The Schmooze

Don and Jared

The Schmooze brings together the voices, programs, and stories shaping Jewish life in Calgary. Hosted by Don Schapira and Jared Shore, each episode features a community calendar, interviews with leaders and students, and highlights from across the city. This is your space to stay informed, engaged, and connected.

  1. The Schmooze Between… | Don & Jared on Ben-Gvir, Massie, and a Difficult News Cycle

    2D AGO

    The Schmooze Between… | Don & Jared on Ben-Gvir, Massie, and a Difficult News Cycle

    There are weeks where the news cycle feels impossible to process. In this special edition of The Schmooze Between…, Don and Jared step away from the regular interview format to unpack a difficult week of headlines, politics, extremism, media narratives, and public reactions. The conversation covers:• Ben-Gvir and the flotilla controversy• Thomas Massie, AIPAC, and political polarization• Media framing and the Kristof debate• The San Diego mosque shooting• Radicalization, extremism, and the widening Overton window• Celebrity activism and navigating culture as Jews in 2026 This episode is less about “winning arguments” and more about processing the emotional and political weight of the moment together. 🎙️ Also join us LIVE on June 7 at Beth Tzedec in Calgary with special guest Warren Kinsella, author of The Hidden Hand. Subscribe to The Schmooze on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Check out Ben Shapiro's Take on Massie: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IIeeargVVMCpCdotfsuq9?si=48c240c8ddd04137#TheSchmooze #Israel #Antisemitism #Politics #Podcast

    47 min
  2. Episode 24: Schmooze with Kevin Pillar, on Baseball, Pressure, Identity & Life After the MLB

    5D AGO

    Episode 24: Schmooze with Kevin Pillar, on Baseball, Pressure, Identity & Life After the MLB

    “You knew Kevin Pillar the baseball player. This episode introduces you to the person.” Former Blue Jays star Kevin Pillar joins The Schmooze for a conversation that starts with baseball… and ends somewhere much deeper. Known in Toronto as “Superman” for his fearless catches and relentless style of play, Kevin reflects on the pressure of professional sports, redefining success through failure, growing up Jewish, navigating identity after October 7, and what life looks like after baseball. We also discuss: ⚾ the mindset required to survive in Major League Baseball⚾ why the best hitters fail 70% of the time⚾ Team Israel and the Olympics⚾ family, fatherhood, and perspective⚾ how athletes carry expectations from fans, media, and themselves One of our most thoughtful conversations yet. 🎟 Kevin Pillar will also be appearing at the Calgary JCC Sports Dinner on May 28:Calgary JCC Sports Dinner 2026 🎙 Check out Kevin’s podcast with former MLB closer Cody Allen:To The Majors Podcast Be sure to follow us on Spotify!

    1h 6m
  3. Episode 23: Schmooze with Fatema Alharbi and Rachel Brynien, Representatives from Sharaka

    MAY 11

    Episode 23: Schmooze with Fatema Alharbi and Rachel Brynien, Representatives from Sharaka

    The Middle East Is Changing. Is the West? This week on The Schmooze, Don and Jared sit down with Rachel Brynien and Fatema Alharbi from Sharaka, an organization dedicated to building relationships between Israel and the Arab world through the vision of the Abraham Accords. This conversation challenges many of the assumptions dominating Western discourse about Israel, the Middle East, and coexistence. Together, we discuss:• What the Abraham Accords have actually changed• Arab and Israeli cooperation in the region• The rise of antisemitism in the West• October 7 and its aftermath• Why many voices in the Middle East are more hopeful than voices in North America and Europe• The growing disconnect between activism online and realities on the ground One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes when Fatma shares her perspective as a Bahraini voice witnessing the rise of hatred and extremism in Western society. This is a conversation about peace, dialogue, courage, and the future of the region. 🎧 Listen on Spotify📺 Watch on YouTube📱 Follow The Schmooze on social media for clips and updates #TheSchmooze #Sharaka #AbrahamAccords #Israel #MiddleEast #Podcast

    1h 16m
  4. Episode 22: Schmooze with Michael Westcott, CEO of Allies for a Strong Canada

    MAY 4

    Episode 22: Schmooze with Michael Westcott, CEO of Allies for a Strong Canada

    Something in Canada feels different. It is not always easy to name, but more and more people are feeling it. A sense that something foundational has shifted. That the country they recognize is no longer quite the same. In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Michael Westcott, founder of Allies for a Strong Canada, to explore what is driving that feeling and what can be done about it. This is not simply a conversation about antisemitism, though that is where many people first began to notice the change. It is a deeper discussion about civic engagement, silence, and the growing gap between what Canadians believe and what is being reflected in public life. Michael shares how a grassroots movement of over 30,000 Canadians has formed around a simple idea. That ordinary people, when given the tools and the confidence to act, can have far more influence than they realize. We talk about: • Why social media is not a substitute for real engagement• How civic responsibility has quietly eroded over time• What it actually means to participate in a democracy• And why silence creates space for the loudest voices to define the moment This conversation is not about partisanship. It is about whether Canadians still believe in the values that built the country, and whether they are willing to defend them. If you have felt that something is off, but have not been able to fully articulate it, this episode will resonate.

