Chavie and Yitzchok kick off by reminiscing about his visit to Montana for Chavie's birthday, when he created the Overflowing Cup art installation, proudly displayed in the background of every Totally Unexpected! episode (check out Chavie’s Instagram reels, it’s a must see!!). Yitzchok shares his fascinating childhood journey from the Australian Outback to Crown Heights at the Rebbe’s farbrengens. Chavie asks what first sparked his love for art and self-expression, and Yitzchok opens up about the moment he had to make a Sophie’s Choice: between continuing his calling as a Chabad shliach or to make an impact on the world through his talents as an artist. Together, they explore: Yitzchok's innovative Chassidic pop-art installations, what Jewish art really means, and the value in letting go of inhibitions for creativity and self-expression to flourish. They also discuss the role of art in the Orthodox Jewish school curriculum and why nurturing creativity is vital for a child’s development. Chavie and Yitzchok also bond over their passion for out-of-the-box socks.

Yitzchok Moully, is a conceptual artist exploring the intersection of spirituality and the material world. Blending his colorful hippie upbringing with his Hasidic roots, he creates bold, vibrant works that bring Chassidic ideas to life through contemporary art. His practice invites collaboration, often inviting the viewer to be an essential part of the artwork’s meaning and impact. Today, his focus is on Jewish public art—sculptures and murals that transform communal spaces into vibrant landmarks of Jewish creativity and identity.

Referenced On the Pod

1:01:30 Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room 

1:21:10 “Popthodox-Black Humor” Yitzchok's pop art installation in Israel

Stay in touch with Yitzchok!

[email protected]  

https://www.moullyart.com/

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

https://www.instagram.com/madewithmoully  

https://www.instagram.com/jewishpublicart/ 

Stay in touch with Chavie!

@chaviebruk on Instagram

www.totallyunexpected.blog 

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie begins by asking Chanie about her childhood growing up in Crown Heights. Chanie describes herself as a “poster child” within mainstream Chabad institutions but, as a result, lacking the stimulation to go deeper in her own self-discovery. Chavie and Chanie discuss the challenges of going out on shlichus—starting a Chabad House—at a very young age, newly married, and often with a first child on the way. They compare notes on having to show up for their communities as though they had everything figured out, even while they were still at the earliest stages of personal growth and identity. Chanie explains how her desire to create language for these challenges and break the taboos around discussing them led her and her husband to start M54, an organization focused on helping individuals acknowledge these realities and find inner solutions for navigating them.

Chanie is the co-founder of the Chabad House at Brandeis University and the CEO of M54, an organization she launched with her husband, Rabbi Peretz Chein, to help people find agency as they navigate today’s often overwhelming lives. On campus, she developed innovative programs focused on personal growth while fostering deeper connections with Judaism and G-d. Over the years, the Chabad House has positively influenced countless students and alumni, its impact growing steadily with each incoming class. Chanie’s dedication to meaningful conversations and attentive listening led to the creation of M54 in May 2020, at the onset of the Covid pandemic. Chanie is also a mother of six and has chosen home birth for each of her children.

Referenced On the Pod

Stay in touch with Chanie!

[email protected]

Stay in touch with Chavie!

@chaviebruk on Instagram

www.totallyunexpected.blog 

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie sits down with Aleeza to explore her spiritual journey into Orthodox Judaism, embracing kosher, Shabbat, and modest dress as a student and tells the story of how she met her husband. Aleeza reflects on how quickly it all happened, joking that “fast is my slowest speed,” while sharing how her family needed time to adjust. She opens up about her lifelong dream to move her family to Israel and the Covid-era saga that unfolded when her family finally made Aliyah. Chavie asks Aleeza how she landed her Netflix series, Jewish Matchmaking, and what drew her into the world of matchmaking in the first place. Together, they discuss the role of self-awareness and personal growth in finding a life partner, they explore whether there really is a ‘shidduch crisis’ in the Orthodox community, and the universal challenges of dating, no matter the person's religious background.

