A Jewish “Boy With No Job,” Ben Soffer On Zohran Mamdani and The Future of NYC for Jews

What does it mean to live proudly and publicly Jewish in New York City, with the possibility of Zohran Mamdani as mayor looming large? Ask Ben Soffer, better known as @BoyWithNoJob to his over 1 million followers online. In this episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt: 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah sits down with Ben Soffer— CEO of Spritz Society wine cocktails, co-host of the hit Good Guys podcast with Josh Peck, husband to viral creator Claudia Oshry (Girl With No Job), and proud modern Orthodox Jew — to talk about faith, family, social media, and Jewish pride in today’s charged climate. Together, Jonah and Ben dig into How Ben built a unique modern Orthodox identity on his own terms What it feels like to wear a kippah on the streets of New York amid rising anti-Jew bigotry The effect October 7th had on his Jewish identity… or didn’t? How becoming a father deepened his sense of connection to God and Jewish continuity The story behind Spritz Society — and how a viral April Fool’s joke turned into a real-life savory cocktail courtesy of Claussen’s Pickles! 00:00 Intro: Jewish 'Choose Your Adventure' 04:31 Fatherhood & Connection to Hashem 06:02 Being Jewish in New York 09:04 The Threat of BDS in NYC 10:48 The Cost of Public Zionism 15:20 Protecting Family Amidst Backlash 18:22 Spritz Society & Super Jewy 20:49 The Spritz Society Business 00:22:15 Advice for Entrepreneurs & Creators 00:24:50 Be Loudly & Proudly Jewish 00:26:30 Pickle Spritz & Final Thoughts From candid takes on community safety to spreading Jewish joy through humor (and beverages!), Ben Soffer embodies what it means to be unapologetically yourself — and unapologetically Jewish — in the digital age. Listen now to hear how one of the internet’s most authentic voices is shaping Jewish identity for a new generation. Follow Ben on Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/boywithnojob #BenSoffer #BoyWithNoJob #SpritzSociety #GoodGuysPodcast #BeingJewish #30MinuteMensches #JewishIdentity #ModernOrthodox #SocialMedia #JewishCommunity