2 Jews Talking

Josh & Erika welcome back Valley Legends Rami & Jordan Raff to the podcast. They break down their Top 5 favorite San Fernando Valley places to eat. Lot's of great sushi, breakfast, snacks in the mix. They reveal some secret menu items that you may have not expected. It's a lot of fun, and a lot of food, on this very niche episode of 2 Jews Talking, recorded live from the New York Bagel Cafe in Sherman Oaks.

Josh & Erika are joined by the San Fernando Valley's own Randy Lehrman. He is the reigning king of LA's Bar Mitzvah scene, through his company Real Genius Entertainment. He has been MCing and DJing B'nai Mitzvahs since the 90s. From his early days as a dancefloor duo with Paul Rudd, to how today's kids learn choreography in games like Fortnite, Randy shares stories about the Past, Present, and Future of this coming-of-age ceremony. A lot of nostalgia and insight for those of us "in between bar & bat mitzvah invites." If all this is making you want to relive your adolescent dance circuit come out to the 90s Bar Mitzvah & Dance Party! (Vol III) this Saturday (2.9.19) at the SIJCC in Silver Lake. If you aren't in LA, have no fear, we want to take this party on the road. Reach out if you want us to bring the party to you.More info: https://sijcc.net/90s-bar-mitzvahhttps://www.facebook.com/events/333305297451563Find more information on Randy Lehrman & Real Genius Entertainment at: http://realgeniusdjs.com/

Josh & Erika wish you a happy new year, and have a few tips for coming up with resolutions that can keep you moving forward to wherever it is your heading, even if you don't know.

JOSH GOT MARRIED to his SWEETIE MAUREEN. Erika was there and details the experience. She also talks about the wedding she recently co-officiated. Then we breakdown our favorite Canadian Netflix show CHARQUES SEASON 3!

Recorded a week after the largest attack on Jewish People in American history. Josh and Erika attempt to make sense of what has occurred in Pittsburgh. Welcome to Season Six of 2 Jews Talking.

Rami Raff is back and this time he's brought his wife Jordan Silverman-Raff. (FINALLY) They join Josh and Erika to talk about their own love story, marriage, and their brand new adooooooorable baby Porg. ALSO we talk about Josh's upcoming marriage to his Sweetie Maureen, which Rami will be officiating, Hope you enjoy!Recorded live from Podcast At The Pico at the Pico Playhouse in West LA.

Our first live episode from our monthly residency at The Pico, with the World Famous People Walker, Chuck McCarthy. We talk about what it is the People Walker does, his road to virality, and how you can take a walk with one of the many people walkers in your neighborhood. Our next live show at The Pico is July 10th! https://www.thepeoplewalker.com/Recorded by Rian KountzhouseMixed and Mastered by Adam Yukon Harr

This week we sat down with filmmaker Steve Gossett the co-creator of Princess Rap Battles which have garnered nearly 450 million views. He talks about the ups-and-downs on his way to finding his success. He stopped trying to make stuff that was "good... for the internet" and started making stuff that was "just good." Around that time his videos took off.

This week we sit down with Matt Ritter of the Safe For Work podcast. He talks about his career led him from being a lawyer at prestigious yet stressful law firms in New York City to comedy and corporate recruitment. He gives Josh & Erika a few tips on how to navigate workplace drama, and a few tips on how to get ahead in one's career while staying sane.

A few weeks ago Josh was out in the Far West Texas town of Marfa. It's known as an international arts destination because of Donald Judd's Chinati Foundation, but it's still a ranching community in a remote and beautiful country. Josh had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert Halpern, the publisher of the local paper: The Big Bend Sentinel. He talks about growing up in a family of Jewish merchant pioneers, life in the borderlands, how Marfa's has changed, and the importance of the fourth estate in this era. Josh and Robert discover a shared surname, so they might be distant cousins, or as they say on the frontera... primos.Check out The Big Bend Sentinel at: http://bigbendnow.com/

This week we sat down with Reuben Posner & Julianne Schwartz the director and assistant director of Havaya Arts camp. We had a blast talking about summer camp! This is their inaugural year, and it looks like it'll be a lot of fun.Havaya Arts is a brand new overnight Jewish arts summer camp in Southern California. Camp is open to current 2nd-9th graders with any level of arts experience. Click HERE to learn more! They are generously funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation and AVI CHAI Foundation, in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp.https://havayaarts.org/

Josh went on a roadtrip to Texas with friend-of-the-show Ben Stein. On a tip from a Facebook inquiry about "interesting Jews in El Paso" they stopped in town on a Tuesday night. Within 10 minutes of arrival they were immediately brought to a victory party for congressional candidate Veronica Escobar (D). They got to meet artist and City Representative Peter Svarzbein and his buddy Sammy Holaschutz, a non-ferrous metal trader. After the party they stopped for a few Whataburgers and then sat down to learn about The World Famous Jews of El Paso. The conversation felt like hanging out with old friends-- fellow loud, opinionated, Jews. This episode was a lot of fun, you'll learn a lot, and will make you want to visit El Paso.

