That's So Kvetch!

This episode is for all spiritual seekers out there! In this episode, I chat with Maggi, who runs her own art business based in Jerusalem. Together we discuss the ups and downs of her spiritual journey and how to deal when you hit a spiritual low. Also an olah chadashah, we begin with her Aliyah story and what inspired her to move in the first place. Then we dive into how things spiritually shifted for her through trauma and life changes, and what happened when she stopped feeling as connected. We explore questions like: What does God really want from us? Does he tally our actions? What do you do when your family isn’t as religious? Does God want us to push ourselves to do things that don’t feel authentic to ourselves? I hope you enjoy this cathartic and vulnerable episode. 

(0:00 -11:26) - Birthright, spiritual experiences and conversion

(11:26-22:00) - Leaving seminary and new questions arising

(22:00-28:00) - What are all these rules really about?

(28:00-35:00) - The role of religious guilt and shame, and why is religion so divisive?

(35:00-42:00) - Owning yourself and self compassion

(42:00-end) - final blessing

In this episode, I have a conversation with Bodhi River, community builder, bodyworker, and soon-to-be joining a school for communal learning in Italy! Together, we dive into how to let go and create closure for yourself in situations when you don’t get it. Through a series of metaphors from the blue ball to the regenerative cake, we talk about dealing with rejection, having healthy boundaries, loving ourselves, and feeling full all on our own. We can truly depend on ourselves to give ourselves love! I hope you’ll enjoy this cathartic and hopeful episode. Happy listening!

(0:00-10:18)- Bodhi’s life at the kibbutz

(10:18-15:00) How to notice when you are giving yourself away

(15:00-27:00) Refueling yourself all on your own

(27:00-35:55) Managing desires, expectations on others, and self-regulating on dating apps

(35:55 -end) Embracing your inner child + final blessing

If you are in a moment in your life where you are wondering “where am I going next?” or “how am I going to create the future I want?”, then this episode is for you! Also for my close friends, consider this a grand catch-up! In this reflective episode, I chat about the ups and downs of living in Jerusalem. I go into detail about why I moved, and share cute stories about crying on the trains, dancing in the shuk on Hanukkah, practicing my Hebrew on dating apps, and more! I also chat about some of the things I’ve been struggling with and observations about Israeli culture and why I actually really vibe with it. Ultimately, it is difficult to be in a state of flux, but it is also ok to be in a state of finding. This hopeful and calm episode will surely entertain you. Happy listening!

(0:00- 7:32) Where I’m at in life right now

(7:32-19:00) Wonderful moments with Israeli people

(19:00-24:30) Concerts, artsy things and cigarettes

(24:30-29:00) Bubby cart Osherad fiasco

(29:26-34:15) 7 Things I’ve learned so far

(34:15-end) The in-between phase is hard

I enjoy diving into stigmas and talking about Jewish culture, and this episode is non other than that. First, I share updates and funny stories from my new life in Israel. Then, I chat about the stereotype of being a Jewish good girl and bad girl and how it’s affected me, and how I think it affects the Jewish world. I also share the scandalous story of Lilith and her symbolism in Jewish feminist lore. Happy listening!

(0:00-9:14) Intro and funny moments in Israel

(9:14-12:20) Why this topic is important

(12:20-18:42) Adam and Lilith’s fight

(18:42-22:25) Bad girl stigma heart spill

(22:25-31:11) why this stereotype happened and cognitive dissonances in Judaism

(31:11-34:00) How to deal with feeling like a “bad girl”

(34:00-end) obscure midrashim and conclusion

I moved to Jerusalem in Israel - to a land that Hashem will show me the way - my own personal Lech Lecha journey. In this episode, I chat about the recent move, and the big and little adjustments that I’ve dealt with in the two weeks I've been here. Then, I share a story from the Gemara about a woman named Homa and R’ Hisda’s daughter. (Which I learned at Pardes from Gila Fine!) In the story, Rabba becomes aroused by the skin of his dead friend’s wife and runs home to consummate his urge with his wife. You’ll have to listen to hear what happens next and learn about ironies and hypocrisies within the story. This is a juicy one. Happy listening!

(0:00-12:37) - Little and big adjustments

(12:37-17:32) - What transcends language?

(17:32-26:00) The story of Homa, the femme fatale

(26:00 -29:00) Hasidut question: Should love come from the mind or the heart?

(29:00 -end) My blessing to you!

