This week on Unorthodox, we’re all about atonement. For our third annual apology episode, we’re joined by University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor Ari Kohen, who explains what makes an apology truly bad (and why he stopped blogging about apologies). Mark Osler, a former federal prosecutor turned clemency advocate, tells us about the personal journey behind his career change. Vanessa Zoltan, host of the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, returns with a true story about a family apology that didn’t quite take. We also share your letters about Yom Kippur atonement, and offer our own apologies.

Listen to our previous Yom Kippur episodes here and here.

Want to come to an Unorthodox taping IRL? (Of course you do!) Our next live show will be recorded on October 25 at Manhattan JCC. Tickets are selling fast, so buy yours today!

We love hearing from you! Email us at [email protected]—we’ll share our favorite notes on-air.

This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set (including razor handle, blades, and gel) valued at $13 when you sign up at Harrys.com/Unorthodox.

Unorthodox is a smart, fresh, fun weekly take on Jewish news and culture hosted by Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick, and Liel Leibovitz. You can listen to individual episodes here or subscribe on iTunes.