Among Chassidim

A Chassidisher Derher

Welcome to Among Chassidim: a Podcast by Derher.

Hosted by Rabbi Yossi Kamman, director of A Chassidisher Derher, this podcast captures the vibrancy and vitality of dor hashvi’i through immersive, heart-to-heart discussions on meaningful topics, shared in raw, unedited conversations.

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 2 hr 13 min
English

Episodes 30

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Saturday · 1 hr 8 min
Ep. 71: My Father, The Rebbe's Doctor with Rabbi Raleigh Resnick
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the anniversary of the Rebbe’s recovery from his heart attack in 5738 (1977), Rabbi Raleigh Resnick of Pleasanton, California, shares the remarkable story of his father, who was called upon to join the team of doctors treating the Rebbe at that time. Rabbi Resnick recounts how his father developed a lasting connection with the Rebbe, the story of how his parents met, and the extraordinary care and concern the Rebbe showed for his family throughout the years, always encouraging them to grow in their Yiddishkeit and beyond. Through personal stories, fascinating anecdotes, and meaningful reflections, Rabbi Resnick offers a deeper understanding of what the Rebbe expects of his Chassidim and what it means to live a truly fulfilling life as a Chossid. _____ 00:00 Intro – The Rebbe’s Health and a Family’s Connection 00:45 Rabbi Reznik’s Family Connection to Lubavitch 02:35 Dr. Reznik: From Army Doctor to the Rebbe’s Physician 05:15 Getting Permission from the White House to Stay in 770 08:20 Living in Crown Heights and Caring for the Rebbe 10:00 The Rebbe’s Doctor: Knowing His Role 11:40 The Rebbe’s Recovery and Rosh Chodesh Kislev 13:40 Personal Moments with the Rebbe During His Recovery 15:30 His Mother’s Journey from NBC Producer to Baalas Teshuva 19:30 His Parents’ Relationship with the Rebbe and Their Wedding 22:00 Growing Up with the Rebbe’s Doctor as a Father 24:00 The Rebbe’s Push for Excellence and Achievement 27:00 The Rebbe’s Approach to Hard Work and Personal Growth 34:20 The Rebbe’s Influence on His Family’s Life 38:00 Remembering the Rebbe’s Heart Attack and Its Aftermath 43:30 Choosing a Chassidishe Chinuch and Becoming a Lubavitcher 47:30 Childhood Encounters with the Rebbe and Precious Memories 52:30 The Chassidim Who Shaped His Life 55:00 After Gimmel Tammuz: Why Emotion Alone Is Not Enough 59:00 Pushing Beyond Our Comfort Zones and Staying Connected to the Rebbe
October 31 · 1 hr 47 min
Ep. 70: The Rebbe Interpreted His Dream with Reb Shimon Kroll
In this episode, Reb Shimon Kroll of Pomona, NY, shares his story-from growing up in Brooklyn and being scouted by Major League Baseball teams to his search for truth and the journey that brought him to Lubavitch. He recounts in detail his seven yechidus’n and moments with the Rebbe, sharing fascinating stories and personal horaos with meaningful lessons for us all.------00:00 Preview and introduction 01:16 Growing up in 1950s Brooklyn 04:45 Baseball and the Major League scout 06:18 Leaving baseball to search for truth 11:10 The Vietnam draft and a promise to Hashem 15:57 Six friends go looking for tzitzis 18:15 An unexpected Woodstock detour 20:12 Meeting the Rebbe through Shalom Hecht 23:25 A dream that would change his life 26:19 Finding his way to Hadar Hatorah 29:59 Learning with Reb Abba Pliskin 32:30 Preparing for his first yechidus 37:18 Entering the Rebbe’s room 43:15 The Rebbe explains his dream 47:40 The friendship that showed him what a Chossid is 52:43 “May the Almighty God bless you” 54:18 Asking the Rebbe for a tikkun 59:35 Second yechidus: Struggling with learning 1:04:25 A dream repeated at the farbrengen 1:10:31 Wedding yechidus with the family 1:16:15 Considering a return to baseball 1:19:23 The Rebbe’s guidance on parnassah 1:21:19 A business crisis and a lechaim from the Rebbe 1:25:15 Buying a house behind the Rebbe’s home 1:33:13 Rosh Hashanah memories in 770 1:36:41 Machne Israel and a bracha to give with joy 1:38:17 Yechidus after the Rebbe’s stroke 1:39:06 A personal message at the Ohel 1:42:58 “A father shouldn’t have to wait to see his children”
