613 Books Podcast
“613 Books” podcast spotlights a different author every week in an interview hosted by veteran broadcast and podcast producer Heather Dean. If you love to read, or write, books geared to Jewish readers, this podcast is for you! After her extraordinary 14-year career broadcasting celebrity interviews for MTV, E! Entertainment Television and Associated Press (AP) Radio, Heather upgraded her life and career, which is centered on Torah values. Interested in advertising your product or service to a Jewish audience? Heather offers a fantastic 4-Episode Sponsorship Package of this podcast, For details, contact Heather Dean Productions: http://www.heatherdeanproductions.com/new-contact/ You can buy your copy of Heather’s fascinating and inspiring memoir, "Searching for Heather Dean" on Amazon.
Episodes
June 17, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode of “613 Books” Podcast, producer-host Heather Dean speaks with Sarah Shapiro about her recent literary offering,” Stories of Our Lives.”
“Stories of Our Lives” brings together the choicest of pieces of short stories and poems in two enticing volumes. A testament to the perspicacious eye of its editor, and to the artistry of a hundred writers from around the globe.
“Stories of Our Lives” is a feast for the soul and...
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June 10, 2025 • 9 mins
Read any good books lately? On this episode of “613 Books” podcast, producer and host Heather Dean welcomes back several authors to the podcast, this time to get their answers to the question, “What’s on your reading table?”
First we’ll hear from Devorah Kigel, the author of her newly-released “Marry a Mensch.”
Heather also checks in with Rifka Lebowitz, the author of “(title)” for her reading table selection, and later on with a...
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June 3, 2025 • 27 mins
Mishpacha columnist, podcaster and workshop leader Esther Kurtz is back on “613 Books” podcast with a fresh, new interview; this time to discuss her new book, “Second Chances.”
It’s a terrific collection of short stories, each one containing life conundrums we can either relate to or gain insights from, with multi-layered characters and surprising plotlines.
Whether it’s shalom bayis, newfound wealth, family power struggles and p...
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May 27, 2025 • 11 mins
It’s a special Writers on Writing episode of “613 Books” podcast where some of host Heather Dean’s favorite authors are speaking about crafting their written work.
Think of it as a brief journey inside the minds of a variety of NONFICTION writers to find out a bit about how they churn out the words we read and become inspired, or informed, or just entertained by.
This episode’s featured guests are:
· Award winning author Judy Gr...
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May 20, 2025 • 32 mins
Miriam Schweitzer, a Chassidic woman who lives in Antwerp, Belgium is the featured guest on this episode of “613 Books” podcast, produced and hosted by Heather Dean.
Miriam lives with Multiple Sclerosis, and she nonetheless lives an active, busy life and she recently published a memoir that she calls: “Cholent and Chadors: A Chassidic woman's experiences in a multi-cultural workplace.”
Although her job at a local daycare center w...
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May 13, 2025 • 19 mins
Author and Mishpacha magazine writer Barbara Bensoussan is back on “613 Books” podcast, this time to discuss her new book, “Seven Blessings and a Murder.”
This is a thrilling novel featuring a colorful assortment of family members from England, France, and the U.S. who converge in Jerusalem for the wedding. Some of the relatives are devoutly religious and some are casually traditional. Some are wealthy, and some are cash-strapped....
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May 7, 2025 • 47 mins
Producer and host of “Six-Thirteen Boks” Podcast Heather Dean’s featured guest on this episode of “Six-Thirteen Books” Podcast is author Shannon Nuszen, who founded the nonprofit organization Beyneynu, and is also a sought-after public speaker.
Shannon is a former Evangelical Christian missionary who grew up studying and analyzing Christian scriptural polemics as the daughter of a former Assemblies of Gd minister. She was deeply i...
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March 24, 2025 • 39 mins
On this encore episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean’s guest is Lesley Kaplan, a business strategy, branding and goal-achieving coach, who is also the author of “SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS TOOLBOX & GUIDE: HOW TO "BUILD & BRAND YOUR BIZ."
Drawing from several decades’ experience running her own businesses (product and service) Lesley defines and explains the importance of having a U.S.P. (unique selling propositi...
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March 10, 2025 • 44 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” podcast, producer and host Heather Dean interviews Barbara Heller, the author and illustrator of a children’s book called, “And Then One Day the World Coughed.”
Their discussion includes the profound backstory which inspired Barbara to write this book, her Jewish journey, family tensions + healing, and a variety of her creative projects.
SUBSCRIBE to 613 Books Podcast and never miss an episode!
