Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

Why are Jews expected to show empathy to everyone, even those who want them dead?

Dr. Gad Saad, evolutionary psychologist, bestselling author, and newly arrived Jewish immigrant to America, breaks down the provocative thesis behind his New York Times bestseller, Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind.

Saad explains what he calls “suicidal empathy” and how it can lead societies to excuse extremism, overlook threats to Western values, and sacrifice their own safety in the name of tolerance. Using examples including Canada’s handling of returning ISIS fighters, the rise of antisemitism on university campuses, and Jewish activists who turned against Israel after October 7, Saad argues that empathy must be grounded in reality.

He also shares his deeply personal history of growing up Jewish in Lebanon, recalling childhood experiences of antisemitism, including classmates cheering for a boy who declared he wanted to become a “Jew killer.”

Now teaching at the University of Mississippi’s Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom, Saad discusses why he left Canada after receiving death threats, his concerns about immigration and assimilation, and the psychological blind spots that prevent people from recognizing danger until it reaches their own doorstep.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Suicidal Empathy: When Compassion Becomes Dangerous
01:30

Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism & Jewish Self-Hatred
11:50

Jewish Identity, Israel & the Fight Against Antisemitism
20:00

The Threat to Western Civilization & Lessons from Lebanon
29:45

Why Gad Saad Left Canada for America & His Mission to Defend Freedom
44:00

More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
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For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
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Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
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Learn more about Gad Saad:

Gad Saad’s Website

Gad Saad YouTube

Gad Saad Instagram
Gad Saad Facebook

CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Thanks to Birthright, the Presenting Title Sponsor of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt - Season 3 https://birthrightisrael.foundation/donate

In the first episode of our Jewish American Summit series, Jonah sits down with Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for California governor, for a candid conversation about antisemitism, Jewish safety, and the future of the Golden State.

Hilton discusses what he calls the growing threats facing California’s Jewish community, from Jewish students afraid to display their identities, to concerns about antisemitism in public schools and university campuses. He shares his plans to address antisemitism, reform education, and hold teachers’ unions accountable, while explaining why he believes California needs a major change in leadership.

Jonah also presses Hilton on antisemitism on the political right, the rise of extremism, and how he would support Jewish Californians across party lines. Plus, Hilton makes his case for tackling California’s affordability crisis, homelessness, crime, and struggling entertainment and agriculture industries.

More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter
For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
Merchandise
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch
Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt
Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Learn more about Steve Hilton

Steve Hilton’s Campaign Page
Steve Hilton on Facebook
Steve Hilton on Instagram
Steve Hilton on X

CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Thanks to Birthright, the Presenting Title Sponsor of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt - Season 3 https://birthrightisrael.foundation/donate

What does it mean to be unapologetically Jewish in an industry that has often encouraged people to hide their identity?

This week, Jonah sits down with legendary actress Tovah Feldshuh, the four-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Emmy nominee whose extraordinary career has brought some of history's most iconic Jewish women to life, from Golda Meir and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Yentl.

Fresh off her role as the fiercely protective and controversial Bina Rockloff on Netflix's Nobody Wants This, Tovah opens up about the backlash surrounding her character, accusations of Jewish stereotypes, and why she believes Bina represents something far more meaningful than audiences might realize.

But the conversation goes well beyond Hollywood. Tovah and Jonah tackle the alarming rise of antisemitism, the aftermath of October 7, the importance of Israel's survival, and why she refuses to soften her Jewish identity to make others comfortable.

Tovah also reflects on her experience starring in the groundbreaking 1978 miniseries Holocaust, her deeply personal connection to Golda Meir, her family's immigrant history, and the remarkable decision to embrace a more recognizably Jewish name at a time when so many performers were doing the opposite.

From Hollywood controversies and Jewish representation to courage, survival, and the responsibility of passing Jewish identity to the next generation, this is a passionate, funny, and unfiltered conversation with a woman who has spent her life refusing to be anyone but herself.

