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This week, Brad and Steven talk about their preparations for Snowmageddon 2026, even though it’s going to hit New York City much harder than it will suburban Maryland. The guys also talk about the life of dogs, shoveling snow, and the US Olympic hockey win and the “Miracle on Ice” (again). Have a listen and enjoy! You […]

In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky talk about Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!, the HBO Max documentary celebrating Mel Brooks and a lifetime of unapologetic comedy. From The Producers to Blazing Saddles, Brooks never hid what he was doing or why — using laughter to mock power, puncture tyranny, and refuse the demand for Jewish silence or […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, trying to recall all of the different news cycles they missed since the last episode. This week, they talk about the racist meme that the president posted about Former President Barack and Michelle Obama as well as the ongoing Epstein files saga — is everyone a […]

What happens when a miracle involves a murder — and who benefits when the truth stays buried? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Wake Up Dead Man, the darkest and most theologically charged entry in Rian Johnson's whodunit series. Set inside a fractured church community obsessed with power, purity, and control, the […]

 This week’s episode is devoted to the execution of Alex Pretti on the streets in Minneapolis by government thugs. May Alex Pretti’s memory be a blessing. You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky return to Hawkins for the final season of the Netflix juggernaut Stranger Things. Beyond monsters and nostalgia, the show offers a sobering meditation on fear, power, and the seductions of militarism and authoritarian control. Through a Jewish lens, the conversation explores what it means to grow up, take responsibility for one another, […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about aging and how quickly time is passing.  It’s another week where so much news is happening that it’s hard to process it all, but they also talk about what’s happening in Minneapolis, the increasing threats to take over Greenland, and the offshore account that Trump […]

Brad and Steven are back for the first episode of 2026, and there’s no shortage of things to talk about. It’s hard to believe that we’re less than two weeks into the new year and how fast events are happening around the world. This week, the guys review the events of the fledgling year, including, […]

What does it really mean to choose the side of “good” — and what does it cost? In this follow-up journey back to Oz, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore Wicked: For Good, the second chapter of Elphaba and Glinda's story, and what it reveals about loyalty, love, sacrifice, and the messy moral terrain between heroism and […]

What does it mean to be good? And who gets to decide? In this magical episode of PopTorah, we dive into the world of Wicked, the spellbinding prequel to The Wizard of Oz that flips the script on the nature of good and evil. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as they explore how the tale […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back for one last time in 2025. They’re talking about the 60 Minutes/Bari Weiss situation and put it in the context of the larger discussion of legacy vs. new media. They also talk about the lack of accepted truths in today’s world and wonder what this portends for the […]

What does it mean to learn, to teach, to remain faithful to ideals in a changing world? Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss A Man on the Inside Season 2 — campus mysteries, human motives, and the deeper questions this witty Netflix comedy invites us to ask. Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, and what a week it’s been. Between the horrific shootings at Brown University, the despicable terrorist attack in Sydney, and the senseless murders of Rob and Michele Reiner, there has been a lot to process in a short amount of time. The guys talk about these events […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about President Trump’s winning of the first ever FIFA Peace Prize — yay Donald! They also talk about the recently released 2025 National Security Strategy and the shift away from the rules-based international system that was created (by the US) in the aftermath of WWII. […]

In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore the haunting and thought-provoking world of AppleTV+'s Pluribus — a series in which nearly all of humanity becomes fused into a single hive mind, leaving only a handful of individuals to wrestle with what it means to remain distinct. Drawing on Jewish wisdom about individuality, community, […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back with the very, very special, post-Thanksgiving episode. The guys talk turkey (and sides) and debrief over their respective holiday gatherings. They also talk about Pete Hegseth, the erosion of political norms, and discover that there are actually a decent number of kosher restaurants in Panama City (who knew?). Have a […]

After a couple of weeks off for travel, Brad and Steven are back at it this week with a new episode, just in time for Thanksgiving. This week, the guys talk about Marjorie Taylor Greene’s “face” turn, Zohran Mamdani’s favorite restaurant, and try to come up with new ideas for their rightwing grift so they […]

The rabbis are back in session! In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky convene a Beit Din to deliberate the ethical, emotional, and existential questions raised by Netflix's Nobody Wants This. Joined by special guest Rabbi Karen Glazer Perolman of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, NJ, the trio puts Netflix's most Jewish the show on […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about the World Series, Halloween costumes and candy, and Nazis on both sides of the aisle. The big reveal in this episode is that Steven went to a David Cassidy concert as an adult. Have a listen and enjoy! You can listen to The Amen Corner […]

Taylor Swift is smiling, and so are we. In Life of a Showgirl, the world's biggest pop star turns the page from heartbreak to happiness—finding meaning, playfulness, and joy in the spotlight. In this latest episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore what Jewish tradition teaches about the holiness of joy, the spiritual work of […]

