Shows
Totally Unexpected!Chaim Bruk - Our Infertility & Adoption StoryChavie sits down with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Bruk, the podcast’s first returning guest, just ahead of their 20th anniversary. For the first time, they walk through their entire infertility and adoption journey from beginning to end. They revisit the moment they received the excruciating diagnosis of permanent infertility and how they charted their own path in a world where infertility and adoption was still taboo, and their decision to go public when the expectation was to keep these struggles hush-hush. They walk through each of the five adoptions and the unique challenges each of them faced: Chaya, th...
2026-03-092h 28
Totally Unexpected!Anna Sherman - Life After Brain SurgeryChavie and Anna begin with Anna’s roots in Toronto and what drew her toward becoming more religious in high school, navigating the tension between the world she grew up in and the one she was choosing. Anna opens up about her first two marriages and what it felt like to be a young divorced woman in a community where it was taboo and kept hush-hush which leads to Chavie and Anna reflecting on the progress made in removing shame around taboo subjects. Anna then shares how she met and fell in love with her current husband, and Chavie as...
2026-02-232h 11
Totally Unexpected!Mushky Yiftach Hashem: Becoming the Duct Tape QueenChavie starts off by diving into Mushky’s early relationship with creativity. She talks about her mother noticing her artistic tendencies and her love of crafts being nurtured by her grandfather. Mushky shares how she came back from seminary and rediscovered the pull toward crafts, including when she realized if you can make something out of duct tape, you can make anything. Mushky explains how designing and wearing duct tape outfits became a form of safety, giving her structure and permission to perform and show up on camera. Mushky shares about her major lifequake moment, losing her job, having to...
2026-02-092h 32
Totally Unexpected!Yocheved Shapiro: A Parent’s Guide to School AdvocacyYocheved shares her background growing up in a loud, opinionated family as the quieter sibling sandwiched between strong personalities, and how her parents’ journey as baalei teshuva (people who became religious later in life) — including her father returning to school for a master’s in education — shaped her identity as an educator. Chavie and Yocheved compare birth order dynamics, with Chavie as the oldest of nine and Yocheved navigating not knowing where she fit, and how that later informed Yocheved’s certainty about becoming an educational advocate. Yocheved talks openly about struggling in traditional classrooms, loving college and research, and realiz...
2026-01-262h 27
Totally Unexpected!Yocheved Sidof: Straddling the Edges of Faith & HealingChavie and Yocheved start by bonding over their shared experiences navigating parenting struggles and challenges. Yocheved unveils her family’s roots in Iran, including the persecution and faith of the Mashadi Jewish community, and how her parents’ immigration to the United States eventually brought them into the Chabad community in Minnesota. Chavie and Yocheved talk about their shared curiosity about the human mind, and Yocheved reflects on being drawn to both Chassidus and psychology from a young age, which led her to pursue her PhD in clinical psychology at twenty-one. Chavie walks through Yocheved’s creative work as a photog...
2026-01-122h 18
Totally Unexpected!Abi Radcliffe: Are Vulnerability & Authenticity the Same Thing?Chavie and Abi start off discussing how important it is to be selective with friendships as adults in order to preserve emotional bandwidth for deeper relationships. Abi shares her experience moving between Chabad and non-Chabad schools and how she was always drawn to creativity from a young age, from tinkering with Barbie clothing and scarves to studying fashion in school. She talks about working in retail fashion, stepping back to raise her children, and later joining a children’s wear store in Toronto. There, she became involved in everything from buying and visual merchandising to sales and running the st...
2025-12-292h 18
Totally Unexpected!Chevee Szokovski: Where Do I Fit In?This week, Chavie welcomes her lifelong bestie, Chevee Szokovski, to the pod. They start by rewinding the clock to their high school days in Chicago. Chevee shares that she never quite fit in with the popular cliques going back to grade school and that she often felt socially isolated in high school as well. Chavie and Chevee dive into what it’s like to forgive childhood bullies while still carrying the scars they left behind. They reminisce about their seminary days and what life was like living in an Israeli dorm. Chevee opens up about dating, marriage, and how sh...
