Dear Yoetzet

In this two-part episode, Yoetzet Halacha and kallah teacher Lisa Septimus reflects with her guests on what it takes to be an effective and thoughtful kallah teacher. In Part 2, Lisa is joined by Eli Sharvit, a graduate of Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center Kallah Teacher Course, to reflect on her experience training to become a kallah teacher and her journey to now teaching kallot herself.

In this two-part episode, Yoetzet Halacha and kallah teacher Lisa Septimus reflects with her guests on what it takes to be an effective and thoughtful kallah teacher. In Part 1, Lisa speaks with Yoetzet Halacha Shoshana Samuels, creator and instructor of Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center Kallah Teacher Certification Course, about the qualities of a strong kallah teacher and the essential components...

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus brings on guest Aviva Bennett Tribuch who shares her personal struggle with postpartum depression as well as Dr. Esty Rollhaus to delve deeper into the medical and therapeutic management of perinatal and postpartum mood disorders.

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and Dr. Joshua Klein discuss the benefits and challenges of fertility preservation, for both single and married women.   Note: If you are considering or planning fertility preservation and have any halachic questions, don't hesitate to reach out to a Nishmat Yoetzet Halacha Fertility Counselor either at https://www.yoatzot.org/about-yoatzot-halacha/fer...

In this episode, @dearyoetzet Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and Rabbi Yehuda Fogel explore shana rishona and the emotional adjustments of the first year of marriage. They discuss common challenges couples face when expectations around time together and emotional presence don't align, offering thoughtful insights and practical guidance for navigating these sensitive dynamics.

In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and Rachel Tuchman, LMHC  discuss different styles of kallah classes as well as key things for couples to consider as they begin building their lives together.

In this episode, @dearyoetzet Lisa Septimus speaks with MGC co-director and fellow Yoetzet Halacha, Karen Hochhauser, who brings years of experience mentoring young couples throughout the dating stage. Together, they explore how to support couples navigating the challenges of keeping the halachot of negiah, and the shame, confusion, guilt, or denial that can arise along the way.   To reach Karen--...

In this special episode, @dearyoetzet Lisa Septimus interviews Rabbanit Chana Henkin, Founder and Chancellor of Nishmat. Together, they go behind the scenes to explore Rabbanit Henkin's remarkable vision and her journey alongside her ezer k'negdo, Rav Yehuda Henkin zt"l, bringing this vision to reality and leaving an indelible impact on Klal Yisrael.   To order Rav Henkin's book Responsa on Contem...

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus speaks with Malkie Gordon Hirsch Magence about her personal journey through the sudden loss of her first husband and her subsequent second marriage. Together, they explore the unique challenges and halachic questions surrounding second marriages and weddings, as well as the emotional realities for both the couple and their children. With honesty and s...

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Dr. Regine Galanti, clinical psychologist and founder of LI Behavioral Psychology. They discuss women who experience anxiety or OCD around Niddah observance and mikveh preparation and how it can be best addressed in therapy and with halachic guidance. 

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews renowned clinical and sex therapist Dr. Shy Krug. Together they address how couples can navigate rebuilding their relationship when they feel they have drifted apart and are leading parallel lives without much connection.

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews her own teacher, Nishmat Miriam Glaubach Center Senior Lecturer, Rabbi Gedalyah Berger. Together they discuss different halachic issues with different types of birth control as well as how to approach a situation in which you feel like you've exhausted all the options.

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and guest Dr. Aimee Baron discuss the challenges of pregnancy loss, including how that impacts going to the Mikveh. In their conversation, they emphasize that if you are experiencing this, you are not alone and they share some tips for approaching this challenge.    

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and Shoshannah Olshin discuss what we can do to keep the spark alive in our marriages and intimate lives when we feel pulled in many directions including raising children, careers, and household responsibilities.

In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews OBGYN Dr. Elana Kastner to discuss some of the common causes of bleeding during early pregnancy and what the halachic and medical implications are of different diagnoses.

So many of us are taught that adjusting to marriage takes time and effort. Is it normal to worry that you made a big mistake? Is it common to think about divorce during the first year of marriage? Have you ever had those thoughts and worried that something is wrong? In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews therapist Elisheva Liss, LMFT to discuss these questions and troubleshoot co...

Sometimes the halachot regarding beginning a sexual relationship might feel difficult emotionally. How do we work to enable the halachot to work in tandem with how a particular couple feels as they begin their sexual relationship? How do we handle situations where things feel at odds? In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews therapist Talli Rosenbaum and together they address thes...

What happens if you discover the guy you are dating has watched, or currently watches, pornography? Are there red flags- when can it be worked on, and are there times where you might need to break it off? In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Dr. Binyamin Tepfer on this challenging issue, more prevalent in our community than we might want to think.  

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Yoetzet Halacha Yaffa Setton. Together they explore the possibilities of how to handle mikveh on Seder night from a halachic perspective and share some practical advice as well.

Peri-menopause and menopause can be confusing stages of the life cycle, and they don't always get too much airtime or attention. In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, in which Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews menopause expert Dr. Avigayil Rapp, you will certainly learn something new about menopause and about how Taharat Hamishpacha observance interplays with the changes women experience during...

In traditional Kallah classes, it is often emphasized that bathing is a crucial part of preparing for the Mikveh. However, certain situations, such as the unavailability of a bath or external circumstances like the Covid pandemic and specific conditions in Israel, can make bathing at the Mikveh challenging or unsafe. These scenarios raise important questions about the essential nature of the pre-M...

We know that while right now, we as a nation are very focused on the war in Israel, individuals and couples are still experiencing normal struggles of life, sometimes even exacerbated by the current situation. In that light, we share this episode, in which Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Rabbi Yosef Blau, discussing some very real challenges that couples may experience in navigating their...

As the war in Israel rages on, questions Yoatzot are receiving range from the relatively mundane and typical niddah questions to extremely weighty ones. But, even when answering the seemingly more mundane and typical questions, there is so much beneath the surface. Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she interviews Yoetzet Halacha Michal Roness, who answers questions on Nishmat's Golda Koschitzk...

Have you wondered if it's ok from a halachic perspective to skip your period using hormonal IUDs or OCPs? What about a hashkafic perspective? What if you experience light staining every month, but don't get a full period—does that put you into niddah? Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she and guest Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh, Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS and teacher of Yoatzot Halacha in Israel, discuss th...

Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she and guest Yoetzet Halacha Shayna Goldberg discuss navigating complicated parenting issues and conversations, particularly around intimate touch and relationships.