The Art of Jewish Joy (with Amanda Kingloff)

Send us Fan MailThis week we're joined by Amanda Kingloff — craft stylist, former Lifestyle Director at Parents magazine, founder of ProjectKid, and author of the new book The Art of Jewish Joy: Crafts and Activities for Celebration and Connection (Chronicle Books), co-written with Suzy Ultman.We talk about why grown-ups forget how to play, what it means to "unlearn" the conventional use of a bottle cap, and how Amanda went from a pre-med, photography-major mindset to building a career out of arts and crafts. Then we get into the real heart of it: how October 7th sent Amanda back into her own Jewish identity, why she and her husband quietly walked away from synagogue-based Judaism as adults, and how she and Suzy built a book that renames every holiday chapter after the value inside it — the Art of Self-Reflection (Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur), the Art of Shining Bright (Hanukkah), the Art of Honoring Freedom (Passover), the Art of Grit and Grace (Purim).Also covered: the Sukkot tradition of leaving the corners of a field unharvested for the poor, why you cover the challah before kiddush, Amanda's daughter's snow-globe Halloween costume, and Eva's new favorite phrase, "achievement cheap."0:00 Welcome0:13 Meet Amanda Kingloff — craft stylist & author2:31 Why Grown-Ups Forget How to Play6:23 Halloween Costumes & the DIY Shelf Wall8:08 October 7th and Finding Her Way Back to Judaism10:47 The Yom Kippur Ritual in the Park15:22 The Book Reveal: The Art of Jewish Joy19:33 Why We Cover the Challah20:17 Sukkot: The Unharvested Corners21:28 Back to Crafting: Mind Maps & Painted Shabbat Rocks24:08 "Achievement Sheep"28:05 The Camp Award Story28:56 Renaming the Holidays: Self-Reflection, Shining Bright & Grit and Grace32:18 Wrap-Up & Where to Find the BookThe Art of Jewish Joy is out now from Chronicle Books. https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/art-of-jewish-joy?srsltid=AfmBOoqvL5Dqy0WX9DUxcXkpL_ZasyahTTje2GehaYjSAD4PnPRRRN79Find Amanda at @amandakingloff and Suzy at @suzyultman. We’re two New York City women talking candidly about the chaos of modern life, from relationships, parenting, working in and out of the home, to what it takes to stay semi-sane in a world that expects you to hold it all together and be #blessed.We couldn’t find an honest and vulnerable conversation — so we started one! If you need a laugh, a cry, or just want to hear someone else admit their flaws and validate your crazy, you’re in the right place. Be ready to be… Unfiltered, Unafraid, and UnExpert.Please follow, like, review, and share the podcast with your family and friends!Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/micdandmedicated and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@MicdMedicated/podcastsSubscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@micdandmedicatedCheck out our website: micdandmedicated.comSurgeon General Warning Disclaimer: We are self-prescribed unexperts, so if you have any real questions or need real advice, please call your nearest doctor.© 2025 Eva Heyman & Caroline Leventhal