Shows / PopTorah
PopTorah
Welcome to PopTorah with Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky. Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture.
Episodes
- PopTorah
A Reckoning of Biblical Proportions
Social media promised to bring us together. Unfortunately, things haven’t quite turned out that way. In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss…
- PopTorah
Let There Be Lanterns
Being fearless sounds like a pretty good qualification for a superhero. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, Rabbis…
- PopTorah
Chad Powers and the Trouble with Second Chances
What happens when your shot at redemption begins with a lie? In Hulu’s Chad Powers, disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday (Glenn Powell) disguises himself as an…
- PopTorah
We Still Believe in ‘Ted Lasso’
Five years ago, we declared that we believed in Ted Lasso, whose radical kindness and relentless optimism felt like just what the world needed. Now Ted is back…
- PopTorah
You Seem Pretty Sad for a “Spider-Man” So in Love
In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky debate whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day succeeds as a Spider-Man story — or gets tangled…
- PopTorah
The Odyssey and the Long Road Home
Christopher Nolan turns one of Western literature’s oldest homecoming stories into something darker: an epic about war, moral consequence, and the difficult…
- PopTorah
A ‘Toy Story’ for the Anxious Generation
What happens when playtime gives way to screen time? In this episode of PopTorah, we explore Toy Story 5’s encounter between beloved old-school toys and a new…
- PopTorah
‘Disclosure Day’ Asks: Can We Handle the Truth?
What if humanity learned, once and for all, that we are not alone? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day…
- PopTorah
Borrowed Time in The Boroughs
In this episode of PopTorah, we dive into Netflix’s new supernatural sci-fi series The Boroughs, about a group of unlikely heroes in a seemingly perfect…
- PopTorah
Hacking It: Ambition, Reinvention, and the Friends We Make Along the Way
In this episode of PopTorah, we dive into the acclaimed HBO series Hacks. Beneath the sharp jokes and show-business drama lies a surprisingly rich story about…
- PopTorah
Is The Mandalorian and Grogu the Way?
Star Wars is back on the big screen, and in this episode of PopTorah, we discuss The Mandalorian and Grogu alongside a broader conversation about the state of…
- PopTorah
Man in the Mirror: Fame, Myth, and the Making of Michael (Special Live Episode!)
In this very special episode of PopTorah, recorded LIVE at Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT in front of a packed sanctuary, we dive into Michael, the…
- PopTorah
Faith, Friendship, and First Contact in Project Hail Mary
In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Project Hail Mary, a sci-fi space adventure starring Ryan Gosling. What begins as a desperate mission…
- PopTorah
Unfortunately, it was ‘Paradise’
In this episode of PopTorah, we break down Hulu’s Paradise — a gripping, twist-filled series about a so-called perfect society that quickly reveals its cracks…
- PopTorah
Sinners, Saints, and One Battle After Another: The 2026 Oscars Episode
In this special Oscars episode of PopTorah, we dive into two of the most talked-about films of the year: Sinners and One Battle After Another. Both films…
- PopTorah
Power, Persona, and Purpose in Marvel’s “Wonder Man”
In this episode of PopTorah, we dive into Marvel’s newest Disney+ series, “Wonder Man.” This isn’t just another superhero origin story. The show explores the…
- PopTorah
If You Got It, Flaunt It: Mel Brooks at 99
In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky talk about Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!, the HBO Max documentary celebrating Mel Brooks and a…
- PopTorah
Faith, False Prophets, and Fool’s Gold in Wake Up Dead Man
What happens when a miracle involves a murder — and who benefits when the truth stays buried? In this spoiler-filled episode of PopTorah, we dive into Wake Up…
- PopTorah
Shadows, Light, and Stranger Things
Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky return to Hawkins for the final season of the Netflix juggernaut Stranger Things. Beyond monsters and nostalgia, the show offers a…
- PopTorah
‘Wicked’: For Good?
