Nic Sulsky wants to change that. This week, the Toronto-based entrepreneuer is debuting Rock League, the world's first professional curling league, launching out of the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens) in downtown Toronto. With broadcast deals across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Korea, Sulsky is hoping to capitalize on the momentum garnered by some of the top curling teams from the recent Milano Cortina Olympics—while keeping Canada at the centre of it all.

One of Sulsky's star players is Korey Dropkin, a 2026 silver medalist with Team USA, who's travelling up to Toronto to play—and, like Sulsky, happens to be Jewish. Both Sulsky and Dropkin join the Menschwarmers to talk about how they got this league off the ground, why the sport is appealing to watch, and what is was like coming in second place at the 2026 Olympics.

But before that, hosts Gabe and James recap a major couple weeks in Jewish sports news, including the start of baseball season (with disappointingly few Jewish players) and Amar'e Stoudemire's induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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His sports-marketing company is called Tribe NIL. (NIL stands for Name, Image and Likeness, a new monetization route for college athletes to make money off their work.) The company aims to boost the careers of hundreds of talented Jewish college athletes, including more than a half-dozen Canadians playing for U.S. college football, baseball, hockey, basketball and swim teams, among others.

Moses was raised in Montreal. He’s the middle son of retired Montreal Rabbi Lionel Moses and Yiddish scholar and editor Joyce Rappaport. His brother, Zev Moses, is the founder and executive director of the Museum of Jewish Montreal.

Jeremy Moses moved to Brooklyn where he’s worked in the sports and entertainment field. He and business partner, the comedian Eitan Levine, founded Tribe NIL last spring. This year, they’re doubling down on the Manischewitz campaign, looking for one male and one female Jewish athlete to reward with $10,000 in prize money each, a “L’Cheisman Trophy” and international fame as this year’s faces of Manischewitz matzah.

On today’s episode of The CJN’s flagship podcast North Star, Jeremy Moses joins host Ellin Bessner to share more about his campaign—plus they get into the myriad Jewish sporting news of the week, including Jewish Olympians and Robert Kraft’s controversial Super Bowl antisemitism ad.

Related links

• Learn more about co-founder Jeremy Moses’s company, Tribe NIL and see some of the 250 Jewish NCAA college athletes they represent (including some Canadians).
• Follow Manischewitz’s contest with TribeNIL for Jewish male and female college athlete of the year, with winners to be announced in March.
• Listen to The CJN’s Not in Heaven podcast debate the hesitance among many Jewish parents to see their kids try and become professional athletes.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

With the Winter Olympics behind us, there’s so much more to catch up on in the world of Jews and sports.

The World Baseball Classic kicked off last weekend, and Team Israel secured its spot in the next tournament — which will happen in a few years — with a 5-0 win over Nicaragua. The bats are solid, but pitching depth remains a challenge in a pool led by powerhouse Dominican Republic, as well as Venezuela. Team Israel was eliminated from the 2026 tournament, with a record of 2-2 and finished a respectable third place in Pool D.

Daniel Berger narrowly lost the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour, and in the NBA, Deni Avdija returned from an injury.

The Menschwarmers are back together after Jamie’s appearance on Jeopardy — where he won three games and gave the podcast a national shout-out.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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Hirsh says it was “the thrill of a lifetime” to be selected, to fly down to the Alex Trebek studio at Sony Pictures in Culver City, near Hollywood, where he taped several episodes of Jeopardy! It all happened about three weeks ago, but he’s had to keep quiet about how he fared. Until now, as the episodes started airing this week on millions of television screens across North America.

Hirsh had decades of practice to prepare for his small-screen debut: as a teenager, he was reigning champion at his summer camp’s version of the game show, over four seasons. The prize money back then was enough to buy some beers. This time, his actual Jeopardy! winnings will help the father-of-three pay off his family’s mortgage. He also won a custom Jeopardy! hat and a tote bag, but he says the best prize is a coveted tagline to his bio: he can now say “I was on Jeopardy!”

On today’s rebroadcast of The CJN’s North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner chats with James Hirsh about what it was like under the bright lights, what questions stumped him and how he regrets wearing the wrong shoes.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

Born in 1915 to a Jewish family that fled Iraq for Algeria, Nakache rose to become one of France's top swimmers, breaking records and competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Nazi Germany—he even finished fourth, beating the German team. By 1944, however, Nakache, his wife and their young daughter were taken and thrown in the Auschwitz concentration camp. His wife and daughter were killed there—but he survived. Emaciated and traumatized, Nakache returned to France after the war and did something few thought possible: he resumed training, reclaimed national titles, and competed in the 1948 London Olympics.

Now, decades after he passed away, his story has become the subject of an emotional new film, Butterfly, which has been nominated for the Academy Award for best animated short. The 15-minute movie, tenderly painted frame-by-frame by director Florence Miailhe, follows the ebbs and flows of Nakache's life, from his childhood fear of water to the loss of his family and his remarkable Olympic comeback. Producer Ron Dyens, who previously won the Oscar for animated feature for Flow, joins the Menschwarmers to explain more.

Credits

• Hosts:

James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer:

Michael Fraiman

• Music:

Coby Lipovitch (intro),

chēēZ π

(main theme, "

Organ Grinder Swing

")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on

Twitter @menschwarmers

• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN

(+ get a charitable tax receipt)

• Subscribe to Menschwarmers

(Not sure how?

Click here

)

Fortunately, there are still some unique stories to watch.

A.J. Edelman, who was recently profiled for Scribe Quarterly, has been on a years-long mission to qualify for Olympic sliding sports; he will lead his bobsleigh team—dubbed "Shul Runnings"—after coming 28th in the skeleton competition in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. American curler Korey Dropkin will look to hold Team USA's reigning gold medal in mixed curling. Israel is sending a sizeable delegation of nine athletes, including a brother-sister alpine skiing duo, a nationally celebrated figure skater, and a Floridian lawyer looking to break new ground in skeleton racing.

Hear all about them and more in the latest episode of Menschwarmers.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer: Michael Fraiman

• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers

• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter

• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer: Michael Fraiman

• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers

• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter

• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)

• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here )

Credits

• Hosts:

James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer:

Michael Fraiman

• Music:

Coby Lipovitch (intro),

chēēZ π

(main theme, "

Organ Grinder Swing

")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on

Twitter @menschwarmers

• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN

(+ get a charitable tax receipt)

• Subscribe to Menschwarmers

(Not sure how?

