Episodes

  • 185. It's Not Just Her: Male Factor Fertility and Genetics Uncovered

    185. It's Not Just Her: Male Factor Fertility and Genetics Uncovered
    Nov 3 2025
    Infertility isn't only a women's issue, though too often, it's talked about like it is. In this episode, we're digging into male factor infertility: what it means, how it's diagnosed, and how it impacts couples emotionally, physically, and relationally. We're joined by Paul Kassebaum, a quantum physicist, and his wife Julia Cohen, an economist, who live in Westchester, NY. In 2021, their family-building journey took an unexpected turn with a diagnosis of male factor infertility. They open up about the medical and emotional twists and turns of their path, and why they hope sharing their story will help others feel less alone. To give us a full picture, we also bring in experts: Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh, a reproductive endocrinologist, and Abbe Golding, a genetic counselor at Jscreen. Together, we explore: What male factor infertility actually is, what the causes are, and how it's evaluated Who should be doing the testing and why it matters The role genetics can play in male infertility The emotional and psychosocial impact on men and couples How couples like Paul and Julia navigate the unexpected and find resilience Whether you're directly facing male factor infertility, supporting a partner, or simply learning more about the different paths to parenthood, this conversation is a mix of story, science, and support. Note: This episode is the 3rd of a series of 5 that we are collaborating on with Jscreen in 2025. Take a look at our previous two episodes here : Episode 157: Introduction to Genetics and Infertility Episode 166: Fragile X Syndrome: A Silent Factor in Infertility About Paul Kassebaum and Julia Cohen: Paul Kassebaum (Kass-eh-bomb) and Julia Cohen live in Westchester, NY where Paul is a quantum physicist and Julia is an economist. In 2021 they were forced to reconsider how to start a family when presented with a diagnosis of male factor infertility. They hope that by sharing both the medical and emotional aspects of their journey they can be a resource for other couples navigating the infertility space. About Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh: Dr. Ariel Moradzadeh attended medical school at The David Geffen school of medicine at UCLA. Following medical school, he completed his General Surgery internship and Urology residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he developed his passion for men's health and male infertility. Following residency, he completed an andrology, men's health, male and infertility fellowship at UCLA, and he now works as a full-time reproductive Urologist at Cedars-Sinai. When he is not treating patients, he enjoys running, swimming, weight lifting and yoga. About Abbe Golding: Abbe Golding is a certified genetic counselor and works as a community education and outreach manager for JScreen. She is passionate about providing genetic knowledge that empowers individuals to make informed healthcare decisions. Abbe believes that accurate and relatable genetic information should be accessible to everyone. Abbe lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and daughter. Connect with JScreen -visit their website here -check out their instagram Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn
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    59 mins
  • 184. Racing Time, Holding Hope: The Ups and Downs of a BRCA+ Fertility Journey

    184. Racing Time, Holding Hope: The Ups and Downs of a BRCA+ Fertility Journey
    Oct 30 2025

    Briana Felsen's path to motherhood was anything but straightforward. When she learned she was a BRCA carrier, everything changed—her sense of time, her plans for the future, and her relationship with her own body. Facing a 72% lifetime risk of breast cancer, she found herself racing against the clock to build her family before needing preventative surgery.

    What followed was a fertility journey deeply intertwined with Jewish time—the holidays marking both medical milestones and heartbreaks. From an ectopic pregnancy on the High Holidays to finally learning she was pregnant on Chanukah, her story is one of resilience, faith, and finding light after darkness.
    We talk about:
    - How a BRCA diagnosis reshapes family planning and fertility decisions
    - Navigating IVF, PCOS, and genetic testing with faith and fear in equal measure
    - What it feels like when Jewish holidays become painful reminders instead of celebrations
    - The toll of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, even when a good dose of Zoloft helped her hold on

    For anyone navigating a genetic diagnosis or struggling with fertility challenges, this raw and heartfelt conversation is a reminder that you are never alone.

    More about Briana Felsen:

    Briana Felsen is a development professional who works in the Israel space. First in South Florida and now back home right outside of Washington, DC. She graduated from Indiana University with her undergraduate degree in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and George Washington University for her graduate program in Israel Education.

