Human & Holy

By Tonia Chazanow

What's Human & Holy about?

Do you crave spiritual conversation that feels relevant to your daily life? Do you enjoy studying but can’t always find yourself in the text? This podcast is a space for experiential learning. Together, we will be exploring ideas in Jewish and Chassidic thought through the lens of real people’s experiences. How do they weave the sacred into the fabric of their lives? What relevance do mystical ideas have to their most intimate, human struggles? What does it mean to be both human and holy?

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Living With Shadows and Lig...

03.26.2023

Rivka Krinsky is an oil painter based in Miami Beach. How does the Rebbe's interactions with artists impact her work and life? And how has she been led by the Rebbe throughout her life, through a miracle that she experienced ...

Human & Holy episodes:

03.26.2023 Living With Shadows and Light: The Rebbe's Wisdom to Artists with Rivka Krinsky Rivka Krinsky is an oil painter based in Miami Beach. How does the Rebbe's interactions with artists impact her work and life? And how has she been led by the Rebbe throughout her life, through a miracle that she experienced ...
03.19.2023 The Chassidus of Creativity with Amy Guterson What does Chassidus teach us about creativity, and what does creativity teach us about life? How can tapping into our essential creativity help us connect more deeply to the wisdom of Chassidus? Amy Guterson is the artistic director and founder ...
03.12.2023 Instead of Learning More, Learn Deeper with Malkie Janowski How do we cultivate our inner receptors to the G-dly reality of the world? How do the nuances of our worldview affect the way we show up in our lives? \|\| To sponsor an episode of the podcast, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor. ...
03.05.2023 Tefillah Series Finale: A Farbrengen with Rishi Hein, Devora Freundlich and Kimberly Ritz In chassidic culture, farbrengens serve as a space for integration. Today, three women join me for a farbrengen, where we discuss the joys and struggles of prayer in our lives. What resistance do we feel around prayer? What draws us ...
02.26.2023 Tefillah Series: A Chassidic Journey Through Prayer Today, I am going to take you on a journey through some Chassidic sources on prayer. What does it really mean to be in a dialogue with Hashem when we pray? How can we use prayer as an opportunity for ...
02.19.2023 Tefillah Series: Keeping G-d Close with Shana Alayev What is it like to talk to G-d when everything feels so uncertain? How can you keep coming back to pray, when you don’t feel like your prayers are being answered? Shana Alayev is a wife and mother of four, ...
02.17.2023 The Human & Holy Resource Center: A Heart to Heart About the Tefillah Collection Join me for a quick, solo episode where I share all about our upcoming Tefillah Collection for the Human & Holy Resource Center! This collection was born alongside the Tefillah Series, and each item was really intentionally created to support ...
02.12.2023 Tefillah Series: Opening Up the Siddur with Adi Bitter (Part 2) What are some practical ways we can prioritize prayer in our life? What impact can the tactile experience of the siddur have on our davening experience? What does the Siddur uniquely offer us in our personal relationships with Hashem? Join ...
02.05.2023 Tefillah Series: Opening Up the Siddur with Adi Bitter (Part 1) What is a woman's halachic relationship with tefillah? What is the meaning behind some of the central prayers in the Siddur? And what does the Siddur uniquely offer us in our personal relationships with Hashem? Join us for part one ...
01.29.2023 Tefillah Series Launch: When You Don't Feel Worthy of Talking to G-d with Terri Klein Today's episode kicks off Human & Holy's extended series on Tefillah, where we will be doing a deep dive into the ongoing conversation we can have with Hashem. Before we even talk about the siddur, before we talk about the ...
01.22.2023 Getting Off the Hamster Wheel with Leah Rosenfeld How can the Tanya's description of the animal and G-dly souls' location in our bodies help us get off the hamster wheel of our impulses? How can we become more attuned to our soul's voice? \|\| To sponsor an episode ...
01.15.2023 The Ability to Choose with Toby Hecht How can we set ourselves up to make choices that are born of our G-dly souls? What is the relationship between free choice and G-d’s will? Join us today as we explore the choices that make us who we are. ...
01.08.2023 Holy Intimacy with Rivkah Slonim and Sara Morosow What is the Jewish take on sexual intimacy? Join us today for an open conversation with Rivkah Slonim and Sara Marasow, co-authors of a new book on the topic, Holy Intimacy. This episode is intended for mature audiences. To purchase ...
01.01.2023 If We Didn't Cry with Bruria Efune When the world feels bleak, where do we draw our strength from? Should we turn away from the world's darkness, or should we turn towards it? How can we remain aware of the hardships of the world without being drowned ...
