The CJN Podcasts

•

Channel • 9 Shows

Judaism

Judaism

Updated weekly
Daily News

Daily News

Updated daily
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Judaism

Judaism

Complete
Sport

Sport

Every two weeks
Judaism

Judaism

Complete
Science Fiction

Science Fiction

Complete series

06/11/2025

Nobody wants this (but everyone wants to talk about it)

The hit Netflix rom-com Nobody Wants This is back, and with it are Jewish debates about intermarriage and onscreen representation in mainstream media. The show's first season tells the story of heartthrob Rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) and non-Jewish podcaster Joanne (Kirsten Bell) falling in love. It was an unexpected hit for Netflix last fall, topping its most-watched list for weeks. Some Jewish viewers rejoiced at a popular portrayal of a common reality: families blended with non-Jews, not terribly religiously observant, yet still connected to their Jewish identity. Others bristled at a show that celebrates a Jewish religious leader breaking a deeply held community taboo, and criticized it for it representation of Jewish practice. Regardless of which viewpoint you took, the show was a nearly unavoidable topic at Jewish dinner tables when it first launched—and season two appears to be trending in the same direction. Our three rabbinic podcasters discuss the show, its merits and its pitfalls, including how is ostensibly frames Judaism as an obstacle to be overcome on the road to happily ever after. Credits Hosts: Avi Finegold, Yedida Eisenstat, Matthew Leibl Production team: Zachary Judah Kauffman (editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Socalled Support The CJN Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Not in Heaven (Not sure how? Click here)

06/11/2025

•

39 min
05/09/2025

Harvard experts warn Diaspora Jews are suffering from ‘traumatic invalidation’ after Oct. 7

Diaspora Jews have spent nearly two full years seeing posters of Israeli hostages ripped down in public, hearing chants of “Go back to Poland” in the streets, and seeing Zionists banned from progressive organizations and events. After all that, Diaspora Jews could be suffering from a condition called “traumatic invalidation”. The diagnosis is contained in a research paper published this year by two Jewish Harvard University–affiliated psychologists who specialize in trauma. The symptoms include anxiety, depression, shame and, in extreme cases, post-traumatic stress disorder. The authors found that Jewish patients reported their pain and trauma after Oct. 7 has been not only widely ignored, but in many cases denied—or even weaponized against them. Since their study was published by The Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment in May 2025, it has struck a chord among the Canadian Jewish community. That’s why a coalition of Canadian synagogues, Jewish medical professionals and trauma organizations have brought one of the authors to this country this week for a series of public talks. On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner sits down with Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern, a Boston-based clinical psychologist and Harvard lecturer, who is wrapping up her speaking tour in Toronto. She explains why she decided to investigate this subject and offers some tools to help people heal. Related links Read Dr. Bar-Halpern and her colleague’s scholarly article, about Oct. 7 and traumatic invalidation, in The Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment (22 pages). Learn more about Dr. Bar-Halperin, through her website. Attend the workshop Friday Sept. 5 in Toronto designed for mental health professionals to train them how to better support Jewish patients suffering from traumatic invalidation because of antisemitism. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here)

05/09/2025

•

30 min
28/07/2025

Avi Finegold: Is it lashon hara to make fun of the Coldplay Jumbotron couple?

To our knowledge, neither the now-former CEO of tech company Astronomer, nor the company's now-former head of HR, are Jewish. The secretive couple—who were having an affair that was famously caught by a videographer behind the Jumbotron of a Coldplay concert—instantly became a viral sensation, sparking waves of ridicule and resulting in their departure from the company. But The Jewish Angle podcast host Phoebe Maltz Bovy had to ask: is it lashon hara to speak of these people behind their backs? So she asked The CJN's resident rabbi, Avi Finegold, to shed light on the situation. It's not quite lashon hara if the secret has been put out in the open by a Jumbotron, but that doesn't quash the ick factor from giddily discussing people's personal lives on social media. Plus: why wasn't this seen as a #MeToo echo, given the power imbalance between the CEO and lower-level female employee? Credits Host: Phoebe Maltz Bovy Producer and editor: Michael Fraiman Music: "Gypsy Waltz" by Frank Freeman, licensed from the Independent Music Licensing Collective Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The Jewish Angle

28/07/2025

•

35 min
20/06/2023

Yad Vashem chair Dani Dayan has high praise for Canada’s Holocaust education efforts—and harsh criticism for Ukraine, Poland and Russia

