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.

How does real community impact begin?

In this episode of The Schmooze, Don sits down with Marnie Bondar and Dahlia Libin, whose volunteer leadership transformed Holocaust education and remembrance in Calgary.

From the creation of Here to Tell to major public partnerships and survivor-centered education, their work has reached classrooms, cultural institutions, and tens of thousands of people across the city.

What started as a “crazy idea” became a model of how passion, persistence, and responsibility can shape a community.

This conversation explores leadership without titles, education that adapts to the moment, and the power of two people saying yes.

🎧 Listen now.

In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Yael Berkovich for an honest conversation about Jewish and Israeli identity in Canada — and what it means to live openly and authentically on campus today.

Yael shares her journey from growing up in a Zionist household to navigating public school, university life, and student leadership, as well as the challenges Jewish students are facing in the post–October 7 climate. We explore pride, visibility, allyship, and why showing up still matters — even when it’s uncomfortable.

A thoughtful, grounded conversation about identity, courage, and the next generation of leadership.

In this episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Emile Scheffel, Managing Director of CJPAC (the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee).

Emile shares his personal journey into Jewish advocacy, why civic engagement matters more than ever, and how real relationships — not outrage or slogans — shape political outcomes in Canada. We explore how Jewish Canadians and allies can meaningfully participate in democracy, combat antisemitism, and ensure our community’s voice is heard across the political spectrum.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about showing up, building trust, and strengthening the future of Jewish life in Canada — one relationship at a time.

What happens when hate is tolerated long enough to feel “normal”?

In this powerful episode of The Schmooze, we sit down with Rev. Mark Leach — Anglican pastor, lifelong ally, and founder of Australia’s grassroots movement Never Again Is Now Australia.

Mark shares:

• What he witnessed after October 7 and why silence is never neutral

• How the Bondi attack became a national wake-up call

• Why antisemitism is not a Jewish problem, but a threat to Western democracy

• What everyday Canadians can do right now — and why writing your MP actually works

• How citizen movements like Allies for a Strong Canada turn concern into real accountability

This conversation is raw, urgent, and deeply human.
If you care about Canada’s values, safety, and future — this is a must-listen.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share.

Watch Mark stand tall on October 8th at the Sydney Opera House - (5) Pro-Palestinians chase Christian pastor holding Israeli flag in Sydney - YouTube