America's Top Rebbetzins

Did you grow up with an iPhone? Were you able to message on Instagram with your best friend in middle school? Was Facebook your primary source of interaction in high school? Many of us grew up at a time where if we wanted to socialize with our friends, we walked over the their house, sat next to them in the cafeteria at school, or called them on their landline phone from our landline phone (or maybe even from a payphone!) Times have changed so much, and the new generation of children are growing up with iPhones, iPads, cell phones, and access to an entire array of social media sites and apps. It's not just our children who have access to these platforms, it is adults, as well. We are role models for our children in the way we use social media. In this honest and sincere conversation with Rebbetzin Lisa Babich, the rebbetzin of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in New York City, we talk about both adult and child usage of social media. As adults, we need to be mindful about the content we are posting. We also want to be balanced so that we don't overpost or overshare. Before posting anything, we need to ask ourselves, "What is the intention of my post?" or "What is my goal in posting?" We need to check in with ourselves to make sure that we are not bragging and showing off, keeping in mind that other people might get hurt or offended by what we post. Rebbetzin Lisa shared a passage from the Torah that speaks about how when the Israelites were camping in the dessert, the openings of their tents were turned away from each other in order to give each person and family their privacy. Not everything is for public consumption. We also have to make sure that we are not obsessed with the number of "likes" we receive for our posts. We need to have inner confidence, regardless of how many "likes" or "views" we receive. Inner confidence leads to true happiness. Rebbetzin Lisa also spoke about having open communication and conversations with your children and spouse about social media, and setting social media limits and boundaries for kids and teens. Contact: [email protected]

Do you suffer from back pain? Headaches? ADD/ADHD? COVID? Do you need to lose weight? Do you really want heal from anxiety and depression? Homeopathy may be the solution! And it's not new...homeopathy is actually mentioned in the Torah! In this engaging interview with homeopath and yoga instructor, Davira Reichman Bareli, we discover what homeopathy is, and how it works to heal ourselves. Homeopathy takes into account the entire person. It is is holistic--treating the person, not the symptoms or the diagnosis. Two people can have the same illness, but require different remedies. Before prescribing a remedy, Davira takes into account a person's symptoms, how a person thinks, how they feel, their family environment, their stressors, their physical features, their medical history, and many other things that gives the full picture of the person, so that the right homeopathic remedy can be prescribed. In terms of the right remedy, Davira explains that LIKE CURES LIKE. For example, intermittent heat treat burns. Davira explains how! We learn from this conversation that homeopathy uses the dormant energy in natural substances to heal a person so that they can bring out the best in themselves and perform their unique role in healing the world. To be connected with Davira, please email [email protected] (I'm sorry that the conversation cut off at the end due to technical difficulties.)

There is a deep connection between our body, our mind, and our soul. The cells in our body hold our consciousness; our traumas, our negativity. Our body always tells the truth. Quite often we are so busy in our heads with our to-do lists, places we need to go, people we need to call/email/text. Malka Sima Pais helps us to get out of our heads and into our bodies. She helps us stop surviving and start thriving. Malka Sima offers a compassionate, safe space for women, both one-on-one and in community, to tune into the wisdom of their body and soul. She is a somatic and movement therapist, certified Shake Your Soul dance instructor, and Director of the Moonlit Circle. She is also the outreach coordinator of the Purim High Council. You can reach her through her website at https://www.malkasima.com/ We start off our conversation with an empowering somatic healing technique to relax our nervous system and gets us out of our head and into our body. She speaks to us about tuning into our soul and shedding Divine light onto our consciousness. When we connect to the true light of our soul, we are able to change our reality and thereby improve our quality of life. When we listen to ourselves and to what we are feeling, we tune into the wisdom of the soul. We shine light onto our pain, and we see ourselves, really see ourselves. Healing is achieved when we shine love, light and compassion on ourselves. Contact: [email protected]

Have you ever wondered why you keep getting migraines? Why your back is constantly in pain? Why your stomach always hurts or why your body aches? Your body is "speaking" to you through the pain...and it has a lot to say! Miriam Racquel Feldman is a somatic healer, trauma and anxiety specialist, relationship coach, and the author of the book, Somatic Healing for the Modest Goddess. In our conversation, Miriam explains how our thoughts and emotions affect our body, and the different messages that our bodies are trying to tell us. In fact, the cells of our body can hold emotions from traumas that happened 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years ago! Those emotions manifest themselves as pain in our body! In Miriam Racquel's book, Somatic Healing for the Modest Goddess, she starts off with a strategy for for releasing stress, anger, sadness, fear, or any other negative emotion BEFORE it has the opportunity to cause pain in the body. The strategy is called the ROAR! method. ROAR! is an acronym--R for Rip, O for Open, A for Action, and R for Release. She speaks about each of these steps in detail. Miriam Racquel's book is divided into different sections, and is categorized according to topics such as self-care, dating, marriage, parenting, and parnassah (making money/career). In our conversation, Miriam Racquel and I talk about issues that arise in these different areas of our lives, and what we can do to prevent the stress, angst, and confusion from penetrating into our bodies and causing us harm. Remember, we are souls in bodies. We need to figure out what messages our bodies are giving to us, and then we need to pay attention to those messages-don't ignore them! You need to dive into your feelings in order to heal them. If you would like to purchase Miriam Racquel's book, Somatic Healing for the Modest Goddess, please click here: https://www.amazon.com/Somatic-Healing-Modest-Goddess-Anthology/dp/1737745429/ref=sr_1_6?crid=O8ZDQO1448MG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.M-pyaZn8t6CgTtbpbgQCtjxaHbnnlSBlaY2FWVcx251r6hoTZCRsx566o5gYYOycxe8PB5uXAtvIg6uYjLRE-VLZf937nbLPWsa0HFLgpWymi0YeF9QHEUE-OBIbvASSmZ2Pt-K_Tcf3Xvt-9iNI51DXfOwbIi1j6VJo2n6O_RyOb25YbW_W9g5p0V3BivfQ4btBesP3xKYo53RiRortK3R1xlvSj7S3FE9rU4kiBM0.8xsFwwmxD5WCZU2Ql9qGhFFYCwRUdejaS292b2TyQUI&dib_tag=se&keywords=somatic+healing+for+the&qid=1733278967&sprefix=somatic+healing+for+the%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-6 If you would like to reach Miriam Racquel for one-on-one coaching or to sign up for her newsletter, please visit her website at: https://www.miriamracquel.com/ Contact: [email protected]

If you have ever considered (or are now considering) adopting a child (or multiple children), this is the conversation for you! Rebbetzin Chavie Bruk, and her husband, Rabbi Chaim Bruk, founded Chabad Lubavitch of Montana in Bozeman, in 2007. Soon afterward, Rebbetzin Chavie was diagnosed with infertility. She was 23 years old. During our discussion, Rebbetzin Chavie shares her story about what it was like for her to adopt five children; how she felt when she adopted her first child, and why she and her husband decided to adopt more children. She tells us not to limit Hashem (G-d.) He is capable of giving to us in abundance. We should never decide for Hashem what He will give us or how much He will give us. Rebbetzin Chavie also opens up about the ups and downs of motherhood, and how raising adopted children is different that raising biological children. She tells us that every parent has a unique situation, so we shouldn't compare and despair. Instead, we should find a support group of people who are going through something similar to us so that we can be strengthened by each other's support. Rebbetzin Chavie has a fun blog called, Clear As Mud, which can be found by clicking this link: https://www.totallyunexpected.blog/ She also has a podcast called Totally Unexpected, which you can listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else that podcasts are found. Contact: [email protected]

The struggle is real! We are all going through some type of turmoil--financial crisis, health issue, dealing with difficult people, losing a loved one, or any other challenge that we are facing. Devorie Kreiman, an inspirational lecturer and writer on the power of faith, humor and joy, lost 5 of her 8 children. Four of the children passed away as babies from a generic disorder, and her son, Yossi, passed away at the age of 23 in a SCUBA diving accident. Devorie shares her personal story of loss and grief, and what she has learned through her own struggles. It was so refreshing to hear her humanity as she was telling her story; the ups and downs of how she was feeling. She shared the moments of laughter that she experienced among the pain. When you heal, you need to be real with yourself; the good, the bad and the ugly. You need to take time, privately, to be with yourself without distractions like food, television, music, or cell phones. It is so important to tell the story of what you went through, even if you are just telling it to yourself. You need to be real and raw. Whatever emotion you are feeling is ok. Devorie emphasizes that our circumstances are not a mistake; it's all on purpose. There is no such thing as an accident. Hashem provides us with everything we need at all times. She notes that it is important to remember that we are souls in human bodies, and we have the struggle of two kings inside of us--the struggle of human desires vs. the struggle of the soul who constantly wants to be spiritually uplifted. We have to remember that both are important, and both are real. Devorie emphasizes the we are all souls who came into this world to fulfill a mission. What we say and what we do matters. It's the same with our davening. Sometimes when we are grieving, and we need to feel the closest to Hashem, that is when we find ourselves pushing Him away the most. In this situation it is important to realize that the words of davening that you say right now WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This is true even if you are not a davener; even if you have never prayed before in your life. The words of prayer that you say RIGHT NOW WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You need to feel it to heal it! If you would like to read Devorie Kreiman's book, Even If I'm Not, you can purchase it through this link: https://www.amazon.com/Even-if-Not-Devorie-Kreiman/dp/B0BFJSZY7Q Contact: [email protected]

