Holy Sparks Podcast

Toba Hellerstein is a strategic advisor specializing in psychological and sociological approaches to communication, negotiation, and public perception. As the Founder and CEO of Attune Now, she helps governments, nonprofits, and institutions navigate complex global challenges through research-driven insights grounded in human behavior, emotional intelligence, and strategic analysis. With over 20 years of experience in high-stakes strategy and research, she has advised top global leaders on critical initiatives. She founded and led the Texas-Israel Alliance, an economic diplomacy organization, headed Stratfor’s Middle East Department, and established BridgeStars, a negotiation backchannel for Israeli and Arab leaders. Her work includes extensive collaboration with the Israeli government, shaping strategies at the intersection of policy, diplomacy, and public perception.Her 2 years of researching perspectives on the narrative of Israel and Jews in America have culminated in this 139 free report available on www.attunenow.orgIn this lively conversation, we uncover some of those beliefs and explore how to shift the narrative in a more positive direction. I highly recommend reading these two shorter articles reflecting her work and brilliant insights into this subject.https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-war-of-perception/https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/antisemitism-and-trauma-self-fulfilling-prophecy/Please share this episode and help us spread the word by making a small donationto our non-profit sponsorHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Rabbi Lauren Tuchman is a sought after speaker, spiritual leader, and educator who was ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in 2018.She teaches, consults with, and provides workshops and trainings to individuals and organizations within and outside of the Jewish community on a variety of matters pertinent to disability access and inclusion. She was named to the Jewish Week’s 36 under 36 for her innovative leadership concerning inclusion of Jews with disabilities in all aspects of Jewish life. In 2017, she delivered an ELI Talk entitled We All Were At Sinai: The Transformative Power of Inclusive Torah. She is the world's first ordained blind woman Rabbi .Rabbi Lauren and I met in a two-year Jewish Meditation Teacher's Training program.She is a bright light in the Jewish world.find her herehttps://rabbituchman.com/enjoyto help support the Holy Sparks Podcastplease make a tax deductible donation hereHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Michael Hunter Ochs has quietly established himself as one of the most versatile songwriters in America today. His song “In Her Eyes” was recorded by international superstar Josh Groban. The soul-filled “On My Knees” was awarded Song Of The Year honors from both the Gospel Music Association (Dove Award) and the Nashville Songwriters Association International, and spent 14 weeks at #1. Michael’s music has been attached to numerous feature films and TV shows including Downsizing (Matt Damon), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (Uma Thurman), The Terminal (Steven Spielberg), and The Simpsons. His songs have appeared on albums with world wide sales in excess of 20 million units. He has served as Composer In Residence at Congregation Micah in Nashville, TN and East End Temple in New York City for a combined 25 years. Every Friday evening congregations around the world rejoice, reflect, and draw closer singing his songs.We met a year ago on a music gig and this conversation was a delight. Enjoy,learn more about him herehttps://michaelhunterochs.com/To help keep the podcast going you can make a tax-deductible donationherehttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Rabbi Zvika Krieger is the Spiritual Leader of Chochmat HaLev, a progressive spiritual community in Berkeley, CA for embodied prayer and mindfulness, heart-centered connections, and mystical wisdom. He is co-founder of Shevet: Jewish Mindfulness Collective and has served in board and leadership positions for Sukkat Shalom/Milk+Honey camp at Burning Man, Jewish Studio Project, DC Minyan, and other organizations dedicated to nourishing the mind, body, and soul. ​ He has a BA from Yale University and studied at Yeshivat Shaarei Mevaseret Zion and the American University in Cairo. He is a certified Shadow Work facilitator and Design Thinking facilitator, and trained as an ecstatic dance DJ by Embodied Sound. He is ordained as a rabbi in the Hasidic and Jewish Renewal lineages. Originally from Los Angeles, Zvika loves to surf, dance, backpack, rock climb, and sing karaoke occasionally on-key. It's not often you meet someone and spend 6 days in silent meditation and prayer with them. This is how I met Rabbi Zvika, you will enjoy his buoyant presence, deep learning, and wild journey from the Orthodox Chood of La to Yale, Burning Man, Tech, and the Rabbinate Enjoy! Here are a couple ways to learn more about Rabbi Zvika and Chochmat Halev where he works https://www.zvikakrieger.com/ https://chochmat.org/ to help keep the podcast going please make a tax deductible donation to Holy Sparks DONATIONS http://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ thank you for subscribing #podcast #rabbi #burningman #facebook #Meta #losangeles #jewish #video #meditation #mindfulness #renewal #Hasidism