Click here

)

Now, in late 2025, the brothers (who are great-nephews of architect Moshe Safdie, for those wondering) have gone their separate ways, each directing their own sports movie. Benny directed The Rock in a biopic of MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, while older brother Josh Safdie tapped Jewish actor Timothée Chalamet to play table tennis champion Marty Reisman in Marty Supreme.

While Marty Supreme is slated for a Christmas Day release 2025, the Globe and Mail's film editor, Barry Hertz, just published a review of the Oscar contender, in which he says the story "burns with the relentless, fight-for-your-life spirit of the Maccabees.... With apologies to Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights, Marty Supreme is, thematically and spiritually, the greatest Hanukkah movie ever made." Hertz joins the Menschwarmers to explain his reasoning and how this ping pong epic fits into the larger canon of Jewish cinema.

And before that, the boys chat about Jake Retzlaff leading the Tulane Green Wave to success, and get to the source of an incorrect rumour about the Toronto Blue Jays' Eric Clement being Jewish.

Credits

• Hosts:

James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer:

Michael Fraiman

• Music:

Coby Lipovitch (intro),

chēēZ π

(main theme, "

Organ Grinder Swing

")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on

Twitter @menschwarmers

• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN

(+ get a charitable tax receipt)

• Subscribe to Menschwarmers

(Not sure how?

Click here

)

In this episode, they take note of Deni Avdija, the Portland Trail Blazer who's having a breakout season that could make him the first Israeli to ever make an NBA All-Star team. Then they turn to Zach Hyman, who triumphantly returned to the Edmonton Oilers and immediately logged a career-high 11 hits in a game, after getting injured in last season's Western Conference Finals and missing the Stanley Cup Finals entirely. After that, they look south to college football, where Jake Retzlaff has lead the Tulane Green Wave to tie for first place in the American Conference.

There are plenty of accomplishments worth celebrating for Jewish athletes—catch up on what's happening with this week's episode of Menschwarmers.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver

• Producer: Michael Fraiman

• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, " Organ Grinder Swing ")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers

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The father-son team of Dan and Ben Shulman will be calling the Jays' broadcasts; macher Mark Shapiro sits as team president and CEO; two of the biggest celebrity fans include Eugene Levy and Geddy Lee; and at least two rabbis—one in Toronto, the other in L.A.—have engaged in a friendly wager over the outcome.

Menschwarmers co-hosts Gabe Pulver and James Hirsh dig into all this as the two lifelong Jays fans get ready for Game 1 on Friday night.

After that, Gabe sits down with soccer journalist and broadcaster David Gass (co-host of the Kickback Committee podcast), who explains all the chaos of the last week involving Israeli soccer teams, including Birmingham's decision to ban fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv team and a subsequent called-off match between Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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There's a lot to be said about the political ramifications of wearing the Israeli name on your shirt in 2025, but our sports podcasters have a different theory about the shift. Israel–Premier Tech enjoyed a successful season that brought them back to full status with the UCI World Tour, after being relegated down to the secondary UCI ProSeries since 2023. That means the stakes are higher, the stage is bigger, and the league's propensity for risk and disruption may well have shrunk considerably. Is this purely a move to placate protesters, or are the team members—and possibly UCI executives—trying to prevent more bad press in the coming year?

Also on the docket: the boys talk about the Toronto Blue Jays' run to the American League championship series, big baseball moves, early NHL impressions and a quick NFL check-in.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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In the end, nobody won: Tennis Canada announced they would not permit any fans to enter the venue this weekend, refunding anyone who bought a ticket. What will likely ensue is a relatively uneventful match between two lower-seeded tennis teams, accompanied by some everyday protests outside.

But while Tennis Canada cited security concerns for their decision, our sports podcasters ask: is that really the reason?

The venue holds 5,000 people, and only 1,500 people were expected to attend. Of that, a small handful of anti-Israel protesters—in the realm of a dozen people—said they bought tickets with the explicit intention of disrupting the event. Team Israel has significant security resources, and has said nothing that indicates they were worried for their players' safety. So was this really a security concern, or is Tennis Canada more concerned with a clean product for television and to encourage the opportunity of hosting international events in the future? Was this a political move, or simply a bureaucratic one?

The hosts dig into all this, plus what happened with Israeli teams in European cycling and soccer.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

But this isn't a run-of-the-mill case of antisemitism. By all accounts, according to the Yankees' ground scouts and the recent investigation by The Athletic that ran Aug. 20, Jackson was, simply, acting like an ignorant drunk teenager, and was forthright about the incident with teams before the draft. The team did significant due diligence, engaging with New York's Jewish community and sending scouts to learn about Jackson's family and personality.

The resulting story is less about the insipid rise of casual antisemitism, and more about the power of forgiveness when people—especially teenagers—make mistakes and try to do better.

Keith Law, a longtime baseball journalist and former front office worker with the Toronto Blue Jays, broke this story for The Athletic. He joins us to share his impressions of Core Jackson and how the Yankees are viewing this opportunity.

After that, podcast hosts Gabe and Jamie run through this year's hottest Jewish sports movies, from Happy Gilmore 2 to both Safdie brothers' award-season offerings, The Smashing Machine and Marty Supreme. Then they give a quick NFL preview and recap Zach Hyman's ceremonial opening of the new ice hockey rink at the Schwartz/Reisman Jewish Community Centre in Vaughan.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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BYU's loss turned into Tulane University's gain, as Retzlaff will now vie for the starting QB spot on the Tulane Green Wave, repping a university that proudly stands as one of the first in the American South to allow Jews—and now has, according to some estimates, a Jewish student population as high as 40 percent. How will Retlaff perform at "Jewlane" University? What are the expectations? We ask Isaac Popper, an insider with the Green Wave and sports reporter based in New Orleans, for answers.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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Robert Shwartzman, the Israeli rookie who stunned the world by taking pole position at the acclaimed Indy 500 in May, continued his fall back to Earth in Toronto, where he came in 16th place. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Nolan Siegel of Arrow McLaren is believed by most to be Jewish—including folks at the Jewish Federations of Toronto and Indianapolis, as well as Jewish racing fans—but we've yet to confirm this. He did, however, finish 18th. Interpret that how you will.

The Menschwarmers' own Gabe Pulver went down to the event to learn what he could and witness the noise firsthand. He reports back to guest host Michael Fraiman, who later explains how Jewish NBA rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf performed for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2025 Summer League.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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Saraf, an Israeli guard, is a skilled passer and playmaker who just took his German team to the finals of Germany's national league; Wolf, an American who has played for Israel's national team, brings a seven-foot frame, excellent court vision and smart footwork. Both will vie for permanent roster spots in Brooklyn's young core, making their Summer League debuts this week.

To learn more about who these players are and how they fit into Brooklyn's future plans, the Menschwarmers invited on Nick Agar-Johnson, the editor-in-chief of No Ceilings, a website, Substack and podcast that specialize in year-round NBA draft coverage.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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Also in this episode: Gabe recounts how Robert Shwartzman fell as quickly as he rose in his recent F1 race, and the hosts pay homage to Zach Hyman, who won't play in the Stanley Cup Finals due to injuries—despite the Edmonton Oilers remaining both the most Canadian and most Jewish team to root for this year.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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Also in this episode, we've got two other big stories out of Indiana. First, the hosts recap the legacy of former Indianapolis Colts owner and general manager Jim Irsay, whose father was Jewish and who passed away just hours before our recording. Later on, they discuss the competitor team to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals: the New York Knicks, the most Jewish-seeming team remaining in the NBA playoffs, and certainly the one with the loudest Jewish fanbase. (We're looking at you, Timothée Chalamet.)

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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Rebound: A Year of Triumph and Tragedy at Yeshiva University Basketball premiered in April 2025 on FOX Nation. The team, which had six Israeli players on the roster, deliberated whether to cancel their season outright or play on. They ended up taking a mid-season trip to Israel, where they visited family and bore witness to the recent tragedy, ultimately deciding to use their platform to support Israel publicly.

Director Pat Dimon joins Menschwarmers to discuss why he felt compelled to tell this story and what it was like following the team all the way to the Skyline Conference championships.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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For a stronger Canadian showing, though, you might look to the Winnipeg Jets. Not a lot of Jewish on-ice representation there, but it's the hometown team of former sports radio host and new Jewish podcaster Matthew Leibl. Leibl is one of the three new voices of Not in Heaven, The CJN's podcast discussing the future of Jewish communal life, which launched this week.

He joins the Menschwarmers to chat about working as a sports journalist in Winnipeg during the Jets' return, what the team meant to his community, why he left the life of sports radio, and why he once embarked on a 77-day roadtrip across North America to visit every major league ballpark in a single season.

Hear Leibl's stories and what else is new in the world of Jewish sports on this latest episode of Menschwarmers, The CJN's Jewish sports podcast.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

But to kick things off, we celebrate the four top Jewish NCAA basketball coaches—Bruce Pearl, Todd Golden and Jon Scheyer—who all brought their teams to the NCAA Final Four. If you missed last week's episode diving deeper into their Jewish identities, catch up here.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

Is there a reason Jews are excelling in college coaching? The Menschwarmers have some thoughts, like maybe it's the fact that a good college coach combines elements of a camp counsellor with a disappointed parent.

The CJN's sports podcasters dive deep into the many Jewish angles of this NCAA basketball tournament, including Jewish players worth keeping eyes on, like Danny Wolf, Sam Silverstein and Alex Karaban, as well as notable women like Israeli-born Yarden Garzon, touted as a WNBA draft lock in 2026.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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Now Country Club Adjacent has nearly 1 million followers on Instagram, with hundreds of thousands more across YouTube and Facebook. With this surge in popularity has come a podcast, merchandise, invitations to celebrity games and a viable career as a sports influencer for Adams. He joins Gabe and James on Menschwarmers to talk about the long history and intersection of Jews, golf and comedy.

And before that, the boys catch up on other Jewish sporting news, including:

• Noteworthy Jewish players from the 4 Nations Face-Off
• Alex Bregman's new $120-million, three-year contract with the Boston Red Sox
• Spencer Horwitz's wrist surgery

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

To discuss the evolution, the Menschwarmers are joined by president Jed Margolis and vice-president Lenny Silberman, who also leads the digital youth-oriented Jewish sports organization Lost Tribe.

And before that, the hosts recap the latest news in Jews and sports, including how billionaire casino magnate Miriam Adelson, who owns the Dallas Mavericks NBA team, has become the target of virulent online antisemitism in the wake of the bombshell announcement that her team was trading away young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
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Reunited for the Tokyo Olympics, the Israeli baseball team—a hodgepodge of Jewish American rookies, former MLB players and native-born Israelis—wound up disappointing Jewish fans worldwide with an early loss to the Dominican Republic. But the story of the team's coming together, educating Israelis about a sport that Diaspora Jews have excelled at for decades, makes the thrust of this new documentary worthwhile.

To chat about the film and the important of bringing it to Canada, The CJN's sports podcasters invited on Alex Voihanski, chairperson of Unity Through Sport, which is sponsoring the premiere, and communications consultant Alan Hudes.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

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Horwitz—who came on this podcast in March 2023, in between suiting up for Team Israel and his breakout debut with the Jays—started making a name for himself in Toronto, with a .265/.357/.433 slash line, 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games played during the 2024 season. He was drafted in 2019 but only recently began making a name for himself on the field.

And while we recorded today's podcast episode mere hours after Horwitz was traded to Cleveland, it would be another couple hours until Cleveland turned around and traded the Baltimore native to the Pittsburgh Penguins. So you won't hear any reference to that subsequent trade in this episode. But you will hear the Menschwarmers discuss other major Jewish-adjacent deals in the MLB, Timothée Chalamet's surprise appearance on College GameDay, and the Israelis who've secretly raced in the infamous Dakar Rally.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
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One is Justine Siegal, who has racked up a Wikipedia page full of "firsts", most prominently as the first female coach hired by an MLB team. She's also coached Israel's national baseball team and founded Baseball For All, an organization that provides opportunities for girls to get involved playing baseball. Her co-founder of the WPBL is Keith Stein, the Canadian owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club, which plays in Christie Pits.

But how exactly does one start a new league from scratch? How will they find the players—and inspire young girls to take up baseball instead of softball? Justine Siegal joins the Menschwarmers for a candid conversation about her goals and challenges in starting the WPBL and shares a bit about what her life was like growing up as a Jewish girl—often mistaken for a boy.

And before that interview, the hosts chat about the soccer riots that erupted in Amsterdam last week. Was it a pogrom, simple soccer hooliganism, or something in between?

