Frum But Relatable

Wow, that new Thank You Hashem (TYH) song was really something special. The music, the lyrics, the vibe was immaculate. How do these songs get made? Find out with today's guest, Yehudah Pinsker. Yehudah is a writer, music producer and audio engineer from Hillside, New Jersey. Since entering the Jewish music industry in 2021, Yehudah has built a diverse portfolio spanning high-end studio production, recording, mixing, mastering, and creative media management. In 2023, he joined the team at Thank You Hashem, where he plays an active role in driving music and media projects forward. In addition to his industry work, he is the founder of Huds Productions LLC, managing independent music ventures and creative production.We talk a lot about music. Why Yehudah got started, how songs come to life, and what he feels is so special about the TYH brand. We talk about frum music more generally, and why it has seen a spike in popularity in recent years. Plus, Yehudah builds the perfect TYH music video. You can find Yehudah and his music here: https://www.instagram.com/__huds__/?hl=enhudsproduction.comTYH Website: https://tyh.org/A special thank you to this episode's sponsor, The World Realty Group (TWRG). Thinking of selling or buying a home in NJ? Call 908-249-3382 for a premier experience. You can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

Hi everyone!I am really excited for the kickoff episode of Current Events, our new series where we discuss ongoing cultural, social, and related events or situations that have impact on and relevance to the Orthodox community. On this episode we speak to Katie Katz about the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. Katie Schlussel Katz is a Jewish communal and advocacy leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing philanthropic, policy, and community-centered initiatives. She serves as Executive Director of Teach NJ, where she leads statewide education advocacy, oversees a $1.2 million operating budget, advances government relations strategy, and has grown organizational fundraising by 200%. Katie was appointed to Governor Mikie Sherrill’s 2025 Transition Action Team, serving on the Kids Mental Health and Online Safety Team, and to the New Jersey Department of Education’s 2026 School Funding Steering Committee as the only nonpublic school representative. She also serves on the board of Yavneh Academy, co-chairs Congregation Netivot Shalom’s capital campaign, and serves on the advisory committee for Grow Torah.Katie holds an MBA and MA from Brandeis University’s Heller School and Hornstein Program, as well as a BA in Health: Science, Society, and Policy.Everything you need to know about this program is discussed on the show. How Katie got to teach, what the deal is with this tax credit, and why OU Teach NJ wants you to get the word out about it. It's engaging and informative, and if you want to stay current, make sure you tune in to Current Events. Teach's link to message Governor Sherrill about the tax credit - https://teachcoalition.org/nj-fstc-opt-in/ Join Teach NJ’s WhatsApp group for updates and action items: https://chat.whatsapp.com/F4uPMw3ERDVFm1kotAP55uYou can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

You want to listen to a favorite shiur of yours from a few years back, but its such a pain to get to. Even if you manage to find it buried underneath hundreds of WhatsApp audio clips, you need the time to listen to it in one go or else you'll lose your place. If only there was a simpler way to organize and stay connected with your old teachers. Well, on this episode I speak with Isaac Levin who set out to accomplish just that. Isaac is a software developor and the founder of ShiurBank, a platform built to help Torah educators and institutions organize, preserve, and share their shiurim. ShiurBank has grown to 70,000+ lectures, 1,000+ users, and 150+ educators. Isaac is passionate about building technology that strengthens Torah learning, supports educators, and helps spread Torah to more people.Isaac and I make our way through a lot; from how he came up with the idea of ShiurBank, the partnerships he's already developed, and why the Teacher - Talmid relationship is at the heart of it all. We also discuss some practical elements of running this platform, as well as some broader discussions surrounding tech and Torah. And we learn that the best ideas don't always make the best class projects. Find ShiurBank at https://www.shiurbank.org/.You can reach Isaac at [email protected] can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

Think back to when you chose a seminary or yeshiva after high school. You probably spoke to older friends and siblings, maybe saw a presentation. If you were lucky, you even took a trip to Israel in 12th grade to tour your choices. But what if there had been an easier, one-stop-shop way, to do it all? Well, there is now. On this episode I speak with Avi Proctor founder and managing director of Israel Gap Year.Avi runs Israel Gap Year, a multimedia company that aims to smooth the decision process for hundreds of high schoolers countrywide deciding where to spend their year (or two or more) in Israel.Between a thriving Instagram page, popular podcasts, and individualized consulting services, Avi and Israel Gap Year provide prospective Seminary/Yeshiva students a real window into what student life in Israel is like, and empowers these prospective students to make the right decisions for themselves. Avi and I discuss a lot about his background; how he got into Israel guidance consulting, why he feels Israel Gap Year does something unique, and what is the impact he is hoping to make. We also talk about the Seminary\Yeshiva landscape today, and what are some of the biggest challenges today's students face. Avi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/israelgapyear/?hl=enAvi's Website: https://israelgapyear.com/Israel Gap Year B'Iyun Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAV_j65zTI6jsesHoh8pdfAYou can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

Ever wonder what goes into a sheitel? Likely more than you think. Join us this week as we speak with cosmotologist and wig maker, Sari Freidbauer.Sari is the owner of Sari's Wigs in Teaneck, New Jersey. A licensed cosmetologist and certified wig maker, Sari has built a reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, personalized service, and meticulous attention to detail.Sari manufactures her own exclusive line of premium wigs and provides comprehensive in-house services from start to finish. With years of experience and a passion for helping women look and feel their best, Sari has become a trusted name in the wig industry, known for beautiful, natural-looking results and unparalleled serviceSari and I discuss what goes into a wig, and her journey of how she discovered it all. From her beginnings in the business and how sheitel making has changed over time. Additionally, find out Sari's thoughts on why the Mitzvah to cover one's hair has gained more ubiquitous observance over time, and what really is the difference maker of sheitel price pointsSari's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sariswigs/?hl=enBook an appointment with Sari: 201-694-5319You can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

