A Very Unorthodox Passover

This week on Unorthodox, we’re getting in the mood for matzo with a jam packed Passover episode.

We speak with New York Times food writer (and Instant Pot enthusiast) Melissa Clark about her Passover menu, which includes a new brisket recipe (which can be made in the oven, but which she will be making in the Instant Pot), and, later on in the week, matzo lasagna.

Paul Germain, the TV writer responsible for the Rugrats Passover episode, which aired in 1995 and offered a remarkable animated retelling of the story of Exodus, tells us about how that episode got made.

Since the second Seder falls on 4/20, the international celebration of marijuana, we called up cannabis entrepreneur Cat Goldberg to get some tips on how to make our Seders a little more green.

Restaurateur Gabriel Stulman describes the Moroccan celebration of Mimouna, which falls at the end of Passover and features delicious pastries, including mufleta. (Stulman will be hosting a special Mimouna meal at his New York City restaurant Fairfax on April 27.)

And Simone Weichselbaum from The Marshall Project sat down with William Rapfogel, the former chief of New York’s Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty who went to jail for embezzlement, about putting together a Seder behind bars.

Tell us about your Passover plans! Email us at [email protected] or leave a message at 914-570-4869. Follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram and join our Facebook group. Plus, get your Unorthodox T-shirts, sweatshirts, and baby onesies here.

As they say at the Ariana Grande Seder, Thank U Next Year in Jerusalem.

Episode sponsors:

The UJA-Federation Matzah Challenge is back! Here’s how it works: Take a picture of your matzah creation between April 19 and April 27 and post it to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag #matzahchallenge. Tag a friend: For every matzah photo that’s posted, $18 will be donated to someone in need.

One Day University brings together the best professors to give their most engaging lectures to audiences of all ages. On April 28, Mark Oppenheimer will be teaching a class called American Jews: Where are they now? Register at www.OneDayu.com. or by calling 800-300-3438.

JChef, the kosher meal kit service, delivers all the ingredients you need to make delicious kosher recipes without schlepping to the market. If you order between now and Passover, you’ll get 30% off your first order—and if you refer a friend who places an order, you’ll also get a free classic meal box. Go to JChef.com/Unorthodox to get yours today.

Unorthodox Wine is a unique take on kosher wine that’s perfect for your Seder. Get free shipping on your order at www.bitly.com/unorthowine.

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.