In this deeply honest episode, Deena Flaks and Kalman Flaks share their raw, unfiltered journeys through years of dating, heartbreak, faith, doubt, and resilience—before finally finding each other later in life.

Deena opens up about dating from 19 to 36, going out with over 200 people, navigating pressure, intuition, burnout, and the quiet fear of “maybe something is wrong with me.” Kalman shares his path through community leadership, divorce, public scrutiny, choosing joy, and continuing to build others even when life didn’t go according to plan.

Together, they speak candidly about singlehood, delayed marriage, trust in Hashem, emotional clarity, red flags vs. intuition, the damage of gossip, and what actually matters when choosing a partner. This conversation is not about segulos or shortcuts—it’s about faith, patience, self-honesty, and believing you didn’t miss your moment.

If you’re single, supporting someone who is, or carrying quiet doubts about your timeline, this episode will make you feel seen.

Watch until the end for powerful advice for singles, parents, and anyone struggling with fear, comparison, or loss of hope.

To contact Deena and Kalman Flaks:
📧 deens611@gmail.com

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors:

► PZ Deals

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► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka

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► Chesed 24/7 — RUN 24.7

Help keep Chesed rooms running in 30 hospitals

Join the live 5K at American Dream Mall (Feb 22, 2026) or sign up as a raiser—every mile keeps the rooms going.

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► B’Sefer Chayim

When you get married—or marry off a child—you plan for the future. You make thoughtful choices. You lay the foundation for what comes next. Life insurance is one of the cheapest, simplest, smartest things you can do.

Life insurance isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a basic.
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They waited. They struggled. They almost walked away—more than once.

After 12+ years of painful dating, self-doubt, fear, therapy, and deep inner work, Michal and Nadav finally found each other in the most unexpected way. This is not a fairy tale.
It’s a raw, honest conversation about loneliness, faith, surrender, rejection, healing, and why the journey doesn’t end when you get engaged.
If you’ve ever felt “behind,” broken, or afraid it may never happen—this story is for you.
You can reach out to Nadav and Michal via email: Nadavslovin@gmail.com and Michalslovin@gmail.com

To contact Tzipora Grodko with suggestions, comments or questions, you can email: SOH@meaningfulminute.org or message her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tziporagrodko

This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors:

► PZ Deals

Download the app and never pay full price again!

https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp

_________________________

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka

https://pushkapp.cc/meaningful

_________________________

► B’Sefer Chayim

When you get married—or marry off a child—you plan for the future. You make thoughtful choices. You lay the foundation for what comes next. Life insurance is one of the cheapest, simplest, smartest things you can do.
Life insurance isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a basic.

www.bseferchayim.org

_________________________

► Torat Imecha - Nach Yomi Siyum

Thousands of Jewish women worldwide are completing a two-year Nach Yomi journey. Celebrate the Torat Imecha Nach Yomi Siyum on February 15 in Woodmere, NY—or at local siyumim in Boston, Chicago, Boca, and Phoenix.

https://go.ou.org/siyum26

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►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

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In this powerful episode, Simi Polonsky, shares her journey through love, devastating loss, widowhood, remarriage, divorce, and rebuilding life with faith and honesty.

She speaks openly about grief, anger at Hashem, motherhood, shame, resilience, and what it truly means to choose life when nothing feels certain.

This conversation explores how to live with hope without waiting for things to work out, how to sit with pain without becoming a victim, and how faith can evolve through suffering.

A raw, honest discussion about loss, healing, and finding beauty in the middle of the story — not the end.

You can follow Simi on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeofsimi/?hl=en

To contact Tzipora Grodko with suggestions, comments or questions, you can email: SOH@meaningfulminute.org or message her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tziporagrodko

This episode was brought you in part by:

►PZ Deals

Download The PZ Deals App and Never Pay Full Price Again

https://app.pz.deals/install/soh

___________________________

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

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►Shas 4 Shidduchim

Shas for Shidduchim gathers hundreds of lomdim to complete Shas in 24 hours as a tremendous z’chus for Jewish singles to find their zivugim.

Sponsor a daf for up to 3 people in need of a shidduch. A lomed is then assigned to learn in the z'chus of the names you submit.

www.Shas4shidduchim.org

___________________________

► B’Sefer Chayim

When you get married—or marry off a child—you plan for the future. You make thoughtful choices. You lay the foundation for what comes next. Life insurance is one of the cheapest, simplest, smartest things you can do.

