Bad Jew Mr. Thrive Media

Take a deep breath. Let's acknowledge the fact that the world is crazy which can naturally make anyone a little crazy. It's okay to be off your rocker sometimes but that's where the mindfulness kicks in. While the world seems to spew hate in our direction, there's no better time than the present to turn toward the Jewish lens of mindfulness.

Gila Ross, podcast host of PowerUp!, draws from her Jewish studies, namely from pirkei avot, to guide listeners and provide Jewish wisdom to all who tune in. Drawing from a similar inspiration, Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, pushes and challenges some of the ideas behind Jewish mindfulness in hopes of finding peace of his own.

00:00 Introduction to Gila Ross
03:37 Teaching abroad
08:38 Finding our purpose
12:23 Jewish mindfulness
14:30 Growth mindset
19:28 Recognizing and fixing sins
20:29 Repairing your life
23:54 Bringing out the best
29:44 Daily gratitude practices
33:00 Seeking spiritual guidance
33:43 Prayer changed to mindfulness

About Gila Ross:
Gila Ross's vibrant, positive and relatable style makes her a well-sought-after and much-loved coach and educator with over 20 years of experience. She has a passion for sharing the joy and relevance of Judaism and positive parenting. She is a senior educator with SEED UK. Her Power Up! podcast was named number 6 on Jewish Podcasts Worldwide. It has several weekly episodes, allowing listeners to access her wit, wisdom, and inspiration in their own time. The Ross family’s open and fun-filled home makes it a top destination for families wishing to celebrate Shabbat and the chagim.

Connect with Gila Ross:
IG @itsGilaRoss
Book:https://lightofinfinite.com/presenter/gila-ross/
Podcast: https://linktr.ee/Gilaross?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6461bc56-69f4-40fc-bd13-c7b9c6f97b78

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co

https://linktr.ee/badjew

BadJewPod@gmail.com

Ig @BadJewPod

TikTok @BadJewPod

Right about now, you might be wondering why we have to eat flat bread. Right about now, you might be frustrated with the long dinners with the even longer stories. Right about now, you might be bored out of your mind as there is CLEARLY no meaning to these new restrictions. Don't worry. We'll explain everything.

Chaz Volk, the new Chief Marketing Officer of Aish Los Angeles and host of Bad Jew, interviews his boss, Executive Director Rabbi Aryeh Markman. Markman goes beyond the elementary-level Hebrew school class on Passover and explains the real meaning of Passover and how this tradition started not too long ago.

00:00 Introduction with my boss
04:30 Embracing tradition
09:05 3,000 years is not that long
11:54 Jewish culture and success tied to Torah
13:16 Challenging perceptions of ancient Passover story validity
18:25 Ego
21:41 Freedom and reflection
25:13 Pesach on the hebrew calendar
27:50 Modern Day Antisemitism
30:05 Conclusion

About Rabbi Aryeh Markman:
Rabbi Aryeh Markman has been the dedicated Executive Director of Aish HaTorah Los Angeles since 1994. Rabbi Markman attended the university of Illinois, graduating with a Distinction in Finance. He then visited Israel, where he was introduced to Rabbi Noach Weinberg and Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem. Turning down MBA school offers from University of Chicago, and Northwestern University, he continued to pursue Talmudic study, and received Smicha from Rabbi Noach Weinberg. Rabbi Markman and his wife Rochel then moved to Los Angeles in 1991, and are the proud parents of 7 children.

Connect with Rabbi Aryeh Markman:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aryehmarkman/
IG and Facebook: Jewish Men's Initiative LA

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
BadJewPod@gmail.com
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod

It's one of Judaism's most iconic holidays! Passover! The Rugrats did an episode about it. How could you not know about the holiday? You know, the one where we eat flat crackers? The one with the long dinner that's delayed by stories? Speaking of dinners, who's leading it this year? Oh, you are? And have you ever led a Passover Seder before? No? That's okay, Larry Cohen has you covered.

Leading a Passover Seder dinner can be intimidating whether you're a pro or not. There are tons of logistics to coordinate and you also have to be mindful of the story. How can you possibly take this task on if you're not properly taught? Larry Cohen, a philanthropist, business owner, and mentor of Chaz Volk's, teaches the fundamentals and mindfulness around the Passover story (or Haggadah).

00:00 Introduction
04:05 The Cohen Family's work in the Jewish Community / JCA Shalom
08:01 Inclusion on Passover
10:41 Modern plagues
16:27 Building community in difficult times
19:46 Cute family traditions
23:09 Passing on Jewish traditions for future generations
24:27 Jewish leadership and gratitude
28:12 Conclusion

About Larry Cohen:
Professional 
Larry is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Glyphix advertising which celebrates 29 years of delivering breakthrough creative across all kinds of media, to a wide variety of clients.

Communal

Board Member of Los Angeles Jewish Federation

Executive Board Member of Valley Alliance 

Founder of JBL Roundtable (Jewish Business Leaders)

Chair of Conejo Valley Outreach Program

Board Member of Heschel West Day school

Board Member Jewlicious

President Shalom Institute

Wexner Alumni

Executive Director Leve Family Foundation



Connect with Larry Cohen:
Support JCA Shalom at ShalominStitute.com
www.Glyphix.com 

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
BadJewPod@gmail.com
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod

This episode is about humans. This episode is about identity. This episode is about health. This episode is about self-awareness and self-care. This episode is about morality and this episode is about making sacrifices to pursue authenticity and wholeness. Any commentary outside of those themes is out of ignorance. 

Michael Alroy, a contestant on Israel's Big Brother, a business owner, and a kind soul, speaks to his life journey and how it relates to his Judaism. Chaz Volk, an ally of the LGBTQA community and host of Bad Jew, investigates Alroy's journey to shed light on the human need to pursue inconvenient and difficult measures to embrace identity. 