Dani Dayan was in Canada last week to honour the outgoing chair of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, Fran Sonshine, and to attend the opening of the new Toronto Holocaust Museum. Dayan, 67, took the job as chair of Yad Vashem in 2021. After enjoying a high-profile political career as a spokesman for Jewish settlers in Israel, and then as Israel’s Consul General in New York City, Dayan made it his goal to revamp the world’s foremost Holocaust museum, in Jerusalem. Dayan often says he has to be apolitical, but he hasn’t shied away from speaking his mind since taking office. He’s slammed Russian leaders for Holocaust distortion; criticized Poland’s controversial new law that outlaws discussing Polish crimes committed during the Holocaust; and, most recently, voiced support for a Canadian professor who was harassed while giving a Holocaust lecture in Poland. Dayan joins The CJN Daily for his only Canadian interview during his recent tour. He praises the new Canadian Holocaust museum, describes what it was like meeting his fellow Argentine countryman Pope Francis, and warns of what he calls “the Disneyland” approach to teaching about the Holocaust. What we talked about Hear our interview with Prof. Jan Grabowski on Poland’s and Wikipedia’s campaign to deny their role in the Holocaust, on The CJN Daily Read Josh Lieblein’s column on how Jewish leaders pick their battles, in The CJN How Russian President Vladimir Putin falsified Russian Holocaust history while at Yad VaShem in The CJN from 2020 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. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

20/06/2023

•

24 min
20/07/2023

Klaus Barbie

By now, you've probably seen the takes: "Barbie is secretly Jewish," "Meet the Jewish woman who created Barbie," yadda yadda. Let's be honest: there's nothing especially Jewish about Barbie. It's a very gentile-looking doll that, despite her various impressive careers (astronaut, doctor, Olympic athlete), represents a physically impossible body type attached to a pleasingly vacant smile. But while Barbie's secret Jewish life may simply be a dream for Jewish doll lovers, the same could be said of any young person's favourite character, franchise or, even, as Avi and Phoebe discuss on today's episode of Bonjour Chai, the Torah itself: a canvas on which audiences will expand, build and tell their own stories. After dissecting the real Jewish underpinnings of the new Barbie film, the hosts analyze the deeper meaning behind Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s latest antisemitic conspiracy theory and introduce a new way for you, dear listener, to get hot takes from the Bonjour Chai: our new Substack newsletter. Credits Bonjour Chai is hosted by Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy. Zachary Kauffman is the producer and editor. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Socalled. The show is a co-production from The Jewish Learning Lab and The CJN, and is distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

20/07/2023

•
10/03/2025

Key Passover imports will be exempt from tariff war with U.S., Ottawa confirms

Canada is exempting key imported Passover foods from the current diplomatic trade war with the United States. The ministry of finance sent The CJN a list of kosher-for-Passover products imported from the U.S., which are going to be allowed into Canada without being hit by the extra 25-percent retaliatory import tariffs that Ottawa began imposing on March 4. The list includes matzah and related matzah products, cake mixes, chocolate, margarine, most juices (but not apple), gefilte fish, and canned fruit and vegetables. However, U.S. exports of nuts, spices, dairy, wine, coffee, chicken and meat products are not exempt. The development comes after Canada's biggest kosher food importer recently predicted that the on-again-off-again tariff dispute would rocket prices for imported kosher-for-Passover food by up to 60 percent. Canadian Jewish leaders have been lobbying Ottawa to give relief to the country's Jewish community as it heads into the holiday season. While the news will likely bring a sigh of relief to consumers, it is only a temporary reprieve: its lasts only until the end of Passover. For more on how these food tariffs are impacting Canadian kosher food stores and suppliers across Canada, and what advice they have for you, we're joined on today's episode of The CJN Daily by the owners of Vancouver's Kosher Food Warehouse, Tal Kinstlich and Stephanie Schneider. Jack Hartstein also returns: he's the vice president of Montreal-based Altra Foods, the largest importer of kosher foods in Canada. Related links Read the list of imported Passover items to be exempt from Canadian tariffs, posted on the Canadian government’s website. Why kosher food prices for Passover are likely to jump by up to 60 percent this year, on The CJN Daily. Learn more about the Kosher Food Warehouse in Vancouver. 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)

