The Franciska Show – Details, episodes & analysis

Host Franciska returns to The Franciska Show after a year-long pause, explaining she will release episodes only when conversations feel meaningful, and introduces a "No More Silence" part two with Tzipporah Shkedi. Part 1: https://www.franciskakosman.com/podcast/episode/2775ef43/he-told-me-it-was-a-mitzva-to-sleep-without-underwear-with-anonymous     Tzipporah recounts being molested by her grandfather for about 10 years and says over a dozen others were abused; after trying to address it within her tight-knit Pittsburgh family, she faced anger, character attacks, and was removed from family chats and effectively excommunicated after anonymously sharing the first episode. She describes ongoing denial, public honoring of her grandfather, and "conditional support" meant to silence her, and says therapy was stigmatized. She reports recent allegations that one of her uncles molested his own children and abused his wife; her aunt obtained a get, CPS was notified, litigation is ongoing, and family members allegedly support and defend the uncle while pressuring children to stay silent. Tzipporah calls for communal action, victim support, and barring alleged abusers from shul.   00:00 Family Silence Begins 00:16 Podcast Returns 02:56 Why Come Back Now 03:58 Recap of Abuse 05:46 Aftermath and Backlash 10:18 Going Public Anonymously 11:47 Excommunicated from Family 12:39 No Thanks from Victims 13:59 Why Speaking Up Matters 20:22 Community Leaders Response 21:32 Forgiveness Not Forgetting 22:35 Handling It Internallly 24:31 Parents Support Revisited 26:07 Naming After Abusers 26:48 Dementia Excuse Debunked 27:10 Calculated Grooming Reality 28:34 Family Rejection Fallout 29:51 Cycle Repeats With Uncle 32:48 Aunt Reaches Out 34:13 Family Cover Up Response 36:04 What Accountability Looks Like 39:16 Shul Safety And Community Pressure 41:52 Cost Of Silencing Victims 45:03 Resources And Taking Voice Back 46:19 Legal Risks And Truth Defense 51:23 Call To Action Closing     www.jewishcoffeehouse.com Email franciskakay@gmail.com to join the whatsapp discussion group.

In this episode of the Franciska Show, Leigh Ioffe, a crisis management specialist and founder of the nonprofit organization The Long Short Road, shares her journey and work in the realm of mental health and crisis intervention. Lee discusses her accidental entry into the field, which began with her work at the Chabad Teen Network and evolved into addressing the mental health needs of young people dealing with suicidal ideation. She elaborates on the unique challenges faced by the Orthodox Jewish community, including religious guilt and trauma, and emphasizes the importance of combining mental health support with religious guidance. Lee also provides insights from her extensive training and experience, including the development of bespoke suicide prevention programs and the importance of relational support in crisis management. She shares personal stories of success and resilience, illustrating the profound impact of compassionate human connections. Additionally, Leigh offers practical advice for individuals and community leaders on how to provide support to those struggling with mental health issues, ensuring they feel safe, seen, and soothed.   00:00 Welcome to the Franciska Show 00:19 Accidental Path to Crisis Management 01:11 Religious Journey and Family Background 02:46 Challenges in Mental Health Awareness 08:46 Warm Line: A Support System 17:53 Expressive Writing for Healing 23:26 Training and Future Plans 32:47 Rescheduling and Learning New Things 33:32 Nuances of Addressing Suicidal Ideation 36:45 Training and Crisis Management 39:21 Balancing Nonprofit Work and Personal Life 43:52 The Importance of Sensitivity in Mental Health 56:00 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways      

About Our Guest:

Leigh Ioffe is a crisis management specialist and dedicated advocate for individuals navigating mental health challenges. She is the founder and director of The Long Short Road, where she leads the creation of psycho-educational programs, warmline services, and consultations that offer personalized support to hundreds each year. Leigh's work is grounded in compassion and practical care, helping people access the tools they need to heal and grow. Beyond her professional role, Leigh is a wife, a mother to two daughters, and a published fiction author. She is also currently pursuing certification as a mindfulness practitioner, further enriching her holistic approach to well-being.

 

www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-ioffe-25785149

 Instagram and Facebook: @thelongshortroad

 

www.JewishCoffeeHouse.com

 

 

Check back in next week for a brand new episode of The Franciska Show

To book Franciska for your BAT MITZVA - email franciskakay@gmail.com

 

 

Enjoy this pilot episode of "Getting Free" a new podcast hosted by the International Beit Din with Rabbanit Leah Sarna (a former guest on the Franciska Show).

https://gettingfree.podbean.com

Imagine finally escaping a marriage after years of abuse. But there's one last step- you need your abuser's permission to get a divorce. That's the reality for the Jewish women in Getting Free, and countless others around the world. Their husbands use a religious tradition to trap them in marriages that should have ended a long time ago.  But it doesn't have to be this way. 

