Jewish History Nerds

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

Jewish History Nerds is BACK! Jan 15, 2026

Jewish History Nerds is back! Hosts Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner return with a new slate of smart, engaging stories from Jewish history—blending deep research with curiosity, humor, and lively conversation. Each week, they take turns exploring a fascinating figure or moment, asking big questions, learning together, and inviting listeners into the journey. This season spans famous and forgotten Jews across eras and regions, with surprising stories you’ve likely never heard before. New episodes drop weekly, and Jewish History Nerds is now on YouTube.

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts. And be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

Revisiting Hebrew Hammer: The True Story of Hannukah Dec 18, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Ah, Chanukah. That festive time of year where we light candles, indulge in fried foods, and celebrate… a brutal civil war? Join Yael and Schwab as they complicate the story we all thought we knew. What did the Maccabees really fight for? How should we feel about their legacy? And who is Helen?

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts. And be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

For more on Hanukkah, Judah Maccabee, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19vHg-inRureVw3AlW2UA_uyUYMH12HH5qjvkXrMf_h4/edit?usp=sharing

Be in touch. We want to hear from you. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

Listener Survey is Here Jun 12, 2025

This survey has expired. Thanks for listening and see you next season.

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts. And be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

The JNF Blue Box: How Loose Change Helped Build Israel Jun 05, 2025

If you like this show, please review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner trace how a simple blue tzedakah box became a conduit for diaspora longing and real-world nation building, turning pocket change into forests, land purchases, and a powerful sense of shared ownership over Israel. From Tu Bishvat rituals and childhood nostalgia to kibbutzim, propaganda maps, and modern controversies over JNF land policy, they reveal how this humble pushka evolved from a household charity can into a charged symbol of identity, memory, and the politics embedded in every inch of soil.

Click here to see a picture of Yael's great grandmother's blue box.

Here ⁠is a link to the Blue Box, New Edition, on the JNF's website.

Click here to read about the Jewish National Fund in the Encyclopedia Judaica.

Click here to read excerpts from Eric Engel Tuten's history of the JNF.

Here are links to protests in Canada and Colorado.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you. This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

The Antisemitic Carving Still on German Churches May 29, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner confront the Judensau, a grotesque medieval motif that fuses Jews with pigs in obscene, degrading scenes carved straight into churches and cathedrals. They trace how this single vile image taught generations to see Jews not as human beings but as something filthy, animal, and disposable. From a 13th century column in Brandenburg to the choir stalls of Cologne and Luther’s Wittenberg church, they follow this stonebound hatred across eight centuries, asking what it means when a symbol of pure contempt is still defended as “heritage.” Along the way, they probe how visual culture outlives theology, how dehumanization becomes architecture, and how, for worse, this too has become a Jewish symbol.

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts. And be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you.

Click here for Isaiah Shachar's book, The Judensau.

Click here for Daniel Leeson's work on The Judensau.

Click here to see images of the Judensau on the church in Wittenberg.

Click here for additional images of the Judensau.

Click here to see images of the Judensau in Cologne.

Click here for a news article about the court order to keep the Judensau in Wittenberg.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

When Jews Thrived in India: The Cochin Copper Plates May 22, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner follow the Cochin copper plates from royal charter to communal touchstone—three hammered sheets of metal inscribed in Tamil and Vattezhuthu that granted a Jewish leader named Joseph Rabban rights, status, and a place in India’s intricate hierarchy. From Solomonic trade legends to Black, White, and Brown Jewish castes, from Portuguese incursions to a post-1948 exodus that left barely a remnant in Cochin, they trace how one fragile document illuminates a Jewish community that was honored, separate, deeply Zionist—and still symbolically anchored to the Malabar coast.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you.

Click here or a summary and sources referenced in the episode.

Click here to see pictures of the Cochin Copper Plates.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠.

-------------------

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews

The Ancient Coins Jews Will Never Forget May 15, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

What can a coin tell us about history, power, and identity? Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner read history in metal, tracing the Roman Judaea Capta coins—tiny discs of imperial propaganda stamped with victory goddesses, palm trees, and a weeping Judean woman meant to broadcast conquest with every transaction. From Vespasian’s bid for legitimacy to Israel’s 1958 Israel Liberata coins that mirror and overturn the ancient design, they follow how numismatics became a millennia-long dialogue—turning symbols of subjugation into emblems of autonomy, endurance, and reclaimed identity.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you.

Click here for a summary and sources referenced in the episode.

Click here for images of the Judea Capta Coins.

Click here to see images of the Israel Liberata Coin.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠.

-------------------

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠

⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠

⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠

⁠⁠Wondering Jews

The Secret History of Judaism’s Oldest Symbol May 08, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner follow the menorah from its molten birth in a single ingot of gold to its afterlife as national emblem, tracing how one luminous object migrated from desert tabernacle to Roman triumph, from medieval imagination to modern identity.