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

The only problem is that there aren't many Jewish connections to baseball or football right now. Basketball, on the other hand, has a surprising handful of Jewish players making a real impact. All-Star Domantas Sabonis is still undergoing a Jewish conversion while playing for the Sacramento Kings; Israeli player Deni Avdija was recently traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he's making a big impact as a starter; and recent second-round draft pick Amari Bailey is now with the Long Island Nets, angling to work his way back to the NBA. Plus, there's another Great Jewish Hope on the horizon: an Israeli draft prospect with lottery buzz named Ben Saraf is making waves in Germany.

Plus, Gabe and James chat about the unconventional rise of BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff, Max Greyserman's breakout year on the PGA Tourk, and a South African rugby player with perhaps the most diverse name in all of pro sports: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

Then, we move from the beginning of one sport season to the end of another. With baseball wrapping up, we look at the postseason picture with Harrison Bader, Alex Bregman and Max Fried all in the mix to make it to the World Series.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

One sports history fan who knows the story well is Alana Schreiber, a journalist with New Orleans Public Radio, vocal advocate for adaptive sports, and former guest on Menschwarmers. she returns to the show to gab with host Gabe Pulver about the Jewish origins and inspiring Jewish athetes who continue the tradition of defying expectations today, including track star Ezra Frech, Canadian boccia phenom Alison Levine, and the eight Israeli athletes who are bringing home medals in swimming, rowing and wheelchair tennis.

Also in this episode: Gabe and co-host James chat about the NFL season coming up, Olympic wrestler Amit Elor's fight against online antisemitism, and the anniversary of the Munich massacre. Hear former Canadian Olympian Allan Leibel recall living through the Munich Games in real-time.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

Alas, after doing extensive research—contacting the local Jewish community in his native Kamloops, investigating his family history, scouring social media for clues—The CJN's Jewish sports podcasters, the Menschwarmers, conclude that Mr. Katzberg is not in fact a member of the tribe. (His official media attaché on the ground, Caroline Sharp of Athletics Canada, confirmed to The CJN she is "quite sure that he's not Jewish.")

But fans of Jewish and Israeli athletes need not fret. Even though Ethan Katzberg is almost certainly not Jewish, there are enough openly Jewish athletes worth celebrating. Israel won a record-setting seven medals, while Diaspora athletes excelled specifically for the United States and Australia in fencing, wrestling, rowing, water polo, swimming and more.

In this Olympic roundup, hosts James and Gabe recap a thrilling two weeks of international competition and analyze where the Jewish community fits in.

Credits

• Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
• Producer: Michael Fraiman
• Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing")

Support The CJN

• Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers
• Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
• Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
• Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

It's a tremendous amount of extra pressure on the country's top athletes, who are already under stress to compete internationally and make their country proud. At the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Holy Land's delegation came out with a record-breaking 90 athletes—and won two golds and two bronzes, their best showing ever. Can they improve this year in Paris?

To guide us through the top Olympic sports to watch, the Menschwarmers are joined by Ido Rakovsky, the sports editor at Haaretz covering the 2024 Summer Games. And before that, the hosts walk through some notable Diaspora Jews worth keeping eyes on as the games kick off on July 26.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Eight years later, history is repeating itself.

Schachter (sans Binstock, instead with new partner Daniel Dearing) just recently qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled start on July 26. Once again, he's racing to get ready to compete on the world stage with less than a month to prepare—and this time, it's a stage that's been built directly in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Schacter joins Menschwarmers to share what his journey's been like, how he handles life as a Jewish athlete in global competition, and how he's prepping for Paris.

Before that, hosts Gabe and James recap the biggest news in Jewish sports, including Israeli NBA player Deni Avdija's sudden trade to the Portland Trail Blazers and burgeoning NHL star Zach Hyman's remarkable run through the Stanley Cup Finals.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried has emerged as a genuine candidate to win the 2024 Cy Young Award; Spencer Horwitz has firmly ascended to the majors; we're expecting Zach Hyman to step up if the Edmonton Oilers want to survive in the Stanley Cup Finals; and we offer congratulations to Yam Madar, an Israeli basketball player currently playing in Turkey, whose draft rights have been retained since 2020 by the Boston Celtics—who just won the NBA Finals.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

To honour the stuffing-together of both heritage months, the Menschwarmers wanted to take a look at a different minority group with some solidarity in mind: Asian athletes. The similarities and societal hurdles between both Asian and Jewish athletes are striking, with both groups coming from largely immigrant communities, facing stereotypes about mathematic abilities and flippant derogatory comments.

To examine the subject, we invited on Adrian Lee, an opinion editor at the Globe and Mail who is also a longtime sports fan and good friend of the hosts. They discuss these themes and more, including the complicated relationship between minority fans and players who share their ethnicity—and even rattle off a few Asian-Jewish athletes worth remembering.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

That will change on June 20, 2024, when the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants face off at Rickwood to commemorate Juneteenth, in honour of the field's status during the Negro leagues. The field will undergo intense renovations and updates in preparation for media attention unlike any it has seen in more than a century, telling stories of the many historical figures involved in its creation—including several key Jews, such as team owner Abe Saperstein and Yankees announcer Mel Allen.

One person helping to share these stories with modern audiences is Alana Schreiber, a producer with New Orleans Public Radio. She's spearheading a new radio documentary called Road to Rickwood, produced by NPR with help from the MLB, and hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr. A longtime listener of Menschwarmers, Schreiber joins to discuss the project and all the complex Jewish themes within.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Combining the start of baseball season with the week of Passover, our Jewish sports experts have rewritten the haggadah to focus on Jewish baseball legends and potential future stars, from Hank Greenberg to Spencer Horwitz, with commemorations and celebrations in between.

And before that, as always, the boys give a roundup of the latest news of Jews in sports, including Jewish NHL stars dominating the playoffs, Max Homa's near-win at the 2024 Masters Tournament and whether New Orleans Pelicans fans consider themselves Zionists.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

But before the show plays its iconic theme song one last time, the hosts of our Jewish sports podcast, Menschwarmers, wanted to pay tribute to what they've decided is the most Jewish sports TV show of all time. It's unlikely we'll see another TV program so unabashedly Jewish embrace baseball, basketball and golf in the same culturally specific way, so let's dive in and remember some of the show's best sports episodes and gags.

Plus, the boys talk about Zach Hyman's recent "Jew-bilee", scoring 50 goals this season (to much acclaim and a little antisemitism), as well as Jewish golfers to root for this month and Jewish NHL players worth keeping eyes on ahead of the summer Olympics.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Jewish baseball fans recognized the significance of this swift moment, in which all three players in this high-stakes game were themselves Jewish. It has since been called the most Jewish play in any MLB matchup, let alone a World Series. But Bregman himself didn't think about it until later—he has since joked about it in his group chat with other Jewish MLB players, in between pipedream chats about joining up to play for Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic.