Aleeza Ben Shalom is a renowned relationship coach and matchmaker, best known as the star of Netflix’s hit series Jewish Matchmaking. She hosts the popular Matchmaker, Matchmaker podcast, where she shares insights and experiences to guide people on their journey to find love. Aleeza has trained more than 450 matchmakers and coaches and is now spearheading the Jewish Matchmaking Movement in partnership with World Mizrahi, a global initiative to create meaningful connections within the Jewish community. For Aleeza, fostering relationships isn’t just a career it is her calling and her passion.

Referenced On the Pod

Stay in touch with Aleeza!

Stay in touch with Chavie!

@chaviebruk on Instagram

www.totallyunexpected.blog

Today’s episode is dedicated by Max Coen, a family friend who has devoted his life to Eretz Yisroel. Max is dedicating this episode to Mrs. Chavie and Rabbi Chaim Bruk as a proud partner in their work in Montana and beyond.

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie sits down with Malky to explore the fascinating world of Human Design. Malky shares her journey of growing up in a big family where her voice often got lost, and how discovering her Human Design chart shifted her perspective. Instead of seeing her personality as a flaw, she learned to recognize her unique way of showing up in the world. Chavie reflects on her own experience and how Human Design has helped her accept her natural personality rather than struggle against it. Together, they break down the five energy types—Generators, Manifestors, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors—and discuss practical ways to apply Human Design in daily life. 

Malky Lichtenstein is a Human Design coach, wife, and mom of two from Brooklyn, New York, now based in Waterbury, Connecticut. She’s passionate about making Human Design feel simple, grounded, and practical—whether she’s reading for a parent, a couple, or someone just starting their journey.

Referenced On the Pod

Stay in touch with Malky! 

@malky.lichtenstein on Instagram 

Stay in touch with Chavie!

@chaviebruk on Instagram

www.totallyunexpected.blog

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie and Adele kick things off by reminiscing when Chavie lived in Adele’s childhood home in Morristown, New Jersey, as a dorm counselor. Years later, their paths crossed again when Chavie hired Adele to create a brand video to launch Chavie’s then-new blog, clearasmud.blog. Adele shares how she jumped into the workforce straight out of high school, hustling an office job at a title insurance firm. From there she waltzed into Bloomingdales in Short Hills Mall and got a job in beauty and cosmetic. These early experiences and training in sales laid the groundwork for her entrepreneurial drive today. Adele talks about her desire to help women feel good about themselves and how that propelled her to sharing her lifestyle online and becoming a trusted source for all things fashion, beauty, and design. Chavie asks Adele about the shift in her online presence recently, and Adele opens up about how she is reevaluating the value she wants to offer online. Together, they dive into everything from fashion and beauty to health and current events to AI and the challenges of managing technology use for kids.

Adele Beiny is a lifestyle creator, beauty enthusiast, and mother of two known for her savvy, honest approach to all things wellness, travel, and real life. She’s the voice behind Life’s Looking Good (@lifeslookingood), where she shares unfiltered takes on aesthetic trends, wellness experiments, and making everyday life feel like an adventure. Whether she’s testing the latest treatments, exploring Europe’s best-kept secrets, or helping other women embrace change with confidence, Adele brings humor, candor, and lived experience to every conversation.

Referenced On the Pod

9:25: Clear as Mud Blog & Brand Story 

14:33 Life Unfiltered (Adele’s podcast) 

20:58 A Modern Guide to Human Design by Rachel Lieberman 

23:00 Human Design Free Chart 

40:58 Olympia Gayot, Creative Director, J Crew 

1:32:50 Ayurvedic principles regarding the suppression natural urges

1:35:48 The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter 

Stay in touch with Adele! 

@lifeslookingood on Instagram

Stay in touch with Chavie!

@chaviebruk on Instagram

www.totallyunexpected.blog

This week’s episode is dedicated by Sholem and Rifky Kushner, in the merit of the safe return of all our beloved hostages still held in Gaza—especially Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, who are in urgent need of a miracle.

This episode is also sponsored by two wonderful couples from Lakewood, New Jersey, who prefer to remain anonymous. They deeply appreciate the podcast and are delighted to lend their support to Totally Unexpected!

