People Jew Wanna Know

This episode features a fascinating interview with Professor Ada Taggar-Cohen who founded the only Jewish Studies program in Japan at Doshisha University in Kyoto. Margarita and Ada discuss being Jewish in Japan, her research, and her perspective on the Torah. The episode takes and interesting turn when Ada and Margarita discuss - Is what's written in the Torah unique to the Jews? Was Masada really heroic? What's the deal with the Messiah?

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

03:55 Who is Professor Ada Taggar-Cohen?

05:51 How did Ada decide to move to Japan?

07:45 Ada's research - "we have to look at the Torah as an edited text"

09:21 The connection of Zionism to the Hebrew Bible

10:01 The Torah is rooted in the heritage of the Near East - what does this mean?

11:48 Comparison of Hittite texts to the Torah

15:01 On the evolution of Judaism - the ability to choose

15:58 On living in "Temple Times" when the Messiah comes - it's a matter of personal belief

17:19 "The Messiah will come, but not in my times"

19:03 On Holocaust survivors

19:50 Margarita's takes - Messianic Judaism? Modern interpretation of the Torah? What's what?

23:48 Margarita's takes - Heroes of the Holocaust, Masada, & do we have an obligation to fight back?

28:04 On assimilating in Japan as an Israeli person

30:00 The Japanese treat everyone as foreigners - doesn't matter if you are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, etc.

30:38 On the Jewish community in Japan - "there is no antisemitism in Japan"

32:10 The Japanese are pacifists - they have a hard time wrapping their mind around the Hamas/Israel war

33:09 The Japanese are fascinated with the Jewish people

34:03 What is it like teaching Japanese students Jewish Studies?

36:41 Ada's class on Jewish women - who is an inspiring Jewish woman? Guest Nomination

40:18 Closing Remarks

You asked, we answered! Margarita brings on Kosha Dillz! Kosha Dillz is an Israeli-American rapper. While Kosha has been rapping since he was 17, he has gained immense popularity after October 7th. Kosha and Margarita discuss his music, his videos, and his experience of everything post October 7th.

Follow Kosha Dillz on Instagram and TikTok @koshadillz and check out his website koshadillzworld.com . His music is available on all platforms, and you can catch him on seasons 18-20 on MTV's Wild 'N Out!

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:34 Who is Kosha Dillz aka Rami Even-Esh?

05:20 On Kosh's ability to grab the room no matter how big or small

07:54 What has Kosha learned from interviewing people on the streets about Israel?

11:40 How did Kosha Dillz come about? On the evolving persona, music & work post October 7th

18:04 What does Kosha Dillz want young Jewish people to hear? Mental health, exhaustion, disunity

21:37 On Kosha Dillz's last trip to Israel, performing for soldiers

24:57 On Operation Iron Swords being one of the longest in Israel's history and Kosh's apolitical philosophy

29:17 The volume of things Kosha Dillz sees & hasn't released

31:22 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

This episode has been released ahead of schedule in light of major news happening on Columbia University's campus that involve Shai Davidai. Shai is a professor at Columbia Business School who went viral after October 7th when he criticized Columbia's lack of action to protect Jewish students. Currently, Shai has become a popular activist condemning the massive antisemitism on Columbia's campus and extending support and encouragement to Jewish students. Just days after this episode was recorded, Shai's ID was deactivated by Columbia, prohibiting him from entering Columbia's main campus.

In this episode, Shai discusses his current feelings on what's going on at Columbia, where he thinks things are headed, and offers words of encouragement to Jewish people.

For latest news on Shai Davidai, follow him on Instagram and X - @shaidavidai

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

03:18 What's the latest for Shai Davidai?

08:11 On Jewish professors having different experiences at Columbia with antisemitism and protests

10:54 Is there any hope for antisemitic college campuses?

17:33 How is Shai's relationship with his students?

23:09 Shai's take as he studies human behavior - what is happening to people right now?

29:04 What's our obligation as Jewish people?

36:23 Words of encouragement for Jewish people

39:17 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Host Margarita Lyadova is back with a solo episode to reflect on her first 90 days of running People Jew Wanna Know Podcast! This episode is short and sweet, but gives you the inside scoop on Margarita's unique podcasting process, her best and worst feedback from the pod, and her most surprising takeaways from meeting various guests.

If you liked this solo episode and want more, send us a message on Instagram @peoplejewwannaknow to let us know, and please rate us 5 stars. :)

Surprise! Margarita has released her Tight 5 stand-up comedy set! If you hate dealing with annoying customer service and bossy flight attendants, you will love this.

