Years ago, if one typed the word “parent” into their computer, autocorrect would immediately change it to the plural form, a clear insensitivity as that does not apply to everyone.
That is what inspired Anina Jasper-Brody, 20, to title her podcast “The Letter S,” a platform in which she and her co-host, Joe Gross, 22, “sit down and chat with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, each having experienced the loss of a parent,” she shared with The Jewish Link.
The idea for the podcast originated as Jasper-Brody’s senior project at SAR High School in 2022. “Anina was always curious about discovering the deeper meaning of life by interviewing others who had also lost a parent at a young age,” said Gross, a recent Yeshiva University graduate with roots in Teaneck. “Through these conversations, she gained diverse insights and perspectives, and realized that this was something she wanted to dedicate more time to.”
When Jasper-Brody, a Riverdale native and a rising junior at Yeshiva University, initially started “The Letter S” in high school, it was a solo endeavor. However, when she decided to revive it in January 2024 after a year-and-a-half hiatus, she asked Gross if he would be interested in co-hosting “to make it into a real podcast, not just a project, but something that we hope will change people’s perspectives on life.” The two first crossed paths as students at SAR, and later again when Gross was featured as a guest on the podcast back in May of 2022.
Since then, around a dozen individuals who have experienced the loss of a parent have been interviewed. Although the majority of guests have been acquaintances or community members, Jasper-Brody emphasized that she and her co-host are trying to expand their network and want to hear from a variety of voices. “Everyone has a different story and unique things to say. People can learn from the diverse perspectives on how others have navigated these challenges in life.” said Gross. They have interviewed guests whose ages range from 17 to 58, who have all dealt with loss in a multitude of ways.
“One of our goals is to make sure that people know they’re not alone, and that there are people who have gone through what they’ve gone through, and are here to talk about it,” said Jasper-Brody. She and Gross highlighted the positive environment they are trying to cultivate in this space. “One thing that sets ‘The Letter S’ apart from other podcasts having to do with loss and grief is that we try to highlight the ‘this tragedy happened, but now we try to take this tragedy and make something beautiful out of it,” she said. But at its core the podcast is “really just a conversation that we’re having with people to express their lives, and what kind of life they made for themselves, and it’s supposed to be very meaningful and sad, but also fun, happy and bright.”
Jasper-Brody also emphasized the universal applicability of the podcast. “There’s values and lessons that everyone can learn no matter what—even if they have two parents—it’s about how to communicate with people who don’t.” One of the co-hosts’ central goals is to spread sensitivity and awareness regarding this topic, even if it is just being conscious of the letter “s,” rather than making the assumption that everyone has two parents.
They also discuss how to be a source of comfort to others during a shiva or funeral. “It’s a heavy topic, but one of our goals is to spread hope,” Jasper-Brody said. “We’ve turned out fine, good people. I think that at the end of the day, you go through a really hard thing, and it stays with you for life, but you also continue to live, and you continue to grow; life doesn’t stop.”
Jasper-Brody and Gross can be reached on Instagram at @theletterspodcast_ or via email at [email protected]. “The Letter S” podcast is now streaming on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. New episodes are released on Wednesdays.
Sara Cohen is a Jewish Link summer intern and an English major at Yeshiva University. You can reach her at [email protected].
