Shtark Tank

What does real success look like when you’re trying to stay grounded as a Ben Torah? In this episode of Shtark Tank , I sat down with Laizer Kornwasser — CEO of DrFirst, professor at Yeshiva University, and Chairman of NCSY — for a wide-ranging conversation about ambition, pressure, leadership, and the Torah ideas that shape how we show up at work and in life. Laizer shares stories from investment...

This week on Shtark Tank , we’re opening the mailbag to dive into the conversations, questions, and insights sparked by our recent episodes. We explore what it really means to be an eved Hashem , a professional , and a family man in a fast-paced world. In this episode, we discuss: The "Millstone" of Marriage: Does our Avodas Hashem fundamentally change once we have families? We look at t...

Gratitude is usually talked about after things work out. This episode is about learning it while you’re still in it . In honor of Chanukah, 'days of praise and thanks', Dan Cohen shares what it was like to go from a full, busy professional life to an unexpected spinal surgery and 90 days in a rehab ward — right in the middle of a national crisis. Not a dramatic story. Not a miracle tale. A...

It’s Chanukah — the season of miracles. But what about the “miracles” we’re watching unfold in our own lifetime… through technology? In this special Chanukah episode, I’m joined by Mois Navon , also known as the “Mobileye Rabbi.” Mois has spent decades in high-tech and decades learning and teaching Torah — and in this conversation he helps us think clearly about innovation, awe, ethics, and where...

What do you do when your day job feels empty — but you still need to show up, provide, and stay honest? In this episode of Shtark Tank , I sit down with my cousin and friend Yoni Schwartz — Head of Data Science at Exponential and Head Producer of Living L’chaim . Yoni shares how he went from a corporate role that felt like “a complete lack of purpose” to leading 10 shows that have inspired and hel...

Aliyah isn’t just a flight and a moving truck. It’s a total reset of how you think about parnassah, gashmiyus, bitachon, and what “quality of life” actually means. In this episode, I sit down with Eli Freedman , founder of Cork & Cellar Wine Club , to talk about what it really takes to move to Israel and stay – spiritually, emotionally, and financially. Eli shares how he: Went from Boston → Wa...

Is work a curse, a burden… or a gift from Hashem? In this solo episode, we go into the Netziv on Parshas Bereishis and pull out five big career ideas for Bnei Torah in the workforce. Is Work a Curse? Did God Plan on Creating Bahlabatim? How do I handle Relationships with Secular Collagues? Is it Possible to be Spiritual at Work? Can I Live a Life of Luxury? If this kind of Torah-first career talk...

100th episode. World-class Torah educator. All your burning questions. To mark our 100th episode, Rav Aryeh Lebowitz joins Shtark Tank for a wide-ranging Q&A on what it really means to be a Ben Torah in the workforce. We talk about: “You’re never going to be Rav Schachter… and that’s okay” – setting healthy goals in learning Gadol biographies, ambition, and why you’re not supposed to be the Ch...

As we mark the yahrzeit of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, we’re remembering him through the eyes of two working Bnei Torah who knew him personally — not as a public icon, but as a mentor, a mensch, and a man of deep humility. Joe Hyams spent his late teens on Rabbi Sacks security team. driving him to events across London and making sure he was safe. From the front seat, he saw the balance between maje...

Last week’s episode hit a nerve. Some listeners loved it. Others were really bothered by it. So for the first time ever, we’re doing a feedback episode — bringing back Rav Yehuda Halpert to go deeper on the toughest questions you raised. Is the culture of Big Law really compatible with Torah values? What does it take to survive — or grow — spiritually in that world? And how do we weigh ambition, f...

You don’t have to love your job—but you can’t hate it. Rabbi Yehuda Halpert (shul rabbi, Big Law attorney, author) joins Shtark Tank to talk straight about Torah life inside a 90-hour week, setting real standards, and why reassessing is different than slipping. What You'll Hear How a Ben Torah can thrive in Big Law without losing the plot “Slipping vs. reassessing” — setting honest standards a...

With tremendous historical events unfolding, I couldn’t record a regular episode. This moment demanded more than another interview, it called for guidance and clarity. What does this new chapter in our history mean? What is our role right now? How do we balance the whirlwind of emotions — gratitude, pain, pride, and confusion — that we’re all feeling? I was grateful that Rav Moshe Taragin agreed t...

