Advertise on podcast: 🎧 Jewish Grit | A Podcast by Olami Mentorship: Hosted by Rabbi Shlomo Landau and Jordana Baruchov

As the founder of the largest ambulatory anesthesia group in New York and New Jersey, you could say that he is already busy saving lives. But for Avishai Newman that was not enough. He joined Hatzala - the largest volunteer emergency service organization, then he helped launch Hatzalah Air, and then drove back and forth between hospitals in Israel saving lives after October 7th. Avishai shares fascinating insights into his journey; the challenges along the way, how to know when to take a different path, and what it takes to build a successful career, alongside a family, and a busy volunteering schedule. His advice is legendary. His humility exemplary. His success remarkable. And today, he's sharing how he got there.

Most people spend their careers trying to climb one ladder. Jordan Kavana has built a career by knowing when to switch ladders entirely. He’s moved across industries, launched new businesses, followed opportunities others might have ignored, and reinvented himself more than once along the way. And in a world where very few of us will have one job, one company or even one career for life, that ability to start again may be one of the most valuable skills you can have. In this episode of Jewish Grit Jordan shares what years of restarting have taught him: how he spots opportunity, how he decides when to pivot, how he gets moving before everything is figured out, and the mindset that allows him to keep building from scratch. This isn’t advice about finding the perfect career path. It’s advice for what to do when the path changes.

David Moore has seen it all: sudden loss, near-business collapse, explosive successes, and reinventing himself as both a CEO and a stand-up comic. David's title of “Chief Appreciation Officer” is not a gimmick, but a philosophy that pays off far beyond perks. In this episode, he shares: ✅ A view of responsibility that will change how you view your team ✅ How to cultivate an authentic attitude of gratitude as your company culture ✅ The power of saying yes. ✅ Why he advises people to stop networking. “Don’t over-strategize your path — just say yes more often,” David reminds us. Success and impact come from owning your responsibilities, stepping up for others, and building a culture of gratitude, on and off the job

Adam Sasouness of Hudson Oak Development and Dwight Capital spent years grinding with almost nothing to show for it — and almost quit before it clicked. In this episode, he shares: ✅ How to tell the difference between stuck and slow ✅ How to keep going when your peers seem further ahead ✅ Why quitting early is the only guaranteed way to lose ✅ Why daily consistency — not one big break — builds a career If it feels like nothing's moving, that's not proof you're wrong. It might just mean you're not done yet.

Sara Sicherman used to work 12–18 hour days and wear it like a badge of honor — until one night at the printer, missing her family's celebration, she realized the hustle wasn't serving the life she actually wanted. In this episode, she shares: ✅ Why "grit" and "grind" aren't the same thing — and how to tell which one you're doing ✅ The book that changed everything: working ON your business instead of just IN it ✅ Why leaning into your natural strengths (not fixing your weaknesses) is the real key to sustainable growth ✅ How writing down your personal definition of success — on an actual index card — can redirect your entire business Success isn't one-size-fits-all. Sara's reminder: build a business that serves your life, not the other way around.

Shai Stern is a serial entrepreneur. He has built and sold multiple companies — not because he had a grand master plan, but because he knew how to spot an opening and "go." In this episode, he shares: ✅ How to spot the next opportunity before you feel ready for it ✅ Why you should treat the Jewish community as a growth strategy, not just a support system ✅ How to pair hustle with faith so ambition doesn't burn you out ✅ Where to actually bring your challenges — instead of carrying them alone Don’t waiting for certainty. Spot the opening, take it, and let the rest follow.

You don't need everything figured out to get far. Steven Biondolilo didn't start with a plan — he started with what life handed him, and made every opportunity count. In this episode, he shares: ✅ Why setbacks are setup, not the end of the story ✅ How to recognize an open door and walk through it before you talk yourself out of it ✅ Why the right mentor can help you see further than you can alone ✅ How grit isn't about where you start — it's about what you do with the next opportunity Wherever you're starting from, remember: it's not about where you begin. It's about how you respond when a door cracks open.

