Orange Socks Podcast Exploring Jewish Art and Creativity with Yitzchok Moully

Rabbi Avraham “Rabbi Raps” Rapoport is a Chabad rabbi, content creator, and community builder who brings warmth, honesty, and creativity to the way he shows up online and offline. In this episode of Orange Socks, Rabbi Raps reflects on growing up in Atlantic City, early instincts for video and storytelling, and the inner tension between fitting the expected “rabbi box” and showing up as his full, authentic self. We explore how social media can be a space for genuine connection rather than performance, why imperfection builds trust, and how creativity works best when it’s grounded in real life. This is a thoughtful conversation about purpose, vulnerability, and finding your orange socks by leaning into who you already are.

Episode Link: spoti.fi/OrangeSocks60

About Rabbi Raps:

https://www.rabbiraps.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rabbiraps/

Creatives Rabbi Raps thinks you should know:

The Rebbe https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/default_cdo/jewish/TheRebbeorg.htm

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Tali Yess is a musician, producer, and arranger whose creative journey began in childhood and evolved through performance, production, and personal reinvention. In this episode of Orange Socks, Tali reflects on growing up immersed in music, navigating creativity alongside social anxiety, and learning the difference between making music for validation versus making music that feels true. He speaks openly about legacy, loss, and how music bypasses ideology to connect directly with the soul, becoming both a form of therapy and a source of grounding. This conversation explores growth, vulnerability, and the quiet courage it takes to stay creative through every season of life.

 About Tali:

www.taliyess.com

www.holyoutlaws.com

facebook.com/taliyess

tiktok.com/taliyess

Creatives Tali thinks you should know:
Abie Rotenberg (singer songwriter):X: @AbieRotenberg18
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARJoLv7FX/
Google: https://share.google/gJMbHuNGEgTqhCX6X

Sender Zeyv (author)

Aleph Shinhttps://a.co/d/hGUUcne

Ten Losthttps://a.co/d/jdpKMdM

Haim Sherrf (painter/artist)https://www.instagram.com/sherrf_haimhttp://www.sherrf.com

His father Moshe Yess:https://www.MosheYess.ca

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Moshe Wigder is a real estate agent who unexpectedly became one of the most recognizable Jewish faces on social media — and in this episode, he sits down as a friend, not a brand. Recorded in a space filled with personal and communal history, Moshe shares how he went from shy, hesitant selfie videos to building a massive online following, all while staying visibly Jewish and deeply grounded. Together, we talk about fear of the camera, perfectionism, consistency, and the quiet confidence it takes to show up before you feel “ready.”

As the conversation deepens, Moshe speaks openly about going viral after October 7th — and the wave of antisemitic hate that followed. His perspective is both sobering and empowering: the hate was never personal, and it was never about content — it was about being Jewish. He offers a powerful reframing for Jewish creators who have gone silent, reminding them that showing up matters more than ever, and that light grows precisely where resistance appears. This episode is about creativity, courage, friendship, and responsibility — and why continuing to speak, post, and exist proudly is itself an act of strength.

About Moshe:https://www.instagram.com/moshewigder

Contact Moshe at +1 917-244-4673

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Keren Gordon is a painter whose work is rooted in positivity, Jewish spirituality, and the quiet intensity of lived experience. In this conversation, Karen shares how creativity has been a lifelong companion — encouraged early on, paused during years of motherhood, and eventually rediscovered through watercolor and later oils. She reflects on walking away from formal art education, choosing experimentation over theory, and relearning how to trust her instincts through disciplined daily practice and honest trial and error.We explore how Karen thinks about what belongs on the walls of a Jewish home, why she intentionally chooses uplifting subject matter, and how faith, family, and art coexist in seasons of life that allow for more—or less—creative time. From painting through turbulence to deciding what not to share with the world, Karen speaks candidly about growth, doubt, and defining success on her own terms. This episode is a thoughtful look at creating with integrity, raising children in an art-filled home, and listening closely to the quiet burn of what the soul needs to express.

About Keren:https://www.kerengordon.com/

https://www.instagram.com/keren_gordon_art/

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Yisroel Arye Gootblatt is a musician and educator whose life bridges creativity, Chassidus, and the search for authentic expression. He shares how music shaped him from childhood, how becoming frum challenged his artistic voice, and how learning Chassidus helped him reclaim music as a deeply spiritual language. From teaching himself multiple instruments to building Sound Heights Studio in Crown Heights, Yisroel Arye reflects on the twists, questions, and breakthroughs that shaped his creative path.

