Episode 39

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Published on:

2nd Apr 2021

#39 - Mark Samarsky, co-owner & founder of Rose Valley CrossFit

It’s almost inevitable that you've scrolled past a sweaty selfie of a friend, co-worker, or high school classmate bragging about their WOD and professing their love for CrossFit. What is Crossfit exactly? CrossFit is a global exercise phenomenon that started in the US about 20 years ago and has since spread across the world. There are roughly 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries with countless others offering "Functional Fitness" and with many conventional gyms offering similar classes and equipment.  It’s estimated that there are 4 million CrossFitters around the world, and its members are so devoted to the competitive approach to fitness that the community has been described as cult-like.

No doubt if you haven't tried it, you might be confused by what it is or perhaps intimidated, with many associating Crossfit with high risk of injury or training fad. With all this publicity, you may have wondered if Crossfit is for you or if all those Crossfitters (like our very own cohosts) are just plain crazy.

CrossFit is a functional fitness methodology that seeks to achieve comprehensive, measurable and high-level fitness for its "athletes". It is most often performed with a coach and in a group setting, and according to a training program that combines weightlifting, flexibility, body-weight gymnastic movements and a variety of aerobic activities.

 Is Crossfit for advanced or very fit athletes only or is it also accessible for beginners? Is it for men only or also for women? What about kids? Older adults? On this episode of Jewanced, we talk with Mark Samarsky, co-founder and head trainer of Rose Valley CrossFit in Nes Tziona, one of Israel’s premier CrossFit boxes, to talk fitness, the difference between functional fitness vs what most people are doing in conventional gyms, healthy living, longevity, fitness in Israel, and to dispel common myths and misconceptions about Crossfit, weightlifting and fitness in general.  

Links:

Rose Valley CrossFit website (Hebrew)

Rose Valley CrossFit on Facebook

Learn more about CrossFit and visit the official website

Find a local CrossFit box (gym) near you!

Official website of the CrossFit Games: The Open

מזון למחשבהMazon L’Machshava (Food for Thought) – a podcast produced by Mark and wife Lina (a leading nutritionist and trainer) about nutrition, sport, business, relationships, and everything in between (Hebrew).

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

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About the Podcast

Jewanced
A nuanced exploration of Israel, the Jewish world and beyond
Jewanced is hosted by Dan Feferman and Benny Scholder, two guys who grew up in America and live in Israel.
They're curious. They want to discuss. They want to challenge popular conceptions, they want to think critically, examine independently, and most of all, they crave nuance.

Each episode features a different guest. All interesting and original people who strive to break boundaries. Together with Dan and Benny, take a deep dive into politics, foreign affairs, religion, science, technology, food, the arts, business – you name it. Explore the nuanced crossroads of Israel, the global Jewish experience, and beyond.

What's the goal? To create a daring platform where people share their stories, insights, creations, and visions. Jewanced has no talking points, no script, no agenda...just a deeper nuanced understanding of our existence.

Join them on a journey as they explore, think, debate and discuss …. And most of all, listen.

About your hosts

Benny Scholder

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With over a decade of experience in Israel's tourism industry, Benny has managed sales, marketing, travel content, digital content, and the operations aspects of tour companies and travel agencies. Today, he is the Director of Sales-North America at Kenes Tours, Israel's leading provider of incoming tourism services, where he is proud to deliver transformative, custom-crafted Israel travel experiences designed to exceed expectations.
Originally from Minneapolis, Benny fell in love with Israel as a young adult, moving to the country in 2004. He has an extensive background in everything Israel-travel related, having completed Israel's intensive tour guide course in 2010. His career spans both logistical, content-related, and sales management positions with major and boutique Israeli tour companies alike. Benny lives with his amazing wife Maayan and two incredible children in the charming village of Gedera. In addition to his passion for transformative travel experiences, he's super passionate about food, modern & ancient history, politics, addictive TV, and game-changing podcasts. Contact him at Benny@jewanced.com

Dan Feferman

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Dan Feferman is a Major (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces. For almost a decade, he served as a foreign policy and national security analyst, strategist and adviser in the IDF General Staff; as a special assistant to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff; and a commander in an elite intelligence unit of AMAN's Research and Analysis Division.

He is a fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a think-tank focusing on issues of importance to Israel and the Jewish people, where he researches religious pluralism in Israel, trends in Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations. He is also a political and strategic consultant and publishes and speaks widely on the Middle East and Israeli defense and political matters.

He is the author of Rising Streams: Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel, and of a soon-to-be-published book on the changing face of American Judaism.

Dan holds a BA in International Politics and Middle East Studies from the American University in Washington DC and an MA in National Security Studies from Tel Aviv University.

Originally from Indiana, Dan moved to Israel in 2005. He is married to Elisheva, has three amazing kids, and lives in Rehovot. When taking a break, Dan stays busy with Crossfit, martial arts and cooking.