In this follow-up episode, we reconnect with Kaveh after our initial conversation in late January, when Iran was in the midst of widespread protests that received little global attention.

Since then, the situation has evolved significantly.

We explore what is happening inside Iran today, the strategic dynamics shaping the conflict, and the broader implications for the region and beyond.

The conversation also touches on the role of global powers, the challenges facing the Iranian people, and the potential risks that could extend far beyond the Middle East.

This is a timely and in-depth discussion that aims to bring clarity to a complex and rapidly changing situation.

In this timely episode of The Schmooze, Don and Jared sit down with Edmonton City Councillor Mike Elliott to discuss the controversy surrounding Edmonton Police Chief Warren Driechel’s recent trip to Israel and the political fallout that followed.

Councillor Elliott brings a rare combination of civic leadership, policing experience, and moral clarity to the conversation. A former RCAF pilot, police officer, staff sergeant, and police association leader, he offers a grounded perspective on why professional policing exchanges matter, why municipal leaders should focus on local governance, and why double standards in public discourse are so corrosive.

The conversation explores political pressure, civic responsibility, antisemitism in Canada, public safety, leadership, and the growing tension between moral courage and political expediency.

This is one of our most urgent and important episodes to date.

Take action and show your support for Chief Dreichel here: 26-03-12 Edmonton Chief Driechel - CIJA Action Hub

Don is back in Calgary, and this episode of The Schmooze picks up right where the last conversation left off, with snow outside, a lot on our minds, and plenty to talk through.

Jared and Don discuss the emotional whiplash of returning home from Israel, the ongoing realities facing Israelis and the Jewish diaspora, and the larger context surrounding the conflict with Iran and its proxies. They also examine the role of media, political leadership in Canada, public discourse, and the challenges facing Jewish communities across the country.

The conversation also turns inward, focusing on Calgary, community leadership, and the importance of staying unified even when there are disagreements. One of the core themes of this episode is that strong communities are built not by tearing each other down, but by staying in dialogue, asking hard questions, and working toward common purpose.

This is a timely, candid, and deeply personal conversation about resilience, clarity, and the work still ahead.

🎙️ Emergency Episode – Live from Israel

In this urgent new episode of The Schmooze, Don joins us live from Tel Aviv after waking up to air raid sirens marking the start of Operation Roaring Lion.

Over the past 36 hours, he’s gone to a bomb shelter more than 30 times. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, he shares what it’s like on the ground right now — the sirens, the uncertainty, the tragic losses, and the remarkable calm and resolve of everyday Israelis.

We discuss:
• What daily life looks like between alerts
• The Home Front Command warning system
• The mood in Israel right now
• Iranian civilians protesting their regime
• Media narratives abroad
• What strength, resilience, and Zionism mean in this moment

This episode is emotional, honest, and deeply personal. It’s not analysis from afar — it’s lived experience in real time.

🎧 Listen now and share with someone who wants a clearer picture of what’s happening.

Am Yisrael Chai. 💙

In this episode of The Schmooze, Don and Jared sit down with Rabbi Mark Glickman of Temple B’nai Tikvah in Calgary for an honest, respectful conversation about what it means to lead with principle in complicated times.

We talk about Reform Judaism (what it is, what it values, and how it approaches modernity), the diversity of views inside a single congregation, and how Rabbi Glickman has worked to keep people at the table since October 7 — without pretending disagreements don’t exist.

We also discuss:

When anti-Zionism overlaps with antisemitism (and when it doesn’t)

Why Jewish communities struggle with internal dissent

Interfaith relationships after October 7: abandonment, new allies, and hard truths

The controversial decision to invite Mayor Jyoti Gondek to Temple for dialogue

Upcoming Temple programming and ways to connect

Upcoming events mentioned:

Scholar-in-Residence — March 13–14 with Dr. Andrew Rehfeld, President of Hebrew Union College

Temple Israel Trip — October (open beyond the congregation)

In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Adam Louis-Klein—writer, anthropologist, musician, and PhD candidate at McGill—to unpack a framework that’s reshaping how many Jews are responding to what’s happened since October 7.

Adam argues that anti-Zionism isn’t merely “criticism of Israel” that sometimes crosses a line. He describes it as a distinct hate movement with its own ideology, its own “libels,” and its own trail of harm—especially in academia, media, and public life. We talk about how the discourse shifted over time, why the “genocide” accusation functions as a modern libel, and what it looks like to stop defending and start naming, describing, and holding the ideology itself to account.

We also discuss Adam’s work through the Movement Against Anti-Zionism, why legacy organizations need a clearer vocabulary for the moment, and how communities can build “discursive infrastructure” now—before the next flare-up.

