Pray For Us

After five seasons, Jacey and Jess sit down for the last episode of Pray for Us (for now). We might be back for some special episodes in the future, but won't be posting regularly anymore. Thank you to all of the amazing, hilarious, and insightful guests who opened up about the role religion plays in their lives. And a special thank you to everyone who listened to the show week after week! 

Comedian, actor, and writer Rachel Pegram shares the story of how she got her name and talks about what it was like going to private Catholic school in Dallas, Texas. Plus she gives her recommendation for the best Olive Garden location in the United States! 

Ben Cahn, co-host of the wildly successful podcast Trillionaire Mindset, chats with Jacey and Jess about Israel, Twitter, and nuance. Plus, he shares some hot tips about investing and understanding finance. 

Renaissance woman Mary Beth Barone reflects on what it was like to grow up in a Christian and (politically) conservative household even though she's now very liberal and not very religious at all. 

Actor and writer Mike Liebenson talks about how he was confirmed in the Unitarian Universalist Church because his parents couldn't find a synagogue they liked, getting slapped by a girl at theater camp, and his love of Passover.

After a longer than intended hiatus, Jacey and Jess are back for the fifth season of Pray for Us. The gals spend some time covering what they've been up to between seasons. Plus they discuss how their feelings about religion have shifted and vent about the lack of separation between church and state. 

The Pray for Us ladies are back for Season 5! In the first episode of the season, comedian and host of the hilarious "How Cum? Pod" Remy Kassimir opens up about her relationship with Judaism, her first orgasm, and how she learned that pleasuring a woman is a double mitzvah.

Comedian Sydney Steinberg and Funny or Die exec Lizzie Potolsky talk about their very different Jewish upbringings and their budding friendship. Sydney is a San Diego native who went to Jewish day school and Lizzie is a New Yorker who didn't have a bat mitzvah, now they both live in LA are revisiting what it religion means to them as adults.

Comedian and co-host of Sounds Like a Cult, Isa Medina, explains how religions can be like cults and how cults can be like religions. Plus she shares her own story of immigrating from Colombia to Virginia as a child and being raised Catholic.

Hosts of The Forward's advice podcast A Bintel Brief, Ginna Green and Lynn Harris talk about how religion influences the decisions they make and who they go to when they need a second opinion.

Standup comedian and TV writer Garrick Bernard, who works on shows like Solar Opposites and Lower Decks explains what a Seventh-Day Adventist is and why he's not one anymore.

Saturday Night Live director and Funny or Die alum Adriana Robles sits down to talk about working at a women's pregnancy center in Ocala, Florida as a teenager, reading daily devotionals with her family, and ultimately turning to comedy as an adult.

Host of KTP the podcast Dina Bahar reflects on her childhood in Jakarta where she was raised by a Muslim mom and a Catholic dad who converted to Islam--she talks about going to a Muslim school, moving to the United States for college, marrying a man of a different faith, and adapting religion to fit into her modern life.

Current Atheist, former Christian, and comedy writer Hunter Toro walks us through her experience as a hard core Jesus girl in high school and college where she was part of a fundamentalist church. She talks about speaking in tongues, being saved, getting engaged, and whole bunch of other wild stuff. 

Advertising producer Shannon Dow explains how she went from being raised by born again Christian parents in Burbank, to attending Catholic boarding school in Ojai, and then came back to LA where she abandoned religion all together (well, for the most part).

Reverend Lisa Yebuah talks about her work as a pastor, the concept of being culturally homeless, code switching, and her experience navigating predominantly white spaces in religion.

Actress, TikToker, and comedian Hannah Pilkes is converting to Judaism. She's telling us all about her journey starting with growing up in a non-religious household, then going to Jewish school in New York City, and ending up with a nice Jewish boy who she's going to marry! Hannah also fills us on her fairytale fantasy wedding plans which include gnomes, mushrooms, and the Horah.

Comedian and podcaster Megan Gailey takes the girls to school and educates them on the Troubles (aka the Northern Ireland Conflict). She also explains what it was like growing up in an Irish family in Indiana with Catholic and Protestant parents who managed to keep the peace despite hundreds of years of unrest between their ancestors.

Comedian, poet, singer, writer, actress, and host of the podcast Seek Treatment shares what it was like being raised in an interfaith family in Texas who mostly observed Catholicism and growing up to embrace her Jewishness. Cat also talks about her lunch order from Joe and the Juice (inspired by Sarah Jessica Parker), her Jewish lover, ~the~ theater, and how she's been spending her time during the pandemic.

Currently retired standup comedian and creator of Sunday Morning Digital Richie Doyle (who is famously Catholic) explains how he wants to raise his unborn children, talks about his views on Scientology, and shares some stories about spending Easter at the Ivy with Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Mother daughter duo Tori and Lulu Piskin talk about their relationship, living in New York City, creating their podcast Got it From my Mama together, getting blocked by Lisa Rinna, and Sebastian Maniscalco's Jewish wife.

Writer, comedian, DJ, and activist Mamoudou N'diaye gives us the deets on growing up between Ohio and Mauritania, being the only Muslim kid in town, embracing life in New York, and figuring out how to fit Islam into his life as an adult.

Rabbi Caryn Aviv clarifies what the Torah says about sexuality and gender, explains code switching in terms of religion, and helps provide some understanding about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Jacey and Jess chat one on one to update everyone on some changes coming to the pod. The ladies are going to keep doing the same old stuff you love, but are making some updates so that the show will be even better! Plus, Jess raves about the benefits of water and Jacey complains about life being expensive. 

