Call Your Mother

Hosted by Jordana Horn and Shannon Sarna. Call Your Mother takes on the sometimes happy, sometimes trying mess of parenting while Jewish. With equal doses of humor and candor, journalists Horn and Sarna (with eight kids between them) talk with comedians, writers, chefs, and other parents about everything from addiction to flatulence to anti-Semitism and ageism. Nothing's sacred. Nothing's taboo. For insight and perspective on the trials and rewards of being a parent today, tune in to Call Your Mother.

Finding Hope (with Fred Guttenberg) 12/01/2020

Finding Hope (with Fred Guttenberg) On February 14, 2018, like any other day, Fred Guttenberg's two children left the house to go to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. But after a former student attacked the school with a semi-automatic weapon, 17 people did not come home that day, including Fred's daughter, Jaime. Jordana and Shannon speak to Fred about his grief, his close relationship with President-elect Joe Biden, and how he channeled his pain into action to combat gun violence in America. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/17024615

Having the Hard Convo (with Jenna Arnold) 11/10/2020

Having the Hard Convo (with Jenna Arnold) In recent years, entrepreneur, activist, author, and Jewish mom of two Jenna Arnold criss-crossed the U.S., having conversations with countless groups of white women about their identities and their roles in our country. The result is her book, Raising Our Hands: How White Women Can Stop Avoiding Hard Conversations, Start Accepting Responsibility, and Find Our Place on the New Frontlines. Jordana and Shannon have a wide-ranging conversation with Jenna about what it means to be white and Jewish women in America. The trio discuss why talking about race can be difficult, how to learn from our mistakes, and how to start those much-needed "hard conversations with Uncle Bob on Thanksgiving." Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16758446

The Long Haul (with Deborah Copaken) 11/03/2020

The Long Haul (with Deborah Copaken) On a “totally chill” late-fall day, Jordana and Shannon chat with multi-hyphenate author, photojournalist, and producer Deborah Copaken, who’s a columnist at The Atlantic and a writer for Netflix’s Emily in Paris. The mom of three was also once an avid biker — she’d bike 20 miles on the regular, without breaking a sweat. But then she got Covid-19 in March, and things haven’t been the same since. Deborah — whose memoir, Lady Parts, is coming out next year — chats with our hosts about living with long-haul Covid-19, detailing her struggle with breathing problems, heart-rate spikes, exhaustion, hope, and more. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16669520

The Fertility Roller Coaster (with Dana Sussman) 10/27/2020

The Fertility Roller Coaster (with Dana Sussman) Fertility struggles impact so many families in myriad ways — though often the burden and the blame fall on women. Dana Sussman's story flips the narrative, when she and her husband discover that her husband is not producing any sperm. Several uncomfortable and emotional surgeries later — plus countless doctors visits, egg retrievals, and more — the couple are now parents of two children. With remarkable candor, Dana shares her unique journey with Jordana and Shannon, and they also discuss the ways in which access to fertility treatments may be limited in the coming year, due to possible changes to healthcare access. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats"Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16573358

CYM Rewind: Contagion (With Blima Marcus) 10/20/2020

CYM Rewind: Contagion (With Blima Marcus) Remember the measles outbreak in 2018 to 2019? Misinformation and distrust for the government were significant factors that contributed to the dangerous spread of the highly contagious disease within many ultra-Orthodox communities in New York. In December 2019 our hosts Jordana and Shannon spoke with Blima Marcus, a nurse practitioner and professor who helped curtail the spread in her community through education and compassion. In this week’s Call Your Mother Rewind, at a time in which Covid-19 infections are high within some ultra-Orthodox communities, we revisit our conversation with Blima, unpacking how misinformation and the perception of antisemitism remain relevant today. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Sultry Glance" by Perfect Solution Music "Study Session No Melody" by MellowSTU "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16479827