I have a secret. It's the secret to staying happy in challenging times. Whether it's raising children with special needs, going through a financial crisis, difficulty with marriage or relationships, the secret to staying happy applies to all of the above and more. Rebbetzin Feige Slavaticki is the co-director of the Chabad Israeli Center in Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. In addition to running a Chabad house, Rebbetzin Feige is the mother of 11 children, two of whom have special needs. Rebbetzin Feige shares with us some powerful and poignant stories that contain precious pearls of Torah wisdom. It's the wisdom that is gleaned from these stories that shapes the way we stay happy in challenging times. Here is a sneak peak into one of the stories that Rebbetzin Feige shares: There is a Mosad agent (secret service agent) who gets into a taxi. Once he is inside, he sees two men in the backseat with guns pointed at his head. They take him and lock him in a prison cell. They torture him to try to get him to tell all his national secrets. He doesn't tell them anything. Then, by accident, he overhears his captors talking amongst themselves. They were speaking Hebrew. All of a sudden, he understood. Those men weren't his enemies; they were fellow Mosad agents testing him to make sure that he is strong enough to do the job to which he was assigned. The above story is a parable. When "bad" things happen to us, we get mad or upset. We think the person who put us in this situation is bad. We think that these circumstances are awful. In reality, it is Hashem who caused that person to do whatever they did, and it was Hashem who caused you to be in those difficult circumstances. Hashem often test us in order to bring out our strength. When we recognize that these challenges and difficulties are really tests from Hashem, that He gives to us, from a place of love, in order for us to bring out our own strengths, then we understand that we are not dealing with a captor or an enemy. Rather, it's our Father in Heaven who is strengthening us and preparing us for upcoming challenges we may face in life. Rebbetzin Feige also shares another parable about a taxi driver that has two steering wheels in his car. One is for his toddler son who likes to "drive," and one is the actual steering wheel that he drives. This story shows us that no matter how much we think we are in the driver's seat, it's really Hashem who is driving the taxi. Emunah (faith.) Divine Providence. Letting go and letting G-d. It's not up to you to run the world. The responsibility of controlling everyone and everything is not on your shoulders. You need to do your best, focusing on what you can do, as opposed to what you can't do, and Hashem will handle the rest.

What is your story? Were your parents abusive to you? Did someone abandon you? Were you bullied? Did you suffer financially? Did you grow up in a dysfunctional family? Did your husband cheat on you? What was your trauma? DO YOU WANT TO HEAL YOURSELF NOW? In this authentic conversation, Chaya Sara Gurewicz and I speak about the healing that is happening all around us. We are living in an age of healing. We are becoming more aware of the different healing modalities that are being used to heal hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. Chaya Sara talks about some of these modalities, as well as her unique healing retreat, called, Awakening Within. The staff at the retreat are committed to meeting each participant as they are. They give whatever type of healing is required, including a technique called rebirthing. (Chaya Sara describes it in detail toward the end of our conversation.) The goal of the retreat is to be present for the participants and to provide them with the personalized healing they need in order to create permanent shifts in their healing. After the retreat, participants meet at regular check ins to maintain the progress they made. As old patterns are broken and new patterns are put in place, healing continues on a deep level, in a supportive environment. These retreats are available to men and women, separately (they are not co-ed retreats.) For further information on the Awakening Within Retreats, please email me at [email protected]

Oregon State University and Corvallis, Oregon are home to a brand new Chabad house run by Rebbetzin Zahava Angster and her husband, Rabbi Menachem Angster. In this eye-opening conversation, Rebbetzin Zahava tells her own personal story of growing up in the Bais Yaakov school system and then going to a Chabad seminary that changed her life. Rebbetzin Zahava talks about WHY Hashem (G-d) recreates us every moment of the day; He recreates us because each and every one of us has a specific mission and purpose that ONLY we can fulfill. Rebbetzin Zahava shares examples with us from her own life about how we can all be a light in the world for others. Chabad was looking for emissaries specifically for Corvallis, Oregon for 10 years, and it was Rebbetzin Zahava and her husband who were chosen for this very important mission. By their openly Jewish presence, they elevate Corvallis. By elevating the physical, we bring Hashem down into the world. Who we are and what we do has a tremendous impact on our environment and also the whole world. We matter. Our actions matter. What we say and do matters. Each one of us is here for a reason. Rebbetzin Zahava's story is proof of that. For further information, please email [email protected]

You're feeling stressed, tired, angry, or sad...so, of course you go into the kitchen and start eating that box of cookies, bag of chips, and the chocolate bar before starting on the peanut butter, the leftover chicken, and anything else that looks good in your fridge or pantry. This happens again and again. It's called emotional eating. You are feeling some type of painful emotion from an outside stimulus--the argument with your husband, your child that didn't behave, your friend that didn't show up, the situation that didn't go as planned--and instead of feeling the pain of the emotion, you stuff yourself instead (sometimes with food you don't even want.)

In this raw and authentic conversation, yoga instructor and Certified Health Coach (with an additional certification in the Psychology of Emotional Eating), Aviva Aberman, talks about the psychology of emotional eating...and how to stop. She brings in Torah concepts to help connect our mind, body and soul--true somatic healing. Aviva runs programs for women, on Zoom, in order to help them overcome emotional eating by feeling their emotions, and then healing them. You need to feel in order to heal.

Aviva takes women through her 8 step guidelines that help women go from unconscious eating (emotional eating) to conscious eating. But most importantly, Aviva shows, explains, and teaches people how to love themselves, which is REALLY what it's all about. She teaches women how to take care of themselves properly. Although manicures and pedicures are nice, the best self-care options include things like:

--thinking kind thoughts about yourself

--truly listening to your body and communicating with it about what you really want to eat (and it's not always chocolate cake)

--taking a short (or long) walk in fresh air

--davening (praying)

--meditating (it could be for just 15 minutes)

For more information on Aviva and her programs, please visit:

https://www.healwithaviva.net/

You can also email: [email protected]

Amazing Speaker!!! Rebbetzin Sarah Deitsch beautifully explains the meaning of Chassidism (Chassidut), and Chabad Chassidut in particular. Chabad is an acronym for Chochma, Bina, Da'at, which means Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. Chabad Chassidut encourages Jews to use an intellectual approach to connect with G-d (Hashem.) The intellectual connection to our Creator will then go into our heart, and we will love Him completely with both our mind and our soul, and our body too. Rebbetzin Sarah emphasized that another major component of Chabad Chassidus is love of our fellow Jew. We are all equal as Jews, and we all know something about Judaism (even if it's very little.) It's our responsibility as Jews to teach another Jew something that we know about Judaism so that their lives can be enriched. Chassidus really intertwines love of our fellow Jew, with love of Torah, and love of G-d. Another meaningful aspect that Rebbetzin Sarah shared is the concept of hashgaha pratis, Divine intervention. G-d is involved in every aspect of our lives; not just the major events in our lives, but the little day-to-day moments too. He is always with us and watching over us. We need to make a dwelling place for G-d in this world. When we surrender to G-d, He enters our lives--this is why humility is important. Also, Moshiach (messiah)! Chassidism emphasizes the coming of Moshiach. We can bring Moshiach by doing mitzvot to the best of our ability. Once Moshiach is here, there will be revealed G-dliness in the world. Hashem's presence will be revealed, not hidden. We are encouraged to develop a deep connection to the Lubavticher Rebbe. When we visit the Rebbe's Ohel (burial spot) in Queens, NY, his presence is very much felt there, and it's easier to connect to him. When we pray at the Ohel, we are praying directly to G-d in the merit of the Rebbe. (We don't pray to the Rebbe, we pray to G-d.) If you would like to learn more information about visiting the Ohel, please email me at [email protected] Some ways that you can bring Chassidus into your life today are: 1. Realize how important you are to G-d. 2. Educate yourself. Leah the book of Tanya (there are many English translations that are available in bookstore and online.) Learn the Rebbe's sichos too. The sichos are the talks that the Rebbe gave to his followers when he was alive. (Check out www.chabad.org) Rebbetzin Sarah Deitsch is the co-director of the Schottenstein Chabad House on the campus of Ohio State University. She offers meaningful educational and social programming for the students to engage and deepen their connection to Judaism.