Craig Parks has been a Jewish educator for over 30 years. His journey has seen him create and direct two successful Jewish day camps, create two teen bands that facilitate relevant and uplifting teen Shabbat experiences, write curriculum that has teens clamoring for more, speak at national conferences on teen engagement as well as inclusion, and in the last four plus years he has led multiple weekly Jewish meditation cohorts. Craig is also a veteran of Hava Nashira where he studied with Debbie Friedman, Danny Maseng, and Craig Taubman in the 90's. He has been a core educator at SLBC since 2012.We've been friends for almost 20 years and he is offering something so valuablefor parents with kids 0-7 take a listen and feel free to share with other parents you know!Click below to get his new coursehttps://www.parentingharmony.com/to make a tax-deductible donation to the Holy Sparks Podcast click hereHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Chutzpah Girls. - 100 Tales of Daring Jewish WomenCo-Authored by Julie Silverstein and Tami Schlossberg PruwerThis book comes at the right time. We need inspiration.We need to hear about our Heroines and tap into theinner strength that these women all share.It's in our DNA!I predict this book will be an international best seller.This episode was a lively conversation with the authors.Tune in to hear their story, the story of the book, andget inspired!Pre-order now here!https://chutzpahgirls.com/Here's a link to make a tax-deductible donation to the podcastHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQThank you for your support!

Zac is a rabbi and community leader based in Berkeley, CA. As the founder and CEO of Shefa, Zac is pioneering a movement to integrate safe and supported psychedelic use into the Jewish spiritual tradition, advocating for the healing of individual and inherited traumas, and inspiring a Jewish religious and creative renaissance in the 21st century. He is a qualified instructor of MBSR and is trained in ketamine-assisted care through Inbodied Life.In this Interview, we explore Zac's mystical experience in Israel as a teenager, becoming a Rabbi, and his first experience with psychedelics as part of an experiment at Johns Hopkins University.He goes through the process of what happens before, during and after a facilitated Ketamine experience, and how it is framed in a Jewish context.This was a fascinating conversation you will enjoy.To Make a Donation to help keep our podcast going Holy Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQwww.holysparks.tv

This conversation happened just before Rosh HashanahWe touched on so many great topics. My favorites: Love almighty, how to pray, what does L'hitpalel actually mean, and how to humbly ask what does Hashem want from us?Rabbi David Aaron [www.rabbidavidaaron.com],is a spiritual visionary, master educator, and published best-selling author who has invested 4 decades delving into life’s greatest challenges and sharing transformational secrets to living a happier, more fulfilling empowered life. He has emerged as a world-renowned ‘G-d expert’ and the leading mentor in ‘G-d Powered Living‘ (GPL) simply because he has dared to ask and answer the difficult questions that we all struggle with about who is God, who are we, and what is life really all about.Rabbi Aaron is the author of eight ‘paradigm-shifting’ books: Endless Light, Seeing G-d, Love is My Religion, The Secret Life of G-d, Soul Powered Prayers, Inviting G-d In, Living a Joyous Life, and The G-d-Powered Life. (Several books have been translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew.) He has reached millions through appearances on national media. Rabbi Aaron received his Rabbinic Ordination in 1979 from the Israel Torah Research Institute (ITRI). He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Chana, and seven children.

Le Shana Tova 5785!!I am thrilled to debut Season 5 of The Holy Sparks Podcastwith a fresh new guest and long time friend: Rabbi Peretz MochkinPeretz, meaning "to breakthrough," is a rabbi deeply versed in Chasidic mysticism with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in crafting individualized rituals that promote personal growth and transformation. Having served in various capacities with Chabad and other religious organizations, Peretz now focuses on meeting people where they are, helping them create meaningful spiritual practices tailored to their needs.The podcast is brought to you by the friendly people atKrembo Baked GoodsThe San Francisco Bay AreasNewest pareve ( non-dairy )Kosher BakeryProudly serving cookies, loaf cakes, And the best gluten free challahI’ve ever had, and much more.Ask about their Challah delivery service to schools, organizations and corporations in the Bay Area. email them at orders@krembobakedgoods.com for more information.Or simply go to krembobakedgoods.comTo make a tax deductible donation to the podcastplease go to :Holy Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Rabbi Dr. Greg Marcus is an independent and unaffiliated Rabbi who creates safe and engaging spaces that make Jewish texts accessible to beginners and seasoned students alike. Rabbi Greg has a Ph.D. in Biology from MIT, worked ten years as a marketer in the genomics industry, and almost ten years as a stay at home parent. He recently received ordination from the Academy of Jewish Religion, California, and works as a grief counselor and funeral officient. His latest book is The Spiritual Practice of Good Actions: Finding Balance through the Soul Traits of Mussar, now available as an audiobook.We talk about MIT vs AJRCAworking in the bio tech field vs the RabbinateHis vision for serving the unaffiliated Jewish community here in the Sf Bay Area and BeyondLearn more about him here https://americanmussar.com/The podcast is brought to you by the friendly people atKrembo Baked GoodsThe San Francisco Bay AreasNewest pareve ( non-dairy )Kosher BakeryProudly serving cookies, loaf cakes, And the best gluten free challahI’ve ever had, and much more.Ask about their Challah delivery service to schools, organizations and corporations in the Bay Area. email them at orders@krembobakedgoods.com for more information.Or simply go to krembobakedgoods.comTo make a Donation and help our podcastcontinue, click hereHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

