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Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I'm Alex Segal and today, I'm speaking with Keshet Starr, CEO of Shalom Task Force. Keshet Starr, Esq. is an attorney, advocate, writer, and nonprofit leader dedicated to building safer, healthier Jewish communities. As CEO of Shalom Task Force—and previously CEO of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot—Keshet has spent more than a decade addressing some of the Jewish community’s most complex and sensitive challenges, including domestic abuse and Jewish divorce denial. Known for bringing together legal expertise, communal understanding, and practical solutions, Keshet writes and speaks internationally about abuse, advocacy, Jewish law, and creating meaningful communal change.  In this interview, we're peeling back the curtain on Keshet's life both in and out of the office. In our conversation, we speak about:-How she was able to become a CEO at such a young age -How she dealt with imposter syndrome and making big decisions that didn’t always work out -Her opinion on whether social media campaigns are helping the agunot cause -What we can do at home to help the agunot cause, when it’s easy to feel so helpless -How she is redefining what motherhood looks like in her life -How she is redefining what parenthood can look like in the workplace -What a day in her life looks like -Some big decisions and shifts she made at home and with her husband to create a unique dynamic that works for everyone -Her top time management tips …and so much more! This episode is such a great one to kick off the month of Cheshvan with. The holidays are behind us and now, we have routine back. This conversation will help you make the most of it.

This episode originally aired on 9/16/24 but is just as relevant today. Enjoy this replay as we get ready for Yom Kippur. -- Today, I am speaking with Yaffa Moskowitz, the Director of Education at ⁠Midreshet Rachel V’Chaya⁠, a seminary in Jerusalem.  Here’s a little more about Yaffa: She is a native member the Far Rockaway community and was active in that community and the Five Towns for many years. Yaffa, her husband Danny, and seven children made aliya in the summer of 2013 and now live in Mitzpe Yericho. Yaffa served as teacher and Director of Ateres Seminary for women on the Queens College Campus for 13 years and she was also involved in the Neshei Shor Yoshuv community where she gave chaburas for married women. I met Yaffa when I was a student exactly seven years ago at Midreshet Rachel and have continued to learn from her and with her since. She has such a wealth of knowledge and this conversation really turned into the perfect thing to listen to right in the middle of Elul preparing for the chagim. During this time at Midreshet Rachel, the students learn from the sefer, Tomer Devorah, which teaches us about Hashem’s 13 Attributes of Mercy. As we learn about Hashem and understand who He is more, so to speak, we learn how we can emulate Him more in our own lives, and we used that text as the jumping off point for our conversation.  As we spoke, we explored: -What a “sin” actually is in Judaism (it may not be what you think) and how we can always get back on track -How to separate ourselves from the sin and retain our confidence and closeness to G-d through the process -How we can get to the core of what emunah really is on the most basic level and use these foundational concepts to connect to Hashem more deeply -The restraint Hashem has with us every day and how we can apply that concept to our own lives and actions -How to work on letting go of control -Why we should speak to ourselves with more compassion from a Torah perspective -When fear is appropriate in Judaism and what kind of fear that actually is talking about -How we can continue to grow and elevate ourselves year after year …and SO MUCH MORE! To learn more about Midreshet Rachel V'Chaya, click ⁠here⁠.

Today, I’m speaking with Hadassah Eventsur. Hadassah is an occupational therapist, educator, transformational coach, Mishpacha Magazine contributor, speaker, and the founder and CEO of MindfullyYou, an educational and support platform dedicated to helping neurodivergent individuals better understand their brains and build lives that work with—not against—them. In her program, she helps women who feel overwhelmed by daily chores and responsibilities, those who are struggling time management and organization and others who simply want more peace, structure and confidence in their daily lives. While she targets her work toward those who struggle with executive functioning skills, there are tips and strategies both in her course and in this episode that can help anyone. This episode is like a giant deep breath. It will remind you to actually examine what you can handle and dial it back vs getting caught up in the just one more thing mindset or the feeling of needing to try every new recipe or that fancy one that looks super impressive.  If you want to sign up for the Mindfully You program that is starting after Sukkos, (on Monday, October 5) you can register here. To reach out to Hadassah personally, you can email her at [email protected].

