Everything Needs to Change. And Daniel Jonas Tells Us Why.

What happens when you stop accepting what you’ve been handed — and start pulling on the threads that actually make sense to you?

In Episode 4 of Who Jew You Think You Are?, Daniel Jonas offers something rare: a grounded, generous, and fiercely honest take on what it means to be Jewish today. Not just for himself — but for anyone who’s ever felt boxed in, left out, or quietly judged for not fitting the mould.

Daniel doesn’t pull punches. “Pretty much everything needs to change,” he says — and then he walks us through why. From Jewish education to rabbinic authority, from Ashkenormativity to identity politics, from halakha to Hollywood — this is a conversation that touches on the systems we’ve inherited, and the traditions we could choose to shape instead.

But don’t let the critique fool you. This episode is full of joy, too — of food and song and philosophy and spice. Whether he’s talking about zhoug or Judeo-Arabic, amba or identity, Daniel brings his full self: Iraqi, Indian, Irish, North London, Sepharadi, Musta’arabi, musical, multilingual — and unafraid to be all of it at once.

It’s one of the most important conversations we’ve had — and one we hope you’ll listen to and share.

🎧 Listen to the episode here or subscribe to your podfeed here

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And if you’re new here — welcome. Whether you’re Jewish, Jew-ish, or just Jew-curious, we’re glad you’re listening.