Adulthood Friends

Aya and Josh

Aya and Josh have known each other all their lives, but they weren’t always friends. Listen as they get to know each other as adults and explore the ways our thoughts, values, and priorities shift over time.

  1. 12/15/2025

    Episode 64: Movement

    How does the way we move shape the way we feel? Can movement heal the body and mind? In this episode, Josh and Aya explore movement in its many forms — from practices like yoga, pilates, dance, stretching, strength training, and sports to physical therapy and rehabilitation, navigating injury and the fear of re-injury (including Josh's back injury), meditative and expressive movement, free movement and contact improvisation, reconnecting with the physical world, the experience of immobility and the limits that come with aging or genetics, movement as language and self-expression, and how shifts in the way we move reshape how we see ourselves.

    1h 5m

  2. 05/12/2025

    Episode 63: Grief

    How do you cope with loss? Is it possible to "be ready" for a loved one’s passing? In this episode, Josh opens up about the recent death of his father, reflecting on the funeral, eulogy, and shiva, as he and Aya delve into the complexities of grief, how it changes a person, the contrasts between sudden death and prolonged illness, the pain of grieving a future that will never come, the expectations we carry for our parents to witness our lives, the bodily toll of mourning, coping mechanisms, the interplay between grief and personal growth, the reshaping of self that follows loss, and the question of whether things happen for a reason.

    1h 5m

  3. 01/06/2025

    Episode 62: Antisemitism (Part 2)

    What sustains modern antisemitism? What challenges do Jews face today? In this episode, Aya and Josh continue their examination of antisemitism in a post-October 7th landscape—including the terror attack itself—exploring tokenism (Norman Finkelstein, Jewish Voice for Peace, J Street, Candace Owens), scapegoating, ‘westsplaining,’ propaganda, Holocaust inversion, visibility and safety concerns, relationship dynamics, mental health impacts, and the challenges of fostering genuine dialogue in an increasingly antisemitic world.

    42 min

  4. 12/31/2024

    Episode 61: Antisemitism (Part 1)

    What are the roots of modern antisemitism? Why is antisemitism often overlooked or misunderstood? In this episode, Aya and Josh cautiously examine antisemitism in a post–October 7th landscape—including the terror attack itself—exploring progressive tensions, Jewish identity, Zionism and the Jewish connection to Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, social media misinformation, whataboutism, conspiracy theories, gaslighting, selective outrage, historic discrimination, self censorship, diverse manifestations of Jew hatred, and personal perspectives (fears, frustrations, struggles) on what it’s like to be Jewish in an increasingly antisemitic world.

    50 min

  5. 01/13/2024

    Episode 60: Identity

    How does identity shape our views in life? What happens if we lose an identity? In this episode, Aya and Josh delve into the complex tapestry of identity, exploring its various types (personal, social, cultural, gender, professional, digital/online) and formation, as well as communal identity, Jewish identity, the persistence/fluidity of identity, losing an identity, challenging or questioning the legitimacy of an identity, coping with shameful identities, conflicting identities, false or mistaken identities, validating identities, identity crises, identity politics, self-identification forms, the Ship of Theseus, group-think, gatekeeping, and how identity can ultimately grant purpose to our lives.

    1h 24m

  6. 08/25/2023

    Episode 59: Deliberate Doubt

    How does questioning our core beliefs and assumptions lead to more informed and empathetic viewpoints? What practical steps can we take to achieve this? In this episode, Aya and Josh challenge some of their own deeply held beliefs, drawing inspiration from Megan Phelps-Roper’s podcast “The Witch Trials of JK Rowling” and Anne-Laure Le Cunff’s insights in “Deliberate Doubt: The Art of Questioning Our Assumptions," exploring deliberate doubt vs. indiscriminate skepticism (e.g., conspiratorial thinking), the scientific method, the reliability of trusting one's gut, the challenges of polarization, the gun debate, Megan Phelps-Roper's 6 questions to ask ourselves, the value of listening to opposing views (e.g., Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Sam Harris, Matt Walsh), notable practitioners of deliberate doubt (e.g., Socrates, Galileo, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein), and the pitfalls of making beliefs a part of one's identity (e.g., religious beliefs).

    1h 20m

  7. 08/24/2023

    Episode 58: Gun Violence (Part 2)

    Special Guest: Jacob J. Tanenbaum. Are guns the best form of self-defense? Should we arm school teachers? In this episode, Aya and Josh continue their debate on gun violence with Jacob, exploring police shootings, the effectiveness of guns compared to other defenses (dogs, cameras, police, Tasers), gun control measures/perspectives in other countries (UK, Israel, Australia, China), guns versus knives, sci-fi/futuristic gun control solutions, school shooter drills, the implications of arming teachers, Josh and Jacob's viral film "Active Shooter," and defending against an oppressive militarized state.

    47 min

  8. 08/04/2023

    Episode 57: Gun Violence (Part 1)

    Special Guest: Jacob J. Tanenbaum. What are the main causes of gun violence? Is it justifiable to infringe on certain rights to ensure greater public safety? In this episode, Aya and Josh are joined by Jacob, Josh's close friend and writing partner, to discuss the epidemic of gun violence in the United States and the critical issues relating to it, including gun control, access to firearms, the difference between active, mass, and school shootings, mental illness, Alex Jones, gun violence in the United States vs. the rest of the world, the influence of violent media (movies, videogames) in connection to gun violence, infamous shootings in the U.S. (Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Stoneman Douglas, Virginia Tech, Uvalde, Buffalo and Vegas shootings), the controversial AR-15, common sense gun laws, self-defense, the Supreme Court, and the role of news media in inspiring copycat killers.

    1h 23m
See All (65)

Trailer

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Aya and Josh have known each other all their lives, but they weren’t always friends. Listen as they get to know each other as adults and explore the ways our thoughts, values, and priorities shift over time.

Information

  • Creator
    Aya and Josh
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aya and Josh
  • Show Website
    Adulthood Friends