Embodied Judaism – Details, episodes & analysis

In this powerful and poetic conversation, Jenna Zadaka shares the winding path of her spiritual journey—from discovering Kabbalistic meditation through Chabad in college to integrating yoga within her Jewish religious life. We explore her deep love for mystical Judaism, her reverence for Rosh Chodesh, and the ways women’s faith and leadership shine during the Pesach season. Jenna speaks to the embodied nature of healing, the importance of meeting bitterness with presence, and recounts a mystical encounter with the Arizal that continues to shape her relationship with the Divine. This episode is an invitation to reconnect with the wisdom of the body and the sacred cycles of Jewish time.

Generously, Jenna is offering 15% off her course, The Radiant Body: Embodied Kabbalah Course, which begins April 9th. Use code EMBODIEDJUDAISM at checkout. Sign-ups close April 6th!

BIO:
Jenna Zadaka is an embodiment practitioner, trauma-informed somatic coach, educator in Jewish Mysticism and Mindfulness, author, and ceremonialist. She weaves spiritual, experiential, holistic, feminine, and earth-based wisdom into all of her offerings. Jenna believes in the power of each person’s inner-directed healing and trusts that the Divine Body allows us to discover the Source of Life through our flesh, reconnecting to our inherent joyous nature. She uses the pathways of somatics, spirituality and creative visualization for healing. A pillar of her approach to wellness includes receiving support from both our visible and invisible guides. As a celebrated teacher of Kabbalah, Yoga, and Mindfulness, Jenna humbly draws wisdom from her root-teachers and ancestors. Connect with her embodied teachings on Instagram @breathandsoul_Jenna and through her website, awethenticroots.com.

So grateful to have my incredible husband Elan Gerzon on the podcast. We talk about his journey growing up, stories of seeking and experiences with other cultures, and eventually coming home to Judaism.

We also speak about our relationship coming from places of different observances/backgrounds.

With Nechama Schusterman

Connect with Maxine on her personal instagram and her company, The Power Within.

In this episode we discuss the parsha for the week, Tetzaveh.

For a much deeper dive, check out Nechama Schusterman's weekly podcast: A Path Forward.

A little bit of a listen from Jessie's journey from going abroad at 24 years old to search for a feeling of ancestral and familial resonance, to plant medicine experiences that made Jessie want to experience more Jewish prayer and songs, and just a little bit on going towards keeping Shabbat.

This is our first weekly episode with Nechama Schusterman where we explore a fractal of the light that is the weekly torah portion.

In this episode, we first discuss finding value in Torah as our GPS.

Then, we dive into a few gems from Parsha Terumah.

May this conversation be an invitation for your own cheshbon hanefesh (spiritual accounting) this week!

Get to know Nechama Schusterman, an incredible Rabbanit and torah teacher that Jessie studies with.

They share how they met and a little bit about Nechama. BeH Jessie and Nechama will be having weekly conversations around the parsha, with Nechama sharing her truly unique and "somatic" torah insights and invitations.

I was raised totally secular—without an understanding that “how Jewish I am” has no relationship to how religious I am. But after a Crohn’s diagnosis and an invitation for deep, full-body and soul healing, I turned to plant medicine… and found my way to more of an observant Jewish life. One that only works because it’s fully authentic.

Now, so much of how I experience healing is Jewishly rooted—through the lens of the healing world I came from. My wedding felt like an ayahuasca journey. Shabbat is a weekly peyote ceremony. Mikvah holds the clarity of kambo. Ritual isn’t just tradition—it’s somatic, transformative, alive.

From somatic Torah to the magic of Jewish ritual, we dive into the deep medicine of mitzvot, the power of obligation, and the beauty of going towards what lights you up Jewishly because that creates more healing, more flow, and more presence- which is where the Divine is.

In this first episode, I share just a small slice of the beginning of my journey and why I’ve decided to start this podcast. Write to me on instagram at @embodied.judaism to let me know what you’d like to hear episodes about, questions you have, etc.

As always thank you Nechama Schusterman for your time in sharing your wisdom!