North Star with Ellin Bessner

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has also been playing out in one of Canada’s smaller Jewish communities: Victoria, B.C.—where a city councillor sided with Hamas and wore a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, and where 400 Jewish students at the University of Victoria reported being spit on, and they and their Jewish professors have to run the gauntlet of anti-Israel protests on campus. Although the B.C. premier, David Eby, and other provincial politicians have thrown their support behind the Jewish community by announcing mandatory Holocaust education in Grade 10 by 2025, and have condemned antisemitism–as has the university president–the anti-Israel climate in the B.C. capital now is, as one Jewish leader put it, making Jews feel unsafe to go downtown on weekends. To learn more, we’re joined by Sharon Fitch, president of the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island, and Noa Arama, a student at UVic who is co-president of the campus Hillel club. What we talked about Read more about the controversy surrounding Victoria city councillor Susan Kim, and calls for her to resign, in The CJN. Learn more about the situation for profs and students at the UVic, in The CJN. Victoria is the fastest growing Jewish community in Canada, according to the latest census figures, on The CJN Daily. Credits: The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

David Hofmann has seen it before. Hofmann, a terrorism expert and professor at the University of New Brunswick, has spent years researching extremist hate groups operating in Canada, including neo-Nazis but also homegrown Islamic terror sympathizers. He’s published widely, particularly about the case of the “Toronto 18”, a large group of mainly young Muslim men arrested in 2006 in a foiled plot to blow up several Canadian landmarks, storm Parliament, take hostages and behead then-prime minister Stephen Harper. Hofmann wasn’t directly involved in the RCMP’s arrest on Friday, Dec. 15 of an Ottawa teenager who was charged with two counts of terrorism: instructing someone to carry out an attack against Ottawa’s Jewish community, and giving them material on how to use explosive material. The teen has been held in custody all weekend and is set to appear in court today Monday Dec. 18. But while the youth’s young age means the RCMP won’t release his name or any identifying information, Hofmann believes that the kind of charges laid, plus other details, point to something involving a young Muslim man who likely became radicalized online after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. We have extensive coverage of the story, including Ellin Bessner's story in print on The CJN.ca, and also on today’s The CJN Daily, where she's joined by professor David Hofmann for his take. We also we hear from Sarah Beutel, the interim-CEO of Ottawa’s Jewish Federation. What we talked about Read reaction from the Canadian Jewish community to the terror charges, in The CJN_._ See the RCMP media release about the suspect’s arrest and charges, and the force’s concerns about online radicalization Read one of professor David Hofmann’s scholarly articles about the Toronto 18 and continued threats to Canadian security. Credits: The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

It appears there’s more to the story about why Calgary’s mayor, Jyoti Gondek, abruptly cancelled her participation in the Jewish community’s 35th annual Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremony on Dec. 7. Organizers of the now-infamous ceremony at City Hall acknowledge they had actually wanted the event to be an even stronger show of support for Israel, and let city officials know this in meetings during the days leading up to Hanukkah. Here were some of the original requests: let guests and dignitaries hold up posters of the Israeli hostages now captives of Hamas. Play a video of a Hebrew prayer for the hostages, called “Acheinu”. Stage a pro-Israel demonstration outside the City Hall after the candles were lit. Bring Israeli flags into the building. The city turned these down. Rabbi Menachem Matusof of Chabad of Alberta in Calgary said his committee reluctantly agreed to follow the restrictions, although he balked at the flag veto. The city also frowned on two slogans on the publicity posters: “Support for Israel” and “Israel Bonds raffle”. The rabbi promised them the evening would be a celebration of Hanukkah, and not a demonstration. But mayor cancelled anyway, claiming the organizers “repositioned” the traditional lighting ceremony “as an event to support Israel.” The move has been felt as a slap in the face to the Jewish community in Canada’s fourth-largest city, especially during this time of rampant antisemitism in Canada and the world. On today’s The CJN Daily, host Ellin Bessner goes behind the scenes of Calgary’s chanukkiah debacle with event organizer Nelson Halpern; Rabbi Mark Glickman of Temple B’nai Tikvah and journalist Jen Gerson, who slammed the mayor for not doing her job. What we talked about Watch the Calgary city council menorah-lighting ceremony, presented by Chabad of Alberta Why Calgary’s mayor pulled out of the official menorah ceremony, in The CJN Read Jen Gerson’s opinion piece on Mayor Gondek’s misstep in The Line Read about the anti-Israel protests in Calgary and why the police dropped hate-motivated charges against one of the leaders, in The CJN Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

