Chanie Werzberger’s life reads like a dramatic novel, but every moment is real. In this emotional and powerful interview, Chanie shares her incredible journey: from a childhood in Argentina torn apart by her parents' separation, to a secret escape with her father to America, her entrance into the Satmar Hasidic world, and the many painful transitions she endured as a young girl without her mother. We explore her resilience through being moved from home to home, her complicated but deep love for ...
Jul 05, 2025•1 hr 31 min
Danielle Renov—best known as the creative force behind “Peas, Love & Carrots”—joins the Meaningful People Podcast not to share recipes, but to open up about something far more raw and real: living through war in Israel as a mother. In this emotionally charged episode, Danielle shares what life is like in Yerushalayim under missile fire, separated from her husband and holding down the home with extraordinary resilience. She opens up about fear, faith, and motherhood in a war zone—describing w...
Jun 28, 2025•1 hr 17 min
In this special Gimmel Tammuz episode, we reflect on the legacy, leadership, and transformative vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 31 years after his histalkus. Featuring moving conversations with Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rabbi Yosef Bronstein, and Rabbi Shlomo Katz, this episode explores how the Rebbe's teachings continue to shape Jewish life today, from his unmatched scholarship and moral clarity, to his relentless optimism and unconditional Ahavas Yisrael. Whether you're Chabad, not Chabad, o...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Yishai Fleisher joins Nachi Gordon for a powerful conversation that dives deep into the heart of Am Yisrael. Broadcasting from the diaspora, but with his soul in Israel, Yishai opens up about the war with Iran, his personal longing to return to the front lines, and the spiritual and political crossroads facing the Jewish people today. From his work in Chevron and his role as a councilman in Efrat, to organizing international tours with figures like Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Yishai shares the mis...
Jun 21, 2025•1 hr 9 min
In this deeply emotional and inspiring conversation, Siporah Sassoon shares her harrowing story of surviving a tragic house fire that claimed the lives of her seven siblings. She opens up about the trauma, the long road to physical and emotional recovery, and how her unwavering faith in Hashem has carried her through the darkest of times. A decade has passed since a tragic house fire ripped through Sipora Sassoon’s home in Brooklyn, claiming the lives of her seven siblings. Sipora survived—but n...
Jun 14, 2025•1 hr 7 min
In this riveting episode, Rabbi Joey Haber sits down with Nachi Gordon for an unfiltered, thought-provoking conversation that tackles some of the most pressing—and often taboo—questions in the Jewish world today. What does it really mean to live a Torah life in a world obsessed with status? How can we tell the difference between true mitzvah and materialism? Are we setting up our youth for failure by defining success through narrow expectations—like the 3-to-5-year Kollel rule? From the Syrian a...
Jun 07, 2025•1 hr 37 min
Rabbi Elchanan Shoff took to the streets of downtown Chicago to answer the raw, unfiltered questions of everyday people—from devout Christians and curious Muslims to military moms and tourists from Poland. As an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Rabbi Shoff opens up honest, thoughtful conversations about religion, identity, Israel, morality, gender, and what it truly means to coexist. This powerful episode of Ask Me Anything showcases the value of deep dialogue, mutual respect, and the pursuit of truth acr...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr
This is the extraordinary journey of Rabbi Mendy Chitric, a Chabad rabbi based in Turkey. Born in Tzfat and part of an 11th-generation Chabad family, Rabbi Chitric has spent the last 25 years serving the Jewish community in Istanbul — a city where Jewish life dates back 2,700 years. Originally planning to stay for just one year, Rabbi Chitric remained to answer the needs of a community facing significant challenges: assimilation, declining population, and a need for strong Jewish infrastructure....
May 24, 2025•1 hr 27 min
On Lag BaOmer, Mirlana Morris opens up about the life and legacy of her son Donny, who tragically passed away in the Meron disaster of 2021. In a deeply moving conversation, Mirlana shares intimate memories of Donny’s character — a vibrant, kind, and meticulous young man who touched countless lives with his quiet acts of kindness and sincerity. From his early years in Teaneck, NJ, to his transformative time at Yeshivat Sha’alvim in Israel, Donny stood out for his warmth, discipline, and inclusiv...
May 17, 2025•1 hr 13 min
In this powerful and deeply insightful conversation, Rahel Bayar sits down with Nachi Gordon to discuss her journey from being a sex crimes and child abuse prosecutor in the Bronx to founding The Bayar Group, an organization dedicated to abuse and harassment prevention across North America. Rahel shares how her early aspirations in psychology shifted to law, leading her to work on some of the most difficult cases imaginable—domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. With years of courtr...
