Many of us have watched college campuses around the country erupt in protests, with tent camps being set up on greenspaces calling for universities to disclose and divest from companies that do business in Israel. But when do the chants, signs and graffiti cross the line from first-amendment-protected free speech to something more nefarious? This w…

Guardian/Observer staff photographer Sarah Lee first watched Dont Look Back whilst perched on a crowded bed in a Camden flat with a struggling rock combo called Coldplay. As she’s now a BAFTA photographer, Sarah checks plenty of other names in this episode, including Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett. On celebrity photogr…

Rebecca Slaman, writer and social media guru, is a fan of Bob Dylan’s “perfect random meme humour.” Twitter? “Girls lust after him! But I’ve seen some pretty egregious stuff. Old people don’t understand the platform.” Dylan’s 1987 film Hearts of Fire? “He cannot act. How can he not act? He’s been acting his whole life. So bad - but so entertaining!…

This week: The chaos of Elon Musk’s Twitter has chased users and news organizations away, while a new wave of Twitter clones try to recreate the sense of community it has. So what does this mean for the Jews, and why should anyone care? I talk about that with Serge, the founder of Babka Social, a new Jewish social media platform. To help Ukraine: h…

In the 61st year of her singing career, five-time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette warns us that our chat will be “straight, no chaser”. And she lives up to that promise. Bettye describes her surprise backstage meeting with Bob Dylan: “He kissed me on the mouth. It was no big deal. I’ve kissed Otis Redding and David Ruffin”. Working with Keith Richard…

This week: Jewish women rarely get a fair shake in pop culture, often showing up as flat stereotypes like the “Jewish American Princess” trope. But over the past decade, especially on TV, that’s been changing. So I talk with Dr. Samantha Pickette, author of “Peak TV’s Unapologetic Jewish Woman,” all about that. To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.co…

This week: The Israeli president says the country is on the brink of civil war because the current government is trying to make the Israeli Supreme Court powerless. So let’s talk about judicial reform, and how the long-time-coming crisis is really the Occupation finally and fully biting Israel in the ass. To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/reso…

Like his main man Bob Dylan, comedian Simon Munnery knows a few things about heckles: aside from being arrested in Edinburgh for heckling Arthur Smith, he met his future wife when she heckled him in Australia. When not on the road, Simon joins his local Morris Men in Bedfordshire pubs, serenading fellow drinkers with his version of Blind Willie McT…

This week: ChatGPT and other AI chatbots have become all the rage, bringing an idealistic vision of revolutionizing work and communication. Some say that Jewish organizations should now be using these tools. So it’s time for a reality check on how these AI chatbots can affect the Jews. To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-help-ukrain…

Journalist Helen Barrett was lullabied to sleep as her mother sang Mr. Tambourine Man; she had it played at her mother’s funeral (“the Dylan version, not the Byrds cover”). To top it off, Baby, Stop Crying was the soundtrack to her Dylan-loving parents’ divorce. Helen analyses Dylan’s clothes (“John Lennon wasn’t given to copying people, but he cop…

This week: A group of LGBTQ students are suing Yeshiva University, representing a club called the YU Pride Alliance, to get it officially recognized by the school. The court case speaks to the future of queer Jews in Modern Orthodoxy — so I talk with Rachael Fried, the executive director at JQY, an organization in New York City that supports LGBTQ …

This week: About 100 years ago, in the wake of the Russian Revolution and the pogroms that followed, millions of Jews in Eastern Europe became Soviet Jews. But what really is a Soviet Jew? And how does that history affect Jews today? That’s what I talk about with UW Professor Sasha Senderovich. To help Ukraine: https://tcjewfolk.com/resources-to-he…

Michael Bonner, editor of music magazine Uncut, takes on Dylan’s 2022 UK concerts, as well as The Philosophy of Modern Song (“Dylan mimicking the critical noise around Dylan”). Other topics include an in-depth dissection of Key West (“ambient, amniotic and immersive”), Dylan’s “thing that he has about dual guitarists” and a couple of unfortunate Do…

Comedian and columnist Stewart Lee remains “grateful to the people who brainwashed me into listening to Bob Dylan during a period of emotional and physical weakness.” He remembers seeing Dylan live at Hyde Park with his kids (“one of the greatest nights of my life”) as well as the time he alienated the audience at a Teenage Cancer Trust Benefit. “I…

This week: It’s the last episode of the year, and a sort of follow up to both last year’s Hannukah Sucks episode, and this year’s State of the Union episode. After all, the holiday season can be a wonderful and frustrating time for Jews. So I have a chaotic chat about it with some of my coworkers here at Jewfolk. To donate: https://tcjewfolk.com/do…

This week: It’s time to revisit the story of hasidic yeshiva schools in New York City having poor secular education. After all, it’s important not just to understand what is happening, but why and how things came to be this way. So I talk to sociologist Matty Lichtenstein about her research on hasidic yeshiva advocacy. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com …

Writer Matt Rowland Hill is well placed to comment on Dylan’s ‘Property of Jesus’ years: “the kind of fire-and-brimstone Christianity that I grew up with was exactly the kind that Dylan converted into. He was ripe to be captured”. At the age of 17, Matt wangled his way past security in London, hoping to accost his hero, only to told by members of D…

