Real Talk With Miriam

What does it take to be the entire face of the thing you built?

Benji Haimoff walked away from the diamond business at the height of it, moved to Israel, and came back. He opened a pizza shop in Miami that failed, and at that exact location he started the first Smash House Burger in 2022. Today there are 11 locations from Los Angeles to Brooklyn to the Five Towns, and he runs all of them from his car, on his phone, with no office and no computer.

In this conversation with Miriam Pollak, Benji explains where “everybody’s a winner” comes from (a kid who never won a raffle), what he saw in the diamond business that made him leave, and why a good name is the most important thing a person has. He talks about the day he finally shut down the failing pizza shop and went all in on Smash House, and what he tells anyone sitting in a business that isn’t working.

He also opens up about growing up as a rabbi’s son in Queens with a twin brother, leaving religion at 15 and coming back in 2022, protecting his wife when business was at its lowest point, handing off control of the brand he built, being a bully as a kid and what he tells kids who are bullied now, and what he wants his own children to say about him.

Listen for: starting over after failure, walking away from a career you stopped believing in, a good name, finding your way back to faith, family expectations, marriage and money pressure, why ego ends businesses, parenting teenagers, and what it means to sell happiness.

Real Talk with Miriam is a podcast about honest conversation around mental health, identity, relationships, spirituality, healing, and the challenges people carry beneath the surface.

How do you hold onto faith when the life you prayed for looks nothing like the life you’re living?

Rebbetzin Orit Esther Riter, founder of Or Emuna, joins Miriam and Chaya for an honest conversation about faith, pain, and learning to trust Hashem through uncertainty. She shares her gradual return to Torah life, the multiple sclerosis diagnosis that challenged everything she believed, and how her most difficult moments led her toward teaching and supporting others.

Orit Esther opens up about anger, questioning Hashem, and building a relationship with Him that leaves room for real emotions. Together, they explore the daily practice of emunah, letting go of control, finding strength in vulnerability, and how faith evolves through motherhood, marriage, and every stage of a woman’s life.

A conversation about making space for both pain and hope, finding purpose when plans change, and taking one honest step toward a deeper connection with Hashem.

Episode 16 of Real Talk with Miriam and Chaya is a conversation with DJ Kraz about music, joy,faith, family, fatherhood, and building a creative career without losing the values that keep yougrounded.DJ Kraz shares how music became part of his life from an early age, the mentors and artists whoshaped him, and how he helped bring an EDM-inspired energy into Jewish music. He opens up about amajor-label opportunity that forced him to think about the kind of artist and person he wanted tobecome, the last-minute show that became a turning point in his career, and the powerful messageshe has received from listeners who connected with his music during difficult moments.The conversation also gets practical. He explains why aspiring artists need to show their work, sharethe process, get personal, and create content consistently instead of waiting to be discovered.Through it all, the theme stays the same: be genuine, stay connected to what matters, and use yourgift to bring more energy, positivity, and meaning into the world.Listen for: music and identity, staying grounded in entertainment, fatherhood and values, careerturning points, creative confidence, social media for artists, and the lasting impact of authentic work

Rachel and Danny, the couple behind That Jewish Family, join Real Talk for an honest conversation about sharing Jewish life online.

They discuss the responsibility of representing their community, responding to hurtful comments with warmth, and deciding what to share while protecting their marriage and children.

They also open up about the early financial struggles behind their channel, the role of faith in difficult moments, and why authentic connection matters more than a perfect image.

Some conversations stay with you long after the cameras stop rolling, and this was one of them.

In Part 2 of Real Talk with Miriam, Miriam continues her conversation with Rachel Ostroy mom of three, founder of Pink Label, Jewish advocate, and ZAKA ambassador.

They go even deeper into motherhood, faith, family, and what it means to keep showing up when life changes you in ways you never expected.

Rachel shares more about how October 7 shifted something inside her, why she felt she could no longer stay quiet, and what it has meant to use her voice for the Jewish community and stand alongside ZAKA.