From Exodus’ intricate blueprint to the Arch of Titus’ triumphant bas-relief, from Hanukkah’s reinvented candelabrum to the State of Israel’s contested seal, they illuminate how this ancient lampstand became a traveling symbol of exile, endurance, creativity, and longing—casting its sevenfold glow across centuries of Jewish ritual, memory, and myth.
Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

Click here for a summary and sources referenced in the episode.

Click here to read The Menorah by Theodor Herzl.

Click here for images of the menorah.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠youtube⁠.

-------------------

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠

⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠

⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠

⁠Wondering Jews

How One Kid Accidentally Changed Biblical History May 01, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner unroll the Ketef Hinnom amulets—two miniature silver scrolls uncovered when a teenager’s stray hammer strike collapsed a burial chamber on Jerusalem’s ancient fringe. Etched with text so microscopic it took years of acids, polymers, and meticulous microscopy to reveal, these glinting fragments turned out to be centuries older than the Dead Sea Scrolls.

From the moment the divine name surfaced in three tight lines, scholars realized they were holding the earliest known form of the priestly blessing—an artifact both primordial and startlingly recent. These curls of silver distill millennia of faith, ritual, and memory into objects scarcely larger than a fingernail.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you.

Click here to see images of the Ketef Hinnom amulets and archeological site.

Click here for facts and sources referenced in the episode.

Click here for a vocabulary list from the episode.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠youtube⁠.

-------------------

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠

⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠

⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠

⁠Wondering Jews

The Synagogue that Shouldn't Exist Apr 24, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner uncover a synagogue frozen in time—Dura-Europos, buried in desert sand for 1,700 years and revealed with its vivid biblical murals and multilingual inscriptions nearly intact. From Moses in Roman dress to Esther in Persian finery, they explore how a tiny diaspora community blended art, ritual, and identity, creating a singular Jewish space that feels both startlingly foreign and instantly familiar.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We want to hear from you.

Click the following links to see pictures of the Dura Europos Synagogue.

Pictures of the Dura Europos Synagogue

Additional pictures of the Dura Europos Synagogue

Click here for the sources and summary facts heard in the episode.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on youtube.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Buried Secrets: Jewish Magic, Demons, and the Babylonian Incantation Bowls Apr 17, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Yael and Schwab dig into one of the most fascinating artifacts of Jewish antiquity: the Babylonian incantation bowls. These 5th–6th century earthenware bowls, found primarily in modern-day Iraq, were used by Jews—and their neighbors—as magical amulets to ward off demons, secure love, boost fertility, and protect homes. Whether you're into Jewish magic, rabbinic history, or just want to know how to trap a demon in your cereal bowl, this episode has you covered.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

Click here to see a picture of a Babylonian Incantation Bowl.

Click here for additional pictures of the bowls and their inscriptions.

Click here for a word list with some of the vocabulary in the episode.

Click here for a summary and sources about the Babylonian Incantation Bowls.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on youtube.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

The First Mention of Israel: A Passover Special on the Merneptah Stele Apr 10, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Yael and Schwab dive into one of the most fascinating—and oldest—archaeological artifacts ever discovered: the Merneptah Stele. We travel back to 1209 BCE to explore this 3,200-year-old slab of Egyptian granite, which contains the first historical mention of Israel. The episode explores what the Merneptah Stele tells us about ancient Israel, Pharaohs, and the real-world backdrop of the Exodus narrative. Listen to Yael and Schwab's informative and delightful conversation and delve into the sources to enrich your Seder with something that’s older than the Haggadah itself.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

Click here to see an image of the Merneptah Stele.

Click here for a recap and to read some of the sources used in the episode

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on youtube.

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For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Why the Jewish Star Is the Most Loaded Symbol in History Apr 04, 2025

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner trace the six-pointed star from elegant geometry to existential symbol—an emblem worn proudly on necklaces, weaponized on yellow badges, and planted at the heart of a modern nation. From Prague’s medieval flag to Kabbalistic speculation to its fraught reinvention in the 20th century, they unravel how a simple hexagram absorbed centuries of Jewish pride, peril, mysticism, and identity—becoming a symbol that somehow carries everything and nothing all at once.

Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

Click here for a picture of the badge that Nazis forced Jews to wear.

Click here for a picture of the Israeli flag.

Click here for a recap of the information discussed in the episode.

Click here to watch Unpacked's YouTube video "The Surprising History of the Star of David."

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a brand of OpenDor Media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on youtube.

-------------------

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Jewish History Nerds

Unpacking Israeli History

Season 4, Coming Next Week Mar 27, 2025

Jewish History Nerds is back! Hosts Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner are here with a preview of season 4. Get ready to nerd out in a season devoted to the fascinating stories behind objects and symbols from Jewish history. Brush up on old episodes and subscribe to the show so you'll never miss an episode.

