A Whole Latke Love
Ep. 254: Linguist Sarah Bunim Benor on the different ways to say ‘latke,’ plus holiday music from Kosha Dillz, Shira Kobren, and Peter Curtis
This week on Unorthodox: Hallmark Hanukkah movies, puppies for Hanukkah, and so much more.
First we talk with linguist Sarah Bunin Benor, who made her first Unorthodox appearance all the way back on Ep. 102. She returns to the show to explain why some people say “lat-key” instead of “latke,” and settle other holiday pronunciation debates.
Then it’s time for some music to get us in the holiday spirit!
Jazz guitarist Peter Curtis tells us about being so inspired by the fact that Jewish songwriters created some of the most famous Christmas songs that he recorded his own album of covers, called “Christmas With Your Jewish Boyfriend.”
Shira Kobren is the band leader of Shira & Friends, a New York City-based “kindie” rock band, whose new album, “B’yachad,” features a special Hanukkah song for kids.
Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz shares his new Hanukkah song, Schmoozin’, on which he raps about “farbrengen the party,” much to Liel’s delight. He also gives us Jewish rap names and helps kick-start our freestyle careers.
We’ve got virtual events! See our full schedule at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive.
Thursday, Dec. 10: Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with Stephanie, Mayim Bialik, and GLOW star Jackie Tohn at NuRoots’ “First Night” event, at 7 p.m. PST. Register here.
Saturday, Dec. 12: All three hosts will be speaking at the JCC Ann Arbor Jewish Book Festival. 8 p.m. EST; Register here.
Monday, Dec. 14: Stephanie joins Liberation75, 3GNY, and Shai DeLuca for a Hanukkah fireside chat. 12 p.m. EST; Register here.
Tuesday, Dec. 15: Liel and Stephanie will be speaking at Sarasota, Florida’s “People of the Book” author series. 7 p.m. EST; Register here.
Wednesday, Dec. 16: All three hosts will be speaking at Richmond, Virginia’s Weinstein JCC Front Row at the J: Sip and Learn Series. 7:30 p.m. EST; Register here.
Let us know what you think of the show! Send us comments and questions at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram.
Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt.
Sponsors:
Soom Foods’ tahini, chocolate sweet tahini, and silan date syrup are the perfect gift to give this holiday season. Head to soomfoods.com and use code UNORTHODOX to get 15% off your first order.
American Jewish World Service is fighting poverty and pursuing justice in the developing world. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more about the organization and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox.
Institute for Jewish Spirituality offers Jewish tools to help respond to the anxiety and stress of our times. Join them for “Rededication, Resilience and Renewal,” a half-day online retreat Sunday, Dec. 13. Learn more and register at jewishspirituality.org.
- UnorthodoxGood SportsEp. 323: Hindu monk Swami Tyagananda on spirituality and the modern world, and forthcoming Tablet Studios podcast host Meredith Shiner on a Sandy Koufax tribute at Dodger StadiumJune 30, 2022
- UnorthodoxStage HandEp. 322: The new Jewish star of Broadway’s ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ plus how the Krakow JCC is helping Ukrainian refugees, talking to LGBTQ Jews, and moreJune 23, 2022
- UnorthodoxMixed GrillEp. 320: Restaurateurs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook bring their Israeli skewer house to Brooklyn, journalist James Kirchick uncovers Washington, D.C.’s ‘Secret History’June 9, 2022
- UnorthodoxThe Conversion Episode, 2022Ep. 319: Our fifth annual Shavuot celebration of Jews by choice, featuring stories from Washington, D.C., to Jerusalem May 26, 2022
- UnorthodoxUnorthodox Comes Alive!Ep. 318: Congresswoman Elaine Luria and NFL hall-of-famer Bruce Smith, live from Virginia BeachMay 19, 2022
- UnorthodoxBig Bang SliceEp. 317: ‘Jeopardy!’ host Mayim Bialik on her ‘very, very Jewish’ new film, plus Eddie Chang on Buy Nothing groups, and a ‘Licorice Pizza’ reviewMay 12, 2022
- UnorthodoxThe MothershipEp. 316: Jewish Fertility Foundation; Ester Steinberg’s postpartum comedy special; a Fragile X diagnosis; a complicated college graduationMay 5, 2022
- UnorthodoxPuzzling ThroughEp. 315: A.J. Jacobs on crosswords, riddles, and Wordle, plus director Barry Levinson’s new film, ‘The Survivor’April 28, 2022
- UnorthodoxRootless CosmopolitansEp. 314: Barry Manilow on his new musical ‘Harmony,’ Andy Markovits on the power of a passport, and Tablet’s Maggie Phillips on religious literacyApril 21, 2022
- UnorthodoxBonus: Passover MelodiesMusician Josh Warshawsky sings us through the SederApril 14, 2022
- UnorthodoxA Passover to RememberEp. 313: Our hosts make this ancient holiday feel personal, relevant, and meaningfulApril 7, 2022
- UnorthodoxWhat’s Cookin’?Ep. 312: Massachusetts State Sen. Eric Lesser on inaugurating the Obama White House Seders, and Unorthodox producer Quinn Waller on learning to make chicken soup for PassoverMarch 31, 2022
- UnorthodoxWe Are FamilyEp. 311: Julie Platt on Jewish Federations (and her talented Jewish family), and Father Thomas Soroka on Orthodox ChristianityMarch 24, 2022
- UnorthodoxParty OnEp. 310: Reveling on Purim, celebrating 100 years of the bat mitzvah, and revisiting a ‘Preppy Handbook’ parodyMarch 17, 2022
- UnorthodoxPosted NotesEp. 309: A deep dive into our mailbox, plus TikTok sax star Evan Jacobson and journalist Shawn SetaroMarch 10, 2022
- UnorthodoxRocking and RollingEp. 308: Shlock Rock’s Lenny Solomon and Jane Austen scholar Devoney LooserMarch 3, 2022
- UnorthodoxGoing PlacesEp. 307: Tablet’s Armin Rosen and Vladislav Davidzon offer a window into UkraineFebruary 24, 2022
- UnorthodoxChasing MemoriesEp. 306: Tablet’s Wayne Hoffman on solving a family murder mysteryFebruary 17, 2022