Jewish Dragon’s Farbreng

Welcome to the Farbrengin Jolie!!!  While no Zumba was done we did get in an actual Lechaim with some Israeli wine and got to learn sooo much about her amazing grandfather Sam who survived the Holocaust and went on to build a beautiful family! So many amazing lessons from his life including how he met his brother who thought had died in the war!  We also got to hear about life in medical school as COVID was breaking out in 2020 as well as an inspirational and impactful trip to Israel volunteering and helping so many.  To top it all off Jolie offers some amazing lessons for life and even a new phrase that may catch up at Chabad on Campus's :) 

The Farbrengins are back!!!  While it has been far longer than we had anticipated season 2 of Red Dragons Farbreng is finally back! I could think of no better person to start the new season with than Emmie Levy.  Aside from her amazing energy and passion that we all got to feel while she was here in Oneonta Emmie is someone who fearlessly blazed an incredible trail after leaving school.  From performing at the SuperBowl halftime show to creating her own program and game that teaches and empowers people both young and old to believe in themselves and tap into their infinite potential.  This Farbrengin covers so many different topics that there will undoubtedly be something you hear that will make you think,and hopefully believe in yourself a little more!  To learn more about "The Emmie Effect" and to connect with Emmie you have options!  Instagram: @theemmieeffect https://www.instagram.com/theemmieeffect?igsh=MWk1MmU0YXVhYng3Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr TikTok: @theemmieeffect Card Game: Payhip.com/theeemmieeffect 

This was obviously a very special Farbrengen for me and the perfect way to end our first "season" of Red Dragons Farbreng (till after the summer)! I really wanted to hear Chaim's thoughts on so many of these topics that I didn't even give heads-up on the topics. It was risky because I wasn't sure how a 13-year-old would be able to converse on these topics in a conversational way but I didn't want to risk canned answers or having him tell me what he thought "I wanted to hear".  Enjoy this Farbrengen and get to hear all about growing up in a Chabad on Campus, traveling an hour and 20 min each way every day to school, a 13-year-old view on the students and (St)Oneonta culture, and most importantly if he feels like Chabad of Oneonta is a project that "belongs" to his parents or if its "his".  Plus some great and funny stories from over the years!  I know he is my son but this Farbrengen was a lot of fun, very meaningful and a ton on Nachas!  Lechaim! 

This week's Farbrengen is with a very special Jew, one who puts the "Jew" in "Jewfro" :) The legendary Ian Bard!  Learn about how Ian moved from Sayville LI, to Vermont, although not as soon as he thought.  I loved hearing about growing up in a non Jewish part of Long Island, its impact, and his views of college and Jewish life before getting here and how they changed once he did.  But perhaps more than anything, I loved to hear about the things Ian has done after graduating and, perhaps even more importantly, his "why" he did them.  It is rare to hear some of the observations he makes about life and people from someone so young but make them he does and in his unique "Ian" way😍❤️ We even managed to discover a favorite book we both share! Take a listen! 

We are back with what is by far our longest Farbrengen yet, but I also think one of our best!  I had the pleasure of Farberenging with Ethan Silver who graduated almost a month ago.  We cover so many great topics, from his love for and lessons from surfing, playing soccer as a kid, entrepreneurial mindsets, and what he thought he gained from college and what he didn't. He gave me some great insights into the local student housing market as well as talked about his new website that looks to pair independent landlords with students looking for housing.  Perhaps my favorite part of this Farbrengin is what he had to say about what he gained from being a part of Jewish life at Oneonta!  It's a bit long but very well worth the listen. So Lechaim! Come join the Farbrengen!   You can catch all of his awesome YouTube videos on his Channel https://www.youtube.com/@EthanSilver

This weeks Farbengen guest will always be associated in my mind with quinoa and deep thoughtful discussion (you will have to listen to find out why) and this Farbregen did not disappoint!  We got to hear about growing up in the Monsey NY area and why Jason decided to come to Oneonta along with some great observations about college, fraternity, trips to Israel and Jewish life. We also covered some great life lessons from art, layers, and complexities, as well as some of the things that influence Jasons art today.  Jasons journey through different internships as well the challenges of COVID and some other things have given him some amazing perspectives that I am so happy and honored that he shared.  We conclude with some really really good pieces of advice and a great Chinese parable about if a situation is good or bad.  While definitely our longest to date, and for good reason, this is not a Farbrengen to be missed! Check out Jason's work at www.thelayersproject.art  

I especially enjoyed this weeks Farbrengen with the president of Jimmy U Alex Dashev '17 as we got to explore our Russian roots (in a good way lol), how our families fled the Nazis, antisemitism, and how that has impacted us, each in our own way. Some great family stories in there :) While born in the Bronx, his entire family is from Russia and only got to the US 6 months before he was born so that had a big impact on him growing up, culturally, socially, educationally, and even his connection to his Jewish identity.  Alex came to Oneonta in 2014 and quickly became an avid believer that indeed "this place isn't real" and took over Goult St, Jimmy's and elsewhere #IYKYK We got to cover his time in college and things he loved about Oneonta and things he loved about Jewish life and being able to have his Jewish identity blossom after "waking up".  While Alex now works in the investment sector, he studied urban planning at Oneonta and went on to grad school to work in the field. Between that and his current job, he did some cyber/financial security work, both job coming from connections within the Jewish community, so make sure you are networking with your fellow Jews!  Some great insights into so many different ideas, from what does "this place isn't real" actually mean to some cool facts about urban planning (all of the world's population could fit in Texas!!, I googled it, its true!!) so make sure to give it a listen! 

