Federation CJA 360 Podcast: The Pulse of Montreal’s Jewish Community

Federation CJA 360 Podcast
  • 4.6 (9)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Welcome to Federation CJA 360 Podcast. Here, we dive into conversations that highlight the stories, challenges, and successes of the fabric of Montreal’s diverse Jewish community. Through engaging discussions, news reports, and special guests, the 360 Podcast informs, inspires, and connects listeners to the evolving Jewish experience in Montreal. The podcast team, including Federation CJA President and CEO Yair Szlak, producer Glenn J. Nashen, reporter Jordan Stoopler and Paola Samuel, will engage with influencers, experts and leaders covering a vast array of topics from campus life, antisemitism, allyship, all things Israel, and of course events and programs powered by Federation CJA.   We invite you to tune in, click that subscribe button and share !

  1. 6D AGO

    A Century of Song, Story, and Community

    Discover the heartbeat of Montreal’s Jewish community with the Federation CJA 360 Podcast - your front‑row seat to the impact, innovation, and inspiration shaping Jewish life today. Each episode spotlights dynamic leaders, transformative initiatives, and powerful stories that highlight how Federation CJA is strengthening our community and building a vibrant Jewish future. Engaging, uplifting, and full of purpose, this is the podcast that brings our mission to life.      Guest Information   Hillary Cohen   Bio:   Hillary Cohen is a content creator, mom of two and storyteller at Federation CJA who became “unintentionally influential” by sharing the real, messy, funny side of life online. What started as casual posts, turned into a growing community that connects over honesty, humour and everyday moments. She was named one of Tel Aviv Institute’s most influential voices in 2023, and now brings that same authentic voice to both her content and her work in community and storytelling.  Link:  www.instagram.com/unfluential_   Host: Glenn J. Nashen  About the Host:   Glenn J. Nashen is an award-winning public safety innovator and communicator, and longtime Cote Saint‑Luc City Councillor having founded CSL Emergency Medical Services and CSLvolunteer Citizens on Patrol. Glenn was Director of Public Affairs and Communications at the Jewish General Hospital and CIUSSS West Central Montreal for 20 years and now serves asPodcast Producer and Director of Media Relations and Crisis Communications at Federation CJA, continuing his commitment to strengthening, safeguarding, and informing the community.  Links: Blog, Facebook, X, LinkedIn.    Reporter: Jordan Stoopler  Jordan Stoopler is a copywriter and podcast reporter within Federation CJA’s Strategic Marketing & Communications department. A graduate with journalism degrees from both Concordia University and Hofstra University on Long Island, New York, Jordan contributes to campaigns, weekly newsletters and other organizational communications. By night, Jordan is a freelance sports reporter, covering the local professional sports scene for the Canadian Press. He also produces and co-hosts Menschin’ with the Boys, a podcast that shines a light on Jews and Israelis from across the sports world.   Link: Podcast, Articles, 360 Newsletter   Podcast Website: FederationCJA.org/podcast  Please rate and review on podcast app  Contact the show: podcast@federationcja.org  Follow us on social media:  X (formerly Twitter) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube   Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    1 hr

  2. APR 1

    Rewriting Jewish History: The Future of Teaching our Past | Episode 55

    Discover the heartbeat of Montreal’s Jewish community with the Federation CJA 360 Podcast - your front‑row seat to the impact, innovation, and inspiration shaping Jewish life today. Each episode spotlights dynamic leaders, transformative initiatives, and powerful stories that highlight how Federation CJA is strengthening our community and building a vibrant Jewish future. Engaging, uplifting, and full of purpose, this is the podcast that brings our mission to life.    Guest Information   Dr. Karen Gazit   Bio: Dr. Karen Gazith is the Director of the Bronfman Jewish Education Centre (BJEC) of Federation CJA and a longtime leader in Montreal's Jewish educational landscape, while also serving as a Faculty Lecturer in McGill's Department of Education and Counselling Psychology (ECP) and Program Director for the Certificate in Inclusive Education and the ECP liaison to the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education. She is also an Adjunct Professor in McGill’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education and has taught at the university for more than twenty years, specializing in inclusive education, evidence‑based teaching practices, reading development, and educational leadership. Dr. Gazith is the author of Teaching with Purpose and The Power of Effective Reading Instruction: How Neuroscience Impacts Reading Across All Grades and Disciplines, and previously led McGill's major academic project on best practices for students with learning challenges in Quebec. Her career spans senior roles in Jewish day schools, extensive international teacher training, and decades of work advancing educational excellence across the community.  Finally, Dr. Gazith was one of the founders of Montreal's Academic Network Against Antisemitism (MANAA).     Link:   Rebecca Teboul  Bio: Rebecca Teboul is where business, law, and community impact intersect. She’s an attorney turned business development powerhouse who has built multi-million-dollar revenue streams and led growth across industries.  Today, she serves as Senior Engagement Manager for Jewish Identity Montreal at Federation CJA, where she works on strategy for engagement; building meaningful connections, strengthening identity, and shaping the future of Jewish community life.  She is also the Co-Founder of The Ora Collective, engaging a new generation of women in philanthropy in a bold and modern way. Rebecca is passionate about relationships, big ideas, and turning vision into real impact.   Link:  @rebteboul  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    49 min

  3. MAR 4

    Bridging Worlds: Global Antisemitism & Cultural Connections from Peking to Montreal with Professor Yang Meng | Episode 54

