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PODCAST

A Soul Grows in Israel

Welcome to A Soul Grows in Israel, a podcast where ancient Jewish wisdom meets the modern world. We explore spirituality, self-growth, Judaism and life in Israel. Hosted by a woman, this show features soul-o episodes, interviews with Jewish thinkers, Rabbis, of course my husband, and everyday souls.Join us as we bridge the gap between the spiritual and the practical, offering insights on personal growth, mindfulness, Jewish mysticism, unity, and modern-day living. Whether you"re seeking spiritual

religion & spirituality judaism

All Episodes

46:36

He Left Tech to Study Jewish Mysticism, Michael Macks...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/10/04

What makes a software engineer walk away from a career in tech to study Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism? Michael Macks did exactly that, trading the certainty of code for the depths of Torah and a new life in Israel. In this conversation, Michael traces the road from a tech career to teaching Jewish spirituality, and what he found when he started asking the questions that software could not answer. We talk about what Kabbalah actually is beneath the mystique, why the move to Israel was insepar...

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30:41

Marrying Off My Child Taught Me How to Let Go,...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/09/20

Marrying off a child cracks something open. In the middle of the joy there's a quieter truth: you are being asked to let go. This episode is about that, and about what ancient Jewish wisdom teaches all of us about moving through the transitions we never feel ready for. The wedding is the doorway, but the subject is bigger than any one simcha. Every life is a series of thresholds we have to cross with open hands: children growing up and leaving, seasons ending, roles we held tightly slipping ...

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50:20

What Is Teshuva? Rabbi David Aaron on Rosh Hashanah,...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/09/06

What does teshuva really mean? Not punishment, not self reproach, but return, coming home to who you actually are. Rabbi David Aaron reframes Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the whole arc of the High Holidays as an invitation rather than a verdict. We tend to translate teshuva as "repentance," a word heavy with judgment. Rabbi David Aaron opens it back up to its literal meaning, return. In this conversation we talk about why Rosh Hashanah is a beginning and not a sentencing, what these days ...

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54:06

Judaism, Torah, and the Temple Mount, With a Friend...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/08/23

New studio, same old questions. My husband and I sat down with our friend Robert Blum, a man who actually thinks and never gives us the easy answer, for a wide-ranging conversation on Jewish values, making Aliyah to Israel, the Torah, Navi, and the Temple Mount. No script, no easy conclusions, just an honest talk between people who've known each other long enough to agree, push back, and dig deeply into Judaism, Israel, and how we live out those values today. If you want more from Robert Blu...

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51:03

Living Out Loud in Israel: The Truth About Aliyah...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/08/09

What is it really like to make aliyah? Is moving to Israel everything people imagine—or are there challenges no one talks about? In this episode of A Soul Grows in Israel, Esther Farkovits sits down with Marc Rosenberg, Vice President of Diaspora Partnerships at Nefesh B'Nefesh, for an honest conversation about making aliyah, building a life in Israel, and discovering what it truly means to live with purpose in the Jewish homeland. Marc believes that in Israel, we're "living out loud"—where ...

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83:54

From the Kindertransport to Israel: Paul Alexander's...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/07/26

What was it like to escape Nazi Europe as a child? How did one life, shaped by the Kindertransport and the horrors of World War II, lead to a future in the State of Israel? In this episode of A Soul Grows in Israel, Esther Farkovits sits down with Paul Alexander to hear his remarkable firsthand story of survival, resilience, and hope. Paul shares his memories of leaving Europe through the Kindertransport, the difficult and often unlikely path that followed, and how those experiences ultimate...

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43:13

Why Humility Changes Everything: A Jewish Perspective

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/07/13

What is humility according to Judaism? Is humility thinking less of yourself, or is it seeing yourself more truthfully? In this episode of A Soul Grows in Israel, Esther Farkovits explores one of the most misunderstood ideas in Jewish spirituality: anavah (humility). Drawing on Torah, Chassidut, Kabbalah, and timeless Jewish wisdom, she explains why humility is not weakness, low self-esteem, or self-erasure. Instead, it is one of the deepest spiritual laws governing personal growth and the J...

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44:22

Pens for Swords

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/06/29

Founded by Faye, Pens for Swords is a grassroots advocacy movement dedicated to combating antisemitism, supporting Israel, and advancing public awareness through civic engagement. The organization mobilizes volunteers worldwide to participate in petitions, educational initiatives, letter writing campaigns, and advocacy efforts that promote solidarity with Israel, support hostages, and counter misinformation. Pens for Swords empowers individuals to make a meaningful impact through collective ...

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50:02

Why Fitness Is a Spiritual Practice: Shuli Goldstein...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/06/22

What does fitness have to do with spirituality? In this conversation, I sit down with Shuli Goldstein, founder of Studio Soul, to explore the connection between physical movement, emotional well-being, personal growth, and spiritual life. We discuss why exercise can be more than a tool for weight loss or appearance, how movement affects our mindset and sense of self, the relationship between body and soul, and what it means to approach fitness as a spiritual practice. Together, we explore...

