Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.
Out of Dodge?
A recent poll shows that almost one in three Israelis are thinking about leaving the country. But are all these folks really about to leave?
General Malaise
What happens when the army gets political?
What to Do With Someone Like Yair Netanyahu?
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is Yair Netanyahu a trollish Dr. Hyde to his father’s sometimes more refined Dr. Jekyll?
All that and a tenth-anniversary tribute to TLV1 and the odd, amazing music of Itay Blau, only some of which was recorded live in a cave.
Songs
- Boy
- Stam Meuhedet
- Warm (in a Cave)
I am having difficulty leaving a 5* rating (practically, not supportively!). Please advise on what site/url I can do so….
That said, I am a huge fan, and look forward each week to Noah’s phenomenally prodigious poetic prose. There hasn’t been an episode or a topic bookending each episode, that hasn’t kept my ears glued to my headphones. As does Israel itself, the topics discussed both warm my heart and make my blood boil. The latter most recently in this episode when discussing the impact of those choosing not to continue to volunteer for army/air force duty in the midst of a perceived dictatorial regime coup. The conversation was centered on the military personnel themselves, their obligations and level of commitment, as if they were the problem with the now apparent and increasing challenges to IDF competence. That is missing the mark. The discussion should have been about the responsibility and accountability of the government coalition that has solely brought about this horrible state of affairs. If the servicemen and women in the IDF are expected to voluntarily serve for any and all Israeli governments, when severe actions by the government depart from their moral compass, then we are headed to an Iranian situation, at the extreme. The armed forces of Iran execute the Leaders’ commands totally. One cannont expect to be able to separate politics from volunteers in a civilian army. The act of non-volunteering is a democratic right; the stated goals and actions of this government are anything but. The focus on the challenging and worrying state of the IDF should be solely on the government’s actions that have brought us to this point of some 33+ weeks of protest & de-volunteering, not the praiseworthy, dedicated civilians and service personnel expressing their commitment to Zionism and democracy. I write as a dual Canadian-Israeli who served his term in both the regular army and miluim.
Two points I believe would have added to the discussion:
1. IDF personnel can always express their democratic right to protest when they are out of uniform. This way, they can continue to serve (and not inadvertently weaken the IDF) without losing their voice.
2. No IDF personnel should execute a command that is illegal or immoral. This means that serving does not give carte blanche for government (via the IDF leadership) to run roughshod over the laws and norms of society.