The Jewish podcasters keeping us entertained in isolation

As we hunker down for a winter of discontent, we can thank film critic and broadcaster Jason Solomons (of Radio 4’s Front Row and BBC Radio London) for his podcast ‘Seen anything good lately?’

Pillaging his own enviable rollerdeck of high profile creatives for “insider” interviews, this podcast offers a veritable goldmine of watching and listening recommendations, as well as a selection of Solomons’ own favourites — such as A Suitable Boy, The Traitor and Summerland.

The well-connected Mr Solomons describes himself as a nice Jewish boy from Stanmore. Educated at Merchant Taylor and Oxford, he began his career as film critic for the Daily Express, and progressed on through most of the major daily papers.

“I am always being asked ‘have you seen anything good lately?’ and I wanted to turn the tables,” says Mr Solomons. “Everyone is talking about what they are watching and becoming almost evangelical about the good stuff they have seen. Then we had lockdown, and we entered a watching explosion. It became all about the sharing. What you are watching says as much about you as what you are wearing.”

We now no longer need to scroll hopelessly through Netflix, as we can take our cues from the likes of Woody Allen, who shares his home viewing habits from a locked down New York. “It’s one of the few broadcast interviews he’s done during lockdown,” explains Mr Solomons. “By asking him if he’s ‘Seen anything good lately?’, we get a warm portrait of a now much-maligned figure. Of how he watches sports in bed, enjoys stand-up comedy and old movies such as Casablanca and practises his clarinet by playing along to recordings of the greats.”

Mr Solomons treats us to the viewing secrets of Simon Bird (Friday Night Dinners), Anne-Marie Duffy (Shameless, Suffragette), and director Mira Nair (A Suitable Boy, Salaam Bombay). He presents a multiplicity of opinion and tastes, as he believes the same people are watching both lowbrow and highbrow content. “One day it could be Love Island and the next an award winning movie.”

Has lockdown changed our watching habits? “Lockdown accelerated what was already happening,” responds Mr Solomons. “Watching has become more important in our lives because so much else has been stripped away. We are running out of culture and are turning to older movies and the classics. We have discovered new platforms such as the BFI, Rakuten TV, Curzon Home Cinema.”

Mr Solomons plans to keep adding new interviews to his podcasts. He says: “I love talking to my guests. As long as there is culture to speak of, I will be talking about it.”

Max Bloom

Musician Max Bloom, 30, has a bee in his bonnet. He is deeply concerned about the increasing antisemitism in society and particularly growing antisemitic rhetoric on social media. With his new interview based podcast, JEW-ish, Mr Bloom aims to reach out to those who want to broaden their understanding of Jews and Judaism by hearing a wide range of opinions from Jewish activists engaged in fighting all forms of antisemitism.

Mr Bloom grew up in Finchley and was a member of New North London Synagogue. He admits his Jewish focus faded for a while, but now he has reconnected to his roots through his podcast.

“I chose to do a podcast as I feel there is a lack of nuance on Twitter,” says Mr Bloom. “I don’t think it’s the right place for progress to take place. A lot of people use social media for their activism, but using social media is like being in a car and having road rage, you are protected behind a screen. I hope that by simply listening to Jewish people talking about their lived experience, people will understand and empathise with the Jewish community more.”

With busy working days at a music merchandising company, Mr Bloom spent lockdown nights creating the podcast. He secured a spectrum of guests to suit all listeners such as Danny Stone MBE, Director of the Antisemitism Policy Trust; music journalist Eve Barlow; and Rabbi Josh Yuter, former rabbi at Stanton Street Shul in New York’s Lower East Side.

Mr Blooms’ own curiosity around Judaism inspired him to delve into key themes such as Zionism and the relationship of Jews to Israel, Israel-Palestine relations and the history of antisemitism in socialism and the Labour Party.

“Many of my guests have been instilled with the idea that they should keep their head down and ignore antisemitism when it happens,” says Mr Bloom. “I believe there is a shift in the Jewish community, that we don’t actually have to do that, we have the right to be proud of our Judaism.”

JEW-ish is Mr Bloom’s personal quest to combat misinformation about Jews and Judaism online. “I would like these discussions to serve as a tool for people to understand how to treat other minorities with more respect. I don’t think that this podcast is going to stop antisemitism, but if we can at least start a conversation about it, then that’s a step in the right direction.”

Jessica Weinstein

Jessica Weinstein, 33, is a full-time working mum with two young children. The former JC journalist and now digital content officer at the Royal College of Nursing knows much about keeping lots of balls in the air. Her podcast The Big Juggle reflects her own life and those of the many dynamic and driven working mothers who are trying to ‘have it all’.

“What impressed me most,” says Ms Weinstein of her guests, many of whom she had interviewed during her career as a features writer, “was how honest they were about their lives. They were on top of it with their kids, as well being present in their work and wider family. They were living the dream of ‘having it all’, but also admitted it was a juggling act. This podcast passes on their advice to others.”

Amongst Ms Weinstein’s lively guests are Smooth Radio presenter Nicola Bonn; the celebrity nail stylist Lucy Tucker; and the pre- and post-natal personal trainer Emma Bord.

A pleasing thread runs through the podcasts of how well supported the women feel by those around them.

“All the women spoke about how supportive and hands-on their partners were, and encouraging of their ambitions” says Ms Weinstein. “The women themselves share a common commitment to carve out specific time for their families, free from work constraints or responsibilities.”

The Big Juggle seeks to present a reassuring, realistic approach to the work/life balance for young mums.

“My podcast says, you are an ambitious woman and a mother. It says ‘I am not doing everything perfectly’, but I am making it work. It gives hope and shows you don’t have to sacrifice yourself to be a good mother and have a successful career.”