I pulled this one from the archives. This conversation with my friend Ryan Carter was recorded more than a year ago. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I’d share it. Was my relationship ready for it? Was there enough here to make it worth posting? I kept coming back to it. And honestly, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. I needed to hear what I said back then, because I’ve fallen into the exact pattern I’m calling out in this episode.This one is about what marriage actually demands from us. The kind of personal growth few other things require. It brings up the wounds we might otherwise avoid and forces us to either face them or settle for something less.We talked about learning to communicate, rebuilding trust, staying emotionally present, and the pressure of being providers without going numb. For men, that often means not withdrawing, not checking out, not losing ourselves in anger, and not silencing what we really feel just to keep the peace. For women, it can show up as stepping into control mode, trying to manage the relationship instead of staying open to receive. Both patterns create distance.The real work in a relationship is staying present within it. That’s what this conversation is about. Two friends being honest about what it takes to grow through the hard stuff.See you on the other side,Eli

In this episode, I sat down with Jack Cohen, Head of Jewish Education at Hebrew Academy high school in Miami Beach, to talk about what it really takes to lead and educate in today’s world. Jack didn’t come from the typical background—he grew up outside the traditional Jewish system and found his way into it later, which gives him a different lens. Where most people see a tug-of-war between individuality and tradition, Jack doesn’t. He sees them as deeply connected, even dependent on each other—and once he explains it, I doubt you’ll be able to see it any other way. His whole life and message are about harmony—Tiferet in its truest sense. Not by accident, but through both the circumstances life handed him and the intentional choices he’s leaned into. He roots his ideas in Torah, in higher education, and in real-world experience. It’s not just talk—it’s integrated, lived. And what an appropriate time to release this conversation—during the Sefira cycle of Tiferet, when balance, truth, and beauty are at the center. We talked identity, mental health, humility, and what it means to lead without ego. Grounded, honest, and refreshingly unpolished.See you on the other side,Eli

This one’s close to home—and it feels urgent, especially for Jewish teens right now.I sat down with Saadiah Klein to talk about something a lot of people don’t want to touch: Porn. It’s everywhere. Quiet, constant, and doing real damage. Saadiah shares his story—starting from the first time he got exposed—and we talk about how easy access through tech is messing with our heads, hearts, and connection to something deeper.I’ve spoken about porn addiction before, but what Saadiah shares is something completely different. We’re 20 years apart—and the gap is massive. I was already in my 20s when the iPhone came out. He grew up with one in his hand. That changes everything. The speed, the access, the intensity—it’s a whole different beast.This isn’t just about right and wrong. It’s about what happens when we forget who we are. When fake connection starts replacing the real thing. When we lose touch with ourselves, with each other, with God.If you’re a teen, a parent, or just trying to find something real in a world full of noise—this one’s for you.See you on the other side,Eli