We are back from our Passover break with another great Farbengen with another outstanding Jewish Dragon!  Tracy Abraham came to Oneonta in 2012, the same year as we did, and after her first Rosh Hashanah at Chabad never looked back!  Growing up with a Rabbi as a stepfather certainly made for an interesting relationship with Judaism, but thankfully she didn't let that stop her from exploring and growing in college.  Going to high school in Plainview (or PlainJew as it's called) meant going to Oneonta was an easy choice, tee shirt included :) Actually, there is more to it than that, but you will have to listen to get the full story.  We got to talk about so many great memories, including how my explaining why I don't say "I love you" publicly often to my wife actually had a fantastic and totally unexpected impact!  We got to talk about her move from LI to New Hampshire and then to Texas where Tracy currently lives. I was surprised to hear about the size and age of the Jewish community in NH.  Tracy made some amazing observations which I LOVED about her work in the financial planning sector, including what the secret to success truly is. Of course, we touched on being a "Token Jew" in Texas, COVID, Antisemitism, and much more.  The Farbrengen ends abruptly due to the recording getting cut off, but not before Tracy, who lost both her biological father and stepfather waaaay too early, made an amazing closing plea that we all appreciate our parents a whole lot more!  Take a listen and I know you will enjoy it! 

Dan grew up in Albany and was definitely one of the first students to experience a true full-contact Farbrengen at Chabad, making this episode another great one!  A drummer for as long as he can remember, Dan takes us through growing up near Albany, coming to Oneonta, and being part of the early days of Jewish life here. We talk about his studying the business side of the music industry, his early successes on Youtube with drum covers, and some of the lessons from that, as well as from drumming as a whole.  Of course, we had to discuss his trip to Israel as part of the first-ever "Oneonta" Birthright trip and the impact it had beyond those 10 days.  Lastly, we got a great peek into Dan's life post-Oneonta that took him from NY to Indianapolis (where he worked for the Colts and Pacers) and then finally to Nashville TN! He, of course, has some great insights and advice taken from many of these stops as well as from his very own Podcast, Nashville Drummers Podcast (look it up and subscribe), where he has the opportunity to meet so many amazing and diverse people. 

I don't often get to Farbreng with someone who works for Homeland Security so this week's Farbrengen with Rachel Barnett '14 was extra enjoyable and interesting!   As someone who was here at Oneonta and already involved in leading Jewish life before Fraidy and I got here it meant a lot to me to hear what Rachel had to say she found unique about Oneonta's Jewish life and organizations. The two great funny episodes she had to share from "back in the day" sure brought me back with a smile on my face!  Equally remarkable was hearing about Rachel's post-college experience, from teaching in Israel to ending up at Homeland Security, Rachel's journey is fantastic!  Of course, she had some excellent advice for both success and life and some great points about things she "wishes" people knew about I.C.E and the general topic of migrants and our attitudes toward them! So grab a Lechaim and join the Farbrengen! 

This week Farbengen is with Garrett Abrams, someone who predates us at Oneonta yet also overlapped our time here. He was (and in some ways still is) perhaps one of the early pillars that helped make Jewish life at Oneonta what it is today. Originally from Long Island, Garrett got to Oneonta in 2011 as a Psych Major and Graduated in 2015 while also minoring in Chemistry. In this great conversation, you will learn why Garrett is passionate about being in the medical field and also learn about his life when he was at Oneonta. Including how joining his fraternity, Alpha Phi Delta helped him and gave him his support system during his college years and even post-college I would say I learned some fascinating things about his field, clinical drug trials, their different stages and the shocking percentage that don't make it to stage 3 for being approved by the FDA, and how COVID affected how the industry worked. Lastly, get some advice about leveraging your network and how important it is to reach out to alumni to talk about their experiences and get tips from them regarding getting your dream job or getting into the company that you like to work with in the future. Of course, Garrett would love to hear from you and help in any way he can so feel free to reach out to him at AbramsGarrett@gmail.com and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-abrams

I love education and of course a great educator even more! That's what I love so much about this Farbrengen with Melissa Sider '16, who was a Freshman together with "us" in 2012. Fast forward to 2022, a decade later, and here we get to Farbreng about what life, pre, and post-Oneonta was like as well of course about tons of Oneonta memories! Melissa, originally from Long Island grew up in Suffolk County. Growing up with amazing parents, she went to Hebrew School through elementary but given the choice decided against Hebrew High School. She came to college determined to take a break from the "Jewish thing". Spoiler Alert: She failed at that goal and much to our, and the Jewish communities' benefit even got involved as a Jewish leader!!  Melissa is a true educator and in this conversation, you will find out why she wanted to become a teacher and how important it is to start molding a child from the elementary stages. I loved hearing about how teaching is really a team activity and how every kid in class is different from one another, each needing something different. Lastly, hear her practical advice to young students who are taking the same path as her, such as taking certifications and collaborating with a veteran and so much more... Cant wait to record part 2!! 

