🎧 Jewish Grit | A Podcast by Olami Mentorship: Hosted by Rabbi Shlomo Landau and Abbey Wolin

In a world where the automotive industry is still very much a man’s game, Fanny Hanono is rewriting the rules. As the force behind GFX Automotive, she opens up on Jewish Grit about what it really takes to build a brand through the highs and the lows—without losing your soul along the way. ✔️ Leading with confidence as a woman in a male-dominated industry ✔️ Keeping her engine steady through prayer...

Stranded mid-flight with Shabbat minutes away, Andrew did something that would quietly change the course of his life. He borrowed a stranger’s phone on the plane. That decision — and his commitment to Shabbat — led to an unexpected connection, a career-defining opportunity, and ultimately, everything that followed. In this episode, Andrew shares: ✅ The chance encounter on a flight that became the...

How do you stay steady when you don’t know what’s coming next? In this episode, Avi Schron, property magnate and Owner of Cammeby's Management Co LLC, reflects on faith, lifelong learning, and leadership — from a child’s hospitalization to navigating high-stakes business decisions. We talk about: ✅ Remaining grounded when outcomes aren’t clear ✅ Teaching yourself new skills instead of waiting fo...

How to leave fear, and your ego, at the door. In this episode, Chaya shares the mindset shifts that carried her from starting with nothing — no degree, no stability, no guarantees — to building a thriving real estate business. In this conversation, she unpacks: ✔️ How ego, disguised as caution, quietly blocks growth ✔️ What failure taught her that success never could ✔️ How faith changes the way y...

In this episode of Jewish Grit, Faigy Rabinowitz, founder of metziahs.com, shares what it really takes to build something from nothing — without waiting for certainty. You’ll hear how to: ✅ Stop overthinking — and grow without a perfect plan ✅ Push through dead ends and disappointment without letting them define you ✅ Build confidence while progress (and income) is still small ✅ Balance ambiti...

At 19, Daniel moved from Israel to the U.S. completely alone. No roadmap. No backup plan. And when things fell apart, he hit rock bottom with no one to guide him. Looking back, he’s sure of one thing: *a mentor would’ve changed everything.* In this episode, Daniel gets real about: ✅ The hidden cost of figuring life out alone ✅ Hitting rock bottom without guidance — and why that hits harder ✅ A...

There was a life before. And then there was everything that came after. Maya Namdar is the founder of Maya’s Place, a modern women’s fashion brand that grew from custom pieces in her family home into a global business. But her story isn’t only about entrepreneurship. It’s about choice. In this episode of Jewish Grit, Maya speaks about building a brand while raising a family, navigating faith and i...

How does a man trusted with billions also sit at a Vegas poker table to elevate the game? Gershon Distenfeld—Director of Income Strategies at AllianceBernstein—shares how discipline, integrity, and purpose shaped both his career and unexpected success in poker, where he donates every win to charity. In this episode: 🃏Managing risk in the markets and in Vegas 🃏Why poker became a platform for doin...

Can AI Replace Marketers? Only if they forget the one thing she says matters most. In this episode, Tzivia Cohen, founder of 14 Minds, opens up about the unexpected turns that shaped her career, her confidence, her spirituality — and her voice as a proud Jewish woman navigating a complicated world. Nothing about her path was linear. Everything about it is inspiring. She talks about: ✔️ The moment...

What happens when life’s biggest challenge becomes the spark for your deepest growth? In this episode: •⁠ ⁠How Marc shifted from a thriving real estate career toward a life of mindfulness and purpose •⁠ ⁠The FBI investigation he was ultimately vindicated in—and how the experience deepened his sense of gratitude •⁠ ⁠The transformative trip to Israel that helped him reconnect with his identity and v...

How does a nurse from Brooklyn become one of the biggest names in women’s Jewish music? In this episode, Bracha Jaffe opens up about: ✅ The unexpected link between nursing and creativity ✅ Pivoting her side gig into her career, and the fear that accompanied that shift ✅ Faith when you’re standing on the edge of the unknown ✅ The mindset shift to unlock anyone’s creativity And finally, the powe...

What happens when everything you’ve built — billions worth — comes crashing down? When failure stops being theory and starts being personal? David Lichtenstein faced it. And what he discovered after losing $500 million didn’t come from a boardroom — it came from something much deeper. It’s about knowing where you come from. Understanding what makes you one of a kind. And finding the strength to re...

✨ Cooking Up Courage - and Jewish Pride From a WordPress food blog to 1.5 million TikTok followers - Melinda Strauss has become one of the most powerful Jewish voices online - blending recipes, storytelling, and unshakable faith. ✅ How sharing her kitchen turned into a platform for Jewish education and advocacy. ✅ Why she believes ignorance fuels hate — and knowledge can heal it. ✅ The unexpec...

He’s backed over 150 Israeli startups, with 37 successful exits (and counting). But behind the business headlines lies a story of conviction, courage, and daily commitment — to learning, to giving, and to growth. In this episode of Jewish Grit, hear: ✅ What he considers the single most important trait when choosing an entrepreneur to back. ✅ The five-minute decision that changed his entire caree...

Cipi shares her journey from residential to commercial design, the lessons she learned about growth, letting go, and how she balances ambition with faith, work, and family. In this episode Cipi shares her incredible wisdom including: ✅ Finding balance that isn’t always equal ✅ Letting go of control to truly grow ✅ Learning from mistakes (and from a business coach) ✅ Why mapping your goals can...

From frying chicken in a beat-up garage to building Mike’s Chicken and Kitchen One, Michael Abadi’s story is about grit, gratitude, and growth. ✅ Learning from the bottom up ✅ Redefining success in business and life ✅ The question that changed how he spends his time ✅ Trusting your instincts — no rule says you must do it like everyone else ✅ Finding pride and strength in Jewish heritage #Jewi...

Only 300 people in America are Financial Therapists — and Simi Mandelbaum is one of them. In this episode, Simi shares how money stress can persist even when finances improve, and why understanding the psychology of money matters. ✅ Why 90% of money is emotional — shaped by your values and experiences ✅ How your money mindset affects relationships and peace of mind ✅ Why money is America’s top...

Hear how Sruly Shain went from the bottom rung to partner at healthcare giant LTC Ally, sharing the mindset and habits that fueled his growth. In this episode he gives us tips and insights on: ✅ The qualities he looks for in a new hire ✅ Closed doors as opportunities ✅ The daily practice that fuels his happiness mindset ✅ How to climb the corporate ladder and what success means at the top Srul...

Abbey Wolin is a social media guru who transformed her passions into a thriving business - running accounts for major brands like the American Dream Mall and helping entrepreneurs, especially women, own their truth and build with intention. In this conversation with Jordana Baruchov, Abbey shares The real business lessons behind her journey: ✅ Why cashflow is the make-or-break of any company ✅ H...

From $69 a week to president of White Eagle Property Group with 12,000 units and eight nursing facilities — Sruly Orzel’s journey is proof that perseverance pays off. Along the way, he battled polio, faced rejection after rejection, and built not only a business empire but a life of giving back. In this inspiring conversation with Rabbi Shlomo Landau, Sruly shares how grit, resilience, and purpose...

What does it take to turn cold calls into a career — and then into a business empire? In this episode of Jewish Grit: The Olami Mentorship Podcast, we meet Chayale Kaufman, a driven young entrepreneur who refused to quit until she mastered sales. From humble beginnings, she grew into the founder of the largest Jewish media network, inspiring a new generation of professionals to aim higher. Tune in...

What does it take to go from running a newspaper distribution business in Lakewood to co-founding a thriving real estate investment firm across Virginia, Texas, and beyond? Meet Barry Zolty — a serial entrepreneur whose story is filled with pivots, risk-taking, and an unwavering commitment to both business growth and Jewish values. From selling businesses to building new ones, Barry shares candid...

What happens when every “no” becomes the fuel to build something greater? In this episode of Jewish Grit, Rachel Suposnick shares her journey from selling towels in a Miami linen shop to founding Florida’s largest employee benefits firm with over 70 employees. Along the way, she faced rejection, broke barriers in a male-dominated industry, and leaned on faith, family, and Jewish pride to push thro...

No degree. No roadmap. No limits. Shiggy Rosenberg went from figuring it out in the business world to running THREE thriving companies in healthcare, behavioral health, and real estate. His formula? Show up every single day—whether it’s opening a page of Talmud or chasing the next big deal—and trust that Hashem’s plan is greater than yours. 🎧 In Episode 3 of Jewish Grit, discover how consistency,...

What does it take to pivot from a decades-long career and start fresh—with more purpose than ever before? In this premiere episode, Rabbi Shlomo Landau speaks with Jeff Weiskopf about: 🔹 Walking away from the diamond industry to build a real estate empire 🔹 How Torah learning reshaped his mission and mindset 🔹 The role of a supportive life partner 🔹 Balancing ambition, faith, and family 🔹 Men...