Human & Holy
A podcast featuring honest, spiritual conversations that delve into the core of human experience. It explores Jewish and Chassidic wisdom, women's Torah study, and the everyday practice of Judaism. Hosted by Tonia Chazanow, the show aims to connect ancient teachings with modern life. For more information, visit humanandholy.com.
Episodes
I Imagined Myself in the Sukkah | Shoshana Judelman
Get a free download of Human & Holy's conversation cards for your Sukkah by becoming a monthly supporter of Human & Holy at humanandholy.com ❤️* * * * * * *The sukkah is called the "shade of faith," but what happens when we sit inside it and feel nothing? What if we are entering Sukkos feeling more tapped into the uncertainty of life's winds, than the certainty of G-d's hug? Today, we explore Sukk
Yom Kippur: Let Yourself Be Carried | Sara Rosenstein, Rivka Fenton and Rosie Gurevitch
A short excerpt from this week's Human & Holy pre-Yom Kippur morning in New Haven, CT. A poem, a conversation with Sara Rosenstein about returning to Hashem after years of disconnection, original music by Rivka Fenton about finding safety in leaning into God, and personal notes on being carried by God by our host, Rosie Gurevitch. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising
Teshuvah and the God We Think We Know | Rus Devorah Wallen
A conversation about Teshuvah through the dual lens of clinical attachment theory and Torah sources. We explore why perfect attunement in any relationship is a myth, and how the rupture and repair cycle of Teshuvah is actually what deepens our connections, rather than threatening it. Rus Devorah walks through how our early attachment styles get unconsciously projected onto our relationship with Go
Where Are You? A Rosh Hashanah Reckoning with Choice
What is Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world, inviting us to? In this recording of our Human & Holy Rosh Hashanah event in LA, we sit with powerful Torah sources to look at the opportunity available right now to co-create a new year with G-d. This episode explores why Rosh Hashanah is a relationship story, this time of year as a renewal of our capacity for choice, why being fully seen by H
Hashem Is In with Mimi Hecht, Rivki Rabinowitz, Chani Lisbon and ChayaLeah Sufrin
So...how are we doing? We're ringing in the new Jewish year with a Jewish State of the Union: where have we been this last year and where are we headed?Today, I sit down with four people who each have a finger on a different pulse of Jewish life. ChayaLeah Sufrin, executive director of Beach Hillel and host of the Ask a Jew podcast, walks through the year's defining global stories, reflects on wha
The Moment that Stuck | Rachel Jacobs: Why Numbers Don't Measure Success
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. This episode is an impactful moment extracted from the original conversation. Watch the episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VuF9NwQt8oRebbetzin Rachel Jacobs built a Jewish community in Birmingham, UK from the ground up: a Chabad h
The Moment that Stuck | Devori Nussbaum: Why You Feel Numb (And How to Reconnect to G-d)
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. Watch the original episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhnlNd2zd2wIn this excerpt from a past episode with Devori Nussbaum, we explore healing a blocked heart, rooted in Tanya and Chassidic thought. We explore why arrogance and hone
The Moment That Stuck | Inbal Levin: Our Light is Our Weapon
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. Watch the original episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3u2c4ErF-4In this excerpt, we discuss why being "chosen" isn't a status, but a responsibility to model moral clarity for a world that's lost it. Why the Lubav
The Moment that Stuck | Chanie Krasnianski: The Soul of Intimacy
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. Watch the original episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_0i0EAAC_4This excerpt with Chanie Krasnianski explores the Jewish view on sexual intimacy and marriage. We explore the soul-level magnetism between men and women that is sourc
The Moment that Stuck | Shternie Rosenfeld: How Gratitude Got Me Through My Divorce
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons.In this excerpt, Shternie describes the way she moves through the world: not with a basket she guards, protecting what's "owed" to her, but with an empty one, open-handed, saying thank you every time something lands in it. Shternie Rosen
The Moment that Stuck | Chani Heyman on Raising Kids Who Stay Close as They Grow
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons.How do you instill Jewish values from a young age, while leaving space for a child to grow into them on their own? In this conversation, we talk about why Judaism has to start as routine for young children before it becomes relationship, why “yes, unl
The Moment That Stuck | Jackie Glaser: When Turning to G-d Becomes a Way to Hide From Yourself
Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons.In today's excerpt with Jackie Glaser, we cover spiritual bypassing, noticing the patterns that keep showing up in our lives, cultivating self-worth and self-trust, navigating rejection, our flaws as filters while dating, recognizing that matchmak
The Questions Women Don't Ask Out Loud | Dena Block
A conversation about women's health & Jewish law, the more sensitive questions hidden behind women's seemingly straightforward halachic questions, how the concept of a Yoetzet Halacha came about, the difference between a halachic ruling and halachic advice, why the advice of "don't look at the toilet paper" can sometimes do more harm than good, the evolution of halachic t
Why I Stopped Waiting for a Miracle | Chavie Bruk
A conversation about the gritty, messy experience of faith when the things you want are not a "not yet" but a "no", life as a mother of five adopted children while grieving a permanent infertility diagnosis, why sometimes we need to stop waiting for a miracle, trying again and being told “no” again by God after 20 years of accepting, the impact of life setbacks on marriage and
Am I a Follower of the Lubavitcher Rebbe?
