Chatting Rabbis

Eliezer and Mendy discuss the month of Elul as preparation for the High Holidays, including the influence of AI on our lives and how to streamline our work and family commitments.

A lighthearted conversation about Mendy and Eliezer's summer travels, sprinkled with fascinating tidbits of history and traditions.

Reflections on visiting the grave of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on the day of his yahrtzeit.

A somber conversation about the current political climate in Israel which is causing a tremendous rift between ideologies and fellow Jews, and an important lesson from Tisha B'av for current events.

With Mendy on his way back from the AKO conference in Montreal, an informative conversation about the ins and outs of the kashrus industry, especially how it relates to everyday life, both of a Chabad shliach and the average consumer.

A recap of the Shabbos Eliezer and Mendy spent at the Ohel together with thousands of others marking the Rebbe's yahrtzeit.

Join Mendy and Eliezer for an emotional conversation and "farbrengen" marking the Rebbe's yahrtzeit.

A conversation about the upside and downside of being in a world of social media, and how to possibly make the best out of the various mediums of communication available today.

An important conversation about sending kids to camps, from the perspective of parents as well as Eliezer and Mendy's own camp experiences as campers and counselors.

Eliezer and Mendy recap their Shavuot activities and discuss the various traditions that have evolved over time and their implementation in Chabad communities.

Mendy recaps and shares inspiration from his travels of the last two weeks - to Tunisia to comfort the Jewish community of Djerba following a terrorist attack, and to Morocco to participate in the regional Kinus Hashluchim.

A special Lag Baomer episode, complete with the history of the Omer mourning customs and how our behavior during this period is meant to be a catalyst for Jewish unity throughout the year.

In the first half of this episode Mendy and Eliezer discuss the devotion of Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins in the former Soviet Union, highlighted by a recent visit of 600 students to Istanbul. In the second half, Mendy recounts his recent trip back to the ground zero in Antakya and the fascinating conversations he had with his travel-mates.

A brief conversation (due to technical difficulties) about the value of collecting historical artifacts, such as stamps, coins, books, manuscripts, etc.

A conversation about the importance of focusing on our kids during Pesach and in general.

A conversation about the pros and cons of being territorial when it comes to Chabad institutions and shlichus in general.

Eliezer and Mendy discuss how they stay motivated to do what they do, and whether seeing tangible success in their work is a factor.

A special Purim episode about turning darkness and sadness into light and happiness, in the past and present, and about making the best of every situation.

Mendy and Eliezer discuss the oft debated topic of whether or not communities like Crown Heights should have an eruv, allowing people to carry things outdoors on Shabbos.

A firsthand account from Mendy of the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

The 10th ("Yud") of Shevat is the yahrtzeit of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe and the day that the Rebbe officially took over leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. In this episode, Eliezer and Mendy reflect on the day's significance and its relevance today.

After a brief introduction about Eliezer's side occupation as copy editor of the Derher magazine, the conversation moves on to the need for a more serious commitment to Torah study and Chabad's inclusion in the broader Jewish world, a topic weighing on Mendy's heart.

Mendy and Eliezer briefly discuss the backlash from the previous episode and then transition to a conversation about skills Mendy picked up outside of his typical yeshiva education: safrus (scribal art), shechita (ritual slaughter), and milah (circumcision).

Continuing the conversation about smartphones, especially as it relates to our children, Eliezer and Mendy discuss the methods schools and yeshivas use to enforce their rules and how sometimes using a little common sense and individualized attention can go a long way.

Mendy and Eliezer discuss the use of smartphones and its widespread ramifications, for themselves as adults and also for their children, especially those in yeshivah, where common-sense delicate enforcement is necessary.

Is it about a donut batter or a baseball batter? The only way to find out is by eavesdropping on this lively Chanukah conversation between Eliezer Zalmanov and Mendy Chitrik.

Eliezer and Mendy discuss the significance of the Chabad holiday "Yud-Tes Kislev" commemorating the Alter Rebbe's release from prison in 1798. Eliezer shares his recently re-lived memories of celebrating Yud-Tes Kislev with his late rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Yisroel Freidman.

A Shabbaton for European Jewish teenagers in the Austrian capital leads to a discussion about Jewish pride in general, and especially in places where Jews have suffered so much in the past. Eliezer and Mendy also touch upon the development of "shlichus" over time and how Chabad Houses generally operate today.

With some amusing stories from their own experiences, Eliezer and Mendy discuss the importance of Chabad yeshiva students willingly making themselves available to help in the mission of bringing the joy of Torah and Judaism to the world rather than turning it into a job for pay.

From Qatar to New York City: Mendy and Eliezer start with discussing the efforts to make kosher food available to Jewish World-Cup fans, before moving on to a recap of their most inspiring and uplifting weekend at the International Kinus Hashluchim. Bonus: A behind-the-scenes peek of a farbrengen.

The world can sometimes seem broken and in need of healing and repair. In advance of the International Conference of Chabad Emissaries (the Kinus Hashluchim) Eliezer and Mendy discuss how the world can be made into a better place and how each individual can do something about it, starting in our own lives.

In the wake of recent elections in the US and Israel, Mendy and Eliezer have a spirited conversation about the significance of voting and whether every vote actually matters.

After a brief hiatus for the month of holidays, Mendy and Eliezer are back with a new season of Chatting Rabbis, starting off by providing an peek into the lives of Chabad rabbis during the busiest month of the year.

With the High Holidays approaching, Mendy and Eliezer wrap up the first season of Chatting Rabbis with a conversation about personal growth and improvement, looking towards a great year ahead.

As a follow up to last week's episode, Eliezer and Mendy continue exploring the tuition crisis, which from a parent's perspective is really an education crisis where schools and yeshivas need to up their game drastically.

An emotional conversation about the tuition crisis facing the Jewish world at large, and specifically within the Chabad community. Mendy and Eliezer discuss the problem at length, and even offer some possible solutions.

A conversation about the significance of the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who was imprisoned and exiled to Kazakhstan, and eventually died in exile, due to his insistence on upholding the strictest standards of Jewish law in the Soviet Union.

In honor of the birthday of Eliezer and Mendy's late grandfather, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Chitrik, they reflect on their memories of him, including an honest conversation about how his character shaped their lives and personalities.

With Tisha B'av this week, Mendy and Eliezer discuss the differing observances of the day in their communities, and what the true purpose of the fasting and mourning is—a hope and prayer for a brighter time. Also included is a brief conversation about whether rabbis should take vacations. As always, we welcome our listeners' feedback.

After a brief follow up to episode 41, which has been temporarily taken down until further review, Mendy and Eliezer explore the blurring of traditional gender roles in family life, and how it can actually be a good thing.

With the Chatting Rabbis attempting to go a week or two without wading into controversial subjects, this episode serves as a placeholder of sorts. As a result, a variety of unscripted topics are covered, including: Mendy and Eliezer's grandmother's birthday, a little about her parents and her life (may she live and be well), the emphasis some of their ancestors placed on their lineage, and also a recap of Mendy's recent travels in New York and New Jersey.

When someone makes the leap and decides to become frum and adopt a religious or Chassidic lifestyle, they still need the support and guidance from their mentors as they did when they were just getting started. Mendy and Eliezer explore this sensitive subject in hopes of bringing awareness and rectification.

Join a no holds barred "farbrengen" with Mendy and Eliezer about the Rebbe's upcoming yahrtzeit, on the 3rd of Tammuz, and what its relevance to us should be today.

Our memories are far from perfect, and as a result our recounting of events often includes embellishments and inaccuracies. But when does a story move from being merely inaccurate to being completely false and contrived? As always, an unscripted conversation about issues on Mendy and Eliezer's minds.

Self-promotion is often necessary, especially in the context of community building, but it's also sometimes overused to the point of complete fabrication. Listen to Eliezer and Mendy discuss the need for good PR, and along the way learn about a country's new name, inflation, cats in Starbucks, and even kiddush menus.

Mendy and Eliezer discuss the enigma of Jewish holidays (in this case, Shavuot) being a day longer in the diaspora than in Israel, and how that affects travelers today. As always, personal anecdotes and observations round out this fascinating topic.

In the wake of last week's mass shooting in a Texas school, Eliezer and Mendy have an emotional conversation about how to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future, including the roles of guns and government, the culture of violence, and a lack of morals.

Recent events in Israel within the Ger Chassidic community inspired this conversation about tolerance towards people whose views are different than our own, and the importance of condemning violence and intimidation in any form. Ahavat Yisrael, love for your fellow Jew, doesn't only extend to people you agree with.

Lag Ba'omer is the anniversary of passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar and the first to disseminate Kabbalah, hence the association of this date with the study of Jewish mysticism in general, and Chassidus in particular. Mendy and Eliezer discuss their own struggles with esoteric study, sharing tips on how to overcome these challenges.

Eliezer and Mendy discuss the value of being non-judgmental and open to conflicting views, before segueing into a recap of the recent conference of Chabad rabbis in Europe, Africa, and Middle East, held in Lisbon, Portugal, and a general history lesson of various worldwide Jewish communities.

Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) as well as Yom Hazikaron (Israel's Memorial Day) commemorate Jewish lives lost in the not-so-distant past. So why don't many orthodox Jews observe these seemingly significant days? Mendy and Eliezer discuss the reasons, as part of a somber conversation about the Holocaust in general.