You have the ability to create the reality that you have always wanted! You can do this by creating awareness of your thoughts and the emotions and feelings those thoughts bring. If your thoughts don't reflect your true desires, and who you really are deep inside, you have the power to change those thoughts. Chana Mason gives you step by step instructions about how to create awareness of your thoughts and how to actually change your thinking pattern. This new thought pattern will evoke new, positive emotions and behavior to go along with those positive emotions. Those positive emotions will help to attract and manifest the things/people/situations that you want in your life. In this eye-opening interview, Chana teaches us about the power of breathwork to release past trauma and stored emotions. She also speaks in-depth about conscious meditation and how this practice can help us move forward in our lives, clearing trauma and helping us to become more focused as we grow into the person who we want to become. Chana Mason has dedicated the past two years of her life to all things personal growth oriented. She is a breathwork coach. Chana helps people use the quiet of their breath to attune to the rise and fall of their emotions, hold their emotions with compassion, and rekindle a love for themselves, for life, and for others. For more information, contact: [email protected]

Our kids have all types of feelings and emotions, and they may not yet know how to process those feelings and regulate their emotions. This can result in temper tantrums, yelling, crying, stealing, and expressing a wide array of behaviors that tend to drive us crazy as parents. So what is our children's bad behavior REALLY trying to tell us? When kids act out, they are telling us that they have deep and strong emotions. They need to be heard; they need to have their feelings acknowledged and validated. They need us, as parents, to remain calm and in control, because when we are calm and in control, we make them feel safe. We need to be present for our children in a loving way, even when we set boundaries for them. We can let them know that they are not able to do something, while at the same time showing then compassion and empathy. Emunah Steier, a psychiatrist, therapist, and mother of 3, who is passionate about family communication, shares the following tips for parents: 1. We need to cultivate our consciousness that our kids are innately good; they are precious, holy souls that were hand picked specifically for us to parent. We don't always know what is going on inside of them that causes them to behave a certain way, and we need to connect with them to open a dialogue so that they can share their thoughts and feelings with us. 2. We need to let our children know that ALL feelings are ok. Certain behaviors are not ok, but all feelings are acceptable. 3. When our children do something to trigger us, we need to realize that it's not really them who is triggering us; it's something that already exists within us that is being triggered. We then need to take some time to sit with ourselves and explore what it is inside of us that we need to address and heal. Throughout our conversation, Emunah shares many examples and relatable personal stories that show how we can address "bad" behavior with our good kids, while judging them favorably. For further information, please email: [email protected]

How do we guide our older teens as they transition into adulthood? What is our job as parents? What role do we play in the lives of our teens? Parenting coach and parenting workshop facilitator, Miriam Leibowtiz, answers these questions as she guides us in our parenting journey. The job of a parent is to help our children develop into the person that he or she was created to be, even if who they are is different from the way we would have wanted them to be. As children grow into teenagers and young adults, parents shift from the role of caretaker to the role of guide. When parents treat their teens with warmth, give them unconditional love, and set boundaries for them, without imposing their will on their child, they are giving that child the space to figure out who they really are. Often, when we try to impose our will on our teens, they will have a counter will to resist what we tell them to do. We need to actively listen to them, allow them to express their feelings, validate their feels, and accept them for who they are--even if they are different from us. As parents, we need to mourn and let go of the preconceived notions we had that our children were going to be a certain way. We need to feel our pain, and then to let go of it. We also need to have compassion on ourselves for the pain that we have gone through in our childhood. When we have empathy for ourselves, we will be able to be open to how our teens are feeling, and have empathy for them. This will help us have a soft heart and relate to our teens with love, which will foster connection. Miriam explains the above concepts in beautiful detail. Contact: [email protected]

Whether you are a Jew living in Israel, Los Angeles, New York, or Mexico City, we are all part of one national collective soul. We are one family; one nation; one people. We are connected on an intrinsic, cellular level. Miriam Tawil, founder and director of Midreshet Eshel, a Sephardic seminary in Eretz Israel, shares with us about the connection between Israeli Jews and Jews who live outside of Israel (diaspora Jews.) She reminds us that Jews are actually supposed to live in Israel. We were exiled from the Holy Land as a punishment, but the ultimate goal is for all Jews, from everywhere in the world, to come together to live in Israel. For those Jews who are thinking about making aliyah, Miriam encourages them to know their Why. Why do you want to come to Israel? Knowing your why gets you through the How. Miriam says that there is something very special that binds together each and every Jew, no matter where they live. She also shares stories of Jews from various backgrounds (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, liberal, conservative, etc.) who come together to help each other. Jews give to other Jews, even if they don't know each other. There is something in the DNA of the Jewish people that enables them to be one big family. Contact: [email protected]

The cruelest yetzer hara of our generation is that voice of "being hard on ourselves." Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT our own internal voice speaking negatively to us. Rather, it's our yetzer hara trying to get the best of us by putting us down. It's actually the voice of the yetzer hara (not our own internal voice) that is wreaking havoc on us by telling us that we are not good enough, in a variety of ways....we are too fat, lazy, our house is a mess, etc. Nili Salem, a Torah teacher and a certified narrative therapist, shares with us some strategies to overcome this barrage of negativity. One tip she taught us was to: #1. Identify a person who you love, admire, or care for. #2. Imagine that the person your identified is going through exactly what you are going through and feeling exactly the way that you do. Think about what you would say to that person, and how you would say it (wording/tone of voice.) #3. Most likely, you would speak in a compassionate way to that person. If so, speak to yourself in that same compassionate way. If you don't imagine yourself speaking to that person in a compassionate way, then do NOT speak to yourself in the demeaning way that you imagined yourself speaking to that other person. Also, Nili reminded us that G-d is kind; everything about G-d is kind. So, if you hear a voice speaking to you in your head, and it's not kind, then it is NOT G-d. If it's not G-d, don't listen to it. For further info, please email [email protected]

Are you a single mother, widow or divorcee who dreads shabbos (shabbat)? Do you cry at the thought of having to spend shabbat alone, without your kids or anyone else to keep you company? Yehudis Sherman felt the exact same way. After her divorce, she discovered, first hand, the loneliness that many women experience when they spend shabbat isolated from their families. In response to this situation, she created an organization called Mishpachtainu, to help other women, like herself, celebrate shabbat with joy, unity and the warmth of community. Mishpactainu is located in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, but Jewish women from all over attend Yehudis' shabbat meals. She has a home that sleeps over 10 women, so out of town guests are welcome. Yehudis' shabbat table is beautifully decorated, and she cooks all different types of foods to accommodate everyone's diets (gluten free, etc.) In addition to the shabbos meals, Yehudis offers a food pantry to provide women with basic household items from ketchup and napkins to tablecloths and makeup. Mishpachtainu has helped many women make the turn around from lonely and depressed to supported and happy. They build a new network of friends from the women that they meet at Yehuds' shabbat table. There is a significant cost in running Mishpachtainu. Yehudis is in need of financial donations, as well as donations of goods and services. For more information about the organization, and how to donate, visit

mightymoms.love

You can also donate via Zelle: [email protected]

To learn more about Mishpachtainu, visit: https://www.mishpachtainu.org/You can also email me, and I will put you in touch with Yehudis: [email protected]

Talking to your kids about sex might be embarrassing or uncomfortable, but it's an important topic, and we have to talk about it. The truth is that if we don't talk to our kids about sex, they are going to find out about it from other kids or other sources (possibly the internet.) We want our kids to know our values about sex, and learn the correct information, preferably from us. Rebbetzin Dr. Hadassah Fromson, a sought after kallah teacher, sex therapist and counselling psychologist, helps guide us in talking to our kids about a subject that many parents find taboo. She suggests that parents talk to children about sex in bits and pieces, starting off at a very young age. She also encourages us to use the proper clinical terminology for our body parts. We need to feel comfortable using words like "penis" and "vagina." Our kids need to see that we are being open and honest with them about the subject of sex. When parents are comfortable talking about a subject (any subject), it gives kids the confidence to feel that we know what we are talking about and that we are giving them factual information. Rebbetzin Dr. Hadassah tells us that we should take cues from our children about what we should talk about. In other words, we need to be open to answering their questions, no matter how sexual and detailed they might be. We want to be the person that our kids come to about sex, and if we don't answer their questions, they will find out from somebody else. However, she cautions us to create boundaries. We are our children's parents, not their friends. Do not give them details about what happens in your bedroom. That information is private, just between the couple. We need to respect our children as individuals and give them the answers to difficult questions. This way, they will be more apt to turn to us when they have an issue or a challenge, especially if they are being peer pressured to have sex. Contact: [email protected]

