Jenna discusses what real spirituality is from a Jewish perspective.  She shares a personal example and offers practical tools for infusing more spirituality into our lives. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl References:  Living Emunah on the Parashah, Rabbi David Ashear  Yehudis Golshevsky, Zohar on the Parsha, Shiviti  Gateway to Happiness, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin EMMETT, Miriam Adahan 

We all go through challenges. I’ve been going through a several-year challenge and when I came upon a recent Torah teaching, it gave me a lot of comfort. Then it seemed like everywhere I turned, I was learning new insights into how to grow through pain and suffering. I share these lessons on the Podcast today, through the lens of my own challenges, in hopes that it will inspire you to grow through your pain.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl References: ·      Living Emunah on...

Jenna speaks with Dovi Halpern, a Jew on a journey, about what inspired him to create Jewish metal music under the name “Hashem’s Warrior.” As a disconnected child of baalei teshuva (people who chose a more observant lifestyle), Dovi shares how he made Judaism his own. Jenna and Dovi speak about the role of music in Judaism, suffering and the human condition, mental health through spiritual growth, what it means to be a warrior for Hashem, and much more. Click here for all things Modern...

While working at her dream job at Seventeen Magazine, Alex found herself on a Jewish journey. Join Jenna and Alex as they schmooze about Alex's journey from New York to Israel to Moscow (!) Jenna and Alex discuss all facets of navigating life, both professionally and personally, while growing Jewishly. Alex also tells us about her new, beautiful online magazine for Jewish women,  Chai on Life.  About Alex:  Alex Segal is an editor, writer, and content creator. Most recently, she launched a...

Jenna speaks with her Torah teacher in Israel, Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky.  Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky has been a well-known Torah educator in Jerusalem and abroad for twenty-five years, with students all over the world. She is a published author, editor, and translator... but teaching Torah is her first love. Rebbetzin Yehudis is now the director of SHIVITI, a Torah school for women, which offers a variety of Torah classes in person and on zoom.  In this episode, Rebbetzin Yehudis and...

Based on the Torah of the Nesivos Sholom, Jenna discusses the miracle of the Menorah lights that we celebrate on Chanukah and their deeper, eternal meaning.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Gems From the Nesivos Shalom The Sisters of Auschwitz 

Kayla tells the story behind her popular podcast, How To Glow  (formerly First Year Married) and how she became a life and marriage coach. Kayla and Jenna chat about how Kayla helps anxious and insecure newly married (and not so newly married) women become confident and connected through her coaching work. In doing so, they uncover some universal truths about living a happy and fulfilling married life.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish...

Jenna discusses "shidduch dating," which is the process of dating for marriage in the observant Jewish world. She gives insights into dating for marriage as well as building a lasting marriage based on Jewish wisdom and her own experience.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: I Only Want To Get Married Once Devorah Kigel's Dating & Marriage Resources 

Jenna looks at the test of "lech lecha" that Avraham went through, where Hashem told him to "Go from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.” She explains how this test applies to us today in the journey of our own lives. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Creating a Life That Matters by Rabbi Manis Friedman Gateway to Happiness by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin Inspired by HaRav HaGaon Yaakov Moshe Katz, shlita, of Mir...

Jenna and "The Manifestation Mentor" Ayelet Polonsky unpack the powerful idea of manifestation from a Jewish perspective. Join them for a deep and engaging conversation filled with incredible personal stories.  Ayelet  lived in India for a large chunk of six years and learned Visualization and Meditation under some of the greatest Enlightened Masters, until she arrived in Israel five years ago, where she's been a student and teacher of Mysticism and Manifestation under great mystics &...

This week Jenna speaks with her friend and filmmaker, Becky Tahel. Becky is the creator of the new and internationally acclaimed documentary, American Birthright. When Becky's sister becomes engaged to a non-Jew, something is sparked within her.  She decides to create a film exploring intermarriage, but along the way, she realizes that she needs to explore her own realtionship to Judaism. In doing so, we get to ride along with Becky as she speaks with many of the teachers who inspired...

