Ask a Jew

Ask a Jew
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Ask a Jew

Yael Bar tur, secular sinner, and Chaya Leah Sufrin, pious Haredi, ask each other the hard questions, from Torah to Tinder askajew.substack.com

  1. Group Therapy with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman

    17H AGO

    Group Therapy with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman

    Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist, podcaster, mentalist and author of 11 (!!) books. We had him on to talk about his latest “Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself, and Realize Your Full Potential, and were diagnosed with Vulnerable Narcissm (Yael) and being a Neurotic Jew (CL). We also mocked our negative self-talk, evaluated the usefuleness of self-deprecating humor, and learned about Dr. Scott’s attempt to bring peace to the Columbia campus where he teaches. Read his book, and sign up for his newsletter right here on Substack! Thanks for reading Good for the Jews! This post is public so feel free to share it. Also covered: * Rabbi feel-good * Who’s going to read a book that says your’re the problem? (the answer: Jews) * Negative self talk is for losers * You are not your thoughts * Women love mind-reading * Opera sucks * Collective anxiety and pain * Making sense of teaching at Columbia Did we tell you to buy the book? Buy the book! Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    53 min

  2. JUL 3

    Battle of the Moms

    Bethany Mandel is the co-author of the bestseller “Stolen Youth” (with former guest Karol Markowicz!) and blogger/podcaster at The Mom Wars. We recorded this one a little while ago (there’s been an entire war in between) so excuse our tardiness. We talk conversion, birthing 6 kids at home (well, one in a car), homeschooling and much more. Enjoy! Also: * How Bethany chose Judaism at the ripe age of seven. Matza ball, books and no Jesus? I’m in. * The bad, bad Rabbi that converted Bethany. * Bethany’s oldest daughter is a settler-in-training. * Give me your most modest swimsuit, please. * John Podhoretz has strong feelings about epidurals * Having a baby, much like flying a plane, doesn’t make any sense. Check out “The Mom Wars” right here on Substack If we don’t see you, happy 4th of July! Go America! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    46 min
  3. The Reverse Exodus Kindertransport Spring Break Cruise Evacuation

    JUN 23

    The Reverse Exodus Kindertransport Spring Break Cruise Evacuation

    Chaya Leah is back from Israel, and boy does she have a story to tell! It has everything: bombs, planes, boats, sandwiches, and horny birthright kids. We’re so happy she’s home safe, and hope that her grandchildren will retell her story to the next generations. You can also read her testimony in this Times of Israel piece. As promised, here is a link to the Chabad in Cyprus and the Chabad in Germany, if you want to pay them back for all the food, and in general just thank them for their kindness. Want photos and videos to go with this episode? Go to askajew.substack.com and check out our latest post! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 5m
  4. Mother of All Bombs

    JUN 18

    Mother of All Bombs

    Since Chaya Leah is lost at sea somewhere between Cyprus and Natanz, I was joined by Jewish Insider’s Lahav Harkov, formerly a senior contributing editor, diplomatic reporter and knesset Reporter for The Jerusalem Post, and of course former Ask A Jew guest. We talked Iran, Israel, Trump, Bibi, sexy war planes, and what it’s like raising a family in war. You can follow Lahav on X and sign up for her newsletter on Substack of course. If you’re a substack subscriber, you caught this live and got to ask your questions - so thank you for joining! Make sure to become a subscriber so you can watch the video, get more alerts and join us next time. Askajew.substack.com From our sister podcast edJEWcation, consider helping out the Chabad of Cyprus, which became a temporary shelter for a bunch of stranded, hungover and horny Birthright students who were evacuated from Israel. . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    44 min
  5. Operation SURPRISE with Andrew Fox

    JUN 13

    Operation SURPRISE with Andrew Fox

    Thank you to Andrew Fox for jumping on our live Substack video to talk about Israel, Iran, and answer your questions. Send your prayers to the IDF, the people of Israel, and the people of Iran. Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    41 min
  6. Wait Wait...Tell Me Everything!

