The Vibe of the Tribe recently asked you, our listeners and members of the community, what questions you’ve always had about Judaism. Turns out, you had a lot of questions, like: Where do Jewish prayers come from? What really makes food kosher? What’s the difference between Jewish denominations? Why do many Jews cover their heads, and why such a sa…

When she was a child, human rights activist and educator Dr. Shula Mola and her family fled Ethiopia for Israel. As they and other members of the Beta Israel Ethiopian Jewish community embarked on this harrowing journey through Sudan, Dr. Mola dreamed of their goal—a return to Jerusalem, and reuniting in community with other Jews at the Beit HaMikd…

Spooky season is upon us, and that means it’s time for The Vibe of the Tribe’s annual Halloween episode with author and occult and sci-fi expert Peter Bebergal! This year, we’ve left our usual haunted graveyards and golem attics to explore the horror themes, Jewish parallels and otherworldly allure of science fiction for Jewish writers and creators…

How much do we really know about the lives of our parents and the secrets they’ve kept in their past? How do we delineate fiction from fact in our family histories? What parts are real and what parts have we needed to be real? Many people may wonder, but few actually embark on a quest to uncover the truth. Judy Bolton-Fasman, one among the rare few…

In “a long-expected” episode, The Vibe of the Tribe celebrates the 20th anniversary of the cinematic release of the iconic fantasy film “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Join Miriam and guest Jesse Ulrich of Pod4Good as they harness the power of their mutual nerd interests (Judaism and fantasy literature) to set forth on a quest …

We exist in an era when the Jewish rituals around mourning—such as sitting shiva and saying kaddish—make frequent appearances in popular culture, from Marvel TV shows to films to Broadway plays. There is, however, significantly less attention paid to the other rituals around death, ones that are fundamental to understanding how Judaism sees the rol…

Antisemitism: What’s new with the oldest hatred? It’s a difficult question to ask, but we did it anyway. Dr. Rachel Fish (https://rachelfish.com), a nationally recognized expert on how to confront Jew hate, joins us on The Vibe of the Tribe as Greater Boston and the rest of the country have experienced a surge in anti-Israel actions and hate crimes…

As a Jewish podcast, it’s only natural we want to be BFFs with other Jewish podcasts. After all, we’re a small corner of the podcast universe, and us Jewish podcasters need to stick together!On this episode, we welcome local rabbis Jen Gubitz and Jodie Gordon, co-hosts of the new podcast “OMfG: Jewish Wisdom for Unprecedented Times,” a project that…

To say that we all collectively could use a laugh is a vast understatement. Luckily, rabbi, humorist, author, interfaith leader, academic, community activist and “disciple of joy” Reb Moshe Waldoks joins us to lift our spirits.The author of the classic and comprehensive “The Big Book of Jewish Humor,” Reb Moshe takes The Vibe of the Tribe mic (and …

From the time she wrote her 2015 essay that went viral, “A Letter to My Son Jacob on His 5th Birthday,” Mimi Lemay became more than the mother of a young trans boy—she became an activist, fighting for his rights and thousands of others facing misunderstanding at best and outright harassment and discrimination at worst.Her son Jacob, born “Em” (a ps…

Did you know that much of Judaism’s calendar cycle, rituals and practices grew from ancient Israel’s agricultural rhythms? As Jews in New England, we can sometimes feel disconnected from those seasonal patterns (lookin’ at you, Tu BiShvat in January!). Luckily, Leora Mallach, co-founder and executive director of Beantown Jewish Gardens, is here to …

Jake Cohen loves food. We love food. And we love Jake Cohen. Hailed as “the creative, youthful future of Jewish food” by icon Joan Nathan, Cohen is known for, among many other things, his zesty Instagram presence and blending his Ashkenazi food heritage with his husband’s Persian Iraqi Jewish traditions.The nice Jewish boy, culinary creative genius…

It has taken the Jewish communal world a long time to reckon with intermarriage. And the evolution of attitude—from gloom and doom to gradual, partial acceptance—has been decades in the making and is ongoing.For generations, the health of the Jewish population in America was measured largely by one statistic—the percentage of Jews intermarrying. An…

If you have yet to pick your jaw up from the floor after watching “Shtisel” Season 3, you’re not alone. Join a completely verklempt Miriam and Dan for a spoiler-filled recap with special guest Dr. Shayna Weiss, associate director of the Shusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University, and an expert in Israeli culture and entertainment (…

The list of great Jewish-themed horror films is woefully short. But there’s a new front-runner in this niche category—a legit horror film that is religiously accurate, sprinkled with Yiddish and leave-the-lights-on-don’t-watch-alone scary.Meet “The Vigil.” Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, writer and director Keith Thomas’s debut featu…

The JewishBoston crew observes a sacred Jewish tradition as old as, well, as old as 1998. To get in the Passover spirit, Miriam, Dan and Ashley, joined by former colleague and The Vibe of the Tribe founder Jesse Ulrich, rewatched the animated musical film “The Prince of Egypt.”We discuss some very notable differences between the Torah text and the …

