Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

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What is happening to Jewish Canadians, and what it tells us about the country Canada thought it was?

In today’s episode, Dan is joined by Jesse Brown, founder, editor, and publisher of Canadaland, to discuss how Jewish life in Canada has changed since October 7. Drawing on months of reporting for his six-part investigative series What Is Happening Here, Jesse explains why antisemitism in Canada feels more targeted, more tolerated, and more systemic than many outsiders understand. They discuss attacks on Jewish schools and synagogues, the role of progressive institutions and campus culture, the collapse of old assumptions about diaspora belonging, and whether Canadian Jewish life can ever go back to what it was.

Listen to Jesse’s six-part investigative podcast series here. 

See Jesse at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan on May 21. More info here.

In this episode:

- Jesse Brown’s life as a Canadian Jew before October 7

- Why Jesse says his diaspora Jewish world is crumbling

- What Jewish life in Canada feels like now

- How Jewish schools, synagogues, and neighborhoods became targets

- Why antisemitism in Canada feels more systemic

- Canada’s postnational identity and the politics of settler colonialism

- The role of Islamist extremism and what Canada refuses to name

- Why anti-Zionist activism in Canada has become more explicit

- Zionism, anti-Zionism, and why Jesse says the labels matter less than the harm

- The fractures inside Canada’s Jewish community

- Why Jesse still wants to fight for diaspora Jewish life

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

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This is a sneak peek from the members-only edition of Inside Call Me Back, where Dan is joined by Ark Media contributor Tal Becker. In this sneak peek Tal answer a question from our community: are we witnessing the splintering of Israeli society into the two Kingdoms of Israel and Judah?

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

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This is a news update from Ark News Daily. Subscribe here to Ark News Daily

In this episode:

A leaked report reveals Naftali Bennett privately disparaged his alliance with Yair Lapid as a “strategic mistake,” raising doubts about whether their new joint party can successfully unify the opposition against Netanyahu.

An Australian investigation into a deadly Sydney terror attack found authorities failed to act on prior warnings, highlighting a broader pattern of under-resourced prevention and potential Iran-linked threats across Western countries.

Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound activist flotilla has sparked a global narrative battle, underscoring the widening gap between accusations against Israel and its efforts to counter them through public diplomacy.

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This episode was sponsored by Birthright: Invest in the Jewish future today at onetripchangeseverything.com.

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Bennett and Lapid unite, but does it change anything?  

On Sunday, without any prior warning, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announced they’re joining forces, launching a new unified party called “Beyachad” — “together.” The move comes months ahead of Israel’s October elections, and it immediately raises more questions than answers.

What are they really trying to accomplish? Does this strengthen the anti-Netanyahu bloc — or unintentionally weaken it? And what does it mean for Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the other centrist party and is being pressured by Bennett to join him and Lapid?

This is already shaping up to be one of the most dramatic election cycles in Israel’s history — and one the Jewish diaspora will be watching more closely than ever.

In this episode:

6:30 – Bennett and Lapid's history

21:50 – Bennett's theory of the race

26:35 – The role of the war in the elections

31:00 – Structural strengths and weaknesses of both blocks

34:00 – Gadi Eisenkot's next move

42:25 – Avigdor Lieberman's strategy

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

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Is Israel heading toward another war with Hezbollah, or is it already in one?

Dan is joined by counterterrorism expert Matt Levitt to unpack the fragile reality between Israel, Lebanon, and Hezbollah. While Hezbollah was significantly degraded, the threat never disappeared. Even as diplomatic efforts try to stabilize the situation, Israel is now actively working to prevent the group from rebuilding. 

They discuss life in Israel’s north, Hezbollah’s status in Lebanon, the limits of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the risks of escalation. The conversation also explores new U.S.-backed diplomacy, and whether there’s a real path to long-term stability, or just a managed conflict.

In this episode:

4:20 – What the 2024 ceasefire was supposed to accomplish

5:55 – How much of Hezbollah’s capabilities were actually degraded

6:55 – Why life in northern Israel still hasn’t returned to normal

11:20 – Inside the IDF’s ongoing campaign in southern Lebanon

17:10 – Why the Lebanese Armed Forces haven’t fully disarmed Hezbollah

21:50 – Hezbollah’s role inside Lebanese politics and society today

25:10 – The threat of Hezbollah’s Unit 121 and internal intimidation

27:10 – New U.S.-led diplomacy and whether it can change the equation

36:10 – Whether Israel may need a long-term presence in southern Lebanon

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Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel

Get in touch

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo