The Maggid Method

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak - a.k.a Y.Y. - Jacobson is one of the most sought after speakers in the Jewish world today.

He lectures to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences on six continents and in forty states.

Rabbi Jacobson also serves as teacher and mentor to thousands of students across the globe via his website TheYeshiva.net, one of the largest Torah classes in the world today.

But as ironic as it sounds, Rabbi Y.Y. didn’t start off his career as a speaker, but rather, as a listener; as an oral scribe of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s talks delivered on Shabbos and Yom Tov - when they could not be electronically recorded.

Young Rabbi Jacobson would focus the entire weight of his attention on the Rebbe’s words for hours on end, sometimes over the span of several days, in order to be able to capture the Rebbe’s messages and relate them back afterwards.

These days, even though Rabbi Jacobson finds himself doing more speaking than listening - he essentially sees his role as the same.

In this fascinating episode of the Maggid Method - we chart the trajectory of Rabbi Jacobson’s career as a teacher of Torah and world renowned lecturer, and the specific things he does to capture the minds and hearts of audience’s worldwide.

We cover so many topics... 

Like:

- How to make your Torah content relevant to your audience, so they’ll become invested in listening to you all the way through...

- How to break down the walls between you and your audience and create a sense of intimacy...

- How to become a better storyteller...

- How to manage audience attention and deal with the inevitable distractions that arise while you’re talking....

- And even how to handle criticism.

Visit Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson's website at TheYeshiva.Net

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Daniel Cohen is Rabbi at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, CT, the largest Modern Orthodox synagogue in New England. 

But for Rabbi Cohen, "large" doesn’t have to mean it’s not welcoming…

Rabbi Cohen is a person who is on a mission to live each day to the fullest, and to help others do the same.

He’s learned from some of the best Darshanim and orators of this generation, so he has a lot of public speaking wisdom and Drasha experience to offer.

In this episode, we talk about:

- How to decide what to talk about each Shabbos, and what if your message doesn’t necessarily fit into the Parsha?

- What if your heart is not 100% aligned with your message  should you still say it?

- How many messages should you aim for with your Drasha?

- An ingenious way to get people to turn off their phones while you’re speaking,

- How to strike the right balance the head and the heart in your talk…

- And how to tell stories and where to place them in your Drasha  for maximum effect...

Rabbi Cohen is author of What Will They Say About You When You Are Gone? Creating a Life of Legacy and the newly released book The Secret of the Light published by Union Square Publishing.

He is founder of  The Legacy Academy designed to fortify and inspire people to lead their best lives now.

He is in the midst of writing another book with former NBA All Star and Olympic Gold medalist Allan Houston. 

He is co-host with Reverend Greg Doll of the nationally syndicated Radio Show, The Rabbi and the Reverend and hosts the podcast Judaism in the 21st Century. 

Rabbi Cohen and his wife Diane are the grateful parents of six daughters. For more information visit www.rabbidanielcohen.com 

➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Today you’re in for a real treat. In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Dr. J.J. Schacter, the elder statesman of the synagogue sermon.

Early into my podcast, I lost track of how many times Rabbi Schacter’s name came up in conversation

Whether it’s been through his classes at YU, or his annual Yarchei Kallah seminars, or just being available for 1:1 advice...

So many of my guests have cited him as having been an invaluable 

- influence,

- mentor,

- and confidante....

to them In their rabbinic careers.

Today's episode is jam packed with actionable advice, timeless techniques, and legendary sermon lore…

We cover:

- How to grab your audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds,

- What you can do to be a more interesting speaker,

- The one thing that will make crafting your Drasha easier - and better - than anything else,

- How to command the respect of your congregation through your Drasha, 

- And the one mindset that will allow you to let negative feedback roll off your back without taking it personally....

Access Rabbi Schacter's classes on YU Torah here: https://www.yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Dr.-Jacob-J-Schacter

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Shmuel Silber is Rabbi of Suburban Orthodox Congregation in Baltimore, MD.

And though he may not look it - just for the record, he is a Chassid and not a Litvak.

Rabbi Silber’s career began in Fairlawn, NJ where he served as an assistant rabbi in Congregation Shomrei Torah, under Rabbi Benyamin Yudin, where he learned firsthand his all-in approach to the rabbinate.

But It was Rabbi J.J. Schacter who instilled in Rabbi Silber the principle that: proper respect for your Drasha is proper respect for your Kehillah. 

How does Rabbi Silber decide which message to speak about each week?  That’s easy. First, He decides what HE needs to hear, and then he addresses himself through his Drasha to his congregation..

You might ask - how does Rabbi Silber know that just because he’s grappling with an issue - it will resonate with his congregation? That’s also easy - because Rabbi Silber views himself as one with his congregation.  

We also talk about why it’s so important for the rabbi to look after the marginalized members on the periphery - or the outskirts - of his congregation.

Visit Rabbi Silber's website, The Institute for Jewish Continuity at https://rabbisilber.com/to where he enables learners at all levels to access relevant Torah.

➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Moshe Hauer is the Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union (OU).

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Menachem Penner is the Executive VP of the Rabbinical Council of America.

He’s the one person who’s name has come up more times on this podcast than anyone else’s as having been an influence - in regards to the mindset and the methodology behind giving a great Drasha.

So..needless to say, this episode of the Maggid Method is a pretty big event.

