Author/artist Jesi Bender joined Leah to talk about her novel Child of Light, available from Whiskey Tit press, and Victorian houses in Utica, New York.

Note from Leah: In this episode, I boldly say that there are no Victorian houses in Chicago, because they all burnt down in the Chicago fire. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Follow Jesi Bender online

• https://www.jesibender.com/
• https://www.jesibender.com/child-of-light.html

Show Notes

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned-over_district
• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fountain-elms-2
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utica,_New_York
• https://oneidacountyhistory.org/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_House_(Georgetown,_New_York)
• https://abandonedonline.net/location/spirit-house/
• https://www.hamilton.edu/offices/lits/special-collections/college-archives
• https://www.uticaod.com/picture-gallery/news/history/2025/01/18/photo-gallery-look-back-at-the-history-of-genesee-street-in-utica/77743355007/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utica_Psychiatric_Center
• https://inmatesofwillard.com/2012/09/08/1880-the-utica-crib/
• Of course there are Victorian Homes in Chicago. I had amnesia.
• https://www.zillow.com/chicago-il/victorian-style_att/
• https://fortunerestoration.com/services/residential-painting/painted-ladies/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschal_Beverly_Randolph
• https://www.reddit.com/r/Watchmen/comments/npiyzq/did_the_hbo_show_influence_this_long_overdue/
• https://www.cureddocumentary.com/

Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

To kick off the month of Elul and High Holy Day preparations, Leah sat down with Sarah Osborne, founder of A Mitzvah to Eat, to talk about how her organizations supports Jews who are unable to fast on days like Yom Kippur. We also talk about leadership, our mutual friend Evonne, and tongue drums.

Order your A Mitzvah to Eat care package by September 12, 2025 to receive before Yom Kippur.

A Mitzvah to Eat

https://fnd.us/a-mitzvah-to-eat-care-packages

https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/

https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/about

https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/yom-kippur-1

Show Notes

https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/evonne-marzouk-writing/

Tongue drum: https://www.balmyworld.com/products/sound-healing?

https://www.mayyimhayyim.org/

https://www.mayyimhayyim.org/ceremonies/

https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-08712-2.html?

https://slate.com/culture/2025/08/long-story-short-netflix-show-pandemic-covid-grief.html

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33247080/

Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Shai Korman, one of the Friday Night Movie podcast hosts, is on the road with a movie he produced with his sisters. He took a break in between festivals to talk about The Floaters, film festivals and Weird Al.

Follow Shai online

• Shai Korman: https://www.instagram.com/pancake4table/
• Friday Night Movie Podcast: https://fridaynightmoviepod.podbean.com/
• Floaters the Movie: https://floatersmovie.com/

Show Links

• Weird Al tour: https://www.weirdal.com/tour/
• Weird Al Behind the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36CtQCvc7e8
• Taskmaster Season 19: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRWvNQVqAeWKt7kCUfEMdJi40m7H58CJd
• Tires https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tires_(TV_series)
• Bentonville Film Festival: https://bentonvillefilm.org/
• Floaters IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31145438/
• And Mrs. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6614198/
• Don’t Tell Larry https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16311236/
• Bird in Hand https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36298555/
• Espina https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17016098/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
• Adult Children https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17424166/
• Lemonade Blessing https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32432676/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
• Cotton Candy Bubble Gum https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28305079/
• Magic Hour https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32134256/?
• Sabbath Queen https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32145808/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
• Malka https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32778054/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
• Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36364856/?

Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Israel-based educator and writer Sharna Marcus joined Leah on Friday, June 20th, to share the story of how she was able to get to Indiana from Israel during the active war with Iran. Spoiler alert: a cargo ship was involved.

We talk about her work as a Middle East history educator, the damage done by the "weapons of mass destruction" lies told by the Bush administration, finding Jewish identity and community, and more.

Follow Sharna online

• https://x.com/MsSMarcus
• https://www.instagram.com/sharnaranee/

Note from Leah: The podcast is just on a break while I recover from gallbladder surgery in march, moving in late April, and figuring out a whole new apartment. We recorded this episode before the US got involved directly in the war and I'm releasing it a few days after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel started.

In case it does not "go without saying" I deeply desire all of the hostages should be returned home immediately, that humanitarian aid needs to flow into the Gaza strip, and that I desire peace and safety for all people living in and around Israel. I don't know how we get there.

A few other links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age
• https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/first-islamic-public-hospital
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo2TLlMhiw
• https://www.youtube.com/@crashcourse/search?query=israel
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid
• https://rebooting.com/
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-one-un-leaders-mistaken-timeline-caused-confusion-about-gaza-childrens-starvation-risk
• https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/
• https://zionistutopia.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast

Detroit-based Brandon Klein sat down with Leah to talk about his love of interviewing - AKA non-fiction storytelling. Brandon has been a meditation coach, lived "van life" in the national parks, and is the creator and host of Humanize the Human Eyes.

Keep up with Brandon on YouTube and Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/@brandonmklein/videos

https://www.instagram.com/brand0nklein/

Show Notes

• https://www.descript.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanseisen/
• https://goodnightoscar.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_gGwOlIb9k
• https://blackwing602.com/collections/pencils
• https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/lucas-balisong-knives/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phatic_expression

Fact check: It was Jack Paar and not Dick Cavett that hosted Oscar Levant, sorry for so confidently talking about the wrong late night host.

Second fact check: Rob Abrazado will return to editing the podcast on the next episode. The last few weeks have been rough in the Jones house, but I recently closed on a condo sale and have returned to the land of the living.

Christine Marie Eberle returns to Finding Favorites to discuss her new book and the pilgrimage that inspired her to write it. Her new book Finding God Along the Way: Wisdom from the Ignatian Camino for Life at Home is available now.

We have an in depth conversation about the logistics, prayer and intentions of going on this pilgrimage in the fall of 2022.

Christine-Marie-Eberle.com

Finding God Along the Way

Show Notes

• The Way on IMDB
• Camino del Santiago (the other pilgrimage in Spain)
• Camino Ignacio
• Ignatian Volunteer Corps
• Ignatius of Loyola

Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Every year, we start by looking back at 2024. We asked friends and past guests to send in voice memos highlighting their favorite things of 2024. In this episode you'll hear from

• Shai Korman – Friday Night Movie Podcast
• Jesse Dukes – Upper Middle Brow
• Liz Nord
• Laura and Annie – BFF Sticker Club
• Chris Bagg – Upper Middle Brow
• Pam Mandel – Canned
• Mike Maddaloni
• Amy Guth – Canned
• Rocco Cataldo - Some stuff from Rocco
• Jason Mathes
• Steve Higgins
• Rabbi Michael Zedek

Leah's recommendations for the year include

Live comedy performances

• Jackie Kashian
• Laurie Kilmartin
• Kyle Kinane
• Paul Scheer book launch with Adam Pally
• Dinosaur Improv at the Den
• Michelle Collins at City Winery

Live theater

• Illinoise at Chicago Shakes
• Some Like it Hot
• Death Becomes Her
• Great Comet at Writer’s Theater
• An Enemy of the People
• Here There Are Blueberries

Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com

Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.