The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

The African-American and Jewish communities were once allies in the civil rights struggle in the US.

Julius Rosenwald, the Jewish businessman and head of retailing giant Sears, Roebuck, with Booker T. Washington to help fund nearly 5,000 schools for Black children across the Jim Crow South.

Jews made up a significant percentage -- by some estimates the majority -- of non-Blacks marching in the South and organizing voter drives.

Many leading rabbis, including Abraham Joshua Heschel and Joachim Prinz, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King.

Dr. King was planning to bring hundreds of Black pastors and community leaders to Israel in 1967, but that historic visit was derailed by the Six-Day War. He was planning to lead the mission in 1968, but was tragically cut down by an assassin's bullet in Memphis before he could.

Five hundred African-American and African pastors visited Israel this week to fulfill MLK's vision, and to work on rebuilding the Black-Jewish alliance, which has frayed in recent decades, characterized as often as not by mutual suspicion and ignorance.

Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis began working with Dr. King at the age of 14 in North Carolina. He rose to prominence in the civil rights movement, and was wrongly convicted for a 34 year sentence for fighting for racial desegregation.

After having his conviction overturned, Chavis became head of the NAACP and the Million Man March.

Chavis, who has been active in fighting antisemitism and anti-Zionism, said that the downturn in Jewish-Black ties was the result of the deaths of the leaders who brought the communities together in the 1960s.

He stressed that there would not have been an effective civil rights movement without the support of the Jewish community, and that is one of the reasons the two communities must work on the relationship.

"Blacks and Jews are stronger together than separate and apart," said Chavis. "I think Blacks have to speak out more against antisemitism. I think Jews have to speak out more against racism against Blacks and other communities of color."

If Dr. King was alive, he said, he would say the key to a democratic Middle East is a strong Israel, not a weak Israel.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

An Israeli precision strike on a hospital in southern Gaza overnight targeted a Hamas brigade commander, the military said Thursday morning, after medics in the Strip reported six killed, including a surgeon, and at least 20 wounded in the attack. As winter approaches, Berman speaks about the Board of Peace's recent efforts to restart the Trump peace plan, even as Hamas still cynically hunkers down in Gazan hospitals and shows no signs of disarming.

Next we turn to Iran. US Vice President JD Vance said he is weighing direct talks with a top Iranian security official, according to a report on Wednesday that said President Donald Trump empowered him to resume negotiations on ending a war they have cited as a key reason for the Republicans’ steep losses in the midterm elections. Berman explains how diplomacy is only one of three options the US could pursue on Iran and lays out the other two.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently moved from his Washington, DC, residence to a US military base due to Iranian threats against his life. We delve into the recent cloak-and-dagger operations attributed to Iran and what they may mean.

Iran is producing 50 ballistic missiles a month, about half its prewar capacity, according to Western intelligence estimates reported on Wednesday, shortly before Iran unveiled a new underground “missile city.” The Houthis, meanwhile, are being restocked by China. Will China now enter the fray?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Report: Vance weighing direct talks with Iran, Trump sees June MOU as blunder

US treasury chief Bessent moved to military base amid Iranian threats, sources say

Iran said producing up to 50 ballistic missiles a month, as IRGC unveils underground ‘missile city’

IDF targets top Hamas commander in strike on south Gaza hospital; 6 said killed

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After three years of war, Fabian discusses the IDF's efforts to handle its additional deployments and desire to relieve the reserve army by expanding the Nachal and Golani infantry brigades with an additional battalion each.

After the Board of Peace issued a statement pressing Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza following tremendous rainfall, Fabian discusses responses from the IDF and COGAT, the Defense Ministry agency overseeing aid into Gaza, which allowed tents and trucks with winter gear into the war-torn area, but not prefabricated homes, which Israel says will end up being used by Hamas.

A Defense Ministry delegation is on an official trip to Morocco to inaugurate the official defense attaché office, as Fabian notes the significance of having an Israeli military representative in an Arab country in North Africa.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

IDF to establish new reconnaissance-strike battalions in Golani, Nahal brigades

Israel says winter supplies delivered to Gaza amid flooding; Board of Peace says it must do more

Under criticism, PM’s office insists winter supplies entering Gaza but Hamas must disarm before reconstruction

Israeli defense officials visit Morocco to deepen ties, inaugurate attaché office

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

 IMAGE: Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Analyst Ben Sales joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Sales, who covered the 2021 Capitol Hill riot, hears echoes of what he calls the "Trump playbook" in the steps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters have taken since the October 27 national election.

What are these signs, and could demonstrations -- such as the right-wing rally set for today outside the Knesset -- turn violent?

Sales compares and contrasts the lead-up to the January 6, 2021, riot with the state of play in Israel today. How is the media in both countries potentially responsible for inflaming the situation?

We also learn about a historical precedent in Israel: Rioters stormed the Knesset in 1952.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Is Netanyahu laying the groundwork for an Israeli January 6?

Police said to see little evidence to back Shin Bet probe into foreign election interference

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot is tasked by President Isaac Herzog to form a government, Horovitz reviews the timeline and the political challenges facing the nominated leader.

Horovitz otes the recent prevarications by Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman, after his bombshell announcement that he would be open to a government with ultra-Orthodox parties that oppose universal military service, later clarifying that he still seeks mandatory enlistment for all.

As the Shin Bet reportedly failed to find any evidence of a foreign interference campaign in the recent election, Horovitz discusses the questionable request by Shin Bet chief David Zini, known for his allegiance to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As US President Donald Trump remarked on the 'great dislike' for Israel among US voters, Horovitz mentions the leader's recent declaration to cut off Israeli military aid by the end of 2026, discussing whether Israel will still be able to purchase American defense products in the future.

Finally, Horovitz discusses a recent concert featuring Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Israeli rocker Dudu Tassa performing Arabic music, and the harmony portrayed in that one-time performance.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

Eisenkot tasked with forming government, vows ‘creative and unconventional’ path to ‘emergency’ coalition

Liberman bashed Netanyahu’s enlistment bill. The one he put on the table is weaker

Under fire for urging ‘compromise,’ Liberman says he still wants Haredim to serve

Report: Shin Bet has no evidence of election interference, ‘everyone except Zini’ understands nothing will come of it

AG: Fraud probes have turned up nothing that would ‘even remotely’ affect election results

Trump: Republicans did poorly in midterms because of a ‘great dislike’ for Israel

Rubio says Iranians making ‘outrageous and ridiculous’ demands in negotiations

Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood let their stirring Arabic music speak louder than politics

IMAGE: Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to "Still Life in Israel with Jessica Steinberg," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel’s arts and culture editor explores what life in Israel looks and feels like right now, through conversations with the artists, writers, musicians, and other voices helping us make sense of this moment.

For this second episode in the new series, we speak with Mark Feuerstein, a veteran character actor who has appeared in dozens of films and television series, including "The West Wing," "Prison Break," "Royal Pain," and "In Her Shoes."

Feuerstein is in Israel filming the YES intelligence thriller "Midair” produced by Paramount-owned Ananey Studios in collaboration with KODA and Jaya Entertainment.

Feuerstein plays a CIA agent in this latest role, racing to neutralize a mysterious weapon aboard a fighter jet flying above Israel, before the crisis turns into a catastrophe.

The actor arrived in Israel a month ago for his first trip to the country in 40 years, and he discusses his New York Jewish upbringing, raising his three kids in Los Angeles, and the existential realities of being an "October 8" Jew.

Feuerstein also talks about being Jewish in Hollywood, where there is both subtle and blatant antisemitism since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack and how he has responded.

At the end of the podcast, Steinberg adds the Still Life calendar, a brief listing of upcoming arts and culture events over the next few weeks.

For further reading:

Global industry professionals spurn major Israeli music showcase amid cultural boycott

Israel’s traumas, absurdities come into focus via a veteran photojournalist’s lens

Jerusalem’s largest Biennale yet asked artists to plumb their depths

Still Life in Israelpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Actor Mark Feuerstein appears on Still Life in Israel with host Jessica Steinberg (Courtesy)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Health reporter Diana Bletter joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.