This conversation is part of the UCLA mini-series which startedwith Rabbi Toba Schaller of Hillel UCLA.Eli Tsives has blown up on social media and national news as a stand out activist for Jewish Students on campus at UCLAand Beyond.Tune in to hear his fascinating story about living in Shanghai and the Bay Area.We also talk about his training with Stand with Us, his experiences on and off campus and what he is doing to stand up this semester for Jews on campus.This is a great episode to share with your college and high school age kids.He is open to connecting and mentoring others.In this episode, Eli references the IHRA definition of Anti-semitism. Here's a link to ithttps://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitismThe podcast is brought to you by the friendly people atKrembo Baked GoodsThe San Francisco Bay AreasNewest pareve ( non-dairy )Kosher BakeryProudly serving cookies, loaf cakes, And the best gluten free challahI’ve ever had, and much more.Ask about their Challah delivery service to schools, organizations and corporations in the Bay Area. email them at orders@krembobakedgoods.com for more information.Or simply go to krembobakedgoods.comTo Support the podcast directly with a tax deductible contributionplease go to Holy Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Rabbi Toba Schaller was born in Wyoming and grew up in small-town Texas. Since then, she has lived and worked in Jewish communities big and small all over the country. She is proud of her ability to find a place wherever she lands, be it the busy streets of LA or the honkey-tonk of her hometown. She believes that this is a unique gift that helps her build community and help others find their place, too.Rabbi Toba holds an MA in Religious Education and well as rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. Prior to joining the Hillel at UCLA team, she served as School Rabbi for a pluralistic day school in Milwaukee and as a congregational rabbi-educator. In her very first job however, she served as engagement fellow for Cornell Hillel and is thrilled to be back serving college students once again.We talk about what happened on UCLA campus last year, the encampments, student safety, anti-semitism on campus, Jewish community, and how Hillel UCLA is helping Jewish students.The podcast is brought to you by the friendly people atKrembo Baked GoodsThe San Francisco Bay AreasNewest pareve ( non-dairy )Kosher BakeryProudly serving cookies, loaf cakes,And the best gluten free challahI’ve ever had, and much more.Ask about their Challah delivery service to schools, organizations and corporations in the Bay Area. email them atorders@krembobakedgoods.com for more information.Or simply go tokrembobakedgoods.comTo make a tax Deductible Contributionor co-sponsor an episodeplease go toHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Nissim Black is an American-Israeli Rapper/Singer and influencer who is taking the world by storm. Growing up in the inner city of Seattle, Nissim Black saw firsthand the struggles and challenges that many people face on a daily basis. But he didn't let that define him. Instead, he embraced his passion for music and used it as a vehicle to spread positivity and increase awareness of God through mainstream mediums. With a musical style that ranges from Rap to Pop to World music, Nissim Black's unique sound has captured the hearts and minds of fans all around the worldWe talk about his upcoming new release, childhood in Seattle, Hip Hop, Drugs, Finding Torah and Judaism. Making Aliyah, ISRAEL, and so much more.This is one of my favorite interviews of all time.This cat is Deep. He has so much more to offerin addition to his music.The podcast is brought to you by the friendly people atKrembo Baked GoodsThe San Francisco Bay AreasNewest pareve ( non-dairy )Kosher BakeryProudly serving cookies, loaf cakes, And the best gluten free challahI’ve ever had, and much more.Ask about their Challah delivery service to schools, organizations and corporations in the Bay Area. email them at orders@krembobakedgoods.com for more information.Or simply go to krembobakedgoods.comHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Elevator Pitches for God - 70 1-page Essays by thought Leaders on why they Believe.On this unique episode, I sit down with Ron Kardos and Bruce Licht,the editors of this new best-selling book.You'll hear why they felt it was time for this book, some amazingholy moments in the creation of this book, and some stories aboutthe authors.You can pick up your copy herehttps://ep4g.com/To help us keep going and spread the wordplease go to Holy Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Welcome to Season 4 Episode 5 of THE HOLY SPARKS PODCASTHillel Fuld is a tech blogger and entrepreneur turned full-time24/6 Activist. his posts have received over 1 Billion Impressionssince October 8th.We talk about Jewish History, WW3, Anti-semitism, Israel, Radical Islam in the West,College Campuses. His message will wake you up This Episode is INTENSE. Do not listen around your kids.https://twitter.com/hilzfuldhttps://www.instagram.com/hilzfuld/https://www.youtube.com/@hilzfuldPlease consider giving a tax-deductibledonation to help us spread the wordHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Doreet Jehassi started making and selling Yemenite Jewish breads out of her home kitchen6 years ago. She now offers a variety of savory and sweet wraps, baked goods, dips, andother Yemenite/Israeli specialties for pickup and delivery at The Ma’lawah Bar, whichoperates out of her new brick-and-mortar restaurant in Palo Alto.On this episode of The Holy Sparks Podcast, join me on an audio ( and visual on YouTube)tour of the San Francisco Bay Area's new Kosher restaurant - The Ma'laweh Bar!You'll learn about some tasty Yemenite foods, hear Doreet's story and how sheis combining her three Identities, American, Israeli, and Yemenite into her passion for food.For more info on the Ma'lawah Bar go to https://www.themalawahbar.com/to make a tax deductible donation to the podcast go to Holy Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQwww.holysparks.tv

