Here I Am With Shai Davidai

In this episode of Here I Am with Shai Davidai, Shai sits down with actor, writer, and filmmaker Ari Frenkel for a wide-ranging conversation about Jewish identity, comedy, creativity, and grief.
Ari shares what it means to be an “October 8th Jew,” how his Israeli upbringing in America shaped his relationship to Judaism, and why humor and satire can reveal (and trigger) so much in people. They dive into Ari’s long-running digital series “Sorry, Ari,” including the viral episode “The Jews,” and talk about navigating mob mentality, online extremism, and making art that stays human in a volatile time.
The conversation then turns to Ari’s feature film “See You on the Other Side,” a romantic comedy inspired by his father’s death and the year of grief that followed, including a search for his father’s former love. Ari reflects on loss, meaning-making, and why creating art can be a way to honor the people we’ve lost.
Guest: Filmmaker Ari Frenkel
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Credits:
Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper, Bonnie Berkovits
Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
Graphic by Shira Auman

In this episode of Here I Am with Shai Davidai, Shai sits down with Ilana Ybgi, a doula, life coach, and founder of the Crown Heights Birth Justice Project. Ilana describes herself as a “social justice Jew” and explains what social justice means to her: seeing what is broken, taking responsibility, and becoming part of the solution, even through small but real actions.
Their conversation explores Ilana’s work supporting women during birth, and why she views birth as a deeply vulnerable, sacred space where dignity and advocacy matter. Ilana and Shai discuss the wider maternal health crisis in the U.S., including how bias in medical settings can impact care, especially for Black women and Orthodox-presenting women. Ilana speaks about the fear and tension that can come with identity, particularly after October 7, and the personal realities of navigating antisemitism while raising a family.
Ilana also shares the mission behind the Crown Heights Birth Justice Project, which brings together women from different communities, including Jewish and Black women, to build trust and connection through honest conversations about birth, support, and shared vulnerability. The episode closes with Shai’s rapid-fire “Here I Am” questions, touching on safety, hope, and why the birth of a baby can be a powerful reminder of resilience and optimism.
Guest: Ilana Ybgi
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524
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Youtube: https://youtu.be/inPw6AOohDw

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Credits:
Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper, Bonnie Berkovits
Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
Graphic by Shira Auman

In this episode of Here I Am with Shai Davidai, Shai sits down with Emmy-nominated journalist and Karsh Journalism Fellowship founder Jacki Karsh for a wide-ranging conversation about media, misinformation, and Jewish identity in a post–October 7 world. Karsh shares how moving from New York to Los Angeles reshaped her Jewish life, why she believes social media is built to drive engagement rather than truth, and what it means to be “facts-first” when public discourse is increasingly driven by binaries.
They discuss the difference between misinformation and disinformation, the pressures that lead major outlets to report before verifying, and how narratives about Jews and Israel often get flattened into simplistic “good vs. bad” storytelling. Karsh explains why she launched the Karsh Journalism Fellowship: to equip journalists (Jewish and non-Jewish) with deeper context and better tools to report on Jewish life, antisemitism, and Israel with accuracy, nuance, and fairness.
Guest: Jacki Karsh
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Credits:
Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper, Bonnie Kirsch
Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
Graphic by Shira Auman
For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]

In this episode of Here I Am with Shai Davidai, Shai speaks with Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), about antisemitism, Zionism, and the challenges facing the Jewish community after October 7. Greenblatt shares his personal Jewish story, including his family’s Holocaust and Iranian refugee background, and explains how his path through politics, tech, and entrepreneurship led him to lead one of America’s most prominent anti-hate organizations.
Greenblatt breaks down what the ADL does to combat antisemitism and hate, including tracking extremist threats, training law enforcement, legal advocacy, and education initiatives. He also discusses why he argues “anti-Zionism is antisemitism,” how anti-Jewish hatred has evolved over time, and what Jewish institutions and leaders must change in response to today’s cultural and political climate.
Guest: Jonathan Greenblatt
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Credits:
Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Allison Fuller, Josh Tepper
Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
Graphic by Shira Auman
For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]

In this engaging episode, Shai Davidai sits down with Ryan Turkienicz, co-founder of The Daily Brine, a satirical news platform often described as “the Jewish Onion,” focused on Israel and the Jewish diaspora. Ryan shares how his background in real estate investment and development, combined with years of experience in music, improv, and comedy, set the stage for launching a humor-driven advocacy project in the wake of October 7, 2023, an “activating moment” that pushed him to step up as a Jewish voice. He explains how he and his brother Eric (a practicing lawyer trained at Second City with decades of satire-writing experience) chose satire as a “force multiplier,” not to trivialize tragedy, but to expose hypocrisy and empower a community that had struggled to laugh again. Throughout the conversation, Ryan breaks down the “rules” behind The Daily Brine’s content, including red lines like not punching down, avoiding hate, and satirizing actions and power rather than identity or suffering, while also sharing how the project grew quickly through community support and relatable, accessible humor. Ryan also discusses the tension of being “moderate” in a polarized era, his involvement in Israel President Herzog’s Voices of the People Council (focused on Israel-diaspora relations), and the next chapter for The Daily Brine, including building a more structured writers room and expanding into YouTube. Tune in for a thoughtful look at how comedy, when done with intention, can build resilience, strengthen community, and create a shared language in difficult times.
Guest: Satirist Writer Ryan Turkienicz
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RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/hereiamwithshaidavidai/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-i-am-with-shai-davidai/id1757483524
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Credits:
Producers: Shai Davidai, Abbie Sophia, Adamit Productions, Naomi Landis, Emma Law-Oppman, Ilana Kalach, Allison Fuller
Filmed @ The CAVE Soundstage in Hackensack and edited by Adamit Productions
Graphic by Shira Auman
For sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]