    Join host Glenn J. Nashen and co-host Karen Payne, Federation CJA’s Special Advisor on Antisemitism, for a rare and fascinating conversation with Professor Yang Meng, a groundbreaking Chinese scholar from Peking University whose pioneering work includes founding China’s first university‑level Yiddish course and teaching Jewish civilization to students across Beijing. Together, we explore her research and perspectives on global antisemitism and her insightful observations about Montreal’s Jewish community. This is a truly unique cross‑cultural dialogue you won’t want to miss! Federation CJA 360 Podcast Episode 54 The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    36 min

  4. FEB 18

    Policy, Community, and Identity: Exploring the Impact of New Legislation | Episode 53

    In this powerful new episode, CIJA Quebec VP Eta Yudin joins Yair Szlak to unpack two major pieces of legislation that stand to influence Jewish life in Quebec and across Canada. From Bill C‑9 in Parliament - aimed at protecting communities against hate - to Bill 9 in Quebec’s National Assembly on secularism, Eta breaks down what these proposals really mean for our community and how her organization is advocating in the halls of power on our behalf. Then, in a fresh installment of HOT TOPICS, Judy Kremer (Campus Advocacy Director) and Karen Payne (Antisemitism Advisor) dive into the growing challenges on campus, where increasingly hostile student governing councils make it more essential than ever for Jewish students to show up and vote.   Federation CJA 360 Podcast Episode 53  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    43 min

  5. JAN 27

    Remembering to Never Forget | Episode 52

    In honour of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Federation CJA President & CEO Yair Szlak sits down with Shoah survivor & Montreal Holocaust Museum Co-President, Rachel Gropper, for a powerful and timely conversation on memory, resilience, and the responsibility to remember. The Museum’s head of marketing, communications and PR, Sarah Fogg, shares an update on the new and improved Montreal Holocaust Museum 2.0, set to open next summer. Plus, guest co-host Stephen Rabinovitch breaks down the Holocaust-based programs and experiences available for local Jewish teens and young adults.   Federation CJA 360 Podcast Episode 52 The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    41 min
  6. ChangeMakers: David Cape and Sen. Marc Gold | Episode 51

    JAN 12

    ChangeMakers: David Cape and Sen. Marc Gold | Episode 51

    Show Notes   The ChangeMakers series, a special edition of the Federation CJA 360 Podcast, celebrates the remarkable individuals whose leadership and generosity have made a lasting impact on our community. Through compelling conversations, we’ll explore the stories behind the people shaping Jewish life in Montreal and beyond.    Guest Information   David Cape Bio:David Cape is a respected business executive and visionary community builder whose leadership has left a lasting mark on Montreal’s Jewish landscape. He is the President of Groupe Marcelle Inc., a leading Canadian cosmetics company. He served as President of Federation CJA and was Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).   Links:linkedin.com/in/david-cape-a15834   The Honourable Marc Gold, P.C.Bio:Marc Gold is a Canadian law professor, businessman, and former Senator who represented Quebec from 2016 to 2025, serving as the Government Representative in the Senate from 2020 until his retirement. A past President of Federation CJA, he has held numerous senior leadership roles including La Fondation de la Tolérance, United Israel Appeal Federations Canada, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Marc has spent his career at the intersection of law, public service, and Jewish communal leadership. Host & Show Info  Host Name:Yair Szlak About the Host:Yair Szlak is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Federation CJA, a role he has held since 2018 after more than 15 years in senior leadership positions within the organization. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Yair is known as a skilled fundraiser and community builder. He has dedicated his career to strengthening Jewish life in Montreal and fostering a vibrant, resilient future for the community. Podcast Website:FederationCJA.org/podcast Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts  Contact the show:podcast@federationcja.org Follow us on social media: X (formerly Twitter) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube   Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    1h 4m
  7. Moral integrity and principled leadership from an Indigenous Zionist and a Catholic Ally | Episode 50

    2025-12-01

    Moral integrity and principled leadership from an Indigenous Zionist and a Catholic Ally | Episode 50

    This episode features inspiring leaders and personalities. You’ll hear:  • a Unique Ally: Indigenous appeals court judge, Justice Harry LaForme  • Father Deacon Andrew Bennett, a true friend of the Jewish community  • Dr. Zohar Raviv, Birthright Israel’s Big-Thinker on Jewish continuity  • Hostage de-briefer Glenn Cohen  • Fed-Brief with Jordan Stoopler  • Hot Topics with Karen Payne  • And Federation CJA President and CEO Yair Szlak with One More Thing with Yair  Federation CJA 360 Podcast Episode 50  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    2h 5m
  8. Resilience and Renewal | Episode 49

    2025-10-30

    Resilience and Renewal | Episode 49

    In this episode:  A new chairman for Federation CJA – Meet Patrick Essiminy  Hillel Re-Imagined – Introducing Hillel’s new director, Yoni Troy  Getting the vote out with CJPAC’s Josh WolfeAn Israeli  farm unlike any other – the unique and therapeutic Rimon Farms  And One More Thing with Yair Federation CJA 360 Podcast Episode 49  The Pulse of Montreal's Jewish Community.

    1h 53m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to Federation CJA 360 Podcast. Here, we dive into conversations that highlight the stories, challenges, and successes of the fabric of Montreal’s diverse Jewish community. Through engaging discussions, news reports, and special guests, the 360 Podcast informs, inspires, and connects listeners to the evolving Jewish experience in Montreal. The podcast team, including Federation CJA President and CEO Yair Szlak, producer Glenn J. Nashen, reporter Jordan Stoopler and Paola Samuel, will engage with influencers, experts and leaders covering a vast array of topics from campus life, antisemitism, allyship, all things Israel, and of course events and programs powered by Federation CJA.   We invite you to tune in, click that subscribe button and share !

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