This week: Welcome to part II of coverage of Israel’s recent election. In the last episode, I talked about the rise of bigoted far-right politicians not being the huge watershed moment many of us feared. In this one, I’ll talk about what it does represent, for Israel, but mostly, for American and Diaspora Jews. This episode is also known as: I can'…

This week: On November 1st, Israel had its fifth national election in under four years. And frankly, a lot of Jews are panicking, because the results put an extremist, far-right, and racist group of Israeli politicians in line for power. So let’s dig into what happened, how to understand it, and what might come next. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com To…

Jeff Hanna, founder member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, is a team player. He has played with Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Jackson Browne, John Prine, Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Rosanne Cash, Linda Ronstadt and Matraca Berg. Oh, and Roger McGuinn, Jason Isbell, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Larry Campbell an…

This week: Jewish community takes a lot of work. You need money, motivation, and perhaps most of all, you need the people to run events and engage other Jews. But Jewish professionals are not having a great time right now, dealing with burnout, equity, and leadership issues. So I take a deep dive on this with consultant Angie Lieber. Say hello! Lev…

This week: Rapper Kanye West is spreading antisemitism, Jews are fighting about it, and the head of the Anti-Defamation League recently compared the man who would own Twitter, Elon Musk, to notorious antisemite Henry Ford. How are these things all connected? By a failure of Jewish leadership on internet policy. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com Get tick…

Australian singer/songwriter Emma Swift's highly acclaimed Blonde On The Tracks album, with guitar backing by life partner (and former podcast guest) Robyn Hitchcock, was her breakthrough recording. Emma swears that "singing Dylan's songs is like wearing a magical cape. Suddenly you have special powers. My job is to give each song a different emoti…

This week: A New York Times investigation has all the Jews talking about education in hasidic yeshiva schools — specifically, about the poor secular education in subjects like English and Math. So I speak with Manny Vogel, who grew up attending a hasidic yeshiva in New York City, about his experience and thoughts on the issue. Homeland: Ten Stories…

Prize-winning poet and playwright Caroline Bird reminds us that “we’re all poets when we’re asleep. Writing is trying to find a way to dream while we’re awake”. On Bob Dylan: “You always hear him choosing the dark side of the road”; “What I love is that his songs are full of denial. Whenever the emotion gets too real, he runs away” and “He’s so naï…

This week: The right-wing Christian movement to ban some books from libraries is growing, with one school district in Texas pulling all versions of The Bible and the graphic novel version of The Diary of Anne Frank. So I talk with Laney Hawes, a parent at that school district, about how that movement is affecting her district. Homeland: Ten Stories…

Patti Smith Group guitarist and author Lenny Kaye reminds us that “Bob Dylan is still experimenting, seeing who he might be, putting on the weirdest shows ever, upending barriers”. Almost in one breath, Lenny gives forth on working with or listening to Suzanne Vega, John Coltrane, Gayle, The Stooges, Brian Eno, The Byrds, Bing Crosby and Janis Jopl…

This week: We’re approaching six months of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and by extension, six months of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. So I talk with Mariia Hershova, a 23-year-old Ukrainian Jew helping refugees in Poland, about how the refugee situation has evolved, and the pride of Ukrainian Jewry. Mariia Hershova's Ukraine resources to learn about Uk…

This week: Israel recently experienced a government collapse, throwing the country into yet another election cycle — the fifth election in under four years. So let’s take a quick look at why there isn’t all that much to say about this anymore, and why Israeli elections will probably keep rolling in at high speed. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https:…

Film director/screenwriter Justin Trefgarne talks about Dylan, but also about fathers, sons, archetypes and coincidence. “Bob has been the guardian angel and surrogate father for my entire adult existence,” he tells us. From his first encounter with Like A Rolling Stone (which he played for five hours straight), “everything was up for grabs”. Hear …

This week: Young American Jews are angry. A lot of us are angry about losing abortion rights; we’re angry about gun violence; and we’re angry about rising antisemitism. So here’s a sort of Jewish State Of The Union with three of my coworkers at Jewfolk, Inc, as we evaluate these United States of America on the Fourth of July. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfo…

This week: The Supreme Court unveiled a ruling right before Shabbat overturning the federal abortion protections guaranteed in Roe v Wade. To talk about the Jewish perspective on abortion, why abortion is essential to health care, and what rabbis do after this ruling, I speak with Rabbi Hara Person, the chief executive of the Central Conference of …

Singer/Songwriter/Actor John Doe tells terrific tales: hanging with Dennis Quaid and Winona Ryder in Memphis, gigging with Nick Lowe in London and hearing his voice come out of Christian Bale’s mouth in Todd Haynes’s Dylan biopic I’m Not There. Did John’s appearance with LA punk band X on the Letterman Show in 1983 inspire Dylan’s wild 1984 set wit…