If there was ever a time when comfort food was important, it’s right now, in the interminable miserable pandemic year. Luckily, chef Paula Shoyer, also known as “The Kosher Baker,” joins Ashley and Miriam on this episode to teach us how to “eat our feelings” in a nourishing way that connects us to each other and our culinary traditions—despite the …

February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month, a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities and mental health conditions and those who love them. To mark the month, The Vibe of the Tribe spoke with one of the most prominent leaders …

In our recent episode “Heaven and Hell in Judaism” (jewishboston.com/the-vibe-of-the-tribe-podcast-heaven-and-hell-in-judaism), co-hosts Miriam and Dan dove into Jewish teachings about the afterlife with guest Rabbi Baruch HaLevi. That conversation led us to another question: If the soul endures, can we make contact with departed loved ones? And ho…

On Jan. 5, 2020, Miriam and Dan embarked on a seven-and-a-half-year journey simultaneously with tens of thousands of people across the world. Their collective quest? To participate in Daf Yomi (literally “daily page”), the ongoing daily sequential study of the Babylonian Talmud.Does studying one page of Talmud each day seem easy to you? Pardon Miri…

Nearly 320,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. It’s a number that can be difficult to wrap one’s head around. Imagine losing half of Boston’s population, or every resident of Pittsburgh. These statistics can inform us of the scope—but they cannot convey the cost. Among those we’ve lost are loving parents, children, friends, colleagues and neighb…

Have you ever found yourself in that conversation? The one where someone mentions something about death, and someone else chimes in with, “Jews don’t believe in an afterlife!”Some of us have definitely experienced that conversation, especially after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (z”l). As messages about the Jewish icon bein…

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people all over the world have been sleeping and dreaming differently. Including us. This is one reason it was the perfect time for The Vibe of the Tribe team to publish a podcast episode exploring something we’re all fascinated by: dreams.Venture into the realm of dreams with Miriam, Dan, Ashley and expert…

This Halloween, get spooked by monsters of Jewish lore as occult expert Peter Bebergal returns to The Vibe of the Tribe, escorting Miriam, Dan and Ashley on their ongoing quest into the Jewish supernatural world.Discover your new favorite monster in Jewish tradition, what the Talmud recommends doing if you suspect you’re infested by demons and how …

AppleTV+ knows how to make a beautiful thriller, no question. But have they made a good one that lives up to the hype? We take a deep dive into Iranian-Israeli espionage—as imagined by Moshe Zonder of the smash hit “Fauda”—and see just how binge-able this new, visually stunning 4K series is.“Tehran” follows Tamar, a female Mossad agent (played by N…

For many of us, Yom Kippur is the most significant and profound holiday in the Jewish calendar year. It’s 25 hours of prayer, fasting and afflictions of the self to better focus on apologizing and repenting for sins against each other and God.This festival of forgiveness (hopefully, anyway!) has been observed for thousands of years, but what’s the …

Water has always been an essential part of Jewish ritual for marking a life change, a rite of passage or a new beginning. Immersing in a mikveh, or ritual immersion pool, is one of the oldest Jewish practices—one often done right before Rosh Hashanah.Mayyim Hayyim (which means “living waters”) is a Greater Boston mikveh rooted in ancient tradition …

The traditional Jewish deli, once ubiquitous, has since become a rare treat.In New York City in the 1930s, there were over 1,500 Jewish delis. Today, that number has dwindled to around a dozen. Although new deli-inspired restaurants and shops have popped up, adding modern flair and twists on classics, the traditional delis that remain are treasured…

In every generation, there comes a film that redefines how American Jews see themselves.“An American Pickle” is not that movie.But it is a fun, time-traveling romp starring Seth Rogen. Rogen shines as Herschel, a Jewish immigrant spared from the pogroms of Eastern Europe, only to arrive in America and promptly fall into a pickle vat for 100 years. …

TribeHerald—a new media site geared toward centering the experiences of Jews of color—was launched last month by activist, entrepreneur and musical artist Yitz Jordan (also known as Y-Love) and his co-founder, Rabbi Shais Rishon (also known as MaNishtana).Jordan joins us to discuss how this site and media company came to be, the importance of Jewis…

Bread is, arguably, the official food of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, without a doubt, challah is the official bread of the Jewish people for the last 4,000 years or so. It seems that the longer we’re staying at home, the more people are making challah, with varying degrees of success.We found a challah expert right here in Greater Boston: Mandy Sil…

We know we say it all the time, but this really is a very special episode. And no, it’s not hyperbole: This is our 100th episode of The Vibe of the Tribe!We’re excited to celebrate with an interview with Josh Gondelman (www.joshgondelman.com), an award-winning television writer, comedian, author and podcast host—and a mensch after our own hearts.A …

Join Miriam, Dan, Kali and Ashley as we talk about Season 3 of the thrilling Netflix series “Fauda.” If you want something to binge to get your mind off the stress of quarantine by stressing out in completely different ways, “Fauda” is the show to watch! (Listen to our recap of the first two seasons here.)Tune in as we dissect the nerve-wracking pl…