To learn more about this issue, and to help put an end to it, please join the International Beit Din at our conference "Redefining Freedom" on May 21st with the Gruss Program at the NYU School of Law. To learn more and register go to https://www.internationalbeitdin.org/campaign-to-end-iggun/ 

 

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Reach out about new sponsorship opportunities for your brand & organizations - franciskakay@gmail.com

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About Our Guest:   Naomi Lewis Afriat, LCSW, is a Licensed Social Worker who has spent 15 years working with teens, young adults, couples and families.    Naomi relocated to Los Angeles in 2020 after living in New York for 15 years. Before leaving New York, Naomi worked with teens, parents, and families in overcoming challenges. She also ran a crisis hotline for parents and provided support in clinical settings.    Naomi obtained her Masters in Social Work from Touro College in 2009. She also has a certificate in Crisis Counseling, is trained in EMDR and is a CSAT (Certified Sex Addiction Therapist). In her role as a CSAT, Naomi is passionate about supporting addicts, their spouses and their families struggling with sex addiction, betrayal, intimacy disorders and related issues. The majority of her work in this area is focused on supporting Betrayed Partners of addicts, and helping couples reconnect after betrayal.    Naomi is married and enjoys cooking and pursuing her artistic interests in her free time. She is licensed, and practices in CA, NJ, NY, FL, VA, TX, CT, NC & NV.    For more information about Naomi and the work she does, please visit www.intomeyousee.org. She can also be reached via email at NaomiLewisLSCW@gmail.com 

If you would like to share your "No More Silence" story, please email me at franciskakay@gmail.com

Do you have feedback? - reach out as well!

 

About this episode:

A hearbreaking story of a "shoved under the rug" family abuse tragedy.

This episode begins with a letter (about 6 minutes long) in response to last's weeks episode with Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll.

 

 

 

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Shoshanna's first appearance on the Franciska Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoshana-keats-jaskoll-on-the-franciska-show/id1316933734?i=1000459835894

 

About Our Guest: Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll is a writer and an activist. Cofounder of Chochmat Nashim, an organization of religious women, she raises awareness of dangerous trends in Orthodox Judaism/Israeli society and provides tools, methods and resources for the community to make positive change.   

 

https://www.skjaskoll.com/

https://www.ratemybeitdin.com/

https://jewishlifephotos.com/

https://www.chochmatnashim.org/podcasts/

 

Would you like to be a SPONSOR?

Reach out about new sponsorship opportunities for your brand & organizations - franciskakay@gmail.com

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No Joke Podcast: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-joke-with-mendy-pellin/id1694385459

 

 

About Our Guest:

 

Shulim Leifer is a chasidish husband and father. He was a business executive in the field of Healthcare Administration, and is now a Social Justice Activist & Victim Advocate in the Charedi world.

https://twitter.com/ShulimLeifer      

Would you like to be a SPONSOR?

Reach out about new sponsorship opportunities for your brand & organizations - franciskakay@gmail.com

 

 

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In this episode, Franciska explores the reasons for divorce with three frum divorcees, the last guest being anonymous.

 

 

    About Betzalel Rothstein:

Betzalel Rothstein is a certified family mediator and a divorce coach, and the Chairman of the New Jersey Chapter of The National Parents Organization.

Betzalel has experienced his own divorce after experiencing his parents' divorce and is happily remarried and engaged in advocacy for protecting the interests of children before, during and after a divorce. 

For more information about Betzalel Rothstein as a mediator visit www.shalomfamilymediation.com, for more information about advocacy visit www.sharedparenting.org.

https://www.kosherdivorce.org/betzalel-rothstein    

About CB:

CB is a single Mom to four amazing children. sruli is 19, simcha is 15, ahuva is 12 and Malie is 8. She is the Dorector of Admissions for East Haven Nursing & Rehab Center in the Bronx and also owns her own Laser Hair Removal business in North Woodmere- Let's get Lasered. She is involved in various service organizations and is always trying to give back to her community.

www.Instagram.com/Ceeebeel or www.instagram.com/letsgetlasered Facebook is cee bee levovitz       Sponsors:   OKclarity Find an OKclarity verified professional:  https://okclarity.com Become an OKclarity verified professional: https://okclarity.com/for-professionals/ Join OKclarity on WhatsApp status or groups: https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=19174261495&text=Hey!%20I'd%20like%20to%20join%20OKclarity%20on%20WhatsApp.%20(france)   Dynamic Motion Pictures - HIRE them for your next Music Video or Video Project! https://www.instagram.com/dynamicmotionpicture/    

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The Challenges and Opportunities of Being a Religious Artist

with Abie Rotenberg, Simcha Leiner, Moshe Braun & Chaim Aizenshtat

This panel was co-hosted with Rabbi Scott Kahn, founder of JewishCoffeeHouse.com and host of the Orthodox Conundrum as well as other awesome podcasts.

 

Would you like to be a SPONSOR?

Reach out about new sponsorship opportunities for your brand & organizations - franciskakay@gmail.com

Message Franciska to join the Whatsapp Discussion Group - franciskakay@gmail.com.

Check out www.JewishCoffeeHouse.com for more Jewish Podcasts on our network.

Article referenced in the episode:

https://visionmag.org/need-real-female-leadership/

Check out Franciska's new album: https://open.spotify.com/album/1dqLyjon9Fle1cETw3nPVk?si=BqKIvARLSRK9S1BeB93C_Q

KOL ISHA

 

About Our Guest:

Sharona eshet-Kohen has spent several years developing a postcolonial approach to Jewish issues, with a special focus on applying transnational feminist theory to issues confronting Jewish women. Her doctoral studies at Ben-Gurion University focused on Marxist and Messianic ideologies within the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel (Leḥi) underground. While completing her Masters degree in theories of nationalism at UCLA, Sharona created the Doreinu program, aimed at facilitating deeper conversations for young professionals surrounding topics of Jewish identity and national consciousness. As an undergraduate student of economics and legal studies at UC Berkeley, she was a founder and president of Tikvah Students for Israel

https://visionmag.org/author/sharona-e-k/

 

 

Would you like to be a SPONSOR?

Reach out about new sponsorship opportunities for your brand & organizations - franciskakay@gmail.com

Message Franciska to join the Whatsapp Discussion Group - franciskakay@gmail.com.

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