This week: Uvalde is only the second-worst elementary school shooting in the U.S. That's sick to say, but it's true. So I let loose with my anger over this country's gun problem, how Republican politicians stop any effort to fix it, and what it will take for something to change. Like the rest of my generation, I grew up in the shadow of gun violenc…

This week: David Horovitz, the Editor in Chief of the Times of Israel, is the JCRC’s featured speaker for its June 12 event in Minneapolis. But before he comes to the Twin Cities, Horovitz is on this podcast to talk Israeli politics, a decade of TOI, and how to report on the Middle East. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https://jewfolk-inc.creator-spri…

Belfast’s Steven Cockcroft (co-host of leading Beatles podcast Nothing Is Real) offers unexpected takes on The Boys and Bob: “Roll On John isn’t about an individual, it’s about the sanctification of Lennon” and “The Travelling Wilburys was a calculated move by George”. Also on the menu: Dylan’s questionable harmonies on an obscure Ringo album track…

This week: The second season of the A Bintel Brief podcast, a revival of the classic advice column from The Forward, is upon us. So I talk with hosts Ginna and Lynn, and Chana, the Forward’s archivist, about the importance of Jewish advice, the history of A Bintel Brief, and, bare with me, sex party rabbi. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https://jewfo…

This week: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the most influential pro-Israel lobbying groups, is directly fundraising for politicians. Some of those politicians are Republicans who undermined U.S. democracy on January 6, 2021. Let’s talk about why this is happening, and what it says about pro-Israel advocacy. Say hello! Lev@tcjew…

Our special culinary episode with critic Eric Asimov includes the story of long-time Dylan bass player Tony Garnier’s delicious Christmas gumbo and Dylan’s wine-making venture, Planet Waves (“the wine has aged better than the album”). A fan since hearing “I Want You” the age of eight, Eric is “drawn to the atmosphere Bob creates. It’s misty. It’s a…

This week, let’s take a quick look at some Passover-related news just in time for the start of the holiday, as well as an update on Deborah Lipstadt’s Senate confirmation. Then we need to talk about Israel, as a drastic increase in terrorism, and new government instability, leaves many Jews shaken. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https://jewfolk-inc.c…

This week, one of the overlooked aspects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the role that Belarus, the dictatorship to the north, plays. So I speak with Margo, a Belarusian pro-democracy activist and tiktok-er, about rigged elections, protests, growing up under a dictator, and how Belarus got here. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https://jewfolk-inc.c…

Singer, songwriter and saxophonist Curtis Stigers tells us true stories with a cast of characters including Van Morrison, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. A fan from way back (“Bob is the perfect creation. He’s an art form in himself”), his jazzy cover versions include Things Have Changed (“people go nuts for that song. Their heads explode”). A committe…

When Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, many Russian-speaking Jews in the U.S. started organizing direct humanitarian aid to Ukrainians. I talk with one of those Jews, 23-year-old Alice Chudnovsky, about her fundraising for humanitarian and evacuation efforts in the city of Kharkiv. To help Kharkiv: https://www.spotfund.com/story/14ce390c-ad2…

Maksim Goldenshteyn, a Russian-speaking Jew in Seattle, just published arguably the foremost book about Romania’s overlooked role in the Holocaust, centered on the survival story of his Ukrainian Jewish family. So Goldenshteyn and I have a very personal conversation about Holocaust memory as Soviet Jews, the bitterness we feel about how the Holocau…

Comic actor Thom Tuck discovered Bob Dylan when, growing up in Bangladesh, he caught the promo for Subterranean Homesick Blues on MTV Rewind. His family eventually returned to Leeds, where his outsider status was made even worse/better by his obsession with all things Bob. At university, he didn’t improve his lot by writing a play called “One More …

Almost a month after a rabbi and three congregants were taken hostage at a synagogue in Texas, Congress held two hearings related to Jews: A Senate hearing on the position of global antisemitism monitor -- long delayed by Republicans because of dislike toward nominee Dr. Deborah Lipstadt -- and a House hearing on issues with federal nonprofit secur…

I usually talk on this podcast about Jewish political events, but there have also been some interesting Jewish culture trends (particularly around representation) in the world of movies and TV shows that are worth discussing. So I speak with Michal Schick, a screenwriter, podcaster, and former culture reporter about those trends and much, much more…

Fellow podcaster Laura Tenschert’s Definitely Dylan contains multitudes of theories and insights which she shares in this eye-opening episode. German-born Laura learned English by listening to Bob, which gave her sharper ears than most. Dozens of songs are given forensic treatment, ranging from classics like Lord Protect My Child and Buckets of Rai…

This week, I try to process the recent hostage situation at a synagogue in Texas, and the many Jewish hot takes that emerged on social media as the crisis was unfolding. They range from being about synagogue security and Jewish safety in America, to antisemitism and hinting that the rabbi being taken hostage deserved it because of his politics. The…

This week, I speak to Egyptian-Jewish and Filipina author Sarah Dayan Mueller about her latest book “Home In A Hundred Places.” The book tells the story of her father, who spied for Israel while in Egypt in the 1940s and early 50s, and is also a larger tale about building family and preserving Jewish memory. Say hello! Lev@tcjewfolk.com https://jew…