When Ivan was a young man, his father gave him one piece of advice on his deathbed. Years later, that advice would be put to the ultimate test. As the financial crisis brought businesses across his industry to their knees, Ivan's company was one of the few that survived - not because he predicted the crash, but because he never forgot what his father had taught him. In this conversation, Ivan shares: •⁠ ⁠Why the biggest opportunities often hide inside life's toughest moments •⁠ ⁠How faith can steady you when everything around you feels uncertain •⁠ ⁠Why giving isn't just something you do for the reward •⁠ ⁠And what he believes is the single most important vaccine is for the Jewish people today. Whether you're building a career, running a business, or simply trying to navigate an unpredictable world, this is a conversation full of practical wisdom from someone who's lived through the storms and come out stronge

Businesses don't survive by staying the biggest — they survive by staying willing to change. In this episode, Mark Hirshberg shares lessons from decades of leading a family business through shifting markets, customers, and technology. What you'll learn: •⁠ ⁠How to spot the moment it's time to pivot — before you're forced to •⁠ ⁠Ways to challenge assumptions that no longer serve you •⁠ ⁠How to lead teams through uncertainty with confidence •⁠ ⁠Practical habits for staying relevant as industries evolve Perfect for anyone launching a career, building a business, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve.

Ann Zeilengold didn't start with charisma or connections — she started $90K in credit card debt with three kids, determined to fix what she'd broken. Nearly four decades later, she runs a thriving mortgage practice built on a simple formula: know your field cold, ask more questions than anyone else in the room, and never let one bad day define the next one. In this episode, she breaks down the mindset that gets deals done when everyone else says no — and the career advice she'd give anyone starting out in high-pressure, commission-based work.

You can have the degree, the hustle, and the ambition — but if you don't know how to build real relationships, you're leaving your biggest opportunities on the table. Networking isn't about collecting contacts. It's about showing up for people before you need anything from them. In this episode of Jewish Grit, Jeffrey Meshel — real estate veteran, master networker, and author of One Phone Call Away — shares the mindset and habits that turned a messenger job at 13 into a billion-dollar career. From the story of a grieving banker that led to a board seat at Signature Bank, to why asking the first question in any room can change your trajectory, Jeffrey breaks down exactly how young professionals can start standing out, building trust, and creating opportunities.

You're starting out in your career, trying to figure out: •⁠ ⁠Which skills to build •⁠ ⁠Which doors to walk through •⁠ ⁠Which bets are worth taking In this episode of Jewish Grit, Howard Morgan — one of the earliest internet pioneers and a venture capitalist behind companies like LinkedIn and Uber — shares: •⁠ ⁠How he learned to see around corners •⁠ ⁠What it really takes to build a career with lasting impact •⁠ ⁠The secret sauce to his success Howard's story is a masterclass in staying ahead of the curve, and how to position yourself for the future — this episode is your roadmap to success.

You've worked hard, done everything right, and then something outside your control threatens to take it all away. What do you do next? In this episode of Jewish Grit, Yael Simon, a philanthropic strategist who has helped deploy over $300 million for some of the world's most influential family offices, opens up about the career crisis that almost ended everything — and how it became the foundation for her most meaningful work. Whether you're navigating uncertainty, questioning your path, or trying to rebuild after a setback, Yael's journey is proof that the moments that break you can also be the ones that define you. She also shares what real mentorship looks like, why intelligent grit means knowing when to stop and recalibrate, and how to start trusting your gut — even when fear is louder than instinct.

You're early in your career, trying to figure out your path — and the fear of making the wrong move can feel paralyzing. What if the wrong move is actually the point? In this episode of Jewish Grit, Arash Gohari, founder of 27 Capital, breaks down the exact mindset that took him from law school dropout to real estate fund manager. Arash fled Iran as a child and built his career from a payphone call and a borrowed $5,000. On this episode, he shares ✅ Why every failure is feedback ✅ How to know when to quit something and what to do next ✅ The one financial habit that gives you the freedom to finally bet on yourself If you've ever felt stuck, scared, or unsure whether you have what it takes, this episode is for you.

huva Morris is the first female divorce mediator at the Beth Din of America, bringing legal training, Jewish law, and deep emotional sensitivity into one of the most difficult moments a family can face. In this episode of Jewish Grit, Ahuva shares her journey from law school to the Beth Din, the challenges of carving out a new role as a woman in a traditional space, and the wisdom she has gained along the way: that every person is on their own path, with their own struggles, timeline, and measuring stick. Her story is about resilience, authenticity, and learning to cut out the noise so we can walk our own journey with compassion and confidence.