The OCU Chronicle Podcast

Maya Vorobyov on Empowering the Next Generation of Digital Creators for Israel

Maya Vorobyov grew up with a deep appreciation for Jewish identity and resilience. She grew up straddling between being secular and deeply Zionist, immersing in Israeli life yet aware of the fragility of Jewish freedom. Her early work producing IDF delegations abroad exposed her to the importance of strengthening ties between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide and ultimately shaped her path. Today, as Executive Director of TalkIsrael, Maya is empowering young creators to reshape how Israel is seen online. Through free workshops, fellowships, and partnerships across the United States and Israel, TalkIsrael [https://www.talkisrael.org/] equips emerging and established creators with tools in storytelling, branding, and digital strategy. Maya’s philosophy is simple but powerful. Instead of leading with politics, lead with people. Share Shabbat dinners, beach sunsets, Pride celebrations, culture, food, and everyday resilience. In a social media environment saturated with conflict, she believes authenticity and Jewish joy resonate most, especially with a generation that connects to lived experience over talking points. In this conversation with Our Campus United [http://ourcampusunited.com]’s Founder & CEO Yasmeen Ohebsion, Maya offers practical advice for students navigating online hate and hesitation. Your voice matters, no matter your following. Focus on those who are open to learning, lead with personal experience, and stay consistent. At a time when many young Jews feel pressure to stay quiet, her message is clear. Speak up with confidence, creativity, and pride. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, thoughts, or opinions of Our Campus United (“OCU”), its affiliates, or any other individuals or entities associated with OCU. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theocuchronicle.substack.com [https://theocuchronicle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Shawna Wexler on Career, Resilience, and Celebrating Jewish Joy

Shawna Wexler opens up about breaking into Hollywood, navigating challenges and mentoring the next generation of entertainment professionals. With a 21-year career in the industry starting at CAA in the mailroom, Shawna has represented comedians crossing into television and film. After five years, Shawna earned her promotion to agent - one of the youngest to do so at the time. She later joined Brillstein Entertainment Partners, where she expanded her roster, produced shows, discovered new talent, and secured brand partnerships. Today, Shawna brings that expertise to Sugar23, the management division founded by Oscar-winning producer Michael Sugar, joining a roster that includes Bret McKenzie, Pat Bishop, and Alice Lee. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support OCUC. Her journey goes beyond career milestones. As a Jewish woman and granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors, Shawna’s identity informs both her professional work and personal life. In the months after October 7, she navigated the emotional intensity of defending Israel, confronting antisemitism, and balancing professional relationships while staying true to her values. At the same time, she channels her heritage into celebrating Jewish joy in her personal life- through Shabbat traditions, mentoring young professionals, and involvement with If You Heard What I Heard [https://www.ifyouheardwhatiheard.com/who-we-are], an organization for third-generation Holocaust survivors. In this interview, Shawna shares actionable advice for students: be persistent, network strategically, and remember that just one person believing in you can open doors. She emphasizes the importance of assertiveness balanced with respect, finding allies, and practicing resilience and self-care, even when conversations and decisions feel difficult. Her story is a testament to how identity, mentorship, and joy can shape not just a career, but a life—and a reminder that even in times of division, there are allies, opportunities, and a path forward. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, thoughts, or opinions of Our Campus United (“OCU”), its affiliates, or any other individuals or entities associated with OCU. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theocuchronicle.substack.com [https://theocuchronicle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Not A Billionaire's Ben Berkowitz On Telling Stories And Building Worlds