Today, he brings that same mission to his studio inside a South Florida yeshiva, where he helps teens explore music as a form of confidence, connection, and healing. In what he calls a “music lounge,” boys write, produce, rap, jam, and discover their own voices in a space grounded in trust and Yiddishkeit. This episode is a moving look at how creativity can transform young lives—and how giving someone permission to express themselves can change everything.

About Yisroel Arye:https://yisroelarye.com/

Lazer’s Music Lounge - https://www.charidy.com/lazer/YisroelArye

Creatives  Yisroel Arye thinks you should know:

L’Chaim OG https://www.youtube.com/Lchaimog

Nistar Band - https://www.nistarband.com/

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Michael Shapiro has spent more than thirty years immersed in the world of ketubot — the art, the history, and the stories behind them. As the founder of Ketubah.com, he has worked closely with both established and emerging artists, helping shape the evolution of contemporary ketubah design while staying grounded in the tradition that makes the ketubah such a meaningful part of Jewish life. In our conversation, Michael reflects on how he entered this niche world, what continues to inspire him, and why the ketubah has become a powerful canvas for Jewish creativity.

About Michael:

Michael Shapiro is the founder and CEO of Ketubah.com, the world’s leading publisher of artistic Jewish wedding contracts, and a worldwide lecturer on historical and contemporary ketubot. For three decades he has helped shape the development of contemporary ketubah art, working with both influential and emerging ketubah artists. His innovations include archival quality on-demand Ketubah printing and laser cutting, and an online tool that makes it easy to submit and verify the Hebrew date, location and names. Most recently, he launched HebrewNamer.com, a free inclusive resource for exploring, selecting and storing Hebrew names "from cradle to grave". Ketubah Renaissance is his first book.

Ketubah Renaissance (Book and Exhibition): https://ketubahrenaissance.com/

HebrewNamer: https://hebrewnamer.com/

IG: instagram.com/ketubahmichael

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578844965787

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-shapiro-ketubah

Creatives Michael thinks you should know:

Alon Nashman: https://ketubahrenaissance.com/

Michael Leventhal: https://michaelleventhal.co.uk/

Sheila Baslaw: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/sheila-baslaw

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Rabbi Yossi Paltiel explores Torah and Chassidus sharing their profound perspective on creativity. Known for his wide knowledge and lessons on Chassidus, Rabbi Paltiel explores how art can be a powerful way to connect with God and impact the world around us. Together with Yitzchok Moully, they discuss the balance between staying true to Jewish values and embracing creative freedom, the role of imagination in spirituality, and what it means to be a Jewish artist today. With a focus on bringing the wisdom of Chassidus into the art world, Rabbi Paltiel emphasizes the importance of intention and purpose. This episode offers a refreshing look at where art, Torah and Chassidus intersect.

More about Rabbi Yossi Paltiel.

https://www.insidechassidus.org/

https://www.insidechassidus.org/about-us

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Adar Darnov is a graphic designer, illustrator, and fine artist whose work bridges Jewish identity, storytelling, and design. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, Adar has built a creative career that moves fluidly between freelance illustration and his role as senior graphic designer for the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey. Drawing inspiration from his rabbinic home—his father a rabbi, his mother a cantor—Adar speaks about how creativity and Judaism have always been intertwined in his life, and how teaching, community, and design all play into his artistic mission.

In this conversation, we explore Adar’s artistic journey—from his early days at SVA studying under master illustrators, to his freelance ketubah commissions, to creating large-scale Jewish-themed installations for Federation. He shares how artists can balance personal voice with client needs, the ethics of AI in design, and the importance of helping one another within the growing Jewish creative community. For Adar, Jewish art is not only about self-expression, but service: using creativity to uplift others and tell stories that strengthen community.

About Adar:

I am a creative professional with six years of experience working full-time in graphic design roles. In addition, I have been doing freelance art and design and selling my artwork for over fifteen years.

My passion for creativity is matched by my desire to do meaningful work, which is why I am thrilled to work for the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey and our family of agencies. As the senior graphic designer, I execute branding and design and help shape our design strategy across a wide range of print and digital graphics. It is exhilarating to support the Jewish community with my work, which reflects my Jewish values.

I also have diverse experience from prior roles as a graphic designer at Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, Key Food Stores Co-Op, School Photo Marketing, and several marketing and art-related internships and apprenticeships.

Throughout my creative education and career, I have had the privilege of showing my art in exhibitions, delivering art talks, winning awards, and being published.

