What’s one thing we’re all good at? How about not talking — or even thinking — about end-of-life issues. Stephanie Garry is Executive Vice President at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in NYC and she spends lots of time talking about them. So once a month — here at Exit Strategy — Stephanie and her guests are elevating, normalizing and demystifying end-of-life issues from religious, cultural, societal and other perspectives … with a touch of the serious here, and the creative and whimsical there. Something in that unexpected mix will speak to you, perhaps for the first time. Join us.
Episodes
Dealing with Spousal Loss: Rick Elice and Cantor Rebecca Garfein
All losses are unique and present their own challenges, and the death of a daily companion and life partner carries its own. Cantor Rebecca Garfein, former Senior Cantor at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in NYC, and Rick Elice, a famed and award-winning writer for theatre, have faced the loss of a husband and have been public […]... LISTEN NOWGlobal Grief: Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Ruth Messinger
From the pandemic to racial tensions, and from political dysfunction to war — the term “global grief” has emerged. What is it, and how can we as individuals and communities process the world around us … and find practical and spiritual grounding? Ruth Messinger, former president and CEO of the American Jewish World Service, and […]... LISTEN NOWConsolation, Not Closure: Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz
What do we mean when we say we are looking for “closure” after a loss … and does the term even suggest a desirable outcome? In a widely read column in 2022, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz — senior rabbi at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in NYC — says that to best respect those who we’ve lost, and […]... LISTEN NOWAfter Tragic Loss, Laughing Again: Adam Cayton-Holland
Adam Cayton-Holland was on an upward trajectory through the national comedy scene in 2012, when his beloved sister Lydia took her own life and everything stopped. In his book Tragedy Plus Time, Adam writes about Lydia and his long journey through grief and depression to reclaim his life and creativity. Adam is interviewed by Exit […]... LISTEN NOWThe Funeral Director as Your Advocate: Darren Picht, LFD
What exactly does a funeral director do? And why is he/she/they a critical advocate for anyone planning a funeral? Darren Picht, LFD and Executive Vice President of Funeral Operations at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in NYC, gives a primer on funeral planning and what we should all do now to be properly prepared. He is […]... LISTEN NOWTrust and Estate Planning 101: Jonathan Herlands, Esq.
Are you putting off proper trust and estate planning because the task seems enormous and big decisions must be made? Many of us do, but it’s essential to protect and direct our assets according to our wishes. Jonathan Herlands, Esq. — who heads the Trust and Estates division at Gordon, Herlands & Randolph LLP in […]... LISTEN NOWRethinking — and Living — our Legacies: Rabbi Steve Leder
What is an “ethical will” and why is it a critical instrument for your life and legacy? Rabbi Steve Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles is a prominent voice on societal and Jewish communal issues, including meeting death with dignity, finding strength in loss and grief, and being intentional about what we leave […]... LISTEN NOWThe Grief and Aftermath of a Tragic Death: Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
He lost his father to an act of murder, and later emerged as a leading voice dedicated to the reduction of gun violence in our society. Rabbi Joel Mosbacher of Temple Shaaray Tefila in NYC speaks to Exit Strategy Host Stephanie Garry about his journey from deep grief to advocacy. Video: “On Death and Dying: […]... LISTEN NOWA Dignified Death: “Last Flight Home”
Acclaimed Sundance award-winning filmmaker Ondi Timoner and her sister, Rabbi Rachel Timoner of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn discuss “Last Flight Home” — a new documentary film capturing their father Eli’s journey toward death with dignity … its meaning for multiple generations of his family … and its lessons for us all. Exit Strategy Host […]... LISTEN NOWGrief and Memory Born of Tragedy: 9/11
We all have our personal stories from September 11, 2001. Where we were. Who we knew. What we did. How we felt. And now, 21 years later, how we still process the loss and grief of that tragic day. In a very personal episode of Exit Strategy, FDNY Chaplain Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and former FDNY […]... LISTEN NOWSubscribe on your preferred channel:
