This week on Schmuckboys, Marla and Libby start of sharing a bit about what they've been up to the last few weeks including a funny yet stressful situation when Libby's phone almost got eaten by a bus. The two then welcome their guest for this week Jonah Fialkow aka JewishJonah on Instagram.

Jonah shares about his journey being a diehard Cubs fan who transformed a summer job at Wrigley Field into a thriving content creation career. Starting as a vendor at 18, he shares his story of gaining unexpected fame with videos showcasing the behind-the-scenes world of sports and music events. Jonah talks about how he has reached fans worldwide, connecting them to Wrigley Field and the Cubs in surprising ways, inspiring Halloween costumes and public recognition.

The group continues with an engaging discussions on cultural identity and the power of social media influence. Jonah, shares how his connection to Judaism has evolved over time. With a social media handle like "Jewish Jonah," he candidly talks about embracing his identity despite initial concerns from his family and how even though his content wasn't Jewish related, he felt compelled to speak up. They then explore the dynamics of dating across different cities, and end with a funny challenge where the girls make Jonah be a vendor for foods that you most likely wouldn't find at a baseball game.

Follow Jonah @jewishjonah and Schmuckboys @schmuckboysofficial on Instagram.

This week, your schmuckgirls are back with a very special and interesting guest but of course they start you off with their weekly updates. Marla and Libby share about their Passover holiday and what they broke the holiday with and discuss fun upcoming plans.
Post-Passover catch-up includes indulging in food, quality time with loved ones, and upcoming events like FIDF gala and anniversary cruise.

They then welcome best-selling author and award-winning marketer, Aliza Licht! (0:09:23) She starts off sharing about how one blind date has turned into her 24+ year marriage and her unexpected shift from pre-med to fashion and PR. (0:18:26) - Aliza then shares about how she worked through multiple roles in fashion industry, taking risks to follow dreams and eventually ran a huge Instagram page known as DKNY PR Girl. (0:21:51) - She then discusses her move into starting her own podcast and crazy stories of how she unintentionally got her guests talking about topics they weren't supposed to. (0:31:49) - The trio then discuss about personal branding and how to stand out on social media.
(0:37:04) - Aliza then shares about how she's worked to balance her brand with her desire to speak up for her community and how she faced backlash for not staying silent after October 7th. (0:53:47) - In the fun world of dating, Aliza analyzes Marla's Hinge profile and gives tips on how to optimize your personal brand on dating apps.

You can follow Aliza on Instagram @alizalichtxo and Schmuckboys @schmuckboysofficial.

This week Libby and Marla are bringing you a guest that might look familiar to you but before they get into that, they share some life updates! Libby reminisces on the anniversary of Jack's proposal while Marla delivers a surprising twist in her dating life. The two then discuss Passover, sharing stories and strong opinions on Passover foods.

They then welcome make up artist, Allison Chait aka Shabbos Brush Ups. The three then explore the beauty industry with a unique twist—Shabbos makeup. Allison discusses how religious guidelines intertwine with beauty routines, and how that shapes a Jewish woman's identity? She also talks about the transformative power of spiritual rituals like the mikvah, and how she's helped women feel more comfortable in participating.

Allison then shares about the positive experience she had at a makeup show where she received much more love than hate. The group ends with a fun game and of course asking Allison to describe a Schmuckboys.

You can follow Allison @shabbosbrushups on Instagram.

This week we're bringing you an exciting episode beginning with the launch of Libby's new creative consulting business. Libby celebrates one month of working independently and shares about her journey of embracing new opportunities and attending events like the ADL conference and TikTok gatherings. She details a bit about what her new creative consulting company offers like unique packages for creators and brands, including behind-the-scenes event filming and social media strategies. Switching gears, Marla gives a major relationship update and discusses the importance of open communication and maintaining a strong connection amidst a busy life.

They then welcome their guest, comedian Ami Kozak! (Note this episode was recorded a few months ago so some comments are slightly outdated). They continue with an exploration of Jewish identity, comedy, and music. Ami reflect on the challenges and joys of navigating a modern Orthodox Jewish upbringing, working in both music and comedy, and the power of social media. They dive into Ami's controversial debate with Candace Owens as well as the surprising antisemitism that broke out after October 7th. The conversation also touches on societal pressures in dating, the dynamics of "schmuck culture," and the importance of authenticity in relationships.

Join us as we make our return to the podcast after a brief hiatus filled with personal life events and some time to recharge. We share updates on our recent activities, including Marla's memorable Valentine's Day getaway and a fun trip to the San Diego Zoo. With a commitment to bringing you more diverse and unique discussions within the Jewish community, we introduce our special guest, Miriam Ezagwi. Miriam, a prominent Jewish TikToker and labor and delivery nurse from Brooklyn.

In this episode, Miriam shares her journey from focusing on baby-wearing content to addressing Holocaust misinformation and embracing her Jewish identity online. She discusses her passion for labor and delivery nursing and how her experiences as a mother have shaped her empathetic approach with patients. Listen in as we discuss the balance between personal life and professional passion, and how these aspects can coexist and enrich one another.

As we continue, we navigate the growing presence of Orthodox content on social media, discussing both the benefits and challenges that come with it. Miriam shares her unexpected journey as a content creator, connecting with diverse audiences and the significance of positive representation and education about Judaism online. We wrap up the episode with a lively game of "Jew or False," where we address common myths about Judaism. Join us for an engaging episode filled with insights, stories, and a touch of humor that defines our podcast.

(0:00:14) - Life Updates and Fun Family Outings

(0:13:32) - Jewish identity, labor and delivery nursing, and motherhood coexist and enrich each other.

