Judaism

Chosen People Problems

Yael Bar tur, secular sinner, and Chaya Leah Sufrin, pious Haredi, ask each other the hard questions, from Torah to Tinder askajew.substack.com

Latest Episodes:

A Deep Dive Into The War of 1812 - Just kidding, but CBS’s National Security Analyst Aaron MacLean is here Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Aaron MacLean is host of the School of War podcast, a National Security Analyst at CBS, a columnist at the Free Press, a retired Marine captain, and now, a reluctant and delightful guest on Ask A Jew. We discuss Iran, China, growing up the son of a WW2 veteran, The War of the Spanish Succession (??), and, ew, are we turning into France??

Join the conversation on Substack: Askajew.substack.com

And check out this episode on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@AskAJew

Also:

Avoiding the Jihad elective at Oxford.
Boulder Colorado is a gateway drug to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Aaron learned Arabic only to be deployed to a non-Arabic-speaking country.
What’s your favorite war, Aaron?
Chaya Leah’s first word was Auschwitz.
Why is Harrison Ford still hot??
Not many people know what it’s like to have your freedom at stake?
Aaron’s forthcoming book: “Pro-Israel - Despite it all”.
Are we winning the war??
What happened to the Turks? They used to be cool.
What should we talk about next, China? Cancer?
Ew, are we turning into Europe??
Draft - yay or nay?

Questions? Submit them here: https://tinyurl.com/askajew

Zionism Is Punk Rock - with Warren Kinsella. Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Warren Kinsella wears many hats: a lawyer hat, a punk-rock musician hat, an author hat - and our favorite - a pissed-off Canadian hat. We chat with him about his new book, The Hidden Hand: The Information War and the Rise of Antisemitic Propaganda. After you have purchased the book, follow Warren on X as well.

Here is a piece he wrote about his research for The Free Press:

Our interview with Warren starts around minute 35, before that you can enjoy us catching up about Lindsay Clancy, how dare Bill Ackman donate a billion dollars to medical causes, the land mass currently known as Israel, and more.

Also -

Have a question for us? We have a form!

ICYMI, here we are in Wyoming with Nadav Eyal:

Thanks for reading Good for the Jews! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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Cowboys and Coalitions - Live from Jackson Hole with Nadav Eyal! Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

We just wrapped up our first ever live show in Wyoming (naturally), and we had a blast!! Thank you so much to the Jackson Hole Jewish Community for hosting us, to the amazing listeners who traveled to be there, and to our special guest Nadav Eyal, who you all know from Call Me Back, Yediot Achronot, and his substack Between Us. You can and should also follow him on X and Instagram.

Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

If you like, you can also watch this episode on YouTube, and check out more photos on our Instagram!

* We cover all this and more with Nadav:

* What the Heck is goin on in Israeli politics??

* What the polls are saying, and what can change it.

* People who hate Israel won’t change their mind if Bibi loses…but it will be easier

* Israel needs to get out of the news cycle

* Can the next Israeli government have Arab parties in its coalition?

* Diplomacy vs. Strength, The Rebbe vs. Nadav

* Iron wall, not Sparta

* The American mindset is the minority mindset - and we Israelis can learn from that.

* Mainstrea media is the worst form of media - except for all the others.

* Only follow journalists who can lose their jobs for telling the truth.

* Notes from the trenches of Columbia University.

* If it walks like a terrorist and talks like a terrorist, it’s a terrorist - even if it’s Jewish.

Again thank you to the amazing community of Jackson Hole for making this happen! Where should we have our next live show?

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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From Gaza to Killer Bees: Twenty Near-Death Lessons with John Spencer Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

John Spencer is a retired Army officer, Urban Warfare expert, Chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum and Executive Director at the Urban Warfare Institute. He’s been in some funky situations (including seven visits to Gaza), and encountered everything from terrorists to killer bees. He captures it all in his new book, Twenty Times I Almost Died: Life Lessons from the Edge of Survival. It’s a great book, funny and insightful, and you should absolutely buy it for yourself and the people in your life.

We talk about the badass bond between the IDF and the US Armed Forces, the privilege of being a pacifist, and why John might prefer his kids go to Columbia over the Naval Academy (shudder)

* Chaya Leah was also in the army… Hashem’s army

* The NY Times wants to know if John got his $7,000 from us.

* Pushing back against Jon Stewart

* No man steps into the same river twice

* John can’t decide what’s worse, sending his kids to Columbia, or the Naval Academy.

* Oh you don’t believe in war? How nice.

* We ask John about his life, he answers about subterranean warfare.

* A brief detour to Ukraine

* Can you teach resilience?

* Total victory? It’s possible.

* The bond between the US military and the IDF is pretty badass.

* Lies of omission are everywhere.

* Soft times create weak men.

* Children on flights are worse than some wars.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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1-800-Antisemitism Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Hi Jews and Jew Lovers!

It’s been an exhausting week running the world, but we still had some time to sit and catch up about Spain, Morocco, water guns and the kingdom of Cerritos Auto Square (mentioning them in case they want to sponsor the podcast.)

Have a question?? Askajewpod@gmail.com

Also:

* J-Pop is the new K-Pop.

* If Chaya Leah’s hair looks good but nobody can see it, does it still look good?

* Can you use a water gun on Shabbat?

* Stop calling everyone an antisemite, some people are just stupid.

* Tell us if you experienced an antisemitism and we’ll tell you if you really did (that number again is askajewpod@gmail.com)

* Our apperance on the Josh Szeps show! Want to listen? How about a 7-day free trial to his channel?? Click here.

* Albanians are cool, except that one guy who didn’t let my friends in his restaurant.

