Shows / Menschwarmers
Menschwarmers
The world’s biggest Jewish sports podcast. Join Gabe and Jamie for laid-back interviews with pro athletes, executives and athletes; global commentary on Jewish and Israeli sports; and surprisingly in-depth investigations into whether athletes whose names sound Jewish actually are. Follow us on Twitter @menschwarmers. Brought to you by The Canadian Jewish News Podcast Network.
Episodes
- Menschwarmers
Jewish NBA players to watch this season
Just over two weeks into the NBA season, Jewish basketball players are making a big impact on the court, with several high-profile athletes competing for major…
- Menschwarmers
Jonny Lazarus on the Jewish NHL boom
Jewish hockey is having a moment. Players like Adam Fox, the Hughes brothers, Zeev Buium, Zach Hyman, Jake Walman and Devon Levi are having a major impact on…
- Menschwarmers
Jewish baseball players to watch in the 2026 MLB playoffs
Baseball’s postseason is here, which means the Menschwarmers have some important questions: Which Jewish players might actually get into a game, who has a…
- Menschwarmers
Meet Chaim Galbut, the Orthodox ‘Jewish Rodman’ heading to Division I basketball
Summer is winding down, which means the Menschwarmers are back in their natural habitat: wondering which Jews might make NFL rosters, how our baseball stars…
- Menschwarmers
Sitting down with Tamir Goodman & Ricky Davis at the JCC Maccabi Games
This summer, Toronto is a host city to one of the biggest sporting events in the world. No, not the World Cup—it's the JCC Maccabi Games, held in Canada for…
- Menschwarmers
Egypt lost? Blame that Zionist Messi!
The recent FIFA World Cup match between Egypt and Argentina became a surprising battleground for—what else?—the Israel-Palestine debate. The Egyptian coach…
- Menschwarmers
FIFA peace prize + Jewish celebs love the Knicks
The FIFA World Cup has taken over Toronto, Vancouver and cities across the United States and Mexico. Here in Canada, its early days were marred by…
- Menschwarmers
NBA star Chet Holmgren's Jewish heritage, revealed
The Menschwarmers received an anonymous tip last year that a rising star in the NBA has Jewish heritage. We dug into it, and are the first to report that it is…
- Menschwarmers
Wayne Gretzky has Jewish heritage—and we have questions
On a podcast last year, Wayne Gretzky quietly—almost meekly—revealed his "grandfather was 50 percent Jewish", and fled Eastern Europe at a time when having any…
- Menschwarmers
Alan Shipnuck wrote the book on Rory McIlroy. Then Rory won at Augusta
Alan Shipnuck is one of the most celebrated golf writers in the industry. When he began penning a biography of Rory McIlroy in 2024, he assumed he had some…
- Menschwarmers
The new (Jewish) faces of curling
Curling is consistently one of the most-watched Winter Olympic sports, pulling in millions of viewers worldwide. But when the athletes return home—and curlers…
- Menschwarmers
[From North Star] Meet the Canadian entrepreneur putting Jewish athletes on matzah boxes
In 2024, the image of Jake Retzlaff—the only Jewish quarterback ever to play for Brigham Young University’s football team—adorned special editions of…
- Menschwarmers
Jack Hughes, Team Israel, and a Jeopardy champion: a big few weeks for Jews in sports
The 2026 Winter Olympics ended on a very Jewish note with an overtime goal scored by NHL star Jack Hughes. Brother Quinn Hughes, also a member of the…
- Menschwarmers
[From North Star] Toronto’s James Hirsh says winning ‘Jeopardy!’ was the ‘thrill of a lifetime’
Last week, millions of people watched one of our own stand behind a podium on Jeopardy! — and win. Toronto lawyer James Hirsh, co-host of The CJN’s…
- Menschwarmers
Mensch for $400 Please
What is a very special announcement from Jamie? Credits Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver Producer: Michael Fraiman Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π…
- Menschwarmers
The true story of Alfred Nakache, who went from Olympic swimmer to Auschwitz survivor—and back to the Olympics again
Alfred Nakache is a famous athletic icon within France—but outside the country, his story is not well known. Born in 1915 to a Jewish family that fled Iraq for…
- Menschwarmers
2026 Winter Olympics preview: Israeli skeletons, USA hockey, Jewish curlers and more
The 2026 Winter Olympics start this week, taking over northern Italy from Feb. 6-22. But while Jewish sports fan might be eager to root for their fellow…
- Menschwarmers
Olympic hockey snubs + golf in January
The Menschwarmers return after a lengthy winter break! In this mid-January catch-all catch-up, Gabe and James get started looking at arguably the biggest trade…
- Menschwarmers
'Marty Supreme' could be the best Hanukkah movie that doesn't take place around Hanukkah
As far as Jewish filmmakers go, the Safie brothers could well be the GOATs (Greatest Of All Time) when it comes to Jewish sports cinema. One of their earliest…
- Menschwarmers
Getting nachas from Deni Avdija, Zach Hyman and Jake Retzlaff