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38:03

Intrusive Thoughts in Uncertain Times: A Jewish Answer

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/06/15

In times of war and uncertainty, how do we practice gratitude? In Israel right now, we’re all navigating fear, intrusive thoughts, and the question: where is faith when everything feels unstable? This episode explores a Torah based approach to gratitude that doesn’t require you to feel okay, it requires you to know what’s true. A teaching for anyone living through Iran tensions, conflict, or any moment when your mind won’t stop catastrophizing. Featuring Chassidic wisdom on da’at (knowledge)...

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57:44

Rabbi Akiva Gersh: Was the World Meant to Be Vegan?

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/06/08

In this episode, Rabbi Akiva Gersh, "the Vegan Rabbi" explores veganism through the lens of Judaism, Genesis, Rav Kook, compassion toward animals, spirituality, holiness, and the future of food. We discuss the Garden of Eden, the ethics of eating meat, Jewish thought, modern industrial farming, and whether the Torah points humanity toward a more compassionate world. Support the show Follow us on Instagram, Youtube and tiktok for more. https://linktr.ee/asoulgrowsinisraelpodcast

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51:16

Feminism, Jewish Identity & Film With Paula Kweskin

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/06/01

Paula Kweskin is a documentary filmmaker, human rights attorney, and founder of The 49%, a nonprofit focused on women’s storytelling and global women’s rights. In this conversation, we discuss Judaism, feminism, Israel, documentary filmmaking, faith, identity, and the power of storytelling.” #PaulaKweskin #Judaism #WomenInJudaism #DocumentaryFilm #JewishWomen #Feminism #Israel #WomenRights #Podcast #JewishPodcast Support the show Follow us on Instagram, Youtube and tiktok for mo...

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50:55

Millie Schweky on Women’s Health and Healing

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/05/25

In this episode, Millie Schweky, lpelvic floor specialist, joins us for a conversation on women’s health, healing, and the topics many women quietly struggle with but rarely talk about openly. We discuss pelvic floor health, postpartum recovery, body awareness, physical symptoms women often dismiss, and the connection between emotional and physical well being. This conversation goes beyond quick fixes and trends and looks at what it means to actually understand and support the female body th...

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33:07

Shavuot and the Jewish Woman

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/05/18

As Shavuot approaches, I found myself thinking deeply about femininity, spirituality, and what it truly means to receive Torah in the modern world. In this episode, we explore the role of women at Har Sinai, the spiritual power of receptivity, why softness in Judaism is often misunderstood, and the quiet exhaustion so many Jewish women carry today. From motherhood and identity to intuition, ambition, nurturing, burnout, and holiness hidden inside ordinary life, this is an honest conversation...

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31:07

We Tried to Be Funny It Got Real Fast

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/05/11

This episode started light. We went outside, tried to be funny, and it got real fast. We get into Lakewood, its culture, the nuance people miss, and how quickly conversations shift when you actually look a little deeper. We even break down a Lakewood influencer and what people see versus what is actually there. What starts as jokes turns into something more honest about identity, perception, and the way we talk about communities from the outside. This is unfiltered, unscripted, and very much...

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54:03

Yakira Apfel: What It Means to Live Honestly Part 2

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/05/04

In part two, Yakira Apfel returns for a deeper conversation on what it actually means to be fully yourself. We talk about health beyond trends, the nuance that often gets lost in simple advice, and the ongoing work of staying honest with yourself even when it is uncomfortable. This is not about perfection or performance, but about paying attention to what is real and what is not. We also touch on life in Israel, not as the focus, but as part of the broader conversation around environment, id...

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58:55

Yakira Apfel on Confidence, Insecurity, and Her Life...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/04/27

In this first part, Yakira Apfel from Fit Studio and The Yard joins us for a conversation about confidence, insecurity, and the unfolding of her life's journey. We explore how confidence is built, shaped, and sometimes questioned, what insecurity really looks like beneath the surface, and how personal history and lived experience influence the way someone shows up in the world. This is an honest and grounded conversation about identity, perception, and the tension between how we feel inside ...

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36:20

I Never Got Tanya Until Now

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/04/20

In this soul-o episode, I share something very real. I was in the middle of a conflict and needed something to hold onto, so I went back to my favorite lines from the Tanya, a foundational text from Chabad on the inner life, the mind, and the soul. What I found wasn’t abstract. It was immediate. I gathered quotes that speak directly to sadness, joy, and the power of our thoughts, and tried to actually apply them in real time. Not as an idea, but as a way to move through something difficult. ...

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40:26

Tzniut: Objections and Honest Questions with Shira...

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/04/13

In this episode I sit down with Shira Melamed for an honest and thoughtful conversation about tzniut, Jewish modesty, and what it really means to walk humbly with Hashem in the modern world. I play devil’s advocate and bring the questions many women quietly think about but rarely say out loud. Why do the laws of modesty sometimes feel challenging. What are the common objections people have to tzniut today. And how can we understand the deeper purpose behind these halachic guidelines. Togethe...

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21:32

Bonus Episode: Pesach and the Rebirth of the Soul....

A Soul Grows in Israel ·

2026/03/29

Send us Fan Mail In this bonus Soul-o episode of A Soul Grows in Israel, I explore a deeper way of understanding Pesach. Beyond the preparations, the Seder, and the traditions, Pesach carries a powerful idea that speaks to the inner life of the soul. We often think of the story of the Exodus as something that happened long ago. But the message of Pesach is also about personal renewal, letting go of what holds us back, and stepping into a new version of ourselves. In this episode I reflect on ...

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