Star Treatment: Ep 269

This week on Unorthodox, we’re down to the championship round of our Jewish Name of the Year bracket. Our Jewish guest is Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby, whose new book is Israel: a Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth. Tishby, who describes herself as “100% Israeli and 100% American,” tells us about bringing the Israeli show In Treatment to American audiences, her first experience in bridging Israeli and American culture. She also explains how her pro-Israel activism grew from dinner party defenses to her latest project, a book designed to demystify the Jewish State for international audiences. Enter to win a free copy of Noa Tishby's book here: bit.ly/tishbygiveaway Our Gentile of the Week is Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz, whose memoir is Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina. He tells us about attending Shadyside Academy in Pittsburgh (where he was friends with Mark Oppenheimer’s uncle!) before meeting future Talking Heads bandmates David Byrne and Tina Weymouth (also his future wife) at the Rhode Island School of Design and going on to conquer the music scene. His question for us is about what it means, logistically, to keep kosher. Upcoming virtual events: Tuesday, April 20 — Stephanie will be interviewing Bess Kalb, author of No One Will Tell You This But Me, for the Mandel JCC Book Festival, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Thursday, April 29 — Stephanie will be moderating Rachel Bloom and Tovah Feldshuh in ‘A Conversation Between a (Television) Daughter and Mother,’ presented by The Jewish Museum and the Jewish Book Council, 7 p.m. EDT. Register here. Find out about all our upcoming events at www.tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. As always, send us comments and questions at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave us a voicemail at (914) 570-4869. You can also record a voice memo on your smartphone and email it to us. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our.Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our recording sessions on our YouTube channel! Join our Get your Unorthodox T-shirts, mugs, and baby onesies at bit.ly/unorthoshirt. Want to book us for a live show? Email producer Josh Kross at jkross@tabletmag.com. Check out all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. Sponsors: American Jewish World Service supports more than 500 social justice organizations fighting for justice around the world, including at the forefront of action against the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it’s created. AJWS is currently twice-matching all donations; find out more and make your donation at AJWS.org/unorthodox. The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at JTS provides an unparalleled academic experience that prepares its educators to work in diverse settings. MA degrees can be pursued fully online, for professionals in the field, or full-time in-residence in New York City. Learn more about the William Davidson School here. Unstoppable is the ultimate immigrant story and an inspiring manual for survival in the face of tremendous odds. The true-life story of Siggi Wilzig offers a roadmap for recovery, vividly rendered by biographer Joshua M. Greene. Order this breathtaking and timely read here.