He tells these stories and more on the latest episode of Menschwarmers, The CJN's Jewish sports podcast. Will he suit up for Team Israel in 2026? What was it like when he finally met Sandy Koufax? What was the reception like after he wore a Star of David on the field in the aftermath of Oct. 7? Listen and subscribe to find out.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Albom will be in Toronto to discuss the book at Beth Tzedec Congregation on Feb. 29, but before heading north, he spoke to The CJN's sports podcasters to discuss his decades-long career as an award-winning sportswriter. On this week's episode of Menschwarmers, Albom drops by to share stories of dining over subs with Brendan Shanahan and how he came to write "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" for Warren Zevon.

Plus, hosts Gabe and James recap the latest news in Jews and sports, including the now-infamous incident involving two Jewish fans being removed from a Toronto Raptors game and how the new Netflix docuseries about Formula 1 racing focuses its debut episode on Jewish Montrealer Lawrence Stroll.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

First, Israel's hockey team was barred from competing in an international match in Bulgaria—the decision was reversed, and Israel wound up winning the tournament. Around the same time, the Jewish captain of South Africa's cricket team, David Teeger, was relieved from his captaincy after vocally supporting Israel on a public stage; the saga resulted in tremendous backlash from activists on both sides. Finally, this week, Canadian cyclist and motivational speaker Leah Goldstein learned her keynote address at an International Women's Day event in Peterborough would be cancelled because she served in the Israel Defense Forces more than 30 years ago. Within days, organizers decided to simply scrap the entire event.

These trends extend beyond the world of sports into broader culture. The CJN has covered numerous examples of Jewish artists, playwrights and comics having performances heavily protested or outright cancelled. In this week's episode of Menschwarmers, producer Michael Fraiman joins host Gabe Pulver to give a rundown of these controversies and ask the inevitable question: How does it all end?

Related links

• Champion cyclist and IDF veteran Leah Goldstein felt ‘angry and heartbroken’ after being disinvited by a women’s festival
• Prominent Canadians in Israeli hockey speak out after the IIHF abruptly banned Israel from competition
• ‘A very dangerous precedent’: Two Jewish theatre artists respond to Victoria, B.C.’s Belfry Theatre cancelling a play set in Israel
• The cancelling of culture: What happens when arts and politics collide in Canada during the Israel-Hamas war

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

But the barriers are real. There are societal prejudices and fewer opportunities for girls to get into sports—and even more stereotypes about Jews as un-athletic, giving young Jewish girls twice as many hurdles to overcome.

Chelsey Goldberg knows those hurdles firsthand. Growing up in California, her only option to play hockey was to play in a local boys' league, eventually rising the ranks of women's hockey to play professionally in Canada and the United States. She spent years lobbying the Maccabiah Games to create a women's hockey division—a fight she won in 2022, when she became the captain for Team USA at the Maccabiah, winning silver. Goldberg joins Menschwarmers co-host James for a frank talk about the value of sports for women and girls and what the future looks like.

Plus, Gabe and James take a deep dive into the keffiyeh controversy that overtook the recent NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, in which the singer of the national anthem wore a piece of clothing that vaguely resembled a keffiyeh. And we respond to a few listeners to wrote in after our last episode about Jewish NHL players.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

It's just one of the big Jewish sports stories happening this month. A major Super Bowl ad on antisemitism is debuting next weekend (listen to The CJN Daily episode about the making of that commercial); Israel's U20 national hockey team dominated their division at a controversial international tournament (read more about Canada's players on the team), which almost saw them banned for alleged security purposes; and golfer Daniel Berger made a promising return from an injury that kept him off the greens for over a year.

The CJN's sports podcasters recap all these stories and more in the latest episode of Menschwarmers.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Last week, the International Ice Hockey Federation—the sport’s governing body—announced they were barring Israeli national teams from competing in crucial championship matches this winter. The move is seen by many as an unfair penalty against the Jewish State in the wake of the war with Hamas, in which an estimated 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, resulting from Hamas’s terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

IIHF officials insist their decision was not political, but instead made purely for security reasons: they couldn’t guarantee Israeli athletes’ safety from protestors during upcoming matches in Bulgaria, Serbia and Estonia, nor the safety of all participants and fans. Nonetheless, Israel’s hockey federation has announced a legal appeal.

In the meantime, the IIHF’s ruling has shocked the team’s fans around the world—not to mention Israel’s athletes and coaches themselves, including a handful of Canadians closely tied to Israel’s hockey program. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, you’ll hear from two of them: Esther Silver, the Canadian-born manager of Israel’s women’s hockey team, and Eliezer Sherbatov, a veteran of the men’s team, now based in Montreal._

Kaleigh Fratkin was excited to see it happen. She wasn't in Minnesota that day, instead preparing for her own matchup as part of Boston's PWHL team. (As a new league, none of the teams have monikers or logos yet.) But Fratkin—possibly the PWHL's only Canadian Jewish player, who grew up in Burnaby, B.C.—has spent more than a decade playing the sport. In previous leagues, she's broken records as a leading scorer among defenders, leader in penalty minutes and championship winner. With Boston, she brings veteran wisdom and grit to a league that's already made a huge international splash—but needs to keep momentum going to avoid a collapse and cultivate broader interest from audiences. Fratkin joins The CJN's sports podcasters to pull the curtain back on what it's been like as a pioneer player in this new movement.

And before that, hosts Gabe and Jamie catch you up on the latest news in Jewish sports, including a late-breaking relevation that Israel has been indefinitely removed from the International Ice Hockey Federation, and the announcement a new Netflix docuseries that could shed light into the Jewish conversion of NBA All Star Domantas Sabonis.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Our list includes shout-outs for the historic Canadian Open held at the Oakdale Golf & Country Club and Israel's triumphs in baseball and soccer; individual mazel tovs for rising stars like the Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz, the three hockey Hughes brothers and MMA fighter Natan Levy; and breakdowns of more recent stories, like Mark Cuban selling the Dallas Mavericks.

So grab a latke, gather round the hanukkiah and settle in for a candlelit recap of the year 2023 in Jewish sports.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

While Berman is appreciative of being able to keep living and playing just two hours from his home city of Birmingham, he also remains laser-focused on his true goal: playing professionally in Israel. He's visited a handful of times, having played for the Maccabi USA Open Men's Basketball team, and even visiting once with his Auburn Tigers, where some of his Christian teammates got baptized.

Berman joins Menschwarmers to chat about his relationship with Coach Pearl, his journey so far, and what it's been like as one of the few openly proud Jewish basketball players competing at the highest level of college sports.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

It's a mission that began when he started playing for Team Israel Baseball, which made him realize how important representation is on a global stage.

He explains these thoughts in a new article in the Boston Herald written by Gabrielle Starr, the paper's Red Sox reporter. Starr joins the Menschwarmers to break down her hour-long conversation with Youkilis, key takeaways and the new appointment of Craig Breslow as the new Jewish chief baseball officer of the Red Sox.

Plus, we recap what's new in Jewish sports, including Alysha Clark's WNBA championship, the three Jews playing in the NBA's season openers, and how this year breaks a possibly record-setting streak of consecutive baseball World Series featuring Jewish players.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow us on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

That kind of advocacy is rare—and speaks to the severity of the situation. Dozens of Jewish, Israeli and allied athletes have come out in support of the Jewish homeland. And Louis Keene, a reporter with the Forward who covers sports and religion, has been tracking as many of them as he can, compiling a growing list on Twitter.

We invited Keene on to discuss reactions to the war, how Jewish athletes have performed this week, and the distinction between teams' statements, from fervent to mealy-mouthed.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

In many ways, Michael Landsberg filled a position in Canadian broadcasting that had never even existed before. A founding face of TSN since 1984, Landsberg anchored SportsDesk, recapping everything in sports with highlights and commentary. He moved on to host the debate and interview show Off the Record with Michael Landsberg, which ran from 1997 to 2015, making it one of the longest-running talk shows in Canadian history.

Along the way, however, he struggled with deep-seated anxiety, depression and emetophobia—a fear of vomiting. Compounding all of this has been his Jewish upbringing, family values and a not-so-coincidental public perception of arrogance, which he describes in this special live episode of Menschwarmers, recorded at the Prosserman JCC in Toronto on Sept. 12, 2023.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Outside of executive offices, David Thorpe is one of the biggest Jewish names in the NBA—a player development coach who's helped countless athletes, especially young prospects, reach new heights and meet their goals of competing on the world's biggest basketball stage.

Among those athletes have been Omri Casspi and Gal Mekel, two of Israel's biggest basketball stars; after he helped them get drafted into the NBA, word began to spread in the Holy Land, and Coach Thorpe found himself flown into Israel to help cultivate a homegrown scene there.

Hear him tell these stories and more, including some FIBA discussions and how his parents instilled Jewish values in him personally, in this deep-dive interview on Menschwarmers.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

It wasn't the first time Edelman had been told he'd fail, and it wouldn't be the last. In the end, the American-born Orthodox athlete did ultimately represent the Holy Land on his skeleton bobsled in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, though he retired shortly afterwards. Instead, he decided to plunge head-first into a different impossible-seeming task: reviving Israel's dormant bobsled team.

Despite once again not receiving any support from the Israel, he's nonetheless set a goal of qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. All he needs is a team. And funding. The dream may sound impossible, but as Edelman explains on this week's episode of Menschwarmers, "impossible" is a challenge he's happy to take on.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

To give answers and insight into the world of professional word gaming, Sokol joins our podcast about Jews and sports—because, you know what, it's summer, and board games are competitive enough that we consider them a sport. Subscribe to Sokol's channels on YouTube or Twitch to watch him play.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

It won't be the first time Cristall has to navigate his game around Jewish holidays, though. Last year, for Yom Kippur, he fasted until the sun went down, with just enough time to eat a pre-game meal before suiting up on Oct. 5, 2022.

Shortly after being drafted to the Capitals, Cristall sat down with Menschwarmers host Gabe Pulver and The CJN Daily's Ellin Bessner. We're now airing the full, half-hour interview—alongside commentary from Gabe and his co-host, James Hirsh, on everything new in the world of Jews and sports, including the Gelof family's big week, Daniel Weinman winning the $12-million World Series of Poker, and whether the MLB's Cade Povich is Jewish. (The answer may surprise you!)

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Gabe and James will be visiting the tournament this week, and give a breakdown of what to expect from a Jewish perspective. Plus, they talk about the death of the Iron Sheik (and his deep connections to Toronto's Jewish community), Israel's incredible upset victory over Brazil in the U-20 World Cup, and a recent BBC article reflecting on Jewish hockey star Rudi Ball, who competed on the Olympic stage for Nazi Germany—and survived the Holocaust because of it.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Plus, Gabe and James recap all the Jewish plotlines of the NHL and NBA playoffs, including Jack Hughes's stellar game with the New Jersey Devils and the recently uncovered rivalry between the Jewish mortgage-broker owners of the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

This week, the Menschwarmers firmly hop aboard the Sacramento Kings bandwagon. Not because they've won their first playoff game in 17 years, nor because their coach and star point guard won big NBA awards. It's because Domantas Sabonis, their 26-year-old All-Star centre, is converting to Judaism to share the faith of his wife, Shashana Sabonis. We dig into what this means for Jewish sports fans, the legacy of Jewish basketball players and whether Draymond Green's now-infamous chest stomp on Sabonis should be considered a hate crime.

Plus, the boys chat about Jewish stars rising in the NHL playoffs and give a shout-out to Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, who led this year's March of the Living in Poland.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Plus, Gabe and James recap Israel's promising fall at the World Baseball Classic and the disappointing lack of Jewish basketball players competing in this year's NBA playoffs.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

Days before Horwitz's herculean swing, he joined the Menschwarmers for a friendly interview about his upbringing in Baltimore, why he joined Team Israel and how excited he is to get to Toronto for his first-ever major league game. Plus, Gabe and Jamie catch up on Max Homa's continued rise to stardom, Lance Stroll's feat of broken-wrist racing and the (unfortunately) historic game Team Israel played at the WBC after that initial Nicaraguan victory.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

So in anticipation of the WBC, the Menschwarmers couldn't help but put together a special hour-long episode dedicated to full-blown analysis—including a surprise guest appearance by MLB vet and World Series champ Ryan Lavarnway, a stalwart of the team who fills us in on where Team Israel has been and what their expectations are for the coming weeks.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Plus, Gabe and James find the Jewish connections in this year’s Super Bowl, gush about Zach Hyman’s very good year, and answer the unfortunate Kyrie Irving question: Did he get away with it?

