The Grief Journey By Mayrim

Miriam Ribiat
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Judaism
  • Updated Biweekly

When I launched Relief from Grief in 2022, I thought it would be a short-term project. But the feedback was overwhelming:•Grievers found inspiration and comfort.•Listeners who hadn’t experienced loss gained meaningful insights into grief.•Professionals shared how valuable the podcast was for their clients.I realized this podcast was meeting a deep, ongoing need — and I was determined to continue serving that need.I’m honored to partner with Mayrim, an organization dedicated to supporting families who have lost a child. Mayrim is the perfect partner because its founders and members understand the pain of loss firsthand. It’s my hope that each guest shares encouragement and understanding, helping listeners feel less alone. Together, we can find hope and comfort — one moment at a time.

  1. 3d ago

    Mrs. Tova Jussim, LCSW-C: Courageous Conversations

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! Some conversations take courage. A conversation with a loved one who is dying is one of them. It takes vulnerability, openness, and a willingness to say the things that may feel almost impossible to say. For 25 years, Mrs. Tova Jussim has worked as a social worker with people who are seriously ill—some on hospice, some approaching that stage—and with the families who love them. She helps families face the reality of what is happening and, when they’re ready, have the conversations that can be so difficult but so meaningful. Those conversations can create space to say what’s in your heart, to connect, and to say goodbye. But Tova also understands that every person and every family is different. She doesn’t come in with a script for how dying or grieving is supposed to look. She comes in with kindness, sensitivity, and a desire to understand what this family needs—and then tries to show up for them in that way. Come listen as Tova shares her stories, her insights, and what she has learned from years of walking alongside families through some of their hardest moments. And hear for yourself just how big a heart Tova has for those with broken hearts.   YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  2. Aug 19

    Chaplain Alissa Thomas-Newborn: Hope is not a Promise

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! What does a hospital chaplain actually do? What can you possibly say to a mother sitting beside her critically ill child? To a family facing an impossible medical decision? To someone who has just received devastating news? Alissa Thomas-Newborn is a board-certified Jewish chaplain who has been there for people during some of the most painful and frightening moments of their lives. And often, she says, her job isn't to have the right answer. It's to know how to be there when there isn't an answer. In this episode, Alissa takes us inside the world of hospital chaplaincy and shares what she has learned about suffering, grief, faith, hope, and simply being present. We talk about what families actually need when they're in crisis, why listening can sometimes be far more powerful than talking, and the things well-meaning people say that may hurt instead of help. Alissa also discusses the unique needs of Orthodox Jewish families in the hospital, the role of halacha and rabbanim in difficult medical decisions, and how a chaplain can help bridge the gap between families and medical teams. And perhaps most importantly: when someone you care about is going through something terrible and you have absolutely no idea what to say or do—what do they really need from you? YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  3. Jul 29

    Mrs. Vivi Deren: Four and Four

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! "This golus stinks." It does, says Mrs. Vivi Deren. Golus is hard. We need Moshiach. We all need Him, and we should all be yearning for Him. Why? Because, as one young boy who was battling a serious illness put it so simply, "Golus is hard." We all know it. And yet, this podcast is deeply inspiring. Mrs. Deren has endured unimaginable loss. She lost four children. But she doesn't define her life only by what she has lost. "My family has tremendous brachah," she says. "We have so much good." We still have four children. We have grandchildren. And above all, we have Hashem. Her story is one of profound pain, unwavering emunah, and the ability to recognize the blessings that continue to exist even in the darkest of times. YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  4. Jul 8

    Mrs. Shoshana Rieber: The Purple Lady

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! Dovid was just 17 days away from his bar mitzvah. One night, his mother went in to check on him before she went to sleep. "Rest in peace," she said as she straightened his blanket. What? Why would she say those words? Because perhaps, deep down, she sensed that he was already no longer alive. The next morning, they discovered that Dovid had returned his neshamah during the night. It was shocking. It was unimaginable. But this was now their new reality. It has been about 21 years since Dovid was niftar. Yet Dovid is still very much alive in their home and in their hearts. Mrs. Rieber has dedicated her life to helping other bereaved parents. She travels wherever she is needed, offering comfort and chizuk to those walking the painful journey she knows so well. At one point, someone referred to her as "the lady who was wearing purple." Ever since, she has made sure to wear something purple every day. There has to be a touch of purple, because she is now known as the Purple Lady. While she spends her days strengthening others, she continues to turn to Hashem for her own strength and for a constant nechamah. "No one is alone," she says. "No one is alone. But each person has to make the decision to reach out and find support." YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  5. Jun 17

