Sing a song, sing it loud
Do we have a new theme song?
Dear Reader (yes, you, the one who opened this email),
We’ve turned the calendar again; it is now a new year. I hope everyone has a good 2024. We’ve already had a challenge to start January. You may have seen in the substack Note or elsewhere (like the unofficial Fifth Column Podcast Discord Server) that I could not record the podcast this Sunday. The reason is that my wife and I spent quality time in an emergency room due to an issue she was having. She’s now in a regular hospital room and thank God she is improving. Please God she is already out of the hospital by the time you are reading this “news” letter. Hopefully, I’ll record the podcast this coming Sunday.
To the Tune of…
I’ve been slowly getting deeper and deeper into using AI for my teaching and some other things, like writing emails. I never leave the text untouched because I want to give it my voice. However, the bones are generally good and you have a good start to an email. This past Friday one of my schools had a professional development day focused on an AI service for schools called MagicSchool. They have some incredible tools to help teachers. One of the things they have is the ability to make songs. I created a song for the school to the tune of YMCA by The Village People which several people thought was clever. I also figured, what the heck? Let’s make a theme song for the podcast. The big question was what song should I use for the tune? To me, there was only one song that made sense; Pretty Fly for a White Guy by The Offspring. I reason that if it was good enough for Weird Al and his Pretty Fly for a Rabbi, it’s good enough for Not a Rabbi. Here are the results:
"Not a Rabbi Podcast" (To the tune of "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" by Offspring)
[Intro] Are you ready to discover, the unexpected in tradition?
Get ready for a podcast that's on a mission!
[Verse 1] He's not a rabbi but he's got the knowledge,
Uncovering stories from the Jewish college.
With humor and wit, he's always in the know,
Bringing you insights you never thought you'd know.
[Chorus]
Hey now, hey now, listen up real tight, The Not a Rabbi Podcast is gonna take flight.
Exploring Jewish tradition, reaching new heights,
With dad jokes and laughter, it's a real delight.
[Verse 2]
From ancient texts to modern-day twists,
Each episode has something you won't want to miss.
Unraveling mysteries, shedding a new light,
Finding connections, making history right.
[Chorus] Hey now, hey now, listen up real tight,
The Not a Rabbi Podcast is gonna take flight.
Exploring Jewish tradition, reaching new heights,
With dad jokes and laughter, it's a real delight.
[Bridge] So grab your earbuds and lend an ear,
Get ready for knowledge that's crystal clear.
Not a rabbi, but he's got the knack,
To entertain and educate, that's a fact!
[Verse 3] From Talmud to Torah, and everything between,
The Not a Rabbi Podcast is the real deal, it seems.
Discovering the unexpected, breaking new ground,
With each episode, knowledge will abound.
[Chorus] Hey now, hey now, listen up real tight,
The Not a Rabbi Podcast is gonna take flight.
Exploring Jewish tradition, reaching new heights,
With dad jokes and laughter, it's a real delight.
[Outro] So tune in and join the fun,
The Not a Rabbi Podcast has just begun.
Discovering the unexpected in tradition,
Get ready for a podcast that defies definition!
I’m interested in getting feedback from the podcast AI Expert, Logan Eastman. Maybe I’ve given him some new content for his substack!
If there is someone interested in recording this, let me know.
Setting the Schedule
I am blessed to have listeners suggesting topics and some of my own as well. I figured that I would formalize what I’ll be recording and when. Here is what I have for the next month of shows:
January 7 - The Jewish Concept of Forgiveness
January 14 - How important is it to wear a yarmulka (a/k/a kippah)?
January 28 - Why is there slavery in the bible?
February 11 - Jewish Law (the process and the history)
Thanks for reading another edition of the “news” letter. If you like the content, please share it with someone else.