The World's #1 Ranked Jewish Podcast! BJJP is your home for deeply candid conversations that illuminate the vast, beautiful, and often unexplored tapestry of Jewish identity, with notable Jews and allies alike. Hosted by award-winning advocate and actor Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and current events, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves.
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In this insightful monologue, Jonah Platt asks why Jews don’t proselytize, and whether that long-standing tradition still benefits the Jewish people today. Judaism offers a rich framework of ritual, purpose, and community, and yet does almost nothing to reach the millions of spiritually searching people who might genuinely thrive within it. Meanwhile, the Jewish population remains remarkably small, and the non-Orthodox community continues to shrink.
Jonah makes the case that Jewish survival in the 21st century requires us to challenge one of our most deeply ingrained assumptions: that Jews should wait for potential converts to find us, rather than actively inviting them in. This isn't about cheapening Judaism. It's about asking whether our silence is a strategy, or just an outdated tradition.
If you’ve ever wondered why Judaism isn’t widespread, this monologue is for you.
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
LIVE From Atlanta: Excerpts from a Concert-sation with Yours Truly!
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 51:46
In this special live episode of Being Jewish, Jonah takes the show on the road to Atlanta for a one-night-only “Concert-Sation” with Neranenah Executive Director and pianist Joe Alterman at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
Blending conversation with live music, Jonah performs a medley of music including a mashup of songs from Broadway, Jonah’s original never-before-heard song “A Tear in the Sky” from his musical adaptation of Lois Lowry’s The Giver, and more!
Jonah discusses the Jewishness of Broadway, how Camp Ramah shaped his Jewish identity and life-long friendships, and becoming more politically active on social media after the 2021 Israel-Gaza violence. He also describes his 2023 Israel trip with the Tel Aviv Institute led by Hen Mazzig in 2023, and his decision to shift his focus from acting toward Jewish advocacy.
This episode has music, laughter, and a deeply personal look at what it means to live your Jewish values out loud.
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
DANCING THROUGH LIFE/AS LONG AS YOUR MINE
04:25 - 9:00
Jonah sings Fiyero’s songs, “Dancing Through Life” & “As Long As Your Mine” from the Broadway musical, Wicked. He played the character on Broadway in 2015.
ADHD AS AN ADULT
13:52 - 15:05
Jonah gets candid about the challenge and the blessing of receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood.
TEAR IN THE SKY
20:16 - 23:59
Jonah sings a now cut song from the musical he is developing with Andrew Resnick.
The False Premise of "Zionist" (Replay)
Season 2
Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 10:18
What does it really mean to call yourself a “Zionist” in today’s world?
In this provocative monologue, Jonah argues that the term “Zionist” is vastly misunderstood and weaponized against the Jewish people. Jonah says we should ditch the term altogether by breaking down why continuing to defend Israel’s “right to exist” is a pointless debate.
Israel already exists. It is the Jewish homeland. It’s not going anywhere. So instead of letting our enemies frame the term Zionism as an evil entity, let’s celebrate the fact that a Jewish state exists.
If you’ve ever been confused by the term “Zionist” and don’t understand how it’s been twisted in the media, this monologue is for you.
Watch the original monologue on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKO_VGnSNhc
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
BEST OF: The Icons, ft Cindy Crawford, Jason Alexander, and Stuart Weitzman
Season 2
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 • Duration 34:31
What does it take to be a true icon?
Stuart Weitzman shares his journey from creating one sketch to building one of today’s most recognizable luxury shoe brands, how Aretha Franklin helped turn him into the “shoemaker to the stars,” and the Jewish values he carries into his philanthropy. He also reflects on what it means to have Jewish pride, and how we can pass it to the next generation.
Cindy Crawford talks about authenticity being the key to true beauty, how she’s embraced raising her children in an interfaith household, why she loves celebrating the Jewish holidays, and her memories from her iconic photoshoot in Israel with IDF soldiers. She also explains why speaking out against antisemitism feels like basic humanity, and reflects on meeting Holocaust survivor Ella Mandel when she did the Borrowed Spotlight project.