Follow @peoplejewwannaknow and @marge_simpson on Instagram to stay up to date on all the things.

Viral TikToker, Talia Lichtstein, joins People Jew Wanna Know Podcast to discuss being a viral creator, antisemitism, Jewish camp, and much more. Talia has over 1.6 million TikTok followers. She gives us the good, the bad, and the ugly, sharing exactly what ensued when she condemned antisemitism and expressed support for Israel on October 7th. Expect the unexpected with this episode, but also expect to laugh; Talia has an AMAZING sense of humor.

Follow Talia on TikTok and Instagram @talialichtstein and check out her podcast, Basic Training, wherever you get your podcasts.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

01:56 What has Talia been up to post October 7th?

03:27 What is up w/TikTok? Talia discusses posting about antisemitism online

05:03 "I could not have chosen a worse place to build my career"

07:29 On feeling exhausted, hopeless, & disappointed in Talia's TikTok audience

09:47 How Talia's Jewish upbringing influenced her online persona

12:30 On Jewish camp

17:21 A message to young Jewish people

20:00 The responsibility to be a proud Jew

21:29 How has Talia's position on Israel influenced her relationships with other TikTokers?

28:02 On Jews losing the "PR crisis"

31:01 Margarita's experience discussing Israel in the corporate workplace

33:19 Discussing Talia's podcast - Basic Training

35:55 Any questions on Basic Training that have stumped Talia?

39:23 What would Talia tell her younger self?

41:23 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

In this episode, Margarita interviews behavioral economist and writer- Dan Ariely. Dan is an icon in the behavioral economics field, and has written well-known books such as Predictably Irrational, The Honest Truth About Dishonesty, and Misbelief.

We get front row seats to learn about Dan's work helping rehabilitate the Israeli and Jewish communities post-October 7th. Dan discusses his concerns over behavioral phenomena we're seeing in society today, and leaves us with powerful advice on how to navigate times of high stress and ambiguity.

Follow Dan Ariely and purchase his books at danariely.com

Listen to his podcast, The Upside of Down, wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch "The Irrational" based on Dan Ariely's life & books on NBC and Hulu.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

04:35 Dan's take on the current state of the world & the current state of Jewish people

07:13 Dan's work post-October 7th: PTSD, vulnerable youth, helping Israeli society recover

13:40 The evolution of Dan's work & being an applied scientist

15:00 Misbelief - Dan's research, book, & a discussion on resilience

19:57 Dan's concern with the rise of antisemitism

22:32 The Jewish value of critical thinking & challenging existing beliefs

24:53 What can be done to debias people?

33:17 On the value of the behavioral science curriculum

34:28 TV show based on Dan - The Irrational

39:12 What is Dan optimistic about?

43:41 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Margarita interviews Tamara Eidelman, a viral Russian historian and Youtuber known for deep support of Ukraine. Tamara has left Russia and is currently in Europe. In this episode, Margarita and Tamara discuss the war in Ukraine, Tamara's work and her Jewish identity. In this deep conversation, Tamara delves into the themes of humanity, guilt, responsibility, and even souls.

See Tamara speak live by attending one of her lectures in Russian while she is on her North American tour. More details here: https://eidelman.ru/

Subscribe to Tamara on Youtube @TamaraEidelmanHistory and on Instagram @tamaraeidelman

What We Discuss:

00:00

02:17 Who is Tamara Eidelman? From teacher to Youtuber

05:41 Tamara's North American tour & her iconic lecture on guilt & responsibility

09:25 On audience members & their commentary during Tamara's lectures

13:39 20 Days in Mariupol & on Margarita being from Donetsk

15:14 What's going to happen to Ukraine? The consequences of prolonged war on people's minds

18:35 Are there any historical principles we can follow?

20:27 On Tamara's Jewish identity

21:55 Tamara's Youtube channel - on strong viewpoints from her audience & sentiment of political alertness

24:38 Tough Jews - Jewish gangsters

25:53 Why does Tamara say her Jewish upbringing wasn't strong?

27:33 Tamara's thoughts on Israel

29:17 On Russian-speaking Jews & more on Donetsk

32:42 What's keeping Tamara up at night & why?

33:00 Tamara's experience leaving Russia

36:52 What is Tamara optimistic about & why?