Residents of the Western Galilee — a diverse mix of Jews, Muslims, Druze and Christians — came out in full force to vote in the October 27 polls. Bletter discusses the factors which these Israeli citizens say informed their voting decisions.

On election day, Bletter visited Yarka, Nahariya and Mazra'a and noticed a different energy than in past elections. Yet now, as the country struggles to form a new government, Bletter reports a total lack of consensus across the region, and that the initial atmosphere of optimism has faded into uncertainty.

 After the break we take a look at Israel’s trailblazing protocols for repatriating October 7 hostages, which are detailed in new study published in the journal Healthcare.

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and edited by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Continuing in our decade-by-decade comedy viewing, this week's featured Schmooze film is 1998's "Slums of Beverly Hills."

Set in 1976, the film was written and directed by Tamara Jenkins and is loosely based on her life story of growing up poor with her divorced Jewish father and brothers.

Brilliantly cast, it stars then 19-year-old Natasha Lyonne as a 14-year-old Vivian Abromowitz who is on the cusp of discovering -- and exercising -- her feminine power.

Alan Arkin is Murray, her 65-year-old out-of-luck father; Marisa Tomei is her drug-addled 29-year-old cousin; David Krumholtz is her obnoxious older brother and Kevin Corrigan plays the friendly Jewish pot dealer from next door. There are great scenes with Jessica Walter, Carl Reiner and Rita Moreno, who all play against type and are even better for it.

The movie is racy, and it includes disturbing and provocative scenes (dildo dance, anyone?).

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze. 

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

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Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this seventh episode in the new series, we speak with Palestinian activist and writer Samah Salaime to hear why this past election was so significant for the Arab Israeli voter.

Salaime is a longtime contributor to the +972 Magazine, where she focuses on feminism and Arab-Jewish relations.  

She was born in the northern town of Tur’an located between Haifa and Tiberius and moved to the mixed Jewish-Arab oasis of Neve Shalom/ Wahat al-Salam in 2000, where she raised her three boys.

Salaime, a social worker by education and training, was a fellow at the prestigious Mandel School for Educational Leadership and, among other accolades, was awarded the Rappaport Prize for Longstanding Achievement in 2020.

In this post-election period, in which the Arab vote translated into an unprecedented combined 19 mandates for The Joint List and Ra'am, Salaime provides nuanced insight into what drew Arab Israeli citizens to the ballot box this time and the parties for whom they voted.

In this tolerant, free-flowing conversation, the pair voice frustration with Israeli society's longtime status quo of mutual distrust and wonder aloud about another way forward.

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

The midterms were a disaster for US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

The Democrats seized control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including in traditionally deep-red states like Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas. They also made important gains at the state level across the country.

Several proudly anti-Israel candidates won their races, including Abdul Al-Sayed in Michigan and a trio of Zohran Mamdani-backed Democrats in New York City.

Was the election about the US relationship with Israel? And what does it mean for the future of that relationship?

To analyze the implications of the 2026 midterms, we are joined once again by Michael Oren, a scholar of the Middle East, Israel's former ambassador to Washington, and an expert on the US-Israel relationship.

He said that the 50-year special relationship between Israel and the US ended on Tuesday, and the implications will be felt beyond the issue of military aid.

Even though Israel wasn't responsible for many of the processes driving US politics, it is on the receiving end of them. MAGA isolationism and the rise of the Democratic Socialist might have their roots in domestic politics, but they have profound implications for Israel.

Israel, said Oren, accelerated those processes by failing to curb West bank violence and avoiding any mention of peace with the Palestinians or Syria.

Jerusalem can mitigate some of the fallout and soften some of the blows, he said. Still, it should start diversifying its military and economic partners, and make clear that it will not be bound by any deal between the US and Iran.

As the US moves to cut off military aid, he said, Israel should be working overtime to transform the relationship into one of a technological and AI partnership, especially with the Pentagon.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the United States will cease providing $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of this year, in comments that reportedly caught Israeli security and financial officials off guard. Fabian describes what this could mean for the IDF's capabilities -- and how it may actually free Israel to operate on its own in the region.

The Israeli military on Monday morning wrapped up an 11-day operation in Hebron, launched following a deadly shooting attack at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the West Bank city, after the political leadership finally approved the withdrawal of troops. We learn about the goals of the operation, whether they were met and how the IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir attempted to contain it ahead of its pre-election launch.

Seven Palestinian terror operatives, including a top Hamas commander who held an Israeli hostage, were killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, the military and Shin Bet security agency announced on Wednesday. Concurrently, the IDF finally released details about early indications of the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel from October 6, 2023. Fabian updates us on both headlines.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump aid bombshell could set off scramble to reprioritize upcoming arms buys

IDF ends controversial 11-day Hebron operation that followed deadly shooting attack

1 reported killed in first southern Lebanon IDF airstrike in weeks

IDF: Gaza strikes kill 7 terrorists, including Hamas commander who held hostage

IDF identified Deif, other top Hamas commanders entering tunnels on eve of Oct. 7

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

With Democrats sweeping control of Congress following the midterm elections, Magid attributes the shift to the deeply unpopular Iran war among voters, and discusses whether the change could lead to further alienation of Israel on Capitol Hill.

While in Michigan for Election Day, Magid reports on his conversations with Jewish voters, examining how the midterm elections and the race between the winning anti-Israel candidate Abdul El-Sayed and former Republican lawmaker Mike Rogers divided the local Jewish community that is normally heavily Democratic.

After US President Donald Trump announced during a Fox News interview that the US will end $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, Magid questions the timing of the statement, whether the date is correct, and notes that the White House was not clarifying the US leader's statements.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog for more updates.

For further reading:

Democrats take control of US House and Senate in sharp rebuke of Trump, Republicans

Anti-Israel El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race, pledges no money for ‘apartheid, genocide’

For pro-Israel diaspora, Israel’s Arab voters are a point of pride. For Israeli Jews, they’re a national security threat

Trump says US to end $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by end of 2026

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces off against Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s midterm election, Tress discusses the latest antisemitic campaigning from far-left media personality Hasan Piker and where the Jewish vote may end up in the close race.

Tress reports on the races in New York, where candidates from both parties are generally supportive of Israel but the Jewish vote may show a broader dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party.

A House committee report on the premier organization for psychologists in the US, the American Psychological Association, shows anti-Israel rhetoric, notes Tress.

Israeli singer Omer Adam drew 20,000 people to a New York concert, offering a night off from antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, and Tress brings up color from the scene.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

El-Sayed, AIPAC, antisemitism and Israel: 5 US midterm races to watch

Hasan Piker compares Michigan Jewish voters to Ku Klux Klan ahead of El-Sayed Senate vote

American Psychological Association brushed off antisemitism complaints — US House report

Israeli pop star Omer Adam provides NYC Jews with a celebratory refuge

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: New York reporter Luke Tress appears on today's Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

For months, analysts have pegged the conclusion of elections in Israel and the US as the benchmark for the restart of the Iran War. Berman looks at what is happening on the military and diplomatic fronts and where signs are pointing.

Ahead of the US midterm elections on Tuesday, a Gallup poll found that the unpopular Iran War ranked third in terms of issues Americans are voting on. With an increased buzz that it is the Jewish state that is pushing for a restart to fighting, where does this leave the US-Israel relationship?

And finally, could it be US Donald Trump who leads the push for a unity government in Israel? Berman sets the table in Washington. Who is invited?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Iranian army: War could be longer than previous one, Trump won’t dictate its duration

Trump said weighing who to scapegoat for Iran war as he clashes with PM over renewed attack

Bennett, Golan pledge to back Eisenkot as PM, as bloc mulls which coalition to seek

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

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Welcome to "Still Life in Israel with Jessica Steinberg," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel’s arts and culture editor explores what life in Israel looks and feels like right now, through conversations with the artists, writers, musicians and other voices helping us make sense of this moment.

For this first episode in the new series, we speak with former hostages Aviva and Keith Siegel.

Aviva Siegel was freed from captivity after 51 days and immediately turned to advocacy for her husband, Keith, who remained a hostage for 484 days.

The couple discusses the hours before October 7, when they went food shopping on the night of October 6, following a holiday evening with their family.

