Beautifully Jewish

Beautifully Jewish is a celebration of all the things that make our Jewish lives joyful, from holidays to material culture and more. Created by Stephanie Butnick and Tanya Singer as a monthly podcast segment on Unorthodox, Beautifully Jewish grew into a community of members who gather virtually and in person to create and appreciate the beautiful things in life.

We hope you’ll join us.

Listen to Beautifully Jewish on Unorthodox:

Set a Beautifully Jewish Table: Tanya is joined by Shannon Sarna for this High Holiday episode. The two explore the powerful meaning of the table. They learn from lifestyle blogger Rebekah Lowin, get schooled on etiquette by Beverly Hills author Lisa Gaché, and plan a festive menu with help from Jewish culinary superstars Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook. Shannon shared one way of working dates, one of the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah, into your meal with her recipe for Balsamic Apple Date Challah. We thought we’d share some of Lisa’s tips that didn’t make it into the show:

• Always bring a hostess gift. Her favorite? Send flowers in advance or bring flowers in a vase, bring baked goods or food plated on just for your hosts, or bring her/his favorite wine or spirits.
• Consider your dietary needs in advance. Vegan? Gluten free? Bringing small children? Let the host know what you need, if asked, but don’t make it a problem. Lisa’s advice: eat before you get there so you’re sure not to be hangry and can enjoy the company.
• Be prepared for stimulating conversation. Brush up on pop culture news, give this week’s Parsha a listen or surprise your fellow diners by sharing what our Rabbis have to say about table manners.

Camp Beautifully Jewish: Stephanie and Tanya join listeners for one perfect day of Beautifully Jewish Summer Camp. Listen to wisdom from a panel discussion with Re-Form podcast host Rabbi Diana Fersko, Tablet’s Talia Elkin and Kathryn Wolf.

A Beautifully Jewish Shavuot: Stephanie and Tanya explore creative and unexpected ways of connecting with the Torah, featuring Israeli journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir, biblical scholar Carol Meyers, and Lili Shain of Torah Stitch by Stitch. Daniella Rabbani and Zalmen Mlotek perform the Yiddish song “Der Eybershter Iz Der Mekhutn,” or “The Almighty Is the Bride’s Father.” You can read the English translation here.

A Beautifully Jewish Shabbat: We explore the beauty of Shabbat with the help of Adeena Sussman, author of the new cookbook Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours, and AHYIN Judaica designer Micaela Ezra, and decorate our custom Beautifully Jewish challah covers, designed by Vicky Katzman.

Craft-Along Interview with Kosha Dillz: We share an interview from a recent Beautifully Jewish craft-along with Israeli American rapper Kosha Dillz and his mother. Since Oct. 7, Dillz has been rapping about Jewish toughness in his songs “Bring the Family Home” and “Watermelon,” while his mother has been knitting hats for IDF soldiers.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Stephanie and Tanya travel to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center to see a very special dress with a very special story behind it. This segment was created with the support of Lion Brand Yarns.

Unorthodox in Israel: As part of our weeklong Unorthodox in Israel series, Tanya Singer delivers the fruits of the Beautifully Jewish Craft-Along, bringing hand-knit hats to IDF soldiers, crocheted dolls to hospitalized children, and handmade cards to Israelis across the country. Along the way, she encounters all sorts of crafters and creators, and reveals the common threads of resilience and generosity that make the tapestry of the Jewish people so strong.

A Beautifully Jewish Hanukkah: Our Hanukkah segment of Beautifully Jewish features designer Jonathan Adler, Gabriel Goldstein of the Yeshiva University Museum, and a trip to visit Ahuva Gottdeiner, aka Homegrown Kosher, in Monsey, New York.

A Beautifully Jewish Thanksgiving: Stephanie and Tanya celebrate an unexpectedly significant object: the folding chair. You’ll also get an update on the Beautifully Jewish craft-along for Israel and hear from Israeli knitwear designer Inbal Gross, who just days before the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks had organized Israel’s first fiber festival.

Celebrating Sukkot in Style: We’re celebrating the sukkah as the perfect canvas: a deeply Jewish space calling out for personalization through crafting or art. Despite their temporary nature, these structures can become universes unto themselves, keepers of meaning, memory, and history well beyond just one week. This segment features Rabbi Adam Baldachin of Shaarei Tikvah, artist Yaeli Vogel (get 10% off using that special link), and Rebecca Frank of the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.

In the Beginning: Gabriel Goldstein, interim director and chief curator at Yeshiva University Museum, helps us understand the deep connection between Jews and things, tracing the relationship all the way back to the creation of the Mishkan, in Exodus. Fiber artist Heather Stoltz shows us the High Holiday Torah covers she made for her synagogue, Temple Israel Center of White Plains, New York. And Tanya teaches Stephanie to knit, helping her on her journey to explore the many ways in which Judaism celebrates beauty and craft.

Share your favorite Beautifully Jewish things in our Unorthodox Facebook group, via email at [email protected], or on social media using the hashtag #beautifullyjewish. Email [email protected] with any questions about joining Beautifully Jewish.