Marla and Libby kick things off with life updates after a brief scheduling delay, including Marla getting snowed in on the East Coast and unexpectedly staying long enough to celebrate her sister's engagement party. Marla shares details about helping to plan her sister's surprise proposal, the fun of her whole family being together and what she knows so far about the upcoming wedding timeline.

Libby reflects on nearly one year of working for herself and opens up about her recent experiences with TikTok, including being invited to Jewish American Heritage Night. She talks about attending creator events, speaking on a panel about Judaism and social media, and what it meant to feel genuine support for Jewish creators in person.

The conversation turns reflective as Marla and Libby discuss the emotional weight of recent events in the Jewish community, the relief of having all hostages home, and the importance of continuing to share stories while also making space for Jewish joy.

They lighten things up with Valentine's Day plans, Marla shares plans for a weekend getaways. The episode wraps with a thank-you to listeners and a teaser for a special upcoming conversation with Tav Gross focused on Jewish culture, food, and matchmaking.

Marla and Libby sit down with Tav Hariri, a registered dietitian and familiar face from Jewish Matchmaking, to talk love, food, faith, and finding "your person" in unexpected ways. Tav shares how a casual coffee with matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom led to her appearing on the show — and how the series ultimately played a role in meeting her now-husband.

Tav walks through her real-life love story, from long-distance FaceTiming to him flying to Israel for their first in-person date, a fast-paced engagement, and planning a wedding in just a few months. She opens up about married life, relocating, and the sense of security that comes with commitment.

The conversation expands into what it's been like being visibly Jewish online, navigating virality, antisemitism, and finding confidence in sharing Jewish identity post-October 7. Tav also dives into her career journey, explaining why she founded Nourish Neshama, her approach to nutrition, and how food, culture, and family dynamics intersect — especially in Jewish households.

The episode wraps with advice around food guilt, wedding pressure, parenting and eating habits, a round of "cute or cringe" dating and food scenarios, and Tav's definition of a true "schmuckboy."

You can follow schmuckboys @schmuckboysofficial on Instagram and submit your questions or stories there or email us at schmuckboys@jewishjournal.com You can find more information about Tav's business at https://www.nourishneshama.com/.

Happy New Year Schmuckboys! Your co-hosts start of 2026 giving you the lowdown on their holiday festivities. Libby and Jack fostered an adorable puppies, learned some lessons about parenthood and had a wholesome trip with their friends. Marla and Josh spent a memorable week in Hawaii with his family and together celebrated his big 28th birthday. Libby and Marla then welcome the guest for this week, professor and activist, Shai Davidai. Starting off, Shai shares a bit about growing up in Israel and how him and his wife met. The trio discuss the differences between dating in the US vs in Israel and how friend groups often mirror whatever is happening in each other's relationships. He also shares his advice for success in marriage but emphasizes that he can only speak to his personal experience. The group then talk about some of the difficulties young Jews face nowadays trying to date on the apps when they can often see antisemitism on people's profiles. Shai then talks about how life changed for him and his wife after October 7th, describing the moment they discussed why they felt they had a responsibility to speak up, even though he knew it could come with serious professional and personal consequences.

The conversation moves into what Shai has observed within universities since then, including how Jewish students have been treated and how antisemitism has been minimized or excused in academic spaces. He breaks down the distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli policy and antisemitism, explaining how that line is often intentionally blurred. Marla and Libby ask for Shai's advice on what college students should do when facing antisemitism.

As the episode continues, Shai reflects on how he copes with the stress and pressure, emphasizing the importance of consistency, moral clarity, and staying grounded in one's values. He talks about the role social media has played in amplifying his message, while also acknowledging the challenges of being constantly visible and misunderstood online. The group talks about in-fighting within the Jewish community and how they think people need to focus more on that they all have the same goal even if they have different ideas of how to achieve it.

Toward the end of the episode, the group talks about his podcast, "Here I Am With Shai Davidai," and what keeps Shai going despite the obstacles. The episode wraps up with final thoughts, reflections, and a classic Schmuckboys sign-off.

You can find Shai Davidai on Instagram @shaidavidai, his podcast @hereiamwithshaidavidai and Schmuckboys @schmuckboysofficial.

This week on Schmuckboys, Marla and Libby bring on author and content creator, Carrie Berk. She starts off sharing about her own relationship journey and the inspiration behind her book "My Real-Life Rom-Com," which chronicles her dating life during the pandemic. Carrie shares some of her dating disaster stories and how she has now fear about sharing all the details in her books, she just changes names for privacy.

The girls then discuss Carrie's newest book "Mindfire" which combines personal experiences about anxiety and OCD, aiming to help others feel understood and less alone. Carrie highlights the need for relatable content in mental health literature and the importance of vulnerability in sharing personal struggles. The girls talk about the different ways people deal with anxiety and touch upon dating while dealing with OCD, suggesting that people lead with education rather than expecting immediate understanding from others. Carrie discusses her Jewish background and how it influences her storytelling, emphasizing the importance of prayer and faith during difficult times. Carrie also addressed the challenge of balancing sharing her Jewish identity online with appealing to a broader audience, advocating for authenticity and self-confidence. The girls then talk more about Carrie's writing journey, revealing she has written approximately 22 books, including children's books with her mother and solo works. She shared that her writing process is organic, often writing in spontaneous moments, and her proudest career moment was the successful launch of her solo book Rom-Com. They play a quick game of cute or cringe and end off with Carrie defining a "schmuckboy."

You can find Schmuckboys on instagram @schmuckboysofficial, Carrie Berk @CarrieBerkk and her books "My Real Life Rom Com" and "Mindfire" are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and more!