Avi Lewis

Birth Name: Avram David Lewis

Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: May 1967

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Avi Lewis is a Canadian politician, journalist, activist, and documentary filmmaker. He has been Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), since March 29, 2026. He has hosted the shows The NewMusic, CounterSpin, The Big Picture with Avi Lewis, On the Map with Avi Lewis, Inside USA, and Fault Lines, and been a panelist on Canada Reads. He has directed the documentary films The Take (2004), which he also narrated; and This Changes Everything (2015). His father, Stephen Lewis, led the Ontario NDP, and his grandfather, David Lewis, had also led the federal NDP; the two were party leaders for some of the same time span. His father died two days after Avi’s election to the NDP leadership.

Avi was born in Toronto. His mother, Michele Landsberg, is a journalist, author, public speaker, feminist, and social activist. His father, Stephen Henry Lewis, was a politician, public speaker, broadcaster, and diplomat. His father was born in Ottawa, and was Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), from October 4, 1970 to February 5, 1978, Leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario, from October 28, 1975 to April 29, 1977, Canadian Ambassador to the UN, from September 15, 1984 to July 1988, Deputy Director of UNICEF, from 1995 to 1999, and UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, from June 1, 2001 to December 31, 2006. Avi’s mother was born in Toronto. His sister is casting director Jenny Lewis.

Avi is married to author, social activist, and filmmaker Naomi Klein, with whom he has a son. Naomi is the daughter of feminist filmmaker, author, and disability rights activist Bonnie Sherr Klein.

His uncle is Polish–American architect, artist, professor, and set designer Daniel Libeskind, who is married to his aunt Nina.

Avi’s paternal grandfather was labour lawyer and politician David Lewis (born David Losz, the son of Moishe/Morris Lewis, originally Losz/Lozs, and of Rose/Róża Lazarovitch/Lazarowicz/Lazarus). David was born in Svisloch/Świsłocz, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire, now Belarus, and moved to Canada in 1921, settling in Montréal, Québec. He was Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), from April 24, 1971 to July 7, 1975, carrying it into the 1972 and 1974 federal elections. He was also National Secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1936 to 1950, National Chairman of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1954 to 1958, and National President of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1958 to 1961. Avi’s great-grandfather Moishe Lewis was born in Świsłocz, and was a labour activist, who was chairman of the Jewish Labour Bund in Świsłocz. Rose was the daughter of Usher Lazarovitch.

Avi’s paternal grandmother was Sophie Carson (the daughter of Hyman Carson/Korson and Edith Epstein). Sophia was born in Montréal, Québec, to Belarusian Jewish parents. Edith was the daughter of Joseph Epstein.

Avi’s maternal grandfather was John “Jack” Landsberg (the son of Abraham Landsberg and Rebecca/Rivka Fox). John born in Toronto, to Russian Jewish/Belarusian Jewish parents, from Babruysk, now Belarus. Abraham was the son of Morris/Max Landsberg/Katznellinson/Katznelson and Esther/Hodde/Odie Epstein. Rebecca was the daughter of Leib/Labe Wolf Fox, and of a mother surnamed Rosenberg.

Avi’s maternal grandmother was Naomi Leah Glassman (the daughter of Jacob/Nachum Glassman and Ginny/Jennie Kodorovesky/Khodorokovsky/Kadrinski). Naomi born in Russia, to a Jewish family, and came to Canada after a time in England. Jacob was the son of Moshe Glassman. Jennie was born in Kiev, the daughter of Manam Kadrinski.

Avi’s grandfather David was the first person of Jewish heritage and/or religion to lead a major federal party in Canada, on a non-interim basis. The others are Andrew Scheer, who led the Conservative Party, from 2017 to 2020 (Scheer is a Catholic, whose grandfather was Jewish); and Annamie Paul, who led the Green Party, from 2020 to 2021.

Source: Genealogy of Avi Lewis (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com