It's taken the Menschwarmers several weeks of mourning to get over the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and no amount of…
- Menschwarmers
Blue Jays nachas + Israeli soccer breakdown
Even though the Toronto Blue Jays traded away Spencer Horwitz, their only recent Jewish player, there are still multiple Hebraic angles that our Jewish sports…
- Menschwarmers
Rise of the Blue Jays & fall of Israel–Premier Tech
After a tumultuous season, international cycling team Israel–Premier Tech, co-owned by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, is officially going to change…
- Menschwarmers
Why did Tennis Canada bar fans from attending the Israel-Canada Davis Cup match? We have theories
Canadians who've never before heard of the Davis Cup, a men's team tennis tournament, grew outraged when they discovered Canada was hosting Israel in a match…
- Menschwarmers
Keith Law on the New York Yankees swastika incident
In July, the New York Yankees drafted a Canadian shortstop from Wyoming, Ont., named Core Jackson. They did so despite knowing that Jackson, as a 17-year-old…
- Menschwarmers
Jake Retzlaff starts a new chapter
Jake Retzlaff has earned a spot as one of America's top college football quarterbacks, rising with the Brigham Young University Cougars as the first Jewish…
- Menschwarmers
Reporting from the Toronto Indy + NBA Summer League recap
From July 18-20, Torontonians everywhere in the city heard the thunderous roar of racing cars running circuits around the downtown Exhibition Place. The…
- Menschwarmers
Ben Saraf & Danny Wolf: The Brooklyn Nets' two new Jews
On the first night of the NBA draft on June 25, the most surprising team was undoubtedly the Brooklyn Nets. They had five first-round picks—and, for the first…
- Menschwarmers
Josh Goldenberg: From Goldman Sachs to pro golfer
In March 2025, Josh Goldenberg had all but given up his dreams of playing professional golf. Using his finance degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he…
- Menschwarmers
Robert Shwartzman, Jewish Knicks fans and Jim Irsay's legacy
Jewish racing fans were thrilled to see rookie Robert Shwartzman win what's called "pole position"—the starting spot, ahead of all other racers—at this week's…
- Menschwarmers
How Yeshiva University's basketball team handled the season after Oct. 7
Yeshiva University's men's basketball team rose to prominence during a Cinderella run in the 2021-22 season, earning the league's longest winning streak under…
- Menschwarmers
NHL playoffs: Edmonton Oilers? More like the Oy-lers
If you're the type of sports fan who wants to root for the most Jewish team in any given postseason, the Edmonton Oilers deserve consideration for your pick…
- Menschwarmers
Baseball's back, so here are the MLB's top Jewish players
For many Jews, spring means Passover is coming. For the Menschwarmers, it means baseball season has started—and we're here to take a look at the top athletes…
- Menschwarmers
3 of the 4 top NCAA basketball teams are coached by Jews. Here's our theory why
Some might call Purim "March Madness", but in the sports world, that title is reserved for the NCAA men's Division I basketball tournament, when some of the…
- Menschwarmers
Country Club Adjacent: One comic's dream to blend comedy, golf and Judaism
The pandemic famously sparked new public interest in golf courses, the outdoor sport one could argue was designed for social distancing. It was at that time…
- Menschwarmers
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame wants to resonate with younger audiences. Here's how
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, with an accompanying museum in Israel, recently announced their inductees for 2025—including former NBA star…
- Menschwarmers
Israel Baseball back in the spotlight with a new documentary
On Jan. 21, the Prosserman JCC in Toronto will host the Canadian premiere of Israel Swings for Gold, the documentary sequel to the sleeper hit Heading Home…
- Menschwarmers
The Blue Jays traded their only Jewish player and we've got mixed feelings about it
On Dec. 10, news broke that the Toronto Blue Jays were trading Jewish first baseman Spencer Horwitz to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for second baseman…
- Menschwarmers
Game-changer: Two Jewish founders are creating a new pro women’s baseball league
Professional women's sports are having a banner year in 2024. The new pro women's hockey league welcomed record-breaking numbers in January; the WNBA has…
- Menschwarmers
Jewish basketball players to watch this NBA season
We've just wrapped up one of the most special days in any Jewish sports fan's calendar: no, not Simchat Torah or Yom Kippur, but the so-called "sports…
- Menschwarmers
2024 NHL and MLB postseason preview: Here are the Jewish athletes to watch
The leaves have begun falling and NHL season is around the corner, so the Menschwarmers are back with a hockey season preview. Will Zach Hyman thrill Edmonton…
- Menschwarmers
The Paralympics have a rich Jewish history—and inspiring modern stars
