North Star with Ellin Bessner

This year, Remembrance Day ceremonies, including at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, will feel a little different for a number of reasons. The biggest change? Military chaplains who officiate at mandatory public events can no longer recite faith-specific religious prayers for soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in battle. Prayers are now to be called “spiritual reflections”, using non-religious, gender-neutral words. Chaplains can no longer wear their traditional purple sashes with symbols of their faith atop their uniforms. While the changes have been on the books for some time, they weren't being enforced, until now. The changes have prompted renewed backlash from a senior Catholic chaplain and from the Conservative Party, who decried this secularization of the Canadian Armed Forces. But military officials say their goal is to be more inclusive of personnel of all different faiths—plus those who practise no religion at all. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we consult three Jewish leaders involved in Remembrance Day events and the legacy of Rabbi Reuven Bulka, who delivered a short benediction to the nation on Nov. 11 for nearly three decades, until his death in 2021. We’ll hear from Rabbi Idan Scher, who will deliver the official benediction today; Captain (Rabbi) Arnold Noteh Glogauer, Jewish chaplain at CFB Petawawa; and Jon Mitzmacher, the principal at Ottawa’s Community Jewish School, where a new curriculum unit honours Rabbi Bulka’s legacy of kindness. What we talked about: Read more in The CJN about the Hurwitz family of Montreal, whose son Sgt. Samuel “Moe” (KIA 1944) made the ultimate sacrifice, and about a younger brother, naval gunner Harry (taken POW in 1944) who were both honoured as Canadian Jewish heroes during a recent Remembrance Day ceremony in Hampstead, Quebec. The late Rabbi Reuven Bulka, considered as Canada’s Rabbi, died in June 2021. Catch up on The CJN’s coverage of his legacy here, his obituary, and here. Canada enshrined Kindness Week into law in May 2021 in honour of Rabbi Bulka, on The CJN Daily. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Until the very last day, pollsters predicted the 2024 U.S. presidential election would be too close to call, with just a fraction of a percentage point separating Donald Trump from his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Many observers predicted a repeat of 2020, when Trump refused to concede, resulting in riots on Capitol Hill. But as the votes rolled in on Nov. 5, 2024, it became clear Trump was on pace to win a resounding victory for the Republicans and a surprise second term in the White House. As of Wednesday night, Trump has been elected with 295 electoral collage votes, compared to Harris’s 226, complemented by a victory in the popular vote. Trump’s party also took control of the Senate and will likely control the House of Representatives, although those ballots are still being counted. Political science professor Donald Abelson of McMaster University in Hamilton had an eye-witness perspective of the final hours of the election from his perch in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, David Weinfeld, a Canadian-born professor of American Jewish history, was monitoring the election results from his home in the swing state of Pennsylvania, where he had previously been a volunteer canvassing for the Democrats. Abelson and Weinfeld joined The CJN Daily‘s Ellin Bessner shortly after Kamala Harris called Trump to concede defeat Wednesday. Together, they unpack what Trump’s victory means for Jews, Israel, Canada and the world. Their take? While some pro-Israel advocates may be excited, Trump will almost certainly not be a reliable ally for Jews. What we talked about Read more about professor Donald E. Abelson in The CJN, and learn about his new books on U.S. politics, here and here. David Weinfeld has been a columnist for The CJN, and most recently was a guest panelist on The CJN Daily’s Canada Day episode on why Canadian Jews feel vulnerable in a post-Oct. 7 world. Why the "Tree of Life" synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh in 2018 was a turning point for Jews in America and not in a good way, by David Weinfeld in The CJN archives. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

