The Mike Cohen Podcast

Mike Cohen

Mike Cohen is the manager of marketing and communications for the English Montreal School Board, an elected councillor in the City of Côte Saint-Luc and a writer and blogger for several publications and websites. The latter include The Suburban, The Montrealer, The Jewish Standard Magazine. Montreal Jewish Magazine and Canadian World Traveller. He is also the publisher of Inspirations Newspaper.

  1. Bialik Students Volunteer for Friends of JNF Telethon

    JAN 26

    Bialik Students Volunteer for Friends of JNF Telethon

    The Friends of JNF TuBishevat Telethon will take place on Sunday, February 1. The organization is still seeking student volunteers in Grades 10, 11 and first year CEGEP who can gain community service hours. I spoke with two such youngsters, Bialik High School in Côte Saint-Luc Secondary V students Noa Windish and David Tchinov. The campaign will raise money for two important projects. Rebuilding the Heart of Kibbutz Holit On October 7, Kibbutz Holit was devastated, losing beloved members of its community, including Canadian-born mother Adi Vital-Kaploun, who was killed while protecting her children. The survivors were forced to disperse, and now they are determined to return home in 2026. At the heart of this renewal, Friends of JNF Canada is committed to building a central landscape with gardens, shaded playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas where children, parents and seniors can heal, reconnect, and rebuild community. Supporters can help restore the Heart of Holit and turn resilience into renewal. Restoring Amnun Forest in the Galilee Overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Amnun Forest is a young, biodiverse forest. Over 190 hectares were destroyed by rocket fire from Lebanon, damaging wildlife habitats, the landscape’s resilience, and shaded spaces for residents and visitors. The surrounding area is popular for hiking, fishing, boating, and birdwatching, especially with the nearby Hula Valley Nature Reserve, a world-renowned bird migration hotspot. Your support can restore this vital forest by replanting native species and providing long-term care. Supporters can help protect and revitalize the Amnun Forest. To volunteer go to https://www.friendsofjnfca.org/ or call 1-800-806-8237 (dial 3)

    6 min
  2. Noa Benchaya and Daniel Koren from Allied Jewish Voices for Israel

    09/19/2025

    Noa Benchaya and Daniel Koren from Allied Jewish Voices for Israel

    Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) unites students of all backgrounds against anti-Jewish hatred. AVI offers a multi-faceted approach to Israel advocacy and education by empowering a new and diverse cohort of Israel advocates at high school and university campuses across Canada. Noa Peretz Benchaya is a constituent of mine in Côte Saint-Luc District 2. She serves as the director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. I sat down with her and Founder/Executive Director Daniel Koren over a bite at Pizza Pita. Through allyship programs to Israel, educational workshops, media fellowships, and other advocacy programs, AVI is inspiring a new generation of students to change the narrative around Israel. By embracing our peers, we will establish a movement of students working together to achieve strength in numbers and create a more just society. AVI offers a variety of flagship programs as well as resources, access to high-profile speakers, and a suite of educational workshops that give students the tools to build meaningful coalitions, an understanding of regional conflicts in the Middle East, how to refute misinformation from anti-Israel students and professors, and serve as vocal and proactive Ambassadors for peace, coexistence, and human rights. We also offer interactive campaigns for our students to meaningfully engage in dialogue with their peers on campus. AVI strongly believes that coalition-building is essential to combating anti-Jewish hatred and all forms of bigotry on campus. We believe in real allyship – meaning that no student should ever need to renounce an integral part of their identity (such as Jewish students being forced to denounce their support for Israel) to be considered an “ally.” Log on to https://www.alliedvoicesforisrael.org

    13 min

About

Mike Cohen is the manager of marketing and communications for the English Montreal School Board, an elected councillor in the City of Côte Saint-Luc and a writer and blogger for several publications and websites. The latter include The Suburban, The Montrealer, The Jewish Standard Magazine. Montreal Jewish Magazine and Canadian World Traveller. He is also the publisher of Inspirations Newspaper.