Shmulie Hartstein | The Most Avoidable Tragedy In Our Community
Meaningful People
In this emotional and eye-opening interview, we sit down with Shmuie Hartstein, the founder of B’Sefer Chaim, an urgent initiative born out of heartbreak and driven by love. After witnessing the repeated devastation of families who lost a parent without life insurance, Shmuel decided enough was enough. With raw honesty, he shares the story that led him to launch B’Sefer Chaim—an awareness campaign dedicated to ensuring that no Jewish family ever faces financial ruin in the wake of personal loss. This isn’t about business. It’s about responsibility. About protecting those we love....
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Dovid Bashevkin | The Achdus Crisis We Pretend Doesn’t Exist
Meaningful People
In this wide-ranging and deeply honest episode, Dovid Bashevkin unpacks one of the most pressing and overlooked issues in the Jewish world today: the fragmentation of the Orthodox community and the illusion of unity we like to project. With humor, vulnerability, and rare clarity, he explores why we’re lonelier than ever despite packed shuls and buzzing WhatsApp groups, how labels like “Modern Orthodox” and “Yeshivish” have shifted from ideological statements to institutional shorthand, and what it would actually take to foster real achdus, not just feel-good unity, but the kind that...
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Chanie Werzberger | “She Was My Mother… But I Couldn’t Call Her Mommy“
Meaningful People
Chanie Werzberger’s life reads like a dramatic novel, but every moment is real. In this emotional and powerful interview, Chanie shares her incredible journey: from a childhood in Argentina torn apart by her parents' separation, to a secret escape with her father to America, her entrance into the Satmar Hasidic world, and the many painful transitions she endured as a young girl without her mother. We explore her resilience through being moved from home to home, her complicated but deep love for her father, her eventual reconnection with her estranged mother after 21 years, and the health...
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Danielle Renov: I’d Rather Be Under Fire in Israel Than Safe Anywhere Else
Meaningful People
Danielle Renov—best known as the creative force behind “Peas, Love & Carrots”—joins the Meaningful People Podcast not to share recipes, but to open up about something far more raw and real: living through war in Israel as a mother. In this emotionally charged episode, Danielle shares what life is like in Yerushalayim under missile fire, separated from her husband and holding down the home with extraordinary resilience. She opens up about fear, faith, and motherhood in a war zone—describing what it means to remain strong for her children while the world around her is shaking,...
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The Lubavitcher Rebbe: Judaism’s Most Impactful Leader — 30 Years Later
Meaningful People
In this special Gimmel Tammuz episode, we reflect on the legacy, leadership, and transformative vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 31 years after his histalkus. Featuring moving conversations with Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rabbi Yosef Bronstein, and Rabbi Shlomo Katz, this episode explores how the Rebbe's teachings continue to shape Jewish life today, from his unmatched scholarship and moral clarity, to his relentless optimism and unconditional Ahavas Yisrael. Whether you're Chabad, not Chabad, or simply searching for deeper meaning in your Yiddishkeit, this episode offers a powerful...
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Yishai Fleisher | The Wake-Up Call: Come Home to Israel Now
Meaningful People
Yishai Fleisher joins Nachi Gordon for a powerful conversation that dives deep into the heart of Am Yisrael. Broadcasting from the diaspora, but with his soul in Israel, Yishai opens up about the war with Iran, his personal longing to return to the front lines, and the spiritual and political crossroads facing the Jewish people today. From his work in Chevron and his role as a councilman in Efrat, to organizing international tours with figures like Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Yishai shares the mission behind his advocacy for a stronger, prouder Jewish state. This episode explores the...
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Sipora Sassoon | She Lost All 7 Of Her Siblings in a Fire. This Is Her Story
Meaningful People
In this deeply emotional and inspiring conversation, Siporah Sassoon shares her harrowing story of surviving a tragic house fire that claimed the lives of her seven siblings. She opens up about the trauma, the long road to physical and emotional recovery, and how her unwavering faith in Hashem has carried her through the darkest of times. A decade has passed since a tragic house fire ripped through Sipora Sassoon’s home in Brooklyn, claiming the lives of her seven siblings. Sipora survived—but not easily. She was hospitalized with severe burns covering nearly half of her body, and at one...
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Money, Shidduchim & Pressure: What’s Really Going On? | Rabbi Joey Haber
Meaningful People
In this riveting episode, Rabbi Joey Haber sits down with Nachi Gordon for an unfiltered, thought-provoking conversation that tackles some of the most pressing—and often taboo—questions in the Jewish world today. What does it really mean to live a Torah life in a world obsessed with status? How can we tell the difference between true mitzvah and materialism? Are we setting up our youth for failure by defining success through narrow expectations—like the 3-to-5-year Kollel rule? From the Syrian and Ashkenazi community dynamics to financial pressures, lavish weddings, and the emotional...
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Face to Face with America: Rabbi Shoff in Downtown Chicago
Meaningful People
Rabbi Elchanan Shoff took to the streets of downtown Chicago to answer the raw, unfiltered questions of everyday people—from devout Christians and curious Muslims to military moms and tourists from Poland. As an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Rabbi Shoff opens up honest, thoughtful conversations about religion, identity, Israel, morality, gender, and what it truly means to coexist. This powerful episode of Ask Me Anything showcases the value of deep dialogue, mutual respect, and the pursuit of truth across ideological lines. This episode was brought to you by: ►Skive Customized Software Without...
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R' Mendy Chitric | Living as a Rabbi in a Place Most Jews Wouldn’t Dare Go
Meaningful People
This is the extraordinary journey of Rabbi Mendy Chitric, a Chabad rabbi based in Turkey. Born in Tzfat and part of an 11th-generation Chabad family, Rabbi Chitric has spent the last 25 years serving the Jewish community in Istanbul — a city where Jewish life dates back 2,700 years. Originally planning to stay for just one year, Rabbi Chitric remained to answer the needs of a community facing significant challenges: assimilation, declining population, and a need for strong Jewish infrastructure. This video dives deep into Rabbi Chitric’s insights on:🕍 The rich Jewish history of Istanbul...
info_outlineIn this episode, we speak with Michal Lobanov, the wife of Alexander (Alex) Lobanov HY’D, who was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, while working as the head bartender at the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im.
Alex was a devoted father from Ashkelon, caring for his physically disabled parents and supporting his wife Michal, who was five months pregnant at the time of his abduction. Tragically, after enduring months of captivity, Alex was murdered by Hamas, and his body was recovered from a tunnel in Rafah on August 31, 2024.
In this heartfelt conversation, Michal shares her journey of grief, resilience, and the challenges of raising their two children, including the child born during Alex’s captivity. She reflects on the profound impact of the October 7 attacks, the enduring pain of losing Alex, and her determination to honor his memory.
This episode sheds light on the human cost of terrorism and the strength required to navigate unimaginable loss. Join us as we listen to Michal’s story—a testament to love, courage, and remembrance.
You can support the Loubanov family by making a donation here: https://thechesedfund.com/hopeinaction/help-family-of-murdered-hostage-alex-lobanov
You can follow Michal’s journey on https://www.instagram.com/michalobanov and follow the page in memory of her late husband Alex Lobanov
https://www.instagram.com/remember.alex.lobanov i
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