The pair talk about Keith's desire to return to their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Aviva's inability to do the same.

They talk about the need to tell the truth about what happened to them in captivity, as the couple's story was turned into a play that was recently performed at Tel Aviv's Habima National Theater on the third anniversary of October 7.

Aviva Siegel's book, "Survived to Tell: A Hostage’s True Story of October 7 and 51 Days in Captivity," was recently translated into English.

"Survived to Tell: A Hostage’s True Story of October 7 and 51 Days in Captivity," by Aviva Siegel is out now and available here.

Still Life in Israelpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot vowed Saturday to swiftly utilize the new Knesset’s parliamentary majority, declaring that Israelis had voted decisively against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in last week’s election.

Anti-Netanyahu parties won 67 of the 120 Knesset seats, but of those, Zionist anti-Netanyahu parties won only 48, with the other 19 going to two Arab parties. Karmel explains how Eisenkot will likely get the first shot at forming a government and how, from the Knesset's swearing-in on November 11, he vows to push forward his legislative aims -- regardless of the governing coalition.

Around 2,000 people demonstrated on Saturday evening in support of a Jewish-Arab government in Tel Aviv. Borschel-Dan and Karmel discuss the obstacles to a possible coexistence coalition, which would be Israel's second. Borschel-Dan points to the June 2022 legal gridlock over the continuation of the West Bank emergency regulations that led Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to dissolve that short-lived government.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Eisenkot vows to swiftly utilize Knesset majority ‘against Oct. 7 government’

Some 2,000 rally in Tel Aviv to demand Jewish-Arab government; counterprotesters rail at ‘stolen’ election

Senior Arab MK says Joint List ready to back anti-Netanyahu government from outside

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Continuing in our decade-by-decade comedy viewing, this week's featured Schmooze film is 1982's "Tootsie."

Starring Dustin Hoffman as the gender-bending Michael Dorsey/ Dorothy Michaels, the supporting roles are equally star-studded, with 1980s greats Jessica Lange (who won an Oscar for her role), Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Charles Durning.

Sydney Pollack directs -- and shares the spotlight in several scenes as the beleaguered agent. But the true scene stealer is a young Bill Murray, who plays Hoffman's playwright roommate.

Although set in a daytime drama (don't say "soap opera!") in the 1980s, the feminist questions raised are still all too relevant.

So put on your shoulder pads and let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this sixth episode in the new series, we speak with historian Sir Simon Schama, who recently published a lengthy essay titled "Jew-Hatred: The Latest Edition."

In this cry from the heart, the professor of art history and history at Columbia University gives a broad-strokes history of antisemitism and delves into reasons why it is rising globally.

The award-winning author and cultural essayist for The New Yorker, who has written and presented more than 30 documentaries on topics including the Holocaust, brings forth recent examples from his own life in which Jews have experienced a new form of hatred, which he wryly labels "its latest edition."

In this free-flowing conversation, we learn about the haters' misperceptions and how bias is being transmitted virally today.

'Jew-Hatred: The Latest Edition' by Sir Simon Schama is out now and available here.

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

On Tuesday, Israelis went to the polls for the first time since the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023.

One might think the massacre and the subsequent wars would result in a massive political shake-up. But they did not. Israelis stuck to their voting patterns from four years ago, despite everything that has happened since.

Neither the Benjamin Netanyahu bloc nor the opposition Gadi Eisenkot bloc has a clear path to 61 seats and a government.

A major headline from the elections is the massive turnout in the Arab sector, driven by a desire to get Itamar Ben-Gvir out of office. That only complicates the math. Though the two Arab parties want Netanyahu out of power, most parties in the opposition bloc have said they won't sit with them.

Another round of elections is a possibility, but that is not an ideal outcome. It will cost the economy over $1 billion, will extend the political deadlock for months, and will bring in another period of irresponsible campaign rhetoric.

More and more voices are calling for a unity government, but that won't be easy to bring about. Netanyahu will want to lead it, but the Eisenkot bloc ran on ousting him.

There is an outside force that could make that happen, and that force sits in the White House. US President Donald Trump has every reason to push for it, besides the taboo against involvement in other countries' domestic politics.

But Trump clearly doesn't care about that, having twice endorsed Netanyahu in the lead-up to elections.

He wants a stable Israel with which he can partner in confronting Iran and making peace with Saudi Arabia. A rotational government with Netanyahu leading Israel for two years -- the remainder of Trump's term -- then contending for the role of Israel's president as Eisenkot takes over would make sense for Trump. It could also get rid of Ben Gvir, whom the Trump Administration sees as a troublemaker who harms both Israeli and US interests.

If President Isaac Herzog isn't able to get the sides together, then look out for an invitation to the White House for the party leaders.

That could be a good outcome for Trump, and might be the best chance that Israel has as well.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

With the ballot count nearing an end, as of Thursday noon, the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on track to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, and the bloc led by Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot is at 48 seats, leaving both blocs far from a 61-seat majority.

However, the two predominantly Arab parties are poised to win a record 19 seats between them, putting them in a potential kingmaker position. After Arab voters turned out in record numbers to vote in Tuesday’s election, hoping to oust Netanyahu and his far-right allies from the seat of power, will any of the Jewish Zionist party leaders reach out to combine forces? Borschel-Dan and Horovitz share opposing views.

At the same time, Israeli news outlets are abuzz with headlines about Likud suspicions of foreign influence in the elections -- specifically that the Arab parties' campaigns were funded by Qatar. In a rare move, Central Elections Committee chair Justice Noam Sohlberg has asked the Shin Bet to look into these charges. Following our recording, reports surfaced that Shin Bet head David Zini had instigated the probe based on information provided to the security service before the election. (Check out the liveblog for updates on this changing story.)

And finally, we discuss how the estimated 430,000 to 480,000 so-called “double envelope” ballots -- cast primarily by soldiers, diplomats stationed abroad and prisoners -- could influence the final results upon the conclusion of their count.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

With 90% of votes counted, Netanyahu bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot’s 48; Arab parties surge to 19

Netanyahu vows to stick with far-right partners as Eisenkot seeks path to ‘bring change’

For pro-Israel diaspora, Israel’s Arab voters are a point of pride. For Israeli Jews, they’re a national security threat

Progressive US Jews call for Eisenkot-led opposition bloc to welcome Arab parties

Last-to-be-counted ‘double envelope’ votes could shift Knesset seats, but not balance of power

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondents Tal Schneiderand Ariela Karmel join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot gave celebratory remarks after exit poll results came in on Tuesday night, with each vowing to be the one to establish the next government. As Wednesday's dawn broke, the Netanyahu bloc began to pull ahead and we discuss what this may -- or may not -- mean.

One of the standout takeaways from yesterday was the massive percentage of voters -- the highest since 1999 -- and most especially in the Arab community. The duo weigh in on why this surge in the Arab community took place and how it may influence coalition calculations.

There's one man who has already claimed victory, and that is US President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday credited his endorsement of Netanyahu for boosting the premier in the Knesset election. Schneider explains why this may not be fake news.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Eisenkot and Netanyahu each vow to form next coalition, even as exit polls predict stalemate

‘He’s united Arab Israelis’: Ben Gvir’s harsh policies drive high turnout in Arab towns

Trump takes credit for Netanyahu’s election boost after endorsement

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Tal Schneiderjoins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As election day begins, Schneider discusses recent statements made by candidates, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments regarding possible economic sanctions against Israel and his suggestion of an alternative economy of cryptocurrency.

With a high turnout expected among Arab voters, pushing for a new government that will tackle the intensive crime problem in the local Arab population, Schneider notes that many will vote later in the day, possibly delaying exit polls.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Netanyahu: Israel should ready for global sanctions, use blockchain to circumvent them

Bank of Israel, opposition heads pan Netanyahu’s proposal to use crypto to evade sanctions

Netanyahu’s crypto bet signals a dangerous readiness to accept economic isolation

Turnout among Israel’s Arab voters could make or break hopes to unseat Netanyahu

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Political correspondent Tal Schneider appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Election Day approaches, Sharon discusses the civil and legal rights organizations that filed legal motions to ensure Likud and Religious Zionist party activists don’t intimidate Arab voters, including a motion to prohibit polling station officials from bearing firearms on site. The parties had announced plans to send some 2,000 activists to polling stations in Arab towns and cities, supposedly to prevent “fraudulent votes.”