12.25.2022 From Hunger to Fullness with Divi Bogart How can the chassidic ideas of Iskafya and Ishapcha transform the way we approach food? Today, Divi Bogart shares her own story with an eating disorder and personal recovery, and the way these ideas in chassidus have guided her on ...
12.18.2022 Celebrating Miracles with Leah Rubashkin Chanukah is all about Pirsumei Nisa, publicizing the miracle that G-d did for us long ago. Today, Leah Rubashkin publicly shares her own Chanukah miracle: when G-d released her husband, Sholom Rubashkin, from prison, against all odds. What was it ...
12.11.2022 Season 3 Launch: However Close You Think It is, It's Even Closer Season 3 is here! In today's episode, we tell the story of Ki Karov. How the teachings of Chassidus are so close to us, and so accessible. What you’ll hear is that karov -- close, does not always mean easy, ...
07.31.2022 The Shabbos Party Reimagined What happens when a group of women get together to celebrate Shabbos? What joys and struggles rise to the surface? Join us for a reimagined Shabbos party, where four women get together to celebrate the holiest day of our week. ...
07.24.2022 “Not Today” and Other Tools to Maximize Your Mental Rest on Shabbos with Aliza Shapiro, LCSW How can you rest on Shabbos if it is the most chaotic day of the week for you? How can you make it an enjoyable experience if it feels too quiet and you spend the day alone? Do you try ...
07.17.2022 The Neshama Yeseira: Rest as a Return to Essence How can we experience an unconditional relationship with G-d that lies at the foundation of our divine service? What does it look like to just be with Him on Shabbos, to show up from a place of rest, not performance? ...
07.10.2022 My Journey to Shabbos Join two women, Nili Navot and Vanessa Chalem, as they share their journeys to Shabbos observance. What drew them into Shabbos initially? And what continues to draw them close today? \|\| Today’s episode is the first in a four part ...
07.03.2022 It's Not My Fault, but It Is My Responsibility with Zisi Zirkind Can we acknowledge our flaws, without identifying with them? Can we confront our struggles honestly, without shaming ourselves for what we see? In this episode, Zisi Zirkind shares a powerful teaching of the Alter Rebbe to illustrate a self-awareness that ...
06.26.2022 The Story of the Rebbe's Impact with Rochel Sandman, Leah Sandman, Bluma Hecht, Basya Deitsch and Bassie Deitsch What memories do these women have with the Rebbe that stuck with them? What are the moments that carry them and guide them in our lives? Join us, as five women share their personal interactions with the Rebbe, and in ...
06.19.2022 A Sense of Self with Shterna Ginsberg What does it actually look like to internalize the identity of the Neshamah as our own? To approach our own reflection with a deep understanding of our essence, of the way it does not hinge on anything but the piece ...
06.12.2022 I'm Possible with Devorie Kreiman Devorie's life story has not been simple. How does she navigate the pain and grief that has been a constant companion in her life? How has she wrestled with the impossible and survived? To find more of Devorie's work, visit ...
05.29.2022 A Somatic Matan Torah with Shimona Tzukernik As we prepare to receive the Torah, Shimona shares with us what it means to have a visceral experience of G-d. To accept the Torah not only in our hearts and minds, but also within our bodies. Pulling from sources ...
05.22.2022 Something You Can Smell with Shaindy Jacobson There are some things you cannot teach by instruction, but can only pick up through scent. Today, Shaindy Jacobson talks about the extra layer of sensitivity that the Torah does not explicitly ask of us, but is at the heart ...
05.15.2022 I Didn't Know Who I Was with Miriam Cohen What does it look like to struggle with untempered chessed, to give and give without end, and wind up depleted, totally disconnected from yourself? And what does it look like to learn how to give from a place of fullness, ...
05.08.2022 How to Look Grief in the Eye with Chana Wasserman What does it look like to welcome grief as your divine mission, to hold tightly to G-d as you are plunged into the depths of human suffering? And what does it look like for others to witness you in your ...
05.01.2022 Home as the Center of the World with Chava Green The Jewish perspective on the function of a home is revolutionary. The home is not an aside, it is the incubator for all meaningful contribution to the world. Today, Chava Green shares her personal and professional experience with the idea ...
04.24.2022 Co-Author of My Life with Rivky Rappaport What happens when your life takes an unexpected turn? How can you find the balance between surrendering to G-d’s plan and taking ownership of the way you show up for your life? In today’s episode, Rivky shares her journey with ...
04.10.2022 Not Your Average Model Seder Join four women, as we sit down at a table together and approach the Seder with fresh eyes. What do each of these steps really mean? And what lessons do they hold for our lives? \|\| Today's episode is the ...
04.03.2022 Reverse Mah Nishtanah: So the Adults Will Listen On the Seder night, so much of our energy is directed towards getting the children to ask questions, while we provide the answers. What happens when we ask them the questions, and sit down to listen to their answers? Does ...
