The Jewish Link Pitch Meeting

Moshe welcomes Yitz Stern to talk about his current run for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 37. Teamed with Assembly candidate Rosemary Hernandez Carroll, they share a vision for inclusive leadership that reflects the district’s diversity and values. Yitz discusses combating antisemitism, supporting tuition tax credits and why every vote matters in this pivotal race. For more inforamti...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Maury Litwack for his second interview on the Pitch Meeting, this time to speak about his recently founded nonpartisan organization, Jewish Voters Unite. Maury discusses the importance of showing up to vote, how elections shape our community and why it's important to make our voices heard. How will voter mobilization create tangible change for the Jewish community? To f...

Moshe welcomes Chana Shields and Mark Levenson to talk about the Orthodox Israel Coalition (OIC) - Mizrachi, the slate representing the religious Zionist community at the World Zionist Congress. Shields and Levenson share their visions for the 39th Congress and what it means to be on the frontlines of defending Israel and the global Jewish community, emphasizing the critical need for everyone to v...

Moshe welcomes Rabbi David Stav, founder of Tzohar, which aims to provide religious services and create dialogue with the broader Israeli population. Rabbi Stav explained how Tzohar bridges the divide between observant and nonobservant Israelis with its efforts to accomodate everyone without the involvement of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, and how it has expanded since its founding in 1995. What ca...

Moshe welcomes Rabbi Jeff Seidel, known best for his kiruv work with Jewish students throughout Israel. Rabbi Seidel shares why he chose this line of work and what inspired him to become one of the most famous Jewish outreach personalities of the modern era. What has been the most memorable of his journey in kiruv? More information at jeffseidel.com .

Moshe welcomes Doni Schwartz, co-founder and CSO of PassoverListings.com, the premium online destination for planning your Pesach. Doni discusses how Passover Listings became a leader in the Jewish travel industry and what makes the platform a necessity for anyone looking for Passover programs. What are the hottest destinations for Jews around the globe? Plan Pesach 2025 at PassoverListings.com .

Moshe welcomes Ozer Herzog, executive director of Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Clifton Passaic, to talk about Project SARAH and the fight against domestic abuse. Ozer shares about the upcoming Project SARAH campaign, "Take a Stand," which launches on December 22 to raise funds for clinical services, prevention education and legal support. How can we enable those in need to reach out and process...

Elizabeth and Channa welcome Shani Seidman of Manischewitz, who came bearing lots of goodies for Chanukah and year-round! Shani talks about the Manischewitz history, mission and its recent re-branding. What's new for the 137 year-old company? Check out the full selection at Manischewitz.com

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Lior Arussy, a leading corporate visionary and author of "Dare to Author! Take Charge of the Narrative of Your Life," the latest in his collection of self-improvement books. Lior discusses what he's learned in his professional life as a customer service consultant and how he's taken life lessons and turned them into success. How can we take charge of our own lives? Lear...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Rabbi Avi Berman, executive director of the Orthodox Union's Israel Center located in Jerusalem. Rabbi Berman discusses the need for an organizational presence in Israel and how the English-speaking local Jewish community benefits in the long run from the OU's services. What resources are there for new olim in their homeland? More information can be found at ouisrael.or...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard University master's student and the lead plaintiff against the school alleging antisemitism. Shabbos speaks about his experiences with pervasive and severe antisemitism on campus and how it has led him to his ongoing advocacy. What's next for the young activist?

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Shay Kallach, the founder and director of Netsach Israel. The grassroots movement is focused on a Zionist revival in the state of Israel, and seeks to re-establish the state's Jewish identity. What challenges does Israeli society face, especially in the midst of war and a crisis of values? More information can be found at netsach-israel.org .

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, a lifelong local dedicated to serving and protecting the community. Sheriff Cureton discusses the safety measures in place throughout the county and what the Sheriff's Department is doing to ensure that everyone feels safe. The Bergen County Sheriff's Office app is available on Google Play and iOS. The Sheriff's Office can be reach...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Teaneck town councilmembers Mark (Mendy) Schwartz and Karen Orgen to talk about the upcoming township elections and all of the hot button issues in Teaneck. Schwartz -- also co-publisher of The Jewish Link -- and Orgen discuss their agenda and what voters can do when November arrives and beyond. How will this election shape Teaneck as a community? Teaneck elections will...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Ofir Akunis, the Consul General of Israel in New York, to speak about the challenges Jewish communities face worldwide and how to create positive change. Consul Akunis reflects on the issues he's addressed since he arrived in America and the unwillingness of world leaders to address the Iranian threat to Israel. What do we say when the world stands silent?

Moshe welcomes Chanan Vogel, one of the minds behind the The Jewish Link's Voices for Israel Chant Challenge, the ongoing community competition for best new pro-Israel chants! Chanan discusses the need for creative chants at rallies for Israel and relays his favorite submissions so far, some of which have never been published. How can we as a community empower each other using our voices?

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, managing director of Israeli nonprofit Tzalash, the organization supporting religious soldiers in the IDF. Rabbi Gottlieb explains the mission of Tzalash --- to provide spritual protection for those protecting Israel --- and how they accomplish their holy undertaking. What can we do for the young men and women putting their lives on the line? More...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Rabbi Menachem Bombach, an educator who is revolutionizing the school system for Charedim in Israel with the Netzach Educational Network. Rabbi Bombach reflects on his goals of brining a sense of Zionism to the Charedi community, how his movement has grown over the years and how the community has shifted since October 7. Is there a chance at proliferation of Charedim en...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome two key members of the Bergen County Jewish Action Committee (BCJAC), Chana Shields and Emma Horowitz, to talk about the ongoing tensions surrounding the local Jewish community and how BCJAC is working to ease them. What other challenges remain on the horizon for Jewish residents of Bergen County and how can we overcome them? Read our feature on the origins of BCJAC on...

Moshe welcomes J-Sketch, the sensational sketch comedy trio bringing laughs to the frum world. Ami Kozak, Eli Leibowicz and Mikey Greenblatt discuss their creative process, some of their funniest observations and antics, and how they plan to shape the world of Jewish comedy. What's so funny about being frum? (Turns out, a lot). Follow J-Sketch on Instagram at @jsketchcomedy for the latest antics.

Ahead of the annual Jewish Link Wine Guide, Elizabeth welcomes Alex Haruni, CEO of Dalton Winery, along with winemaker Guy Eshel, to taste some wines and discuss the latest updates coming from Dalton and wineries across Israel. Haruni and Eshel share their experiences producing wines in a tumultuous time, and what kosher wine consumers abroad can do to help their Israeli brothers and sisters.

Elizabeth welcomes two members of the SINAI team to speak about Maor High School, a division of SINAI Schools which serves college-bound students and a rigorous secular and Judaic education within a highly supportive, nurturing special education setting. Rabbi Dr. Yisrael Rothwachs, the Leo Brandstatter z”l Dean of SINAI Schools, and Ms. Judi Karp, SINAI’s associate dean, speak about the ways in w...

Moshe and Elizabeth welcome Rabbi Daniel Fridman to kick off season two of the podcast! Rabbi Fridman, who leads The Jewish Center of Teaneck and is the S'gan Rosh Yeshiva of the Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC), reflects on the community climate since the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7, and what is being done about it -- including a community-wide mission trip to Israel which will t...

Moshe welcomes Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ 5th District) to speak about his work in Congress as the Jewish community in the United States faces rising antisemitism and a distressing war in Israel. Rep. Gottheimer shares his take on the Biden Administration's strategy for Israel, as well as his own experiences working on the intelligence committee and combatting antisemitism online and on col...

Moshe welcomes Michael Feldstein, long-time columnist for The Jewish Link and author of the new book "Meet Me in the Middle," in which he compiled his most popular and profound pieces on Jewish life. Michael and Moshe discuss several of his most memorable "Meet Me in the Middle" stories. Which ones were our favorites?