Hit shows with Jewish themes or Israeli casts are certainly nothing new for Netflix. But perhaps none have been as controversial and widely discussed as “Unorthodox,” a four-episode series based on the memoir of a woman who left a large Satmar Orthodox community in Brooklyn.Some see the show as an entertaining and fascinating look at a community ma…

There was a time when interacting with parents, grandparents or friends was as regular as a weekly trip to a grocery store or restaurant. But these are different times, and nothing is normal anymore, including our ability to be with many of the people we love, particularly those who face the possibility of severe complications from the coronavirus.…

The coronavirus has triggered an unprecedented wave of changes to day-to-day life in Greater Boston and beyond.But existing in a state of crisis is nothing new to the Jewish people. History can be our guide during difficult times. What does the past tell us about how we will emerge from the era of COVID-19? How might Jewish life, including how we g…

Israel “Izzy” Arbeiter was only 14 when he was imprisoned by the Nazis. Originally from Płock, Poland, Izzy survived six concentration camps before being liberated on his 20th birthday in 1945.We sat down with Izzy and his wife, Anna Arbeiter (also a Holocaust survivor), in early March to hear his story of survival, loss, love, resilience and stren…

The coronavirus pandemic has altered life in profound ways for all of us. But perhaps it is most acutely felt in communities housing the elderly. For these high-risk adults, visits with family and friends are no longer an option, and casual afternoon Zoom calls are not always possible.With Passover approaching, many Jewish seniors face a year unlik…

A Christian teen, Muslim teen and Jewish teen walk into a recording studio...Join us for a conversation with local teens Isabel, Reynad and Shalev as they discuss their year-round efforts building bridges between people and working for social justice.The organization that brought them together, Kids4Peace, trains and inspires Muslim, Christian and …

If modern Judaism had an opening for a speechwriter, The Vibe of the Tribe would enthusiastically recommend Sarah Hurwitz.A senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, her recently published book, “Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – in Judaism (Aft…

Journalist, researcher, explorer, author and…memory champion? Joshua Foer has seemingly done it all! Whether it’s co-creating a site digitizing thousands of years—and pages—of Jewish text, exploring some of the most fascinating and least-known places on the planet or entering the U.S. Memory Championship and accidentally winning the title, Foer’s b…

When Vincent Petryk opened J.P. Licks in 1981, he wanted to make people happy through the power and comfort of ice cream. Today, the award-winning ice cream shop has 17 locations in and around Greater Boston, all of which are certified kosher. Petryk, who is not Jewish, has made it his mission to connect with the people who live in the eclectic nei…

For our third-ever live podcast, we went big—a big crowd and a big-time Hollywood celebrity.A live audience of more than 450 people joined hosts Miriam and Dan at CJP’s annual Chai in the Hub celebration as they interviewed Alicia Silverstone, “Clueless” star, animal rights activist, author and entrepreneur.In between her appearances at New York Fa…

Warning: This episode will make you hungry! JewishBoston, Jewish Arts Collaborative and four celebrated Boston chefs teamed up for a live podcast recording about the history and evolution of Israeli food. Live from a packed but cozy Mamaleh’s Delicatessen after hours comes a fascinating discussion about the creation of Taste of Israel Restaurant We…

Lior Lev Sercarz is a chef, author, IDF veteran and royalty, of a sort. Well, at least he’s titled that way. With a globally acclaimed expertise in creating incredible flavors, Sercarz has become known as “The Spice King of New York,” no easy feat in one of the world’s top food cities.At his store, La Boîte, Sercarz and his team create hundreds of …

This episode is deeply personal and touches upon an experience that many people have dealt with: divorce.Join Miriam Anzovin and Kali Foxman as they share their own experiences of getting divorced in the Jewish tradition. With the help of two experts, they demystify the Jewish divorce process, including the get (Jewish divorce document), and what i…

Join Dan and Miriam as they speak with the inspiring Rabbi Susan Abramson of Temple Shalom Emeth in Burlington. Abramson—the longest-serving female rabbi in Massachusetts—is co-founder of Burlington Area Clergy for Justice, an interfaith group of clergy and supporters who stand for immigrant rights and protest a local ICE facility each month.Abrams…

Cooking a brisket in under two hours is nothing compared to an eight-hour TV binge! Are you verklempt over the new season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”? The Vibe of the Tribe gets you more than Lenny Bruce gets Midge. We watched Season 3 as quickly as we could to give you our takes on the most popular fictitious Jewish comedienne of mid-century Am…

Rachael Cerrotti had a close relationship with her grandmother, Hana. She knew Hana was a Holocaust survivor who evaded Nazi capture numerous times, and she savored her time with the family matriarch, hearing her tell stories about her past and reading her writing.After Hana’s death in 2010, Rachael began to explore her story in more depth. She dec…

Spread among the nearly 150,000 square miles of pastures, snow-capped mountains and lakes of Montana is a small Jewish community. Rabbi Chaim Bruk—of the Chabad Lubavitch movement—relocated from Brooklyn with his wife, Chavie, and their adopted children with the ambitious goal of affixing a mezuzah to the door of every Jew in the Big Sky state.Bruk…