Momo Bauman and Nachi Gordon, two of the best mensches in podcast world right now. Courtesy of MEANINGFUL PEOPLE.The world is FILLED with inspiring people making a difference in the world. I’m the type of gregarious person who wishes he could just venture out and speak with every single one of them. Fat chance, I know. History books, movies, television, and so much more teach us of the “really famous” heroes of the country. Harriet Tubman, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, etc. (And those are just some names from one page after Googling “famous heroes.”) What about the others? What about the hundreds and hundreds of anonymous souls who deserve recognition and continue to perform mitzvot (“good deeds”) in life? In Meaningful People, a weekly Jewish podcast with over 100 episodes so far and 1.47 million plays, hosts Nachi Gordon and Momo Bauman give these individuals a platform to speak about their brave accomplishments and how we, the listeners, can practice their mitzvot. This is a mostly serious podcast, but it’s also very amusing. Why? Nachi and Momo are just super funny guys. My “deeds” of bringing film and new media content to the Greater Philadelphia region probably aren’t as powerful as other people’s, but I would still love to be interviewed by this duo!
For me, the best kind of podcast is one where the hosts are appropriate but curiously zany at the same time. An interviewer should always keep it a little lively, depending on the topic of discussion, of course. I try to listen to a lot of new podcasts, and I just can’t get into many of them because the hosts speak in such a stagnant, pretty boring manner. Nachi and Momo aren’t like that. These guys are utterly respectful of their guests, but they know how to keep the listener engaged enough with their Jewish jokes they toss back and forth on occasion.
“Isn’t that geshmack [Yiddish for “yummy”]?!” says Momo, referring to Jewish music in one episode.
“It’s super geshmack!” replies Nachi.
These aren’t just long and drawn-out interviews with significant people in the Jewish community we should know more about. Meaningful People balances its episodes with humor and sincerity. These interviews may get heavy, but Nachi and Momo remind us to be more grateful for these people, regardless of their troubled pasts or upsetting stories they recount. Gratitude is a huge concept in Judaism, as well as a prominent one given that Thanksgiving was just last week. At the end of every episode of Meaningful People, I always feel grateful for these interviewees, as well as Nachi and Momo. I couldn’t be more thankful for their courage in shedding light on the people and topics that modern society doesn’t get to hear about too much.
“There are so many Jewish personalities and big people in the world. They all have a story on how they became who they are today.”
Nachi and Momo always film their episodes for YouTube and upload their audio to wherever you get your podcasts. Nachi, who has red hair and is usually drinking Dr. Pepper in every episode, is a mitzvah in himself. As founder and director of Meaningful Minute, the home of the podcast, he encourages everyone to spread kindness and battle their self-esteem to improve their lives. He is also the co-host of The Daily Thread, another podcast about the latest news happening in the Jewish world, produced by Meaningful Minute as well.
Momo, with his glasses and affectionate smile, similarly brings more simha (“joy”) to society with his band, The Early Shabbos Band, a positive-themed group of him and his friends who work under the mantra that the best way to pursue happiness is by “gladdening” others. Their new song, “Misameach,” already has over 25,000 views on YouTube.
Together, the guys have occasionally interviewed more recognizable names in the Jewish community like Nissim Black, Ben Shapiro, and Jamie Geller. There is no discredit to them, of course, but Nachi and Momo spend more time speaking with lesser-known figures, ones from across the globe with names you may have never heard of but stories that will lift you from your seat. Each one has a story, and each one challenges adversities to ameliorate this existence we only live once.
There is Rav Ozer Babad, the Rav of Khal Bnei Yissascher, a shul and community center in Toms River, New Jersey. Born and raised in Borough Park to Israeli immigrants, he now runs Nevonim, a group of 1:1 mentors and professionals who bring adults out of the darkness of their lives and appreciate the beauty we can see in this world.
There is Rivka Shotkin, a 16-year-old girl from Passaic, New Jersey, paralyzed from the chest down from a skiing accident. Life smacked her in the face, but she won’t give up. Rivka won’t give up living and appreciating her existence. Something terrible happened to her, but that doesn’t mean she must live in misery. She only exists on this planet once, and some stupid accident won’t tear her down. (Warning: you may need tissues for this episode!)
There is Ari Schonbrun of Cedarhurst, New York, a survivor of 9/11 who was on the 78th floor of the Tower One on that fateful day. Instead of running out of the building on instinct, he saved someone’s life. A colleague of his was seriously burned, and he brought her out of the building. Ari is now a board member of Strength to Strength, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting victims of terror.
There is Dr. Shana Frydman, Executive Director of Shalom Task Force, an organization devoted to combatting and preventing domestic violence in the Jewish community. She has worked in this field for almost 20 years now, and her endless aid has earned her recognition by the Jewish Communal Service Association and New York Board of Rabbis.
There is Amar’e Stoudemire, NBA player and Assistant Coach for the Brooklyn Nets, whose conversion to Judaism irrevocably changed his life. He now has Israeli citizenship, a heavily extensive knowledge of the religion, and even his own wine brand. He even got to meet former President of Israel Shimon Peres. (Click HERE to see.)
I could go on! And I know I’m not the only one who is immensely moved by these interviews. From the hundreds of viewer comments, Nachi and Momo are making a difference in this world. They give people a spotlight when they may not have one to begin with. There are millions of other Jews making an impact in society, and so luckily, Meaningful People has a lot more time to converse with these influential beings.
To learn more about the Meaningful People podcast, visit MeaningfulPeoplePodcast.com.
MEANINGFUL PEOPLE is available to listen to on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Episodes may also be watched on the MEANINGFUL PEOPLE YouTube channel.