By Emily Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief
When you type the word “parent” on a Google Doc, a blue line appears under it. That’s because Docs wants to autocorrect the word to “parents,” the assumed status quo for all families. This detail, posted by a girl on TikTok whose father passed away from cancer, is what inspired the title of “The Letter S Podcast.” In a similar vein, the podcast aims to change this societal assumption, shedding light on those who have lost a parent.
“The letter S is raising awareness for sharing that everyone doesn’t have two parents,” Anina Jasper-Brody (SCW ‘26), Founder and Co-Host of the podcast “The Letter S,” told the YU Observer in an interview.
On “The Letter S,” Jasper-Brody, along with Co-Host Joe Gross (SSSB ‘24), interview members of the Jewish community who have lost a parent, many when they were young. She said that losing a parent is a topic that is often taboo, describing it as “not spoken about” and often “the elephant in the room.” “The Letter S” aims to change that.
“There should be a space for people to be able to speak about their own stories and raise awareness about losing a parent at a young age,” she said.
Jasper-Brody and Gross attended Salanter Akiba Riverdale (SAR) high school together, where she began the podcast as her senior project in 2022. The cancer that Jasper-Brody’s father had before she was born resurfaced when she turned five, taking his life three years later. Although she can’t remember much due to her young age, she recalled that her father was in the hospital very often during those three years. The constant visits in and out of the hospital had a profound impact on her childhood.
“Anyone who loses anyone at any stage of their life goes through a lot,” she said, emphasizing that while people try to be there for children going through this difficult period, they also have to care for the parent who is sick. Therefore, “The Letter S” podcast serves as an outlet through which people can debrief that time in their lives and the loss they endured.
Gross too lost his father, who had a heart attack when Gross was six. Later, his mother got remarried to his now stepfather. When Jasper-Brody’s mom got engaged this past April, the two were connected by a mutual friend who thought they could find comfort speaking with each other about their similar circumstances. This led to Gross being the first person Jasper-Brody interviewed for her podcast. After a successful first episode where Gross showed his passion and dedication, she then asked him to join her as co-host for future episodes.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who lost a father at a young age that had to start a whole new chapter, either by moving away or having a new person come into their life,” Gross told the YU Observer in an interview. “We just want to reach as many people as we can to impact as many people as we can.”
Jasper-Brody and Gross both said that anyone can and should listen to the podcast, even those who have not lost a parent. Even listening to short clips of the podcast can provide meaningful insights for anyone.
Gross added that they want listeners to also be people who may have friends going through these circumstances, in the hopes that “they know how to resonate with them and understand what they’re going through, so that they can be good at supporting them.”
Listeners who have not lost a parent serve to gain more than just knowledge on how to help their bereaved friends, however. “It’s also for everyone to be aware to take advantage of what they have and to appreciate what they have,” Jasper-Brody said. “You can literally lose something in a second,” she added, “not knowing when your last moments are going to be.”
“The Letter S” has hosted notable figures such as Avi Proctor, Founder and CEO of Israel Gap Year, and Rabbi David Fohrman, Founder and Lead Scholar at Aleph Beta, both of whom lost a parent at a young age. Since “The Letter S” aims to give voice to all those who have lost a parent, in addition to speaking with well known Jewish leaders, the duo also interviews regular people who have gone through losing a parent.
The pair chose a podcast as opposed to other forms of media because, “the entirety of a podcast is voice,” Gross said. “Our whole goal is about having people’s voices heard.”
“You are actually hearing the person speak about their own story,” Jasper-Brody added. “It’s a different experience hearing that person’s actual voice and hearing them tell the story [with] their raw emotions.”
While the Jewish community is very supportive of those who have lost a parent “after it already happened,” such as by comforting mourners during the shiva period, Jasper-Brody said that more education is needed before such tragedies occur, especially in schools.
“They [educators] could be more open about it and they could talk about it more,” she said. She went on to explain that oftentimes teachers will say phrases such as “bring this home to your parents,” without considering the fact that that may not be true for all children.
“Teachers need to be more sensitive of the fact that children do lose parents,” she continued, “not assuming that everyone has two parents.”
Jasper-Brody said that most people who have come on the podcast approached the hosts because they wanted to be involved. “They know that what they are doing is very vulnerable,” she said. The bravery the guests demonstrate in sharing their stories underscores the importance of this podcast.
This podcast “creates a vulnerable space, knowing that what we are talking about is heavy,” she said, emphasizing that it’s “okay to be upset.” Despite the challenges, they find meaning in telling their stories and sharing them with others. They hope to continue inspiring and consoling their listeners, whether they have lost a parent or not, one episode at a time.
Photo Caption: (from left to right): Proctor, Gross, Jasper-Brody on “The Letter S” podcast
Photo Credit: Anina Jasper-Brody