Have you tried every diet? Keto? Paleo? Weight Watchers? Have you spent hours at the gym, even hired a personal trainer? Are you not able to lose weight, no matter what you do? Tanya Rosen, founder of Nutrition by Tanya, is a nutritionist, life coach, and personal trainer who has helped hundreds of men and women lose weight and keep it off! She believes in balanced eating, and shows her clients exactly how to do it, according to their food preferences and how much weight they need to lose. Tanya shares her own personal story about how she lost 50 pounds after her first pregnancy, and has maintained the weight loss ever since...even after have 4 more kids via C-section! In my conversation with Tanya, she shares practical tips and tools for people to start losing and maintaining their weight today. Some tips that she offers include: 1. Weight maintenance is a lifetime commitment--it's not a one time diet, it's a healthy lifestyle change. 2. Get the right support group. You need to be around like-minded people who have the same goals as you, or are willing to support you as you move toward your goals. This could be friends, family, or even professional support. You need accountability. 3. Drink 8-10 cups of water per day. Or, if you prefer to know how many ounces you need to drink, take your body weight and divide by 2. This is how many ounces of water you need to drink per day. (For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, 150/2=75, so you need to drink 75 ounces of water per day.) 4. Drink 2 cups of water before every meal. This way, you eat fewer calories because you will be less hungry--water takes up space in your stomach. To reach out to Tanya, please contact her through her website: https://nutritionbytanya.com/ To contact the host of America's Top Rebbetzins, email: [email protected]

How do your survive domestic abuse? Maybe you are married to an abusive or neglectful person. Maybe you had parents who would yell, scream and/or hit you. Most people who are in abusive or neglectful relationships develop physical symptoms as a sign of their emotional trauma--thyroid issues, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune illnesses. Dr. Miriam Adahan, a psychologist, therapist, popular author, and founder of EMETT (Emotional Maturity Established Through Torah), has over 60 years of experience in counseling, lecturing and writing. In this candid interview, Dr. Adahan shares tools and practical strategies for surviving if you are in an abusive relationship. She also has tips and techniques for parents to teach their children about how to be resilient and stay emotionally strong, operating from the pre-frontal cortex (the smart brain), and not from the amygdala (the baby brain.) The first thing that Dr. Adahan suggests to people who are (or have been) abused, is to recognize that you are a SURVIVOR. Understand that you were conditioned to believe that you were unworthy, but the OPPOSITE is true; YOUR ARE WORTHY. Next, stop feeling like you are a failure--YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! Practice radical acceptance that you are in this situation/circumstance because Hashem wants you to be here right now (it doesn't mean forever, but for right now, this is where He wants you to be.) Say the DAYEINU prayer. (If you email me at [email protected] I will send you the prayer.) Stay physically healthy--take multivitamins, Vitamin B with FOLATE (not folic acid), Vitamin D with K2. Stay away from sugar. You should exercise, meditate, and do breathing exercises. Disengage when you are around your abuser--be nice and polite, protective of yourself and shallow in your responses (don't engage in an argument; don't take things personally), and be compassionate to yourself. Dr. Adahan give us some tips from her book, Raising Spiritual Champs, Including Yourself! It can be purchased on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Spiritual-Champs-Hardcover-Miriam/dp/1614659370 This is the kids version of the book, called, Solution Champs: https://www.amazon.com/Solution-Champs-Miriam-Adahan/dp/1614658099 Dr. Adahan talks about all these things and more! This conversation has so much information that is necessary for you to survive and THRIVE. For further information, email me at [email protected]

Have you ever wondered how Chabad emissaries are chosen? Have you ever thought about why some Chabad emissaries go to places like Zambia, Nigeria or Peru? What are the challenges of opening a Chabad house, and what are the enormous benefits of being the person who kindles and rekindles Jewish souls? Rebbetzin Rivky Herzel, co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Zambia (Africa), speaks about her experience growing up as the daughter of Chabad emissaries to Anchorage, Alaska. She also talks about why she and her husband decided to become emissaries themselves, and why they chose to serve the Jewish community in Zambia. Rebbetzin Rivky talks about what is involved in running a Chabad center, the new kosher store that they are opening, and her monthly flights to the mikveh in South Africa because Zambia doesn't have a mikvah just yet. Rebbetzin Rivky has a deep passion for touching the life of every single Jew, and it shows when she speaks about the events and programming that she does for the Jews in her community.

Currently, Chabad of Zambia is in the middle of a major fundraiser. They need funds to purchase a generator, since they now have no electricity or running water for up to 10 hours a day.It would mean so much if you would take a small part in their mission.You can donate here: Www.charidy.com/zambia Contact: [email protected]

The teenage years can be a challenging time, both for kids and for parents...but there is a way to make things easier, and to actually create a great relationship with your teenager. Rebbetzin Shifra Fried, Empowerment Coach and the rebbetzin of Young Israel of Bedford Bay, in Brooklyn, New York, shares with us that the real work begins by us parents working on ourselves. We need to love and value OURSELVES, BEFORE we love and value our teenagers. The way that we think and feel about ourselves reflects in the way we treat others, especially our children. We need to take care of ourselves and show ourselves compassion. Most importantly, we need to recognize who we are, which leads us to the question, "Who are WE?" We are a divine piece of Hashem (G-d). We have a spark of divinity within us. When we recognize this divinity, this piece of G-d within ourselves, we begin to see it in others, including our children. When we learn to love and respect ourselves, we learn to love and respect our children. This is the turning point in our relationship with our teenagers. Rebbetzin Shifra encourages us to approach our children with a loving energy. Teens can read our energy, even if our words don't match the energy we are giving off. We can be really angry and still have a smile on our face, but our teens know that something is off. We need to be ok with dealing with our emotions privately, without judging our emotions. We need to feel whatever it is that we need to feel so that we can process our emotions and not repress them. Once we are able to regulate our emotions, we are in a much better position to be able to smile at our teenager warmly, while also radiating that warmth. We also need to listen to our children and acknowledge and validate their feelings. We need to hold back from fixing their issues, offering advice, saying "I told you so," and JUST LISTEN TO YOUR TEENAGER so that they feel heard and validated. If you have a teen that doesn't want to talk, remind them constantly that you love them and that you are always here for them. Even if they never talk to you about their challenges, feeling your love and them knowing that you love them makes a huge difference in their inner world. If you would like to connect with Rebbetzin Shifra for her coaching or workshops, please visit: https://coachshifra.com/ Contact: [email protected]

What is it like to be a Jew in Peru? Do they have kosher food? A mikveh? A minyan? What do they do for Hanukkah? Purim? Pesach? Shabbat?

Rebbetzin Sara Blumenfeld, co-director of Chabad of Peru, talks about Jewish life in Lima, Peru. When Rebbetzin Sara, and her husband, Rabbi Zalman Blumenfeld, first came to Lima, there was no kosher food, no Hanukkah candles, no menorahs. In fact, there were terrorists instead. She describes living without electricity! From there, she helped to create and foster a Jewish environment that now has Torah classes for women and men, a large Pesach seder, parsha of the week sheets for both adults and kids, Hamantaschen for Purim, a mikvah, and other Jewish amenities that make being Jewish in Peru much easier than it has been in the past.

Rebbetzin Sara speaks about the purpose of the Chabad emissaries all around the world (including Peru). Their purpose is to wake up the Yiddishkeit of each Jew; to wake up the soul of a Jew. Rebbetzin Sara also emphasizes that everything we do is to bring Moshiach! May he come today!!

