How do we light candles, sing songs of gratitude, spin the dreidel, and eat latkes - in the shadow of devastating loss and tragedy?

This episode begins with that tension. On one end of the world, the beautiful celebration of Chanukah at Bondi Beach was shattered by an antisemitic attack. We remember moments when Jews lit Chanukah candles in places like Bergen-Belsen, clinging to meaning when there was almost nothing left.

We reflect on the haunting video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, and on Viktor Frankl’s insight that “those who have a why to live can bear almost any how.” Chanukah does not ask us to ignore suffering. It asks us to hold light and darkness together - to choose meaning, resilience, and hope, even when life feels unbearably fractured.

Check out my book Living Beautifully - how to bring meaning, joy and love into your life based on the timeless wisdom of Pirkei Avot. https://amzn.to/4aYmuwp

You might know how to light the Chanukah candles but do you know why we light them the way we do?
This episode uncovers the surprising debate behind the mitzvah, the deeper meaning of light in Judaism, and the powerful message the flames are trying to teach us today.

Check out my book Living Beautifully - how to bring meaning, joy and love into your life based on the timeless wisdom of Pirkei Avot - What are we really celebrating when we light the Chanukah candles?
This episode uncovers the surprising debate behind the mitzvah, the deeper meaning of light in Judaism, and the powerful message the flames are trying to teach us today.

If someone walked up to you and asked, “So… what actually makes you Jewish?” — how would you answer?

In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most fundamental — and most misunderstood — questions of Jewish identity. Through the story of Yaakov and Esav, the mysterious struggle in Rivka’s womb, the meaning of the blessings, and the battle that happens inside every one of us, we uncover what it truly means to be part of the Jewish people.

This is an episode about essence, destiny, and the quiet voice inside that knows who you really are.

We open with the deceptively simple question: If gratitude is so obviously good, why do so many of us struggle to express it? What emotional resistance sits underneath?

In this thought-provoking episode, we explore one of the most transformative middot: gratitude. Why is it so hard to simply say thank you - to people, and even to Hashem? Through surprising Torah stories, deep psychological insights, and powerful questions for self-reflection, we unpack the real inner work behind gratitude.

Check out my book Living Beautifully - how to bring meaning, love and joy into your life based on the timeless wisdom of Pirkei Avot - now available as Audiobook as well as hardback and Kindle - https://amzn.to/48mOUNW

Why do we have three Avot?
Why not one towering role model, or ten? And what makes Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov fundamentally different from any other Jewish inspiring figures?

Join us as we take a deep dive into the inner world of the patriarchs, uncovering how each embodied a distinct spiritual quality — and how each was deliberately tested in the area opposite their natural strength in order to achieve inner balance and wholeness.

Just as they faced tests that stretched them beyond their natural strengths, we too are invited to ask:

Where am I strong, and where am I being nudged to grow?
What does balance look like in my life?

Together, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov form the complete blueprint of a fully actualized human being.

• A new understanding of the Avot

• A lens for identifying your own spiritual “default setting”

• Tools for recognizing the tests that come to develop your opposite trait

Check out my book Living Beautifully - now available in audiobook as well - https://amzn.to/48ez9bv

We all want happiness — but what does it actually take? In this episode, we explore a surprising insight from one of the Torah’s greatest commentators, Rashi, who says something almost impossible to imagine:
Sarah’s entire life was “equally good.”
All the years of her life — from childhood to old age — were equally filled with goodness.

But wait… how can that be true?
Sarah faced challenges that would break most people — being taken captive twice, decades of infertility, uncertainty, wandering, and pain. So what does Rashi mean? And what does it teach us about happiness?

• The mystery of Sarah’s happiness: How Rashi can claim her life was “all good” despite so many hardships.

• The difference between a happy life and a comfortable life — and why they aren’t the same thing.

• Sarah’s inner approach that made her joy steady and not dependent on circumstances.

If you liked this episode, you'll love my book Living Beautifully - available on Amazon

In this insightful and uplifting episode, Gila Ross opens up about the profound lessons that emerge through life’s challenges. Together, we explore the deeper Jewish understanding of tests—nisaeon—and their surprising connection to nes, miracles.Rather than seeing challenges as obstacles, Gila reveals how they can become pathways to growth, clarity, and spiritual elevation. She shares powerful reflections on how struggle and divine intervention often intertwine, and how faith can transform even the hardest moments into opportunities for transcendence.This conversation is rich with perspective, inspiration, and practical wisdom.If you’ve ever wondered why challenges show up in your life—or how to rise through them with strength and meaning—this episode will leave you feeling grounded, hopeful, and empowered.

We take a deep, honest look at idol worship - not as statues or ancient rituals, but as a mindset that can still tempt us today. What is the real lure of idol worship? At its core, why would someone want to worship an idol?

You’ll hear about:

• The psychology behind why idol worship was so tempting in the Torah and why it still shows up in modern forms

• What happens internally when we move from “How do I get what I want?” to “How do I live in partnership with God?”