37:43 Closing Remarks

Margarita interviews entrepreneur and friend - Danielle Eisenberg. Danielle is the founder of Oosh, a company selling curated boxes of items from Israel. Danielle also founded BachPlace - a bachelorette planning tool and marketplace. In this episode, they discuss Danielle's career journey and her experience running 2 companies. Additionally, they talk at length about Danielle currently living in Israel, and her itrek mission back in December 2023. They end on a lighthearted note laughing about alternate podcast names that were considered before Margarita landed on "People Jew Wanna Know."

Purchase your Oosh box at ooshbox.com . Follow @oosh.box and @danielle.oosh to keep up with Danielle and her work.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

01:65 Danielle's story of entrepreneurship & love for Israel

04:46 What's in the Oosh Boxes?

06:09 December 2023 itrek mission to Israel - speaking to Nova survivors & seeing Kibbutz Re'im

11:12 On living in Israel post October 7th

13:23 BachPlace - the bachelorette planning tool & marketplace

15:21 What's the wildest party BachPlace has planned? And how many has BachPlace planned?

16:28 The out of control wedding industry in the US

21:20 How long has Danielle been running BachPlace?

22:23 Pat On The Back List

23:35 On resilience

24:43 A priceless piece of advice from Danielle

31:23 How to learn about Oosh and where did the name for the company come from?

34:10 Alternate names Margarita had considered for the podcast before landing on People Jew Wanna Know

36:07 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

In this episode, Margarita interviews Harper Spero - business coach, community builder, and storyteller. Harper created Made Visible, a podcast and Storytellers Workshop that helps individuals with invisible illnesses find their voice. Margarita and Harper discuss invisible illness and how it affects people in the workplace. In this eye-opening conversation, Harper talks about her experience and how to empower others to advocate for themselves at work. She also talks about how she single-handedly raised $40,000 for Israel. Harper's inspiring story is the embodiment of "if there's a will, there's a way."

Learn more about Harper on harperspero.com , and follow her on Instagram @harper_spero. Check out her podcast, Made Visible, wherever you listen to podcasts.

DONATE HERE: https://secured.israelgives.org/en/pay/MerhavMarpe

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:31 Harper's journey with invisible illness & how it shaped her career

07:23 On becoming an entrepreneur

09:45 Working from home vs. Return To Office

10:36 What is invisible illness & how does it impact people in the workplace?

14:18 Changing expectations on work-life balance & Family and Medical Leave Act consequences

19:46 On living in Israel during October 7th & returning to NYC, seeing the antisemitism

29:50 How Harper raised $40,000 for Israel

38:15 One piece of advice on finding purpose in the workplace

42:33 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

In this episode, Margarita interviews Morgan Raum - the NYC born & raised content creator behind the @tooomuchfoood account. Morgan shares her story and discusses her experience being an openly Jewish content creator post-October 7th. Morgan also talks about her experience as the former Head of Membership at Lox Club, the members-only Jewish dating app, and shares her new project - Shabbat Club in NYC.

Follow Morgan on Instagram @tooomuchfoood and @shabbatclub. On TikTok, you can find her @morgan.raum

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

01:32 On Morgan's background & @tooomuchfoood

02:38 Being a viral content creator post October 7th

06:07 Words of encouragement for young Jewish people & content creators

06:55 Most rewarding part of being a food content creator

07:31 On Lox Club & Shabbat Club

12:02 On the changing Jewish events scene in NYC

15:52 How does Morgan choose her restaurants to visit?

17:56 Top 5 Penne Alla Vodka in NYC

18:54 On Morgan's online persona vs. who she is outside of social media

21:05 10 years of @tooomuchfoood - what would Morgan tell her younger self?

22:43 On dating in NYC & Morgan's blind date on a speed dating show

25:26 Morgan's future career goals & aspirations

27:31 A highly underrated Jewish food

28:06 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Meet Bradley Tusk - venture capitalist, political strategist, philanthropist, and writer! From Bradley's policy work to his personal journey, Margarita interviews Bradley on a very broad range of topics in this episode. Bradley offers us a refreshing, no-bullshit guide to think through today's most pressing issues.

Check out Bradley's podcast, Firewall, wherever you get your podcasts, and learn more about his work at firewall.media and tuskstrategies.com.

Bradley's bookstore and free podcasting studio is P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:49 Bradley's background & current work

04:40 On mobile voting, fighting hunger, & the political landscape

07:27 The story of P&T Knitwear

10:19 A lesson on risk

11:51 Teaching at Columbia University - the most antisemitic campus in the US

14:20 On Gen Z & TikTok

18:13 How Bradley decided to teach at Columbia & his unique class

21:03 FTC vs. Amazon lawsuit re: monopolies

25:03 What should average voters understand?