After the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, Sharon Zohar wanted to take action. The serial entrepreneur, no stranger to kickstarting new organizations, decided to start a grassroots movement called EnoughTO, aimed at bringing civility back to the streets of Toronto. But rather than strengthen the city and its myriad communities, she says, "all I got was hate." The response shocked her. She withdrew to her home and decided, instead, to try and express herself in a more personal way—through poetry. She immediately felt refreshed and invigorated. That led her to reach out to OneFamily Fund, an organization that helps Israeli victims of terror, which agreed to partner on a new poetry anthology that publishes writers from around the world reflecting on this new post-Oct. 7 reality. That anthology, Proof of Life: An Exploration of Conflict, Survival, and the Human Spirit Post October 7th, was released last month, on the one-year anniversary of Oct. 7. To explain more about the book, Sharon Zohar sat down with Ellin Bessner for an intimate interview that dives deep into her creative process and how she recruited collaborators to make it happen. Relevant links Buy the book at proofoflifeanthology.myshopify.com Learn more about OneFamily Fund Read about one of Sharon Zohar's earlier fundraisers, a lemonade stand that raised thousands of dollars to combat homelessness, in The CJN archives (from 2012) Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Even if you haven't visited the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa, you may recall when it opened in September 2017 with one glaring omission: it didn't mention Jews. While the federal government did fix the plaque on the nearly $9-million monument, after that controversial opening, the monument sat largely ignored. Yes, it's used by federal politicians for Holocaust remembrance events, but there is limited signage and no tours to explain its significance to visitors or tourists. It's a problem that the Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES) wanted to fix. On Oct. 30, just before Holocaust Education Week kicks off on Nov. 4, the Ottawa-based organization, with support from Liberation75, unveilled a self-guided tour now available on IWalk, a mobile app created by the USC Shoah Foundation. CHES calls the tour "an essential companion to the monument," featuring information about the details of the monument along with survivor testimonies, educational materials for teachers and a virtual 3D tour. The CJN Daily's Ellin Bessner was recently in the nation's capital and wanted to see the monument for herself. Rather than take the IWalk tour, she met up with Mina Cohn and Artur Wilczynski of CHES for an in-person experience to hear the story and history behind this new immersive educational experience. What we talked about Learn about the National Holocaust Monument's IWalk tour at iwalknhm.org Find more educational resources from CHES at chesatottawa.ca Read about the plaque controversy when the National Holocaust Monument opened at thecjn.ca (from 2018) Listen to "Canada’s Holocaust monument opened 4 years ago. Why isn’t anyone using it?" on The CJN Daily Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Ziv and Barak Morag, along with their young two children, lived happily in their small house in Kibbutz Nir Oz—until Oct. 7, 2023. The southern community saw around 100 of its members killed or kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, leaving the remaining 300 residents—including the Morags—scattered and displaced in the aftermath of the attack. On a whim, while moving between homes, they applied to a little-known grassroots initiative called Hug for Hope, which matches displaced Israeli evacuees with Canadian or American families for up to 10 days. It was only months later that they got a call: a family had agreed to host them. The Morags were skeptical, but when they hopped on a virtual call with their future hosts, they immediately felt a connection. As the Morags and their host, Danielle Kaplan, explain on today's episode of The CJN Daily, that connection is the point of this experience. The goal is to help these Israeli families relax, laugh and enjoy themselves after living through horrific trauma. As you'll hear, while in Toronto, the Morags went sightseeing, bonded with their Canadian counterparts and created a lasting emotional bond that made them feel like they were truly staying with family. Related links Learn more about Hug for Hope at hugforhope.ca Hear how Danielle Kaplan helped her husband recover from a near-fatal motorcycle crash, on The CJN Daily Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

With the U.S. election just over a week away, Vice-President Kamala Harris is maintaining a narrow lead over former president Donald Trump—although the margin of error is so slim that the result remains essentially a toss-up. One polling company contributing to this data is Mainstreet Research, a Canadian firm. Steven Pinkus, a longtime vice president at Mainstreet, struck a partnership with Florida Atlantic University and began polling Americans directly to find recurring themes and provide accurate data for their clients north of the border. As it happens, Americans are concerned with many of the same issues as Canadians this election cycle, with affordability, housing, immigration and inflation reigning supreme. But which candidate is better for Israel and the Jews? Steve Pinkus joins host Ellin Bessner for a conversation about the issues that matter to Americans, Canadians and the Jewish community this fall. Related links See Mainstreet and FAU's polling at faupolling.com "Loomering large: Phoebe Maltz Bovy on Jews and fake news" (thecjn.ca) "Trump or Biden? Who is Good for the Jews and Israel?" (thecjn.ca archives, from 2021) Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Days ahead of Yizkor being recited in synagogues across Canada, The CJN Daily wanted to take stock of some noteworthy Canadian Jews who've passed away in recent months. It's the latest edition of a recurring series we like to call "Honourable Menschen". Today, host Ellin Bessner sits down with The CJN's obituary writer, Heather Ringel, to chat about five noteworthy community members we've lost in 2024. They begin with Sheila Kussner, one of Canada's most relentless cancer fundraisers, before moving onto Irving Liebgott, one of the longest-surviving members of The Tailor Project, which brought Jewish tailors and their families to Canada after the Holocaust. They also discuss Morley Rosenberg, who served as the mayor of Kitchener in the late 1970s and early '80s; Faye "Tootsie" David, who owned an iconic Jewish deli on Cape Breton with her husband, Ike; and the trailblazing feminist academic Frieda Johles Forman. What we talked about Obituary: Sheila Kussner, 91, whose Hope & Cope advocated for people living with cancer (thecjn.ca) Obituary: Irving Leibgott, 100, whose work as a tailor spared his life in the Holocaust and helped him write a new chapter in Canada (thecjn.ca) Read about Morley Rosenberg's run for city council in 2018 (thecjn.ca) Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

