Jew Oughta Know

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From ancient history to current events, take yourself on a journey through the story of the Jewish People, from someone who has led hundreds of Jewish young professionals on trips throughout Israel. From the beginning of creation to modern Israel, each short episode is geared to appeal both to someo…

Jason Harris


    • May 25, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 22m AVG DURATION
    • 197 EPISODES

    4.8 from 123 ratings Listeners of Jew Oughta Know that love the show mention: jewish, jason, every episode, love this podcast, informative, time, great.


    Ivy Insights

    The Jew Oughta Know podcast is an absolute gem that I stumbled upon and have been thoroughly enjoying. It manages to strike the perfect balance between being insightful and informative, without feeling overly academic or dry. The coverage of Jewish history and insights into Jewish tradition is spot-on, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in learning more about their heritage. I'm eagerly awaiting the next season and hoping for more episodes soon!

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its ability to present complex information in a way that is easily digestible and entertaining. Jason, the host, has a knack for presenting information in a balanced and thoughtful manner, always taking into account different perspectives. He manages to make serious topics light-hearted and humorous at times, making it enjoyable to listen to while still being intellectually stimulating.

    Another great aspect of The Jew Oughta Know podcast is its inclusiveness. It caters not only to those who are already well-versed in Jewish traditions and history but also to newcomers or those who may have strayed from religion. As a Baal teshuva who departed from religion twenty years ago, I found this podcast reawakening my love for intellectual Judaism. Jason's approach is informative, inclusive, and often irreverent, which makes it accessible to a wide range of listeners.

    While it's difficult to find any major faults with this podcast, one small criticism could be that sometimes the episodes can feel rushed due to their relatively short length. However, this is understandable considering the vast amount of information being covered in each episode. Despite this minor flaw, the overall quality of the content more than makes up for it.

    In conclusion, The Jew Oughta Know podcast is a true treasure for anyone interested in Jewish history and tradition. It manages to strike the perfect balance between being informative and entertaining, presenting complex information in an easily digestible manner. Jason's inclusive approach makes it accessible to a wide range of listeners, whether they are well-versed in Jewish tradition or newcomers. I highly recommend this podcast and eagerly anticipate the next season.



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    Latest episodes from Jew Oughta Know

    197. Israel at War, Explained: Netanyahu's Middle East Pickle

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 23:26


    Why didn't Trump visit Israel during his trip to the Middle East last week? On multiple issues Trump has left Netanyahu standing on the sidelines, leaving the prime minister struggling to Make Israel Relevant Again.

    196. Israel at War, Explained: Trump's Double Game on Antisemitism

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 25:54


    Trump attacks antisemitism on the left while encouraging it on the right. Jewish hatred should have consequences. But we shouldn't use antisemitism as a pretext to erode the rule of law in order to punish political enemies.

    195. Israel at War, Explained: Is Trump a Threat to the Jewish State?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 23:02


    What happens to Israel when its most important ally turns away from democracy? When happens when a weakened United States can no longer help Israel defend itself? Where else should Israel turn when the United States allies with autocracies? Is Trump good for Israel — or its biggest long-term threat?

    194. Israel at War, Explained: What To Do About the Palestinians

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 25:54


    The hostage release “ceremonies” reveal why a solution for Gaza is so elusive. How much of the answer is dependent on the Palestinian's developing a different national culture?

    193. Israel at War, Explained: Three Hostages Come Home -- What's Next?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 24:53


    Three hostages come home. This begins the first phase of a complex cease-fire-for-hostages agreement. Should we be pessimistic or optimistic? Is this a victory for Israel or Hamas? Why did this happen now, and what happens next?

    192. Israel At War, Explained: Words Against Humanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 29:56


    How “social justice”, “racism”, and “genocide” are re-interpreted and re-defined to demonize Israel, Zionism, and Jews.

    191. Re-Release! Hanukah: One Bad King and a Bunch of Non-Kosher Oil

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 21:15


    Re-releasing Episode 29 on the historical story of Hanukah. Where does the story come from? What happened? What's with the miracle of the eight days of oil?

