The “Banned on the Run” Edition
We discuss 1) the Central Election Committee’s decision to ban some parties from running for the Knesset while allowing others 2) the shocking popularity of a new libertarian party 3) why the Midburn festival has grown so popular and beloved so quickly.
Shani Boianjiu’s “The People of Forever Are Not Afraid”
This week we feature a novel told in a series of vignettes, narrated by three young Israeli women following their high school years in a small northern village and through their enlistment in the Israeli Defence Force where they train marksmen, guard a border and man a checkpoint.
Coupons & Cupcakes: Foreign Words in Hebrew
How does the Hebrew language integrate foreign words into its vocabulary? And how do we Israelis manipulate English words, like coupons and cupcakes, in order to make them sound natural alongside native Hebrew words? Guy explains.
Will 2019 Be the Moment of Truth for Israeli Democracy?
Will Israel's democratic institutions prove resilient? How is the party system changing and is Israel headed for a tyranny of the majority? Yohanan Plesner, President of the Israel Democracy Institute, examines the ramifications of the unprecedented indictment of an incumbent Prime Minister in Israel.
The “Things Change (or They Don’t)” Edition
We discuss 1) why charges of bribery and breach of trust haven’t affected Bibi's popularity 2) the rapid growth of Arabic-Hebrew bilingual, multicultural schools 3) the charges by an Israeli-American woman that 42 years ago a 17 year-old Benny Gantz sexually assaulted her.
Your Israeli Soundtrack for International Women’s Day
We honor International Women’s Day by celebrating some of our favorite Israeli divas throughout history.
Israeli Love Poetry in Translation
In this week’s episode, we will consider Israeli Love poetry through the lens of Barbara Goldberg’s new book, “Transformation: The Poetry of Translation,” which has just come out this year, after winning the Valentin Krustev Award for Translation.
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat (שבת) in Hebrew means Sabbath. In a religious context, it’s the time span between Friday afternoon and Saturday evening. In secular terms, it's Saturday, the day of the week. So how do we tell them apart? Guy explains.
When We Let Our Schooling Interfere with Our Education
How has education in Israel been influenced by the encroachment of capitalism, on the one hand, and the growing awareness of multiculturalism in society, on the other? What is educational justice, and how should policymakers address it?
The “With Us or Agin’ Us!” Edition
We discuss 1) whether the time has come to break the taboo against forming a coalition with Palestinian-Israeli parties 2) the campaign of the New Right Party 3) whether it's right or not to help a friend move into a new apartments in a West-Bank settlement
Rana Werbin Introduces Us to the Genre “Auto-Reality”
An introduction to the genre called “Auto-Reality,” a term coined by Israeli writer and editor Rana Werbin to describe her first book, “Life Is Good.”
Together or Separate?
Lehipared (להיפרד) means ‘to break up’ but can also be used to say goodbye. The root פרד is your foundation for the words you'll need to request the salad dressing on the side or to explain that you and a friend are paying separately.
Kill Thy Neighbor
When do people to commit mass violence against an ethnic, religious or racial group in their midst? Does the demand for minority rights inevitably spark existential fears and violent reactions from the majority group?
The “Out with the Old, In with the New” Edition
We discuss 1) whether the new Centrist mega-party “Blue & White,” a party that unites Two-State-Solution types with never-Palestinian-Staters, can endure 2) what can we learn from the meteoric fall of Tzipi Livni 3) how you keep welders, carpenters and auto-repair shops in Tel Aviv when the real estate that their workshops are on is worth a gazillion shekels
This Week’s Israeli Soundtrack
We check out new music releases from Static & Ben-el, Katrix & Doron Beatton, Omer Adam, Avraham Tal, and many more.
Aharon Appelfeld: The Ticho House Café Interview
Aharon Appelfeld would say that in order to be a serious writer you need to have a routine. For years his routine had been to write in the café at Ticho House, in Jerusalem. It was there that Alain Elkann interviewed him for The Paris Review.
Mistakes Were Made
This episode features stories on the theme “Mistakes Were Made,” as told by Nancy Cahners, Noah Efron, Tova Kamioner, Judah Kauffman, Chavi Karkowsky, Milton Roller, and Rachel Wansker.
What a Hunk!
Lachtoch (לחתוך) means ‘to cut,’ like when we cut onions. But in slang, this word and its root ח.ת.כ can be used in many ways to mean many different things. From ‘breaking up’ to ‘you clean up nice,’ or ‘a hunk‘ and ‘a hottie.’
Us and Them: Is There Any Way Out?
Nurit Novis-Deutsch, a psychologist of religion, values, morality and identity, believes that people who perceive themselves as having a complex identity might be more tolerant of the “other.” Her research advances much-needed anecdotes to angry tribalism in today's world.
The “Befuddled, Belabored, Bereaved & Beloved” Edition
We discuss 1) whether primaries are good or bad for Israeli democracy 2) with the Labor Party possibly falling below the election threshold, should we be concerned about its disappearance? 3) is there a “culture of bereavement” in Israeli politics for which women, especially, pay a high price
Select Poems from The Ilanot Review, Part 2
We feature poetry by Ron Dahan and Sharron Hass from the new “Crisis” issue of The Ilanot Review, which was edited by guest editor Adriana X. Jacobs, and our very own Marcela Shulak.
That’ll Teach Them a Lesson
What’s the difference between “lilmod” and “lelamed”? What’s the difference between “limud” and “limudim”? And how could we possibly have missed the Hebrew root ל.מ.ד on a podcast meant to teach Hebrew?!
When Zionism and Human Rights Got Along
Before human rights was a universally accepted concept, and before there was Israel, there were prominent Jews who supported both. James Loeffler tells the story of human rights pioneers and how their commitment grew out of the Jewish diaspora experience.
The “Black & White, Left & Right” Edition
We discuss 1) the Likud primaries and the composite portrait they paint of the heart, soul and physiognomy of the party 2) the rage and heartache of Ethiopian-Israelis, as they protest police brutality and so much else 3) how to make sense of Conan O’Brien making sense of Israel
The Story of Science
Prof. Oren Harman, Chair of the Graduate Program in Science, Technology & Society at Bar-Ilan University, discusses his book “Evolutions: Fifteen Myths that Explain Our World” and “Talking about Science in the 21st Century,” a lecture series he directs at the VLJI.