Podcasts
Edmonton Beit Midrash podcast
This podcast follows the Edmonton Beit Midrash project, a local collaboration funded by the Government of Canada that offered workshops about racism and antisemitism in the years 2021-2023. In the fall of 2023, we recorded eight episodes about the workshops and we are looking forward to sharing them with you in the next few weeks.
You can download this podcast from your favourite podcasting app.
Please note that this podcast was recorded on November 5th and 11th 2023, and are thus reflective of the attitudes and opinions of our guests at that moment.
Episode 1
In this episode, we talk to Meital Siva-Jain. Meital is a registered social worker and the manager of the Jewish Family Services Outreach Program. Meital has been involved with the Beit Midrash project since its inception and helped to produce this podcast. You can find out more about her and her work at Jewish Family Services.
Episode 2
In this episode, we talk to Verna Fisher also known as Thunder Bird Women. Verna is a Knowledge Keeper and an Addiction Counsellor who provides workshops and cultural teachings in Edmonton and the surrounding area. She has experience working as a Cultural Support Worker and working with other Elders.
Verna is one of the Beit Midrash partners, she helped to plan the Beit Midrash workshops and facilitated cultural teachings. She prays for Peace and for everyone to be kind and open-minded, she prays that everyone matters in this world.
Episode 3
In this episode, we talk to Mitali Banerjee. Mitali Banerjee is a Canadian artist of Indian Heritage, specializing in mandala dot art. Mitali was the Executive Director at the Edmonton Multicultural Coalition and one of the Beit Midrash partners. She helped to plan the Beit Midrash workshops and facilitated mandala teaching.
Episode 4
In this episode, we talk to Jordan Haynie Ware. Jordan is the Archdeacon for Justice from the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton. Originally from Texas, she now works for justice on Treaty 6 Territory with interfaith partners and is an experienced podcaster through her work on Two Feminists Annotate the Bible and Two Feminists Annotate the Beatified. You can find her at goodshepanglican.org or twofeministsblog.wordpress.com.
Episode 5
In this episode, we talk to Jeremiah Levine. Jeremiah (he/him) is a Public Educator and WiseGuyz facilitator with the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton. Jeremiah was a founder of the Edmonton Beit Midrash.
Episode 6
In this episode, we talk to Orly Lael Netzer (she/ her). Orly has a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Alberta and teaches at Carleton University’s School of Canadian Studies. Her research focuses on the public work of testimony in contemporary Canada, exploring how audiences are invited to bear witness to difficult knowledge and histories of injury and harm through literary, visual, and performance art. Before moving to Ottawa, Orly was one of the co-founders of the Edmonton Beit Midrash.
Episode 7
In this special episode, we talk to two guests: Jennifer Magalnick and Jennifer Michal Adler.
Jennifer Magalnick is a longtime Jewish educator who serves as the Associate Director of Holocaust Education and Community Engagement for the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. Much of her work focuses on education toward combatting antisemitism. You can find out more about them and their work at jewishedmonton.org
Jennifer Michal Adler has worked with JFSE for over twenty years. Her experience and passion are educational and support groups. She currently works with English language learning and improvement for newcomers. As a Jew, Jeni feels that people need to learn about antisemitism and ways to respond to difficult situations. She enjoyed working as part of a team to plan and delivered a number of the Beit Midrash workshops. You can find out more about her and her work at www.jfse.org
Episode 8
In this episode, we talk to Gila Caine. Gila is a mother and Rabbi who was born and raised in Jerusalem and moved to Edmonton in 2017. She is currently the rabbi at Temple Beth Ora, a Reform synagogue here in the city. Gila has been part of the growth and development of the Beit Midrash project over the past few years, as TBO has always been happy to host and support this work.