What does it really mean to choose the side of “good” — and what does it cost? In this follow-up journey back to Oz, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore Wicked…
- PopTorah
The Good, The Bad, and The ‘Wicked’
What does it mean to be good? And who gets to decide? In this magical episode of PopTorah, we dive into the world of Wicked, the spellbinding prequel to The…
- PopTorah
Undercover on Campus: ‘A Man on the Inside’ Season 2 and the Purpose of Learning
What does it mean to learn, to teach, to remain faithful to ideals in a changing world? Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss A Man on the Inside Season 2 — campus…
- PopTorah
Pluribus’ and the Paradox of Peoplehood
In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore the haunting and thought-provoking world of AppleTV+’s Pluribus — a series in which nearly all of…
- PopTorah
Bringing ‘Nobody Wants This’ Before the Beit Din
The rabbis are back in session! In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky convene a Beit Din to deliberate the ethical, emotional, and existential questions…
- PopTorah
The Rabbis Are Kvelling for Tay-Tay
Taylor Swift is smiling, and so are we. In Life of a Showgirl, the world’s biggest pop star turns the page from heartbreak to happiness—finding meaning…
- PopTorah
Extra! Extra! The Torah of ’The Paper’
What’s the role of a newsroom in an age of spin, clickbait, and fake news? The Paper — the new Office spinoff — takes us inside a struggling local newspaper…
- PopTorah
Holy Harmony in K-Pop Demon Hunters
Netflix’s smash hit K-Pop Demon Hunters delivers more than catchy beats and dazzling visuals — it’s a story about guilt, redemption, and the courage to embrace…
- PopTorah
‘Fantastic Four’ the World… or Just Your Family?
Before they’re the world’s greatest heroes, they’re a family — and family means hard choices. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel’s first family learns that…
- PopTorah
Superman’ is a Super-Mensch
What if the real superpower isn’t leaping tall buildings — but refusing to harden your heart? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack the…
- PopTorah
Sound and Fury, Sisters and ‘Sirens’
In Netflix’s Sirens, myth meets modernity as ancient sea spirits crash into a coastal town’s contemporary chaos — leaving behind a trail of mystery, memory…
- PopTorah
Mind Over ‘Mountainhead’
Mountainhead,’ the sharp new HBO film from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, stars Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy…
- PopTorah
‘Seasons’ of Love
In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into Netflix’s new dramedy The Four Seasons, a modern take on love, friendship, and the many seasons of life…
- PopTorah
Andor and the Art of Resistance
Set during the ascendancy of the evil galactic empire, Andor, whose full second and final season is now out on Disney+, strips away the mythic and reveals the…
- PopTorah
‘The Studio’ and the Shul
What do a Hollywood studio and a synagogue have in common? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky explore ‘The Studio’, the Apple…
- PopTorah
Before the Iron Throne, There Was the ‘House of David’
Long before Westeros crowned its kings, ancient Israel had its own saga of ambition, betrayal, prophecy, and power. In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf…
- PopTorah
Searching for God at ‘The White Lotus’
Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’ trades Sicilian scandal for Thai transcendence, following guests who journey to Thailand seeking serenity…
- PopTorah
Pop-pourri — Comfort Watches for Tumultuous Times
When the world seems to be going off the rails, what movies and shows do we turn to for comfort, and why? Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are binge-watching at the…
- PopTorah
‘You’re Cordially Invited’ … But Should You Go?
Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—but what happens when everything goes off the rails? In this celebratory episode of PopTorah, we RSVP to…
- PopTorah
The Poppys: PopTorah 2025 Oscars Special!