    190. Israel at War, Explained: This Changes Everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 25:08


    After 54 years, the Assad dictatorship in Syria has fallen. Iran is humiliated; its theory of power in the Middle East is a failure. And Israel is once again the region's preeminent power. It's been a wild few days — here's what happened and why.

    189. Israel at War, Explained: Is Israel Adrift?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 24:25


    There's a cease-fire in Lebanon but no path forward in Gaza, and this raises the question of Israel's strategic direction. How come Israel can end the war with Hezbollah but not with Hamas?

    188. Israel at War, Explained: Following the Money

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024 25:11


    Where do Hezbollah and Hamas get their money? State sponsors, legitimate businesses, donations and humanitarian aid, and criminal activity all pour billions into the terrorists' banks — which are now prime targets for Israel.

    187. Israel at War, Explained: Antisemitism on the Ballot

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 24:01


    Jews are feeling uneasy about whomever they vote for — Donald Trump or Kamala Harris — because both parties are rife with antisemitism. Whether in the form of conspiracy theories or anti-Zionism, it's evidence of an ailing society. Can Americans fix this rot in their politics?

    186. Update! Was Christopher Columbus Jewish?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 27:18


    Re-releasing an episode from the archives with a major update. Episode 63 from Season 3 Unsolved Jewish Mysteries explored the theory that Christopher Columbus was Jewish. Now there is a major new DNA finding that provides some answers.

    185. Israel at War, Explained: War With Hezbollah

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 27:06


    Hezbollah attacked Israel on October 8 last year, laying siege to the north of the country that has killed civilians, burned entire towns to the ground, and driven tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes. Israel is now fighting back in an effort to push Hezbollah off the border and stop the attacks. Let's look at what's happening and why now.

    184. Israel at War, Explained: Why Isn't There a Hostage Deal?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 26:54


    Hamas executed six hostages. Israelis accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of abandoning them for his own self-interest. They no longer trust the government to get the hostages back or wage this war effectively. So why isn't there a hostage deal? And how is Netanyahu managing to stay in power?

    183. Israel at War, Explained: Netanyahu's Speech to Congress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 26:14


    Prime Minister Benjamin addressed the United States Congress amidst a wild week of politics. We'll examine a few takeaways regarding his own standing, Kamala Harris, the Left, and the upcoming US election.

    182. Israel at War, Explained: The Upside-Down Hostage Rescue

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 24:29


    Israel's exceptional hostage rescue operation on June 8 — and how the upside-down world condemned it.

    181. Israel at War, Explained: Biden's Arms Embargo

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 26:35


    President Biden imposed a temporary arms embargo on Israel. He's holding back certain types of weapons to try to prevent Israel from invading Rafah in southern Gaza. How should we think about this decision?

    180. Israel at War, Explained: The Hostages

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 25:30


    Hamas continues to hold 132 hostages. That's 132 war crimes committed each and every day they are held. The best way to end this round of war is for Hamas to return them immediately. Instead they are subjected to the whims of international politics, diplomatic maneuvering, and demands on Israel to pay an ever-steeper price for their return.

    179. Israel at War, Explained: Getting to a Palestinian State, Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 25:11


    It's not just Israel and the Palestinians who have to make changes to create a Palestinian state. The U.S., Europe, and the moderate Arab countries will need to work together to run Gaza, ensure Israel's security, and, most importantly, defend decent civilization from the existential threat of Islamic jihadism.

    178. Israel at War, Explained: Getting to a Palestinian State, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 24:09


    Israel has to make changes to get to a Palestinian state, but so do the Palestinians. Violent rejectionism, delegitimization of Israel, and the right of return all perpetuate the conflict. To achieve their own state, Palestinians have to give up trying to eliminate Israel.