Today, I’m speaking with Torah educator, Goldie Sion. Goldie was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised in Hollywood, Florida. She has worked with organizations in the past that include Olami Manhattan, Aish Aspire, Jam Israel and now works for Olami Souled. She is passionate about teaching Torah, giving shiurim, and inspiring others through creativity and connection with her Instagram: @goldiesjournal. If you want to be feel connected and are on Instagram, I highly recommend you checking it out. Goldie’s words truly enter the soul. She has a way of making a connection to Hashem feel effortless, even though she acknowledges that it takes work.  Our conversation is basically like one big emunah injection which is perfect as we’re about to enter the final week of Elul leading up to Rosh Hashanah. In our conversation, Goldie speaks so eloquently about: -How she brings Hashem into her day to day life from the big moments to the mundane -How she elevates basic actions that make up her life -What to do when you’re going through a difficult time or having trouble feeling connected to Hashem -How to reframe your mindset when the answer you keep hearing is “no” -What prayer can look like when you’re completely overwhelmed -What the healthiest form of growth looks like -How prayer really changes our lives ...and so much more! If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

Today, I’m speaking with Sara Eisemann. Sara is a licensed clinical therapist and educator based in Oak Park, Michigan. Sara currently serves as Co-Director of Education for Core's Mashpia Mentor Counselor (MMC) Training Program—a rigorous two-and-a-half-year initiative that equips women to provide Torah-based spiritual mentorship and emotional support within their communities. In addition to her clinical work, Sara is a certified dating coach. She is a regular contributor to Family First and she hosted the MakeShift podcast. Today, Sara is speaking about the concept of “shalom,” or finding peace within all of the parts that make up who you are. In her clinical work, she’s come to see it as the thread that goes through so many different issues that come up with her clients. As we move through Elul and gear up for the chagim, it’s a transformational framework to keep in mind. In the episode she uses this mindset to speak about: -What shalom looks like within a family, community and within yourself -How this helps a recovering perfectionist move away from unrealistic standards -How we can make space for the “and” in life — the things that bring us joy and challenge at the same time, or the parts of ourselves that we both like and struggle with, for example -Letting our authentic selves come through and getting rid of the “shoulds” that come up in any scenario  -How we can avoid getting caught up in the worry about what others think of us and put more emphasis on what we think of ourselves -The power of this work and how it’s designed to help you stay in the healthy headspace it creates …and so much more! While this topic may feel esoteric or lofty on the surface, it is filled with practical steps and shifts that you can make as soon as you turn off the episode. As we move through Elul and this period of self-reflection, it will help unlock that version of yourself you are striving for — or honestly, just let her come through.

Today, I’m speaking with educator and author Ilana Cowland. Ilana is the perfect person to kick off our Elul series with — she has spoken around the world, bringing warmth, humor and hard-won insight into the topics of love, intimacy, authentic connection and more. She has seminars for couples that are known for being fast-moving, practical and genuinely fun. Her teaching is grounded in real life — she and her husband, Jamie have six children and now, grandchildren and the joys and challenges of building a family are woven into everything she shares. She is the author of the book, The Moderately Anxious Everybody and has a new book coming out which we touch on about raising children in a materialistic world. I was so excited to speak to Ilana. She has been a speaker I have respected and looked up to for years now, and have heard her name so many times on my own Jewish journey. She has so much to share and she’s really someone I could have kept talking to forever about honestly any topic related to a woman’s life.  In this episode, we try to go through as much as possible to get you to and through the upcoming chagim in the most connected way. We speak about: -How she got into teaching and doing the work she’s doing today -Anxiety and how it’s plaguing so many of us— we speak about the relationship between emunah and anxiety, how to diminish anxiety, what may be causing it and more -How we can feel comfort in knowing Hashem is running the world instead of fear of what could happen as a result -How to reframe what Rosh Hashanah is really about — I love Ilana’s approach here and thinking about it will completely change how you go into the holiday -What prioritization really looks like when it comes to our relationship with Hashem, in motherhood, in marriage and more and how it changes as we move through life stages -How we can find value in who we are in a world that is constantly throwing different messages toward us -The power in slowing down …and so much more!

Today, I’m speaking with ⁠Fally Klein⁠ — a teacher, facilitator and founder of Azamra Breathwork. Her work helps participants access the wisdom of the body, breath and soul, returning to the truth already held within. Fally has an incredible story. Like the last episode, there was so much to fit in, we ended up going even longer than I usually do and I promise you it is worth the listen. Every minute is so rich - I was hanging onto her every word. Fally has already lived through so many things — more than some go through in an entire lifetime. Some of which — like battling cancer — she speaks about in the episode and some of which she is preferring to keep private right now. When you listen to how eloquent she is, how much depth she brings to her journey and challenges, you will be blown away and if you’re like me, only want more from her. In the episode, we speak about: -Her battle with cancer as a teenager and what that experience taught her -Her perspective on closure in life -What real healing feels like -How she worked to figure out her career and mission throughout her challenges and how that continues to evolve today -How her connection with Hashem has deepened through her journey -The power of breath work and how our breathing mimics the spiritual realm -Two breathing techniques that can help you find more calm right now …and SO MUCH MORE. Get more from Fally on her website ⁠fallyklein.com⁠. Get her book, Miracle Ride, ⁠here⁠.

Today, I’m speaking with Matana Poupko Jacobs, the host of the Hope to Recharge podcast which is all about hope, healing and personal growth. Matana went through a profound journey through anxiety and depression, which she shares with us in the episode and now she works with others who are going through similar challenges. She meets people where they are, helping them navigate anxiety and depression by implementing practical, personalized tools that support their unique healing journey. Drawing from her lived experience, faith and years of learning from leading experts, she shares honest conversations that inspire resilience, emotional well-being and hope. Her goal is to show that healing is possible, growth is often found in the smallest steps and no one has to walk the journey alone. This is the perfect episode to release this week, as we approach Tisha B’Av. Sometimes it’s in the pain that we find the most connection. As they say, when there are cracks, that’s where the light can come in. In Matana’s story, we’re also learning about things that could be going on behind the scenes for anyone. So much of the time, we don’t know what another person is really going through. As we work on our ahavas chinam, or love for another Jew, in an attempt to rebuild the beis Hamikdash, Matana’s story can be a reminder of that. It can be a reminder to give ourselves more compassion if we’re going through something of our own and understanding that if you feel hurt or insulted by someone else, it may not be what you think. In the episode we speak about: -The moment that anxiety entered her life in a real, overt way and how that changed the course of her life moving forward -Her journey to heal — what that looked like, what got in her way and how she overcame immense challenge -What it looks like to reach out when you need help -What it’s like going through certain aspects of a religious lifestyle when you have OCD and how she worked through that — specifically when it comes to personal challenges like going to the mikvah -How she dealt with resentment that came up toward Hashem or her religious lifestyle and how she was able to persevere through that -How she deals with her challenges as a mother and all that motherhood entails -What she’s doing now to stay mentally healthy every day …and so much more! To get more from Matana, visit hopetorecharge.com Follow her on Instagram at @matanajacobs Two meditations she listens to: Morning meditation https://youtu.be/FmczMP1gQzk?is=VfKZO0zVrPAlEKCr Gratitude meditation https://youtu.be/xfD4HaBBc0I?is=tH8VHa9Hzn79hA-Z

Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast! It's summer and we all just want to feel our best this time of year and TBH, all year long. This episode is a roundup of five things that I have been doing to feel really good this summer (of course all a work in progress!) I've been thinking about this topic for awhile now and am so excited to get this solo episode out there — more of a rare occasion for me! Really hope you like it and get even one thing out of it. Here, some the other podcasts I reference in the episode: -Chai on Life Podcast with Elisheva Liss -The Liz Moody Podcast episode with Laura Vanderkam If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