Canada’s ambassador to Israel, Lisa Stadelbauer, has offered this country’s help to Israeli law enforcement teams who are now piecing together evidence of systematic sexual violence against women and girls by Hamas during and after the terrorist attack on Oct. 7. Stadelbauer officially reached out to the Israeli police, to women’s groups and the chair of Israel’s civil commission on sex crimes by Hamas. The Tel Aviv–based diplomat may have been the first Canadian ambassador to publicly declare that she believes Israeli women: she made her statement on Nov. 24, more than two weeks before Canada’s own minister of foreign affairs, Melanie Joly, tweeted the same thing on Dec. 7. The issue of feminists around the world not believing Israeli women has gained traction in the last week, while Hamas denies its militants sexually violated any Israeli victims or hostages. On today’s The CJN Daily, Lisa Stadelbauer speaks out, saying she is personally ashamed that it took her so long to realize what Israeli investigators have been telling the world. What we talked about Learn more about #MeTooUnlessUrAJew on last week’s episode of Bonjour Chai Why a city councillor in Victoria, B.C., denied that Hamas used rape against Israeli women, in The CJN CJN columnist Phobe Maltz Bovy on why there is no #MeToo for the victims of Hamas rapes Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the

For the past eight weeks, Canada has welcomed at least 900 Israelis who’ve arrived looking for a temporary respite from the rockets and warfare in the Middle East. While many stayed only briefly and have already returned home, some are giving up on Israel after Oct. 7, hoping to make the move permanent. They are all enormously grateful for the support they’ve received from the Jewish communities in the form of housing, schooling, mental health counselling and even recreation programs at JCCs. But, as you’ll hear on today’s episode of The CJN Daily, they’ve also been shocked by the wave of antisemitism crashing across the country. Host Ellin Bessner speaks with Maya Tobin Gonen, now staying in Ottawa, whose family survived the attack on their moshav on the Gaza border by hiding for 11 hours in a shelter; Maya Trajtenberg Madar, who left Tel Aviv with her four-month-old baby boy and two older sons to spend the fall in Toronto; and Gabi and Galit Uzan, who initially fled Ashkelon for northern Israel and are now trying to put down roots in Canada. What we talked about Learn more about Yair Shpiler’s Jewnity Sports project to bring Israeli orphans to North America for a basketball holiday in January 2024 Read how JIAS is helping Israelis coming to stay temporarily (or longer) in Toronto A tribute to Vancouver’s Ben Mizrachi, killed at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, in The CJN Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

An estimated 20,000 people, mostly members of Canada’s Jewish community, gathered in Ottawa on Dec. 4 to rally in support of Israel, call for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, and fight back against antisemitism. The event was, by far, the largest single demonstration of unity held by Canada’s Jewish community since the terrorist attack that happened on Oct. 7 in Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 more kidnapped. Coming just three days before the start of Hanukkah, the rally featured many speakers who pointed to the Jewish festival of light as a concrete example of what steps Canadians should take—including political leaders—to fight against evil and fight for religious freedom. On today’s The CJN Daily, you’ll hear what it sounded like at the rally, as host Ellin Bessner speaks with several Canadians who made the trip: Myrna Yazer of Halifax; Montrealers Julie Kristof, Judy Litvack and Lucy Shapiro; and Toronto high school students Galit Bell and Jaclyn Charlat. What we talked about Watch the Rally for Israel on YouTube Read Jonathan Rothman’s on-the-ground coverage of the rally in The CJN Learn more about Moncton city council reversing its menorah ban in The CJN Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

