Chai on Life

Alex Segal
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  • Judaism
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Chai on Life is a podcast for passionate Jewish women. We speak about all things that go into living an observant lifestyle in a way that's real and welcoming. Come learn from so many inspiring women out there!

  1. 8 hr ago

    Strengthening Ourselves Through the Three Weeks, Nine Days and Tisha B'Av with Educator Dr. Hilla Aboody [REPLAY]

    [This episode originally aired on July 29, 2024] Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, we are speaking with Dr. Hilla Aboody, an amazing teacher, mother, wife and mentor currently living in Eretz Yisrael who I invited to come on to speak about this heavy time on the Jewish calendar. Hilla has such a beautiful way of explaining things — it’s so deep and profound yet easy to comprehend at the same time. A little background on her: She is a wife and mother of five, living in Eretz Yisrael after making Aliyah 7 years ago from Brooklyn, NY. She is a teacher and Em Bayit (house mother) at Midreshet Eshel, a Sephardic seminary for post High school students from around the world. Her educational background includes studying at Michlalah and receiving her bachelor’s degree from Bar-Ilan University and a Master’s and PhD in Jewish History from New York University. She has published her study on Eliyahu the Prophet in Talmudic literature and midrashim in her book, “Through the Prism of Wisdom”. As an educator and kallah teacher, Hilla dedicates her time in guiding students to creating a relationship with Hashem and tips and tools to thrive in their marriages and in life. In our conversation, we speak about: -What the Jewish perspective is on sadness and pain -How we can connect to Hashem during this time and in this unique way, especially if it feels daunting for you right now -Why this particular time period brings about more heaviness and actually the reason why we take more precautions -The rich energy that lies in the months of Tammuz and Av — what the letters associated with each month mean, why the sense of each month is important and what we can individually and collectively take from all of that -Why crying is actually a sign of bravery -Practical things you can do now to get through this time with more faith, in a more connected way to yourself, Hashem and those around you -How to deal with difficult emotions with your kids …and SO MUCH MORE This podcast with Hilla is basically an hour long shiur. I got chills like 17 times as I was listening to her and it’s definitely one of the most important ones I’ve done so far in terms of our spirituality. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at ⁠alex@chaionlifemag.com⁠ or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

    1hr 21min

  2. 29 Jun

    75. You Were Never Broken: Rethinking Healing & Living with Intention—with Therapist Aliza Tropper

    Today, I’m speaking with Aliza Tropper. Aliza is a licensed psychotherapist and the founder of Heartful Mental Health, a therapy practice based in Cedarhurst, NY.  Aliza has more than a decade of experience helping adolescents and adults navigate anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions. She takes a holistic approach, integrating mind, body and soul, and uses evidence-based therapies such as EMDR, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and more. Her work combines practical tools with deep emotional insight to help people create meaningful, lasting change that is in alignment with their values. This conversation is all about a whole lot of that. I’ve been thinking so much about healing lately. In our social media focused world, healing can sometimes be contained to 1 or 2-minute sound bites or six-slide carousel posts when in reality, it’s hard to fit our lives in a box. While there is so much learning, community and validation that can come from social media, a lot can also be lost. Sometimes it feels like if we just did this one thing that this Instagram post is saying, we would be better — if we just read that one book or bought that one product, we would finally feel healed or have the lives we wanted. We need to remember to go outside the screen to have those real conversations and debrief and connect — there is never a substitute for that. As I spoke to Aliza, I realized that with all the chasing, there also has to be recognition of what is being accomplished every day, there has to be space for emotion — all of them — for the duality of what makes someone human. Becoming healed isn’t a destination that you stay at, but a vibrant journey that continues to bring us to new levels of growth. Aliza is so good about breaking down some of the big concepts we see or hear about and making them understandable and really feel doable. In the episode, we speak about: -How healing itself can become an addiction -What DBT and CBT are — the differences between them and how we can utilize them for growth -How to live more in alignment with our values -What to do when uncomfortable emotions arise -How we can work to reprogram our nervous systems to feel more calm -How to live life with more intention -How to break free of comparison culture and a consumer-based society -How to make friends as an adult and why it feels different than it may have before -How to work on building self-esteem -The power of integrating spirituality in your healing journey …and so much more! To learn more from Aliza or to work with her, visit Heartfulmentalhealth.com Find her on Instagram @alizathetherapist Email her at Aliza@heartfulmentalhealth.com