(0:27:29) - Orthodox Jewish matchmaking, social media, viral content, and community reactions to online growth and representation.

(0:32:44) - Jewish content creator's unexpected journey on TikTok and Instagram, connecting with diverse audiences and addressing myths about Judaism.

Follow Schmuckboys @schmuckboysofficial on all platforms and Miriam @miriam.ezagui

Marla and Libby share their weekly updates, including a special announcement that they're running for the World Zionist Congress with Aish Ha’am, you can help vote for them at the link below! Marla gives major updates on her dating life and shares the craziness of first time staffing a birthright trip which included people getting kicked off. They welcome back one of their favorite repeat guests, Aleeza Ben Shalom, whose new book Matchmaker, Matchmaker is out January 21st!

Aleeza shares a fun relationship update about a double date with her husband that resulted in a fun run-in at the restaurant. They then discuss dating post Oct-7th, if Aleeza has noticed any shifts among the dating culture in the Jewish community. She then shares some of her favorite topics that she hits on in her new book, including the classic “date ‘em til you hate em”, and newer topics like how to find a high quality human, soulmate clarity, "you can only move as fast as the slowest person" and maybe her most controversial take - the 5 date challenge - avoiding physical touch for the first 5 dates. The group then discusses dating anxiety and Aleeza gives tips on how to deal with it. They end with a game of date em or hate em and discuss further into Aleeza's 5 date challenge. She then shares what to look out for, both good and bad, when searching for a partner.

Vote Here for Marla & Libby in the WZC: https://aish.com/vote/Marla&Libby

You can find Aleeza on social media @aleezabenshalom on all platforms and her new book "Matchmaker, Matchmaker: Find Me a Love That Lasts" is out Tuesday, January 21st and available on Amazon, most major book stores and online at marriagemindedmentor.com

You can find Libby & Marla on Instagram @schmuckboysofficial.

Back this week, Marla shares updates on the guy she's been seeing and her upcoming birthright staffing trip. Libby talks about she helped partake in a surprise proposal and her fun travels witha Camp Nai Nai Nai cruise, and how she feels that recently with multiple friends, there's been something in the dating air.

Their guest this week is Margarita Lyadova of 'People Jew Wanna Know' (so be sure to head over to her podcast after to listen to our episode). She starts off with her dating update of the week, and quickly gets into the details of growing up in Ukraine before it was fully developed. She talks about the things that really shocked her when her family immigrated to America, like free water everywhere and being able to drink tap water in many places. They then talk about her child stardom in Ukraine and what it was like growing up Jewish there. Margarita then shares the importance of how to treat immigrants and help them retain their dignity. Marla then inquires from Margarita to go deeper into what it really means to seek asylum in the U.S. and what the process looks like. They also talk about how Jewish organizations work to help Jews in need within their community even when they're total strangers. Margarita then gets into the creation of 'People Jew Wanna Know' and some of her favorite guests. The trio then gets into the most fun topic of the episode - dating! They then end witha game of 'Cute or Cringe.'

Check out @peoplejewwannaknow on Instagram! And don't forget to checkout their newest episode!

Marla and Libby are back with maybe their most exciting, fun and intriguing episode yet., (00:00:00 - 00:04:00)With the upcoming holidays, they share their suggestions for gifts for that special someone in your life, whether you’re just starting to date or you’ve been together for years. (00:04:00 - 00:04:55) Libby gives her relationship update of the week, sharing about spending the holidays with Jack as a married couple and an upcoming trip with Camp Nay Nay Nay. (00:04:55 - 00:31:40) In a twist of a events that hasn’t happened in a while, Marla shares a surprising Schmuckboy story she recently encountered that will leave your jaw dropped. She then shares a more positive relationship update of the week.

(00:32:45: -00:36:04 ). - Marla and Libby welcome Zach Sage Fox to the podcast. Zach shares about his recent dating encounters and the pros and cons of people knowing who he is before even going out like Jewish grandmother’s being obsessed with him. (00:36:04 - 00:44:23) Zach shares about his Jewish identity growing up and how his family and upbringing has shaped who he is today. He shares a crazy story about his grandfather getting turned away from the US border, and how he had to push a fruit card for years in South America before immigrating to the U.S. He then talks about the bullying he dealt with and how switching to a Jewish school made things better for him. (00:44:23 - 00:59:19) They trio then talks life post-October 7th, how it changed Zach’s identity, his decision to take on this activist role and how his previous producing experience helped him to get to where he is now. He shares about his spirituality journey and also the disappointment he felt when a lot of his heroes let him down in the wake of October 7th. (00:59:19 - 01:06:55) The conversation pivots to Jewish dating, where the trio discusses the varying issues surrounding dating within the community. They also talk about all the Jewish events happening and the fatigue that can sometimes arise from the non-stop parties and fundraisers. He shares a funny story about people not recognizing him when he dressed as himself for a Halloween party. (01:06:55 - 01:16:50) Getting back into Zach’s work, they discuss his street interviews and he shares about some surprisingly positive conversations he’s had during filming. (01:16:50 - 01:37:22) They then dive deep in Zach’s most dangerous video, Wild Wild West Bank. They find out how he was able to film there, what it was like, and how he was eventually able to recover footage that he was forced to delete when his life was being threatened. (01:37:22 - 01:46:45) Zach gives his two cents on how to be an activist and how to use your skills to help with the cause. They end with a game of Cute or Cringe.

You can follow Schmuckboys on social media @schmuckboysofficial and keep up with Zach @zach.sage on Instagram and TikTok.