2025-12-152h 16
Totally Unexpected!BrookeLynne Dukes: Parenting Without ShameChavie and BrookeLynne dive into all things parenting in this episode. BrookeLynne shares how a Chicago girl like her ended up with a name like Brookelynne. She talks about excelling in grade school, then running into challenges in the magnet school she attended, and later in college, where she discovered that the standardized educational system wasn’t the best fit for her. Through it all, she still got a master’s in early childhood education. Chavie and BrookeLynne talk about normalizing parenting struggles and finding ways to address them without shame. They bond over hot takes, like: you can be a...
2025-12-012h 24
Totally Unexpected!Aura Rosenblatt: The Creative Rhythm of Spirit & SoulAura starts off by sharing her experience working behind the camera as a makeup artist to Hollywood’s stars. Chavie asks Aura if there was a conflict between being a creative in the artistic mecca of fashion while straddling her identity as a religious Jew. They talk about Aura’s beginnings in the colorful, lively home of her legendary parents, Rabbi Shlomo and Olivia “Schwartzy” Schwartz. Chavie and Aura also explore the dynamics of dating within the Chabad world, including Aura’s story of dating someone outside the community: a Modern Orthodox boy who happened to be the lead singer of...
2025-11-172h 06
Totally Unexpected!Gitty Hecht: How I Decided to Call Chabad HomeIn this conversation, Chavie and Gitty start off by exploring Gitty’s unique childhood, going from a Modern Orthodox school to a Bais Yaakov and constantly having to juggle the subtle social dynamics. As a child of immigrants, her parents always demanded excellence and went to great lengths to make sure Gitty had the tools to succeed. Gitty talks about getting married right out of seminary, how she started a jewelry and accessories business after moving to Lakewood, and how she intuitively saw the potential in using social media as a promotional tool for launching her makeup work when In...
2025-11-032h 09
Totally Unexpected!Esty Prus: From Wig Styling to Tanya TeachingIn this conversation, Chavie and Esty bond about the joys of school finally being in session after a far-too-long, in their very frank opinion, summer break. They talk about how important it is to acknowledge that while they may be imperfect moms, they are the perfect moms for their children. Chavie and Esty share deeply moving and hilarious life hacks from their grandmothers, who were the original models for today’s “self-care” trend. Esty shares about her life journey from being a teenager who discarded boundaries, growing up in Kfar Chabad, Israel, and then finding personal growth and balance throug...
2025-10-202h 05
Totally Unexpected!Yitzchok Moully: Is There Such a Thing As Jewish Art?Chavie and Yitzchok kick off by reminiscing about his visit to Montana for Chavie's birthday, when he created the Overflowing Cup art installation, proudly displayed in the background of every Totally Unexpected! episode (check out Chavie’s Instagram reels, it’s a must see!!). Yitzchok shares his fascinating childhood journey from the Australian Outback to Crown Heights at the Rebbe’s farbrengens. Chavie asks what first sparked his love for art and self-expression, and Yitzchok opens up about the moment he had to make a Sophie’s Choice: between continuing his calling as a Chabad shliach or to make an impac...
2025-10-051h 54
Talking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee Baron180. Raw, Honest, and Still Struggling with Chavie BrukAs the High Holidays approach, so many of us walk them with heavy hearts. The traditional prayers are filled with stories of Sarah, Chana, and Rachel — women who struggled with infertility — and with prayers about life, family, and legacy. For those still waiting, or those whose journeys haven't unfolded the way they once imagined, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can feel complicated, overwhelming, even painful. In this episode, Aimee sits down with Chavie Bruk, a "Talking Away the Taboo" regular (I think this is her 4th time on the podcast), a woman whose path to motherhood was through adoption, not biol...
2025-09-211h 30
Totally Unexpected!Chanie Chein - Bringing Back the Sparkle: How a Chabad Rebbetzin Found Agency In Her LifeChavie begins by asking Chanie about her childhood growing up in Crown Heights. Chanie describes herself as a “poster child” within mainstream Chabad institutions but, as a result, lacking the stimulation to go deeper in her own self-discovery. Chavie and Chanie discuss the challenges of going out on shlichus—starting a Chabad House—at a very young age, newly married, and often with a first child on the way. They compare notes on having to show up for their communities as though they had everything figured out, even while they were still at the earliest stages of personal growth and iden...
