Walter Russell Mead, a historian, pundit, and popular author, is encyclopedic about politics, culture, and history. On What Really Matters, Mead and Tablet deputy editor Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what news matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than you do now. Check out Walter Russell Mead’s Tablet column at https://www.tabletmag.com/columns/via-meadia.
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Tablet Magazine Podcasts
As Jews around the world engage in a seven-and-a-half year cycle of Daf Yomi, reading the entire Talmud one page per day, Tablet Magazine's new podcast, Take One, will offer a brief and evocative daily read of the daf, in just about 10 minutes. New episodes will be released daily Monday through Friday.
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From weekly series examining unique angles on Jews’ place in the world, to inquiries into the details of Jewish text and tradition, Tablet Studios podcasts bring you insight and inspiration for the modern-day Jew. Our shows include How to Be a Jew, Unorthodox, Rootless, Re-Form, and more to come.
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Hebrew School is a game show podcast where kids play fun games to learn about all things Jewish! Season 3 features comedy by Joel Chasnoff, storytelling by Peninnah Schram, and songs by Lenny Solomon and our house band Shlock Rock. The Jewish Education Project has created accompanying games and activities for families, as well as resources for educators to use our podcast in the classroom. Want to be a contestant on Hebrew School? Visit tabletm.ag/hebrewschool to apply. Hebrew School is a pr ...
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The Jewish tradition of counting the Omer, or Sefirat Haomer, marks the 49 days between the second night of Passover and the start of Shavuot, and offers daily opportunities for spiritual challenge and growth. Join host Kylie Unell in her daily effort to make meaning out of this age-old tradition and stretch her soul as she does it.
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Before CNN and Fox News, before shock jocks and powerful pundits, there was Father Charles Coughlin, an ambitious priest who invented political talk radio as we know it, brought down one president and crowned another, and was at one point considered the most powerful man in America. He was also a rabid antisemite who wrote fan mail to Mussolini and cheered on Hitler, and who used his enormous platform to spread hate. In this 8-part podcast, Detroit journalist Andrew Lapin weaves together arc ...
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This companion podcast to Dara Horn’s new book People Love Dead Jews takes listeners beyond the book to some of the strangest corners of Jewish history, exploring how the popular mania for dead Jews warps our understanding of both past and present. In this series, you’ll meet flamboyantly gay Civil War Jewish spies, Japanese “Jewish specialists” trying to build their own Jewish state, genius Victorian identical twins and genius Lubavitcher identical twins, American and Soviet Jewish moviemak ...
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Champion! Magazine is the premier tablet publication covering comic books and pop culture. Download the free app here for your iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/champion!-magazine/id455870554?mt=8
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Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.
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A look ahead to Saturday's grand opening of the New Meadowlands grandstand and a recap of this past weekend's Matron stakes at Dover Downs and Windy City Pace at Maywood Park will be highlighted on this week’s edition of “Eye on Harness Racing,” the U.S. Trotting Association’s weekly online video news magazine, sponsored by TrackMaster. Also on this week's show, Paul Ramlow takes a look at the upcoming TVG FFA races and the Progress Pace elimination in the segment "Paul's Paddock Picks." Tra ...
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 103 and 104, the rabbis debate whether the absence of prior examples can serve as proof in halacha. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin shows how this question has echoed from Temple times to modern issues like machine-made matzah. When does tradition guide us, and when does it limit us? Listen and find out. To support Tablet and make …
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How a long-lost yearbook revealed the origin of 'hella,' with Ben Zimmer
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1145. In this bonus segment from October, I talk with Ben Zimmer about "hella" and how even yearbook messages can be digitized to help preserve the language record. Ben shares the full story of this slang term, and we also talk about the detective work that led to the OED using Run DMC's use of "drop" in “Spin Magazine” as a citation. Ben Zimmer's …
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On today’s page, Zevachim 102, the Gemara suggests that Moses was too preoccupied with the Divine Presence to fulfill a basic priestly duty. Israeli rabbi Avihud Schwartz unpacks why that startling answer explains not just Moses’s role, but Judaism’s broader vision of sanctity. Is being “too spiritual” ever a real excuse for skipping the work of th…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 101, the rabbis revisit the terrifying story of Pinchas, whose violent zeal halts a deadly plague but raises lasting moral questions. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks reflects on why religious passion, however sincere, can never be a blueprint for leadership. When does moral urgency cross the line into dangerous certainty? Listen…
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Heritage, MAGA, Venezuela, Trump, and the Great Ben Sasse
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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the downfall of the Heritage Foundation, the fissures that roiled MAGA at the Turning Point festival, the ongoing Venezuela crisis, how Trump's foreign policy might actually be making the world better off, and why we should all aspire to be more like Ben Sasse in 2026. To support Tablet and make a tax-deductible…
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The origin of X in algebra. Why we say ‘how come’ for ‘why.’ Water handles.
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1144. This week, we look at the origin of the letter X as the variable for the unknown in algebra. Then, we look at the phrase "how come," explaining why it's more informal than "why" and how its grammar subtly differs from other question words. That X segment was written by Peter Schumer, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Middlebu…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 100, the rabbis dwell on acute mourning, a moment when grief interrupts routine, obligation, and even meaning itself. The late Norman Podhoretz offers a powerful meditation on the role of ideas and intellectual responsibility at precisely such moments of rupture. What happens when loss forces us to reconsider what truly sh…
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 98 and 99, we encounter the rules for priests in the period of acute mourning, when they cannot offer sacrifices or partake in the ritual meat. Our teacher and friend, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, helps illuminate what this stage says about grief, ritual, and the human confrontation with mortality. How do we make space for loss…
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Bondi Beach and the Nihilism of Palestinian Strategy
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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss new U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, Trump's attempts to regain control of economic messaging, the EU's new aid package for Ukraine, and the consequences of allowing the intifada into Australia.By Tablet Magazine
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 96 and 97, the rabbis explore a case of jealousy between teachers when a promising student decides to learn elsewhere. Presidentischer Rav, Dr. Tevi Troy joins us to draw connections between this debate and famous moments of political switching in American history. How do we decide when it’s right to move on and when loya…
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2025 Words of the Year, with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber
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1143. This week, we look at the 2025 words of the year with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber. We look at viral slang like "six seven" and cultural terms like "rage bait" and "fatigued." We also look at the dramatic rise of "slop" to describe low-quality AI content and how words like "parasocial" are changing function. Find Jess Zafarris at UselessEty…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 95, the rabbis continue their careful discussion of how sacred garments are cleaned in the Temple. We take a Chanukah pause with a song from Nefesh Mountain, because nothing launders our hearts and our minds and makes them fresh again quite like music. When the details of ritual start to pile up, where do you turn to feel …
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On today’s page, Zevachim 94, the rabbis debate how items stained with sacrificial blood should be cleaned, and whether leather counts as clothing in the same way fabric does. As the Gemara weighs leather’s strange status somewhere between garment and skin, it quietly nudges us to think about what leather really is and what it means to use it. If l…
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'Pride and prejudice' before Jane Austen. Was Parson Brown a real person? Happy Panda.
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1142. This week, we look at the history of the phrase "pride and prejudice," which was used frequently before Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. Then, we look at whether Parson Brown from “Winter Wonderland” was a real person, and why his name is sometimes replaced with a “circus clown.” Links to Get One Month Free of the Grammar Girl Patreon (different lin…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 93, the Talmud teaches that even a trace of sacrificial blood must be treated with the same care as the entire offering. Beneath the technical details lies a profound moral vision about the holiness of life itself. If no drop of blood is expendable, how should that change how we see human dignity? Listen and find out. To s…
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 91 and 92, the Talmud debates waiting for coals to naturally become ash rather than snuffing out the fire. Our guest today, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, helps us explore how this ancient rule also mirrors the challenge of keeping our inner fire alive. What does it take to protect the spark that makes us feel awake and inspired?…
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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the administration's seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, the hidden and rising costs of healthcare premiums, China's energy future, and the implications for China, Russia, Europe, and the GOP of Trump's new National Security Strategy.By Tablet Magazine
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Zevachim 89 and 90 - The Rhythm of Ritual
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 89 and 90, the rabbis teach that what is frequent takes precedence over what is rare, elevating the daily offering above even the holiest special occasions. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to show how this principle reveals the overlooked spiritual power of consistency—the quiet, steady commitments that shape who we become…
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The 'sheeple' incident, with Stefan Fatsis
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1141. We look at the controversy that caught Stefan Fatsis by surprise when he defined the word "sheeple" for Merriam-Webster, leading to public complaints. We also look at the origin and purpose of the obscure "Backward Index" invented by Webster's Third editor Philip Gove and how quickly Merriam added COVID-related words to the dictionary. Find S…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 88, the rabbis debate just how clean the priestly garments must be and whether lightly soiled clothing even needs a full wash. Their insight suggests that not everything requires the same level of cleaning. How do we know when something truly needs refreshing and when good enough is good enough? Listen and find out. To sup…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 87, the rabbis debate whether suspended offerings become sanctified by the altar’s “airspace,” expanding holiness into the invisible vertical realm above it. That same question animates New York City’s obsession with air rights, where the unseen world above a roofline becomes the site of future growth. What happens if we s…
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The rise of the 'hamster wheel.' The many names of Santa Claus. Unattractive turtles.
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1140. This week, we look at the difference between the modern phrase "hamster wheel" and the older "rat race," and why the former gained popularity. We also look at the similar concept of the hedonic treadmill. Then, we look at the many names for Santa Claus, including the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" and the German "Christkindlein." The Santa Claus segmen…
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On today’s page, Zevachim 86, we revisit the principle that holiness only increases, never diminishes, no matter how humble the vessel. Our guest today, Rabbi Eli Sapo of Chabad of the West Side, helps us connect this idea to the spirit of Hanukkah and the growing light we share. How do we notice the ways sanctity rises in our own lives? Listen and…
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 84 and 85, the rabbis teach that even legal debates require stories, because only stories reveal the human stakes beneath the rules. Our guest, producer Josh Kross, reminds us that this is precisely why Jewish storytelling still works: it’s grounded in people, in curiosity, and in the refusal to be boring. If the Talmud r…
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On today’s pages, Zevachim 82 and 83, the rabbis teach that an offering placed on the altar cannot be lowered or diminished—it has crossed a threshold from which it can only rise. Our guest, Jessica Kasmer-Jacobs, helps us see how that same idea animates Hanukkah: once the menorah was kindled, its light became part of an unbroken chain that still b…
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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Pete Hegseth's drug boat imbroglio, the Minnesota fraud scandal, the difficulty of managing the MAGA coalition, and the factors contributing to the decline in college enrollment, outcomes, and relevance.By Tablet Magazine
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An inspiring tutor, 'New York System' hot dogs, and 'queen spotting.'
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1139. In this bonus discussion with Martha Barnette back in March, we look at Martha's pivotal twelve-year journey with a polyglot tutor who transformed her understanding of ancient Greek, starting with the etymology of "Oedipus." We also look at her beekeeping adventures, including the unknown-to-me history of the term 'queen bee' and a unique boo…
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