If there's anyone you'd like to have on the pod, drop us a line prayforuspod@gmail.com or message us @prayforuspod on Instagram. 

Jess' sisters Mya and Tera sit down for a rare interview where they talk about their Jewish childhood in Arizona, sleep-away camp, dating, holidays, and having Christian envy.

Writer, YouTuber, and podcaster Gaby Dunn reflects on her childhood in Florida where she attended Jewish Day School, stayed in the closet, and then ultimately came into her own as an adult after going to college, coming out, and moving away to California. She also chats about tattoos, dating, and getting back in touch with religion.

Comedian Noah Gardenswartz (and husband of Pray for Us alum Esther Steinberg Gardenswartz) shares what it's like writing on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and talks about how his relationship with Judaism has evolved from being a kid in Denver, to becoming a new father.

Jacey's younger brother Evan fits the gals in between zoom classes at Syracuse, a remote internship, and recording his podcast As Good as it Nets to share what it's like being a nice Jewish boy at college in the middle of a pandemic.

Actress, host, and writer Ali Weiss talks about depression, growing up in Greenwich Village, moving to Brooklyn in your 20s, privilege, and her podcast Health is Hell on this episode of the pod! 

New mom, newlywed, and seasoned comic Ester Steinberg Gardenswartz talks about performing a Matisyahu cover at her son's virtual bris, growing up in Tampa, having an excessively Jewish last name, and her new comedy special Burning Bush. 

Don't forget to order a challah from challahdolly.com and use the code "prayforus" at checkout for an 18% discount. 

Antisemitism professor and Editor in Chief of the cultural and political journal Protocols, Ben Ratskoff, talks to the ladies about conspiracy theories, how anti-Semitism is different than racism, and the best bagel in LA.

Comedian Mo Mandel gabs with the gals about growing up in a town of 700 people, going to high holiday services in a church, getting married to a nice Jewish doctor during the pandemic, and the state of stand up.

Multihyphenate Caroline Goldfarb, who's known for creating the viral Instagram account @OfficialSeanPenn, co-hosting the podcast Glowing Up, writing on shows like The Late Late Show, AND co-founding the tinned seafood company Fish Wife, joins the ladies this week. She talks about being a Persian Jew, growing up in LA, and the joys of getting free shit.

Friend of the show, writer, and comedian Annie Segal zooms with the gals to discuss what it was like being closeted at an all girls sleep-away camp, Greek life, and coming into her own in the City of Angels.

Friends, roommates, comedians, writers, co-hosts of the podcast KEEPING RECORDS and lovers (jk they're not) Caleb Hearon and Shelby Wolstein talk about becoming the best of friends despite growing up with different faiths.

Comedian, podcast host, and nice Jewish guy Jared Freid joins the ladies to share his thoughts on interfaith relationships, dating apps, and other matters of the heart.

The gals chat with second time guest (first time returning guest) Rom Bokobza about how to survive the holiday season (aka the Christmas season) as Jews.

Celebrity makeup artist and co-host of the podcast "The Makedown" Jamie Greenberg gabs with the girls about having the coolest job ever, plastic surgery, over the top bat mitzvahs, and her son's star studded bris.

Comedian and cohost of the brand new podcast "That's Messed Up," Liza Treyger talks to Jacey and Jess about moving to America from Russia on religious asylum, growing up in Skokie, IL, being a counselor at fat camp, and her early careeer aspirations of becoming a PE teacher before she gave it all up to become a stand up (thank God).

Writer and director, Emma Seligman, talks about her upcoming debut film, Shiva Baby - about a queer, Jewish millennial who has an unfortunate run in with her sugar daddy at the worst place, at the worst time.

Writer, Editor, Instagram King, Sarah Michelle Gellar historian, and icon in the making Evan Ross Katz talks about coming into his Jewish identity in his late twenties, growing up in suburban Pittsburgh, and of course, the Real Housewives.

Chef, recipe developer, and cookbook author Jake Cohen talks about his passion for food, the nuances between different types of Jewish cuisine, and the benefits of giving up alcohol in favor of eating whatever you want (and smoking lots of weed).

Jacey and Jess are joined by Caitlin Reilly, aka the best thing to come out of quarantine, to talk about her breakout success, going to to private Catholic school, and WASP culture.

Tik Tok Rabbi, Rabbi Sandra Lawson joins Jess and Jacey to talk about diversity within Judaism and shares her experience of joining the Reconstructionist movement.

Actor and host of the podcast The Study, Raviv Ullman shares what it was like living on a kibbutz in Israel, becoming the star of a Disney show, changing his name (twice), and coming to terms with his Jewish identity as an adult.

Comedians Ariana Basseri and Rob Fee sit down with Jess and Jacey to talk about how they make their relationship work despite being raised in different religions. Ariana's mom is Jewish and her Dad Muslim--Rob was a youth pastor so there's a lot to unpack.

Writer, actress, and comedian Abby Feldman teaches Jacey and Jess about the connection between meditation and prayer, in turn inspiring them to maybe, possibly, try to meditate for more than 10 minutes a day.

Comedian and writer Lizzy Cooperman zooms with Jacey and Jess in their first episode during the pandemic with a guest. Lizzy shares her experiences studying Kabbalah, laments about the death of the queen of social justice Jewish warriors, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and talks about growing up in Minnesota.