2025-09-182h 06
Totally Unexpected!Aleeza Ben Shalom - Does Dating Really Have To Be This Hard?Chavie sits down with Aleeza to explore her spiritual journey into Orthodox Judaism, embracing kosher, Shabbat, and modest dress as a student and tells the story of how she met her husband. Aleeza reflects on how quickly it all happened, joking that “fast is my slowest speed,” while sharing how her family needed time to adjust. She opens up about her lifelong dream to move her family to Israel and the Covid-era saga that unfolded when her family finally made Aliyah. Chavie asks Aleeza how she landed her Netflix series, Jewish Matchmaking, and what drew her into the world of m...
2025-09-082h 24
Totally Unexpected!Malky Lichtenstein - Find Your Purpose Through Human DesignChavie sits down with Malky to explore the fascinating world of Human Design. Malky shares her journey of growing up in a big family where her voice often got lost, and how discovering her Human Design chart shifted her perspective. Instead of seeing her personality as a flaw, she learned to recognize her unique way of showing up in the world. Chavie reflects on her own experience and how Human Design has helped her accept her natural personality rather than struggle against it. Together, they break down the five energy types—Generators, Manifestors, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors—and disc...
2025-08-251h 45
Totally Unexpected!Adele Beiny - Beyond Influencing: Reevaluating The Value I Deliver OnlineChavie and Adele kick things off by reminiscing when Chavie lived in Adele’s childhood home in Morristown, New Jersey, as a dorm counselor. Years later, their paths crossed again when Chavie hired Adele to create a brand video to launch Chavie’s then-new blog, clearasmud.blog. Adele shares how she jumped into the workforce straight out of high school, hustling an office job at a title insurance firm. From there she waltzed into Bloomingdales in Short Hills Mall and got a job in beauty and cosmetic. These early experiences and training in sales laid the groundwork for her entr...
2025-08-112h 03
Totally Unexpected!Rivkie Block - Meet My Mom: Mother, Mentor, & Chabad PioneerChavie opens by asking her mother how she feels about Chavie sharing her life so openly on social media. They then go on to talk about the fascinating connection Rivkie’s father had with the Lubavitcher Rebbe during his time in Paris while the family was trying to emigrate to America. Chavie asks her mom how she sustains her energy and commitment through forty years of leading Chabad Lubavitch of South Texas with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Block. Rivkie talks about evolving from the wide-eyed idealism of youth to a more grounded acceptance of challenges as opportunities for growth. Ch...
2025-07-281h 46
Totally Unexpected!Larry Cohen - Balancing Western Medicine, Eastern Healing & Nature’s WisdomChavie opens the conversation by reflecting on how Dr. Cohen was her doctor since she was just three years old. Dr. Cohen tells the story of his family’s fascinating immigration from Europe to the Texas-Mexican border in the early 1900’s when there was still a lot of resistance to Jewish immigration in the USA. He shares how he began his medical career as an ER doctor on Native American reservations, later exploring homeopathy and alternative healing. He talks about his time living on the road, immersed in nature, and how that experience shaped his desire to integrate the natu...
2025-07-142h 05
Totally Unexpected!YY Jacobson - A Teacher’s Journey of Self-DiscoveryChavie begins the conversation by asking Rabbi YY how he manages his output of classes and public appearances while balancing personal responsibilities. Rabbi YY shares that although he has always maintained a heavy workload, he eventually realized that constantly jumping from one thing to the next can be a distraction. He shares a personal anecdote from when he was teaching a class to teenagers, and his own teenage children found it amusing that their father would have any relevant advice for teens. That was one of the catalysts for embarking on his own journey of self-discovery and reshaping his...
2025-06-291h 55
Totally Unexpected!Tanya Menlo-Heyman - Happy Chaos: A Journey of Self-Love & AcceptanceChavie and Tanya open the conversation by exploring the tension between being perceived as popular or “cool” but not actually feeling that way inside, and the journey towards truly accepting oneself feeling “cool” from within. Tanya reflects on her upbringing in Los Angeles as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivor Sam Menlo, who helped establish the contemporary Orthodox Jewish community in LA. She shares what it was like to grow up in the shadow of such a prominent family while navigating the challenges of being a child of divorce and often feeling like the “black sheep.” Chavie and Tanya discuss how essentia...
