Chai Montreal

Chai Montreal
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Welcome, bienvenue and bruchim habaim to Chai Montreal: The Podcast. Hosts Lisa and Sarah are excited to introduce Chai Montreal: The Podcast. Chai Montreal was founded by Milton Winston in the 1970s and quickly grew into a platform that brought attention to various subjects of interest to the Montreal Jewish community and highlighted the beautifully diverse Jewish Montreal. Our mission is to celebrate Jewish stories in Montreal and around the world and spotlight important and interesting subject matters to the Jewish and wider communities.

  1. 1D AGO

    Uncovering the Captivating Story of Souad Zaki (a Jewish Egyptian star whose legacy was nearly erased) with Alain Dancyger

    On this episode of Chai Montreal: The Podcast, Alain Dancyger, Executive Director of the Montreal Jewish Public Library, joins us to talk about the library's special screening of the award winning documentary titled Egypt: A Love Story, which is a journey of discovery of Souad Zaki by her granddaughter, documentary filmmaker Iris Zaki. The film introduces the audience to Souad Zaki, a celebrated Jewish-Egyptian singer and actress, who rose to the top of the music scene in 1940s Egypt, and the Arab world. She sang with her Muslim-Egyptian band, which included her Muslim-Egyptian husband. Being Jewish didn't affect Souad Zaki's career in Egypt, but she fled to Israel after her husband abandoned her, the only place she knew her husband couldn’t take her son away from her. Although that meant that she left a glittering career behind, and, as you’ll hear in the interview, she became a cleaning lady to provide for her son, she did sing with Zuzu Mousa’s Arab Orchestra for Kol Israel Radio’s Arabic Service for 20 years, until she retired at the age of 57, recording around 200 songs for the radio. In an interview for The Times of Israel, Souad Zaki’s son, Moshe, said that his mother never criticised Israel, she simply did a ‘reframing’ of her life. After finding out that she had moved to Israel, the Egyptian government burned all of her musical recordings, and copies of the four films she acted in in Egypt. The only remaining copies are the small number that were purchased abroad prior to 1950. It’s thanks to those, and now her granddaughter’s film, that we can hear, see and celebrate Souad Zaki’s talent. Join the Montreal Jewish Public Library on March 26, 2026 to discover the story and talent of Souad Zaki!

    33 min

  2. MAR 10

    Spotlighting the Viola with Tabea Zimmermann

    On today's episode, we're joined by Tabea Zimmermann, a world renown musician, who has been among the premier violists for over four decades. She made her debut on the Berlin Philharmonie stage at age 11 and won numerous music competitions between 1982 and 1984, cementing her prominence in the field. She became the youngest professor in Germany at age 21, which, as you’ll hear in the interview, was just the beginning of her role as a musical mentor. Tabea speaks with Lisa about how she started playing the viola as a child, her upcoming performance with Javier Perianes at Montreal’s Bourgie Hall on March 18, and her new album with works composed by Johannes Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim titled Romances et Mélodies Hébraiques, accompanied by Jean-Guihen Queyras on the cello and Javier Perianes on the piano.We’d love for you to hit subscribe and follow us on instagram @chaimontreal.thepodcast!

    37 min

  3. FEB 15

    Il Respiro di Shlomo (Shlomo's Breath) with Mario Venezia

    In honour of International Holocaust Memorial Day, Mario Venezia joins us on Chai Montreal: The Podcast to speak about his father Shlomo Venezia and the documentary he produced about his father, Il Respiro di Shlomo (Shlomo's Breath). Mario, an accomplished business consultant, professor, and President of the Museo della Shoah di Roma, tells us about the Venezia family history, leaving Spain at the time of the Inquisition in 1492 for Venice, then to Thessaloniki/Salonika. Born in Thessaloniki in 1923, Shlomo Venezia and his family were taken from their home in 1944 and deported to Aushwitz-Birkenau. Shlomo survived Auschwitz-Birkenau, Mathausen and Ebensee, including the death march from Birkenau to Mathausen in January 1945. Shlomo was selected amongst the prisoners to be in the Sonderkommando, a forced labour unit compelled to work within the crematorium. The Nazis regularly killed and replaced the sonderkommando to eliminate witnesses, making Shlomo’s survival even more miraculous. Shlomo’s testimony has become one of the most important witness accounts. Shlomo Venezia was an incredible man with incredible strength, and Mario recounts the greatest lessons that his father instilled in him and his brothers. As Mario says in the episode, there was a Jewish life before the Shoah and there’s Jewish life now. And that’s what we’re here to celebrate on Chai Montreal: the Podcast.

