The Jew Function Podcast

Rabbi Mark Wildes, aka the millennial Rabbi, has spent the last two decades helping thousands of young Jews in NYC reconnect with meaning, community, and a Judaism that actually speaks to real life. Founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience and author of The Jewish Experience, he joins us to unpack what Jewish wisdom is really for — and why practice, ritual, and tradition hit different in a world tha...

We’re joined by Jeff Weiss, co-author of Fighting Back: Stan Andrews and the Birth of the Israeli Air Force — the riveting true story of an assimilated American Jew who rediscovered his identity by becoming one of Israel’s first fighter pilots in 1948. The prolific Jeff is also the founder of Stickers of Meaning, a powerful project preserving the personal mottos and messages of Israel’s fallen sin...

Beyond music, Alan’s life’s work has been devoted to weaving together activism, artistry, and the law to spark meaningful change. He views both his creative work and his law degree as essential tools in his ongoing mission to make a difference in a world that is both beautiful and challenging.  Alan recently released a folk musical titled Sarah Arthur, the Spiritual Journey of a Jewish American Wo...

Oded Nir was an Amsterdam-based chill out/ lounge/soulful/deep producer/remixer and the main man behind Suntree Records and Suntree Agency. But one day, he left it all behind and moved back to Israel. Why? How does it feel? Where is home? Where do we go from here? Join us. עודד ניר ברשת W: odednir.nl FB: facebook.com/wddnyr.2025 WHAT IS THEJEWFUNCTION - A 10min EXPLANATION https://youtu.be/5TlUt5F...

Virág Gulyás is a non-Jewish, Hungarian-born former EU diplomat who has become a prominent global activist and speaker against antisemitism. Her intriguing journey began from a background of casual antisemitism in post-communist Hungary to becoming a passionate, vocal advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Known for her blog and movement "The Almost Jewish," Gulyás uses her surprisin...

How does a migration lawyer from Boston end up in a Lebanese prison on suspicion of being an Israeli spy? Dan Brotman has traveled to nearly 90 countries, including Iran and Afghanistan, to document the lives of people and far-flung Jewish communities. He has spent time in South Africa and Canada and just recently decided to leave the U.S. because he feels that the political choice is now down to...

 The 32-year-old Californian isn't Jewish – and didn't even grow up in a Jewish environment. His only connection to the Jewish people is through the man who raised him from age one, a Samoan, who instilled in him a love for the Jewish people. That's how's the story of Nick Matau, a former nuclear engineer and now a pro-Israel Tik-Tok sensation, begins. Join us. WHAT IS THEJEWFUNCTI...

Jews are experts at social inclusion. Take Miryam Kabakov, an American Jewish social worker, editor and community organizer from St. Paul Minnesota. She is the Executive Director of Eshel, a national organization that supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews. What does it mean to advocate for LGBTQ+ Jews in the Orthodox space and, more importantly, how can that help and inspire the rest of...

Dr. Keith Kahn-Harris is a London-based sociologist, writer, and lecturer at Leo Baeck College, where he explores what it means to live as Jews in a world that often resists the very idea of chosen-ness. A senior research fellow at the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, he’s authored eight books that range from the UK Jewish experience to the global metal music scene—always probing the boundari...

Prof. Shaul Magid is joining us again after his recent appointment to Harvard. As one of the leading thought leaders among American Jews we are interested in hearing his take on the state of Jewish life in the U.S., why his new role in Harvard has raised some eyebrows, his controversial stance on Zionism, and his work on Rabbi Meir Kahane which seems eerily relevant today. Join us. WHAT IS THEJEWF...

TJF Talks #109 w/Jonas Sota | the key is belonging The stories of Jonas Sota could fill an entire season. Jonas is a 1st generation American Jew who has been studying Israeli, Jewish and Middle Eastern history for the past 20 years. In 2015 he earned a degree in Philosophy from UCLA, and as early as 2017 he began predicting that Jews would be targeted in American politics and on American streets....

What is being Jewish to you? Join us as we welcome Jonah Platt into our circle. His wildly successful podcast 'Being Jewish' is talking about all the things we love discussing and his vision for Jews in entertainment might hold the key to changing the hearts and minds of the masses.  Jonah is a leading advocate for the Jewish community, using his 175k+ social media following to educate and...

