Chai on Life

Alex Segal
  • 4.8 (26)
  • Judaism
  • Updated Weekly

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. 1d ago

    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. More relevant links: Order the book on Amazon Sararigler.com Hello Habit app

    1h 6m

  2. May 26

    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

  3. May 19

    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!

    1h 3m

  4. May 5

    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

  5. Apr 28

    69. Personal Growth through the Lens of the Omer with Esther Wein, Torah Educator

    Today, I’m speaking with Esther Wein, Torah educator extraordinaire. For more than 35 years, Esther has guided students of all backgrounds in Torah learning. Along the way, she became increasingly aware that even well-educated learners were often working with over-simplified explanations or incorrect ideas about the core ideas of Judaism and the unfolding story of Am Yisrael.  Critical tools for navigating today's complex world were therefore missing. Because of this, she created an entirely new program called Torah Unlocked, and its upcoming flagship course, Reishis, where students will take a fresh look at the story the Torah is telling. Esther’s approach allows the many Torah ideas we have all learned to fall into place within their true context, and many longstanding questions begin to resolve on their own. The result is renewed pride, enthusiasm, clarity  and devotion to the role one can play right now in Am Yisrael's story.   While Reishis is not out yet, it is launching in the next couple of months, so if you visit estherwein.com, you can sign up for updates and get notified once it’s officially out. In this episode, we speak a lot more about: -The course Esther created -Some of the core conflicts of the Torah and how they relate to what we’re going through both as a people and individually today. -The religious world — both as a way to focus more on its positive attributes and recognize what we can all work on to create growth and improvement.  -What we can take from the Pesach story as she reframes the it in a way that will change how you view the entire Jewish people and our place in this world.  -The omer period — what is really going on at this time that we are in and how practically, we can maximize its potential. -The one thing that brings more bracha to Am Yisrael than anything else. ...and SO much more. 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!

    57 min

  6. Apr 20

    68. The Mitzvah of Challah, Reimagined: Joy, Emunah & Holiness with the Challah Mom, Anat Ishai

    Today, I’m speaking with Anat Ishai, otherwise known as the Challah Mom on Instagram. Anat is known for her challah dance parties both in her kitchen and on tours with communities around the world. Whether you are reveling in challah again after Pesach, are looking for inspiration to get back into the mitzvah, or just are learning about it for the first time, this episode is for you. You will not look at the mitzvah of challah the same way after hearing Anat speak. I completely fell in love with her in this episode — she is so well spoken and articulate and as you will hear, I was continuously blown away by her wisdom. In our conversation, we speak about: -Why she feels so connected to the mitzvah of challah and where it all began -How to reframe happiness as a goal in life and have a new perspective on what that word even means -Her journey making Aliyah and how her relationship with Hashem evolved through the process -How the act of making challah mimics reality — what we can learn from the entire experience and how we can bring more of ourselves into that experience -Messages to carry you from Pesach through the transition back into bread and the year ahead — not sure about you but it’s always so weird to me to go from completely banning chametz to fully making challah again. Lots of beautiful gems here -How she models strength and perseverance in her home and connects with her children through mitzvot in a way that is authentic and doesn’t wear her out …and SO much more. To get more from the Challah Mom, visit her below: @challah.mom on Instagram Anat Ishai on Facebook thechallahmom.com

    1h 2m

  7. Mar 30

    [REPLAY] Make Pesach Fun Again with Chanie Apfelbaum of Busy in Brooklyn

    This episode originally aired on March 24, 2025 — but it's still just as relevant today! I am so excited about today’s guest because it is Chanie Apfelbaum of Busy in Brooklyn. If you are not already familiar, Chanie is a food writer and photographer who has a really unique way of blending traditional Jewish foods with modern flavors. She started her blog, Busy in Brooklyn, in 2011 so it’s been giving us delicious recipe ideas for all occasions for nearly 15 years now. She is also the author of two cookbooks, Millennial Kosher and Totally Kosher where you can get even more recipe ideas from Chanie as well as tons of tips about cooking, how to stock your kitchen, plan a meal and more. As we all know, Pesach is a stressful time on the Jewish calendar, but the more I get into making and hosting Pesach, the more I’m determined to take the stress out of the process. This episode with Chanie will do that for you. It’s genuinely fun. I felt lighter and excited after recording it and had that same feeling after listening through again and editing it. It just got me actually excited to cook for Pesach and feeling blessed for the opportunity to do so versus overburdened with chores.  In the episode, we talk a bit about: -Chanie’s background and how her spirituality has evolved over the years especially throughout various challenges she has gone through -Then, about halfway through, the ideas start FLOWING when it comes to easy foods you can make this Pesach mainly out of fruits, vegetables nuts and seeds and it is both mouth-watering and easier than you think. -She also shares tips that can help you in the kitchen and streamline your cooking experience. -We go through how to plan a meal — whether it’s seder night or a third day lunch and it’s just so awesome to see how her brain works in that way. Her ideas are simplified yet do not skimp on the flavor. In fact, they are bursting with flavor and because so many of the ingredients are just fruits and vegetables or repurposing something you have, you will be saving tons of money not having to buy all the processed pantry products and too many extras because as we all know Pesach can get really expensive really quickly. To help you out further, I made a companion document where I typed up all the ideas for easy access — view it here! Wishing all of you a beautiful Pesach.

    1h 3m

  8. Mar 23

    67. Sharing Pesach Secrets with Batya Kahan of Batya's Kitchen

    Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal, and today I’m speaking with Batya Kahan, founder of Batya’s Kitchen. Batya’s Kitchen is a full scale catering business that delivers home-cooked kosher food to Jews all over the country. Started in 2007, Batya has become well known for her delicious Pesach cuisine and so many order from her whether they’re traveling for the holiday and need food or just want some help at home. She has become a true expert on Pesach cooking, freezing food before Pesach and how to defrost and reheat it to retain its flavor, the halachos in the kitchen and more. This year, Batya has created a stunning cookbook called Pesach Secrets that everyone is talking about. I had to get it and am so excited to dive in as I’m cooking for Pesach this year. In the book, she not only has tons of mouth-watering recipes, but she also goes through all the elements of the seder plate with information on how to put it together and tips to keep everything fresh. There is information on checking vegetables, hechsherim to pay close attention to so you don’t accidentally buy kitniyot for example, advice on how to prep for Pesach so  you don’t get so completely overwhelmed and so much more. It is so comprehensive and you can really utilize the recipes all year round. In our conversation, Batya speaks about: -How she got into this work and built Batya’s Kitchen into what it is today -What her own memories of Pesach look like and and how that plays into her work and family life -How to have a positive mindset about Pesach and a calming approach if you’re feeling overwhelmed -How to approach a big book of recipes also without getting overwhelmed and feeling like you need to make everything -Her approach to planning a menu -Her number one tip to staying focused and being most efficient in the kitchen -How to get kids involved …and so much more! 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. Chag sameach everyone!

    38 min
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4.8
out of 5
26 Ratings

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
    79
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Alex Segal
  • Show Website
    Chai on Life

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