The Promised Podcast

Miriam and Noah talk about: 1) The "great deal" that US President Donald Trump struck with Iran, being a Memorandum of Understanding that does what now?, and (2) The resurgence of "communal singing" in Israel, and what it says about the state of our souls, and how nostalgia ain't what it used to be.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Have we exaggerated how divided we Jews are?
Plus: Old books, young love and memories on the highest rooftop in Tel Aviv!

Allison and Noah talk about: 1) Our strange, short, truncated warlet with Iran this week, and 2) New findings that point to a weird entanglement between Israeli attitudes towards climate change and our attitudes towards Netanyahu, the courts, the ultra-orthodox and most everything else we argue about here.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Sam Harris makes waves by saying there's no point in even debating enemies of Israel. Might he have a point?
Plus: An old-new life for Kibbutz Manara and hip new music by the graduates of a not-known-for-being-hip youth movement, Noam.

Allison and Noah talk about President Yitzhak Herzog's alarmed warning that we are turning into animals, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's very viral election ad, about how leftist-wing sorts make right-wing sorts feel like less.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: I.D.O.5., or Israel Day on Fifth (a.k.a, the Israel Soliidarity Parade) in Manhattan used to be about unity. Now it's about controversy.
Plus: Remembering our friend, the ain't-no-one-like-her, poet-painter-peace-activist-therapist-story-teller Lisa Fliegel. Plus the good karma of Yonatan Razel as he convalesces in Shaarei Tzedek hospital.

Linda, Noah and Judah Ari Gross talk about the war with Iran and the peace with Gaza, and how US President Donald Trump's diplomatic ADD makes it close to impossible for anything good to come of our miserable wars.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The last time our dollars bought so few shekels (and our shekels bought so many dollars), it was before we could dial up the internet, and around the time Mario first got his Kart. What's it mean (hint: diminished retirements for some, and boarded-up NGOs).
Plus: Drawing hope from frogs, philanthropists and hotel buffet breakfasts. And some great new music.

Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron try to make sense of why long-time allies and fellow-travelers of former Alternate Prime Minister and former IDF Chief-of-Staff Benny Gantz have lately left the Blue & White Party, wondering if it is the man or what he stands for. Then they are joined by special guest star Rabbi Joe Wolfson of JLIC-TLV to try and make sense of the many secular and egalitarian Tikkunei Leil Shavuot, all night sessions of study, song, discussion and meditation that have become so popular over the past years asking, what exactly are those things about?
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Everyone said no one would ever vote for Noam Bettan, the Israeli singing in the Eurovision Song Contest, yet he finished in second place. How? Why?
Plus the changing face of Shavuot over the years and a few things that moved us over the week. And some great new music.