How did Kosher come to the USA? Join us on this episode as we speak with American Food Historian, Roger Horowitz.Roger is a historian of American business, technology, and labor and an expert on the nation’s food. He currently serves as director of the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library and teaches history at the University of Delaware. He is the author or editor of seven books, most recently Kosher USA: How Coke became kosher and other tales of modern food, which prizes from the Jewish Book Council and American Historical Association. Additionally, he is a trustee of the Delaware Jewish Historical Society and treasurer of the Business History Conference.Roger and I get really comfortable with (Industrial) Kashrus: How it started, some of its early tensions, and what the importance of incorporating Kashrus into mainstream food production tells us about American Orthodoxy. We also discuss Roger's background and what made this book so personal. Its a great listen for America 250; a mix of micro and macro of a big piece of the Jewish story in the United States. Roger's Website: http://www.rogerhorowitz.com/You can get his book, Kosher USA, here: https://www.amazon.com/Kosher-USA-Traditions-Perspectives-Culinary/dp/0231158327You can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

Ever wonder how the Jewish Link got its start? Join us on this episode as we speak with its publisher, Moshe Kinderlehrer.Moshe is the publisher and co-founder of the Jewish Link of New Jersey – Expanded Edition, and the Jewish Link Media Group. After nearly two decades in the nonprofit and fundraising field, he launched his first paper in 2013, the bi-weekly Jewish Link of Bergen County. With G-d's help, it was an immediate success and from this first paper, which soon became a weekly and was renamed the Jewish Link of New Jersey in 2014, he expanded his media and print efforts by founding the Jewish Link of the Bronx, Westchester and CT in 2015. He has helped launch papers in Rockland County (Monsey Mevaser), the Philadelphia area (Philly Jewish Link), and the DC/Maryland area (Kol HaBirah). He is also affiliated with the Queens Jewish Link and Bukharian Jewish Link, and is working on other media and print-related businesses as well. Prior to entering the Jewish media world, Moshe enjoyed an extensive career in the nonprofit and fundraising arena with his last job serving as a Director of Institutional Advancement at Yeshiva University with responsibility for the Azrieli Graduate School of Education, the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and the YU High Schools. Before YU, he served in senior fundraising roles at American Friends of Leket Israel, Friends of Jerusalem College of Technology, OHEL, Gesher, as an independent nonprofit consultant, and as a consultant for NYC-based nonprofit consulting firm Perry Davis Associates. Moshe is an ordained Orthodox rabbi and served as the assistant rabbi at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue from 1998-2000We discuss all things Jewish Link; why it got started, why Moshe believed in it, and how it has grown over time. Learn what it really takes to publish a brand new newspaper, and why it is not for the faint of heart. At the end of all that, Moshe blindly ranks some of his favorite sections of the Jewish LinkThe Jewish Link's online presence: https://jewishlink.news/You can find us onSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review.We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

On the second episode of Frum But Relatable, we speak with Eli Lebowicz. Eli is a world-class comedian, performing standup at Jewish communities all over the world. He is also the co creator of JSketch videos, a series of Jewish comedy sketches. Perhaps most impressively, he used to work at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Eli and I discuss comedy: The fun, the serious (yes, there is a serious side to comedy), and what, ideally, comedy is supposed to be and accomplish. We talk about how he got started, crack some jokes of own, and get into a heated conversation about the definition of "Yeshiva League." Find Eli here: https://www.elicomedy.com/Watch JSketch here: https://www.youtube.com/@jsketch613You can find us on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Amazon - https://music.amazon.com/search/frum+but+relatable?filter=IsLibrary%7Cfalse&sc=noneThanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review, and comment your favorite frum fiction story. We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

On the very first episode of Frum But Relatable, we speak with Channah Cohen. Channah is an adult Educator for the OU's Emerging Career Professionals & Yavneh Young Professionals. Previously, she worked for the OU’s Center for Communal Research as the Applied Researcher on their large-scale study of "Singlehood and the Shidduch Crisis". Channah has a masters in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University and is the author of the historical fiction novel "Guardians of the Flame".We focus primarily on her book; her inspiration for writing it, what she hopes it does, and why she feels its important to contribute to the Frum literary landscape. Especially for our young boys. Channah's original fundraising page: https://givebutter.com/WarsoftheSpiritPurchase Channah's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Guardians-Flame-historical-fiction-Maccabim/dp/1962522172?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DERYou can find us on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5SwHkYSAJ7YbP8fo5x9yLUApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frum-but-relatable/id1896214294Amazon - https://music.amazon.com/search/frum+but+relatable?filter=IsLibrary%7Cfalse&sc=noneThanks for listening! If you enjoyed, please subscribe, share or review, and comment your favorite frum fiction story. We welcome all comments and guest suggestions. If you have any of either, please reach out to [email protected] Credit: TakeTones

Hey! Thanks for checking out my podcast! In this introduction I detail some of the background development to the podcast, and what I hope to accomplish going forward. If you like what you hear, feel free to share, and make sure to come back for the actual episodes. I really appreciate it, and I hope you're having a wonderful and productive day!