Education

Tribe and Tribulations With Julia Makowsky

A podcast bringing religious and secular voices together for honest conversations, fresh perspectives and real connections- because we grow more when we grow together.

Latest Episodes:

Blindsided Pregnant. Found Herself After Divorce. | Charlotte's Story Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

She got married at 23, became a mother at 24, and found herself facing a divorce she never imagined.

But Charlotte's story isn't really about the man who left. It's about the woman she became afterward.

In this deeply honest episode of Tribe & Tribulations, Julia Makowsky sits down with Charlotte, a young single mother rebuilding her life in Israel after marriage, motherhood, and divorce changed everything.

From moving back into her parents' home with a baby to navigating dating as a single mother, Charlotte opens up about the moments that broke her, the lessons that changed her, and the realization that she didn't need someone to come save her. She could save herself.

Together, Julia and Charlotte get into the conversations we don't have nearly enough.

Getting married young before fully knowing yourself
Losing your identity in a relationship
Navigating divorce and single motherhood in the Jewish community
Rebuilding your confidence and independence after heartbreak
Dating after divorce and the realities of finding someone willing to become a stepfather
Learning to stop waiting for someone else to change your life
Choosing optimism even when life looks nothing like you planned

This isn't a story about a failed marriage. It's a story about a woman who refused to let one chapter define the rest of her life.

Because sometimes the life you never wanted becomes the life that teaches you exactly who you are.

Subscribe to Tribe & Tribulations with Julia Makowsky for honest conversations about relationships, Jewish life, personal growth, mental health, and everything we're usually too uncomfortable to talk about.

#DivorceRecovery #SingleMother #JewishPodcast #LifeAfterDivorce #TribeAndTribulations

Chasing Dreams Without Apology: Beatie Deutsch on Ambition, Setbacks & Redefining Success Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a religious Jewish mother decides to run a marathon and becomes one of Israel's most elite athletes?

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Julia sits down with Beatie Deutsch, the ultra-marathon champion who runs in a skirt, covers her hair, and represents Israel on the world stage. From deciding to train for her first marathon after having four kids in six years to becoming Israel's national champion with a 2:42 finish, Beatie's story is about so much more than speed.

Together, Julia and Beatie explore what it means to honor every part of yourself: the ambitious athlete, the devoted mother, the religious woman navigating a secular sports world, and the human being learning to balance it all. They discuss the power of doing hard things, the courage it takes to pursue your dreams even when your community doesn't fully understand, and why modesty is about so much more than a dress code. Beatie opens up about representing Israel while keeping Shabbos, navigating injuries and setbacks, and the mental toughness required to keep going when you haven't set a personal record in four years.

In one of the most vulnerable moments of the episode, Beatie shares her journey with disordered eating, the shame she carried, and how she found freedom by refusing to let food define her. This conversation tackles body image, the silent epidemic of eating disorders in the Jewish community, and why it's so important to speak about struggles out loud. Julia and Beatie discuss the pressure women face to look a certain way, the danger of obsessive thoughts, and the beauty of learning to nourish yourself without fear.

This episode is for the mothers who feel guilty for wanting something for themselves, for the women navigating ambition in a world that tells them to stay small, and for anyone who has ever wondered if they can honor all the parts of who they are without choosing one over the other. Whether you're an athlete, a dreamer, or simply someone trying to show up fully in your life, this conversation is a reminder that your gifts are meant to be used, your struggles don't define you, and Hashem made you exactly as you are for a reason.

Because at the end of the day, the most powerful thing you can do is refuse to shrink yourself and instead run full speed toward the life you were meant to live.

episode produced by short form media

#BeatieDeutsch #TribeAndTribulations #JuliaMakowsky #JewishPodcast #EliteAthlete #MarathonRunner #JewishWomen #ModestyAndAmbition #JewishIdentity #BodyImage #DisorderedEating #MentalHealth #JewishMotherhood #FaithAndAmbition #DoingHardThings #IsraelRunner #WomenInSports #JewishCommunity

The Soft Launch of Adulthood: Seminary, Yeshiva & Learning to Navigate Israel with Ariella Taragin. Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

What happens when you send your child to Israel for a year and suddenly realize they're navigating adulthood without you?

