As we commemorate Yom HaShoah, we dedicate this week’s episode to understanding the lives and legacies of those who survived the Holocaust. Our guest, Michael Ruskin, offers an intimate glimpse into his life as the last surviving member of his family who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust. He shares tales of his own upbringing under the shadow of his parents’ past traumas and how these experiences shaped their family dynamics. Michael also discusses his book, "The Vow," which not only...

Take a deep breath. Let's acknowledge the fact that the world is crazy which can naturally make anyone a little crazy. It's okay to be off your rocker sometimes but that's where the mindfulness kicks in. While the world seems to spew hate in our direction, there's no better time than the present to turn toward the Jewish lens of mindfulness. Gila Ross, podcast host of PowerUp!, draws from her Jewish studies, namely from pirkei avot, to guide listeners and provide Jewish wisdom to all who...

Right about now, you might be wondering why we have to eat flat bread. Right about now, you might be frustrated with the long dinners with the even longer stories. Right about now, you might be bored out of your mind as there is CLEARLY no meaning to these new restrictions. Don't worry. We'll explain everything. Chaz Volk, the new Chief Marketing Officer of Aish Los Angeles and host of Bad Jew, interviews his boss, Executive Director Rabbi Aryeh Markman. Markman goes beyond the...

It's one of Judaism's most iconic holidays! Passover! The Rugrats did an episode about it. How could you not know about the holiday? You know, the one where we eat flat crackers? The one with the long dinner that's delayed by stories? Speaking of dinners, who's leading it this year? Oh, you are? And have you ever led a Passover Seder before? No? That's okay, Larry Cohen has you covered. Leading a Passover Seder dinner can be intimidating whether you're a pro or not. There are tons of...

This episode is about humans. This episode is about identity. This episode is about health. This episode is about self-awareness and self-care. This episode is about morality and this episode is about making sacrifices to pursue authenticity and wholeness. Any commentary outside of those themes is out of ignorance.  Michael Alroy, a contestant on Israel's Big Brother, a business owner, and a kind soul, speaks to his life journey and how it relates to his Judaism. Chaz Volk, an ally of the...

We've all heard of Kabbalah but what does it really do? Why does it matter? This fictitious book filled with magical and mystical ideas seems to have just as much realism as Greek mythology, right? Wrong. What if Kabbalah was one of the most misunderstood pieces of text out of Jewish literature?  Like many others, the concept and purpose of Kabbalah has been a mystery to people like host Chaz Volk. Volk speaks with Kabbalah student and coach Reb Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy to uncover the truth...

Let's be real. Tattoos look cool. Some tattoos are questionable and regrettable later in life. But ultimately, who doesn't want a tattoo? It's also important to acknowledge that Jews and tattoos haven't always had the best relationship given our survival story. Despite this, it's been well-known that Jews can't have tattoos. What if we told you that's not true? Chabad Rabbi Dovid Braslawsce hails from the Yiddishkeit communities of the East Coast to teach why tattoos are actually acceptable....

It's Purim! The holiday when Jews dress up in fun costumes, eat cookies, read stories of Jewish revolt, and drink tons of alcohol. Sound accurate to your experience? What if we told you all of that was untrue? Rabbi Raps returns to the podcast to teach the truth behind the beloved holiday of Purim. Join host and birthday boy, Chaz Volk, as he learns about the deeper meaning behind our rituals, the several layers of the Megillah reading, and the relevant part Purim plays in our day-to-day...

Are the Jewish people united? It may seem like a simple question but it's not. Before October 7th, the Knesset faced a great division among its people. During the 96th Academy Awards, we saw Jewish filmmakers speaking against Israel. Among Jews, we see labels and identifiers to help tell our ethnic story. Depending on the context, that label can be used in a negative. In this thought-provoking episode, Rabbi Yaacov Haber discusses with Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, to discuss the identity...

Jews are not white! How many times do we need to tell you this? If you're not a Jew and are listening to this episode, you probably have the image of a Fiddler-on-the-Roof-looking fellow (called a Chassid). While they are certainly real, they're not the only ones. Despite being in the minority of Jewish diversity, they are given most of the spotlight. Let's fix that problem. In this episode of Bad Jew we interview members of The LUNAR Collective, the only organization by and for Asian...

The movie, One Love, the Bob Marley biopic, just came out which has people looking closer at the Rastafari culture. Putting the culture into the spotlight, many have noticed the undeniable ties between their religion and Jewish themes. Jewish organizations have jumped onto the trend of asking, and even claiming, that Bob Marley was Jewish. Whether or not this is true is trivial. What's more valuable is the discovery of Jewish and Jamaican ties and how oppression brought them together. As a...

Shabbat, the weekly holiday that Jews practice to break from the everyday grind of life, can change drastically depending on who leads it. Factors that can impact your Shabbat experience can rely on the shull you attended, whose home you're in, the experience of the leader, the cultural background, etc. There are so many experiences that come with Shabbat; One has to ask - What is the right Shabbat vibe? Host of Bad Jew, Chaz Volk, is joined by talented singer and Rabbi-In-Training Tori...