by Jordan Lubowitz Stories have always been at the heart of Ben Berkowitz’s life. As a kid, he would drag his twin brother Max to comic book stores and fill sketchbooks with superheroes born from his imagination. What began as a childhood passion grew into a vision shaped by lessons from his family’s small business and strengthened by his bond with Max. That vision became Not A Billionaire, the creative agency and production company the brothers co-founded and have spent the last two decades building. Today, Not A Billionaire [https://www.notabillionaire.com] is a global media powerhouse, generating billions of views and redefining how stories influence culture. Under the Berkowitz Brothers’ leadership, the agency has collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic brands including Netflix, Amazon, CNN, NBC, Warner Bros., Meta, Twitter, JetBlue, and Johnson & Johnson, to name a few. Their work reinforces a simple truth at its core: business is about storytelling—creating images, narratives, and meaning, much like the ones Ben once sketched from his own imagination as a child. That same creative drive fuels Ben’s work as a writer. Alongside Max and actor Josh Gad—best known as the voice of Olaf in Frozen—Ben co-authored The Writer [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771580/the-writer-by-written-by-ben-and-max-berkowitz-and-josh-gad-art-by-ariel-olivetti/], an acclaimed Dark Horse Comics series rooted in Jewish folklore. Beyond his creative ventures, Ben has also been a passionate advocate for Jewish representation, serving on the board of the Jewish Film Institute and as a national BBYO representative, ensuring Jewish identity remains central to the stories he tells. In this interview, Ben reflects on the journey behind the headlines—sharing stories of growing up with his twin brother and the ups and downs of building a business together. He also shares advice for students and young entrepreneurs, discusses the inspiration behind The Writer, and returns to the themes that continue to define his career: creativity, resilience, and the power of stories to shape culture. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, thoughts, or opinions of Our CampUs United (“OCU”), its affiliates, or any other individuals or entities associated with OCU. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theocuchronicle.substack.com [https://theocuchronicle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How Raina Penchansky Helped Define Today's Creator Culture

by Romy Peretz Raina Penchansky, co-founder and CEO of Digital Brand Architects, has spent the past fifteen years championing creators as the new voices of culture. “Anything that’s disruptive to the status quo is always going to get pushback,” she told us, reflecting on the early days of convincing brands to take influencers seriously. In this interview, Raina shares how she built DBA into the industry leader in influencer management, why authenticity and hard work are at the core of every creator’s success, and what it takes to transform digital personalities into powerful, lasting brands. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, thoughts, or opinions of Our CampUs United (“OCU”), its affiliates, or any other individuals or entities associated with OCU. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theocuchronicle.substack.com [https://theocuchronicle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bearing Witness Through Experience

by Gabby Ostroff From hosting a Shabbat dinner with the goal of bringing Jews together in New York post October 7th, Josh Kadden never would have imagined leaving his job in tech to spearhead the launch of the Nova Music Festival Exhibition [https://novaexhibition.com], one of the leading acts to preserve the memory of the Nova Festival—and “the moment music stood still.” The exhibit quickly became a nationally recognized tribute to the victims of the Nova Festival on October 7th, and a powerful tool for education and healing. The Nova Exhibit, as Kadden puts it, “is a way for those who cannot get on a plane to bear witness and pay their respects.” The exhibit has now reached thousands of people, across various cities nationwide and into Canada. It is a tribute to the landscape of the festival site, and a memorial for the lives lost on that day. Most of all, it is centered around music and humanity—nothing displayed is political. "There are no Israeli flags," Kadden said. “We wanted people to walk through the exhibit and see themselves—not see Israel.” When speaking with Kadden, he reflected on the origin of the exhibit, and how a WhatsApp group turned into a movement, as the urgency of the message grew. He described how music is a universal language that has the ability to bring people together, and Kadden’s continuous point was that there is nothing political about this festival…just kids with a love for music and life. When I asked him how the protests have affected the exhibit, he said that “the protest ironically amplified [the exhibit’s] reach.” “If you need to protest this exhibit,” he explained, “then you’re so far gone that you're not even worth trying to engage with.” Over everything, Kadden’s story is one that took pain—and a frustrating lack of power—and turned it into purpose. “The best way to fight antisemitism is inviting your friend to Shabbat and showing them how freaking awesome our culture is.” This interview offers an intimate look into the motivations and momentum behind one of the most culturally impactful Jewish exhibits in recent memory. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, thoughts, or opinions of Our CampUs United (“OCU”), its affiliates, or any other individuals or entities associated with OCU. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theocuchronicle.substack.com [https://theocuchronicle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]