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

While Israel didn't perform particularly well at the Winter Olympics and the few Jews in the NFL are flailing, we've had lots of victories to celebrate—including Alex Bregman's second World Series win, Max Homa's stellar year and Taylor Fritz becoming a top-10 tennis player. Plus, there are babies!

Thanks for listening this year—we'll see you all in 2023.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

While Plener was not at liberty to discuss the sale on this podcast, he still has plenty of stories to share, from his behind-the-scenes access to the birth of the Toronto Raptors to his all-star days with the Toronto Maple Leafs intercounty baseball club. And he explains how he got to where he is, including his biggest tip for any young lawyers hoping for a career in professional sports law.

Elsewhere in the episode, the boys chat about who they're rooting for at the World Cup (hint: not a lot of European countries with regrettable mid-20th-century histories), and they give props to Denis Shapovalov for helping to secure Canada's victory at the recently wrapped Davis Cup.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

The boys also recap what else is new in the world of Jews and sports, including Alex Bregman's World Series championship to Spencer Horwitz joining the Blue Jays' 40-man roster.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

As the issue appears to come to a close, there's no better podcast equipped to discuss the politics and stereotypical undertones than Menschwarmers, so James sat down with the three-hour video in question—and is here to tell you what he saw. After that, Rivka Campbell, host of The CJN podcast Rivkush, joins to explain who the Black Hebrew Israelites are and how their movement makes life difficult for Black Jews like herself.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

But what does Jewish law say about this? What does the Talmud say on the ethics of parlaying Zach Hyman points over 1.5 with Alex Bregman total bases over 2.5?

We wanted to ask a rabbi—so we did. Rabbi Avi Finegold, host of The CJN's weekly current affairs podcast Bonjour Chai, joins to chat about the halakhic implications of sports gambling—and, while we're at it, combat sports and gambling in general.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Goldstein joins the Menschwarmers for an rich dive into what the job will entail, the state of wine in ballparks across the world and what vinos pair best with hot dogs and garlic fries.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

What's perhaps most remarkable is how he's accomplished all this while while suffering from drop foot, a handicap that forces him to limp everywhere—except on the ice, where the stiffness of his hockey skates doubles as a brace.

Sherbatov is the subject of a new book, My Left Skate: The Extraordinary Story of Eliezer Sherbatov, by Anna Rosner, published by Yellow Dog, coming out October 2022. He and Rosner join to discuss the new book, his life's story and his excellent hockey hair.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

As a Jewish athlete, Leibel—now a lawyer in Toronto—was deeply affected by the crisis. Today, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Munich massacre, Leibel joins Menschwarmers, our podcast about Jews and sports, to share his story.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Applebaum joins the show to chat about his years as a young Jewish athlete, the upcoming Canadian Women's Open (and which Jewish players will be attending), and how excited he is to see the historically Jewish Oakdale club host next year's Canadian Open.

Plus, the boys chat about the Yankees' two Jewish players, Sue Bird's last regular season home game and Lenny Dykstra's bizarre antisemitic tweet tirade.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Since then, she's competed at the highest levels for her home country: at the Olympics, the Women's British Open, the LPGA and, of course, the Maccabiah, where she's won numerous gold medals. In all that time, she's proudly represented Israel, even displaying the Magen David on her golf shoes.

This year, on Aug. 15, she'll be teeing up at Montreal's Beaconsfield club as part of B'nai Brith Canada's second annual Chip Away at Hate Classic. We caught up with her while she was on the road in Michigan to hear about golf culture in the Holy Land and her thoughts about Montreal's abundance of Jewish greens.

Also in this episode, Gabe and Jamie give a quick Maccabiah 2022 recap, play a clip from Zach Hyman's recent fundraiser tournament and give props to the greatest Jewishly named pro MLB player to ever grace a baseball diamond: Bubby Rossman.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

In arguably no sport are the stakes higher than in hockey. The Canadian men's team won gold at the last Maccabiah in 2017, and the men's masters team came in second to Ukraine; however, the big story is women's hockey, which is making its Maccabiah debut this year.

To chat about what it takes to make it to the Israeli stage and how the teams are feeling going in, the Menschwarmers are joined by three hockey players: Lauren Weisbarth and Melissa Wronzberg of the women's team, and Mike Zbriger of the men's masters team.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Plus, Gabe and Jamie catch up on Jewish sports news, from Lance Stroll's latest race to Mike Jacobs all-star Moritz Seider winning the NHL's rookie of the year award. And Producer Michael pops in to discuss the new Adam Sandler movie Hustle, which is more Jewish than you might think.

• Read Larry Stone's article, "Sue Bird gets to retire on her terms. But the void she'll leave will be substantial"

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Plus, in this episode, Gabe recalls his adventures in sportfishing; we discuss Gabe Kapler's brief protest against America's inaction on gun control; we dig into Joc Pederson's slapping squabble with Tommy Pham; and we catch up on everything else new and noteworthy about the world of Jews and sports.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Gabe and James sit down to discuss what they thought of the movie, where the Hollywood adaptation took some liberties in storytelling and what the tale means for other postwar Jewish athletes and survivors. And while we're talking movies, on a much lighter note, we'll take a look at Adam Sandler's sports filmography to commemorate the newly dropped trailer for his upcoming film, Hustle. Plus we've got your usual update in all things Jews and sports, from Rowdy Tellez's hot streak to Lance Stroll's finish at the Miami Grand Prix.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Eisen sits down with James to explain his passion project. And before that, the hosts give their usual roundup of Jewish sports news, plus they dive deep into recent examples of non-Jewish athletes doing Jewish stuff, inspired by a long-hidden photo of the late Guy Lafleur holding a siddur.

What we talked about

• Read about Guy Lafleur's secret Jewish photograph
• Check out the Israel Baseball Academy

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

So pull up a chair, grab your haggadah and a hot dog, a cap with some karpas, a salty egg with some salty pretzels, and enjoy the second annual Menschwarmers Jewish baseball seder.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Plus, Gabe and Jamie update listeners on the standings of our GADYA tournament to determine the greatest Jewish athlete of all time, and we get an update on Roman Abramovich's departure from Chelsea FC.

Related links

• Listen to the Menschwarmers' interview with Colt Cabana
• Vote in our GADYA tournament at thecjn.ca/gadya
• Listen to The CJN Daily episode about Israel's first women's national hockey team

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

The story is developing just a month after another Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, publicly requested its fans to stop using the "Y word": Yid. For ages, the team and its fans have been known as the Yid Army, in a weirdly deep-seated backstory that has nothing itself to do with antisemitism. Was the Yid Army ever good for the Jews? Will Spurs fans actually stop using it?

