Show Notes 

Discover the heartbeat of Montreal’s Jewish community with the Federation CJA 360 Podcast - your front‑row seat to the impact, innovation, and inspiration shaping Jewish life today. Each episode spotlights dynamic leaders, transformative initiatives, and powerful stories that highlight how Federation CJA is strengthening our community and building a vibrant Jewish future. Engaging, uplifting, and full of purpose, this is the podcast that brings our mission to life.

Guest Information 

Samantha Mintz Vineberg

Bio: 

A proud third-generation Montrealer, Samantha’s commitment to the Montreal Jewish community began as a student leader at McGill University, where she earned her BCL and LLB degrees. Her legal background—including practicing tax and estate planning—eventually transitioned into a life dedicated to community impact.

Samantha’s journey with Federation CJA has spanned decades, from her early days as Chair of FedNext. Having served as the Chair of Women’s Philanthropy from 2020–2021 and as a member of the Planning and Allocations Committee, Samantha has been a member of the FCJA board of directors since 2022 and was named First Vice Chair in September 2025., Samantha has consistently focused on the "rolled-up sleeves" work of community building.

As a Wexner Heritage Program alum, Samantha is deeply invested in fostering the next generation of leaders. For her, ensuring a strong Jewish future in Montreal is about more than tradition; it’s about creating a vibrant, secure, and thriving home for the generations to come.

Link:

@samvineberg

Sima Goel

Bio:

Author, inspirational speaker, freelance writer and chiropractor, Iranian-born Dr. Sima Goel has dedicated her life to promoting the importance and fragility of freedom. Her journey began at age thirteen when she spontaneously defended a Baha’i classmate against a schoolyard bully, triggering events that would eventually take her into danger and far from her beloved, homeland.

Dr. Goel lived under two dictatorships; The Shah and The Ayatollah Khomeini, she knows what is at stake. In her memoir, Fleeing the Hijab: A Jewish Woman’s Escape from Iran, she shares how life in her beloved home changed inexorably from a paradise to a hell.

With the publication of her memoir, Dr. Goel fulfilled a promise she made to herself on a dark night of her desert crossing: to share her story with as many people as possible and to tell of the power of faith, hope and perseverance. For Dr. Goel, freedom is a vital presence that transforms life. It allows you the right to self-expression, from the music you listen to, to the way you dress, to the books and ideals you study.

Once a penniless political refugee, now an established Montreal professional, Dr. Goel shares her belief that an authentic life requires freedom of choice, the most precious commodity of all. She tells her story with dignity, passion, clarity and wisdom as she takes the audience on a journey that speaks to the power of resilience and courage. A master storyteller with a peerless perspective on the events that shaped her world, Dr. Goel leaves her audiences enlightened and inspired, and grateful for the myriad privileges available in modern democratic societies.

Emmanuel Trau

Bio: An attorney from Israel with a background in Law and Middle Eastern Studies, Emmanuel Trau also has a foundation in advanced traditional Jewish studies and serves as a Shaliach (Special Emissary) with Federation CJA. He leads high-impact advocacy and Jewish identity initiatives, delivering interactive workshops for students and diverse community cohorts to build lasting resilience and a deeper connection to Israel.

Chapters

01:06 - First Word With Yair
14:05 - Sima Goel
38:43 -  5 Fun Minutes in Jewish History
44:03 - Montreal Mega Mission 2027
52:28 - NewsBrief
58:15 - Unexpected Allies

Host: Glenn J. Nashen

About the Host: 

Glenn J. Nashen is an award-winning public safety innovator and communicator, and longtime Cote Saint‑Luc City Councillor having founded CSL Emergency Medical Services and CSL volunteer Citizens on Patrol. Glenn was Director of Public Affairs and Communications at the Jewish General Hospital and CIUSSS West Central Montreal for 20 years and now serves as Podcast Producer and Director of Media Relations and Crisis Communications at Federation CJA, continuing his commitment to strengthening, safeguarding, and informing the community.

Links: Blog, Facebook, X, LinkedIn.

Featuring: Yair Szlak

Yair Szlak is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Federation CJA, a role he has held since 2018 after more than 15 years in senior leadership positions within the organization. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Yair is known as a skilled fundraiser and community builder. He has dedicated his career to strengthening Jewish life in Montreal and fostering a vibrant, resilient future for the community.

Link: LinkedIn

Reporter: Jordan Stoopler

Jordan Stoopler is a copywriter and podcast reporter within Federation CJA’s Strategic Marketing & Communications department. A graduate with journalism degrees from both Concordia University and Hofstra University on Long Island, New York, Jordan contributes to campaigns, weekly newsletters and other organizational communications. By night, Jordan is a freelance sports reporter, covering the local professional sports scene for the Canadian Press. He also produces and co-hosts Menschin’ with the Boys, a podcast that shines a light on Jews and Israelis from across the sports world. 

Link: Podcast, Articles, 360 Newsletter 

1. Reporter: Dan Laxer from The Suburban
2. Bio: Dan Laxer is a reporter with 30 years' experience in broadcast media and print journalism. He covers parts of the west end and the City of Montreal for The Suburban Newspaper. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
3. Link: laxer@thesuburban.com.

Podcast Website: FederationCJA.org/podcast

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Contact the show: podcast@federationcja.org

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