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie opens by asking her mother how she feels about Chavie sharing her life so openly on social media. They then go on to talk about the fascinating connection Rivkie’s father had with the Lubavitcher Rebbe during his time in Paris while the family was trying to emigrate to America. Chavie asks her mom how she sustains her energy and commitment through forty years of leading Chabad Lubavitch of South Texas with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Block. Rivkie talks about evolving from the wide-eyed idealism of youth to a more grounded acceptance of challenges as opportunities for growth. Chavie shares a childhood story she’s never told before, and Rivkie speaks about her determination to keep working and growing despite societal expectations around age and aging.

Rivkie Block was born and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and serves as the co-founder and director of Chabad Lubavitch of South Texas, which she and her husband, Rabbi Chaim Block, established 40 years ago. She is also the founder and director of the Gan Ganni Preschool in San Antonio, which she launched 36 years ago, that focuses on nurturing each child’s individual spirit and creativity. Rivkie and Rabbi Chaim are the proud parents of nine children, all of whom serve as Chabad emissaries around the world.

Referenced on the Pod

37:30 Montana Chai Anniversary Video Series

Stay in touch with Chavie!

Today’s episode is dedicated by Lewis and Maggie Sperber who have become dear friends and committed supporters of our work in Montana. Lewis and Maggie love that this podcast is a space for authentic Jewish conversations, honest debate on contemporary issues, and helps people feel connected in this journey we call life.

Chavie opens the conversation by reflecting on how Dr. Cohen was her doctor since she was just three years old. Dr. Cohen tells the story of his family’s fascinating immigration from Europe to the Texas-Mexican border in the early 1900’s when there was still a lot of resistance to Jewish immigration in the USA. He shares how he began his medical career as an ER doctor on Native American reservations, later exploring homeopathy and alternative healing. He talks about his time living on the road, immersed in nature, and how that experience shaped his desire to integrate the natural world into his healing practice. Dr. Cohen also opens up about his spiritual journey and how his Jewish practice evolved. Chavie recalls when Dr. Cohen moved with his family to San Antonio and helped form the first minyan alongside her father, Rabbi Chaim Block, the founding rabbi of Chabad Lubavitch of South Texas. Chavie and Dr. Cohen explore a wide range of health topics from balancing homeopathy with Western medicine, to finding nuance in vaccine conversations, and most importantly, learning to trust nature as a path to true healing. 

Dr. Larry Cohen was born in Texas and has lived in many other states throughout his life. He earned his MD in 1975, followed by one year of postgraduate work in psychiatry and internal medicine. He then joined the Public Health Service, working on the Navajo Reservation and later with the North Carolina branch of the Cherokee Nation. Afterward, he spent over a year traveling in a VW camper (what else!). He eventually returned to San Antonio to practice emergency medicine before pursuing further study at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. There, he collaborated with two other physicians and several PhD psychologists in a program that integrated classical homeopathy, nutrition, yoga, breathwork, biofeedback, meditation, and massage therapy. Later in his career, Dr. Cohen studied functional medicine and focused on treating complex chronic illnesses. He incorporated intravenous therapies and established a multidisciplinary clinic that included Chinese medicine, chiropractic care, massage therapy, nutritional counseling, and a PhD clinical psychologist.

Referenced on the Pod

0:08:55 – Hair, the Musical

0:10:25 – The Himalayan Institute

0:10:37 – Biofeedback

0:10:50 – Swami: Encounters with Modern Mystics by Doug Boyd

0:32:30 – Divided Legacy by Harris L. Coulter

0:44:53 – Homeopathic Psychology by Philip M. Bailey, M.D.

0:45:22 – Dr. Samuel Hahnemann

0:46:40 – Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means

0:58:38 – Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing by Dr. Vasant Lad

1:14:34 – Homeopathic Remedies: For Health Professionals and Laypeople by Dale Buegel, Dennis Chernin, and Blair Lewis

1:15:06 – Homoeopathy for the First Aider by Dr. Dorothy Shepherd

1:15:35 – Helios Homeopathic Remedy Kits

1:54:58 – Chavie’s Essay: Walking Through the Fire of My Life

Stay in touch with Chavie!