There hasn’t been much serious discussion of the judicial reform agenda during the election campaign, reports Sharon, who asked all major political parties to detail their legal reform plans. Most major parties provided at least some details, but Sharon noted the lack of attention paid to one of the most contentious political agendas advanced by a government in recent decades.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Civil rights groups increasing efforts to ensure election integrity ahead of vote

A voter’s guide to judicial reform: The moves parties are planning after the election

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

IMAGE: Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a military checkpoint near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, killing two soldiers and wounding three in a gunfight that lasted for more than 20 minutes, before soldiers killed both attackers.

A subsequent Israeli military operation in and outside the city of Hebron has displaced some 2,000 Palestinians from their homes as of Saturday evening, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. Fabian reports on the goals of the IDF's operation. We also discuss the greater question of ongoing West Bank violence -- from both sides.

The Israeli Navy held a joint drill with the Hellenic Navy in the Mediterranean this week, the military said on Saturday. The drill involved Israeli missile boats and naval vessels from several Greek units, and the IDF said the forces “practiced a variety of operational scenarios," including “identifying and thwarting threats in the maritime domain, sailing as a joint force, and sinking an enemy vessel using missile fire.” Fabian weighs in on some of the motivations for this drill and whom it's really aimed at.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

2 soldiers killed in West Bank shooting; IDF believes Palestinian gunmen planned larger attack

IDF op in Hebron after soldiers’ killing displaces 2,000, Katz says; PM vows ‘big surprise’ for PA

Israeli, Greek navies drill in Mediterranean, in apparent message to Turkey

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Continuing in our decade-by-decade comedy viewing, this week's featured Schmooze film is "The In-Laws."

The 1979 comedic adventure stars the great Jewish actors Alan Arkin playing dentist Sheldon "Shelly" Kornpett and Peter Falk as Vince Ricardo, a loose-cannon CIA agent who initially poses as an eccentric businessman.

The script's outlandish premise sees the soon-to-be in-laws travel to "Tijata," a small island south of Honduras, where they eventually meet the insane dictator, General Garcia, and his hand puppet.

With slapstick humor and car chases, Hoffman was right back, chuckling away in his childhood living room. For Borschel-Dan, the highlight was the amazing 1970s clothing.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

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Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this fifth episode in the new series, we speak with author Yossi Klein Halevi.

A deep pre-election political conversation had been planned for this episode. However, in a conversation that could have been called "Mann tracht un Gott lacht" (Man plans and God laughs), Borschel-Dan and Klein Halevi firmly pivot away from the profane -- politics -- and veer toward the sacred.

Spurred by questions on how he maintains equilibrium in the face of the fateful upcoming election, Klein Halevi, a longtime practitioner of meditation and Jewish spirituality, guides Borschel-Dan through his philosophical pillars.

What is faith -- and in what God? What is the purpose of prayer, and who is it for?

We hear some wisdom from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's teachings, as well as a mix of Eastern philosophies.

How does the activist aspect of Klein Halevi -- which sounds the shofar and warns the people of Israel of potential evils -- reconcile with the man of faith in the eternal nature of that same people?

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did something rare -- he convened a group of Israeli journalists to give a briefing on his new national security concept. A national security concept is no trivial matter. It affects how armies build their forces, how they fight wars, and how they think of core ideas like war and peace.

Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, the head of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, argues that there is a new, unofficial national security concept that has emerged after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 and the subsequent wars.

He says that peace is no longer the goal in this new concept, and instead there is openness to unending wars as the best way to guarantee security. Moreover, Jewish superiority is becoming a dominant belief, Hayman warns, in violation of Israel's Declaration of Independence.

Hayman also cautions that Israel has no way of replacing its relationship with the US, not with other countries nor through autarky. It makes sense to be more self-sufficient, but Israel doesn't have a "diversification path."

Hayman was the IDF's chief of military intelligence before Aharon Haliva, the general in office on October 7. He says that only a commission of inquiry will be able to truly provide answer on what went wrong in the leadup to the attack, and acknowledges that he should appear before the commission as well.

He lays out several failures in intelligence during his tenure -- Israel never thought the Palestinians could lead the Iranian axis, it didn't take Hamas's attack plan seriously enough once it gained access to it, and there were 9 pieces of intelligence from October 4 that should have been evaluated in a more comprehensive manner. 

On Iran, Hayman doesn't see many paths that don't lead to another military confrontation. "We are in a no-deal, no-strike situation," he says. "The conclusion unfortunately, is you need to do something." Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms.

This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.

Arab capitals are assessing whether the 26th Knesset could usher in a new chapter in Israeli leadership and policy or keep in place those currently in power, and what either outcome will mean for Israel and the wider region.

Freiberg explains that while many Arab states may find new Israeli leadership easier to work with, few expect any plausible successor government to fundamentally redirect Israel’s foreign policy. Where Arab capitals do see real room for change is in policies considered less central to the post-October 7 security doctrine. Freiberg delves in and gives examples.

We close the episode by reviewing the latest updates on the Board of Peace and the Gaza peace plan. Freiberg reports that US-led training on the International Stabilization Force began in August, with some troops now ready for deployment, and there has also allegedly been modest progress on UAE-backed reconstruction efforts. Though implementation is slow, there are hopes of greater headway following Israeli elections.

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to carry out strikes against Iran earlier this month, but President Donald Trump opposed reigniting the fighting before the US midterms, the Financial Times reports. This comes as Israel Air Force planes reportedly have been conducting drills in preparation for a renewed attack. What could be in the offing?

Britain will fly Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from Houthi aerial attacks, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. As the UK joins Egypt in coming to Saudi Arabia's aid, is there increased pressure on the United States?

In a searing piece, Berman writes, "Attacks by Jewish extremists and a mealy-mouthed response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu undermine Israel’s ability to prevent new sanctions against settlements, to restore relations with key partners, and to show Israel cares about Christians. Instead of denouncing and combating the attacks, he has consistently downplayed them, even before last weekend." We ask, "What could Netanyahu be thinking?"

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

A renewed Iran war is only a matter of time, Israeli experts warn

Iran security chief rejects moving enriched uranium abroad, as Netanyahu vows to topple regime

Houthis strike besieged city in Yemen that UN warns is at ‘grave risk’

Settler violence harms Israel’s interests. But for PM, halting it could spell political trouble

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly held a secret meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday night. Horovitz speculates about what may have been on the table. Hegseth's lightning visit comes a day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu as his choice for Israel's next prime minister. Is that such a gift to Bibi?

Jonatan Urich, a current senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a key suspect in the Qatargate scandal, has admitted to investigators that he received “hundreds of thousands of shekels” from Qatar, and that he had no moral qualms working for Doha both before and after the Hamas-led October 7 attack. These revelations were reported by Channel 12 on Monday, citing police interrogation transcripts. Horovitz reviews the saga and delves into the possibility that Qatar followed a time-tested spymaster's handbook and was using Urich as a mole.

Turning to the October 27 election, Benny Gantz, the former IDF chief who was once in line to become prime minister, and whose Blue and White party topped polls in previous elections, announced Monday that the party was withdrawing from the current race. What was the response from supporters and detractors alike -- and could other smaller parties follow?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Hegseth reportedly meets Netanyahu during secret visit to Israel

Report: PM’s aide Urich admitted he kept working for Qatar after Oct. 7, saw no moral problem

Blue and White’s Benny Gantz pulls out of race, sealing precipitous political fall

Everything you need to know: ToI’s guide to the 37 parties that Israelis can choose from

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel announced the arrest of 10 suspected settler extremists on Monday morning, after days of international pressure to take action following weekend attacks on Palestinians, foreign diplomats and Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine in the West Bank. Fabian explains what is the responsibility of the police versus the IDF and Shin Bet is in preventing these attacks.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday warned of a possible security escalation “across all fronts” ahead of the October 27 elections, saying, "The IDF is at a high level of readiness to launch extensive offensive operations against anyone who attempts to harm Israeli civilians.” What does this heightened alert mean in practice?