I recently opened a box of my middle school journals, and found the question that has followed me for nearly twenty years: could I honestly call myself a chossid of a Rebbe I had never met? In honor of Gimmel Tammuz, the anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's passing, I explore some of the questions that have gnawed at me for as long as I can remember: Should my relationship to the Rebbe be de
Raising Children When You're Still Figuring It Out | Elisheva Segelman
An honest, joyful, and deeply practical conversation about Jewish parenting. We talk about how to genuinely infuse your home with love of Judaism, what to do when you want to teach a value you don't fully keep yourself, the difference between an inherited Judaism and discovered Judaism, how to see every child as an individual, and what to do when your child doesn't fit the school system. We explor
You Are Harder on Yourself Than G-d Is | Karen Hochhauser
The Torah opens up with failure after failure, we have laws of repair (teshuvah) baked into our Judaism, and yet many who live a value-driven life live in enormous fear of failing. Why are we harder on ourselves than G-d is?Today, we talk about the Jewish perspective on failure, along with Karen's own experiences. How do you hold your mistakes seriously without becoming them? Does forgiving yo
It Already Belongs to You | Annie Nagel & Hadassah Shemtov on Women's Torah Study
Does the Torah belong to every woman? This week, I host a roundtable with two women who've built their lives around Torah: Annie Nagel, who left a thriving law career for the classroom and a PhD in Tanakh, and Hadassah Shemtov, founder of Batsheva Learning Center. We trace the halachic sources on women's Torah study, where the historic hesitation came from, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's radical refr
To Be Both a Traveler and at Home: Receiving the Torah
What does it mean to be both a stranger and at home in your Judaism? To be deeply connected to your faith and still feel othered from a piece of your own practice?This week, in honor of Shavuos, we sit with a Talmudic dispute between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael about how the Jewish people received the Torah at Sinai, and the much bigger question underneath it. What does it mean to be completely
Why Rest Doesn't Cure Burnout: A Conversation with My Friend, Zisi Zirkind
Today, I sit down with my friend, Zisi Zirkind for an unscripted conversation about burnout, motherhood, faith, friendship, and the holy delusion of believing your soul is needed in this world.This isn't an interview; it's a conversation between two close friends. We talk about why it's not always doing less that restores our energy, the undervaluing of women's work and how we each experience mean
Loved Into Existence: A Soulful Guide to Sefiras Ha'Omer | Chana Kalmenson
A conversation with Chana Kalmenson: shlucha of Chabad of Belgravia in London, poet, and teacher of Jewish mysticism, on the Sefirot of the Omer.Chana walks through each of the seven emotional Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut. What each one is, how they relate to each other, and how they show up in everyday emotional life. The episode also covers how the months o
I Am a Dreamer | Jerusalem Open Mic
A live Human & Holy Women's Open Mic Night in Jerusalem, exploring the theme "I Am a Dreamer". A deeply moving evening of poetry, prose and song about dreams fulfilled and dreams shattered, on the dreams laid to rest and the ones held onto with quiet persistence, on the courage to keep dreaming. Listen for an expansive, heart opening hour of soulful art that will dare you to your own dreams. T
Hello, God: Building a Relationship with Hashem | Chana Bennett
Join our virtual Tanya class here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclassChana Bennet grew up in the religious system, but found herself searching for something from a young age. With nowhere to turn, she turned to God. In this conversation, Chana discusses the concept of devekut (attachment to God), the role of a Tzadik in awakening the soul, and what it actually looks like to live in daily
Let It Be Simple: A Personal Essay About Motherhood