    59 min

  3. 15 Jun

    74. Make Torah More Relevant Every Day with Author Katia Bolotin

    Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today I’m speaking with Katia Bolotin, the author of Making it Relevant: Timeless Torah Wisdom for an Ever-Changing World which came out at the end of last year. Katia is an author and speaker as well as a pianist, songwriter and composer of contemporary classical music. She is known for inspiring audiences with teachings that are both deeply rooted in Torah as well as being contemporary. Her writing is warm, clear, and emotionally resonant — grounded in real experience rather than theory. As I moved through her book, I really felt that. Each chapter focuses on a different parsha and is relatable and easy to read. It makes the parsha approachable and offers at least one practical takeaway or exercise you can do to really bring the Torah’s teachings immediately into your life. It could be fun to learn with a friend or chavruta for that purpose as well and really motivate each other. In the episode, we speak about: -Why she decided to write a book on parsha specifically -How we can use the Torah as the greatest self-help book -Why life is more like a ladder and less like a bridge and what that ladder can teach us  -How Katia grounds herself through Torah -The dangers of comparing oneself to others and how to work on that in both a physical and spiritual way -What the duality present in the Torah can teach us about the world -What masculine and feminine energy look like through a Torah lens -The best way to transmit Torah to our children ...and so much more! Get Katia’s book here. Follow Katia on Instagram here and through her website here. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at alex@chaionlifemag.com or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

    58 min

  4. 9 Jun

    73. Feed Your Family Without Living in the Kitchen with Guila Sandroussy of Tasty and Hasty

    Welcome back to The Chai on Life Podcast! Today, I’m speaking with Guila Sandroussy, the creator of Tasty and Hasty which is an Instagram account and website filled with kosher food recipes that as the name suggests, are both fast and delicious. Since summer is finally here, I’m sure we all want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the sunshine and Guila is helping us with just that. She is spilling all her tips to cooking more efficiently whether it’s for Shabbat or weeknight dinners. In our conversation, we speak about: -How she got started as a food blogger -How her Moroccan background influences her cooking today, and also how it doesn’t -Where she gets the inspiration for her recipes and how you can do the same -How to plan out your weekly meals in a way that is not overwhelming and makes it feel so easy -Her Shabbat planning and cooking process broken down -Why challah has become a mitzvah she feels really connected to and how she makes time for it -She takes us behind the scenes of her content creation process from how long things take to film to the editing and even answering messages -How she brings cooking into her motherhood journey with her kids — from helping them become less picky eaters to bringing them into the kitchen with her when they’re interested in learning …and SO MUCH MORE Some of the things we discussed in the episode: Recipes from Guila with 9x13, sheet-pan ideas and freezer tips Quick-meal links: Easy 9x13 Chicken and Rice 9x13 Kids Pasta Follow on Instagram: @Tastyandhasty If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email alex@chaionlifemag.com or send a DM @chaionlifemag.

    53 min

  5. 2 Jun

    72. Connect to Hashem in Just Eight Seconds with Rebbetzin Sara Yoheved Rigler

    Welcome back to The Chai on Life Podcast! Today, ’m speaking with Rebbetzin Sara Yoheved Rigler. For those who do not know Rebbetzin Rigler, she is a best-selling author, speaker and teacher and this is actually her second time on The Chai on Life Podcast. She is our first second-time guest and I am so grateful for her for returning. The reason she is back is to discuss her brand new book, 8 Seconds to Connect with Hashem: Mitzvah Mindfulness for Women. The whole idea of the book is about turning everyday actions into moments of connection. With clear guidance and short intention statements, even routine tasks―like drinking water or doing laundry―can become meaningful mitzvos. I was blessed to hear about this concept from Rebbetzin Rigler on one of her classes through Jewish Workshops and after reading an early copy of the book, tried practicing it on my own. As you’ll hear more about in our interview, it’s truly a transformational idea. In a really small way, you can change your whole relationship with Hashem for the better. In our conversation, we speak about: -Why she wanted to write this book -Why this action creates so much more love for and with Hashem -How to do this when things feel tough and you’re going through challenges in life -The importance of doing a mitzvah with simcha -The two things that might get in the way of doing this practice effectively — and how to both watch out for and overcome those -Why you can apply this concept to literally anything you’re doing throughout the day — even serving Hashem with your yetzer hara …and so much more! For the most up to date information, you can go to the book’s website, 8secconnect.com. To listen to the first episode with Rebbetzin Rigler, click here. More relevant links: Order the book on Amazon Sararigler.com Hello Habit app

    1hr 6min

  6. 26 May

    71. What Are We Teaching Our Kids About Money? With Financial Coach Rivky Rothenberg

    Today, I’m speaking with Rivky Rothenberg. Rivky is a CPA and financial coach who helps families make sense of their money and build a strong, values-based financial foundation.  She works with couples to create clear, practical systems at home so they can raise children with healthy money habits and avoid the patterns that lead to entitlement. She also guides engaged and newlywed couples through the early financial decisions that shape their future, helping them get organized, communicate well, and start off on the same page.  Drawing on her background in accounting and years of hands-on experience, Rivky focuses on giving families both clarity and tools—so they can feel confident in their finances and in the example they’re setting for the next generation. I loved speaking with Rivky because money is one of those things that is still a bit taboo and nice to speak about with a real professional, someone who has seen a lot and can speak from that experience. In the episode, we speak about: -How she got into financial coaching -The language we can use to speak to our kids about money even from a young age so they develop a healthy mindset around it. -How to speak to teens and older kids about money in a way that makes sense to them and teaches them the value of it -How to deal with money differences that come up in marriage, which almost always happens as each person comes in with their own money styles, backgrounds and triggers -How to develop more emunah and bitachon into your money mindset …and so much more! For more from Rivky or to work with her, visit rivkyrothenberg.com.

