Ashamed to Admit – Details, episodes & analysis

In this one-off interview, TJI's Editor-in-Chief Deborah Stone speaks with Sir Mick Davis and Mike Prashker, founders of The London Initiative—a global network connecting Jewish leaders across the diaspora. They discuss the threat of illiberalism in Israel and what the diaspora's role should be in defending Israeli democracy.

Ashamed to Admit returns in January 2026 with Tami Sussman and a soon-to-be-announced co-host. 

Watch the episode in video: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/reviving-israels-liberal-democracy

Read Sir Mick's address to The Great Synagogue: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/we-must-speak-out-for-a-democratic-fair-peace-seeking-israel

Our editorial: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/israel-decline-democracy-protest

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For this Season 3 finale, their very last episode as co-hosts, Tami and Dash balance the over/undersharing scale by delving into Dash’s secret and scandalous family history. They discover that there’s more than one way to define a “Jewish Family.” 

Ashamed to Admit will continue as a podcast AND a vodcast in 2026 with a new co-host joining Tami in the studio.

Follow TJI on Instagram for more intel. 

Read the full article: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/jewish-ancestry-barnett-family

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Lee Kofman and her family survived Soviet persecution as refuseniks in the 1970s, but nothing could prepare her for what happened when she tried to support fellow Jewish creatives in Australia after October 7th. The acclaimed author and writing teacher created a WhatsApp group (later vilified as 'Zio600') for Jewish artists and academics, only to see the private conversations leaked and members' personal details publicly doxxed. She lost most of her teaching work overnight, but she won't be silenced. Lee caught up with Tami and Dash to discuss the chilling parallels between her childhood in the USSR and today's literary gatekeeping, and why she's channelling her energy into "Ruptured" - a powerful new collection of essays from Australian Jewish women. 

Article related to this conversation:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/reassembling-the-jewish-matryoshka-dolls-in-my-family

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/hate-on-becoming-a-bad-jew

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/australians-love-hearing-about-writers-roots-unless-theyre-israeli

More information about Lee and Ruptured:

https://leekofman.com.au/ruptured/

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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What happens when two passionate Jewish educators decide to reimagine what a Jewish day school could be? Adam Hyman and Eleanor Hasenfratz are bringing a radical new vision to Melbourne's Jewish community with Beit Hillel Community School, set to open in 2026. They caught up with Tami and Dash (both parents of kids in prep) to discuss their vision and why they think Melbourne's Jewish community is ready for this unique model of education. 

Article related to this conversation:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/an-alternative-jewish-school-for-melbourne

More information about the school:

https://beithillelschool.com/

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What does it mean to be a Zionist in 2025? Can diaspora Jews shape Israel's future from afar? Tami and Dash caught up with Romy Zyngier, research scientist, community builder, and head of one of the slates contesting Australian elections at this year's World Zionist Congress.

Learn more: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/once-in-a-generation-chance-to-shape-global-jewish-life 

The Jewish Independent does not endorse the views of or encourage readers to vote for any particular ticket.

Voting remains open until July 27th, requiring just $5 and a few minutes online. Visit this website to find out more. 

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In the aftermath of October 7, Zionism and 'Zionists' have been attacked on university campuses and within progressive circles around the world – sometimes with violent consequences. In this episode, Tami and Dash speak with Adam Kirsch, whose essay in The Jewish Quarterly argues that the Jewish people do not need to defend the term – they need to reclaim it.

Adam Kirsch is an American poet and literary critic. He is on the seminar faculty of Columbia University's Center for American Studies, and has taught at YIVO.

Adam's essay: The Z Word: Reclaiming Zionism

https://jewishquarterly.com/essay/2025/05/the-z-word

Articles discussed in this episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/the-z-word-reclaiming-zionism

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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In this episode of Ashamed to Admit (recorded prior to war breaking out between Israel and Iran) Tami and Dash unpack Lee Kofman’s essay about the phenomenon of Jews being perceived as white; the complexity, nuance and discomfort. Inspired by Tom Ben David’s piece for TJI, Dash reflects on the emotional gymnastics of holding two truths at once, while Tami recounts her surreal stay at Australia’s only kosher hotel. From Judea to St Kilda East, this conversation is full of tension, honesty and some much-needed laughter.

Articles mentioned in today’s episode: 

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/this-and-this-holding-contradictory-truths

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/am-i-white-im-not-sure

Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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This week, in a special episode of ATA, we examine the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Iran expert Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a former detainee of the IRGC, shares her insights on how the Iranian regime is responding to what may be its greatest challenge to power since the 1979 revolution. Dash and Tami also connect with two young Australians currently in Israel to bring listeners firsthand accounts from the ground.

Articles relevant to this episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/israel-v-iran-the-best-analysis

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/iran-v-israel-another-war-without-an-exit-strategy

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/israel-has-two-aims-against-iran-is-either-achievable

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/iran-may-turn-to-international-terror 

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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Does Judaism have a 'shame' problem? In their first-ever live recording of ATA, Tami and Dash joined the annual festival of Jewish ideas and culture at Limmud Oz. In their lively and packed session, Tami posed a question that's been nagging her recently about shame and Judaism.  To get some answers, they were joined by Rabbi Allison Conyer of Temple Beth Israel and Rabbi Ralph Genende of Kehilat Kesher, two rabbis with different perspectives. 

Ahead of his appearance at this year's Limmud Oz, Sydney-based psychotherapist, leadership coach and all-around mensch, Brandon Srot, chats with Tami and Dash about saying sorry, broiges and what he calls the "privilege of a lifetime"

Plus, Brando discusses the challenges of therapy in the world after October 7 and reveals his (not so shameful) shame. 

See Tami & Dash in a LIVE recording of Ashamed to Admit at Limmud Oz Melbourne Sunday, 8 June.

Note on this episode: When asked what he wished clients would do more of, Brando spoke to "putting oneself on the line" and seeing oneself as "part of the traffic," meaning, seeing what it is that one brings to a situation. While he was thinking about interpersonal and relational challenges when answering the question, Brando recognises that his reply can be misunderstood outside of its context and wants to emphatically stress that this may not be relevant to incidents of trauma, abuse, violence or loss. 

Articles relevant to this episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/limmud-oz-program-highlights

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/a-nation-still-enveloped-by-suffocating-trauma

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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