People Jew Wanna Know podcast turns two with a live taping at Stand Up NY

People Jew Wanna Know, one of the most popular podcasts in the Jewish media ecosystem, is turning two years old and, to celebrate, host Margarita Lyadova is hosting a live podcast taping at Stand Up NY, one of New York City’s oldest comedy clubs, now operating at 221 West 46th Street near Times Square.

The event is scheduled for February 5 at 7:30pm and tickets ($30 for general admission and $45 for VIP) are available for purchase right here.

The evening will kick off with a comedy set followed by the live taping itself, which will be inspired by The Condition of Jewish Belief, a 1995 symposium compiled by the then-editors of Commentary magazine.

Lyadova will sit down with four rabbis from different Jewish movements for a wide-ranging discussion on the moral questions facing Jews today, the evolution of Zionism, the relationship between Jews in the diaspora and those in Israel and other pressing issues of our time.

Among the participants are Mark Wildes, founder of the outreach organization Manhattan Jewish Experience; Rebecca Jablonski, author of Confessions of a Female Rabbi; Benjamin Resnick of the Pelham Jewish Center; and Margo Hughes-Robinson, executive director of Partners for Progressive Israel.

The choice of Stand Up NY makes sense: the venue underscores the podcast’s roots at the intersection of humor, culture and serious conversation. As a long-running comedy institution with a history of hosting both established and emerging voices, the club offers a fitting backdrop for a live show that blends comedy with thoughtful, often challenging dialogue.

In the past, the club has also been willing to engage with Jewish causes and complex conversations: Stand Up NY has previously organized fundraisers for Jewish organizations and, following October 7, attempted to host a show bringing together Palestinian and Jewish comedians—aptly titled “Debate, Don’t Hate—”to foster open dialogue about the war, before the event was ultimately canceled amid anti-Israel backlash.