PeppTalks with Jeanne Pepper

19/06/2024

Our guest Justin Arenson, a third generation “do gooder” is a young entrepreneur who used his love of business, community and computers to create a software application for universities and large private/closed social circles to effectively manage activities among social clubs/groups. You will want to check out his company Campus Tree and how it can help students find activities on their campus. He explained the challenges for a young entrepreneur and his desire to do something good post college graduation. We also had time to discuss his views on spirituality and the “afterlife.” An interesting interview, despite a sore throat, with a young entrepreneur - not to be missed!

13/06/2024

Next week our guest Justin Arenson, a third generation “do gooder” is a young entrepreneur who used his love of business, community and computers to create a software application for universities and large private/closed social circles to effectively manage activities among social clubs/groups. You will want to check out his company Campus Tree and how it can help students find activities on their campus. He explained the challenges for a young entrepreneur and his desire to do something good post college graduation. We also had time to discuss his views on spirituality and the “afterlife.” An interesting interview with a young entrepreneur - not to be missed!

05/06/2024

CASA volunteer Susanna Wolfe is our guest this week. Susanna is a great example of a community volunteer who has lived a life of service and continued in a career helping others. Like me, Susanna is also a parent of an LGBTQ child and discusses what that has been like for her. She also tells us about her early life in Canada and how she made it to the United States to study occupational therapy and stayed to start her career. Susanna talks about the incredible work that CASA does helping children in the foster system and how she has personally benefitted from the experience of being an advocate for CASA. She also has her own lactation consulting business, continues to work for CASA, and participates in a program to teach inner city children to read (Reading Partners) and all while continuing to work as an occupational therapist and crochet. Find out how her work has made Susanna’s life meaningful and helped people live their best lives.

29/05/2024

CASA volunteer Susanna Wolfe is our guest next week. Susanna is a great example of a community volunteer who has lived a life of service and continued in a career helping others. Like me, Susanna is also a parent of an LGBTQ child and discusses what that has been like for her. She also tells us about her early life in Canada and how she made it to the United States to study occupational therapy and stayed to start her career. Susanna talks about the incredible work that CASA does helping children in the foster system and how she has personally benefitted from the experience of being an advocate for CASA. She also has her own lactation consulting business, continues to work for CASA, and participates in a program to teach inner city children to read (Reading Partners) and all while continuing to work as an occupational therapist and crochet. Find out how her work has made Susanna’s life meaningful and helped people live their best lives.

29/05/2024

CASA volunteer Susanna Wolfe is our guest next week. Susanna is a great example of a community volunteer who has lived a life of service and continued in a career helping others. Like me, Susanna is also a parent of an LGBTQ child and discusses what that has been like for her. She also tells us about her early life in Canada and how she made it to the United States to study occupational therapy and stayed to start her career. Susanna talks about the incredible work that CASA does helping children in the foster system and how she has personally benefitted from the experience of being an advocate for CASA. She also has her own lactation consulting business, continues to work for CASA, and participates in a program to teach inner city children to read (Ready Partners) and all while continuing to work as an occupational therapist and crochet. Find out how her work has made Susanna’s life meaningful and helped people live their best lives.

22/05/2024

Our guest this week, Dalia Taft, tells us about her personal journey in philanthropy and how she became an integral part of the Jewish community’s volunteer superstars. I first met Dalia almost twenty years ago when she was participating with our children in the Orange County standout organization “The Community Scholars Program” which brought us together for scholarship, camping trips, and other family friendly Jewish activities. Dalia presently is the volunteer chair of the Grants Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County. She also lives at the intersection of illegal immigration, the Hispanic community and the Jewish community because her son recently married a “Dreamer.” Dalia discusses the importance of compassion for these children of illegal immigrants that are not allowed citizenship as adults and fear deportation. She also discusses her religious and spiritual beliefs and how they have changed over the years. This is a fascinating interview which will leave you with new perspectives on immigration and its affect on the children in this marginalized community.

15/05/2024

Coming Next week, Dalia Taft, tells us about her personal journey in philanthropy and how she became an integral part of the Jewish community’s volunteer superstars. I first met Dalia almost twenty years ago when she was participating with our children in the Orange County standout organization “The Community Scholars Program” which brought us together for scholarship, camping trips, and other family friendly Jewish activities. Dalia presently is the volunteer chair of the Grants Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County. She also lives at the intersection of illegal immigration, the Hispanic community and the Jewish community because her son recently married a “Dreamer.” Dalia discusses the importance of compassion for these children of illegal immigrants that are not allowed citizenship as adults and fear deportation. She also discusses her religious and spiritual beliefs and how they have changed over the years. This is a fascinating interview which will leave you with new perspectives on immigration and its affect on the children in this marginalized community.

14/05/2024

For our children: be you … find you … dig deeper… look for truth … only accept a way that includes peace and civility with all people …. because even when you see others choose to fill their minds with the ideas of others, you can choose to think for yourself. You can question any idea that calls for the inhumane or barbaric treatment of others. You can choose to lead a good life with your own philosophy and your own spirituality. You don’t have to follow blindly. You can trust yourself and think for yourself. Don’t listen to only the loud and extreme voices. Listen to the quiet voices too. Listen to your heart. If you can’t take off your mask and be proud of who you are and where you stand, you need to go and stand where you can be open, authentic and proud. We are here looking for you, waiting for you, where we can all agree we want a better world.

08/05/2024

LISTEN LIVE TODAY!!!
This is a shorter interview with my family friend Bailey Kaufman. Bailey is a young graduate student in New York City studying education. While on leave, Bailey came took time out from her Phd program to sit down with us to discuss the benefits of community service and her own personal journey to find meaning in her work. Bailey also discussed her spirituality and thoughts on a higher power. Bailey represents many under thirty people (“zillenials”) in her perspectives on spirituality, kindness and education. Learn what makes this up and coming generation tick and how we can incentivize them to choose careers and activities that help others.

06/05/2024

This was a Blessing for Blaze, that I found today in a Torah Service Supplement we made and I kept from his bar mitzvah in Jerusalem in 2011.
WHAT WE WISH FOR OUR CHILD, WE WISH FOR ALL CHILDREN
What I wish for my child I wish for all our children.
I wish for you to be a person of character strong but not tough gentle but not weak.
I wish for you to be
righteous but not self-righteous honest but not unforgiving.
Wherever you journey, may your steps be firm and may you walk in just paths and not be afraid.
Whenever you speak, may your words be words of wisdom and friendship.
May your hands build
and your heart preserve what is good and beautiful in our world.
May the voices of the generations of our people move through you
and may the God of our ancestors Be your God as well.
May you know that there is a people, a rich heritage, to which you belong and from that sacred place
you are connected to all who dwell on the earth.
May the stories of our people be upon your heart
and the grace of the Torah rhythm dance in your soul.
Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sass

01/05/2024

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK
This is a shorter interview with my family friend Bailey Kaufman. Bailey is a young graduate student in New York City studying education. While on leave, Bailey came took time out from her Phd program to sit down with us to discuss the benefits of community service and her own personal journey to find meaning in her work. Bailey also discussed her spirituality and thoughts on a higher power. Bailey represents many under thirty people (“zillenials”) in her perspectives on spirituality, kindness and education. Learn what makes this up and coming generation tick and how we can incentivize them to choose careers and activities that help others.

26/04/2024

Join us in honoring Blaze Bernstein’s 26th birthday on April 27th from 10:00 am to noon at Borrego Park in Foothill Ranch.

Meet PeppTalks host and Blaze’s mother Jeanne Pepper while we paint rocks and clean Blaze's rock garden alongside JCC Cares and JCFOC volunteers.

All supplies will be provided, so just bring yourself and your enthusiasm for making a difference!

Let's come together to beautify the rock garden and commemorate Blaze's legacy.

24/04/2024

This week’s PeppTalks with Jeanne podcast I was joined by Linda Alva - a single mother and beloved local Pilates instructor - mother of Tristan who lost his life to fentanyl poisoning 2 years ago at age 22. Tristan was an accomplished artist and former OCSA student with a bright future ahead of him. Linda has become an educator and activist in the prevention of fentanyl poisoning. Please listen to her podcast and witness how fentanyl has affected this family and this mother’s enduring love for her son. Learn what you can do to prevent a tragedy like this for your family and others.

24/04/2024

In a heart wrenching interview, Linda candidly recounts the events surrounding the 2021 overdose and death of her 22-year-old son Tristan from his accidental use of Fentanyl and the recent epidemic of Fentanyl overdoses taking the lives of so many young people. Learn from Linda about her son Tristan and how the death of this talented young artist has impacted her and her two surviving daughters. Linda, a Pilates instructor, and single mother has made it her life mission to inform the public about the dangers of all illicit drug use and the importance of everyone keeping Narcan (a drug used to slow down an overdose) on hand where it could potentially save a life. We also discuss other easy practical options for preventing a tragedy like this. This is an inspiring interview giving a voice to a generation of parents and their young adult children who have suffered the consequences of this dangerous chemical since Fentanyl recently began making its way into the homes of our children.

17/04/2024

COMING NEXT WEEK
In a heart wrenching interview, Linda candidly recounts the events surrounding the 2021 overdose and death of her 22-year-old son Tristan from his accidental use of Fentanyl and the recent epidemic of Fentanyl overdoses taking the lives of so many young people. Learn from Linda about her son Tristan and how the death of this talented young artist has impacted her and her two surviving daughters. Linda, a Pilates instructor, and single mother has made it her life mission to inform the public about the dangers of all illicit drug use and the importance of everyone keeping Narcan (a drug used to slow down an overdose) on hand where it could potentially save a life. We also discuss other easy practical options for preventing a tragedy like this. This is an inspiring interview giving a voice to a generation of parents and their young adult children who have suffered the consequences of this dangerous chemical since Fentanyl recently began making its way into the homes of our children.

Find this and all episodes of PeppTalks with Jeanne on our Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube channels

09/04/2024

With the trial set to start opening arguments this week, LA Times has rerun this piece about Blaze. Follow the link and read for yourself.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/story/2022-04-19/commentary-remembering-blaze-bernstein-in-life

The trial of the man accused of the 2018 killing of Blaze Bernstein in Foothill Ranch is expected to begin in April. A friend of Blaze writes that his spirit continues to move his friends and family.

01/04/2024

PeppTalks with Jeanne Pepper shares the incredible and inspiring stories of those who are making the world a better place.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Follow us for regular updates on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

11 Episodes of this amazing podcast and counting!!



Second Harvest Foodbank Of Orange County The Joyful Child Foundation in Memory of Samantha Runnion Jewish Federation of Orange County Radiant Health Centers Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County IsraAID