An inside view of how Israel can warm your heart and make your blood boil. It’s a show by a journalist, a professor and an NGO professional who live in and love...
A hundred years ago this week, a Hebrew University was founded in Jerusalem.
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43:45
The “Cessation’s Cessation” Edition
Miriam Herschlag, Don Futterman and Noah Efron talk about (1) Israel’s return to active fighting in Gaza, and what it may mean for the hostages, for Gazans and for the rest of us here and (2) Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to sack Ronen Bar, the head of the General Security Services, the Shabak, and what it says about the state of Israel’s government and the state of Israeli democracy. All this and the return of a crown, the football playoff, and surprise brain surgery. Plus, brand new music of our troubled times. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Trying to shore up the fortitude to face a return to fighting in Gaza, and coming up short.
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1:51:28
The “Horror Vacui” Edition
Allison Kaplan Sommer and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Horror Vacui— There’s an odd mélange of diplomatic proposals for what-comes-next-in-Gaza, from an Egyptian and Arab League plan to various American plans, including one hatched in direct negotiations with Hamas. This leads us to wonder, why is Israel silent about something that matters so much? —Amalakites— It is a fact that we are living in a moment of “peak-Amalek,” especially as we celebrate Purim. What are we to make of this problematic idea? —Is Yad Vashem Pandering to the TikTok Generation?— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is Yad Vashem pandering to the TikTok generation? All this and Rav Menachem Froman, the unveiling of under-wraps art and the Simba we need today, plus brilliant new music by Amir Sade.
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1:28:08
The “Out of Phase” Edition
Sara Hirschhorn, Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. —Out of Phase— With the stalled ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas giving way to the emergence of the mysterious “Witkoff Plan,” what might (and should) happen next? —Commission Perdition— What should we make of the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed “Egalitarian State Commission of Inquiry” into the October 7 attacks? All this and the centenary of Israel’s greatest “Bible Reciter”, plus new, sad music from Eran Tzur.
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1:34:36
The “Unsettling Findings” Edition
Linda Gradstein, Gilad Halpern and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon —Findings— The IDF shares its investigation of itself and what it did and did not do on October 7 with the victims of the attack on a community-by-community basis. Is this the sort of investigation we need? —No Other Land— The Palestinian-Israeli movie up for an Oscar next week for best documentary feature, “No Other Land,” is about an ongoing effort of the IDF to evict Palestinians from a contested tract of land in the West Bank. What we do and don’t learn from it? —Podcasts = the Death of Civilization— For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Are podcasts the death of civilization (wonder three long-time podcasters)? All this and counting our blessings, plus brand new music of our troubled times.
An inside view of how Israel can warm your heart and make your blood boil. It’s a show by a journalist, a professor and an NGO professional who live in and love Israel even though it drives them crazy, and who each week discuss the latest in Israeli politics, culture, and society.
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