EP. 67 - Jared Bernstein: Why Fear Never Goes Away — And That’s the Point
Jared Bernstein opens this conversation with a raw spoken-word piece — a window into the inner world he’s spent a lifetime learning how to face, process, and express. From a childhood shaped by insecurity and silence to becoming a baal teshuva in his thirties, Jared shares how creativity became his way of making sense of everything — fear, identity, relationships, and his connection to G-d.
Through poetry, painting, and honest reflection, Jared explores the ongoing battle with the inner critical voice — and how writing, observing, and expressing those thoughts can transform them. This is a conversation about courage, not as something you arrive at, but something you practice — again and again.
Find your orange socks by leaning into who you already are.
About Jared:
My earliest creative memory is of comparing a drawing I made to one by my
best friend. My stick figure paled beside his confident lines, and in that
moment, I decided I couldn't draw. The discouragement was immediate and
visceral — but I wasn't ready to let go. That tension between doubt and
persistence has shaped everything since.
My work returns to those early feelings of inadequacy — not to relive them,
but to move through them. As a baal teshuva, this journey is not only artistic
but spiritual: a process of returning, of seeking connection with G-d through
creation. In this space I've found freedom — the ability to create without
judgment, to trust instinct over expectation.
At its core, my practice is about courage. The willingness to risk failure, stay
vulnerable, and continually reinvent. I work intuitively across poetry,
photography, and painting, allowing each piece to emerge raw and unfiltered
— something close to the immediacy of Basquiat, where expression takes
precedence over perfection.
Whether through image or text, I give form to my inner world. Creation
becomes both confrontation and transformation — a way to navigate identity,
reconcile inner conflict, and deepen my connection to the divine. Between
2020 and 2025, a period of intense growth, I came to understand that
vulnerability carries a universal resonance. That many of us, at some time,
gave up on fully expressing ourselves.
*Bio*
Jared Bernstein was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was raised in New
Jersey. At a young age, he was shaped by a fascination with words and a
belief that there was something going on beyond what his eyes could see.
These characteristics sparked Jared’s passion for writing stories and painting,
which he later published in a book “Courageous Chicken” (Ktav 2021) - A
journey to living courageously, portrayed through paintings and poems. He
studied photography and business at Pace University in New York City and
earned a BBA in finance.
Raised in a secular home, Jared embraced a Torah-observant lifestyle in his
early thirties. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and children.
Jared’s work is exhibited in galleries and is sold worldwide.
Website - https://www.courageouschicken.com [https://www.courageouschicken.com]
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/courageouschicken/ [https://www.instagram.com/courageouschicken/]
Photography work = https://www.jaredbernsteinphotography.com [https://www.jaredbernsteinphotography.com]
Aish Hatorah -https://aish.com/revealing-the-soul-of-an-artist/
Jerusalem Post - https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-798933?utm_source=jpost.app.apple&utm_medium=share
Jewish action Oct 7 - https://jewishaction.com/web-exclusive/commemorating-october-7-through-art/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Oct+7+2025+Newsletter+(1)&utm_content=&spMailingID=36051984&spUserID=MjQwODMyOTUxNTYS1&spJobID=3003186908&spReportId=MzAwMzE4NjkwOAS2
More about Orange Socks:
Contact us at orangesockspodcast@gmail.com
Now on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orange-socks-podcast/id1749369628]
On Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ec3LbPdujZG531xKLPssh?si=381bf3bb2b624ffd]
On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@OrangeSocksPodcast]
Connect with Yitzchok Moully
https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/ [https://www.instagram.com/moullyart/]
https://www.moullyart.com/ [https://www.moullyart.com/]