Israel’s military is set to begin early voting for soldiers, with at least 850 polling stations set to be deployed next week at military bases and outposts across the country and beyond Israel’s borders. Soldiers will begin voting early Tuesday evening, due to “operational considerations.” Fabian unveils this very complicated process.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Police say 10 suspects arrested for West Bank settler attacks on journalist, EU diplomats

Settlers beat Palestinians, US journalist in West Bank attacks: ‘They kept kicking me and kicking me’

European diplomats attacked amid settler raids on West Bank olive harvest

IDF chief warns of ‘potential for escalation’ across all fronts, decries settler violence

First Knesset election ballots cast as voting opens at Israel’s missions abroad

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

News editor Ben Sales joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

With the final barrage of election polls before the October 27 election, Sales notes that the canvassing can't accurately predict who will win, and explains why, including the issue of the smaller parties on both sides of the political spectrum that are hovering around the 3.25% electoral threshold.

Sales also discusses rising tensions among members of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political base and New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as they call for her to be fired after police officers clashed with protesters following the shooting of a man in the Bronx by ICE agents. 

The shooting, and the NYPD’s response to it, had no direct connection to Israel or antisemitism in the city. But the protest against pro-Israel Tisch relates to her role as a pro-Israel presence in City Hall and the implications if she were no longer in that job.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

3 experts on how you’re reading election polls wrong — and why they can’t predict the result

Threats to NYPD’s pro-Israel commissioner are an inflection point for New York Jews

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: News editor Ben Sales appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this fourth episode in the new series, we speak with Prof. Nechumi Yaffe, an ultra-Orthodox woman running for Knesset for the Charedi Public Party (HaTzibur HaCharedi).

A faculty member at Tel Aviv University since 2019, Yaffe is currently a tenured senior lecturer at the School of Public Policy and co-director of the Haredi Research Group at UCLA.

Among other fields of interest, Yaffe delves into the issues of poverty and identity in Haredi society.

We hear how the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel made Yaffe rethink the ideas of civil obligations and rights. While she believes that youths who are not fit for yeshiva can -- and should -- be conscripted into the IDF, she is deeply concerned with allowing the ultra-Orthodox community to remain strictly observant.

How can a delicate balance between religious observance and national burden be forged? Only through education, says Yaffe.

Over time, she relates, her friends and neighbors in the ultra-Orthodox world stopped accusing her of airing their dirty laundry in the secular public and began understanding the dire situation their community is in.

But will this increased awareness lead to a gain in the polls? Perhaps through the Haredi world's overlooked weapon -- women.

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week's featured Schmooze film is "The Apartment," a 1960 iconic work of dark comedy by famed filmmaker Billy Wilder.

Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray, the film takes us to the massive offices of an insurance conglomerate where Lemmon is attempting to climb the corporate ladder. A bit of a "shnook," he finds himself lending out his Upper West Side apartment to a group of four adulterous bosses for their flings.

At the same time, a quiet, amiable connection is made between Lemmon and MacLaine, an elevator girl, who, it turns out, is also one of the bosses' girls.

The movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five Oscars. Its resonance lingers and comedian Chris Rock recently gave it a nod in a lengthy The New York Times interview.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We recorded a live Daily Briefing podcast in Jerusalem on Wednesday, October 14, joined by an exclusive ToI Community audience.

Deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan hosted military correspondent Emanuel Fabian, diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman, and political correspondent Ariela Karmel for a night of interactive polls and audience questions, followed by light refreshments.

This event was exclusively for members of The Times of Israel Community, our reader support group.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel is doing well on the battlefield since October 7, but has lost significant ground in the information war.

Much of that discourse is rooted in legal language -- war crimes, arrest warrants, illegal settlements, charges of genocide.

International law and the conversation around international law is a central battlefield for Israel.

Natasha Hausdorff is one of Israel's most prominent advocates, especially around questions of international law.

Hausdorff is a barrister in London with law degrees from Oxford and Tel Aviv University. She is the legal director of UK Lawyers for Israel Charitable Trust, and is the founder of the Center for International Rule of Law.

She argues that there is an ecosystem of international organizations, NGOs, and foreign governments "promoting a particular agenda against Western civilization" and using the phraseology of international law to vilify Israel.

Hausdorff says Israel takes measures to protect civilians that go beyond those of any other army in the world. That includes the delivery of leaflets, phone calls to individual householders, evacuation corridors to humanitarian zones, and yes, estimates of collateral damage before strikes.

She also argues that the International Committee of the Red Cross does not have a clear mandate to access terrorist combatants in Israeli prisons.

Turning to the genocide question, she says the UN Commission of Inquiry that ruled Israel was committing genocide in Gaza was "essentially a copy and paste" of the Amnesty International report, which relied on a Human Rights Watch report.

Hausdorff calls it "a cycle of disinformation laundering... Hamas propaganda getting that stamp of UN authority."

She also laments Navi Pillay's Nobel Peace Prize, saying she is part of the effort to lower the threshold for genocide in order to find Israel guilty.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Amidst rising inflammatory rhetoric from the United States and Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Wednesday that he is against a US or Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, ahead of the Israeli election on October 27. We hear what is being said on all sides and why, yet again, actions speak louder than words.

Turning to the apparent war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, Berman discusses how technology does not a warrior make. He delves into the Saudi military and how it is attempting to fight its battle through Yemeni proxies.

We turn to the increasing number of allegations against Netanyahu, regarding what he did and did not know leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught. In an explosive television interview last week, former military secretary Avi Gil charged that the prime minister passed up clear-cut opportunities to bring more hostages home from Gaza alive because doing so would have risked his political career.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

PM: Attack on Iran ‘not convenient’ now, but signs show Israel’s enemies preparing assault

Reports of unheeded Oct. 7 warnings may be tenuous, but still are dangerous for Netanyahu

Contradicting PM and reports, Egypt’s spy chief said not to have been in Israel days before Oct. 7

Ex-Shin Bet chief files defamation suit against Netanyahu, details warnings months before Oct. 7

PM’s ex-military secretary: Netanyahu prioritized political survival when he could have saved hostages’ lives

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.

As the government approves an "urgent" NIS 1 billion shekel deal to purchase 12 Apache helicopters, Fabian discusses the need for a larger fleet to defend Israel’s borders.

With the ongoing investigation by the IDF, police and the Education Ministry about who is responsible for allowing a school trip near the Lebanese border in which a 14-year-old high school student was killed by a Hezbollah ordnance, Fabian notes that there could be hundreds more of them around the country following three years of war, and discusses whose job it is to clear unexploded munitions to prevent future tragedies.

After an unidentified flying object set off aerial intrusion warnings in a northern Arab village, Fabian reports that the incident is still being investigated by the Israeli Air Force.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Government approves NIS 1 billion toward ‘urgent’ purchase of 12 Apache helicopters

Deadly blast on school trip exposes lurking explosive threat after years of war

Teen killed, 24 injured by Hezbollah munition found on hike near Lebanon border

IDF: Unidentified object that triggered sirens in north was likely a balloon

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Courtesy)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US reporter Luke Tress joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode. Last Wednesday at an Israeli-led coexistence event commemorating the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, anti-Zionist protesters railed at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him a "traitor." Meanwhile, Jewish leaders broadly condemned a statement the mayor made earlier in the day accusing Israel of genocide.

Tress explains how the backlash from both the far left and from the Jewish community to Mamdani's actions on the anniversary is emblematic of his broader predicament: He is caught between the demands of his far-left constituency, while also seeking to placate some of his more moderate voters.

Fast forward to Friday, when the New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America took aim at NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a Jewish moderate, placing heavy pressure upon Mamdani to fire her. Tress analyzes how this rift may play out in the coming months.

We close the episode by discussing a "surge" in US Jewish communal engagement that appears to have endured during the three years since October 7, according to survey by the Jewish Federations of North America.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Mideast expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yemen’s Houthis attacked Riyadh’s international airport with a missile on Saturday, in an attack that Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said killed at least 12 people and injured over 300, with some in critical condition.