2025-06-162h 08
Totally Unexpected!Mimi Minsky - Life Is the Medicine: A Jewish Take on PsychedelicsChavie and Mimi talk about their shared sleep deprivation struggles, thanks to their kindred spirit, non-bedtime-conformist six-and seven-year-old daughters. Mimi shares how her idyllic childhood growing up in Miami Beach was disrupted at age ten when her nineteen-year-old brother passed away suddenly in his sleep. She reflects on the impact of experiencing grief at such a young age while also trying to make sense of the grief of the adults around her. Chavie and Mimi discuss the tension Mimi managed as a teenager—being the life of the party while silently struggling with an eating disorder that lasted until sh...
2025-06-041h 58
Totally Unexpected!Tonia Chazanow: Of Mystics & Poets: A Tale of an Empowered JudaismChavie and Tonia connect over their shared upbringing as daughters of Chabad emissaries in Texas, reflecting on how empowering it was to carry so much responsibility from a young age. Chavie asks how Tonia maintained her creative spirit as a teenager, within a system that often values conformity, and Tonia shares how her strong intuition drew towards the deeper, mystical teachings of Chassidus, which harmonized naturally with artistic outlets like spoken word poetry. Chavie and Tonia explore how concepts like bittul (self-nullification) and modesty can sometimes be misdirected to disempower women, which misrepresents the Torah’s intent. Instead, they ag...
2025-05-191h 56
Totally Unexpected!Simi Polonsky - Facing My Fear of Being AloneSimi Polonsky, co-founder of The Frock NYC, joins Chavie to reflect on her journey from a stable and joyful childhood in Coogee Beach, Australia to navigating the loss of her first husband, Shua, at just 31. Chavie and Simi explore whether hardship must always be the catalyst to “doing the work, and how Simi’s return to working with her sisters at The Frock, after Shua’s passing, was a vital part of her healing. Simi and Chavie explore the power of creative self-expression, not for the attention, but as a vital outlet for being seen and witnessed. Simi shared how sh...
2025-05-051h 54
Totally Unexpected!Lisa Schlosberg - Food is Your Friend: Reframing Trauma to Heal Your BodyChavie and Lisa begin by bonding over their shared experience as podcast hosts and reflecting on Chavie’s participation in Lisa’s program. Lisa traces her path from personal trainer to certified health coach, eventually pursuing a Master’s and Doctorate in Social Work and launching a holistic and integrative health coaching business. She shares her health journey, beginning with being sent to Weight Watchers at age nine and reaching 300 pounds by the time she was seventeen. Then, after losing 150 pounds through extreme dieting, Lisa found herself physically unwell and emotionally unraveling. She shares with Chavie how this crisis propel...
2025-04-211h 54
Totally Unexpected!Malka Groden - Motherhood of Choice: Infertility, Adoption, Race & Everything in BetweenChavie and Malka begin the conversation by reflecting on their shared experience of marrying young and expecting to have children right away. They discuss the harsh reality of infertility, the emotional toll of repeated interventions, and the pivotal decision to stop and consider new options. Together, they break down the step-by-step process of choosing adoption, challenging the notions of a homogeneous family where everyone looks alike and shares the same background. Malka shares her experience of adopting a Black child while living in Crown Heights, where the values established by the Lubavitcher Rebbe promote inclusivity, yet daily life presented...
2025-04-071h 52
Totally Unexpected!Linda Laverty - Beyond the Surface: How To Heal & Restore Our SkinChavie begins the conversation by sharing her struggles with skincare and the transformative experience that led her to Linda, forming a deep friendship along the way. Linda reflects on what it was like to be born in Hawaii, grow up in Washington State, and move to Japan with her family for middle school. She shares how, after returning to the West Coast for college, she started out in retail, transitioned to the tech industry at Microsoft, and eventually found her way to Bozeman, where she embarked on a new career in skincare. Together, Chavie and Linda explore the connection...
2025-03-242h 24
Totally Unexpected!Chaim Bruk - Rabbi Chaim’s Story: Mentorship, Growth, & TherapyChavie begins the conversation by asking Chaim about his childhood, growing up under the Rebbe’s wings in Crown Heights. He shares how idyllic it was to live in the Rebbe’s presence and how it permeated every aspect of daily life. He also reflects on some of the negative influences he absorbed as a yeshiva student, particularly the “you are with us or against us” mentality. Chaim talks about how his marriage to Chavie and the personal growth that followed helped shift his perspective, allowing him to see the world in a more nuanced way. He and Chavie discuss...
