Monologue Transcript
Jonah Platt Shares 7 Reasons Why It’s a GOOD Time to be Jewish
Today's episode is brought to you by Berkeley Mosha, a Jewish co-housing
community being built in California.
Visit berkeley mosha.org to learn more.
When I travel the country to speak with different Jewish communities, there
are a handful of questions I'm usually asked, why did I start this show?
What was my Jewish upbringing like?
What have I learned from my guests?
Stuff like that.
One question I get often is, what gives me hope for the future?
And the answer is.
A lot.
But it occurs to me that because of the work I do day in, day out
and the diversity of the rooms and conversations I'm in, I am exposed
to much more of the amazing things the Jewish community and our allies
are doing than the average person.
So I wanna give you a little window into just some of the experiences I've
had in only the last two weeks that fill my cup, inspire me, and certainly
answer the question, what gives me hope?
Let's start with the 25th anniversary Gallup for Birthright Israel,
which I had the pleasure to attend as both the Master of Ceremonies
and as one of 25 alumni honorees.
You ready for this stat?
Around 900,000 Jews have been to Israel via birthright for free.
That's nearly 6% of all Jews on planet Earth.
Do you understand how insane that is?
How innovative and Unthinkably massive a program that is.
Of those 900,000 Jews, 84% of the ones with children are raising them Jewish.
That's not a bug, that's a feature.
And the 24 other alumni honorees were one impressive person after the other
people who have made being Jewish, a central pillar of their lives as
both professional and lay leaders.
So many passionate leaders, so much commitment from funders and
major organizations to ensure that every young Jew who wants it has an
opportunity to visit our homeland.
Gotta say, gives me hope in la.
I spoke at a barbecue fundraiser for Kibbutz Neil Oz, put on by my elementary
school buddy Daniel Key and mad shout out to Danny simply because he didn't
want our brothers and sisters still trying to rebuild their lives after
October 7th to think we'd forgotten them.
It was well attended by Jews and non-Jewish allies alike who chose
to spend their beautiful LA Sunday afternoon and hard earned money
supporting people they may never meet in a community they may never visit.
Why?
Because they care.
Because so many of us are engaged in the fate of the Jewish people as never
before because Diaspora Jews and Israeli Jews feel connected to each other as
never before, and that gives me hope.
I had breakfast with two administrators from my kids' Jewish Day School,
who after hearing an episode of this show where I spoke with Dr.
Noam Weissman of Unpacked, wanted to discuss how to expand and improve
their Israel education curriculum.
Jewish institutions are listening.
They are plugged in.
They know they need to adapt and innovate.
It's happening, and that gives me hope.
I attended an Exodus dinner.
A program started by dear friend of this show, a number one Jewish ally,
van Jones that brought together black people, Jewish people, and black
Jewish people for honest and vulnerable conversation over the dinner table.
We shared together, sang together, laughed together, and cried together.
I met supportive non-Jewish members of the black community who get it.
In.
They are normal, critically thinking adults who know the difference between
a terrorist and not a terrorist who know that all Jews are not rich white
people who were just as shocked at the reaction to October 7th as we were.
That such a program filled with such people exists, gives me hope.
I had a meeting with the founder and CEO of a new app called Hamma, which
is using AI to curate personalized Jewish experience, summarize Jewish
texts and ideas, show you Jewish events from your favorite organizations, even
create the perfect podcast playlist based on your specific interests.
And this was only one of three Jewish event focused apps.
I was contacted about this week, two Jews, three synagogues.
Am I right?
Hey, folks are innovating.
Folks are doing, folks are trying stuff.
And man, that gives me hope.
I recorded an episode of Australian journalist, Debra Blaske Mark's podcast.
What I've learned where we spoke at lengths about the current Jewish moment.
Even though the show is not Jewish focused, I met with two Israeli
academics to strategize how best to disseminate their work on world
jury's problematic ettl mindset.
I spoke to the founder of Tribal Gatherings, an organization that puts
on geniusly programmed Jewish summer camp for adults all over the country.
These people give me hope.
I EMS MCed a gorgeous backyard gala benefiting Magen David Do, where we
raised money to help heroes save lives.
There were many speakers at the event, including the parents of
Sarah Milgram and Yone Lashinsky.
The beautiful young couple tragically murdered outside the Jewish
museum in DC this past spring.
After the event, I was approached by the lashinsky who stopped to thank me
for my advocacy, that in the midst of the most unthinkably awful time of their
lives, they had the wherewithal to even know I exist, let alone have the grace
and generosity of spirit to speak to me.
To offer up goodness to somebody else to smile, gives me hope.
I co-hosted a screening of Tgo Dero, the Spanish language docuseries
that spotlights the terrible impact.
The Hamas attacks on October 7th had on Israel's large Latin immigrant population.
A significant portion of the audience was not Jewish, and
were there to learn to bear.
Witness to understand.
I moderated a panel with two amazing individuals there.
Le Sobel whose conversation with me on this program was the inspiration for the
screening and who as founder of Fuente Latina, has done more to bring the truth
about Israel to the world's 600 million Spanish speakers than anyone else.
And Guido Kohan, an Argentinian ex-pat living in Israel, who shared his
family's harrowing story of survival on that terrible day, and has committed
himself to sharing their story.
No matter how difficult it may be.
They give me hope.
An old acquaintance I hadn't spoken to in a decade reached out to say
the show made her feel less afraid.
A young queer Instagram follower responded to a prompt of mine
and engaged with me in a totally respectful conversation on Israel.
Despite our misalignment, a stranger reached out through cameo to ask
if I would make a video for his mother, Deb, who lives in a memory
care unit, but still remembers me and always watches this show on JBS.
Deb, if you're watching, shout out to you.
All of these messages give me hope.
And last, for this week at least, I traveled to Arizona for the BBYO
Mountain Region Convention, BBYO.
Being the world's primary Jewish youth group, led and programmed
entirely by teens themselves.
I was interviewed by two bright, poised young Jews committed to a robust Jewish
life for themselves and their peers, 220 of whom chose to spend their weekend
listening to me at a random hotel for the opportunity to be surrounded
by and engage with other Jewish teens in Jewish focused activities.
One of my interviewers was a young man named Alex, who was
also with me when I addressed the parents in a smaller session.
One of the dads asked me to describe the Jewish future 20 years from now,
and I said, I don't have a crystal ball, but I know what we need to do
now to ensure we get the thriving and secure Jewish future we all want.
But the man pressed me.
You didn't answer the question.
That's when Alex jumped in and he said, I know what the Jewish future looks like.
It's us, that young leader and his 220 friends.
Give me hope.
By the time you see this or hear this, I'll be back on the East Coast for Jewish
events in New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York, including the big Shabbat
where we'll be breaking the Guinness World record for world's largest Shabbat.
I can't yet say what these events or New York under Momani or the
next chapter for Israel will bring.
I don't have a crystal ball.
I do have hope, and so should you.
This is the 48th episode of being Jewish with me, Jonah Platt.