The Shpiel on Hamilton

The Shpiel on Hamilton begins a new season with an engaging conversation with Lesley Simpson, creator of L'Chaim: The Jewish Letters Project. Simpson shares the story behind her quest to collect and preserve meaningful letters from across the Jewish world. From wisdom-filled correspondence to treasured notes passed down through grandparents, parents, relatives, and friends, the project has become a living archive of memory, connection, and tradition.

Host Wendy Schneider and her colleague Helaine Ortmann discuss the films that will be featured at the 2026 festival

Ask most people about the Jewish experience in the Second World War, and one story inevitably comes to mind: the Holocaust. But there is another side to that history. In this episode of the Shpiel on Hamilton, journalist and author Aron Heller speaks about his new book, Zaidy's Band, The Untold Stories of a Jewish Band of Brothers in World War II and his upcoming talk.

The Shpiel on Hamilton's guest host Helaine Ortmann invites Rivka Campbell, executive director of Toronto's Beth Tikvah Synagogue to reflect on her personal journey as a Jew of colour within the mainstream Jewish community.

The Shpiel on Hamilton interviews members of the Hamilton Jewish Film Festival committee about the 2025 Hamilton Jewish Film Festival which will take place at the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre from March 23 to 25, 2025.

The Shpiel on Hamilton's interview with Marvin Karon, the co-founder and executive director of Shakesperience. Marvin is an actor, an acting coach, a teacher, and the founder and executive director of Shakesperience, a non-profit organization that brings professional actors into Ontario classrooms with the goal of making Shakespeare more accessible to children. In the following episode, Marvin shares his insights on the question of whether The Merchant of Venice is antisemitic, and explains the circumstances that got him thinking about taking Shakesperience outside the classroom and into a synagogue to explore a topic that could not be more timely.

The Shpiel on Hamilton's interview with Victoria Mancinelli, director of public relations, marketing and strategic partnerships at LiUNA. Mancinelli is not Jewish, but this fearless and outspoken woman who calls herself an unapologetic Zionist, has been a constant presence on social media over the last eight months, advocating for Israel and the Jewish community.

In this two-part episode of the Shpiel on Hamilton, Wendy Schneider speaks to two outstanding leaders, one Jewish, and one from the non-Jewish community, who have risen to the challenges of crisis leadership. Today's episode features an interview with Jason Waxman

The Shpiel on Hamilton interviews Rebekah Wolkstein, the multi-talented leader and founding member of the Payadora Tango Ensemble in advance of their May 22 performance at the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre.

The Shpiel on Hamilton interviews three doctors from the Jewish community who volunteered with Magen David Adom and an Israeli Canadian social worker/artist who is counselling traumatized Israelis in her home country