My Husband Fought a Private War No One Could See
Meaningful People
Four years ago, Shaina’s life changed forever. Her husband, Yaakov—beloved, successful, devoted, admired—took his own life. In this raw and deeply moving conversation, Shaina speaks openly about what it’s like to live through a tragedy that many are forced to hide, but she was never given the option to silence. She shares the painful reality of loving someone who was suffering invisibly, the strength it took to keep moving forward, and the unexpected blessing of authenticity in the aftermath. This episode goes beyond grief. It confronts the stigma around mental illness in the...
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David Lichtenstein | We Spoke About the Things No One Talks About
Meaningful People
In this powerful episode, David Lichtenstein opens up about wealth, success, failure, and what truly gives life meaning. From business setbacks and rebuilding, to philanthropy, community responsibility, and personal resilience, this conversation challenges how we define success and where our real value comes from. It’s an honest look at money, pressure, ego, and purpose, through a deeply Jewish lens grounded in lived experience. The discussion goes far beyond finances, touching on tzedakah, leadership, cancel culture, failure, healing from trauma, Israel, and the responsibility to...
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Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin | They Gave Him 27 Years. He Didn’t Break.
Meaningful People
What goes through a person’s mind when they’re told—before even stepping into the courtroom—that they’ve been sentenced to 27 years in prison? In this raw and deeply moving conversation, Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin takes us inside the moments that changed his life forever: hearing the sentence, choosing emunah over despair, surviving years behind bars, and ultimately witnessing a miracle no one expected. This is not just a story about prison or justice—it’s a masterclass in faith under fire, resilience in the face of total powerlessness, and what it truly means to trust Hashem...
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Surviving the Bondi Beach Terror Attack
Meaningful People
A Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach turned into a scene of terror. In this episode of the Meaningful People Podcast, we sit with a father and community leader who survived the Bondi Beach terror attack. His children were nearby. What he first thought were fireworks quickly became gunshots. Within moments, people were running, hiding, and falling. He shares, in real time, what it was like to be there: – realizing the danger – hiding with his daughter – searching desperately for his son – trying to help the wounded while protecting his child This conversation was...
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Yaakov Shwekey Like You’ve Never Heard Him Before
Meaningful People
In this powerful and emotional conversation, Jewish music icon Yaakov Shwekey opens up about the evolution of Jewish music, the responsibility of an artist, and the deeply personal moments that shaped his life and career. From unforgettable camp memories and behind-the-scenes studio stories to the creation of his upcoming massive Shabbos project, Shwekey reflects on legacy, inspiration, and the transformative power of music. He shares raw stories about loss, fatherhood, kindness, and how music can lift broken hearts—from hospital rooms in Israel to Shabbos tables around the world. Music...
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America vs Israel: The Debate Every Jew Needs to Hear.
Meaningful People
In this powerful and eye-opening episode, we sit down with Rabbi Elchanan Shoff (Los Angeles, USA) and Rabbi Michal Weichbrod (Yehuda, Israel) for a rare, honest, and passionate conversation about one of the most charged topics in the Jewish world today: Do Jews belong in America—or is it time to move to Eretz Yisrael? Together, they dive into: 🇺🇸 The spiritual role of Jews in America 🇮🇱 The mitzvah and meaning of living in Israel 🧠 How to make decisions based on Torah, not fear 👨👩👧👦 Raising children, chinuch, army service, and communal responsibility 📜...
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Zvi Gluck | The Truth No Frum Parent Wants to Hear
Meaningful People
GET MEANINGFUL MINUTE PLUS RIGHT NOW FOR 50% OFF! In this eye-opening conversation, Nachi Gordon sits down with Zvi Gluck, founder of Amudim, for one of the most important and raw episodes we’ve ever released. From drug use and gambling in our schools, to secrets hidden behind closed doors, to real stories of crisis, denial, healing, and hope — Zvi pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening in our community. We discuss: — How common drug and alcohol use truly is — The rise of gambling addiction among teens — Why prevention MUST start earlier — What yeshivas still don’t...
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Shmelke Diamond: His Journey to Satmar and the Moment We Didn’t See Eye to Eye
Meaningful People
In this gripping and deeply honest conversation, Shmelke Diamond opens up about his unlikely path—from a traditional Long Island Jewish upbringing to discovering Chabad as a teenager, navigating a lonely and self-taught journey into observance, and ultimately becoming a proud Satmar chasid. Shmelke shares powerful stories of identity, family tension, spiritual searching, and the moment he realized he had to choose between two worlds. He talks about the kindness that drew him into the Satmar community, his struggles with chronic illness, and how disability reshaped his understanding of...
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Mendel Mintz | "We Just Wanted To Build a Family"
Meaningful People
In this deeply personal conversation, Mendel Mintz shares his journey of growing up in Crown Heights with a lifelong physical disability, building a life of community impact, and finding unexpected love with his wife, Miriam, a beloved special educator from Baltimore born with dwarfism. He opens up about their dream of building a family through IVF, the joy of being on the brink of shlichus together, and the unimaginable tragedy of losing Miriam to an extremely rare complication at the very height of their lives. Mendel reflects with searing honesty on grief, walking out of the hospital alone,...
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Glenn Cohen | The Former Mossad Psychologist in the Room When the Hostages Returned
Meaningful People
In this extraordinary episode, Nachi Gordon sits down with Glenn Cohen — former chief psychologist of the Mossad, helicopter pilot, and trauma expert — for one of the most riveting conversations ever featured on Meaningful People. From rescuing soldiers in Lebanon to counseling hostages freed after October 7th, Glenn has witnessed the darkest sides of humanity — and the boundless strength of the human spirit. He shares powerful firsthand accounts from meeting newly released hostages, insights into Mossad’s secret world, and the psychology of resilience that enables ordinary people to...
info_outlineIn this powerful and emotional conversation, Jewish music icon Yaakov Shwekey opens up about the evolution of Jewish music, the responsibility of an artist, and the deeply personal moments that shaped his life and career. From unforgettable camp memories and behind-the-scenes studio stories to the creation of his upcoming massive Shabbos project, Shwekey reflects on legacy, inspiration, and the transformative power of music.
He shares raw stories about loss, fatherhood, kindness, and how music can lift broken hearts—from hospital rooms in Israel to Shabbos tables around the world. Music producer Donny Gross joins to give a rare inside look at the creative process behind their most ambitious project yet: a multi-hour Shabbos experience meant to reconnect families to song, tradition, and joy.
If you love Jewish music, appreciate authenticity, or just need a dose of inspiration—this episode is for you.
This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors:
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► ReKindle
This film presents the powerful, deeply personal accounts of two survivors of the Café Rimon double suicide bombing in Jerusalem.
This documentary is a tribute to the lives lost, the resilience of those who survived, and the enduring human capacity to rebuild—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Through Nochi Krohn’s and Ovadia Waxler’s story, viewers witness the lasting impact of terror and the extraordinary strength required to keep choosing life, day after day.
Exclusively available via Meaningful Minute Plus:
https://plus.meaningfulminute.org/programs/rekindle-black-firday-teaser-website-fd8c10