North Star with Ellin Bessner

As Parliament resumed Monday after a two-week break, politicians jumped straight into debating the recently revealed annual budget. Tucked inside the Liberals' hefty document, on page 275, is a proposal that would ban Holocaust denial. This might normally be welcome news across the aisle, except that the Conservatives already presented a nearly identical bill back in February. Kevin Waugh, the MP for Saskatoon–Grasswood, is now furious at the federal government, claiming they stole his idea in drafting their own legislation—except they made it weaker. Now, as Yom ha-Shoah approaches Thursday, the House of Commons finds itself in the unusual position of having to debate duelling bills targeting Holocaust denial. Waugh joins to lay out his argument—and afterwards, we'll hear from Liberal MP Ya’ara Saks, who defends her party's decision because she believes it will be approved faster. What we talked about: Listen: "Canada might ban Holocaust denial. Here’s why that probably won’t curtail antisemitism" Read: "A bill that would make Holocaust denial a crime was introduced in Parliament by Conservative MP Kevin Waugh" Read Waugh's bill online Read: "According to B’nai Brith’s audit, antisemitic incidents increased in Canada for the sixth straight year" Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

For Robert Foxman, this photograph has become family lore. It's a shot of hockey legend Guy Lafleur sporting a kippah, draped in a tallit and holding a siddur, as if in prayer. Foxman snapped the shot in 1981, when he was a 19-year-old photography student. Foxman showed up to a Montreal Canadiens practice and asked Lafleur, who, incredibly, agreed to pose for this kid he'd never met. Foxman has been reflecting on the encounter this week after Lafleur died from cancer at age 70. He considers the homegrown hockey hero and five-time Stanley Cup winner a true mensch—as do many other Canadian Jews, given the numerous Jewish fundraiser events Lafleur attended in Montreal to help the community. Foxman joins to share the story behind Guy Lafeur's most Jewish photo and explain what he hopes the Lafleur family takes away from it. What we talked about: Sign the digital guestbook to express condolences to the family of Guy Lafleur Read "‘Offensive’ photos taken at Canada’s National Holocaust Monument have been removed from Instagram: Ottawa photographer" Read how Lafleur helped raise money for Montreal's Jewish community in The CJN archives Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Four years ago, Rabbi Avraham Plotkin was writing a book about bereavement when, in a horrible coincidence, his own 14-year-old son died. Rather than let that derail his project, he pushed forward, drawing from 35 years of working funerals and shivas, and understanding what helped people move on after the shiva period ends. He says the advice in his book actually helped him move forward on a personal level. His book came out in Nov. 2020, months into the COVID pandemic, after traditional bereavement rules and hospital visiting hours were completely upturned. Now, as Jews worldwide approach the first Yizkor of 2022 this weekend, having endured two full years of COVID, many are mourning more friends and family members than they expected. Rabbi Plotkin joins from Thornhill, Ont., to share his take on some of the biggest questions and concerns about death, including how to manage our feelings toward the deceased and where souls actually go after we die. What we talked about: Learn more Rabbi Plotkin's book, Seven Conversations with Jerry: A Book about the Human Soul, Bereavement and the Afterlife Read about the death of 14-year-old Zalmy Plotkin Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

The Green Party of Ontario has only one seat at Queen's Park right now, but Dianne Saxe is hoping to change that. The high-profile environmental lawyer, who was sacked by Premier Doug Ford shortly after his election in 2019—he in fact scrapped her entire office, dissolving the independent environmental commissioner role—has since decided to continue her crusade in the political fray. Saxe has spent the last few years travelling the country, speaking out about environmental issues at town halls and launching a podcast. She was also elected the deputy leader Ontario's Green party, and she's running in University-Rosedale—a downtown riding that's a combination of the wealthy and socially conscious. With six weeks to go before Ontario's election, Saxe is on the move, spreading her message of why the world needs to get rid of fossil fuels, especially in the wake of the war in Ukraine. What we talked about: Learn more about Dianne Saxe at votefordianne.ca Read The CJN's profile of her Read the IHRA definition of antisemitism Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

When Sara Davis began exploring her Jewish roots, she decided to order a bunch of items from an online Judaica store based in Israel. She bought two shofars, two necklaces with a Star of David, a tallit and an Israeli flag. Her package finally arrived in early March, but it felt lighter than it should have. When she tore the box open, she found the shofars were missing—replaced, instead, with a note by the Canadian government informing her that her items were being held at an Environment Canada facility in Quebec. The reason? The shofars were made of rams' horns, and government officials were looking for smuggled wildlife that violates Canada's treaty to protect endangered species. Davis joins the show today to share her experience, from her rediscovery of Judaism to her brush-up with border control, and how the story of Passover played a pivotal role in letting the shofars go. What we talked about: Find the shofars at ajudaica.com Learn more about the shofars here Read about the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising at thecjn.ca Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Canada's most recent budget earmarks $70 million dollars for the Jewish community, with a specific focus on fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Millions of dollars are designated for educational projects like Holocaust museums. But way down, on page 275, is a promise that essentially makes Holocaust denial outright illegal. The move would see Canada join 17 other countries that have already banned Holocaust denial, including France, Belgium and, of course, Israel. But the arguments against criminalizing Holocaust denial are myriad. The United States and United Kingdom don’t for fears it would impinge on freedom of expression. Canadian columnists have argued singling out Jews for special treatment could have the opposite effect, sparking more antisemitic conspiracies. Meanwhile, in countries that have outlawed it—again, France and Belgium—antisemitism still runs rampant. To break down its meaning, we're joined by Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada in Winnipeg and director of the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre. She helps break down the bill and argues that any legislation is toothless without a core ingredient: Holocaust education. What we talked about: Read Canada's 2022 budget Read "Role of Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism to be made permanent, Trudeau tells conference" at thecjn.ca Read "Liberals have decided to start from scratch on their bill to combat online hate" at thecjn.ca Participate in the survey about the National Action Plan on Combatting Hate Listen to the Bonjour Chai episode, "Holocaust denial could be criminalized in Canada with a new proposed bill. But would it work?", at thecjn.ca Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

