Oh, You? Podcast

In this episode of Oh, You?, OU’s EVP and COO, Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, sits down with Avi and Sara Schwartz, the dynamic husband-and-wife team behind OU-JLIC at Rutgers University. What began with a small group of students during COVID has grown into a massive and vibrant Jewish community—thanks to the Schwartz’s unique blend of warmth, passion, and purpose. In this episode, they reflect on their deep roots within the OU through both JLIC and NCSY, building a home-away-from-home for hundreds of students, and how a personal hardship led to a life-changing connection.

Advocating for a Brighter Tomorrow. Teach Coalition’s Chief Engagement Officer, Katie Katz, has always been passionate about community involvement. In this episode of the Oh You? podcast, she sits down with OU’s EVP and COO, Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, to share how she journeyed beyond local community engagement to the broader political arena to create an even greater impact. Together, they explore the power of advocacy, Teach’s achievements in creating accessible Jewish education, and the beauty of seeing the Jewish community come together to drive meaningful change.

When Torah Meets Technology. In 2018, Rabbi Moshe Schwed, Director of All Torah, faced the challenge of merging Daf Yomi with cutting-edge technology to make Torah learning accessible worldwide. What began as a single app has grown into a revolutionary network of apps, with over 185,000 downloads. On this episode of Oh, You?, Rabbi Schwed joins EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph to share his journey into the digital age, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the transformative power of following Hashem’s guidance.

Belonging. When Chani Hermann, Associate Director of Yachad, started her career at Yachad, she didn’t think that 25 years later she would still be making lifelong connections. Watch as she sits with our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph on the newest episode of the Oh, You? podcast to share how Yachad taught her what belonging means, how to find it, and how to help others find belonging in their own lives.

Transformative Leadership and the Power of Jewish Education. In this episode of the Oh, You? podcast, our EVP and COO, Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, sits down with Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, managing director of community engagement, to discuss the transformative power of Jewish education and leadership. Tune in for this inspiring conversation on how faith, resilience, and a commitment to community can shape lives and inspire meaningful change.

Building Bridges: Community, Connection, and Resilience In this episode of the Oh, You? podcast, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph speaks with Nechama Kamelhar, Director of Family Engagement at NY & NJ NCSY. They explore the impact of fostering community connections and overcoming life’s challenges. By weaving together personal stories of growth and perseverance, Nechama illustrates how these elements combined can drive impactful change. With warmth and wisdom, Nechama’s insights will leave you inspired and empowered. Don’t miss this compelling conversation!

"How I Became Funny" A capsized canoe, a camping trip gone wrong, and the fear of conflict made Avi Kirshtein, Program Director of Yachad Brooklyn, realize that he could use comic relief to ease tension and bring joy to people’s days. Watch as he sits with our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph on the newest episode of the Oh, You? podcast to share a multitude of meaningful and hilarious stories that show the power of humor.

Talking “Shmaltz” With Ivonne In this episode of Oh, You?, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Ivonne Gonzalez. Ivonne, the first face you see when you walk into OU HQ (and a smiling one at that), grew up on the Lower East Side surrounded by Spanish-speaking neighbors and an array of traditional kosher food. She grew up watching the evolution of the Lower East Side Jewish community, but her connection with the Jewish people didn’t stop there

Double Trouble In this episode of Oh, You?, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews NCSY COO, Daniel Gordon. They talk about his unlikely journey to finding his passion, how being an identical twin shaped his personality, his refreshing take on leadership, why it’s important to take ownership when making mistakes, and so much more.

In this on-the-ball episode of Oh, You?, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Hannah Farkas. They discuss her journey from being recruited for Division 1 college basketball to building donor relationships at the OU, her passion for fundraising, how basketball skills come in handy at home and work, and so much more.

In this fascinating episode of Oh, You?, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Rabbi Yaakov Luban about his rich experience as Rabbinic Coordinator at Kashrus for 40 years. They discuss his pre-computer days at OU Kosher and how it was built into the leader it is today, why being suspicious is an integral part of being a mashgiach, some dramatic stories –including a grand chase to uncover kashrus fraud– and so much more!

In this dynamic episode of Oh, You?, our EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Sydney Altfield, Executive Director at Teach NYS. They discuss her passion for being a voice and building relationships in politics, how it feels speaking in front of congress, Why Attorney General Letitia James stopped her day to speak to the TEACH kids, Sydney’s signature power glasses – and so much more!

OU EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph joins Ari Ziegler on his adventures through Brooklyn yeshivahs, Brooklyn College, Birthright trips, and his artwork on this episode of "Oh, You?"

OU EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter from OU Kosher and discusses her contributions to klal yisrael through her work at the OU and as an esteemed rebbetzin.

OU EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews Dean Andrews from the Office of Public Affairs who shares how he got from Brooklyn to Nashville to the OU!

OU EVP and COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph interviews OU Kosher rabbinic coordinator Rabbi Daniel Sharratt, who shares his journey from water polo athlete to Orthodox Judaism.