Meet Chana Faiga, a newlywed first-year corporate attorney who is redefining what it means to be strong, modest, and unapologetically Jewish at the gym. In just seven months, Chana Faiga has grown her Instagram account, Scarves and Squats, to over 2,500 followers — inspiring frum women everywhere with her tagline: coverd and confident / strong, not skinny.

In this episode, Ellen and Chana Faiga discuss:

• How she navigates the gym in a tichel and skirts — and why modest doesn't mean you can't be cute
• Her journey to deadlifting 200 pounds (yes, really!)
• Her favorite workout brands and what works for tzniusdik exercise wear
• Bringing spirituality into fitness — from Asher Yatzar to finding bracha in movement
• Balancing long hours as a lawyer, newlywed life, and late-night gym sessions
• Her healthy relationship with food and body image
• Working out with your husband — and why it's surprisingly romantic
• Navigating chagim and cheesecake season without derailing your fitness

Plus — a giveaway with Qualify Protein Powder (Chalav Yisrael certified!) and a shoutout to Gift of Life bone marrow registry.

Ellen Z. Goldberg interviews Maayan Beitsch, a molecular neuroscience research scientist, histology specialist at the Weizmann Institute, and seminary teacher, who is also a wife and mother. Maayan describes how she fell in love with sea kayaking after joining a Weizmann team and now kayaks at sunrise with a women’s group in Ashdod, finding it spiritually grounding, supportive of nervous system regulation, and a way to daven while alone on the water. She shares that kayaking helped her recover balance after a stillbirth, months of bedrest, and a traumatic October 7 birth amid sirens and hospital chaos, and she connects kayaking’s “flow state” to improved stress handling and work focus. She discusses kayaking during wartime near Gaza, hopes to start a kayaking group for frum women, and recommends donating to Keren Shemesh, which supports Beit Shemesh families affected by the Iran war and missile damage.

00:00 Meet Maayan Beitsch

00:31 Podcast Mission Intro

01:29 A Pasuk in the Sea

02:06 Davening Dedication

02:42 Family and Career Snapshot

03:27 How Kayaking Began

04:27 Sunrise Routine Logistics

05:08 Ocean Mindset and Thrill

07:05 Gear and Sea Kayaks

10:02 Hashem in the Water

11:20 More Than Once a Week

12:42 Letting Go of Control

13:40 Kayaking During Wartime

14:57 Sirens on the Sea

15:49 Kayaking as Me Time

16:14 Loss and Bedrest

18:09 October 7 Birth Crisis

21:06 Kayaking Finds Her Again

22:20 Flow State Survival

23:51 Rescues and Training

24:24 From Control to Presence

24:58 Flow at Work Not Home

25:58 Brain Benefits of Exercise

26:48 Community Support Donation

28:14 Movement and Sisterhood

29:12 Final Wrap Up

00:00 Return After Loss

00:53 Back Into Motion

01:21 War Time Travails

01:48 Podcast Updates

02:11 Mini Episode Setup

03:19 Libi Trains For Life

05:59 Closing