Notes From a Jewish Newbie With Adina Shoshana

Adina (aka Adriana) sits down for a heartfelt Q&A, answering your anonymous questions about her Jewish journey. From building a daily prayer routine, navigating labels like “modern Orthodox” or “Yeshivish,” to the emotional details of her mikvah and conversion day — nothing is off-limits. She also opens up about nanny life, mental health, dating questions, struggles, and what it really means t...

In this week’s episode, Adina sits down with Jack, who is also known as @JacksJewishJourney on Instagram. Jack shares his background growing up on a dairy farm in rural Australia, living a simple and secular life, and later moving to Melbourne at age 17 to seek something more meaningful. He recalls feeling a spiritual pull he couldn’t yet name, and eventually encountering Judaism. His first experi...

In this heartfelt episode of Notes from a Jewish Newbie , Adina opens up about one of the most common questions she receives: “What does your family think about your conversion to Judaism?” From her mother’s surprising reaction to the bumps along the way, Adina shares stories of support, confusion, growth, and love.  Adina reflects on the lessons she’s learned from her mom, sister, grandmother, an...

This episode of Notes from a Jewish Newbie is different. For the first time, Adriana (Adina) brings on a guest: her best friend Sarah Guigue, @Hassidic. Hipster. Girl. This is an unfiltered conversation about friendship, faith, struggle, and the quiet battles that shape who we become. They share how their friendship began during Adriana’s conversion journey and how it grew into a space of trust, h...

My First Time in Shul: A Culture Shock In this episode of Notes from a Jewish Newbie , Adina shares the full, unfiltered story of her very first time stepping into a shul. From believing she could complete her Orthodox conversion without ever attending services, to an unexpected invitation to sing in a conservative shul choir, Adina takes listeners through the moments of culture shock, the lessons...

In episode 3 of Notes from a Jewish Newbie, Adina (also known as Adriana) opens up about one of the most transformative—and frequently asked-about—aspects of her Orthodox Jewish conversion: Tznius (modesty). Adina walks listeners through her deeply personal journey of redefining modesty. This episode explores how she gradually shifted her wardrobe, mindset, and identity—not through pressure, but t...

In this episode, Adina (AKA Adrienna, @nowjewishnanny) opens up about her journey into keeping kosher during her Orthodox Jewish conversion – the struggles, the halachic confusion, and yes… all the mistakes along the way.  From her “fake kosher” kitchen to accidentally serving treif cookies, to finally building a truly kosher home, Adina shares the behind-the-scenes reality of learning mitzvot ste...

Welcome to the first episode of Notes from a Jewish Newbie ! In this raw, unfiltered debut, Adina (aka Adriana, aka Now-Jewish Nanny) shares the deeply personal journey that led to her Orthodox conversion, and everything that’s happened since. From the quiet heartbreaks behind closed doors to the joyful chaos of going public with “I’m Jewish now,” this episode is a whirlwind of vulnerability, humo...

Hi, I’m Adriana — and welcome to Notes from a Jewish Newbie (NJN) This podcast is my space to share what it’s like navigating Jewish life with fresh eyes, lots of questions, and plenty of laughs along the way. In this short trailer, I’m giving you a peek at what’s coming — real talk, honest reflections, and weekly episodes that I hope will feel like a breath of fresh air for anyone on their own Je...