Fireside Chats, Episode 94: Judaism (Patreon)

We've spent a lot of time on Fireside Chats discussing the ins and outs of Christianity, but we never ventured into the territory of its sister religion -- or perhaps parent religion, more accurately -- until right now. Judaism is a fascinating point of conversation, because unlike many other global religions, it's both a religious identity and a cultural identity, many times in excess of Irish or Italian Catholics, the Russian Orthodox, and pretty much any other similar fusion (save maybe the Mormons, who are no stranger to this show). To represent the so-called Jewish Experience, please welcome Michael Shamah, a student from New York City who hails from a devoutly Jewish family and lives a devoutly Jewish life, all the while living in a place indelibly (and awesomely) influenced by its Jewish population (and I would know!). In short: What is it like growing up in a community within a community, and is it a burden or honor -- or sometimes both -- to carry thousands of years of tradition, history, and tragedy deep within?