Bad News Batya

From Liverpool to the sea

This week we welcome Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion editor of Newsweek, and author of Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy.

This was a real treat for us, especially since we’ve wanted to speak with Batya for a while. Here’s a little secret, to make your free subscription worth it: we’d actually tried to get her on before, but only when an anonymous listener reached out to her and asked if she would go on AAJ, did she agree. We don’t know who you are dear nosy listener, but thank you! Here is Batya rocking her magic (and star of David) on CNN:

As usual, it’s been a crazy week back in the motherland. Even though the Jihadists managed to intercept a Backstreet Boys concert near Tel Aviv, we managed to regain some national pride with an impressive third place at the Eurovision Song Contest.

If you don’t know about the Eurovision, you probably are not from Europe, or are straight. Also known as “the gay olympics”, this annual star-studded event (litterally, it’s all sequins and shine) is a beautiful medly of geo-politics, bad pop music, washed-up celebrities, and unabashed nationalism. It’s spectacular. Countries from all over Europe (and Australia, for some reason) each nominate a song, and then 7 hour (or so) public and jury vote determines the most fabulous country, and Israelis get to finally learn who’s an antisemite and who isn’t. Congratulations Noa Kirel on am incredible performance, and fuck all the Scandinavian countries that always vote for each other and rig the game.

Back to badass Batya! We cover:

• What kind of Jew is Batya?

• Jewish matchmaking

• “I’m not jewish, I'm Israeli!” An intervention for Yael

• Our various Jewish identities

• Jews from authoritarian countries rule

• Is Bernie Sanders a messianic Jew?

• A discussion about Bernie’s personal Nakba turned into a really deep and interesting dillema about our critical need to defend Israel and our striving to judge issues objectively.

• Yael and Chaya Leah’s heroic experiences…on campus

• Batya’s great unwokening

• Working class people are not as dumb as you think

• Batya’s Bernie impression

• Real subway face punching has never been tried

• The power of lurkers

• Is wokeness a religion? A debate

• The secular world used to be one big orgy, now it’s just lame

• It's been more than a year and Yael still doesn't understand what a Mikveh is

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To end, an only-in-Israel story captured by former guest

Lahav Harkov

: An Iron Dome intercepting a rocket not far from a huge outdoor concert of 90s rock legend, Aviv Geffen. Show must and does go on.

Questions? Email us at askajewpod@gmail.com