    33 min

  4. JAN 1

    The Magic of the Likht Ensemble with Jaclyn Grossman and Nate Ben-Horin

    On this episode, we’re excited to introduce you to Nate Ben-Horin and Jaclyn Grossman, who make up the Likht Ensemble, a piano-vocal duo dedicated to sharing music by Jewish artists from the Shoah & educating about Jewish representation in music. They'll be bringing their show, Kishef, to Montreal on January 18 at the Bourgie Hall. For tickets, click here. Kishef, the Yiddish word for magic, honours the creative spark that animated Jewish composers during World War II and the years leading up to it. The programme of Kishef includes new arrangements of songs from Czech and Lithuanian ghettos, as well as a Bourgie Hall commission from Nate.

    36 min
  5. Getting to Know the Sisters of Fortune with Esther Levy Chehebar

    11/25/2025

    Getting to Know the Sisters of Fortune with Esther Levy Chehebar

    In this episode, we're so excited to speak with Esther Levy Chehebar, author of her debut novel Sisters of Fortune. She talks to us about the unique Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn, the process of writing the novel, and the elements of the community that were important for her to include, such as female characters who wanted to pave their own path. And of course, the food! Esther is also the author of "I Share my Name", a children's book about Jewish Syrian naming traditions and a contributing writer at Tablet Magazine, where she writes about the Sephardic community.  It's fitting that we welcome Esther to the podcast and talk about her novel in November because it's both Mizrahi Heritage Month and Jewish Book Month. Mizrahi Heritage Month honours and promotes the heritage, history, and culture of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa, and Jewish Book Month is the annual celebration of Jewish literature. Sisters of Fortune is perfect for a Chanukah gift! In Canada, you can find Sisters of Fortune at Indigo book stores.  We'd love for you to hit subscribe and follow us on Instagram @chaimontreal.thepodcast.

    29 min

  6. 11/18/2025

    Discussions on Courage, Radicalism and Democracy with Alain Dancyger

    The Jewish Public Library's upcoming season of events is not to be missed! Alain Dancyger, Executive Director of the Jewish Public Library in Montreal, is back to talk about two upcoming programs, the screening of Heart of Courage and Q&A with producer Avi Benlolo on November 19th and 20th, and the 'Café Philosophique: Political Radicalism, The enemy of Democracy?' (a reflection on the thoughts of Hannah Arendt) on December 3rd.

    30 min

  7. 11/06/2025

    Comedy Makes Everything Better with Yohay Sponder

    We are so excited to welcome Yohay Sponder on today’s episode. Yohay is a stand-up comic and producer and headliner of Funny Monday, Israeli Comedy in English in Tel Aviv. Yohay has gained a huge following on social media thanks to his quick witted comedy, which he’s bringing to Montreal on November 16th at L’Olympia with his show Self Loving Jew.  Get your tickets here to share in the laughs.

    33 min

  8. 11/04/2025

    Celebrating Israeli Cinema in Montreal with Chantal and Gérard Buzaglo

    In this episode, we speak with Chantal and Gérard Buzaglo, co-chairs of the festival. And like the Montreal Jewish community, this interview is in both English and French! Buy your tickets for the Festival du Cinéma Israélien de Montréal, November 5th to 19th, both in cinema and online. Get them quick, before they sell out! Israeli cinema has gone from strength to strength, with many films gaining international recognition. This year, at the 20th annual Festival du Cinema Israélien de Montréal, a production of the Communauté Sépharade Unifiée du Québec, you can discover a diverse line-up of diverse feature films and documentaries.You can catch the following films, amongst others: - The Ring: The opening film, it won the Audience award at the Israeli Film Festival in Paris - Bliss : The closing film, this drama stars acclaimed Israeli actor Sasson Gabai- The Shohani Riddle: An extraordinary documentary on the enigmatic M. Shoshani - Pink lady: Set in Jerusalem's Orthodox community, it tells the story of a wife trying to keep her family together - Cabaret Total: Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Music at the Ophir Awards, and winning Best Makeup- Come closer : A young woman's journey following her brother's accident, this movie with a talented cast won many Ophir Awards - A letter to David: A powerful documentary about October 7th and David Cunio, who was held hostage for 738 days before being released.

    27 min
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About

Welcome, bienvenue and bruchim habaim to Chai Montreal: The Podcast. Hosts Lisa and Sarah are excited to introduce Chai Montreal: The Podcast. Chai Montreal was founded by Milton Winston in the 1970s and quickly grew into a platform that brought attention to various subjects of interest to the Montreal Jewish community and highlighted the beautifully diverse Jewish Montreal. Our mission is to celebrate Jewish stories in Montreal and around the world and spotlight important and interesting subject matters to the Jewish and wider communities.

Information

  • Creator
    Chai Montreal
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Chai Montreal
  • Show Website
    Chai Montreal