2025-03-102h 37
Totally Unexpected!Mina Richler - Nurturing Your Creative SoulMina and Chavie begin by reminiscing about their high school days together in Chicago. Mina reflects on how her parents nurtured creativity in each of their children, inspiring her to explore photography and writing. She then shares the earth-shattering moment when, at just eight years old, she learned her brother passed away as an infant due to a genetic condition. She and Chavie discuss Ambiguous Loss—the often-overlooked, long-term impact of unresolved grief. Mina describes how, from the moment she learned of her brother’s death, she began “looking for her brother” and committed her life to helping children with spe...
2025-02-242h 36
Totally Unexpected!Brochie Spritzer - Interior Design: It Starts from WithinBrochie talks with Chavie about pausing her interior design business after having twins, which created an "empty space" for her to explore a new approach to design. She shares how she discovered Human Design, which focuses on identifying one's unique gift to share with the world and the most natural way to do so. Chavie and Brochie discuss how and if this aligns with Hassidic and Jewish values of dedicating all talents and skills to serving Hashem. Brochie then shares how she came across Designology and the Place Types method, which helped her identify her clients' unique aesthetics rather...
2025-02-102h 09
Totally Unexpected!Michal Carlebach - Finding Your Voice Through FashionChavie and Michal compare notes on growing up outside mainstream religious communities, and speaking Yiddish and Hebrew, respectively, as their first languages. Michal shares how she developed a passion for education early on and always knew she wanted to be a teacher. Chavie and Michal then discuss how although teaching might not be the most glamorous career, it is such a powerful position and should only be pursued by those who are truly passionate and qualified. Michal shares how she realized that "what she does" is not "who she is" which helped her navigate launching her online fashion business wh...
2025-01-271h 57
Totally Unexpected!Sheva Givre - Hashem, Challenge Accepted!Sheva and Chavie begin by discussing the value of dark humor as a coping mechanism for navigating life’s painful moments. Sheva reflects on her childhood, growing up in the desert of Tucson, Arizona, on a beautiful 10-acre property raised by her hippie parents. After being expelled from high school, she attended a school for troubled youth. At 15, she found a job and eventually left home at 16. Sheva shares with Chavie how the challenges she faced as a teenager helped her identify with her daughter, Rozie, who was born with Down syndrome. Labeled by society as "high functioning," Rozie do...
2025-01-131h 36
Totally Unexpected!Sheva GivreHashem, Challenge Accepted!
Sheva and Chavie begin by discussing the value of dark humor as a coping mechanism for navigating life’s painful moments. Sheva reflects on her childhood, growing up in the desert of Tucson, Arizona, on a beautiful 10-acre property raised by her hippie parents. After being expelled from high school, she attended a school for troubled youth. At 15, she found a job and eventually left home at 16. Sheva shares with Chavie how the challenges she faced as a teenager helped her identify with her daughter, Rozie, who was born with Down syndrome. Labe...
2025-01-101h 36
Totally Unexpected!Shaina Wiess - Parenting Teens & OurselvesShaina and Chavie start off by reflecting on Shaina’s upbringing on Shlichus (Chabad outreach) in 1970s Los Angeles. They explore how the unique challenges of her childhood and teenage years pushed her to grow up before she had the tools to manage her emotional and mental health. As a young parent, Shaina was determined to break the cycle, so she sought help to equip herself with the skills to raise her children differently. Chavie and Shaina discuss somatic techniques for regulating conflict and challenges with children and teens, emphasizing the importance of managing our body’s responses. Shaina also...
2024-12-301h 32
Totally Unexpected!Sheva Kastel - Faith & Fashion AlignedIn this episode, Chavie and Sheva dive into the intersection of fashion and spirituality. Sheva shares her journey from being a fashion-forward teen with limited resources to founding a spiritually-driven fashion magazine that empowers Jewish women to embrace their essence. She reflects on transforming mivtzoim, (Jewish outreach), in high school from a dreaded task into something cool and inspiring. Sheva talks about her evolution from personal shopper to stylist, adapting during the pandemic, and the lessons she’s learned about managing energy, surrendering to challenges, and stepping into an abundance mindset and her power as a Jewish woman.
