Rise & Shine with Adrienne Gold Davis

Latest Episodes:

Encore Episode: The Mommy Olympics Dec 31, 2025

Show notes

What does it truly mean to succeed as a Jewish mother, and what if the definition of success needs a spiritual makeover? In this moving and deeply personal episode, Adrienne Gold Davis sits down with Jessica Berkowitz, Senior Education Specialist at Momentum, to challenge the narrow, often toxic standards of achievement that dominate our homes, schools, and social media feeds.

This is an encore presentation from our Momentum Speaks: Parenting series.

As we revisit some of our most resonant parenting conversations, we’re bringing back episodes that continue to support Jewish mothers navigating family life with intention, strength, and love. We invite you to listen again or discover it for the first time.

The Rise & Shine Podcast Series is made possible by the generous support of Bonnie Vozar of Chicago, Illinois. If you would like to sponsor an upcoming podcast, please email us at info@momentumunlimited.org

Defining What’s Good Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

In this encore episode of Rise and Shine, Adrienne Gold Davis explores a question Judaism takes seriously: How do we choose good when we’re capable of imagining both good and evil?

Through a surprising story about “the sociopath test,” Adrienne unpacks how intelligence and intuition can be used to build or to harm – and why Jewish wisdom insists that what matters most is the path we choose. With teachings from Pirkei Avot, the concepts of Yetzer Hara and Yetzer HaTov, and the familiar “two wolves” parable, this episode offers a grounded, empowering reminder for Jewish women and mothers: small choices, repeated, shape the life you live.

If you would like to sponsor an upcoming podcast, please email us at info@momentumunlimited.org

Emotional Resilience, the Body, and the Wisdom of Hannukah Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

What happens when emotional stress shows up not just in our hearts, but in our bodies? Adrienne explores the powerful connection between emotional climate, physical tension, and spiritual resilience through a Jewish lens.

Drawing from personal experience, Jewish wisdom, and contemporary insights, Adrienne reflects on how stress, grief, and inner “cold” can cause us to hunch, brace, and armor ourselves, physically and emotionally. Set against the backdrop of winter and the light of Hanukkah, this episode invites you to consider how we guard our own inner light while tending to our families and communities. A quiet call to unclench, to breathe, and to remember that preserving your own light is not selfish, it is sacred work.

A Pink Dior Bag, a Bus Stop, and Hanukkah Dec 10, 2025

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At a gas-station pit stop in Israel, Adrienne witnessed an unexpected moment of unity and light. What begins as tension during a post-October 7 trip becomes a moving encounter between Jewish mothers and Bedouin Arab schoolgirls. A pink Dior handbag, a single compliment, and a shared desire for connection reveal a powerful lesson: light can break through even when we least expect it.

This Hanukkah, discover what it really means to unmask the hidden sparks around us and within us.

Encore Episode: Don’t Give Up Before the Miracle Happens Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Content Warning: This episode discusses addiction, alcoholism, mental health challenges, suicide, and generational trauma from the Holocaust. Carly's story is one of hope and recovery, but some listeners may find parts of the conversation emotionally challenging.

This encore episode revisits one of our most meaningful conversations. Adrienne Gold Davis sits down with author, educator, and recovery advocate Carly Israel, whose honesty and courage continue to touch so many. Together, they explore Carly’s battle with alcoholism and mental health, her journey through motherhood, and the hard-earned wisdom she now shares with others. Her story offers strength and perspective for parents and loved ones supporting someone in struggle.

They discuss the silence around addiction in Jewish families, the trauma carried by descendants of Holocaust survivors, and the awakening that comes with recovery. It is a conversation about survival, hope, and choosing to live with intention. At its heart, it reflects what it means to live wondrously. To find meaning in pain, purpose in truth, and resilience rooted in love.

If Carly’s voice resonates with you, we invite you to join us as she speaks live during our upcoming Zoom webinar on December 4. Learn more and register here: https://momentumunlimited.org/boost-livingwondrously/

Order your copy of Momentum's new book, "The Art & Practice of Living Wondrously", today.

Why Israel Lives in Us Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

In this deeply moving Rise & Shine episode, Adrienne Gold Davis sits down with Dr. Zohar Raviv, internationally recognized Jewish thought leader, educator, and Momentum’s Scholar in Residence, for a powerful exploration of Israel’s place in the Jewish story.

Together, they illuminate the five landscapes through which Jews have understood Israel for thousands of years: the imagined, covenantal, remembered, lived, and envisioned land. Dr. Raviv shares why Israel is not a project of survival, but a project of revival, and how Jewish mothers play a central role in carrying this story forward. Rooted in warmth, depth, and clarity, this conversation invites each of us to see our connection to Israel not only through history, but through identity, responsibility, and love.

Read Dr. Zohar's article referenced in the podcast here: https://theicenter.org/aleph_bet/eretz-medina-am-yisrael-navigation-multiple-landscapes/

When Blessings Fall Like $100 Bills Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

It's a new season of Rise & Shine!

In this week's podcast, Adrienne shares a compelling parable about a rooftop, blessings, and awareness. Through Jewish wisdom and Torah commentary, she explores why we often overlook the quiet gifts in our lives, especially when faced with hardship.