What Even Is...?

In today's episode, host Donna Truong answers "What Even is Hanukkah?" with What Even Is...?'s first returning guest - Rabbi Greg Hersh of Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield, MA!

They speak about:

• the Hanukkah menorah
• the Hanukkah story that started it all
• Hanukkah meaning in Hebrew
• How long does Hanukkah last
• and more!

Prior to graduating from Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Rabbi Greg Hersh earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religion at George Washington University. After college, Rabbi Hersh lived in a Buddhist monastery in Southeast Asia and explored the Buddhist and eastern philosophies. After, Rabbi Hersh found Reconstructionist Judaism and decided to become a rabbi.

He now is the rabbi of Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield and works part-time at the Burning Bush Adventures, where he takes Jewish people out in the wilderness.

Check out the Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield website (https://www.wakefieldtemple.org/) and the Burning Bush Adventures website (https://burningbushadventures.com/).

Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And, follow us on Instagram to get updated on our latest episodes and have easy access to DM us about a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

Thank you to Joseph McDade for letting us use his song Elevation as our theme song!

On this episode of "What Even Is...?", host Donna Truong speaks with Cultural Collections and Exhibits Manager of the Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism of Cherokee Nation Businesses Krystan Moser to answer "What Even was the Trail of Tears?"

They speak about different Trail of Tears facts, such as:

• The Trail of Tears timeline
• The Trail of Tears story
• What started the removal of Cherokees
• The shady president who started it all - Andrew Jackson
• How the Cherokees traveled on the Trail of Tears route
• and more

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

Thank you to Joseph McDade for letting us use his song Elevation as our theme song!

On this episode, host Donna Truong speaks with Ohio State University professor Dr. John Low to answer "What even are Native American Reservations?". 

In this episode, they discuss:

• what Native American/Indian reservations are
• poverty on Native American reservations
• where are some Native American reservations today
• different issues that Native Americans face today
• and more!

Dr. John Low earned his Ph.D. In American culture at the University of Michigan, is the director of the OSU Newark Earthworks Center, is an enrolled citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, and serves as a member of his tribe’s Traditions and Repatriation Committee.

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

Thank you to Joseph McDade for letting us use his song Elevation as our theme song!

In this episode, host Donna Truong speaks with crystal expert and entrepreneur Chioma Gathoga-Ogbuike to answer "What Even are Crystals?" They speak about different things like:

• what are crystals
• how do you cleanse or charge a crystal
• different types of crystals and their properties and meanings
• crystals for beginners information
• and more!

Find Chioma on:
Instagram @therealfinessegoddess
Embody Divinity Shop https://www.finessagalleria.com/shop
Her website https://www.finessagalleria.com/
Twitter @etherealchioma

Get 10% off at Chioma’s online store with code WHATEVENIS-CRYSTALS until November 17, 2021.

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

In this bonus episode, listeners and I tell our paranormal experiences to celebrate this Halloween season! Hope you guys enjoy!

In this episode, host Donna Truong speaks with the investigators of the paranormal investigation group Paranormal New England - Julie Finn, Scott Hebert, and Monique Geyser.

This episode goes over:

• their scariest encounter with ghosts
• what people are susceptible to hauntings
• paranormal investigation equipment
• Paranormal New England's most convincing evidence
• why they got into paranormal investigation
• psychic mediumship and empaths
• and more!

Julie Finn has been investigating the paranormal throughout U.S. and international locations for over 10 years.  She is now an investigator with Paranormal New England and also the YouTube channel Paranormal  Roadtrip.

Massachusetts native Scott Hebert is an investigator with Paranormal New England and is the creator of the YouTube channel Paranormal  Roadtrip, which documents his investigations of some of America’s most haunted locations.

Learn more about Paranormal New England on their:
Website  https://paranormalnewengland.com/
Instagram @paranormal_NE
Youtube Paranormal NewEngland
Facebook Paranormal New England


Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

In this episode, host Donna Truong speaks with the paranormal investigation group Supernatural, Paranormal, Investigations, Research, Intuitive, Truth Society (SPIRITS) of New England investigators Ellen MacNeil and Jack Kenna. 