October 24 · 4 hr 36 min
Ep. 69: Hei Teves 40 Years | A Bochur's Perspective with Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov
In this episode, Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov of West Bloomfield, Michigan, shares vivid memories of living through the entire saga of the sefarim court case as a bochur- from the summer of 5745 (1985) through 5750 (1990). He recounts the story in compelling detail, from the discovery of the stolen sefarim to the court case, appeals, and subsequent legal battles. More than a historical account, this is a firsthand window into what it felt like to be a bochur during those years: the uncertainty, the pain, the joy, and the growing understanding of what was at stake. Through his recollections, Rabbi Shemtov explores what the case meant to the Rebbe and what these events revealed about the bond between the Rebbe and Chassidim. Along the way, we gain a deeper appreciation for what we are celebrating on Hei Teves—and why its message is so central to our lives as Chassidim in Dor Hashvi’i. At four and a half hours, this episode is an experience to take in at your own pace, over as many sittings as you need. We’re releasing it well ahead of Hei Teves so you have time to immerse yourself in the story and join the growing shturem and anticipation as we approach forty years since Didan Notzach.______________ 00:00 Introduction: Remembering Hei Teves 04:30 Hearing About the Stolen Seforim 22:20 Tishrei 5746: Overcoming Through Simcha 37:03 The Rebbetzin’s Historic Deposition 51:30 Why the Seforim Battle Mattered 1:20:53 Inside the Seforim Court Case 1:43:01 The Rebbe’s Response: Expand Lubavitch 2:14:09 Hei Teves: The Victory News Arrives 2:26:45 Seven Days of Unforgettable Dancing 2:32:25 Sending Names to the Rebbe 2:54:24 The Appeal: The Battle Continues 3:32:13 Flying From Australia for the Victory 3:49:49 Witnessing the Seforim Return 4:15:13 Recovering Treasures and Final Settlement 4:23:40 What Hei Teves Means for Us Today
October 17 · 2 hr 36 min
Ep. 68: I Couldn’t Tell You What The Rebbe Had Just Said with Rabbi Manis Friedman
In this episode, world-renowned lecturer and teacher of Chassidus Rabbi Manis Friedman joins us for a deep and thought-provoking conversation about his personal journey and the fundamental questions at the heart of a Chossid’s life. Rabbi Friedman traces his family’s connection to Lubavitch in Tashkent and their eventual move to America. He shares memories of growing up in Crown Heights, attending the United Lubavitcher Yeshivos at Bedford and Dean, and living in the same apartment building as Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe’s mother. He reflects on how his friends and educators helped draw him closer to the Rebbe, his decision to become a Lubavitcher Chossid, and how his siblings followed suit. He recalls a pivotal moment he witnessed with the Rebbe, his experiences in yechidus, and his move to Minnesota on shlichus after his marriage. He also takes us back to the founding of Bais Chana, the pioneering institution for baalos teshuvah, sharing how it began and what those early days were like. Rabbi Friedman offers a fascinating look at his unique role translating the Rebbe’s farbrengens live for satellite television broadcasts—how it began, what it required, and the experience of conveying the Rebbe’s words as he spoke. Throughout the conversation, he explores what it means to understand and articulate Chassidus, and how expressing it clearly in English is an indicator to how much we have understood and internalized. In the second part of the interview, the conversation turns to some of the biggest questions: Why do we need a Rebbe? What is the chiddush of our Rebbe and the mission of Dor Hashvi’i? What does it mean to bring Moshiach, and how do we understand Gimmel Tammuz within that mission? Rabbi Friedman addresses these questions and more with the clarity and depth that have made his teaching meaningful to so many.
