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ACJS Speakers' Bureau

The ACJS Speakers' Bureau provides access to leading voices in Canadian Jewish studies for public speaking engagements and community learning opportunities. Members of the Bureau are historians, political scientists, sociologists, artists, archivists, novelists and poets, journalists, and religious and civic leaders, with expertise on issues of historical and contemporary concern to the Canadian Jewish experience. 

 

The Bureau serves as a resource for social and cultural organizations, religious congregations, museums, universities, schools, and more, to bring specialists on Canadian Jewry to their communities for lectures, readings, and conversation.

 

If you are organizing an event, seminar, workshop, or training session, please browse our catalogue of more than 80 speakers and fill out one of the booking forms below. We will be happy to facilitate a speaker for your next program!

How It Works:

Organizations interested in hosting a talk select speakers that spark their interests. The ACJS will coordinate the match between speaker and host, and from there the host will coordinate topic, format, and scheduling directly with the speaker.
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The default rate for booking any speaker is 500 CAD, with a 10 percent administrative fee earmarked for the ACJS. We will receive the full 500 CAD payment and subsequently process the speaker’s fee. 
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Hosts are responsible for all event planning and logistics and will bear all costs associated with bringing a speaker from out of town, if applicable. We will be pleased to assist with advertising and promotion.

Please write to bureau@canadianjewishstudies.ca for more information, or consult the FAQs below.

Find a Speaker!

Browse our available talks by theme, a speaker’s willingness to travel, their preference for in-person or virtual appearances, and availability in English or French—or scroll through the entire catalogue. If you are interested in booking more than one talk, you may include multiple requests on the same form or submit separate forms for each request.

Interfaith, Community Institutions, Law & Human Rights, Indigenous

David Koffman

York University

Jewish-Indigenous Relations in Canada: A History

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

David S. Koffman is the J. Richard Shiff Chair for the Study of Canadian Jewry, and an associate professor in the Department of History at York University. He is the author of the award-winning The Jews’ Indian: Colonialism, Pluralism, and Belonging in America, the editor of and contributor to No Better Home? Jews, Canada, and the Sense of Belonging, and the co-editor of and co-contributor to Promised Lands North and South: Jewish Canada and Jewish Argentina in Conversation. He serves as the associate director of York’s Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies, and the editor-in-chief of the journal Canadian Jewish Studies.

Global / Diaspora, Politics & Activism, Law & Human Rights, Human Relations

Naomi Kramer

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services

Canadian Jews and the World Refugee Crisis: What is Our Responsibility?

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Naomi Kramer has worked in the non-profit sector for over fifteen years in program delivery, management, and systems. For nearly a decade, she has worked at Jewish Immigrant Aid Services in Toronto as part of the leadership team. She has designed, implemented, and evaluated services for newcomers, professionals, and community groups. She has raised dollars through individual giving, grants, and partnerships. She has managed a team of professionals with diverse skills and experience. Naomi has a master's n Social Work (Community Organizing, Planning, and Development) and a BA in International Development as well as a Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

Immigration, Multiculturalism, Community Institutions, Human Relations

Naomi Kramer

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services

Welcoming the Stranger: Celebrating 10 Years of Jewish Refugee Support in the GTA

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Naomi Kramer has worked in the non-profit sector for over fifteen years in program delivery, management, and systems. For nearly a decade, she has worked at Jewish Immigrant Aid Services in Toronto as part of the leadership team. She has designed, implemented, and evaluated services for newcomers, professionals, and community groups. She has raised dollars through individual giving, grants, and partnerships. She has managed a team of professionals with diverse skills and experience. Naomi has a master's n Social Work (Community Organizing, Planning, and Development) and a BA in International Development as well as a Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

Religion & Ritual, Theology, Pedagogy

Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides

Beth Tzedec Congregation

Are Canadians Nice or Kind? How the Study of Mussar Helps us Understand the Distinction and Integrate Our Identity

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Calgary

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Rabbi Ilana Krygier Lapides is a born-and-raised Calgarian meeting people where they are in their Jewish journey. As a Jewish educator, she taught nursery, Jewish music, and Yiddish for many years. She is the proud granddaughter of four Holocaust Survivors, which informed her second career as a Holocaust educator. Now, in her third iteration, Ilana is the assistant rabbi at the Conservative Beth Tzedec Congregation in Calgary and has her own independent rabbinic practice at RockyMountainRabbi.com.

