EP. 76 - Elena Kalman on Where Art, Architecture, and Jewish Identity Meet

EP. 76 - Elena Kalman on Where Art, Architecture, and Jewish Identity Meet

Elena Kalman is an architect and artist whose creative journey spans architecture, fine art, and Jewish storytelling. In this episode of Orange Socks, Elena reflects on growing up in Soviet-era Ukraine, building a career in architecture, and continually finding her way back to painting. We explore the relationship between art and architecture, her ambitious series of paintings depicting Jewish history. Elena also shares her perspective on the persistence—and perhaps even obsession—that drives a lifelong creative practice, offering some wonderfully unconventional advice for young artists. As always, it's about creativity, authenticity, and finding your orange socks by leaning into who you already are.  About Elena: https://www.elenakalmanart.com/ [https://www.elenakalmanart.com/] https://kalmandesign.com/index.php/about/ [https://kalmandesign.com/index.php/about/] More about Orange Socks: Follow and keep up to date with the podcast in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/] 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/]

EP. 75 - Mendel Goldman: Finding Your Sound Starts with Finding Yourself

Mendel Goldman is a Jewish singer-songwriter whose music blends contemporary sounds with deeply personal stories of faith, identity, and growth. In this episode of Orange Socks, Mendel shares his journey from Miami Boys Choir to finding his own musical voice, while reflecting on authenticity, creativity, and the courage to stop comparing yourself to others. We discuss Jewish music, social media, artistic purpose, and why your greatest creative strength is simply becoming more fully yourself. As always, it's about creativity, authenticity, and finding your orange socks by leaning into who you already are.  About Mendel: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1mPlE4lsxeHJ3tizExUNjJ?si=gJYi1IRvQuucj9I3pWd8MA&utm_source=copy-link [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1mPlE4lsxeHJ3tizExUNjJ?si=gJYi1IRvQuucj9I3pWd8MA&utm_source=copy-link] https://www.instagram.com/mendel_music [https://www.instagram.com/mendel_music] Creatives Mendle thinks you should know: https://www.instagram.com/art_ofthe_covenant_ [https://www.instagram.com/art_ofthe_covenant_] https://www.instagram.com/zachleomusic [https://www.instagram.com/zachleomusic] https://www.instagram.com/thefunkyhassid [https://www.instagram.com/thefunkyhassid] More about Orange Socks: Follow and keep up to date with the podcast in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/] 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/]

EP. 74 - Ami Kozak on Creativity, Consistency, and Finding Your Audience

Ami Kozak is a comedian, musician, impressionist, and host of the Ami's House podcast. In this episode of Orange Socks, Ami reflects on his journey from Berklee College of Music to Distant Cousins, stand-up comedy, and social media, while exploring what it means to build a creative life rooted in Jewish values. We discuss consistency, finding your audience, creating with purpose, and how October 7 strengthened his commitment to authentic Jewish expression. As always, it's about creativity, authenticity, and finding your orange socks by leaning into who you already are.  About Ami: https://youtube.com/@amishousepod [https://youtube.com/@amishousepod] https://www.instagram.com/amikozak_official/ [https://www.instagram.com/amikozak_official/] More about Orange Socks: Follow and keep up to date with the podcast in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/] 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/]

EP. 73 - Alex Clare on Art Before the Artist

Alex Clare is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter whose career has spanned chart-topping success, major record deals, and an unexpected journey into Torah observance. In this episode of Orange Socks, Alex reflects on discovering Shabbos while building a music career, the challenges of balancing authenticity with performance, and why he's always believed that the art should come before the artist. Together we explore songwriting, vulnerability, creativity as avodas Hashem, and the tension between making art for an audience and making art for its own sake. Alex shares how Chassidus, Torah learning, and lived experience continue to shape his music, reminding us that our greatest creative work comes not from chasing success, but from honestly expressing who we are. As always, it's about finding your orange socks by leaning into who you already are. About Alex: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Tf4EH8tDvznnjULcFxkIl [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Tf4EH8tDvznnjULcFxkIl] https://music.youtube.com/@alexclare [https://music.youtube.com/@alexclare] https://www.instagram.com/alexanderclare [https://www.instagram.com/alexanderclare] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Clare [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Clare] Creatives Alex thinks you should know: Leonard Cohen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen] More about Orange Socks: Follow and keep up to date with the podcast in Instagram https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/orangesockspodcast/] 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/]

EP. 72 - Aarah Aizman on Creativity Beyond Talent

Aarah Aizman is an artist and longtime educator who believes creativity belongs to everyone—not only those who consider themselves “talented.” In this episode of Orange Socks, Aarah shares how her inventive father and beauty-seeking mother shaped the way she sees the world, how Hebrew calligraphy became part of her journey into Judaism, and why problems are not obstacles but invitations to create. We explore the relationship between art, sincerity, teaching, and Jewish purpose; why teenagers often understand more than adults give them credit for; and how art helps people move beyond perfectionism and discover what they uniquely have to say. Aarah also reflects on painting at the Nova Music Festival site and the responsibility of artists to listen, bear witness, and create in moments when ordinary language falls short. Finding your orange socks begins by trusting that you already have something essential to contribute—and leaning into who you already are. About Aarah: https://aizmanart.com/bio [https://aizmanart.com/bio] https://www.instagram.com/aizman_art/ [https://www.instagram.com/aizman_art/] https://jewishuncamp.org/unblog/ [https://jewishuncamp.org/unblog/] https://www.amazon.com/UNART-word-image-Aarah-Aizman-ebook/dp/B07RNVQY8W [https://www.amazon.com/UNART-word-image-Aarah-Aizman-ebook/dp/B07RNVQY8W] 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/]