M54 Podcast

In this milestone episode recorded exactly 24 years after their arrival at Brandeis University, Rabbi Peretz and Chanie Chein introduce their revolutionary new initiative: Chabad Brandeis 360°. Joined by Koby Gottlieb, a senior, they discuss this comprehensive educational program that transforms the traditional Chabad house model from hospitality-focused to education-centered.

Key highlights include:

• The 360° Program Structure: A three-pronged approach combining enhanced Shabbat dinners, weekly learning sessions focused on integrating Jewish values into daily life, and structured mentoring
• A Radical Shift: Moving from free programming to a partnership model where families invest financially ($5,000/year) in their students' Jewish education, with scholarships available for every student who desires the program—ensuring finances are never a barrier
• Educational vs. Hospitality: The evolution from viewing Chabad as a place for meals to recognizing it as a comprehensive educational institution
• Post-Graduation Preparation: Equipping students with tools and perspectives for "the Monday after graduation" - growing Jewish identity and values in adult life
• Student Perspective: Koby shares honest feedback about initial concerns regarding cost and social dynamics, while acknowledging the program's potential for deeper friendships and personal growth

The conversation addresses practical concerns about exclusivity, scholarships, social implications, and how this model differs from traditional Chabad House on Campus operations. The hosts emphasize that this isn't about creating barriers but rather inviting intentional commitment to Jewish growth and learning during the formative college years.

This episode offers valuable insights for students, parents, and Jewish educators about innovative approaches to campus Jewish life and the evolving role of Chabad in higher education.

The M54 podcast returns with a fresh perspective on the importance of insourcing, or Avoda Pni mit, as a means of personal growth and understanding in an age overwhelmed by external influences.

Chanie and Peretz reflect on their hiatus and discuss how the demanding nature of their work limited their ability to engage in podcasting. They emphasize the need for individuals to internalize wisdom rather than simply consuming external ideas, highlighting the transformative power of meaningful conversations.

As they share insights from their experiences and interactions with students, they illustrate how a shift in approach can foster deeper connections and understanding. This episode sets the stage for a journey of exploration into the dynamics of personal development, curiosity, and the joy of learning together.

Takeaways:

• Chanie and Peretz discuss the importance of resuming their podcast on the occasion of Peretz's birthday.
• They emphasize the significance of internalizing knowledge rather than merely outsourcing wisdom from others.
• Curiosity and slowness are necessary ingredients for engaging in meaningful personal growth.
• Through their experiences with students, they highlight the need for deeper connections and relational experiences.
• The concept of Avoda Pnimis is introduced as a means to foster personal reflection and growth.
• They share insights from their Shabbat dinner model, which encourages student participation and meaningful dialogue.

The obstacles, the stakes, the joys. 

What does a magical conversation that lasts through the night until 9 am, look like?

Growing up and changing requires insourcing - what are the obstacles it encounters, and how to overcome them? 

The stakes of not growing up are huge but what emerges from change is spectacular. 

Learn what it looks like in this episode.

Navigating life isn't easy. Often we go, go, go and feel like we can't catch our breath. And when we do need help, we often outsource our solutions to others.

Taking time to reflect on our own lives in order to gain agency is crucial. Making choices to increase our lives vibrancy doesn't need to be outsourced.

Everyone can learn how to do it. This podcast will help you learn how.

Thank you for listening!

Chanie & Peretz

Over the past 14 months, since we published our last podcast, we have been hard at work developing, applying, and teaching the pedagogy and skills of self-reflection and growth through language and finding voice.

This will be the last episode of a New Conversation with Chanie and Peretz. Moving forward our podcast will be called the Torah of Conversation!

This episode, recorded in front of a live audience, is a reflective conversation on our 21 years at Brandeis and our dream for the future.

The conversation is skillfully moderated by the Jacob S. Potofsky Professor Emerita of Sociology, Shulamit Reinharz.

We invite you to join us in upcoming episodes as we explore the torah of conversation.

Grab a drink of your choice and join us in the Chein living room!

In this episode you will hear exactly what a conversation using the three steps of ‘let-it-land’, ‘tell- me-more’, and ‘name the thing’ can sound like.

Through a real conversation about concerns surrounding the upcoming Passover holiday, we move away from the abstract to explicitly model what happens when using these three tools and demonstrate how it can lead to a more productive conversation.

‘Naming the thing’ is critical in taking a conversation to a new level and greater depth. 

In this episode, we share what naming the thing has done to our relationships with others and each other.

‘Naming the thing’ is about putting forward what is unsaid but fully present, taking up space, or weighing heavily on either of the participants.

We explore what prevents “naming the thing” and what can happen when done well.

In this episode, we share three simple words that can make any conversation deeper, more thoughtful, and more productive: Tell Me More.

When you invite someone to “tell me more,” you’re inviting them to look within themselves and open up another layer to the conversation. The listener’s role becomes less about offering advice or solutions to a problem but supporting the other’s own exploration.

Not only does this help the one sharing their feelings, but it also strengthens the relationship between the two in conversation.

Think about a recent conversation you had with someone. Did you find yourself formulating a response in your head before the other person finished their thought? In this episode, we talk about the value of “letting it land” - taking in what someone is offering to you in a conversation, pausing, and then engaging with a response. 

We also discuss how important it is to have conversations with those you love, even when a relationship feels perfectly fine as is. It is about digging deeper and opening up a richness that can only be accessed through conversation.

What prevents someone from having a conversation? Often people want easy life fixes; they turn to self-help books or TED Talks or lectures telling them how to solve their problems. This keeps someone from looking inside themselves, considering their reality, and engaging with it alongside another person. In this podcast, we discuss these conversation preventers and others. Instead of turning to others for fixes, we encourage the practice of conversation.