Quebec, 20th Century, Immigration, Holocaust

Simon-Pierre Lacasse

Concordia University

Quebec's Postwar Jewish History

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Montreal

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

Bilingual

Simon-Pierre Lacasse is a historian of modern Canada specializing in minority activism, memory politics, and interethnic relations. His work focuses on Jewish community engagement in postwar Quebec, examining how cultural minorities have shaped—and challenged—national narratives. He is the author of Les Juifs de la Révolution tranquille (University of Ottawa Press, 2022) and teaches at the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada and at Concordia University, in both the History Department and the School of Community and Public Affairs.

Archival Research, Community Institutions, Digital Humanities, Oral History

Amir Lavie

Archives of Ontario

Exploring the History of Canadian Jewish Archives

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Amir Lavie is an archivist at the Archives of Ontario Collections Development and Management Unit and a member of its ‘Community Engagement’ team. He was involved with producing the AO’s new research guide “Records Related to Multiculturalism and Ethno-Cultural Communities in Ontario.” His PhD research, submitted to the University of Toronto’s iSchool, explored the creation and growth of Canadian Jewish community archives during the 1970s against the backdrop of federal and provincial multiculturalism policies and initiatives.

Music, 20th Century, Interfaith, Multiculturalism

Noam Lemish

York University

Pursue Peace: Chamber Music by Contemporary Canadian Jewish Composers

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Dr. Noam Lemish is a pianist-composer, scholar, educator and associate professor at York University. He has appeared in numerous performances and conducted workshops across Canada, the US, Europe, Israel, and in Bhutan and has released multiple albums, including most recently the JUNO-nominated Twelve (2022). His book Transcultural Jazz: Israeli Musicians and Multi-Local Music Making studies the musical practices of Israeli jazz musicians and their impact globally. Lemish also leads “Sound and Sense: Jewish Music @ York,” a collaborative project co-sponsored by the Department of Music and the Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies.

Music, Canada, Identity

Noam Lemish

York University

Canadian Jewish Songs: Vocal Music by Canadian Jewish Artists

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Dr. Noam Lemish is a pianist-composer, scholar, educator and associate professor at York University. He has appeared in numerous performances and conducted workshops across Canada, the US, Europe, Israel, and in Bhutan and has released multiple albums, including most recently the JUNO-nominated Twelve (2022). His book Transcultural Jazz: Israeli Musicians and Multi-Local Music Making studies the musical practices of Israeli jazz musicians and their impact globally. Lemish also leads “Sound and Sense: Jewish Music @ York,” a collaborative project co-sponsored by the Department of Music and the Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies.

Yiddish, Immigration, Oral History, Literature

Vardit Lightstone

National Library of Israel

Yiddish Stories of Immigration to Canada

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Jerusalem

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

Bilingual

Vardit Lightstone is a Yiddish archivist at the National Library of Israel and a research fellow at the Institute of Contemporary Jewry, Hebrew University. She received her PhD in 2022 from the University of Toronto and the Hebrew University. She is currently working on a critical translation of Elhonen Hanson’s Trader Ed and Other Stories of the Canadian North and the Old Country (Dos yiddishe vort farlag: 1957). Her research interests include migrant identity formation, Yiddish folklore, Canadian Jewish culture, and Indigenous Americans in Yiddish literature.

Youth & Education, Identity, Literature

Sidura Ludwig

Independent

Who Tells Our Story? Writing Canadian Jewish Stories for Today's Young Readers

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Thornhill

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Sidura Ludwig is an internationally published, award-winning author of books for children and adults. Her books have landed on many best of/notable lists, including Kirkus Reviews, American Libraries Association, Bank Street College of Education, and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Her most recent publications are the picture book RISING (Candlewick, 2024, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy) and the middle grade novel SWAN: The Girl Who Grew (Nimbus, 2024). Sidura has an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from Winnipeg, MB, she currently lives in Thornhill, ON, with her family.

Literature, Canada, Identity

Sidura Ludwig

Independent

Nu? So, You're A Writer? Q&A with Canadian Jewish Author Sidura Ludwig

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Thornhill

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Sidura Ludwig is an internationally published, award-winning author of books for children and adults. Her books have landed on many best of/notable lists, including Kirkus Reviews, American Libraries Association, Bank Street College of Education, and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Her most recent publications are the picture book RISING (Candlewick, 2024, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy) and the middle grade novel SWAN: The Girl Who Grew (Nimbus, 2024). Sidura has an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from Winnipeg, MB, she currently lives in Thornhill, ON, with her family.

