Staying Alive: Mental Health in the Wake of October 7th
Prof. Jonathan Huppert discusses mental health response in the wake of the October 7th attack. Is Israel, a society riddled with trauma, facing unprecedented challenges?
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
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
The Many Lives of Bruno Schulz
Benjamin Balint, an award-winning American-Israeli writer based at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, discusses the literary legacy of Bruno Schulz, the so-called Polish Kafka, which has been the subject of an international legal, cultural and diplomatic debate
Your Israeli Soundtrack for January 2024
DJ Antithesis kicks off 2024 with new music influenced by the Israel-Gaza war and with a special studio guest
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
Schooling the Nation
Hilary Falb-Kalisman, Professor of History and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado-Boulder, discusses her book, "Teachers as State Builders: Education and the Making of the Modern Middle East"
The “Days of Future Past” Edition
We discuss: 1) the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a Knesset amendment to a “Basic Law,” for the first time ever 2) whether we are Groundhog’s-Dayishly reliving over and over the massacres of October 6 and, if we are, what impact this is having on our psyches and politics
The “End of Consensus?” Edition
We discuss: 1) the rekindling of the Anti-Netanyahu demonstrations, and whether now's the time to oust him 2) whether, after the collapse of Labor, there will be any Left left
The “Opinions, Opinions, Opinions!” Edition
We ponder perplexing public-opinion polls of: 1) American young people 2) Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and 3) Israelis
Overcoming Depression
The Israeli song לצאת מדיכאון is perhaps the song that best describes how an entire nation is feeling at this moment. It's an appropriate time to talk about דיכאון, depression, and its root
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”