Josh is in Austin for SXSW to sell merch for Headgum and get some great interviews. He sat down with Gabriel Barretto the filmmaker behind My Cricket and Me. It's a comedy loosely based on Gabriel's experience as a roadie with Willie Nelson the summer before going off to Sarah Lawrence. Gabriel grew up in an entertainment family, his mom is actress Amy Irving from Yentl & Carrie, and his dad is Bruno Barreto the acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker. He has an interesting perspective as a showbiz kid, like how weird it is to see your mom die on film and how he taught Stephen Spielberg (his mom's first husband) to beat a level on Angry Birds. Find Gabriel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cricketramseyFind Gabriel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigfootbjornsen/Find out more about My Cricket and Me: http://www.mycricketandme.com/

Josh visits his grandma. Erika got a new car. They talk about the importance of seizing the day, and doing what you need to do, because if not now then when?

This week is an extremely informative episode with Dr. David Levitus of LA Forward. He talks about what progressivism means, how his organization is working locally, and how this is the perfect moment to change our country."Getting involved in the face to face stuff---the organizing can be this great source of meaning and belonging in the world---and we need to create more opportunities for that."ALSO HE IS THE NINTH PhD TO APPEAR ON 2JT! ISN'T THAT IMPRESSIVE MOM???Find David atListen to his podcast: LA Forwards & Backwardshttps://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/la-forwards-backwards/id1281847259?mt=2Find LA Forward online at: https://www.losangelesforward.org/Find David on Twitter as @Levitusing: https://twitter.com/levitusing

We had a great time this week with Lorraine DeGraffenreidt and Sarah Isaacson of the Learnt Up podcast. On their podcast they learn basic black and Jewish stuff they should totally already know. On this episode we chat about Mr. Rogers many cardigans and his mud room, John Waters sightings, Catholic confirmations, Gilda Radner, Richard Pryor, and how the Alt Right use hate as their love language.Check out their episodes here: http://learntup.libsyn.com/And find them on Instagram: @learntuppodcastMore info on the 90s Bar Mitzvah and Dance Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/210973516115470 and EastSideJews.com

This week Josh interviews Josh Neuman. He is the writer and director of Johnny Physical Lives, an award-winning documentary that memorializes his punk rock brother. We talk about the film, the Friar's Club, and Neuman's time as the editor of Heeb Magazine. Johnny Physical Lives screens this Sunday 1/21/18 at 2pm at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. It will be followed by a conversation about creativity and human connection during crisis with NYT's Suleika Jaouad, and Carla Fernandez of The Dinner Party: Life After Loss.For more info about the film visit: www.johnnyphysicallives.com

Josh and Erika bid farewell to the year that was awful in so many ways, but actually pretty positive for both of them. Wishing everyone a healthy and auspicious 2018! Erika's annual Intention-Setting Hike in LA is January 7th, more details: https://www.detoxfromsocialmedia.com/upcoming-events-1/

Recording Live from Tabula Rasa Bar on Hollywood Boulevard on the final night of hanukkah 2017... 2 Jews Talking with returning guest Shmuel Gonzales (The Barrio Boychik.) Shmuel talks about an anti-fascist hanukkah celebration in Boyle Heights in 1940, and reminds us that we are celebrating light in the darkest times.Find Shmuel on his Barrio Boychik blog https://barrioboychik.wordpress.com/This event was sponsored by Nu Roots' Infinite Light celebration. http://infinitelight.la/Thank you to Tabula Rasa Bar for hosting us, and to Joel Serot for letting us borrow microphones.

