PAINTING THE JEWISH SOUL | ZALMY MOCHKIN | ANOTHER JEWISH PODCAST EP. 14

Zalmy Mochkin joins us for a conversation about art, discipline, Judaism, and what it actually takes to become great at something. We talk about his journey from cooking to painting, moving to Israel, building stronger Jewish roots, losing his sibling, and the years of work behind becoming a professional artist. Zalmy shares his thoughts on AI, why you can’t skip the steps, finding the thing you’re meant to become great at, and the importance of humility, reliability, and lifting up the people around you.
TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Meet Zalmy Mochkin00:23 When a Good Life Still Isn't Good Enough01:20 The Discipline of Learning Rambam Every Day02:22 You're Never Too Old to Change03:11 Building Stronger Roots04:12 Losing His Sibling and Moving to Israel04:27 He Came to Israel to Study Art—and Built a Shul05:35 October 7th and Remembering Where You Come From07:52 The Biggest Lessons From His 30s08:59 Take Risks and Follow Your Passion11:20 Becoming a Chef Before He Knew He Was One16:17 Painting Jewish Life18:28 Inside the Daily Life of a Working Artist21:29 The Biggest Misconceptions About Art27:17 Finding the Thing You're Meant to Become Great At31:44 What AI Can't Teach You34:00 The Problem With Skipping Steps40:01 Humility, Service, and the People Who Shaped Him43:26 Becoming Someone People Can Rely On52:15 Why Where You Start Doesn't Matter53:47 Make Something Worth Noticing55:34 Lift People Up56:29 Zalmy's Final Blessing