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Dr. Sarah Bunin-Benor, a leading scholar in contemporary Jewish studies & linguistics, joins Rabbi Robyn for a heartwarming & enlightening episode of the Mazel Pups Podcast. Listen in as she recounts her transformation from a child who was scared of dogs to an adult who does serious academic research into the names of Jewish people’s pets. You’ll also hear how her daughter convinced her & husband to adopt a dog, & how she now loves dogs!
Sharing facts & anecdotes she’s acquired from her extensive study of Jewish people naming their pets (both what the pets are named as well as why), Dr. Bunin Benor gives us insight into pet naming within Jewish families, providing a unique lens into how pets’ names often carry deep cultural & emotional significance.
She’ll shine light on various trends in Jewish pet names: from names that mirror personal human names to those inspired by foods, holidays, historical figures & more. Dr. Bunin Benor reveals the stories behind popular Jewish name choices as well as the humorous, sometimes whimsical, names that reflect pets' personalities & adoption tales.
Listeners are sure to be amused & entertained by the witty examples of Jewish pet names that showcase cultural references & playful wordplay (e.g., Ruth Beta Finsberg for a goldfish). In addition to the fun, you’ll learn about the academic value of studying pet names & how what people choose to name their pets reflects broader cultural practices.

Dr. Benor is the Founding Editor of https://www.jewishlanguages.org/

Dr. Sarah Bunin Benor is Vice Provost & Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (Los Angeles campus) & Adjunct Professor (by courtesy) in the University of Southern California Linguistics Department. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in Linguistics in 2004. She has published & lectured widely about Jewish languages, linguistics, Yiddish, American Jews, & Orthodox Jews. Her books include Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language and Culture of Orthodox Judaism (Rutgers, 2012) & Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps (Rutgers, 2020). Dr. Benor is founding co-editor of the Journal of Jewish Languages (Brill) & co-editor of Languages in Jewish Communities, Past and Present (De Gruyter Mouton, 2018).

I hope you enjoy listening to the Mazel Pups podcast as much as I enjoy making it. If you have an idea for a future episode or want to be in touch, email me at mazelpups@gmail.com.

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Thanks for listening!
Rabbi Robyn