We sat down with Jessica Chaffin & Dane Crane of The Kibitz. We chatted about what it's like to have podcasts about "being Jewish" and how our podcasts are definitely not about "Judaism." It's one of those fun hang-out episodes with the added bonus of listening to this squad of Jewish podcasters figure out how to calm down a barking dog while it's in the studio. Enjoy. Listen to The Kibitzhttp://www.kibitzpod.com/episodes/The Kibitz is doing a live episode a Catskills Kibitz with special guests: Michael Showalter, Moshe Kasher, and the Living Sisters -- Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at Canter's Deli on Fairfax in LA. http://www.kibitzpod.com/events/2 Jews Talking is also doing a live episode, with everybody's favorite Barrio Boychik, Shmuel Gonzales. Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at Tabula Rasa Bar on Hollywood in LA. https://www.facebook.com/events/143869689598209/

"'Cause time goes by like hurricanes, and faster things..." If you've been looking for some sort of sign that it's time to interview your grandparents or older relatives — this is it. In this very special mini-sode, Erika shares one of the first interviews she ever did of her grandparents and gives a few pointers in how to get started documenting family stories. Have a short family story you'd like to share? Send us the file at 2JewsTalking at gmail dot com — we'd like to combine them all into one awesome episode.

We sit down with Sean Malin, writer, film critic, Santa Clarita-resident, and Josh's former camper. We talk about how growing up a precocious kid set him on a path toward become a writer, and how he can't help but see the world through a cinematic lens. Sometimes we're reoccurring characters, but as you get older you become the star of your coming of age story.Find Sean online... Twitter: @cinemalinsWebsite: cmfilmcommentary.com

We sit down with historians Dr. Caroline Luce and Dr. Max Baumgarten. They both study the history of Jews in Los Angeles. Caroline writes about leftist Jews in Boyle Heights at the beginning of the 20th century. Max writes about Jews in LA between 1965 and 1992. A really great conversation about how Jews arrived in LA, and how they became a part of the city.We learned about the pogroms that brought us here, bagel unions, leftist 3rd seders, the Watts Riots/Rebellion, the Black-Jewish alliance that elected Tom Bradley, and how Jewish life in diasporic suburban Los Angeles was always different from New York.There is so much more to talk about, but in the meantime find Caroline & Max and their projects online...mappingjewishla.orgcenter for jewish studies@maxbaumgarten

Recorded in San Francisco a few weeks back, Josh catches up with Sarah Nathan. She talks about moving to a new city, finding community in the Jewish and Craft Beer worlds, and that if you're selling etched-glass crafts on Etsy you can make more money if you call them Judaica.Sarah has followed her passion to land her dream job as the VP of Business Development and Executive Grain Hawker at ReGrained, a company that harvests grain from urban craft breweries and upcycles it into delicious, nutritious, and sustainable snacks.https://www.regrained.com/

This week we dive into a jam-packed episode about American history, culture, identity and more with English professor Dr. Brian Garcia. He joins us to talk about about how myths and stories have created American identity, and how Make America Great Again is part of a long tradition. Brian talks about growing up in Portuguese Artesia, where grandmas aren't supposed to speak English. Erika drops some knowledge from Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. And Josh accurately identifies a Simulacrum! We also open up the mailbag for the first time since like March (sorry about that.) Send us an email at 2JewsTalking@gmail.comFind Brian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/loquatsandmilk

Josh went up to San Francisco last week, and interviewed his old bud Donald C Cutler. DCC is an expert in Public Relations and a member of San Francisco's Jewish community. We had a lot to talk about. DCC explains how Trump's war on the NFL is part of his larger goal of "controlling the narrative." DCC talks about how we can utilize messaging strategies to combat Trumpism. It's not just about winning the argument, it's about mobilizing people to accomplish a goal. He knows that Jews have got to show up in solidarity with other communities, and while this era looks bleak, he sees glimmers of hope for a better future.Find Donnie on Twitter @TheDonnieCCListen to his Elul playlist here: http://spoti.fi/2y3liFrDonnie is also the president of Donalds Against Trump.

We sit down with Ramou Sarr, Federal Employee, screenwriter and former co-host of Black Girls Talking podcast to chat about dating apps, the original T.G.I.F. lineup, and having a podcast about identity. It's one of those real fun hang out episodes. twitter.com/ramouWatch Ep 1 of BRUNCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0dnkY6GEY

In this week's episode of 2JT, we sit down with members of the DSA's Jewish Solidarity Caucus. Miranda Sklaroff, Sam Forman, and Jon Danforth-Appell breakdown the basics of democratic socialism, and how their Jewish identities inform their politics. It's an episode packed with the history of Jewish socialism, everything you wanted to know about the Democratic Socialists of America, their organization's controversial decision to support BDS, and how to pronounce "Kugel." Find our guests on TwitterMiranda - @CAPuffinSam - @SamHelloHiJon - @GrouchoMarxistJewish Solidarity Caucus - @solid_jews ‏

Lisa Grissom of Reboot joins Josh & Erika to talk about the Days Of Awe, the 10-day period of reflection during the High Holidays between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. With a deck of Reboot's signature 10Q cards, the group looks back on 5777. Want to 10Q at home? Sign up at DoYou10Q.com [Also this is the "Dad Who Would Quiz You On The Way Home From Hebrew School" Erika was referring to.]

