A Digital Window into Gaza: Mosab’s Facebook Poetry
“We never chose to be involved in a war. The decision-makers never think of us as real people, with minds to think and hearts to feel. We have lives ahead of us. No one seems to notice.” Today, we share the work of one poet in Gaza whose work opens a tiny window to what’s happening on the other side.
Bibi: The King is Alive, Long Live the King
Benjamin Netanyahu’s endurance as Prime Minister is matched only by his mystique. What lies behind his grip on Israeli society? How did he climb to the top, and what is the price of his long stay at the summit?
The “Terror with a Tail!” Edition
We discuss 1) whether calling the flaming kites from Gaza “terror kites” distorts and cheapens the word “terror”, 2) the controversy over a musical featuring songs by Eyal Golan, accused of having consensual sex with underaged girls, and 3) whether we need “secular politics” that advance a “secular agenda” in Israel’s upcoming local elections.
This Week’s Israeli Soundtrack
It’s another episode of Kol Cambridge featuring the biggest and best in Israeli and Jewish music. We’ve got the 2018 Tel Aviv Pride anthems along with new releases from Idan Raichel, Omer Adam, Dudu Aharon, and many more!
Petty Business: A Tale of Two Families in 1980s Israel
“Petty Business” is a tale of two families, related by marriage, who are shop owners in 1980s Israel. Rarely are middle-aged, petit bourgeois families the protagonists of Israeli literature, but Yirmi Pinkus, who is also a graphic artist known for his humor, delivers a strangely compelling story.
Sharing Is Caring
The Hebrew word for partner or flatmate is שותף, and its root ש.ת.פ is especially relevant when trying to get your social media posts to go viral. On this episode, Guy shares his linguistic expertise on all things shareable.
Occupation: The Law Gives and the Law Takes Away
Michael Sfard, one of Israel’s leading human rights lawyers, chronicles the lives and legal struggles of people who fight Israel’s occupation policy with its very own legal tools.
Shifting Attitudes Towards Israel and Zionism
For South African Jews, support for Israel has ceased to be the one thing they can all agree upon. Three distinguished panelists debate the meaning, old and new, of engaging with Israel as South African Jews.
The “Drawing Lines” Edition
We discuss 1) a plan to annex some settlement blocks and freeze others in West Bank as a unilateral step towards accommodation with the Palestinians 2) the Argentinian National Football team’s decision not to come play a match against Israel, and 3) Michael Chabon’s commencement address arguing in favor of intermarriage and against Zionism.
The Meaning of Home: Poems by Sheikha Helawy
Today we feature poetry by Sheikha Helawy, a Bedouin woman born in the unmarked Bedouin village of El-Roi, on the outskirts of the city of Haifa, and who today lives in Jaffa. Her poems were originally written in Arabic and in Hebrew.
Some Assembly Required
Most furniture from Ikea comes with assembly instructions. On this episode, Guy provides an instructions manual for the root רכב, which can be found in the word להרכיב, to assemble. No assembly required on this podcast!
Private Eyes: Data, Metadata and Civil Rights
How did Israel, a country with the world’s most advanced surveillance technology and minimal restrictions on using it, end up with a citizenry who display almost none of the data-squeamishness of their American and European counterparts?
The “The Sheep Goes Baaah, the Cow Goes Moooo, the Trident Missile Goes Whoosh-Boom!” Edition
We discuss 1) a poll finding that Israelis think our gov shouldn’t care what American Jews think we should do, 2) a parody of Israel’s Eurovision-winning song that smells like anti-semitism, and 3) Lockheed-Martin’s philanthropic decision to open high-techy kindergartens in Jerusalem.
This Week’s Israeli Soundtrack
New releases today from Omer Adam, Dudu Aharon, Moshe Peretz and many more. We’ll also take a closer look at the brand new release by Hadag Nahash.
The Peculiar Case of the Cursed Sabakh Diamond
Moshe Sakal’s novel, The Diamond Setter, is part mystery, part family history, and part myth. The plot centers around a lost blue diamond called Sabakh. The novel’s main storyteller, Tom, becomes romantically involved with a young man from Damascus who may or may not be connected to the cursed diamond.
It’s Complicated
Many things in life are complicated, including some people’s relationship status on Facebook. How do we say “it’s complicated” in Hebrew? And what saying do we use as something gets more and more complicated?
Portrait of an Artist as a Feisty Activist
Isn’t art always political, and when it is not, is it just bad art? And what is the role of art in shaping our political outlook, when the Israeli reality offers little escape from politics?
Ignorance is Bliss? Black Africans’ Attitudes Towards Jews
Dr Adam Mendelson discusses his trailblazing study that seeks to map out the attitudes and perceptions of Black South Africans towards Jewish people in three major urban areas in the country.
The “Republikud & Labocrats?” Edition
We discuss 1) why Israelis favor 2-4 political parties instead of 11 in today’s Knesset, 2) whether we are sorting ourselves according to political beliefs, and 3) why the promotion of a gay IDF officer to Major-General is a cause for concern to some radical LGBTQ activists.
If You Awaken Love: A Novel by Emuna Elon
This past Saturday night, we celebrated the holiday of Shavuot. And in honor of the festival, we read from Emuna Elon’s novel, “If You Awaken Love”.
“Chutzpah”
This episode features stories on the theme of “Chutzpah” as told by Gwen Dreilinger, Mel Lidman, Alon Tal, Chavi Karkowsky, Judy Maltz, and Ibrihim Ahadi.
I Want to Improve My Hebrew
How do we say “I want to improve my Hebrew” in Hebrew? How about “improvements”? And what’s the connection to Shufersal, the popular Israeli supermarket chain? Guy explains on this episode of Streetwise Hebrew.
How Did a Palestinian Terrorist Become Israel’s National Heart-Throb?
How do you fight a war by becoming the enemy and still keep your identity? Who are the good guys who are the bad guys? As Season 2 hits Netflix, Avi Issacharoff, the co-creator of hit TV series “Fauda,” tells all.
Looking Back: Memories of an Anti-Apartheid Activist
“I never thought I’d go back to live in South Africa,” says Lorna Levy, a trade unionist and anti-Apartheid activist who spent decades in exile after being banned from her native South Africa. Lorna reflects on her almost accidental activism, starting in her student days in 1950s Johannesburg.
The “Benjamin Netanyahu’s New World Order” Edition
We discuss 1) an essay describing Netanyahu’s use of the threat of Iran’s nuclearization to solidify relations with the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, 2) the decision by a university dept. not to end graduation with Hatikvah, out of concern for non-Jewish students, and (3) the efforts of some leftist American young people to get “the Palestinian narrative” into the Zionist summer camp curriculum