    Briana is passionate about Jewish community building, reading good books, Hoosier basketball, and the perfect wine and cheese pairing. Briana lives in Potomac Maryland with her husband Jerry and their dog Skipper and the newest member of their family, their IVF baby, Sonny.

    Connect with Briana Felsen:

    - Follow her on Instagram

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

    -Watch our TikToks

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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • 183. When the Rabbi Is Also the Mourner: A Conversation with Rabbi Elon Soniker About His Son, Uriel

    183. When the Rabbi Is Also the Mourner: A Conversation with Rabbi Elon Soniker About His Son, Uriel
    Oct 29 2025

    In his first-ever podcast conversation, Aimee sits down with Rabbi Elon Soniker, author of Uriel's Light, to talk about faith, family, and finding meaning after unimaginable loss. Rabbi Soniker shares the story of his son, Uriel, his brief but powerful life, and the light that continues to shine through his memory. Together, they explore what it means to grieve as a parent, as a rabbi, and as part of a community that often doesn't know what to say or do in the face of perinatal loss.

    This powerful conversation moves through so many of the questions we all wrestle with:

    • How can faith and pain coexist without canceling each other out?

    • How do we grapple with unimaginable pain when there are no easy answers?

    • How can people show up for families after miscarriage, stillbirth, or other losses?

    • How do we talk to children about death or loss without frightening them?

    Rabbi Soniker's honesty, humility, and spiritual insight offer comfort and clarity — reminding us that grief and light can, in fact, exist together.

    More about Rabbi Elon Soniker:

    Rabbi Elon Soniker is the Rav of Congregation Anshei Shalom in West Hempstead, NY, and Judaic Studies Principal at Ohr Yisroel in New Jersey. Rabbi Soniker recently published a book titled "Uriel's Light: Reflections on Tragedy and Emunah" in honor of his son Uriel z"l. The book contains letters, divrei Torah and reflections written during the brief life and the year following the passing of his baby son. Rabbi Soniker lives in West Hempstead with his wife and children.

    Resources Mentioned:

    • View Rabbi Elon Soniker's book Our Son Uriel's Light: Reflections on tragedy and Emunah

    • Pain is a Reality; Suffering is a Choice, by Rabbi Asher Resnick

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

    -Watch our TikToks

    -Follow us on Facebook

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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • 182. Thirty Years Later: Grieving, Remembering, and Living After SIDS with Jami Nelson

    182. Thirty Years Later: Grieving, Remembering, and Living After SIDS with Jami Nelson
    Oct 23 2025

    "I've never done something like this before."

    In this episode, I sit down with Jami Nelson, a mother, grandmother, and lifelong nurturer who has spent more than three decades living with the loss of her son, Dov Ber, who died of SIDS as an infant.

    Speaking publicly for the first time, Jami opens up about what she remembers most about that time, how she survived the early days of grief when support was scarce, and how her relationship with loss has evolved over the years. She shares what it was like to raise four children while carrying the memory of one who wasn't there, and how that experience shaped the way she later supported others through their own heartbreak.

    Together, we talk about:

    • The quiet ways grief lingers through everyday life and motherhood

    • The kind of help you keep going when your world has fallen apart

    • What parents newly navigating loss need to hear from someone who's lived it

    • How others can support someone who has had a loss

    This episode speaks about the ache that never fully fades, and the strength of mothers who carry their children's memories in their hearts, always.

    More about Jami Nelson:

    I live in Boynton Beach Florida for the past 6 years after living in Cedarhurst, New York where I raised 4 children, ages 40, 37, 35 and 31. I was a teacher, labor and postpartum doula, lifeguard/swim teacher and administrative assistant. I love cooking, reading, being in the pool and spending time with my husband, children, grandchildren and good friends. Jami has been married to her husband Jonathan for 42 years.

