Tov! A Podcast About ”The Good Place” and Jewish Ideas

Chapter 9: Consider Yourself One of Us

On “The Good Place” Eleanor considers who she wouldn’t connect with on Earth and where she’s ready to attach now. On the podcast, Jon welcomes first-time co-hosts Ben Gurin and Myra Meskin — two rabbis who are parents of a new baby they named Eleanor! We get Talmudic insight on how hard it is to be ready for the connections that are good for you, the ones that help you overcome the barriers to your own goodness. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 8: Rippling Out, Owning Up

On “The Good Place” Eleanor has to own up in front of Michael to all the details about the “T-Shirt Bitch” story. On the podcast, Jon and Rebecca revisit many threads that seem to be coming together just as they do in the episode — and we explore among other things confession, and how the impact of an action or a confession can’t be measured right away. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 7: Lying

On “The Good Place”, it’s the classic lying episode, and on the podcast Jon and Rebecca jump off from the Talmud’s analysis of white lies to talk about truth and relationships, how and when we tell people important truths, and how truth emerges between people not just by telling. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 6: Promises

On “The Good Place”, Eleanor tries both to keep and not keep her promises to Michael — and on the podcast, Jon and Dan trade stories of dog-watching gone wrong and explore why promising is such a big, Yom-Kippur-level matter in Judaism. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 5: To Measure or Not to Measure

On “The Good Place” Eleanor is excited when she is polite for the first time without thinking, Tahani’s philanthropy doesn't score enough points with her parents or the algorithm, and Chidi doesn’t find pleasure in doing the most good. So on the podcast Jon has his first stomach ache and Sari Laufer (new rabbi on the team) helps us think more about where measuring goodness does and doesn’t make sense. Oh, and where intellectual vs. sensual pleasure fits in! Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 4: Be Yourself?

On “The Good Place” Eleanor wants Jason to keep playing Jianyu while they figure things out but Jason wants to be himself, and on the podcast Jon Spira-Savett and Rebecca Rosenthal (rabbis!) discuss what it means for your inside and your outside to be aligned. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 3: Who Is Your Teacher?

On “The Good Place” Michael tries to guide Chidi and Janet toward new things, but it’s Eleanor who finds unexpected inspiration because of Tahani. So on the podcast, Jon Spira-Savett and Audrey Marcus Berkman explore reincarnation Jewish-style and who the teacher you need turns out to be. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 2: Does Study Lead to Change?

On “The Good Place” Chidi assesses whether or not to help Eleanor, and on the podcast Jon Spira-Savett and Dan Ross (still rabbis!) discuss how teshuvah begins and whether studying philosophy or Torah or anything can help you become a better person. Find complete show notes for the episode here!

Chapter 1: Measuring Deeds

In “The Good Place” Michael talks about deeds and points, and on the podcast Jon Spira-Savett and Dan Ross (two rabbis) discuss whether deeds and mitzvahs can or can’t be measured. Find complete show notes here!

Welcome to Tov! Everything is Fine.

Introducing Tov! Get ready for the launch of the new podcast about "The Good Place" and Jewish ideas.