Doron Keidar is an Israeli combat veteran, security expert, filmmaker, and international speaker. With two decades of experience in the IDF—including elite special operations—he brings a rare, firsthand perspective on Israel’s security challenges and Jewish history. Beyond the battlefield, Doron has spent nearly 20 years protecting high-profile leaders and Fortune 500 companies, and today he share...

Forman is best known for co-authoring Lily’s Promise with his great-grandmother, Auschwitz survivor Lily Ebert, and for using digital platforms to educate millions of followers about the Holocaust, Judaism and to advocate against antisemitism. But don't let his fascination with past events fool you. He's all about breaking new ground and reaching more Jewish hearts today, in order to chang...

She's passionate about building bridges, creating peace, and fostering authentic conversations - Ashira uses her Black & Jewish podcast to inspire meaningful connections and push societal boundaries. Based between Israel and the United States, the former Quad co-host is committed to shaping a more unified and understanding world. Sounds too good to be true? It is. But it's a story you...

We invited Judy because, well, she's such a great conversationalist. She's got that quality that makes Jews truly enviable by everyone, an ability to bring people together and connect seeming opposites with love. Join us! WHAT IS THEJEWFUNCTION - A 10min EXPLANATION https://youtu.be/5TlUt5FqVgQ LISTEN TO THE MYSTERY BOOK PODCAST SERIES: https://tinyurl.com/y7tmfpes SETH'S BOOK: https:/...

Live from Akron Ohio, it's musician Rami Feinstein. The Israeli singer-songwriter has been performing across Israel and the U.S. for 15 years, releasing albums in both Hebrew and English. Now residing in Akron, Rami is the Israeli emissary for Jewish Akron and the initiator of the Akron for Israel Tour. He opened his heart to us and you're gonna love it. Rami Feinstein's digital signature X/IG: @R...

We love having Fred over. He brings his heart to everything he does and he reminds us what it means to be strong-willed, warm-hearted, open, and dedicated. Also, we got to talk about the role of facts in the "post-truth" world and read some reassuring words from dead antisemites. Fun. Also, check out Fred's old and newest podcasts below! Fred Menachem Digital Signature Net Impact pod...

Jonathan Sacerdoti is a British broadcaster, journalist, and TV producer. He covers stories relating to the UK and Europe, as well as terrorism and extremism stories, race relations, and Middle East analysis. He won a 2006 BAFTA for Scotland's Best Factual Program, received the 2010 Herzl Award from the World Zionist Organization, and in 2013 becamse the UK correspondent for i24mews. He is als...

What is Mosaic political philosophy? What is holiness? Can holiness be thought of as a political category that shapes justice, ethics, and societal institutions? Dr. Ronen Shoval thinks that it can and he even wrote a book about it titled "Holiness and Society" where he talks about the biblical ideal of a holy nation, the importance of discourse and of strengthening the Jewish identity and the pre...

Judy Greenfeld is Senior Rabbi/Cantor at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, and founder of Nachshon Minyan, a welcoming community for unaffiliated Jews seeking to rewrite their negative stories about religion and re-integrate faith in their daily life. Beyond her Rabbinical duties, Judy's mission is to cultivate inclusive spaces where people of all backgrounds can come together, find...

She was born to an Egyptian Muslim father and a Jewish Israeli mother. With her 5 siblings, she is a living example of the results of co-existence and mutual love that transcends all differences. What are the characteristics of such love? Is it a genetic mutation? an acquired taste? What is Nourie doing as an ambassador for Israel and what can this love she grew up in teach us about the love we wa...

When Qatar and Iran pay South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) to engage with the ICC against Israel it's not surprising in the least. But when a major Israeli newspaper actively engages in de-Zionizing of the country and silencing of the Jewish majority in the land of Israel, that begs the question: what's up with Jew on Jew hatred? So we invited Norma again to talk about this perp...

+ This is a translation of a conversation with Daniel in Hebrew. Host of one of the leading podcasts in Israel, Daniel Dushi made it his goal to have deep conversations with some of the most interesting people in Israel. He has hosted guests from the left, the right, the religious and the atheist sides of the map. Along the way, he's been trying to figure out some of life's big questions for himse...

NY born 23 yr. Mannis is a Baseball and Yankees nerd. He works for Jomboy Media. Nothing unusual here except that he also happens to be an orthodox Jew and a proud Zionist. He’s outspoken about antisemitism and uses his platform to spread awareness about antisemitic experiences he’s had in person and online, how he responds to them and how things have shifted since the 7th in particular. Join us....