This episode is for the sensitive people out there! In this reflective episode, I chat about a variety of topics, from some announcements in my personal life to the story of Chana’s prayer, feeling like “too much”, breakups and more. The concept of being “too much” has come up for me in a variety of aspects of life, and I wanted to talk about the struggles behind feeling this way, the beauty of feeling, and why it is good to stay soft and open. Then, I share two moments when I felt the connectedness of everyone dealing with something. Then I chat about how Chana from the Torah was seen as “too much” in her story and what we can learn from that story. Then we talk about breakups, and I share some tips from a recent one I experienced, and end with a blessing, as always. This episode was cathartic and calming and I hope you enjoy listening!

(0:00-9:16) - Announcements

(9:16-13:52) - What does it mean to be “too much”?

(13:52-17:14) Examples from life

(17:14-20:09) Summer reflections and the time of transition (random tangent?)

(20:09-26:50) The story of Chana, and some halakhot of prayer

(26:50 -end) Breakups!

In this episode, I chat with my older brother Boris, all about sustainability, Jewish journeys, parenting, and more! I’m always looking to improve environmentally, and Boris shared some of his best tips with me, on how to be kinder to our planet. Boris shares his career journey from software engineering to sustainable landscape design and we learn all about the wonders of growing your own food. Also, when Boris was my age, he quit his job and moved to India for four months, and we hear more about why he chose that adventure! Then, on parenting, we talk about how Judaism plays a role and the beauty of the rituals and ethics that it provides. Boris knows what he’s talking about and his calming and educational voice is sure to bring you some peaceful vibes as well as teach you something new along the way! Happy listening!

In this episode, I chat with sex educator and coach Elena Potek. Elena works one-on-one with clients to help them harness their sexual energy, reframe old narratives around sexuality, and get in touch with their most authentic selves. I am fascinated by this concept of sexual energy and what it means and how we can tap into it and Elena helps answer all my questions. Then we talk about ideas surrounding sexuality that Elena learned growing up in an Orthodox environment and Elena shares her journey on how she moved away from that mindset. Along the way, we discuss the virginity construct, Elena shares some funny stories from her travels, and we finish off with a conversation about self-confidence and battling self-doubt. I especially loved Elena’s point about how people mirror each other’s energy and how the energy you put out into the world is the energy you will get back. Happy listening!

Follow Elena on Instagram at @Elena_potek and check out her website to find out more!

Sexual energy playlist curated by Elena: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4sDM6klCjjDCQkD9OtzTR0?si=b562b52ba2834a07

(0:00-5:58) Intro

(5:58-12:00) sexual energy FAQ

(12:00-18:06) Growing up orthodox and how that impacted Elena

(18:06-25:50) the stigma of losing virginity

(25:50-29:57) lessons learned from backpacking in South America

(29:57-34:48) What do people struggle with most?

(34:48- 39:30) Issues in sex ed and dealing with shame

(39:30-end) some positive dating related advice

In this episode, I chat all about the ups and downs of self-sabotaging, both in the Torah and in my own experiences. Before we dive in, I share some changes I’ve felt in myself since we have started returning to “normalcy”. Then, I discuss the ways self-sabotage manifests and how it relates to me. I share a tragic yet entertaining story with an ex from college and reflect on my patterns in dating. Then, we bring in the good ol’ Torah characters to share their self-sabotaging stories. This is an intense topic, and yet still, I manage to laugh and have a good time while discussing, so I hope listening to this episode is cathartic and fun for you!

(0:00-7:25) The carpe diem vibe of June

(7:25-11:12) social anxiety and dating break

(11:12-15:20) the psychology of self-sabotage

(15:20-25:40) ex story

(25:40-29:09) why we do it

(29:09-38:36) Shimshon the womanizer and others

(38:36-end) reframing the narrative

This episode is about the recent influx of socialization in life and reflecting on the mental health effects of the pandemic. I unpack the overwhelming feelings that come with adjusting to a busier life post-vaccine. I start off by sharing a funny story from my adventures on the Clubhouse social media app and then move to a larger conversation about mental health. I reflect on a recent party I threw, CDC’s new guidelines, and how I want to hold on to all my recent awesome memories. Then I dive into the larger picture of mental health effects of the pandemic worldwide, both negative and positive, to give space to all the trauma and pain our world has and continues to suffer through. I reflect personally on the past year and a half and the different waves of emotion I’ve gone through. Lastly, I end off by sharing some encouraging words to remind us to slow down and be patient and kind with ourselves as we process all of these feelings.