[This episode originally aired on July 29, 2024] Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, we are speaking with Dr. Hilla Aboody, an amazing teacher, mother, wife and mentor currently living in Eretz Yisrael who I invited to come on to speak about this heavy time on the Jewish calendar. Hilla has such a beautiful way of explaining things — it’s so deep and profound yet easy to comprehend at the same time. A little background on her: She is a wife and mother of five, living in Eretz Yisrael after making Aliyah 7 years ago from Brooklyn, NY. She is a teacher and Em Bayit (house mother) at Midreshet Eshel, a Sephardic seminary for post High school students from around the world. Her educational background includes studying at Michlalah and receiving her bachelor’s degree from Bar-Ilan University and a Master’s and PhD in Jewish History from New York University. She has published her study on Eliyahu the Prophet in Talmudic literature and midrashim in her book, “Through the Prism of Wisdom”. As an educator and kallah teacher, Hilla dedicates her time in guiding students to creating a relationship with Hashem and tips and tools to thrive in their marriages and in life. In our conversation, we speak about: -What the Jewish perspective is on sadness and pain -How we can connect to Hashem during this time and in this unique way, especially if it feels daunting for you right now -Why this particular time period brings about more heaviness and actually the reason why we take more precautions -The rich energy that lies in the months of Tammuz and Av — what the letters associated with each month mean, why the sense of each month is important and what we can individually and collectively take from all of that -Why crying is actually a sign of bravery -Practical things you can do now to get through this time with more faith, in a more connected way to yourself, Hashem and those around you -How to deal with difficult emotions with your kids …and SO MUCH MORE This podcast with Hilla is basically an hour long shiur. I got chills like 17 times as I was listening to her and it’s definitely one of the most important ones I’ve done so far in terms of our spirituality. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at ⁠[email protected]⁠ or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

Today, I’m speaking with Aliza Tropper. Aliza is a licensed psychotherapist and the founder of Heartful Mental Health, a therapy practice based in Cedarhurst, NY.  Aliza has more than a decade of experience helping adolescents and adults navigate anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions. She takes a holistic approach, integrating mind, body and soul, and uses evidence-based therapies such as EMDR, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and more. Her work combines practical tools with deep emotional insight to help people create meaningful, lasting change that is in alignment with their values. This conversation is all about a whole lot of that. I’ve been thinking so much about healing lately. In our social media focused world, healing can sometimes be contained to 1 or 2-minute sound bites or six-slide carousel posts when in reality, it’s hard to fit our lives in a box. While there is so much learning, community and validation that can come from social media, a lot can also be lost. Sometimes it feels like if we just did this one thing that this Instagram post is saying, we would be better — if we just read that one book or bought that one product, we would finally feel healed or have the lives we wanted. We need to remember to go outside the screen to have those real conversations and debrief and connect — there is never a substitute for that. As I spoke to Aliza, I realized that with all the chasing, there also has to be recognition of what is being accomplished every day, there has to be space for emotion — all of them — for the duality of what makes someone human. Becoming healed isn’t a destination that you stay at, but a vibrant journey that continues to bring us to new levels of growth. Aliza is so good about breaking down some of the big concepts we see or hear about and making them understandable and really feel doable. In the episode, we speak about: -How healing itself can become an addiction -What DBT and CBT are — the differences between them and how we can utilize them for growth -How to live more in alignment with our values -What to do when uncomfortable emotions arise -How we can work to reprogram our nervous systems to feel more calm -How to live life with more intention -How to break free of comparison culture and a consumer-based society -How to make friends as an adult and why it feels different than it may have before -How to work on building self-esteem -The power of integrating spirituality in your healing journey …and so much more! To learn more from Aliza or to work with her, visit Heartfulmentalhealth.com Find her on Instagram @alizathetherapist Email her at [email protected]

Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today I’m speaking with Katia Bolotin, the author of Making it Relevant: Timeless Torah Wisdom for an Ever-Changing World which came out at the end of last year. Katia is an author and speaker as well as a pianist, songwriter and composer of contemporary classical music. She is known for inspiring audiences with teachings that are both deeply rooted in Torah as well as being contemporary. Her writing is warm, clear, and emotionally resonant — grounded in real experience rather than theory. As I moved through her book, I really felt that. Each chapter focuses on a different parsha and is relatable and easy to read. It makes the parsha approachable and offers at least one practical takeaway or exercise you can do to really bring the Torah’s teachings immediately into your life. It could be fun to learn with a friend or chavruta for that purpose as well and really motivate each other. In the episode, we speak about: -Why she decided to write a book on parsha specifically -How we can use the Torah as the greatest self-help book -Why life is more like a ladder and less like a bridge and what that ladder can teach us  -How Katia grounds herself through Torah -The dangers of comparing oneself to others and how to work on that in both a physical and spiritual way -What the duality present in the Torah can teach us about the world -What masculine and feminine energy look like through a Torah lens -The best way to transmit Torah to our children ...and so much more! Get Katia’s book here. Follow Katia on Instagram here and through her website here. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

