The Long Short Way

In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with Rabbi Yosef “Yoey” Muchnik to explore the intersection of music, creativity, Chassidus, and personal identity. Yoey reflects on growing up in a creative Chabad family, the influence of his artist father, and the journey of becoming both a musician and a shliach. Together, they wrestle with a fascinating questio...

In this episode, Rabbi Mendy sits down with Errol Gerson, who (on the day of recording!) turns 81, to share a story of pain, resilience, and a powerful return to Jewish life. Errol was born in South Africa and endured deep childhood trauma—abandonment, abuse, and years inside a so-called Orthodox institution that harmed the very children it claimed to protect. And yet, somehow, he never learned to...

In this raw and courageous conversation, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with Tzvi Haber to explore a journey that spans loss, addiction, faith, and radical honesty. Tzvi opens up about losing his father at age one, growing up feeling different and labeled, and how manipulation and control became early coping mechanisms. What began as experimentation with substances in Israel quickly escalated in...

In this special crossover episode, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with therapist and fellow podcaster Sony Perlman, only this time, the interview takes place in Sony’s New York studio while Mendy leads the conversation. Sony, known for his candid and compassionate insights on the "BrainStorm" podcast, shares his experience working with at-risk youth, addiction recovery, and the community he’s bu...

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Mendy sits down with his oldest brother, Rabbi Chanoch Bistritzky—known affectionately to his students as "Rabbi B." Together, they revisit their unique childhood in Southern California as children of Chabad shluchim, exploring memories filled with humor, mischief, and a profound sense of mission. Rabbi Chanoch reflects on the formative...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Long Short Way, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with well-respected Rabbi and educator, Rabbi Mendel Zirkind, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation on paradox, faith, doubt, and the challenges of spiritual leadership. With humility and honesty, Rabbi Zirkind reflects on paving his own path while growing up in a prestigious rabbinic family. They explor...

In the debut episode of The Long Short Way , Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky speaks with Jonathan Schwartz, a former Hollywood business manager who once had it all—until a secret gambling addiction drove him to steal over $7 million from celebrity clients, including Alanis Morissette. His story made national headlines, but the public scandal was only part of a much deeper unraveling. Jonathan opens up abou...