A personal essay about motherhood, the way it awakens my childhood self, and a fleeting, luminous moment where I allowed myself to experience its simplicity. Sharing this as we enter into an immersive Pesach season, as an invitation to let yourself feel these moments when they come. Read the essay here: https://open.substack.com/pub/toniachazanow/p/let-it-be-simple?r=c8uie&utm_campaign=post&am
The Biblical Power of Israeli Women's Song | Ricka Razel
Meet Ricka Razel, the Israeli musician who has been leading thousands of women in monthly Rosh Chodesh gatherings across Israel during one of the country's darkest times. In this conversation, Ricka shares how she experiences music as prayer, why she and fellow musicians became the "Brigade of Joy" visiting evacuated families in hotels, how music became therapeutic catharsis for Isra
Can I Tolerate Uncertainty? Six Teachings About Personal Freedom
Nissan, the month of freedom, is an invitation for personal freedom. Today, we explore the many dimensions of personal freedom: lack of external attachments, knowing our life force, taking a leap, finding the words, allowing ourselves to feel the bitterness of our slavery, and being able to tolerate the uncertainty of what comes after our own personal exile. * * * * * * *Based on Pesach teachings
Always Happy, Never Satisfied: The Inner World of Israel's Most Beloved Media Personality | Sivan Rahav Meir
Sivan Rahav-Meir has been on Israeli television since age six, and became religious at fifteen after a chance encounter with three girls who simply said, "Bo l'Shabbat." In this conversation recorded in Jerusalem, Sivan shares how she's channeled three decades of journalism skills toward teaching Torah, why she sees a massive post-October 7th hunger for practical Jewish doing (no
What Matters More: My Grandparent's Name or My Own?
The Medrash teaches that every person has three names: the one our parents give us, the one our friends give us, and the ones we make for ourselves. In this episode, we dive deep into a single verse in Parshat Vayakhel to explore what it truly means to name ourselves, and why the greatness of our ancestors only becomes relevant once we become a person in our own right. * * * * * * *Join our new vi
Darkness: Don't Leave Until You Bless Me | Kiki Newman
A deeply personal and Torah-rich conversation on facing darkness from within. Kiki opens up about her own journey with anxiety and depression, sharing how she moved from resenting the darkness she experienced to believing in its inherent blessing. Drawing on biblical stories, Kiki weaves profound insight with raw personal honesty. She explores what it practically means to face darkness, profession
The Things We Don't See About Ourselves | Purim 2/2
The power of having our blindspots revealed to us, why seeing ourselves clearly (both our flaws and potential) is the beginning of all growth, the spark of Moshe in each soul that allows us to experience an unfiltered version of our soul's descent, and the subtle movements we make in our lives that initiate a much larger expansion. Source: Maamer Vekibel Hayehudim 5738Join our new virtual Tany
Becoming a Student of Life | Purim 1/2
A lesson from the Purim story about self-education, becoming a student of life, waking up to the gap between where we are and what is possible for our soul's expression in this world, and the internal, conscious choice that the Jews during the Purim story were finally able to make to accept the Torah in their lives. Source: Maamer Vekibel Hayehudim 5738Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will
Religious Doubt, Jewish Womanhood and Accepting the Cost of Our Choices | Shani Taragin
In this deeply honest conversation, Shani opens up about the origins of her love for Torah, a genuine religious crisis she experienced in college, and how wrestling with philosophy ultimately widened her faith. We talk about Jewish womanhood, halacha, and why Shani wants women to stop being afraid of their own bodies and their own questions. With remarkable vulnerability, Shani reflects on the cos
Holy Laughter and Taking Ourselves Less Seriously
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar, we talk about the mystical underpinnings of this month of joy: why humor is the very space where contradictions can breathe, how the soul finds expression in lighthearted depth, why taking ourselves less seriously can be a conduit for our fullest expression, and play as a way to find expression for our soul's experience. * * * * * * *Join our new virtual Tanya class!