We're taking a short break for Passover, and will be returning on Monday. In the meantime: we want to hear your stories. How did you handle the seder during the sixth wave of COVID? Were masks mandatory? Did you hand out rapid tests with a side of maror? Did you keep the door open all night, both for Elijah and air flow? Send your stories, either video or audio, to Ellin at ebessner@thecjn.ca and you might get featured in some of our Passover coverage next week. Until then, happy Passover! Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Historically, Canada's Reform movement has been most prominent in Toronto and Montreal. Head east of Quebec, for example, and all you'd find are Orthodox and Conservative shuls. But that history isn't stopping Rabbi N. Siritsky from challenging the status quo. After working in Kentucky and holding virtual services for congregants in Florida, the Canadian-born rabbi has joined the thousands of home-seekers who flocked to Nova Scotia during the pandemic. Once there, they discovered many local Jews outside the traditional framework who were looking for ways to connect, including Russian newcomers, interfaith couples, LGBTQ Jews and those who simply don't identify with the Conservative or Orthodox movements. That led them to spearhead a historic project to establish the first Reform congregation east of Montreal. Their kickoff event is a virtual seder, happening this Friday and open to all Jews in Atlantic Canada. So far, 25 families have asked to participate. Rabbi Siritsky joins to share why they're taking Reform Judaism out to where the people are, rather than starting with a bricks-and-mortar model. What we talked about: Click here to register for the rabbi's virtual seder Learn about Seder Night in Canada at sedernightincanada.com Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

On Wednesday, the student council at Simon Fraser University will vote to approve a motion entitled "Establishing an SFSS Issues Policy on Palestinian Liberation". The motion supports resisting "Israeli settler colonialism" and pushes for the end of "colonization of all Arab lands"—though it doesn't define what those lands are. Regular listeners of this podcast can be forgiven for thinking they've heard this story before. Simon Fraser has become the latest in a recent string of student councils that have passed, or are on the verge of passing, pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel policies that support the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The four other schools have been the University of Toronto, McGill, Concordia and the University of British Columbia. What exactly is behind this trend? Why is it happening now, and why should Jewish Canadians not simply dismiss the actors as a bunch of radical students passing toothless motions in a campus echo chamber? To answer these questions, we're joined by Gillie Cohen, a 22-year-old who works for Hillel in B.C., and Jonah Fried, a 21-year-old history student and activist at McGill, who are living through this battle in real-time. What we talked about: Read the BDS motion put forward to the Simon Fraser Student Society Watch the Beth Tikvah event, "Antisemitism at University of Toronto: An Ongoing Concern" Listen to The CJN Daily episode, "Which Canadian campuses are safest for Jews? Anywhere outside Toronto" Read "McGill University vows unspecified ‘action’ after student union adopts anti-Israel policy" at thecjn.ca Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

A few weeks ago, out of the blue, Harvey Engelberg received a letter from a farmer in Bassenville, in northern France. The writer was looking for information about a downed Second World War plane that had crashed into her fields on D-Day, back in 1944. She wondered if he knew anything about the event. Reading the letter from his home in Montreal, Engelberg couldn't believe it. That plane carried his father, Cobby Engelberg, who was 24 and in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a wireless operator during Operation Tonga. On the night before D-Day, his father, along with two pilots and a navigator, took off with a load of 22 British paratroopers. The men were to drop behind German lines to destroy bridges and prevent Nazi forces from reaching the infamous Normandy beaches where, hours later, tens of thousands of Canadian and British soldiers would make a surpise landing, turning the tide of the war. Engelberg’s plane, however, was hit and caught fire. The elder Engleberg barely survived the crash, and his life was saved by farmers in a nearby house. On today's episode, Harvey Engelberg joins to discuss his trip to the farm, what it means to have stood on the grounds of his father's final mission, and what special gift he was given when he arrived in France. What we talked about: Watch a French TV report on the event on Facebookj Read more about the Canadian Jews of the Second World War in Ellin's book, Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military, and World War II Watch a documentary about Faye Schulman, Holocaust photographer, on CBC Gem Credits The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden 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 learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.