03.27.2022 Stretching Into Freedom with Rivka Mazal Tauber Where do you feel limited in your life? How can you experience freedom from your personal limitations? If you have experienced internal freedom, why do you seem to keep coming back to the same cage? Today, Rivka Mazal Tauber shares ...
03.20.2022 How To See Each Other More Softly with Rochel Holzkenner Religious fervor, arrogance, a false assumption about another person's experience... all of these things can easily lead us down the slippery slope of self-righteous judgment. Today, Rochel Holzkenner takes a deep dive into our judgments of others and explore how ...
03.13.2022 When the Steering Wheel Gets Tight with Rivky Brikman How can we manage feelings of sadness or worry that confront us throughout our day? How should we respond to feelings of failure when we struggle to maintain our internal growth? Through the wisdom of Chapters 26 and 27 of ...
03.06.2022 My Stroke of Good Fortune with Rus Devorah Wallen Through her own experience with a stroke, and through watching her clients rise from the depths of internal struggle, Rus Devorah tells us the story of yeridah l’tzorech aliyah: how the greatest descents in our lives are often a preparation ...
02.27.2022 You Are Not a Mannequin and Other Lessons in Jewish Beauty with Basya Weunsch-Reiter Does the Torah value physical beauty, or not? How should we define our own beauty? When does our desire to feel beautiful come as a true expression of ourselves, and when does it come from a place of judgment or ...
02.20.2022 Instead of Why, What Now? with Freidy Yanover In today's episode, Freidy Yanover speaks about our challenges being signs that can direct us towards the next step of our journey. If we are open, we can allow them to nudge us more deeply into our lives and relationships ...
02.13.2022 Jewish Femininity with Elana Kornfeld, Rochel Deitsch, Chayale Tzukernik, and Rochel Flikshtein What is Jewish femininity? What does it mean to be leaders of our homes, and of the world? This episode explores these questions in a live panel hosted for the Young Women's Kinus. Rochel Flikshtein, Chayale Tzukernik, Rochel Deitsch, and ...
02.06.2022 Souls First with Miriam Lipskier In today's episode, Miriam Lipskier speaks about seeing another person's soul before we judge them for their actions. Based on chapter 32 of Tanya, and Miriam's own experience, we discuss what it actually means to see others as souls first. ...
01.30.2022 Only This Moment Belongs to Me with Alisa Fellig In this episode, I speak with Alisa Fellig about the muscles we build, over time, that help us stay present with G-d in our more challenging moments. Through a miraculous outcome of her baby's birth, Alisa speaks about surrendering the ...
01.23.2022 Longing and Returning with Shterny Tubul In today’s episode, I speak to Shterny Tubul about the lifelong process of Ratzui V’shuv, pining for spirituality, but always returning to the real work in this physical world. Shterny speaks about wrestling with a woman’s profoundly physical role in ...
01.16.2022 Asking Questions to Find Answers with Kayla Goldstein In today’s episode, I speak to Kayla Goldstein about her journey with her Judaism throughout the years. For many years, she went through the motions of the religious lifestyle that she was brought up with. When life got rough, habit ...
01.09.2022 This World is a Garden with Dini Hecht and Inbal Levin In honor of Yud Shvat, I interview Dini Hecht and Inbal Levin about the way the Rebbe's vision for the world pushes them, each in their own way, to take responsibility for the state of the world and prioritize their ...
01.02.2022 G-d as Parent and Partner with Chana Kalmenson In today's episode, Chana Kalmenson speaks about using our understanding of attachment theory to better understand our relationships with G-d. What does it look like for us to be securely attached to G-d, as a parent to a child? What ...
12.26.2021 Instead of Juggling, Hold Them Both with Shternie Bell In today's episode, I interview Shternie Bell about finding the unity in seemingly opposing areas of our lives. Shternie shares her quest to bridge the divide between her personal identity and her life as a community leader, and in doing ...
12.19.2021 Focus Less on the Obstacle, More on the Goal with Vivi Deren In today's episode, Vivi Deren speaks about utilizing the idea of L'chatchila Ariber to help us focus less on our obstacles, and more on our goals. Instead of becoming consumed with the challenges in her life, Vivi tries to focus ...
12.12.2021 Until You Feel It In Your Bones with Devori Nussbaum In today's episode, Devori Nussbaum describes Daas as a felt sense in the body, as a true integration of G-dly awareness into our emotional and internal headspace. Devori outlines how to deepen our body's awareness of G-d, with compassion, curiosity, ...
12.05.2021 Human Beings, Not Human Doings with Rivky Kaplan In today's episode, I interview Rivky Kaplan about moving away from our obsession with productivity to embrace the value of simply being. Many of us measure our worth by the light we are emitting. Through a talk given by the ...

