[00:00:00] Jason: Hello, everybody. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Your Grey Matters podcast. I’m Jason along with my dad, Neil. Hey, dad, how you doing?

[00:00:08] Neil: I’m great. Hi, everybody.

[00:00:10] Jason: So we’ve got a really cool and I think unique episode this week. Sort of, it is about the miracles that already exist, but in sort of a unique way, because we’re going to be talking about a service.

I think more than a, than a product, really. Why don’t, why don’t you tell us a little bit more about that?

[00:00:33] Neil: Yeah, well, we’re really excited because if you recall a few months ago, we had a gentleman named Ieden Wall on the show. But Ieden is actually the creator and the host of a great Weekly TV show called JWeekly Canada.

It’s the only Jewish TV show that comes on in this country. But it’s a great show because it’s not married to just the Jewish community. With over 130, 000 viewers a week, more than half are not Jewish. So there’s great support. It’s cultural. There’s great education. There’s certainly, In good, non political way to understand what’s happening in the Jewish community, the education to help fight anti Semitism.

There’s just so much to this show, Jason. I was honored when Ieden reached out to us for help at Your Grey Matters. Because actually the show is self funded on Omni TV. That’s how it works. So we’re going to explain to you today what the show is with Ieden. This is a great episode and if you decide you want to help out, we’ll show you how to do it.

[00:01:44] Jason: Absolutely. Yeah, you can help out. There’s ways in the episode description about how you can help out. We talk about it at the end of the podcast as well. And if you want to help us out, you can all, as always, like and subscribe. And [00:02:00] click the bell to be notified of any new episodes. It’s really helpful and it lets us know you’re interested.

So with that, get ready to learn all about this great Jewish TV show. Thanks, everybody.

[00:02:30] Neil: Hi, everybody. I’m Neil from the Your Grey Matters Podcast. Welcome back. We’re glad to have you here. And as you know, our show is about the fact that the human mind cannot be defeated. We’re always going to find a way to get every problem solved. And we’re really excited to have them back. Ieden Wall. Ieden is the creator and producer of JWeekly Canada.

And as you may or may not know, it’s the only Jewish TV show in Canada. And he’s going into Season 5. He’s planning it right now. So excited. Ieden, welcome back to the show. Let’s talk about your great show.

[00:03:07] IIeden: Thank you. Much appreciated for the introduction. And Neil, thank you so much. On a much deeper level.

Thank you for showing your support on camera and off camera for, for my project. You know, I never turn people away with wherever this support comes from. It’s much appreciated and we get support from wow, all communities and cultures, not just Jewish community. It’s, it’s quite incredible. Actually, Neil, we were talking, you and I were talking about that off camera.

It’s, it’s just amazing.

[00:03:38] Neil: You know, it’s really fabulous, actually, because when you told me. And we’ll get into this. The large number of viewers that you have every week, like you have a heck of a following,

[00:03:48] IIeden: but they’re not all Jewish. Yeah, can you believe, Neil, now we’re up to 130, 000 people a week. Now that’s a cumulative audience, and that is three [00:04:00] airings a week.

But still, in the world of television these days, that’s an, you know, an important distinction. So, you make a good point. Almost half of our audience Surprisingly, are non Jews, and this, to me, really makes me smile and really makes me excited because my, one of my main goals was to bring everybody in. I’m really big on interfaith.

There’s just no room in a country like Canada to have any enmity, any disrespect. For other cultures because we have so much to learn and the fact that Christians and other groups are saying We really like learning about the Jewish culture and keep in mind We often forget this but Judaism is the bedrock of Western civilization I mean And I think that’s why Christians in particular, Neil, they’re starting to really thirst for more, for more in depth teaching and understanding about their roots, right?

And it’s, it’s just a really exciting time. I know a lot of people speak about the time we’re in in a negative way, But I’m actually excited at the opportunity to create change.

[00:05:21] Neil: I’m with you. Thank you for saying that. You know, it’s very interesting because your show is on Omni TV. And you’re like the first Jewish show on Omni TV in 30 years.

Can you believe that? Yeah, and yet you’re going into Season 5. So that tells me You have staying power. There’s an interest and it’s coming from a lot of communities because it’s JWeekly, Canada, and I think that’s right. Well presenting Canada.

[00:05:51] IIeden: We’re trying now. We’re trying. I mean, going into this. I knew the challenges my friend.

I spoke to the other host who tried to do similar Jewish [00:06:00] TV shows in the past. And I’m not going to mention their names, but I had in depth meetings with them. And I, I spoke, I said, what are the challenges of doing this kind of project? So I knew coming in there, there were distinct challenges and obstacles to overcome.

But I also knew that if we could find the staying power, and we could muster the determination and perseverance, uh, then we had a real interesting opportunity to. To galvanize the TV audience, and they’re still watching. They’re still out there. Everybody talks about TV being dead. Well, we all know the numbers aren’t what they used to be, but we’re still going into 11 million homes across Canada.

So that’s nothing to sneeze at.

[00:06:50] Neil: Wow, 11 million homes across Canada. I want to tell you, is that what surprised you the most about your show? Is. Where it’s gone, where it’s going, how it’s affecting people. Like, what surprised you about your own show?

[00:07:04] IIeden: Thanks for the question. There’s been some interesting surprises.

You know what the biggest surprise is, Neil? We’ve reached out to some huge global Jewish celebrities, Natalie Portman, Howie Mandel, and I’m always amazed at how open they are, if they can find time in their schedule to speak about their Jewish pride, and to speak about how Judaism has impacted their own trajectory to fame and fortune.

So My big surprise is that in this global village, big celebrities can be tracked down. If you track them down, they’re happy to, you know, to come on the program. The other big surprise was how competitive the Jewish world really is. And that was disappointing at first, but I think I look at it like a positive now because iron sharpens iron.

So, you know, it’s almost like a sibling [00:08:00] rivalry. I don’t know if you have any of those in your family, but, but, you know, we, You know, we kind of raise each other, right? We, we raised the bar for each other. So, and the other surprising thing is how much work it is. Neil, we’re talking 16 hour days here. You know, how much work is involved in writing, directing, producing, and financing this kind of project.

And, you know, we have a very skeleton staff, as you know, and I know you are familiar with that idea. So when you, when you have a skeleton staff, and it’s only a handful, and I want to give a shout out while we’re talking about this to my co host, Susan Manu, because she’s not just an amazing co host, and she’s really, Starting to kind of find her way, you know, kind of hit her mark and her interviews are amazing.

And she’s a good producer as well. She’s just so determined. And her contribution to the Jewish community has always been there. And the fact that she’s made time for this program in all of her Jewish interests. I am just so thankful to her, but I wanted to say that it’s an incredible amount of work, but I, I take solace in the fact that the community really appreciates it.

[00:09:27] Neil: Yeah, and that’s the best part of it. And you know what? We’re in a strange climate right now. There’s polarization, there’s fragmentation in the world, and yet, I think your show just helps. For whomever sees it, it’s going to help.

[00:09:41] IIeden: Well, I think polarization is the great understatement of this news of the 21st century, right?

It’s like, it’s not, it’s like epidemic fragmentation, right? It’s antithetical viewpoints furiously going at each other [00:10:00] every day. Yeah. And, and you’re right. One could get caught up in that very easily. And when we were talking about doing this program, we said to ourselves, something very important. We’re not going to get involved in the political melee, uh, in the political thunderstorm.

So we are very much, I consider us to be anyway, an apolitical endeavor in the sense that we don’t have any leaning to the right or to the left. We have on guests from every, Neil, from every denomination, from every, every area and facet of Judaism from reform to ultra orthodox, and we. Just try to find those universal threads, Neil, that come, because there are threads, if you look deep enough, there are threads that bind us all as Jews together.

Would you agree? Timeless values, cherished values, ancient traditions, and our show. I think the reason why we’re still on the air and going into season number five is because we are, we are, elucidating the true beauty of this ancient faith, and we’re not getting, we’re not being bogged down by political agenda.

[00:11:26] Neil: Yes, and I think that’s the beauty of your show, Ieden, is it’s so easy to find Sadness, but you bring a big ray of joy into our world and yes People all people watching your show are going to learn something People will turn in for their own tune in for their own personal reasons, of course But everybody leaves the show at the end of the episode knowing something more having Learned more and in fact falling more in love with the [00:12:00] show.

That’s what

[00:12:02] IIeden: What you say is true and I appreciate it so much and they’re going to have an opportunity to learn a lot in season five. Because I was telling you that we are focusing, uh, three quarters of our content for season number five on the fight against anti Semitism. Again, not from a political standpoint.

