Your Jewish Life Your Way with Karen ...
Here’s the spiel: The Your Jewish Life Your Way show is an audacious and dynamic podcast that explores what it feels like to be Jewish or Jew(ish). Karen Cinnamon, internationally renowned Jewish lifestyle brand expert and host, divulges all of the secrets and know-how to being confident in celebrating and living your Jewish and Jew(ish) life your way. Master how to embrace your mishpucha through the traditions and rituals you’ve been dying to learn more about, without having to compromise life’s everyday hustle. Save your kvetching! We’re talking less Jewish guilt and more Jewish joy here on out. Being Jewish in today’s world is all about belonging and inclusivity. Grab some nosh and join Karen along with your favorite Jewish and Jew(ish) celebrities, creators, and leaders. Discover together how to embrace the community and culture and throw away the stress of feeling like it’s all or nothing. This isn’t your Bubbe’s temple. Join some of the world’s most diverse Jewish voices, and forget about the “right” and “wrong” ways to be Jewish. It’s time to create a Jewish life you love living. Yalla!
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Happy Holidays from Your Jewish Life
We’re going to be taking a little bit of a break from the show. We’ll be back soon with something that we think you are going to LOVE! Meanwhile Karen and the Your Jewish Life team wish you a beautiful and meaningful Chag Sameach.
0 min
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Jake Cohen on Connection, Community and Pride T...
Karen sits down with bestselling cookbook author Jake Cohen for a chat about his new cookbook, I Could Nosh (coming out September 12!); his journey from being told Jewish food was too niche to hitting the New York Times bestseller list; bringing back grandma hospitality; and why we all need challah monkey bread in our lives.
69 min
3
My 8-Year-Old Jewish Life with Karen’s Daughter...
Karen sits down with her 8-year-old daughter Zara for a chat about what it’s like to be a young Jewish Londoner in 2023. They talk about how Zara balances her strong Jewish identity with life in a diverse community, what she loves about journaling, her favorite Shabbat tradition, and why her beloved late grandma was a true octo-superwoman.
24 min
4
My Autistic Jewish Life with Author Sara Gibbs
Karen sits down with Sara Gibbs, the author and comedy writer behind upcoming Jewish rom com Eight Bright Lights, for a chat about autistic Jewish life, being diagnosed with autism as an adult, standing up to antisemitism, and so much more.
56 min
5
A Look Inside the Syrian Jewish Community with ...
Karen sits down with author Corie Adjmi for a fascinating look at the Syrian Jewish community. Corie’s new novel, The Marriage Box, draws on her own experiences moving from a Reform upbringing in New Orleans to a traditional Orthodox Syrian life in Brooklyn as a teenager - and along the way, it shines a spotlight on a close-knit Jewish community that can seem mysterious to outsiders. Corie shares how she got started writing in her 30s after a career in education, why family is at the heart of Judaism, how she’s learned to balance her own desires with her culture’s expectations, and so much more.
36 min
6
The Power of Jewish Community {with Smashing Li...
Karen sits down with Emily Scheinfeld, a beloved member of the Smashing Life community, to chat about her own Jewish life. Emily is an absolute ray of sunshine who’s contributed so much to the vibrant, accepting group that is Smashing Life, and it’s such an honor to have her come on here and talk about everything from figuring out how to take charge of your own Judaism as an adult to saying no to Jewish guilt to starting L’dor V’dor Judaica, a nonprofit focused on rehoming unloved Judaica, and, above all, how Smashing Life helped Emily bring Judaism back to the forefront of her life after many years of disconnection.
54 min
7
Being LGBTQ+ and Jewish: Negotiating Intersecti...
Karen sits down with Ben M. Freeman for an important conversation about what it’s like being LGBTQ+ and Jewish.
42 min
8
Manifesting Your Jewish Life, Your Way with Cat...
Karen sits down with Cathy Heller, a business coach and podcaster who specializes in helping women create wealth and next level happiness, for an inspirational discussion all about making the Jewish life of your dreams a reality. Cathy opens up about her own spiritual journey from secular to observant, and how she found the courage to live her own spiritual truth someplace in between.
61 min
9
Jewish Pride Through a Digital Lens with Matthe...
Karen sits down with Matthew Bussy, the Program Director of Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Festival. Karen first met Matthew when he invited her to be a guest speaker at the 2023 Jewish New Media Festival in Philly - she’ll be speaking on Sunday, May 21, along with KoshaDillz, the team behind Unorthodox the podcast, and more - and they instantly connected over their shared commitment to spreading Jewish pride and joy.
52 min
10
Bringing Moshiach Energy with Modi, the comedia...
Karen sits down with Modi, the comedian known for his lighthearted takes on the ups and downs of Jewish life in the 21st century, and he’s got so much insight to share about everything from why the Jews are the ‘choosing people’ rather than the chosen people, to how to double down on Jewish joy in a time of rising antisemitism.
44 min
11
How I’m Spending Passover 2023
Karen’s thinking about what she wants to break free from as she prepares for Passover 2023. She also shares stories of some of her most memorable seder nights over the years - from childhood celebrations with family in Israel to the ultra-meaningful last seder she spent with her beloved mother, who opened up about her own story of freedom fleeing from Iraq to Israel due to persecution for being Jewish. As always, she’s here to help you figure out how to do your Passover, your way this year!
28 min
12
Balancing Israel Advocacy and a Busy Career wit...
Karen sits down with Dr. Sheila Nazarian, a top board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Beverly Hills and mother of three who’s also carved out a niche as one of Israel’s staunchest defenders on social media. She talks about how she finds time to do it all, dealing with the backlash she’s faced since stepping up her Israel activism, why she feels religion is key to raising children in the 21st century, and so much more.
53 min
13
David Baddiel on his Jewishness, antisemitism, ...
Few people have done as much to expose the rising fashionability of antisemitism in the progressive world as comedian, author, screenwriter, and television presenter-turned-activist, David Baddiel. In this important episode, Karen sits...
56 min
14
What It Feels Like to Be Single and Jewish in 2023
Karen sits down with Smashing Life member Emily Cohen for an honest chat about contemporary Jewish life - from dealing with antisemitism in the workplace to what it’s like to be a single Jewish woman in 2023. They cover everything from how...
39 min
15
Jewish Grief and Mourning {with Karen and Ben M...
Karen sits down with author and activist Ben M. Freeman for an emotional discussion about Jewish grief and mourning. Karen and Ben both lost a beloved parent too soon - Ben’s father in 2017, and Karen’s mother in 2021 - and in the aftermath, each...
55 min
16
Top 5 Dos & Don'ts for Planning a Jewish Weddin...
If you’re currently planning a wedding, this episode is for you! As the founder of Smashing The Glass, the world’s largest Jewish wedding platform, Karen shares her dos and don’ts for planning a one-of-a-kind wedding that’s totally authentic...
23 min
17
Easy Yet Meaningful Ways to Bring Shabbat into ...
Karen sits down with Sam and Emily from Team YJL to talk all things Shabbat! They talk about what Shabbat’s all about, how Judaism’s weekly day of rest looks like for each of them, and why they find it meaningful - and, most importantly, share...
47 min
18
How to Find Joy During Difficult Times
Karen shares her secret for how to find joy during difficult times. Her secret sounds simple - it’s all about gratitude - but putting that into action can be easier said than done. In this episode, Karen shares some practical takeaways for...
14 min
19
How to Own Your Jewishness with Yoav Davis of J...
Karen sits down with Yoav Davis, the founder of Jews of NY, where he shines a light on the beautiful diversity of Jewish life in the Big Apple. Yoav’s commitment to Jewish joy and positivity is so refreshing, and his conversation with Karen about...
55 min
20
My 9-Year-Old Jewish Life with Karen’s Daughter...
Karen sits down with a very special guest: her 9-year-old daughter, Sacha! Sacha is a proud Jewish girl who loves challah, cheder (that’s Hebrew school to you Americans), and sharing about Jewish traditions with the diverse group of friends she's...
18 min
21
REPLAY: Overcoming Jewish impostor syndrome: Br...
Karen chats with illustrator, textile designer, and writer Micaela Ezra, founder of contemporary Judaica collection AHYIN, about growing your spirituality, overcoming Jewish impostor syndrome, and what it really means to build a Jewish home - and how...
63 min
22
Building Jewish Community through Books with PJ...
Karen sits down with Lauren Hamburger, the UK director of PJ Library, an organization that sends free Jewish children's books to families across the world each month - all in the name of helping families learn about Judaism in a gentle way, sparking...
42 min
23
My Top 10 Journaling Prompts for Reflecting on ...
As Karen looks ahead to the new year, she’s taken some time to think about how she’s going to live her best Jewish life in 2023. To focus her reflections, she’s come up with a list of 10 journaling prompts that helped her drill down to her...
25 min
24
Our Jewish Conversion Stories: Two Jewish Women...
Karen sits down with Erin and Maggie, two beloved members of the Smashing Life community, to chat about their respective Jewish conversion stories. They give honest accounts of the ups and downs of conversion, share their tips for those...
53 min
25
Top 10 Gift Ideas for Hanukkah 2022
It’s Hanukkah season, and Karen’s rounded up her very favorite gift options for 2022. In this episode, she shares her picks for the season’s best Hanukkah swag, blue-and-white Judaica, tasty treats, and more, with options to suit all styles and...
16 min