    1 hr

  7. 19 May

    Elevate Your Entire Shavuot Experience with Esteemed Educator and Speaker Nalini Ibragimov [REPLAY]

    This episode originally aired on June 3, 2024 but is just as relevant today. Enjoy and wishing everyone a beautiful Shavuos! Today we have a really exciting episode to gear up for Shavuot with Esteemed Educator, Speaker and Kallah Teacher Nalini Ibragimov. If you know Nalini, you already know how special she is. I had the privilege of meeting her nearly 12 years ago now when she co-founded a group called Souled, which was a weekly class for young professional women who had been on Israel trips or other programs and wanted to continue their learning while working in New York City. She is a role model to maybe thousands of women at this point through her work on college campuses, as a kallah teacher, someone who prepares brides for their upcoming wedding, Souled and other Jewish organizations. Here’s some more formal info for those who aren’t familiar with Nailni and her work: Nalini Ibragimov attended Barnard College and Moreshet Institute and studied Jewish history in Touro’s master’s program. She lived in Israel for four years where she taught in various institutions.  For the following five years, she and her husband worked at Brooklyn College for JLIC, a joint program of the OU and Hillel, where she taught and ran various programs for Jewish students on campus. Nalini taught in Ateres Naava seminary in Brooklyn for 15 years until moving to Long Island a few years ago. Additionally, Nalini has taught hundreds of kallot and is a speaker for My Gift of Mikvah. She is also part of the educational staff of Core.  Today, Nalini is the director of the ⁠Olami Women's House⁠, which provides a living space for young professional women who seek to live in a nurturing, Torah immersive environment. If you want to apply to live there, click ⁠here⁠! If you're a young professional woman, you can also hear Nalini speak Wednesday nights at Safra Synagogue on the Upper East Side at 7:30 p.m. Nalini resides in Woodmere, New York with her husband and takes great pride in her six children and the families they are building. Now, let’s talk about our episode. In our conversation we speak about: -Nalini’s Jewish journey and how she got to where she is today -How she manages and balances all of the work she does with being a wife and a mother of six children -How she decides what professional responsibilities to take on -What Shavuot really means and the perspective we can have going into it -How we can manage the heaviness all around us right now and channel that pain we’re still feeling into the holiday and use it to create even more connection with Hashem -What a miracle actually looks like and how we can see more of them in our daily lives, right now -How we can use the time we have left before Shavuot to prepare for the holiday — and why the process and the preparation are key -How to connect on Shavuot when you’re home with little kids and not going to learn all night -How the holiday of Shavuot is like a wedding and a beautiful lesson that we can all infuse into our marriages and our relationship to all of klal Yisrael …and SO MUCH MORE If you have any questions for Nalini, you can reach out to her at Nalini419@gmail.com. If there's someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast or a topic you want featured, send me an email at alex@chaionlifemag.com or a DM on Instagram at ⁠@chaionlifemag⁠. Thanks so much, see you next week!

    1hr 3min

  8. 5 May

    70. Making the Invisible Visible: The Sacred Work of Motherhood with Rebbetzin Miriam Katz

    Today, I’m speaking with Rebbetzin Miriam Katz. Rebbetzin Katz is a mother of seven children, bli yin hara and lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Rabbi Doniel Katz who is a well known teacher on meditation and psychology through the lens of Kabbalah and Chassidus. She has a degree in elementary education, but explains she has learned the most about children by raising them. She has become a treasure trove of wisdom and has turned her teachings into a Substack newsletter called Mother 2 Mother where she shares insights from her two decades of motherhood. It’s both practical and spiritual, relatable yet inspiring and it has been such a pleasure to be a part of her community and learn from her writings. We are approaching Mother’s Day — at least in the States — and while it may be a holiday you gloss over, it’s also a good opportunity to simply reflect on all you do as a mother. As we speak about in our interview, there’s so much invisible work when you’re a mother, keeping things running on a day-to-day basis — and it’s important to make the invisible visible whether it’s with your spouse, with your kids or without anyone else involved — just to yourself. In our conversation we speak about: -How Rebbetzin Katz found and connected to Orthodox Judaism -The crazy story of how she met her husband -How to figure out what we really need when it comes to our unique mothering journeys -How we can place more value on our role as a mother, if it’s not something that comes easily to you -What a deep connection to Hashem can look like through mothering -How to feel better about the mental load motherhood comes with and ways to reframe it -Something you can do at home to cultivate more gratitude …and so much more! To reach out to Miriam, you can email her at Miriamkatz613@gmail.com. Please leave a rating and review, share the episode with a friend, family member or coworker who you think might enjoy it as well. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at alex@chaionlifemag.com or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

    59 min
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About

Chai on Life is a podcast for passionate Jewish women. We speak about all things that go into living an observant lifestyle in a way that's real and welcoming. Come learn from so many inspiring women out there!

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Segal
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Alex Segal
  • Show Website
    Chai on Life

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