Melissa and Elisheva reflect on the gaps between the births women want / plan for versus the births they get. How can we move forward from a birth experience that wasn't what we wanted or one in which we felt agency? We were privileged to interview Yael Hirsch-Biderman, a pregnancy and birth professional - certified doula, childbirth educator, group facilitator and a mentor of childbirth experience processing. Yael offers therapy following traumatic births, miscarriages and other losses.

Trigger warning: this episode may not be for you if you are struggling to build your family or have had significant birth trauma.

Yael is proudly part of the BOT: Birth Oriented Thinking professional community as well as the “MENIFA” association for certified doulas in Israel.

Yael is also involved in several nonprofits including: TOMCHOT BE'AHAVA - childbirth guidance and support by professionals for young women between the ages of 14 to 26 from at-risk backgrounds;
The birth freedom Israel movement – advancing the rights of woman during pregnancy and birth and LAHAV – professional support for parents dealing with premature babies

Yael can be found at the following places:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/YaelHirschBiderman
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hirschyael/

Melissa and Elisheva launch a mini-series on the topic of child birth by getting personal and sharing their own birth stories and history.

Trigger warning: this episode may not be for you if you are struggling to build your family or have had significant birth trauma. Please be kind to yourself in exercising judgement about whether to listen. We love you and support you in your journey.

Stay tuned for the coming episodes in the series that touch on different aspects of birth.

In this episode, Melissa and Elisheva take on a taboo subject, MONEY, with the help of Debbie Sassen, an inspiring money coach and mother of eight!

Debbie Sassen is a Business and Money Coach and host of the Jewish Entrepreneur Podcast. She helps entrepreneurs create consistent $5k-20K months and build wealth, in alignment with Jewish values.

Because money is intimately involved with everything we do in business, Debbie believes that clearing your money blocks makes everything else in business easier. Her coaching combines business strategy, sales expertise, and money mindset to help entrepreneurs dissolve the limiting beliefs that keep them underearning.

Debbie believes that no woman should undercharge, undersell or dim her light to build financial sustainability for her family.

Website: https://debbiesassen.com/


Learn about her book, The $1K Investor: Simple Smart Steps to Start Investing with $1K or Less https://debbiesassen.com/book

Melissa and Elisheva interview Sara Liss Landa, Assistant Deputy Director at the New York City Council and long-time political activist.

Sara is the President of the Board of Directors of Zioness and supports the organization Grow Torah

Sara references the YouTube series Crash Course: U.S. government and politics which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H

Melissa and Elisheva update about where they're at and what they are learning during this time.
Life decisions being affirmed or challenged and new empathy being discovered for other experiences.

For their main topic, they dig into some of the career questioning and reevaluating they are witnessing as the war progresses, and debate the merits of optimally deploying professional skills vs. seeking optimal mission and meaning from work.

Melissa and Elisheva clarify the podcast goals, then address some listener feedback.
They then delve into the episode's main topic: fostering resilience in our kids, especially in the face of adversity. Elisheva breaks down 4 components of the war that challenge parents, and Melissa shares the parenting values that guide them.

Notes:
Elisheva referred to a study from Emory University that was tested in the wake of 9/11. Read about it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html

In this episode, Melissa and Elisheva interview Naomi Eastman, a health coach, personal trainer, and mother of three. Her husband, Aryeh, was called up to miluim (reserve duty) on October 7th, and has been serving ever since.
Naomi is a resident of Carmei Gat in the south of Israel.

Melissa and Elisheva discuss what they're seeing around them, outside their homes. How are their respective communities and environments reacting to Israel's current War? Next, they discuss the uncertainty, the impossibility to plan, and are honest in exploring the limits of their commitment to living in Israel.

Melissa and Elisheva introduce the podcast and jump right in to their personal experiences during Israel's current war against Hamas. The events in Israel on October 7th have changed us forever. We are still processing it, and check in with one another from opposite sides of the world.

Praying for peace and the speedy return of all hostages.