00:00 Introduction
05:01 Understanding gender
06:49 Realized identity
10:57 Emphasizing with the transgender community 
15:07 Revealing transgender identity
18:12 Respect, kindness, reflection
22:27 Challenges in LGBTQ community
25:06 Promoting understanding and acceptance
26:49 Transition process
30:09 Outro

About Michael Alroy:
“Life begins where fear ends” was Michael’s motto when he made the bold decision to undergo gender reassignment surgery at the age of 21. This was an irreversible decision, which finally allowed him to be and look, the way he felt. From that point on there was no hesitation, regrets, and no holds barred as he transformed himself from Michelle Haziza, to Michael Alroy – a man of his own.
Michael Alroy was born Michelle Haziza in Johannesburg South Africa in 1990. He spent the first seven years of his life in South Africa and attended a Jewish Day School in Johannesburg until Grade 1. In Israel, Michael struggled to adapt to the strictly religious environment of his school as he began to experience a conflict with his gender identity. He felt like a boy in girls' clothing and hated the rules about dress and behavior imposed on him by the school. Nevertheless, the girls admired his spirit of independence and insistence on being and acting as he felt.
As you can imagine his school life was fraught with conflict and feelings of duality and awkwardness. His most joyous day was when he finally finished his schooling and was able to dress and act as he wanted. Still, he encountered more difficulties. The lecture provides an opportunity to hear first-hand Michael's touching and fascinating life story, whilst compelling the audience to identify with his plight and to look more closely at the society in which they live.

Michael awakens in each and every member of the audience their potential and power to make changes in their lives.

Connect with Michael Alroy:
YouTube @mikialroy21  
IG @michael_alroy
LI Michael Alroy

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
BadJewPod@gmail.com
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod

We've all heard of Kabbalah but what does it really do? Why does it matter? This fictitious book filled with magical and mystical ideas seems to have just as much realism as Greek mythology, right? Wrong. What if Kabbalah was one of the most misunderstood pieces of text out of Jewish literature? 

Like many others, the concept and purpose of Kabbalah has been a mystery to people like host Chaz Volk. Volk speaks with Kabbalah student and coach Reb Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy to uncover the truth and reasoning behind this ancient text. Tune in to learn how Kabbalah is much more involved in our lives than we can possibly conceive! 

00:00 Introduction
07:02 Kabbalistic Overview
14:02 Trauma into Inspiration
16:35 Chaz's Kabbalah Story
19:34 Benefits of Kabbalah
24:25 Personal Development
28:27 Transformative opportunities
30:28 Outro

About Reb Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy:
Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Reb Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy has had an incredible journey back to his Jewish roots thanks to Kabbalistic Wisdom. Having studied directly under world-leading Kabbalist, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Gottlieb Shlit"a, Reb Adam has gained the skills and knowledge to help elevate the generation. Reb Adam has gained around 40,000 combined social media followers and flourished a transformational Mindset/Life Coaching practice for CEO's, Founders, and beyond in the past year alone. Reb Adam now resides in Israel with his wife and son. Oh, and he loves schnitzel!

Connect with Reb Adam Yitzchak Polinovskiy:
RebAdam.com
Ig and TikTok @rebadamyitzchak
YT @RebAdamYitzchak  

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
BadJewPod@gmail.com
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod

Let's be real. Tattoos look cool. Some tattoos are questionable and regrettable later in life. But ultimately, who doesn't want a tattoo? It's also important to acknowledge that Jews and tattoos haven't always had the best relationship given our survival story. Despite this, it's been well-known that Jews can't have tattoos. What if we told you that's not true?

Chabad Rabbi Dovid Braslawsce hails from the Yiddishkeit communities of the East Coast to teach why tattoos are actually acceptable. You read that correctly. Chaz Volk, host of Bad Jew, gets his preconceived notions challenged by this new school of thought most have never considered before. Learn the actual rules and semantics of the Torah around the hot-button topic of tattoos with Chaz and 'The Tattoo Rabbi'!

About Rabbi Dovid Braslawsce:
Dovid, originally from the trucker-stop town of Beaver, Pennsylvania, where his family stood as the lone Jewish presence among its 4 thousand inhabitants, navigated a childhood marked by boundless energy and frequent mischief, lacking kosher avenues to express his authentic self. However, his trajectory shifted after being exposed to both Chabad and Mixed Martial Arts during his time in university.

Today, known affectionately as the Tattoo Rabbi, Dovid calls Crown Heights, New York home, dedicating himself to dual pursuits: G-d and the discipline of martial arts. By day, he serves as the Happiness Manager for Chabad.org, while his evenings are devoted to leading a self-defense program for men in Crown Heights. He also travels internationally to campuses and communities to share his story, give encouragement, and teach what it means to be a strong and proud Jew.

His overarching purpose lies in inspiring and empowering individuals, irrespective of their religiosity, to embrace and take ownership of their Yiddishkeit.

00:00 Introduction to Rabbi Dovid Braslawsce
06:06 Can Jews Have Tattoos?
09:09 Jewish cemeteries laws around tattoos
12:02 Bible origin of the law
14:34 Holocaust survivors and the Jewish relationship with tattoos
18:27 Life and death situations
24:57 Meaningful decisions for tattoos
28:42 Tattoo removal
30:21 Expressing Jewish identity in action
32:43 Conclusion

Connect with Rabbi Dovid Braslawsce
IG @tattoo_rabbi

Connect with Bad Jew:
BadJew.co
https://linktr.ee/badjew
BadJewPod@gmail.com
Ig @BadJewPod
TikTok @BadJewPod