On this week's episode, I sit down with my friend Zack Bodner, President and CEO of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto.We explore his latest book, Why Do Jewish? We talk about his time at AIPAC, the role of the JCCin the Jewish tapestry, Israel, and a compellingvision for the Jewish People.to find out more about Zack and pick upa copy of his best-selling book go to https://www.zackbodner.com/To make a tax-deductible donation to the Podcast go to http://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Benny Mor is the founder and CEO of Vasco Assets. This financial institution has been bringing financial opportunities to community members and abroad for over 35 years and counting. He is a native Israeli, served in the army, and his grandfather built a synagogue in Jerusalem almost 100 years ago! His family has been in Israel for over 100 yearsHe had a unique perspective on the reasons behind the current war that YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD!Listen to learn about his solution to a major problem that Israel hasnow and will have in the future.He is a good friend and a mensch, and he knows everyone.To donate to the fund that will help train the next generation of Trauma Therapists ( in 5 days) click here https://greaterhorizons.kimbia.com/ghThe donor will need to include the fund name: Lincoln Club Donor Advised Fundor fund ID (linc01) when filling out the form.Thank you for listening to make a tax-deductible donation to the HOLY SPARKS PODCASTto help keep us in production, please click here http://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

Krembo is bringing the tastes of Jewish baking to the Bay Area. Krembo is the ONLY Parve (non-dairy) Kosher bakery in Northern California.Krembo was developed over a period of 10 years by Fran Lent, Mary Coe and Esty Marcus. It started with Fran baking in her kitchen in Encino, California as a young girl and always enjoying eating desserts.Listen to the story of Fran Lent, the owner and founder, and why they have thebest gluten-free Challah you've ever tasted!to place orders and learn more about Krembowww.krembobakedgoods.comTake an inside look at the bakery on our youtube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@holysparks23make a tax-deductible donation To help support the podcast click herehttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQ

This is a special edition of THE HOLY SPARKS PODCAST.I started a series to help UC Berkeley students, college studentsand their parents called THE REAL HISTORY OF ISRAEL.This is Part two and is based around a class on the 1967 war.Rabbi Gil Leeds has been the Chabad on Campus Rabbi at UC Berkeley for 20 years and has a unique perspectiveon what's happening now on and off campus.Listen to hear 4 different arguments on why Jews have anhistorical claim to the land of Israel. please support our work by subscribingYou can donate directly to the Podcastto help with production hereHoly Sparks DONATIONShttp://igfn.us/form/haHSSQYou can become a monthly Patron for as littleas you like here https://www.patreon.com/saulkayemore info herewww.holysparks.tv