May 10, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Rabbi Kalish and Nachi Gordon sit down for the first ever live audience podcast at the Pesach at Bordeaux program. In this dynamic conversation, Nachi pressed R’ Kalish on every point: Why no tests in Yeshiva? Why no expulsions from Yeshiva? Why only show love to your students? This conversation is the clearest, most powerful window into Rabbi Kalish’s vision for Jewish education (chinuch) — and his answers will challenge how we all think about education. This episode was made possible thanks to...
May 03, 2025•1 hr 26 min
In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Meaningful People, we sit down with Adriana, the woman behind the viral “Non-Jewish Nanny” persona, to hear her remarkable story of transformation. What began as a nanny job for Orthodox Jewish families in Boca Raton led to a deep, personal journey that ultimately brought her to an Orthodox Jewish conversion. Adriana shares what it was like growing up Christian in Florida, how she was first introduced to Jewish customs through the families she worked for...
Apr 26, 2025•1 hr 37 min
What happens when an Orthodox rabbi takes to the streets of Times Square and invites people to ask him anything? In this riveting episode, Rabbi Shoff answers real, unfiltered questions from strangers on the street — from the Jewish perspective on marrying out of the faith, to whether Jews worship Trump, if they were behind 9/11 (yes, someone actually asked that), Jewish teachings on the afterlife, and so much more. This is one of the most eye-opening conversations we’ve ever had — raw, honest, ...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 10 min
In this episode, we speak with Michal Lobanov, the wife of Alexander (Alex) Lobanov HY’D, who was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, while working as the head bartender at the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im. Alex was a devoted father from Ashkelon, caring for his physically disabled parents and supporting his wife Michal, who was five months pregnant at the time of his abduction. Tragically, after enduring months of captivity, Alex was murdered by Hamas, and his body was recovered fro...
Apr 05, 2025•59 min
In this powerful interview, we sit down with Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff, a trailblazing deaf rabbi, to discuss his journey, the challenges he has faced, and the impact he is making in the Jewish Deaf community worldwide. He shares his experiences growing up deaf in a hearing world, his path to becoming a rabbi, and the work he is doing to make Torah and Judaism more accessible. There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Deaf and hard-of-hearing Jews in Israel and around 40,000 to 50,000 worldwide, wi...
Mar 29, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Lipa Schmeltzer is more than just a singer—he’s a storyteller, a trailblazer, and a man who has walked a deeply personal journey of growth and healing. In this powerful episode of the Meaningful People Podcast, Lipa opens up like never before about his childhood, struggles with anxiety, the role of therapy in his life, and his evolving perspective on faith, music, and personal transformation. From the highs of his music career to the challenges he faced within the community, Lipa shares raw and ...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 52 min
From Evangelical Missionary to Orthodox Jew: This is Shannon Nuszen's Unbelievable Journey! In this powerful interview, Shannon Nuszen shares her extraordinary transformation from being an evangelical missionary—trained to convert Jews—to embracing Orthodox Judaism. Raised in a fundamentalist Christian family, Shannon later joined the Christian messianic movement, working with missionary groups targeting Jews, but eventually converted to Judaism and now regrets her past involvement. What led her...
Mar 15, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Join Nachi Gordon as he sits down with Rabbi Nechemia Malinowitz for an eye-opening conversation about the future of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael, the importance of Aliyah, and the ongoing battle to preserve Jewish tradition in Israel. Hear the story of how Rabbi Malinowitz helped 35,000+ students enter Israel during COVID and his advocacy to maintain the sanctity of Israel. Hear why the World Zionist Organization (WZO) is so important for Jewish representation. With an annual budget of 2B...
Mar 08, 2025•1 hr 28 min
For more than a decade, Rav Doniel’s open and compassionate teachings have been a catalyst for change in the lives of thousands of people worldwide. Born and raised in Australia, Rav Doniel abandoned his award-winning film and theatre career in his mid-twenties after a year of intensive spiritual awakening. Exploring many wisdom paths and traditions in search of deeper clarity to explain his experiences, he was finally led to Jerusalem in 2000. Since then, he has spent nearly two decades immerse...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 30 min
Andrey Kozlov was taken hostage on October 7th and held in Gaza for 8 months. He was rescued by the IDF in a daring operation deep in enemy territory on June 8th 2024. ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka https://pushka.cc/meaningful __________________________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp __________________________________________________ ► Rothenberg Law Firm - Personal Injury Law Fi...
