By Kiki Arochas, Opinions Editor
Akiva Kra loves to shmooze. A passion for connecting with others and sharing inspirational stories has compelled Kra to achieve both. In his podcast, Jews Shmooze, he interviews Jews from all walks of life – be they Rabbis, rappers, or even shark fishermen.
“I realized that podcasting could be fun, and provide value for the Jewish community,” Kra told the YU Observer in an interview. “So, I figured I’d start my own.”
Kra was first inspired to start his podcast as a 12th grader in Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA). In the midst of the pandemic, time was a commodity he had in abundance. Looking for something to do to pass the time, he began listening to a friend’s podcast – and discovered what would become his new passion. He began by asking guys in his shiur for contacts. The idea was to find “big time names” to kickstart the project.
Kra was able to collect an impressive string of guests to debut his podcast. Within the first fifteen episodes, he’d already interviewed many well known figures in the Orthodox Jewish community, including Rabbi David Bashevkin and Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, along with singers Zusha and Benny Friedman.
Although Kra credits these early eye catchers for getting Jews Shmooze off the ground, his selection process evolved over time. “There is a tremendous value in getting stories from the big names,” he said, “but there’s something very special about also finding and sharing hidden gems.”
Among these hidden gems was Rabbi Shmuel Fox, a 100 year old rabbi who provided Jews Shmooze listeners with insights on the evolution of pre-holocaust American Jewry. Others included Chaim Wiess, the founder of Jewish streaming service 24Six, and Doron Sheffer, a basketball star who won three straight UConn titles with NBA legend Ray Allen.
Kra is not limited to those who have some notoriety; he also interviewed Oriel Inzlicht, a classmate of his who is a shark fisherman. “I try to expand my net a bit more now, catching anyone I find interesting,” he said.
Kra will also find unique questions to ask his guests. Once he finds someone to interview, Kra will listen to other podcasts that person has been featured on to gauge which questions are more commonly asked and which have not yet been addressed. In addition, he does extensive research into articles that have been written about his subjects or ones they’ve written.
This research came in particular use for his interview with rapper Nissim Black, a fan favorite episode. “In all the interviews I heard with Nissim Black, all people would ask him about was his rough upbringing,” Kra said. “So, I asked him if he could tell me something positive – someone, or something, that was a great influence or a great memory.” This resonated strongly with Black, who thanked him during the interview for giving him a chance to talk about those who he had looked up to during his childhood.
At the end of each episode, Kra asks his guests “What’s one question that you’ve never been asked before that you wish you were and how would you answer it?” When asked this very question himself, Kra laughed. “A dream question would be ‘can I get you Robert Kraft or Jay Shottenstien for an interview?’” he joked. “But seriously, the main thing I wish I was asked more often is why I do this podcast.”
Kra went on to explain that, while the viewer only hears a half hour episode, that does not accurately reflect the hours it takes to produce the content. The process includes finding guests, organizing a time to meet, editing and hours listening to other podcasts with that guest.
Adding to this challenge is the fact that requests for an appearance are often not responded to. In one particularly jarring instance, Kra arranged a time with a potential guest who then neglected to attend. Five months later, Kra would receive an email apologizing and asking to reschedule.
Despite it all, Kra feels all the work is well worth the effort. “That is how I would answer the question: I still do the podcast because I think it’s very important to have healthy, positive content for the Jewish community,” he said.
He hopes the stories his guests share can be interesting, while simultaneously inspiring listeners. “It’s important to live more thoughtful and meaningful lives, to try and emulate those who have achieved success,” he said. “There is tremendous value to hear from them, rather than read a book. It makes the time all the more worth it.”
Photo Caption: Akiva Kra (Left) and Nissim Black (right) on the cover art of Black’s podcast episode
Photo Credit: Akiva Kra