It's Valentine's Day, the day that all people either adore or despise depending on whether or not they are single (or whether or not they're in a good relationship). Love is an abstract concept. There certainly are easy-to-spot actions that lovers take like giving and receiving affection, doing favors for each other, exchanging gifts, and even verbally saying "I love you." But how those feelings develop and how they change over time is an intangible emotion that no one has ever perfectly...

What have we learned after a year? Bad Jew, the podcast has produced content for over a year. 58 episodes later, the show has reached the top 10% of Jewish podcasts by being consistent in Jewish teachings. But has it been consistent in teaching the foundation it was built on? That there is no such thing as a Bad Jew? Igor Milgram, an entrepreneur from the Bay Area of Northern California, had a similar idea. Wanting to connect the forgotten members of the Jewish community, he put together his...

It's the secular new year which means many of you have taken the time to practice introspection and reflect on what was and what could have been. The need to improve for 2024 is conditioned by the growth mindset we all have. As it turns out, even the Torah is built around a growth mindset. While many wouldn't initially recognize the Torah as a place to set goals, Rabbi David Schlusselberg helps us realign our thinking. Schlesselberg sits with host, Chaz Volk, to draw from lessons from...

Have you hugged a tree today? It might be more therapeutic than you think. In one of Judaism's more light-hearted holidays, Tu Bishvat marks a seasonal change full of joy, gratitude, and growth. For humans, it's just another Thursday. For trees, it's their holiest day of the year and/or their new year! With the theme of new beginnings, Jews around the world rejoice in meaningful activity around sweetness and love for nature. Rabbi Levi Begun of Culver City Chabad shares that very...

Do you ever wish you could tell the future? Or have some kind of spiritual mirror that reveals your destiny? Does it ever feel like your life is falling apart because mercury is in retrograde? These are all common expressions and ideas from the secular world; Concepts that mix with Judaism like water and oil, simply having no place in common with Jewish discussion. Then you remember, we do everything off of the lunar calendar. Surely the galaxy is involved somehow which means... it's not a...

The spirit of the Jewish people is challenged by the fact that most of us don't have a direct way to participate in this war. Between that simple fact and the negativity spewing off social media, it's easy to fall into a pit of helplessness. It's completely valid to feel down. However... Shoshanna Stein from @MySoCalledJewishLife is a spiritual warrior. She interviews with the host of Bad Jew, Chaz Volk, to highlight how she fights this war from a pragmatic place. Her passion and efforts are...

Israel's strength is once again being challenged in a multi-front war. Everyone's willpower has been tested from the top of government to everyday citizens. Once, it was only the South that was at risk. The general consensus among Israeli citizens is that everyone just has to try and do their part and attempt to carry on with daily life. For the most part, this is doable, and from what many are saying, requires little adjustment. However, Israelis from all corners are seasoned with similar...

Surely you've heard the chant "Free Palestine" but have you asked yourself What is Palestine? It'd be irresponsible not to do your research. Perhaps you'd be surprised to learn it was never a state but rather a land. You may also be surprised to learn that Jews, Christians, and Arabs alike were once called Palestinian. What regional features define the land of Palestine and what are we 'freeing'? Who are we giving the freedom to anyway? These are all such important questions to ask,...

If you're a Jew, life feels like chaos right now. How can you not spiral into the anxiety-induced environment we're in? If you're like us, you go from your phone (filled with terrible news stories coming out of Israel), to your local supermarket (wondering who's going to scope you out and say something because you're Jewish), only to wind up back home where the normal everyday responsibilities of existing piles up. This is because our identities and the general public are suddenly clashing....

Yes, some hostages are back but the war still rages on. To say Israel hasn't been the same since October 7th is an understatement, to say the least. The country pre-war was more divided politically than it had ever seen. There was political unrest, which was a reaction to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reform. Protests and demonstrations were being made in front of the Knesset and other government properties. However, in the strange and miraculous way that Israelis function, the...

It's time to light our candles, fill our donuts with jelly, and spin our dreidels. American Jewry's favorite Jewish holiday is here! Hanukkah. Channukah? Chanukkah? Which spelling do you go by? Regardless, this time is marked by festive parties, gift exchanges, and family time. With the international crisis of the Jewish identity, with the war in Israel raging on, we need this positivity for our mental health's sake! No less, one has to ask themselves "What is the origin of this...

If you've been keeping up with the news, you've probably noticed a group of Jews who have protested in a different style than most when it comes to Israel. In fact, these protests aren't pro-Israel rallies. They're anti-Zionist rallies that have taken to pro-Hamas rhetoric and slanders that are quite dangerous for Zionist Jews globally. From takeovers of government buildings to blockades, Jewish Voice for Peace has taken advantage of the vulnerable place Israel is in and has capitalized on...