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...
Oct 4
46 min
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 ...
Sep 20
30 min
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 ...
Sep 6
50 min
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...
Aug 23
54 min
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 ...
Aug 9
51 min
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...
Jul 26
1 hr 23 min
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...
Jul 13
42 min
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 ...
Jun 29
43 min
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...
Jun 22
49 min
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)...
Jun 15
38 min
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