Over the past decade, I’ve become obsessed with podcasts. Whenever I’m cleaning, cooking, shopping, showering, driving or walking, I’m listening to one.
Earlier this year, I rounded up my favorite podcasts that focus on Israel or some aspect of Judaism. I also asked readers to suggest more. I heard from 15 people with dozens of suggestions.
Some readers were quite surprised that I had excluded so many fantastic podcasts. But I promise that my podcast list has grown organically over the years and that, even now, it is anything but comprehensive.
After several months of test-listening readers’ suggestions, I’ve added six more podcasts to my playlist.
At this point, I’m saturated and barely have time to listen to audiobooks. So I declare myself done in my quest for more podcasts.
The podcast that J. readers recommended most frequently to me is the homegrown “Jew Oughta Know,” which taps into Jewish and Israeli history. Bay Area host Jason Harris, who has released nearly 200 episodes over the past decade, has a lot of loyal fans in the Bay Area.
The seed for his podcast grew from leading 14 Birthright Israel trips and realizing how many questions young Jewish adults had about their own people’s history and narrative, including about modern-day Israel.
The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and ensuing war shifted his podcast’s focus to current events, and the most recent season concluded when the final living hostages were released from Gaza in October. Harris is currently wrapping up a book on Zionist history.
I’m thrilled to share my updated podcast list. I highly recommend each one.
You can listen to the latest episodes of all these podcasts, excluding the paid one, on Spotify (or, as they say, on your favorite podcast platform).
Israel
NEW “Jew Oughta Know”: Bay Area podcaster Jason Harris plunges into Jewish and Israeli history. Each of its eight seasons tackles a different era or topic. The season that drew my interest immediately was “Unsolved Jewish Mysteries.” Who can resist learning more about the Second Temple’s long-lost menorah or Christopher Columbus’ possible Jewish identity? Not me. A local fave.
NEW “The Times of Israel Daily Briefing”: This roundup of news from Israel and the Jewish world is fair and thorough. Neither right wing nor left wing, the podcast comes from the Jerusalem-based news site launched in 2012. Essential daily listening.
NEW “Unpacking Israeli History”: Self-described history nerd Noam Weissman sifts through layers of ancient and modern Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He’s not afraid to touch on ugly, controversial subjects. My recent favorites traversed the kibbutz movement and Masada’s role in modern Israeli history. And a one-on-one interview with Nuseir Yassin, an Israeli Palestinian known as Nas Daily on social media, filled me with hope for the future. Well-paced and entertaining.
“Unholy: Two Jews on the News”: Two journalists — Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi and the Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland — discuss current events in Israel and across the diaspora. Their banter is delightful, and their ability to respectfully disagree with each other should be a model for us all. A longtime fave.
“Call Me Back with Dan Senor”: Best known as the co-author of “Start-up Nation,” Senor dives deep into Israeli politics and security. He’s politically conservative, but his two main sidekicks are prominent Israeli journalists from the left and the right. A fantastic listen.
“Inside Call Me Back”: Podcasters are always trying to get you to pay for extra content. Senor’s “insider” podcast is the only one I’ve ever signed up for. Totally worth it.
“What’s Your Number?”: Examines Israel’s economy, especially the tech industry. Not surprisingly, AI has become a big topic. J. wrote about this podcast last year when it was just kicking off. Its Silicon Valley-based co-host left this spring, but the episodes remain topical and smart.
“For Heaven’s Sake”: Writer Yossi Klein Halevi and Rabbi Donniel Hartman of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a liberal-leaning think tank/education center based in Jerusalem, discuss current events in Israel and for Jews worldwide. The podcast comes from the perspective of two North Americans who made aliyah several decades back and have become community leaders in Israel. I find it invaluable.
Haaretz: This podcast from Israel’s oldest daily newspaper offers left-leaning and often extremely critical examination of the Israeli government, especially in terms of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sometimes it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but I know I need to listen.
Torah
“Pardes From Jerusalem”: Commentary on the weekly Torah portion from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem’s egalitarian yeshiva for adult learners. Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield, the host, is affable and brings in a different, insightful commentator every week. Joyful and introspective.
“The Rabbi Sacks Legacy”: Commentary on the weekly Torah portion from the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who served as chief rabbi of U.K.’s Orthodox community. Short weekly episodes — about 10 minutes long — feature recordings from this brilliant spiritual leader and thinker.
Ikar: The experimental, egalitarian yet traditional congregation in L.A. called Ikar releases its weekly sermons, as well as talks and other study sessions, as a podcast. Senior Rabbi Sharon Brous is soulful and passionate and isn’t afraid to voice her sometimes highly controversial opinions.
“Matan: One on One Parsha Podcast”: Matan, a women’s institute for Torah study in Jerusalem, unpacks the weekly Haftarah reading, a refreshing twist since most weekly commentaries reflect exclusively on the Torah portion. It’s a great way to learn more about other parts of the Hebrew Bible.
Community
NEW “Nightengale of Iran”: This six-episode series (with 11 bonus episodes so far) weaves the story of Younes Dardashti, a Jew who became a nationally recognized singer in Iran starting in the 1940s. His granddaughters created the podcast after discovering hundreds of audiotapes in their parents’ basement that included recordings of Dardashti’s captivating voice. A mesmerizing and very personal story.
NEW “Identity Crisis”: Yehuda Kurtzer, who is president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, conducts nuanced, substantive interviews with Jewish movers and shakers. His voice and tone are remarkably similar to those of New York Times podcaster Ezra Klein — at least to me. His podcast makes me think.
NEW “Adventures in Jewish Studies”: I’ve often wondered about what’s happening in Jewish studies departments. This podcast from the Association of Jewish Studies plucks topics such as Yiddish popular fiction, medieval antisemitism, and Jews in the American Revolution, exploring them in ways that are accessible to non-academics. A pretentious-free education.
“Such a Match!”: J. senior reporter Emma Goss shares love stories from couples, mostly who met through our personals back in the day. The eight episodes were released last year. It’s absolutely worth a listen if you haven’t already. Sweet, delightful and a terrific change of pace.
“Chutzpod!”: Rabbi Shira Stutman and journalist Hanna Rosin offer their advice on touchy topics, such as how an alcoholic handles the seder or how families deal with relatives who have turned against Israel. It’s like listening to two cool, wise Jewish friends who are getting together for coffee.
“Chochmat Nashim: Women Talk Judaism”: Two Israelis who have long fought for women’s rights within the Orthodox community, especially around marriage and divorce, discuss current events and activism. Among the topics that have surprised and concerned me is the erasure of women’s images in ultra-Orthodox publications and advertisements.
“Here I Am”: Former Columbia professor turned Zionist activist Shai Davidai interviews a wide range of Jews and allies. A recent, eye-opening episode featured a Shalom Dykes co-founder, who was pushed out of other LGBTQ spaces amid growing anti-Zionism since Oct. 7, 2023.
“Being Jewish with Jonah Platt”: This American actor and Jewish advocate explores identity, culture, politics and pride by interviewing prominent Jews and allies. Platt is whip-smart, humorous and dedicated to changing the future. In a recent episode, actor and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik of “Big Bang Theory” fame discussed the pressures of facing intense hate, both online and in person.