    Mrs. Leah Paley: The Chapter That Lives On

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! When the doctor said, “Your son Yossi failed remission,” his loving mother gently answered, “No, he didn’t fail remission. The chemotherapy failed to achieve remission.” But in a life guided by emunah, did the wording really matter, when they believed the outcome was always in Hashem’s hands? Still, Mrs. Leah Paley and her husband did everything they possibly could to help their son recover from leukemia. As Yossi lay in the hospital, his mother played a recording of the parshah he hoped to lain for his upcoming bar mitzvah, only a few weeks away. But six weeks before that long-awaited day, Yossi returned his holy neshamah to Hashem. The pain was immense. The loneliness was crushing. Back then, there was far less support for bereaved parents. Well-meaning friends cared deeply, but often did not know how to truly help. But Leah worked on herself. She worked deeply on her relationship with Hashem. One major turning point came through a remarkable experience involving a Sefer Torah dedicated l’ilui nishmas her son. Today, the Paleys live in Israel, where Leah found connection with other bereaved mothers. Those relationships became an important source of comfort and understanding in her grief journey. She is also a devoted volunteer for Mayrim, helping support other bereaved mothers. Yossi Paley will never be forgotten. He remains a beloved chapter in the Paley family story. The page may have turned, and life continued forward, but Yossi’s chapter is still deeply loved, remembered, and very much alive in the hearts of his family. YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  6. May 27

    Mrs. Faigie Horowitz: The Silent Grief of Grandparents

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! The Silent Grief of Grandparents   Mrs. Faigie Horowitz never planned on starting a support group for grandmothers who lost a married child.  But then, within just three days, she met three different women living through that exact loss. One woman could barely speak about it. One was drowning in unbearable pain. And the other quietly said, “I follow my daughter’s lead.” Three grandmothers. Three reactions. One heartbreak that almost no one talks about. That was the moment Mrs. Horowitz realized: this grief needed a space of its own. And when she shared the idea of creating a support group for these grandmothers, the response was immediate: “Yes. This is needed.” In this deeply moving podcast episode, Mrs. Horowitz speaks about the complicated and often invisible grief of grandparents after the loss of a child who left behind a spouse and children. She also shares a powerful idea rooted in research: children who feel connected to their family story are often more resilient, confident, and emotionally grounded. It makes sense. Why do we still tell over Yetzias Mitzrayim generation after generation?  Because stories shape identity. Similarly, when a parent dies, children are often left longing to know: What was my parent like? What made them laugh? What mattered to them? Sometimes those conversations feel too painful to ask directly. But through stories, memories, and connection to the larger family narrative, grandchildren can still feel deeply connected to where they come from — and to the parent they lost. YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  7. Mar 18

    Rabbi Leo Dee: What if this is the way Hashem wanted it to be?

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! After Rabbi Leo Dee lost his wife and two daughters in a terrorist attack, people asked many “what if” questions.  What if you hadn’t moved from England?  What if the whole family had been in one car? “Every one of those what-ifs went through my mind many times,” he shares. But then another question emerged: What if this is the way Hashem wanted it? Obviously this is the way it was meant to be. Does it hurt? Terribly. But it wasn’t a mistake. Rabbi Dee made the conscious choice not to remain trapped in his grief, forgetting those around him. His three surviving children still needed their father. And so, through tears and pain, he told them:  “We just lived Chapter One of our lives. Now we turn the page to Chapter Two.” There may always be pain. But they will live with as much simcha as they can. Is it always easy? No. Is it possible? Yes. Do you want to hear how? Click below.   YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

  8. Mar 5

    Mrs. Chaya Lasson: No Regrets Left in the Room

    Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us! No Regrets Left in the Room Mrs. Chaya Lasson didn’t set out to become a voice for end-of-life care. But somewhere along the way, she stepped into a role she came to deeply love — director of Bridges Palliative Care. In many frum circles, the word hospice carries weight. It feels final. Frightening. Almost like surrender. But Chaya gently challenges that perception. Hospice, she explains, is not about giving up. It’s about comfort. About dignity. About bringing medical expertise into a moment when suffering can be eased. And often, when a patient becomes more comfortable, something shifts. Strength returns. Sometimes even enough to resume curative treatment. Her work isn’t only medical. It’s legacy work. She guides families through difficult conversations — not only about pain and comfort, but about the practical realities we tend to avoid: DNRs, advance directives, medical power of attorney, wills. Conversations that feel overwhelming. Or even frightening. Not morbid — but real. So that when the time comes, there are fewer unspoken words. Fewer rushed decisions. And fewer regrets left sitting in the room.   YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA  Questions or feedback? Email me at: podcast@mayrim.org

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

When I launched Relief from Grief in 2022, I thought it would be a short-term project. But the feedback was overwhelming:•Grievers found inspiration and comfort.•Listeners who hadn’t experienced loss gained meaningful insights into grief.•Professionals shared how valuable the podcast was for their clients.I realized this podcast was meeting a deep, ongoing need — and I was determined to continue serving that need.I’m honored to partner with Mayrim, an organization dedicated to supporting families who have lost a child. Mayrim is the perfect partner because its founders and members understand the pain of loss firsthand. It’s my hope that each guest shares encouragement and understanding, helping listeners feel less alone. Together, we can find hope and comfort — one moment at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Miriam Ribiat
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Grief Journey By Mayrim
  • Show Website
    The Grief Journey By Mayrim

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