The Promised Podcast

Tehila Wenger, deputy director of the Israeli branch of the Geneva Initiative, and Noah talk about why so many Jewish-Israeli politicians and parties rule out joining a coalition with Palestinian-Israeli politicians and parties. Then Hannah Brown, film critic for the Jerusalem Post, joins to talk about the eventful week in Israeli cinema, starting with the Ophir Award Best-Picture winner Tell Me Everything, and continuing with the controversial new documentary about the IDF's policy on civilian casualties, NAZA, which won a Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and got the longest standing ovation in the history of film.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What we wouldn't give for some superego: Have AI videos made elections all id?
Plus: Back when blowing shofar at the Wall was illegal, gearing up with friends for the elections in 40 days, life with a kid on the spectrum and awesome new music with a Days-of-Awe vibe.

Linda, Judah and Noah talk about (1) the weird party mergers and odd-couples running together for Knesset in the upcoming elections, and what these strange bedfellows say about the state of Israeli politics, and (2) the "Nili force" which, we recently learned, was started just after October 7, dedicated to capturing or killing every last one of the 5,000-odd Gazans who poured over the border on that day, to pillage, plunder, rape and murder. Is this sort of vengeance-to-the-last-man,-no-matter-how-long-it-takes what we want from our army and security forces?
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What do we expect from 5787?
Plus: Yossi Sarid as we never knew him when he was alive, Selichot in Zikhron Yaakov, and big slabs of meat in Jerusalem. Plus, new music with a New Year's vibe.

Two years ago, this week, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin and Libi & Orly Goldberg-Polin buried their son and brother Hersh. The rest of us did, too. In this episode, we hear Rachel Goldberg-Polin during those 328 days when Hersh was in those tunnels alive, until he wasn't.

Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron talk about (1) a new "working man's ultra-Orthodox party" that wants science in the classroom and Haredim in the boardroom and the barracks, and (2) a new poll showing that most Israelis feel like they need to hide who we are when we travel abroad.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The Prime Minister's son, Yair Netanyahu, was spirited out of Miami, where he lives, after the Mossad learned that Iranian agents had planned to assassinate him. Well, what can you say to that?!?
Plus: the rediscovery of the Altalena after 78 years in the briney deep, and the memories likely to get dredged up with the ship, and wine and gifts, and branch new breezy summer music for the late-summer heat.

The Jerusalem Post's Hannah Brown and Noah Efron talk about (1) the criminal harassment of Abu Rida and the Hassan families in Qusra, (2) the surprising results of the Likud primaries and what they augur, and (3) Avi Nesher's profound and affecting new movie, "Our Loves," about October 7th, and the day that came before and the day that came after.
For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: We've always suspected that "movie reviewer" is the best job ever. Hannah Brown, who reviewed for the New York Post and the Jerusalem Post, explains why we were right about that all along!
Plus: Down in the dumps with Gershom Scholem, neanderthal hip-joints, sheltering on the spectrum and tomorrow's scholars, today! All that and the brilliant recording debut of Allison's girl, Naomi Sommer!!!!