Jew Oughta Know

Jason Harris

From ancient history to current events, take yourself on a journey through the story of the Jewish People, from someone who has led hundreds of Jewish young professionals on trips throughout Israel. From the beginning of creation to modern Israel, each short episode is geared to appeal both to someone looking for the Jewish 101, as well as to those looking to go a bit beyond the basic story they already know. Check out the website at https://jewoughtaknow.com/. Enjoy!

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20 episodes
Updated January 25

Episodes20

Newest first

January 25 · 25 min
206. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: Holocaust Mysteries
Re-releasing Episode 65 with three unsolved mysteries from the Holocaust: the fate of Raoul Wallenberg, who betrayed Anne Frank, and the wartime actions of Pope Pius XII.
January 19 · 23 min
205. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Iraqi Jewish Archive
Re-releasing Episode 67 about the Iraqi Jewish Archive, discovered by the U.S. military in 2003. Who should get it: Iraq, the United States, or the Iraqi Jewish community in America?
January 4 · 24 min
204. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Dead Sea Scrolls
Re-releasing Episode 68 about the Dead Sea Scrolls, found two thousand years ago in caves near the Dead Sea. Who wrote them? And where is their billion-dollar buried treasure?
Dec 21, 2025 · 21 min
203. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Golem
Re-releasing Episode 61 about the Golem. Something both living and dead has been hiding up in the attic of the Old-New Synagogue in Prague for the last 500 years. What is it? What happened to it?
Dec 14, 2025 · 23 min
202. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Lost Menorah
Re-releasing Episode 62 about the Lost Menorah -- just in time for Hanukah to begin tonight. The menorah is one of the most sacred symbols in Judaism, and we know that it really existed in the Second Temple. We know who took it, when, and where. What happened after that remains a mystery.
Oct 15, 2025 · 26 min
201. Israel at War, Explained: Day 738
The living hostages are home. An extraordinary cease-fire deal is hopefully bringing this nightmare to a close. What’s next? Who won and who lost? And where do we go from here?
Jul 13, 2025 · 27 min
200. Israel at War, Explained: The Changing Middle East, Part 2
Last week we looked at emerging threats. This week we’re going for pie-in-the-sky optimism. Can new ideas and leaders in Saudi Arabia and Syria bring forth a better future? Will Zionism move from an emphasis on security to a focus on developing a model society? Enjoy this milestone episode — #200 for Jew Oughta Know!
Jul 6, 2025 · 26 min
199. Israel at War: The Changing Middle East, Part 1
All the dramatic events since October 7 tell us that “it’s a new Middle East.” Countries are realigning their relationships, old threats are giving way to new ones, and new ideologies are rising. Part 1 of 2 examines the threats: Turkey and radical Islam.
Jun 16, 2025 · 25 min
198. Israel at War, Explained: War With Iran
Israel launched Operation Lion Rising, a preemptive strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Ballistic missiles are raining destruction on Israel in a fight with the Jews’ most committed genocidal enemy. This is a historic, dramatic moment with the potential to upend the world.
May 25, 2025 · 23 min
197. Israel at War, Explained: Netanyahu's Middle East Pickle
Why didn’t Trump visit Israel during his trip to the Middle East last week? On multiple issues Trump has left Netanyahu standing on the sidelines, leaving the prime minister struggling to Make Israel Relevant Again.
Mar 23, 2025 · 25 min
196. Israel at War, Explained: Trump's Double Game on Antisemitism
Trump attacks antisemitism on the left while encouraging it on the right. Jewish hatred should have consequences. But we shouldn’t use antisemitism as a pretext to erode the rule of law in order to punish political enemies.
Mar 9, 2025 · 23 min
195. Israel at War, Explained: Is Trump a Threat to the Jewish State?
What happens to Israel when its most important ally turns away from democracy? When happens when a weakened United States can no longer help Israel defend itself? Where else should Israel turn when the United States allies with autocracies? Is Trump good for Israel — or its biggest long-term threat?
Mar 2, 2025 · 25 min
194. Israel at War, Explained: What To Do About the Palestinians
The hostage release “ceremonies” reveal why a solution for Gaza is so elusive. How much of the answer is dependent on the Palestinian’s developing a different national culture?
Jan 21, 2025 · 24 min
193. Israel at War, Explained: Three Hostages Come Home -- What's Next?
Three hostages come home. This begins the first phase of a complex cease-fire-for-hostages agreement. Should we be pessimistic or optimistic? Is this a victory for Israel or Hamas? Why did this happen now, and what happens next?
Dec 29, 2024 · 29 min
192. Israel At War, Explained: Words Against Humanity
How “social justice”, “racism”, and “genocide” are re-interpreted and re-defined to demonize Israel, Zionism, and Jews.
Dec 24, 2024 · 21 min
191. Re-Release! Hanukah: One Bad King and a Bunch of Non-Kosher Oil
Re-releasing Episode 29 on the historical story of Hanukah. Where does the story come from? What happened? What’s with the miracle of the eight days of oil?
Dec 10, 2024 · 25 min
190. Israel at War, Explained: This Changes Everything
After 54 years, the Assad dictatorship in Syria has fallen. Iran is humiliated; its theory of power in the Middle East is a failure. And Israel is once again the region’s preeminent power. It’s been a wild few days — here’s what happened and why.
Dec 1, 2024 · 24 min
189. Israel at War, Explained: Is Israel Adrift?
There’s a cease-fire in Lebanon but no path forward in Gaza, and this raises the question of Israel’s strategic direction. How come Israel can end the war with Hezbollah but not with Hamas?
Nov 10, 2024 · 25 min
188. Israel at War, Explained: Following the Money
Where do Hezbollah and Hamas get their money? State sponsors, legitimate businesses, donations and humanitarian aid, and criminal activity all pour billions into the terrorists’ banks — which are now prime targets for Israel.
Oct 27, 2024 · 24 min
187. Israel at War, Explained: Antisemitism on the Ballot
Jews are feeling uneasy about whomever they vote for — Donald Trump or Kamala Harris — because both parties are rife with antisemitism. Whether in the form of conspiracy theories or anti-Zionism, it’s evidence of an ailing society. Can Americans fix this rot in their politics?

Jew Oughta Know

206. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: Holocaust Mysteries

205. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Iraqi Jewish Archive

204. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Dead Sea Scrolls

203. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Golem

202. Re-Release! Unsolved Jewish Mysteries: The Lost Menorah

201. Israel at War, Explained: Day 738

200. Israel at War, Explained: The Changing Middle East, Part 2

199. Israel at War: The Changing Middle East, Part 1

198. Israel at War, Explained: War With Iran

197. Israel at War, Explained: Netanyahu's Middle East Pickle

196. Israel at War, Explained: Trump's Double Game on Antisemitism

195. Israel at War, Explained: Is Trump a Threat to the Jewish State?

194. Israel at War, Explained: What To Do About the Palestinians

193. Israel at War, Explained: Three Hostages Come Home -- What's Next?

192. Israel At War, Explained: Words Against Humanity

191. Re-Release! Hanukah: One Bad King and a Bunch of Non-Kosher Oil

190. Israel at War, Explained: This Changes Everything

189. Israel at War, Explained: Is Israel Adrift?

188. Israel at War, Explained: Following the Money

187. Israel at War, Explained: Antisemitism on the Ballot