This week we're happy to bring back Shmuel Gonzales, The Barrio Boychik.Shmuel talks about his experience on the front lines of a recent Orange County protest. He was attacked by white supremacists, but the Mexican American Jewish kid in the yarmulke, got taken to jail not the fascists who attacked him. Shmuel, a gifted historian, also talks about the long history of the KKK, Nazis, and antisemitism in Southern California. This very important episode shows that the antifascist fight we've been engaged in for decades is not just history. Antisemitism still must be confronted in Southern California in 2017. You can see the historical photos talked about in this episode on Shmuel's Instagram: @BarrioBoychikShmuel heads to court later this month. For more information on how to contribute to his legal defense fund, head to his website: https://barrioboychik.wordpress.com***It's the month of Elul, and we thought you might want to celebrate by listening to Donnie Cohen-Cutler's epic Elul Is Here playlist on Spotify. He recommends that you "listen on shuffle, like life."https://open.spotify.com/user/thedcc/playlist/7LecFSGmEmvS3gGlWYmLdN

Summer's almost over and the original 2 Jew duo have reunited to kickoff a new season. Josh is back from Europe, and talks about eating well, the Jewish things he saw abroad, and has special news about his sweetie. Erika talks about her summer, how to deal with all the stressful news, and on detoxing from social media.This season we delve deeper into issues of antisemitism, tikkun olam, food, detoxing from social media, and being Jewish in Trump's Amerika.Special thanks to Mr. Rami Raff, who was such a great summer co-host!

Erika and summertime guest host Rami Raff discuss some exciting trends emerging in the world of pop culture. We cover: GLOW, WWF, RuPaul's Drag Race, Wonder Woman, Doctor Who — and manage to cram a ton of other pop culture references into this episode as well. Don't forget to STAY TUNED for a very, very special dispatch from Joshua Heller at the end of this episode.

The world is experiencing a refugee crisis at a level never before seen in recorded history. Yet many of us don't even have a clear definition of the word "refugee". In this week's episode, we chat with Rabbi Rachel Grant Meyer about her work with HIAS, what inspired her to become a Rabbi, and what gives her hope for the over 65 million refugees worldwide. For more on how you can get involved: https://www.hias.org/resources

Rami and Erika chat with David Wolkin ("Professional Jew" and Most Handsome Person on Comics Twitter) about OneTable, an organization that helps Millennials host and attend unique Shabbat dinners. In this episode you'll learn how you can personalize and customize your own Shabbat dinner and rituals and about the workings of a Twitter community you may have never even heard of. Also, shout out to Waffles the dog. For more info on OneTable: https://onetable.org/

With Josh away on his Summer World Tour, summer guest host Rami Raff and Erika play a version of "friend speed dating" to get better aquatinted. Pop culture references covered in this episode include (but are not limited to): Fraggle Rock Welcome Freshmen The Simpsons The Nanny The Killers Golden Girls Seinfeld

In this week's episode Josh hands over the proverbial torch to Summer Host and Orignal Friend Of The Show, Mr. Raaaaami Rafffffff. They talk about what Jewish scholars think about the summer. Rami asks Josh about his EUROTrip. Then Rami explains what it takes to be a Summer Movie. Josh is saying Au Revoir for The Summer, while Rami & Erika dive deep into a Summer season of 2 Jews Talking!

Join us as we turn the clock back 20 years and relive a monumental year in both of our lives (for different and similar reasons). Plus Josh tells us all about his 1997 party and his 1997 Zine and Erika shares from her recently unearthed 1997 diary. We'll also talk about fashion, music and pop culture of the year that gave Smash Mouth its first single. (For a copy of Josh's Zine Venmo $8 to @ Heller)

Josh heads to Salt Lake City, Utah to kibbitz with Justin Field about what it's like to be a Jew in the only place where Jews are considered gentiles. We talk hosting a seder in the Mormon capital, the city's craft beer scene, all that sweet nearby nature, and Justin's podcast Thunderdice Empire. https://thunderdiceempire.com/

On our 53rd episode, we look back at the year that saw so much unexpected turmoil in a general sense but also the personal growth that Josh and Erika found in their own lives and how this very podcast and our listeners made it all possible. (It's our Paper Anniversary, y'all!)

