# Israeli Comedian Yohay Sponder, Plus Finding Your Jewish “Ikigai” (Reason for Being)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/being-jewish-with-jonah-platt-7011021/israeli-comedian-yohay-sponder-plus-finding-your-jewish-ikigai-reason-for-being
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/being-jewish-with-jonah-platt-7011021/israeli-comedian-yohay-sponder-plus-finding-your-jewish-ikigai-reason-for-being.md
Podcast: [Being Jewish with Jonah Platt](https://stenobird.com/podcast/being-jewish-with-jonah-platt-7011021)
Published: 2026-05-26T08:16:00+00:00
Episode link: https://being-jewish-with-jonah-platt.cohostpodcasting.com/episodes/israeli-comedian-yohay-sponder-plus-finding-your-jewish-ikigai-reason-for-being
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/audio-delivery.cohostpodcasting.com/audio/bca27f23-4549-40db-a506-7962f8289f14/episodes/361122ad-38cb-4f1d-ba21-100c3cb624df/episode.mp3?v=8dc15aef5c
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/being-jewish-with-jonah-platt-7011021/episodes/israeli-comedian-yohay-sponder-plus-finding-your-jewish-ikigai-reason-for-being
Duration seconds: 4513

## Resource

Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder turns grief, antisemitism, and the Jewish experience into one of the funniest and most unexpectedly moving conversations you’ll hear all year. In this hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound episode, stand-up comic Yohay Sponder joins host Jonah Platt for a wide-ranging conversation about comedy, Jewish identity, Israel, and the global Jewish experience. Known for his viral English-language stand-up and international tours, Sponder reflects on performing for Jewish audiences across Australia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States while witnessing rising antizionist hate around the world. Sponder recounts the shocking experience of show cancellations in Amsterdam and Australia after public threats and claims of “perceived insensitivity” in his material. Along the way, the two discuss why Yohay performs in English, what he’s learned being married to an American, and how growing up the grandchild of Holocaust survivors influenced his comedic spark. He shares his goals of making people laugh while spreading Jewish pride and the inspiration behind his comedy specials, Self-Loving Jew and Genesis .  Using humor and vulnerability, Sponder examines what connects Jews globally, emphasizing comedy’s role in strengthening cultural bonds. The episode dives into Sponder’s evolving relationship with Judaism following the death of his father, Holocaust-survivor grandparents, his embrace of traditions like tefillin and wearing a (giant) Star of David.  THIS WEEK’S MONOLOGUE: Jonah ponders Ikiagi , the Japanese concept for “your reason for being,” and how you can find your own Jewish version to guide you in these challenging times.  TIMESTAMPS 2:08 — Why Yohay performs in English Yohay explains why English becam…

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