Hi, I'm Rivky Itzkowitz I’m the founder and designer at Impact Fashion and I’m the host here at Be Impactful, the show about women making an Impact in their own corners of the world. I started Impact Fashion in November of 2016 so that the modest minded women in my community could feel empowered to put their best foot forward every day, regardless of their size. In the process of growing my business I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with women of all different types and from all differen ...
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Rivky sits down with stylist and designer Talya Bendel to chat about her collaboration with Haas Bridal. We discuss why she doesn’t see her teenage experimentations with modesty as rebellious, why the team wanted to do a mainstream collection, and how the collection shows their point of view as modest dressers. Talya Bendel is a 3x New York Times b…
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How We Heal with Esther Goldstein, LCSW
1:21:19
1:21:19
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Rivky sits down with trauma therapist Esther Goldstein to discuss healing from child sexual abuse. They discuss how confusion and trauma get processed in the body, the prison of attention, how what happens to victims after they come forward is so much more important than the abuse itself, and tips for parents whose children come forward to them. Es…
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How to Keep Our Kids Safe with Rahel Bayar
1:03:26
1:03:26
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Rivky sits down with Rahel Bayar, a former sex crimes prosecutor and child abuse prevention expert, to break down last week’s story. They discuss why it’s not only the kids from difficult homes who are vulnerable, how to effectively implement abuse preventing boundaries, and why its so hard-but still important-to call the cops. Click here to listen…
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A Victim of Child Sexual Abuse Speaks Out Anonymously
1:21:56
1:21:56
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Rivky sits down with a victim of child sexual abuse who shares her story. We discuss how her abuser got to her, the decision to civilly sue him as an adult, the effects on her sex life and Mikveh practice and how she relates to her young daughter. If you'd like to send today's guest a message you can send it to rivky@impactfashionnyc.com and I will…
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Rivky sits down with Kayla Haber-Goldstein, an agunah advocate who found herself running the Vaad Linyanei Agunot. She shares how the vaad came to be, Rabbi Ulman’s criteria for a Rabbi to join The Vaad, the types of abuse they encounter, and The Vaad’s policy on ransoms. Plus we discuss annulments. Kayla Haber-Goldstein is the wife of Rabbi Shmuel…
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Rivky sits down with Rivka Ravitz, a charedi mother who also happens to be the first woman to serve as chief of staff to thepresident of Israel. Rivka shares her career trajectory, her thoughts on Jewish unity in Israel both in war times and peace, what she tells girls considering going into a secular workplace, and chareidim in the army. Ms. Rivka…
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Rivky goes solo to talk about her newest design, The Best Skirt. She share why she sat on this idea for over a year, the struggles She's had adjusting to a postpartum wardrobe, and why going up a dress size really isn’t that hard. Click here to see the Impact Fashion collection. Click here to get an Impact Fashion Gift Card Click here to get the Am…
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Tackling Mental Health With Rachel Tuchman: Grief (2021)
49:43
49:43
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In the wake of recent events, we revisit mental health, grief and tackling communal tragedies. Rivky and Rachel Tuchman, LMHC continue a winter long series on mental health with a discussion on grief. We talk about why grief belongs in the context of a mental health conversation, what happens in our heads when a public figure goes through a loss, t…
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Rivky sits down with Chari Pere, acartooner using her craft to bring awareness around miscarriage and other taboo topics. Chari shares about all the feelings she had during her miscarriage, finding out how common it was only once she was experiencing it and the anxiety of a pregnancy following loss. Chari Pere, creator of Miscarried: An Unspoken Ca…
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Rivky sits down with lactation consultant and mom Tamari Jacob to talk about feeding our kids. They discuss how the traits that make the best adults make for really annoying kids, her own journey with breastfeeding and pumping, how she prioritizes self care and makes sure her kids know exactly what she’s doing and the labor split in their marriages…
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Build with your Words with Tzipora Grodko
59:19
59:19
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Rivky sits down with singles advocate Tzipora Grodko to talk about the state of our dating world. She shares how old she was when she began worrying about her singleness, and when she noticed people started treating her differently. Plus how she reacts to ‘that’s why she’s still single’ and what to do with the daters in your life that you feel are …
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An Intentional Oasis with Blimie Hindy of Japparel
1:05:49
1:05:49
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Rivky sits down with Blimie Hindy, the owner of Japparel, to talk shop. She shares how her husbands idea for a clothing business ended up becoming her full time job, knowing when to hire and delegate, her journey towards making her collection more inclusive, and how covid changed the business all over again. Blimie Hindy is the owner of Japparel, a…
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A Happy Ending with Mindy Blumenfeld, LCSW