Saturday’s attack, the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, was a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Riyadh backs the internationally recognized government against the Iran-backed Houthis, who captured swaths of Red Sea coastline in a lightning offensive last month.

Svetlova delves into the Houthis' multi-pronged strategy and how Saudi Arabia is forced to go it alone as its friends and allies appear hesitant to join the fight.

This week marks a year to the ceasefire in Gaza. Svetlova assesses Hamas's continued hold on the Strip, even as the Palestinian technocratic government is waiting in the wings to replace the increasingly entrenched terror group. How could things proceed from here?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Netanyahu condemns ‘horrific’ attack on Riyadh airport that killed 12, injured hundreds

At least 12 killed, more than 300 hurt in Houthi attack on Riyadh airport

Yemeni forces said advancing near Bab el-Mandeb Strait; 63 said killed in Houthi clashes

Abbas postpones Palestinian elections, sets presidential poll for September 2027

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Ofer Winter and his People of Israel party simultaneously criticize the Netanyahu government while declaring they will only serve in a right-wing government led by the current prime minister, Karmel discusses how Winter's party was created to sustain Netanyahu and his allies, creating an address for right-wing voters angry with the country's leadership after October 7.

Following a declaration by the mainly Arab Joint List that it is prepared to provide an electoral "safety net" for any anti-Netanyahu coalition, Karmel notes that this appears to be a message to opposition front-runner Gadi Eisenkot, who is adamant that he does not seek the support of Arab parties, but may need backing from Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party, and the Joint List too, if he is to unseat Netanyahu.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Ofer Winter talks like he’s the opposition, but won’t walk away from Netanyahu

Joint Arab List says it’s willing to provide safety net for any anti-Netanyahu coalition

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.\

IMAGE: Political correspondent Ariela Karmel appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week's featured Schmooze film is a rollicking Holocaust-themed documentary called "The Stamp Thief."

“Seinfeld” producer Gary Gilbert leads a gang of curious individuals on the trail of a trove of stamps stolen from Jews in the Holocaust and reportedly buried in a small town in Poland.

Gilbert's neighbor, documentary film director Dan Sturman first serves as the voice of reason, but is soon caught up in the saga and begins plotting alongside his neighbor.

Eventually, the team hatches a surreal plan to make a fake movie to get into the basement that they believe the stamp stash is stored in.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this third episode in the new series, we speak with The New York Times columnist Bret Stephens -- also the editor of the SAPIR Journal -- who was in the country for a lightning reporting trip ahead of the Israeli election on October 27.

Stephens, who both supports and criticizes Israel, is increasingly the minority voice at the Gray Lady, where the Jewish state has decidedly lost the battle for public opinion.

But he thinks Israel shouldn't really care what others think about it.

"Let me put it this way: Would you rather have won the battle for public opinion and lost the war -- or vice versa? If that's the choice, I would say that Israel was better off losing the battle for public opinion," Stephens says.

Find out why he believes Israel couldn't have won both wars.

We discuss why the United States, until now, has been judged on its wartime operations through a different lens.

But has the Iran war changed all that?

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel and Jews around the world marked three years since the October 7 attacks this week.

It was a time to remember the fallen and the survivors. It was also an opportunity to take stock of Israel's conflicts and what Israel should do next.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a PhD student at Princeton and Middle East scholar, says that Israel's approach to Syria and Lebanon needs to be recalibrated.

Israel thinks it has a "panacea" in its buffer zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, she argues. But it's not clear how that solves Israel's challenges, and at least in Syria, it is making Israel less safe.

She notes that Hezbollah is a badly weakened force and has lost a lot of legitimacy inside Lebanon. But the Joseph Aoun government is not about to risk domestic tension and even civil war by actually trying to disarm Hezbollah. Israel remaining in Lebanon only weakens the Aoun government further, Tsurkov argues.

In Syria, she says, decisions are made by a group of five people, led by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. They are "deeply, deeply pragmatic," says Tsurkov. They have sacrificed much to reach a position of power, and are not about to throw it away by picking a fight with Israel.

However, she warns, Israel is making a major mistake with its buffer zone in Syria. Instead of making the border safer, the IDF presence is antagonizing the locals and will eventually push some toward guerrilla warfare against Israel.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

News editor Ben Sales joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the various memorial ceremonies held this week to mark the third anniversary of October 7, Sales and Steinberg discuss the ongoing polarization in Israeli society, extending to the different days on which the Hamas massacre is commemorated.

Looking ahead to the October 27 election, Sales talks about the democratic expectation of having a mandate once the votes are in, yet knowing it will only be the day after the election when the political maneuvering will start.

As details about the lack of monitoring of foreign pilots continue to build after the flydubai attack, Sales reviews how the political opposition is using the opportunity to attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the election.

Finally, Sales briefly discusses some of the unexpected reactions to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's statements about October 7 during a coexistence event.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

A place ‘soaked with their dances, music and blood’: Nova victims remembered at scene of massacre

‘It’s bad’: In a polarized Israel, the likeliest election result is more uncertainty

Will the flydubai attack save Netanyahu’s struggling campaign?

‘Traitor’: Anti-Zionist protesters rage at Mamdani at Oct. 7 coexistence event

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The country is marking the passage of three years since the onset of the multifront war on October 7, 2023. We speak about the concept of memorializing what one is living through and why this third anniversary is different.

Moving from border to border, Berman speaks about the military's operations on all fronts and whether the status on the ground is a stalemate or a new normal.

We discuss Israel's geopolitical status, comparing what we thought we knew on October 6, 2023, to what we believe is true today.

Next, we turn to the unresolved Iran arena and hear about recent Saudi alliance efforts to push back the Iran-backed Houthis from strategic ports in Yemen.

And finally, we learn about Cpt. Amir Zur, who fell in battle at Kibbutz Kfar Aza three years ago today.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

3 years of war: Data shows IDF hit 100,000 targets as 31,500 projectiles fired at Israel

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces expel Houthis from areas around key strait: officials

Cpt. Amir Zur, 23: ‘You will always be our guardian angel’

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The copilot who attempted to carry out a terror attack on a flydubai flight on Wednesday intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, according to reports on Sunday. This is just one of the many details surfacing after the miraculous thwarting of the near-disaster that Horovitz unveils during today's program.

However, alongside the saga of in-flight heroism, we have also learned of systemic failures which have exposed travelers flying in and out of Israel for years. Alongside the ministerial buck-passing, we hear sharp criticism from leading security figures, including the former head of Israel’s National Security Council, Eyal Hulata.

The entrenched failure to protect Israelis has occurred as the nation is still mourning those who fell on October 7, 2023, and in the ensuing wars, and in the vacuum of a commission of inquiry into the breakdowns leading to the massacre of 1,200 in southern Israel.

As the nation marks three years to the onslaught, Horovitz discusses how it is coloring the current election campaign and the spirit of the people of Israel.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Most Arkia and Israir flights use planes and crews leased from foreign airlines, in arrangement okayed by PM

Flydubai terrorist said to tell investigators he intended to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport

Former NSC head pans Netanyahu’s ‘crooked’ flydubai probe, says buck stops with him

At Oct. 7 ceremonies, PM vows to settle scores. Others urge accountability for massacre

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City overnight Friday-Saturday targeted Ali al-Amoudi, the terror group’s de facto leader in the enclave, according to the military, with Palestinian media reporting five people killed, including a number of women. This morning, a Hamas official claimed that al-Amoudi has survived the strike. Fabian fills us in.

The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday said it determined that 170 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who were identified as journalists following their deaths were actually members of terror groups. We delve into the ways in which the IDF has determined these so-called journalists were linked to terror organizations and the problematic nature of reporting from the Gaza Strip.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened senior officers on Sunday for a conference on the lessons learned from the October 7 attack, three years on. During the conference, Zamir presented a certificate of appreciation to Chief Warrant Officer “Vav,” a member of the signals intelligence Unit 8200 — identified only by her first initial in Hebrew — who warned before October 7, 2023, that Hamas had a clear plan in place to attack Israel. Senior intelligence officers had dismissed and ignored her warnings. We delve into this painful saga.