Right. Okay, from an educational standpoint. Because ignorance is everywhere right now, right? As propaganda flies around. So do all the fabrications and all of the distortions of the Jewish people. So we’re going to take time to educate people on the facts to dispel the misinformation. That is leading to this virulent anti semitism, and at a moment in time, at a moment in the world, where it has never been more crucial to have an educational platform, and we have an audience that is of, an audience of non Jews, half of our audience, It’s non Jews, and they’re open to be educated.

What an amazing opportunity. What an amazing, yeah.

[00:13:08] Neil: And I think, I think that your show represents what’s happening to a lot of us in our lives. I have a lot of great people who reach out to me. You know, I don’t understand what’s going on. Can you tell me more about this or about that? They’re not coming and saying bad things about Jewish people.

They’re saying, I don’t understand it. And that is just as much fun to say to them, you know, I have a question about your own faith. This is what your show is about. It’s bringing you joy, and I love it. Ieden, I was really, really surprised to hear, though, that when you’re on, your show is self funding. So you actually raise the money yourself to keep this amazing show on TV.

Tell us more about this.

[00:13:51] IIeden: I will, I will. And it hasn’t been easy, Neil. It’s been, uh, one of the, the most arduous and challenging [00:14:00] projects of my career, I consider it to be a grassroots project because it’s grassroots in the true sense of the word. You know, I’ve met with different people and, and every, every individual had a different idea of how I, as a producer should pursue this program.

But, you know, I made up my mind early on that. We would work with the budget we had and we would keep growing it organically, you know, in an authentic way, we wouldn’t push too hard because I believe that sometimes I show that it’s a little bit rough around the edges. lacks a little bit of polish, you know what I mean, as a result is more creative and more resourceful and has more ingenuity.

And so I’ve worked with a tiny budget. Our budget is growing every year, but, you know, it is self funded and we rely on the amazing support of the community. That’s how a show like this survives, Neil.

[00:15:06] Neil: And I have to tell you, that’s why I asked you to come back on the show, because I love this show. We your Grey matters podcast wanted to help too to raise money because well message in your show

[00:15:18] IIeden: Thanks, Neil.

And I wanted to tell you that you’ve always from moment one of this project, you’ve been supportive on camera and off camera and wherever the support comes from. I always appreciate it. You know, we’ve, we get support and encouragement from very strange places. My goodness. I got an email from the Hindu community two weeks ago saying, you know, how much you’ve helped us.

You know, they appreciate this vehicle, this program on Omni television and, and, and you’ve been great. So, you know, thank you for that. But we are at a precipice right now, not only in the Jewish world, you know, but certainly for this project, because we do rely on the [00:16:00] support of the community to keep it going.

We have big plans for season number five. We have a special fight anti Semitism campaign that we’re very excited about. But. We, we need the financial support and the Jewish world is, I believe, at a precipice, just like our program. It’s very, very profound. When you think about it, the Jewish world, the precipice, the Jewish world is at, is Utterly fascinating.

We have the Holocaust generation, Holocaust survivors have almost vanished. Neil, we know that unfortunately, and, and, and the Holocaust survivors were always the galvanizing force binding together the Jewish world in many different ways and facets now that they are, are leaving us and we have their children and grandchildren here to pick up the slack, unfortunately, The children and grandchildren are losing their direct connection to their Judaism.

And when I say that, I’m talking about a direct, not cultural, but a direct connection to the core of their faith as Jews. And that’s the, that’s the precipice of the Jewish world. And the precipice of my program is that With that precipice in the world, we are losing support from the children and grandchildren.

So I thank someone like you for, you know, for bringing this to the attention. Of the public. It’s amazing. And I, I really appreciate your support.

[00:17:40] Neil: Well, my pleasure. And of course. You’re we’re, we’re building the bridge off of that precipice with shows like yours. And so I congratulate you, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to post on this podcast.

the three different ways that you can make donations. We can send you information if you [00:18:00] want to learn more. Ieden Wall, I am so excited that you’re on Your Grey Matters today. Thank you again for coming on, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for listening, thanks for watching, and of course, Next Monday, we’ll be back.

Have a great week.

[00:18:16] IIeden: Thank you, Neil. Take care. Bye.

[00:18:19] Neil: Hey, everybody. Thanks very much for watching today. We appreciate it. Please subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us grow and it makes us stronger and we appreciate you doing it.