52:21
52:21
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Rivky sits down with Mindy Blumenfeld, LCSW, a therapist and writer, to discuss her newest book based on her experiences having a son in the hospital with brain cancer. She shares why she loves hospitals, why it was important to her not to keep her son's illness a secret, and why it's improtant to say brain tumor explicitly. Mindy Blumenfeld, a tra…
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Rivky sits down with Menucha Cooper, Mendy's Mom. Mendy has Angelman Syndrome. Menucha shares what they noticed in their Mendy early on that led to a diagnosis, the decision to celebrate the child God has given them, why representation is important, and what to do when you’re not sure what to say in front of a special needs child. Menucha Cooper is…
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On this special Mother’s Day show Rivky sits down with her Mom! They discuss the dress from my collection her mom just doesn’t get, and the styles she has that nobody else does, a recent dressing room experience she had, why Rivky didn’t want to date so much, and how we deal with self doubt and cultivating confidence. Gittie Deutsch is a fabulous m…
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Intergenerational Resilience with Nechama Birnbaum (2023)
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Rivky sits down with Nechama Birnabum, an author and fellow granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, to discuss her grandmother’s story. She shares why she saw her grandmother Rosie as a perfect character, why she felt it was important to tell the good parts of Rosie’s holocaust story, and the importance of centering a Jewish girl who saves herself. T…
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"I didn't ask to be strong" The IDF Wives Panel with Yaf Newman, Tali Wohlgelernte, and Anonymous Part 2
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Rivky continues the conversation with Yaf Newman, Tali Wohlgelernte, and Anonymous, 3 women whose husbands are currently serving in the IDF. We discuss the financial side of living in a country at war, what they want those of us outside of Israel to understand, navigating mothering with a father on the front lines and what their own quiet moments a…
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"I didn't ask to be strong" The IDF Wives Panel with Yaf Newman, Tali Wohlgelernte, and Anonymous Part 1
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41:59
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Rivky sits down with Yaf Newman, Tali Wohlgelernte, and Anonymous, 3 women whose husbands are currently serving in the IDF. They share what the first days of the war were like, the mental health aspect of having a husband at war, what it’s like to reintegrate a husband temporarily into a family into that functions totally differently and some misco…
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My Brother in Law Needs a Kidney/A Piece of Me with Aviva Breda (2020)
1:14:56
1:14:56
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My brother in law is in urgent need of a kidney donor. To learn more about kidney donation or to see if you are a match, email R25992@renewal.org or call 718-431-9831 Ext. 209 Rivky talks with kidney donor Aviva Breda about the journey she took towards donating a part of her body to a stranger, she shares the common misconceptions around the backup…
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What You Can Do with Nechama Wasserman (2023)
1:14:37
1:14:37
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For this International Agunah Day, Rivky revisits her conversation with Nechama Wasserman, a woman who has been trying to get a Jewish divorce for over 9 years. She shares her first impressions of her husband David when they were dating, what happened when she told him she was leaving, the support he’s been receiving from his family for the past 9 …
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Real Life Pesach Cooking with Miriam (Pascal) Cohen
49:15
49:15
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Rivky sits down with prolific cookbook author Miriam Pascal to talk about her newest book for Pesach. Miriam shares why she felt the need to make a Pesach cookbook, how her own restrictive Pesach customs growing up shaped her view on Pesach cooking, the changes she’s seen in the kosher food blogging industry over the last 12 years, and why she want…
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Rivky sits down with Rachie Shnay, a proudly Jewish jewelry designer, to talk about her brand and mission. Rachie shares why it was important to her to have Jewish theme jewelry in her collection from the outset, her special connection to holocaust survivors and how her pieces got in the hands of celebrities. Rachie Shnay was born and raised in NYC…
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Rivky sits down with Alexandra Watkins, a naming and branding expert, to really answer the question, what’s in a name? We discuss the difference between advertising and branding, how I named Impact Fashion and why domain names are not as important as you think. Alexandra Watkins is a leading and outspoken authority on brand names with buzz. If you …
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Rivky sits down with Yael Trusch, the host of Jewish Money Matters. to discuss money. She shares how the 2008 recession led her to reexamine her whole relationship with money, why it’s so uncomfortable to talk about money, and how to properly handle money in your relationships. Yael Trusch, is a Money Coach and Host of the award-winning podcast: Je…
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Glad That We Have it, Sad That We Need It- Am Yisrael Chai line update
13:37
13:37
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Rivky goes solo to give a quick update on the Am Yisrael Chai line and a peek into what’s been happening inside her head. Click here to get your Am Yisrael Chai T-shirt Click here to see my collection of dresses. Click here to get an Impact Fashion Gift Card Click here to get the Am Yisrael Chai crewneck. Click here to join the Impact Fashion Whats…
