North Star with Ellin Bessner

Just ahead of her first visit to Canada as Israel’s newly-appointed Special Envoy on Combatting Antisemitism, Michal Cotler-Wunsh had strong criticism of the Trudeau government’s decision to abstain last week on a vote at the United Nations’ General Assembly about the Israel Hamas war. Cotler-Wunsh calls the decision by Canada to abstain, rather than vote “No”: “worse than silence”. The new special envoy arrives in Canada today for talks in Ottawa on Parliament Hill, and then speaks in Toronto at a fundraiser for a Jewish group. Cotler-Wunsh is Israeli, but grew up in Canada, the daughter of professor Irwin Cotler, human rights crusader and Canada’s own first Special Envoy fighting antisemitism – a position he just finished last week. Cotler-Wunsh was apppointed to her new post just three weeks before the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Southern Israel killed over 1,400 people and kidnapped over 239 more, using tactics which she calls “genocidal”. She’s working feverishly now to explain to the world why Jews and allies must fight “this existential war” on the Jewish State and people, and why Hamas’s tactics have roots in age-old antisemitism now disguised as modern anti-Zionism. As you will hear, some moments of panic ensued when Cotler-Wunsh joined The CJN Daily host Ellin Bessner from her office in Tel Aviv right in the middle of a rocket attack. What we talked about Learn more about Michal Cotler-Wunsh and her previous work as an MK in Israel’s Knesset, in The CJN. How Michal Cotler-Wunsh co-founded an inter-Parliamentary task force to combat online hate on social media, in The CJN. Read Michal Cotler-Wunsh writing in The CJN in 2016 about her father’s legacy. 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 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.

If you ask some relatives of the nearly 240 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, they will say “there hasn’t been enough pressure” to free their loved ones. That’s one of the key messages they emphasized during private meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and with other Canadian politicians and journalists, on Oct. 30. The Israeli group said they are getting little to no information on their loved ones’ status from their own government, which they’ve accused of failing to protect their families. They called on Canada to break off diplomatic and financial ties to organizations and countries that help Hamas, and they want Canada to pressure Israel to make hostage recovery the top priority. On today’s The CJN Daily, host Ellin Bessner brings you the powerful words of several relatives, including Winnipeg-born hostage Vivian Silver’s son, Chen Zeigen; Aharon Brodutch, a Canadian-Israeli physicist whose sister-in-law and three young children were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza (including his niece, Ofri, 10, who attended Camp Gesher in Ontario this summer, and nephews Yuval, 8, and Uriah, 4); Harel Lapidot, a Regina-born Israeli lawyer, whose niece Tiferet Lapidot, 22, was murdered at the Supernova music festival, and Itay Raviv, with three relatives held hostage and one uncle murdered at Kibbutz Nir Oz. What we talked about Why Vivian Silver’s close friend thinks she would want to be freed from Hamas peacefully, on The CJN Daily Watch the full press conference by families of the Hamas victims on CPAC’s YouTube channel Read more about the hostage families’ anguish 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 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.

As Israeli tanks and infantry forces began a limited push into Gaza over the weekend, ahead of an expected full-scale ground invasion, families and friends of the now-230 hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 want to make sure their loved ones aren’t forgotten. That’s why Toronto social worker Lynne Mitchell, a longtime friend of kidnapped Canadian-Israeli peace activist Vivian Silver, is speaking out. She’s telling the world who Silver is and how her friend went to Israel to devote her life to helping forge peaceful relationships between Palestinians, Israeli Arabs and Jews. She believes Silver, a widow, would not want to be freed through violent raids—but rather by mediation or negotiation. It’s been more than three weeks since Silver, 74, was captured by Hamas while hiding in her safe room inside her Kibbutz Be’eri home, where 130 residents were later found slaughtered. Mitchell joins The CJN Daily to share how Silver’s family has been navigating this tense moment—and what she hopes will happen next. What we talked about Learn more about Vivian Silver in The CJN Join the “Missing Vivian Silver” Facebook group Read about the funeral for Alexandre Look, a Canadian murdered at the music festival in Israel, in The CJN Register for the Toronto rally on Nov. 1 in support of the hostages 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 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.

Canadian social worker Joy Frenkiel can’t get two particular sounds out of her head: IDF soldiers hammering wood to build coffins, and the motors of refrigerated containers storing hundreds of still-unidentified bodies at an Israeli military base. Frenkiel moved to Israel from Chomedey, north of Montreal, in 1996; since the horrific murders of at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals earlier this month by Hamas, the Ramat Gan resident has been helping bereaved families go through what is likely the hardest experience of their lives. Frenkiel not only travels with military teams on solemn home visits to break the news to next of kin—she also supports grieving parents, spouses and other relatives when they go in-person to the morgue at the Shura military base at Ramla to officially identify the remains. For Frenkiel, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, seeing the condition of many of the bodies has been almost beyond description. But, as she tells The CJN Daily‘s host Ellin Bessner in the third episode of our series on “The Helpers” in this war, Frenkiel is honouring those who were murdered to fulfill the mitzvah of giving kindness during the darkest period of Israel’s modern history. What we talked about Help ZAKA, an Israeli organization giving the victims of Hamas a Jewish burial Read more about the work of ZAKA in The CJN archives (2015) Meet the Canadian couple who hid for their lives near the Gaza border when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, 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 intern is Ashok Lamichhane, and our theme music 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.