To discuss these wild times of being a Jewish soccer fan, we're joined by David Gass, a sports broadcaster for Major League Soccer and early Menschwarmers guest from our very first season.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.

Aside from a handful of Jewish actors involved—notably Adrien Brody and Jason Segal as coaches Riley and Westhead, respectively—the real Judaism comes behind the scenes. The show's creators, Jim Hecht and Max Borenstein, are both Jewish, as is the man who wrote the book on which the show is based.

Jeff Pearlman is a veteran sportswriter who's written several books that haven't been turned into TV shows, as well as one, now, that has. He joins for a lengthy interview about his book, his writing process and, to settle an argument with his mother, his bar mitzvah.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Or maybe there just aren't enough Jews winning medals.

To discuss what went wrong at the Beijing Winter Olympics, and look at how Jewish and Israel athletes performed, we're joined by Louis Keene, a reporter at the Forward who's been covering the games. Follow him on Twitter @thislous.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Plus, we discuss the least-Jewish Superbowl in years and the complicated politics that go into China hosting another Olympic games.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Ask Mark Hebscher, and he'll tell you his answer: Ida Schnall. Hebsy is writing a four-part series for The CJN on why Schnall—whose career spanned sprinting, diving, baseball and Hollywood fame—deserves the spotlight over everyone else. After that, the Menschwarmers reveal their picks for the G.A.D.Y.A (Greatest Athlete: Division Yiddish Athletics).

Read Part 1 and Part 2 of Mark Hebscher's series on Ida Schnall at thecjn.ca.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Plus: a baseball recap, a hockey preview and a debate over the age-old question: if you could choose one antisemitic conspiracy to be true, which would it be?

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Rawitch, whose family more than doubled the Jewish population of Cooperstown, NY, joins to talk about how he landed the job and share stories of a few lesser-known Jewish entrants in the hall.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Cabana joins the Menschwarmers to chat about his rise to fame, his podcast, his decision to join the nascent AEW and how he faced antisemitism along the way.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

But the veteran announcer hasn't disappeared: he landed a gig as the baseball columnist for the Toronto Star; his baseball podcast, Deep Left Field, is one of the highest-rated baseball podcasts on Apple; and he recently finished a run calling games for Team Israel Baseball during their barnstorming tour of the Northeastern United States.

Wilner joins Gabe and Jamie to chat about his long career, his new ventures and why he doesn't often ask ball players if they're Jewish.

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

Before jetting off to Edmonton with his wife and eight-month-old son, Hyman spared some time to join us for a conversation about his Jewish roots in Toronto, looking for a new community in Edmonton and why his jersey is hanging on a wall at the Burger Shack at Avenue and Eglinton.

Plus: Gabe and Jamie break down a few recent Jewish Olympic medalists and give props to Rowdy Tellez for his latest hot streak.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network—find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers, and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter @cjnpodcasts.

This episode was recorded live on Zoom at an event hosted by Stand With Us Canada on Aug. 5, 2021.

Credits

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook, or find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Plus: don't forget to register for the Menschwarmers' first-ever live event! We'll be reviewing how Jewish Olympians fared at the games, including highlights, lowlights and Shabbat candlelights. We're organizing it with StandWithUs Canada and it's happening Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Register at thecjn.ca/tokyo2020

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook, or find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

To give an overview, the Menschwarmers are joined today by Emily Burack, deputy managing editor of Alma, who has spent the last few months investigating and writing about Jewish Olympians from around the world.

Relevant links:

• Follow Emily on Twitter (@emburack) or Instagram (@emburack)
• Read her stories at heyalma.com
• Listen to the Menschwarmers' past Olympics episodes: an interview with Canadian fencer Eli Schenkel, baseball pitcher Dean Pelman and baseball coach Nate Fish

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook, or find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook, or find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

In today's episode, Eli joins the Menschwarmers to explain how he got into the game, why Jews have excelled with the epee, and how excited he is to go to the fences to represent our country in next month's Tokyo Olympics. Will Eli and his team medal—or will their plans be foiled?

Related links

• Learn more about Eli's fencing club, S-Class Fencing, at sclass.ca
• Follow Eli on Instagram (@one.seven.three)

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook, or find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Plus: the boys play a good old round of "Jew or Not a Jew" with owners of the remaining NBA and NHL playoff teams. Tony Ressler? Mike Chipman? Ann Walton Kroenke? Place your bets and play along!

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook.

Related links:

• Read James's piece, "The anti-Semitic double standard faced by every Jewish athlete", at thecjn.ca
• Follow Cody Decker on Twitter (@Decker6) and Instagram (@antiherobaseball)
• Listen to Cody's podcast, Big Time Baseball, at Audacy

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook.

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook.

When Dodgers Stadium was built, it displaced an entire community of Latinos in Los Angeles. It's a story told by sports journalist Eric Nusbaum in his new book, Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between. Eric joins the Menschwarmers to chat about this and more.

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. The theme music is "4bstr4ck3r" By Brass (feat. Daman). It's distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook. Find Stealing Home on Amazon (or at a more ethical bookseller, if you can), and follow Eric on Twitter.

When 19-year-old Israeli basketball player Deni Avdija was drafted to the Washington Wizards, Jewish NBA fans went nuts. The Wizards have since created websites and social media accounts in Hebrew to cater to their newfound fans. To chat about the effect Deni's had on the team and the city, the Menschwarmers are joined by Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. The theme music is "4bstr4ck3r" By Brass (feat. Daman). It's distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and The CJN Podcast Network on Twitter and Facebook. You can find Fred Katz on Twitter and at _The Athletic_.

Did we miss anything? The Menschwarmers are back in full swing, after a 10-month hiatus (and the closure, then revival, of The CJN). Jody Avirgan, the former host of ESPN's 30 for 30 podcast and a current host of This Day In Esoteric Political History—as well as an avid ultimate disc tosser—joins Jamie and Gabe in the first show of, uh, we'll call this Season 2. Sure. Why not.

Menschwarmers is hosted by Gabe Pulver and Jamie Hirsh, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our music is “Brass” by 4bstr4ck3r feat. Daman. You can follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter and follow The CJN Podcast Network on Facebook, or follow Jody on Twitter.