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March 3, 2025 • 8 mins
Read any good books lately? On this episode of “613 Books” podcast, producer and host Heather Dean welcomes back several authors to the podcast, this time to get their answers to the question, “What’s on your reading table?”
On this episode, Heather checks in with Aleeza Ben Shalom, the author of her newly-released “Matchmaker Matchmaker, Find Me a Love that Lasts” and star of “Jewish Matchmaking,” the series on Netflix. Find out ...
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February 24, 2025 • 32 mins
This episode of “613 Books” podcast, is PART 2 of producer/host Heather Dean’s interview with author and international speaker, Raquel Kirszenbaum about her new book, “Stop Hurting, Start Healing.”
This is both a self-help book and memoir which takes readers on her dynamic quest from despair and difficulty to resilience and happiness.
Raquel addresses many important lessons learned based on authentic Jewish wisdom including: how ...
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February 17, 2025 • 35 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” podcast, producer and host Heather gives an exclusive preview of “The Good Dybukk,” a book for young readers and their families written and illustrated by Menachem Weinreb, the Creative Director of Mishpacha Magazine.
If you are ready to gaze upon bold yet whimsical illustrations and a surprising tale, this book might just earn a place on your family’s bookshelf.
SUBSCRIBE to 613 Books Podcast and...
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February 10, 2025 • 33 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” podcast, producer/host Heather Dean interviews author and international speaker, Raquel Kirszenbaum about her new book, “Stop Hurting, Start Healing.”
This is both a self-help book and memoirs which takes readers on her dynamic quest from despair and difficulty to resilience and happiness. From the very first page, Raquel’s powerful guide envelopes us in a warm embrace, leading us through the tran...
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January 27, 2025 • 19 mins
Dating mentor for marriage minded singles AND star of “Jewish Matchmaking” on Netflix, Aleeza Ben Shalom returns to “613 Books” podcast to answer a bunch of questions from fans and to share some of the key topics which you will find in the pages of her new book, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker Find Me a Love that Lasts."
Whether you’ve ever dated someone who talks too much, or has completely opposite hobbies + interests, or is dating m...
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January 19, 2025 • 23 mins
Mazal Tov! It’s a Book!
“Matchmaker, Matchmaker Find Me a Love that Lasts" is the new book by dating mentor for marriage minded singles AND star of “Jewish Matchmaking” on Netflix, Aleeza Ben Shalom returns to “613 Books” podcast to talk about it!
Not only does Aleeza talk about her popular catchphrases, “Date ‘em ‘til you hate ‘em,” and “Rejection Is God’s protection,” she explains the importance of what she calls Red Flags, Y...
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January 6, 2025 • 25 mins
On this encore episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean’s guest is Mindy Blumenfeld, the author of “Hillel and the Paper Menschies,” a book for children (that the rest of us will appreciate!) based on the actual experiences of young Hillel Blumenfeld z”l who was diagnosed with cancer when he was six years old.
This book is co-written by Marc Lumer, who is also the book’s illustrator. The words and pictures in "H...
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December 23, 2024 • 25 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean’s featured guests, “The Kichels” co-creators, Bracha Stein and Chani Judowitz, are back on the podcast, this time to take a deep dive into Kichel family Dynamics a well as feedback – praise and criticism – for their popular comic strip.
In addition to publishing Mishpacha magazine’s enormously popular weekly comics, The Kichels, this dynamic duo has published fo...
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December 18, 2024 • 18 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean’s featured guests are Bracha Stein and Chani Judowitz, the co-creators of Mishpacha magazine’s enormously popular weekly comics, The Kichels, as well as four compilations of The Kichels in book form.
The fourth volume in this bestselling series, The Kichel Collection 4 is their newest release and it features over eighty pages of Kichel comics and is packed with ex...
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December 10, 2024 • 27 mins
On this episode of “613 Books” Podcast, Producer-Host Heather Dean’s featured guest is financial planner and public speaker Rifka Lebowitz, author of “Smarter Israeli Banking.”
It is most certainly a Jewish value to earn an honest living, and it’s a mitzvah to live in the Land of Israel.
And so it is my pleasure to introduce you to financial planner, author, and public speaker, Rifka Lebowitz.
Rifka is passionate about helping ...
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December 2, 2024 • 11 mins
It’s a special Writers on Writing episode of “613 Books” podcast where some of host Heather Dean’s favorite authors are speaking about crafting their written work.
Think of it as a brief journey inside the mind of a writer to find out a bit about how they churn out the words we read and become inspired, or informed, or just entertained by.
This episode’s featured guests are:
· Netflix star Aleeza Ben Shalom, author of “Mat...
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