The Israeli TV Episode (with Lior Zaltzman) 10/13/2020

The Israeli TV Episode (with Lior Zaltzman) We all need some good distraction right now. So this week, Jordana and Shannon chat with Lior Zaltzman — Kveller's associate editor and our in-house TV expert — about the best Jewish and Israeli TV to watch right now. From "Shtisel" to "Tehran," they discuss the recent shows that have brought them joy, and explore how Israel has gone from "Startup Nation" to TV Nation. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16383152

Rewind: None of Your Business 10/06/2020

Rewind: None of Your Business Now that there's a vacancy on the Supreme Court, many people are worrying about and talking about access to abortion here in the U.S. As such, we've decided to bring back a previous episode, which originally aired June 2019, that focuses on a very timely topic: stories of women who were already mothers when they made the choice to have an abortion. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats “Hip Hop Happiness” by Mellowsstu "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan ft. Habit Blcx /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16293875

She Believed in Us with Dahlia Lithwick 09/29/2020

She Believed in Us with Dahlia Lithwick Jordana and Shannon reflect with journalist Dahlia Lithwick about the life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Dahlia is a senior editor at Slate, the host of the podcast, Amicus, and one of the foremost experts on the Supreme Court of the United States. And perhaps even more impressive: She had the honor of meeting and interviewing RBG on several occasions. Dahlia shares some personal thoughts on RBG, and what her life — and this loss — means for Jewish women. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16201229

During the Days of Awe (with Allie Barnes) 09/22/2020

During the Days of Awe (with Allie Barnes) During the Days of Awe — the time of introspection between between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — Jordana and Shannon speak with educator, mom, and avid YouTuber Allie Barnes about setting intentions and goals for the coming year, staying positive, and finding connection with our community, even when we can't be together. Music"Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16117406

The Kitchen Is Over There with Carly Pildis 09/15/2020

The Kitchen Is Over There with Carly Pildis In this week's episode, Jordana and Shannon speak with Carly Pildis, a professional grassroots organizer and writer, about American attitudes towards Black Jewish identity, why BLM needs to be a Jewish issue, and her experience raising a black, Jewish child in America today. Music "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/16020023

The Last Word (with Bess Kalb) 09/08/2020

The Last Word (with Bess Kalb) Jordana and Shannon speak with comedy writer and author Bess Kalb about her quarantine life as a new mom living with her own parents, writing for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and her recent memoir, No One Will Tell You This But Me. Her book is about an extraordinary love story — but not necessarily one you'd expect: It's a chronicle of Bess' relationship with her Jewish grandmother, a housewife who was anything but ordinary and who helped shape Bess' upbringing and sense of humor. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan ft. Habit Blcx /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/15933350

Covid and Chlamydia (with Taffy Brodesser-Akner) 09/01/2020

Covid and Chlamydia (with Taffy Brodesser-Akner) After trying for a year to arrange an interview, Jordana and Shannon finally sit down with New York Times journalist and novelist Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Yes, there is talk of New Jersey. But also, the group gets into divorce, the plight of successful doctors, being raised in a religious family, and what it’s like to profile celebrities. Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Funky and Groovy" by Unique Sound "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/15831782

Not So Big Summer 06/29/2020

Not So Big Summer Jennifer Weiner, the fan favorite and longtime New York Times best-selling author returns to the podcast to chat with Shannon and Jordana about her quarantine bubble with bubbe, “zhuzhing” up her Zoom room, and why some people won’t wear a friggin’ mask. “It seems like such a basic thing to ask people to do. You put your shirt on and your shoes on when you go to the 7-Eleven, so now we’re going to wear masks!” Music: "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Funky and Groovy" by Unique Sound "Rewind Back" by Marscott "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan (ft. Habit Blcx) /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/15013712