Feb 22, 2025•2 hr 8 min
Avital is a journalist writing on politics, religion, culture and gender. She is the news editor at The Real Deal, covering money, power and politics in New York. Her writing has appeared in the Atlantic, New York Times, Foreign Policy, Vogue, the New Republic, Glamour, Salon, and Vox, among others. ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka https://pushka.cc/meaningful ____________________________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price ag...
Feb 15, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Order Raquel's book here: https://amzn.to/4hNHOVx Raquel Kirszenbaum was born in margarita island in Venezuela and moved to Panama when she was 6 years old. After completing high school in Panama she went to Israel to experience what would be a life-changing experience. She joined Neve Yerushalaim College for Jewish studies and chose for herself a life path full with vibrant Judaism. After studying there for some time and growing as much as she could she was invited to teach in Panama where she ...
Feb 08, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Rabbi Shais Taub has delivered Torah lectures and classes to audiences on six continents. He wrote a popular weekly column in Ami Magazine and is the author of the bestselling book, G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction as well as several groundbreaking works on Tanya including: the Tanya Map teaching tool, the Soul Maps curriculum, and the audio series Mapping the Tanya. Order the brand new Meaningful People Game! Meaningfulminute.org/thegame ► Colel Chabad P...
Feb 01, 2025•1 hr 44 min
Rabbi Shlomo Farhi is a world-renowned speaker and educator, known for his magnetism and personable style. He was born in Israel and raised in the Syrian community of Deal, New Jersey, in a home saturated in Torah, Chesed and tradition. ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka https://pushka.cc/meaningful ____________________________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp __________________________...
Jan 25, 2025•2 hr 1 min
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, 54, is a soft-spoken teacher who grew up in Chicago. The body of her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was found in Gaza and returned to Israel after being held hostage for almost a year. She speaks about motherhood, her love for her son, then deep pain of living with her child in captivity, and now passed on. ►Colel Chabad Pushka App The easiest way to give Tzedaka download the Pushka app today https://pushka.cc/meaningful ______________________________________ ► PZ Deals Downlo...
Jan 18, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Kassy Dillon is a reporter and video journalist for The Daily Wire specializing in multimedia reporting and video journalism, covering a wide variety of topics including culture, politics, policy and foreign affairs. Before joining Digital Originals, Kassy was a reporter for Fox News Digital where she created hundreds of video reports. Kassy was also the U.S. news editor for Jewish News Syndicate. Kassy was the director of digital engagement for Ambassador Nikki Haley’s Stand for America. While ...
Jan 11, 2025•1 hr 58 min
Maya Namdar began her career in the fashion world as a merchandiser for trendy boutiques in Soho. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring in fashion buying and merchandising. She founded and owns Maya’s Place, designing fashionable looks that radiate beauty and femininity without compromising modesty. Maya is the mother of Liel A"H, her 15-year-old daughter who passed away in a car accident in December 2021. Liel was an extraordinary girl who had a lofty Neshama. She had...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 26 min
In this episode of Meaningful People, Emmi Polansky opens up about the challenges she faces as a single mother after divorce. With the support of her family, Emmi has navigated the difficulties of raising her son while also confronting the stigma surrounding single mothers. She shares her personal journey of healing and reentering the dating world, offering an inspiring conversation about resilience, growth, and embracing new beginnings. Follow her along her journey: https://www.instagram.com/li...
Jan 04, 2025•1 hr 29 min
Today is the Yahrzeit of my grandfather, R' Nison Gordon, and I'd like to share with you a conversation I had my father, R' Larry Gordon, about R' Nisson. R' Nison traveled from Poland when he was 18-years-old to report on life in New York City as the American correspondent for a Polish newspaper. Later he would became a well know Yiddish writer, writing for “The Day,” “The Day Morning Journal,” and “The Algemeiner Journal,” during a career that spanned over 45 years.
Dec 31, 2024•13 min
Orit Esther Riter is an Emuna Energizer, Renowned Inspirational Speaker, Author and the Practicing Founder of the First Haskamah-Approved Torah-Centric Energy Therapy Program. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 19 years ago, Emuna was the answer to Orit Esther’s healing, growth, and building of a solid foundation with Hashem. So much so, Orit Esther redirected her culinary chef career to a more meaningful path of spreading Emuna. Orit Esther believes that every soul is beautiful an...
Dec 28, 2024•58 min
