As the High Holidays approach, so many of us walk them with heavy hearts. The traditional prayers are filled with stories of Sarah, Chana, and Rachel — women who struggled with infertility — and with prayers about life, family, and legacy. For those still waiting, or those whose journeys haven't unfolded the way they once imagined, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can feel complicated, overwhelming, even painful. In this episode, Aimee sits down with Chavie Bruk, a "Talking Away the Taboo" regular (I think this is her 4th time on the podcast), a woman whose path to motherhood was through adoption, not biology. Together they talk about what emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust) look like in the face of unanswered prayers, and how fertility challenges shape our experience of the Yamim Noraim. She's raw, honest, and unabashedly frank about her struggles, and every time I speak with Chavie, I am blown away by the wisdom she shares, and I know you will be too. They explore:

• How she still struggles 18 years after learning that she would never have children

• How she straddles the fact that her story is hard and painful, and yet she accepts that this is what Gd has chosen for her

• Finding God in disappointment, grief, and renewal

• The insensitive things people say, especially this time of year, and how to respond so you don't get consumed by the anger

• What advice she gives to people who are still in the midst of their struggles

This is a conversation about faith, honesty, and resilience, and about making space for all feelings. More about Chavie Bruk: Chavie Bruk is a mother of five adopted children and is the co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana together with her husband. On her podcast, Totally Unexpected! Chavie sits with guests to her about the one unexpected moment that changed their lives. She hopes listeners will see themselves in these stories, feeling a little less alone and little more connected. Connect with Chavie Bruk: - Follow her on Instagram - Read her blog Totally Unexpected - Listen to her Totally Unexpected podcast on Spotify and Apple Previous Episodes with Chavie: - Episode 8. My Adoption Stories with Chavie Bruk - Episode 47. Expectations, Pain and Adoption with Chavie Bruk - Episode 141. Pain Doesn't End... or Does It? with Chavie Bruk - Episode 100. With Aliza Abrams Konig, Etsy Perman, Chavie Bruk, Lizzy Savetsky, Adelle Bryski, Amy Seroussi & Malki Rodal

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