(0:00-6:10)-Intro and updates

(6:10-12:17) my embarrassing Clubhouse story

(12:17-18:05) Recent fun parties memories

(18:05-19:46) reflecting on worldwide mental health during the pandemic

(29:46-31:28) why socializing has been harder post-pandemic

(31:28-end) The final takeaway

In honor of mental health awareness month, I chat with Shira Lankin Sheps, editor-in-chief of the Layers Project Magazine. The Layers Project is an online magazine for Jewish women focusing on the challenges and triumphs of their lives. The magazine focuses on breaking the stigma to create a community that is centered around healing and connection.

We talked about the process of catharsis that undergoes when people share these stories online. Then, our conversation took a spiritual turn to discuss the role of God and faith in dealing with mental health issues. We ended off with Shira sharing some interesting thoughts about Kabbalah, the expansion of women’s power through history, redemption, and the many challenges that come with advocating for feminism in the Orthodox world.

Check out The Layers Project Magazine at thelayersprojectmagazine.com

FB and Instagram: @thelayersproject

Order Shira’s new book “Layers” at Koren publishers online at korenpub.com

(0:00-13:42) Intro and the recent war in Israel

(13:39-17:30) What is the Layers Project?

(17:30-25:00) Meaning-making and narrative therapy

(25:00-34:00) Life lessons from running the magazine and the role of faith in dealing with mental health issues

(34:00-end) The changing roles of women and feminism

In this episode, I chat with a dear bestie of mine, Shira Feen, a fellow Jewess and design professional currently residing on the Upper West Side. We talk about the origin story of Shira’s famous catchphrase, “own the city” Then, we hear more about Shira’s recent solo trip she took to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, Arizona. She shares some valuable travel info, from Airbnb experiences to hiking alone, selfie sticks, and more!

To reach Shira, you can dm her on Instagram @shirafeen

(0:00-2:59) Intro

(2:59-9:00) Miguel concert, hype girls, and how to own the city

(9:00-25:14) Travel tips!

(25:14-end) Our favorite memories together

In this episode, I chat with Rabbi Scott Kahn, co-host of the Intimate Judaism and Orthodox conundrum podcast. Intimate Judaism deals with intimacy and healthy sexuality in the context of Jewish family while remaining firmly in the bounds of halacha and the Orthodox conundrum podcast focuses on major issues that affect the Orthodox word.

Together, we dive into a serious conversation to address some tough questions about how to deal with the tensions of Jewish law and today’s realities: Does God judge us? Are there certain cases when it is ok to violate Jewish law? What is the role of halachic authorities in dealing with the emotions of others? How can we understand the difference between acceptance versus approval? Rabbi Kahn shares his thoughtful approach through examples from the Torah, allegories, and personal reflections. This thought-provoking episode is sure to get your mind buzzing. Happy listening!

(0:00-11:34) Toxic masculinity, but mostly how people don’t talk about sex enough in the Orthodox community

(11:34-25:00) Shomer negiah, but mostly does God Judge us? 

(25:00-30:44) Finding space in the Jewish world for LGBTQ folks

(30:44-41:23) Porn, but mostly what is the role of halachic authorities?

(41:23-end) Is saying “we don’t know what God wants” always a good enough answer?

In this episode, I chat with Rena Levine, a dear friend of mine to chat about all things food-related with dating. We discuss everything from our worst food date stories, to dealing with IBS, to food anxiety. Then we share some general dating insecurities and analyze a text conversation together. Rena is a natural podcast host and this episode is sure to bring you lots of laughs and good vibes. Happy listening!

(00:00-12:10) food themed worst date stories)

(12:10-17:10) dealing with IBS and how it affects dating

(17:10-25:21) Food anxiety and favorite recipes

(25:21-30:52) erotic foods, self-esteem with food

(30:52-36:50) self-esteem in dating

(36:50-end) Do you need a spark right away in dating?

In this episode of “the pod”, I chat with Sarah, an old friend from Stern, currently in dental school, and Adam (new friend!), currently in law school, about the woes of dating! We dive into the concept of dating checklists, how to meet potentials at Key Food, who should pay for dates, feminism, Hex and Co (the board game cafe dating spot), some poetry, lessons from heartbreak, and more! Through laughs, *just water*, and shared anecdotes, we talked about how important it is not to regret loving or having been loved and appreciating the journey of dating as it comes. Be a lover, not a hater! Happy listening!