* Anyone in London?? Hit us up.

* You can now watch Mark Dubowitz of the FDD talk about whether the Iranian leadership is hot on YouTube.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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The Foundation Against Deadly Dumbasses - with Mark Dubowitz Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Mark Dubowitz is the chief executive of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and our new reluctant friend. We sit him down to talk about Iran, Saudi Arabia, why the IRGC wants Ted Kaczynski to kill him, why we can’t just send Bruce Willis (in Armageddon) to drill into Pickaxe mountain, and who the bad guys would want winning the Israeli election…

Follow Mark on X, but not too closely like the Iranian government.

Who’s joining us in Wyoming for our first ever live show?? Nadav Eyal will be there, will you? August 10th, there are only 37 tickets left!!

Also in this episode:

* Why didn’t Iran pick a good photo of Mark to present at Khamenei’s funeral?

* Make democracy cool again.

* Mark never met a self-hating Jew until he came to America.

* How to deal with your anti Zionist kids? Tell them they’re idiots.

* The Iranians won’t miss an opportunity to kiss an opportunity.

* Mark realizes we want to talk about whether or not Ahmedinejad is attractive… and he has some thoughts.

* What do you say to Americans who ask why are we in this war with Iran?

* Trump was talking about Kharg island before it was cool.

* The US Israel military alliance is something to behold.

* Is Trump forcing Saudi Arabia to hang out with us?

* Who do the Iranians want leading Israel?

* Israeli politics - this coalition must be defeated.

* The Israeli expression that shouldn’t be used in English.

* We need to talk about the Mexican president.

* Magic Pickaxe mountain.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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Kooksmaxxing Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Ask A Jew is going to Wyoming!! We’ll be hosting a live show Monday, August 10th in Jackson Hole, how cool would it be if you join us there? If not for us, do it for Nadav Eyal, who will be our special guest, and who we didn’t add to the above AI image because he may (rightfully) sue us.

Any questions? Email us at askajewpod@gmail.com

Thanks for reading Good for the Jews! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This week, we discuss Clavicular and Ro Khanna’s great adventures, why the Haredi issue will probably determine Israel’s next elections, and how adorable it is that everyone’s obsessed with us.

Oh look, i’m angry in the NY Post again! Please read and fume with me. This time I write about how a brave Israeli hostage practically had to ambush the UN lady in charge of violence against women to finally agree to hear about her sexual assault at the hands of Hamas. However bad you think the UN is - it’s worse.

Now, here is a photo from my Israel trip, the dead sea to be exact. Fun fact - this animal is called a Yael. And yes, it wento to Harvard.

Finally, last night I had dinner with not one but TWO former AAJ guests! Can you guess who they are? Hint: neither are Israeli.

Drop the answer in the comments. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

askajew.substack.com/subscribe

The People's Republic of NYC - With Rafael Mangual Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Rafael Mangual is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and authour of the book Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most.

He joins us to explain what the HECK is going on with the DSA in New York, what it was like to grow up as a Dominican-Puerto Rican New Yorker with a cop for a father, what BLM and the Defund the Police movement got wrong, and what’s in store for all of us in Mamdani’s New York.

Follow Rafael on X, and don’t forget to check out the episode on YouTube as well!

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!! You rock. Here are a few things we love about you, in no particular order. What are we missing?

* Amazon Prime

* Sam Harris

* Air Conditioning

* Peanut Butter

* Movie Theatre soda

* Yellowstone National Park (actually, all national parks)

* The Blue Angels

* Turning right on red

* Halloween

* Women that call you “Hon”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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Adam Got Around a Bit Before Eve Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Ben Kawaller is a writer and journalist who you may know from his video series “Ben Meets America” in the Free Press, and from the Reflector podcast series “Strange Bedfellows” about how the LGBT movement went slightly off the rails.

We discuss coming out as a writer late in life, going to Korea for illegal spa treatments that include salmon sperm injections to the face, and whether Adam (the one from Adam & Eve) was into some kinky animal stuff… HAPPY PRIDE!

Interview starts around minute 40.

Follow Ben on X, Instagram.

BUT FIRST!

40 minutes of catching up from your favorite Jews: Chaya Leah had a big party, Yael had a big crash. We celebrate both. Also we crown a winner fo the Challah giveaway, so listen carefully as you may be the lucky recepient.

Mazal tov the Chaya Leah’s son and his soon-to-be wonderful bride!! Thank you to her parents who listened to a few episodes and still allowed her to marry into this family.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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Israel on Trial — with Judge Roy K. Altman Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the judges who rule on justice, and the clueless podcasters who interrogate them.

Thanks for reading Good for the Jews! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Today we are honored to welcome Judge Roy K. Altman, a United States Judge for the Southern District of Florida, and author of the new book: “Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law”, a #1 Bestseller in Foreign & International Law. We talk about what it’s like to defend Israel in the court of public opinion, the drama of federal judge email chains, how the IDF is run by a bunch of Jewish lawyers, and what happens when you call the Mahjong hotline.

Watch this episode on YouTube:

Good for the Jews is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Also:

* Objection: this judge is way too young.

* An American-Israeli-Romanian-Venezuelan-Mexican-Polish judge naturalizes new citizens.

* The verdict: turns out some people are crazy.

* Wait, what is a judge and can we become one?

* The Mahjong hotline is the ultimate arbiter of justice.

* Do NOT Reply All to a federal judge email chain.

* Who needs to go to Disneyland when you can visit a civil war battlefield?

* How did we get here after 1,200 people were butchered?

* The good news: most of what the haters believe is wrong, and we have evidence.