The Avrum Rosensweig Show

Episode 15 - The Marty & Avrum Radio Years

Can you say which of the decades in your life was the most fun? Is that possible?

From 1995 - 2005, Marty Galin and I, were partners on radio and television, and there is no doubt that those ten years were an absolute blast and indeed, the funnest of my life! Have a listen to this podcast and you'll here all about those special years and our time together, including five years on Talk 640, five years on CFRB and the TV shows we did together like The Movable Feast.

My dear, best friend Marty, is one of the most exciting, vivacious, spirited and animitated people on planet earth. I had the luck, or as we say in Hebrew, the mazel, of meeting him at Julius Ciss's (now there's another crazy story), Passover Seder in 1985 and we hit it off immediately. Not only did Marty introduce me to the world of entertainment, he showed me a different way of life, a downtown sort of way (versus my Jewish uptown lifestyle). I absolutely owe him huge amounts of gratitude for all of this and more, and I said so on this Hatradio! podcast.

Tune into our one and a half hours together, Episode 15 on Hatradio!, and learn about our friendship. Discover our interviews with such greats as chefs: Marc Thuet (Centro RIP), Mark McEwan (North 44, RIP), Michael Stadlander (Eigensinn Farm) as well as our live musical guests like: Michael Buble, Jose Feliciano (whom we sang 'Light my Fire' with) and Harry Belafonte.

Listen and hear about our many, many interviews with local cooks, waiters and waitresses, restaurateurs, sommeliers, Ontario and international vineyard owners, fire-fighters who cook, little Jewish ladies who made us a sabbath on our show, The Movable Feast and more. 

I love my beautiful friend, Marty and am grateful for what he has done for me. I was excited to do this schmooze/interview with him and felt like I was presenting him with a gift in response to the legacy he has helped me build.  

I love you Marty and am honored to have spent my funniest decade with you. Have a listen folks to HATRADIO!, The Show that Schmoozes! 

  

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  

Episode 14 Vicky Weiss: A Foodie Without Borders

“Unless I go to your house, and you come to mine we will not truly get too know one another”. - Vicky Weiss

A bowl of soup might just be a thing to slurp for some, but to others it’s a warm broth that acts as a tool for caring and reaching out to others. Vicky Weiss, born in Ottawa, a mom of 2 and a very serious foodie, is one of those people who knows how to make, manage and present a bowl of soup with finesse to help family and friends afflicted by loneliness, colds, or regular hunger. Soup to Vicky is a way of forging relationships, and strengthening the world.

Vicky is my feisty, beautiful friend whose dad owned a sporting store when she was kid, and and whose mom owned a lingerie store (and that should be enough for a good interview). She is generous of spirit in an uncomplicated and straight forward way. Her heightened level of giving is a talent Vicky developed after becoming a religious Jew (for love and marriage) and joining the Or Chaim Yeshiva community, modern Orthodox Jewish folk.

Vicky was a recipient of their caring following the birth of her son who had a physical challenge, such as home visits by a few doctors from the yeshiva, other moms with hordes of food and dads and families with offers for assistance in any way she needed.

To this day she attributes her heightened level of giving to Or Chaim even though she ultimately gave up “Frum” (religious) Judaism. The marriage had a shelf life of two decades.

Vicky Weiss is a crazy, frickin foodie, not the regular type who celebrates a pink sirloin steak, but more-so a person who will posts all over social media her recent dinner of cabbage steak and portobello mushroom burger. 

Similarly, unlike most who adore cheese Vicky has actually taken many cheese classes because of her appreciation of its “flavours, the gooeyness and its stickiness”. She adored stinky blue cheese.

While she hasn’t had cheese in a year because of her conversion to veganism she misses it greatly and can still taste it in her brain. Vicky loves colourful food like cumquats and appreciates artistic serviettes. She had a serviette collection.

There is no doubt food is a way of forming friendships, a way of saying thank you, a way of being kind to someone who is sick, Vicky says.

Listen to episode 14 with Vicky Weiss, an extraordinarily kind sort, who comes from romantic and adventuresome parents who imparted to their daughter the tastes of Eden and the joys of life.

Hatradio! The show that schmoozes.

 

Episode 13 Gabrielle Klein: Doctor to Charedi Jews

Dr. Gabrielle Klein was born in Toronto, Canada. She is the child of a Holocaust survivor, a man who driven by knowledge and the intention to teach his two daughters as much about our world as possible.  Gabrielle devoured what her father had to teach.

Her intellectual growth took her down a road which lead to University of Toronto Medical School, where she ultimately graduated as a doctor. But Gabrielle was not only passionate about medicine. She had a deep seeded love for Israel. She says unabashedly, "I am a Zionist".  

