Shofar, So Good Podcast: Finding Your Roots

Let's start at the beginning. Shofar is a ram's-horn trumpet used by ancient Jews in religious ceremonies and as a battle signal, now sounded at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. You need to know that to understand the podcast's title, Shofar, So Good.

Let's allow the creator / host Kate Mishkin to explain: "It's an audio documentary about my quest to unearth my Jewish roots by diving head-first into life's trickiest questions."

In the first episode, which debuted January 22, 2025, Mishkin's mother speaks first, explaining that her husband was Jewish. Kate's grandmother was Lutheran. Kate's parents divorced early in Kate's life, yet her mother, admittedly not a religious person, thought it was valuable for her three children to be exposed to their Jewish heritage.

 "I always felt like an outsider in Jewish spaces," Kate explains to the listeners, referring to her childhood.

"I've always felt the pull toward being Jewish," Kate expressed. Then she admits: "I'm not entirely sure why." 

Kate's mother states that "she agrees with the value system of the Jewish religion. The importance of the here and now; an emphasis on action, and doing good deeds."

With that premise in mind, we, as listeners, will follow Kate Mishkin as she explores her Jewish faith.

"I'm going to approach learning about Judaism through a journalistic lens," Kate tells us. That makes sense, since she is a journalist.  She tells us that she will dive into a handful of Jewish concepts like atonement or Jewish mourning rituals.

Kate Mishkin is a Los Angeles-based journalist / podcaster / podcast producer. 

 Kate details her bio: "I started my career in print journalism in West Virginia, then spent about five years with Neon Hum Media/Sony Music as a podcast producer. There, I made shows both in-house and for clients such as CNN, Conde Nast and Morgan Freeman's Revelations Entertainment. This is the first time I've turned the microphone on myself, or even hosted my own show."

Kate continues: "Last year, I was lucky enough to be one of 15 recipients of the Jewish Writers Initiative's grant (the rest of the cohort worked on projects such as short films and social media series — I'm the only podcast producer). I received funding for six episodes, but am currently fundraising to continue the show."

 

To date, five episodes have been released, all of them eminently ear worthy. The first episode deals with Shabbat, which is a Jewish holy day of rest that take place weekly from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The word "Shabbat" comes from the Hebrew word shavat, which means "to rest"

What Kate learns from interviewing a Rabbi is that Shabbat has benefits that stretch beyond religious observances. There is no technology allowed, which gives our minds time to reset instead of simply rinse and repeat. Then there is the critical social component, whereby everyone enjoys a family meal together.

It's no surprise that Kate Mishkin is such a captivating narrator. Not simply because it's her life, but also because she is a born storyteller. You'll love the characters you meet in the episodes, and Mishkin allows listeners to tag along as the audience in her inner voice. Kind of like the podcasting version of Inside Out.

 

When we asked her about her process, Kate remarked, "I recorded everything from my home closet on my Zoom recorder and shotgun mic. I recorded most interviews using Squadcast. I primarily found guests by following my own curiosity — for example, one guest is a rabbi from the synagogue where all my friends had their bar and bat mitzvahs and represents, to me, the path not taken. Another is a rabbi from a synagogue in Charleston, West Virginia — one of my first experiences going to synagogue as an adult."

 

As I said before about independent podcasts that appear to appeal only to their niche audience, I do not believe for one moment that Shofar, So Good is strictly for Jewish listeners. Kate Mishkin isn't any different from us. She's on a journey. And that journey is not exclusively about finding her religious roots. All religions have two components. First is the theological. What these religions believe about the universe and its higher powers. They're all different, with different beliefs, rituals, god, and practices. 

 

Second, there's the social component of religion. It's religious school, attending service with others, being part of a community of like-minded people and feeling connected to a group.

In Shofar, So Good, creator/host Kate Mishkin isn't only searching for her religion, but also that sense of belonging, of being connected, and of being part of something bigger than herself. 

It's a journey we are all on in some  way or another.