This episode goes over:

• their scariest encounter with ghosts
• what people are susceptible to hauntings
• paranormal investigation equipment
• SPIRITS of New England's most convincing evidence
• why they got into paranormal investigation
• and more!

SPIRITS of New England aims to help those who are affected by potential paranormal forces. To see their services and learn more about the team, visit their website http://www.spiritsofnewengland.org and/or visit their Facebook page.

Ellen MacNeil is a co-founder, lead investigator, and case manager of SPIRITS of New England and has appeared on Haunted Case Files and A Haunting.

Jack Kenna is an investigator and tech specialist of SPIRITS of New England and has written SPIRITS of New England: Hauntings, Ghosts, and Demons, Paranormal Research: Building a Strong Team, and comic book series S.P.I.R.I.T.S. - The Forgotten Souls of Bay Path. He also appeared in Paranormal Survivor, Haunted Case Files, Haunted Hospitals, and A Haunting.

Take a look at Jack's books:
SPIRITS of New England: Hauntings, Ghosts, and Demons on Amazon

Paranormal Research: Building a Strong Team on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

S.P.I.R.I.T.S. - The Forgotten Souls of Bay Path on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

In this truly spooktacular episode, host Donna Truong speaks with psychic medium Jessenia Nozzolillo. 

They discuss:

• What are psychic mediums
• Different types of gifts that souls have
• Reincarnation
• Her experiences as a psychic medium
• What happens after we die
• How she had to deal with demons
• And more!

Jessenia Nozzolillo is a 5th generation psychic medium. She also has many other gifts such as telepathy, animal communicator, empath, akashic records reader, and more! She also has courses that help spiritual development. She is also the author of the books Spiritual Development with the New England Psychic Medium and Creation.

Find her on:
Her website: https://www.jessenianozzolillo.com/
Instagram: Soul_Architect_Jessenia
TikTok: Soul_Architect_Jessenia
YouTube: Soul Architect Jessenia
Facebook: Soul Architect Jessenia

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

Welcome to the What Even Is...? October Spooktacular where we talk about all things mystical, magical, and/or just plain misunderstood. In this episode, host Donna Truong talks with Salem Witch Museum Director of Education Rachel Christ about the Salem Witch Trials. 

They touch upon the following topics and more:

• Why did the Salem Witch Trials happen
• How did the Salem Witch Trials begin
• Salem Witch Trial victims
• Witch history in the United States and Europe
• Why did the Salem Witch Trials end

Rachel Christ has received her Bachelor of Arts in History at Clarks University and her Masters of Arts in History and Museum Studies at Tufts University. She currently works as the Director of Education at the Salem Witch Museum.

Thank you to Jennifer Nakhai and Kimphuong Nguyen for suggesting this episode!

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"

In this episode, host Donna Truong speaks with Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK) Clinical Manager Joyce Kao. In the discussion, they talk about:

• How is domestic violence defined
• Red flags in partners to avoid
• Why is it hard for some domestic violence survivors to leave
• How to help someone who you think may be experiencing domestic violence
• How does a survivor get help
• And more.

Joyce Kao earned her Master's degree in Social Work at Springfield College. She worked as a social worker at the Garden of Hope in Taiwan with domestic violence survivors. When she moved to the United States, she started working at ATASK as a Chinese Advocate/Case Manager and was promoted to her current position as Clinical Manager of the Asian Shelter and Advocacy Programs at ATASK.

ATASK is a nonprofit organization that serves pan-Asian domestic violence survivors and provides services in Greater Boston and the Greater Lowell communities and limited services to other towns and cities in Massachusetts and New England.

To check out their services, visit their website www.atask.org.

To help out the ATASK organization, gift them something from their Amazon wishlist, which you can find here.

If you're experiencing domestic violence and ATASK does not suit your needs, you can also contact the National Domestic Violence hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
TTY 1-800-787-3224

If you cannot speak safely, you can online chat at www.thehotline.org.

A huge thank you to Joseph McDade for letting us use his song Elevation as his theme song!

Don't forget to rate, review, and follow this podcast! And, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] so you can let us know a topic that makes you wonder "What even is that?"