30:58 Bradley's biggest piece of advice

38:13 On the danger of social media & Section 230

45:12 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Margarita interviews Ariel Tidhar, an iconic American-Israeli Judaica designer based out of Brooklyn. The highly recognizable Ariel Tidhar brand is known for it's bright colors and fun Jewish motifs. In this episode, Margarita and Ariel discuss the brand, its evolution and being unapologetically Zionist.

Shop Ariel Tidhar at arieltidhar.com and follow on Instagram @ArielTidhar

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:01 On Starting Ariel Tidhar

07:43 Ariel's Israeli-American upbringing and how it plays out post Oct 7

10:24 On cutting people for micro-aggressions toward Jewish people

11:11 Jews should stop apologizing & Ariel's work to raise money for Israel

14:38 Do Jewish businesses have an obligation to openly support Israel?

19:10 On Zionism

20:09 How has the Ariel Tidhar brand evolved?

23:15 Words of encouragement for Jewish business owners

25:09 Margarita does not own a Magen David

26:24 Paranoia over being openly Jewish & more on Zionism

31:53 What would you tell your younger self?

35:15 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Margarita interviews comedian, writer, and friend - Val Bodurtha. Val's writing has been featured by Forbes, Vulture, Buzzfeed, and more. She currently produces and performs at Bomb Shelter Comedy in NYC. This episode covers Val's observant Jewish upbringing, her rebellion against it, and her journey to become an exceptionally funny and talented writer and comedian. Expect plot twists and laughs!

Connect with Val and learn about her shows on Instagram @valbodurthanyc. Check out Val's work on her site - valbodurtha.com

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

01:55 What Does Val do and how did she get there?

02:58 On Val's observant Jewish upbringing & its influence

06:08 On Ari Shaffir & Orthodox Jewish comics

07:15 Jews, satire & Val's writing

09:54 Women in comedy

13:38 Val's show at Bomb Shelter Comedy

14:57 Is a Jewish audience more tough to crack?

19:35 On dating as a comic

22:31 Margarita's comedy & Bringers show

24:27 How to find balance between work & comedy

29:09 On validation and "good comedy"

32:45 What would Val tell her younger self?

33:57 What should women doing comedy know?

35:32 On Val being a comic since she was a teenager

39:28 Val's upcoming projects & trends in comedy

43:01 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Margarita accidentally meets Rabbi Manis Friedman on the plane only to interview him on her podcast 2 weeks later! Coincidence? We think not.

In this episode, they discuss Manis Friedman's work, and how he became Youtube's most popular Rabbi. Friedman delves into a philosophical and ethical discussion on the war in Israel and gives us a sneak peak of his new book - To Win a War (The Jewish Way). At the end, he leaves us with an incredibly powerful message.

Purchase Rabbi Manis Friedman's books and engage with his work at itsgoodtoknow.org . Follow him on social platforms @RabbiManisFriedman and on Youtube @manisfriedman

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

06:08 Becoming Manis Friedman

09:35 On Jewish people today

12:20 To Win a War The Jewish Way - Friedman's new book & on being the chosen people

16:08 Killing civilians, proportionality, and the war in Israel

26:17 It depends on the context & moral clarity

27: 29 On being Youtube's most popular Rabbi

30: 29 On being holistic and healing

33:47 Who is Manis' Rabbi?

34:31 What would you tell your younger self?

36:31 Message to young Jewish people

37:15 Why am I here? On finding purpose

40:43 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Margarita interviews Tiffany Harris - Chief Program Officer of Moishe House. Moishe House is a global nonprofit serving over 70,000 Jewish young adults with events and programming. They know what being Jewish in your 20s is all about.

Tiffany discusses Moishe House's current operations, in light of wars in Israel and Ukraine, as well as what's next for the organization. She also covers her impressive career path to becoming an executive, and what she hopes for the future of young Jewish people.

Find a Moishe House near you at moishehouse.org and @moishehouse on Instagram. Follow Tiffany Harris @tattyfoes on Instagram.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

04:12 What is Moishe House?