In this deeply practical and insightful conversation, Julia sits down with Ariella Taragin, founder of Ready, Set, Sem, to talk about the soft launch of adulthood that is seminary and yeshiva in Israel. From the moment they land to the moment they leave, this year is filled with growth, independence, homesickness, roommate drama, and the kind of self discovery that only happens when you're far from home.

Ariella shares her own experience moving to Israel as a teenager when her parents made aliyah, the gaps she noticed in how students were being supported, and how she turned that realization into a business that helps hundreds of girls and boys navigate everything from buying linens to finding a therapist to learning how to weigh produce at the shuk.

Together, Julia and Ariella discuss the reality of homesickness, the pressure we put on this year to be life changing, how to choose the right seminary or yeshiva without letting fear dictate the decision, and why parents need to be a listening ear instead of a fixer. They explore the beauty of interpersonal connection in a world dominated by screens, the importance of setting realistic goals, and why it's okay to try something on and decide it doesn't fit.

This conversation is for the parents sending their kids off with equal parts excitement and anxiety, for the students about to embark on a year that feels impossibly big, and for anyone who remembers what it felt like to navigate independence for the first time in a country that doesn't have Amazon on demand.

Whether you're packing your suitcase, helping someone else pack theirs, or simply curious about what this transformative year really looks like, this episode is a reminder that growth doesn't happen in perfection. It happens in the messy, beautiful, overwhelming moments when you're figuring it out as you go.

episode produced by short form media

#ReadySetSem #SeminaryInIsrael #YeshivaYear #GapYearInIsrael #JewishYouth #TribeAndTribulations #JuliaMakowsky #JewishPodcast #IndependenceJourney #JewishIdentity #GrowthAndChange #ParentingTeens #IsraeliExperience #JewishEducation

Beyond the Recipes: Danielle Renov on Faith, Identity and Connection. Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

When you think of Danielle Renov, you probably think of recipes, food, and the vibrant chaos of raising a family in Israel.

But this conversation goes so much deeper.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Julia sits down with Danielle Renov for an honest exploration of faith, identity, family, and what it means to build a life grounded in values rather than comfort. From growing up Modern Orthodox in the Five Towns to consciously choosing a more religious path, Danielle opens up about navigating religious differences with family, the beauty of choosing your environment, and why integrity matters more than perfection.

Together, they discuss the gray areas of halacha and personal standards, the power of reframing discomfort as growth, and why the hardest times to connect to Hashem are often when everything is good. Danielle shares her grandfather's remarkable Holocaust survival story, how her mother's journey with prayer shaped her own relationship with Hashem, and the conscious decision to live according to Torah values even when it doesn't feel natural.

This is a conversation about choosing connection over comfort, about faking it until you make it when grief steals your happiness, and about why asking Hashem for help every single day matters more than we realize.

This episode is a reminder that authenticity doesn't mean perfection. It means showing up, choosing your values, and remembering that Hashem wants your closeness more than you could ever imagine.

Whether you're navigating your own religious journey, trying to understand how to hold boundaries with grace, or simply looking for a reminder that growth happens in the uncomfortable moments, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

episode produced by short form media

#DanielleRenov #PeasLoveAndCarrots #TribeAndTribulations #JuliaMakowsky #JewishIdentity #JewishPodcast #JewishWomen #FaithAndFamily #ModernOrthodox #JewishMotherhood #FindingYourself #JewishLife #GriefAndGrowth

9/11 Took Her Sister. 25 Years Later, She’s Keeping Nancy’s Story Alive. Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, Tzivi Itzkowitz lost her sister Nancy.

But this episode isn’t about how Nancy died. It’s about how she lived.

Nancy was a beloved daughter, sister and friend. She was young, vibrant, building her career, and had so much life still ahead of her. And while the world remembers 9/11 as a day that changed history, for Tzivi and her family, it was the day they lost someone they loved.

Twenty-five years later, Tzivi sits down with me to share Nancy with all of us.

We talk about who Nancy really was, the memories that still make Tzivi smile, the bond between sisters, and what it means to carry someone you love with you through every stage of life they didn’t get to be here for.

There is grief in this conversation, but there is also so much love.

Because maybe one of the most beautiful ways we can honor the people we’ve lost is to keep saying their names, telling their stories, laughing at the memories, and allowing the world to know a little bit of the person we were lucky enough to love.

On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, this is our small way of remembering one beautiful life.