Life insurance isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a basic.

www.bseferchayim.org

___________________________

►Meaningful Minute Plus

Meaningful Minute Plus gives you access to exclusive video series, raw uncut podcast moments, behind-the-scenes with your favorite creators — plus original films, powerful documentaries, and live-streamed conversations you won’t see anywhere else.

www.soh.plus

What happens when two ambitious, thoughtful Jews—raised with identity but not observance—begin asking deeper questions about truth, purpose, and God? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Jenna and Justin share their journeys back to Judaism, from college campuses and law school to Israel, yeshiva, marriage, and parenthood.

They open up about the beauty and the struggle of becoming religious, navigating dating as baalei teshuva, building a marriage rooted in faith, and confronting real-life challenges like postpartum depression, identity shifts, career pressure, and spiritual comparison. With wisdom, vulnerability, and warmth, Jenna and Justin reflect on mentors, slow and sustainable growth, daily consistency, and what it truly means to serve Hashem in the trenches of everyday life.

This episode is for anyone who’s searching, growing, questioning, or simply trying to live with more intention—right where they are.

You can contact Jenna and Justin Maio via email: jenna@modernjewishgirl.com

For any questions or suggestions please email us at SOH@meaningfulminute.org

This episode is sponsored by:

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

___________________________

►Shas 4 Shidduchim

Shas for Shidduchim gathers hundreds of lomdim to complete Shas in 24 hours as a tremendous z’chus for Jewish singles to find their zivugim.
Sponsor a daf for up to 3 people in need of a shidduch. A lomed is then assigned to learn in the z'chus of the names you submit.

www.Shas4shidduchim.org

___________________________

► Meaningful Minute Plus

Meaningful Minute Plus gives you access to exclusive video series, raw uncut podcast moments, behind-the-scenes with your favorite creators — plus original films, powerful documentaries, and live-streamed conversations you won’t see anywhere else.

www.soh.plus

What does it mean to create hope while still living in pain?

In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, Haddasa Manela shares her extraordinary journey of building and leading Bonei Olam of Florida while navigating more than a decade of infertility and loss. Instead of waiting for her own “happy ending,” Hadassah chose to act — raising millions of dollars, funding treatments for countless couples, and helping bring over 100 babies into the world.

With vulnerability, clarity, and courage, Haddasa speaks about grief, bitterness, faith, taking breaks, setting boundaries, and finding purpose even when the answers don’t come. This episode is not about easy miracles or neat resolutions — it’s about resilience, honesty, and the quiet strength of continuing to show up.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, stuck in waiting, or unsure how to keep moving forward when life doesn’t unfold as planned, this conversation will make you feel understood — and less alone.

You can reach out via email: Haddasamanela@gmail.com or Boneiolamflorida@gmail.com

Or follow Hadassa on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bydaza or via email: https://www.instagram.com/boneiolam_florida

for more information visit:
www.Charidy.com/knockout

www.Boneiolam.org/florida

This episode is sponsored by:

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

___________________________

►Shas 4 Shidduchim

Shas for Shidduchim gathers hundreds of lomdim to complete Shas in 24 hours as a tremendous z’chus for Jewish singles to find their zivugim.

Sponsor a daf for up to 3 people in need of a shidduch. A lomed is then assigned to learn in the z'chus of the names you submit.

www.Shas4shidduchim.org

___________________________

►JCCGCI Holocaust Survivors Need You Now!

For over 50 years, JCCGCI is one of the largest providers of Holocaust survivor support services in the world. Their programs are designed to help survivors maintain their independence and dignity while living in their own homes.

There are approximately 10,000 Holocaust survivors living in New York City today- and every day, JCCGCI sees survivors struggling to afford food, heat, medical care, transportation, and homecare. They cannot wait.

👉Please Donate and Support the Light Up Their Lives campaign at:

www.JCCGCI.org/lightuptheirlives

In this deeply moving and honest conversation, Chana and Meir Horowitz share a story that unfolds at the intersection of love, loss, faith, and resilience.

They take us through their very first dates, their vastly different backgrounds, and the powerful connection they felt almost instantly — only to have everything change when Chana’s mother suddenly passed away in the middle of their dating journey. What followed was grief, uncertainty, and some of the hardest questions a couple can face early on: Do we continue? Can we hold space for pain and still build a future?

