Welcome to the Modern Jewish Girl Podcast, where Jenna Marin shares eternal Jewish wisdom and applies it to our everyday lives. Jenna earned a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Emory University and a J.D. and a Masters in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She fell in love with Torah learning on her first trip to Jerusalem over ten years ago and has been studying and writing about Torah subjects ever since. If you enjoy what you hear, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and to her newsletter at modernjewishgirl.com.
What We Can Do To Help Israel with Chamal Har Nof Co-Founder Yael (Seruya) Zdanowitz
Jenna speaks with her close friend, teacher, and mentor, Yael (Seruya) Zdanowitz, who co-founded Chamal Har Nof, an emergency relief organization that helps displaced families, army bases, and wives of soldiers in Israel. Yael gives us a glimpse into the reality on the ground in Israel since October 7th. She describes the incredible work her organization is doing and how we can get involved. Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website! Click here to donate to Chamal Har Nof(Tax receipts are available in the US, UK, Canada and Israel)
1/18/2024 • 46 minutes, 33 seconds
How To Gain Clarity in Dating & Life with Jackie Glaser
Jenna speaks with Jackie Glaser- a life mentor, Torah teacher, and friend who guided Jenna on her Jewish journey for many years. Jackie, a former Today Show psychologist in Australia, combines her knowledge of Torah and psychology to help others gain a deep, real, and lasting clarity in dating and life. Jackie speaks about her personal dating journey, how she transitioned into coaching, the biggest obstacles in dating, client success stories, what to do if you are trying to find "the one," and much more. Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website! References:Connect with JackieSouled Podcast
12/22/2023 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
Chanukah Minisode: Lighting Up the World From Within
Jenna shares a piece of Torah from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov on the battle of light and darkness within ourselves and how we can work to overcome it so that we can truly light up the world. She shares a personal example of a powerful mind-shift. Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website!Sources:Crossing the Narrow Bridge: A Practical Guide to Rebbe Nachman’s TeachingsScrolls of Poetry by Cipi Schecter
12/8/2023 • 17 minutes, 30 seconds
Keeping Our Hands Up In The War Against Evil: A Deeper Look Into The Israel-Hamas War
The terror attack on October 7th, 2023 sent shock waves through the Jewish world and beyond. The immensity of the horror and evil is almost impossible to comprehend. How do we navigate through the most intense tragedy our people have faced since the Holocaust? What is our place in this conflict? What can we do if we are not in the IDF? How do we ensure that never again means NEVER AGAIN? Jenna speaks with Cynthia Hannah, an expert on the Middle East conflict. They discuss the political, historical, and spiritual context of the Israel-Hamas war and our place in it. EDUCATE STAND WITH USDONATE ONE FAMILY FUNDTHANK ISRAELI SOLDIERSTo help displaced families and soldiers to have hot meals, please contact Jenna directly.PRAYTehillim (Psalms of David)
10/27/2023 • 59 minutes, 45 seconds
Becoming Your Best Self: A Conversation With Rabbi Moshe Gersht
Join Jenna as she speaks with Rabbi Moshe Gersht, author of the Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestseller, It's All The Same To Me. After performing for nearly a decade as a popular Los Angeles-based musician, Rabbi Gersht moved to Jerusalem, where he has spent the last fifteen years immersed in the wellsprings of Talmud, Chassidus, and Kabbalah. Jenna and Rabbi Gersht speak about his Jewish journey, his spiritual struggles and breakthroughs, achieving true inner peace and happiness, trusting in our dreams, the power of quiet, and much more. Enjoy!To learn more about Rabbi Moshe Gersht, click here.Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website!
7/20/2023 • 59 minutes, 56 seconds
Be The Light: A Conversation with Chabad Rebbetzin Miriam Lipskier
Jenna speaks with Emory Chabad Rebbetzin Miriam Lipskier in honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's 29th yahrtzeit. They speak about the Rebbe's greatness, what it is like to run a Chabad house on a college campus, how we can live out the Rebbe's legacy, and much more. Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website!
