“Mommy, Are You Going to Die?” | The Story of Shana Alayev’s Fight For Life
Meaningful People
Meet Shana Alayev, a wife, mother of four, and speech therapist who is facing stage four cancer with brutal honesty, raw humor, and unshakable emunah. In this emotional and deeply human conversation, Shana opens up about her journey: from a delayed diagnosis during pregnancy to navigating treatment, parenting through pain, and redefining faith, purpose, and resilience every single day. Her story isn't just about illness, it's about choosing hope when the path is unclear, and finding light in the darkest places. WonderWomen is a community dedicated to empowering and supporting young Orthodox...
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What If We’re Too Comfortable in Galus?
Meaningful People
This isn’t a typical podcast. It’s the trailer for Homeless — our first-ever film. A raw, emotional journey into what it means to live in exile… and what it means to come home. If you’ve ever felt disconnected, if you’ve ever stopped to wonder where Moshiach fits into your life — this is for you. 🎥 Watch the full film now:
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Devorah Halberstam: The Day My 16-Year-Old Son Was Killed for Being Jewish
Meaningful People
She Lost Her Son in a Terror Attack on the Brooklyn Bridge – Deborah Halberstam’s Story In this deeply emotional and powerful episode, Deborah Halberstam shares the heartbreaking story of her son Ari Halberstam, a 16-year-old yeshiva student who was murdered in a 1994 terror attack on the Brooklyn Bridge. Deborah recounts Ari’s unique upbringing, his deep connection to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and the chilling events leading up to the attack that took his life. She opens up about her personal grief, her years-long battle for justice, and how she transformed tragedy into activism—shaping...
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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...
info_outlineThis isn’t a typical podcast.
It’s the trailer for Homeless — our first-ever film.
A raw, emotional journey into what it means to live in exile… and what it means to come home.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected, if you’ve ever stopped to wonder where Moshiach fits into your life — this is for you.
🎥 Watch the full film now: www.9av.plus