Global / Diaspora, Immigration, Identity, Human Relations

Analucía Lopezrevoredo

Jewtina y Co.

Northbound: Latin-Jewish Migration and the Making of Twenty-First Century Canadian Jewish Diversity

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Analucía Lopezrevoredo is a Peruvian-American sociologist, Fulbright Canada alumna, and the founder and CEO of Jewtina y Co., a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and strengthening Latin-Jewish life. She has journeyed to nearly every Jewish community in Latin America, capturing their stories and championing their inclusion in the global Jewish narrative. A passionate educator and bridge-builder, Analucía designs programs that honor the beauty of multicultural identities, preserve living traditions, and combat antisemitism through global perspectives. Her work reflects a deep belief in the power of Jewish diversity to connect communities, inspire pride, and enrich the world.

Global / Diaspora, Comparative, Immigration, Community Institutions

Analucía Lopezrevoredo

Jewtina y Co.

Parallel Histories: A Comparative Study of the Jewish Colonization Association in Latin America and Canada

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Analucía Lopezrevoredo is a Peruvian-American sociologist, Fulbright Canada alumna, and the founder and CEO of Jewtina y Co., a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and strengthening Latin-Jewish life. She has journeyed to nearly every Jewish community in Latin America, capturing their stories and championing their inclusion in the global Jewish narrative. A passionate educator and bridge-builder, Analucía designs programs that honor the beauty of multicultural identities, preserve living traditions, and combat antisemitism through global perspectives. Her work reflects a deep belief in the power of Jewish diversity to connect communities, inspire pride, and enrich the world.

Holocaust, Interfaith, Archival Research, Food & Material Culture

Yasmine Lucas

University of Toronto

The Forging of Jewish-Christian Brotherhood: Canada, the United States, and Second-Wave Holocaust Restitution

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Yasmine Eve Lucas is an assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, where she earned her PhD in Anthropology and Jewish Studies. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Shofar, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes, Memory Studies, and Critique of Anthropology.

Memory, Holocaust Remembrance, Identity, Health & Medicine

Yasmine Lucas

University of Toronto

Ambiguous Feelings: Epigenetics and Inherited Trauma among Canadian Jewry

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Yasmine Eve Lucas is an assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, where she earned her PhD in Anthropology and Jewish Studies. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Shofar, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes, Memory Studies, and Critique of Anthropology.

Antisemitism, Human Relations, 20th Century, Oral History

Yasmine Lucas

University of Toronto

The Antisemitic Conspiracy: Suspicion of the Non-Jewish Other in Contemporary Canada

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Yasmine Eve Lucas is an assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, where she earned her PhD in Anthropology and Jewish Studies. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Shofar, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes, Memory Studies, and Critique of Anthropology.

Gender & Sexuality, Religion & Ritual, Theology, Hebrew Language

Randi Madonik Skurka

Independent

Who Counts? Canadian Women, Minyan and the Book of Ruth

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Randi Madonik Skurka is a writer of poetry, fiction and nonfiction whose pieces have appeared in BALAGAN, The Canadian Jewish News, and The Jerusalem Post. She holds an MA in Jewish Studies and a graduate creative writing degree. A lay leader in the Jewish community of Toronto for decades, she is a founding board member of a nonprofit that educates to combat antisemitism, and a champion of gender ritual equality in her synagogue. Her website can be found at www.randiskurka.com.

Global / Diaspora, Antisemitism, Politics & Activism, Interfaith

Randi Madonik Skurka

Independent

Beyond Polarization: Reclaiming Dialogue in a Time of Division for Canada's Jews

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

Toronto

Maybe

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Randi Madonik Skurka is a writer of poetry, fiction and nonfiction whose pieces have appeared in BALAGAN, The Canadian Jewish News, and The Jerusalem Post. She holds an MA in Jewish Studies and a graduate creative writing degree. A lay leader in the Jewish community of Toronto for decades, she is a founding board member of a nonprofit that educates to combat antisemitism, and a champion of gender ritual equality in her synagogue. Her website can be found at www.randiskurka.com.

Comparative, Gender & Sexuality, Community Institutions, Health & Medicine

Rachel Margolis

University of Western Ontario

Canadian Jewish Fertility in Comparative Perspective: Implications for Community Demographic Change

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

London

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Rachel Margolis is a family demographer and professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario. She holds a PhD in Demography and Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a MSc in Population and Development from the London School of Economics. Margolis’s academic work focuses on how family dynamics shape population change over time. Her research on aging addresses how and why grandparenthood is changing over time, how family networks are evolving, and how the thinning of kinship networks affects older adults. She has new research focusing on the demographics of Canadian Jews and the implications for their communal institutions.