Be in touch. We want to hear from you. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.

Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on youtube.

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This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Soulful Jewish Living

Stars of David with Elon Gold

Wondering Jews

The Secret Jewish Kingdom of...Yemen? Mar 14, 2024

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Ever wonder about the Jewish kings beyond David and Solomon? Join Yael and Schwab as they uncover the intriguing story of a lesser-known monarch from 5th century Yemen. Delve into the complex history of Yosef Dhu Nuwas, a Jewish convert who ascended to the throne of the ancient kingdom of Himyar.

If you like this show, please rate and write a review wherever you get your podcasts. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Yosef Dhu Nuwas and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yodfm5BZIs8KBIl24I0bqrASiiPyuTImUOcnQ-t3XGI/edit?usp=sharing

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Bertha Pappenheim: Life Beyond a Diagnosis Mar 07, 2024

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Have you ever felt the need to reinvent yourself? To break free from the constraints of expectations and redefine your own path? Join Yael and Schwab as they explore the legacy of Bertha Pappenheim, aka Sigmund Freud's Anna O, a remarkable Jewish woman who defied societal norms and transcended the confines of her diagnosis. From her pioneering advocacy for women's rights to her profound influence on psychoanalysis, delve into the untold story of a woman who broke free from the limitations imposed by her time.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Bertha Pappenheim and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KiejqyGVVUGZfQqmZ_QSHWKDu_0F7BafnUKsVAwDAmA/edit?usp=sharing

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Rav Saadia Gaon: In Our Gaonic Era Feb 29, 2024

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

You may have heard of some of the greats of rabbinic history. But even if you've heard of Rav Sa'adia Gaon, you probably don't know his wild story. Join Yael and Schwab as they dive into the Gaonic era and find out what's so special about this transitional figure.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Rav Saadia Gaon, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y_lBzxA2joDLuUpz395QtM1KI9a5vYvFugJubdYtb14/edit?usp=sharing

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

The Diary of Glikl: Discovering the Exceptional within the Everyday Feb 22, 2024

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Forget philosophers and historians, welcome to the world of Glikl, an ordinary yet extraordinary Jewish woman from 18th-century Germany. Join Yael and Schwab to explore the diary of Glikl, as she candidly shares her personal struggles and triumphs, offering a profound glimpse into the human experience, with an authenticity and vulnerability that still resonates today.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Revisionist Zionism: Jabotinsky's Journey From Vladimir to Ze'ev Feb 15, 2024

If you like this show, please write a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Lately it seems all anyone can talk about is... Zionism. But what even is Zionism? Jump into the world of Revisionist Zionist leader, Vladimir Jabotinsky, exploring his unique, and somewhat paradoxical, vision of zionism and a Jewish homeland: a delicate balance of strength and diplomacy. Join Yael and Schwab as they explore Jabotinsky's divergence from 'mainstream' Zionism, his advocacy for territorial maximalism, and his enduring impact on Israeli politics, providing new insight into his legacy and its effects on Zionism as we know it today.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Vladimir Jabotinsky, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-eaNmU8d5HE-QyDzyQI888dJ1Dha9HY0p51Fz2mHFe8/edit?usp=sharing

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Mystical Hasidism: Hillel Ba'al Shem's Enchanted Journey Feb 08, 2024

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Join Yael and Schwab as they delve into the world of 18th-century Jewish mysticism through the life of Hillel Ba'al Shem and his manuscript "Sefer HaCheshek." Exploring failed miracles and comedic exorcisms with humor and humility, they contrast Hillel's legacy with the revered Ba'al Shem Tov, uncovering profound philosophical insights and historical context, from Kabbalah to controversies surrounding figures like Shabbetai Tzvi, sparking captivating conversations about faith, belief, and the human condition.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Hillel Ba'al Shem, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jAk-0caPNldFuatKkAvwLjilQzLrBFk41Q-n2HBwcSI/edit?usp=sharing

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

Chronicles of A Talmud Girl Boss Feb 01, 2024

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Embark on a captivating journey through the extraordinary life of Devorah Romm, a pioneering businesswoman in 19th-century Lithuania, who reshaped the literary landscape of Eastern European Jewish communities. Whether breaking copyright rules, crafting the opulent Vilna Shas, implementing a groundbreaking business strategy, or obtaining rare manuscripts from the Vatican, Devorah was unafraid of taking charge and defying expectations. Join Yael and Schwab as they uncover the legacy of Devorah Romm, a trailblazer who not only rose to each challenge presented, but flourished in ways unimaginable for woman at the time, leaving an everlasting mark on the Jewish world.

Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media. We really want to hear from you.

This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern.

For more on Devorah Romm, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rYN4Yq7nBzV58YD68FRsfLkIKEjU_qp0RI9DF6wTusg/edit#heading=h.oefh2lmsj39c

This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media.

For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out:

Jewish History Nerds