Shai Davidai became a public figure shortly after Oct. 7, 2023 when the assistant professor from Columbia University starred in a video warning Jewish parents at elite American universities about the explosion of antisemitism on campuses across the United States. Davidai’s impassioned plea changed his life: the Israeli researcher soon became a vocal activist who took on the mission of calling out American universities for failing to curb Jew hatred. Last week, Columbia banned Davidai from certain parts of the New York campus—including his office and faculty meetings—because he was “repeatedly harassing and intimidating” fellow university employees, according to a statement sent to CNN. But if you ask Davidai, he’ll say he was standing up against staff members and campus groups who support terrorism. What’s undeniable is how Davidai’s spotlight on Columbia—the site of the first pro-Palestinian encampment in April—did help lead to the school’s president stepping down, and also resulted in the firing of three senior Columbia deans after their snide text messages full of antisemitic remarks were leaked to the public. Davidai is in Canada this week to rally the local Jewish community and share his advice about fighting antisemitism. He’s on a three-day tour organized by the pro-Israel Tafsik organization. On Oct. 21, he is set to attend a rally for Jewish students at the University of Toronto before leaving for Winnipeg, where he will speak on Oct. 22. Davidai sat down with _The CJN Daily _host Ellin Bessner in between Toronto events to explain why fighting hatred the old ways don’t work, and why he believes masked protesters are behaving like members of a cult. What we talked about Read more about Shai Davidai, the Columbia University professor who fights antisemitism on his campus since October 7, 2023.  Follow Shai Davidai’s new podcast “Here I Am” on YouTube. Tafsik also brought Maj. John Spencer to Canada on a speaking tour earlier this year. Read our interview with the West Point military officers about how Israel is waging war, in The CJN. Hear more about Shai Davidai's visit to Montreal to stand with the Jewish community outside Concordia University in September 2024, on The CJN Daily. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

On the night of Oct. 16, Jews around Canada will welcome the holiday of Sukkot, having erected temporary wooden or cloth structures outside their synagogues and homes. While celebrating in their makeshift shacks, many will tell stories of the huts that ancient Israelites lived in after their exodus from Egypt. Meanwhile, in modern-day Canada, a different kind of exodus is happening across the country: young Jewish families, along with Canadians of all stripes, are finding themselves priced out of the housing market, fleeing their native cities to find affordable homes in ever-farther destinations. While the cost of a sukkah kit may seem steep these days, in the hundreds or low thousands, it pales it comparison to the national average cost of a house: nearly $650,000. As a result, housing organizations are stepping in to find creative solutions. One such company with deep Jewish roots is Ourboro, whose COO, Eyal Rosenblum, is the son of Israeli immigrants. The company essentially buys a stake in your house by lending you up to $250,000 for your down payment. Whatever the percentage of the down payment is, that’s what you’ll have to pay them back once you sell. The idea has caught on, with real estate developer Miles Nadal having joined Ourboro as a key investor. Eyal Rosenblum joins The CJN Daily to explain how this concept can help some Canadians afford homes sooner, and why his Jewish values align with the idea. What we talked about Read more about Ourboro, and how it works to help homebuyers afford a 20 percent downpayment on their first home. (See the math). Learn why real estate investor Miles Nadal’s Peerage Capital backs Ourboro. Why strangers in B.C. are co-owning housing together, on The CJN Daily. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

On Oct. 7, 2024, more than a thousand anti-Zionist protesters marched through downtown Montreal toward McGill University as part of a “Week of Rage” to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza. Despite a heavy security presence at McGill, some protesters managed to storm onto the campus, smashing through barricades and vandalizing the Sylvan Adams Sports Science Institute on Pine Ave. The site—still under construction—is named for Adams, the Canadian-Israeli billionaire who, in 2022, donated $29 million to the Montreal university, then called the largest-ever gift to a Canadian campus. His philanthropy focuses primarily on athletics, both in his home province of Quebec and in Israel; in response, pro-Palestinian groups have accused him of “sportswashing” Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. As a major donor, Adams has been paying close attention to how McGill has managed the year-long campus protests, including the first tent city encampment in Canada, set up in April. He has harsh words for Montreal’s mayor, who he blames for letting Jew-hatred run rampant in the city. And, although he can’t take his money back from McGill, Adams is trying to influence the university’s actions in his own way. He joins The CJN Daily to discuss all this and more—including his criticism of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Adams' dreams of reuniting Pink Floyd (minus Roger Waters) to play in Israel one day. What we talked about Read more about Sylvan Adams’ $29 million donation in 2022 to fund a sports sciences institute at McGill University, in The CJN.  Learn why McGill won a 10-day court injunction to block protesters from disrupting campus, beginning on Oct. 8, 2024, in The CJN. How Concordia's Jewish students won an injunction that ended Oct. 12 blocking violent protests, on The CJN Daily. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Dov Beck-Levine Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)