The Promised Podcast

The “Sons of Strongmen” Edition

We discuss: 1) what lasting impact Donald Trump and “Trumpism” had on Israel 2) an initiative led by the old Left to forge a new left that leaves Zionism behind 3) the really strange new podcast by Yair Netanyahu

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The “Leaders Come and Leaders Go” Edition

We discuss: 1) what we can learn from the mess of American politics about the mess of Israeli politics 2) the claim that Jews are breaking down into Trump Jews and Anti-Trump Jews 3) the outrage over one minister’s claim that Rabin’s legacy means nothing to her

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The “This Place!” Edition

On this special episode, Miriam Herschlag, Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida, Allison Kaplan-Sommer, Don Futterman, Charlotte Halle, and Noah Efron tell stories of life and love in this place they call home.

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The “Anything But Apathy” Edition

We discuss: 1) what to do with Ultra-Orthodox schools that opened illegally, against COVID regulations 2) whether race is a useful concept for understanding Israel 3) a new Israeli-Palestinian fashion company

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The “Exit Strategy” Edition

We discuss: 1) whether the new plan to get out of lockdown in stages is a good one 2) the worried claim that people here are growing coarser, and all the faster in these pandemical times 3) a big front-page ad comparing mistreatment of cows to Treblinka

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“The People Doth Protest Too Much!” Edition

We discuss: 1) the new limitations on protest demonstrations and whether they diminish Israeli democracy 2) what to do now that a big survey shows that distance learning is a flop 3) whether poetry can lead to political and social change

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The “Love, Death and AOC” Edition

We discuss: 1) how doctors decide who gets a ventilator and who doesn’t 2) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s decision not to speak at an event marking the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin 3) the surprising rise of matchmaking among secular Israelis

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The “Atone Again, Naturally” Edition

We discuss: 1) the proposal of giving Netanyahu amnesty from prosecution in exchange for his resignation 2) whether you can be a feminist, but opposed judges who try to advance a feminist agenda 3) we repent for stuff we said about people in Israeli politics, culture and society

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The “It Never Bahrains, But It Pours!” Edition

We discuss: 1) the historic accord with the UAE and peace declaration with Bahrain 2) the 3-week lockdown 3) the efforts to ban the TV satire show, The Jews Are Coming

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The “Disobedient? Sure. But Is It Civil?” Edition

What’s behind the Greek-tragic struggle for leadership of the Yesh Atid party? What do we make of Lieberman’s call for “civil disobedience” against the government’s coronavirus regulations? Ahead of the Jewish New Year, what events and people mattered most over the year now ending?

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