How Not to Lose Your Shit 06/16/2020

How Not to Lose Your Shit Well, here we all are, on the cusp of a summer which for many of us will be with no camp, no vacation trips and few playdates -- but many, many opportunities to lose our shit with our kids. Carla Naumburg is a clinical social worker and the author of three parenting books. But the parenting book that was made for a pandemic is her most recent, How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids, which might be the ideal Father’s Day gift? Naumburg talks to Jordana and Shannon about stress “in the Q,” triggers for rage, and ways to recalibrate our response to those little darling children who somehow always know how to push our buttons. Music "Voicemail" by Khronos Beats "Sultry Glance" by Perfect Solution Music "Funky and Groovy" by Unique Sound "Best I Can" by Jasmine Jordan ft. Habit Blcx /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/14848070

The Second Snip 12/31/2019

The Second Snip A very special guest joins Jordana and Shannon for the last episode of Call Your Mother’s first season: Shannon’s husband Jonathan Goldberg, who shares the story of getting a vasectomy after the couple’s third child. The group talk about the theme of responsibility for birth control, while touching on everything from Japanese sex dolls to Fiddler on the Roof. The hosts call Simon Myerson in the United Kingdom, who shares his own vasectomy tale along with the immortal words, “attached to my junk.” /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12567026

Vodkas & Latkes 12/24/2019

Vodkas & Latkes Jordana and Shannon talk with Alysia Reiner. Alysia is known for her roles in Orange Is The New Black and The Deuce, but she’s a woman who wears many hats. She talks with Jordana and Shannon about activism, Judaism, producing, her new projects and her unique take on the world in which we live. Plus Shannon shares a tale of a wedding toast gone awry, and Gram reveals her disdain for certain extracurricular activities and glitter. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12519482

Borderline 12/17/2019

Borderline Jordana and Shannon recorded this episode at a live Jewish National Fund event in New Jersey, speaking with Israeli community center leader Michal Uziyahu about her life as a person and parent living in Israel next to the border with Gaza. She talks about red alerts, running for shelter, fears of balloons and kites -- and how she finds joy in living where she does. Plus Gram is a member of the studio audience. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12381236

Contagion 12/10/2019

Contagion Shannon is back from maternity leave, and this week she and Jordana (and Shannon’s new baby Jude) sit down with ultra-Orthodox nurse practitioner Blima Marcus. Marcus helped stop the measles outbreak of 2019 in religious communities, and talks about how to confront and combat the spread of misinformation -- whether about vaccines or anti-Semitism -- with education and compassion. Also, Gram shares her own personal experience with measles. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12335561

CYM Rewind: Modern Love 12/03/2019

CYM Rewind: Modern Love In this reboot of a summer episode, Jordana and Shannon talk with Jason Rosenthal. Jason’s wife Amy, a well-known author, wrote a viral piece in The New York Times entitled “You May Want To Marry My Husband,” which was published only days before Amy died of ovarian cancer. Jason talks about grief and loss, his new life in the wake of his wife and parenting the couple’s three children. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12258506

Red Flags 11/26/2019

Red Flags Jordana talks to Good Morning America’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton about her experience after Dr. Ashton’s long-time husband died by suicide. The two discuss the unique grief and blame cycle in the aftermath of suicide, as well as how Dr. Ashton managed her high-profile career during and in the wake of this life-changing event. Plus, Gram doesn’t pick up the phone -- but that’s okay. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12169778

Prince Charming 11/19/2019

Prince Charming Jordana brings in Kveller editor Lisa Keys to talk to Mimi Lemay. Lemay was raised ultra-Orthodox, left that way of life and married a non-Jew. She talks about how her own life influenced the way she parents her three children, one of whom realized at age two and a half that he was not the gender that he’d been born into. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/12089525

Unplugged 11/12/2019

Unplugged Jordana chats with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain about giving up technology one day a week and about her special assistant, Clara, who just happens to be an AI bot. Then Gram tells us how keeping a paper calendar saved her from a wildlife invasion in her kitchen. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11951549

