Deep Meaningful Conversations

By Alex Fleksher and Rivki SilverReligion & Spirituality Judaism

Deep Meaningful Conversations episodes

January 15, 2024Developing a Geula Mindset with Faigy Blumstein
These days, it seems Geula is very much on our mind. Geula, as our guest Faigy Blumstein explains, is very much a mindset as well hat needs developing. Geula, redemption, will happen with Hashem’s help in the future, but it isn’t something that we passively wait for. Every day we yearn for the Geula, and there are things we can do right now to put into place as an expression of that yearning – and as a means to an end to bring the Geula closer! Faigy, with her signature Thank You Hashem attitude, gives us the low down on how to make this a reality in our daily lives.

On this DMC we discuss:
How Faigy and her husband started the TYH movement

Faigy’s passion for teaching and the topics she’s loving to give over these days

What is a “Geula mindset” and how we can develop it

Why developing a Geula mindset is so critical these days during the challenges facing Am Yisrael
Thank you for the recent flurry of emails! We love hearing from our listeners. You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook and Instagram, join our (admin only) WhatsApp group here https://chat.whatsapp.com/IjG33sXCYgFGJSdncnN4nX and you can always email us at [email protected].

Faigy's book/shiur recommendations:
-Rabbi Moshe Weinberger Intro to Chassidus on YU Torah
-Rabbi Yossi Zakutinsky
-Rabbi Shais Taub
-Gedale Fenster
-The Story of Our Lives by Yaakov Klein
(Rabbi Nachman’s story book for children)

Thank You Hashem website:
https://tyhnation.com/

Faigy’s Tanya classes can be found on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/faigy.blumstein/

DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
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DMC EPISODE SPONSOR:
Project Inspire Convention
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(646)-291-6191
[email protected]
1 hr 29 min
January 01, 20242023 Recap with Alex & Rivki
Welcome to episode 51 as Season 3 of DMC comes to a close! It’s time for a little recap of our year as we reflect on our experiences as the hosts of Deep Meaningful Conversations. We released 23 episodes this year and have had over 120k downloads. We’ve had on average 4000 listeners per episode. So thank you to all our loyal DMC listeners! Here’s to continued growth and many more DMCS in 2024!
On this episode, we discuss:
Stats and listener demographics

Our top-rated episodes

What we’re most looking forward to next season

Favorite feedback from listeners

“Celebrity” sightings

Our favorite episodes

Our most personally meaningful episodes

The episodes we felt most impactful for our audience
We’d love to hear from you, especially if you’d like to join us in reflecting on any of our episodes this past season! You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook and Instagram, and you can email us at [email protected].
Join our Whatsapp Group - https://chat.whatsapp.com/IjG33sXCYgFGJSdncnN4nX
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
22 min
December 18, 2023Food As Fuel with Esti Asher
We hope all our listeners had a wonderful Chanukah! With any holiday or yom tov, there is that week after when we’re trying to get bedtimes back to normal, work schedules back to normal, and our eating schedules back to normal. But this year, we haven’t really had the luxury of “getting back to normal.” Nonetheless, taking care of ourselves during stressful and disruptive situations is extremely important. We can’t get completely consumed and not be able to take care of our responsibilities – and ourselves. It’s so easy to put our care on the back burner. And if we aren’t eating properly, that can impact our psychological state too. It’s during stressful times that we’re more likely to not tend to our needs (sometimes we even think “how can we” with the news) – but we must.

Esti Asher, a registered dietitian based out of northern Israel, joins us for this DMC. Esti provides us with some mindset and perspective shifts to help us understand the concept of food as fuel as well as deal with any negative feelings associated with our holiday splurging. She also provides tips to help us get back to a more balanced everyday eating routine. Esti’s approach is practical, positive, and holistic. She focuses on many factors that contribute to overall health. Esti places a strong emphasis on healthy habits and behaviors that are optimal to reach your ultimate health and well-being potential. Most importantly, Esti encourages self-awareness, self-care and self-love.

