Today, I am speaking with Batya Sherizen, who is the author of the newly released book, “Dying to Be Me,” which speaks about her personal journey through a harrowing life-threatening condition she was diagnosed with when she was pregnant with her sixth child. During the pregnancy, she had to be on bed rest for months, live in the hospital for a month at a certain point and ultimately, give birth via C-section in an incredibly scary and truly dangerous surgery that she almost didn’t survive. This book speaks about that experience and so much more. She explains it as an “eye-opening memoir about self-acceptance, love and embracing the present.” I don’t have favorite episodes because I truly love all of the guests and conversations I have yet this one left a particularly strong impact on me because of its depth and the vulnerability Batya shared when telling more about her story and all she went through. In the episode, we speak about -The type of person Batya was before this experience and how she has evolved since -How she lived with the idea thinking death could be coming and how it changed her day-to-day world -What “living up to her potential” now means to her and how that view differs from the past -What it was like going through this experience while also being a mother to five other children — we go really in depth here into the reaction her kids had, what it was like when she couldn’t physically be present for them, the self-love and acceptance she went through as a mom, woman and so much more -Her relationship with Hashem and how that has completely evolved and grown -Her relationship with her husband throughout this experience and how afterward, they both went about working through all that happened …and so much more! To get Batya's Book, click here.

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, we are speaking with Rena Cohen, a registered dietitian and behavior change coach. Food is a big topic. For me, learning more about food and the way the items that I choose impact my body is something I’ve gotten really into in the last year. I actually worked with Rena last summer, a year after I had my second child and was just really confused about the best way to feed myself after my body had changed a lot and I was readjusting after birth.  In the last year, I’ve only expanded my palette, introducing new and exciting foods that I hadn’t really had regularly before. I’ve added more movement, more sleep, more time to de-stress and I feel like I’m honestly the healthiest I’ve been maybe ever because of it — and I still eat dessert and french fries! In the episode, Rena and I talk about: -How she got into nutrition and its importance in our lives -Why our psychology is so messed up when it comes to food and how we can start to fix that -One thing you can add in today to make a huge difference in your health -Getting more in touch with mindful eating -Helping our kids create a better relationship with food and not pass down negative mentalities or patterns -How to actually start doing the positive habit you have been dreaming to add to your life like meditation, a morning walk, exercise, or anything else. …and SO MUCH MORE! Food is supposed to be our fuel. When we are fueled and feeling good, we’re able to do all the other things we need to do with such a greater state of simcha, or joy. If you want to learn more from Rena, visit her on Instagram @thesanctuaryrd, Facebook or on her website sanctuarycoaching.ca. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag.

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal, and today we are speaking with Jordana Baruchov Greenfield, the Associate Director of Mentorship for Olami and a well-known Torah influencer who posts inspirational messages on Instagram and through her own podcast, Drink It In. Not only does Jordana inspire and motivate her 6 children and grandchildren she also inspires thousands through her social media and speaking engagements. I met Jordana when I was working with Olami and was immediately blown away by how confident and excited she was about life. She was just one of those people who had such a bubbly personality, such a simchas hachayim that I instantly admired. That all being said, it’s surprising to learn more about Jordana’s backstory and the trauma she went through for years in two unhealthy marriages, plus an incident in childhood. You really would never be able to guess it upfront. In our conversation, it was really interesting to see Jordana more wholly — to understand what she went through and how that contributes to how she is today and also who she is in spite of it all. Right now, we’re in a difficult time period on the Jewish calendar, as we’ve discussed, and also in the world. It’s easy to get really down and feel pretty hopeless. Jordana’s story will get you out of that. If you want to learn more from Jordana, find her on Instagram @Drinkitin jordana. You can also learn more about her at Jordanatorah.com. To join her WhatsApp group, email [email protected].

