Explore every episode of the podcast The State of Affairs

“JEWS AREN’T ALLOWED HERE”

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

How did Montreal reach this point? Why have Jewish schools been struck by gunfire, synagogues attacked with incendiary devices and visibly Jewish residents assaulted and intimidated? Are political leaders confronting this crisis—or merely condemning each new incident before moving on? Has unchecked anti-Zionist incitement normalized hatred and helped turn hostile rhetoric into violence? Do police and prosecutors possess the resources, authority and political support needed to protect Montreal’s Jewish community? And after generations of Jewish life and achievement, can Montreal still offer Jewish families a safe and hopeful future?

In this episode of The State of Affairs, Avi Abraham Benlolo asks journalist, lawyer, civic leader and the President of the Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal, Beryl Wajsman what is happening to Montreal—and why he remains determined to stay, fight back and reclaim the city.

The State of Affairs podcast is produced by The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI). To support our work, please visit us at www.agpiworld.com

Do Israelis want a third round of war against Iran? In this episode of The State of Affairs, former Canadian Ambassador to Israel Vivian Bercovici, joins AGPI's Chairman and CEO, Avi Abraham Benlolo for a candid assessment of Israel at a crossroads. How are Israelis coping after war, terrorism, trauma and political division? What do the current demonstrations by the Haredi community mean for Israel’s future, military service and the principle of shared national responsibility? Israel’s upcoming election is the most consequential in its history: what exactly will voters be deciding—and is there a leader capable of uniting the country? How do Israelis view the alarming rise of antisemitism in Canada and around the world? Finally, what message of hope, optimism and resilience does Ambassador Bercovici leave with us? Find out this and more on the latest episode of The State of Affairs.

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a prominent Canadian think-tank that counters Antisemitism, defends Israel, advances democracy and promotes The Abraham Accords.

The future of Toronto is consequential for the Jewish community. Many are wondering if they should stay. Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford joins Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo on The State of Affairs for a conversation about leadership, courage and Toronto’s future. Addressing antisemitism, Bradford says that standing up for people targeted because of their faith may sometimes be difficult, but it is consequential and important. His message is unequivocal: “You can’t pick and choose when your morals apply—and that’s what it comes down to: moral clarity and values, strength, courage and conviction.” Bradford explains why defending one community protects every community and why public officials must apply their principles consistently. The discussion also turns to the everyday concerns shaping life across Toronto: public safety, the TTC, housing affordability, gridlock, rising taxes, struggling small businesses and declining city services. How can Toronto restore confidence, improve accountability and become a city that works better for everyone? Hear Bradford’s vision for building a safer, stronger, prosperous and inclusive Toronto.

From wearing a Keffiyah as a teen in England to working Gaza to changing her mind about Israel, Development economist and Aid Inferno author Dr. Emily Brearley has witnessed Gaza’s aid system from the inside—and what she saw challenges the world’s assumptions. In this explosive episode of The State of Affairs, Dr. Brearley joins Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo to expose how Hamas exerts influence over humanitarian operations, examine UNRWA’s controversial role, and confront the international community’s failures before and after October 7. Can aid reach civilians without empowering terrorists? Did institutions ignore the warning signs? And can Gaza ever be rebuilt for peace? This is a firsthand account of corruption, complicity and the battle for Gaza’s future, as captured in Dr. Brearley's book, "Aid Inferno".

Read background article about the effort to defund UNRWA: https://agpiworld.com/eye-on-un

Read more content about the fight to defend and protect freedom and democracy at www.agpiworld.com

Malcolm Hoenlein has stood in the middle of global Jewish diplomacy for more than five decades. As Vice Chair and CEO Emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, he has advised presidents, prime ministers, and world leaders through some of the most consequential moments in modern history. In this exclusive episode of The State of Affairs, we examine his views about the rise of Zohran Mamdani, Rahm Emanuel's controversial criticism of Israel, and what we see is a growing crisis within the Democratic Party. We discuss if today's climate increasingly resembles the warning signs of 1933 and discuss the threats posed by Iran and Turkey. We ask Hoenlein whether the Abraham Accords—and the hope for lasting Middle East peace—can survive. Don't miss this compelling conversation with one of the Jewish world's foremost strategic thinkers and influential voices.

Has the democratic world lost its moral clarity? In this compelling episode of The State of Affairs, Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo examines the growing double standard applied to Israel and the broader implications for democracy and human rights. Responding to Rahm Emanuel's controversial remarks in Israel, Avi argues that it is not Israel that has become isolated—but a world increasingly unwilling to distinguish terrorism from self-defence.