With the Summer Olympics in the rearview mirror, all eyes are now on the Paralympic Games, spotlighting the world's most impressive athletes with disabilites…
- Menschwarmers
No, Ethan Katzberg is not Jewish—but here are all the Olympic medalists who are
The Canadian Jewish world erupted with cheers when a young, musclar, mustachioed British Columbian named Ethan Katzberg won a decisive gold medal in hammer…
- Menschwarmers
Facing death threats and boycott calls, these Israeli Olympic athletes are worth watching
In the days leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, numerous Israeli athletes have received anonymous death threats, proclaiming a repeat of the 1972 Munich…
- Menschwarmers
Beach volleyballer Sam Schachter qualified for the 2024 Olympics at the last moment. Here's how he's prepping for Paris
It was the summer of 2016 when Sam Schachter and Josh Binstock—both Jewish beach volleyball players competing for Canada—just barely qualified for the…
- Menschwarmers
Late spring sports roundup: Zach Hyman's Oilers struggle to stay alive while Jewish baseball stars are on the rise
We're entering the post-Shavuot dog days of summer, which means a wind-down for most Jewish athletes. After a short break, The CJN's sports podcasters return…
- Menschwarmers
Examining the many overlapping stereotypes faced by Jewish and Asian athletes
It's May, which means you can still wish people a happy Jewish Heritage Month. You can also wish them a happy Asian Heritage Month—because, in Canada, both…
- Menschwarmers
The secret Jewish history of America's oldest pro baseball park
You may not be familiar with Rickwood Field, America's oldest baseball field. It isn't used by any Major League Baseball teams. It's not even regularly used by…
- Menschwarmers
Need another Passover celebration? Listen to the Menschwarmers' annual Jewish baseball seder
By now, you've probably had one seder. You may have even had two seders. But it's time for an annual CJN tradition totally unlike those slow-moving family…
- Menschwarmers
An ode to Curb Your Enthusiasm, the most Jewish sports show there ever will be
This weekend, the long-running Jewish comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm will air its final episode. Over more than 20 years, creator Larry David did more than…
- Menschwarmers
An interview with two-time World Series champion Alex Bregman
In Game 6 of the Major League Baseball World Series in November 2021, in the bottom of the second inning, the Houston Astros' two-time All-Star Alex Bregman…
- Menschwarmers
Mitch Albom on his sportswriting career, new Holocaust book and accidentally writing a hockey anthem
Mitch Albom has sold tens of millions of copies of his popular inspirational books—among them Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The…
- Menschwarmers
Jewish and Israeli athletes are being routinely banned from competition. How will it end?
They say two events can be a coincidence, but three make a trend. And in the past month, three Jewish or Israeli athletes have been controversially kicked out…
- Menschwarmers
How can we get more Jewish girls to care about sports?
Feb. 7, 2024, marks the 28th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a global movement that aims to inspire and encourage young girls and women around…
- Menschwarmers
Is the 2024 NHL All-Star Game the most Jewish one ever?
This weekend, on Feb. 3, Toronto will host the NHL All-Star Weekend—and it might just be the most Jewish one yet. There are three (maybe four?) Jews playing…
- Menschwarmers
The CJN Daily: Prominent Canadians in Israeli hockey speak out after the IIHF abruptly banned Israel from competition
This is the most recent episode of The CJN Daily, about the recent fracas between the International Ice Hockey Federation and Israel's national teams. We…
- Menschwarmers
S5E1 - With the PWHL, women's hockey is having a moment—and Kaleigh Fratkin is helping make it happen
On January 6, 2024, a record-breaking 13,361 attendees filled an arena in Minnesota to watch their new women's hockey team trounce visitors from Montreal. The…
- Menschwarmers
S4E18 - 8 crazy Jewish sports stories to recap 2023
Hanukkah is a festival of light, hope, gambling with dreidels (maybe a sport?) and remembrance—and so, this week, in the final episode of Menschwarmers for…
- Menschwarmers
S4E17 - Lior Berman earned a scholarship for NCAA basketball—but his dream is to play in Israel
At 24 years old, Lior Berman has already spent years playing NCAA Division I basketball for Auburn University in his home state of Alabama. But it was only…
- Menschwarmers
S4E16 - Team Israel made Kevin Youkilis understand why representation matters—and the Hamas attack cemented it
Kevin Youkilis doesn't crave attention. But in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, the Jewish MLB All Star and World Series champion has…
- Menschwarmers
S4E15 - How pro athletes and sports teams have responded to the Israel-Hamas war
In the early days of the latest war between Hamas and Israel, something unusual happened in the sports world: a lot of Jewish athletes, and their teammates…