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2024-12-162h 19
America's Top RebbetzinsRebbetzin Chavie Bruk--My Personal Journey of Adopting Five ChildrenIf you have ever considered (or are now considering) adopting a child (or multiple children), this is the conversation for you!Rebbetzin Chavie Bruk, and her husband, Rabbi Chaim Bruk, founded Chabad Lubavitch of Montana in Bozeman, in 2007. Soon afterward, Rebbetzin Chavie was diagnosed with infertility. She was 23 years old. During our discussion, Rebbetzin Chavie shares her story about what it was like for her to adopt five children; how she felt when she adopted her first child, and why she and her husband decided to adopt more children. She tells us not to limit Hashem (G-d.) He is...
2024-12-0249 min
Totally Unexpected!Sarah Immerman - The Complex Emotional Lives of Our TeensSarah and Chavie begin by discussing how Sarah started journaling as a young child, which ignited her love for self-expression. They explore the tendency for kids to box themselves into labels and emphasize the importance of letting them know it’s okay to have fun and embrace who they are. The conversation shifts to the "Suffering Olympics" and hustle culture, where unhappiness and hardship are often rewarded and seen as virtues. Sarah shares how much she values her ability to acknowledge emotions in her profession and reflects on the breakthroughs she’s achieved in helping teens express their feelings in a...
2024-12-021h 18
The Confident ParentOn Adoption, Shame & Advocating for Your Child with Chavie BrukGet my almost sold-out book, Living Beautifully! https://amzn.to/49zrC6z
Chavie Bruk adopted 5 kids and talks to us about her story of building a diverse family and shares so much of her wisdom with us!
We discuss using our intention in raising our kids, how to share from a healthy place, and how to advocate for our kids. It's a must listen to!!
Chavie describes herself as a juggler: leading a Jewish community with her sushi loving husband, caring for her five rambunctious kids (who are adopted), and living in the Wild West...
2024-11-2032 min
Totally Unexpected!Moshe Weinbaum - What Is Emotion Code?Moshe shares his journey with Chavie growing up as a shy introvert in a large family and developing a debilitating anxiety with many physical symptoms that went unexplained for years. Life took a dramatic turn when his wife had a seizure and was diagnosed with a brain tumor, propelling him into a journey of healing and self-discovery. Moshe shares how he found The Emotion Code, a method to release trapped emotions, and learned to address the deep connection between emotions and physical health. Chavie also shares her struggle with celiac disease and how Moshe helped her uncover the emotional...
2024-11-181h 26
Totally Unexpected!Shoshana Bruk - A Mother & Daughter's Adoption JourneyChavie and Shoshana begin with an account of Shoshana's challenging childhood before she found a fresh start with the Bruk family in Bozeman, Montana. Shoshana shares what it was like to be the eldest of her new siblings while integrating into an observant Jewish household and community. Wanting to fully commit, she attended an all-girls Chassidic boarding school, only to find herself feeling alienated from that environment. Chavie discusses the impossible choices she faced in addressing Shoshana's subsequent mental health struggles as a teenager and the impact it had on their new mother-daughter relationship, which she was so committed...
2024-11-041h 44
Totally Unexpected!Mendel Zirkind - Can Astrology Align With Traditional Judaism?In this episode, Mendel tells Chavie about his first encounter with astrology on a random night in Brooklyn. A man read his chart and he was fascinated by how accurate the reading was. That set him on a journey to learn everything he could about astrology and the human psyche. Mendel also shares about how he became interested in farming as a young boy in Israel. He decided to turn his dream of farming into a reality, and to revive the ancient Jewish agricultural heritage. He and his wife, Chana, moved to Maui where they established a kosher farm...
2024-10-211h 45
Totally Unexpected!Chana Traxler - October 7th One Year Later: First Hand RecapChavie and Chana begin by connecting over their shared Chicago connection and their mutual appreciation for living in the mountains. Chana shares how she immediately felt at home in Tzfat, Israel after attending seminary there. They also bond over embracing a variety of personal and professional talents, rather than conforming to societal expectations of sticking to a single lifetime career path. Chana then gives a detailed, minute-by-minute account of the events of October 7th and its aftermath. Chana talks about the lasting trauma her children have experienced after a year of daily bombardments by Hezbollah. They then discuss whether...