Contact: [email protected]

As Jewish parents, we want to instill a love of Judaism in our children that will last them throughout their lives, into adulthood. Rebbetzin Dvorah Lea Raichman, co-director of Chabad Manaus, in the Amazon region of Brazil, speaks to us about how to cultivate in our children a love of mitzvot (commandments) and a love of serving G-d (Hashem.) Rebbetzin Dvorah Lea believes in parenting with calmness and a personal love for and connection to Hashem. She educates her children in the mitzvot with a feeling of love. Once children know what the right thing is to do, and what they should be doing, she does not police them. Don't police your kids. You can gently remind then what they should be doing, but don't stand over them watching them until they obey. By arming your children with knowledge, given over in a loving way, and giving them gentle reminders now and then, you empower your children by allowing them to make the ultimate choice about their actions. Once kids feel like they have the power to choose right from wrong, their ultimate choice is between them and Hashem. We also have to teach children according to their way. Children are all different; they learn differently and they have different inclinations. Learn to see past a child (or adult's) exterior, and focus on their true essence; their soul. Just because a child (or adult) doesn't dress a certain way or keep all the mitzvot, doesn't mean that they are not a spiritual human being with a deep connection to Hashem. It is this connection that is most precious to Hashem, and we shouldn't put people down or judge them according to how they present externally, rather we need to focus on they type of person they are internally. Contact: [email protected]

Survivor of the Nova Music Festival, Liel Shitrit, shares her story of how she survived the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. Liel was with her friends at the festival when Hamas invaded and started shooting at people around 6:30a.m. She describes leaving the festival and how different groups of terrorists shot at her and her friends. One of her friends was shot in the head. (He survived.) Another friend was kidnapped and is currently being held hostage--BRING THEM HOME NOW! Liel spoke about how the terrorists murdered everyone in cold blood---she described them not as people, but as monsters. She talked about seeing her friends shot, body parts everywhere (legs, arms, and even heads that were displaced from bodies.) She felt horror and terror at seeing this. Liel went on to describe how she and her friends hid in a bathroom for 6 hours. The door had no lock, so one of her friends held it closed for the entire 6 hours until IDF troops arrived. Liel spoke about how she is processing her emotions, how her family is handling the situation, and what she would say to the hostages right now, if she had the opportunity to speak with them. This is a raw and truthful first-person account of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack. Contact: [email protected]

Honor your father and mother is a strong Torah commandment (mitzvah). Your parents are your main teachers in life, imparting to you many valuable lessons. Rebbetzin Dassi Bigio, co-director of the Chabad House in San Andres, Colombia, talks about the life lessons that her father exemplified for her while she was growing up. One important lesson that Rebbetzin Dassi's father shared with her is to always think about other people. Life is not all about you, so don't be selfish. Think about others and what they need, and try to provide it for the, Rebbetzin Dassi's father also taught her to never give up. Her father was very goal-oriented and was always working on achieving his goals. He faced many great challenges along the way, but he never stopped believing in his goals and he never stopped working toward them. Another life lesson that Rebbetzin Dassi shared from her father was the idea of thinking big. When you have a dream, thought or goal, don't limit yourself. Think big. In addition, we spoke about the obligation of honoring your parents, even if they were abusive or neglectful, as well as if they tell you to do things that you don't agree with, or actions that go against the Torah. Contact: [email protected]

When the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change--that's when authentic growth happens. We break free from "playing small" and step into our greatness. We break free from our fears and start taking action and doing the things that we are meant to do in our lifetime. Rachel Leah Ismaili, the founder of MAYYIM Myofascial Release, creates a safe space for authentic healing to occurs. She offers women a fully integrative mind/body/emotions and soul healing journey. In this VERY DEEP DISCUSSION, Rachel Leah explains to us how we can begin to heal our traumas, physical, sexual and emotional, and tune into ourselves to rediscover who we are. Rachel Leah speaks about the deepest healing of ourselves through the 5 levels of our soul: Nefesh--the part of our soul that is most bound to our physical realm. It is here that healing of the nervous system through hands-on therapeutic body work liberates the body of the pain it is holding energetically. Ruah--the emotional sphere of our soul where we can use breathwork to release our subconscious fears. Music plays a key role here, in addition to breathwork. Neshama--this is the part of our soul that is our cognition center. It includes our self-perception; our thoughts; our pre-frontal cortex. This is where cognitive behavioral therapy comes in to help us change our thoughts and thought patterns. Chaya--this is the part of our soul that observes the ego; the mindfulness part of our soul. We are not our thoughts, we are the observers of our thoughts. This is our true ratzon (our true will). This is where we can align our will to Hashem's will. This is the transcendent part of our soul. Yehida--this is our pintele yid--the very essence of our soul as a Jew. This is our truest self.

Jewish women light shabbat (shabbos) candles every Friday night. This is a very special time when we take a deep breath, pause, and truly connect with Hashem (G-d), our Creator. This mitzvah is a connection point from us to G-d, to our fellow Jewish women, and to each other. Girls begin lighting shabbos candles at the age of 3 years old. From the age of 3 until they are married, girls light one shabbos candle. Once the girl is married, she lights two candles, and then adds additional candles for every child that she has. Shabbos candle lighting is a time of deep introspection and connection to Hashem. We ask for His blessings for ourselves, our family members, the members of our community, and for all the Jews in the world. Friday night, right after lighting the shabbat candles, is an ideal time for us to speak directly to Hashem in our own words. Shabbos candles are sometimes called "neshek," which stands for neirot shabbos kodesh, the holy shabbat candles. They are the secret weapon of all Jewish women who bring holiness to the world by literally creating a light in the darkness when they kindle the shabbat candles. Rebbetzin Zeesy Deren encourages us to be mindful by focusing on where you are right now and what you are doing right now. She tells us to single task, instead of multi-task. This makes life more meaningful, and offers us opportunities for connection. We have so many things going on in our lives, but we need to surrender to what Hashem wants for us. We need to have menucha--complete comfort and rest, knowing that Hashem placed us where ever we are in life by Divine providence; we are exactly where we need to be at this time because it was Divinely ordained for us. Rebbetzin Zeesy encourages us to speak with Hashem in our own words throughout the week so that we can maintain a strong connection to Him at all times. Rebbetzin Zeesy is the director of Sinai Academy Jewish International School and Cape Town Torah High School. She is also the female spiritual leader of Blouberg Jewish Community Centre. She gives ongoing "soul talks" in her community, sharing her passion of bringing people closer to their soul source. She is a facilitator of Echadoneness (https://www.echad.co.za/), where she helps Jewish women explore Jewish mindfulness and meditation. Contact: [email protected]

Covering your hair as a married Jewish woman can sometimes be a challenging mitzvah. Why do Jewish women cover their hair? What is the right way to fulfill this mitzvah? Why are there so many types of hair coverings--wigs (sheitels), falls, hats, hair wraps, scarves, tichels, baseball caps? Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg answers all these questions and many more. She clearly explains, in detail, from where we get this beautiful mitzvah of hair covering, and she gives a wide range of opinions for how much hair should be covered. Rabbanit Shayna compassionately talks about how to begin covering your hair, if you would like to take on this mitzvah. Please check out Deracheha for more information on this topic and others that relate to women and mitzvot. www.deracheha.org Contact: [email protected]

Manifest your dreams and turn your deepest desires into reality. We all have things that we want--a big house, money, close relationships, a loving marriage, well-behaved children...the list goes on...and it should because we are worthy of receiving that which we desire. Through manifestation, we co-create our reality with Hashem (G-d.) We need to understand that Hashem WANTS to GIVE to US. In order to receive, we must know that we are worthy of receiving from Him. We need to daven (pray) to Him for that which we desire, and we need to have emunah (faith) that we will receive what we ask for. Ruth Hilu, a master life coach from Mexico City, explains to us in detail what manifestation is, and how we can use this powerful tool in our lives. She explains that we need to look deeply into our desires in order to make sure that we really want them. We need to deeply visualize exactly what we want, in great detail. We need to ONLY focus on the positive aspects of what we desire, not looking at any roadblocks or difficulties potentially associated with it--only visualize the end product. We must do this 1-3 times a day, every day, for 21 days (3 weeks.) During this time, we also pray for what we want, believe that we will receive it, and align ourselves with our desire in thought, speech and action, as if we already have that which we want. In this way, we create our vessel to receive our blessing. While we wait for our desire to manifest, we need to be our own companion, and act with compassion toward ourselves. Finally, we need to be open to receiving our desires by fully and completely knowing that we ARE worthy of receiving that which we want. Contact: [email protected]

