Judaism

Chosen People Problems

Yael Bar tur, secular sinner, and ChayaLeah Sufrin, pious Haredi, ask each other the hard questions, from Torah to Tinder

Latest Episodes:

Thank an Evangelical - with Mary Katharine Ham Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

What does a room full of Jewish women making Challah have to do with the midterm elections? Journalist, political commentator Mary Katharine Ham joins Yael and ChayaLeah to discuss that along with pearls of wisdom about life-changing events from October 7th, to 9/11 to surviving unimaginable loss.

Mary Katharine shares how she rebuilt her life after her husband's sudden death—and offers some refreshingly practical advice for getting through the darkest moments (hint - drink more water than wine).

Then it's on to American politics, where the election forecasts are anyone's guess, and a spirited discussion of why evangelical support for Israel matters.

Then the hosts turn their attention to the Elizabeth Holmes movie, a must-see film where you hate everyone.

In this episode:

October 7th, 9/11, and the dates that divide life into before and after
True power - a room full of Jewish women making challah
Mary Katharine on grief, resilience, and practical advice
The folks at ChayaLeah’s gym trying to get her to accept Jesus
Don’t get your Exodus story from a cartoon
Why the midterm polls might be wrong, the map is weird, and democracy refuses to cooperate with pundits
What the Michigan race could mean for the future of the Democratic Party
The Elizabeth Holmes movie: a cast of deeply untrustworthy people, spoiler alerts and can we even trust the babies?

Listen to Mary Katharine’s podcasts, Getting Hammered and Normally.

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This episode is sponsored by RootOne, which helps thousands of Jewish teens travel to Israel every year. Visit https://rootone.org/ to learn more.

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Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions at: http://arkmedia.org/ask/cpp

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Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Karina Logiohio, and Ignacio Herbojo.

Stop trying to make "Tikkun Olam" happen - with Eli Lake Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

What happened to the era of politicians who could command respect—even from people who disagreed with them?

We’re joined by our friend Eli Lake to talk about the Bush political dynasty, the changing Republican Party, and why the people who once seemed like political punchlines look a little different in retrospect. Then things get more complicated: antisemitism, the rise of the new right, and what Jews should do when someone says something outrageous about Israel.

The Bushes: bumbling political relics, or leaders we didn’t appreciate?
Whatever happened to public service?
The new right has some explaining to do - we’re looking at you Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens
When to argue and when to cancel someone with a controversial opinion
Anti-Israel Jews who finally discover antisemitism firsthand.
Why Israel’s October 7 generation give us hope

And then we ask the burning question about the new New York chic is dressing like Hasidic girls.

Listen to Eli’s podcast Breaking History.

https://www.thefp.com/listen/breaking-history

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Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions at: http://arkmedia.org/ask/cpp

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More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
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Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Karina Logiohio, and Ignacio Herbojo.

What the Heck is Going on with Israeli Elections - with Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

You think American politics are complicated? Israeli elections are so confusing, even the people explaining them aren’t sure anyone’s going to win.

So we brought in two of Israel’s leading political journalists, Amit Segal and Nadav Eyal, both Call Me Back contributors, to help us make sense of the mess. We also found time to investigate Golda Meir’s love life and chat about ChayaLeah’s son’s wedding.

We get into:

Is Netanyahu actually losing—or is everyone about to lose their minds for nothing?
Could Israel really end up voting again just a few months later?
Should American Israelis get on a plane to vote in an election that might determine the country’s future? And what if they live in California and just want a tax break?
Is the fight over Haredi military service really about the army?
Could Netanyahu ditch his far-right allies, or are they in a political marriage that even he can’t escape?
Are Israelis paying enough attention to the country’s rapidly deteriorating relationship with the rest of the world?
And finally: was Golda Meir having an affair? We ask the important questions.

Plus, after our guests leave, we discuss France’s riots, the safety of French Jews, and why Yael thinks moving to Israel might be good for both the Jews and the real estate market.

Read Amit’s newsletter, The Scourge of Settler Violence and Its Discontents.