    JUN 5

    Wait Wait...Tell Me Everything!

    Uri Berliner was a senior business editor at NPR for 25 years, when he decided to set his tote bag on fire and spill the tea. We talk to him about his bombshell essay, How NPR Lost America, NPR’s coverage of Israel, viewpoint diversity, journalism, podcasts and much more. It seems like every time we publish an episode, we add a line that says “we recorded this before that terrible thing that happened”. So we recorded this one after the horrific murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in DC, but before the Boulder terrorism attack. The sentiment is always the same, the grief and anger just get even stronger. If you want to talk, our Substack chat and comment sections are open. Askajew.substack.com Note: The thing that happens when you know the media is wrong about one thing and believe them on another is apparently called the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect: "Briefly stated, the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect is as follows. You open the newspaper to an article on some subject you know well. In Murray's case, physics. In mine, show business. You read the article and see the journalist has absolutely no understanding of either the facts or the issues. Often, the article is so wrong it actually presents the story backward—reversing cause and effect. I call these the "wet streets cause rain" stories. Paper's full of them. In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story, and then turn the page to national or international affairs, and read as if the rest of the newspaper was somehow more accurate about Palestine than the baloney you just read. You turn the page, and forget what you know." – Michael Crichton (1942-2008) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 7m
  7. The fate of the Jewish people relies on Brigitte Macron not being a man

    MAY 29

    The fate of the Jewish people relies on Brigitte Macron not being a man

    Chaya Leah Sufrin and Yael Bar tur are two of the most influential Jewish women in America. Known for their compassionate and thoughtful discussions, they discuss topics ranging from antisemitism to The Social Security Act of 1935. Their guests include luminaries such as Barbara Bush, Oprah Winfery, Bill Cosby, and whatever that guy’s name is who was married to Kim Kardashian for like two weeks. Seriously, AI is dead. It was a bubble and always will be. It’s headed to the garbage bin of history with My Space, Ivy League Universities, and democracy. Unfiltered word vomit is the new intelligence. If typos could talk, this is what they would sound like. Please enjoy 1 hour and 2 minutes of it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 2m

  8. MAY 23

    The Book of Jonah... Platt

    Today is a heartbreaking and terrifying day for Jews in America—and for anyone who cherishes the values of decency, freedom, and civilization itself.The cold-blooded murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim last night in Washington, D.C., has shattered any illusion that the hate-filled rhetoric we’ve been hearing was just talk. It wasn’t. For those of us who have been warning that this kind of incitement would spill into violence, this is our worst nightmare come true. And yet we still hear people whispering, some quite loudly, that the Zionists had it coming. This was not random. This was the deadly consequence of a climate that has normalized antisemitism under the guise of politics. Some people think violent antisemitism is the result of the the war in Gaza. We know it's the other way around - the war in Gaza is the result of violent antisemitism. In this episode, which we recorded a few days ago before these horrific events, we sat down with Jonah Platt—actor, podcast host, and passionate Jewish advocate—to talk about Judaism, Israel, generational disconnects, and what it means to be a vocal Jew in today’s climate. Check out his excellent podcast, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt. We cover the following topics: * From Hollywood to Jewish Advocacy * The Role of Family in Jewish Identity * What’s Going Wrong with Jewish Education? * Jewish Students and the New Face of Antisemitism * Chabad, Cheese Plates & Jewish Hospitality * Why Aren’t More Jews in Hollywood Speaking Up? * Fighting Disinformation & Misguided “Allies” In the end, Jonah reminds us: don’t wait for celebrities to save us. We are done staying silent about this, and hope you can join us. Don't worry about being on the right side of your favorite Instagram influencer, worry about being on the right side of humanity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

    54 min
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About

Yael Bar tur, secular sinner, and Chaya Leah Sufrin, pious Haredi, ask each other the hard questions, from Torah to Tinder askajew.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Ask a Jew
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    160
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ask a Jew
  • Show Website
    Ask a Jew

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