Jason Alexander explains how Jewish identity shapes his humor and values, how Seinfeld helped him realize that acting could be a form of service, and how his children discovered their own paths in Judaism. He also reflects on the moment he pushed back on Larry David over a portrayal he felt crossed the line.
Three icons, one shared mission: to use their platforms and icon status for a purpose.
Is it possible to build a bridge between Muslims and Jews?
In this eye-opening monologue, Jonah Platt shares his transformative experience joining a Muslim-Jewish delegation to the annual March of the Living. Jonah visited Auschwitz and Birkenau for the first time, and traveled through Europe with 20 moderate Muslims committed to building bridges with the Jewish world.
Jonah reflects on the emotional weight of walking through the Nazi death camps on Yom HaShoah (Israeli Holocaust Remembrance Day), the visceral reality of seeing Auschwitz in person, and the profound sense of Jewish belonging he felt standing on sacred ground. From a 21-year-old Sufi Sheikh who offered spiritual wisdom, to a brave French Moroccan student who endured antisemitic hate without ever denying her solidarity with the Jewish people, Jonah’s encounters shattered stereotypes, and revealed just how much more unites us than divides us.
Watch the original monologue on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxMJmjzjF-o
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
BEST OF: Comedians, ft Howie Mandel, Tiffany Haddish, Modi Rosenfeld, and Yohay Sponder
Season 2
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 32:27
How do four Jewish comedians find their voice and turn their experiences into comedy?
Howie Mandel shares why the stage is where he feels most calm, present, and in control while navigating mental health struggles. He also opens up about being proud of his Jewish identity despite not being highly observant, saying Kaddish for a year while touring by requiring shows to start after sundown so he could pray with a minyan, and the lessons he learned about tzedakah and helping those in need.
Tiffany Haddish tells us about how comedy literally saved her life. She also talks about her time working as an “energy producer” at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, studying Judaism with Rabbi Susan Silverman, and celebrating her 40th birthday with a Bat Mitzvah alongside the release of her comedy special Black Mitzvah.
Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder explains how performing comedy in English shaped his material about Jewish and Israeli identity, why comedy can communicate what traditional PR cannot, how audiences differ between Israel and the U.S., and why he calls touring his “reserve duty.”
Modi Rosenfeld explains why he considers himself a “Jewish comedian,” reflects on being one of the last Catskills comedians, reaching diverse audiences, and knowing his audience.
Four comedians. Four comedy styles. One common goal: Spread Jewish joy through laughter.
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
00:58 – Howie Mandel
06:50 – Tiffany Haddish
14:33 – Yohay Sponder
22:28 – Modi Rosenfeld
Can You Be Jewish and NOT Believe in God? (Replay)
Season 2
Thursday, August 13, 2026 • Duration 08:34
Can someone deeply connected to Judaism wrestle with God and still belong?
In this contemplative monologue, Jonah explores his lifelong struggle with belief, the nature of G-d, and the tension between faith and doubt. From questioning divine presence to contemplating the vastness of the universe, Jonah examines whether spirituality requires certainty, or if the act of searching is its own form of faith.
If you’ve ever wrestled with your religious beliefs, this monologue is for you.
Watch the original monologue on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLIg93V0qcY
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
BEST OF: Jewish Wisdom, ft Rabbis David Wolpe, Angela Buchdahl, David Lichtenstein, Sharon Brous, and Manis Friedman
Season 2
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 • Duration 45:08
What happens when five rabbis share their Jewish wisdom?
In this special BEST OF: Jewish Wisdom mashup, Rabbis David Wolpe, Angela Buchdahl, David Lichtenstein, Sharon Brous, and Manis Friedman tackle some very Jewish questions about faith, identity, meaning, Israel, and how to make sense of the world around us.