Because for Tovah Feldshuh, being Jewish isn't something to hide. It's something to stand up for.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

01:30
Playing Bina on Nobody Wants This: Jewish Mothers, Stereotypes & Survival

08:30
Jewish Identity, Golda Meir & Speaking Out Against Antisemitism

25:00
A Lifetime in Hollywood: Yentl, Ruth Bader Ginsburg & Holocaust

42:10
From Terry Sue to Tovah: Embracing Her Jewish Name & Identity

51:05
Portraying Iconic Jewish Women, Jewish Pride & the Power of Legacy

More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter
For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
Merchandise
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch
Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt
Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Learn more about Tovah Feldshuh:

Tovah’s Website

Tovah’s Instagram

Tovah’s Facebook

CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Thanks to Birthright, the Presenting Title Sponsor of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt - Season 3 https://birthrightisrael.foundation/donate

NEW SEGMENT! In the first installment of our new segment “Being Jewish In…” we explore the hostile environment facing Jewish authors, agents and editors in the world of Publishing with acclaimed author and digital publisher Meg Keene, newly appointed editor of the eponymous Meg Keene Books, a new imprint focused on publishing Jewish stories by Jewish authors.

Keene shares her own experience of being advised to remove Hebrew, Jewish names, and cultural details from a Jewish romance manuscript that might “trigger” editors – a story later featured in PEN America’s The Silent Moratorium.

More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:
Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter
For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
Merchandise
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch
Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt
Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Learn more about Meg Keene

Meg Keene’s website
Meg Keene’s Instagram
Meg Keene’s X
Buy Meg Keene’s Books on Amazon

CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Thanks to Birthright, the Presenting Title Sponsor of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt - Season 3 https://birthrightisrael.foundation/donate

Can a CEO speak out against antisemitism without becoming the story?

Sweetgreen co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman reflects on his Persian Jewish family's escape from Iran to Los Angeles and the entrepreneurial spirit and contributions of the Persian Jewish community. He talks about his mother’s arrival in Los Angeles in 1979 for what was supposed to be a summer visit and never returned to Iran, and growing up feeling like an outsider. Jonathan also discusses his evolving pride in his Persian Jewish identity, and the values that shaped his entrepreneurial ambitions.

Jonathan tells us about the backlash to his public comments about antisemitism after October 7, 2023, including his viral response to a letter from Harvard student groups blaming Israel for the attacks. He shares what he learned about using his platform to educate rather than provke, and why he believes the best response to Jew-hatred is to lead by example, celebrate Jewish culture, and invite others in through traditions like Shabbat.

Plus, Jonathan opens up about Sweetgreen's business challenges, the company's farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, and why he believes creativity and craft are essential to its future. He shares how his nearly 1,000-day meditation streak helps him navigate the pressures of leadership, how meditation has deepened his connection to Jewish prayer, and whether kosher Sweetgreen could one day become a reality.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
Speaking Up as a Jewish CEO After October 7
00:50

Fighting Antisemitism Through Jewish Pride and Connection
10:50

The Persian Jewish Experience: Immigration, Resilience, and Entrepreneurship
22:00
The Sweetgreen Crisis? Food Safety, Media Panic, and Building a Business
33:20

Kosher Sweetgreen, Jewish Traditions, and Rapid-Fire Questions
43:00

More Ways To Connect with Being Jewish:

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.
To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com
Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/@beingjewishpodcast
Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
bit.ly/beingjewishnewsletter
For Sponsorships, please email:
partnerships@jonahplatt.com
Merchandise
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch
Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt
Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Learn more about Jonathan Neman:

Jonathan Neman on Instagram

Jonathan Neman on X

Jonathan Neman on LinkedIn

CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Thanks to Birthright, the Presenting Title Sponsor of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt - Season 3 https://birthrightisrael.foundation/donate