This is Nancy’s story.

Welcome to Tribe & Tribulations with Julia Makowsky.

you can support the Nancy memorial fund here: https://www.nancymorgensternmemorial.org/

or you can shop topaz and ruby: https://topazandruby.com/

Episode produced by Short Form Media

Finding Hashem Everywhere: Faigy Blumstein on Purpose, Gratitude & the Thank You Hashem Movement Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

What happens when you realize that the most important work you're meant to do isn't in a classroom, a shul, or a Shabbaton—but in the quiet moments of your everyday life?
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Julia sits down with Faigy Blumstein, one of the voices behind the Thank You Hashem movement, for an honest exploration of faith, purpose, gratitude, and what it really means to live a Hashem-centered life.
Together, Julia and Faigy discuss the origins of the Thank You Hashem movement, how a Shabbos in Tzfat turned into a global revolution of gratitude and music, and why accessible Judaism matters more than ever.
Whether you're deeply connected to Chassidus or have never opened a Tanya, whether you're thriving or just surviving, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to be perfect to be close to Hashem. You just have to show up.
episode produced by short form media

From Loss to Legacy, How Abbey Wolin Became the Adult She Always Needed. Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the life you thought you were going to have disappears overnight?
In this deeply personal conversation, Abbey Wolin—founder of AW Media and creator of The Foundry—shares the story behind the woman she’s become. After losing her father at a young age, Abbey watched her family, identity, and sense of stability change in ways she never expected. Instead of letting that loss define her, she rebuilt her life one chapter at a time.
From teaching elementary school to building a thriving marketing agency, and now launching The Foundry to help young adults discover their passions and become entrepreneurs, Abbey has continually reinvented herself. More importantly, she’s become the adult she wishes she’d had when she was growing up.
This episode isn’t just about business. It’s about grief, resilience, identity, purpose, and the courage to create a life that honors where you’ve been without being limited by it.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your hardest chapter could become the foundation for your greatest work, this conversation is for you.

The WhatsApp Loophole: How Eli Weber Built a Media Empire—and Bridged Two Jewish Worlds Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

How do you build one of the biggest media brands in the Chasidish world without ever relying on traditional social media?
In this episode, Julia sits down with Eli Weber, founder of Weber Media, to talk about the power of storytelling, why WhatsApp became the secret weapon that changed content creation in his community, and how he built a business by understanding people—not algorithms.
But this conversation goes far beyond media. Julia also talks about Eli’s recent marriage to a Modern Orthodox woman from the Five Towns and what it looks like to navigate two different Jewish worlds with curiosity, respect, and love. From culture shock to communication, we explore how relationships can challenge assumptions and create bridges where there were once divides.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, identity, community, and the stories that connect us more than they separate us.

Episode produced by Short Form Media.

The Courage to Call: Supporting Jewish Women Through Unplanned Pregnancies Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

In this deeply important and rarely discussed episode, Julia sits down with Erica Pelman, founder of Shifra, the only American-based organization dedicated to supporting Jewish women through unplanned pregnancies. From the woman with ten children who discovers she's unexpectedly pregnant again, to the 44-year-old who thought her baby years were behind her, to the teenager facing an impossible decision, Shifra offers counseling, financial assistance, practical resources, and unconditional support through pregnancy and beyond.

Erica shares the personal story that led her to create Shifra 17 years ago, the struggles of building trust in a community where shame and silence often prevail, and the layers of care required to truly support women in crisis.

This episode tackles the vulnerability of pregnancy, the courage it takes to ask for help, and the transformative power of unconditional love. Whether you're navigating an unplanned pregnancy, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand how to show up for women in crisis, this conversation is a reminder that no one has to suffer in silence.

for more information on this amazing organization: https://www.instagram.com/call_shifra/

episode produced by short form media

More Than a Rebrand: The Courage to Evolve Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Tribe & Tribulations, Julia sits down with Adina Moss for a thoughtful conversation about growth, identity, and embracing new seasons of life. Adina shares stories from her upbringing, the values that shaped her, and what inspired her recent personal and professional rebrand.
Together, they explore spirituality, self-discovery, and the balance between honoring where you came from while creating a life that feels authentic to who you are today. It’s an honest conversation about purpose, change, and having the courage to evolve without losing yourself.

episode produced by short form media

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