Older episodes

Human & Holy

What's Human & Holy about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Human & Holy episodes:

Living With Shadows and Light: The Rebbe's Wisdom to Artists with Rivka Krinsky

The Chassidus of Creativity with Amy Guterson

Instead of Learning More, Learn Deeper with Malkie Janowski

Tefillah Series Finale: A Farbrengen with Rishi Hein, Devora Freundlich and Kimberly Ritz

Tefillah Series: A Chassidic Journey Through Prayer

Tefillah Series: Keeping G-d Close with Shana Alayev

The Human & Holy Resource Center: A Heart to Heart About the Tefillah Collection

Tefillah Series: Opening Up the Siddur with Adi Bitter (Part 2)

Tefillah Series: Opening Up the Siddur with Adi Bitter (Part 1)

Tefillah Series Launch: When You Don't Feel Worthy of Talking to G-d with Terri Klein

Getting Off the Hamster Wheel with Leah Rosenfeld

The Ability to Choose with Toby Hecht

Holy Intimacy with Rivkah Slonim and Sara Morosow

If We Didn't Cry with Bruria Efune

From Hunger to Fullness with Divi Bogart

Celebrating Miracles with Leah Rubashkin

Season 3 Launch: However Close You Think It is, It's Even Closer

The Shabbos Party Reimagined

“Not Today” and Other Tools to Maximize Your Mental Rest on Shabbos with Aliza Shapiro, LCSW

The Neshama Yeseira: Rest as a Return to Essence

My Journey to Shabbos

It's Not My Fault, but It Is My Responsibility with Zisi Zirkind

The Story of the Rebbe's Impact with Rochel Sandman, Leah Sandman, Bluma Hecht, Basya Deitsch and Bassie Deitsch

A Sense of Self with Shterna Ginsberg

I'm Possible with Devorie Kreiman

A Somatic Matan Torah with Shimona Tzukernik

Something You Can Smell with Shaindy Jacobson

I Didn't Know Who I Was with Miriam Cohen

How to Look Grief in the Eye with Chana Wasserman

Home as the Center of the World with Chava Green

Co-Author of My Life with Rivky Rappaport

Not Your Average Model Seder

Reverse Mah Nishtanah: So the Adults Will Listen

Stretching Into Freedom with Rivka Mazal Tauber

How To See Each Other More Softly with Rochel Holzkenner

When the Steering Wheel Gets Tight with Rivky Brikman

My Stroke of Good Fortune with Rus Devorah Wallen

You Are Not a Mannequin and Other Lessons in Jewish Beauty with Basya Weunsch-Reiter

Instead of Why, What Now? with Freidy Yanover

Jewish Femininity with Elana Kornfeld, Rochel Deitsch, Chayale Tzukernik, and Rochel Flikshtein

Souls First with Miriam Lipskier

Only This Moment Belongs to Me with Alisa Fellig

Longing and Returning with Shterny Tubul

Asking Questions to Find Answers with Kayla Goldstein

This World is a Garden with Dini Hecht and Inbal Levin

G-d as Parent and Partner with Chana Kalmenson

Instead of Juggling, Hold Them Both with Shternie Bell

Focus Less on the Obstacle, More on the Goal with Vivi Deren

Until You Feel It In Your Bones with Devori Nussbaum

Human Beings, Not Human Doings with Rivky Kaplan