Dr. Brad Strauss is a cardiologist at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, with a roster of patients and several new medical devices under development. But immediately following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, Strauss dropped everything and booked a plane ticket to Tel Aviv. Despite his flight being delayed by missile threats—it took him two days in transit—he arrived ready to work near the frontlines around Gaza. Instead, he was accepted by the cardiology team at the HaEmek hospital in Afula, in the country's north—within firing range of Hezbollah's rockets. Strauss is the only Canadian doctor volunteering with that hospital's heart unit right now. But The CJN is aware of many other Canadian medical professionals who are on the ground to help. And there will be thousands more, as Israel wants foreign-trained medical staff from Canada, the U.S. and the European Union to volunteer, anticipating casualties straining their health care system. In the second episode of our week spotlighting "The Helpers" in the Holy Land, Strauss speaks to The CJN Daily host Ellin Bessner about what motivated him to come and why stress is causing heart problems for patients who he has seen during these last two weeks. What we talked about Help the HaEmek hospital in Afula buy a portable x-ray machine for the ER and a portable cardiac echo machine. Tax-deductable donations can be sent via the Neeman Foundation Learn about Israel’s health ministry creating this web portal for foreign-trained medical professionals from Canada and abroad to sign up to volunteer If you missed Monday’s The CJN Daily episode with the Canadian toymaker Ronnen Harary of Spin Master and how he is delivering 25,000 toys to displaced Israeli kids, listen here 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

Ronnen Harary and his university friends founded the toy and entertainment company Spin Master in 1994, launching with Earth Buddies and later the wildly successful Air Hogs toys. Today, it’s their Paw Patrol characters and Gund stuffed animals that are globally famous. And for the last two weeks, since the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel, Harary has been on the ground in Israel distributing 25,000 toys for Israeli kids and their families who have been affected by the war with Hamas. And that’s not all. His personal charity is buying new beds for the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem to boost capacity ahead of expected casualties. Meanwhile, the Canadian philanthropist has also personally driven boxes of socks and supplies to army bases all over Israel, and his charity is helping a Canadian-led operation sending a food truck to feed soldiers before they embark on what’s expected to be an unprecedented ground assault on the Gaza Strip against Hamas. Today, The CJN Daily is kicking off a week of stories about what we’re calling “The Helpers”: Canadians stepping up to help Israel during these difficult times. Host Ellin Bessner speaks to Harary and to Franck Azoulay, a former Montrealer who now runs Harary’s personal charity and is himself serving with the IDF. Read how Harary sends gifts to children in conflict zones, including Israel, through The Toy Movement, in The CJN Learn more about the Canadian initiative to send a food truck from the Canaanite restaurant in Kfar Adumim, the West Bank, to feed Israeli soldiers at their bases—and donate to the crowdfunding campaign. Read how Spin Master was founded in a garage, 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 intern is Ashok Lamichhane, and our theme music 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.

There’s been a lot of attention paid this week to the way some major news organizations are covering the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which was launched on Oct. 7. The CBC, in particular, has come under scrutiny because it is a government-funded body to the tune of more than $1 billion a year. Twelve days ago, a CBC internal memo was sent to staff right after the attack happened, reminding journalists not to use the word “terrorists” or “terrorism” without attribution, when writing their stories. The memo was leaked to the public, sparking a barrage of complaints. This week, the federal Conservatives demanded CBC brass appear in front of a parliamentary committee to explain why their news teams have been advised to use more neutral language when describing the murderous massacre of 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals. The CBC says it is not alone in insisting its team not call the Hamas gunmen terrorists: the BBC doesn’t either. They don’t want to be seen to be taking sides, even while showing the gruesome carnage in as clear and accurate detail as they can. The CJN Daily‘s host, Ellin Bessner, spoke to Brodie Fenlon, the editor-in-chief of CBC News, to find out what’s behind the controversial wording policy of militants vs terrorists, and whether it should change. What we talked about Read the CBC blog by Brodie Fenlon, editor-in-chief of CBC News, explaining the reasoning why they won’t call Hamas terrorists. Learn more about the show of solidarity by Canadian leaders at the CIJA Antisemitism: Face It, Fight It conference, in The CJN. How the conflict is impacting Jewish students on university campuses, 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 intern is Ashok Lamichhane, and our theme music 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.