    177. Israel at War, Explained: Getting to a Palestinian State, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2024 25:23


    If a Palestinian state is the ultimate goal, then Israel, the Palestinians, and the international community are all going to have to do things they really don't want to do. Today we're looking at this from Israel's angle, with the focus on security.

    176. Israel at War, Explained: Eyes on Lebanon

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2024 26:41


    Israel has fought two wars in Lebanon — is a third one coming? Today we're taking a brief look at the history of Israel's involvement in Lebanon.

    175. Israel at War, Explained: Reoccupy Gaza?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 26:17


    Should Israel reoccupy Gaza eighteen years after leaving it? And if not, does the government have a better vision?

    174. What's the Deal?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 26:15


    There are hopes for a huge deal in one fell swoop: end the war, return the hostages, make peace with Saudi Arabia, and get a Palestinian state. But is this realistic? What are the dilemmas involved?

    173. Israel at War, Explained: The ICJ Ruling

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2024 22:53


    The International Court of Justice issued a ruling in Israel's trial on charges of genocide. Was it a defeat or victory for Israel — or a little bit of both? A sign of the sober application of international law, or the hypocrisy of politicized demonization of the Jewish State?

    172. Israel at War, Explained: Palestinian Perspectives

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2024 22:16


    A survey of Palestinian attitudes from December makes for bleak reading: increased popularity for Hamas, more support for armed violence, widespread belief that Hamas will still be in charge in Gaza after the war, and more. Is there any way forward?

    171. Israel at War, Explained: Israel on Trial for Genocide

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 22:47


    South Africa has brought charges of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. What is this case about, and what does it all mean?

    170. Israel at War, Explained: Where We Are, Entering 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2024 26:00


    Diving into the start of 2024: the ground war in Gaza, escalating conflict with Hezbollah, the Houthis attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea, and a return to Israeli domestic politics with a major ruling from the Supreme Court.

    169. Israel at War, Explained: the IDF and the Laws of War

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 24:42


    The tragic killing of three Israeli hostages by the IDF raises questions about the military's conduct during this war. Is Israel adhering to the laws of war?

    168. Israel at War, Explained: Conversations Not Worth Having

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 22:56


    There are conversations no longer worth having because their answers have no meaningful impact. Is anti-Zionism antisemitism? Who actually hates Jews? Are Jews indigenous to Israel? Let's stop debating these distractions.

    167. Israel at War, Explained: The United Nations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 26:00


    Why is the relationship between Israel and the United Nations so bad? Historical events, the makeup of the UN, and its relentless condemnations of Israel explain why Israel no longer considers the global body a neutral actor.

    166. Israel at War, Explained: The West Bank

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2023 22:37


    The West Bank — what many Jews call Judea and Samaria — is another sector of this war that is boiling over with tension and violence. While Israeli forces arrest thousands of Hamas terrorists, fanatical Jewish settlers attack Palestinian civilians. What is going on and how did we get here?

    165. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: The Hostage Deal

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 18:55


    After seven weeks of fighting, Hamas and Israel agreed to a deal to release some of the Israeli hostages, who have started returning home to great joy and relief. How can we understand this deal in context? What should we make of the role of Qatar as mediator? What does it tell us about Hamas? What are the dilemmas facing Israel going forward?

    164. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: "Never Again"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 22:00


    “Never Again” evokes the promise of no more genocide, as the world has learned the lessons of history and the Holocaust. But “Never Again” has a different connotation for the Jewish People — and helps us understand the decisions Israel is making in fighting this war against Hamas.

    163. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: "From the River to the Sea"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2023 25:22


    Hamas' massacre unleashed a worldwide wave of hatred and vilification against Israel and the Jewish People, summed up in the noxious idea of “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea” — a call for the destruction of Israel. Leftist ideology, classic antisemitism, and Israel demonization all play a role in this stunning display of moral blindness.

    162. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: The Options for Gaza

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 22:46


    Israel's ground invasion of Gaza is underway. It is difficult, dangerous, and deadly fighting that has already claimed dozens of Israeli soldiers. The goal is to eliminate Hamas. But what about afterwards? Today we'll look at five options for post-war Gaza.