October 10 · 1 hr 17 min
Ep. 67: The Gerrer Chossid Who the Rebbe Always Stopped For with Rabbi Elimelech Neiman
In this episode, Rabbi Elimelech Neiman of Boro Park, an askan involved in many Jewish causes throughout the 1980s and ’90s, shares memories of his frequent encounters with the Rebbe. Whether at kos shel bracha, dollars, or lekach, the Rebbe would often engage him in conversation- particularly asking about the Gerrer Rebbe’s wellbeing, what was taking place in Ger, and various matters of askanus. In this geshmake and fascinating conversation, Rabbi Neiman recalls the many kiruvim, brachos, and special moments he experienced over the years. He also reflects on what this personal connection with the Rebbe meant to him then- and what it continues to mean to him today.
October 4 · 2 hr 52 min
Ep. 66: Hearing Firsthand How Rebbetzin Chana Described Her Son The Rebbe with Rabbi Mayer Plotkin
In this episode, Rabbi Mayer Plotkin of Montreal, Canada, shares a candid and entertaining conversation about his life experiences- growing up in Montreal, eventually coming to Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn, and, through hashgacha pratis, finding his way to the Rebbe and joining the Lubavitch Yeshivos in Montreal and 770. Rabbi Plotkin experienced being by the Rebbe as a bochur in the late 1950s and early 1960s, giving him unique and up-close memories of the Rebbe during those years. He shares many personal memories and fascinating experiences from over the years, including his interactions with the Rebbe’s mother, moments surrounding the Rebbe’s heart attack, and stories he heard firsthand from elder Chassidim such as R’ Zalman Gurary and R’ Shmuel Zalmanov. A conversation filled with stories and an inside glimpse into the world of Lubavitch in those early years.
September 19 · 1 hr 39 min
[Re-release] Tishrei With The Rebbe with Rabbi Yisroel Noach Vogel
** We’re revisiting this special conversation in honor of Yomtov. Regular programming will continue after Simchas Torah** In this episode, Rabbi Yisroel Noach Vogel, a Mashpia in Queens, shares his personal memories of spending Yom Kippur, Sukkos, & Simchas Torah in the Rebbe’s presence. It will surely draw the listener in to experience the holiness of Yom Kippur, as well "the Rebbe’s Yom Tov," where every moment was alive with unparalleled joy, connection, and chassidishe warmth.
September 13 · 3 hr 12 min
Ep. 65: You Want To Be Shpitz Chabad? with Rabbi Zushe Winner
In this episode, Rabbi Zushe Winner of Brighton Beach, NY, shares the remarkable story of how his parents became connected to the Rebbe and to Lubavitch, and the special kiruv the Rebbe showed his mother, especially after the passing of his father. He takes us back to his formative years in the Chofs and Lameds, sharing his experiences by the Rebbe during those years and beyond. In this interview, every story brings with it an insight, an anecdote, and a heartfelt farbrengen.
September 6 · 3 hr 9 min
Ep. 64: A Man In A Girls School Is A Bidieved with Rabbi Nochem Kaplan
In this episode, Rabbi Nochem Kaplan of Crown Heights traces his family’s remarkable journey-from Chassidim dating back to the Alter Rebbe on his mother’s side to his father’s Litvishe roots and eventual connection to Lubavitch. Born in the Soviet Union, he recalls his family’s escape from U.S.S.R, life in the DP camps in Germany, their close connection with Rebbetzin Chana, and their eventual move to England and later New York. Rabbi Kaplan shares memories of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s histalkus and the early years of the Rebbe’s nesius, as well as his own formative years growing up around 770 in the small Lubavitch community of the 1950s and ’60s. He describes the great Chassidim and mashpi’im who influenced him during his years learning in Kfar Chabad and 770. Following the Rebbe’s guidance, Rabbi Kaplan devoted his life to chinuch, serving communities in Virginia, Lakewood, Philadelphia, and New York. He shares fascinating, little-known accounts of teaching Chassidus in Lakewood and his close relationships with Reb Schneur and Reb Meir Kotler, a”h. He also recounts the extraordinary story of a portrait he painted of the Rebbe Rashab—including the input he received from Reb Avrohom Mayor, Reb Mendel Futerfas, and ultimately the Rebbetzin—and the Rebbe’s satisfaction with the finished portrait.