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of the Chai on Life podcast. I met my friend, Carmel Lehmann, in the fall of 2017 when we both studied at Midreshet Rachel V'Chaya, a seminary in Israel. She ended up making aliyah then and getting married shortly after. On October 7, she, like so many other women had to send her husband off to Gaza. Baruch Hashem, he is home now, hopefully for good. *Important to note: This episode was recorded on February 15, 2023 so any details shared on the war during the podcast reflect what was going on at that time. In this episode we talk about: How she decided to make Aliyah and her Jewish journey leading up to it. How she got over the hump to become fluent in Hebrew. What October 7 was like for her and her family. How she survived at home working full time and caring for two small children while her husband was in Gaza. How her relationship with Judaism and Hashem as changed throughout this process. The whole conversation was so real and I know you're going to love it. If you know someone who you think would make a great guest, send me a DM at @chaionlifemag or email me at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. This episode is one that is long awaited for me to release. It is my birth story from my third son that happened over the summer. As I share in the podcast, with Chai on Life we often speak about self-growth, spirituality, connection to Hashem, self-love and compassion and more all along those lines, so it feels like a missed opportunity not to share how I have grown through the experience of giving birth for a third time with all its struggles, fears and emotions. This episode is giving a real glimpse into where my brain was at both then and now and how my relationship with Hashem has grown and changed throughout the last six months. They say that when you give birth, you're not just giving birth to a baby but to a mother. I believe that happens anew each time. So here, my story. If there is someone you want to see on The Chai on Life Podcast, email me at [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. See you next week!

Today, I’m speaking with Ayelet Polonsky, a Kabbalistic Manifestation Expert. She is the Creator of The Manifestation Method and a skilled, passionate and trauma-informed facilitator in the world of manifestation and healing. She’s had quite a journey to get to this point in her life — after college she was led to the Amazon jungles of Peru, then India for six years and then finally to Israel where she spent eight years studying and teaching Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah. Ayelet now lives on the East Coast with her husband and two children. With the development of The Manifestation Method, Ayelet synthesizes Kabbalistic wisdom and modern psychology to help individuals heal their past traumas, and transform their dreams into reality. She is a trained expert in hypnosis, trauma healing, somatic experiencing and meditation. Ayelet's approach is a harmonious blend of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, EFT, and Somatic Experiencing, all combined with her signature hypno-visualization techniques.  Manifestation is something I’ve been interested in for awhile and have been wanting to explore through a Jewish lens. I’ve learned a little bit about it in secular spaces and in this conversation with Ayelet, we really get to the root of what Jewish manifestation actually looks like. We speak about: -Ayelet’s journey to getting to where she is today doing this work -How Jewish manifestation differs from the secular interpretation and some myths about it she’s correcting -Why manifestation is a lifestyle — not just a singular practice and what that looks like -Her methodology and the specific goals she helps clients achieve -The power of our words and the way our conscious and subconscious brain works to create a new reality -What true faith and bitachon really feels like -How our trauma (whether it’s with a big t or small t) informs the inner work we do today and what that trauma can be used for -Creating the vessel for the things we want in our lives to actually happen -The power of rituals -Seeing miracles in our everyday lives and how to manifest more of them -The unbelievable power we can all take from the Chanukah lights and bring into our everyday lives -How she manifested her husband …and SO MUCH MORE. Ayelet just takes my questions and brings them to a whole new level with her responses. She both elevates them and takes them deeper in a way that will change how you see the world, your relationship with Hashem and how you deal with the struggles in your life. To get in touch with Ayelet, visit ayeletpolonsky.com. Follow her on Instagram at @ayeletpolonsky.

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 [email protected] or send me a DM @chaionlifemag. Thanks again, see you next week!

