Radio station KLWN in Lawrence is home to the only two Jewish-themed radio shows in the state of Kansas, both hosted by KU Chabad’s Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel.
Rabbi Tiechtel started “The Schmooze” in 2012 on KLWN AM 1320/ FM 101.7. The half-hour show airs at 8:30 a.m. Sunday mornings and covers Jewish topics pertaining to things like that week’s Torah portion and cultural facts for the show’s mostly non-Jewish listener base.
“The Schmooze” became so popular that Joel Becker, the host of KLWN’s weekday morning show Radio for Grownups, invited Rabbi Tiechtel to start another. Together the team created “These Jews’ Views on the News,” a separate program that still falls under The Schmooze’s umbrella and airs 10 a.m. Fridays.
Where “The Schmooze” takes a broader look at Judaism, “These Jews’ Views” has a more specific goal. Rabbi Tiechtel selects a current event every week, and he and Becker put a Jewish spin on it.
“How can we spin the headlines of this week with a Jewish angle? And people love it. The main reason is because the news can be very depressing,” Rabbi Tiechtel said. “What we try to do is have a positive spin.”
The two hosts have a conversation about the topic, each offering input based on their own knowledge of Jewish scripture. They also get callers from around the county —many of them alumni of KU Chabad — who offer their own opinions and commentary.
Previous episodes’ topics have included a man in Salina, Kansas, who returned a winning lottery ticket to a man who left it behind. Was the man legally responsible to return the ticket? What determines ownership? And, most importantly for Rabbi Tiechtel and Becker, what does Judaism say about such a situation?
The show doesn’t have many parameters. Becker said topics have to be positive and put simply enough that those who aren’t familiar with Judaism can learn something. It’s also important that episodes don’t get too political.
“Instead of being willing to debate with others or even willing to just see things from others’ point of view, we’ve gotten to the point where we seem to think that people who don’t agree with us are somehow evil,” said Becker, who had a Jewish upbringing in St. Louis. “Just being able to look at things from other people’s perspectives, or even just alternative perspectives, is probably a different view for a lot of people, or a breath of fresh air for a lot of people.”
Both shows broadcast out to the Kansas City metro area. Becker said Lawrence’s diverse population makes it a perfect town to host a show whose mission statement is to open people’s minds.
“I think that it’s more receptive to and more tolerant of varying views, and while a lot of the people listening may not be Jewish themselves, I think they’re willing to listen to the kind of the show that we do, where it’s not preachy or two people trying to convince them to be Jewish,” Becker said.
Rabbi Tiechtel said that in the six years he’s been on the radio, he hasn’t once heard from a listener who’s upset about something they heard on air — even though Rabbi Tiechtel makes a point of asking for criticism from listeners. He loves criticism, he said.
“It’s not a show that triggers such feelings from people,” Rabbi Tiechtel said.
The working relationship between Rabbi Tiechtel and Becker is excellent, according to Becker. Becker has the radio experience, and Rabbi Tiechtel has the optimism.
“I think both of us admire the other one for different reasons entirely. The fact that I’ve been doing this for 30-something years, I think that impresses him,” Becker said. “While at the same time I’m also impressed with his ability to see the good in everything.”
Both “The Schmooze” and “These Jews’ Views on The News” make a point of finding the silver lining in a dark time. Rabbi Tiechtel said that’s an inherently Jewish thing to do.
“I always say when two people meet there’s 90 percent we disagree on, 10 percent we agree on,” he said. “Why do we focus on the 90 percent we disagree on? Let’s find the 10 percent. That’s what the show is about. Let’s find the things that connect us.”