Why do Jews like keeping track of which celebrities are Jewish? Who makes for a good Jewish Spirit Animal? And which movie won Best Picture at the 1987 Academy Awards? We answer these questions and more in our 52nd episode with hilarious TV writer Jeanne Leitenberg (https://twitter.com/jleitenberg).

In our first international interview, we talk with Aviva Zimmerman in Tel Aviv about her controversial web series 'Avi Does The Holyland, the occupation, and Jewish comedy as a pathway to "tikkun olam".

Ok so we are on Passover break this week, and Erika told me it'd be cool if I played some of my signature BEATS by HELLER for our episode. This is kind of a techno mix but it goes a little experimental. Totally cool if it's not your thing, but if it is holler at me! So this is a jam that I did with Lumpee Le AKA Freddy Ruxpin a few weeks back. His brother let him use the notorious SH-101, which he found in a dumpster in Nagoya, Japan. I was getting those synth bass grooves from the Korg Volca Bass, those EPIC 808 kicks from the TR-8, and the synth lines from my dad's old CZ-101, which I hooked up to an SQ-1 sequencer. Also used my SP-404 sampler. I remixed it all in Ableton, so added a couple of new grooves, but all those textures are from the gear. Hope you enjoy! Chag Sameach! Find FreddyRuxpin here... https://soundcloud.com/freddyruxpin

Jenna Reback, host of the podcast Bad Jew Weekly joins us this week to discuss the spiritual side of being Jewish. This episode gets pretty deep — but we still manage to talk about Flava Flav and cat tropes. instagram.com/badjewweekly

We explore the Jewish and Chicano legacy of LA's Boyle Heights neighborhood with Shmuel Gonzales, the "Barrio Boychik".

This week we sit down with Josh's parents, Babette & Kenn, to talk about how Josh became so...Josh. We also explore the trope of the "Jewish Pioneer", as Josh's parents share what it was like to move to California in the early 60s. (Do not adjust your earbuds, you are definitely hearing the sound of a dog snoring throughout this episode.)

We sit down with former professional baseball player Josh Eichenstein of the Netanya Tigers to talk about his time in the Israeli Baseball League. Plus, Josh + Erika learn about Team Israel's performance in the 2017 World Baseball Classic (as understood through sports movies and pop culture references).

Official "Friend Of The Podcast" (and Jewish scholar) Rami Raff joins us once again to enlighten us to the MANY parallels between the story of Purim and our current political climate. Can you guess who our modern-day Haman is? Plus, if you're troubled by the rise in anti-semitism in America, Rami shares several things you can do right now to help. Follow Rami at @thesickness85 on Twitter.

This week we "Yemenite left" and "Yemenite right" with Israeli Dance experts Orly Star Setareh & Jason Goldman. We learn the history of the movement, dispel common misconceptions about Israeli dance, and you'll learn what it takes to get a choreographed line dance certified. Is Erika going to have TWO dance squads now? For more on Orly and Jason: dancewithorly.com @jgold85

This week our special guest is *drum roll* Erika's mom, Ilene Brooks! Learn about the origins of Erika's family and how growing up the product of two first-generation Americans (from two dramatically different upbringings) shaped Ilene's meaning of the word "family". We talk New York tenements, seltzer and the unbelievable story of how Ilene helped rescue her Aunt Ida from certain death. Plus, Josh finds out what Erika was really like as a child. You'll also learn how to play "Poop Or No Poop". But first, CALL YOUR MOTHER! *Josh gets the dirt on what Erika was like as a kid (2:52) *Ilene's parents growing up as children of immigrants (26:03) *On the importance of being a dutiful child (34:26) *On visiting Erika's great grandmother in her Lower East Side tenement (37:30) *The amazingly true tale of how Ilene and her sister Susan rescued Aunt Ida (48:05)

Josh and Erika record live from their 90s Bar Mitzvah & Dance Party at the Silverlake Independent JCC. We sit down with 90s B'nai Mitzvah experts Sarah Klegman (Challah Hub) & Maureen Grady. We talk 90s style, music, and tales from our own coming-of-age moments. Special thanks to REBOOT who provided a ReBar questionnaire about what life felt like at 13. If you want us to host a 90s Bar Mitzvah in your neighborhood, email us at 2jewstalking at gmail.com

What lengths would you go to in the pursuit of love? Would you climb a mountain? Watch MMA fighting? Get RE-CIRCUMCISED?Listeners-turned-guests Lisa + Brian have been through all three and share their love story on our most romantic episode to date. (Also, we talk about the Cerritos Auto Square jingle.) Lisa + Brian's blog devoted to MMA fighting: https://loveandcagefighting.wordpress.com