August 30 · 2 hr 41 min
Ep. 63: The CIA of Lubavitch with Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Levine
In this episode, Reb Avraham Shmuel Levine of Eretz Yisroel discusses his family’s Litvishe background, including his grandfather’s position as a rav near Yekaterinoslav and his interactions with the Rebbe’s father, Harav Levi Yitzchak. He describes how his father came to learn in Tomchei Temimim and eventually escaped from Russia, as well as his own birth and upbringing in New England and his years in the yeshiva at Bedford and Dean. Reb Avraham Shmuel recalls his early encounters with the Rebbe, his journey to learn in Kfar Chabad, the yechidus he had beforehand, and the letters he received from the Rebbe while he was there. He also shares memories of the famed mashpia Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman and the profound influence he had on him. Upon returning to America, Reb Avraham Shmuel unexpectedly became involved with Ezras Torah, eventually serving as secretary of Agudas Harabanim—a position he held for many years, until moving to Eretz Yisroel. Through this role, he developed close relationships with many of the leading non-Lubavitch Rabbanim of the previous generation, including Reb Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, Rabbi Simcha Elberg, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, and Reb Gedalia Schorr. At the same time, he served as a discreet Lubavitch liaison, keeping Rabbi Hodakov and the Rebbe informed and working behind the scenes to advance many of the Rebbe’s initiatives. He shares story after story of fascinating encounters and the remarkable things he was able to accomplish—including how Reb Moshe Feinstein came to be mesader kiddushin at his wedding and had a yechidus with the Rebbe during that visit. This is only a glimpse of a fascinating episode filled with history, personalities, and firsthand memories. Listen and enjoy!
August 23 · 2 hr 51 min
Ep. 62: Look For A Shidduch and Go On Shlichus with Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt
In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt, Head Shliach of Argentina, takes us through his remarkable journey that led him to become Lubavitch and eventually the Rebbe’s Shliach. Rabbi Grunblatt grew up in Argentina in a Yekkishe kehillah. During his youth, he became very close to the Rebbe’s Shliach to Argentina, Rabbi Berel Baumgarten. Although Rabbi Baumgarten did not formally teach him Chassidus, simply being around him opened Rabbi Grunblatt to a world of Chassidus and Lubavitch, eventually leading him to join a Lubavitch Yeshiva in New York. He shares what it was like arriving from Argentina with virtually no familiarity with Lubavitch culture, and how he quickly acclimated and developed a deep connection to the Rebbe. As his involvement grew, Rabbi Grunblatt describes the tremendous effort he invested in understanding the Rebbe’s farbrengens. This eventually led him to become involved in chazara and in the work of transcribing the Rebbe’s maamorim. He shares fascinating anecdotes and insights into certain maamorim that the Rebbe was magihah, and elaborates on them. The episode then turns to the passing of Rabbi Berel Baumgarten, and how that ultimately led to Rabbi Grunblatt being sent as a Shliach to Argentina- at the same time as the Rebbe instructed him to get look for a Shidduch. Rabbi Grunblatt recounts the dramatic story of his arrival in Argentina and goes on to share fascinating episodes from his decades of Shlichus, including remarkable moments in which the Rebbe was directly involved.
