This episode originally aired on March 10, 2025 — but is just as relevant today! Hope you enjoy :)

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Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, I am speaking with Rivka Lerner. Originally from Switzerland, she works as a software developer and coach as well as a kallah teacher, but her love is in teaching and discussing profound ideas with Jews from all walks of life.

After teaching with her husband Rabbi Simi Lerner in London for a few years, Rivka came back to Israel long term, and is now an educator in Tel Aviv for the anglo community, as well as in Midreshet Rachel V’Chaya. Above all else, a mother to her awesome four boys.

I love this episode so much. We are really going deep into Purim. While Jews have never really had it “easy” this is a particularly tough time for the Jewish people everywhere and it feels a bit strange to be focused on joy when there is so much devastation around us. We talk about that. We speak about what happiness really means, how you can redefine it for yourself and how you can truly feel it this Purim.

We also speak really practically about what Purim can look like for you. Is it super overwhelming? Do you not really like it as much as you feel like you “should”? Do you feel like you’re missing out on that joy? We speak about ways you can access it and how you can transform your preparation and day even in just a few conversations that can be really life-changing.

We talk about the megillah, parts of the megillah you may not have noticed before and intentions about the megillah that can change your experience while listening to it.

At the end we speak about the comparison between Purim and Yom Kippur, or Yom HaKipppurim and what it really means that Yom Kippur is a day “like” Purim.

There is so much depth in this episode, it is so rich with meaning and wisdom and profound takeaways and I am so excited for you to hear it and G-d willing for it to enrich your holiday this year in new ways.

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!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal, and today I am speaking with Rebbetzin Lisa Babich all about Purim. Lisa is a Queens-raised New Yorker, full-time Rebbetzin, and licensed speech and language pathologist. She has been involved in Jewish education and outreach since the age of 19, teaching at TBY, EMETT Russian outreach, the Jewish Enrichment Center in the West Village, and now Fifth Avenue Synagogue alongside her husband, Rabbi Eli Babich who is the Rabbi there.

She was also very vocal during the NYC mayoral election this past year when unfortunately, Mamdani was elected. Lisa was instrumental in trying to unite the Jewish people in prayer to attempt to stop his win yet even when he did, she did not let the news get her down. She is a strong advocate for the Jewish people and has really become a source of chizzuk, or strength for me, when it comes to the day-to-day issues we’re facing these days.

Plus, the whole experience with Mamdani has eerie parallels to the Purim story. He really feels like a modern day Haman and I knew I wanted to speak with Lisa around this time to give us insight into how we can use this experience to connect even more to Purim and Hashem, as the ultimate goal.

And she really delivered. She shares sooo much wisdom in this podcast episode and I’m so glad we talked it all through. In our conversation, we speak about:

-How to see Hashem in this hidden world

-What the lessons in the Torah can teach us about the times we’re living in now

-How she’s already seeing Hashem’s Hand through Mamdani’s election and why she’s not scared

-Why unity is one of the most important things we need to be focused on and how to work at it in your own life when you feel helpless

-Her thoughts on if we should all be moving to Israel right now

-How she personally connects more deeply to Hashem and how to work to make it more of a relationship vs just a give and take

-What it means to be a strong Jewish woman

...and so much more!

Connect with Lisa on Instagram at @lisababich9 or via email at lisababich9@gmail.com.

Hi everyone, welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast! I’m Alex Segal and today, I’m speaking with Cathy Heller, podcaster, author and speaker.

Cathy is a renowned teacher, top ranked podcaster and bestselling author. She hosts one of the top spiritual podcasts, The Cathy Heller Podcast, which has been downloaded over 45 million times, and she’s the author of the USA Today bestselling book, Abundant Ever After: Tools for Creating a Life of Prosperity and Ease. She’s a practitioner of the law of reception, and has a deep understanding of the universal principles of manifestation. Cathy guides individuals on a transformative journey towards unlocking their highest potential.

Drawing from the wisdom of Jewish mysticism and ancient teachings, Cathy illuminates the path to spiritual growth and abundance. Through her unique approach, Cathy empowers students to embrace their innate ability to receive and manifest their desires effortlessly with a focus on meditation and mindfulness practices.

--->>>> To join Cathy's Abundant Life Program (as mentioned in the intro) click here! You can do a trial week for just $1. With that, you get a daily meditation and journaling exercise sent to you every morning, live calls with Cathy, a private Facebook community, replays and teachings of all her other work and more. Click the link to get all of the details and to sign up.

We recorded this while I was on maternity leave but it’s just as relevant now. It actually feels like the perfect time to put it out as we are about halfway through the Jewish year. It’s a really great time to check in with yourself, see where you’re at when it comes to the goals you set, refresh and refocus as we head into a new season.

In the episode we speak about:

-How Cathy got started with her own podcast and business she built

-Why she feels it’s way more to focus on “pro-semitism” instead of antisemitism.

-How to become the vessel to draw in the life you want

-The guilt people may feel around having "too much"

-Why so many people feel shame around prosperity and how to transcend that

-Getting closer to Hashem through abundance

…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!