The Bluegrass Schmooze

Louisville Public Media
  • 5.0 (24)
  • JUDAISM
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

When Shani Abramowitz and Ben Freed took their first jobs as rabbis in Lexington and Louisville, they got one question from their classmates and friends: There are Jews in Kentucky? The short answer is yes! The long answer is right here, in your podcast feed. Every month, you'll hear a deep dive into upcoming holidays and their meanings, and kibitz with a Jewish Kentuckian who has a great story. And each episode wraps up with a L'Chaim of the Month — a toast to a person or group making our world a better place (bourbon in a kosher dill jar optional... but strongly encouraged). Zei gezunt, y'all!

  1. APR 3

    Nisan: Jewish Athletes in Kentucky and Beyond

    March Madness is at a fever pitch, and baseball season has just begun. We couldn't think of a better time to talk about the many contributions of Jewish folks to all levels of sports. Crack open your peanuts and Cracker Jacks and join us for this conversation with the legendary Alan Stein, founder of the Lexington Legends Minor League baseball team.

    50 min

  2. MAR 7

    Adar: A Jewish history of Louisville, Kentucky

    A couple episodes ago we explored Lexington's Jewish history, and now it's Louisville's turn! Join us for a deep dive with historian and museum consultant Carol Ely, author of "Jewish Louisville: Portrait of a Community." And later in the episode, the delightful Bob and Margie Kohn reminisce about growing up here, and Margie shares her family's multi-generational story of being Jewish in Kentucky... guaranteed to feel like a warm hug from your grandparents.

    1h 25m

  3. JAN 30

    Sh'vat: Let's schmooze about the linguistic heritage of Jews

    This month we're kibitzing with Dr. Raphael Finkel, a Yiddish scholar and educator who taught for almost 40 years at the University of Kentucky. We talk about the links between identity and language — Hebrew, Yiddish, English, and more — and the many fascinating ways they overlap for Jews in the United States.

    57 min

  4. JAN 6

    Tevet: A Jewish history of Lexington, Kentucky

    This month on the Schmooze, Ohavay Zion legend Mike Ades takes us on a deep dive into the history of Jews in Lexington, and how Jewish life changed and evolved along with the city itself. And Janice Crane paints Rabbi Shani a vivid picture of what it was like to grow up here and how special the community has always been. Plus, big BIG news from Rabbi Ben. Don't miss it!

    1h 14m

  5. 12/02/2024

    Kislev: Finding community on campus

    Going away to college is an exciting and sometimes scary time, especially for Jewish students at schools where there aren't large Jewish populations. This month, we reminisce about our own formative years in school. And we kibitz with Justin Sadle from the university of Kentucky about the value of helping Jewish students find and build community on campus.

    52 min

  6. 11/01/2024

    Cheshvan: If I am only for myself, what am I?

    We’re nearing the finish line of an unpredictable election season in the United States, so this month, we’re talking about the importance of civic engagement, and why Jews are called to live out our values by participating fully and enthusiastically in democracy. Our guest, Kentucky State Senator Dr. Karen Berg, says her political work is bolstered by a famous quote from Rabbi Hillel the Elder, a Jewish leader from the first century BCE: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” November is also Transgender Awareness Month, and Dr. Berg shares memories of her son Henry, and what she learned from him. “He was willing to share himself and his identity because he thought it would help create a better world,” she says. She also reminisces about growing up Jewish in Louisville, describes what it’s like to have your baby teeth used in art, and pushes back very passionately against one of our lightning round questions! We hope you get as much from this conversation as much as we did… and we hope you vote! (To see a picture of Dr. Harold Berg's mosaic in Keneseth Israel, visit our instagram @bluegrassschmooze)

    1h 6m

  7. 10/10/2024

    Tishrei: In appreciation of Jewish food

    There are foods everyone thinks of as Jewish — matzo ball soup, bagels and lox, you get the idea — but there's no one way to define Jewish food. Our guest this month, food historian Avery Robinson, says that because Jews have lived all over the world, "we are culinary chameleons." After Avery gives us some historical and cultural context, we zoom into the bluegrass state, and talk with chefs Sasha Chack and Amy Messer about creating Jewish cuisine with a Kentucky flair.

    1h 7m

  8. 09/04/2024

    Elul: The one with our spouses (and a live audience!)

    This is it, folks: the last episode in our first season! And it’s a pretty special one. The tables have turned, and our spouses, Ariane Barrie-Stern and Joseph Eskin, are interviewing US, in a conversation we had live at Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington. We laughed, we almost cried, and Joseph broke some very big personal news… about Ben and Ariane. We can’t wait for you to hear it. But first we’ll talk about the month of Elul. Before we get caught up in the High Holidays, Elul reminds us to be strong and courageous, and ready ourselves to turn towards G-d. We’ll cover it all as we say goodbye to season one and turn towards season two!

    1h 29m
See All (22)

Trailer

5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

When Shani Abramowitz and Ben Freed took their first jobs as rabbis in Lexington and Louisville, they got one question from their classmates and friends: There are Jews in Kentucky? The short answer is yes! The long answer is right here, in your podcast feed. Every month, you'll hear a deep dive into upcoming holidays and their meanings, and kibitz with a Jewish Kentuckian who has a great story. And each episode wraps up with a L'Chaim of the Month — a toast to a person or group making our world a better place (bourbon in a kosher dill jar optional... but strongly encouraged). Zei gezunt, y'all!

Information

  • Creator
    Louisville Public Media
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Louisville Public Media
  • Show Website
    The Bluegrass Schmooze