Joy, Giving, and Letting Yourself Dream With My Mother, Rochel Lazaroff
A live conversation with my mother about joy, reflections on life when living so close to hardship, her work caring for people in their most tenuous moments, the privilege of being in a position of giving, raising children with Jewish values outside of a Jewish community, letting yourself dream, and so much more. Rochel Lazaroff is the co-founder and co-director of Aishel House, a hospitality home
Truth Is a Moving Target
Episode sponsored by Naomi Gruber. Dedicated in honor of my dear father’s neshama, דב ברל בן יצחק . May his neshama have the highest aliyah!* * * * * * *Can any of us experience objective truth? What do we make of the ebbs and flows of our inner worlds? If a spiritual experience felt real, but didn't last, was it ever genuine?Sharing one of my favorite ideas from the Tanya about truth as a mov
Faith Is a Choice We Make
A conversation about the deaths and rebirths that we experience throughout our lives, the existential shift of motherhood, the personal language required to choose faith, the philosophy behind Chabad outreach and how it democratizes spirituality, why the concept of Moshiach (messiah) cannot be disentangled from the purpose of the Jewish people, and the small concessions to our vices that have outs
The Nature of Desire | Charlotte Broukhim
A conversation about the nature of human desire, why we were each created with enormous wanting, and how to transform our desire to take into a desire to receive in order to give what we have.We talk about perfection as wholeness, not a lack of flaws, making sense of our relationship to materiality, and the deep, personal fulfillment that happens through merging our own desires with the divine wil
How Could a Good God Bring So Much Pain Into the World?
A conversation exploring the introduction to the Zohar, through some of life's biggest questions, like: Why are we here? Why do humans suffer? If everything is part of a divine plan, what is our role in God's broader story?We explore the opportunities for growth in facing our own resistance, what our suffering can invite us to, the call to adventure within daily life, studying mysticism wh
Is God Speaking to Me?
Where do I look for direction? Is G-d just speaking the world into existence, or is G-d speaking to me through all that exists in my life?The Sfas Emes teaches that the plagues transformed the ten divine utterances of creation into the ten commandments, reflecting a clear unveiling of God's hidden creative forces.What is the difference between background speech and directed speech? How can we rein
Mikvah is Your Personal Yom Kippur | Shoshana Manssouri
Shoshana Manssouri stumbled into the role of being a mikveh attendant as a young woman. Over the years, she has developed a deep reverence for the experience of accompanying women to immerse in the mikvah's holy waters.Today, she shares the deeper meaning behind mikvah immersion, what makes these ritual waters holy, and the experiences that made her fall in love with her role. * * * * * * *To
Shedding Who We Were to Meet Who We Are
How do the past versions of ourselves prevent us from experiencing who we are? How can we become more present to what exists in our lives, to the people, callings, and divine encounters that reveal themselves to us every day? The Zohar says "The righteous live every day as if it is their last." What does this teaching illuminate about living life with more presence, living with less atta
I'm Not Comfortable Living a Life I Don't Understand | Raizy Fried
A conversation with Raizy Fried about discovering the Godly purpose of her natural personality, the way resurrection of the dead (Techiyas Hameisim) can be a practical, emotional experience, the realization that Hashem wants our full hearts, how Raizy's personal questions led her to deeper Torah study, how gossip and judgment can be a reflection of our own unfulfilled purpose, what compels her
I Don't Have What It Takes: Why Moshe Stuttered
What happens when we are called to a mission, but we don't have what it takes? Why is the world we live in one of specificity, where every person experiences a very individual life and purpose? Can we be channels for divine light in this world, as our imperfect selves? When God tells Moshe to speak to Pharoh, he says: "I am not a man of speech." His inability to communicate is not ju
When God Says No: A Live Podcast About Trust | Miriam Rubenstein
How do we trust God when we face unfathomable challenges in our lives? How do we believe that God is good when He says no to the things we most want? How can we expand our vessels to receive more blessing in our lives, to make space for better even when it's already good? A live Human & Holy podcast recorded in Woodmere, NY with Miriam Rubenstein on the subject of Bitachon (trust in God). Incl
The Ache Beneath the Happy Ending: Why Yosef Wept
There are so many bittersweet flavors to our emotional landscape: our grief intermingled with relief, the tears of compassion when those who have hurt us express their regrets, the push and pull between our inner and outer worlds, the existential ache of not finding full expression in any world, the relief at expressing who we are aloud only to discover that we still only belong to ourselves, the
God as an Encounter, Not a Belief | Dr. Mijal Bitton
Is the life of a Jew an individual journey with God or a communal one? What is being asked of the Jewish people right now? When your faith fractures, how do you find wholeness again in your relationship with God?A conversation with Dr. Mijal Bitton exploring faith in God, the current Jewish experience, Judaism not just as a religion but as a family, the significance of our ancestral bonds and the
Where Do We Go From Here?