In today’s conversation, Rabbi Penner lays out the sky high stakes facing anyone who shares Divrei Torah in a public setting, every time they get up to speak…

We discuss the stark reality that you will NOT change most people’s lives by any one Drasha that you deliver, But why that’s actually a good thing…

Rabbi Penner also explains the one goal you should aim for with your Drashos - bring your congregation to the brink of change, so that when they’re ready - you’re the address they turn to.

We talk about the doldrums of the rabbinate - the nagging feeling that surfaces from time to time in every leaders mind that - maybe I’m not making a difference in people’s lives and that maybe I should have considered a different career path…

Next - we go into the nuts and bolts of Drasha preparation - beginning with the thesis statement - your ability to articulate what exactly you intend to talk about.

How to avoid losing trust and credibility in the eyes of your audience that results from what Rabbi Penner calls “the message basket” type of Drasha.

The counterintuitive approach that Rabbi Penner tries to instill in RIETS students approach to Drasha preparation.

How long you should spend looking for what to say, and how to know when you’ve found something....

Rabbi Penner’s opinion that a Drasha does not need to contain original Torah thoughts...

And how the children’s show Blue’s Clues provides the perfect Mashal for how you should approach your Drasha preparation.

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Mark Dratch is Executive Vice President Emeritus of the Rabbinical Council of America. His rabbinate spanned 22 years in congregations around the United States.

And, he’s had the unique privilege of having Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm as his father-in-law, and serving as editor of Foundation of Faith: Insights into Pirkei Avot by Rabbi Norman Lamm (OU Press, 2021).

Rabbi Dratch is also founder of JSAFE - the Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment. 

And -  he was an Instructor of Ethics at Yeshiva University - two recurring themes in his Drashos over the years.

In this delightful episode broadcast from Eretz Yisrael, where Rabbi Dratch now resides with his wife Rachel, we talk about the history and evolution of the sermon.

We get to hear some gems of anecdotes of his encounters with the great Darshanim of yesteryear.

We talk about how to mine your personal experiences for Drasha material…

And how to bounce back quickly from negative feedback about your sermon.

It was such a joy and pleasure to discuss a topic Rabbi Dratch has lived and loved and lived his whole life.

Find a sampling of Rabbi Dratch's articles at: https://yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Mark-Dratch.

And learn more about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Dratch

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

In the spring of 2007, Rabbi Ilan Feldman - Senior Rabbi of Beth Jacob of Atlanta, GA - was offered by his congregation to take a short vacation. But he declined - because he didn’t feel he needed one.

But after thinking it over - he decided to take them up on it. But his family was unable to join him, so he didn’t know where to go.

Until a friend arranged the following unknown adventure... 

He would fly to an undisclosed location - which would only be revealed to him on the day of his departure, when he would be handed an airline ticket revealing his destination.

No accommodations were booked for him, nor was he allowed to take any money or luggage with him, save for a token $50, his Tefillin, and a baseball cap and a change of clothes. 

He was not allowed to reveal his identity as a congregational rabbi to anyone, and he was only allowed to use his phone once a day - just to check in with his wife. 

Stripped of all worldly possessions and his identity - he was to fend for himself for the next 4 days and somehow make it alive and in one piece back to Atlanta, GA.

In this episode, we discuss the true story of what transpired on that trip.

In the 2nd part of our conversation, we discuss:

Visit Congregation Beth Jacob of Atlanta, GA here: https://www.bethjacobatlanta.org/

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

Rabbi Yaakov Sadigh is Head of Katz Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, FL.

He’s on a mission to change the world, but the way he inspires that change is just as important as the change itself.

Rabbi Sadigh’s first big encounter with change was when he was just 9 years old, living peacefully in Iran, when the Shah was overthrown.

When he was 17 years old, he became a student of change - at Ezra Academy, in Queens, NY - where he was taught by one of the most life-changing teachers of our generation - Rabbi Moshe Weinberger

It was there that Rabbi Yaakov absorbed a powerful, transformative speaking style. 

Today, Rabbi Sadigh lectures around the world.

He speaks on a variety of life-changing topics, like:

- How to help people appreciate their jobs

- How to create a culture that lasts  - even after its builders have moved on, and

-How to create - not just great products and services for your customers - but to offer them magical experiences.

Of course - we talk about the fundamentals of transformative speaking, like:

- How Rabbi Sadigh quickly creates connection with each new audience he speaks to,

- How to cut out the opening chit chat and grab an audience’s attention immediately, and...

- How having 1 objective per presentation makes your message much stronger and more memorable.

Follow Rabbi Yaakov Sadigh here:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaakovsadigh/

To contact Rabbi Sadigh by email: ysadigh7 at gmail

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➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?

This episode of the Maggid Method is a master class in transformative public speaking...

From a master at transformative public speaking...

None other than the great Charlie Harary.

In this short episode - Charlie reveals the specific techniques and mindsets he uses to craft and deliver life-changing presentations to Jewish audiences around the world.

We discuss:

- what audiences crave more than anything else

- what has to happen before a public speaker can change someone’s life?

- a simple 4 step structure anyone can use to create a powerful presentation,

- how to give the audience a call to action that guarantees they remember to implement it at just the right time...

And so much more!

Learn more about Charlie Harary at: https://insiders.charlieharary.com/

➡️ Did you know there's method for cutting straight through to an audience’s heart, grabbing their attention - and holding it - and making a memorable impact with your presentation?