Rabbi David Wolpe explores whether you need to believe in God to be Jewish, why Jewish law evolves, and why Israel remains central to modern Jewish identity. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl challenges exclusion within Judaism and shares how Jewish wisdom, joy, and community can help us face moments of crisis. David Lichtenstein dives into ritual, faith, Torah study, and finding purpose through adversity. Rabbi Sharon Brous unpacks the complicated balance between criticizing Israel, supporting Palestinians, and living up to Jewish moral responsibility. And Rabbi Manis Friedman asks whether our modern anxiety comes from a deeper sense of meaninglessness, and what it means to be “needed” by God.
Five rabbis. Five perspectives. One very big question: What does it actually mean to be Jewish?
MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
00:01:31 — Rabbi David Wolpe
00:09:18 — Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
00:17:11— Dovid Lichtenstein
00:27:15 — Rabbi Sharon Brous
00:36:28 — Rabbi Manis Friedman
The No Good Dirty Z Word (Replay)
Season 2
Thursday, August 6, 2026 • Duration 09:04
What do you do when millions of people have been taught by teachers, influencers, and even professors, that Zionism is a form of evil?
In this searing and personal monologue, Jonah analyzes thousands of hateful messages he’s received to uncover important truths: How millions have been brainwashed to believe Zionism is evil, how social media erases Jewish voices and spreads misinformation about Israel, and why the Jewish community must act now to invest in education, allyship, and cultural resilience.
From understanding the difference between intentional antisemitism and brainwashed ignorance, to explaining how algorithms create false realities and fuel division, Jonah delivers an unflinching look at today's challenges, and offers a path forward for building a stronger Jewish future.
Watch the original monologue on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZAnMb5AMgY
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
"The Floaters”: LIVE from the film’s LA Premiere with star Jackie Tohn & special guests!
Season 2
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 • Duration 40:30
What happens when a movie shoot brings its cast and crew to Jewish summer camp – and then throws bears and lightning into the mix?
Following the Los Angeles premiere of The Floaters at the Laemmle Royal in Santa Monica, Jonah sits down with stars of the film Jackie Tohn, Ben Krieger, Jillian Jordyn, and Bekah Zornosa, alongside producers Shai Korman and Andra Gordon, for a special Being Jewish crossover event filmed in front of a live audience.
The panel gives us a behind the scenes look at the making of The Floaters. They share their personal Jewish experiences that shaped the film, the pleasantly unexpected places they’ve been invited to screen it, and why publicly celebrating Jewish joy is more important than ever. They also reveal what it was really like on set at an actual Jewish summer camp, where the cast and crew became a family, and where encounters with bears, lightning, and other unexpected surprises made the production an adventure of its own.
The conversation, like the film itself, is about Jewish storytelling, community and friendship. In today’s world, movies like The Floaters are exactly what the Jewish people, and the world, need.
Jonah finishes the evening with the Leonard Cohen classic, “Hallelujah”.
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah. www.beingjewishpodcast.com/join-kehillah
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter
For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
Merchandise:
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch
Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
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CREDITS
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee, Jacob Ross, John Jurko, Shot By: Jacob Ross, John Jurko, Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Special Thanks:
Joe Alterman, The Marcus Foundation, Good Foot Productions, Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, Raychel Robbins, Tali Benjamin
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Watch Howie Mandel’s full episode:https://youtu.be/DpncSDHfhGk?si=KiD6pRjUHHRE-tWw
Watch Tiffany Haddish’s full episode:https://youtu.be/5QccpVosg3A?si=r34pBuRIvhCsDi2j
Watch Yohay Sponder’s full episode:https://youtu.be/LaJQSLPoId0?si=aCFLwk2bAKZg8ogo
Watch Modi Rosenfeld’s full episode:https://youtu.be/SjqVNuYnxjg?si=dk5dRusF-BeyHMlV
More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Production Interns: Tatum Rosenblatt, Eden Waldman, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
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