August 16 · 2 hr 2 min
Ep. 61: Living In The Rebbe & Rebbetzin's Apartment Building with Rabbi Chaim Levi Goldstein
In this episode, Rabbi Chaim Levi Goldstein of Crown Heights, a veteran mechanech, shares his family background, including the story of how his father, 'Uncle Yossi', became close to Lubavitch and spent time around the Frierdiker Rebbe in America.He recalls his early childhood, including fascinating anecdotes from the years his family lived in the same apartment building as the Rebbe and Rebbetzin, his upbringing in the then-small Lubavitch community, and some up-close moments with the Rebbe.Rabbi Goldstein discusses his years in yeshiva, horaos he received from the Rebbe in yechidus, and his time studying in Brunoy, France, where he came to know many renowned Chassidim.He also shares the story of his involvement with Mesibas Shabbos and the Rebbe’s satisfaction with his work, as well as important lessons in chinuch that he learned from Rabbi Hodakov.In a fascinating twist, Rabbi Goldstein describes how questions that arose through his work as a teacher were brought to the Rebbe, with some later addressed by the Rebbe at farbrengens. One question he posed ultimately led to an entire Likkutei Sichos being developed around the subject.Drawing on a lifetime in chinuch, Rabbi Goldstein also shares practical approaches and insights based on the Rebbe’s teachings that are deeply relevant to educators and parents, and much more.
August 9 · 2 hr 49 min
Ep. 60: How American Chassidim Were Made with Rabbi Leibel Altein
In this episode, Rabbi Leibel Altein of Crown Heights shares fascinating stories and memories spanning generations of Chabad. He speaks about his grandfather, Reb Yisroel Jacobson, his early years in Lubavitch and his close involvement with the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe, as well as his pioneering askanus in the early years of Chabad in America. He also discusses his father’s becoming close to Lubavitch through his future father in law, Reb Yisroel Jacobson, his various Shlichus’n, and especially his shlichus in the Bronx. Rabbi Altein shares the fascinating story of the esrogim from Calabria that his grandfather began preparing for the Frierdiker Rebbe and later the Rebbe, including unique details about the Rebbe’s esrog purchases. He discusses his own upbringing and shlichus in Australia, and especially his remarkable work preparing Likkutei Sichos for the Rebbe to edit. He shares details of this unique zchus, along with personal stories with the Rebbe. The episode also explores Rabbi Altein’s lifelong involvement in Hafatzas Hamayanos, including Heichel Menachem and Chassidus Mevu’eres.
August 2 · 1 hr 56 min
Ep. 59: The ‘Fail’ That Became A Success with Rabbi Dovid Weitman
In this episode, Rabbi Dovid Weitman, Shliach to S. Paulo Brazil, shares the story of his childhood and journey to becoming a Chossid. He recounts remarkable stories and personal horaos from the Rebbe, along with unique encounters between the Rebbe and baalei batim that he witnessed over the years in Brazil and beyond. Throughout the conversation, Rabbi Weitman shares powerful messages that are both timeless and deeply relevant to every Chossid and Shliach.
July 26 · 1 hr 18 min
Ep. 58: Does The Rebbe Want Everyone Speaking Yiddish? with Rabbi Mendy Greenberg
In this episode, Rabbi Mendy Greenberg of Twinsburg, Ohio—a feature writer for A Chassidisher Derher magazine—discusses his recent article exploring Yiddish and its place in Lubavitch and the Rebbe's teachings. The conversation examines the Rebbe's strong encouragement of Yiddish, while also addressing the important nuance that schools should not prioritize teaching in Yiddish at the expense of students' understanding. Where is the balance? How do we reconcile the Rebbe's emphasis on preserving Yiddish with his equally strong focus on effective chinuch? A thought-provoking conversation filled with fascinating sources, practical insights, and much more. For more articles like this, and to subscribe to the beautiful monthly Derher magazine, visit Derher.org.
