In this episode, award-winning author Weina Dai Randel discusses her newest historical fiction novel, The Last Rose of Shanghai (National Jewish Book Awards Finalist). Set in Shanghai in 1940, The Last Rose of Shanghai tells the story of Ernest Reismann, a Jewish refugee from Germany, and Aiyi Shao, a young Chinese heiress and nightclub owner. 

Weina discusses her research process to accurately describe 1940s Shanghai and the situation of Jewish refugees fleeing persecution from Europe who were able to seek refuge in the city and the Chinese inhabitants living living under the Japanese occupation. 

Chag Purim Sameach! 

For our special Purim episode, we chat with Dana Cappel from Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel’s leading developer and provider of innovative therapies and state of the art services for children and adults with disabilities. Dana discusses Beit Issie Shapiro’s collaboration with students from the Holon Institute of Technology to create DIY costumes for children who use mobility apparatuses.

For more details and to see the DIY costume instructions, see links below:

Website: https://en.beitissie.org.il/making-purim-costume-dreams-come-true-for-kids-with-disabilities-across-the-globe/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/beitissieshapiro0/videos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beit.issie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beitissie/?hl=en

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Dov Maimon, Senior Fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Is the current war in Ukraine history repeating itself? Is this the beginning of a new era in Europe of a new type of imperialism? We discuss the implications for Europe, Israel and the Jews of Ukraine and Russia. Dr. Dov Maimon gives his view on how Israel should prepare for the arrival of thousands of people immigrating to Israel as a result of the invasion, and what communities around the world are doing to help all Ukrainians.

In the last few minutes of the episode, we speak with Dr. Dov Maimon in French, discussing Israel's preparedness for Ukrainian immigrants and the responsibility of Jews around the world to assist Ukrainians in need.

An introduction to Chai Montreal: The Podcast