Chai There! launches in Alberta and beyond

By Jennifer Kovacs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(AJNews) – The Alberta Jewish Community is welcoming a new social platform this month, and editor Daniel Moser is pleased to be launching the inclusive forum. “The primary driver of the platform is the podcast – Chai There! a culturally Jewish Podcast powered by AJN,” said Moser.

The new platform steers away from politics and issues that divide us and focuses on culture, he explained, to engage an inclusive demographic and provide an umbrella for people of all ages, genders and all levels of affiliation ranging from very much to not at all. From the Jewish to the Jew “ish” to the Jew curious and right, left and/or centre.

The ChaiThere.ca blog features all the topics that are near and dear to your heart, and all culturally Jewish. Literature, movies, television, streaming, music, sports, and obviously food.

But the star of the platform is the Chai There! Podcast.

“Hosts Addison Borhaven, a university student based in Edmonton, and David Sklar, an actor/playwright living in Calgary welcome guests in a relaxed setting to discuss the cultural aspects of Judaism – sports, culture, film, theatre, literature, science, and more,” said Moser.

The Alberta Jewish community is full of vibrant culture, he adds, and it shouldn’t be kept a secret. “We’ll look for the hidden gems in both Edmonton and Calgary and we’ll celebrate them. We’ll highlight the things that bring us together.”

This is also our way of sharing our Jewish culture with ourselves and our neighbours, he says.

“Most of all, this is a podcast about community.”

David introduces the podcast by saying, “Chai There!: Hello, bonjour, shalom, and welcome to Chai There! – our culturally Jewish podcast powered by AJN. That’s right, Chai There. Like, hi there, but with a little more life in it.”

“18 times more life, technically,” quips Addison.

Between the two of them, they cover a wide range of Jewish experience. Different generations, different perspectives. “But same neuroses,” adds Addison.

“This podcast is really about culture, identity, and the conversations that will come out of that. The ones that are thoughtful, occasionally uncomfortable. And ideally, a little bit of fun.”

Chai There! Podcast Episode 1 features a conversation with Bar Lavy, Edmonton Jewish Film Festival Coordinator (EJFF). David and Addison sat down with Bar and discussed the details of the festival which is taking place in Edmonton from May 3 – 13.  Click here to listen to the podcast and here to buy EJFF tickets.

You can listen to the podcast at Chaithere.ca or visit their socials at Chai There Pod on Instagram,  Facebook, and YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Email ideas for topics to chaitherepod@gmail.com.

Chai There is a culturally Jewish platform powered by AJN with production by Reel Mensch Studios. Enjoy! And don’t forget to call your mother!