Zero Percent

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Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast that explores the outsized impact of the Jewish people! 🌟Vietnam veteran and healthcare entrepreneur Stephen Rosedale built one of America's largest post-acute care systems, but his most defining moments happened long before that. In this episode, Stephen shares how a chance encounter in college led him to Israel, how combat in Vietnam forged an unbreakable promise to be his "brother's keeper," and how a single tap on the shoulder at a bar mitzvah changed his life at 47.

Discover how Stephen's philosophy of "hearts touching hearts" became both the foundation of a 25,000-employee company and a blueprint for transforming Jewish life in Cincinnati from founding a kollel to building schools and synagogues and supporting Israeli communities rebuilding after October 7th.

Whether you're thinking about what it means to give, how to pass philanthropic values to the next generation, or how near-death experiences shape a life of purpose, Stephen's story is a masterclass in turning personal trials into communal impact. This episode asks a simple but powerful question: when you feel that tap on the shoulder urging you to do good, will you stop and listen?

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Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast that explores the outsized impact of the Jewish people! 🌟

Join us as Robin Chotin shares her deeply moving journey of Jewish philanthropy alongside her late husband, Stephen, of blessed memory, whose impact on Denver's Jewish community remains unparalleled. Discover how Robin's parents quietly instilled a sense of responsibility through their actions rather than words, teaching her that "if you are blessed in this world, if you have the capacity to be able to help other people, then it's what you have to do."

Hear Robin's transformative story about her missions to Israel with Federation, where walking into apartment buildings riddled with bullet holes from Gaza brought the struggles of the Jewish people directly to the forefront of her eyes. Learn how seeing something firsthand—not just reading about it—changed everything about her commitment to giving.

Robin opens up about the challenges of passing on philanthropic values to the next generation, revealing how her children initially resented her constant community involvement yet ultimately embraced the same values, now taking their own children to volunteer at assisted living facilities. From her grandchildren's service work in New York to her daughter Whitney's community involvement in Denver, Robin's greatest accomplishment isn't measured in dollars but in the saplings that grew from her family tree.

Whether you're navigating difficult times reminiscent of World War II and the Depression or seeking to create lasting impact through Federation, JFS, National Jewish Hospital, or your local community, Robin's wisdom reminds us why firsthand experience and persistent commitment matter more than the size of any single gift. This episode challenges us to recognize that we live comfortably in Denver while others face unimaginable struggles and asks what we will do with that blessing. Discover why Robin wants to "live forever" to witness the potential still ahead and what it truly means to leave a legacy that transcends generations.

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Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast that explores the outsized impact of the Jewish people! 🌟

Join us as David Jacques Farahi, a former hospitality and gaming executive turned investor and philanthropist, shares his inspiring journey from corporate America to a life dedicated to meaningful giving. Discover how David's Iranian-Jewish parents modeled philanthropy even before financial success, teaching him that "we have a responsibility," a mantra that shaped his entire worldview.

Hear David's powerful story about his work with Derech Eretz, a pre-military program transforming the lives of Israeli youth from underserved communities, and learn how finding the right cause changed his life as much as his giving changed others. From helping Russian Jews escape communism to supporting Israeli startups, David reveals the ripple effects of Jewish philanthropy and why agency, taking action rather than waiting, is central to Jewish values.

Whether you're just starting your philanthropic journey or looking to deepen your impact, David's wisdom about time, talent, and treasure will inspire you to recognize that everyone can be a philanthropist. Discover why giving isn't just about writing checks, why hosting a Shabbat dinner can change someone's life, and how the Jewish concept of responsibility leads to ability.

This episode challenges the notion that philanthropy is only for the wealthy, offering practical advice on finding causes that align with your passions, creating meaningful impact, and ensuring that the next generation inherits the same freedoms we enjoy today.

🔗 CONNECT WITH DAVID JACQUES FARAHI:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jacques-farahi-b542a8208?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

SUPPORT DERECH ERETZ: https://derecheretz.org.il/en/

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Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast that explores Jewish conversion stories and the spiritual transformation journeys that follow.

