Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories

For Devorah Schwartz, performing for just women is a spiritual experience akin to prayer. She opens up on how she became a singer and how it changed her life.

A longtime expositor of the Rebbe's teachings, and author of Toward a Meaningful Life, Rabbi Simon Jacobson shares how he overcame his early skepticism and found his own calling in life.

Chassidic pop star Avraham Fried shares his inner world, including his personal interactions with the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin.

Choosing "what was right" over "what was easy" presented Torah educator, Yaffa Palti with many challenges and unsettling changes. She had to discover a deeper relationship with G-d to create a positive mindset shift and find her deepest self.

In her teens, Tonica Marlow was accepted as the youngest student at a noted Christian theological college, and within a few years, she became an ordained minister. With all of her success within the church, she felt a deep void inside. Tonica Marlow, now Tova Mordechai, shares her extraordinary journey to becoming a Chassidic woman, currently living in Israel.

This special edition features seven voices deeply affected since October 7th, including IDF officers, a volunteer medic, and a father of a hostage in Gaza. Let their stories of resilience and hope inspire you.

While rockets, drones, and mortars fly overhead, Rabbi Sholom Ber Hertzel of Chabad of the Golan Heights together with his family work tirelessly to service the soldiers and members of his community who are bravely stationed along the northern border of Israel.

Learn how evacuees have been supporting each other, finding faith, comfort, and a "silver lining" through it all.

Eitan Mor saved many lives on 10/7 before he was taken hostage to Gaza, where he still remains captured. Hear his father's incredible message of faith, strength, and determination amid these most challenging of times.

An interview with the director of Chabad on Campus in Saclay, France, a hub of higher education and research.

Perhaps the best-known speaker in the Jewish world today, Rabbi YY Jacobson grew up to Russian immigrants in Brooklyn. Learn about his personal challenges, disappointments and victories.

Danny was turned off by the Judaism of his youth. Kylie was not Jewish. Together, they found a path to Torah and observance that is uniquely joyful, meaningful, and most of all... theirs!

Tuky Treitel was a school-girl when the Nazis invaded Hungary. Hear how she bravely cared for herself and her siblings during times of horrific danger.

Seeing how members of his own Jewish family abandoned Jewish burial in favor of cremation, Tuva Sablosky has become a tireless advocate for providing every Jew a proper Jewish burial.

Esther Freeman is as close as you can get to being a Chassidic diva. Learn how she balances the big stage, single motherhood, and the ups and downs of life.

Yossi Kulek, a Chabad on Campus rabbi, shares how the Rebbe's guidance helped him overcome racism, adversity and self-doubt.

Rabbi Shmuel Lew shares how he came to know the Rebbe and Chabad, and how he found meaning and purpose as a Chabad emissary.

Yehudis Fishman shares how she developed a deeply personal connection to the Rebbe, who guided her through life's challenges, and how she finds fulfillment and happiness as an older adult.

When Rochel Smoller learned her beloved fellow teacher needed a kidney, she had to act. But she could not let the recipient know it was her until the last moment!

Rebbetzin Libbi Kakon has lived with hearing loss her whole life. Learn how she became a mother, life-coach and highly successful fundraiser on behalf of a school for deaf children.

After separating with three little kids – including a six-week-old – Shternie recovered, remarried and thrived, and has gone on to empower others to do the same.

Against the backdrop of violent threats, gaslighting, exclusion, and betrayal, Cecile (now Sara) connected to her Judaism for the first time while studying at Columbia University.

A car accident prevented Rochel from becoming pregnant. When she finally became a mother, one of her twins died in infancy. Hear how she grew stronger and closer to G-d through the experience.

When Stephen Shore was young, doctors advised that he be placed in an institution. Today, he's a professor, author, lecturer and activist.

Learn how Vivi and her husband mustered the strength and positivity to raise their family, including four children who died due to a genetic disorder.

Learn how Sam Salz uses every opportunity to share Jewish pride and observance and make every moment meaningful and special.

Zalmy was a special boy, who brought so much joy to his parents and community, even after his sudden passing at the age of 15.