Gabrielle, often known as Gabby, married Dennis Klein (a yeshiva friend of mine) and the two set about creating a family of six children, and eventually moved to Israel where they live in Efrat in Judea and Samaria. Nearby, in Beitar, Gabby built a practice where she tends predominantly to the Charedi community, the ultra Orthodox community in the area.

In this episode, Gabby speaks fondly of her patients and is deeply proud of her ability to help them enhance their lives through health care and education and advocacy. Gabby gives us insight into the thoughts and feelings of this often mysterious community, including those of men, women and children. It's fascinating to hear.

Gabrielle is a type-A personality. She is a wife and mom, a loyal and committed daughter, a doctor and she loves adventures including her successful 2018 climb of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Shalva, a non-profit in Israel 'that supports and empowers individuals with disabilities and their families'. I cringed when she spoke about maneuvering over thin crevices thousands of feet in the sky.  I am not brave. 

Listen to this episode of Hatradio! and learn about this fascinating and courageous woman who explores many facets of her life and the world in which we live in. Gabrielle Klein is inspiring to listen to and compels one to begin preparing for their own mountain climb. 

Hatradio!   The show that schmoozes. 

 

 

 

 

Episode 12 Clive Caldwell: Squash & The Man

Clive Caldwell was born 67 years ago to good British folk. He was lousy at school and in fact failed grade 10. But his Dad, Brian,who is now 97, recognized his son's special nature and the old man set about teaching his strappingly handsome son the game of squash.

Soon enough Clive started to fly, dominate the game and over time arrive at a place only champions get to - seeded number 2 in the world and an international doubles champion! The perils of Grade 10 seemed pretty far away and like many of us do, Clive showed school doesn't necessarily illicit the brilliance inside of us. That can come from a place far far away from a classroom, sometimes a squash court.  

Time galloped onward and Clive married Marianne. They had three children, two of whom are physically challenged. But as always, Clive 'kept his head up' and he and his wife raised those kids with gumption and purpose. Slowly but surely, the squash champ turned instructor, began owning pieces of sports clubs in downtown Toronto, well placed ones with incredible potential. The clubs grew and became the hottest work out spots in the downtown area attracting people such as the late philanthropist, Ken Thomson and internationally renowned singer/songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot.

Unfortunately, Marianne got sick. Cancer. Clive took care of her. He took care of his kids. Marianne passed away, RIP. Today, Clive is married to the lovely, Lorna. It's always special when two people share their lives happily and with blessings. 

Clive continued to grow personally and professionally. He began to give back to the community he appreciated so much through the launch of Urban Squash, a non-profit that "combines an intensive after-school, 7 days-a-week, yearlong education program with concentrated athletics (principally squash)...with youth in the Jane-Finch." The goal of Urban Squash is to give young people at risk the chance to maximize their "academic, athletic and personal potential". The students involved in the program begin in Grade 6 and continue right until the end of high-school. I’m 2013, Clive raised money for Urban Squash by walking the Camino de Santiago, a 820- kilometers pilgrimage across Spain. He then walked another 100 kilometer to the ocean.  Upon the completion of his trek Clive stated, “it was one of the most emotional days of my life.”

Clive Caldwell is an inspirational fellow. Listen to this interview on Hatradio! and learn from the man. Learn how to be positive in light of enormous challenges. Learn how to maximize life and its gifts and how to grow every single day. Clive can teach you that. And it's well worth learning from  him. Hatradio! The show that schmoozes. 

(Special thanks to David Nefesh for Hatradio! music and Howard Pasternack for post-production and voice-over.) 

Episode 11: Lynda Kraar A Masterpiece of a Woman

I've never met another woman like Lynda Kraar. We've been friends for many years, albeit with some hiatuses along the road (similar to that of many good friends), but when we have a reunion of sorts, little has changed. The moment she and I connect, my dear Lynda, 59,  mother of two, lets me know with the warmth of a mother bear, how much she loves me, missed me and begins to make plans for us as we move forward, again.

I first met Lynda at United Jewish Appeal. She and I raised some shit there including writing a regular newsletter. One edition was titled, 'the morale in this place stinks'. Nobody said a word about it. I fell for her right away because she had that certain bravado that one only sees in people who are struggling to make good, of which she was, being a second generation Holocaust Survivor. 

As you'll hear in the eleventh episode of Hatradio! Lynda's parents didn't speak to one another. They were 'bro'gis' as we say in Yiddish (really deeply pissed at one another), and little Lynda, at four or five years old would yell at them to stop fighting. But they didn't and she learned how to live with that. Mostly, this only child, developed a way to move forward in life including picking up the guitar at eight years old and learning how to play it despite the fact her little fingers could not reach around the neck.

Today, Lynda performs around New Jersey, here in Toronto and wherever the wind will take her. And she is kick-ass on the axe, owns a dozen of them, and she sings heartfelt songs of her own composition that makes you wonder about who you love and how much. And she plays the oud and has attended oud camp. Listen to what she has to say about the renaissance of music. The woman is well versed in music, most aspects of it.