Meet Ellie Azerad, the author of Frum Minimalism. This episode is ALL about decluttering your home to make it a more pleasant place for you to live. In this episode, we dive into: -How to start decluttering your home and why it will benefit you -How to make this process last and not allow your home to get cluttered again -How your connection to Hashem and spirituality fit into this process -How to deal with it in regards to kids — how to get them involved and deal with the amount of stuff they bring into the home -PESACH: How to get ready in time for Pesach so you can arrive at the holiday calm instead of stressed and anxious -Letting go of the scarcity mindset And SO much more!   To get in touch with Ellie and to find more resources from her, visit frumminimalism.com.  If you have a guest you'd like to see on the Chai on Life podcast, email [email protected] or send me a DM at @chaionlifemag. Thanks for listening!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, we have Debbie Sassen, business coach, money mentor and host of the Jewish Entrepreneur Podcast joining us. She helps established entrepreneurs scale from six to seven figures with high-ticket offers, leveraged business models, and smart CEO strategies—all in alignment with Jewish values. Debbie is the go-to expert for business owners ready to charge more, raise their prices, and sell high-ticket offers with confidence—without feeling pushy or sleazy. She believes that money is intimately woven into every part of business, and that clearing money blocks makes growth, marketing, and sales infinitely easier. Her signature coaching program, Wired for Wealth, helps entrepreneurs scale sustainably with her 10-step leverage plan, Power of 1 method, and Sacred Sales Conversation process. Through her coaching, clients master their CEO mindset, leverage their time, and implement simple systems to create consistent $20K-$50K months—without sacrificing their faith, family, or freedom. Debbie believes that no woman - or man - should undercharge, undersell, or dim their light to build financial sustainability for their family. She is also, the mother of eight children bli ayin hara, so she has a LOT to share with us. I was really excited to dig into a conversation about money because I feel like it’s a topic not often discussed. Even with close friends it can be awkward or weird to go into let alone people you know less well yet it’s such an important and vital part of our lives. It’s also one that a lot of people have a lot of feelings around. We all have attachment styles to money the same way we do with relationships and it’s something we have to manage and encounter multiple times a day. In the Jewish world, there are extra expenses — Shabbos, kosher food, Pesach of course which is rapidly on its way, two sets of dishes, tuition, generally having more kids and of course so much more. In this episode we speak about: -The relationship Debbie had growing up to money and how that has developed and changed into how it is now -Women taking time off of a career for motherhood and how that impacts her involvement in household finances -Re-entering the workforce during motherhood and how so many women often underestimate themselves and their skills -Money and marriage — how to speak about it with your husband, designate certain roles if you would like to and maintain and gauge that trust and partnership in the relationship -We talk about spirituality within all of this — how Hashem comes into the picture with work, money and giving and how that all can contribute to a more secure attachment with our finances …and SO MUCH MORE Debbie is a wealth of knowledge — pun intended — and honestly, we cover so much and also just skimmed the surface. She has a ton of additional resources available which are all included in the show notes if you’d like to learn more or get in touch with her. Website: https://debbiesassen.com/ Podcast: The Jewish Entrepreneur Podcast https://debbiesassen.com/podcast/ Book, The $1K Investor: Simple Smart Steps to Start Investing with $1K or Less https://debbiesassen.com/book (links to Amazon) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiesassen/ Instagram: @debbiesassen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbiesassencoaching  Free resource: Your Money Mindset Workbook: https://debbiesassen.com/mindset/

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast — but not just any episode, the one year anniversary episode! I am so proud of how far we've come and how far I've come personally on this journey to building Chai on Life. I have learned so much from so many absolutely incredible women and it has all changed my life for the better. In this episode, I reflect on some of the behind-the-scenes things that have been going on for me throughout the past year as well as go through some of my favorite moments from the last 42 episodes. I share what has stuck with me, what I'm still doing, how I have changed from the teachings and more. A special thank you to all of you who have listened, supported and been there along the way. The chizuk means everything. Another special thank you to all the amazing guests because it's your wisdom that is helping us all become more Chai on Life! Also, enter the giveaway! To do so, all you have to do is write a review for the podcast and send me a screenshot of it and then I will choose someone randomly from that to win a $150 Amazon gift card. If you've already rated and reviewed, that counts too and can be used to enter! My email is [email protected] or you can DM me on Instagram @chaionlifemag. Here, the episodes mentioned in the podcast for easy access to go back and listen! Rivkah Fox on All Things DatingFrum Minimalism: Meet the Woman Who Decluttered Her Entire Home For GoodDebbie Greenblatt: Secrets to Building a More Connected MarriageChana Deutsch: How to Articulate Your Needs, Wants and Desires to Create More Love in Your MarriageMiriam Goldberg: A Deep Dive Into the Mystical World of MikvahLeora Blumenthal: Simplify Your To-Do List and Feel Like a QueenHilla Aboody: Strengthening Ourselves Through the Three Weeks, Nine Days and Tisha B'AvDanielle Renov of Peas Love N Carrots: Building Bitachon, Choosing Happiness and Sharing Her Life with OthersFaigy Blumstein: Is Cheshvan the Month of Moshiach? Gaining More ClarityRivka Segal: Transform Your Tehillim Experience As always, if there is a guest you want to see or a topic you want covered, you can always reach out. Thanks so much for listening, see you next week!