Being Jewish with Jonah Platt – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

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Melinda Strauss is a modern Orthodox Jewish influencer and food blogger who passionately believes that Jewish joy is resistance and Jewish presence is power. Her digital journey began with a singular mission: to share, educate and enlighten others about the richness of Orthodox Jewish life. Feeling consistently misrepresented and misunderstood, Melinda took it upon herself to authentically showcase Orthodox Jewish identity to the world.

What started with kosher recipe videos quickly grew into a powerful platform that highlights Jewish traditions, such as putting on Tefillin or wearing a Yarmulke. Her content has been met with some hate - but more curiosity and compassion. Today, Melinda Strauss is a vocal advocate for Jewish people, using her voice to increase visibility, fight anti-Jewish bigotry and celebrate Jewish heritage and culture globally — and she’s only just getting started.

In this conversation with Jonah, Melinda discusses:

The current climate and safety concerns facing the global Jewish community
Melinda’s upcoming kosher cookbook Eat Jewish: 100 Recipes That Blend Jewish Heritage, Modern Flavors and Family Traditions
Her personal journey living with Type 1 Diabetes
Her nuanced thoughts on certain Jewish laws, including The Get
The rich, diverse, and evolving tapestry of Orthodox Jewish identity

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Host & Production Team

Host/Creator: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Sean Leviashvili); Editor: Kai Patterson; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell

More Melinda Strauss

Mentioned in Episode

A New Segment! & “Jews Don’t Count” with British comedian David Baddiel

Episode 38

mardi 17 juin 2025 • Duration 01:11:57

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David Baddiel — comedian, author, public intellectual, and the UK’s most outspoken Jewish voice — joins Jonah to unpack the core ideas behind his groundbreaking book Jews Don’t Count. With his characteristic wit and unflinching eye for truth, Baddiel deconstructs contemporary anti-Jew racism, explaining how it functions, its origins, why it persists in “progressive” spaces, how it’s different from traditional antisemitism, and why Jews are so often excluded from conversations about representation, identity, and minority status.

💬 Topics include:

The double standards in how antisemitism is treated compared to other forms of racism
Baddiel’s confusing Jewish upbringing and identity struggles
His family’s escape from Nazi Germany and his grandfather’s unjust internment on the Isle of Man
Antisemitism in UK football culture
What it means to be a “Non-Zionist”
Baddiel’s atheist yearning for divine comfort aka The God Desire
His podcast with Muslim politician Sayeeda Warsi: A Jew and a Muslim Go There 🎧
And why “Jews don’t count” as a minority when it comes to media representation on shows like Friends and Seinfeld 📺

This is a must-watch conversation for anyone interested in understanding contemporary antisemitism, generational trauma, and the challenges of fighting anti-Jew racism in today’s complex “woke” climate.

Like, subscribe, and share to help us keep these important conversations going.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

Jewish Women & Auburn Basketball Head Coach Bruce Pearl

Episode 37

mardi 10 juin 2025 • Duration 01:01:26

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Jonah@JonahPlatt.com

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Auburn Men's Basketball head coach Bruce Pearl joins Jonah for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about life, leadership, and faith, only a few weeks after leading Auburn to their second NCAA Final Four. A legendary figure in college basketball, Coach Pearl opens up about his Jewish heritage, his decision to speak up for the Israeli hostages in the middle of the NCAA March Madness Tournament, his ideas for the Middle East post-Gaza/Israel war, and his mission to build bridges between different communities of faith around the world.

🎙️ Other topics include:

The Jewish Evangelical Christian Alliance
Interfaith marriage
The truth about Palestine and Qatar
Real-World coaching scenarios
Being a Jewish coach in Alabama
What’s broken in American Jewish education

Whether you're passionate about sports, Judaism, or geopolitics, this episode offers a rare and inspiring look at the intersection of athletics, identity, and advocacy.

Host & Production Team

Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb

MENTIONED IN EPISODE

Darwin’s Finches and “Call Me By Your Name” author André Aciman

Episode 36

mardi 3 juin 2025 • Duration 01:05:41

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Jonah@JonahPlatt.com

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Instagram - @JonahPlatt