North Star with Ellin Bessner

The CJN Podcasts
The CJN Podcasts
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Newsmaker conversations from The Canadian Jewish News, hosted by Ellin Bessner, a veteran broadcaster, writer and journalist.

  1. 2d ago

    Federal court orders Carney government to release more Nazi war criminal documents

    The Federal Court has ordered Canada to release another group of Nazi war criminal documents from the 1985 Deschênes report laying bare the government's controversial immigration policies that allowed several thousand collaborators into Canada after the Second World War. The federal Library and Archives Canada has fought the release for years citing privacy laws protecting longstanding diplomatic intelligence agreements with allies including Ukraine, Russia and even the United States to keep the information secret. Much of the Deschênes report has been made public, albeit with redactions, but the second part, with the list of names, has not. For decades, B'nai Brith Canada and others have lobbied and used court challenges to force the government to be more transparent about the chapter in Canadian history. In his ruling ordering the release, issued Sept. 1, the Federal Court justice Simon Fothergill described almost all the information on the eight disputed pages as "innocuous", citing the passage of time. However, B'nai Brith Canada's lawyers weren't successful in winning the release of one other page, which deals with a secret pact between U.S. post-war intelligence and Canada's RCMP. Government lawyers argued releasing it would heighten current tensions between Canada and the American government during this period of great tension over tariffs. The judge rejected Ottawa's "bald" statement, writing it was "not a sufficient basis to refuse disclosure of very specific information related to efforts by the United States to resettle suspected Nazis and Nazi collaborators in Canada following World War II." B'nai Brith Canada's director of research Richard Robertson told The CJN in an interview Sept. 3 that the trade war argument was "incredibly frustrating" but the human rights organization views the latest court win as "all part of moving the needle". "All Canadians, should know that the parts of the [Deschenes] report that have been released indicate that our government colluded or even went as far as working at the direction of the United States to allow Nazi war criminals to enter Canada, "Robertson said. "And this is something that the government has seemingly tried to withhold from Canadians, and so decisions like this bring us just that little bit closer to understanding this whole story and enabling us as a society to learn from our mistakes and to heal from some of the trauma that they caused." The documents have not yet been released to B'nai Brith Canada, and the judge did not set a timeline for this to be done. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, hear the background to this case, in an encore presentation of an interview host Ellin Bessner did in February 2025, with historian Howard Margolian, who worked with the Justice Department to investigate Nazi war crimes, and with Sam Goldstein, a former legal director for B'nai Brith Canada. Related links: Read B'nai Brith Canada's statement on the latest legal battle, and read the judge's written decision issued Sept. 1, 2026. Read why Canada was reluctant to prosecute known Nazi war criminals, in The CJN from Feb. 2024.

  2. 4d ago

    Why Toronto’s Orthodox Rabbis won’t officiate at MAID funerals, or provide burial plots

    A landmark letter on MAID, approved recently by Toronto's main Orthodox rabbinical council—also called the Vaad HaRabbanim—is sounding the alarm about what the group notes is the increasing prevalence of medically assisted death making "inroads" into the local Jewish community. Citing the figure of 5,000 patients in Ontario in 2023 who the council describes as being "euthanized by medical practitioners", the leading Orthodox rabbis said they need to take steps to "curb this disturbing trend": going forward, they will not officiate at the funerals of MAID patients and will refuse to permit MAID patients to be buried in plots in their synagogues' cemetery sections. The letter was adopted a while ago, but had not been made public. The CJN received a copy of it in the summer of 2026. On August 28, one of the Vaad's presidents, Rabbi Yacov Felder, sent the MAID statement out in an email blast to his own congregation, Shomrai Shabbos Chevrah Mishnayos. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner unpacks the Vaad HaRabbanim's MAID policy on funeral rites. She hears their wider concerns about the proliferation of MAID over the past decade and discusses the reaction to the statement coming from other rabbinical leaders, starting with Rabbi Jennifer Gorman, the current president of the Toronto Board of Rabbis. Gorman's group of 56 rabbis has now issued its own new statement in response to what she called the Vaad's "surprising" and "harsh" approach to Jews and their families, whom her board feels are entitled to be treated with compassion—even though their statement does not endorse medically assisted death. We also hear from Montreal Orthodox leader Rabbi Reuben Poupko, who explains why – despite his own strong opposition to MAID – he believes the Toronto Vaad’s approach stigmatizes people who choose MAiD and penalizes their families. Related links: Read our full-length print feature on this controversial Vaad HaRabbanim of Toronto statement on MAID burials, in The CJN . Listen to Rabbi Louis Sachs, now of Beth Sholom Congregation in Toronto, and Dr. Karen Devon, a surgeon at Women's College Hospital, discuss Jewish approaches to MAID and whether Ottawa should expand it for mental illness, on The CJN’s North Star from 2024 . Read more about how Jewish nursing homes are or are not permitting residents to undergo MAID, which has led to a court case in Vancouver, in The CJN from 2020. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor),l Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins https://www.youtube.com/@TheCJN https://www.brethiggins.com/ Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) [Ed. note: An earlier version of the podcast incorrectly identified Rabbi Green as a member of the Toronto Vaad]

  3. 6d ago

    CBC changed its terrorism policy for 9/11—but still not for Hamas

    A leaked memo to CBC journalists last week ordered them not to call the 9/11 al-Qaida attacks "terrorism" in forthcoming coverage of next month's 25th anniversary. It prompted backlash within Canada and beyond. Not long after Toronto Sun journalist Warren Kinsella broke the story on Aug. 27, the head of the FBI, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, CSIS, two Canadian cabinet ministers and several politicians all condemned the CBC's internal journalistic guidelines for 9/11 coverage, especially since 24 Canadians were among the 2,977 people who were murdered in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania by the Islamic terrorist attacks. It didn't take long for the CBC to issue a clarification. On Aug. 28, the CBC issued an update to its policy, but just for 9/11: journalists can now call what happened on that historic day "terrorism" and they can call the hijackers "terrorists". But the rules still remain for newer conflicts: journalists have to attribute the T-word designation to governments, experts or other sources, rather than using the label themselves. Since Oct. 7, 2023, many Jewish viewers and groups have been lobbying the CBC; its oversight body, the CRTC; and the federal government to allow journalists to call Hamas "terrorists", and what they did on Oct. 7 as "terrorism". After all, Canada designated Hamas a banned terrorist group in 2002. But the federally funded broadcaster insists it needs to use neutral language in covering modern conflicts. CBC News' editor-in-chief and general manager, Brodie Fenlon, came on The CJN's North Star podcast on Oct. 19, 2023, to explain why their policy exists. On today's episode, we're bringing you that conversation with host Ellin Bessner. Related stories Read the CBC’s clarification Aug 28, 2026, of the use of “terrorism” in 25th anniversary stories about Sept. 11, after uproar over an internal memo which was leaked to journalist Warren Kinsella last week. Hear why Toronto businessman Evan Kosiner complained to CBC’s ombudsman and the CRTC in 2023, for not calling Hamas “terrorists” after Oct. 7, on North Star. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

