The Long Short Way

Music, Chassidus, and Finding Your True Voice with Rabbi Yosef “Yoey” Muchnik

In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with Rabbi Yosef “Yoey” Muchnik to explore the intersection of music, creativity, Chassidus, and personal identity. Yoey reflects on growing up in a creative Chabad family, the influence of his artist father, and the journey of becoming both a musician and a shliach. Together, they wrestle with a fascinating question: can authentic art remain fully vulnerable while also staying aligned with a higher spiritual mission? Through stories about songwriting, inspiration, and self-expression, Yoey explains how music for him is not simply self-expression, but a vehicle for bringing people closer to Hashem and revealing a deeper truth about the soul. The conversation moves into broader themes of authenticity, pain, confidence, individuality, and Jewish purpose. Rabbi Mendy and Yoey discuss the tension between modern culture’s emphasis on “expressing yourself” and the Chassidic perspective that creativity should ultimately illuminate the world and elevate others. Along the way, they share personal stories about fitting in, breaking out creatively, discovering one’s voice, and recognizing inspiration as a gift from Hashem. Warm, funny, and deeply introspective, this episode offers a moving look at how music can become both a spiritual language and a path toward discovering one’s truest self.

Truth, Trust, and Transformation: Errol Gerson’s Spiritual Journey

In this episode, Rabbi Mendy sits down with Errol Gerson, who (on the day of recording!) turns 81, to share a story of pain, resilience, and a powerful return to Jewish life. Errol was born in South Africa and endured deep childhood trauma—abandonment, abuse, and years inside a so-called Orthodox institution that harmed the very children it claimed to protect. And yet, somehow, he never learned to hate. Instead, he carried a quiet inner knowing that Hashem was real—and that warmth he felt in shul meant something. Errol’s journey winds through hardship, immigration to America with $300 and no plan B, homelessness, unexpected kindness, and the slow reawakening of Yiddishkeit. Along the way he discovers a core idea that becomes the cornerstone of his life: transformation—through truth, vulnerability, and gratitude. This conversation touches on: Childhood trauma and the choice not to hate The long road back to Judaism and Hashem Teshuva as “return,” not just apology Gratitude (Moda Ani) as a daily spiritual engine Bitachon (trust) and reframing the past How one small practice can change a marriage—and a life Errol’s closing message is simple and piercing: Don’t wait until you’re 81 to realize Hashem loves you and wants what’s best for you… the question is, what are you going to do about it?

From Addiction to Connection: Tzvi Haber’s Story

In this raw and courageous conversation, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with Tzvi Haber to explore a journey that spans loss, addiction, faith, and radical honesty. Tzvi opens up about losing his father at age one, growing up feeling different and labeled, and how manipulation and control became early coping mechanisms. What began as experimentation with substances in Israel quickly escalated into a severe opioid and heroin addiction—hidden beneath a façade of religious observance and outward functionality. Through heartbreak, near-misses, and the painful unraveling of his marriage and identity, Tzvi shares how truth became the turning point. A single moment of choosing honesty over instinctive lying set in motion a transformation that reshaped his relationship with himself, with his wife, and with Hashem. Together, Rabbi Mendy and Tzvi reflect on struggle as a catalyst for growth, the difference between fear-based Judaism and connection-based faith, and how every fall can become the beginning of light—if we’re willing to face it.

Love, Healing, and Holy Laughs with Therapist Sony Perlman

In this special crossover episode, Rabbi Mendy Bistritzky sits down with therapist and fellow podcaster Sony Perlman, only this time, the interview takes place in Sony’s New York studio while Mendy leads the conversation. Sony, known for his candid and compassionate insights on the "BrainStorm" podcast, shares his experience working with at-risk youth, addiction recovery, and the community he’s built through “Our Village,” a network of sober living homes focused on healing through love, belonging, and human connection. The episode is co-released on both podcasts as a heartfelt collaboration between two people deeply committed to building meaningful, spiritually grounded lives. The conversation explores the nature of worthiness, what it means to truly help someone heal, and why community is the essential ingredient to long-term recovery, not just from addiction, but from the isolation that so many people feel in daily life. Sony challenges the traditional view of addiction by explaining how all people, not just addicts, are searching for the same sense of inner peace and connection. Rabbi Mendy brings in Hasidic perspectives, particularly the idea that spirituality isn’t found in perfection, but in the paradox, the holy space where longing and struggle coexist. Laced with humor, vulnerability, and spiritual depth, the episode touches on everything from how laughter can heal trauma to the Rebbe’s guidance on self-worth, to practical advice for those who are emotionally drained but still functional. Whether you’re battling addiction, burnout, or simply seeking more meaning in your relationships and spiritual life, this episode offers both comfort and clarity. It’s a reminder that healing is not about becoming someone else; it’s about remembering who you already are.

There’s goodness in everyone, humor in everything, and faith in tragedy

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Mendy sits down with his oldest brother, Rabbi Chanoch Bistritzky—known affectionately to his students as "Rabbi B." Together, they revisit their unique childhood in Southern California as children of Chabad shluchim, exploring memories filled with humor, mischief, and a profound sense of mission. Rabbi Chanoch reflects on the formative experiences that led him to embrace a life of Torah education, and how growing up surrounded by authenticity, warmth, and non-judgmental love shaped his approach to guiding students today. The episode takes an especially moving turn as Rabbi Chanoch shares the story of his infant daughter's unexpected passing on Yom Kippur, and how that tragedy transformed—but did not diminish—his faith and joy in life. He speaks with candor about grief, purpose, and continuing to "raise" a soul even after it has left this world. Through it all, the brothers explore big themes: the balance between "the truth" and "your truth," why humor was the currency of their youth, and what it really means to see people not as broken, but as whole.