The 97th Academy Awards are here, and Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are here to talk about the Torah of this year’s nominees. In this special episode, we discuss…
- PopTorah
No ‘Pain’, No Gain
What do we owe the past — and each other? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky unpack ‘A Real Pain’, the poignant new film that…
- PopTorah
Knowing the ‘Complete Unknown’
Who is Bob Dylan, really? In this episode of PopTorah, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are joined by friend-of-the-pod Henry Bernstein to explore ‘A Complete…
- PopTorah
Over the Hill and Undercover: Being ‘A Man on the Inside’ and Out
What can an undercover spy in a retirement home teach us about aging, purpose, and truly living? In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss ‘A Man…
- PopTorah
Charting New Waters with ‘Moana 2’
In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky dive into ‘Moana 2’, Disney’s follow-up to the beloved original. How does the sequel build on Moana’s…
- PopTorah
The Good, The Bad, and The ‘Wicked’
What does it mean to be good? And who gets to decide? In this magical episode of PopTorah, we dive into the world of Wicked, the spellbinding prequel to The…
- PopTorah
Trying ‘Shrinking’ On for Size…Again
In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss season 2 of the AppleTV+ hit, ‘Shrinking‘! After our first deep dive into the series, we couldn’t help…
- PopTorah
“Yellowstone” and the Battle for the Soul of America
In this episode, we dive into the rugged and ruthless world of “Yellowstone,” where questions of legacy, land, and loyalty play out against a…
- PopTorah
Right, Wrong, and ‘Agatha All Along’
In this episode, we explore the spellbinding new Marvel TV series “Agatha All Along” (streaming on Disney+), where the lines between power, control, and…
- PopTorah
Who Wants ‘Nobody Wants This’?
In this episode, we dive into the thought-provoking Netflix series “Nobody Wants This,” exploring its funny and sometimes cringey take on identity…
- PopTorah
Grieving and Loving ‘Between the Temples’
In this episode, we dive into ‘Between the Temples‘, a quirky new indie comedy about a cantor grappling with a crisis of faith. Starring Jason…
- PopTorah
How We Spent Our PopTorah Summer Vacation
The rabbis are back from break and ready to talk Torah! The summer of 2024 delivered epic superhero showdowns, headline-grabbing streaming series, and some…
- PopTorah
We’re All In on ‘Inside Out 2’
‘Inside Out 2’ is the sequel to the critically acclaimed and widely beloved 2015 Disney/Pixar animated film ‘Inside Out,” and is proving to be just as…
- PopTorah
Dune: Part 2: More Power Dynamics, Less Platform Disruption
Dune: Part 2, now streaming on Max, continues the sprawling epic adapted from Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi series. Featuring an all-powerful psychotropic…
- PopTorah
X-Mensches
Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97, now streaming on Disney+, is a reboot/sequel to the X-Men animated series that was beloved by older Millennials who grew up in…
- PopTorah
Are the Rabbis STILL Cray-Cray for Tay-Tay?
The third installment in PopTorah’s ongoing conversation about Taylor Swift, our resident rabbinic Swifties discuss her latest album, “The Tortured Poets…
- PopTorah
Does Bustin’ Make You Feel Good?
The new film, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ a sequel to the ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ is a thing that exists. But should it? Rabbis Knopf and…
- PopTorah
‘Manhunt’ and the Pursuit of Justice
The new AppleTV+ series ‘Manhunt’, adapted from James L. Swanson’s eponymous book, follows the 12 day search for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes…
- PopTorah
The Poppys: PopTorah 2024 Oscars Special!
The 96th Academy Awards are behind us, and Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are here to talk about the Torah of this year’s nominees. In this special episode, we…
- PopTorah
Making the Old ’Daily Show’ New, and Making the New Holy
Jon Stewart’s back, baby! The influential Jewish comic who made ‘The Daily Show’ a cultural juggernaut before leaving in 2015 has returned, for a limited time…
- PopTorah
A Pretty, Pretty…Pretty Good Episode
HBO’s long-running comedy series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring legendary comedian and ‘Seinfeld’ co-creator Larry David as a slightly fictionalized version…
- PopTorah
What’s ‘Good’ about ‘Grief’?
The new Netflix film ‘Good Grief,’ written, directed, and produced by star Daniel Levy, explores how we pick up the pieces in the wake of tragic loss…