Read Nadav’s newsletter, The Israeli Election is About October 7, After All

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Sign up to Ark+ to get access to exclusive episodes and ad-free listening to Chosen People Problems and every show in the Ark Media Network: Sign up at arkmedia.org/subscribe

Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions at: http://arkmedia.org/ask/cpp

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More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
Sign up for our weekly Newsletter

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Karina Logiohio, and Ignacio Herbojo.

Michael Moynihan is our Oskar Schindler Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

You know the Righteous Among the Nations Michael Moynihan from the Fifth Column Podcast, The Free Press, Vice, Bill Maher, his show “The Moynihan Report”, but most importantly - he is a dear friend of the Jews and our emotional support guest. He is our favorite person to discuss the media landscape, the state of Europe, why having a podcast is better than being a father, and why he spends his days looking for antisemitic quotes in books from 100 years ago.

Also, we say something mean about John Cusack.

Also listen to Michael on:

The Moynihan Report. https://www.themoynihan.report/

The Fifth Column. https://www.wethefifth.com/

In this episode:

Michael Moynihan: emotional support guest and Amazon Prime detective
How the Fifth Column accidentally created an entire podcast community
Mamdani sucks more than you think.
Why does everyone suddenly have a PhD in Israel-Gaza?
What’s really behind the student strikes in France?
How conspiracy theories can fall apart
How podcasts filled an unexpected need
Saving people one insane internet rabbit hole at a time

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Sign up to Ark+ to get access to exclusive episodes and ad-free listening to Chosen People Problems and every show in the Ark Media Network: Sign up at arkmedia.org/subscribe

Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions at: http://arkmedia.org/ask/cpp

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More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
Sign up for our weekly Newsletter

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, and Ignacio Herbojo

Ask Me Anything with Dan Senor, Yael Bar tur, and ChayaLeah Sufrin Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

Today we are joined by some guy named Dan Senor for a wide-ranging Ask Me Anything. We tackle questions about the state of Jewish education, why we should stop calling everyone an antisemite, how Fauda is shaping perceptions of Israel globally, and what the rise of the European right means for Israel and Jews abroad, beyond Eurovision votes.

In this episode:

What American Hebrew school gets wrong
Why anti-Zionism is resonating with young Americans
Will the language around “genocide” and anti-Zionism eventually change?
Why Fauda succeeds in telling Israeli stories better than non-fiction means
What the rise of the European right-wing means for Israel and European Jews
Dan lets Yael talk about Eurovision for longer than necessary
The unlikely allies Israel may need to turn to
Which American presidential candidates could effectively navigate Israeli issues
What the 2026 midterms might reveal about the Democratic Party’s direction

Read the article discussed in the episode.
https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-afd-election-far-right-immigration-merkel

This episode is free, but to access future Ask Me Anything episodes from Call Me Back as well as ad-free listening, sign up at arkmedia.org/subscribe.
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More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
Sign up for our weekly Newsletter

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

Group Chat: Are the Ninja Turtles Zionists? And more… Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

What happens when two very different Jews answer your most personal, random, and serious questions?

We open up our chat for a mostly fun, sometime serious conversation about how we became friends and podcast partners, how an Orthodox matchmaker really works, what both of us got wrong about Judaism, and how we approach commemorating October 7th. We also weigh in on the very important issue of who’s our favorite from Beverly Hills 90210 and the Ninja Turtles.

In this episode:

How we went from a COVID-era Zoom to hosting a podcast together
The unlikely friendship between a secular Israeli-New Yorker and a California Orthodox Jewish educator
How does matchmaking actually work in the Chabad community?
Why ChayaLeah’s grandfather’s old-school matchmaking system still inspires her
Remembering October 7th: finding personal and communal ways to mourn
Showing up for Jewish community even when group mourning isn’t your thing
From the splitting of the Red Sea to manna from Heaven - what can you believe?

This episode is normally available only to Ark+ subscribers. For our first week, we are giving you a taste of what you will get as a subscriber.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮.𝗼𝗿𝗴/𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲.

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More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
Sign up for our weekly Newsletter

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, and Ignacio Herbojo

Don’t Rely on the Houthis to Cure Cancer - with Douglas Murray Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Which is more important for Israel–winning the war or the PR battle?