What is the Jewish response to existential threat? Is political activism, investment in physical security and self protection the Jewish response? Is increased prayer and good deeds enough, to the exclusion of all else?Using the biblical record of Yaakov's response to Esav in his moment of danger, the Purim story, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's response to the 1954 massacre in Kfar Chabad, we
Finding Balance Through the Elements | Miriam Pineles
A conversation with Miriam Pineles, a practitioner of Chinese medicine, Chassidus teacher and founder of Ayin Healing, exploring the intersection of Chinese medicine and Chassidic ideas. Miriam shares how an understanding of the elements within a person can lead to personal healing and balance, the role that the inner dimension of Torah plays in finding wholeness, and practical tools for releasing
Light Upon Light: Chanukah Teachings from Eight Torah Masters
In this Chanukah episode, we gather the light of eight Torah teachers, offering one luminous idea for each night. Exploring the depth behind halachic questions, modern lessons from our ancient victory, and chassidic insight into this festival of light. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, visit human
Holy Human: Season Six Launch Party
We celebrated Season Six of the podcast with an evening in LA, celebrating the innermost teachings of Torah with a spiritual gathering of art, poetry, and deep connection. Link to watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/bUQrJUFWpmYLink to the conversation cards created for this evening: humanandholy.com/downloadSPONSOR: Today’s episode is sponsored by SHARE, a global initiative connecting individuals t
The Art of Gathering: A Farbrengen Starter Pack
In honor of Yud Tes Kislev, we're talking about farbrengens, everything I learned about gathering with intention, and how to create an environment for honest sharing at a spiritual gathering. Link to download free Human & Holy farbrengen conversation cards here: humanandholy.com/downloadLink to join our Human & Holy Women's Open Mic Night: eventbrite.com/e/1975623794953/?aff=oddtdt
Privacy Without Shame | Elimor Ryzman (2/2)
A conversation about the difference between marital privacy being born of shame versus dignity, the importance of teaching children about sexuality with directness, the cost of being too strict in all things related to family purity, how to determine which community's path, traditions and stringencies to follow, and how to bring divine intention into our experience of this mitzvah.This convers
Do the Righteous Struggle?
When a former student reached out to Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner expressing his dejection at his own spiritual struggles, he received a deeply personal, timeless response giving insight into the inner worlds of our most righteous teachers and leaders, the struggles they silently face, and redemptive wisdom on what our own inner discord tells us about our relationships with G-d. Sources:Letter: Pachad Yi
It's All About Love: A Jewish Lens on Intimacy | Elimor Ryzman (1/2)
A conversation exploring all things related to family purity and a holy, Jewish perspective on sexuality. We define what Taharat Hamishpacha (family purity) is, how to navigate the strains of niddah (the period of separation), religious differences within a couple, ways the specific teachings around Jewish sexuality is set in place to protect women, what to do when it feels limiting and more.SAVE
An Inward Life
Are the inward parts of life a step away from our external contributions? Is the only way to influence others through a concerted focus on our outer purpose? Does our personal development and divine service bear fruit in tangible ways? Lessons from our biblical patriarch Yitzchok, whose life of inwardness is titled "Toldos" (offspring) in this week's Torah portion, teaching us a deep
Honoring Parents Even When It's Complicated | Ita Cagan
A conversation delving into the complexities of the mitzvah of honoring one's parents, exploring the emotional struggles many face in fulfilling this commandment. By turning our focus of the mitzvah towards G-d, we create more pathways for acceptance of our parents and the ways they've shaped us into who we are, while opening up channels for healthier, deeper relationships with the people
Should You Listen to Your Body?