On this episode of DMC, we discuss:
The main principles that guide Esti’s work as a nutritionist

Mindset and practical tips to help us get back on track with our eating post chag

Dealing with negative feelings associated with splurging

The concept of food as fuel

The most helpful approach for those of us who are motivated to adopt a more healthy lifestyle

Esti’s take on diet culture

Esti’s website
https://www.estiashernutrition.com/
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
1 hr 19 min
December 04, 2023Being Jewish On Campus Today with Mariel Goldstein
We all know the frightening reality facing Jewish students on college campuses today. The stories are horrifying and unbelievable. We want this episode to be somewhat uplifting as well, and that’s why we’ve invited Mariel Goldstein to speak with us. Mariel is the director of women’s education at MEOR Maryland, a campus-based organization dedicated to extending Jewish learning opportunities to the broadest spectrum of Jewish students at the University of Maryland, College Park. University of Maryland College Park is the fourth largest public university by Jewish population. According to Hilllel, there are 6000 Jewish students on campus, 20% of the student population. So Mariel is in the trenches, supporting Jewish students who are struggling right now – and doing her best to support herself as well since October 7th.
On this episode we discuss:
The impact of October 7 on the lives of the Jewish students Mariel works with

Rising anti-semitism on campus and how it’s impacted University of Maryland

The safe haven MEOR provides and the increased interest in programming and Jewish pride

The biggest takeaway for college students from this current experience

Mariel’s thoughts about the future of Jewish college students on secular campuses

Show notes:

Donate to Meor’s campaign to support Jewish students on campus during these challenging times!

https://causematch.com/meor23/goldstein

Meor Maryland’s website
https://www.meormarylandonline.org/
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
DMC EPISODE SPONSOR:
Amudim
https://unitetoheal.com/
https://amudim.org/
646-517-0222
646-517-0221
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1 hr 26 min
November 23, 2023Processing Our Emotions In A Healthy Way with Erika Needleman
The topic of processing our emotions applies at all times, but it’s especially relevant now. We know that there are ways we as individuals process our emotions in a healthy way, and process our emotions in an unhealthy way. Disclaimer: for anyone who is going through acute trauma due this war, this episode is not designed for you. This episode is also not meant to take the place of seeking professional help.
Our guest for this DMC is Erika Needleman of Adulting with Erika. Erika is one of those special people who has such good insight into people and into life. She is driven by the belief that if we look to ourselves, we have many of the answers. Erika helps women stop resisting their life so they can start living it. The topic of today’s episode is one that Erika is particularly passionate about, and we’re so happy to share her insights with you.
On this DMC, we discuss:
The wide range of emotions women are experiencing right now due to the war

What processing emotions in an unhealthy way looks like

What processing emotions in a healthy way looks like and the steps we can take to achieve that

What we can do when we notice we’re falling into the trap of bad habits when it comes to processing our emotions

How to handle when loved ones process emotions differently to us
Book recommendations:
Yemima Mizrachi Speaks
It's All The Same To Me: A Torah Guide To Inner Peace and Love of Life by Rabbi Moshe Gersht
The Three Conditions: How Intention, Joy, and Certainty Will Supercharge Your Life by Rabbi Moshe Gersht
Sha’ar HaBitachon
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz
Handout for processing emotions
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
1 hr 15 min
November 06, 2023Opening Our Hearts and Homes with Sarah Levy
We’re thinking about all of our listeners during this extremely challenging time for the Jewish people worldwide, and here at DMC, we’re committed to providing content for you that will be helpful and hopefully uplifting. There are many heroes in this war, and some of them are the special individuals in Eretz Yisrael who have done whatever they can to support their fellow brothers and sisters who have been displaced from their homes due to the war. We’re privileged to have been connected with Sarah Levy who lives in Ramot and has opened up her home and heart to a displaced family from Southern Israel. Sarah’s story needs to be told, and we learned so much from her about taking action and truly being nosei ol b’chaveiro, carrying the burden of one’s friend. We hope you find this episode as inspiring as we did.
On this DMC, we discuss:
How Sarah got connected to Revital, the mother of the familly she is hosting

Sarah’s decision process in deciding to host Revital, her husband and her children

What the transition has been like for both families

Special experiences both families have shared together

Getting by day-to-day without being consumed by worry about the future

Chizuk from Eretz Yisrael for our listeners
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
DMC EPISODE SPONSOR:
ERA Plastic Surgery
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Link to business WhatsApp:
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52 min
October 19, 2023Chizuk from the Holy Land with Dini Coopersmith
Like everyone right now, no matter where you live, our everyday lives are not the same due to the tragic unfolding of events in Eretz Yisrael. Certainly, our brothers and sisters in Israel are facing the most formidable challenges. Those of us watching and davening from afar are challenged in different ways, but challenged nonetheless. Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael are constantly on our minds, as we try to get back to whatever our regular life and work looks like here in America.
For this episode, we wanted to DMC with someone in Eretz Yisrael who can share with us her experiences, insight and chizuk about the current matzav. Those of us in chutz laaretz feel so far away, many are feeling helpless, but maybe this DMC will give us the opportunity to feel that closeness that we are longing for.
We speak with Dini Coopersmith of Maalot Dafna who shares with us what life has been like in Eretz Yisrael the past week and a half. Through this interview, we get a glimpse into the clarity, emunah and bitachon that is so characteristic of the special Jewish people living in the Holyland.
In this DMC we discuss:
Dini’s experiences when the sirens went of Shmini Atzeres morning

What life is like right now living through this war

The general feeling and morale in Israel currently

Dini’s connection to the communities in the South through her Women’s Reconnection Trips

How Dini is witnessing the unity of the Jewish people at this time

The feelings surrounding outside threats to Israel

Chizuk for those of us in Chutz La’aretz
We love to hear from you. You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or you can email us at [email protected].
Show Notes:
Women’s Reconnection Trip
https://www.reconnectiontrips.com/#page-top
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
DMC EPISODE SPONSOR:
Sod Haadam
https://sodhaadam.org/
718 504 9441
[email protected]
Registration opens after Sukkos
1 hr 5 min
September 18, 2023 Torah, Psychology & Religious Overwhelm with Chani Juravel
Yom Kippur is our most serious and arguably most important Yom Tov in the Jewish calendar. But what happens if our feeling of overwhelm about the seriousness of the day (and the practical physical requirements of the season) robs us from feeling truly connected? More broadly, how does our mental health impact our Torah observance in general? When we're feeling anxious, depressed or overwhelmed, is Yiddishkeit simply something else on the to-do list that may get pushed off for another day?
When we discussed tackling this topic, we knew it needed to be with someone firmly rooted both in the worlds of psychology and Torah. And that’s why we turned to Chani Juravel, LCSW.
Chani shares her insights on how our psychological/emotional state plays a huge role in religious life. With her extensive experience as a therapist and Torah educator, Chani's passion is the intersection between Torah and psychology. She also explains to us the Torah-true nature of therapy, how it can be fused with our spirituality, and how we find models of so many therapeutic tools and principles in Tanach, particularly from Hashem's model.
We hope this episode enriches your Yom Kippur. Wishing all our listeners a Gmar Chasima Tova.
We’d love to hear from you. You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook and Instagram, and you can email us at [email protected].
Show Notes:
Chani Juravel’s shiurim
https://www.torahanytime.com/#/speaker?l=561
Chani Juravel’s book, Sefira in Our Lives
https://www.amazon.com/Sefirah-Our-Lives-Transforming-Relationship/dp/1680254995
Link to her WhatsApp group, Inspired Living https://chat.whatsapp.com/LPT6VMO5XFrIYetQoLNury
The Slow Movement - Carl Honore Ted Talk - https://youtu.be/npRXazR1LtU?si=U-VQ6lqNU5Srv7Tf
Book recommendations:
-Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
-The Choice by Edith Eger
-Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
-Positivity Bias: Practical Wisdom for Positive Living : Inspired by the Life and Teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe by Mendel Kalmenson
-Ohel Rochel
-anything by the Nesivos Shalom
To advertise on DMC:
Contact Jewish Content Network
https://jewishcontentnetwork.com/
1-845-287-0404
Contact: Chayale Kaufman
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
DMC EPISODE 45 SPONSOR
Sod Haadam
https://sodhaadam.org/
718 504 9441
[email protected]
Registration opens after Sukkos
1 hr 15 min
September 05, 2023Finding Focus on Rosh Hashana with Slovie Jungreis-Wolff
Rosh Hashana is approaching and we want to give you some deep and meaningful content to think about in addition to the delicious meal planning! That’s why we invited Rebbetzin Slovie Jungreis-Wolff to DMC with us about finding focus this Rosh Hashana. Slovie herself is a well-spring of knowledge and inspiration and in this DMC, she shares her Rosh Hashana memories around the Jungreis table in addition to her beautiful Torah insights to help you find your focus on this meaningful and busy day. Wishing all our listeners are sweet new year!
In the episode, we discuss:
How the legacy of Slovie’s mother, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis z"l, impacted her life's work
What Rosh Hashana and the yamim noraim were like in her home growing up and what she continues in her own home

The main message of Rosh Hashana for busy women during this time

Slovie’s favorite Rosh Hashana theme to focus on

Her new book, The Soul of Parenting
We’d love to hear from you. You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook and Instagram, and you can email us at [email protected].
Show Notes:
Slovie Jungreis-Wolff’s new book on parenting:
https://mosaicapress.com/product/the-soul-of-parenting/
DMC20 coupon code for 20% off!
Slovie Jungreis-Wolff’s shiurim on Torah Anytime:
https://www.torahanytime.com/#/speaker?l=74
To advertise on DMC:
Contact Jewish Content Network
https://jewishcontentnetwork.com/
1-845-287-0404
Contact: Chayale Kaufman
DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us
DMC EPISODE 44 SPONSOR:
Torah Umesorah: Share Hamaalos
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[email protected]
Or call in and record your story: 718-766-4554
1 hr 17 min
August 21, 2023How To Build Resilience with Professor Leslie Gutman (Replay)
We all want to be more resilient, to bounce back during times of stress and upheaval. But is resilience just about bouncing back to who we were before we experienced adversity, or is it more? On this episode of DMC, we sit down with Professor Leslie Gutman, author of Resilience: A Jewish Guide to Facing Adversity, Fostering Strength and Living your Best Life, who shares some fascinating insights and helpful tools to help us grow our grit when (and before) the going gets tough.

On this episode we discuss:
What resilience is, and what it is not

How we can boost our resilience

What is spiritual resilience and why it’s important

Being resilient in face of public vs. private nisyonos

By the end of today’s episode, we hope you’ve gained tools to help you build and maintain resilience during the stages and moments of our life when we’re feeling we’re merely treading water, or even sinking.

Professor Leslie Gutman’s website:
https://drlesliemgutman.com/

Her new book on resilience:
https://mosaicapress.com/product/resilience/

We’d love to hear from you. You can find Deep Meaningful Conversations on Facebook and Instagram, and you can email us at [email protected].

To advertise on DMC:

Contact Jewish Content Network
https://jewishcontentnetwork.com/
1-845-287-0404
Contact: Chayale Kaufman

DMC YEARLY SPONSOR:
Town Appliance
https://www.townappliance.com/
1-866-309-8119
https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us

DMC EPISODE 43 SPONSOR:
Shuvu
https://www.shuvuusa.org
38 min

About Deep Meaningful Conversations

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Join Alex Fleksher and Rivki Silver as they DMC about the topics on the minds of frum women with their unique blend of expert guests and relatable conversations. It’s like having a coffee date with…