The Jewish Nomad: How hosting a podcast helped Ilana Zackon find her voice
As a child, I was constantly getting into trouble at school… for talking too much. But then, I’ve always been a talkative, quirky gal with a big personality. I was the one who liked to raise my hand and contribute to what we were learning, just as much as I liked to whisper (albeit loudly) […]
The Jewish Nomad: Ilana Zackon’s worst Hallmark Hanukkah movie script pitch
Growing up in a Jewish bubble of schools, camps, youth groups—the whole megillah, so to speak—I never really knew anyone who didn’t celebrate Hanukkah until I was about 16. Our street in Dollard-des-Ormeaux was almost entirely populated by Jews, save for one family. And, to this day, we’re still wondering what enticed them to live […]
The Jewish Nomad: Podcasting about the other side of getting your son circumcised
This week on Bonjour Chai, the current affairs podcast from The CJN—where I’m one of the three hosts—we discussed a very contentious issue: community members who decide to opt out of circumcision. Having been brought up in a modern Orthodox household, I never once questioned that I would give my hypothetical future boy a brit […]
The Jewish Nomad: Periphery’s premiere brings life to a new Jewish Community Centre in Toronto
A location that was once considered on the periphery of Toronto—now, it’s in the middle of the action for many—was where my friend Sara Yacobi-Harris premiered her documentary short called Periphery this past Thursday. Produced through the organization she founded, No Silence on Race, in conjunction with the Ontario Jewish Archives, the screening was a […]
The Jewish Nomad: A journey back to summer camp (at age 28—in the fall)
I’m a very nostalgic person by nature. Every Shabbat, throughout my childhood, my siblings and I would look through photo albums—which included the pictures we took ourselves (with disposable cameras, remember those?) from our time at sleepaway camp. I’ve heard many friends describe how camp helped them uncover their connection to being Jewish. It was […]
The Jewish Nomad: Moving through the feelings of Montreal
Last week, I took the train home to Montreal—not to eat turkey or pretend to feel patriotic, but for my grandmother’s unveiling. I was exceptionally lucky to have been raised with all four grandparents, and to top it off, two great-grandparents who passed away when I was a toddler and a teenager. I was 22 […]
The Jewish Nomad: a new weekly column by Ilana Zackon
If you’ve been listening to The CJN’s weekly current affairs podcast Bonjour Chai, you might’ve noticed my introductions recently switched from “Ilana Zackon in Vancouver” to “Ilana Zackon in Toronto.” Now, let’s set the record straight: I’m no stranger to the Greater Toronto Area. My parents moved to this ever-growing shtetl of Toronto during the […]
