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Andy Schwartz CEO, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners  |  Kevin Spahn Founder, Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG) Two former Northwestern Mutual advisors, two very different paths. Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn share what it takes to build, grow, merge, and create lasting enterprise value. In Summary What separates a successful advisory practice from an enterprise with the ability to grow well beyond its founders? Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer two different perspectives on that question. Both spent decades at Northwestern Mutual, but their paths eventually diverged. Andy left to help build what is now OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ firm expected to surpass $20B by year-end. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual's top practices before deciding to merge his business into OnePoint and become an equity partner. Louis talks with Andy and Kevin about the decisions behind both journeys: creating a true firm rather than an aggregation of practices, transitioning advisors from 1099 to W-2, using outside capital without relinquishing control, rethinking succession, and determining when equity in a larger enterprise can offer greater opportunity than continuing to build alone. Underlying it all is a factor that's much harder to quantify: trust. The Storyline Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn have known each other for roughly 30 years. They met while both were building careers at Northwestern Mutual, where Andy became an important mentor to Kevin as Kevin transitioned from practicing law and estate planning into wealth management. After roughly 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets to launch independently. What began as Bleakley Financial eventually became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ enterprise that Andy expects will surpass $20B by the end of 2026. That kind of growth required more than attracting assets. Andy describes the evolution from a predominantly 1099 structure into a firm where more than 85% of advisors and AUM are now W-2. The shift created a more cohesive enterprise, gave advisors access to equity, and ultimately positioned OnePoint to bring in minority capital from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners. Andy makes an important distinction about that relationship: OnePoint is “private equity invested,” not “private equity owned.” The structure gave the firm capital and expertise while allowing its partners to retain control. Kevin faced a different decision. After more than 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, his practice had grown to 18 people and approximately $2B in assets. He was happy at the firm, but his clients had evolved, his business had become increasingly complex, and the internal succession plan he once envisioned carried risks he could no longer ignore. He could have built an independent firm himself. Instead, he chose to merge with OnePoint. The decision wasn't driven by the largest possible check. Kevin saw the opportunity to become an equity partner in a larger enterprise, give his team and clients a more durable future, and leverage infrastructure he didn't want to recreate himself. For both men, the story ultimately comes back to the same principle: The right economics matter, but sustainable partnerships require trust, shared philosophy, and the belief that everyone involved can create more value together than separately. Topics Covered Building an enterprise versus building a practice Northwestern Mutual and the path to independence OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners' growth from ~$3B to $18B+ Organic growth versus M&A Creating a growth-oriented advisor culture Moving from a 1099 model to a predominantly W-2 structure Equity ownership and advisor alignment Minority private equity investment Rise Growth Partners and Joe Duran Internal succession versus an external merger Selling versus merging an advisory business Merging versus teaming versus going it alone Evaluating equity versus cash in a transaction The economics of leaving a captive firm Centralization versus advisor autonomy Trust as a factor in partnerships and transactions > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors How did Andy and Kevin's 30-year relationship ultimately lead to a transaction? (04:11)Kevin explains how Andy helped him transition from attorney and estate planner into wealth management, beginning a professional relationship that would eventually make their partnership possible decades later. Why did Andy leave Northwestern Mutual after roughly 30 years? (08:45)Andy describes wanting greater flexibility, a multi-custodial platform, and more optionality for clients and the business—a decision that ultimately led to the creation of OnePoint BFG. Why did Kevin decide his longtime Northwestern Mutual practice needed something different? (15:49)Kevin explains how his clients, service needs, and business evolved over time, while concerns about his original internal succession plan led him to consider a different path. What has driven OnePoint's growth from approximately $3B to $18B+? (21:41)Andy outlines the firm's emphasis on client experience, advisor experience, organic growth, and carefully selected inorganic growth—and why helping advisors grow is fundamental to the model. Why does Andy say OnePoint is a firm rather than an aggregator? (23:54)The distinction comes down to alignment, shared responsibility, centralized resources, equity, and a partnership structure in which advisors are accountable to one another. How did OnePoint convert a predominantly 1099 advisor base into a W-2 enterprise? (29:26)Andy explains why capital and equity became necessary to build the next stage of the business and why trust was essential to bringing advisors into a more integrated structure. Why did OnePoint choose minority private equity investment? (33:13)Andy shares why Rise Growth Partners offered something previous potential buyers had not: a structure designed to benefit the broader advisor partnership while preserving control. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than shop his practice broadly? (36:43)For Kevin, maximizing price wasn't the objective. His decision centered on trust in Andy, confidence in OnePoint's infrastructure, and creating a strong future for clients and employees. Why did Kevin choose equity in the larger firm instead of simply cashing out? (40:57)Kevin explains why he believes participating in the future growth of a larger enterprise offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the future growth of his own practice. How should advisors evaluate the “golden handcuffs” that can make leaving difficult? (46:42)Andy argues that the analysis needs to compare what an advisor gives up with the potential growth, economics, equity, and leverage available on the other side. How much conformity does a true enterprise require? (49:06)Andy explains why OnePoint sits somewhere between complete advisor autonomy and complete centralization, seeking enough consistency to create enterprise value without eliminating entrepreneurial flexibility. What would Andy and Kevin tell their younger selves? (52:06)Kevin emphasizes surrounding yourself with the best people possible, while Andy reflects on having the courage to make a difficult change after a successful 30-year run. Key Takeaways Building enterprise value requires more than asset growth. OnePoint's evolution included changing its ownership structure, integrating advisor practices, creating equity opportunities, and investing in centralized capabilities. Organic growth remains central even in an M&A-driven market. OnePoint targets approximately 10% organic growth and evaluates prospective partners partly on whether they are growth-oriented and whether the firm can meaningfully help them grow. A collection of successful advisors does not automatically make a firm. Andy sees shared ownership, alignment, accountability, infrastructure, and centralized services as critical distinctions between an enterprise and an aggregator. Outside capital does not have to mean giving up control. OnePoint chose a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners that provided capital and strategic support while leaving control with its operating partners. Succession can expose risks that growth may obscure. Kevin began reconsidering his internal succession strategy when he recognized its dependence on his continued production, key employees, and the future economics of an aging client base. The highest purchase price isn't always the most valuable transaction. Kevin prioritized equity participation, infrastructure, continuity for his employees and clients, and confidence in his future partners over broadly shopping his business for the highest bid. Trust can determine whether structural change is possible. From OnePoint's 1099-to-W-2 conversion to Kevin's decision to merge, both guests repeatedly point to established trust as the foundation that allowed significant business decisions to happen. https://youtu.be/jkIoynpZj6Y Quotable Moments “The biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit.”— Andy Schwartz “We're not an aggregator, we're a firm.”— Andy Schwartz “The biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don't.”— Andy Schwartz “I wasn't looking to sell my business. I was looking to merge it.”— Kevin Spahn “You have to trust them. You have to see that they provide value. And you need to be on the same page philosophically.”— Kevin Spahn “Associate yourselves with the best people you can… It accelerates your trajectory in ways that you can't do on your own.”— Kevin Spahn FAQs Why did Andy Schwartz leave Northwestern Mutual? After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. How large is OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners? At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. What has driven OnePoint's growth? Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. Why did OnePoint move advisors from 1099 to W-2? The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. What does “private equity invested, not private equity owned” mean? Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Why did Kevin Spahn leave Northwestern Mutual? Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than launch his own independent RIA? OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Why didn't Kevin shop his practice to multiple buyers? Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. How do Andy and Kevin suggest advisors evaluate a potential partner? Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. Related Resources Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class Firms From Insurance Sales to $8B RIA: A Northwestern Mutual Breakaway Story The 4th Annual Advisor Transition Report Andy SchwartzCo-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer Andy Schwartz is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where he also serves as a Wealth Management Advisor. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® with more than 40 years of experience, Andy has built his career around helping clients make confident, well-informed financial decisions at every stage of life. He works extensively with physicians and business owners on wealth building, retirement planning, and tax-efficient asset transfer across generations. A 2026 finalist for Wealth Management Awards CEO of the Year (under $25B AUM), Andy brings the same discipline to leading the firm that he brings to client relationships: comprehensive planning, long-term thinking, and an unwavering commitment to independence and integrity. Beyond his client work, Andy is deeply invested in the advisory profession itself. He co-hosts The Advisor’s Compass podcast, offering candid, practical guidance on the business and responsibilities of being an advisor. His mentorship philosophy is straightforward: pass the ladder back down. His industry recognition spans more than a decade, including Top 1,200 Advisor by Barron’s (2018–2024), Top 250 Wealth Advisor and Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes (2018–2024), Top 400 Financial Advisor by the Financial Times (2018–2020), and Top 100 Independent Advisor (2020–2023). He was named Executive of the Year by NJBIZ in 2019 and was a finalist for the Invest in Others Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 20 years of service with NJ SEEDS. Andy holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Rowan University and is actively involved with Nourish NJ, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and JSDD. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and time with his family at the beach.   Kevin SpahnPartner and Wealth Advisor Kevin Spahn is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, bringing more than three decades of experience in comprehensive financial planning to his clients and the firm. Kevin’s path to wealth management is rooted in the law. After earning degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as a practicing attorney before making a deliberate pivot toward financial planning in 1993. He joined Northwestern Mutual, then founded Spahn Financial, building a practice centered on thoughtful, holistic planning for families and business owners. That practice joined OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners in 2025. His approach has remained consistent throughout: help clients build and protect wealth not just for themselves, but for the generations that follow. Kevin works with clients on comprehensive financial plans that account for the full picture, understanding that the impact of good planning extends well beyond an individual portfolio to families, businesses, employees, and the broader community. Kevin is based in the greater Chicago area.   NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise A conversation between Louis Diamond, Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and Kevin Spahn, Founder of Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG). Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise. It’s a conversation with Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Kevin Spahn, founder of Spahn Financial, now OnePoint BFG. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. Each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions, and more, inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: There’s a big difference between building a successful practice and building an enterprise. I think Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer a unique perspective on that distinction from two very different sides. Both spent decades in the Northwestern Mutual system. Andy ultimately left to build what became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, taking the firm from roughly three billion to nearly 20 billion and transforming just about every aspect of the business along the way. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual’s top practices before reaching a different inflection point, deciding what he wanted the next phase of his career and business to look like. Rather than go independent on his own or simply monetize what he had built, he chose to become part of Andy’s growing enterprise. That makes their story particularly relevant for our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Andy can speak to what it takes to build a firm capable of becoming an acquirer, from converting advisors from 1099s to W-2s, to creating equity opportunities, to bringing in outside capital while remaining very deliberate about being private equity-invested rather than private equity-owned. And Kevin brings the seller’s perspective, how you evaluate the economics, the trade-offs, and ultimately the people you’re trusting with the business you spent more than 30 years building. Because whether you’re building, buying, or considering a transaction of any kind, the numbers are only part of the equation. As you hear from both Andy and Kevin, trust may be the most important currency of all. So let’s get to it. Andy and Kevin, thank you so much for both joining us today. Andy Schwartz: Great to see you again, Lewis. Thank you for having us. Louis Diamond: I’ve been excited about this interview for a bunch of reasons. One, our Build, Grow, Transact series has become a real staple of our show and we got lots to talk about there. But also, the friendship, the relationship that you two have had for over 30 years really stood out to me. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, talk about your relationship. How’d you guys meet, and how did your career stay so intertwined together when you’re in different geographies and at different firms, and have each been very successful in your own rights? Andy Schwartz: Sure. Kevin, do you want to start with that? Kevin Spahn: Sure. I started in this career in 1994 and met Andy sometime after that. He was a more advanced financial planner. I was an attorney, and then I transitioned into this business. So when I first joined Northwestern Mutual, which is my first broker dealer, I didn’t really have a background in investments. At the time, a lot of Northwestern Mutual reps were learning the investment business because they maybe originally started with Northwestern Mutual focusing more on insurance planning. My background was more estate planning. At the time, if you think early ’90s, if you did estate planning, insurance often went hand in hand with that. The estate exemption in early 1990s was about $600,000. So if you pass more than $600,000 to your children, there was a 55% tax. One way around it was to put insurance in an irrevocable trust, help cover the tax that way. So it really was a popular common strategy back then, and it’s really what got me into the business. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want my future to be insurance and estate planning. And there was a conflict if you acted as someone’s attorney and sold insurance. So I had to pick one way or the other. I decided long-term it would be better for me to move into the wealth management space. But with that little background in that, I had a lot of work to do. So took a lot of tests, became a certified financial planner. But the person that helped me the most along the way was Andy. We became friends, we sat on committees together. That’s really how we met, I would say. So we worked side by side interacting with our home office and representing the field, bringing issues to the home office that we thought were beneficial to the field. As we did that together, I got to know Andy. And then separately, I learned from him how he built his business and how they would review clients’ portfolios and come up with solutions. So I really credit Andy with helping me more than anyone else to transition from attorney, financial planner doing more estate planning insurance to wealth management. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Hey, I would say, maybe I’m a little biased, that, Kevin, you picked the right path in hanging up the law shingle and coming into wealth management. Kevin Spahn: I tell a lot of people I’m a reformed attorney. Andy Schwartz: Great. Louis Diamond: Exactly. My dad would say the exact same thing. Very common at dinner tables in the Diamond households. Andy Schwartz: I was always grateful that I wasn’t smart enough to be an attorney. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: That’s where my gratitude lies. Yeah. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: Some would say he’s too smart. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy, question for you. I mean, anyone who is at or was at Northwestern Mutual, I mean, you’re like Elvis to them. It’s absolutely crazy the amount of fanfare and brand recognition that you and your brother Scott have. But for those who maybe missed your first podcast appearance with us a number of years ago, or aren’t or weren’t within the Northwestern Mutual system, or haven’t been familiar with Bleakley and now OnePoint BFG, just give us the cliff notes, the origin story, how you got into the business, and how’d you get from here to there? Andy Schwartz: Yeah. So the origin is probably pretty common, probably by accident. Going into my senior year in college, I was working in a restaurant, had a falling out with my boss. I happened to be dating a woman who was living with a general agent with Fidelity Union Life. No one will have ever heard of Fidelity Union Life, but their secret sauce was they sold life insurance to college seniors on a note. So if you can get a $10 money order, because where I went to school, nobody had a checking account, then you could basically get a note signed and they would buy insurance. And then when they graduate, hopefully they’d pay for it. I started selling life insurance my senior year in college. And then my twin brother Scott, who is my partner, and has been for over 40 years, he took an interview with what was the nucleus of our present firm actually. I just went up to Northern New Jersey in May of 1984 because I was an expert. I had been selling life insurance to college kids for six months, so I knew everything you had to know. We met with these guys, and we both ended up joining them. So that was a Northwestern Mutual district agency, and that was 1984. We got licensed right away. I got my CFP in ’86. We always knew that it was going to be about planning. So I think we had the right idea. We were a little ahead of the curve because there weren’t a lot of CFPs in ’86. We got securities license immediately. So before Northwestern had securities license, we got securities license with US Life actually. And then it was really a volume business, a client-building business. We always tried to act as a firm and share resources. We were small, but like a lot of people, we started out selling A shares and B shares and C shares, doing financial planning, selling insurance, and then we made a lot of really good hires along the way. And then after 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, which was a great experience for me, and I have nothing but respect for the institution and certainly the advisors that are there, Kevin certainly was one of them, and I know he feels the same way, but we just wanted to have a little more flexibility. We went independent about 11, almost 12 years ago. We wanted to be able to be multi-custodial. We wanted to have a little bit more optionality for our clients and for ourselves. We left Northwestern at three billion or so in assets, and that was in 2015. It’s in March of 2024, I get introduced to this guy with a crazy accent named Joe Duran. Funny, probably the only person in the industry that had no idea who Joe Duran was me. I’d never heard of Joe Duran. I don’t pay attention. I worry about our firm. I don’t worry about what’s going on outside. So I get introduced to Joe by a mutual friend, and we had an interesting conversation, and it took us probably about four or five months to figure out what we wanted to do. And then in August of ’24, myself and my three partners, we rolled in. And then in ’85, the rest of the firm rolled in. And we can talk a little bit more about that. Today we’re 18-plus billion, growing quite a bit. We’ve been very lucky that we’ve made some very good decisions along the way. We’ve made some bad ones too. But most of the decisions had to do with the people that we hired, the people that we brought on to help us, because I think it’s really important. I always say that the biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit, and I try not to, and I realize that I’m smart enough, but I’m certainly not the smartest guy. I’m rarely the smartest guy in the room. So what we try to do is hire lots and lots of really smart people. And we’ve done that. They’ve been loyal to us, we’ve been loyal to them. Yeah, so we’re blessed to have a really great team and lots of good partners. Yeah. Louis Diamond: Yeah, we’ll definitely get into more of the nuts and bolts of the decision to take on capital, partner with Joe Duran’s Rise, but that’s an amazing background. Andy, I have to give you credit because your style, and I think I’m sure there’s business benefits, but it comes from a good place, I’m sure. But the coaching and consulting and just assistance that I’ve heard you provide to so many past and current Northwestern Mutual advisors through sports camps is absolutely incredible. It’s very near and dear to my heart because we always try to lead with education and helping people. So I just wanted to call that out, that your reputation for just providing amazing guidance and coaching to advisors is unparalleled. Andy Schwartz: And it’s been the best part of our journey. We’ve been able to help so many people. We get way too much credit by the way. So everybody gives us way too much credit. But the way I look at it is, I’ve been able to leverage my life because I’ve been able to build a great life for myself and my family, but we’ve been able to leverage that, and that’s where the real gift is. So yeah, it’s been a joyful journey for us. Louis Diamond: Amazing. Kevin, question for you. You walked through your little bit unorthodox background to get into Northwestern. Can you talk about where your personal practice is today? And then I want to ask you about the decision to leave Northwestern and sell and team up with Andy and team. Kevin Spahn: Well, I have to go back to the beginning. What was attractive to me about this business is I went from a career which was confrontational adversarial. I was a trial attorney for six years, and every day I would fight with people over things I didn’t necessarily have a personal interest in and I didn’t really believe in always. But the adversarial confrontational nature wasn’t really my personality, and I would take it too personally. So sometimes I’d go home in a bad mood because I was fighting with somebody taking a deposition. At night, after so many years as a trial attorney, I started going to people’s houses and doing wills and trusts. And that’s where the dynamic of working with a client or a potential client, feeling that you helped them and walking out of the meeting where they would appreciate what you did for them, and you build a relationship and actually all of a sudden have a friend, that dynamic was attractive to me. That’s really what got me to transition into the business. So I think it was really helpful to me at the beginning of this career. As Andy said, we all grew our businesses one client at a time. There’s a lot of doors closed, phones hung up on. There’s many people that don’t want to talk to you. There’s many people that don’t call you back. There’s many people that you think you’re getting somewhere with and you don’t. And that’s difficult for people because people often, young reps take that as personal rejection. I had the benefit of comparing what I was dealing with as a young financial planner to what I had dealt with as an attorney in litigation. I think it just was perspective that I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. So the negatives to this business didn’t seem that bad to me. I loved the independence. I loved all the relationships that I was building. And that part of it is to this day my favorite part of the business. When you ask about the present, what basically happens is you start out taking anybody and everybody as a potential client or as someone that you would be willing to work with. And then over time you work with more successful people. So where I’m at today is working with pretty successful people, but they’re all the same, meaning we like working with nice people. If people are nice, we work with them. I feel we can help anybody. Over the years, one client at a time. The thing that I probably, if I could go back, would change is I think Andy and I are both good at meeting people and building trust and providing value, so that’s why they work with us. So I think that’s just something we’ve both been able to do. He’s much better than I am at building an organization. So I built an organization basically hiring people, that whenever we got too busy, I hired another person. Drawback in terms of that is, anybody that I interview I think is great, and I think they’d be great to join the organization. I like them all. In spite of that, I’ve also brought in many good people that I love. At this point, my firm has 18 people. We’re a little subset of Andy’s larger firm. I think one of the most attractive things to me about joining Andy’s firm is what Andy mentioned before: the people. As opposed to me having to build this all out myself, going independent, Andy already did that. And he has the infrastructure that would allow me to just merge right into that and not have to go through the pain of figuring all that out, which I don’t even think I’m capable of, to be honest with you. Louis Diamond: You’re probably selling yourself short because the way I understood it, you had one of the top practices within the entire Northwestern Mutual systems, and it’s a firm filled with very successful advisors. For you, Kevin, what was the driving force to leaving NM after all these years? What was bothering you or frustrating you that indicated to you that it was time to do something different? Kevin Spahn: To be honest with you, I was pretty happy at Northwestern Mutual. I love the company and the people. I still have many good friends there that I truly miss. The big thing for me, I don’t know if it was any one thing, to be honest with you, is Andy said there’s optionality, especially on the investment side. I think one of the things that happened to me is, when I first started, I was 31 years old, and most of the potential clients that I would meet and work with, they weren’t what I would call today great investment clients. They didn’t have a lot of money. They had great futures. They might’ve been earning significant income or on the way to earning significant income. So what did they need at that point in their life? They needed planning. They needed protection. They didn’t really need investment management because most of their investments were going into their 401(k). But a lot of those clients that we would take on, and I think that’s the big advantage of Northwestern Mutual, you take on clients that a lot of the investor firms don’t want because they don’t have large investment portfolios. But at some point down the road, all of a sudden you wake up and they do have large investment portfolios. So you bring them in as clients that might buy life insurance from you or disability insurance or something like that. And then you help them, and you give them advice, and you build a relationship with them. Down the road, they make more and more money. They leave jobs, they roll 401(k)s, they have the ability to invest money, stock options, things like that. Next thing you’re doing more comprehensive planning that incorporates investments. As that progresses even further, you work with larger and larger clients, much more significant net worth, more complexity, bigger tax issues. Some of the strategies and opportunities that we now have at this independent RIA are very attractive for these high-net-worth clients. Along the same lines, less of what I do at this point in my career is insurance, mostly because a lot of the people that I meet are older, they already bought insurance, they’re looking more for investment advice as opposed to insurance. So one of the things that most attracted me to Northwest Mutual was their strong insurance products, which helped me for many years. As time went on, I was doing less of that. Louis Diamond: Makes complete sense. So it was a changing of what clients wanted and just the circumstances of your clients where you said, “What got me here when I was 31 was insurance planning, and that’s what my clients needed. But as my practice has evolved, I’ve aged, my clients are older, have more money, the focus shifted from insurance to investments.” And then the distinction was, am I at the best place to run investments in addition to insurance planning, et cetera? It’s a very interesting dynamic. Just the shift in basically your legacy clients was what drove you to consider change. Kevin Spahn: That was a big factor. I think the second big factor was I had my own firm with 18 people. My succession plan was that at some point I would shift ownership of the firm to people that worked with me. So as they owned more of the firm, they would have revenue that was currently at the time being paid to me. In my mind, as it shifted to them, they would buy me out using revenue from the clients that we already had. And I realized that there were some issues with that. In our business, as you get older, in your client’s age, they start taking money out of their portfolios. So everyone understands that in our business, the younger average age client you have makes your book more valuable. I was the biggest driver of new business at my firm, and I started to see that there were some problems with my succession plan. They included, if something happened to me during this succession, that would be a real problem for the people that were buying my business from me if I went that way. If something happened to some of my key people, that would’ve been a problem as well. So it was really attractive to me to… I wasn’t looking to sell my business, I was looking to merge it. So I merged it with Andy’s business. I believe that Andy and what he’s put together and the actual idea of having partners. So I never really had partners, but now I do. Having partners that we’re all on the same page, we all have similar backgrounds, we all bring something different to the table, and we can learn and benefit from working with each other. But also, owning a little piece of a much larger firm was, number one, it put me in a better position in terms of the potential risk of something happening to me or one of my key people. But secondly, I just think it’s more likely to grow at a greater pace than my firm would’ve as I aged from my 60s to my 70s. Louis Diamond: Very interesting. It’s a great realization. I think it’s one that probably every firm owner grapples with at some point, is the romanticism or the ease, some would say, of an internal succession plan. Rewarding those who have helped you build the firm is something I think everyone is interested in. But once that’s put into practice, whether it’s because of capital or sky-high valuations or right people on the bus or risk, et cetera, nowadays oftentimes leads to a firm owner looking at a transaction, whether it’s a merger, a sale, a private equity, capital infusion as a means to solve for succession. So it’s a very interesting way you framed it. Andy, I want to turn it over to you for a little bit. So you mentioned when you launched Bleakley Financial, which was the old name of your firm, out of Northwestern, you’re about three billion. I think I read that you’re about 10 billion or so when Joe Duran and Rise invested you in 2024. You just said you’re at 18 billion now in the middle of 2026. That is absolutely incredible and amazing. Andy Schwartz: We’ll be well over 20 by the end of the year without any additional organic growth. Louis Diamond: That’s absolutely incredible. Andy Schwartz: We’ve got a lot going on right now. Louis Diamond: What’s actually driven that? What’s been the playbook? Andy Schwartz: The three areas that are most important for us, and we had our town hall this morning, and we always talk about the things we focus on as a group, the first and most important is the client experience. I always say to people, if you are their advisor, then that means someone else isn’t. These people, they all deserve to be really well taken care of. They deserve the best service, they deserve the best advice. So that’s something we take really personally. So client experience first. Then we also understand that we don’t just work for clients, we work for our advisors. So I have two jobs. I have, I don’t know, 500 clients I service with my team, and I work for Kevin and 36 other partners and all of our employees. Because again, I recognize that the decision Kevin made… We’re in the middle of a transition out with another advisor, and we pretty much talk to her every day, and I know how hard this is. A transition is so difficult. When you come from a good place, because any of the Northwestern advisor who joins, they’re coming from a good place, it’s not like they have to go anywhere, it’s difficult. So we have the massive responsibility that three or four or five or 10 years from now, that there better be hugs around that this was the best decision ever made or otherwise. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. So we’ve got to take care of our client experience, we’ve got to take care of our advisor experience. And then obviously, we’ve got to grow the firm so the firm grows organically. So part of this whole idea of serving our advisors is we have to help our advisors grow. I talk to a lot of people on the acquisition side, and if I’m talking to an advisor, it doesn’t matter how big they are, we kind of think of it as a OnePoint way. There’s flexibility in the OnePoint way. But if I can’t help them grow, I don’t want them, because I say it all the time, I’m not the mafia. I’m not here to get a taste. Louis, if you weren’t interested in joining us, if I thought that we could help you grow by doing that, then I want you bad. If I don’t think I can help you grow because we’re so different, or because you’re not going to adapt what we do, or there’s no leverage in it, or you’re already better than we are, I don’t want it. So for us, organic growth, number one, and I think you know the industries well enough, that’s got to be the key. We shoot for 10% organic growth. We’re at a little over 5% so far halfway through the year. So assuming we have the similar second half of the year, we’ll hit our 10. Last year we’re at 7.5%. The second is the inorganic growth. If you truly build a platform, if you truly build a firm that advisors know that they’ll be supported, that they’ll be loved, and you’ll help them grow their businesses, it does make it easier for us. We’re not the highest bidder typically. We can’t. We respect our client’s capital, we respect their equity, so therefore we’re not going to go out there. We’re not an aggregator, we’re a firm. But I think that if we can get that message across, and I think we have, then advisors join us. So that’s been a big part of the growth. And then the market’s helped. Obviously, over the last two years, the market’s been helpful. So that’s how we’ve gone from 10 to 18 and on our way to 22 by year-end. Louis Diamond: This is absolutely incredible. Any advisor or firm owner would say organic growth is important, but just saying it’s important doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. So what are the ways in which you help your advisors or your own practice grow organically? What is it that OnePoint is doing for your advisors? Andy Schwartz: Starting with bringing on growth-oriented advisors. I mean, look, Kevin Spahn and I come from the same place. We learned how to sell. The great thing about coming out of whether they’re broker dealers or out of the different insurance BDs is, these are people that know how to sell. These are people that don’t think that selling is a bad word. A lot of times you go to the wirehouses and they’re not necessarily sales guys. They’re really smart. They think that they’re investment mavens and investment geniuses. I’m not interested in investment geniuses. I’m interested in people that want to take care of their clients, provide everything they can, clients first, do the proper planning, be good advisors, but they’re growth-oriented. So as long as we’re talking with the right advisors. Again, if I’m talking to advisor and they might have a big practice, if they’re not growers, we’re not interested. There’s a sense of responsibility for all the partners because we are a true partnership. It’s not an aggregation. This is a firm. I’m responsible for Kevin. Kevin’s responsible to me. All of our partners are responsible to each other, because if we’re going to do a 10% organic growth target, and if some partner is negative 3%, we don’t put them through the spanking machine, but everybody is very aware of where everybody is and nobody wants to let their partners down. I think either you’re a growth-oriented advisor or you’re a zoo-fed bear. There’s another expression that I got from another Rise Growth Partner or Rise Growth firm. We all kind of communicate and talk to each other. And I was talking about zoo-fed bears, and he said, we call them house cats that think they fight. So they’re house cats, but they have no claws. But I think if you’re careful about who you bring on as partners, and if they are workers, growers, they understand that their job in life is to serve the people. We talk about referrals, we do lots of training to help on referrals. We work on organic growth strategies from the firm, but a lot of it comes from the advisors themselves. Louis Diamond: Makes sense. So it sounds like, to boil it down, it’s being really selective and having a really clear sense of who’s the right fit for your firm. Not that there’s not amazing advisors out there, but just because you’re an amazing advisor, doesn’t mean you’re the right fit to join OnePoint. Andy Schwartz: I think the one big distinction and difference is other than the fact that we are minority-owned with private equity. So we own our business. I mean, I’m the CEO of the firm. I also have the biggest book in the firm. At least for right now, I mean, Kevin was transitioning, so I’m sure next year he’ll be the leading advisor. But I lead the firm, because as far as I’m concerned, you have to lead by example. We are completely aligned. I know exactly what Kevin does every day because I do the same thing. I’m not some attorney or accountant or private equity boss that’s saying, “Oh, I’ve got an idea for growth. We’ll just raise our fees by 5%.” Brilliant. Yeah, we are completely aligned, all of us. I think that makes us a little bit unique, and it really helps us, I think, in our growth trajectory. Louis Diamond: I would agree. The challenge that a lot of advisors-turned-firm-owners or turned-enterprise-builders have is the tug of war between the client work, which either is their ultimate passion and driving force, or it’s something they’re really good at minimum, versus being the owner, the operator, et cetera. I resonate very much, Andy, with the way you handle it. I do the same thing running a company, but also working with advisors. To me, I need to do both in order to do my job well. But that tug of war is tough. So I’m curious, your firm is very large now, you’re a steward of external capital, and you have a $3 billion book yourself. How do you do it? How do you balance the two? Andy Schwartz: Well, fortunately, my kids are grown, so I’m not coaching sports anymore. So I do have a little more time than most. Look, we have a great team. So the idea that I run the firm… I mean, I lead the firm, I don’t run the firm. We have great partners. We have great… Our manager team is fantastic. So I mean, they really run the firm. But this is where my passion is for now. So I don’t mind. Days are typically pretty long. I don’t play golf during the week. Mara and I don’t travel probably as much as we should. Vacations are always a little bit mixed. There’s always room for calls and meetings and whatever. But to me, I mean, I’m grateful to be in this situation. I’m enjoying it. This is such a privilege to be the person that people recognize as the leader of this bunch, of this group. I mean, it is the honor of my life. So I don’t think of it so much as work. It’s my advocation. It does get busy. There are some times where I have to remind myself, “Just enjoy the ride.” I get a little overwhelmed, but I get lots of help and that makes it possible. Louis Diamond: Yep. If you’re not doing the job of the folks that you’re encouraging and leading to do, how do you have fodder to train them, to teach them, to empathize with that? Andy Schwartz: Exactly, you don’t have the credibility. I can ask them to do almost anything because they know I do it myself, and I think that helps. Louis Diamond: Yep. So moving more into the decision to bring on private equity capital, what I thought was probably the most interesting component of your announcement that you took on PE investment was that you completely restructured or reoriented your firm prior to Joe Duran coming in 2024. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bleakley Financial Group was almost all 1099 contractors. So everyone owned their own books of business, paid Bleakley a fee or an override for certain services. But now, today, over 85% of your advisors and your AUM are W-2 employees, meaning you converted them from 1099 to acquiring them or merging with them. To me, that’s the dream. It’s had to have been very, very, very hard and challenging because there’s so many aggregator firms or platforms that support independent advisors, but the value that they’ve created is fairly minimal relative to one cohesive firm. So can you just talk about that decision, a very big and brave decision to go down the path of acquiring or merging with the practices rather than letting them continue to operate independently? Andy Schwartz: Well, look, we had to… It’s funny because we had been having conversations for years with consultants, and they kept telling us what we had to do. Again, we’re not that smart, so we just kept thinking, “No, we don’t have to do that.” But we were told 10 years earlier that the only way that this thing has any value to the world is you’ve got to have EBITDA for the firm. We talked to all the smart people, we ignored all of them. But what happened was we needed capital and we needed equity in order to bring people on, because people aren’t just joining us just because we can help them grow a bigger business. So the reason we went in the direction we went initially was we just needed capital. We wanted to grow the firm, and the only way we were going to get to is… What’s the old saying? What got us here is not going to get us there. So we needed capital. But we also realized that I had to have something I could sell in the marketplace. And people want equity. So they want cash, but they also want equity, because we’re talking to entrepreneurs. Kevin owned his own firm. He has $2 billion of assets. He wasn’t interested in being someone’s employee, but he was interested in being able to get leverage and be a partner and share equity in a larger firm that had the chance to grow even more. So what the gift that Joe Duran, the Rise folks gave us was that gift of structure and understanding. So that was really helpful, and that’s been a big part of our success. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s an amazing journey. Again, I think you could probably write a book or a case study on how that happened. I’m sure there were some downfalls, some people that weren’t all that excited about it, but the results speak for itself. Andy Schwartz: I think people ask all the time because I do get phone calls. People are trying to do this, and they’re struggling. It took us 90 days to basically do it. People say, “I’ve been at this for two years.” And the biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don’t. At the end of the day, I always went to the advisor here, we were a firm for 30-plus years prior, and these guys knew that we always did what we said we were going to do, and we always did. If your people trust you, then you can do it. If your people don’t trust you, it isn’t going to work. Louis Diamond: In other words, your firm added immense value to the advisors as well. Aside from trust, if you weren’t providing a service or services that they found a value that they couldn’t access on their own, it would’ve been 85/15 going the other way for sure. Andy Schwartz: Yeah, 100%. I know it’s not easy, but it wasn’t that hard for us. Louis Diamond: Good. It’s well-earned. So I believe you were Rise Growth Partners’ first investment. Andy Schwartz: We were. Louis Diamond: That’s cool. It’s exciting. You get to be someone’s first, but did it make you uncomfortable that you were the first investment or did you see that as a positive? Andy Schwartz: I actually saw it as a positive. Well, one, because I recognized immediately that Joe Duran and his team were way smarter than we were certainly, and certainly with what we were trying to do. And I figured that it’s almost like the first child. They were so excited to have somebody, and there was so much time and energy, so they just really doted on us. They were really able to help us. Now they’ve got four or five groups that they work with, and obviously we’ve been launched. So the younger babies are getting more time and attention, although we get everything that we need from them. But yeah, that never concerned me. I always thought that would be our advantage. It actually turned out that way. Louis Diamond: Interesting. In thinking through a sale or a minority sale, did you entertain other types of capital, whether it was a family office or a multitude of other private equity sponsors or selling the firm outright? Andy Schwartz: Yeah, we probably had four or five very, very serious conversations. Actually, some got pretty close to the end where we basically just made the decision not to do it. One was a much larger firm, good people. But the problem always was… I was always going to get rich out of the deal because it was going to be 100% sale, but there was really no lift or leverage from the advisors. So the principals, they were willing to pay me a big multiple and my partners a big multiple, and pay these guys basically an average multiple. So we had always told our guys, “Let’s stay together, and someday, this thing, whatever it’s going to turn into be, will benefit everyone.” So with the Duran situation and the deal with Rise did, it gave everybody a chance to benefit from what we were doing. But what was good about all of those false starts was, it taught me a lot because I had… I know you’re involved in this, so you know better than I do, but we’d start conversations, somebody would reach out to me, I would be very specific about what I needed. They would say, “Yep, we can do that.” And then you get to the finish line, and it’s almost like, I started out, I wanted a tomahawk steak and a baked potato, and I ended up getting a two-day-old hamburger with some cold French fries. It’s like, I know I’m not that smart and I know you’re the PE guys, but for God’s sakes, we’re not stupid. So it was funny because in January of ’24, I told my partners, “I don’t want to have any more of these conversations. It was a waste of time and energy. I’m sick of talking to these people. Let’s just put our heads down, and then let’s grow the firm a little bit more, and then we’ll see what the world looks like.” And then I get introduced to Duran. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Makes sense. Yeah, so you were well-educated on the market, the types of buyers, and I always say it’s almost more important to understand what you don’t want more than what you do want. The only way oftentimes to understand what you don’t want is to experience it and touch and feel it and really get into the weeds on it. I like too, Andy, I saw in an article, you said that “we’re private equity invested, we’re not private equity owned,” which is a very cool dynamic. I could imagine why that was important to you to retain majority control. Kevin, I want to bring you back into the conversation. Thank you for being patient here. But I mean, I would imagine you had some real choices. I mean, you could have stayed at Northwestern and been very successful, gone through with your internal succession plan. You could have gone to an independent BD, monetized, figured out succession later. You could have sold the business to a strategic acquirer. You were big enough to take on an investor in some capacity on your own. So options wasn’t your problem. Maybe just walk us through. Did you consider any other pathways? And what were the pros and cons in your mind that led you to doing a transaction with Andy? Kevin Spahn: I’m a little different, I think, than most people in this industry. Even as you grow your business at a certain percentage, none of that stuff has ever really meant anything to me. All I know is I like what I do. So when I came into the business, because I like it, I enjoy it, I spend time doing it, I’ve tried to get better at it. But it comes naturally because it’s something that I don’t look at Monday mornings as, “Oh, no, it’s Monday morning.” I’m excited to go to work. My entire career, once I left law, my business has just grown over the years naturally. But you said something before, Louis, and I think this applies to me. I love to work with the clients. I don’t like what I have to do in terms of running the firm. I never have. It’s never been my cup of tea, but you have to do it if you run a firm. So number one, the thought of all the due diligence that I would have to do to research all the firms out there, I wasn’t really all that interested in doing that. At the end of the day, it comes down to this word trust. I trust Andy. I trust the other partners here too, because I’ve known not just Andy, but I’ve known Scott and many of the other partners for years. So I knew what I was getting myself into. At the end of the day, I knew what they built. I was very comfortable with it, and I was either going to stay at Northwestern Mutual or I was going to come here, but I wasn’t going to go anywhere else. I will say, since I’ve gone, it’s been exactly like I thought. I thought I trusted Andy. And if something happened along the way with the transition, everything that he said has been true, thing that he promised is real. As you deal with more complexities with a bigger book and more and more employees, I knew that I was almost at the breaking point in terms of my own organization and to merge into this organization that, as I said before, he’s already built out. I don’t have to do it. And to benefit from these great people that he has as part of his organization, that’s all been a real blessing for me and my team. So I didn’t shop the marketplace really, but I knew what I was getting into, and it’s worked out clear as I thought it would. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. I think that’s what most people would covet. But it is a decision in and of itself to not shop the marketplace. I mean, from representing buyers or prospective buyers, I know the pricing leverage or the negotiation leverage and the valuation lift that comes from having an open market, having multiple bids, et cetera. It sounds like that wasn’t the… Obviously you wanted to get fair value for your firm, but for you, it was more, it’s trust, “I’m either going to just stay at Northwestern, which is the devil I know or it’s what I’ve known where I’ve been successful, or I’m going to go to the individual that I trust and forget about all the other noise.” Kevin Spahn: Well, Andy says things, but I know they’re true because I’ve seen him at work. I’ve seen how he’s acted. I’ve seen how he interacts with people. But here’s an example. He cares about the people that are at his firm. He says that, but I know it’s true because I see it. I’m the same. I really care about the people in my firm. So as I think about, well, what about the future of two groups, my clients, but also the people that work in my firm? They’re going to be around long after I am. Well, I don’t want myself to retire someday, get a big check, because there’s all sorts of options to get a check. If I get a check and then my client’s scatter to the wind, and my employees don’t really have a future and they just have to go and find their own way, that wasn’t attractive at all to me. So one of the things that I really appreciate about this opportunity is that there is a plan for both my clients and my employees or the younger team members at formerly Spahn Financial, where I feel very good about the fact that they have a solid, secure future in an industry that they’ve all grown to love without them having to go out and make their own way. Louis Diamond: Makes sense to me. We noted a couple of times in this interview, you talked about equity, partnership, both of you have. So Kevin, for you, what did it mean differently for you to become a partner and get equity in a larger firm rather than, we’ll say, the less risky move of just taking everything in cash? Why was that an important distinction for you? Kevin Spahn: For many years, when I left law and came into this business, I didn’t have any money at the time. I was just starting to make money as a lawyer. It takes a while. I started low. I got trial experience working for the government, so they didn’t pay much. That was three years. Then I was at a firm, and I was just starting to make more money. Then I made this big shift into a career tha

Send us Fan MailWhen Esarhaddon, the king of Assyria's father was murdered by his brothers, he became a highly paranoid individual and had everyone swear loyalty and risk terrible cruses if they disobeyed. His demand for total loyalty and worship put Manasseh, king of Judah, in a bind. What happened next shaped Judah for a generation and also inspired the writing of the Book of Deuteronomy. mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Since the passing of Dolly Parton last week, the tributes have been coming in describing the diverse ways she impacted people's lives. Among the many things for which Dolly Parton will be remembered is the Imagination Library, and also a project which it inspired, the PJ Library. KAN's David Ze'ev spoke to Shira Hutt, executive vice president of the Jewish Federations of North America. (Photo: Dolly Parton performs on NBC's "Today" show in 2014. Associated Press) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend, Portlanders can enjoy food, music, dancing and more with ties to Jewish culture. The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is putting on its first Jewish cultural festival at Zidell Yards on Sunday. Marc Blattner is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. He joins us to share more on what attendees can expect and why this event is important to have.

On Aug. 7, Todd Shapiro was just finishing dinner in Summerland, B.C., when a wildfire outside the town “exploded” and prompted an immediate provincial emergency evacuation order. The former Montrealer, who had just moved to the Okanagan area last summer, grabbed his passport, a jar of peanut butter and some toilet paper, rounded up his teenage son and family dog, and fled the region. Shapiro is one of 20,000 residents of Summerland ordered to leave their homes as the fire, the size of the city of Burlington, Ont., is still out of control more than a week later. After an anxious journey, he shared, “I was kind of freaking out”, facing closed highways and uncertain of where to go. Shapiro and his family made it to Kelowna, where they were invited to sleep at the home of Jewish community leader Abbey Westbury. She runs a winery, but also is a Jewish Federation of B.C. “community connector”, who also has close ties to the local synagogue and the Okanagan Jewish Community Centre. Westbury has been making food for evacuees and the first responders fighting the wildfire. The smoke and ash from Summerland has been blanketing Kelowna, too, and made it difficult to just be outside. Despite suffering an asthma attack this week, local Chabad Rabbi Shmuly Hecht, with his wife, Fraidy, turned their Chabad of Okanagan centre in Kelowna into a supplies depot for evacuees and hosts. They've kept their summer camp running but switched to indoor activities. In Penticton, just up the road from Summerland, local Jewish resident Tami Bray, who works for an environmental organization, has been running a city-wide relief centre, but feeling frustrated that politicians aren't using the words “climate change” to describe what has caused this summer's devastation. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner hears from these four Jewish residents on the front lines of the out-of-control Bald Range fire. Related links: Learn more about how to donate to the Jewish Federation of B.C.'s Wildfires relief fund and to the Chabad of Okanagan's Fire relief efforts fund. Watch Rabbi Shmuly Hecht's supplies depot video Read about the August wildfire in 2023 that came within metres of Kelowna's Okanagan Jewish Community Centre, in The CJN . Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izizie Helenchilde (produder and video editing), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

In May, Jewish residents in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island were invited to celebrate the festival of Lag BaOmer around a bonfire. On Aug. 6, a kayak paddling excursion on Burnaby's Deer Lake attracted 30 members of that city's Jewish community. Coming up on Aug. 23, Jewish residents of Squamish and Whistler are planning a boat cruise to spot wildlife, followed by a brunch. These different events around British Columbia have something in common: they're part of a new project underway in the province in response to the measurable shift of Jewish people moving away from Vancouver's traditional Jewish corridor. Whether for affordability reasons or lifestyle choices, the populatin of Jews living outside Vancouver grew by 60 per cent, according to official figures. Jewish communities like Victoria are seeing tremendous population growth, while the Okanagan region is growing, too. That is why Vancouver's Jewish Federation officially changed its name this summer to the Jewish Federation of B.C., to better reflect the territory they intend to represent. As part of an annual budget of $1.2 million, they have hired nearly a dozen local Jewish leaders whose job it is to help boost Jewish life in places without easy access to a synagogue, kosher food and the like. Funding is also available for events and outreach, and plans are underway to hire another “community connector” for Prince George. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner checks in with two curent community connectors: Jessica Benoualid, a former Montrealer stationed in the Comox Valley, and Jenny Reznik, serving in Burnaby/New Westminster, who's fighting political battles at City Hall; and we speak with Mijal Ben-Dori, who oversees the entire outreach program and says other Jewish federations in Canada are taking notes. Related links Read more about the June 26 gathering in Whistler of B.C.'s small Jewish communities who are participating in the Jewish Federation of B.C.'s new connector program, in The CJN . Hear the Jewish Federation of B.C.'s Okanagan community connector Abbey Westbury, interviewed about Jewish life in Kelowna several years ago, on The CJN's “Yechupetzville” podcast. Learn how to contact Jewish Community Connectors in your part of British Columbia. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

Order our book here → https://israelguys.link/facing-jerusalem-9CB  Are Jewish leadership groups actually telling people to stop saying the word "Zionism"? In today's show, we dive into a controversial presentation from a Jewish Federations retreat urging young leaders to ditch the term. We also break down Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's anti-Israel rhetoric, his ties to CAIR, and the ridiculous claim that you can "love Jewish people while hating Israel." Finally, we look at Ireland's boycott of Israeli technology that backfired so hard, their own Prime Minister's new €53M plane can't even land in foggy weather! You can view our volunteer channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeiGAQTGsk9aVFGJY1c1enw   Sign up for the Prophets of Israel Daily: https://thelandofisrael.com/prophets-of-israel Join our monthly donor team https://theisraelguys.com/donate/ Regavim report on settler violence: https://www.regavim.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RegavimSilufEng0406digital.pdf   #Israel #Israelnews #heartland #JudeaandSamaria #WestBank #Bibi #Netanyahu #Gaza #PalestinianState #Lebanon #Hezbollah #Trump #Turkey #Iran  

Once the largest Jewish denomination in America, the Conservative movement is now experiencing a dramatic decline while Reform Judaism, Orthodoxy, Chabad, and independent Jewish communities reshape American Jewish life.Rabbi Daniel Levine sits down with Jay Sanderson, President and CEO of American Jewish University and former President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, to discuss the future of Conservative Judaism—and whether Jewish denominations themselves are becoming obsolete.They explore why younger Jews are increasingly reluctant to identify with a denomination, whether Reform and Modern Orthodoxy have absorbed Conservative Judaism's most successful ideas, and why Chabad has become so appealing to Jews who once might have joined traditional suburban synagogues.The conversation also examines interfaith marriage, Zionism and anti-Zionism in rabbinical schools, the rising cost of Jewish participation, and whether Jewish institutions have become too focused on fighting antisemitism at the expense of building meaningful Jewish life.Topics include:• Why Conservative Judaism is shrinking• Whether Jewish denominations still serve a purpose• Reform Judaism, Orthodoxy, and the disappearing Jewish center• Why Chabad continues to grow• Intermarriage and welcoming interfaith families• Zionism and anti-Zionism in rabbinical schools• The changing role of American synagogues• Whether America's Jewish “golden age” is ending• The Jewish community's focus on antisemitism• Why Jewish education, synagogues, and summer camps cost so much• How Jewish institutions can remain accessible and relevant⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Is Conservative Judaism collapsing?01:39 The history and purpose of Jewish denominations03:47 Why denominational Judaism is declining06:46 The changing meaning of American Jewish identity09:04 Intermarriage and Jewish belonging10:08 How Reform Judaism and Orthodoxy have changed11:04 Did Conservative Judaism succeed by influencing the other movements?13:23 Synagogues, independent minyanim, and the future of Jewish community15:25 Do Jewish denominations still serve a purpose?18:54 Israel, Zionism, and rabbinical schools22:48 What should the role of a rabbi be?23:39 Conservative Judaism and interfaith marriage25:53 Is Chabad replacing traditional synagogues?27:18 Why Chabad's financial model is so appealing29:19 Chabad as a “family bakery” rather than a franchise31:27 Is the American Jewish golden age ending?32:30 Is fighting antisemitism consuming Jewish institutional life?34:34 Building Jewish life instead of focusing only on antisemitism36:20 Antisemitism and Jewish life on college campuses38:50 Why is participating in Jewish life so expensive?40:00 Is cost really the main reason Jews disengage?41:06 Why Jewish institutions refuse to reduce expenses42:23 How much should the Jewish community spend fighting antisemitism?42:58 The most important challenge facing Jewish lifeIf you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone interested in Judaism, Jewish identity, American Jewish life, Zionism, religion, or the future of the Jewish community.#ConservativeJudaism #AmericanJudaism #JewishIdentity #Judaism #JewishCommunity #Chabad #ReformJudaism #OrthodoxJudaism #Antisemitism #Zionism #InterfaithMarriage #JewishHistory #RabbiDanielLevine #JaySanderson

Canada's largest public Jewish construction project, the JWest campus in Vancouver, has reached a significant milestone. About two weeks ago, on July 16, Vancouver's city council approved an updated rezoning proposal for the $235 million redevelopment that will build a new Jewish community centre, with a revamped Holocaust museum and a day care, a theatre and space for 20 Jewish agencies, and also a larger King David High School right next door. Eventually, the builders hope to erect two apartment towers offering 630 rental units, including some non-profit housing. Groundbreaking for the new JCC is expected this fall, according to Alex Cristall, the chair of the JWest Foundation, the fundraising arm. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, work has been underway for months on a new JCC for the Alberta capital, which hasn't had one since 2012. Edmonton's construction is expected to be finished by early in the winter of 2027, according to Stacey Leavitt-Wright, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. The $6 million project to refit an old Boy Scouts regional headquarters will build “a living room” for the city's Jewish community, she said. Unlike Vancouver's massive undertaking, Edmonton's will be on a much smaller scale. It won't have a gym or a pool. But both communities share a common goal: creating new brick and mortar hubs to provide a much-welcome meeting place for Jews who have been seeking stronger community connections since Oct. 7, 2023. On today's episode of The Canadian Jewish News' North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner speaks with Alex Cristall and Stacey Leavitt-Wright about where each project stands to date, and why they are a bet on the future growth of Jewish life in Western Canada. Related links Read about the federal funding announced for Vancouver's JWest campus project in The CJN from 2022 , Hear “North Star's first interview with Alex Cristall, JWest's chair, from that year. Learn more about JWest and Edmonton's new JCC project . Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/newsletters/ https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube. Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receip) https://thecjn.ca/north

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jewish communal executive Carmi Schwartz about lessons he's learned in his 90-plus years as a member and leader of the Jewish community. In this episode we discuss: —What draws a professional to Jewish communal work rather than business pursuits or Torah scholarship?—How does one imbue organizational and Zionist work with religious Jewish content?—What has it been like to directly witness the Jewish community's tensions around driving on Shabbat, patrilineal descent, and recognition of non-Orthodox conversions?Interview begins at 10:20.Tune in to hear a conversation about all of the forks in the road that brought us to this moment in American Jewish history.Carmi Schwartz is a longtime leader in the North American Jewish federation system. He served as Executive Vice President of the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF), one of the organizations that later merged into today's Jewish Federations of North America. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions with Jewish federations in Metropolitan New Jersey, Baltimore, Utica, Miami, and Montreal.References:No Country for Old Men (2007)For more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Greenspan dies at 100, Mayor Jones and Jewish Federation holding news conference today about Kanye, man drops sunglasses in park toilet, and latest on reflecting pool.

Too often, when people talk about Jewish life in Canada, they are really talking about Jewish life in Toronto and Montreal. But the truth is more than a quarter of Jewish Canadians live outside those cities. Yes, many still live in large cities, but Jews live in mid-sized and smaller communities, from the coasts of Nanaimo, B.C., to Sydney, N.S. These communities have a different texture, richness, set of challenges, and needs than those in the largest Jewish population centres. Today on Not in Heaven, our resident rabbis talk about some of the work happening to support Jewish life and leadership in smaller communities. We'll discuss the Jewish Federation of British Columbia's Community Connector program, which partners with local Jewish leaders across the province to facilitate whatever Jewish culture looks like in their grassroots community, and the Shalom Hartman Institute's Courageous Leadership Canada Initiative, which brought together lay and professional leaders from small and mid-sized communities to study, collaborate, and reflect on common challenges. Credits Hosts: Avi Finegold, Yedida Eisenstat, Matthew Leibl Production team: Zachary Judah Kauffman (editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Socalled Support The CJN Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Not in Heaven (Not sure how? Click here )

What Does Your Legacy Really Mean? When you hear the word legacy, what comes to mind? A name on a building? A foundation created after you're gone? Or something far simpler — the way you show up every day and the impact you quietly leave behind? I sat down with Kari Alterman, founder of Good Name Advisors, to explore how each of us can shape our legacy with intention — starting now, not someday. Kari helps individuals and families clarify their values, elevate their giving, and preserve their good name through thoughtful, lasting philanthropy. What struck me most in our conversation is that legacy isn't about wealth or waiting until the end of life. It's about how you treat people, where you choose to give, and how you align your actions with your values today. My Take Too many people wait to think about their legacy. They assume it starts with money or ends with a big gesture. Kari reframed this for us: legacy is built moment by moment — through kindness, intention, and generosity that matches who you are. Whether you give $5,000, $50, or just your time, what matters most is purpose and INTENT.

Bruce Pearl, Former College Basketball Coach joins to talk him headlining the Jewish Federation of St. Louis Men's Event at The Factory in June 3rd.

Catherine Hanaway, Missouri Attorney General discussing blue states suit against Trump's Election Integrity, her message to clerks who may not use the new gerrymandered maps and now handle any legal proceedings regarding Sam Page ethics probe for moonlighting. Andy Banker from Fox 2 joins to talk about the Fox 2 special on the one year since the tornado. Bruce Pearl, Former College Basketball Coach joins to talk him headlining the Jewish Federation of St. Louis Men's Event at The Factory in June 3rd. Dan Reardon on the PGA Championship and an audio cut of the day.

Today on the Mark Reardon Show; Mark Reardon is joined by Jeff Rainford, with Rainford and Associates; former chief of staff to Mayor Slay and Tim Fitch, Former STL County Councilman and former STL County Police Chief. Discussing one year later of the tornado, Mayor Spencer says police board trying to decimate the city, President Trump finishes trip to China, and more. Dave Murray, 97.1 Chief Meteorologist joins to talk tornado 1 year later. Paul Hall with Common Guy Films joins Mark Reardon to discuss what movies are worth the watch. KSDK Sports Director Frank Cusumano joins to talk about the Cardinals, Mizzou/SLU basketball and more. Catherine Hanaway, Missouri Attorney General discussing blue states suit against Trump's Election Integrity, her message to clerks who may not use the new gerrymandered maps and now handle any legal proceedings regarding Sam Page ethics probe for moonlighting. Andy Banker from Fox 2 joins to talk about the Fox 2 special on the one year since the tornado. Bruce Pearl, Former College Basketball Coach joins to talk him headlining the Jewish Federation of St. Louis Men's Event at The Factory in June 3rd. Dan Reardon on the PGA Championship. Plus Sue's News and an Audio Cut of the Day.

Despite a shift in voting by local legislators yesterday, the future of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus still hangs in the balance.Then: Two Democratic challengers are trying to take the U.S. House seat held by Greg Steube in the Sarasota district. Today, we bring you a profile of Allen Spence.Next: The Old Memphis graveyard in Palmetto, a historically Black cemetery, has been vandalized. We tell you what happened.Then: If you're wondering about that growing dirt pile on the parking lot of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, we have some answers. Finally: A group of Jewish community activists launched an organization on the Suncoast that they say is more free to take on local issues. We're trying to understand how they are not just another Jewish Federation.

A little over two years ago, on April 15, 2024, David Sachs of Ottawa's Jewish Federation was leaving an interfaith iftar event near Parliament Hill. He was wearing a kippah. Outside the government building, anti-Israel protesters were waiting. In his victim impact statement earlier this week, Sachs told the court he feared for his life during those “absolutely horrific” moments when he was swarmed, hit on the head, screamed at with anti-Israel insults, then followed for four blocks as he tried to escape, all while a dangerously loud electronic whistle was blasted near his ears. Everyone in the crowd wore masks except well-known Ottawa protester Deana Sherif, who wore a keffiyeh and brandished the whistle. Ottawa police later arrested Sherif and charged her with eight offences, including resisting a police officer and two hate-motivated charges. Some stemmed from another confrontation that same day involving Conservative MP Brad Vis of British Columbia, who was trying to go the gym. Her trial ended in February. Sherif was convicted on two of the original charges. The Crown did not concentrate on the hate-motivated allegations at trial, even though the judge agreed some of the shouted insults were antisemitic, but found Sherif herself was not the person making them. On May 6, the judge sentenced her to the 17 months she had already spent in custody, plus one year probation, a peace bond, and a decade-long ban on using the loud whistle or possessing other weapons. On this episode of The CJN's “North Star” podcast, David Sachs explains why he believes the convictions were significant — but also why he feels the outcome fell short without hate-related findings. We also hear from University of Ottawa antisemitism adviser Jonathan Calof, who warns anti-Jewish hatred in Canada is no longer confined to street protests, but is becoming institutionalized. Related links How twice-convicted Ottawa protester Deana Sherif played a role in organizing and promoting the 2026 Al-Quds Day parade and rally in Toronto, in The CJN . Learn more about Prof. Jonathan Calof, the special advisor on antisemitism appointed by Ottawa University in early 2025, Read David Sachs' comments after an Ottawa man pleaded guilty in Feb. 2025 to sending hateful messages to local physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth in Feb. 2025, in The CJN. **** Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here ) Watch our podcasts on YouTube. Help others find this podcast by leaving us a review for “North Star” on Apple Podcasts via your iPhone or iPad device, or with your Android. (Spotify allows only starred ratings but you can do that, too!)

In this energizing and highly practical episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes Lisa Hacker, Director of Philanthropic Planning for the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, for a thoughtful and forward-looking conversation about fundraising with millennials and Gen Z. The episode begins by challenging one of the sector's most outdated assumptions: millennials are no longer merely “the next generation” of donors, they are already here, already giving, and increasingly shaping the future of philanthropy. Lisa explains that her organization began preparing for this shift nearly two decades ago, recognizing both a transfer of wealth and the importance of building donor relationships long before individuals reach their peak earning years. Bill reinforces that point with research showing that while boomers still give the most per household, millennials have already surpassed their parents in average annual household giving, a striking reminder that fundraisers must stop thinking of younger donors as a future audience and start engaging them as a present reality. What makes the conversation especially useful is how clearly Bill and Lisa separate what remains timeless in fundraising from what truly needs to evolve. The essentials, mission, impact, transparency, trust, and long-term relationship building, remain unchanged. Lisa emphasizes that donors of every generation still want to see meaningful outcomes, hear compelling stories, and understand how their gifts make a difference. What is changing, however, is the way younger generations prefer to engage. Millennials, in particular, are drawn to social media, peer-to-peer influence, and opportunities to document and share their own experiences rather than simply consume polished institutional messaging. As Bill notes, they do not just want to receive the organization's photos, they want to take the selfies and “usies” themselves. Lisa offers a vivid example through Cincinnati's ATID program, a cohort-based leadership and philanthropy initiative for emerging Jewish leaders, where participants meet monthly for values-based learning, relationship building, and candid conversations about community responsibility. The program's success is measured not only in increased giving, but in something deeper: participants continued gathering even after the formal cohort ended, a strong sign that the experience created genuine ownership and connection. As the episode concludes, the focus broadens from millennials to the wider pipeline of next-generation philanthropy, including Gen Z, and this is where the discussion becomes especially valuable for practitioners thinking long term. Lisa describes how the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati is building a sequence of engagement opportunities, from early social and educational entry points to more structured leadership development, helping younger adults find their place in community life before asking them to shoulder major philanthropic responsibility. Bill draws out the larger lesson beautifully: engaging younger donors is not about mastering slang, chasing trends, or pretending to be someone you are not. It is about listening, inviting participation, and treating donors as collaborators rather than transactions. Lisa's advice to veteran fundraisers is especially strong and reassuring, have fun with it, bring younger colleagues into the conversation, and do not be afraid to ask questions. The episode leaves listeners with an encouraging and deeply practical message: successful next-generation fundraising is not about abandoning proven principles, but about applying them with openness, curiosity, and the humility to let younger donors help shape what comes next.

What moral lessons should we take from the Holocaust? In 1998, the late Israeli Holocaust historian Yehuda Bauer told the Bundestag about the three additional commandments the world had learned in the wake of the Shoah: “Thou shalt not be a perpetrator; thou shalt not be a victim; and thou shalt never, but never, be a bystander.” The first, "never be a perpetrator," was embraced most strongly by the Jewish left. The second, "never be a victim," became a raison d'etre of the Jewish right. But the message with the largest purchase on civic institutions—within and beyond the Jewish community—was the third, "never be a bystander," underlying school curricula, public museums, and national monuments. How Holocaust education shapes young people's views on Jews and Israel was ignited in recent months by the author and former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz. “Holocaust education is absolutely essential," she said onstage at the opening session of the General Assembly of Jewish Federations of North America. "But I think it may be confusing some of our young people about antisemitism, because they learn about big, strong Nazis hurting weak, emaciated Jews.... So when on TikTok, all day long, they see powerful Israelis hurting weak, skinny Palestinians, it's not surprising that they think, ‘Oh, I know the lesson of the Holocaust is you fight Israel. You fight the big, powerful people hurting the weak people.'” Today on Not in Heaven, our hosts discuss the messages of Holocaust education, whether the moral lessons we draw from the Holocaust are too binary—powerful vs. powerless, oppressor vs. oppressed—and if Holocaust education should be seen as a tool for advancing a modern social agenda at all. Credits Hosts: Avi Finegold, Yedida Eisenstat, Matthew Leibl Production team: Zachary Judah Kauffman (editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Socalled Support The CJN Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Not in Heaven (Not sure how? Click here )

SDPD are investigating after a man was stabbed in the head near Petco Park. Plus, the Jewish Federation of San Diego marked Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a community ceremony in La Jolla. And, San Diego Padres fans are concerned about Nick Pivetta after getting pulled during Sunday's game. Here's NBC 7's Marianne Kushi with the top stories of the day and NBC 7 Meteorologist Brooke Martell with your forecast.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. - How to Break a Union From the Inside: The NFL Players Association, Pt. 1 - How to Break a Union From the Inside: The NFL Players Association, Pt. 2 - The Jewish Bund and Political Imagination - Nigeria with Andrew - Executive Disorder: FEMA Teleportation, Pam Bondi Fired, Iran Ceasefire? You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today! http://apple.co/coolerzone Cool Zone is nominated for 3 Webby Awards! Submit your votes by April 16th! Behind the Bastards - https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/features/experimental-innovation It Could Happen Here - https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/limited-series-specials/news-politics Migrating to America - https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/limited-series-specials/documentary Sources/Links: How to Break a Union From the Inside: The NFL Players Association https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45769802/ex-nflpa-boss-lloyd-howell-strip-club-expenses-sent-investigator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42Wq3fmTYg https://youtu.be/SwVNM266nCM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjOpA-N24Cc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-dN5xO7r The Jewish Bund and Political Imagination Here Where We Live is Our Country - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646320/here-where-we-live-is-our-country-by-molly-crabapple/ We Need New Jewish Institutions by Arielle Angel - https://jewishcurrents.org/we-need-new-jewish-institutions Jewish Federations of North America polling - https://www.inss.org.il/social_media/jfna-survey-finds-just-37-of-jewish-americans-identify-as-zionists/ Executive Disorder: FEMA Teleportation, Pam Bondi Fired, Iran Ceasefire? https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/08/trump-threatens-50-percent-tariffs-on-iran-arms-supplies- Sources: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/08/trump-threatens-50-percent-tariffs-on-iran-arms-supplies-his-legal-path-is-murky-00863519 https://www.wisn.com/article/author-of-banned-book-calls-out-menomonee-falls-district/45840156 https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-announces-50-tariffs-nations-supplying-iran-with-weapons-2026-04-08/ https://aomeara.com/section-338-and-the-ghost-of-smoot-hawley/ https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13006 https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/08/trump-threatens-tariffs-countries-supplying-weapons-iran-ceasefire.html https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11346 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/elections/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-polls.html https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-scores-f-accurate-pollster-11797710 https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5819659-trump-approval-rating-democrats/ https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5810850-trump-approval-hits-new-low/ https://www.npr.org/2026/04/08/nx-s1-5770114/democrats-wisconsin-georgia-election-shift-overperformance-trump https://x.com/Kalshi/status/2041503849991516661?s=20 https://www.imeupolicyproject.org/polls/tx-primary https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/impd-shots-fired-into-indianapolis-city-county-councilors-home/ https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2041938354858582151?s=20 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/world/middleeast/shelly-kittleson-journalist-iraq.html https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?sponsor=456810#text=Dignidad https://truthsocial.com/@greggphillips/posts/116329963429212640 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/us/fema-gregg-phillips-waffle-house-teleportation.html https://x.com/ElizLanders/status/2041878299454955640/photo/1 https://x.com/jonkarl/status/2041839012097229086?s=20 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-news-conference-iran/ https://www.cbsnews.com/projects/2026/us-military-rescue-iran/ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/6/trump-says-us-armed-iranian-dissidents-via-kurds-kurdish-groups-deny-claim https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2041422908166127898?s=20 https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2041429864335446102?s=20 https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2041073575273156670?s=20 https://theaviationist.com/2026/04/05/u-s-rescues-downed-f-15e-wso-deep-inside-iran/ https://www.nbcnews.com/video/trump-threatens-jail-time-over-f-15-story-leak-260769349590 https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116351998782539414 https://abcnews.com/US/fbi-scene-ice-involved-shooting-patterson-california/story?id=131812411 https://x.com/DaniellaMicaela/status/2041886308964913229 https://x.com/OversightDems/status/2041900181977718843 https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/lee-m-zeldin/about https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2026/04/5-things-know-about-lee-zeldin-he-tops-trumps-list-ag/412647/ https://nynow.wmht.org/blogs/politics/why-rep-zeldin-now-running-for-governor-says-he-voted-against-the-2020-election-results/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/us/politics/pam-bondi-attorney-general-trump.html https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/07/politics/todd-blanche-nobody-knows-why-bondi-was-fired https://x.com/RepNancyMace/status/2041906771074138402See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is really happening with Zionism among Jews today?In this episode of The Long Path Podcast, we sit down with Mimi Kravetz, Chief Impact and Growth Officer at the Jewish Federations of North America, where she leads research and strategy on Jewish identity, engagement, and attitudes toward Israel across North America.Together, we break down the recent JFNA poll data showing a surge in Zionism, and what it actually tells us about the current moment. While headlines often focus on the rise of anti-Zionist voices, the data suggests a far more complex reality.We explore the terms “Zionism gap” and “Zionism surge,” unpacking how different generations of Jews relate to Israel today—and whether the narrative of a growing movement of anti-Zionist Jews reflects reality or perception.The conversation also goes beyond the data into a deeper question: what does Jewish community building look like right now? As polarization grows online and in public discourse, Mimi shares insights into how communities can strengthen connections, rebuild trust, and create meaningful engagement.Topics discussed include:• The latest JFNA polling on Zionism• What the “Zionism gap” and “Zionism surge” really mean• Are anti-Zionist Jews actually on the rise?• The gap between online narratives and real-world data• The future of Jewish community building• Bridging generational and ideological dividesIf you're trying to understand the evolving relationship between Jews, Israel, and Jewish identity today, this episode provides essential context and clarity.Follow The Long Path Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelongpathpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelongpathpodLearn more about Z3:https://z3project.org#Zionism #JewishCommunity #Israel #JewishIdentity #JewishPodcast

On this episode, Jewish Federation of Greater Portland Director of Jewish Life and Learning (and Friend of the Podcast) Dr. Yosef Rosen talks about the basic elements of a Passover Seder, the history of the practice and how to make this tradition your own. Today's episode is adapted from Dr. Rosen's 2015 "How to Host a Passover Seder," available in full at youtube.com/watch?v=Gf1qLhWZDjk.

Shabbat Sermon by guest speaker, Rabbi Noah Farkas, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, March 28, 2026. (You Tube)

On this episode, host Rockne Roll concludes the Art of Judaism series with Portland mixed-media artist and Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education Acquisitions Committee member Jennifer Rabin. They talk about her journey into art, the museum's Collecting Forward initiative to support local artists and take another shot at defining "What is Jewish art?"Learn more about OJMCHE's Collecting Forward Initiative at https://www.ojmche.org/collections/collecting-forward.The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland's Gather Grants program is back to help you do Jewish your way! Learn more and apply today at https://jewishportland.org/ourcommunity/gathergrants.

Welcome back to Just For This. Each week, host Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (she/her) interviews women in leadership about women and leadership. Inspired by the story of Esther, we feature powerful stories of women who stand out in their fields, who have stepped up just for this moment.  Our guest this week is Mimi Kravetz, the Chief Impact & Growth Officer at the Jewish Federations of North America. We talk about the Surge, a term coined in JFNA national surveys that describes an uptick in Jewish engagement across the United States post-October 7, 2023. Many people indicated that they centered their Jewish identities for the first time within their communities or for those already involved they increased engagement in Jewish life. We discuss what it means to feel deeply Jewish and unpack the debates about the Zionism gap in our Jewish communities.  Follow Just For This on Instagram: @justforthispodcast  

Send a textIn this captivating episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we welcome the multi-talented Calvin Swartz, a former pharmacist turned novelist, paranormal investigator, and educator. Calvin shares his extraordinary journey that has taken him from a challenging start in the pharmacy world to becoming a successful author and professor at Rutgers University. He recounts the life-altering moment when he survived a horrific car accident, which reshaped his perspective on fear and spirituality. Calvin also discusses his recent literary projects, including his latest book, *10 Things I Learned from the Billionaire*, and his award-winning novel, *A Tortoise in My Hair*, blending humor with profound themes of mortality. Join us as we delve into Calvin's experiences with paranormal investigations, the lessons he learned from extreme wealth, and his insights on aging and personal transformation. This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration and wisdom for anyone looking to embrace life's twists and turns with resilience and creativity.Want to be a guest on Living the Dream with Curveball? Send Curtis Jackson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1628631536976x919760049303001600mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Join us for this episode of Civic Warriors, where we speak with Jason Shames, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. Jason will discuss his professional background and journey to the Federation, as well as his personal connection to its mission. He will highlight key programs and their impact on the community, share what a typical day looks like as CEO, and emphasize the importance of strong board and staff support. Jason will also explore how he builds and cultivates leadership within his team, offer his top management insights, and reflect on what lies ahead for the Federation's future.Support the show

Let's go back to the days of 2019 where Taylor Swift was all about the pastel colors, the sparkles, getting on Instagram Lives, easter egging like crazy, having embarrassing interviews set up by her mom, and more. We are here to teach you everything you need to know about the Lover era. We share an overview of the era, along with all the fun, crazy, and even sad, moments from Taylor's life during this time. From teaching you what "five holes in the fence" means to discussing Lover Fest getting cancelled and the sale of her masters, the Lover era had a lot of moments that need to be discussed and we are here to teach you about it all!SPONSORS:Dime Beauty 20% off (TYPICALTUESDAYNIGHT) // https://go.shopmy.us/p-22911520Get Away Today $10 off (TTN10) https://www.getawaytoday.com/?referrerid=9380Taylor Swift Podcast || Best Taylor Swift Podcast || Taylor Swift Albums || Taylor Swift Lover Album || Lover Album Send a textmosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFollow along to hear a new Taylor Swift related episode every single Tuesday.Watch our episodes on YouTube!Follow Us On Social Media:Typical Tuesday Night Podcast @typicaltuesdaynight.podcastKarli @everyday_ellisJess @jess.taitJoin our Patreon for bonus episodes and exclusive Taylor Swift group chat!Shop Our Merch!Feel free to contact us at typicaltuesdaynightpodcast@gmail.com

Send a textIn this insightful episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we welcome Saul Cohen, a seasoned accounting and acquisitions advisor dedicated to empowering business owners to transition from operators to investors. Saul shares his passion for entrepreneurship and the pivotal role it plays in fostering community and societal change. He elaborates on his journey from working at PwC to specializing in acquisitions advising, highlighting the importance of understanding business valuations and tax strategies for successful exits. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the mindset shift required for effective leadership, the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when planning their exit, and the significance of early tax planning. Join us as Saul offers practical advice on identifying growth opportunities and achieving true financial freedom, along with a success story that underscores the transformative power of strategic acquisitions. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur looking to enhance their business acumen and navigate the complexities of growth and exit strategies.Want to be a guest on Living the Dream with Curveball? Send Curtis Jackson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1628631536976x919760049303001600Support the showmosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send a textIn this compelling episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we sit down with Mark Jeffreys, a remarkable leader whose journey from ballet protege to elected official is nothing short of inspiring. Handpicked by the legendary George Balanchine, Mark's early life in the arts was tragically altered when he lost his mother and brother at a young age. Rather than let these hardships define him, Mark used them as a catalyst for resilience and community engagement. Now serving as a councilman in Cincinnati, he shares his insights on leadership, the importance of shared support, and the transformative power of personal stories. Mark discusses his transition from the arts to corporate leadership at Procter & Gamble, where he learned valuable lessons on authenticity and the significance of personal power. He also delves into his work with the nonprofit Go Vibrant, aimed at promoting active lifestyles, and his innovative tech startup that leverages AI for healthier decision-making. Join us for an enlightening conversation that underscores the necessity of community, the impact of civic responsibility, and the pursuit of purpose in all aspects of life. Discover how Mark's initiatives are reshaping Cincinnati and inspiring others to create change.Want to be a guest on Living the Dream with Curveball? Send Curtis Jackson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1628631536976x919760049303001600mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Recently, the Jewish Federation of North America released a poll they conducted last year that shows that while 88% of respondents said they “believe Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state,” only 37% identified as “Zionist.” A small number identified as “anti-Zionist” and “non-Zionist,” 7% and 8% respectively, with a plurality answering “not sure” (18%) or “none of these” (30%). These numbers are confusing; they seem to indicate that while Zionist identification is waning—perhaps due to the stink of the term amid the genocide—the underlying commitment to a Jewish state, albeit one paradoxically imagined as “democratic,” is not. At the recent Conference on the Jewish Left at Boston University, nearly every presentation discussed or confronted questions about the terms “Zionist” and “anti-Zionist,” and whether they had enough of an agreed-upon meaning within the community to be useful terms to organize around. On this episode of On the Nose, editor-in-chief Arielle Angel speaks with Ari Lev Fornari, senior rabbi at Kol Tzedek in Philadelphia; Dove Kent, interim executive director of Diaspora Alliance and former executive director of Jews For Racial and Economic Justice; and Fadi Quran, the senior director at Avaaz and a Ramallah-based strategist and organizer. They try to make sense of the recent polling numbers and discuss different strategic considerations about using the Z-word in organizing contexts, including how to welcome newcomers to the Palestine liberation movement without coddling them.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Media Mentioned and Further ReadingJFNA Survey of Jewish Life since October 7 – Zionism Findings“The ‘Zionism' gap: What JFNA data really shows about Jews, Israel and Zionism today,” Mimi Kravetz, JTACombined Jewish Philanthropies' 2025 Greater Boston Jewish Community Study“Do American Jews Really Know What ‘Zionism' Means?,” Mira Sucharov, HaaretzJewish Electorate Institute July 2021 National Survey of Jewish VotersSynagogues Rising2026 Conference on the Jewish Left sessions on YouTubeTranscript forthcoming.

On this episode, host Rockne Roll continues the conversation around contemporary Jewish art with Art/Lab founder and director Shoshana Gugenheim Kedem. They discuss Art/Lab's founding, the world of its alumni and take another run at trying to define Jewish art. Learn more at artlabpdx.org. Check out more about contemporary Jewish art in Portland at northwestjewishartists.org and ojmche.org.Contribute to the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland's Passover4All campaign at jewishportland.org/passover4all26.

The conversations around Israel and Zionism have become increasingly fraught, often resulting in heated arguments and a flurry of talking points. For many, finding space for context and nuance in such a charged and confusing landscape can be difficult. To address this void, the Jewish Federations of North America produced a series titled Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism. They want to bring this sponsored episode to our Daily Briefing listeners to help you move away from slogans and explore the history, ideas, and tensions shaping today’s discourse. Today, we are sharing Episode 6 from that series, titled "The Debate: Simple Labels Don't Work." This episode examines why common terminology often fails to capture reality and encourages listeners to examine their own assumptions. Whether you are looking for a refresher on the historical context or trying to navigate the current social media environment, this episode offers a look at the intellectual and political framework of the region. You can find the full series, along with additional educational resources and videos, at understandingisrael.org or by searching for the show on your preferred podcast platform. Here is Episode 6 of Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism, brought to you by the Jewish Federations of North America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Starr is the Vice President of Educational Operations and Regional Strategy for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, where she leads the design and implementation process for educational initiatives and guides the regional hubs across the US and Canada. She lives in Southfield, Michigan and works closely with local partners and institutions throughout southeast Michigan. Rebecca is a respected educator and community organizer. She served as an assistant director at Federation's Alliance for Jewish education at the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, where she planned and taught professional development classes for teachers in congregational and day schools. She directed and was an instructor at the award-winning Detroit branch of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School. Rebecca also worked for the National Ramah Commission and Camp Ramah in Canada and expanded educational and outreach initiatives. Raised on a sheep farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Rebecca is a proud product of the University of Michigan where she earned undergraduate degrees in education and Judaic studies as well as a master's degree in social work and a certificate in Jewish communal service. She is married to Rabbi Aaron Starr, a graduate of Hartman's Rabbinic Leadership Initiative (RLI), and they are the proud parents of two sons.   Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/ Website: https://jondwoskin.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.com Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!   Connect with Rebecca Starr: Website: https://www.hartman.org.il/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShalomHartmanInstitute X: https://twitter.com/Hartman_Inst Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalomhartmaninstitute YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HartmanInstitute Podcasts: https://www.hartman.org.il/program/identity-crisis-podcast/ – Identity Crisis Podcast https://www.hartman.org.il/program/for-heavens-sake-podcast/ – For Heaven's Sake Podcast                                                                                   *E – explicit language may be used in this podcast.

This archival episode (2015) is dedicated to Bobby Hart, one of the most iconic songwriters and record producers of our time who passed away this week. Along with his partner Tommy Boyce, their music has sold over 40 million records. Best known for writing and producing the many number one hits of the legendary Monkees, our conversation about his book, “Psychedelic Bubble Gum,” gives us more to chew on than you could ever imagine. The heavens are rocking now and you will be forever missed on this planet. mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send a textIn this insightful episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we welcome Dr. Lee Baucom, a renowned relationship coach and the creator of the globally recognized Save the Marriage system. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Baucom has dedicated his career to helping couples navigate the complexities of marriage and relationship success. He shares his journey from therapist to coach, highlighting the importance of connection in relationships and the detrimental effects of the "pause button" phenomenon that many couples experience. Dr. Baucom discusses his three dimensions of connection—physical, emotional, and spiritual—and offers practical strategies for couples to reconnect and thrive together. He also addresses common misconceptions about marriage problems, the impact of individual fears on relationships, and how one person can initiate positive change within a partnership. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that emphasizes the power of teamwork in marriage and the vital role of communication and connection. Discover more about Dr. Baucom's work at savethemarriage.com, and learn how to revive your relationship today.Want to be a guest on Living the Dream with Curveball? Send Curtis Jackson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1628631536976x919760049303001600mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send a textIn this electrifying episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we chat with Steve Sxaks, a punk rocker turned audio engineer, award-winning educator, and published author. Steve shares his incredible journey from the Philadelphia punk rock scene to founding Marston House Recording, a studio that has become a cornerstone for artists across genres. With over 16 years of experience producing music, Steve reveals the unique connection he found between punk rock and hip hop, and how this fusion has influenced his work. He discusses the importance of artist trust, the creative process behind the Marston House Ciphers, and the valuable lessons he learned from his time in the military that shaped his approach to music education and leadership. Steve also dives into his new book, *Invasion of the Punk Rockers Who Drink Blood*, offering insights into its relatable themes and the lived experiences that inspired it. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that celebrates creativity, authenticity, and the power of community in the music industry. Don't miss out on Steve's upcoming projects and collaborations that are sure to make waves in the underground scene!mosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWhile many may think of Swift's magnificent octopus as a mere children's adventure tale, it is, in fact, one of the darkest and most troubling satires in the English language.  Written as the Enlightenment began asserting rationality as the measure of all things, Gulliver's Travels questions the very premises of western culture themselves.  Link to Gulliver's Travels: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17157/17157-h/17157-h.htmmosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you! If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small donation. Click the "Support the Show" button. So grateful! Or Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/classicenglishliterature Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.Podcast Theme Music: "Rejoice" by G.F. Handel, perf. The Advent Chamber OrchestraSubcast Theme Music: "Sons of the Brave" by Thomas Bidgood, perf. The Band of the Irish GuardsSound effects and incidental music: Freesounds.orgMy thanks and appreciation to all the generous providers!

Did you know that 29% of American Jews struggle to make ends meet? What you are about to hear is a session from the 2025 Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly,  the JFNA GA, entitled Redefining Jewish Life Through the Lens of Economic Reality. In this session, we examined 2025 data on Jewish poverty in America, and discussed how our communal narratives about money and class obscure the real experiences of Jews across the economic spectrum. The first speaker you'll hear is Rachel Sumekh, Entrepreneur and CEO of Together Ending Need. You'll also hear from Jon Hornstein, Program Director at The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, and our own Rabbi Shira. To see some of the data referenced in this episode, go to togetherendingneed.org/gaNew episodes of Chutzpod will be back February 25th! Send your questions and comments to chutzpod@gmail.com. Make sure you're subscribed, spread the word, and we'll talk to you then! Support Chutzpod!Submit a questionContact Chutzpod!Subscribe to ChutzstackFollow Hanna on InstagramFollow Shira on InstagramFollow Shira on FacebookFollow Chutzpod on FacebookFollow Chutzpod on Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Send us a textIn this episode, we hear directly from our listeners as they share what they needed most while growing up and how the absence of those needs can show up in adulthood. Together, we explore how to navigate uncertainty, heal through drastic changes in relationships and friendships, and find the courage to move forward even when the ground feels unsteady.If you have a question or need guidance on a pressing situation, click the link below to share.https://www.seasoneddialogue.com/seasoneddialoguemosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textIn this dynamic episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we dive into the booming world of supplements with industry expert John Smiddy, founder of Nutra Marketers. With over 200 products launched across various platforms, John shares his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the critical factors that separate successful supplement brands from the rest. From his early beginnings selling rocks as a child to navigating the complexities of the supplement industry, he reveals the importance of mindset, market research, and compliance in building a brand. John discusses innovative trends like nanotechnology and personalized supplementation that are reshaping the market, and how to monetize trust while maintaining credibility. He also provides invaluable insights into customer acquisition, retention strategies, and the common pitfalls new founders face. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or simply curious about the supplement landscape, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration. Explore more about John's work and Nutra Marketers at nutramarketers.commosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textIn this electrifying episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we welcome national recording artist and theater headliner Michael Cagle, whose dynamic career has garnered praise from icons like Ed McMahon, Reba McIntyre, and Patti LaBelle. Michael shares his journey from performing on stage to embracing the recording studio, revealing the challenges and triumphs he faced along the way. With a powerful 4.5-octave vocal range and a passion for storytelling, he discusses how his musical theater background has shaped his artistry and connection with audiences. Michael opens up about his commitment to equality and how his personal experiences influence his songwriting, including his upcoming albums set to release in 2026. Join us as we dive into Michael's incredible story of resilience, creativity, and the importance of staying true to oneself in the competitive music industry. Don't miss out on this inspiring conversation that showcases the heart and soul of an artist dedicated to making a difference through music. Discover more about Michael and his work at www.michaelcagleonline.com.check out this top 45 list of dream life podcasts from feedspot https://podcast.feedspot.com/dream_life_podcasts/?feedid=5764895&_src=f1_featured_emailmosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

This week, Ted welcomes co-host Samantha Wolkoff and new guest Hallie Kantor from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati onto the podcast to read and discuss the latest edition of the American Israelite.

On Sunday, a Hanukkah celebration in Australia was interrupted by a horrific shooting which killed at least 15 people. At Brown University in Rhode Island, a gunman shot and killed two students and left nine injured at a Saturday exam study session. In light of these tragedies, we're re-releasing a conversation about violence and antisemitism between Mike Cosper, Rabbi Joshua Stanton, and Bishop Robert Stearns. Then, Australian Steve Cuss of CT Media's Being Human podcast drops by with a Christmas meditation on the hospitality of God to those the world considers strangers.  REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: -Trump Disses Putin, Kermit Speaks at Graduation, and The Israeli Embassy Suffers Loss - The Bulletin -Hosted by God at Christmastime - Being Human with Steve Cuss GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Follow the Being Human podcast. -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Rabbi Joshua Stanton is associate vice president for interfaith and intergroup initiatives at the Jewish Federations of North America. He is also on the board of governors with the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, which presides over Jewish-Christian relations with the Vatican.   Bishop Robert Stearns is the founder and executive director of Eagles' Wings and the presiding bishop of the historic Tabernacle Church in Buffalo, New York. Stearns serves as president of the Israel Christian Nexus in Los Angeles and has ministered in more than 30 nations around the world, with a central focus on the nation of Israel.  Steve Cuss is a pastor, former chaplain, and founder of Capable Life which helps people lower internal and relational anxiety in the workplace and at home. He is the author of Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs and The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God. Steve hosts the CT Media podcast, Being Human. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl—Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City and the first Asian-American to be ordained as a rabbi in North America—recounts her experience of going from feeling like an outsider to becoming one of the most admired religious leaders in the world and offers a spiritual guide for everyday living. In conversation with David Leonhardt, an editorial director for New York Times Opinion and the author of Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream. This event was held on October 22, 2025, presented by Sixth & I with support from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and promotional support from the Union for Reform Judaism.

In this 302nd episode, Bret Weinstein podcasts solo, giving Heather Heying a much-needed break while she recovers from the flu. He shares his thoughts on modern marriage, discusses the troubling Italian farm-family story, and explains what Sarah Hurwitz's revealing comments mean to outsiders. To finish his mission, he answers questions  submitted over X and Locals during the stream.*****Our sponsors:Masa Chips: Delicious chips made with corn, salt, and beef tallow—nothing else—in loads of great flavors. Go to http://masachips.com/DarkHorse, use code DarkHorse, for 25% off.Manukora: the most flavorful, delicious, and nutritious honey you'll ever have. Get $25 off your starter kit at http://www.Manukora.com/DarkHorseARMRA: Colostrum is our first food, and can help restore your health and resilience as an adult. Go to http://www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.comHeather's newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this Episode:Nathan Trevallion and his family live ‘off-grid https://x.com/Telegraph/status/1989367754856472819They have taken the children away from the “FAMILY IN THE WOODS” https://x.com/ProVitaFamiglia/status/1991946029080707501Tweet "Fmr Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz laments to Jewish Federation" https://x.com/infolibnews/status/1990634043218534790Support the show

Former Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz made some very revealing remarks during an appearance at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly on Sunday, expressing frustration with the way younger Jews are dismissing pro-Israel arguments because of the carnage they've seen in Gaza. Tim Foley.

Abby Smith is the President and CEO of Team Pennsylvania, where she leads statewide efforts to build strategic public-private partnerships that address long-term challenges no single sector can solve alone. With more than 20 years of experience in policy, strategy, and cross-sector collaboration, Abby has held leadership roles advancing economic development, education, and workforce initiatives in Pennsylvania and beyond. She previously served as Team Pennsylvania's Vice President of Policy & Programs and Senior Advisor to the Foundation, and earlier in her career worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Teach For America, and as a 7th grade social studies teacher. Abby holds degrees from Yale University, The Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University. A recipient of the Above & Beyond Award honoring Pennsylvania women of public and civic leadership, she also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg and the Jewish Community Center, where she led the acquisition of the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life. She lives in Hershey, Pennsylvania with her husband, twin sons, and dog, Comet.