Together, Chana and Meir speak candidly about navigating shidduchim through loss, dating while grieving, choosing love in the face of fear, and how struggle can become a source of profound depth and light. Chana also opens up about her journey through an eating disorder, healing, and self-worth — offering hope and guidance to anyone silently struggling.

This episode is raw, compassionate, and deeply validating for anyone who has faced heartbreak, loss, or felt “too broken” to be loved. It’s a conversation about choosing life, choosing growth, and trusting that even the hardest descents can lead to the greatest ascents.

You can contact Chana and Meir via email: Info.dayinmyjewishlife@gmail.com and zackhorowitzwfs@gmail.com and you can find them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayinmyjewishlife/

This episode is sponsored by:

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

___________________________

►Shas 4 Shidduchim

Shas for Shidduchim gathers hundreds of lomdim to complete Shas in 24 hours as a tremendous z’chus for Jewish singles to find their zivugim.

Sponsor a daf for up to 3 people in need of a shidduch. A lomed is then assigned to learn in the z'chus of the names you submit.

www.Shas4shidduchim.org

___________________________

►JCCGCI - Holocaust Survivors Need You Now!

For over 50 years, JCCGCI is one of the largest providers of Holocaust survivor support services in the world. Their programs are designed to help survivors maintain their independence and dignity while living in their own homes.

There are approximately 10,000 Holocaust survivors living in New York City today- and every day, JCCGCI sees survivors struggling to afford food, heat, medical care, transportation, and homecare. They cannot wait.

👉Please Donate and Support the Light Up Their Lives campaign at:

www.JCCGCI.org/lightuptheirlives

What happens when two young adults — both raised secular in Montreal — suddenly feel like something is missing? And what happens when one of them, at only 21, is diagnosed with a massive tumor and told she has Hodgkin’s lymphoma?

In this deeply moving episode of Stories of Hope, Amanda and Aaron share their intertwined journeys of loss, searching, healing, faith, and love. Their story begins with tragedy, continues across continents, leads them through Israel’s streets and hospital corridors, and ultimately brings them home — spiritually and literally.

Amanda opens up about losing her best friend in a tragic accident, years of anxiety, and the moment a cancer diagnosis led her not to bitterness but to profound clarity and connection with God. Aaron describes searching for meaning across Southeast Asia, only to discover that the spark he was chasing had been inside him all along. Their paths collided at exactly the right moment — with unmistakable signs that their meeting was divinely orchestrated.

Today, the two of them run an unofficial Chabad house for friends who are seeking warmth, Shabbos, community, and authenticity. Their home overflows with guests, music, and meaning.

You can contact Aaron and Amanda via email: sarahrivahspiro@gmail.com or connect via instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandadawnspiro

This episode is sponsored by:

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

___________________________

► ReKindle

This film presents the powerful, deeply personal accounts of two survivors of the Café Rimon double suicide bombing in Jerusalem.

This documentary is a tribute to the lives lost, the resilience of those who survived, and the enduring human capacity to rebuild—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Through Nochi Krohn’s and Ovadia Waxler’s story, viewers witness the lasting impact of terror and the extraordinary strength required to keep choosing life, day after day.

Exclusively available via Meaningful Minute Plus:

www.soh.plus

When Malka and Yaakov walked into the studio, no one knew the magnitude of the story they were about to reveal. What began as a routine pregnancy quickly spiraled into fear, medical crises, heartbreak, and impossible decisions — including being told by doctors and rabbinic leadership to terminate.

But something inside Malka said no.

In this raw, emotional and deeply moving episode, the Slatus family shares their journey of faith, fear, resilience, and the miraculous life of their son, Shaya — a child with Down syndrome who survived life-threatening heart defects, repeated hospitalizations, and surgeries that doctors doubted would help.

This episode is for anyone who has ever faced the unknown, battled inner conflict, or questioned their strength. Their courage will change the way you look at special-needs parenting, faith, and what it means to show up for the people you love — even when the world tells you not to.

You can reach out to Malka and Yaakov Slatus via email: Malka.slatus1@gmail.com and emerald5736@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by:

► Colel Chabad Pushka App

The easiest way to give Tzedaka.

https://pushkapp.cc/soh

___________________________

►Pizza Biza

Delight your guests with our expansive menu and a culinary experience that exceeds expectations.

https://www.pizzabiza.com

___________________________

► ReKindle

A new documentary exclusively on Meaningful Minute Plus

Coming Dec. 13th!

www.soh.plus