Welcome back to The Chai on Life Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with Guila Sandroussy, the creator of Tasty and Hasty which is an Instagram account and website filled with kosher food recipes that as the name suggests, are both fast and delicious. Since summer is finally here, I’m sure we all want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the sunshine and Guila is helping us with just that. She is spilling all her tips to cooking more efficiently whether it’s for Shabbat or weeknight dinners. In our conversation, we speak about: -How she got started as a food blogger -How her Moroccan background influences her cooking today, and also how it doesn’t -Where she gets the inspiration for her recipes and how you can do the same -How to plan out your weekly meals in a way that is not overwhelming and makes it feel so easy -Her Shabbat planning and cooking process broken down -Why challah has become a mitzvah she feels really connected to and how she makes time for it -She takes us behind the scenes of her content creation process from how long things take to film to the editing and even answering messages -How she brings cooking into her motherhood journey with her kids — from helping them become less picky eaters to bringing them into the kitchen with her when they’re interested in learning …and SO MUCH MORE Some of the things we discussed in the episode: Recipes from Guila with 9x13, sheet-pan ideas and freezer tips Quick-meal links: Easy 9x13 Chicken and Rice 9x13 Kids Pasta Follow on Instagram: @Tastyandhasty If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email [email protected] or send a DM @chaionlifemag.

Welcome back to The Chai on Life Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with Rebbetzin Sara Yoheved Rigler. For those who do not know Rebbetzin Rigler, she is a best-selling author, speaker and teacher and this is actually her second time on The Chai on Life Podcast. She is our first second-time guest and I am so grateful for her for returning. The reason she is back is to discuss her brand new book, 8 Seconds to Connect with Hashem: Mitzvah Mindfulness for Women. The whole idea of the book is about turning everyday actions into moments of connection. With clear guidance and short intention statements, even routine tasks―like drinking water or doing laundry―can become meaningful mitzvos. I was blessed to hear about this concept from Rebbetzin Rigler on one of her classes through Jewish Workshops and after reading an early copy of the book, tried practicing it on my own. As you’ll hear more about in our interview, it’s truly a transformational idea. In a really small way, you can change your whole relationship with Hashem for the better. In our conversation, we speak about: -Why she wanted to write this book -Why this action creates so much more love for and with Hashem -How to do this when things feel tough and you’re going through challenges in life -The importance of doing a mitzvah with simcha -The two things that might get in the way of doing this practice effectively — and how to both watch out for and overcome those -Why you can apply this concept to literally anything you’re doing throughout the day — even serving Hashem with your yetzer hara …and so much more! For the most up to date information, you can go to the book’s website, 8secconnect.com. To listen to the first episode with Rebbetzin Rigler, click here. More relevant links: Order the book on Amazon Sararigler.com Hello Habit app

Today, I’m speaking with Rivky Rothenberg. Rivky is a CPA and financial coach who helps families make sense of their money and build a strong, values-based financial foundation.  She works with couples to create clear, practical systems at home so they can raise children with healthy money habits and avoid the patterns that lead to entitlement. She also guides engaged and newlywed couples through the early financial decisions that shape their future, helping them get organized, communicate well, and start off on the same page.  Drawing on her background in accounting and years of hands-on experience, Rivky focuses on giving families both clarity and tools—so they can feel confident in their finances and in the example they’re setting for the next generation. I loved speaking with Rivky because money is one of those things that is still a bit taboo and nice to speak about with a real professional, someone who has seen a lot and can speak from that experience. In the episode, we speak about: -How she got into financial coaching -The language we can use to speak to our kids about money even from a young age so they develop a healthy mindset around it. -How to speak to teens and older kids about money in a way that makes sense to them and teaches them the value of it -How to deal with money differences that come up in marriage, which almost always happens as each person comes in with their own money styles, backgrounds and triggers -How to develop more emunah and bitachon into your money mindset …and so much more! For more from Rivky or to work with her, visit rivkyrothenberg.com.