The Promised Podcast

The “You Know, I Read It in a Magazine” Edition

We discuss: 1) The Atlantic cover story arguing that the “Golden Age” for American Jews has come to a close 2) The well-regarded literary journal’s retraction of an essay by an Israeli on account of, well, what exactly?

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The “Reckonings” Edition

We discuss: 1) The Jerusalem election results which gave, for the first time ever, a majority to Ultra-Orthodox men 2) Whether it’s time for soul-searching and spiritual reckoning over the death and destruction in Gaza

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The “Local Yokels” Edition

We discuss: 1) The weird city council race that ushered Noah into the corridors of immense power 2) Why Israeli mayors, once elected the first time, keep getting reelected over and over again

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The “Yesterday’s Politics, Today!” Edition

We discuss: 1) A new expensive advertising campaign calling for new elections sooner-than-later 2) Whether now is the moment to extend the draft to the ultra-Orthodox

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The “Negotiating With Terrorists” Edition

We discuss: 1) What to make of Hamas’s reply to the Israeli-American-Qatari-Egyptian hostage release deal 2) How Itamar Ben-Gvir became the “It-Boy” of Israel’s terrible political moment

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The “Gaza of Good & Evil” Edition

We discuss: 1) The fact that 12 UNRWA workers killed, raped and kidnapped on Oct. 7, and that 1 in 4 Gazan men working for UNRWA have ties to Hamas 2) Whether the mutual care and respect that developed among reservists serving in Gaza is a model for a “new ideal Israeli society”

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The “Generals and Genocides” Edition

We discuss: 1) A remarkable interview with a former IDF Chief of Staff about how the government isn’t being honest about the war 2) Why the Holocaust is invoked more now than it has been invoked at any time since the Nazis were defeated

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The “IDF: Inspiring Despite Failing?” Edition

We discuss: 1) The reasons for the IDF’s terrible and tragic failures before, on and after Oct. 7th 2) Why the IDF is as popular today as ever, despite its failures

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The “South Africa v. Israel” Edition

We discuss: 1) the start of “Phase III” of the war, and the two phases that came before 2) the trial at the International Court of Justice, in which Israel stands accused of genocide

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