6/22/2023 • 54 minutes, 30 seconds
Shavuos: Unity is a Vessel for Blessing
The Modern Jewish Girl Podcast has had a facelift! We hope you like it! In This Episode: Jenna discusses the theme of Jewish unity as it relates to Shavuos and our own lives. Key Takeaway: The Jewish people stood at Mt. Sinai like "one man with one heart." This is because we united in our ratzon (will) to receive the Torah for the greater good. (The heart is the place of free will, where our true inner will lies). This unity enabled us to receive the greatest blessing: the Torah. It is easier to unite and make peace with each other when we realize that we are all connected. This is not always easy, but doing so brings blessings into our lives. Click here for the new Modern Jewish Girl Website!Sources: The Midrash Says on ShemosThe Three Festivals: Ideas and Insights of the Sfas Emes on Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos https://rabbidunner.com/like-one-man-with-one-heart/*New website & artwork by Renina Lifshitz
5/19/2023 • 11 minutes, 59 seconds
Counting the Omer: Freedom Is a Process
Why do we count the days between Pesach and Shavuos? Jenna explores what this process teaches us about our own growth.Dedicated to Rebbetzin Sharon Shenker a"h, Shayna Lia bas Yehuda Zerach Dedicated to Lucy, Maia, and Rena Dee a"h Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlSources:Gems from the Nesivos Shalom on Sefirat HaOmer by Rabbi Binyomin GinsbergSparks From the Fire by Rav Moshe Weinberger
4/27/2023 • 11 minutes, 19 seconds
Pesach & Simple Faith
Join Jenna as she discusses why Pesach is the Rosh Hashanah of Emunah (Faith). Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlSources: Gems from the Nesivos Shalom on Pesach by Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg,Hadar Iokheles, Living on Purpose Women's Chabura, Nissan Emunah Resources:Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Living with Emunah ClassesRabbi David Ashear, Living Emunah Podcast
3/31/2023 • 15 minutes, 34 seconds
Purim: The Power of Trust & Joy
Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman, putting the Jews in grave danger. How could he do this? We explore this question and more to make this Purim meaningful and personal! Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlSource: Gems from the Nesivos Shalom on Purim by Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg
3/6/2023 • 18 minutes, 18 seconds
Planning For The New Year
Jenna shares a life-changing tool for reflecting on the past year and planning for the next. In doing so, she sheds light on some fundamental ideas going into Rosh Hashanah. Click here for all things Modern Jewish Girl
9/16/2022 • 12 minutes, 11 seconds
Elul & My Grandma's Painting
Jenna shares a personal story about a painting she discovered from her grandma, along with some ideas about the Hebrew month of Elul and the process of teshuva (repentance). Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences:· Lamed Vav, a collection of favorite stories of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach ztz”l, p. 123· The Psychology of Teshuvah by Rabbi Tzvi Rubin and Yosef Venokur To view the painting, visit @modernjewishgirl on Instagram
9/2/2022 • 11 minutes, 7 seconds
Shavuos: When We Give, We Receive Much More
On Shavuos, the holiday when we celebrate receiving the Torah, we read Megillas Ruth, the book of Ruth. What is the connection here? Jenna offers an explanation and in doing so, speaks about the role of kindness in Judaism and how we can receive the gift of the Torah in our own lives. Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences:Seed of Redemption by Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky
6/2/2022 • 8 minutes, 14 seconds
On Being Enough: A Journey Toward Joyful Living with Sarah Pachter
This week Jenna features a friend on the Podcast, Sarah Pachter. Sarah is the author of the new book, Is it Ever Enough? A Journey Toward Joyful Living, published by Feldheim. Sarah and Jenna speak about Sarah's unique Jewish background, her career as a speaker and now writer while raising 5 kids (!) and of course, her newest book. In doing so, they uncover some insights into how we can live a bit more joyfully from a Jewish perspective. Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences:https://sarahpachterspeaks.com
5/27/2022 • 35 minutes, 13 seconds
Helping Our Souls Shine: A Conversation With Jewish Children's Author Bracha Goetz
Bracha Goetz is a Harvard-educated author of 40 books that help children's souls shine and the author of a candid memoir about overcoming food addictions joyfully on her journey in Judaism. Bracha shares a bit about her work as a children's author and her Jewish journey. Jenna and Bracha discuss how we can access the true pleasures of this world and allow our souls to shine. Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences: www.goetzbookshop.com The Five Levels of Pleasure
5/13/2022 • 31 minutes, 31 seconds
Shifting Into Shalva & Emotional Well-Being with Miriam Gitlin
Jenna & Miriam discuss the ideas of shalva (serenity), self-wholeness, emotional well-being, and holistic healing from a Jewish perspective. Miriam Gitlin is a certified life coach and creator of The Shalva Shift coaching program. She is also an artist, a wife and mother of 7 fabulous children, k”ah, former kallah (bride) teacher and marriage educator, and a writer, with two published books and over 100 stories and articles that have been printed in Binah, Hamodia, Ami, Mishpacha, and more. Miriam is passionate about helping Jewish women who are struggling with challenging situations to achieve serenity and fulfillment in their lives and relationships. Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences: https://miriamgitlin.comhttps://miriamgitlin.com/steps - The Free 5 Step Path from "Too Much" to Serenity