    1h 10m
  5. Episode 21: Schmooze with Michelle Mather and Kim Kitai, Founders of Bridges Calgary Association

    APR 27

    Episode 21: Schmooze with Michelle Mather and Kim Kitai, Founders of Bridges Calgary Association

    What if the problem isn’t hate… but distance? In this episode of The Schmooze, Don sits down with Michelle Mather and Kim Kitai of Bridges YYC — an initiative bringing people together in a way that actually works. Not through debate.Not through headlines. Through Shabbat dinner. From the wake-up call of October 7th to a simple but powerful realization: Most people don’t hate what they know… they just don’t know at all. This conversation explores: Why most people don’t hate Jews, they simply don’t know themThe moment everything changed after October 7thThe difference between being an “ally” and being a real friendWhy shared experiences matter more than informationHow one dinner can completely change perspectiveBecause when people sit at the same table…something shifts.

    1h 3m
  6. Episode 20: Schmooze with Noy Leyb, IDF Soldier and Founder of Strong Voices for Israel

    APR 20

    Episode 20: Schmooze with Noy Leyb, IDF Soldier and Founder of Strong Voices for Israel

    What does it mean to choose something you don’t have to choose? Noy Leyb grew up in Calgary. Like many Canadian kids, his path could have led anywhere. Instead, he made a decision that would define his life, he chose to leave it all behind and serve as a lone soldier in the IDF. In this Yom HaZikaron episode, we go beyond headlines and politics and into something far more personal: • What it really takes to join the IDF from abroad• The mental and physical reality of becoming a soldier• The difference between supporting Israel and living it• The bond of brotherhood that never leaves you• And how October 7 changed everything This is a conversation about identity, sacrifice, and responsibility. And for Noy, it’s not just a story from the past. He’s still fighting. 🎧 Listen now.

    1h 11m
  7. Episode 19: Schmooze with Jean Luc Mudingayi, Alberta Campus Advisor & Advocacy Associate for Allied Voices for Israel

    APR 13

    Episode 19: Schmooze with Jean Luc Mudingayi, Alberta Campus Advisor & Advocacy Associate for Allied Voices for Israel

    What makes someone step into a fight that isn’t theirs? In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Jean-Luc Mudingayi, Alberta Campus Advisor & Advocacy Associate for Allied Voices for Israel, to explore what real allyship actually looks like. Jean-Luc didn’t grow up in the Jewish community. He didn’t have to enter this space. But through his experiences on campus, his background, and his values, he chose to step in, and hasn’t looked back. We talk about: • What it means to be an ally when it’s not easy• The reality on campus before and after October 7• Why some voices are dismissed — and why others carry differently• The role of leadership, identity, and courage in today’s climate This is a conversation about choice, conviction, and showing up. 🎙️ The Schmooze — Calgary’s Jewish Community PodcastHosted by Don & Jared

    1h 13m
  8. Episode 18: Schmooze with Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides, The Rocky Mountain Rabbi | From Holocaust Legacy to Passover After October 7

    APR 6

    Episode 18: Schmooze with Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides, The Rocky Mountain Rabbi | From Holocaust Legacy to Passover After October 7

    Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides, also known as the Rocky Mountain Rabbi, joins The Schmooze for a powerful and deeply personal conversation. Born and raised in Calgary as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rabbi Ilana’s life has been shaped by memory, resilience, and a commitment to Jewish community. From her early leadership in BBYO to over a decade as a Holocaust educator, her journey has touched nearly every corner of Jewish Calgary. But this episode goes deeper. We explore:• The legacy of Holocaust survival and its impact across generations• The emotional toll of Holocaust education• Her decision to step into the rabbinate• The role of joy, identity, and spirituality in modern Jewish life• And how the story of Passover resonates in today’s world At a time when Jewish identity feels both challenged and renewed, this conversation asks an essential question: How do we carry the past… while still choosing life, meaning, and joy?

    1h 15m
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About

The Schmooze brings together the voices, programs, and stories shaping Jewish life in Calgary. Hosted by Don Schapira and Jared Shore, each episode features a community calendar, interviews with leaders and students, and highlights from across the city. This is your space to stay informed, engaged, and connected.

Information

  • Creator
    Don and Jared
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Don and Jared
  • Show Website
    The Schmooze

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