About this episode
Did you want to explore and be free before marriage? Did your parents expect you to get married? Before penning a best-selling book chronicling the experiences of his Holocaust survivor parents from Lithuania, Michael Ruskin led a diverse life rooted in swing and country music. Now, his primary focus is on his book and its legacy. Today's episode is a spiritual journey through faith, family, and the forging of a personal identity in the face of adversity. Hosts Reena Friedman Watts and Wayne Friedman are joined by the inspiring Michael Ruskin to discuss the somber history of the Holocaust and the nuances of Jewish life and spirituality. Michael takes us on an emotional ride, reflecting on his personal struggles with his Jewish heritage, his relationship with his mother, and his deep connection with his faith. His story is one of contrast—between the smothering love of his family and his own quest for love and freedom, between the darkness of the Holocaust and the light of the human spirit. In today's episode, Michael shares insights from his own life experience—washing dishes for Passover, engaging in self-reflection, and embracing an active lifestyle. His candid storytelling resonates with a universal longing for authenticity and a better understanding of our spiritual existence, including beliefs in reincarnation and astrology. Michael's legacy is vital not just for him but for the Jewish community, as we learn about his book " The Vow, A Love Story and The Holocaust " and his lifetimestories.net project. This episode is rich with history, from the tragedies of World War II to the incredible story of his parents—survivors of concentration camps and death marches—whose profound love and faith bore witness to unspeakable horrors. So join us as we explore the strength derived from ancestry, the complexities of identity, and the undeniable power of storytelling with Michael Ruskin. This is an episode you won't want to miss, and it's all right here on Better Call Daddy: The Safe Space for Controversy. Michael Ruskin (born Meyer Ruksen), was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in the beautiful city of Perth Amboy, New Jersey (central New Jersey). He is the youngest son of David and Dora Ruskin and the younger brother of the late Allen Ruskin. A graduate from Kent State University in Ohio, he received a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology. Michael spent most of his 40-year career in corporate Human Resources and private consulting. Mr. Ruskin, now retired, lives a very active lifestyle which includes traveling, tennis, dancing, hiking. He is a student of spirituality, world history, and an avid researcher. He has one niece and enjoys spending time with friends and making new ones. Michael is the last surviving member of his immediate family. The Vow: A Love Story and the Holocaust is Mr. Ruskin's first book, but not his last. He currently resides in Roswell, Georgia. Connect with Michael https://www.facebook.com/rusk7777 Connect with Reena bettercalldaddy.com linkedin.com/in/reenafriedmanwatts twitter.com/reenareena instagram.com/reenafriedmanwatts instagram.com/bettercalldaddypodcast Me and my dad would love to hear from you, Drop us a review, reviews help more people find the show, and let us know what you like and what you'd like us to change, Please share the show with one friend who you think would be helped by the show ratethispodcast.com/bettercalldaddy podchaser.com/bettercalldaddy Castmagic is the AI tool I use for show notes and podcast title ideas, it has helped save me tons of time. I talked about it in this episode. Please use my affiliate link if you sign up. https://get.castmagic.io/bettercalldaddy Are you a popular podcaster or a rising influencer? Or do you have a great idea for an online business? Then you should know that every great website starts with an awesome domain name. Namecheap offers hundreds of domain extensions, from the traditional dot com to creative extensions for podcasters like dot fm, dot live, or dot space. Namecheap is the world’s 2nd largest domain registrar, with nearly 17 million domains under management and a top web service provider for everything you need to launch an amazing website. Namecheap offers hundreds of domain extensions from the traditional .com to creative extensions like .fm, .live or .space Namecheap is offering Better Call Daddy listeners 20% off any non-premium domain name for its first year of registration with the code REENA20. The offer cannot be combined with any existing sales but can override any current sale if its discount is less than 20%. The code is valid for all new and existing Namecheap customers. You can register up to 10 domains per account with this code. To get a domain name with a 20% discount (including .com and 455 other extensions). Go to namecheap.com , search for your desired domain, and use the code REENA20 at checkout.