10/03/2025

•

24 min
08/02/2024

Why UNWRA should be dismantled: Canadian UN watchdog Hillel Neuer weighs in

Two weeks ago, Canada joined the United States and other top Western donors in announcing they will suspend further funding to UNWRA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. The move comes after intelligence from Israel and other sources proved the extent to which thousands of UNWRA employees and their family members have ties to Hamas—in some cases, even being full Hamas members and taking part directly in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, kidnapping and hiding hostages. Canadian lawyer Hillel Neuer runs the Geneva-based UN Watch, which helped reveal some of that damning evidence. He brought to light a 3,000-member UNWRA teachers’ chat group on Telegram that vocally supported the attack on Israel. UN Watch also exposed the identities of UNWRA teachers who proudly trumpet anti-Israel hate on their social media accounts. UNWRA has now launched its own official investigation, due at the end of April. But already there are calls to allow the discredited agency to be allowed to weed out the few “bad apples”, and for full funding to be restored. due to the humanitarian emergency and displacement of the vast majority of Gaza’s 2 million residents during Israel’s war with Hamas, now entering its fifth month. Hillel Neuer joins Ellin Bessner on _The CJN Daily _to explain why he thinks UNWRA should be disbanded permanently—but probably won’t be. What we talked about: Learn more about Canada announcing it will pause funding for UNWRA, and what new agencies will get the money instead, in The CJN Watch Hillel Neuer’s testimony (eight minutes) before the U.S. Congress on Jan. 30, on YouTube Read when the UN launched investigation in 2014 after missiles were discovered in UNRWA buildings in Gaza during war with Israel, 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 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. Hear why The CJN is important to me.

08/02/2024

•

25 min
23/03/2023

Morah-Core

The "tradwives" trend has taken off lately—a lifestyle fad wherein "traditional wives" espouse their happiness in cooking, cleaning, keeping working husbands happy, and raising children with a constant smile. And with Passover coming up, we wanted to dive deeper into the phenomenon, and how it intersects with a new fashion fad Vogue dubbed "Torah-teacher aesthetic": what should we make of the intersection between genuinely Orthodox women who identify as "traditional" and tradition being touted as a modern style? To dissect the issues, Avi and Phoebe are joined by writer Jesse Martin-Miller for a deep dive into these trends and why people are talking about it. What we talked about Subscribe to Jesse Martin-Miller's newsletter: bagel.substack.com Read "It’s Not Modest Dressing. It’s the Torah-Teacher Aesthetic" at Vogue Find Shmutz by Felicia Berliner Credits Bonjour Chai is hosted by Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy. Zachary Kauffman is the producer and editor. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Socalled. The show is a co-production from The Jewish Learning Lab and The CJN, and is distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

23/03/2023

•

43 min
01/06/2022

Reigniting the Koufax vs. Greenberg debate with Howard Megdal

Howard Megdal first published the The Baseball Talmud: The Definitive Position-by-Position Ranking of Baseball's Chosen Players in 2009. But a lot of Jewish ball players have come and gone since then. So when the Menschwarmers heard Megdal—whose journalism has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, FiveThirtyEight and elsewhere—was releasing an updated edition in May 2022, we knew we had to sit down for a chat about all things Jewish baseball, including Megdal's hot take on the endless debate over who's better: Sandy Koufax or Hank Greenberg. Plus, in this episode, Gabe recalls his adventures in sportfishing; we discuss Gabe Kapler's brief protest against America's inaction on gun control; we dig into Joc Pederson's slapping squabble with Tommy Pham; and we catch up on everything else new and noteworthy about the world of Jews and sports. Credits Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

01/06/2022

•

46 min
25/12/2024

This Hanukkah, a new children’s book shares the true story of a young boy who kept the light on in his shtetl

Just in time for Hanukkah, comes a century-old-tale of a young Jewish boy’s courage to take on an adult’s responsibilities as chief light keeper in his Russian shtetl. It’s the true story of Ottawa’s Samuel Saslove, who stepped up to keep his community's brand new electric street lights working, at the tender age of ten. Saslove arrived in Canada in the 1920s and while he didn’t divulge much about his experiences growing up in “the old country”, his daughter, Sheila Baslaw, preserved those memories for decades. Now, at 92, Baslaw has found a whole new audience for her father’s inspiring tale of bravery and resilience. Her debut children’s book “The Light Keeper”, co-written with Karen Levine of “Hana’s Suitcase” fame, has just been published by Second Story Press and is already a Heather’s Pick at Indigo. While Baslaw’s father did have to overcome antisemitism–and the persecution of Jews in Czarist Russia that sparked mass emigration to this country in the 1900s–her book’s message deliberately highlights the universal challenges many of her young readers could face. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, Sheila Baslaw joins along with her co-author to explain why it’s never too late to learn a new skill. What we talked about: Learn more and buy 'The Light Keeper' book at Second Story Press. Read more about Hana’s Suitcase, the true story of the Brady family, on The CJN Daily. Hear more stories about the author’s family in her oral history with the Ottawa Jewish Archives from 2001. 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)

25/12/2024

•

23 min

News, views and perspectives on Jewish life through a Canadian lens.