They also talk about the things so many of us are trying to figure out in our own homes — raising children in a world filled with screens, being truly present, choosing kindness even when it’s hard, holding onto faith, and thinking about the legacy we’re creating for our children.
There are emotional moments, honest ones, and so much to take away from this conversation.

This is Part 2.

If something Rachel shares stays with you, send this episode to someone who might need to hear it too.

Rabbi Manis Friedman is a Hasidic rabbi, author, and global speaker known for blending timeless Chassidic wisdom with practical guidance on relationships, spirituality, and modern life.

As the dean of Bais Chana Women International and a widely followed online teacher, he has inspired audiences worldwide with his clarity, warmth, and humor.

In this episode, Rabbi Friedman explores deep questions of meaning, intimacy, and personal growth, making ancient teachings feel fresh and relevant. Listeners will discover insights that bring serenity, purpose, and a renewed perspective on life’s challenges.

🎙️ Whether you’re seeking spiritual grounding, curious about Jewish thought, or simply looking for thoughtful guidance, Rabbi Friedman’s words will leave you uplifted and inspired.

Some conversations stay with you long after they end and this is one of them.

In Part 1 of this episode of Real Talk with Miriam, Miriam sits down with Rachel Ostroy mom of three, founder of Pink Label, Jewish advocate, and ZAKA ambassador for a deeply personal conversation about family, faith, motherhood, loss, and finding purpose through it all.
Rachel opens up about losing her father at just nine years old, building Pink Label, and why she chose to become more private about sharing her children online.
She also shares how October 7 changed her and pushed her to use her voice in a bigger way for the Jewish community, eventually leading to her work with ZAKA.
They talk about raising children in a world full of screens, staying present, choosing kindness, holding onto faith, and the kind of legacy we hope to leave behind.
It’s real, emotional, and full of moments that will make you stop and think.

This is Part 1.

Part 2 premieres Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 8 PM.
If this conversation speaks to you, send it to someone who may need to hear it too.

What Nobody Tells You About Successful Dating

Why can dating feel so difficult?

Dr. Yael Treitel, Clinical Psychology PhD and experienced singles coach, joins Real Talk for a candid conversation about attraction, relationships, compatibility, communication, and meaningful connection.

No perfect formulas—just psychology, experience, and a real conversation about relationships that last.

In Episode 10 of Real Talk, Miriam sits down with Dudi Farkash for an honest conversation about faith, identity, resilience, and the responsibility to keep moving forward.

Raised in Jerusalem in a large family shaped by generosity, tradition, and service, Dori reflects on personal loss, divorce, struggle, and the experiences that pushed him to search for deeper meaning. He shares how Torah and the teachings of the Rebbe helped him understand that pain does not have to become a person's identity.

Rather than spending life responding to rumors, criticism, or outside noise, Dudi encourages people to continue doing what is right, recognize the mission they have been given, and use their strengths to help others.

Miriam also opens up about divorce, widowhood, and losing both of her parents within six months. Her message is simple but powerful: she has a story, but she does not identify as her story. Together, Miriam and Dudi explore how hardship can deepen compassion, how caring for another person can change the direction of your own life, and why choosing faith and positivity can transform broken moments into purpose, connection, and light.

What does it mean to care for a baby before it has even entered the world?

In this powerful episode of Real Talk with Miriam, maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Boris Petrikovskytakes us inside the extraordinary world of high-risk pregnancy, fertility treatment, and medical proceduresperformed on babies still developing in the womb.Dr. Boris shares why he considers a healthy baby one of life's greatest miracles, how doctors supportfamilies receiving devastating news, and why pregnancy should not feel like a series of frighteningexams.The conversation also explores miscarriage, fertility after 30, egg freezing, pregnancy anxiety, and animportant truth that is too often overlooked: infertility is not automatically the woman's problem.This episode offers honest medical insight, practical hope, and a reminder that medicine and miracles do not have to be opposites.

**The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the positions, policies, or opinions of any institution the guest is affiliated with.**