Chavie begins the conversation by asking Rabbi YY how he manages his output of classes and public appearances while balancing personal responsibilities. Rabbi YY shares that although he has always maintained a heavy workload, he eventually realized that constantly jumping from one thing to the next can be a distraction. He shares a personal anecdote from when he was teaching a class to teenagers, and his own teenage children found it amusing that their father would have any relevant advice for teens. That was one of the catalysts for embarking on his own journey of self-discovery and reshaping his approach to teaching. Chavie and Rabbi YY discuss the importance of practicing an embodied Judaism and recognizing when ego or the self take control of the task at hand. Rabbi YY describes what it was like to memorize six to seven hours of the Rebbe’s lectures every week as a young student, and how that continues to impact him more than thirty years later. Chavie brings up how the concept of Moshiach can sometimes feel elusive. Rabbi YY offers that today, we can taste what it feels like to live in a Messianic era by letting go of the things we cannot control—the frequencies of ego, fear, insecurity, feeling overwhelmed or disassociated—and recognizing that we have the ability to touch coherence and oneness, which is the frequency of trust, surrender, faith, and love. These are the higher frequencies of redemption, which are not pulled down by the gravity of the earth—the frequency of guilt and shame.

Rabbi YY Jacobson is one of the most sought after speakers in the Jewish world today and a mentor to many thousands across the globe. He has traveled to hundreds of communities in six continents, educating and inspiring people of all backgrounds. Rabbi Jacobson was the first Rabbi ever to be invited by the Pentagon to deliver the religious keynote to the US Military Chief of Chaplains and to the National Security Agency. 

Stay in touch with Chavie!

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie and Tanya open the conversation by exploring the tension between being perceived as popular or “cool” but not actually feeling that way inside, and the journey towards truly accepting oneself feeling “cool” from within. Tanya reflects on her upbringing in Los Angeles as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivor Sam Menlo, who helped establish the contemporary Orthodox Jewish community in LA. She shares what it was like to grow up in the shadow of such a prominent family while navigating the challenges of being a child of divorce and often feeling like the “black sheep.” Chavie and Tanya discuss how essential it is to evolve within marriage and parenting, and how life’s ups and downs can ultimately be embraced as happy chaos.

Tanya Menlo-Heyman lives in Los Angeles with her husband, fellow LA native Avi Heyman, their four children, and a lively menagerie of dogs and cats. She is a community activist with deep roots in LA’s Jewish community. Her deep love for beauty, Judaism, and family—both human and furry—shapes a distinctive style that is entirely her own. Every detail of Tanya’s life is intentionally curated, reflecting her philosophy of using art, nature, and fashion to elevate the physical in her service to Hashem.

1:06:57 Gedale Fenster 

1:33:23 Dr. Brad Reedy

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].

Chavie and Mimi talk about their shared sleep deprivation struggles, thanks to their kindred spirit, non-bedtime-conformist six-and seven-year-old daughters. Mimi shares how her idyllic childhood growing up in Miami Beach was disrupted at age ten when her nineteen-year-old brother passed away suddenly in his sleep. She reflects on the impact of experiencing grief at such a young age while also trying to make sense of the grief of the adults around her. Chavie and Mimi discuss the tension Mimi managed as a teenager—being the life of the party while silently struggling with an eating disorder that lasted until she gave birth to her first child. Chavie brings up how current beauty trends are drifting back toward an emphasis on thinness, after a brief period of body positivity. Mimi shares how she and her husband had a wake-up call right before COVID that launched them on a self-discovery journey involving alternative healing methods like psilocybin, ayahuasca, and breathwork. Chavie and Mimi talk about finding the right guidance for these experiences and how they can align with Orthodox Jewish values.

Mimi Minsky writes like she breathes—honest, healing, and a little bit holy. She speaks and writes professionally for mainstream media, brands, businesses, and private clients, and she leads healing writing circles that crack people wide open. Mimi believes words, people, and connection are the medicine.

57:21 Dr. Joe Dispenza, Louisa Hay, Abraham Hicks Publications, Dolores Cannon, Neville Goddard 

59:08 This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan, How to Change Your Mind Netflix Documentary

1:19:57 G-D, Rationality, & Mysticism by Dr. Irving Block (Chavie’s Grandfather) 

Want to sponsor or dedicate an episode? Reach out to Chavie on Instagram or by email at [email protected].