By Kevin Dranoff
New Jersey (The Hollywood Times) 12/12/22 – Eric Teitlebaum is a 31 year old clinician with a master’s degree in Social Work from Fordham University. I was able to find out how he uses entertainment to find common ground and gain insight into how he connects with people. He recently went on a podcast where he shares his story on the development of the moment that revealed his path toward his current passion which is to help other people.
(Listen to Eric’s podcast appearance by clicking the link below)
Question: Was social work something you were interested in when you were growing up or did it come to you later on in life?
Answer: I didn’t really start to think about social work until I was about 18 years old. Before that I was very passionate about basketball and music. The foundation for it was really when I was 15 years old and I had my first mental health breakdown. Initially, I was actually very distrustful of therapists and people in general. Gradually, over several years, it became something that continued to grow on me. Eventually, helping myself and helping others became a way of life.
Question: What role has music played in your life?
Answer: I always enjoyed listening to music. I didn’t always like all kinds of music but now I enjoy all kinds of music. Music speaks to me on many different levels and can have an impact on my mood and my thought process. I see music as an artform that has the potential to bring people together no matter how far apart they are. Not everything has the power to do that which is why I respect musicians and artists.
Question: You told me you just got back from taking birthright in Israel… What has that experience done for you?
Answer: The trip was very powerful for me. I had that experience with my brother and a wonderful group of people. There I was able to connect with Judaism in the land of my ancestors which was very special to me. Finding cultural identity was something that was always complicated for me. Growing up Jewish, in an area with not many jews, I always identified more with American culture. As a Jewish American, my interactions with other cultures, there are parts of me that are very traditional and there are also other parts of me that are outside of people’s expectations and stereotypes.
Question: Speaking of stereotypes… People are either with Kanye West or standing up to his ideals which is sparking conversations around anti-semistism and free speech. What’s your take?
Answer: Over the last month, Ye said a lot. This is not the first time. Over the past few years, he’s made disparaging remarks about many individuals and groups as well. When he talks over and over about Jews controlling the media and every other facet of our society, this is very hurtful. Not only is this exaggerated, but this is the same trope that has been used to persecute Jews for thousands for years. One thing Ye has stood on is that he cannot be antisemitic because he is semitic himself. Throughout history Jews have taken part in antisemitic actions against other Jews. So even Jews themselves can be antisemitic. Since Ye’s “Defcon 3” tweet and interviews, there’ve been death threats at synagogues and Jewish schools all over the country. There has been antisemitic flyers found at college campuses all over the United States. Hate groups across a wide spectrum are using this as an opportunity to spread hate. Even Jewish tombstones were vandalized with “Kanye is right” written on them. At a time when Jews makeup 2% of the United States population, but account for roughly 60% of religiously motivated hate crimes in the United States. Then when you look at New York City, where from 2019-2021, Jews accounted for 45.7% of all hate crimes. They made up just 7% of the total population. Jews were disproportionately the top target of hate crimes in New York City. Ye is throwing gasoline onto an already burning fire. A lot of damage has been done and Ye has to make t’shuvah, which is a Hebrew word that means repentance. Ye could make this situation right.
Question: I notice at times you use social media to convey your thoughts. What are you aiming to accomplish?
Answer: Social media is something that continues to evolve. As it continues to evolve, I often rethink my connection with it. A lot of times I will browse out of boredom. One thing I like about it is that it helps me stay in contact with people who otherwise I likely would not be in contact with. Usually when I post, it’s something where I want to convey my thoughts and contribute to an important conversation. However, finding these spots can be challenging and overwhelming because the internet is a bit oversaturated with misinformation. Taking all of this into account I also enjoy posting about food, comedy, and sports as a way to not forget that social media doesn’t have to be fueled with negativity and heavy content. So when I’m picking my spots to take aim at delivering my purpose it’s typically specific and something I’ve carefully thought about.
Question: How does Pop Culture, Music, and Entertainment help you in the social work field?
Answer: It is connected to everyday life. For children, especially, they are influenced by pop culture more than anyone as a whole. When you look at song lyrics, for example, lines from movies… etc. Those really stand out for children and that is something I connect to as well. A lot of times those lines really stick in my head as something powerful. The more I mature I try to feed my mind with positive quotes, music, and content. At the same time some of the content that talks about pain resonates with me.
Question: Sounds like it is similar to your experience with the tv show the Fresh Prince, yes?
Answer: I’ve always been the type to look for deeper meaning with everything. Sometimes this gets in my way as I tend to overthink a lot. In this situation, my psychosis was skewing my search for deeper meaning.
Question: If someone told you when you were studying to be a social worker that you were gonna be on a podcast how would you have reacted?
Answer: I don’t think I’d have believed them. This is not something I had expected or thought about doing. That being said I really enjoyed doing it and would do it again in a heartbeat. I’m someone who really appreciates the storytelling process. So whether it be listening or telling a story it’s something I really enjoy.
Question: What do you say to someone that’s about to listen to your podcast appearance?
Answer: By listening to the podcast you’re getting insight from a social worker who is able to reflect and analyze their past. I take a deep look at what brought me here today and I analyze my childhood, my family, my upbringing and other facets of life that shaped me as the person I am today.
(Listen to Eric’s podcast appearance by clicking the link below)