2024-10-071h 28
Totally Unexpected!Elisheva Liss - Sex-Ed in Traditional Jewish-Orthodox CommunitiesChavie and Elisheva begin by discussing the challenges and benefits of creating free content on social media. Elisheva shares how her love for words started at a young age and how she always aspired to be a therapist. She eventually specialized in relationships and sexuality after noticing that very few were addressing this topic within the Orthodox Jewish community. They also highlight the importance of normalizing biologically accurate language around body parts and intimacy. They then talk about the need to maintain the spectrum of our “systems” and values while also evolving in order to foster healthier societies and avoi...
2024-09-231h 31Talking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee BaronPain Doesn't End…or Does it? with Chavie BrukOn this episode of Talking Away The Taboo, Chavie Bruk joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about... -pain and the way it changes over time -her and her husband's permanent infertility -adopting 5 children at different ages (some as newborns and some later in life) -her grieving the loss of a biological child -how grief morphs and changes with the passage of time, but how it doesn't really go away (and that's okay!) -how sitting and immersing yourself in the sadness can actually make it a easier to h...
2024-09-101h 09
Totally Unexpected!Sara Miriam Smith - Coffee Dates With G-DSara Miriam Smith has a master's degree in special education and is the author of, "Are You My Mother?" Chavie and Sara Miriam talk about how they met on social media and then became friends in real-life. They discuss how hard parenting is and that instead of beating ourselves up when we make mistakes, we should believe in "our own goodness." Then, Chavie and Sara Miriam dive deep into Sara Miriam's journey with loss, grief, and her relationship with G-D. Sara Miriam talks about her "coffee dates" with G-D and how she felt His presence even in her lowest...
2024-09-091h 34
Totally Unexpected!Introducing: Totally Unexpected! with Chavie BrukIntroduction to my new podcast: Totally Unexpected! I love people and I love hearing their stories. I want to know who they are, how they got there, what didn’t go as expected, and what they did about it. That passion and curiosity led me to create “Totally Unexpected!” I've had my own fair share of unexpected twists and turns; a permanent infertility diagnoses, five adopted children with varying degrees of challenges, and co-directing Chabad-Lubavitch of Montana with my husband. I embrace all these parts of who I am, as challenging as that is sometimes, and that's how I am abl...
2024-08-3002 minTalking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee Baron100th Episode with Aliza Abrams Konig, Esty Perman, Chavie Bruk, Lizzy Savetsky, Adelle Bryski, Amy Seroussi & Malki RodalOn this 100th episode of Talking Away The Taboo, Aimee Baron, MD brings back the guests from our most listened to podcast episodes… -Aliza Abrams Konig discusses her journey with surrogacy and how she disseminates information and resources throughout the community -Esty Perman shares her experiences of going public with her story, and how she walks the line between sharing her joys without causing pain for others -Chavie Bruk talks about the family she built through adoption and the lessons she continues to learn on a daily basis -Lizzy Savetsky shares th...
2023-08-101h 59
Empowered Jewish Living with Rabbi Shlomo BuxbaumMontana Rebbetzin/Blogger Chavie Bruk: Lessons in Parenthood, Wellness, Adoption, and Leadership (with Devorah Buxbaum)Chavie Bruk leads the Chabad center in Bozeman, Montana together with her husband, Rabbi Chaim, while raising her five children (who are adopted). Chavie shares lessons and musings from her life journey on her blog, CLEARASMUD and on Instagram, and teaches Torah classes to women around the world.
This podcast is a project of The Lev Experience. Check us out at levx.org. You can help support the podcast by sponsoring an episode or picking up a copy of my book “The Four Elements of an Empowered Life” from Mosaica Press. Use discount code: EMPOWER for 15% off! Also...
2022-11-2358 minTalking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee BaronExpectations, Pain, and Adoption with Chavie BrukOn this episode of Talking Away The Taboo, Chavie Bruk, joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about… -Dealing with unmet expectations and how to have a mindset shift -Leaning in and feeling the pain -The good and hard things about being an adoptive parent -How to raise a biracial child and dealing with racism Connect with Chavie: -Follow her on Instagram Connect with us: -Check out our website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Check out our Fa...