The IDF has established a new military school that aims to boost the combat training of combat support soldiers, preparing them for the day when they may have to put down the clipboard and pick up a gun. The commander of the school, a lieutenant colonel, told The Times of Israel that the new program “was established as part of the lessons of October 7.” Fabian explains how this school is a totally new concept for the IDF.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

IDF strike on Hamas’s Gaza chief kills 5, including mother and daughter; his fate unclear

IDF documents terror affiliations of 170 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza war

IDF chief honors officer whose Hamas invasion warnings were ignored by her superiors

Lt. Col. Aryeh Amidror named as Gaza Division intel officer involved in Oct. 7 failures

IDF steps up combat training for troops behind front lines after Oct. 7 exposes gaps

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Jewish world and real estate correspondent Zev Stub joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the fierce Shabbat protests in Bnei Brak in early September, Stub discusses the real estate market in the largest ultra-Orthodox city, and developments in the poor, dense city, including better public transport that draws businesses that pay higher tax rates and unusual residential requirements.

After Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, an influential thinker of liberal Orthodox Judaism, updated decades-old essays about Israel and American Jewry, Stub reports on his interview with the 93-year-old rabbinic leader and his views that God's role in history changes over time.

Stub also reviews two recent archaeological findings: the ritual baths discovered south of the Temple Mount, used by pilgrims arriving in Jerusalem for the pilgrimage holidays and an exploration of how wine was made 2,000 years ago.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.For further reading:

In the Haredi city of Bnei Brak, real estate follows a different set of rules

After Oct. 7, Rabbi Yitz Greenberg’s post-Holocaust theology faces its biggest test

Ancient public mikveh complex, used for festival pilgrimage, uncovered at foot of Temple Mount

How did ancient Israelites make wine? Scientists are stomping grapes to find out

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Jewish world, real estate and archaeology reporter Zev Stub appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Last week, Borschel-Dan threw down a challenge: Can anyone suggest a Sukkot-themed film?

Dozens of loyal listeners wrote in with 2004's "Ushpizin," directed by Gidi Dar.

The unforgettable Israeli film -- which both of our Schmoozers had actually seen decades ago and blanked on -- explores the life of an unlucky ultra-Orthodox couple about to celebrate the Sukkot holiday.

The couple, played by Shuly Rand (who also wrote the script) and his then-wife Michal Bat Sheva Rand, is fairly new to religion, but extremely devout. And so when their last shekel is spent, they pray fervently for a miracle. As they say, God works in mysterious ways, and so when their prayers are answered, a pair of reprobates made sure to stir the pot.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this second episode in the new series, who better to ask the big questions than a philosopher? We turn to author and public intellectual Micah Goodman for an in-depth conversation on the one burning issue that unites America's radical right and left.

Spoiler: They hate Israel.

But the reasons why the far left and the far right despise the Jewish state come from very different narratives, explains Goodman. Likewise, their "final solutions" for Israel would result in divergent conclusions.

In the second half of the program, we turn the tables and ask: Are Israelis aware that the fate of the Jewish state is an election issue in the US? Why is this fissure in the essential US-Israel relationship trumpeted as a main existential issue on Israeli politicians' campaign trails?

Israelis, says Goodman, need to wake up.

But will they?

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

It was a stormy week politically in Ireland.

It wasn't over an attempted terrorist attack like we had here in Israel this week.

It wasn't over the rising cost of energy or immigration, like elsewhere in Europe.

It was a soccer match against Israel. That was enough to dominate the country's headlines.

How did Ireland become so focused on Israel, and so hostile to the Jewish state? 

Alan Shatter, a leading Jewish figure in the country and former justice and defense minister, says a pro-Palestine 'cult' has taken over the country's politics.

The country has always had a checkered past with its Jews, he said. The Provisional IRA had deep ties with Palestinian terrorists, and their political movement Sinn Fein 'contaminated' Irish politics by putting the Palestinian cause front and center.

That obsessive focus has spread from politics across Irish society, Shatter lamented, and now trade unions, teachers, artists, and athletes have significant pro-Palestinian movements.

The angst over the soccer match against Israel a new "level of complete and utter absurdity," he said. Now, he said, many Jews are asking whether they have a future in the country in the face of daily abuse online and a toxic environment around Israel.

"There's a deep problem here," Shatter said. "It's one the government refuses to recognize. It's one the government is contributing to."

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As details trickled in regarding the attempted attack on the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, Karmel discusses how the event became a political flashpoint, with less than a month before the October 27 election and the fast-approaching third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. She reviews the political rhetoric from the government allies and the opposition, which created a split-screen reality.

With the High Court of Justice holding hearings on the disqualification of Arab parties and candidates from the October 27 election, Karmel reviews the case of Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, which is expected to be upheld by the court in a rare occasion of consensus, in large part because of an article he wrote after October 7 in which he expressed support for Hamas.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Flydubai attack becomes election flashpoint as opponents draw Oct. 7 parallels

Election panel disqualifies all Arab parties, in move likely to be overturned; Balad leader also barred

AG: Disqualification of Balad leader from election ‘should be seriously considered’

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Political correspondent Ariela Karmel appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Just ahead of recording today's episode, headlines began surfacing about the flydubai plane that signaled an emergency during its flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and safely landed in Saudi Arabia. IAF fighter jets were scrambled and top Israeli leadership was given emergency briefings. Horovitz discusses what is known and still unknown this morning. (As this is a developing story, please check our live blog for real-time updates.)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday condemned the massive overnight attack and riot by Jewish extremists in the West Bank the previous night. His call to prosecute the perpetrators “to the fullest extent of the law,” was joined by similar condemnations from Defense Minister Israel Katz and head of the Yesha settlement umbrella council Yisrael Ganz. All leaders, however, downplayed the attack as being perpetrated by a “small number” of people. Why the rare spate of condemnations?

Also on Tuesday, Netanyahu claimed that there are concerns that “enemies” of Israel may attempt to attack it ahead of the October 27 election. By day's end, opposition leader Yair Lapid was briefed with details on the ostensible threat -- and subsequently dismissed them as fear-mongering. We hear more about the campaigns, four weeks until elections.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

PM blames ‘small number’ of West Bank rioters as mass settler attack draws wide condemnation

Over 100 settlers attack West Bank village, block Palestinian family’s return home

Netanyahu claims indications of attack plot by ‘enemies’ ahead of election; Lapid, briefed, derides him

Shin Bet won’t provide Eisenkot with security detail, despite earlier report to contrary

Price at pump set to hit record high of NIS 8.27 per liter

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

A Board of Peace official notes to Magid at the United Nations General Assembly that the organization envisions a de-radicalized Gaza as part of a broader end to war, suggesting that a similar transformation needs to happen in Israel as well, given talk amongst politicians of different stripes encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, a euphemism for forced displacement.

As the Board of Peace unveils a six-month, $2.45 billion reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, Magid says that BOP's discussions with Israel have been complex given the upcoming election and work won't begin until well after the October 27 election, although they will exert pressure to begin implementing the plans.

With the Norwegian government advancing legislation to outlaw trade with Israeli settlements, Magid reports on his interview with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who says that Norway is trying to balance interests and doesn't want to boycott all of Israel.

Finally, Magid discusses the ongoing confusion about the lack of a uniform response from the US regarding the UK-led settlement sanctions, as Israel wants a US reaction. He notes that US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee offered a fiery response but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office didn't issue the same statement, leaving US President Donald Trump with a more apathetic reaction while at the recent United Nations General Assembly.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog for more updates.

For further reading:

Board of Peace official: Extremist views in Israel impeding effort to deradicalize Gaza

Board of Peace unveils $2.4B Gaza recovery plan, but hurdles remain before implementation

Norway says sanctioning settlements ‘the right thing to do,’ despite potential Israeli retaliation

Trump shows apathy about UK-led settlement sanctions, ignoring Israel request for action

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

A Board of Peace official notes to Magid at the United Nations General Assembly that the organization envisions a de-radicalized Gaza as part of a broader end to war, suggesting that a similar transformation needs to happen in Israel as well, given talk amongst politicians of different stripes encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, a euphemism for forced displacement.

