We’re going to be taking a little bit of a break from the show. We’ll be back soon with something that we think you are going to LOVE!

Meanwhile Karen and the Your Jewish Life team wish you a beautiful and meaningful Chag Sameach.

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with bestselling cookbook author Jake Cohen for a chat about his new cookbook, I Could Nosh (coming out September 12!); his journey from being told Jewish food was too niche to hitting the New York Times bestseller list; bringing back grandma hospitality; and why we all need challah monkey bread in our lives.

LINKS:

Jake’s new book, I Could Nosh

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/i-could-nosh-jake-cohen?variant=40997057527842

Jake on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/jakecohen/

Jake on TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@jakecohen?lang=en

Jake’s website

https://www.wakeandjake.com/

Jake’s baked goods on Goldbelly

https://www.goldbelly.com/jake-cohen

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with her 8-year-old daughter Zara for a chat about what it’s like to be a young Jewish Londoner in 2023. They talk about how Zara balances her strong Jewish identity with life in a diverse community, what she loves about journaling, her favorite Shabbat tradition, and why her beloved late grandma was a true octo-superwoman. 

LINKS:

Shop the Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Smashing Life, our Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Sacha’s podcast episode

https://yourjewishlife.co/podcast/my-9-year-old-jewish-life-with-karens-daughter-sacha/

Challah covers by Micaela Ezra

https://ahyinjudaica.com/

Karen’s wedding

https://www.smashingtheglass.com/karen-jeremy-london-wedding-at-the-wallace-collection/

Karen sits down with Sara Gibbs, the author and comedy writer behind upcoming Jewish rom com Eight Bright Lights, for a chat about autistic Jewish life, being diagnosed with autism as an adult, standing up to antisemitism, and so much more.

We were so lucky to have Sara on staff at Smashing The Glass, our Jewish wedding platform, in the brand’s early days - and it’s wonderful to see how her writing career has blossomed since then!

You’ll find out:

- What it was like for Sara being diagnosed with autism at age 30

- How confronting antisemitism at university ultimately strengthened Sara’s Jewish identity 

- Sara’s experience being doxxed for being publicly Jewish online 

- How Sara’s time writing for Smashing The Glass informed her new romantic comedy

- How Sara’s autism diagnosis helped her learn to be easier on herself 

- The importance of having boundaries when putting yourself in the public eye

- Why it’s so important to try to understand other people rather than jumping to conclusions

LINKS:

Sara on Twitter 

https://twitter.com/Sara_Rose_G

Sara’s novel 

https://geni.us/EightBrightLightsBook

Sara’s memoir

https://saragibbs.com/drama-queen/

Sara’s wedding on Smashing The Glass

https://www.smashingtheglass.com/sara-john-incredible-granny-chic-vintage-jewish-wedding-kidbrooke-park-sussex/

Smashing The Glass, our Jewish wedding platform

https://www.smashingtheglass.com/

Smashing Life, my Jewish community - try it out for one month with code “JEWISHJOY”

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with author Corie Adjmi for a fascinating look at the Syrian Jewish community. Corie’s new novel, The Marriage Box, draws on her own experiences moving from a Reform upbringing in New Orleans to a traditional Orthodox Syrian life in Brooklyn as a teenager - and along the way, it shines a spotlight on a close-knit Jewish community that can seem mysterious to outsiders. Corie shares how she got started writing in her 30s after a career in education, why family is at the heart of Judaism, how she’s learned to balance her own desires with her culture’s expectations, and so much more. 

You’ll find out:

- What it’s like being part of an incredibly close-knit Jewish community 

- Why it’s so important to highlight diverse Jewish voices

- What inspired Corie to start writing 

- How the Syrian community is evolving in the 21st century

- Corie’s advice for aspiring writers 

- What makes the Syrian Jewish community so special 

- Corie’s tips for a quick Friday night dinner

LINKS:

Corie’s website

https://corieadjmi.com/

Corie on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/corieadjmi/

The Marriage Box

https://amzn.to/46f7rtw

Smashing Life, my Jewish community - try it out for one month with code “JEWISHJOY”

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with Emily Scheinfeld, a beloved member of the Smashing Life community, to chat about her own Jewish life. Emily is an absolute ray of sunshine who’s contributed so much to the vibrant, accepting group that is Smashing Life, and it’s such an honor to have her come on here and talk about everything from figuring out how to take charge of your own Judaism as an adult to saying no to Jewish guilt to starting L’dor V’dor Judaica, a nonprofit focused on rehoming unloved Judaica, and, above all, how Smashing Life helped Emily bring Judaism back to the forefront of her life after many years of disconnection.

You’ll find out:

- How Emily became part of the Smashing Life community - and how the group helped her reconnect to Judaism

- What it was like going from a very Jewish upbringing in Atlanta to feeling Jewishly isolated while working in East Texas as an adult

- How COVID led Emily’s non-Jewish boyfriend to get involved in her Jewish life

- What Shabbat looks like for Emily

- How Smashing Life inspired Emily to start her own nonprofit devoted to providing Judaica for people in need

- Emily’s advice for those struggling to feel confident in their Jewish identity

LINKS:

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

L'dor V'dor Judaica

https://www.ldorvdorjudaica.org/

L'dor V'dor Judaica on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ldorvdorjudaica/

L'dor V'dor Judaica on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/ldorvdorjudaica/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with Ben M. Freeman for an important conversation about what it’s like being LGBTQ+ and Jewish.