2022-08-1555 minTalking Away the Taboo with Dr. Aimee BaronMy Adoption Stories with Chavie BrukOn this episode of Talking Away The Taboo, Chavie Bruk, joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about… -Her diagnosis of infertility -How she decided to accept this diagnosis and move forward in the adoption process -The adoptions stories of her 5 children Connect with Chavie: -Follow her on Instagram -Check out blog Connect with us: -Check out our website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Check out our Facebook page -Watch our videos on YouTube -Follow us on TikTok...
2022-03-311h 00
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Be Impactful by Impact FashionOn Adopting with Chavie BrukI talk with Chavie Bruk,an adoptive Mom, about the circumstances surrounding her children's adoption. She shares what it's like to feel connected to an infant she hadn't birthed, how that changed when they got older, and how she manages when one of her children says she doesn't want to be a part of the family. Chavie Bruk was raised in San Antonio, studied at Chicago's Lubavitch Girls High School and graduated from Beth Chana Seminary in Tzfat, Israel. In 2006 she married Rabbi Chaim and one year later they founded Chabad Lubavitch of Montana in Bozeman. They've ado...
2021-10-1145 min
To (Mom) Life(Re-release) Episode 4: To Raising an Unconventional Family...And Adoption with Chavie BrukAs we transition to Season 2, we would like to take this time to re-play an amazing podcast from very early on in Season 1!On today’s episode, Jodi speaks with Rebbetzin Chavie Bruk. You will hear first hand about what it is like raising an unconventional Jewish family. Chavie is mom to 5 children, all of whom are adopted. She offers worthy advice around acceptance and unconditional love.Chavie also speaks about her experience with infertility and the decision to adopt.Connect with Chavie on Instagram @chaviebrukAnd on her blog clearasmud.blog
2021-08-0425 min
Divine Detour (formerly Dream Detour)Chavie Bruk: Challenge Your BeliefsChavie Bruk is a Woman, Teacher & Mother of 5 adopted children. As the oldest of 9 siblings Chavie assumed she would continue on her family's path and have a bunch of kids of her own.Listen as Chavie so openly shares and goes deep about her feelings surrounding her huge life detour when she discovers in her early 20's that she will never be able to physically have biological kids of her own.In this podcast we also speak about how Chavie's forced challenges and growth has opened her up to so many other things!
2021-03-031h 08
Things I think you should knowChavie Bruk: Adoption and the Art of LivingChavie Bruk share's her journey of motherhood, from adoption to raising children with diverse needs, and the magic ingredient that carries her through it all. Chavie epitomizes the busy modern woman of faith, but her story is anything but typical.
2021-02-0442 min
Things I think you should knowChavie Bruk: Adoption and the Art of LivingChavie Bruk share's her journey of motherhood, from adoption to raising children with diverse needs, and the magic ingredient that carries her through it all. Chavie epitomizes the busy modern woman of faith, but her story is anything but typical.
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Human & HolyWhen G-d Sends You Mail with Chavie BrukIn this episode, I interview Chavie Bruk about the concept of hashgachah pratis, detailed divine guidance, and how that awareness has shaped the way she deals with the mail G-d sends to her doorstep. Chavie talks about how our personal challenges can be guides to our souls’ mission and how we can train our minds to notice G-d’s guidance in the minute details and circumstances of our lives.
2021-01-2452 min2021-01-1552 min2021-01-0756 min
To (Mom) LifeEpisode 4: To Raising an Unconventional Family...And Adoption with Chavie BrukOn today’s episode, Jodi speaks with Rebbetzin Chavie Bruk and we hear first hand about raising an unconventional Jewish family. Chavie is mom to 5 children, all of whom are adopted. She offers worthy advice around how to model acceptance and unconditional love.Chavie also speaks about her experience with infertility and the decision to adopt.Connect with Chavie on Instagram @chaviebrukAnd on her blog clearasmud.blogEnjoy this weeks' episode!
2020-07-2222 min
The Kol Isha PodcastEpisode 9 - Building a family through adoption and faith with Chavie BrukChavie Bruk is the incredible mom of five adopted children, each with a story as unique as they are. She shares her perspective on faith and family and strategies for dealing with life's many challenges, all while running Chabad of Bozeman, Montana. What an honor to have Chavie on the show!!
2020-05-0100 min