Is your body's experience a threat to your soul's expression? What impact does the body's wellbeing have on the soul? Does the body have any inherent wisdom worth listening to?Today's episode is an exploration of the value of the body's experience within Judaism, why the Zohar explains the deeper meaning of Avraham and Sarah's exchange as being an instruction to "liste
Finding G-d in the Stillness | Helana Herman
A conversation with Helana Herman about integrating the Baal Shem Tov's teachings of connecting to G-d within nature, finding stillness, a Jewish path to manifesting and voicing our desires, the three stages of close relationships and how to move through conflict, deepened community impact through a deeper connection to oneself and the journey to parenting children with religious differences w
A Book With Your Name on It: The Torah & Legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
What does it mean to see yourself inside the story of Torah, not as a spectator of the past, but as a co-author of the Jewish future?In honor of the fifth anniversary of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' passing, we explore his writings and ideas on themes of leadership, purpose, love of Torah, love of others, lifelong learning and the call to moral imagination. Rabbi Sacks invites us to see Judaism as a
After the Tablets Shatter | Chana Herzog
Lessons from our biblical matriarchs on owning our Judaism, giving while maintaining personal boundaries, the personal process of rebuilding our Judaism after periods of disillusionment, growing into the choices we've made in our youth, and navigating our own spiritual evolution. Chana Herzog was born and raised in Australia and now lives in Encino, California, with her husband and four spirit
Lech Lecha: The Call of the Open Road
G-d's call to Avraham is the call to a life of openness, attention, inner transformation, self awareness and trust. Lessons from Parshas Lech Lecha on finding the courage to answer the call of the open road, develop our inner worlds and step into the unknown.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, v
Raising Kids Who Love Their Judaism | Chani Heyman
A conversation with parenting coach Chani Heyman about imparting Jewish values to our children. We explore the importance of owning our own values fully, establishing routines for our children from a young age, and cultivating a strong emotional connection to each child through intentional quality time and physical touch. Chani emphasizes the need for parents to find their own love for Judaism and
When Spiritual Language Rings Hollow
How can precise spiritual language bring G-d to life in our lives? What happens when deep ideas become hollow, when holy words become strangers to the meaning they hold? References:"People of the Word" by Mendel Kalmenson, Zalman Abraham "Chassidus Through the Eyes of a Psychotherapist" by Devori NussbaumStory of the Lubavitcher Rebbe re "House of Healing": https://ww
What Bereshis Teaches Us About Co-Creating Reality | Charlotte Broukhim
What does the biblical description of the world's creation have to teach us about our role in the world's future? In a time of rapid technological change, our place in co-creating the development of reality has never felt more pressing. Through an exploration of the converge of science and Torah and the deep lessons within our origin story in the book of Bereshit, we explore how we are eac
Can Women Dance With the Torah?
A historical, halachic and cultural exploration of women's celebration of Simchas Torah. Through a poll of women's experiences, a deep dive into relevant halachic and historical sources, and an analysis of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's visit to the Lubavitcher Rebbe asking if the women of his community could dance with the Torah, we explore questions like: Is Simchas Torah a “men’s holiday”? Is there an e
Bring Your Sorrow to the Dance Floor: Sukkos & the Emotional Complexity of Joy
How do we access joy when the world feels heavy?How do we lean into joy amidst collective anguish, grief, and global uncertainty?As we enter the holiday of Sukkos, the time of our joy, we are asked to celebrate. But what does it look like to celebrate honestly, without ignoring the ache of our times?In this episode, we explore how Sukkos offers a model of Jewish joy that honors the emotional compl
Yom Kippur Meditation: Accessing Forgiveness
A meditation to open us up to the profound spiritual potential of Yom Kippur — the day of G-d's ultimate love. Together, we explore what it means for the day to atone, and how we might be softened and expanded by our encounter with Hashem. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, visit humanandholy.c
Reconnecting with the Divine | Sara Mayberg
In this raw conversation with Sara Mayberg, we explore Sara's personal process of Teshuvah and the path back to her divine soul, as someone who was already committed to her Jewish practice. We discuss how the inherent nature of the divine soul is to want G-d, how Sara began to develop a visceral experience of trust, and how grief can crack us open in transformative ways. Other topics explored: how
Start With Compassion | Matti Banon
Elul and the high holidays are a period of introspection and self accounting. In this conversation with Matti Banon, we discuss the Chassidic perspective on gentle growth, what it looks like to live our lives with agency while remaining humble enough to recognize our recurring flaws, the balance between intellect and emotion, the transformative power of compassion and curiosity, and the parenting
What Do You Really, Really Want?