Tiferet Lapidot had been teaching English to children in Africa before she returned to Israel this fall to be with her family for the High Holidays. She was planning to go to Australia after holidays ended, around the time she was going to turn 23. But, first, she decided to go to the Supernova music festival near the border with Gaza. That's where she found herself frantically running for her life on Oct. 7, trying to escape from Hamas terrorists, who committed a murderous massacre at the now-notorious festival. Lapidot managed to make one last phone call home to her mother. But after that, the family heard nothing. They feared she was among the nearly 200 kidnapped Israelis and foreign tourists taken hostage in Gaza. But on Oct. 18, after an agonizing wait that took over a week, the family learned their daughter was among the 260 partygoers who died that day. On The CJN Daily, host Ellin Bessner speaks with the late Tiferet Lapidot's aunt, Galit Goren, and with her uncle, Harel Lapidot, both of whom are Canadians living in Israel. This interview was recorded days before the family learned of Lapidot's fate. What we talked about The Canadian Sephardi Federation and the Quebec Sephardic community are asking people to put up free posters showing the names and faces of the missing hostages. You can download these posters for free, which can also be sent to your politicians, at kidnappedfromIsrael.com Read more about The Abraham Global Peace Initiative’s $100,000 reward for information leading to the exact locations of the hostages Ten mental health tips to help your kids (and you) cope with anxiety during this difficult time in Jewish history: 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

Toronto cognitive behavioural therapy counsellor Leanne Matlow says her phone has been buzzing ever since the horrific attack by Hamas terrorists on southern Israel on Oct. 7. She’s been hearing from Canadian parents who don’t know how to reassure their children, who are being exposed to gruesome videos and images of blood-stained rooms and also wounded or dead Israeli victims of the massacre–not to mention being nervous since extra squads of police and security guards have turned up patrolling their schools, community centres and synagogues since the violence began. Matlow has worked as a school guidance counsellor and now is in private practice specializing in helping anxious young people as her clients. She’s just issued a series of ten tips for adults (and the children they care for) to help them manage their mental health at this difficult time in Jewish history. On today’s The CJN Daily, she joins host Ellin Bessner with practical advice that everyone can use. Leanne Matlow’s 10 Tips: Here are some suggested tips.  As the conflict is dynamic, so must be our responses Take care of yourself and your own mental health first.  (Take media breaks, go for a walk, stick to a routine with proper eating and sleeping.)  It is okay to ask for help from neighbours, relatives or friends when you need a break. Remember your kids are always watching and listening to you and how you react. Be mindful of the emotional impact of your words and actions. Set boundaries on the news consumption in your house,  especially around your kids.  This is an opportunity to talk about critical thinking and bias in the world of social media. Are your kids hungry or tired? Very simple, but before you speak to your children about anything difficult, check on their physical needs first.  It will not be helpful to have a potentially stressful discussion unless everyone is calm before you begin. Understand your child’s level of knowledge and comprehension: Take cues from your child and let them lead the discussion.  Ask open-ended questions. ” Please share with me what you’ve heard and how are you feeling about it?”  Avoid jumping in with a lecture or giving more information or details that they are unaware of or are not asking for. Reassure  your child that they are safe here.  Clarify where the conflict is happening.  If you don’t know the answer to a question, it is ok to say that you will get the information and answer them later.  It’s ok to be lenient and be reassuring,  but don’t set a precedent that is not sustainable. Take what your kids are worried about and turn it into action-oriented tasks.  Brainstorm ideas about how what you can we  to feel hopeful and helpful? (Give and collect  tzedakah, make cards for soldiers or kids who are displaced from their homes/schools, etc.) Ensure  that your child has access to you to talk daily and that you are there to listen empathetically.  Set a time for this discussion which should NOT be as they are getting into bed. What we talked about Attend The CJN’s live emergency mental health seminar at Toronto’s Prosserman JCC on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2023. Free but you have to register. It won’t be livestreamed, but will be rebroadcast. Read more about Leanne Mallow’s work giving hope to anxious young people struggling with their mental health, in The CJN. Meet the Canadians evacuees from Israel who arrived home in Toronto this weekend, 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 intern is Ashok Lamichhane, and our theme music 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.

A student who’d been volunteering at an Israeli daycare. A widower and his three children honouring the anniversary of their mother’s death. A 15-year-old studying at an Israeli boarding school—and her mother, who was visiting her for Sukkot. These are just some of the first Canadians who’ve returned home from Israel Friday, having been safely evacuated as part of Ottawa’s emergency airlifts which began Oct. 12. After Hamas launched a murderous attack on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people, including eight Canadians, the federal government took a few days to arrange the official evacuation. The Canadians boarded Royal Canadian Air Force transport planes in Tel Aviv, which brought them to the airport in Athens, Greece—where many had to spend the night sleeping on the floor, because there were no hotels available, given the mass exodus of travellers leaving the Holy Land. They then boarded an Air Canada flight home the next day, safely arriving at Toronto’s Pearson airport on Oct. 13.  _The CJN Daily’_s Ellin Bessner was there on Friday evening when the special flight landed. There she spoke with Simona Bitton and her family, Kinneret Butterfield-Morrison, along with her brother Noam, and Sivanne and Jordyn Detsky. What we talked about Read more about Canadians scrambling to board rescue flights out of Israel in The CJN Canadians can register for emergency military airlift flights from the Government of Canada to get out of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, via Global Affairs Canada here How the Israel-Hamas war is playing out on social media, 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 intern is Ashok Lamichhane, and our theme music 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.