The Nice Jewish Fangirls are back, and talking all things Jewish and futures! Michal, Tamar, and SM interview Michael Burstein and Ian Randal Strock, editors of the new Jewish Futures anthology of science fiction. They discuss the inspiration, process, and surprises behind the project — including “Moon Melody,” SM’s contribution to the book! This week’s current obsessions include adventures in crafting, Amazon’s smorgasbord of sci-fi, and the HistoryHit family of history podcasts. Buy Jewish Futures in print on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Futures-Science-Fiction-Diaspora/) and on ebook at Fantastic Books (https://www.fantasticbooks.biz/product-page/jewish-futures-edited-by-michael-a-burstein?). Make sure to leave a review! You can also read Michael’s Jewish science fiction story "Kaddish for the Last Survivor" here: https://www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/frontpage/free-short-fiction-kaddish-for-the-last-survivor-by-michael-a-burstein Get our MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls return to hold a series of interlocking discussions on meta-narratives! Using the upcoming Pesach holiday as springboard, the Fangirls talk about the nature of stories within stories, the purposes they serve, and the ones that stick with us from year to year. This week’s current obsessions are all about the small screen - Resident Alien on SyFy, Severance on AppleTV+, and Bridgerton on Netflix. The podcast episode Michal references is “The Jew Who Defied Rome” from HistoryHack: https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-5dj5w-76f3de Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Bottle Episode (Episode 56) In honor of the holiday of Purim, the Nice Jewish Fangirls converge to discuss a favorite television phenomenon: The bottle episode! What appeals to us about this kind of TV? Is necessity the mother of our favorite episodes? And what does the future hold for these tightly-written TV installments? For this week's current obsessions, the fangirls share their favorite drinks, from spirits to sodas. This episode was recorded during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. If you can, please consider donating to aid organizations helping the Ukrainian people in this time of war. The International Rescue Committee: https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-web The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society: https://act.hias.org/page/6048/donate/1 AirBnB: https://www.airbnb.com/a/stays/Ukraine Listen to our episode on Purim racial sensitivity/decency here: https://soundcloud.com/user-598725600/purim-seriously-episode-37 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls convene urgently (but not with haste) for the final installment of our Middot Mussar series! The fangirls debate the definition of “zerizut,” discuss how this trait links back to the first in the series, and explore its applications in fandom and fiction. Plus… singing? This week’s obsessions include the novel Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory, as narrated by Ari Fliakos, and rare shared preoccupation with the Netflix animated series Arcane. "Zrizus" from The Marvelous Midos Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba5aj6EdvfI Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

What an honor to podcast for you! This week, the Nice Jewish Fangirls discuss the trait of honor (kavod) from fandom to reality. How is honor portrayed in fiction? Is it the same trait that the Middot Mussar refer to? What can we we learn from the nuances between these definitions, and how can we bring honor into our daily lives? This week’s obsessions include the online game Wordle, the Talmudic TikToks of Miriam Anzovin, and the hit Japanese anime Belle. Next time, we will be discussing the middah of zerizut! Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls form a trust circle to discuss the attribute of… well, trust (bitachon)! How does trust play a role in fiction and fandom? What’s the difference between trust and faith? And what lessons can we take into the real world, beyond the stories we love? This week’s obsessions include fantasy enamel pins, Morality for Muggles by Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg and narrated by SM, and a confetti of reality shows including The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Glow Up, and Singles Inferno. Next time, we will be discussing the middah of honor! SM’s audiobook preview: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AaABlEoj1DF8dnDamrXr_Wt-k3TYR_TL/view?fbclid=IwAR295_AIj3TDwpawOaNmUeuE_QN-PkrMPN_VRh28tbo-fckNHXA9goB6hkM Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls come together to talk about hakaras hatov — gratitude — the third of the Middot Mussar! Why is this trait different (and perhaps harder) than all other traits? Is it something we find easily in our favorite stories? How can gratitude help us become better fans, and better people as we engage in culture and entertainment? This week’s obsessions include the “squishy” astronaut Chris Hadfield, the K-Drama “Work Later, Drink Now,” and the Scholomance series by Naomi Novik. Next up on the middot list: Trust! We are now on SPOTIFY! https://open.spotify.com/show/7unZw7Zw4tMN3q8y4JyCjL?si=56055a3b894e4433 Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls converge to discuss the second of the Middot Mussar: Nedivut -- generosity. Is being generous a value explored often in modern fiction? Where can we find it, and where can we find it lacking? And what role does generosity play in the real world of fandom and critical culture? This week’s obsessions include the Libby app (and libraries in general), Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the “Gone Medieval” and “Not Just the Tudors” podcasts from History Hit. Next up on the middot list: Gratitude! Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

In their 50th episode, the Nice Jewish Fangirls converge to discuss "savlanut" (patience), the first of the Middot Mussar. Which characters and storylines most embody this trait? When is it a source of struggle, and why? Is impatience always a negative trait? And what can these stories tell us about our own journeys toward becoming more patient and accepting people? This week's obsessions include Hawkeye on Disney+, Derry Girls on Netflix, and SnappyDragon and the Jewish historical costuming community. Next up on the middot list: Generosity! Middot Mussar source sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?…with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

The Nice Jewish Fangirls return to share what they've been up to over the past year -- and of course, talk about all of the books, TV series, movies, weird preoccupations, podcasts, and skills they've become obsessed with! (Spoiler alert: It's a lot of things!) The Fangirls also announce the plan for their next set of episodes, so make sure to let them know what you think of the concept of savlanut (patience) in fiction and fandom! Middot Mussar source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/211995.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Get our NEW MERCH! https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/45021944 Tamar's BOOK! www.goodreads.com/book/show/492498…12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice…ls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/

BOO! The Nice Jewish Fangirls are joined by horror screenwriter and scary-stuff aficionado Avishai Weinberger to explore the whys and hows and what-fors of horror storytelling. Why do frights and freak-outs appeal to us (well, some of us!)? What's the difference between horror and tragedy? And how should newbies and scardy-cats explore the genre -- and what can we gain from facing our fears? This week's current obsessions include The Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, Wentworth, Emily in Paris, and The Boys! Follow Avishai on Twitter @avishaiw, and watch his short film THIRD DATE here! https://youtu.be/v8Mpv5QvhIg Tamar's BOOK! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49249847-bts?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=X12nAq28iR&rank=1 Get our NEW MERCH! https://www.redbubble.com/people/inkasrain/shop Get in touch with us! Twitter: www.twitter.com/JewishFangirls Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishfangirls/ Email us at [email protected] Review us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nice-jewish-fangirls/id1181390630 Edited by Jamie Blumberg. You can reach them on Twitter (twitter.com/jamie_blumberg), email them at [email protected], or visit their website at jamberg.me/