A Visit to the Gaza Border This past June, Liel took Alan, Matt, Calev and Mike to the sites that were devastated by the October 7th invasion. As a licensed tour guide, Liel wanted to share insights with her colleagues about what happened in the “Gaza Envelope” on, and since, that day. As they went from location to location, they recorded Liel speaking, as well as some of their thoughts and observations along the way.  On the one year anniversary of October 7th, we thought it would be meaningful to share the experience with our listeners. Liel, Mike and Calev sat with our engi ..read more

  Is Israel Handling its Problems?  Everyone agrees that Israel is beset with problems. Some of them can be managed, and many of them must be solved for Israel to survive and have a healthy future. Is there a danger of reaching a tipping point where Israel has too many problems to succeed? Is whatever is right about Israel in danger of being destroyed by what’s wrong with it? Or is whatever is wrong with Israel going to be fixed by what’s right with it?  Liel hosts this debate with Matt taking the position that our problems are out of control, and Calev arguing that we have reas ..read more

Are We in the 1920s or 1930s?  It is always interesting and helpful to learn from history. And so it's very natural to look to our recent past to find parallels to our current era. With the astonishing global rise of antisemitism many are looking at the previous century and seeing troubling signs for our future. But what part of 20th Century is the clearest precedent? In between the two World Wars, antisemitism rose and shook Jewish security in the Western world. Are we at an early stage like the 20s? Or in a later danger zone like the 30s? Are the analogies even accurate at all?  Li ..read more

Mass Protests We live in an era when mass protests are just a normal part of weekly life in Israel. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Do they even make a difference? What changes have occurred because of them? And overall, do they create a positive or negative effect on Israeli life, politics and culture?  Jordana hosts this debate with Calev taking the position that the protests create positive change, and Alan taking the position that they are problematic..  Am Yisrael Chai ..read more

Campus: Fight or Flight? Young Jews prepare to return to campuses in the near future. Was last year a preview of what this year will be like? What should students do about open antisemitism around them? Should they stay and fight for what’s right? Or should they move on to places where Jews are more welcome and secure? There is no right or wrong answer to these questions, and each individual should decide for themselves. But a debate on the subject will help uncover the issues and factors to be weighed when making such important choices.  Alan hosts this debate with Liel taking the positi ..read more

414 Hostages in the Media This is a painful topic. How should images of the hostages be handled by the media? What is informative and what is exploitive? And in terms of viewing, what is the line between being informed and harming self health? May better days arrive soon, and discussions like this no longer be relevant.  Calev hosts this episode with Alan and Liel and Matt discussing the issues.  Am Yisrael Chai ..read more

413 Lebanon This episode discusses the military threat posed by Hezbollah in the North of Israel. We discuss the ongoing tensions, evacuations of Israeli residents, and the challenges faced in finding a resolution. The conversation highlights the significant military capabilities of Hezbollah, the historical context of conflicts in the region, and the psychological impact on the Israeli population. The uncertainty of diplomatic solutions and the potential for a military confrontation add complexity to the situation.  Calev hosts this episode with Alan and Liel discussing the issues.  ..read more

412 ICC and Consequences What is the ICC? How is it different from the ICJ? What are the consequences of Israel being tried in the ICC? Is the ICC a legitimate judge of Israel? Should we even care?  Jordana hosts this debate with Calev arguing that we should care, and Alan arguing that we shouldn’t.  Am Yisrael Chai ..read more

411 Iranian Intentions When Iran directly attacked Israel in April they made history. Their proxies have been attacking Israel for years, but last April was the first time that the Islamic “Republic” launched a direct attack on the Jewish State. But was that attack a sign of Iranian strength or weakness? Did the Iranians intend to do more damage, or was the small amount done what they intended? Presumably, how we understand the last attack will help us understand the current impending one. It is of course possible that the Iranians are assessing the current situation in a different way. But th ..read more

408 Is it Time for Elections?  “... It [is] not best to swap horses when crossing streams”, said Abraham Lincoln when running for reelection during the American Civil War. How well does that argument apply to Israel today? Polls show that Israelis have low confidence in the current government. This is a dangerous situation in a time of multiple major conflicts. But it is also dangerous to create a new election season in such a situation as well. Which is the greater danger? Should we push for elections as soon as possible, or wait till the war(s) settles down?  Calev hosts this ep ..read more