The Shofar is a call to face your own desire. Its explosive call on Rosh Hashanah is an invitation to be awoken to the depths within us, to witness the divine desire with which G-d created the world, and to have the courage to face the gaps between where we are and what we truly want.Source: Likkutei Torah Tiku Bachodesh, Parshas Netzavim, pg. 106SPONSOR:Sponsored in honor of Malka Mayasha bat Est
Demystifying Spiritual Leadership | Gitty Hecht
In this conversation, Gitty Hecht shares her transformative journey from a well-known makeup artist to a spiritual leader, exploring her relationship with G-d and the evolution of her self-worth. She explores moving from a fear-based connection with G-d to one of secure attachment and intimacy, the importance of embracing one's gifts, overcoming fear, dismantling self-imposed pedestals of spiritua
Awakening Oneness: The Legacy of the Baal Shemtov & Alter Rebbe
Season Six is live! In today's episode, I share my vision for this new season of the podcast, some Torah about the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and Alter Rebbe, and the ways our diversity is a reflection of the inherent oneness woven through G-d, Torah, and the Jewish people.Source: a talk on Chai Elul given by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, recorded in Likutei Sichos, Vol. 24* * * * * * *If you believe
When the G-d I Inherited Became the G-d I Chose | Sophia Rivka Rossi, Shaina Liberow-Schmukler, Adira Shiff-Kest
In the first episode of Season 6, we sit down with three women, Sophia Rivka Rossi, Shaina Liberow-Schmukler, and Adira Shiff-Kest, to explore the impact of Chassidic wisdom on their individual experiences of Teshuvah and their process of returning to their divine souls. We explore the power of emotional honesty, humor, and even anger in our relationship with G-d, the importance of maintaining our
The Body's Experience of G-d | Shimona Tzukernik [Rerun]
What if your relationship with G-d wasn't just in your head and heart, but lived in your entire body?Shimona Tzukernik, a somatic therapist and Torah teacher, describes the bridge between intellectual faith and visceral spiritual experience. How can we transform the visceral resistance we feel towards certain mitzvos?How can we lean into the body’s experience of a joyful, jewish life?Human &am
I Didn't Know Who I Was | Miriam Cohen [Rerun]
What happens when kindness runs unchecked? In this re-aired episode of Human & Holy, we sit down with Miriam Cohen to explore the deep spiritual journey of over-giving, codependency, and emotional depletion—and how Jewish wisdom offers a path to healing.Season Six launches on Sunday, Sep. 7! ✨ * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@huma
To Guide Your Emotions, Feel Them First | Ester Zirkind [Rerun]
While Human & Holy is currently on a season break, we're revisiting some of our most meaningful conversations from seasons past.This week's episode rerun is a conversation with Ester Zirkind, exploring the concept of Moach Shalit al Halev, the mind ruling over the heart. In a personal accounting of this idea, Ester speaks about the importance of our emotions in the equation. Using the mind to
A Sense of Self | Shterna Ginsberg [Rerun]
What does it actually look like to internalize the identity of the soul as our own? To approach our own reflection with a deep understanding of our essence, of the way it does not hinge on anything but the piece of G-d inside? In this episode, Shterna Ginsberg explores how to stop depending on others for your sense of self and find the infinite worth that lies within.|| To find more of Shterna's w
Instead of Why, What Now? | Freidy Yanover [Rerun]
Freidy Yanover speaks about our challenges being signs that can direct us towards the next step of our journey. If we are open, we can allow them to nudge us more deeply into our lives and relationships with G-d. If we are open, we can allow them to nudge us more deeply into our lives and relationships with G-d.This episode originally aired in Feb., 2022* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship &a
My Stroke of Good Fortune | Rus Devorah Wallen [Rerun]
While we take a season break, we’re bringing back this conversation with Rus Devora Wallen, who shares her own experience with a stroke, and lessons from her clients on how the greatest descents in our lives are often a preparation and a catalyst for unparalleled ascent. Find more of Rus Devorah’s work on toratherapeutics.com ||* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunit
Is This Thought True? | Chayale Tzukernik [Rerun]
While Human & Holy is on a season break, we’re bringing back this conversation with Chayale Tzukernik, where we explore the role our thoughts play in the way we view the world. Chayale speaks about bridging the gap between her intellectual understanding of an idea and its practical implications in her life. We discuss questioning our natural thought processes in order to guide them towards a m
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