July 19 · 2 hr 19 min
Ep. 57: Is Colel Chabad a Success? with Rabbi Sholom Duchman
In this episode, Rabbi Sholom Duchman, Director of Colel Chabad, starts by sharing the story of his illustrious family of devoted Chassidim and their deep hiskashrus to the Rabbeim. He reflects on his childhood during the early years of the Rebbe's nesius in Crown Heights, his years of learning in various yeshivos, and the special experience of learning in 770 in the Rebbe's presence. Rabbi Duchman also discusses being sent by the Rebbe to Eretz Yisroel as part of the original group of shluchim. The conversation then turns to the rich history of Colel Chabad, from its founding to its development over the years. Rabbi Duchman shares the story of his appointment as director and offers an in-depth look at the Rebbe's horaos, expectations, and personal interest in the organization's success, providing a rare and comprehensive perspective with wonderful openness and detail.
July 12 · 2 hr 1 min
Ep. 56: Lubavitch of the Last 90 Years with Rabbi Sholom Ber Gurkov (Yiddish)
In this episode, Rabbi Sholom Ber Gurkov of Montreal, Canada, a veteran mechanech, shares his remarkable life through 90 years of Lubavitch history. Beginning with his family's rich roots dating back to the times of the Tzemach Tzedek, he recounts his father's early interactions with the Rebbe when the Rebbe was still a bochur. He then takes us through his own childhood in Kharkov, his family's escape to Central Asia during World War II, the Chassidim's famous escape from Russia, life in the DP camps, and their move with other Chassidim to Paris. He also reflects on settling in England, learning in a non-Chabad yeshiva in Manchester, and ultimately moving to New York/Montreal to be with the Rebbe. Along the way, Rabbi Gurkov shares firsthand stories of yechidus, memories of the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe, his involvement in the taharah of the Rebbe's brother, Reb Yisroel Aryeh Leib, and countless other fascinating stories and insights from a lifetime spent as a Chabad Chossid.
July 5 · 1 hr 19 min
Ep. 55: The First Jewish Event At The Kremlin with Rabbi Berel Lazar
In this episode, Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi and Shliach of Russia, shares memories of his parents and his grandfather, the renowned poet Reb Tzvi Meir Steinmetz, growing up on shlichus in Milan, Italy, and his childhood visits to the Rebbe. Rabbi Lazar also recalls coming to New York to learn in yeshivah and later spending years in 770, where the Rebbe’s farbrengens left a lasting impression on him. The conversation also explores his early years as a shliach in post-Communist Russia, witnessing firsthand the country’s extraordinary transformation from decades of religious persecution to a place where Yiddishkeit can once again be practiced openly and proudly.
June 28 · 1 hr 28 min
Ep. 54: Shortly After Discovering the Rebbe, He Was Contributing To Chazarah with Rabbi Eli Touger
In this episode, Rabbi Eli Touger of Boca Raton, the prolific translater of Sichos in English, shares the story of his journey from his early life and becoming frum, to his years in Kfar Chabad, the Chassidim and personalities who influenced him, and his eventual arrival at 770 where he quickly became involved in the chazarah of the Rebbe’s farbrengens. Rabbi Touger also discusses his decades-long work translating the Rebbe’s sichos into English. Along the way, he shares fascinating anecdotes and insights from a lifetime dedicated to preserving and spreading the Rebbe’s teachings.
June 21 · 1 hr 47 min
Ep. 53: The Last Sicha The Rebbe Edited L’eis Ato with Rabbi Avrohom Mann
In this episode, Rabbi Avrohom Mann, mashpia at the Toronto Yeshiva, shares how his father became connected to the Rebbe, and his own personal connection after arriving from Yerushalayim as a young bochur. He reflects on what it was like to live from week to week, drawing inspiration and direction from the Rebbe’s farbrengens. In a fascinating and heartfelt Farbrengen, Rabbi Mann highlights a number of practical horaos we can take from the Rebbe, each illustrated through personal experiences and firsthand moments he witnessed with the Rebbe himself.

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