Episode 123: Olivia Friedman, Author "How Accurate is House of David?"

JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Confronting the Challenges of This Generation

In this episode, we’re joined by writer, podcaster, and Judaic Studies teacher at Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami, Olivia Friedman for a deep-dive review of the hit Amazon Prime series House of David. Going character by character, we explore what the show gets right—and where it diverges—from the biblical narrative, paying close attention to the scriptural peshat, Midrash, and Talmudic interpretations. We examine how key figures like David, Saul, Michal, Samuel, Doeg, and the Witch of Endor are portrayed, and where those portrayals align with or stray from the text. Olivia helps unpack why certain liberties were likely taken—from narrative pacing to character development—and how the show weaves in motifs and echoes from elsewhere in Tanakh to fill dramatic or emotional gaps. Whether you're a fan of the show, a student of Tanakh, or just curious how biblical stories get adapted for the screen, this episode offers an honest, engaging look at the balance between staying true to the text and telling a compelling story.

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*This episode is dedicated to the refua shelema of our dear friend Yaakov ben Haya Sarah Malakh

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• Bio: Olivia Friedman is a Judaic Studies teacher at the Jewish Leadership Academy. She loves literary analysis, pop culture, and the Bible. Fascinated by the weekly Torah portion, she created the podcast Parsha for Kids so children can learn the weekly Torah section while commuting to and from school. A passionate reader, Olivia shares book reviews on Instagram at @thebookrave. She currently teaches Tanakh, Jewish Law, and Oral Thought, and serves as the Educational Technology Coordinator at Ida Crown Jewish Academy. She previously taught at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD. Olivia holds a Master’s in Teacher Leadership with a concentration in Gifted Education from Northwestern University, a Master’s in Bible from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and a Bachelor’s in English from Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women. Most recently, she completed the Matan Bellows Eshkolot Fellowship—and enjoyed an incredible tour of Israel as part of the program.

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• Check out her podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-for-kids/id1650704738• Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Thank you to...Super Patron: Jordan Karmily, Platinum Patron: Craig Gordon, Rod Ilian, Gold Patrons: Dovidchai Abramchayev, Lazer Cohen, Travis Krueger, Vasili Volkoff, Vasya, Silver Patrons: Ellen Fleischer, Daniel M., Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Fred & Antonio, Jeffrey Wasserman, and Jacob Winston! Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL so you can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support!