Bad Jew

The holiday of Hannukah is here! We often remember it for the 8 nights of gift-giving, latkes, donuts, and dreidels. However, there's so much more to the holiday and honestly, it's essential you understand this because non-Jews love to appropriate Jewish holidays into their own movements.  SO... "How is Hannukah Zionist?" highlights the hard facts around the strong Jewish ties to Zionism while staying authentic to Jewish values and tradition. Ari Lesser, a slam poet and hip hop artist, jumps on to the podcast to discuss and rap about the beloved holiday of Hannukah. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, learns lessons about tradition and authenticity around the holiday that often gets thrown into the same category as Christmas. 00:00 Introduction to Ari Lesser 07:11 Zionism: Indigenous Jewish rights 10:25 Non-Jews rewriting Jewish history  12:19 Proving the Pro-Palestinian "movement" wrong 15:32 Ari's talents 19:26 Maccabees' resistance to oppression 23:19 Embracing Jewish authenticity  25:17 Gifts vs. money 29:24 Teaching Jewish values to family 31:37 Jews are indigenous to the Middle East 34:23 Conclusion About Ari Lesser: Ari Lesser is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and spoken word artist from Cleveland, Ohio. He has a degree in Political Science from the University of Oregon and also spent time in Israel studying at Yeshivot in Tzfat and Jerusalem. He has performed around the world, and written hundreds of songs on a wide range of subjects. Ari’s repertoire is expansive, touching on everything from modern politics, to ancient Jewish mysticism. He can step into character and rap from the perspectives of hundreds of different personalities living and dead, real and fictional, human and animal. He has also created rhymed translations of dozens of Psalms and other traditional prayers, bringing their powerful timeless message back into the realm of song. Ari’s performance gives life to words in a way that is inspirational, accurate, educational, and very entertaining for English speaking audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Connect with Ari Lesser: YouTube @arilesser   Ig and TikTok @ariblesser Spotify: Ari Lesser - https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rxfyBJGSo932qG8Ssk138?si=oGB69U79Q_OrmhF0iMkbsA SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE: JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES! Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship Connect with Bad Jew:  BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew [email protected] Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod

Jews have a specific relationship with money that others tend to blow out of proportion. Some Jews go out of their way to make fun of this antisemitic trope by turning themselves into caricatures in hopes of revealing such lunacy with satire. However, the Torah has so many laws around how we handle money that it must be spotlighted!  Rachel Grose, the executive director of the Jewish Free Loan Association knows a thing or two about cash from the Jewish perspective. Loaning in itself is a tricky bundle of laws to navigate, especially when it comes to the Jewish world. Grose discusses the enticing world of money with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, in an effort to destigmatize the misunderstanding and highlight what makes the Jewish community so successful. 00:00 Introduction 05:12 Principles of society 09:01 Zero-interest loans 11:33 Circulation in Jewish communities 16:11 History of Jews and money 20:03 Case study of Jewish Free Loan Association 23:53 Jewish privilege and challenges 24:44 Repaying loans 29:20 Jewish loans help communities grow and thrive About Rachel Grose: Rachel Grose grew up in a Washington D.C. suburb, surrounded by politics but uninterested in campaigns or running for office. Her passion for creating change began in high school when she became involved with Amnesty International, where she connected deeply with the stories of people impacted by systemic issues. After earning a BFA in art, Rachel discovered an MBA program focused on nonprofit management, which launched her career in the nonprofit sector. For the past 21 years, she has served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA), a financial nonprofit that provides zero-interest, no-fee loans to residents of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Rachel takes pride in JFLA’s mission to help individuals manage life’s unexpected challenges without turning to high-interest credit cards or predatory loans. Under her leadership, the organization supports clients through every stage of life, offering loans for post-secondary education, small businesses, medical needs, fertility treatments, and funeral expenses, among others, while maintaining a remarkable 99% repayment rate. Despite the challenges of being a woman leader in one of the largest cities in America, Rachel remains committed to equitable lending and the impactful cycle of “paying it forward.” Beyond her professional achievements, Rachel cherishes warm memories of summers spent in Ocean City, Maryland with her extended family. Days on the beach—collecting shells, jumping in the waves, and sharing snacks under umbrellas with her grandmother—left a lasting impression on her heart. These personal experiences fuel her drive to build a meaningful career while balancing family life. Rachel is often asked, “How do you do it all?” Her response is evident in her decades-long dedication to fostering financial empowerment and community impact through JFLA. Connect with Rachel Grose: IG @Jewishfreeloanassociation   FB @JewishFreeLoan SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE: JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES! Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship Connect with Bad Jew:  BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew [email protected] Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod

It's been mentioned on this podcast a few times now - Chaz is Vegan. And while he has gotten a few raised eyebrows for his dietary preferences, he has tried to explain the Jewish implications of it. Coming short in elaborating on how it works with Jewish law, he went to the expert. Rabbi Akiva Gersh, branded 'The Vegan Rabbi' teaches Chaz the ins and outs of navigating the vegan diet through the laws of kashrut. Citing the Torah, Gersh debunks multiple rumors and gives context to the Jewish approach to enjoying plant-based food.  00:00 Introduction 06:02 Approaching Kashrut for the first time 07:59 Veganism simplifies adherence to kosher laws 10:40 Navigating veganism  13:14 Veganism and using animal products in rituals 18:52 Ancient practices: using every part, reducing waste 21:47 Animal sacrifices were 1/3 of Jewish history 26:56 Jewish vegan advocacy 31:04 Tikkun Olam 34:51 Major Rabbi's insights on veganism 37:25 Navigating restaurants 40:11 Committed to kosher vegan lifestyle About Rabbi Akiva Gersh: I grew up in the U.S. eating lots of meat, barely any vegetables and with a very weak connection with Judaism. By time I was in high school I felt that Judaism was archaic, irrelevant to the world (and my life) and, most tragically, uninspiring. During my first year in college I had many realizations about the negative impact we modern-day humans are having on the world through our seemingly innocent everyday actions. By the end of that year I decided to major in Environmental Studies and became vegetarian (after a childhood of eating lots of meat and no veggies). The following year I became vegan at the age of 19 and continued my studies as well as my activist work trying to inspire positive change.  Around that same time, I began to discover teachings in the Jewish tradition that related to environmental ethics and animal welfare. I was absolutely in shock. I never knew that Judaism focused on these issues and, yet, I saw that it has for thousands of years. This inspired me to look deeper into my Jewish roots which turned into a journey that lasted a few years. Eventually, that journey led me to studying Torah in a yeshiva in Tzfat, Israel and it is there that I fell in love with and deeply connected to the Jewish path of life. After about six months in Tzfat I returned to the U.S., continued my yeshiva studies and began my work in the field of Jewish Education, a field I continue to work in today over 20 years later.  Over the years, in addition to other subjects and topics, I have taught about the connection between Judaism and the environment, animal welfare and veganism to thousands of students through classes, courses and workshops. Along the way, in 2003, I got married and in 2004 my wife Tamar and I moved to Israel where we continue to live with our four kids. My formal studies include a BA in Religious Studies from Brown University, an MA in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University, and a rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Sulam Yaakov in Jerusalem. Connect with Rabbi Akiva Gersh: www.AkivaGersh.com YouTube: @akivagersh   IG: @veganrabbi FB: The Vegan Shull SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE: JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES! Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship Connect with Bad Jew:  BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew [email protected] Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod

Dear Trolls,  We thought we explained this to you well enough but we clearly haven't. Over 95% of Jews understand this well: Your attempt to separate Jews from their origins in Judea-Samaria (aka Israel) is blatant Jew hatred disguised as anti-Zionism. Being said, I brought on an expert from the Jewish Agency for Israel. Daniel Elbaum has dedicated his life to understanding the complicated geopolitics and history of the middle easy. Elbaum understands that such matters require microscopic-level analyses and intricate and articulate explanations. Elbaum reveals deeper connections to Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, in hopes to arm listeners with the facts to help them explain the truth more effectively.  00:00 Discussing Jewish connection to Israel amidst conflict 04:00 Introduction 08:00 Israel is essential to Jewish identity and history 10:10 History repeats 14:59 Israeli support of the Jewish state 17:28 Questioning motives 22:15 Antisemitic enablers 25:14 Prayer for anti-Zionists' enlightenment 29:00 Israel: refuge and homecoming  30:38 Israel's importance globally. 33:41 Conclusion About Daniel Elbaum: Dan Elbaum is the Head of North America for The Jewish Agency for Israel and President and CEO of Jewish Agency International Development(JAID). In this role, he leads and oversees all aspects of the historic organization’s North American operations. Since taking on his current position, Elbaum has spearheaded innovative new ways to advance The Jewish Agency’s work in connecting American Jews to Israel and Jews around the world. He has appeared in media outlets ranging from NBC Date line to Al Jazeera and has had opinion pieces published in both English and Hebrew in some of America and Israel’s leading newspapers. In 2023, the Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation awarded Elbaum the Gitelson Silver Medallion for his commitment to world Jewry. In the fraternity’s110-year history, only 55 alumni out of 120,000 have received this award. Prior to joining The Jewish Agency, Elbaum was the Chief Advocacy Officer for the American Jewish Committee (AJC) where he oversaw the organization’s advocacy efforts around the world. He had previously served as AJC’s Director of Regional Offices, and before that as Regional Director of AJC Chicago. He came to AJC after six years as Civil Rights Counsel and Director of Development for the Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest Region. Before entering the world of Jewish non-profits, Elbaum was a felony prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters. SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS EPISODE: JEWISH BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES! Become a big today! JBBBSLA.org/mentorship Connect with Bad Jew:  BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew [email protected] Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod