Some of the most powerful acts of service begin not with a business plan, but with a broken heart. For Sara Jacobs, the loss of her mother became the foundation for a life built on compassion, community, and the belief that healing often happens not when we turn inward, but when we turn outward.

Sara is a mother, Kabbalah teacher, and founder and executive director of Maman, a grassroots nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid and community support to individuals and families facing illness, crisis, and hardship across the U.S. and Israel. What began as a natural instinct to show up for others in her community has grown into a movement that has mobilized thousands of volunteers and touched countless lives. In this conversation, Sara and I reflect on our shared history, the spiritual foundations that shaped her, and the quiet, powerful ways that giving back can become its own form of healing.

In this episode, Sara shares:

• How watching her mother fight for her life as a teenager shifted her entire perspective and planted the seeds of Maman
• The spiritual foundation she built early on, rooted in Kabbalah, and why she began hosting women’s spirituality gatherings long before Maman existed
• How postpartum depression after the birth of her third child, combined with a pivotal conversation with her rabbi, became the unexpected catalyst for launching Maman
• Why imposter syndrome was one of her earliest and hardest challenges as a founder, and how she learned to lead a volunteer-based organization
• How walking into the homes of families in crisis brought both healing and grief, and why she kept showing up anyway
• The surprising ways that serving others has filled her own cup, even when she felt empty
• Why she tells young women navigating loss that they don’t have to become their mother, and what she says instead
• How giving back has strengthened her resilience, and why she believes that paying it forward is the work

✨Follow me on Instagram @Journey.with.rita_

✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, psychological, financial, or legal advice

References:

• Learn more about Maman at www.mamanla.org
• Connect with Sara Jacobs on Instagram @mamannonprofit

• Connect with Rita @journey.with.rita_ and @ritanaffasdesign
• Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources

What if the secret to a better day isn't what you do during it, but how you begin it?

Before the emails, the responsibilities, the endless to-do lists, and the demands of everyone around you, there is an opportunity to set the tone for the day ahead. And sometimes, just a few intentional minutes can make all the difference.

In this episode, we're exploring the magic of mornings and how simple rituals can help you feel more grounded, focused, energized, and intentional in the way you move through life.

Drawing from practices I've developed over the last decade, many born out of necessity during some of life's most challenging seasons, I'll share how mindfulness, gratitude, visualization, and small daily habits can help us build resilience, find clarity, and approach each day with greater purpose.

Whether you're a morning person or someone who hits snooze five times, this episode isn't about creating the perfect morning routine or adding more to your already full plate. It's about discovering what works for you and learning how to begin your day on your own terms.

Because how we start our mornings doesn't just shape our days. Over time, it shapes the way we experience our lives.

In this episode, I share:

• Why how we wake up is the very first message we send to our nervous system, and how changing my alarm to birdsong changed my mornings entirely
• The simple act of making my bed and why starting the day with one completed task sets the tone for everything that follows
• How journaling became a lifeline during my cancer journey, and why some days, three sentences is enough
• My meditation practice, built over nearly a decade, including mindful breathing, prayer, gratitude, and visualization
• How visualization continues to shape how I show up as a mother, designer, and podcast host
• The research behind why vividly imagining an action activates the same neural pathways as physically doing it
• How I set daily intentions with specificity, and why defining how you want to show up makes you far more likely to live up to it
• Why I end every morning ritual with cuddles with my children, and why I never take that for granted

✨Follow me on Instagram @Journey.With.Rita_ and @RitaNaffasDesign

✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast #RitaNaffasDesign

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical, psychological, financial, or legal advice

References:

• Connect with Rita @journey.with.rita_ and @ritanaffasdesign
• Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources

Today’s episode is about something we all hope we never face—but so many women unfortunately do: breast cancer- Cancer is a word that can feel heavy, but my goal today is to arm you with the knowledge and information you need to have. Because the truth is the number one risk factor for breast cancer is simply being a woman. And whether you want to talk about it or not, this disease impacts 1 in 8 women. And as you will learn today, Jewish women are more likely to carry mutations that cause Breast cancer. So I invite you to listen to this episode all the way through. I promise—it won’t feel heavy or discouraging. Instead, it will leave you with the knowledge you want to have.

We are living in a time where knowledge is power. The more we understand about our bodies, our risks, and the resources available to us, the more empowered we become to take action, advocate for ourselves, and support the people around us.

Today’s episode is about leaning into that power—because with knowledge comes confidence, with community comes strength, and with both, comes hope.

A breast cancer diagnosis can feel like the ground has shifted beneath your feet — and navigating the medical world, the emotional weight, and the sheer volume of information can feel impossible to do alone. That is exactly why Sharsheret exists, and why this conversation with its CEO, Elana Silber, is one every woman needs to hear.

The information shared on this episode is for educational purposes only. Please consult a licensed medical professional for advice specific to your health.

In this episode, Elana shares:

• Why every woman — regardless of family history, age, or background — is at risk for breast cancer, and why awareness must start at 25
• The truth about self-exams: how to do them, why they matter, and why consistency is more important than technique
• What the BRCA gene mutation actually means, who carries it, and why Jewish women of all backgrounds — including Sephardic and Mizrahi — should pay attention
• Why ovarian cancer is called a silent cancer, what symptoms are often overlooked, and the latest medical advances in prevention
• The story of Sharsheret's founder, Rochelle Shoretz, who clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was diagnosed with breast cancer as a young mother, and built a movement from her own experience of isolation
• The full range of free Sharsheret services — peer support, genetic counseling, surgery preparation kits, fertility resources, financial assistance, and more
• Why Rita's own diagnosis at 34 — discovered while nursing a newborn — and her journey as a peer supporter for Sharsheret, reflect exactly the mission Sharsheret was built to fulfill
• Why you don't need to know what you need before you call — Sharsheret will meet you wherever you are

✨Follow me on Instagram @JourneyWitRitaOrg

✨Tag me on Instagram and share what resonated with you! Use hashtag #JourneyWithRitaPodcast

References:

• Visit www.sharsheret.org for more information and resources
• Connect with Sharsheret on Instagram and Facebook

• Connect with Rita @journeywithritaorg and @ritanaffasdesign
• Visit www.journeywithrita.org for more episodes and resources