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Faith rarely follows a straight line. Our story weaves two very different routes—a child searching for God without guidance and a scholar stepping away from belief—into one shared table where Shabbat blessings, community, and gratitude anchor the week. Heather recounts a turbulent upbringing, a Pentecostal grandmother’s courage, and a relentless quest that led her to Judaism, where rituals, tribe, and an Orthodox conversion finally felt like home. Alongside, Joe shares how youthful disillusionment gave way to a later-in-life return, not through sudden spiritual epiphany but through questions of identity, belonging, and the surprising resonance between science and faith.

We explore what Judaism looks like from the inside: why some rabbis turn seekers away at first, how debates over practice shape a living tradition, and why community is the heartbeat of Jewish life. From keeping a kosher home to showing up for a minyan, from assigning roles in services to hosting guests for Shabbat dinner, the practices dissolve spectator religion and foster real attachment. We also tackle misconceptions—especially the old trope that Judaism is only about rules—contrasting it with the central themes of love, forgiveness, and teshuvah that animate the High Holidays and the daily work of becoming better people.

If modern life feels unmoored, this conversation offers a sturdy thread: create small rituals, ask honest questions, and let community carry you when belief feels thin. Whether you come to faith through wonder, reason, or both, there’s room at the table. Join us as we talk candidly about marriage, meaning, and the second half of life—how gratitude keeps us centered, how synagogue life shapes our week, and how learning across traditions (yes, including The Chosen and Nobody Wants This) deepens understanding. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show. What practice will you start this week?

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What if your next move wasn’t about more space or less, but about a home that actually fits your life? We share our pivot from a suburban favorite to rural land in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where a custom design and a small apartment will let us support a 90-year-old parent while keeping everyone’s independence. Along the way, veteran realtor and broker Marc Bullock joins us to unpack how right-sizing really works (emotionally, financially, and logistically) when you’re buying, selling or building.

We get honest about merging two full households after remarriage, why we pushed back on the open-concept default and how we’re designing for aging in place with zero-step entries, wider doors, and a curbless shower. Marc walks through the step-by-step strategy he uses to get multiple offers in any season: Start months early, build a resource roster, consider pre-inspections, lean on staging and neutral design, and use high-quality photos, video, and even 3D or drone views to help buyers visualize. We also talk timing, temporary housing and why the “good homes” still move regardless of interest rates when they’re prepared and priced with care.

The conversation widens to the rise of modern family “compounds,” where friends and relatives live nearby and share amenities to cut costs and boost connection. We dive into lending details too, like how asking better questions unlocked VA loan benefits for a client and shaved a full point off their rate. If you’re planning a move for work, caregiving, or a new season of life, this is a practical, empathetic roadmap to create a home that serves your future.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone planning a move, and leave a quick review with your biggest right-sizing question, and we’ll tackle it on a future episode.

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Middle‑age dating isn’t a sequel; it’s a rewrite—with sharper priorities, stronger boundaries, and a deeper hunger for peace. We open up about meeting online, the non‑negotiables that guided us, and the practical ways we kept safety front and center while still leaving room for delight. From faith and politics to health and independence, we unpack the criteria that actually matter when your life is already full and your time is precious.

We get candid about scams, flattery traps, and the subtle tells of fake profiles. You’ll hear the exact steps we use to vet matches—cross‑platform checks, quick phone and video calls, public first dates with check‑ins—and why momentum matters more than marathon texting. Then we dig into compatibility the dating apps can’t score: a shared sense of humor, acceptance of quirks and neurodiversity, and language that builds resilience. One story starts with a burst pipe and ends with confidence, all because encouragement replaced helplessness and “ruined” left our vocabulary.

There’s also the messy middle: a Valentine’s Day breakup driven by fear, a rebound date that clarified everything, and the exercise that aligned us—five non‑negotiables, compared in full daylight. To pressure‑test the fit, we took a two‑week California run: conference halls, family meetups, beach towns, and freeway chaos. Travel revealed what bios can’t—how we plan, pivot, and treat each other when things go sideways. If you’re navigating love in your 50s or 60s, you’ll find practical strategies, honest reflection, and proof that mature romance can be both serious and full of laughter.

If this conversation helps you rethink your rules, share it with a friend who needs hope, subscribe for weekly episodes, and leave a quick review with your top non‑negotiable—we’d love to hear it.

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