My dear Lynda has been married three times and loved em' all. Her final marriage, so far, was to Jewish community worker rock-star, Marty Kraar, who passed away at 69, when Lyn was 51. They were soulmates. Nuts about each other. He whipped her into shape and showed her how to love well because, in her own words, "I was terrible at being a wife".  Listen to Lynda talk about mourning for Marty. 

Lynda has raised millions of dollars. She surrounds herself with friends and frequently will let you know about new and old ones. I love the way she states their names as if I know them. Lynda Kraar, is a refreshing and unique human being. I've never met anyone like her and likely never will. She is a masterpiece of a woman. Enjoy her. I have.

Hatradio! The show that schmoozes. 

Episode 10: Bernie Farber - Open a Mouth

Bernie Farber is a well known human rights activist, a writer and Jewish leader. He has courageously challenged white supremacists and worked along side Native Canadians through his partnership with philanthropist, Michael Dan. Bernie's motivation to: chair Ve'ahavta: The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian & Relief Committee, teach local police ways and means of dealing with hate crimes, work at Canadian Jewish Congress from 1984-2011, and ultimately become its CEO, and so much more, stems from a lessons in life he was taught by his father Max RIP, a Holocaust survivor and only remaining Jew from his village. His Dad, who owned a food store minutes away from Parliament in Ottawa, told Bernie, if he wanted to change things in this world, fix it, he'd have to "open a mouth". Open a mouth Bernie did.

His opinions and thoughts about fighting anti-Semitism can be read in articles he's penned for The New York Times, Toronto Star, Huffington Post, NOW Magazine, Canadian Jewish News and many more publications. He has acted as an expert witness in cases against Holocaust deniers and led the Paloma Foundation, an organization that worked with youth and homeless shelters and ran for the Liberal party in 2011 . Bernie's accomplishments go on and on. 

Listen to episode 10 of Hatradio! and learn about Bernie's awesome recipe for chicken. Hear about his friendship and work with Larry Tenenbaum and former Canadian prime minister, Paul Martin. Hear Bernie sing a song about peace originally sung by Joan Baez. Discover the hit-list Bernie was on and how he was ultimately saved by a CSIS mole. And be privy to his feelings about his beautiful wife, kids and family, some of whom perished in the Holocaust. "Open a Mouth" is one of those podcasts you don't want to miss. It's about one of Canada's leading Jewish leaders who just never keeps quiet. 

Hatradio!  The show that schmoozes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episode 9: Joan Ruzsa: Justice, Therapy & Climbing Rocks

I was sitting in a club, about ten years ago, where my friend David, was playing guitar with a fellow musician, Lynda, whom he had recently met. Lynda's friend came along, Joan, and over the loud rhythmic noises emanating from the stage, she and I struck up a conversation. It was difficult to hear her - "what", i kept saying -  but I was able to catch her very dry vermouth-like humor, recognize Joan's smarts and the way she kind of forced me to respond with wise quips.

And I liked her tattoos.

I had never really schmoozed with a woman like that. We ultimately fell in love and dated for seven years. That's my shelf life, and pretty much her's for relationships. But that's not the point really. What is? Well it's the fact I'd met someone who is a 'warrior'. And we became friends.

Joan Ruzsa is focused. She is tunnel-vision focus so much so that if a boulder or a person gets in her way she goes around them, or through them. Joan is unbend-able, until she decides she wants to bend. Seven years of therapy school, ultimately graduating as a therapist helped her with that. But mostly, this 46 year-old purveyor of truth is the only person I had ever met whom I wanted to write a script about. I never did but that's not because her light has faded in my eyes. No, not at all, but simply because I come up with a zillion ideas and only implement one or two of them.

What would the script be about? It would include an entire scene with dim lighting showing Joan on the phone in her office at Rittenhouse (where she is the CEO), a non-profit mandated to help guys on the 'inside' - in jail, and educate the public on the cruel reality of incarceration and the possibility of alternative forms of justice. She would be talking with a 'lifer' in a penitentiary somewhere in Ontario. She would be counselling him on how to deal with his depression, or ways and means she could help gather documentation to use for his next trial, or what to say to his mom when she calls him again and cries the entire phone call.

Joan is an activist. She is the same decent, loving, curious, funny, serious person I met at that club whom I could barely here, who fights the fight with bare fists and does so graciously, with class and charisma. She climbs walls in her spare time and is now learning how to use her bread maker and make vegan donuts. Joan is bubbling over with growth and she gives an enormous shit about our world and the most vulnerable.

Have a listen, and learn, and grow yourself. There is much to see here, much to hear. Joan Ruzsa, on Hatradio! the show that schmoozes. 

