North Star with Ellin Bessner

Three and a half years have passed since the bodies of Barry and Honey Sherman were found dead in their Toronto home. They'd been posed in a macabre position and tied to the railing of their basement swimming pool. The mysterious deaths of the Canadian Jewish billionaire couple shocked the country—and especially the Jewish community, where they had been influential fundraisers and donated millions over the years. Kevin Donovan, a reporter with the Star, joins to speak about his ongoing investigation into the unsolved murders. What we talked about: "Rabbi charged with vandalizing Israeli consulate" (thecjn.ca) Who Really Killed This Billionaire? (Bloomberg/YouTube) Drake's son appears with him on stage at the Billboard Music Awards (ctvnews.ca) The Billionaire Murders: The Mysterious Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman (Penguin Random House Canada) 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

It was a relief to hear news of yesterday's ceasefire between Israel and Gaza. But for many Canadian Jewish students, the 11-day-long conflict has been particularly hard to handle. At Wilfred Laurier University, two pro-Palestinian students shot a distressing video in which they lit a makeshift Israeli flag on fire and made stabbing gestures with Palestinian and Israeli flag emojis. At Queen's University, the campus newspaper came out in support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. In Calgary, the local Hillel joined the city's Jewish federation to host an online meetup earlier this week, so students could share their feelings and plan how to defend themselves against anti-Semitism. On today's episode, Ellin is joined by Rafi Matchen and Yos Tarshish from Queen's University, as well as Danielle Braitman from Calgary Jewish Federation and LeeAnn Grisaru, president of the Hillel at the University of Calgary. What we talked about: Read: "Laurier responds to offensive TikTok video posted by student" (thecord.ca) See the Queen's Journal retract their BDS support at Avi Benlolo's website Read: "West Island shop owner remains defiant in face of new language law" (montrealgazette.com) 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

While plenty of cities and schools around the world take part in "Kindness Days" or promote random acts of kindness, Canada recently became the first country to formally enshrine a "Kindness Week" into law. On May 14, all five parties voted unanimously to pass Bill S-223, An Act respecting Kindness Week, in the House of Commons. Kindness Week was inspired by Rabbi Reuven Bulka of Ottawa. Rabbi Bulka made it his life’s work to promote kindness—he even founded a national organization dedicated to it. Now his dream of formalizing it into law has come true, even as the 76-year-old rabbi battles late-stage cancer. Senator Jim Munson joins to discuss the long road to getting Kindness Week off the ground, his relationship with Rabbi Bulka, and where we go from here. What we talked about: Kind Canada's website: kindcanada.org Rabbi Bulka's website: rabbibulka.ca Read the Hansard transcript of the House speeches regarding Bill S-223 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

You may have heard of Jenna Lewinsky, who brought her flock of Canadian Jacobs sheep to Israel back in 2016. Today, the former resident of Abbotsford, B.C., lives in Efrat—a disputed Jewish settlement on the West Bank near Bethlehem. Despite the economic hit she's taken from the COVID-19 pandemic, and being urged by Israeli police to move because they couldn't ensure her safety during the current conflict, Lewinsky is staying put. On today's show, we hear how the sheep and their Canadian keeper are riding out the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Gaza, thanks in large part to her friendly Arab neighbours. What we talked about: Watch Adam Zepp's video on YouTube Learn about Lewinsky's sheep at the CBC 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Robert Gasner is a Canadian who recently moved to Ashkelon, Israel, about 10 km north of the Gaza Strip. When a rocket hit his neighbour's house, the 63-year-old ran into the burning building to save a mother and her children, who were trapped inside. In this exclusive Canadian interview, Gasner recalls the event on The CJN Daily, from the moment the bomb dropped to his recovery in the hospital. Thankfully, the family survived, and Gasner escaped with only scorched hands, a bloody head wound, a very sore throat—and an incredible story. Relevant links: Catch Gasner's interview on Fox News on his Facebook page Watch The CJN's short documentary about the current conflict, shot on the streets of Lod, at thecjn.ca Read a first-person essay on life in a war zone at thecjn.ca 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

