Rephonic
Artwork for North Star

North Star with Ellin Bessner

The CJN Podcasts
Anti-Semitism
Canada
Israel
Jewish Community
Auschwitz
Antisemitism
Holocaust
Toronto
Hamas
Iran
Canadian Jewish News
Hate Crimes
Montreal
Zionism
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Bill C-9
Tariffs
Israel-Hamas Conflict
Passover
Ira Gluskin and Maxine Grunofsky Gluskin Charitable Foundation

Newsmaker conversations from The Canadian Jewish News, hosted by Ellin Bessner, a veteran broadcaster, writer and journalist.

PublishesDailyEpisodes844Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsDaily NewsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for North Star

Latest Episodes

“Everything I did was about making my parents proud,” said retired Ontario Court of Justice judge Harvey Brownstone, summing up his lifetime struggle for acceptance. Rejected and cut off at age 19 when he told his parents he was gay, Hamilton native ... more

Shomrim Toronto became the public face of the massive volunteer effort to help Toronto police search for 14-year-old Esti, an autistic Jewish teenager who went missing from her home for two weeks in May.

Hundreds of volunteers from the Jewish commu... more

YouTube

Debbie Wasserman has spent nearly four decades volunteering with the National Council of Jewish Women in Canada. Now she’s taken on her highest profile role yet: she’s the new president of the International Council of Jewish Women (ICJW), a century-o... more

YouTube

Vancouver Holocaust survivor Adam Policzer, 87, is marking three major milestones this summer: the publication of his first English-language Holocaust autobiography in the form of a 60-page graphic novel, The House Across the Street; the premiere of ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's SakeShalom Hartman Institute, Ark Media
What Matters Now
What Matters NowThe Times of Israel

Recent Guests

Heidi Coleman
President, Kamloops Jewish Community
Kamloops Jewish Community
Episode: [Greatest Hits] After escaping the Jasper forest fires, this tourist couple found safety in the Jewish community
Rabbi Dovid Pinson
Head of Chabad house in the Rockies; community leader
Chabad in the Rockies
Episode: [Greatest Hits] After escaping the Jasper forest fires, this tourist couple found safety in the Jewish community
Sharon Chodirker
evacuee from Jasper, wife of Chaim Bell
Episode: [Greatest Hits] After escaping the Jasper forest fires, this tourist couple found safety in the Jewish community
Chaim Bell
evacuee from Jasper, husband of Sharon Chodirker
Episode: [Greatest Hits] After escaping the Jasper forest fires, this tourist couple found safety in the Jewish community
Izzie Helenchilde
CJN journalist reporting from Winnipeg
Canadian Jewish News
Episode: Inside Canada's Human Rights museum's Palestinian Nakba exhibit: What we saw
Saundra Lipton
President of the Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta
Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta
Episode: From homesteaders to high tech: How Jewish Calgary celebrates Stampede
David Silver
President of the House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel Synagogue in Calgary
House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel Synagogue
Episode: From homesteaders to high tech: How Jewish Calgary celebrates Stampede
Ezra Freyheit
Co-founder of Chains for Change
Chains for Change / Special Olympics fundraising
Episode: Canada's next generation of Jewish leaders is already making a difference
Maya Fuerstenberg
Founder of Dalhousie Jewish Society
Dalhousie University
Episode: Canada's next generation of Jewish leaders is already making a difference

Host

Ellin Bessner
Host of The North Star podcast; veteran broadcaster, journalist, and writer.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 82 ratings
  • Excellent Host, Timely Topics

    A must-listen for anyone interested in keeping up with Jewish news in Canada. Elin Bessner is an excellent host.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LarbyDarby
    Canada4 months ago
  • Excellent Host, Timely Topics

    A must-listen for anyone interested in keeping up with Jewish news in Canada. Elin Bessner is a good host.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Maman Canadienne
    Canada2 years ago
  • Must-listen for Canadian Jews

    This is the only breaking-news daily podcast for Canadian Jews. If you care about issues that matter to the community, this is an important podcast to hear.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MBF432
    Canada2 years ago
  • Insightful and concise

    I like the show because I learn a lot about Canadian Jewry in a brief daily form. Ellin is thoughtful but measured with her guests making the show about them and not her, the way others often do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mscott76
    United States2 years ago
  • The best!

    Amazing podcast with important information delivered in a clear and factual way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LisaLev1981
    Canada3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience appreciates clear reporting and diverse guest voices.
Covers timely Canadian Jewish issues with depth and balance.
Host is thoughtful and keeps focus on guests and topics, not self-promotion.
Shows credibility and concise questions from the host.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#72
Canada/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#178
Israel/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#181
Ukraine/News/Daily News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

[Greatest Hits] After escaping the Jasper forest fires, this tourist couple found safety in the Jewish community
Q: Take me back to the first time when you heard about people in distress.
The evacuees describe realizing evacuations were underway, the uncertainty about where to go, and the moment when locals confirmed Jasper was being evacuated, prompting a scramble to leave with limited information.
A synagogue heard local schoolchildren were hungry. They've delivered 7,000 lunches
Q: What makes this program unique or different from other charity efforts?
Unlike some initiatives, this program sources, prepares, and distributes all lunches through outside volunteers from the synagogue, ensuring self-sufficiency and broad community involvement, including collaboration with Bayview Secondary School helpers.
A synagogue heard local schoolchildren were hungry. They've delivered 7,000 lunches
Q: How is the program funded and sustained over time?
Funding comes from grants and donations, with cost estimates around $40,000 annually; the group also receives food donations and in-kind support like free bagels and produce, while seeking ongoing grants to maintain operations into the fall.
A synagogue heard local schoolchildren were hungry. They've delivered 7,000 lunches
Q: What sparked the decision to start feeding hungry kids during the school day?
The realization from Stats Canada that one in five children in the region go to school without lunches, coupled with observed impacts on learning and behavior, motivated Beit Rayim to partner with local schools and develop a sustainable delivery model.
Gail Asper calls for review of new Nakba exhibit at the museum her father founded
Q: What steps could be taken to address concerns about the exhibit?
Propose pausing the exhibit, conducting third-party reviews, possibly reverting to the museum's original emphasis on dialogue and context.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About North Star

What is North Star about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program centers on timely Canadian Jewish news, featuring conversations with community leaders, educators, journalists, and activists who shape Jewish life in Canada. Across episodes, guests explore anti-Semitism, Jewish education, memory and ritual, culture, and public policy, often tying local events to broader national and international contexts. A standout aspect is the willingness to host a wide range of voices—from synagogue leadership and school administrators to artists and grassroots organizers—fostering pluralism, resilience, and informed civic dialogue.

Noteworthy is the heavy emphasis on current events and community safety, coupled with deep dives into policy debates and cultural initiatives. The format blends reportage wit... more

Where can I find podcast stats for North Star?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for North Star. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to North Star and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does North Star get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for North Star, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for North Star?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for North Star, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does North Star have?

To see how many followers or subscribers North Star has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to North Star?

These podcasts share a similar audience with North Star:

1. For Heaven's Sake
2. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
3. The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
4. Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
5. What Matters Now

How many episodes of North Star are there?

North Star launched 5 years ago and published 844 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact North Star?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for North Star?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for North Star from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for North Star?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of North Star. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on North Star?

Recent guests on North Star include:

1. Heidi Coleman
2. Rabbi Dovid Pinson
3. Sharon Chodirker
4. Chaim Bell
5. Izzie Helenchilde
6. Saundra Lipton
7. David Silver
8. Ezra Freyheit

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days