  4. Aug 28

    Jewish groups 'relieved' after Montreal softens controversial anti-Israel vote

    Earlier this week, on Aug. 24, Montreal’s City Council adopted a motion expressing solidarity with the Palestinians and all civilians affected, and supporting international investigations into genocide claims and human rights violations, acknowledging that International Criminal Court arrest warrants have been issued for for Israeli leaders, and that Canada placed sanctions on Israel. But three “divisive” and “irresponsible” parts of the original motion – put forward in June by the opposition party Projet Montreal – accusing Israel of genocide and apartheid, and forcing the city to cut ties with Israel – were removed. But three “divisive” and “irresponsible” parts of the original motion – put forward in June by the opposition party Projet Montreal – accusing Israel of genocide and apartheid, and forcing the city to cut ties with Israel – were removed. The 54-6 vote came after six weeks of campaigning by Jewish groups and allies in the city’s Hellenic, Christian and Italian communities of Montreal, and business leaders, who sent letters and petitions with hundreds of names to the lawmakers, opposing the anti-Israel rhetoric. Ahead of Monday’s council meeting, mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada and her team worked behind the scenes to cut those parts out of the motion and negotiate a final version. And while during the debate, she said the city stands in solidarity with Palestinians and an eventual Palestinian State and recognizes the grave humanitarian crisis, she urged the politicians to focus on issues that unite residents of their city. Some Jewish leaders are calling the final wording “a win”, but unease remains that the issue won’t go away. On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner speaks with Paola Samuel, the regional director of B’nai Brith Canada, who was in the council chamber and heavily involved in the campaign to block the original anti-Israel motion. Related links Read more about the controversy surrounding the Projet Montreal motion, and what happened at city council on Aug. 24,, in The CJN. See B’nai Brith Canada’s statement issued following the 54-6 vote on the amended motion. Find out why a kosher restaurant was burned to the ground in Montreal’s Jewish neighbourhood in early August, 2026, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor),l Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

  5. Aug 26

    Canadian Jewish milk and honey farmers on Trump’s trade war: 'You can’t concede on sovereignty'

    When trade negotiations between Canada and the United States broke off Aug. 19, mere weeks before Rosh Hashanah, Prime Minister Mark Carney described the situation as being “at war”. Farmers are now finding themselves caught in the crosshairs; among them are Jewish producers of festive staples this upcoming High Holidays season: milk and honey. Canadian milk products and natural honey are among the $28 billion of exports now subject to a new 50 per cent American import tariff. On our side of the border, on Aug. 25, Canada announced it will follow up with dollar-for-dollar tariffs, charging American milk and honey producers exactly the same extra dues in reverse, effective Sept. 8. Natural raw honey producer Yoav Sasportas is directly affected by all of this. His company, Urban Dvash—which manages hives of 10 million honey bees throughout the Montreal area—exports some honey to customers south of the border. Sasportas admits he’s already scaled back expansion plans. Despite this, he says Canada should go further and bar all foreign honey from coming into our country—and foreign live bee imports, too. Meanwhile, 600 km away, on their historic dairy farm west of Hamilton, Ont., the Loewith family is also feeling the pinch. They don’t sell milk outside of Canada, but their business is facing rising prices for equipment and flavourings. But both the farm families firmly support Canada’s tough stance against U.S. President Donald Trump in the renewed cross-border trade war, even if it will bring pain and layoffs in many sectors of the Canadian economy—including theirs. On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner learns about the Jewish front of this tariff war from Dave Loewith and his nephew Ben Loewith, and from Yoav Sasportas, who is deep in the middle of his annual honey harvest, right before the Jewish New Year. Related links Learn more about Yoav Sasportas and his wife Dana Sitbon, who run Urban Dvash and find out where to access their kosher honey and bee-related products in Montreal. Find out more about the historic Loewith’s dairy farm Summitholm Holsteins (Joe Loewith and Sons) and their milk and cheese products, or visit their retail store near Hamilton, Ont. Read how Canadian kosher food distributor Altra Foods in Montreal was preparing to weather the earlier tariffs storm in April 2025, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor),l Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

  6. Aug 24

    Back to school: TanenbaumCHAT and OJCS's two new heads of school on Jewish education, safety and joy