    161. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: The PR War

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 22:42


    In the constant struggle to keep up with what's happening, how can we understand what we're seeing on the news? The media ecosystem often accepts Hamas' claims uncritically, while Israel's are subjected to days of scrutiny and doubt. Skepticism and patience are our best tools to navigate the complexities here.

    160. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained: Iran & Hezbollah

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2023 21:00


    What does Iran have to do with Israel's war against Hamas? A lot! We're zooming out to look at Iran and it's proxy army, Hezbollah, the terrorist group threatening to start a war along Israel's northern border.

    159. Current Events: Israel at War, Explained. Oct 18

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 23:08


    Day Eleven of the war between Hamas and Israel. For years Israel has brought sick Palestinian children into Israel for lifesaving medical care. Hamas responded by sadistically massacring Israeli children. Today we're talking about Hamas and its intersection with Gaza's history, crucial context for understanding how we got to this moment.

    158. Current Events: Israel at War Oct 15

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2023 23:07


    Unimaginable savagery in the worst attack on the Jewish People since the Holocaust. It's a declaration of war by Hamas, the genocidal group dedicated to the complete destruction of Israel. What's going on? How did we get here? What's next?

    157. Israel 1967-1977: Scenario 21

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023 21:27


    Black September cruelly murders 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The local police are helpless to resist, the rescue operation goes wrong, the world watches on live TV, and Golda Meir sees that, once again, Jews are being killed on European soil.

    156. Israel 1967-1977: Black September

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2023 22:29


    A civil war in Jordan between King Hussein and the PLO threatens to bring in Israel and its neighbors. Though a victory for Jordan, it created one of the most deadly terrorist groups that Israel would face: Black September. A daring commando operation thwarts an airplane hijacking, but that would prove to be just the beginning of the group's ambitions.

    155. Israel 1967-1977: The "Not Nice Boys"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 24:03


    The early 1970s saw the rise of the Israeli Black Panthers — a movement of young Mizrahi Jews fed up with systematic inequality and social discrimination that left Jews from the Middle East and North Africa lagging behind the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe. The met their match in Prime Minister Golda Meir, whose disapproval only fueled their efforts to wake Israeli society up to their plight.

    154. Israel 1967-1977: The Eighteen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2023 21:46


    Israel was founded to provide a safe place for Jewish life to flourish. But by the late 1960s, millions of Jews remained trapped in the Soviet Union, refused the emigration visas necessary to leave. The plight of these “refuseniks” kicked off an international campaign to free them, and in 1969, eighteen Jews wrote to Prime Minister Golda Meir explaining why they looked to Israel for rescue.

    153. Israel 1967-1977: Settlements: Hebron

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2023 24:49


    Rabbi Moshe Levinger was all in favor of building settlements in the West Bank, but with a twist: he thought confrontation with the Israeli government, rather than cooperation, was the way to achieve a Jewish foothold in their historic land. He set his sights on establishing the first urban settlement in the heart of Hebron: one of Judaism's oldest cities, now populated exclusively by Arabs.

    152. Israel 1967-1977: Golda

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2023 23:27


    Palestinians hit on a winning formula for attacking Israel and publicizing their own cause: airplane hijackings. And Prime Minister Levi Eshkol dies, replaced by Israel's first (and so far only) female prime minister, Golda Meir. By turns empathetic and aloof, ideological and pragmatic, pioneering and traditional, Golda came into office struggling to reconcile the Israel of her dreams with the changing country before her.

    151. Israel 1967-1977: The Three No's

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 24:42


    The Six Day War did not mean the end of fighting, just a new phrase. At a summit in Khartoum the Arabs rejected peace, negotiation, and recognition of Israel, leaving violence as the only acceptable option. Egypt and Israel began fighting the War of Attrition, while Yasser Arafat's PLO terrorist group challenged Israel's patience and strength. These events and the Occupation engendered a developing new Palestinian identity.

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