The one and only Douglas Murray is with us today, to talk Israel, poetry, and…true crime? We start off by accidentally insulting him, but don’t worry, he still likes Jews!

Also:

Why do Israelis sound like that?
Douglas refuses to tell us who the stupidest person on the internet is
Is Israel winning?
Why does the media suck
Free Palestine means more bike lanes
Douglas will not tolerate any slander of British food
The point of poetry
Guilty pleasures
Don’t rely on the Houthis for cancer research
No Douglas, playing the piano does not count as procrastination
How does aging even happen?

And more….

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This episode is sponsored by Tikvah's Millstone Scholars Program, a selective national honors program where seventh- and eighth-graders study Jewish civilization, Israel, and America through primary sources and debate. Classes begin the week of October 18. Apply now at tikvah.org/ark.

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Sign up to Ark+ to get access to exclusive episodes and ad-free listening to Chosen People Problems and every show in the Ark Media Network: Sign up at arkmedia.org/subscribe

Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions at: http://arkmedia.org/ask/cpp

____

More Ark Media:

Listen to: Call Me Back
Listen to: Ark News Daily
Listen to: For Heaven Sake
Listen to: Chosen People Problems
Sign up for our weekly Newsletter

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Ignacio Herbojo

Ark Media is Our Daddy Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

Guys, we have big news. Really big. Like, Dan Senor Big.

We are thrilled to announce we are joining Ark Media! Yes, Dan Senor bought us (actually, his company), and we now belong to him. Don’t worry, though; he hasn’t spent as much time with us as you have, so he doesn’t quite know what he’s in for.

AND we have a new name! Please welcome: Chosen People Problems! You’ll get used to it. It’s really fun to say. Other than that, it’s still us, still for free, but just a whole lot more of us, more guests, and so far they are letting us do whatever we want around here (we’ve only made, like, one producer cry, and turned one sound editor antisemitic).

We want to thank you, our amazing listeners, who turned us from an entirely organic little baby to the media empire we are now (or will be soon). We don’t know a ton about business, but I think they wouldn’t buy us if we didn’t have listeners - so thank you!!

And thanks to the amazing people who loved us and took a chance on us so early on, and to Gabi and Mickey, our Ask A Jew team, who did more for us than we can acknowledge (though we try).

If you are a Substack subscriber at Askajew.substack.com, you'll get an email soon about your subscription, and if you are a paid subscriber, you’re actually going to get some extra perks now, finally! (Hint: subscribers will get a full extra Chosen People Problems show a week later). So keep your eyes and inboxes open for that!

We are so excited for this journey, and see you at Ark!

Questions for us? Submit them at: https://tinyurl.com/askajew

Are we fat because of the Holocaust? And other questions for an evolutionary psychologist - with Rob Kurzban Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Who knew that you could blame evolutionary biology for doom scrolling, binging on donuts or getting seasick? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Rob Kurzban, an evolutionary psychologist, about how human feelings and behaviors are shaped by evolution. He explains the adaptive functions of emotions, the role of boredom, and how our minds respond to environmental cues, providing insights into human nature and morality.

Also:

Evolution doesn’t care about your feelings
Do animals get bored?
Scrolling through Instagram has some evolutionary purpose
Wait, is evolution real??
The temptation of non-kosher donuts
Why some people are into spanking
Oh and lots about peeing and puking

Remember, you can watch this episode on Youtube!

Definitely buy (and read) All the Feels: The Evolved Function of Every Human Emotion and Sensation so you can impress your friends with all these fun facts.

Do you have something you want to ask us? Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. Submit your questions HERE

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Jews Have Terrible Marketing, but an Amazing Brand Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

This week, we’re joined by the one and only Dara Horn to discuss her new book, The Final Solution to the Jewish Question: A Love Story for the Living. It’s an incredible book that will make you both angry and proud, which is kind of on brand for us right now.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9gykZ22yuIY

We get into why antisemitism is not just a prejudice but a lie (and it can’t be solved by “empathy”); why Holocaust education kinda sucks sometimes, and why the most interesting question in Jewish history is not why they tried to kill us, but why we are still here.

Check out Dara’s Tell Institute (coming soon to a school near you?)

Have questions for us? Submit here: Tinyurl.com/askajew