As we prepare for Yom Kippur, we speak with Joseph Gitler about his son-in-law, David Schwartz HY”D —a ben Torah, law student, and IDF reservist in Handasah Kravit (combat engineering) who fell in Khan Younis on January 8, 2024 alongside his chavrusa Yakir Hexter HY”D . Joseph shares how David wove together strong learning with real-world duty, his years in Gush Etzion, his time at Reichman Univer...

During Elul last year, we had one of our most powerful episodes. We spoke with Rav Moshe Taragin about Teshuva, spiritual growth and the Yamim Noraim experience. Whether or not you listened the first time around, its worthwhile to revisit as we prepare for the Yamim Noraim.

How do we define success as Bnei Torah in the workforce? I asked Rav Dovid Lichtenstein, who is a talmid chochom and real estate executive. We spoke about defining success in learning, at work, and in our relationship with technology. Rav Dovid's ideas are firmly grounded in Torah sources, but are also extremely practical.

Moshe Chaim started out as a successful Kollel yungerman. But soon after he transitioned to the workforce, he found himself in a therapists office, as his professional struggles had already started to spill over in to his marriage, emotional health, and other areas. This true story (with names changed) is the case study that Rabbi Dr. Yosef Sokol uses to introduce his book ' Becoming Godly &#3...

It’s Elul, a time to prepare for the Yamim Noraim with the theme of Defining Success . When we take stock of our lives with a cheshbon hanefesh , we’re really asking: Where am I now—and where should I be? That’s the core question of this series: how to define success as a Ben Torah in the workplace . Many of our rabbeim push us toward ambitious goals in learning, but how do we balance those ideals...

It’s Elul, and we’re focusing on Defining Success as Bnei Torah in the workplace. What does real success look like? Is it possible to set goals that are both ambitious and compassionate? This week, we sit down with Rav Shimon Isaacson , Rosh Yeshiva of Mevaseret. Before entering the world of Torah and chinuch, Rav Isaacson worked in Big Law in New York City. Many assume he left that life to escape...

This is the third and final week of our Summer Listening Series , where I share some of the podcasts I enjoy on my commute. Next week, we’ll be back with a brand new episode—stay tuned. This week’s pick is from Shu"t First, Ask Questions Later , hosted by Rabbi Moshe Kurtz. This podcast truly takes advantage of the medium—bringing together voices from across the Jewish world to learn Torah in...

While we’re on our bein hazmanim break and gearing up for some exciting episodes in Elul, I wanted to share a podcast I’ve been enjoying on my commute. This week’s recommendation is a thought-provoking episode of the Iyun Podcast , hosted by Rabbi Ari Koretsky — in my opinion, one of the best podcast hosts out there. Each episode takes a deep, nuanced look at issues like the Charedi draft and othe...

Over this Bein Hazmanim, I will be sharing some of the the podcasts which I have been listening to lately. This is from the Shtark Tank archives, one of our very early episodes, with Marc Lesnick.

In 2004, Rav Ari Katz moved with his family to Gush Katif, to serve as Rosh Yeshiva of a local high school. Just over a year later, soldiers knocked on his door and told him to leave. In this 9 Days special episode, Rav Katz shares: What drew him to Gush Katif despite knowing the threats The beauty, unity, and spiritual strength of the community His firsthand account of the expulsion—including “th...

Yaakov Ehrenkranz grew up in Memphis, learned in KBY and the Mir, got smicha from YU—and today helps dozens of families navigate the financial realities of life in Israel. In this wide-ranging conversation, we cover his personal journey from the American South to Ramot Beit Shemesh, and his professional journey from options trading to financial advising. Check out ShtarkTank.org and subscribe for...

Rav Boruch Clinton spent two decades as a high school Rebbe before pivoting to a second career in IT. Along the way, he wrote prolifically about Torah, technology, and the challenges of working life — including a practical guide for Bnei Torah entering the workforce. In this episode, we explore: Why Rav Hirsch remains his intellectual and spiritual anchor How writing became his tool for learning,...

“Life is like a train. You might get derailed, but you know where the train needs to go. You get back on the track.” Rav Reuven Berman didn’t plan to leave chinuch . He made Aliyah with a dream job teaching Torah in Yerushalayim—but it quickly became clear that the math didn’t work. With five kids and growing responsibilities, he transitioned into the business world while trying to hold on to his...