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Rivky sits down with stylist Nicole Russo to discuss her work. She shares how stress and depression affected her body image heading into college, Why she decided to leave her glitzy fashion styling job, and they work though one of Rivky's major insecurities in real time. Nicole Russo founded Let's Get You in 2017 and has since styled hundreds of pe…
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Designer Smiles with Dr. Victoria Veytsman
34:54
34:54
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I sit down with cosmetic dentist Dr. Victoria Veytsman to discuss oral health and beauty. She shares her thoughts on confidence and altering your face, how beauty standards factor into her work, what pro-aging dentistry looks like and how she has built her own confidence. Born and raised in New York and a first generation American, hard work, ethic…
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I go solo to talk about the process behind my newest design, The Ribbon dress. I’ll share how I’ve been approaching designing differently over the last 6 months, what it looks like when you translate a corset into a modest design, and what went wrong along the way. Click here to see The Ribbon Dress Click here to join the Impact Fashion Whatsapp St…
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I sit down with Bracha Poliakoff, the author of Reclaiming Dignity. to discuss tznius. She shares the importance of having women’s voices, experiences and Torah wisdom in the book, how society plays a role in what values get passed on in tznius education and the problem with putting so much emphasis on clothing. Bracha Poliakoff, LCSW-C is a licens…
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I sit down with Jenny Goldfarb, the founder of Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli to discuss her vegan deli meat. She shares how she ties veganism into her torah practice, how she got her new product into the market, and her experience on Shark Tank. Jenny Goldfarb, aka Mrs. Goldfarb, is the founder of Unreal Deli. She grew up on the Standard American Die…
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Jewish Small Business with Bari Mitzmann & Arielle Salkin
51:43
51:43
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I sit down with Bari Mitzmann, a former full time content creator, and Arielle Salkin, the owner of the Materials Design Co., to discuss running a small business in the current climate. We share how we have or haven’t been leaning into our Jewishness, how spending habits have changed, and what we do when promoting your business feels insensitive. B…
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What Will You Choose?- Special Solo Episode!
24:25
24:25
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I go solo to talk about The Choose Your Discount Sale. I’ll share more about my production process and design background, why I structure sales like this and when its worth it to buy final sale. Click here to shop select styles 40% off with code FINALSALE40 Click here to shop the rest of the collection either 15% off with code STORECREDIT15 or 30% …
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I sit down with Faigie Kobre, an art teacher and early childhood educator, to discuss how we can bring better art into our kid’s lives. She shares her own journey into art and education, why so many of us think we’re not artistic, the problem with copycat crafts on a developmental level and good kid beginner arts for those of us who are mess averse…
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I sit down with Roberta Blevins, a former successful MLMer, to discuss her time in that cult like world. She shares What an MLM is, the tactics used in an MLM to maintain rank, and how the structure encourages bad behavior. Plus we discuss why personal accountability isn’t relevant in an industry with a higher failure rate than gambling. Roberta Bl…
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I sit down with Bracha Goetz, a prolific children’s book author, to discuss her work. She shares why she identifies as a six year old boy, the impact of her groundbreaking book Let’s Stay Safe, how she distills complex topics down to their simplest parts so children can understand, and how children in Israel are handling the war. Bracha Goetz is th…
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I sit down with Sew Heidi, a woman who chose the freelance route in fashion and educates others. She shares why owning a brand wasn’t for her, why freelancing as a fashion designer has worked so well, the types of brands that are willing to hire freelance designers and how we can all overcome self doubt. After running a brand she grew to hate and w…
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Cultivating Happiness with Avital Levene The Jewish Meme Queen
47:23
47:23
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I sit down with Avital Levene, The Jewish Meme Queen. She shares how she used humor through a challenging childhood, Her thoughts on independently figuring out her own religiosity, On dating while making dating memes, and how she cultivates her own happiness and defines success. Avital Levene, the face behind the social media account “The Jewish Me…
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Tying Up Loose Ends with Masey Kaplan and Jen Simonic
52:35
52:35
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I sit down with Masey Kaplan and Jen Simonic, the founders of The Loose Ends Project, who pair crafters with unfinished project of those who have passed. They share why they have so many more finishers than projects, how they pair the projects with the right finisher and how they preserve the work of the loved one. Masey Kaplan is a graphic designe…
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It's Be Impactful's Fourth Birthday!
