Vocational Training: The Past – and Future – of Israel’s Economy
Dr Eitan Regev, economist and Research Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, analyzes the downsides of Israel's excessive reliance on academic higher education which has hurt its economic prospects and social integration, and offers policy recommendations to rectify that situation.
Introducing the Tel Aviv Review of Books
The Tel Aviv Review of Books is a new online English-language publication that seeks, by way of book reviews, essays, literary criticism, original fiction and poetry, to give the international reader a glimpse into the Israeli world of letters. Gilad Halpern is joined by his co-editors to discuss the whys and wherefores of a new magazine.
The “Panthers and Cubs” Edition
We discuss 1) the addition of an activist to the Labor Party list who once called it a party of racist oppression 2) a revisionist history of the settler movement arguing that it was not about religious ideology but rather economy and class 3) whether it's right or not to harangue Avner Netanyahu about the purported “sins” of his father
The Writings of Naji Daher
Naji Daher, a writer, poet, and playwright, was born in Nazareth and lives there. He has published more than fifty books, including six novels. Daher's works have been translated into Hebrew, English and other languages, and he is the winner of the 2000 Prime Minister Prize.
Don’t Scare Me Like That!
How would we say, “you really scared me,” in Hebrew? How about a horror film? A coward? This week, Guy doesn't share his deepest fears but rather explains the Hebrew root פחד and its many words and phrases.
Creating Killers
One of the most controversial questions about the Holocaust is whether it should be seen as a universal human problem, or a unique horror perpetrated by Germans. At the heart of this question lies the work of Christopher Browning, author of numerous books on the history of the Holocaust.
“The Elephant has Left the Building” Edition
We discuss 1) why the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a campaign issue in our incipient elections 2) an ad campaign showing PM Netanyahu with autocratish world leaders 3) the revolutionary advance of municipal bus service on the Sabbath
This Week’s Israeli Soundtrack
We bring you the latest Israeli music releases, including the new Moshe Peretz album and Snoop Dogg on a Hebrew track!
The Poetry of Gali-Dana Singer
Gali-Dana Singer is a bilingual poet, translator, an artist and photographer, born in St. Petersburg, who immigrated to Israel in 1988. “I always emphasize that I haven't switched from Russian to Hebrew, rather that I am moving back and forth from Russian to Hebrew and Hebrew to Russian. I have tried to reconstruct how the transfer took place, a process which is still vivid in my memory.”
Wait, I Need to Exchange Currency
So you're on summer holiday. Do you stay at a hotel or go for a house swap? Will you exchange currency? Who is filling in for you at work while you're gone? The Hebrew root חלפ is the focus of this week's episode.
The Curious Case of Holocaust Memory in Former Communist Countries
The rage against communism led some countries to diminish the historic fight against fascism under leaders they now loathe. Could this help justify neo-fascist revivals in the post-communist world?
The “Two Party Solution” Edition
We discuss 1) whether Labor leader Amir Peretz is right that two leftist parties are better than one 2) whether the leaders of Israel’s new right-wing-consortium are right that one party to the right of the Likud is better than two 3) a new district court ruling finding that a man can be sued for not divulging to his fiancé-cum-wife that he prefers sex with men
Postcard from Pressburg-Bratislava: Remembering Tuvia Ruebner
The literary world lost one of its bright lights with the passing of Tuvia Ruebner. He was 95 years old. Ruebner lived on Kibbutz Merhavia, where he had made a home since arriving from Nazi occupied Bratislava as a teenager in 1942. The poem “Postcard from Pressburg-Bratislava” is his goodbye to his home town and its devastation during the war.
What a Disappointment
There are times in life when we are left disappointed (me’uchzavim) and it would be helpful to know how to express this disappointment in Hebrew. On this episode, Guy covers this special four letter root אכזב and checks Twitter to see what disappoints Israelis the most.
Judicial Review Under Review
Israel's judiciary is under assault, according to some, or experiencing a necessary corrective to rampant judicial activism, according to others. Dr. Amir Fuchs walks through the Knesset's attempt to change the judiciary and the balance of powers in Israel, what's behind it, and what it means for the country.
The “Selling Out?” Edition
We discuss 1) Labor Party’s decision to merge with the center-right Gesher party 2) the foreign ministry’s decision to retool its diplomats into economic ambassadors, rather than political ones 3) an advertisement that has half the country wailing and gnashing its teeth about selling out Israeli culture for filthy lucre
This Week’s Israeli Soundtrack
We bring you the latest musical releases, including new singles from Static & Ben-El, Omer Adam, HaUltras, and many more!
On Childhood: The Poetry of Israel Bar Kohav
One of the most predominant themes in Israel Bar Kohav's work is childhood. The writing is not nostalgic or romantic, but often filled with the terror and anxiety of a child confronting uncontrollable and enigmatic forces.
Sisters and Brothers
This episode features true stories from Israel on the theme “Sisters and Brothers,” as told by Elana Dorfman, Milton Roller, Margot Saffer, Gabriel Noah Brahm, and Charlie Yawitz.
Does It Come with a Side Dish?
Ok, so you know how to order schnitzel in an Israeli restaurant. But what about asking for an extra plate? For a non-spicy dish? Extra parsley? Or maybe you need to notify the kitchen of a food allergy.
Analyzing Israel in Germany
Dr. Peter Lintl, a researcher at the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft Und Politik, discusses how Germany views issues such as the Nation-State Law and the status of Israeli democracy, in the context of the sensitive Israel-German relations, and Israel-EU relations more broadly.
The “And What If You Don’t Will It?” Edition
We discuss 1) signs of a new openness to cooperation between Jews & Arabs on the Left 2) a new book the purpose of which is “reclaiming Judaism from Zionism” in America 3) the legacy of the “Bund” in Israel, on the occasion of the closing of Tel Aviv’s “Bund House”
The Poetry of Lali Tsipi Michaeli
Lali Tsipi Michaeli’s work attempts to capture, not just the mind at work, but also the spirit, the soul, as it becomes aware of itself as an entity both anchored in, and apart from, the body. Likewise, the body is often viewed as a physical object, one of many that occupy the world.
Making a Profit
The word revach רווח means profit, gain, benefit, and a few other things. You'll benefit greatly from learning the root רוח, we promise.
Six Is a Beautiful Number
This week we celebrate our podcast’s sixth anniversary. Can you believe it? Six years, שש שנים. It's a good excuse to talk about שש, six, and its family of Hebrew words.