Rephonic
Artwork for The State of Affairs

The State of Affairs

Avi Abraham Benlolo
Israel
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism
Iran
UNRWA
Hamas
Gaza
Toronto
Montreal
Muslim Brotherhood
Canada
Canadian Museum For Human Rights
International Aid
Palestinian Authority
United Kingdom
University Of Toronto
Abraham Accords
Democratic Party
World Bank
Aid Inferno

The State of Affairs is a thought-provoking podcast hosted by Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo, featuring candid conversations with leaders, policymakers, diplomats, business executives, and changemakers from around the world. Each episode explores the defining issues shaping our time—from geopolitics, democracy, and national security to human rights, business, innovation, and global leadership. Through in... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes13Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The State of Affairs

Latest Episodes

Could the next October 7-style attack come from Judea and Samaria? In this episode of The State of Affairs, Avi Abraham Benlolo speaks with Lt.-Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch about his warning that the Palestinian Authority has built a military-capable f... more

“JEWS AREN’T ALLOWED HERE”

A Montreal woman told a Jewish father at La Fontaine Park that dogs were allowed despite a nearby ban, launched an expletive-filled rant and declared in French: “Jews aren’t allowed here.”

How did Montreal reach this poin... more

Do Israelis want a third round of war against Iran? In this episode of The State of Affairs, former Canadian Ambassador to Israel Vivian Bercovici, joins AGPI's Chairman and CEO, Avi Abraham Benlolo for a candid assessment of Israel at a crossroads. ... more

The future of Toronto is consequential for the Jewish community. Many are wondering if they should stay. Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford joins Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo on The State of Affairs for a conversation about leadership, courage and To... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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.

Recent Guests

Maurice Hirsch
Lieutenant Colonel on Reserves, former Director of the Military Prosecution for Judea and Samaria
Palestinian Media Watch; Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs
Episode: THE NEXT OCTOBER 7? THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY’S 70,000-MEMBER ARMED FORCE
Beryl Wajsman
Montreal civic leader, former editor-in-chief of The Suburban, president of the Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal
Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal
Episode: "There Is No Exodus of Jews from Montreal" - Why Beryl Wajsman is Fighting Back
Vivian Bercovici
Ambassador, former Canadian ambassador to Israel (2014-2016); commentator on Israeli politics and diaspora relations
State of Tel Aviv newsletter; columnist National Post
Episode: ISRAEL’S DEFINING MOMENT: IRAN, HAREDI UNREST AND THE ELECTION OF A LIFETIME
Brad Bradford
Councillor, candidate for mayor of Toronto
City of Toronto (Beaches—East York)
Episode: "You Can't Pick and Choose When Your Morals Apply": Brad Bradford on Antisemitism and the Future of Toronto
Dr. Emily Brearley
Development economist, researcher, and author of Aid Inferno
Author of Aid Inferno
Episode: "Explosive" Interview with former Gaza Aid Worker Exposing Terror, Complicity and Corruption
Malcolm Hoenlein
Chairman and CEO Emeritus, Vice Chair and CEO Emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Conference of Presidents
Episode: Mamdani, Emanuel & The Crisis of The Democratic Party: A Conversation with Malcolm Hoenlein on the Future of America
Gail Asper
Canadian philanthropist, lawyer and human rights advocate
Asper Foundation / Canadian Museum for Human Rights (former founder's ally)
Episode: "My Trust Has Been Completely Shattered": Gail Asper Speaks Out
Jerry Grafstein
Senator, former chair and public policy commentator
Senate of Canada; public policy commentator
Episode: "I Haven't Left the Liberal Party—The Liberal Party Has Left Me": Senator Jerry Grafstein on the State of Canada
Lord David Wolfson
A senior British politician and advocate for Jewish communities
Conservative Party / British Parliament
Episode: When Antisemitism Becomes Mainstream: Lord David Wolfson on the Battle for Democracy

Host

Avi Abraham Benlolo
Host of The State of Affairs with a focus on geopolitics, democracy, and security discussions; affiliated with Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI)

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"Explosive" Interview with former Gaza Aid Worker Exposing Terror, Complicity and Corruption
Q: what's your central argument of Aid Inferno and why is it relevant today
Her core argument is that international aid has often unintendedly worsened conditions in conflict zones, and that accountability, governance reform, and development policies that empower locals are needed to move toward long-term peace and stability.
"Explosive" Interview with former Gaza Aid Worker Exposing Terror, Complicity and Corruption
Q: tell our listeners what inspired you to write this book
Brearley explains that Aid Inferno is a personal and professional mea culpa, aiming to explain why traditional aid approaches failed and how she hopes the book will be accessible to the layperson while challenging established narratives.
THE NEXT OCTOBER 7? THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY’S 70,000-MEMBER ARMED FORCE
Q: Are you describing a possible long-term danger, or do you believe another October 7th style assault is imminent?
The PA's 70,000-strong force could be a latent capability that, if activated, presents a significant long-term threat; the discussion centers on how to deter and preempt such an escalation rather than accepting it as inevitable.
"There Is No Exodus of Jews from Montreal" - Why Beryl Wajsman is Fighting Back
Q: How important are interfaith and intercultural alliances in defending the Jewish community?
Extremely important; alliances with Italian, Greek, Hindu, Filipino, and other communities have reshaped City Hall's approach and created a broad base of non-Jewish support that strengthens the fight against anti-Semitism.
"There Is No Exodus of Jews from Montreal" - Why Beryl Wajsman is Fighting Back
Q: What are you seeing as the core difference in Montreal's experience for Jewish residents today compared to the past?
Despite higher numbers of incidents, the Jewish community has responded with stronger leadership, inter-cultural alliances, and clearer demand on political leaders to address anti-Semitism, showing resilience rather than exodus.

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 The State of Affairs

What is The State of Affairs about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A current-events focused interview show that brings together policymakers, diplomats, researchers, and business leaders to unpack geopolitics, democracy, and security in a rapidly changing world. Episodes frequently center on Israel–Palestine dynamics, terrorism, antisemitism, international aid governance, and the role of international institutions, with a tone that blends rigorous analysis and opinionated policy recommendations. Notable strengths include high-profile guest slate spanning government, diplomacy, and think tanks, along with a willingness to critique established narratives and propose concrete policy actions. Potential listeners who want sharp takes on security, democracy, and human rights, plus insider perspectives from globa... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The State of Affairs?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The State of Affairs. 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 The State of Affairs and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The State of Affairs get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The State of Affairs, 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 The State of Affairs?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The State of Affairs, 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 The State of Affairs have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The State of Affairs 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 The State of Affairs?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The State of Affairs:

1. Ark News Daily
2. Ask Haviv Anything
3. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
4. Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
5. Unpacking Israeli History

How many episodes of The State of Affairs are there?

The State of Affairs launched 3 years ago and published 13 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 The State of Affairs?

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 The State of Affairs?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The State of Affairs 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 The State of Affairs?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The State of Affairs. 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 The State of Affairs?

Recent guests on The State of Affairs include:

1. Maurice Hirsch
2. Beryl Wajsman
3. Vivian Bercovici
4. Brad Bradford
5. Dr. Emily Brearley
6. Malcolm Hoenlein
7. Gail Asper
8. Jerry Grafstein

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