    Connect with Jami Nelson:

    - Follow her on Instagram

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

    -Watch our TikToks

    -Follow us on Facebook

    -Watch us on YouTube

    -Connect with us on LinkedIn
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    58 mins
  • 181. When Hope Feels Hard with Rabbi Karen Perolman and Rabbi Danny Stein

    181. When Hope Feels Hard with Rabbi Karen Perolman and Rabbi Danny Stein
    Sep 29 2025

    In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Karen Perolman and Rabbi Danny Stein for an open and tender conversation about navigating fertility struggles while serving as rabbis. Together, they share their personal stories, what it felt like to move through the High Holidays in the midst of pain, and the complicated balance of leading a congregation while caring for their own hearts.

    This is a powerful look at faith, vulnerability, and resilience—and a reminder that no one is immune to the challenges of fertility journeys, not even those guiding our communities.

    More about Rabbi Karen Glazer Perolman:

    Rabbi Karen Glazer Perolman is the Senior Associate Rabbi at Temple B'nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey, the congregation she has served since 2008. She was ordained as a rabbi by the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2010.

    Her writings have been published online and in five CCAR Press publications: The Sacred Table: Creating a Jewish Food Ethic (2011), Moral Resistance and Spiritual Authority: Our Jewish Obligation to Social Justice (2019), The Sacred Encounter: Jewish Perspectives on Sexuality (2014), and Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwells (2020) and The Sacred Struggle: Jewish Responses to Trauma (2025). She is the co-founder of Modern Jewess, an emerging publication for Jewish women to write and connect.

    Karen has been a proud board member of I Was Supposed To Have a Baby since 2024. She lives in New Jersey with her wife, Liz Glazer, a lawyer-turned-comedian, their teenage cat Jack, and toddler, Eloise.

    Connect with Rabbi Karen Glazer Perolman:

    - Follow her on Instagram

    - Visit her website here

    - Feel free to reach out via email at: krperolman@gmail.com

    More about Rabbi Danny Stein:

    Danny Stein is the rabbi of the Selma and Lawrence Ruben Base UWS, a pluralistic Jewish community for 20s & 30s in New York-based out of his and his wife Tamara's home. He feels passionate about helping folks connect with Judaism in ways meaningful for themselves. After being supported by IWSTHAB amidst his own fertility journey filled with losses and uncertainty, Danny is proud to help change the conversation within Jewish communities. He loves studying Hasidut, eating sushi, and is an overjoyed abbah (father) to their IVF baby.

    Connect with Rabbi Danny Stein:

    - Follow his personal Instagram account

    - Check out the Base Upper West Side Instagram

    - Visit the Base Upper West Side website

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 7 Things You're Doing That Makes Your Guests Uncomfortable with Tzipora Grodko [Re-release]

    7 Things You're Doing That Makes Your Guests Uncomfortable with Tzipora Grodko [Re-release]
    Sep 28 2025

    With the holidays around the corner, we're bringing back our conversation with Tzipora Grodko: 7 Things You're Doing That Make Your Guests Uncomfortable.

    This episode is a gentle but honest reminder that gatherings can be complicated, especially for those navigating fertility struggles and loss. As we head into a season filled with meals, family time, and community, it's worth listening again with fresh ears—and a little extra sensitivity.

    Previous Episodes with Tzipora Grodko:

    - Episode 178: Finding Strength in Unwritten Chapters with Rachel Honeyman, Tzipora Grodko, and Peri Lyman

    More about Tzipora Grodko, LMSW:

    Tzipora Grodko is a dynamic public speaker, psychotherapist, and coach who inspires audiences across the Jewish world with powerful messages of confidence, resilience, and personal growth. Her viral talk, Things Shadchanim Should Know, reframed the "shidduch crisis" with a more compassionate lens, making her a leading voice in single advocacy.

    Ranked as the #1 Meaningful People episode of 2022, Tzipora has since traveled globally, speaking at schools, organizations, and events on topics like mental health, leadership, and breaking societal stigmas.

    She recently launched Stories of Hope, the first Orthodox podcast of its kind, featuring extraordinary stories of unexpected love. Through her work, she continues to inspire deeper understanding, broader possibilities, and a future filled with support and hope.

