The Promised Podcast – Segment

The (Too) Low Cost of Learning

An Israeli Nobel laureate says the country’s universities need to get hip to the logic of the market, and octuple tuitions. Does he have a point?

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Son of God, with a Side of Fries

There is blood on the streets of Haifa after the city art museum raises an exhibit including “McJesus,” a sculpture of Ronald McDonald on the cross, and demonstrations of offended Christians turn violent. How do you mesh artistic freedom and sensitivity to religious beliefs?

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Never Netanyahu?

Labor Party head dares and double-dares the heads of other parties in the center and on the left to swear on a million bibles that they’ll never join a Netanyahu government. Good politics or just more dumbassery?

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Breeding Socialists in Schoolyards

In 2019, if a person joins an “educators’ kibbutz,” forgoing money, property and autonomy for the sake of higher ideals, are they a cultish dupe or a vanguard of a better future? Is capital-normativity the last great hegemony?

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Uniformity

A Hebrew U. prof who tells a student who complained about being treated uncivilly by a classmate because she came to class in uniform that she cannot expect others to treat her like a civilian when she’s dressed like a soldier. Should we be outraged?

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Terrorists, Murderers or Just Kids?

Five fifteen years-olds suspected of killing a Palestinian mother of nine by pelting her car with rocks are interrogated by the Shin Bet without being allowed to consult a lawyer to speak to their parents. Are the kids’ rights are being trampled?

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Left (Or, The Defenestration of Tzippi Livni)

Avi Gabbay, head of Israel’s labor party, defenestrates his main political partner on TV. But is there anything left of the left?

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Center (Or, Plenty of Benny)

A general starts a new centrist party in Israel, joining forces with another general and, just like that, they’re number two in the polls, behind Netanyahu. Does the future of Israeli politics run down the middle?

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Right (Or, Naftali & Ayelet’s Excellent Adventure)

Numbers one and two of the modern-Orthodox Jewish Home party, leave to start “The New Right.” It’s sad when kids run away from (The Jewish) Home.

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