What can you learn from how Finnish Jews and their neighbors live a happy and stress-free lifestyle?

Orit Ettinger lost her father in a terrorist attack, her brother while working for the Mossad, her cousin saving Jews on October 7, and her brother in Gaza. Yet, she exudes faith, light, positivity, and hope.

The amazing story of a young Israeli who survived prison violence, abuse, and addiction to become a bastion of faith and acceptance in her community.

A music professor shares her story, including how the Rebbe personally reviewed her thesis and took an interest in her return to Judaism.

Perla Zaltzman lost her daughter Mussia in a drowning accident. She opens up about how she coped with the trauma; how the loss impacted her family, her community, and herself; and how she honors her daughter’s memory.

A conversation with a mother of five who manages to juggle the worlds of parenting, high-powered finance, and deep Chassidic spirituality.

In this special episode, Chana Weisberg shares what it was like to grow up as the daughter of the legendary Torah scholar and leader, Rabbi Dovid Schochet of Toronto.

An interview with the father of Ben Zussman, who wrote: "I am happy and thankful for the privilege that I had of protecting our beautiful country and the people of Israel."

Amanda Spiro lived a carefree, successful life and even worked as a model at one point. She was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 21. Her frightening new reality helped her discover her Jewish soul and the hand of G-d guiding her all along.

Tamarinado, Costa Rica, is known for its surfing and nightlife. Now, it has its own Chabad center, staffed by Rabbi Yaakov and Naomi (Nicolle) Rubinstein. Nicolle was not always religious and never imagined she'd one day serve as a religious guide to others. How did her life turn around?

Rivka Goldstein grew up in Singapore, where she always felt she was searching for something "big.” Her quest, which continued through her time at Harvard, led to her conversion to Judaism and eventually writing a book about the Jewish approach to leading a meaningful life.

For nearly two decades, the Pizems have bravely served the community of Sderot, just a kilometer from Gaza. Tzivia and her family narrowly survived the terrorist rampage, and her husband is still in their hometown, serving the many soldiers (and few civilians) there.

Born in the Golan Heights, Batsheva Cohen was inspired by the teachings of Chabad. She established Chabad in downtown Chevron together with her husband Rabbi Danny, and literally "cooks for an army" as they host large groups of soldiers and civilians. Ever since the war, she's busier than ever servicing soldiers stationed near Chevron, and helping them to do more mitzvot.

Author, activist and co-director of a bustling Chabad House, Rivka Slonim has been breaking stereotypes, sharing information and inspiration, and making an outsized mark on the Jewish world for decades. Here's her story.

Ezzy Morgenstern, serving in an elite unit of the IDF, shares how he and his friends feel after two months of war, and what keeps them going.

In the past seven weeks, Rabbi Levi Mendelson slept very little. His main concern? Aid and relief for soldiers, the wounded and the displaced, and the hostages and victims’ families.

Citizen-activist, co-founder of Ohr Chabad, and Chabad.org news reporter Bruria Efune speaks about how her family is dealing with war. They have brought toys and supplies to the displaced families, volunteered in a soup kitchen, and even taken a mission to the troops in Gaza.

After spending two days in her "safe room”, Michla and her family evacuated. They've now been spending the past 50+ days in a hotel room, having given their home to the IDF troops.

Naomi Galeano is a medical volunteer for Israel's United Hatzalah. On the day of the Simchat Torah attacks in Israel, she rode to the danger zones to tend to the victims. Six weeks later, she's still saving lives every day.

Three Chabad Shluchos (emissaries) serving university campuses discuss the rising antisemitism at their colleges and what they are doing to help students feel safer, prouder and even more connected to their Judaism. An interview with Miri Gourarie, Chabad at Penn State; Mushka Lipskier, Chabad at Tulane University; Naomi Drizin, Chabad at Columbia University.

An interview with the Campus rabbi who didn't flinch in the face of an anti-Israel rally.

Batya Bluming, wife of IDF staff sergeant, Yossi, shares what life feels like for the many Israeli wives whose husbands are right now at war, and what we can do to be of help for them.