08:17 Moishe House post-Oct 7 & its operations in Israel

14:07 On Moishe House leaving Russia

21:25 Jewish lives can look very diverse

22:26 Multi-faith couples programming at Moishe House

25:27 On keeping Moishe House weird

26:56 Tiffany's journey: On working in different industries & the influence of her upbringing as a black Jewish woman

33:11 What's next for Tiffany & Moishe House?

38:49 Words of encouragement for young Jewish people

40:01 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

This episode brings on our first Israel-based guest - Margot Touitou, a content creator and host of Kiss & Tel Aviv podcast. Margarita and Margot (aka Marg Squared) get together to discuss Margot's work, moving to Israel, and her life after October 7th.

This episode is full of emotion. We hear everything from Margot's dating experiences in Tel Aviv to her visiting Kibbutz Nir Oz. Margot's dynamic personality and story-telling makes this episode a particularly special one. You might need to grab some Kleenex!

Follow Margo on Instagram @margotexplainsitall and listen to Kiss & Tel Aviv wherever you get your podcasts!

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:35 Life in Israel After October 7th

05:17 Who is Margot Touitou?

05:56 Israel's first dating, sex, & relationships podcast

07:05 Crazy dating stories & the invention of "Tomer"

11:37 On sharing dating life via social media

14:52 Transitioning from corporate to full-time content creation

16:55 On visiting Kibbutz Nir Oz

19:59 The importance of Israeli content creators post Oct 7

23:05 On Israelis living through war & being a Jewish majority

26:11 Margot's Aliyah journey

31:25 Navigating Israel's unique culture & mentality

35:10 What does Margot wish more people knew about her?

39:31 On Jewish Matchmaking

42:45 Most rewarding part of being a content creator

44:10 What would Margot tell her younger self?

46:00 What's next in Margot's work?

48:28 Hopes for the future of Israel

50:58 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

In this episode, Margarita welcomes Eli Leonard to the podcast. Eli walks us through his journey into comedy and his work on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. Eli discusses the world of show business, being a Jewish comic, and where the comedy industry is headed. Get ready to laugh, cry, and have a really good time!

Follow Eli Leonard on Instagram @self_eli and check out his show, Good Showbiz happening on February 15th in Los Angeles! Tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/goodshowbiz

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

02:18 How Eli started his comedy career

05:28 The Infamous Herzl Camp where Eli & Margarita met

06:22 On 12 Gates Comedy Show

10:35 Eli's transition to LA & show business

15:30 Eli's work on Curb Your Enthusiasm

17:17 On being a Jewish comic

19:45 Why Jews & comedy are intertwined

22:04 Can Jew jokes be funny?

25:15 Is a Jewish audience more tough to crack?

29:05 On Margarita's stand up class & Jewish self-deprecation

31:38 Where is comedy headed?

37:42 Eli's comedy besties

38:38 On Eli's 1-man show: Good Showbiz

40:45 What is misunderstood about show business?

48:17 Once you start stand up, everything becomes a bit

48:30 Margarita reads Eli a bit and her intro joke - does he laugh?

51:25 Eli's upcoming shows, Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

In our first episode, Margarita brings on Dr. Dana Steiner, Director of ACCESS Global at American Jewish Committee (AJC), to discuss Israel, antisemitism today and Dana's work in supporting women who work in Jewish advocacy spaces. Dana and Margarita go beyond the headlines to discuss the current reality of Jewish people worldwide.

Learn more about AJC at ajc.org and @ajc.global on Instagram.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

03:15 On Chutzpanit Consulting

14:45 On Women in the workplace, the wage gap, & women's self-advocacy

20:30 Equity & Effectiveness framework in the workplace

23:23 Dana's feelings post Oct 7th & Intro to AJC's work

28:20 On the need for Jews to speak up for themselves

30:00 AJC's instrumental work in reducing antisemitism & promoting Israel and the 2-state solution

31:10 Israel's short window of positive support & the role of social media in fueling the public opinion on Israel

39:50 AJC's State of Antisemitism Survey - is antisemitism as bad as we think it is?

42:20 On Gen Z's viewpoint on Israel & antisemitism

47:30 On the erasure of history re: founding of the state of Israel

51:00 Importance of Antisemitism curriculum & Holocaust education

56:47 Where is the glass half full in light of current events?

59:30 Importance of young Jews taking on local government positions & promoting bipartisan support of Israel

1:03:46 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination

Join Margarita Lyadova as she tells you about her inspiration for People Jew Wanna Know. Expect the unexpected - Margarita shares her unconventional childhood and her story of coming to America as a Jewish refugee from Ukraine.