The Borderliners Podcast returns after its long hiatus to talk to Jessica Leah Tabak, an aliyah adviser at Nefesh b'Nefesh who volunteers as one of Jerusalem's many "cat ladies." Taback discusses her love of cats, her sense of identity as a young cat lady, and responds to some hard-hitting questions asking whether she — and her cat-feeding ilk — are part of the problem. Recommended listening for anybody interested in Jerusalem's feral cat epidemic.

S01/E02: Jessica Leah Tabak — Jerusalem Cat Lady

One of Jerusalem’s edgiest and most unpredictable musical acts, Eli Schabes’ post-aliyah journey has seen him propelled from the fair plains of Cleveland, Ohio to Besarabia, a Russian-dominated bar and live entertainment stronghold in Jerusalem that is underground in both the literal and metaphorical sense. 

Eli’s “MazGan” routine, part music, part live art, part  ….  we don’t know what … has won him appearances and plaudits both inside and outside of Israel.

But for Schabes — who has done everything from work a graphics design job at a company that once sold sex toys on the internet to work as  a day-jobber serving water to the Israeli national basketball team — this is but another colorful stop on his meandering trajectory.

In this his first podcast interview, Eli takes off the mask and unveils the personality behind MazGan.

He talks candidly about reconciling his traditional Jewish upbringing with his career in entertainment, shares some of his colorful reading habits, and previews some of his next big shows. And, most importantly, he explains how he rediscovered spirituality — and wellness — somewhere along the way. 

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More About Eli Schabes:

Follow MazGan on Facebook and check Eli out this Thursday at Besarabia!

Follow Eli on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/elischabes/?hl=en

“Jack of All Trades” / The Jerusalem Post:
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Jack-of-all-trades-477071

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Show Credits:

Hosts: Daniel Rosehill and Nina Rabinowitz.

Studio and Audio Engineering: Ben Wallick

Episode Sponsor: Yaakov ‘Yanky’ Greenspan, Author, From Titus to Trump, available in paperback and e-book on Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/Titus-Trump-Israeli-Foreign-Relations/dp/1661018491

For more information and to get in touch with the production team, visit: www.borderlinerspod.com.

S01E03: Eli Schabes: Who Is The Man Behind The Mask?

Interviewing the people that nobody else will. Fringe characters from the periphery of Israeli society.