the organization's communications coordinator. In this week's podcast, we cover a lot of ground from the important (the Supreme Court and upcoming NCJW programs) to the irreverent (why dogs should have people names and her chil...

What's it like to go from being a professor in Denver to a communal service worker in Golden Valley? Leah Persky is experiencing it first-hand. Persky joined Jewish Family and Children's Services this past summer as the agencies new Family Life Education Program Manager. On this week's Who The Folk?! Podcast, Persky talks about transitioning to life in the Twin Cities and the upcoming 18th annual...

Marty Chester found the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas as the perfect agency for him to get involved in as someone who was a political science and Jewish studies major in college. At the Oct. 11 annual meeting, Marty will become the new president of the organization's board. We talk about the importance of the JCRC to both Marty and to the community, his family's t...