    Connect with Tzipora:

    - Follow her on Instagram

    - Visit her website here

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

    -Watch our TikToks

    -Follow us on Facebook

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    58 mins
  • 180. Raw, Honest, and Still Struggling with Chavie Bruk

    180. Raw, Honest, and Still Struggling with Chavie Bruk
    Sep 20 2025
    As the High Holidays approach, so many of us walk them with heavy hearts. The traditional prayers are filled with stories of Sarah, Chana, and Rachel — women who struggled with infertility — and with prayers about life, family, and legacy. For those still waiting, or those whose journeys haven't unfolded the way they once imagined, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can feel complicated, overwhelming, even painful. In this episode, Aimee sits down with Chavie Bruk, a "Talking Away the Taboo" regular (I think this is her 4th time on the podcast), a woman whose path to motherhood was through adoption, not biology. Together they talk about what emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust) look like in the face of unanswered prayers, and how fertility challenges shape our experience of the Yamim Noraim. She's raw, honest, and unabashedly frank about her struggles, and every time I speak with Chavie, I am blown away by the wisdom she shares, and I know you will be too. They explore: How she still struggles 18 years after learning that she would never have children How she straddles the fact that her story is hard and painful, and yet she accepts that this is what Gd has chosen for her Finding God in disappointment, grief, and renewal The insensitive things people say, especially this time of year, and how to respond so you don't get consumed by the anger What advice she gives to people who are still in the midst of their struggles This is a conversation about faith, honesty, and resilience, and about making space for all feelings. More about Chavie Bruk: Chavie Bruk is a mother of five adopted children and is the co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana together with her husband. On her podcast, Totally Unexpected! Chavie sits with guests to her about the one unexpected moment that changed their lives. She hopes listeners will see themselves in these stories, feeling a little less alone and little more connected. Connect with Chavie Bruk: - Follow her on Instagram - Read her blog Totally Unexpected - Listen to her Totally Unexpected podcast on Spotify and Apple Previous Episodes with Chavie: - Episode 8. My Adoption Stories with Chavie Bruk - Episode 47. Expectations, Pain and Adoption with Chavie Bruk - Episode 141. Pain Doesn't End... or Does It? with Chavie Bruk - Episode 100. With Aliza Abrams Konig, Etsy Perman, Chavie Bruk, Lizzy Savetsky, Adelle Bryski, Amy Seroussi & Malki Rodal Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • 179. Seen and Remembered: Making Space for Everyone This High Holiday Season Rabbi Yisrael Motzen

    179. Seen and Remembered: Making Space for Everyone This High Holiday Season Rabbi Yisrael Motzen
    Sep 17 2025
    As the High Holidays approach, many of us gather with family, see old friends at shul, and catch up on a year's worth of life. But for those who don't fit the "expected" mold—singles, people without children, divorced or widowed individuals, single parents—these moments can feel isolating instead of uplifting. In this episode, Dr. Aimee Baron sits down with Rabbi Yisrael Motzen, who recently launched "Kol Echad," an Orthodox Union initiative to make sure no one in our community is overlooked or left behind. Together, they talk about:

    • Rabbi Motzen's background and how/why he came into this work.

    • How so many people feel unseen in Jewish communal life, and how "Kol Echad" aims to fix it

    • Simple and practical suggestions that synagogues, hosts, and individuals can make to be more inviting and inclusive

    • Impressing upon people that we all need to be involved in this to make a difference

    This conversation is both honest and hopeful, reminding us that true community is built not only at the family table but also in the act of making space for each other—especially those carrying unseen stories. Whether you're someone who has felt "forgotten," or someone who wants to do better at seeing others, this episode offers wisdom, compassion, and a path forward. Mentions: Unmatched by Sarah Lavane

    More about Rabbi Yisrael Motzen:

    Rabbi Yisrael Motzen is the rabbi of Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland. He serves as special assistant to the executive vice presidents of the Orthodox Union and is also the director of Kol Echad, a new OU department dedicated to creating communities where every single person matters.

    Sign up for the Kol Echad E-Magazine here

    Connect with Rabbi Yisrael Motzen:

    - Follow him on Instagram

    - Connect with Kol Echad on Instagram

    Connect with us:

    -Check out our Website

    -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message

    -Watch our TikToks

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    -Connect with us on LinkedIn
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    51 mins