The Waters We Swim In 11/05/2019

The Waters We Swim In Jordana talks to Darcy Lockman, author of All The Rage: Mothers, Fathers And The Myth of Equal Partnership. The two discuss everything from how even moms who work outside the home carry more of the mental and actual load than dads in heterosexual relationships. The two women also agree that a person does not need a vagina to load a dishwasher. In discussing the topic over the phone, Shannon reveals that her husband may not be able to handle more than he’s doing, as he is apparently challenged by gravity. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11912276

CYM Rewind: Good as Gold 10/29/2019

CYM Rewind: Good as Gold Jordana and Shannon are recuperating from the onslaught of Jewish holidays, so we’ve decided to reboot this episode with the inimitable Judy Gold. Anti-Semitism, ageism, complaints that she's mocking her late mother — nothing's too precious for comedian Judy Gold to tackle. She discusses coming out, being disinherited, the legacy of Joan Rivers and so much more. Then, Jordana's mother offers her own five cents on what sets Jewish mothers apart. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11814518

Grown and Flown 10/22/2019

Grown and Flown Jordana and Shannon talk with Lisa Heffernan, one of the creators of the wildly successful website Grown and Flown. They tackle the challenges of how to raise independent children and then discuss what happens when those children leave home. Lots of travel and sex? Or maybe depression? Results may vary! Grown doesn’t have to mean flown, as the ladies discuss with Gram. And Shannon shares getting into a verbal skirmish with behavior police in a movie theater. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11697482

The Mikvah was Hilarious 10/15/2019

The Mikvah was Hilarious This week, the tables are turned as Jordana and Shannon interview the interviewer. Juju Chang is ABC’s anchor for Nightline, mom to three boys and a Korean-born woman who came to Judaism later in life. She talks about helping her mother clean hotel rooms as a young immigrant, to becoming a powerful news correspondent. She also talks about her transition into Judaism. Shannon chats with Jordana about smart “older brother” dogs and Gram talks about her “limited,” experience growing up with a dog. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11307434

Proximity to Power 10/08/2019

Proximity to Power Jordana talks with Sarah Hurwitz who was a speechwriter for both Barack and Michelle Obama and the sparks of meaning Sarah found from her search into Judaism that she details in her new book. Jordana also talks to Shannon about how weighing a baby on a scale is a lot like weighing a turkey, and calls Gram to find out how to make Yom Kippur have any resonance for little kids. Also, there’s talk about scooping bagels. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11550632

CYM Rewind: Jewish in the Winter, Indian in the Summer 10/01/2019

CYM Rewind: Jewish in the Winter, Indian in the Summer Jordana and Shannon sit down with Mira Jacob, most recently the author of the graphic memoir “Good Talk: A Memoir In Conversations,” to talk about living as a woman of color married to a Jewish man and raising an Indian-Jewish son in 2019 America. Also, she talks about what it’s like to navigate life with Trump-supporting in-laws. /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11422268

We Nag You Because We Love You 09/24/2019

We Nag You Because We Love You Jordana is hosting solo this week, and she’s given a run for her money by her two guests! Sharon Feldstein is mom to actors Beanie Feldstein and Jonah Hill, and Patsy Noah is mom to Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. Noah and Feldstein have redirected their vicarious celebrity spotlight to their initiative Your Mom Cares. Stay tuned to learn about Beanie Feldstein’s “Funny Girl”-themed birthday party! /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11307296

The Bottle is No Place to Live 09/17/2019

The Bottle is No Place to Live In this week’s episode, Jordana and Shannon sit down with Leslie Shapiro, a suburban Jewish mom of three whose life took a dramatic turn when she went from being a social drinker to becoming an alcoholic. They talk about Leslie’s struggle with alcohol, its effects on her life and relationships, and her route to becoming a recovering alcoholic with three years of sobriety under her belt. Lest you think the episode is all serious, Shannon shares why she loves goat yoga, and Gram advocates scream therapy.� /episode/index/show/callyourmother/id/11276276

Call Your Mother

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