As I continue to grow my full-time work as a graphic designer, I am always seeking opportunities to freelance or teach in my evenings or on weekends. Please feel free to reach out if you are interested in working together!

https://adardesigner.com/Realism-Art/

DarnovArt.Etsy.com

https://www.facebook.com/DarnovArt

https://www.instagram.com/_darnovart/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/AdarDarnov/

Artists Adar thinks you should know:Jack Kirby

Milton Glaser

Zusha

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Taryn Treisman is a multidisciplinary artist, painter, and designer based in Ra’anana, Israel, whose work overflows with color, love, and joy. Born in Johannesburg and having made aliyah just four years ago, Taryn’s journey from South Africa to Israel is filled with courage, faith, and transformation. She shares how surviving the 2004 tsunami reshaped her life, inspired her art, and deepened her relationship with Hashem. What began as doodles and community art projects evolved into a thriving career rooted in gratitude, spiritual connection, and bold self-expression.

In this episode, we dive into the vibrant world of Taryn’s pop-inspired, graffiti-touched, joy-saturated art — work that celebrates life while quietly holding stories of survival and faith. She speaks about her Color Learn Connect initiative, her paint-by-community challah-cover workshops, and the philosophy that drives her creative practice: to “steal joy from the future.” For Taryn, art isn’t just an act of creation — it’s an act of faith, a way to transform trauma into light and invite others to join in that joy.

About Taryn:

Taryn Treisman is a multidisciplinary artist, painter, and designer based in Ra'anana, Israel. Her work draws inspiration from pop culture, graffiti, and spirituality, with a vibrant love for color and playful elements that make her art truly distinctive. Hidden within her pieces are words, quotes, and always the word "love," adding depth to her bold, statement-making creations. Each artwork celebrates life, evolving from a single idea into a dynamic fusion of many, expressed through spontaneous dance and movement.

⁠https://www.instagram.com/taryntreisman⁠⁠

https://custompop.art⁠

Artists Taryn thinks you should know:

Baruch Nachshon  ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Nachshon⁠

Yehuda Lang - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/yehudalang/⁠

UBAB- ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ubabmad/

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/

Andi Arnovitz is a Jerusalem-based artist whose work fuses beauty, tension, and truth — exploring Judaism, feminism, and the human condition through concept-driven art. Raised in a Reform family in Kansas City, Andi’s creative journey took her from art direction in New York advertising to becoming one of Israel’s most prominent contemporary religious Jewish artists. She reflects on discovering Torah study as an adult, the slow evolution toward religious observance, and how her move to Israel reshaped her identity and her art.

In this episode, we meet Andi in New York for the presentation of her artwork “What We Bring,” now on display as part of the Jewish Museum’s permanent collection. She shares the stories behind major pieces like A Robe for Rachel and The Trees Saw Everything, created in the wake of October 7th, and discusses how art can both mourn and heal. Andi speaks candidly about being an observant Jewish feminist artist in today’s world, and her belief that artists are “modern prophets,” responding in real time to the world around them. Her advice to young creatives: don’t imitate — stay true to what’s yours, keep showing up, and make meaning out of the moment you’re living.

About Andi:

Andi Arnovitz lives and works in Jerusalem, Israel. She is a conceptual artist, using etching, digital information and various printmaking processes, as well as fabric, thread and even porcelain to create both print series, artist books and large-scale installations. These pieces explore various tensions that exist within religion, gender and politics.

Andi has exhibited her work all over the world.. She has had many one-woman shows and participated in multiple group shows. Her work is in many private collections in both the United States and in Europe, as well as major universities, museums and institutions, including the US Library of Congress, The Jewish Museum in New York, the Israel National Library, The Museum of Art in Ein Harod, The Israel Museum, Yeshiva University Museum, The Anu Museum, Yale University, UCLA, and The Smithsonian Museum of American History.

https://andiarnovitz.com/

https://www.instagram.com/andi_arnovitz/

Artists Andi thinks you should know:

David Moss - https://davidmoss.com/

Ken Goldman - https://kengoldmanart.com/

Jacqueline Nichols - https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinenicholls/?hl=en

Mirta Kupferminc - https://www.mirtakupferminc.net/en/

Hadassa Goldvicht - http://www.hadassagoldvicht.com/about.html

Arik Weiss - https://arikweiss.com/

Elaine Richek - http://elainereichek.com/

Lynne Avadenka - https://www.lynneavadenka.com/

More about Orange Socks:

Contact us at [email protected]

Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628

On Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd

On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast

Connect with Yitzchok Moully

https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/

https://www.moullyart.com/