Episode 8: Aaron Bensoussan The Little Sephardic boy Turned World-class Ashkanazi Cantor

Aaron Bensoussan was born into a most prestigious Moroccan family with roots going back to Maimonides, a 12th century leading Jewish sage.  At the tender age of 14 years old, his parents sent him to New York City to learn, with the possibility of becoming a rabbi. There he was exposed to an Ashkanazi (Eastern European) way of life and a dramatically different culture. The young man had to get used to his new freedoms, the ways of Americans and a different menu which included the previously unknown "and strange' cereal called porridge for breakfast versus his back-home morning meal of croissants and cafe au lait. Things had changed for young Aaron, a lot!

After hearing the great Ashkenazi singer, Yossele Rosenblatt, Aaron fell in love with chazanute, Eastern European Jewish cantorial song.  With the odds stacked against him, Aaron was accepted into Jewish schools of higher learning where he studied under world-class  composers and cantors. One of his greatest mentors and teachers was the great David Koussevitzky.  Aaron graduated and over time this unique cantor accepted synagogue gigs in New York and later on in Toronto. 

One Shabbat morning Aaron fused together the kvetch (the cry) of Ashkenazi music with that of Sephardic liturgical music creating a refreshingly new Jewish cantorial motif.  He was worried he’d be fired but in fact the congregants loved it.  Aaron’s career was established and it skyrocketed. He was asked to sing around the world with many of the greats in places like  Australia, Israel and behind the Iron Curtain.

Today Aaron Benssousan is a composer, a teacher, a student of Talmud, a spouse and a father. His work is appreciated across the planet with today's cantorial stars in concerts and services. Aaron uses his gift of singing for much good and an extension of his kindness. 

Listen to the interview and learn about this most talented and soulful man and  the many musical and personal challenges he has overcome. HAT RADIO! The Show that Schmoozes.

To learn more about Aaron click on his website: 

www.aaronbensoussan.com/

 

 

 

Episode 7: Chavi Rosenzweig: My Sister. A Survivor of Tragedy. A Student of Love & Joy!

We coddle our kids nowadays rarely letting them out of our site. But Chavi Rosenzweig (born Chavi Rosensweig) the second daughter of a Rabbi and Rebbetzin and a "homebody",  left her home in a small city at 14 years of age to attend school in the big city, Toronto. She and her four siblings, 17 and under, shared an apartment together. Imagine! The first part of this interview deals with Chavi’s early years, her memories of the magical environment in her parents home, her love of Judaism and the independence she had to develop. And it’s good she did.

Later on in life Chavi met David Rosenzweig (Rosenzweig with a “z”) her husband to be. He was her soulmate. She was his. They had six children. One evening, following Shabbat David was called to help one of their children with a flat tire. Waiting for a tow-truck, an angry, erratic and dangerous man on a mission to buy drugs, killed David just like that. David was in the wrong place at the wrong time. At that very moment Chavi’s life changed “never to be the same”. Listen to this compelling part of the interview and be privy to what Chavi did to stay standing, to survive, to build a sound, beautiful life for she and her children. Hear her appreciation for so many people who were part of her village and helped ensure their joy today. 

Chavi Rosenzweig's story is inspiring and life-changing. Take some quiet time to learn and grow through this episode of Hat Radio! Its worth it.

Hat Radio! The show that schmoozes.

“The deeper the darkness the more you need to open your eyes to your blessings.”   - Chavi Rosenzweig

 

Episode 6: Roz Gelade -- Rescue Me! Rescue Me! I rescued myself!

Roz Gelade was eight years old when she and her family moved away from their place of birth, England, to Montreal. The wee little lass suffered terribly from separation anxiety and wanted so badly to be rescued and returned to that place where she felt safe. It was not to be. Later on in life, after a move to Toronto, her parents decided it would be wise to send Roz to secretarial school. She missed the first six weeks. Again, Roz like many, sought rescue to a life whereby she could embrace her passion whatever that might be. One day, driving up to Steve's Restaurant, Roz spotted a cat with her kittens. Instinctively, she sprung up. Roz fed them. Roz gave them shelter. Roz adopted them out. She rescued them. And so launched the genesis of this diminutive English girl's (turned highly impressive woman) career as a professional in the cat field. Soon enough Roz launched a non-profit using her own paradigm for rescue, care of cats and bringing joy to humankind. To this day she can regularly be found on the streets of Toronto ensuring the safety of Toronto's felines. While Roz's career-trajectory has not gone straight up she is on fire. Her has inspired many and her deep deep love of all God's creations has changed the lives of many. Finally Roz was rescued and the rescuer was herself. 

HAT RADIO! THE SHOW THAT SCHMOOZES.    

(Special thanks to David Nefesh for his original song, 'Hat Radio' and to Howard Pasternack, our technical guy. The two bring a lot to HAT RADIO!)