Ever felt the tug to make something you can’t find on the shelf? We sit down with attorney and mom-creator Courtney Cohen, whose Florida-to-Chicago journey led her to build a joyful Jewish lifestyle brand from a single sticker into a growing catalog of hats, tees, totes, and more. The throughline is Jewish joy—captured in weekly challah, kids who treat stickers like art supplies, and designs that turn bagels and Yiddish into everyday style.

Courtney walks us through her unconventional path: eight years in PR, a leap to law, then the itch to create fun, modern Judaica, Da Shayna Punims, that isn’t only for holidays or display cases. She shares how starting without a formal business plan forced fast learning, why bringing embroidery and printing in-house changed quality and timelines, and how she prototypes obsessively—auditioning fonts, testing placements, and refining until the piece feels right. We talk candidly about marketing in the age of algorithms, from TikTok’s vibrant Jewish corners to the bizarre reality of bots dropping geopolitics into soup videos, and why focusing on real community beats chasing viral spikes.

The conversation widens into representation and culture: the promise and pitfalls of Hanukkah movies, choosing Jewish actors for Jewish stories, and the simple rituals that anchor identity when the world feels loud. Courtney’s big dream? Thoughtful expansion—dishware with a Kate Spade vibe, espresso cups with bagel wit, and traveling to markets like Jewish Joy Con to meet the people who wear and gift her work. Along the way, you’ll hear lightning-round favorites, from beloved Yiddish words to the holiday that makes everything feel cozy.

If you care about creative entrepreneurship, Jewish small business, and the craft behind products that make daily life brighter, this one’s for you. Listen, share with a friend who loves bagels and good fonts, and tell us: what does Jewish joy look like in your home? Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more curious listeners find the show.

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Rabbi-Cantor Judy Greenfeld's spiritual journey began with tragedy when her father was murdered when she was just sixteen years old. This devastating event caused her to question everything about Judaism and God, leading her away from her conservative Jewish upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio. "I think when we have trauma in our lives, it shifts us into seeing the world in a different way," she reflects.

Her path of healing took her through various spiritual traditions – Buddhism, new age philosophies, psychology – before ultimately returning to Judaism with fresh eyes and an expanded perspective. What makes her story so compelling is how she's woven these seemingly disparate threads into a coherent tapestry that honors traditional Jewish wisdom while embracing more expansive spiritual concepts like dreamwork, feminine energy, and embodied prayer practices.

The most fascinating aspects of Rabbi-Cantor Judy's approach emerge in her discussion of dreams and Jewish mysticism. She explains how ancient Jewish texts recognized dreams as containing "one-sixtieth of prophecy" and how our souls travel during sleep – concepts that parallel Native American dream traditions she studied extensively. Her books connecting Jewish prayer with spiritual practices have helped countless seekers find meaning within Judaism that they couldn't access through conventional teaching methods.

As both rabbi and cantor, she's witnessed tremendous evolution within Judaism – especially regarding women's roles. From a time when women couldn't have bat mitzvahs on Saturdays to today's landscape where female clergy are increasingly common, she celebrates how Judaism continues to adapt while maintaining its core essence. Now leading a Texas congregation healing from a traumatic hostage situation, she brings her unique combination of traditional knowledge and spiritual innovation to a community in need of both stability and renewal.

Whether you're struggling with faith after trauma, curious about the intersection of different spiritual traditions, or seeking a more meaningful connection to Jewish practice, Rabbi-Cantor Judy offers wisdom that transcends religious boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. Subscribe now to hear her powerful insights on healing, spirituality, and finding authentic connection in challenging times.

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What happens when an art historian discovers Nazi memorabilia being sold at auction houses without ethical consideration? For Beatrice Levine, it sparked a journey that would transform her career and personal identity.

Growing up as a military child in Germany during the 1990s, Beatrice developed a natural curiosity about Holocaust history and her own Jewish heritage. Though her father was ethnically Jewish, her family practiced the cultural aspects rather than religious observance – what Beatrice colorfully describes as "that East Coast big, lox-loving Jewish family" where everyone watched Seinfeld and said "oy" but didn't attend synagogue. This early exposure to German history planted seeds that would later bloom in unexpected ways.

After pursuing art history and landing positions at prestigious auction houses, Beatrice witnessed disturbing practices surrounding Nazi artifacts and potentially looted artwork. The auction world's casual approach to selling items like Hermann Göring's weapons and Nazi tableware created what she calls "a queasy feeling" that eventually led her to specialize in provenance research – tracking the ownership history of artworks to identify those stolen during the Holocaust. The resistance she encountered when raising ethical concerns revealed how deeply rooted these problems were in the art world.

When academic institutions pushed back against her research focus, Beatrice found her way to specialized Holocaust studies programs, ultimately pursuing a PhD focused on these ethical questions. Perhaps most remarkably, she formally converted to Judaism in 2023, completing her Mikvah ceremony just one month after the October 7 attacks – a decision that speaks volumes about her commitment to this path.

Today, Beatrice balances serious academic work with a lighthearted approach to art history on her popular social media accounts. Her "Culture Quota" Instagram follows her mantra of providing "safe spaces" where people can enjoy art and culture as a respite from constant heaviness, while still occasionally addressing serious historical topics.

Whether discussing the ethical dilemmas of inherited Nazi artifacts or sharing her favorite Real Housewives moments, Beatrice brings authenticity and depth to every conversation. Her story reminds us that confronting difficult history isn't just an academic exercise – it's deeply personal work that can transform both individual lives and our collective understanding of the past.

What artifacts from difficult periods of history do you have questions about? Join the conversation and let us know how you navigate these complex ethical waters.

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