    This fall, two well-known Canadian Jewish schools will introduce new heads of school—and both leaders share similar visions for what students and parents and staff can expect when classes begin the first week of September. TanenbaumCHAT, Canada’s largest pluralistic Jewish high school, in Toronto, is welcoming Dr. Amy Platt, who joins after nearly a decade leading one of the city’s elementary/middle schools, Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School. Meanwhile, Dr. Laura Segall is the new leader of the Ottawa Jewish Community School, an elementary/middle school. Both women have experience as being the first female heads of school at different stops in their careers: Platt makes that history at TanenbaumCHAT, while Segall was the first female head of school at her former post, Montreal’s Hebrew Academy, an Orthodox K-11 school. Platt describes her move as one of size and scope, moving from a small urban elementary school to one with over 1,400 students. Segall, meanwhile, is moving into a school half the size of her old one, in a city with one-sixth the Jewish population. Yet both women share plans and priorities for the new school year: they want their schools to be places for Jewish joy, balancing an atmosphere of safety against threats and attacks from protesters, antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Both also want to curate a robust menu of Zionist and Israeli programming and culture. Segall wants to involve the wider Ottawa community more, while Platt is forecasting more opportunities for Tikkun Olam. On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, Amy Platt and Laura Segall join host Ellin Bessner for a preview of their plans for the first day of school—and the first weeks, months and beyond. Related Links Read about Amy Platt’s bridge-building competition (literally, bridges) in The CJN from 2017. Learn how Laura Segall’s Hebrew Academy welcomed a “Gesher Chair” delegation of students from Beer Sheva, Israel for a week, in The CJN from 2016. Hear the outgoing head of TanenbaumCHAT Jonathan Levy on why Jewish education helps students “build an ark” to survive antisemitism, on The CJN’s “North Star” podcast from July 2026. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzy Helenchilde (producer and video editor),l Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

  7. Aug 21

    Late Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson spoke to over 1.5 million students

    The late Holocaust survivor and speaker Eva Olsson died Aug. 4 in Port Carling, Ont. She was 101. She once estimated that she had given 4,300 presentations over the years. Her family says she likely reached over 1.5 million people with her story of resilience and courage. Although she only started speaking about her life in her 70s, 15,000 people wrote her letters saying how moved they were. The Order of Canada winner and author spent over a quarter-century sharing her story of surviving the Holocaust in Hungary, then slave labour camps, and both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen before her liberation in 1945. Her message was always to fight hatred and not be a bystander. We here at The CJN’s North Star podcast wanted to pay tribute in our way, so today we’re rebroadcasting Ellin Bessner's last interview with Eva Olsson, which aired back in October 2021. She was just about to turn 97 and Yad Vashem was going to honour her with a birthday celebration—online, of course, via Zoom, because the world was in lockdown in the early part of the COVID pandemic. Related stories and links Read how the late Canadian Holocaust survivor Eva Olsson likely spoke to over 1 million people about her story, in The CJN . Yad Vashem marked Eva Olsson’s 97th birthday in 2021 with a special ceremony, in The CJN Watch the trailer for a documentary about the late Eva Olsson “Stronger Than Fire”, on YouTube. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzy Helenchilde (producer and video editor),l Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

  8. Aug 19

    Meet the man who has been chasing the world's best gelato since 2011

    One of Peter Cohen’s favourite gelato shops in the world is San Crispino, in Rome, Italy. It’s among the nearly 2,000 pins on the Montrealer’s personal online World Gelato Map, which he’s been curating as part of his passion—some may call it an obsession—with the frozen treat. For the last 15 years, Cohen has been travelling the world, visiting hundreds of shops, tasting and looking for the best Italian artisanal ice cream. His gelato hobby began in 2011 on a family trip to Italy. Since then, he’s been developing a growing gelato-ratings system that covers shops beyond just Italy: Turkey, Cambodia and many more countries, including about two dozen gelato shops here in Canada. His children think he should monetize his map—but Cohen says he does all this out of a sense of community, and to explore unknown neighbourhoods and meet the gelato-making artisans behind the counters. On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner travels to Montreal to sit down with Peter Cohen over some award-winning gelato at Fiore, one of his current favourite shops. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner ) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editing), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter https://thecjn.ca/north Watch our podcasts on YouTube Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

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Newsmaker conversations from The Canadian Jewish News, hosted by Ellin Bessner, a veteran broadcaster, writer and journalist.

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