The “Spartan and Smartin’” Edition

Allison and Noah talk about what the hell they make of the neither-fish-nor-foul liminal state we find ourselves in now and what the hell the future holds for us. Then they are joined by Danielle Haas, who for ten years was Human Rights Watch's only senior employee in Israel, to talk about bias in the Human-Rights-Industrial-Complex.  For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The government decides to rebrand the wretched conflict of the past two years as “The War of Resurrection” which, despite its Christological resonances, has got some people here seeing double. What’s in a name?, we will ask. After all, that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. Or so they say, anyway. Plus, life after the holidays and matters Witkovian!

We waited and we waited and now they are here.

Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron talk about (1) US President Donald Trump’s “Twenty Point Plan,” to bring home the hostages and end the war, and (2) On the second Yahrzeit of October 7, how we have changed, personally, and as a society. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: John Oliver thinks that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a corrupt, warlike, evil scumbag. What do we make of that? Plus, music from the memorial ceremony in the park, by some of our best!

For this Yom Kippur, we return to stuff that gave us solace and understanding in the past.

Linda Gradstein, Don Futterman and Noah Efron talk about (1) The very viral essay by Yossi Klein Halevi, pressing Israelis to finally engage in the moral conversation that we have, until now, avoided, and (2) The new 5785 Jewish People Policy Institute’s Annual Assessment of the Jewish People, basically a report card for the Jewish people, and why our grades are so lousy, and what we ought to do about it. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: How did we welcome the New Year, in this seemingly, endless groundhog day of despair? Plus, the short, beautiful life of Eran Shelem, of Blessed Memory, and weddings, cruises and prayers for the New Year!

Linda and Noah talk about (1) Israel’s newest invasion of Gaza City, and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s chillingly Strangelovian gird-your-loins speech ahead of the invasion, about how Israelis need to learn to be “Super Spartans”, and (2) The fifth year anniversary of the Abraham Accords, and what they have meant in the past and may mean in the future. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Why did Charlie Kirk’s assassination mean so much to so many of us here in Israel? Plus, the 70th anniversary of the founding of Dimona, and ultra-Orthodox women on a bus!

Miriam and Noah talk about (1) Israel’s bombing of Qatar, in failed hope of killing the leaders of Hamas, with the possible result of killing the negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza, and (2) the controversial movie that aired on Israeli TV this week, after an 865 day delay, about the 1948 war, and what we ought to learn from it. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is my old camp counselor the guy who is maybe going to save the life of the hostages? Plus, the surprising origins of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Wall-E in the Golan Heights, and Banai kids of a new generation!

Noah wonders why the show people here in Israel most want to see—more than at any time in the country’s history, and maybe in all of Jewish history—is a performance of children’s songs from a 47-year-old book of kids’ poems. The answer says something about who we are and how we have changed. It also maybe says something about the times we are living through now.

Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron talk about (1) Benny Gantz’s proposal to form a “Government of Hostage Redemption” and why everyone hated it, and (2) The surprising return of an army unit devoted to building and rebuilding Kibbutzim and Moshavim: Is 2025 the new 1955? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What is the special magic of Uman? Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon Plus, a Elul Selihot, go-karting at a fine restaurant, Hatikva in suburban Maryland, and liturgical music you can dance to!

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Sara Hirschhorn and Noah Efron discuss (1) when is it genocide, and does it matter if people use that word or not, and why, and (2) Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s claim that this week he (and Israel) just put the kibash, once and for all, on the two-state solution. Plus, a principal with principles, a stand-up comedian with heart, a workaround for high-ticket prices for concerts, and more music of these lousy times! For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Dozens of Orthodox rabbis from around the world call for Israel to reconsider what is is doing in Gaza. Should we be shocked?