As a minority within a minority, LGBTQ+ Jews negotiate intersecting identities every day - and the Jewish community doesn’t often give their struggles and triumphs the attention they deserve.

Ben talks about how his gay identity spurred him on to start the Jewish pride revolution, how to make our communities more welcoming and safe for LGBTQ+ Jews, and why it’s so important that all of us - especially those of us who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ - start initiating conversations about inclusivity.

You’ll find out:

- Why some of the loudest voices against antisemitism are LGBTQ+ Jews

- How the Jewish community can do more to support our LGBTQ+ members

- Why Ben thinks Tel Aviv is the best place in the world to be an LGBTQ+ Jew

- Ben’s practical tips on building inclusive communities 

- Why it’s so important to make LGBTQ+ Jews part of the conversation 

- How Ben’s experience in the gay pride movement inspired him to start the Jewish pride revolution

LINKS:

Ben M. Freeman

https://benmfreeman.com/

Ben on Instagram

https://instagram.com/benmfreeman/

Ben on Twitter

https://twitter.com/benmfreeman/

Eve Barlow

https://www.instagram.com/evebarlow/

Blake Flayton

https://www.instagram.com/blakeflayton/

Hen Mazzig

https://www.instagram.com/henmazzig/

Jake Cohen

https://www.instagram.com/jakecohen/

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with Cathy Heller, a business coach and podcaster who specializes in helping women create wealth and next level happiness, for an inspirational discussion all about making the Jewish life of your dreams a reality. Cathy opens up about her own spiritual journey from secular to observant, and how she found the courage to live her own spiritual truth someplace in between.

You’ll find out:

- How Judaism has shaped Cathy’s entrepreneurial journey 

- What it was like going on the first-ever Birthright trip 

- How Cathy’s observance of Judaism has changed throughout her life 

- What it was like for Cathy spending two years studying Jewish mysticism in Jerusalem 

- All about the Law of Reception

- How Cathy has combined meditation and Jewish practice to create her best spiritual life

- Why the world needs Judaism

- What it’s been like speaking out publicly against antisemitism since May 2021

- Cathy’s tips on talking to non-Jewish friends about antisemitism and Israel

LINKS:

Cathy’s Podcast

https://www.cathyheller.com/blog/

Cathy on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/cathy.heller/?hl=en

Cathy’s Website

https://www.cathyheller.com/

Noa Tishby’s book on Israel

https://bookshop.org/p/books/israel-a-simple-guide-to-the-most-misunderstood-country-on-earth-noa-tishby/14887500

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/

Karen sits down with Matthew Bussy, the Program Director of Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Festival. Karen first met Matthew when he invited her to be a guest speaker at the 2023 Jewish New Media Festival in Philly - she’ll be speaking on Sunday, May 21, along with KoshaDillz, the team behind Unorthodox the podcast, and more - and they instantly connected over their shared commitment to spreading Jewish pride and joy.

They chat about celebrating Jewish storytelling, why Jewish pride is more important now than ever, and Matthew’s own journey to Judaism, which brought him full circle to revive his family’s lost Jewish roots and spread his Jewish pride and joy to the world.

You’ll find out:

- What makes digital storytelling such a powerful way to talk about difficult topics 

- Why Judaism is all about community 

- How to overcome antisemitism with Jewish joy 

- Why everyone should visit the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

- How Matthew’s quest for community drew him to Judaism 

- What it was like for Matthew finding out about his Jewish heritage for the first time as an adult - and what inspired him to go all-in and convert to Judaism

- How Matthew deals with people who are judgmental about his Jewish background

- Why it’s so important to create inclusive Jewish spaces 

- Matthew’s tips on finding the right Jewish community

LINKS:

Philadelphia Jewish New Media Festival

https://phillyjfm.org/tribe-events/category/jewish-new-media-festival/

Get your ticket to see Karen at the Jewish New Media Festival on May 21

https://phillyjfm.org/event/jewish-pride-through-a-digital-lens/

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

https://theweitzman.org/

Karen’s Combat Antisemitism video

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYr4IqgC4J/

The Chevra in Philadelphia

https://www.chevra.net/

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Karen sits down with Modi, the comedian known for his lighthearted takes on the ups and downs of Jewish life in the 21st century, and he’s got so much insight to share about everything from why the Jews are the ‘choosing people’ rather than the chosen people, to how to double down on Jewish joy in a time of rising antisemitism.

You’ll find out:

- What Modi’s learned from performing in Jewish communities all over the world

- The difference between American and British Jews

- What Moshiach energy is all about 

- Where Modi gets his material 

- What it’s like for Modi working with his husband, Leo

- Why Jews are the choosing people, not the chosen people

- Modi’s advice on increasing your Jewish joy 

- How Modi makes his shows enjoyable and accessible for both Jews and non-Jews

- What Modi’s Israeli-American upbringing was like

- Why Modi’s not funny offstage

LINKS:

Modi’s Website

https://www.modilive.com/

Modi’s Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/modi_live/

Modi’s Shabbat Shalom clip

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiPw_S0L5rm/

Modi’s Podcast

https://andheresmodi.buzzsprout.com/

Smashing Life, my Jewish community

https://smashinglife.club/

Jewish Joy Journal - get a 10% discount with the code “JEWISHJOYPODCAST”

https://jewishjoyjournal.com/