Guest: Adam Louis-Klein (McGill; London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism; founder, Movement Against Anti-Zionism)

Mentioned in this episode

• Virtual event: “Never Forget: Montana Tucker on the Holocaust, Antisemitism, and Hope” (Calgary Public Library + Calgary Jewish Federation, Feb 22, 7:00–8:30pm MST, online)

• Friends of JNF Canada “Negev” event featuring Lt.-Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus (announced for June 7, 2026)

Follow AdamMovement Against AntizionismAdam Louis-Klein

In this episode of The Schmooze, Don and Jared sit down with Mike Fegelman, Editor-in-Chief of HonestReporting Canada, to talk about media bias, journalistic malpractice, and what Canadians can do when coverage crosses the line.

Mike shares his origin story — from spotting a “fight media bias” poster in Jerusalem to becoming one of Canada’s most persistent media watchdog voices — and explains how HonestReporting works: mobilizing everyday people to challenge misinformation, demand corrections, and push for fair, accurate, contextual journalism.

We dig into:

• How journalism has shifted from reporting to activism

• Why “media literacy” is now a survival skill

• CBC’s unique responsibility as a publicly funded broadcaster

• The difference between opinion, advocacy, and news

• Why public complaints sometimes do lead to corrections

• How you can help (even without a platform or big following)

Mike’s message is blunt: we can’t outsource responsibility anymore. If Canadians don’t push back, misinformation becomes policy — and hate becomes normalized.

Links / Resources (add yours):

• HonestReporting Canada (subscribe + alerts): Exposing Canadian Anti-Israel Media Bias - HRC

• The CBC report mentioned in the episode: New Report Exposes Systemic Anti-Israel Bias At CBC News - Honest Reporting Canada

We’re dropping this one early because Charlotte Korchuk is in Alberta this weekend for a live community program hosted by Friends of JNF Canada.

In this passionate and wide-ranging conversation, Don and Jared are joined by Jay Cairns (Executive Director, Friends of JNF Canada – Alberta) and Charlotte Korchuk (Jerusalem Education Institute) to talk about Jewish identity, Zionist pride, and the urgent need for education that doesn’t just hand out talking points — it builds real understanding.

We dig into:

• The “October 8th Jew” awakening — and why so many people feel alone, overwhelmed, and under-informed

• Why knowledge becomes a “coat of armor” (and why soundbites aren’t enough)

• The difference between education vs. indoctrination: “not what to think, but how to think”

• How to navigate different audiences: uninformed, misinformed, apathetic, curious — and why the “mushy middle” matters

• Why parents are often the most neglected audience — and why education has to start at home

• A powerful reframe: we don’t just need allies — we need friends

Live event: Diaspora, Israel, and the Go-Forward

• Calgary: Sunday, Feb 8, 2026 — 7:00 PM

• Edmonton: Monday, Feb 9, 2026 — 7:00 PM
  Register via Friends of JNF Canada (event details provided upon registration).

  
  

  Show notes and links:

  Ask Haviv Anything Podcast - with Haviv Retting Gur with Noam Weissman Episode to be found here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyj2C1ClLhKScXe9u7Y44?si=X60krvSPR-CDvlhBbyhTAQ

This week on The Schmooze, we sit down with Ofer Idels, an Israeli historian and postdoctoral fellow in Israel Studies at the University of Calgary.

Ofer breaks down Zionism in both academic and plain language, and explains why debates around “anti-Zionism” often function as debates about whether Jews are allowed to be active agents in history, rather than passive participants judged by others’ moral frameworks.

We also discuss:

• Zionism as a modern response to the crisis of Jewish life in Europe

• “Self-determination” and what it means in lived terms

• Why semantic debates can become a cul-de-sac, and what to focus on instead

• The campus climate in Calgary, and why Ofer’s experience has been unexpectedly positive

• How the Calgary Jewish community can better use academic resources already here

Community events mentioned:

• Feb 12 (12:00 PM MT, Zoom): Ofer’s speaker series talk, “From Horse Cadavers to Garden Plots: Concepts of Non-Human Nature and the Łódź Ghetto.”

• Feb 8 (JCC): Friends of JNF Canada event, “Diaspora Israel and the Go-Forward,” featuring Charlotte K. (Jerusalem Education Institute / StandWithUs).

Connect with Ofer:
Ofer can be found via his University of Calgary profile, and he welcomes community outreach for lectures, initiatives, and collaboration.

Iran is in turmoil.

Nationwide protests that began with economic frustration have escalated into a direct challenge to the Islamic Republic, amid internet shutdowns, mass detentions, and reports of severe crackdowns.

On this episode of The Schmooze, Don Schapira and Jared Shore are joined by Kaveh Shahrooz, a Toronto-based Iranian-Canadian lawyer, human rights activist, and Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Kaveh walks us through “Iran 101” (how Iran got here), what we can and can’t confirm about what’s happening right now, why much of the activist left has stayed quiet, and what Canadians can do today to support the Iranian people, including practical pressure points for MPs and enforcement against regime-linked actors in Canada.

We also discuss the historic bond between Persians and Jews, the Iranian diaspora in Canada, and why solidarity matters now more than ever.