Ontario, Community Institutions, Identity

Rachel Margolis

University of Western Ontario

Jewish London (Ontario): Demographic Change and Implications for Our Institutions

CITY

WILLING TO TRAVEL?

London

Yes

OPEN TO VIRTUAL?

LANGUAGE

Yes

English

Rachel Margolis is a family demographer and professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario. She holds a PhD in Demography and Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a MSc in Population and Development from the London School of Economics. Margolis’s academic work focuses on how family dynamics shape population change over time. Her research on aging addresses how and why grandparenthood is changing over time, how family networks are evolving, and how the thinning of kinship networks affects older adults. She has new research focusing on the demographics of Canadian Jews and the implications for their communal institutions.
Bureau FAQ

FAQs

I'd like to invite a speaker. Is my organization the right fit? The Bureau is a resource for any and all individuals and organizations interested in engaging community audiences and learners in thoughtful conversations about Canadian Jewish history, heritage, and culture. Appropriate venues include but are not limited to: synagogues and other religious institutions; adult education groups; community centres, Jewish or not; schools; literary and film festivals; book clubs; employee resource groups (ERGs); retirement homes; DEI seminars; professional development seminars; board meetings; historical societies; and genealogical societies.

I'm interested in a particular speaker but would like them to speak on a different topic than what appears in the catalogue. Is that possible? Yes. Once you are connected with the speaker you will be able to negotiate a different talk. Revising or customizing a talk already listed in the catalogue or creating a new one entirely is at the speaker’s discretion.

Where are the speakers based? Speakers are primarily located in Canada, though several are based in the United States and Israel. Many are willing to travel. Please consult the catalogue for speakers’ preferences and availability.

Are the speakers available to present online? Most of our speakers will present in-person or online. Please consult the catalogue for their preferences and availability.

Does the Bureau offer talks in languages other than English? Yes. Several speakers are available to present in French, Hebrew, Yiddish, Spanish, and Russian. Please contact us for more information.

Does the Bureau insist on a particular format for any given talk? No. Some of the talks listed in the catalogue are lectures, others are seminars, and still others are hands-on workshops. The total length of the event will be negotiated between the host and speaker.

Are there costs associated with booking a speaker? Yes. Our default fee for booking any speaker is 500 CAD, paid to ACJS. ACJS takes a 10 percent administrative fee to offset the costs of coordinating the Bureau. The remaining money goes directly to the speaker. Hosts are expected to bear any travel costs for out-of-town speakers. Note that some of the Bureau’s members are accustomed to higher rates for speaking engagements. Please contact us if you have any concerns and we will do our best to assist.

I’m a prospective host. What are the basic expectations for me and my organization? Once we connect you with a speaker, you will coordinate directly with the speaker to schedule dates and times, select a format (if applicable), and customize the presentation (if applicable). Hosts are expected to handle all of the local event planning, logistics, and advertising.

As a host, how do I promote the event as being connected to the Association for Canadian Jewish Studies? We kindly ask that any communications assets associated with your event include the ACJS logo and/or mention the talk’s association with the ACJS Speakers' Bureau. We provide all hosts with ACJS graphics, as well as a short description of the Association and the Bureau that can be used in promotional materials and/or welcome remarks. Likewise, all speakers are asked to acknowledge the ACJS prior to their talk. If you provide us with a digital flyer and/or descriptive text about your Bureau event, we will gladly promote it through our own social media and other communications channels.

I’m planning a series of talks for my organization over a period of months. Can I work with the Bureau to curate a program? Yes, we would be happy to facilitate a speaker series involving more than one of our Bureau members. Please contact us for more information.

I have research, insights, and knowledge to share. How do I become a member of the Bureau? The Bureau is open to new members on a rolling basis. If you are a scholar, advanced graduate student, archivist, museum professional, journalist, artist, writer, or community or religious leader, please complete our application form. You are invited to submit up to three talks. Only talks that have both Canadian and Jewish content will be considered. We will assess your application and follow up within three weeks.

I'm already a member of the Speakers' Bureau and would like to edit an existing talk title, add a new one, or update my bio. How can I do that? Please write to bureau@canadianjewishstudies.ca and we will be happy to revise your offerings.

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