He also reveals AGPI's latest advocacy efforts, including the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' response following Gail Asper's interview, a high-level discussion with the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Inspector General regarding UNRWA, AGPI's call for the United Nations to waive Philippe Lazzarini's immunity, the disturbing normalization of antisemitism highlighted by the harassment of Shopify President Harley Finkelstein, growing concerns over Iranian-linked threats to Canada's Jewish community, and AGPI's demand that Türkiye retract inflammatory anti-Israel rhetoric.

This is a thought-provoking commentary on truth, accountability, leadership, and why moral courage has never mattered more.

What happens when one of the principal architects of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights says, "My trust has been completely shattered"?

In this compelling episode of The State of Affairs, Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo sits down with Gail Asper—Officer of the Order of Canada, Member of the Order of Manitoba, lawyer, philanthropist, and one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Drawing on decades of leadership and personal investment in the museum, Gail reflects on why she believes the institution has departed from its founding vision. The conversation explores the controversy surrounding the museum's "Nakba" exhibit, the importance of historical context, the story of Jewish refugees from Arab countries, concerns over the exhibit's placement beside the Holocaust galleries, the museum's governance and consultation process, and the broader challenge of promoting dialogue rather than division during a period of rising antisemitism in Canada.

This is an insightful and deeply personal conversation about history, human rights, institutional responsibility, and whether one of Canada's most important cultural institutions can be restored to the principles upon which it was founded.

🎙️ Listen now.

For more information about the Abraham Global Peace Initiative, visit www.agpiworld.com.

In this compelling episode of The State of Affairs, Avi Abraham Benlolo sits down with retired Senator Jerry Grafstein for a frank conversation about the future of Canada, the health of its democracy, and the rise of antisemitism. Senator Grafstein declares, "I haven't left the Liberal Party—the Liberal Party has left me," arguing that a national political party cannot thrive if Jewish Canadians are not treated equally. In his view, this reflects a troubling deterioration of Canadian democracy and is "a shame." He also warns that Toronto now experiences more antisemitism per capita than anywhere else in the world, calls for the deportation of IRGC operatives and supporters, and urges Canada to outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood by adding it to the country's list of terrorist entities. Throughout the discussion, he contends that the Western world is suffering from an absence of leadership and argues that moral clarity and character are the indispensable foundations of democratic leadership.

Welcome to the inaugural commentary episode of The State of Affairs.

Has Canada become wiser—or meaner?

In this first commentary, Dr. Avi Abraham Benlolo examines one of the most consequential weeks in Canadian and international affairs.

As Canada marks its 159th birthday, are we still the nation defined by freedom, civility, and shared responsibility, or are rising crime, social division, and growing intolerance reshaping our national character?

This episode also explores Israel's resilience 1,000 days after the October 7 Hamas atrocities, the international debate over UNRWA, the rise of global antisemitism, and why defending democracy, human rights, and the rule of law has never been more important.

Thought-provoking, principled, and unapologetically engaging, The State of Affairs offers informed commentary that goes beyond the headlines to examine the issues shaping Canada, Israel, and the democratic world.

If you care about freedom, democracy, Israel, human rights, and the future of our society, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Avi Abraham Benlolo holds a substantive interview with Lord David Wolfson of Tredegar, engaging in a wide-ranging discussion on antisemitism and Jewish affairs in London and globally. The conversation addresses the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents, legal frameworks to combat hate, and the responsibilities of government in protecting Jewish communities. Lord Wolfson emphasizes the importance of the rule of law, accountability, and moral clarity in confronting extremism. The discussion explores international trends, the impact of geopolitical tensions, and the need for coordinated responses across democracies to ensure the safety, dignity, and rights of Jewish communities worldwide.

No one doubts that Golda Meir was well intentioned and bore the burden between politics, Israel’s dependence on America and the weight of sending Israel’s sons and daughters to the front lines.  She said, “A leader who doesn't hesitate before he sends his nation into battle is not fit to be a leader”. 

On the matter of blame, Meir quite rightly said: “There can be no doubt that the average man blames much more than he praises. His instinct is to blame. If he is satisfied he says nothing; if he is not, he most illogically kicks up a row”.
In the end, Golda Meir and her government won the Yom Kippur War. Some 2,800 Israelis were killed in action and over 8,000 were wounded. The lessons of that war are still felt in Israel today. The Yom Kippur War was a lesson in humility and in absolute vigilance.  The future of Israel depends on it.

For more than 2,000 years, the Jewish people could only dream of returning to their promised land.  They lived in foreign lands where they were oppressed, beaten and murdered.  They suffered pogroms, inquisitions and the crusades. They were forced to live in ghettos, made to pay more tax and relegated to second and third class status simply because they were Jewish.

Along came Theodore Herzl. A nobody. Then everything changed.