Brad and Steven are back this week, talking about, what else, the war/non-war with Iran. The guys talk about the various justifications that the administration has given for the “special military action,” and wonder what “imminent” really means. They also talk about Kristi Noem’s firing, Stephen Miller’s incorruptibility, and Brad’s solo weekend. Have a listen!

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

This week, Brad and Steven talk about their preparations for Snowmageddon 2026, even though it’s going to hit New York City much harder than it will suburban Maryland. The guys also talk about the life of dogs, shoveling snow, and the US Olympic hockey win and the “Miracle on Ice” (again). Have a listen and enjoy!

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

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 lifetime of unapologetic comedy. From The Producers to Blazing Saddles, Brooks never hid what he was doing or why — using laughter to mock power, puncture tyranny, and refuse the demand for Jewish silence or decorum. Join us as we explore how Mel Brooks turned Jewish memory, trauma, and chutzpah into laughter, resilience, and resistance.

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.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, trying to recall all of the different news cycles they missed since the last episode. This week, they talk about the racist meme that the president posted about Former President Barack and Michelle Obama as well as the ongoing Epstein files saga — is everyone a complete scumbag??? They also talk about the winter Olympics and the New York Knicks — have a listen!

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

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 Dead Man, the darkest and most theologically charged entry in Rian Johnson’s whodunit series. Set inside a fractured church community obsessed with power, purity, and control, the film exposes how faith can be manipulated, righteousness performed, and belief turned into a cover for ambition and greed. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky to explore how Wake Up Dead Man takes aim at false piety, moral certainty, and the dangerous stories people tell to justify harm.

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.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!

 This week’s episode is devoted to the execution of Alex Pretti on the streets in Minneapolis by government thugs. May Alex Pretti’s memory be a blessing.

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

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 sobering meditation on fear, power, and the seductions of militarism and authoritarian control. Through a Jewish lens, the conversation explores what it means to grow up, take responsibility for one another, and resist the darkness — both supernatural and all too human — without surrendering hope.

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.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!

Brad and Steven are back at it this week, talking about aging and how quickly time is passing.  It’s another week where so much news is happening that it’s hard to process it all, but they also talk about what’s happening in Minneapolis, the increasing threats to take over Greenland, and the offshore account that Trump set up to steal Venezuelan oil revenue. Have a listen!

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

Brad and Steven are back for the first episode of 2026, and there’s no shortage of things to talk about. It’s hard to believe that we’re less than two weeks into the new year and how fast events are happening around the world. This week, the guys review the events of the fledgling year, including, the US nabbing the president of Venezuela, the threat by the administration to seize Greenland, the anti-government protests in Iran, and the cold-blooded killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. Have a listen!

You can listen to The Amen Corner in lots of ways. On iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite RSS aggregator.

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: For Good, the second chapter of Elphaba and Glinda’s story, and what it reveals about loyalty, love, sacrifice, and the messy moral terrain between heroism and villainy. Through Jewish lenses — from biblical rebels to rabbinic dreamers — we ask whether anyone is ever fully “for good,” and how our tradition teaches us to hold complexity even when the stakes are sky-high. Grab your broom (or bubble) and join us for a conversation that soars.

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.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!

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 Wizard of Oz that flips the script on the nature of good and evil. Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky as they explore how the tale of Elphaba and Glinda challenges our assumptions about morality, power, and friendship, all through the lens of Jewish wisdom. From Talmudic debates on justice to the Torah’s portrayal of misunderstood heroes, we uncover how Wicked invites us to question the stories we tell and the labels we assign. Listen now and embrace the complexities of life’s green-tinted shades of gray!

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.

How do you listen to PopTorah? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!