This week, the RBC Canadian Open kicks off at the historically Jewish Oakdale Golf & Country Club. And while we have an interview with Mark Sadowski, the club’s immediate past president, and general manager Molly Jagroop, the impact of this monumental event happening on Jewish grounds isn’t actually the biggest story right now. It’s been overshadowed by the surprise merger (or acquisition, really) of the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League. That shock has transformed the Canadian Open—and Oakdale—into ground zero for heated reactions and geopolitical analysis from players, media and experts.
Gabe and James will be visiting the tournament this week, and give a breakdown of what to expect from a Jewish perspective. Plus, they talk about the death of the Iron Sheik (and his deep connections to Toronto’s Jewish community), Israel’s incredible upset victory over Brazil in the U-20 World Cup, and a recent BBC article reflecting on Jewish hockey star Rudi Ball, who competed on the Olympic stage for Nazi Germany—and survived the Holocaust because of it.
Credits
Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is “Organ Grinder Swing” by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.