Michal Horowitz regularly teaches classes and presents guest lectures on various topics related to Torah, Judaism and Jewish thought. Her goal is to bring the beauty, inspiration, and depth of Torah to others, no matter their age, affiliation, or prior Torah background. Michal believes that life can be beautiful, turbulent, joyous, and painful. As complex as life is, it is the teachings and wisdom of the Torah that helps to guide us along the way. Michal helps us better understand the Torah commandment of, "You shall love your fellow Jew as you love yourself. I am Hashem, your G-d." She explains that the actual commandment is, "Love for your fellow Jews what you love for yourself. I am Hashem, your G-d." This means, that you should want for your fellow Jews what you want for yourself. For example, if you want money for yourself, want money for your fellow Jew. If you want food to eat, a house to live in, happiness in your life, etc., want all these things for your fellow Jew as well. Hashem can give to you as much as He gives to others. His love for you and all the Jews is unlimited, and all the things that He has to give are unlimited as well. Feel free to ask Hashem for abundance for yourself, as well as your fellow Jew. Don't set limits on your love. Also, don't hold a grudge against a fellow Jew. We are strong when we are united. Our enemies can't harm us when we are unified. In order to want good for our fellow Jews, and value them as human beings, we must fist truly understand our own self worth and value. It's vital to know that you are here because you are important, and because you have a mission. Hashem, who knows everything, put you here because He feels that you matter and He loves you. If Hashem loves you and thinks that you are worthy of being in this world, then you should value yourself as well. Only when we believe in our own self-worth and believe that we have something to contribute, can we want good for our fellow Jews. Contact: [email protected]

Chavi Kestenbaum is a registered nurse and psychotherapist. She is also a certified mastery coach from the Dina Freedman Academy. Chavi specializes in facilitating communication and harmony in family relationships. She also guides mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law through conflict resolution. Chavi radiates positivity to those around her, which helps her clients tap into and access the inherent love within themselves. In our conversation, Chavi talks about the role of the mother-in-law, and encourages her to embrace her daughter-in-law completely, EVEN if she is not whom the mother-in-law would have chosen for her son. As the mature adult, the mother-in-law needs to learn to deal with her feelings and emotions separately (maybe speaking to a friend, a therapist, or a mentor), and then approach her daughter-in-law in a loving way to establish open communication. It's the mother-in-law who sets the tone for the relationship. She needs to give space and boundaries for her daughter-in-law to approach her (or not.) She needs to make her daughter-in-law feel comfortable. The daughter-in-law needs to be respectful to her mother-in-law. She needs to drop all the negative mother-in-law stereotypes and also establish open communication. Chavi encourages daughters-in-law to be curious about their mother-in-law, and get to know her for who she is--she may actually be a very kind and loving person. Overall, it's important to note that if someone is acting mean, cold, or aloof, don't take it personally. Quite often mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law have their own pain and struggles that the other doesn't know about, and although those their actions toward each other might be negative, it's not personal. The key is to establish open communication and to speak with each other in a respectful tone and a lot of understanding. Chavi can be reached by email at [email protected]

Devori is a psychotherapist. She is a trauma therapist who has a multidisciplinary approach to challenges by addressing them through mind, body and breath. Some of the modalities that she has trained in include IFS, Body Psychotherapy, EMDR, Comprehensive Resource Model, Logotherapy, and the Imago model of relationship therapy. Devori uses her knowledge of human psychology and relationships to help people face their fears and break free of all that they feel is holding them back from living an inspired and meaningful life. In this deep interview, Devori explains the intersection of spirituality and psychology. She explains that spirituality is everything that you can't touch; thoughts, feelings, emotions, and the life force energy that animates you. Devori also explains that psychology deals with our inner world, which also includes our thoughts, feelings and emotions. In other words, psychology helps us manage our spirituality. When you fuse the two together, you can have a deep and full understanding of who you truly are as your authentic self. Devori talks about having two souls--the animal soul and the G-dly soul. The animal soul protects us--it's our defense mechanism. It often motivates us to mask our pain through food, alcohol. drugs, shopping, and other forms of escapism. The G-dly soul helps us to live our lives and make decisions from our own value system. Devori encourages us to feel our pain, instead of masking it with addictions, avoidance, anger, or any other defense mechanism. She explains that to truly heal ourselves, we need to face our emotions and give ourselves an opportunity to feel our emotions in our body, and observe our emotions as they move through our body. When we face our fears by feeling our emotions our pain, they moves through us, and eventually, move out of us. When we are no longer operating from a place of fear, we are able to access our G-dly soul, and make decisions based on what we truly value.

Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Laber is the co-director of the Jewish Greenbush Retreat Campus, and also of the Chabad of Greenbush and Southern Rensselaer County. She is also the founder and director of the Jewish Girls Retreat and Jewish Girls Unite, as well as the GROW Connection Network global online community for girls and women. Rebbetzin Nechama Dina is a certified life coach and the author of several books, including GROW Through Prayer and 3 GROW planners. In this deep and profound interview, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina shares with us her effective GROW method for meaningful prayer, and for living a meaningful life. She encourages us to be a spark of light that illuminates the darkness, and she teaches us how to do it through the GROW method. GROW G: Gratitude, which corresponds with the prayer of Birkat Ha Shahar. With gratitude, we open our heart to connection. Even if we are struggling with a challenge, we can be grateful to be alive. R: Recognition, which corresponds to the prayers of Pesuki d'Zimrah. In this step, we process gratitude in more detail. We recognize what is going on in our world, and we open our heart to connection. We realize the divinity is in the details. O: Oneness, which corresponds to the Shema prayer. Hashem (G-d) is one. Everything has the oneness of Hashem inside of it, including our challenges. He wants us to find him. Through oneness, we create an action step. We think, "What does Hashem want from me at this time?" We take on one small action. Hashem is our partner in every situation in live, and He guides us. Through oneness, we create a spiritual intention to connect to Hashem. W: Wish, which corresponds to the Shemona Esrei prayer. We take ownership of our connection with Hashem and with others. We ask Hashem to please fulfill our wishes and needs by creating a dwelling space for Him in this world. When we daven, it's important to remember Who is before You. "Daven" comes from the French word, devant, in front of. Remember in front of Whom you stand. Tefillah means attachment and connection. Siddur is from the word, "seder," which means order. That is why there is an order to our prayers. For more information on GROW, or to contact Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, please visit www.growconnectionnetwork.com

Rivki Silver is the co-host of the popular Deep Meaningful Conversations podcast. She is a regular contributor to Family First magazine, and her writing can also be found on many popular Jewish websites. She is an engaging public speaker, and has spoken for high schools, seminaries, and Project Inspire. Rivki holds a degree in music performance, and has performed internationally with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and bands. In this fascinating interview, Rivki shares her personal story about how she went from growing up as a Protestant in the Midwestern region of the United States to becoming an Orthodox Jewish woman. Her story is authentic and compelling. She gives an honest account of how she became interested in Judaism and went through the conversion process. She also talks candidly about what life is like for her now, being fully observant. We talk about how Rivki's family reacted to her conversion, as well as how converts and Ba'al Teshuvas can maintain good relationships with their families, even if their families are not observant.

Chany Felberbaum is a certified life coach whose mission it is to help women eliminate trauma at the core so that they can stop surviving and finally start thriving! She created life-changing online programs where women can get powerful tools for mind and emotional healing and well-being. Chany is passionate about helping women release their trauma and move forward with their life, without the weight of "stuck" emotions. In this engaging interview, Chany gives us tools for helping us to process our emotions so that they don't create blockages in our body. She gives us techniques and tools to process our trauma and avoid being "triggered." First and foremost, Chany encourages us to become aware that when we are upset or triggered, it's not always the other person; quite often it's the other person triggering something that is already inside of us. This "something" is usually unprocessed emotions from our past that are stuck inside of us, waiting to be released. One tool that Chany shares with us is the Peace Process: 1. Find a comfortable place 2. Think about the situation that is bothering you, and notice where there is a sensation in your body 3. Stay focused on that sensation. Follow the sensation wherever it moves in your body 4. Focus on the sensation in your body for 10-15 minutes each day Eventually, the emotion dissolves and becomes processed, and you become less and less triggered. Another tool that Chany teaches us is called, "Can I Let This Go?" 1. Find a comfortable place 2. Think of the emotion or the situation that is bothering you 3. Inhale deeply and ask yourself, "Can I let this Go?" 4. Exhale and say, either "yes" or "no" 5. Even if you say "no," you will notice that you feel less of a burden, and more relaxed

You can email Chany at: [email protected] For more information on Chany's programs and coaching, visit: www.chanyfelberbaum.com

Evonne Marzouk is the author of the Jewish novel The Prophetess. She was also the founder and former Executive Director of a Jewish environmental organization called Canfei Nesharim, and is currently a board member of its successor organization, GrowTorah. She worked with rabbis, scientists, educators and community leaders to create and distribute Torah teachings on the environment. Evonne has worked at the United States Environmental Protection Agency for over 20 years. Evonne also created Heroine's Journal: A Jewish Mystical Journey of Growing into Your Gifts, to empower Jewish women to live their greatest dreams. Evonne speaks in detail about the process of forgiving someone who has hurt you. Step 1: be willing to fully feel the pain that the person caused you Step 2: be willing to acknowledge that you don't know every detail in the situation (you don't know what that person was thinking at the time they hurt you, what you may have needed to learn from being hurt, etc.) Step 3: make space in your heart (feel compassion) for the imperfect person who hurt you in order to forgive them with your whole heart When you are trying to forgive someone, it is helpful to process your feelings. One way to do that is to write down your feelings in a journal or notebook. Writing takes the feelings out of your head and body, and puts them on paper. It is also very important to understand that no one is perfect and that we need to have compassion for the other person's imperfections and humanity. Ultimately, forgiveness is a choice.

Tzirel Liba Greenberg is a singer and composer who has written over 100 original songs! (She plays one of her songs on a guitar, and sings toward the end of the interview--kol isha alert!) Tzirel Liba also started The Shabbos Queen Project podcast, which can be heard on SoundCloud. Her friendly, easy approach, performing talent and inspirational messages make The Shabbos Queen Project lessons SO powerful! She consistently captivates her audiences as she shares Emunah tools, Torah wisdom, and beautiful music to help guide Jewish women through the ups and downs in life. Tzirel Liba speaks beautifully about the deeper meaning of shabbos. She says that shabbat is the source of all blessings. Our yearning for a connection with Hashem brings abundance upon us. We have the potential to create miracles by bringing Hashem into our lives through the things that we do, especially the things we do to prepare for shabbat. We need to be mindful each day to do something to prepare for shabbos, whether it's buying food or shabbos candles, making our shabbos menu, inviting guests, cleaning our house, cooking, and many other things that we can do each day to mindfully bring us into the realm of shabbos, and of course, closer to Hashem. Tzirel Liba speaks about shabbos candles being a woman's most powerful weapon. When we light shabbat candles 10 minutes before the candle lighting time on the Jewish calendar, we open up the gates of blessings to fall upon us. We do this through the prayers that we say right after we light the candles. We show Hashem that we are so excited about shabbat that we want to take it on early by lighting the shabbat candles early. Then, we pour our hearts out to Hashem and ask him for anything and everything we need. Tzirel Liba also speaks about the holiness of kiddish and challah. In addition, she speaks about the importance of gratitude in order to help us get into the mind frame of connecting to Hashem. Tzirel Liba and her husband will be going on tour of the United States, speaking about shabbat and its magic. This tour is called A Peak Behind The Vail. If you would like to reach Tzirel Liba, please email her at theshabbosqueenproject@gmail. com or email me at [email protected]

Rebbetzin Chaya Rivka Zwolinsky is the leading teacher of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov's wisdom for women in North America. She brings compassion and deep understanding of psychospiritual trauma, transition and growth to her coaching, lectures and workshops in community centers, synagogues, schools, and other venues, as well as online to students on six continents. As the founding director of both BreslovWoman.org and previously, BRI Women, she has been teaching, leading trips for women to Jewish Ukraine, and much more. She is the author of numerous books including Mashiach: Hope for Turbulent Times; May You Have a Day: Making Every Day Better with the Teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov; and others. We are currently in a war between good and evil. We need to come to our battles prepared. Rebbetzin Chaya Rivka shares with us psychospiritual tools and strategies to fight anti-semitism. Psychospirituality is the close bond between individual psychology and spirituality. Our psychological state is intertwined with our spiritual state. Rebbetzin Chaya Rivka stressed that instead of using our time and energy to feel hate toward our enemy, we instead should turn that time and energy toward loving our fellow Jew and ourselves. Some ways that we can channel our feelings include: 1. Hitbodedut--personal prayer to G-d (pouring out heart out to our Creator by speaking to Him out loud, using our own words.) 2. Consciously being the bearer of good news every day.

Rebbetzin Tali Wohlgelernter, and her husband, Rabbi Tzvi Wohlgelernter, are the directors of Mizrachi OU JLIC in Givat Shmuel and Bar Ilan. In this very candid interview, Rebbetzin Tali shares her personal story about raising a daughter with Dravet Syndrome (a severe form of epilepsy with seizures that are long and unpredictable.) Rebbetzin Tali shares how her daughter, Sarena's, illness impacted hers, her husband, and her three other daughters. She also talks about her faith in Hashem (G-d) and how that is helping her get through her life being as human as possible, with good days and bad days, just like everyone else. Rebbetzin Tali speaks about how Sarena's illness united her entire family--not just her immediate family, but her extended family as well. She also talks about the best things to do (and not to do) when we reach out to families who are struggling with caring for a special needs child. Three nuggets of wisdom and empowerment that we can take away from today's conversation are: 1. Ask for help--reach out to a friend to go out for coffee (or invite her to come over for coffee or to keep you company); if you need help making meals, ask for help; if you need help taking care of your other kids, ask for it; don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help. 2. Don't lie to yourself. Take some time for yourself and be really honest about your situation. 3. Read the book, Living in the Presence; A Jewish Mindfulness Guide for Everyday Life by Benjamin Epstein. This book will help you to live in the moment without worrying about the past or the future. Being in the moment will help you get through your day. If you would like to contact Rebbetzin Tali, she can be reached at: [email protected] She also wrote a blog earlier on in Sarena's journey. If you would like to read about her story, please visit www.talismidnightmusings.com

Sunny Levi is a 7th-degree black belt Taekwondo Master. She is also a personal fitness trainer. She teaches martial arts, self-defense, strength training, yoga, and kickboxing to women and children. In addition to teaching others how to defend themselves and be physically fit, Sunny also teaches women to be spiritually fit through her Hitbodedut Spiritual Bootcamp. Hitbodedut is personal prayer. Through personal prayer, speaking to G-d in our own words, we can form a deep, close and personal connection to Him. This connection turns us into a vessel to receive miracles. Sunny speaks in details about the three major components of hitbodedut: 1. Gratitude 2. Self-reflection 3. Request Sunny also speaks about the magnitude of thanking Hashem for the things in your live that are the most difficult. She also talks about how when you pray for someone else who is in a similar situation to yours, G-d will answer your prayer first. For more information on Sunny Levi's Hitbodedut Spiritual Bootcamp, please email me at [email protected]

Rebbetzin Sarah Korn is the co-director of Chabad House Bowery. She runs a student center for downtown Manhattan universities including New York University (NYU), Baruch, Cooper Union, and Hunter College as their main schools, but they also have attendees from others schools too. Rebbetzin Sarah shares with us some of the challenges that Jewish students are currently facing on college campuses, and gives us concrete strategies on how they can counter anti-semitism and pro-Palestinian propaganda. Some important takeaways from our conversation: --Jews are not vengeful; we are people of justice. --Those who do acts of injustice must be held responsible for their actions. If there are professors who speak out against Israel, in favor of Hamas terrorism, they need to be reported (to the school administration and/or to the police.) --Jewish people are different sparks of one soul (we are all parts of the same soul, in different bodies.) When you shift your consciousness, you shift the consciousness of all the Jewish people. In other words, your thoughts and actions affect others. The things that we think about affect the way we feel. The way we feel affects the way we behave. We have to be a strong force of light to dispel the darkness. Rebbetzin Sarah shares with us exactly how to do this. Rebbetzin Sarah also tells a story about the power of lighting shabbos candles. Shabbos candles are neshek--weapons; spiritual weapons. At this time, in addition to fighting evil on a physical level, we need to fight it on a spiritual level. Shabbos candles are just one of the many spiritual weapons that we must use in this war. For a bullet pointed article on Responding to Questions and Disinformation about Israel, please click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w8ZQ4gdcGGnblEpjoJnQ6TslWll_71BJ/view