At just 10 years old, Aliza Bulow knew Christianity wasn't her path. What followed was an extraordinary journey through atheism, Buddhist chanting, psychic healing workshops, and dozens of library books, all before she turned 14. When she finally discovered Judaism through a single book, "To Be a Jew" by Hayim Halevy Donin, she knew immediately that she was home. There was just one problem: she was 14, and nobody believed this was more than a teenage phase. In this deeply moving episode of Zero Percent, Aliza shares her remarkable conversion story and how it shaped her life's mission to empower Jewish educators worldwide.

🎯IN THIS EPISODE:
Why Aliza began her spiritual search at age 10 Exploring atheism, Buddhism, and New Age spirituality as a young teenager The moment she read "To Be a Jew" and knew she was Jewish, without knowing any Jews Attending psychic healing workshops and chakra sessions at 14 How her parents' divorce and grief shaped her independence Convincing a rabbi to let her convert at 16.
The Holocaust survivor who asked her the question that changed everything. From first-generation Jew to leading Jewish educator: The concept of "squeeze and receive" in Jewish transformation 

👤 ABOUT ALIZA BULOW: Aliza Bulow is a noted author, lecturer, educator, and Managing Director/CEO of CORE, an organization dedicated to teaching pastoral counseling, community support, and empowering Jewish educators. Her journey from a searching 10-year-old in Portland, Oregon, to a leading voice in Jewish education is a testament to the power of conviction, resilience, and purpose.

🔗 CONNECT WITH ALIZA BULOW: [email protected]
She has hours of recorded classes available at www.abiteoftorah.org. 
Want to know more about the organization (CORE), check here: www.coretorah.org 

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RELATED TOPICS:
How to convert to Judaism | Jewish conversion process | Orthodox conversion to Judaism | Conservative conversion | Mikvah experience | Moving to Israel | Aliyah stories | Jewish educators | Jews by choice community | Conversion stories | Spiritual journey to Judaism | Finding Jewish identity | Jewish philosophy | Jewish continuity

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcast ✨

Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast exploring Jewish conversion stories and spiritual transformation journeys! Discover Gus's incredible Christian to Jewish conversion story - from evangelical fundamentalist Christianity in Oklahoma's Bible Belt to Orthodox Judaism in Miami Beach. This religious conversion documentary reveals how one pastor's unexpected confession about Jews being God's chosen people sparked a life-changing spiritual awakening and faith transformation.

Listen to this Jewish conversion testimony as Gus shares his journey from Christianity to Judaism, including years of biblical study, learning Hebrew language, analyzing messianic prophecies, and challenging Christian pastors who couldn't defend their theology. His interfaith dialogue experiences and religious questioning led to profound spiritual growth and religious identity. This conversion to Judaism story explores the cost of religious transformation, including divorce, family separation, and relocating from Oklahoma to Miami to join an Orthodox Jewish community.

Gus's journey from Christian faith to Jewish faith demonstrates intellectual honesty in religious seeking and spiritual authenticity in faith exploration. From an evangelical Christian background to Orthodox Judaism practice, from biblical Hebrew study to Jewish law learning, from Christian theology debates to the rabbinical conversion process, this is an inspiring story of religious conversion, spiritual seeking, and finding an authentic faith community.

Perfect for Listeners interested in: Jewish conversion process, Christianity to Judaism stories, interfaith dialogue, religious transformation testimonies, spiritual awakening experiences, biblical study methods, Hebrew language learning, Orthodox Judaism lifestyle, faith crisis resolution, and authentic spiritual seeking journeys.

Catch Zero Percent on all your go-to platforms!

Keep the conversation going! If you have questions or ideas about Jewish success and impact.
Please email us at [email protected].🌟

Help others discover Zero Percent! Please leave us a five-star review and share it with friends who might find this podcast enlightening.

Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
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Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️