The City of Moncton’s abrupt decision to quietly halt the display of all religious symbols on municipal property—including the Hanukkah menorah it owns—came as a shock to the New Brunswick city’s Jewish community. The decision was made on Nov. 30 during a closed-door council session. It came one week before the community was expecting to participate in the annual lighting of the menorah, a tradition that’s been celebrated at City Hall for 20 years. The resulting public outcry over the weekend has included a petition, social media posts from all over the world and a flood of emails to the municipality. While the mayor has not commented, the issue is likely to be revisited on Dec. 4, when Moncton’s city council holds its bimonthly public meeting. At least three city councillors have publicly condemned how the process was conducted in secret, including Daniel Bourgeois, who vowed to The CJN he’ll try to have the issue added to the agenda when the meeting starts at 4 p.m. local time. On The CJN Daily, host Ellin Bessner is joined by Bourgeois and also by Leigh Lampert, a Moncton-born lawyer who is a member of that city’s Jewish community. What we talked about Read more about the Jewish community of Moncton’s deep hurt over city decision to end decade’s-old Menorah lighting ceremony, in The CJN Watch the Moncton city council meeting on Dec. 4 on Rogers Cable (taped, not live) beginning at 9 p.m. Moncton time Learn more about the petition to have the Menorah reinstated, on Change.org Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

Toronto businessman Evan Kosiner lodged a complaint with the CBC’s ombudsman last month concerning why the news organization won’t let its journalists describe the Oct. 7 Hamas attack by using the word “terrorism”. Kosiner felt that CBC News—in choosing to refer to Hamas as militants, despite the Canadian government’s own official designation—is biased against Israel. He also accused the CBC of publishing misinformation, particularly for how some journalists initially portrayed the controversial bombing of a Gaza hospital. The CBC received more than 300 complaints, but Kosiner’s was singled out publicly on Friday Nov 24. when the CBC ombudsman, Jack Nagler, published his report. Nagler agreed terrorism is what it was, and thinks the news department could have used the word without breaking CBC journalistic standards. On today’s The CJN Daily, Kosiner joins host Ellin Bessner to explain why he’s not satisfied and is still working to hold the Crown corporation accountable, especially because it receives over $1 billion in taxpayers funding to operate. What we talked about Read more about the complainant, Evan Kosiner, in The CJN archives Hear our interview with the head of CBC News about why they can’t call Hamas terrorists—except in some cases—on The CJN Daily Read the CBC ombudsman’s report on how they decide between “terrorists” and “militants” Support The CJN by donating to the future of what Jewish Canada sounds like Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

This past weekend, Canadian physicist Aharon Brodutch enjoyed an emotional reunion in an Israeli hospital with his kidnapped sister-in-law, Hagar, and her three children, all of whom were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7. The Israelis from Kibbutz Aza were set free on Sunday, Nov. 26 as part of the ongoing hostage deal reached between Israel and Hamas. They'd been held for more than seven weeks since the attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 240 people taken hostage. Brodutch said the four freed hostages have lost a lot of weight and were not ready to leave the hospital yet. His brother, Avichai—Hagar's husband—managed to survive the attack that day, but was wounded in the fighting trying to defend his community. Aharon Brodutch spoke to The CJN Daily host Ellin Bessner just before boarding a return flight to Toronto. He recounted the tense moments leading up to his family's release and explained why his 10-year-old niece, Ofri Brodutch, who attended a Jewish summer camp this year in Ontario, wants to come back to Canada. What we talked about Learn more about Aharon Brodutch’s campaign to convince Canada to do more to free the hostages, on The CJN Daily and in The CJN Read how Shira Brodutch assembled a stroller protest in Toronto to draw attention to Hamas’s kidnapping of 33 Israeli babies, in The CJN Support The CJN by donating to the future of what Jewish Canada sounds like Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

Nearly 500 episodes. Nearly 10,000 hours of programming. It's "what Jewish Canada sounds like." For more than two and a half years, Ellin Bessner and The CJN Daily podcast have been bringing the voices and sounds of Canadian Jewish newsmakers to listeners from coast to coast—and around the world. And since Oct. 7, it's never been more important to provide you with authoritative, trustworthy, accurate and balanced reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict, including updates on the hostage situation, the massacre of 1,200 Israeli residents and a new wave of antisemitism within Canada and beyond. It's coverage you won't find anywhere else. That's why, on #GivingTuesday, Ellin wants to get personal. In this episode, you'll hear why she and the rest of The CJN team need your financial support to keep producing award-winning journalism that's unique in Canada. What we talked about Support The CJN by donating to the future of what Jewish Canada sounds like Where we’ve been and where we’re going, with CEO Yoni Goldstein on The CJN Daily How niche publications like ours are being hurt by Canada’s fight with Meta and Google—and what you can do—on The CJN Daily Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.