This weeks Farbrengen takes us back a few years as we stroll down memory lane with Jill Swartz, Oneonta class of '81. Jill was born in Brooklyn then moved to Long Island NY, and after working as a paralegal, and raising a beautiful family is now loving being a teacher for close to 14 years!  Find out how I "accidentally" bumped into her husband Ron in an elevator which led our families into a beautiful friendship that has not only changed our lives but without exaggeration the lives of every student who encounters Chabad of Oneonta. Travel back a couple of years' time with me and hear how Jill came to Oneonta, the astounding number of bars open back then, and how her experience with Jewish Campus life during her time in Oneonta continues to impact current students today. If you ever wondered what blind, and then long-distance dating was like before social media, cell phones, and of course the internet then makes sure to tune in.  Same for if you ever wondered what "layaway" in a store was and how its demise has an impact on us in ways deeper than we realize.  Lastly, hear her advice to the young generation as to how important it is to maintain their sense of Jewish identity in this modern world and how Judaism plays an important role in giving anchor and purpose in life. My only regret with this Farbrengen is that we ran out of time! There will no doubt be a "round 2" with Jill and perhaps she will be joined by her amazing and inspiring husband Ron, stay tuned!!

This week's Farbrengen was one that I really enjoyed and came with a ton of reminiscing. Adam Fleischman, originally from Plainview got involved as a Freshman and quickly became not only a regular but, together with the entire Fleischman family, a lifelong part of our family! As I relisten to this, I can't help but appreciate how many amazing memories we get through but what strikes me, even more, is how much got "left out". It's hard to express how grateful we are for all the amazing people in this Jewish Dragon family and Jack, Donna, Adam and Josh are perhaps "Exhibit A" of that ❤️.  Take a listen and hear how Adam fell in love with Oneonta even before taking the school tour! Hear some great memories from 28 Walnut which was the Old Chabad House, what would happen once you sat down, our trips to Israel on Birthright together, how he became one of the 12 Founding Fathers of AEPi and so much more... We do cover the family business, N. Cooper and Co, the actual best accounting firm (no, for real shoot them an email at ncooperandcompany@gmail.com for some AMAZING work!), what it's like working for and with family, as well as how COVID changed how they interacted/transacted with clients.  You will also learn the location of the last remaining fax machine (if you dont know what that is, google it) in the US is lol.  Lastly, learn about his great advice for students and watch out for a surprise guest before we end the Farbrengen who drops some great dating advice :) If you want to reach Adam directly to just connect, or get some accounting advice you can email him at adamf@optonline.net or shoot him a text at 516-603-1626 

This week's guest, the ever-thoughtful, optimistic, energetic, and inspiring, Scott Silver (class of '16) works at a civil rights organization and is currently in graduate school for his Masters in Public Administration. In this Farbrengen, you will get to hear how the BBYO Organization turned his life around and impact things from his desire to lead, to his joining a fraternity, as well as set him on a journey to embrace his Judaism. of course we touched on Oneonta, how it made him "feel at home", and whether or not he experienced Anti Sematisim in Oneonta. Hear about his Birthright trip, the impactful and life-changing moments he experienced there, as well as how it helped him decide to keep Kosher (of course a big "hat tip" to his amazing wife (!) Emily). Lastly, as always, Scott has some great advice on being productive and focused (or not). If you are interested in contacting Scott to chat or network, especially if you are interested in getting involved in the civil rights field you can reach him at Scottaustinsilver@gmail.com

Loved this conversation with Carly Salzman, who really is always a pleasure and inspiration to talk to. She takes us through her decision to attend Oneonta (and it wasn't that her mom, the equally amazing Nadine is an alum), finding her "sisters for life", not to mention her husband (!!!!) at Chabad while also making some realizations that caused her to switch majors to something she is just loving!   We also get to chat a bit about her life post-college, the value of experiences, and some great word of wisdom for students and graduates alike!  Give this episode a listen and I know you will enjoy it (almost) as much as I did having it!  If you want to reach out to Carly directly to chat, connect, or even some advice she can be reached at cfsalzman@outlook.com and would love to help in any way she can 

Couldn't be a better person to kick off this Farbegen with, than Petty Officer First Class Aaron Hass (Class of 15). Get to hear how Aaron ended up at Chabad, joined AEPi, took a leadership role in the actual construction of the current Chabad building, what he learned all the way, and of course tons of Shenanagins. From late-night visits on Walnut St, to ending up barefoot on the 3 train in Brooklyn, there are tons of laughs but also some great life lessons in this conversation as Aaron went on from Oneonta to join the Navy on the USS Minnesota (SSN-783) a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine. Those who know Aaron will enjoy a great laugh and those that don't know him will certainly want to get to know him :)   Aaron would love to hear from you and has very graciously offered anyone looking to get into, or interested in the defense sector to reach out him at Aaron.S.Hass@gmail.com