The “Out of Phase” Edition
We discuss: 1) The stalled ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and the emergence of the mysterious "Witkoff Plan" 2) The controversy surrounding Netanyahu’s proposed "Egalitarian State Commission of Inquiry" into the October 7 attack
Chronicles of Destruction
How did a Byzantine historian come to meticulously collect evidence about the atrocities of the current war, still ongoing?
The “Unsettling Findings” Edition
We discuss: 1) The results of the long IDF investigation of itself and what it did and did not do on Oct. 7 2) What to make of the Palestinian-Israeli movie “No Other Land” up for an Oscar next week for best documentary feature
Your Israeli Soundtrack for February 2025
DJ Antithesis kicks off the year with music making the airwaves here in our little corner of the Middle East
The “Synagogues & Stadiums” Edition
We discuss: 1) Why religious-Zionists opposed the hostage and prisoner release and ceasefire agreement more than any other sector of society 2) The simpatico between sports clubs, athletes and fans, on the one hand, and the hostages and their families on the other
U-Turns and Public Inquiries
The word פרסס is what you'd use in a sentence to ask a driver to make a U-turn. But what does it mean in slang?
“It Is the Crown Jewel of My Career in Public Service”
Elyakim Rubinstein has had an incredibly prolific career in academia, politics, diplomacy and the judiciary. He is the only living Israeli who has taken part in peace negotiations with all of Israel's five neighboring countries.
The “Sins: Past, Present & Future” Edition
We discuss: 1) How the images of the gaunt, shrunken, clearly-tortured hostages cast into doubt the future of the present ceasefire 2) Historian Benny Morris’s dire warning that, unless something changes between Palestinians and Israelis, a genocide is inevitable
The “No One Expects the Pax Trumpiana!” Edition
We discuss: 1) Trump’s plan to move Gazans to Jordan and Egypt and turn Gaza into a riviera, and (2) Why Hamas men in black balaclavas and semi-automatic rifles give gift bags and souvenir swag to hostages they let go
Do Not Contact Me
The Hebrew word לפנות means to turn, like to turn right or left. But we use לפנות for other things as well, like when we need to contact our municipality or to tell someone to stop texting us.
The ‘Big Data’ of Hebrew Literature
Dr. Yael Dekel talks about the Literary Laboratory: how digital methods are used to study the canon of Hebrew literature - and redefine it.
I’m Getting Into the Game
The Hebrew word אירוע means an event, most often a happy event, like a wedding or bar/bat mitzvah. But its usage has changed lately.