This week, GOLDA founder Stephanie Butnick and her co-hosts, journalist Gabby Deutch, Rabbi Diana Fersko, and novelist Esther Chehebar discuss what Jewish leadership looks like today. Reflecting on the death of Abe Foxman and the fractured moment in Jewish life, the GOLDA Girls spotlight people who have stepped up to offer meaningful, clear-eyed leadership in different ways. They include:

Sarah Hurwitz, speechwriter and author of As a Jew and Here All Along. (Gabby pick)

Mijal Bitton, spiritual leader and writer of the Committed Substack. (Esther pick)

Rachel Goldberg Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and the author of When We See You Again. (Diana pick)

Avital Chizik-Goldschmidt, writer and cofounder/rebbetzin of The Altneu. (SB pick)

GOLDA Girls is presented by Nu Reads, a new Jewish book subscription series curated by the Jewish Book Council that brings remarkable literature straight to your door. Use code NuGolda at checkout for 15% off your subscription. Visit NuReads.org to get started today.

This episode is also sponsored by:

• The Mindich Fellowship for Jewish Fiction, part of Miami Book Fair’s Emerging Writer Fellowship. If your novel or fiction project centers Jewish life, culture, or themes, this is an incredible year-long opportunity to develop that work in community. Apply by May 31, 2026 at miamibookfair.com/program/emerging-fellows/.
• Joyva, a fourth generation family business that crafts tahini, halvah and confections in Brooklyn, NY. Get your today.

GOLDA Girls is a production of GOLDA Media. Our executive producer is Ariel Shapiro. Editing by POLDHU.

Subscribe to GOLDA’s newsletter at www.goldaguide.com and follow GOLDA on Instagram at @goldaguide.

You can listen to GOLDA Girls on:

• Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golda-girls/id1895644983
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1eLma0Exh3LDv2Ay8fx8Cq
• Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1ee25ff2-b2af-401f-bbf4-1e7ab58b8177/golda-girls

Please consider leaving us a rating or review!

Stay GOLDA.

On this special episode of GOLDA Girls, Stephanie Butnick talks to author Fran Fabriczki about her novel Porcupines, which is the latest selection from Nu Reads, the Jewish book subscription series (and our show’s sponsor!). The novel tells the story of Sonia, a Jewish immigrant from Budapest, and her 5-year-old daughter Mila, a Los Angeles native looking to piece together her mom’s mysterious past.

GOLDA Girls is presented by Nu Reads, a new Jewish book subscription series curated by the Jewish Book Council that brings remarkable literature straight to your door. Use code NuGolda at checkout for 15% off. Visit NuReads.org to get started today.

GOLDA Girls is a production of GOLDA Media. Our executive producer is Ariel Shapiro. Edited by POLDHU.

Subscribe to GOLDA’s newsletter at www.goldaguide.com and follow GOLDA on Instagram at @goldaguide.

You can listen to GOLDA Girls on:

• Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golda-girls/id1895644983
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1eLma0Exh3LDv2Ay8fx8Cq
• Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1ee25ff2-b2af-401f-bbf4-1e7ab58b8177/golda-girls

Stephanie Butnick, founder of GOLDA and former host of the hit podcast Unorthodox, brings together an all-star group of Jewish women to discuss culture, identity, and the everyday moments shaping our modern Jewish lives.

This week, Stephanie and her co-hosts, journalist Gabby Deutch, Rabbi Diana Fersko, and novelist Esther Chehebar, discuss Jewish Mother’s Day, bageling, and more. Influenced writer and star Jill Kargman joins the show to tackle an “Ask GOLDA” listener question about banning phones at bat mitzvahs.

GOLDA Girls is presented by Nu Reads, a new Jewish book subscription series curated by the Jewish Book Council that brings remarkable literature straight to your door. Use code NuGolda at checkout for 15% off. Visit NuReads.org to get started today.

This episode is also sponsored by Joyva, a fourth generation family business that crafts tahini, halvah and confections in Brooklyn, NY. Get your Joyva deliciousness today.

GOLDA Girls is a production of GOLDA Media. Our executive producer is Ariel Shapiro. Edited by POLDHU.

Subscribe to GOLDA’s newsletter at www.goldaguide.com and follow GOLDA on Instagram at @goldaguide.

You can listen to GOLDA Girls on:

• Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/golda-girls/id1895644983
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1eLma0Exh3LDv2Ay8fx8Cq
• Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1ee25ff2-b2af-401f-bbf4-1e7ab58b8177/golda-girls

Please consider leaving us a rating or review.

Stay GOLDA!