Episode 11: Antisemitism
From the alt-right to to the hard-left, a new wave of antisemitism is spreading throughout the US and Europe. Host Dan Crane speaks with Jonathan Weisman from the NY Times about why he quit Twitter and the the whole (((Jewish Name))) thing, Rabbi David Kasher and his brother Moshe Kasher debate the origins of anti-semitism, British ad agency exec Richard Brim tells the story of a swastika being carved on to his front door in London, and Dan Patterson (creator of Whose Line and Mock the Week) talks anti-semitism in the UK.
Who's in this episode?
Jonathan Weisman is the Deputy Washington Editor for The New York Times, and the author of Number 4 Imperial Lane. He recently wrote about quitting Twitter in the NY Times.
Kasher vs. kasher
David Kasher grew up in Oakland, California, but spent his summers in Hassidic Brooklyn, and he's been integrating these experiences ever since. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he knocked around for several years in yeshivas in Israel before landing in rabbinical school at Chovevei Torah, where he was ordained in 2007. He now spends his time bringing Torah to the people, one living room discussion group at a time, as the Senior Rabbinic Educator at Kevah. He's also working on a doctorate in Legal Philosophy, and writes a blog on the weekly Torah portion. You can read it, or listen to the podcasted version, at
Moshe Kasher. Comedian. Child Genius. Jew. Jew Comedian. OBGYN. Pleasure center. Good tipper. Guiding light. Beefcake. He lives alone in LA. Featured on: NBC, E!’s Chelsea Lately, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s Drunk History, @midnight, Conan, Carson Daly, Showtime’s Shameless, MTV & more… Currently the Co-host of The Champs podcast and the author of the acclaimed memoir Kasher In The Rye on Grand Central Publishing. Selected as one of Variety Magazine’s “Ten Comics to Watch”, LA Times’ “Faces to Watch”, and iTunes’ “Comic of the Year”.
Dan Patterson is a British television producer and writer, responsible for the production of both the British and American incarnations of the improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the British satirical panel show Mock the Week with writing partner Mark Leveson. He has also written for episodes of both shows.
Rick Brim lives in London with his wife and three kids, but will bore anybody rigid about how he wants to move to the states. He is the executive creative director at adam&eveDDB, named as number 3 in Fast Companies list of 2014. The guardian recently listed him in the UK’s top 100 creative innovators, although he suspects they may have the wrong Richard Brim.
Host: Dan Crane
Dan Crane is a writer, musician, Jew (lax, loves lox) and professional air-guitarist. He’s the author of To Air is Human and stars in the documentary, Air Guitar Nation. He writes about culture and travel for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, California Sunday, Slate, and numerous other publications. When he’s not writing, or hosting air guitar championships at home and abroad, he plays “there” guitar in various bands including Nous Non Plus and Ray & Remora.
This podcast is sponsored by the Emanuel J. Friedman Philanthropies.