Jenna explores the special mitzvah of joy, which we have every day and especially on Sukkot, the "time of our rejoicing." She explains why happiness is an obligation we owe to ourselves, others, and G-d.  Jenna shares the "happiness formula" given by our Torah sages and applies it to everyday life.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Gateway to Happiness by R' Zelig Pliskin It's All The Same To Me by R' Moshe Gersht

Jenna gives a brief overview of the purpose of Yom Kippur in relation to Rosh Hashanah.  She delves into some foundational ideas of "teshuva" or returning to our best selves, through the prism of her own recent revelations.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Balanced Teshuva by Jenny  Serle  

We all want to live lives of vitality and meaning. Rosh Hashanah and the holidays that follow carve out time at the beginning of the year so we can reset our goals and re-route to get there. It's not about becoming someone new. It's about becoming the person we truly are inside. It's about coming home. Returning. Teshuva. In returning to ourselves, we return to Hashem, because He is at the center of it all...More on this week's Podcast.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish...

Jenna discusses the Jewish perspective on physicality and materialism. She shares ideals to strive for and pitfalls to watch out for. In doing so, she unpacks the idea of the "yetzer hara," the evil inclination, within all of us. Jenna also tells stories from her own life and from Rebbe Nachman to illustrate her points. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Parsha Eikev Shiviti Root Connections in the Torah Strive For Truth  

In this casual episode, Jenna discusses her reflections after Tisha B'Av (the Jewish day of mourning), the potential of the current period on the Jewish calendar, and the Netflix show My Unorthodox Life.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Source: Charlie Harary  

Jenna shares personal stories of Divine Providence. In doing so, she shows how stories can strengthen our roots of emunah (faith) and bring light into this dark world.  Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Shiviti Rebbe Nachman's Stories, Preface by Rabbi Chaim Kramer

Inspired by the "covenant of peace," awarded to Pinchas in this week's parashah, Jenna discusses why we cannot experience true peace and serenity, personally or collectively, at this point in history. Drawing on the Jewish calendar and the wisdom of our Sages, she delves deeper into what we can do to bring about a time of true peace. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Orchard of Delights by Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman Root Connections in the Torah by Rabbi Tzvi...

Jenna discusses two wives in the Torah: Korach's wife and the wife of "On ben Pelet." The former caused her husband's death, while the latter saved her husband's life. What can we learn from these two very different women? Jenna explores this question, sharing her own insights from her participation in the Kesher Wife Club with Sara Yoheved Rigler. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Two Women Shira Smiles Kesher Wife Club   

Hashem tells the Jewish people they can enter the land of Israel....and then everything goes haywire. What happened? Jenna explains how the sin of the spies is a paradigm for our own lives, namely, a choice between fear and faith. She discusses her own fears in coming to Israel. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Judaism's Life-Changing Ideas by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l

In response to the increased anti-semitism around the world, Jenna shares a piece of Torah that was written in the early 1900's, but speaks exactly to what is going on today. In doing so, she explains the spiritual reality behind anti-semitism and something positive we can do about it right now. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Seed of Redemption: An Adaptation of Nachalas Yosef on Megillas Rus by Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky Living Emunah on The Parashah with Rabbi David...

In light of the upcoming holiday of Shavuos,  Jenna shares a bit about the story of Ruth, which we read on Shavuos, as well as the way in which the Jews accepted the Torah upon themselves at Mt. Sinai. Through these two experiences, as well as her own, she discusses what we can learn about our own emunah (faith), especially in times of uncertainty. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: The Story of Ruth We Will Do & We Will Hear Yael Dworkin

Jenna discusses how we can respond to the tragedy that took place in Meron on Lag B'Omer. She shares her connection to the widespread mourning in Israel, and what we can learn going forward. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl Sources: Charlie Harary Video  

On Lag B'Omer, over half a million people travel to Meron in northern Israel to celebrate by the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the "father of Kabbalah." What are they celebrating? And how does it relate to us? Jenna explores these questions and more,  touching on topics of Jewish history, unity, and resilience. Sources: Lag B'Omer and Striving for Spiritual Perfection Akiva by Marcus Lehmann

What does it mean to be holy, from a Jewish point of view? And how does it apply to us? Jenna explores the idea of kedusha, or holiness, why it is important, and what it means for us. Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlSources:Yehudis...