David Ben Gurion announced Israel’s independence on May 14, 1948—73 years ago today. (Although this year the event was marked in April, according to the Hebrew calendar.) The anniversary comes as Israel is in an eerily familiar situation, heading into another weekend with Arab fighters launching a barrage of rockets from Gaza. Meanwhile, violence between Jews, Palestinians and Israeli Arabs has broken out across Jerusalem, Acco, Lod and Ramla and elsewhere. While Canadian Jews prepare to observe the religious festival of Shavuout on Monday, which marks the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai, Israelis are seeking shelter in safe rooms and bunkers. In this episode of The CJN Daily, we're joined by David Matlow, a Canadian who has amassed the world’s largest collection of Theodor Herzl memorabilia and Zionism artifacts. Matlow shares stories from Israel's creation, including why Ben Gurion decided to hurry up and declare the State of Israel in a secret ceremony in the basement of a Tel Aviv building—and why they almost called Israel by a different name. What we talked about: Visit David Matlow's website at herzlcollection.com Browse some of David Matlow's collection in The CJN's Treasure Trove feature on Instagram at instagram.com/thecjn 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Today marks the 82nd anniversary of the ill-fated voyage of the MS St. Louis, which carried more than 900 Jewish refugees across the Atlantic, from Europe to North America. After being denied entry to Cuba, the United States and Canada, the ship returned to European soil, where at least 200 passengers would later be killed by invading Nazi forces. Gilda Spitz, whose husband's father, aunt and grandmother were on the ship, joins to discuss the event's legacy and how her in-laws survived the saga. Plus, we hear from Steve Epstein in Ashkelon, Israel, about what life is like with rockets flying overhead. A rocket hit a house across the street from him—one of 14 rockets fired from gaza to hit targets in Ashkelon, including an empty school. Steve explains what it was like running to a nearby shelter with ambulance sirens blaring throughout the neighbourhood. What we talked about: Read about Canada's sole survivor from the MS St. Louis at the old CJN website Read the full text of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's apology to victims of the MS St. Louis Learn more about Canada's reaction to the MS St. Louis at the Pier 21 website Read how the "Iron Dome" is saving lives in Israel at thecjn.ca 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Camp BB Riback sits on the shores of Pine Lake, Alberta, about halfway between Edmonton and Calgary. This summer was supposed to mark the camp’s 65th anniversary. But with Alberta having the highest active-case rate of COVID-19 per capita of all provinces and territories in Canada—and as the camp itself faced ambiguity from the provincial government about whether or not they could legally open—BB Riback made the hard decision to cancel camp, lay off staff and hope some parents roll over their fees to next year. Camp director Stacy Shaikin joins to discuss how the camp is navigating this uncertain summer. In the second half of today's episode, Ellin asks: How did hundreds of TanenbaumCHAT high school families hike the length of the famous Israel National Trail in lockdown? For five months, they've been doing the Tigers Trekking Israel challenge. Participants danced, walked, did yoga and jogged—but they did it here in Canada, accumulating enough kilometers to complete the 1,000-km hike. The challenge ended Monday, on Jerusalem Day, with a grand prize of two tickets to Israel. Students Rena Zevy and Stacey Goldberg and athletics director Adam Chaim join to talk about how the idea got started. What we talked about: Visit the Camp BB Riback website at campbb.com Read: "Jewish Summer Camps: Ready to Go, Waiting for Directions" at thecjn.ca Learn more about CHAT's trekking initiative at their website 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

According to the 2016 census, Canada's Jewish population dropped by half. This year, Jewish groups want to fix the problem by making sure Jewish Canadians know how to correctly fill out the long-form census. Questions 23 and 30 are at the centre of that campaign: one asks what religion you are; the other, your ethnicity. On today's episode of The CJN Daily, Morton Weinfeld, a professor at McGill University, joins to explain what was wrong with the last census—and how this new one is supposed to be better. After that, Simon Granat, a senior manager of policy and communitations with CIJA, talks about the impact the census has on Jews across the country. What we talked about: Find Weinfeld's book, Like Everyone Else but Different: The Paradoxical Success of Canadian Jews, on Amazon Read British Columbia's press release about new child care and housing projects Read CIJA's take on the census at thecjn.ca 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

It's Yom Yerushalayim, a day to celebrate Israel's holiest city. But the holiday is being marred by the threat of ongoing violence between Palestinian protesters and ultra-nationalist Israeli extremists. The situation grew so dire that Canada's minister of foreign affairs, Marc Garneau, issued a statement over the weekend calling for "immediate de-escalation of tensions." Meanwhile, the Israeli high court has postponed a hearing, slated for Monday, on a controversial case over evictions from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheik Jarrah. That postponement was due to fears that the hearing would further inflame the clashes. For an on-the-ground perspective, today's guest is Igal Hecht, an Israeli-born Canadian documentary filmmaker and producer, currently shooting a new production about Israeli elections. What we talked about: View the statement by Global Affairs Canada: "Canada concerned by escalation of tensions in Jerusalem" Watch the trailer for Igal Hecht's new movie, My Election, on YouTube Read about the protests in Jerusalem at CBC News 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. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.