1:56:04
1:56:04
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On this special anniversary episode we celebrate the fourth birthday of this podcast! I’ll share my thoughts on this milestone and some of my favorite and the most important bits of the episodes from this past year. Thank you to everyone who came on the show and listened over this past year. Without you, I'd just be a girl talking to her computer. …
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Grounding Exercises with Esther Goldstein, LCSW
6:40
6:40
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In this excerpt from a longer conversation with Esther Godlstein, she takes us through grounding exercises and image desensitization techniques. Click here to get the Am Yisrael Chai crewneck. Esther Goldstein is a licensed clinical social worker in the Five Towns and surrounding areas. As a Trauma Specialist, Trauma Educator and Founder of Integra…
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Processing Trauma with Esther Goldstein, LCSW
57:56
57:56
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I sit down with trauma therapist Esther Goldstein to figure out how to process a war on our people. We discuss why watching graphic photos and videos is so harmful, especially to children, the importance of regulating our nervous systems and practical exercises along with what to do if you’ve seen something you wish you hadn’t. To find Esther's oth…
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I sit down with Miri Friedman, a mom, wife, and actuary to chat about her life and career. She shares how she knew she wanted to be an actuary, and how working through the actuary exams has changed her perspective on failure. We also discuss how her life was upended by a still birth and the organization she founded in her daughter’s memory, Kesser …
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Motherless Shoppers with Sarah Rivkah Kohn & Bruchy Grosinger
42:08
42:08
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I sit down with Sarah Rivkah Kohn,the founder of Links, and Bruchy Grosinger, the director of Dress Me, to discuss their incredible work. We discuss how Links has evolved and responded to their families needs over the years, why I specifically choose to direct all of my brand's charity to Dress Me and Links and what it’s like to clothing shop witho…
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Connection with Esther Goldstein, LCSW
1:00:14
1:00:14
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I sit down with Esther Goldstein, a licensed clinical social worker, to discuss relationships. She shares how addiction and chronic insecurity are related, Why the opposite of addiction is connection and community, how we go about building supportive communities for ourselves, and I share one of my biggest insecurities in my friendships. Esther Gol…
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I sit down with Nechami Tenenbaum, my good friend and the founder of Defiance Beauty, to discuss why she felt the need to change the name of the natural beauty brand she founded. She shares how she found the confidence to come out from behind the camera and be the face of her brand, the importance of thinking of our skin as an opening and the benef…
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The Pleat Dress & Pop Ups- Special Solo Episode!
35:04
35:04
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35:04
I go solo to discuss my newest design, The Pleat Dress. I do a deep dive on my design process and how I build out my own wardrobe, how covid has affected NYC’s fabric vendors and why I’m going on tour Click here to see The Pleat Dress POP UP TOUR SCHEDULE: Sep 5 in Monsey at Beautifull Boutique 11am-6pm, 8-10pm (51 Main Street) Sep 6 in Toms River …
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I sit down with Dr. Marcy Forta, the founder of Atzmi, an organization focused on improving the self esteem of Jewish girls. She shares the genetic factors of eating disorders and why Jewish women are more likely to develop one, her own experience with an eating disorder at age 14, how pressure to be perfect can contribute to risk for eating disord…
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I sit down with a stylist and author to discuss how we relate to our wardrobes. We talk about how she sees things in shapes and applies that to her styling clients, the pieces she chooses to invest in and why, and we each share our thoughts on trends. Kim Appelt is a renowned Canadian fashion stylist who boasts an impressive resume in the industry.…
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Missed Expectations with Dr. Aimee Baron (2022)
1:24:46
1:24:46
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I talk with Dr. Aimee Baron, a pediatrician and the founder of I Was Supposed To Have A Baby, about her infertility journey. She shares the work she did to accept the fact that her family wouldn’t look the way she imagined after suffering multiple miscarriages and how we can better support those around us in the infertility community. Click here to…
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The 5th Date Dress- Special Solo Episode!
19:40
19:40
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I go solo to share the process of creating The 5th Date dress, The first piece in my line available in sizes XS-3X. I discuss why this size range is somimportant, why I chose to do it with this universally flattering style and modest dressing in summer heat. Click here to see The 5th Date Dress Click here to join the Impact Fashion Whatsapp Status …
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