(13) The Stories of Those Who Have Left the Fold – with Naomi Seidman, Professor, Author and Host of the Heretic in the House Podcast.
Release Date: 02/26/2023
(32) A Peek Into the Hasidic World … with Frieda Vizel
The Orthonomics Podcast
Frieda Vizel was raised in the Satmar Hasidic community. At age 25, she left that community and pursued higher education, culminating in a master’s degree at Sarah Lawrence College. Since 2013, she has been offering walking tours of Hasidic Williamsburg. Her tours provide insights into the community's traditions and daily life, and are noted for their educational, respectful and balanced approach. And they are lots of fun. Her work offers a unique perspective, bridging her deep-rooted background in the Hasidic community with her academic pursuits and personal journey. She continues to foster...
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(31) Orthodox Divorces: Why? Why? Why? … with Betzalel Rothstein
The Orthonomics Podcast
Betzalel Rothstein is a Certified Divorce Coach and Mediator who is highly regarded and has been involved in hundreds of divorce cases over the past 10 years either as Mediator, Coach, Parenting Coordinator or Consultant. He has extensive experience in dealing with difficult topics such as parental alienation, blended families, relocation, and what to do when parents differ about hashkafah. Betzalel has personal experience with many of these topics and he has learned from many of the leading experts in high-conflict divorces. Betzalel’s Contact Information: Website: Email: Phone:...
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(30) Rabbi Steven Gotlib: A Thoughtful and Bold Voice for Our Complicated Times
The Orthonomics Podcast
In this episode, we have a wide-ranging discussion, touching on such topics as: • Significant differences between US and Canadian Jewry/Orthodoxy • Interactions and public conversations across among various denominations • The evolving role of women in Modern Orthodoxy • Has politics become a “Jewish issue” (and/or divisive), including attitudes toward Israel and Zionism • Struggles with faith and rationality • What factors lead to Orthodox couples getting divorced Steven Gotlib is Associate Rabbi at Mekor Habracha/Center City Synagogue in Philadelphia....
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(29) Aliza Bulow: Empowering Orthodox Jewish Women & Strengthening Our Homes
The Orthonomics Podcast
Aliza Bulow is an author, educator and mentor to Jewish women around the world, who founded CORE, an organization that empowers and connects Orthdox Jewish women. Core connects, develops and sustains women who engage in klal (the collective community) work. Core supports women in three main ways: 1) MMC (Mashpia-Mentor-Counselor) Program: Core offers 2.5 years of training to develop women who are pillars of spiritual support within our communities 2) Communities of Practice: Core connects women who share a field of Jewish service and offers continuing inspiration and education 3)...
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(28) Moish’s Believe It or Not! Bet you didn’t know that about Orthodoxy ...
The Orthonomics Podcast
In this episode we present some surprising facts about Modern Orthodoxy and the Orthodox community as a whole, based upon Nishma Research surveys between 2016 and 2024. We explore the size and growth of the community, religious beliefs and practices, political views, the finances of living an Orthodox Jewish life, the role of women in Modern Orthodoxy, and the levels of optimism vs. pessimism among several denominations across the American Jewish community. Did any of this surprise you? Do you have questions or suggestions for future research or podcast...
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(27) Haredi Expert, Researcher and Founder of Mispar.com, Dina Goldman
The Orthonomics Podcast
Dina Goldman is at the frontier of researching and understanding the Chasidish and Yeshivish communities. She has spent over a decade working in marketing and advertising within the Orthodox Jewish community. Seeing how many businesses really lack solid information that they need, she founded – The Jewish Community, a Story of Numbers, a company focused on providing rich, timely data to help businesses and non-profits make informed decisions. Dina and her team conduct all kinds of studies, and she often uses creative methods to reach the Orthodox community … and that can be...
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(26) The First-Ever Community Middot Report Card
The Orthonomics Podcast
Middot (and we’re talking mainly about interpersonal behaviors) are so important, especially in these stressful days. So we are pleased to present this as a dual-platform episode, being released on both Orthonomics and The Franciska Show … both covering important issues in the Orthodox Jewish world, and both available at all podcast platforms. Much of this episode deals with findings from the recent survey: : How We See Our Community and How We See Ourselves Across 19 Middot “Bein Adam L’chavero.” This episode is being co-hosted by Mark Trencher of Orthonomics,...
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(25) Author, Educator, Coach, Speaker … Ruchi Koval
The Orthonomics Podcast
Ruchi Koval is a parenting coach and motivational speaker who has inspired personal transformation in thousands of people. She is the co-founder and Associate Director of JFX (Jewish Family Experience), an innovative community in Cleveland, Ohio. She has been a Jewish educator for two decades, leading self-development groups for adults and teens, and mentoring educators around the world. Ruchi is also a musician, author, mother of 7, and grandmother. She is a Momentum Educator, inspiring thousands of women on their journeys in Israel. She is also the author of three books: "Conversations with...
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(24) Interview with an Orthodox therapist, Dr. Chaya Lieba Kobernick
The Orthonomics Podcast
Dr. Chaya Lieba Kobernick is a licensed clinical psychologist and the Founder and Director of The CBT/DBY Center ( … email ), with clientele in both Israel and the U.S. She received her doctorate at Long Island University, and also trained at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Northwell Health, and Rutgers University. Among the topics discussed are her services and types of clients within the Orthodox community, attitudes toward getting mental health treatment (stigma?), how she melds her personal Orthodoxy with her treatment and the value that brings to the table, the rise in...
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(23) The Issues We Raise; the Questions We Ask … with Halachah Headlines Author and Podcaster Dovid Lichtenstein
The Orthonomics Podcast
Dovid Lichtenstein is the founder and host of the podcast, an amazing and very popular podcast with a huge listenership that is indeed "The most listened to Torah Program in the world.” Halacha Headlines delves into contemporary issues and current events through the lens of Torah and Halacha (Jewish law). Each episode features discussions with Rabbis, lay leaders, and professionals from around the world, covering a wide range of topics, and the lineup of personalities interviewed includes both Haredi and Modern Orthodox leaders. Those with...
info_outlineIn this episode, we speak with Prof. Naomi Seidman about people leaving Orthodoxy and the related stories, experiences and misconceptions. She shares what she personally learned in leaving her Haredi community, as well as the insights of many others.
We also draw upon the 2016 study “Starting a Conversation: A Pioneering Survey of Those Who Have Left the Orthodox Community,” in which 885 people recounted their experiences, and we include some verbatim quotes from some of these people, explaining what motivated them and what they want the Orthodox community as a whole to know about their leaving.
Recommended: Prof. Seidman’s excellent limited (four episodes) podcast series, Heretic in the House, from the Shalom Hartman Institute.
A couple of very worthwhile books are:
Shulem Deen’s All Who Go Do Not Return, a National Jewish Book Award winner.
Prof. Schneur Zalman Newfield’s Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism.
In our "What Do You Want to Know?” segment, we answer a question we are often asked … how many people are leaving Orthodoxy. We cite Rabbi Zvi Grumet’s 2018 study of high school graduates.
Many of the Orthodox community research studies we reference in this podcast are available and downloadable free at http://nishmaresearch.com/social-research.html.
Thanks to Leora Trencher for designing our logo, and to Elana Trencher and Aliza Levy for their audio support.
Orthonomics is produced by Scott Kahn of JCH Podcast Productions (http://jchpodcasts.com).