After a short break for respective Parents Weekends, Brad and Steven are back with the podcast this week. They’re talking about the government shutdown, the general corruption in society, Nazis having a moment, and sugar cereal. Have a listen! You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back, coming off of the High Holidays and talking about being Jewish in the world today, They talk about the rise in antisemitic violence and the impact that it’s had on how they feel about their Judaism and the safety of their families. Have a listen. You can listen […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about the New York Times coverage of the Comey indictment, the designation of ANTIFA as a terrorist organization, Tylenol, Costco, New York City stories, and the Manischewitz truck. Have a listen and Happy New Year. You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of […]

What's the role of a newsroom in an age of spin, clickbait, and fake news? The Paper — the new Office spinoff — takes us inside a struggling local newspaper where staffers battle not just deadlines and budgets, but the question of whether truth still matters. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky […]

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about Steven’s experience going to a Yankee game at Camden Yards in Baltimore. They also discuss the firing of Jimmy Kimmel, living at home with your parents after college, and the Charlie Kirk/Starbucks experience. Have a listen and Shannah Tovah to all who celebrate! You […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back at it, talking about the murder of Charlie Kirk and the spillover effect that it has had on, of all things, the Yankees. Brad was at Yankee Stadium earlier this week, coincidentally on the same night that the president was in attendance. Things did not go as expected. […]

Netflix's smash hit K-Pop Demon Hunters delivers more than catchy beats and dazzling visuals — it's a story about guilt, redemption, and the courage to embrace who we really are. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the film's mythic lore, its banging music, its commentary on fan culture, and its deeper message: that […]

Welcome back for the second episode of the latest season of the Amen Corner. This week, Brad and Steven are talking about the $1.8 billion Powerball drawing that took place this weekend. Spoiler alert: neither of the guys won it, but they did talk about what they would have done with the money had they been the big winner — Barney […]

Happy Labor Day! Welcome to the tenth season of The Amen Corner! In the season premiere this week, Brad and Steven look back at the summer that was — federal troops in DC, the gutting of the federal government, the nightmare unfolding at the Department of Health and Human Services, and the higher cost of, […]

Before they're the world's greatest heroes, they're a family — and family means hard choices. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel's first family learns that the call to save the world can clash with the call to be there for the people we love most. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the movie's […]

What if the real superpower isn't leaping tall buildings — but refusing to harden your heart? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the new Superman film's bold message: that kindness is a kind of strength, and vulnerability is a virtue. With nods to Jewish teachings on welcoming the stranger, protecting life, […]

In Netflix's Sirens, myth meets modernity as ancient sea spirits crash into a coastal town's contemporary chaos — leaving behind a trail of mystery, memory, and moral reckoning. On this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive deep into the show's haunting exploration of identity, womanhood, trauma, and truth — and the fragile, often painful bonds […]

Mountainhead,’ the sharp new HBO film from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, stars Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef as four tech billionaires on a poker retreat at a mountaintop villa — while the world unravels outside. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as we unpack the film's biting satire, shocking twists, and […]

In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into Netflix's new dramedy The Four Seasons, a modern take on love, friendship, and the many seasons of life. Inspired by the eponymous 1981 film, the series invites us to reflect on aging, change, and the beauty and complexity of long-term relationships. Join us as we explore how […]

Set during the ascendancy of the evil galactic empire, Andor, whose full second and final season is now out on Disney+, strips away the mythic and reveals the human cost of rebellion. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore the critically acclaimed Star Wars series that trades spectacle for soul-searching — and asks what it […]

What do a Hollywood studio and a synagogue have in common? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore ‘The Studio’, the Apple TV+ comedy about the pressures of keeping a creative machine running — and what it reveals about the challenges of sustaining meaningful work in the shadow of institutional demands. From […]

In this week’s episode, Brad and Steven take a walk down memory lane talking about graduations and birthdays. Several youthful indiscretions are confessed to (mostly by Brad) and the guys can only hope that the statute of limitations has expired on them. They also revisit their discussion on Diet Coke and of course bring it […]

Long before Westeros crowned its kings, ancient Israel had its own saga of ambition, betrayal, prophecy, and power. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore House of David, the new Prime series that reimagines the life of Israel's most iconic and enigmatic ruler. Who really was King David—and who gets to tell his story? […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back, talking about the measles vaccine (PSA: make sure you still have your immunity!), the ridiculous Lindsey Graham tweet following the death of the Pope, Mexican Coca-Cola, Sephora, and the firing of Mike Waltz. Have a listen and enjoy! You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of […]

It’s the Easter/Passover is Over episode, and this week, Brad and Steven talk about how seemingly everyone ends Passover by eating pizza, wonder if it’s more accurate to compare the US today to Turkey or North Korea, and comment on RFK Jr’s recent frightening comments on autism. They also remind their listeners about the Signal […]

Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’ trades Sicilian scandal for Thai transcendence, following guests who journey to Thailand seeking serenity, connection, and maybe even enlightenment. What they find, however, is far more complicated. In this soul-searching episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the show's exploration of wealth, power, relationships, and the search for […]

This week, Brad and Steven are back with a special Passover episode. In honor of the holiday, the guys talk about gefilte fish and keeping carp in the bathtub back in the day. They also discuss the tariff craziness of the last week and the uncertainty that they brought to global markets. They also talk […]