Episode Details

Stephen Lewis, who once made Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people, was a humanitarian and ambassador who led Ontario’s NDP before pushing the world to help millions of HIV/AIDS patients in Africa obtain life-saving medicine. His passing on Mar. 31 prompted an outpouring of tributes from global leaders and African grandmothers alike.

Hours before Lewis died, at the age of 88, he was able to watch his son, Avi, continue the family’s political legacy by being elected as the new federal NDP leader.

Lewis is just one of several noteworthy Canadian Jews to have passed away recently. The CJN’s obituary columnist, Heather Ringel, joins North Star host Ellin Bessner on today’s episode to reveal how Lewis and this spring’s four other featured “Honourable Menschen” gave back to their communities.

The others include Wolf Bronet, the Auschwitz survivor who founded Montreal’s “Wolf Pack” running club and helped raise funds for 14 ambulances for Israel through Magen David Adom; Sara Vered, who fought in Israel’s War of Independence before helping bring Israeli and Jewish culture to Ottawa through education, the arts and philanthropy; Al Osten, the former singer who built a Weight Watchers empire in Western Canada and donated millions, alongside his late partner Buddy Victor; and Sondra Gotlieb, the Winnipeg-born journalist and author whose sharp observations made her one of the most recognizable Canadian voices in Washington diplomacy and media circles.

Related stories

• Learn more about the late Calgary philanthropist Al Osten in The CJN.
• Why Sondra Gotleib’s Washington home became a sought-after invitation while her husband was Canada’s ambassador to the United States, in The CJN.
• Sara Vered fought in Israel’s War of Independence then helped bring Israeli and Jewish culture to Ottawa, in The CJN .
• Wolf Bronet started running outdoors for his 40th birthday. Hundreds have followed his footsteps around Montreal. In The CJN.
• Stephen Lewis launched the Stephen Lewis Foundation n during his time helping to fight against HIV/AIDS and assist surviving orphans and grandmothers.

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner )
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director)
• Music: Bret Higgins

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