Listen Now

Dig into bloody murders, rioting mothers, anarchist parties and pseudoscience -  everything you never learned in Hebrew school and that your Rabbi still doesn’t want you to know. Dr. Eddy Portnoy, academic advisor for the Max Weinreich Center and exhibition curator at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Dr. Tony Michels, professor of Jewish American History at UW Madison, and Jessica Chaffin, writer, comedian and host of the popular podcast Ask Ronna join up on the Jewish Bizarre Podcast to discuss the strangest corners of Jewish history.  The Jewish Bizarre is produced by Reboot, an arts and culture non-profit that reimagines and reinforces Jewish thought and traditions. As a premier research and development platform for the Jewish world, Reboot catalyzes its network of preeminent creators, artists, entrepreneurs and activists to produce experiences and products that evolve the Jewish conversation and transform society. This podcast is supported by a generous grant from the Covenant Foundation.  Learn more about Reboot and get involved: ▼Website: https://rebooting.com/  ▼Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebootjewish/ ▼Twitter: https://twitter.com/reboot ▼Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rebooters/ ▼TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rebooters  ▼Newsletter: https://rebooting.com/get-involved/ ▼YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rebootjewish 

The NY Times' "Media Equation" columnist weighs in on how cable news might blow Election Night, tech platforms' hopeless hunt for "fairness," and Trump's next move if he, y'know, loses.

After five months quarantined in Sydney, the Daily Show correspondent reports on returning to NYC, why Australia kicked our corona response ass, and what Chinese New Year can teach Rosh Hashana.  (It's dragons. The answer is dragons.)

How is the pandemic changing us? Institute for the Future exec director Marina Gorbis on how to tell short-term trends from long-term shifts, using stories to shape what's coming, and why you'll be spending much less time at the dermatologist's office. 

The LA-based, nationally recognized rabbi talks about what to do when your society is having five crises at once, why the pulpit is for politics, and hot '90s kiddush seduction techniques.

Nah, but: The New Jersey senator talks Kamala's ascent, the future of the racial justice movement, and which medical procedure most resembles getting vetted for the vice presidency.

Two creators, one Black and one white, of a biting new BLM video – inspired by Frederick Douglass's best-known speech and performed by Daveed Diggs – discuss their collaboration, how an 1852 speech matters so much right now, and why "white privilege" doesn't go far enough.

NBC News' Jacob Soboroff on his new book Separated, the story of the Trump Administration's disastrous child-separation immigration policy – and how it relates directly to their disastrous Covid public-health policy.

Multi-talented comedian Nick Kroll on animation's pandemic immunity, how Netflix made the world ready for Jewish-teen jack-off jokes, and why his brother-in-law Roger won't return Steve's calls.

Atlanta-based epidemiologist Karen Levy says Covid’s second wave is a question of when, not if – and Georgia’s “premature” reopening isn’t helping. 

Voting Rights Lab co-founder Brina Milikowsky is making sure you don't have to risk getting 'rona just to vote this fall. To learn more about how states are adapting their election systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic visit https://www.votingrightslab.org/ 

Comedian Jessi Klein (Inside Amy Schumer, Big Mouth) balances writing, voiceovers, a Springsteen-mad preschooler and assessing which governors can "get it".

The star and co-creator of HBO's High Maintenance is in his sweet spot: "existential wandering through unstructured days."

Celebrated chef Jessica Koslow retooled her Silver Lake flagship Sqirl to serve free meals to unemployed restaurant workers. And she's still looking for the perfect matzo brei.

NYC-based historian Annie Polland hits the archives for lessons from the 1918 pandemic

Best-selling author A.J. Jacobs talks about the art of not shaking hands, Zoom lunch techniques, and the importance of pandemic thank-you notes.