When we proclaim what we want, we have the ability to create miracles! Israel is at war with Hamas. Each and every Jew is fighting this battle. Some Jews are on the ground, fighting with guns and tanks; that is the physical war. However, even if you are not fighting the physical war, you can still be engaged in the spiritual war. We are all Spiritual Warriors, each of us helping to win this war in our own way. Orly speaks to us about how each Jew can do something that they connect with in order to help Israel win the war. Some people bake challah, others send much needed items to Israel, and you should do what resonates with you. Orly shares an interesting story about how her friend, who loves to drive, donates her time driving goods all around Israel to those who need them. We are all soldiers in Hashem's army; we all have to man our post in our own way. Orly talks about a few of the campaigns that she is implementing on the spiritual war front to help protect the soldiers. Through her free app, Abraham's Legacy, she holds an event every evening, Sunday-Thursday, via Zoom (link below) where people read Tehillim (Psalms), finishing the entire book of psalms multiple times a night. Psalms are a HUGE spiritual protection for our soldiers! Orly also speaks about the mitzvah of netilat yadaim (spiritual washing of the hands.) She has a company called Netilah, which makes special hand washing cups made our of 100% pure copper. Copper has a tremendous connection to healing. Aside from being a natural antibacterial metal, kabbalistically, copper has a deep spiritual purpose. Copper connects with and purifies water upon contact; it protects the water before it reaches your hands. For more information on Netilah, please visit www.netillah.com There is a link between our voices, which we use for davening (praying), and our hands. When we refrain from speaking badly about others, we purify our voices. When we have pure voices, our prayers can reach G-d more quickly and easily; they don't get stuck in the energy of negativity. We can achieve this purification of our voices by JUDGING OTHERS FAVORABLY and speaking well of others. When we think good, we speak good. Think good, and it will be good. Regarding our hands, when we sleep 1/60 of our soul dies. Death is considered impure. When we wake up from sleep, we use a netilat yadaim cup (also known as a klee), to do a spiritual washing of our hands, which Orly explains to us. This washing of our hands, done slowly, and with focus and good intention, can purify our hands. When our hands are purified, the things that we do with them are elevated; baking challah, cooking, making cards for soldiers, packing supplies for the IDF, etc. What you do with pure hands and pure intentions is an elevated mitzvah. Orly can be reached at: [email protected] or via Whatsapp: +1-917-748-8032 In trying times such as these we find ourselves asking what can we do to help? Tefillah has always and will always be something we can turn to. As we know every prayer said, every chapter of Tehillim brings a tremendous level of protection. And so Orly asks you to join her each night for 30 minutes at 8:30pm Israel time to read Tehillim in unison. WATCH the video below, share and encourage others to join us. https://youtu.be/4ayuHzyhiQ8 *Date: Sunday-Thursday* *Time: 8:30pm Israel | 1:30pm NY* Same time and link every night *Join the Zoom:* https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7340551834 *Download the app in preparation:* qrco.de/bbD92t ABRAHAM’S LEGACY is an app that allows ppl *around the world to complete the entire Tehillim within moments!* Tehillim Warriors Project https://youtu.be/rcNJPY9oYsI Join our Unit of Tehillim Warriors by taking on the same 5 min window every day to say Tehillim for our soldiers and hostages. You’re being called to battle with your tefillot…are you READY to answer the call? Enlist NOW! Please SHARE! www.abrahamslegacy.com/warrior

Miriam Racquel (Meryl) Feldman is a wife, mom, Somatic Healer, Marriage Coach, Trauma & Anxiety Specialist and award-winning Author of the memoir, God Said What?! #MyOrthodoxLife. She helps empower women to trust the wisdom of their bodies, emotions, and souls as well as blogging about the mystical happenings of an ever-changing world. She once got her kicks from rehabilitating seals in California and now leads an adventurous life raising a bunch of kids along with her husband. If you meet her, be prepared to take part in philosophical discussions about the healing of humankind and the transformation of the world into a place of peace. Download free e-guides and receive Somatic Healing Tips at: MiriamRacquel.com YourMarriageMagic.com and link to purchase: God Said What?! #MyOrthodoxLife (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737745402?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860)

Rebbetzin Mina Eisenbach, along with her husband, Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach, are the co-directors of Chabad Lubavitch of Northeast, Connecticut. This is one of the smallest Chabad houses in the world. Chabad is actually an acronym for Chochma, Bina, Da'at; Chochma means Wisdom, Bina means Understanding, and Da'at means Knowledge. Rebbetzin Mina beautifully illustrates the importance that each and every one of us has as human beings. We all have a piece of G-d (Hashem) inside of us. We are all G-dly beings. This makes us inherently valuable and precious in His eyes. He seeks a two-way relationship with us. It's not just us praising G-d and asking Him for things; it's about G-d interacting with us too. We receive part of our Jewish soul at birth, the second part of our soul at our bris (for a boy) or at our baby naming (for a girl), and the third part of our soul at our bar or bat mitzvah. As the mother of 13 children, Rebbetzin Mina shares her wisdom about raising children, keeping at the forefront of her mind that each and every child is a blessing.

Orly Wahba is an international motivational speaker, educator, entrepreneur, author, and community activist. She is passionate about inspiring people to make the world a kinder place. In this engaging interview, Orly shares with us a powerful message: When We Value Ourselves, We Value the Choices that We Make. Our choices have an impact on other people. When we choose to be kind to others, we literally have the power to change not only their lives, but the lives of hundreds of other people through a ripple affect as our one small act of kindness is payed forward. It is so important to know that When We Understand Our Own Value, We Understand the Value of Other People. Orly also talks about discovering and actualizing our life purpose. The first step is to write down your dream and WHY you want to achieve it. Don't worry about HOW to achieve it; just fully and deeply understand WHY you want it. Then, write down your dream or vision on a piece of paper; go into as much detail as you can. Don't be overwhelmed by the gap between where you are now, and where you want to be. The next step is to write down one or two small actions that you will take that will be bring you closer to your dream. Once you complete those actions, write down the next actions that will bring you even closer to your dream. This is a process that takes time. As you start to manifest your dream, Hashem (G-d) will send you opportunities and resources to continuously take you to the next level. Don't give up! Orly is the founder of Life Vest, a non-profit organization with a mission to inspire, empower, and educate people of all backgrounds to lead a life of kindness. (Life Vest website: https://www.lifevestinside.com/about/our-founder/) Orly also created the Abraham's legacy app, which she named after her grandfather. With the Abraham’s Legacy app, groups of people can complete the book of tehillim thousands of times a day, collectively with the entire world. Saying tehillim has been known to heal people and create miracles. The Abraham's Legacy app puts this process at your fingertips. To download the app, visit: https://abrahamslegacy.com/

Rebbetzin Fruma Schapiro, along with her husband, Rabbi Nochum Schapiro, run the Chabad North Shore in St. Ives, Australia, which is a suburb of Sydney. Rebbetzin Fruma shares deep insights about the Jewish holiday of Shavuos (Shavuot.) This is such a powerful holiday when G-d Himself gave the Jews the Torah while they were standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai. She explains to us the reason why we study Torah all night on the first night of Shavuos. She also shares with us why we eat dairy products of this holiday, and why we read the Book of Ruth in synagogue. Rebbetzin Fruma gives us the reason behind the custom of decorating our homes and synagogues with flowers in honor of this holiday. Hint: Shavuos is the day of judgement for the trees! Most importantly, Rebbetzin Fruma shares with us the importance and the relevance of Shavuos and Torah in our lives today. She emphasizes that after the giving of the Torah on Shavuos, the spiritual and the material converged into permanence; they were no longer separate entities. We have the power and the privilege of elevating every area of our material lives into the spiritual realm.

Rebbetzin Sara Oppenheim, along with her husband, Rabbi Chanoch Oppenheim, run the Charlotte Torah Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rebbetzin Sara deeply explores both the story of Passover, and its meaning and relevance in our lives today. She shares with us KEY elements that will help us in living our best life. She challenges us to recognize the we are not in control over most things in our life; G-d is ultimately in control. Once we recognize that, we can have a relationship with G-d and let Him into every area of our lives--then we will see how bright we will shine! Passover is not a commemoration of past events. Every year, on this holiday, we can tap into the energy from the original Passover, in order to free ourselves from our own personal Mitzrayim. When we have faith in Hashem (G-d), and trust in Him, we can attain personal freedom, and live a life of inner peace.

Kol Isha Warning--there is a moment in this video, toward the beginning, where Rebbetzin Braha Bender says a word in a sing-song type of voice. If you would like to avoid hearing the "singing," please start watching the video toward the middle.  

Rebbetzin Braha Bender is an excellent story teller. She shares with us the story of Purim, in richness and in depth. She talks about how G-d concealed his presence throughout the story, although He was really there, every step of the way, guiding the Jews to salvation.  

Rebbetzin Braha also talks about the way we fulfill the four mitzvot (commandments) of Purim: hearing the Megillah reading, giving mishloah manot (baskets of food and drink); matanot L'evyonim (giving money to the poor; and having a Purim seuda (the festive Purim meal.)