As the Board of Peace unveils a six-month, $2.45 billion reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, Magid says that BOP's discussions with Israel have been complex given the upcoming election and work won't begin until well after the October 27 election, although they will exert pressure to begin implementing the plans.

With the Norwegian government advancing legislation to outlaw trade with Israeli settlements, Magid reports on his interview with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who says that Norway is trying to balance interests and doesn't want to boycott all of Israel.

Finally, Magid discusses the ongoing confusion about the lack of a uniform response from the US regarding the UK-led settlement sanctions, as Israel wants a US reaction. He notes that US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee offered a fiery response but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office didn't issue the same statement, leaving US President Donald Trump with a more apathetic reaction while at the recent United Nations General Assembly.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog for more updates.

For further reading:

Board of Peace official: Extremist views in Israel impeding effort to deradicalize Gaza

Board of Peace unveils $2.4B Gaza recovery plan, but hurdles remain before implementation

Norway says sanctioning settlements ‘the right thing to do,’ despite potential Israeli retaliation

Trump shows apathy about UK-led settlement sanctions, ignoring Israel request for action

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

A Palestinian terrorist who took part in abducting Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or during the October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, the military and Shin Bet announced Sunday. Fabian fills us in on the strike, which was conducted by a special police unit. We discuss the renewed Hamas efforts to build up its forces and how it is using young children as weapons mules and human shields for operatives.

Two years to the targeted killing of the former Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah, the terrorist group launched an explosive drone at Israeli troops operating in the southern Lebanon buffer zone Saturday night. We hear that the IDF keeps a list of targets to strike in response to Hezbollah drones during this ongoing fragile ceasefire.

On Thursday, the Israeli filmmakers of the new controversial documentary "NAZA" (Collateral Damage) held a screening in Tel Aviv for local journalists, including from The Times of Israel, though the directors themselves were not present. Fabian weighs in on the experience of watching the film and the lack of journalistic practices exhibited in it.

Also last week, Fabian boarded the INS Drakon — or Dragon — on the final leg of her maiden journey to the Haifa Naval Base from Germany. We hear about the IDF's plans to expand the Navy's capabilities and what it was like to submerge on this "beast of a machine."

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Terrorist from abduction of Noa Argamani, Avinatan Or on Oct. 7 killed in strike – IDF

Hezbollah fires explosive drone at troops, prompting strikes in response — IDF

NAZA’s claims about IDF conduct in Gaza are grave. So are the film’s journalistic flaws

Israel’s newest, largest submarine arrives, deepening Navy’s stealth capabilities

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Berman, just back in Israel from the United Nations General Assembly, discusses how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 15th address to the hall on Thursday was in some ways a classic Bibi presentation -- and in many ways not. We hear what was said and unsaid during the 40-minute speech.

A flurry of reports has come out in the past several weeks surrounding what the prime minister was briefed on ahead of the October 7, 2023, onslaught by Hamas on southern Israel, including a statement from former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this morning. Berman unravels which seem credible and why.

Finally, Iran stood firm Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump rejected its proposal. While the Iranian offer had created some optimism around the prospect of breaking the war stalemate, there's one ToI analyst who has long said that nothing will change in the near future. Berman explains why.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

What Netanyahu didn’t say at the UN was as telling as what he did

Days before Oct 7, PM ordered security forces to ‘minimize escalation’ in Gaza – report

Former PA minister details Sinwar’s pre-Oct. 7 warning to Israel of coming ‘earthquake’

Despite pre-Oct. 7 warnings, PM reportedly opposed strikes on Hamas leaders, feared harming Saudi peace talks

Iran vows not to back down after US rejects its Hormuz proposal

Trump rejects Iranian ceasefire proposal, reportedly plans to renew strikes after midterms

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Hoffman starts off with two quick Jangles -- news with a Jewish angle- before we devote the program to the original 1927 "The Jazz Singer" and a technicolor 1991 The Simpsons parody episode, "Like Father, Like Clown."

Now in the public domain, a pristine digitally remastered version of the 99-year-old film can be viewed freely on YouTube. Although still primarily a silent film -- complete with hammy acting and text cards -- it features the world's first lines of synched dialogue and half a dozen songs.

Hoffman recounts how the story was written especially for its star, Al Jolson, who was born to a rabbinical family in Lithuania that moved to the United States when he was five.

The plot unfolds on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, and pits a fifth-generation cantor father against his entertainer son. The film is bookended by the Kol Nidre service and its famous melody.

Unfortunately, "The Jazz Singer" is likely best known for its controversial blackface scenes. In what is unimaginable today, Hoffman explains that Jolson's trademark act was incredibly popular in that era -- and especially among Black Americans.

In the final section of our program, we turn to 1991 The Simpsons comic riff on the film. After Krusty the Clown's past comes to light, Bart and Lisa learn rabbinic literature to help mend bridges with his rabbi father.

Let’s hear who gave this film and television episode an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people.

For this inaugural episode, who better to ask "Is the IDF justified in picking off Hamas terrorists?" than The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.

Last week, as headlines roiled world media condemning the IDF following the screening of "NAZA," which alleges Israel is using AI to commit genocide in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s determination to eliminate Hamas terrorists in the Strip.

In the past several months, the IDF has conducted a series of strikes targeting Hamas operatives in Gaza. Since the October 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry claims 1,400 Gazans -- without differentiating between Hamas operatives and civilians -- have been killed by the IDF.

Rejecting the notion that “Hamas is protected” within the area it controls in Gaza, Netanyahu asserted that “we are settling accounts with these murderers who murdered our people, our daughters, our women and our children on October 7,” adding: “There are not many left because we are dealing with them.”

But is this manhunt moral?

Rettig Gur sets the stage for his answer with a deep dive into history and the ideological underpinnings of the Hamas terrorist organization still ruling the Gaza Strip.

We then turn to what Borschel-Dan calls a "spillover" effect, in which this manhunt may allow a kernel of far-right extremist settlers to perpetrate violence against their Palestinian neighbors in the West Bank.

How can Israel rid itself of what Rettig Gur labels "Jewish terrorism"?

A Mandatory Listenpodcast episodes are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob MagidandNY correspondent Luke Tress join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's combative speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday included expected themes, such as the threat Iran poses to the world and the Jewish people’s determination to stand up to antisemitism as well as attempts to annihilate them. Magid was inside the room where it happened. We delve into which props were employed this year and the surprising amount of time devoted to the prime minister's brother, Yoni Netanyahu.

A few hours before Netanyahu's speech, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered recorded remarks in which he railed against the United States' decision not to issue visas for the Palestinian delegation. We learn the reasons behind this and the thrust of Abbas's condemnations of Israel.

Tress has also had a busy week with over half a dozen protests for and against Israel outside the United Nations. He describes the multitudes that attended and how there was something for almost everyone.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

In fiery UN speech, Netanyahu blasts Iran, Qatar, Turkey, slams Gaza genocide accusation

Netanyahu’s UN speech: Israel prevented ‘the genocide Mamdani’s Hamas buddies would have done to us’

PA’s Abbas at UN: Israel trying to force Palestinians out with ‘genocidal war,’ ‘settler terrorism’

Anti-Zionist protesters put Netanyahu effigy in a noose outside UN headquarters

NYC’s Chevalier, Susan Sarandon arrested at anti-Israel protest outside UN

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter's son, Neria, is hospitalized in serious condition after a car-ramming attack mowed down the reservist soldier at a checkpoint in the central West Bank yesterday. This morning, Leiter updated reporters that doctors have stabilized Neria’s condition overnight. Horovitz tells us about the groundswell of support for the ambassador, who suffered the death of his son Moshe during the war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the United Nations General Assembly today at 9 pm Israel time. Horovitz describes the secrecy surrounding the premier's travel arrangements and what he is likely to focus on during his address. We also hear a sampling of the anti-Israel rhetoric and allegations from world leaders this week so far.

The Central Elections Committee voted Wednesday in favor of petitions to disqualify the Joint List slate — made up of Balad, Hadash, and Ta’al — altogether as well as Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party from running in the October 27 election, effectively barring all majority Arab parties from running in the election. Horovitz weighs in on whether any of these disqualifications could be upheld by the High Court of Justice next week upon appeal.

It's only five weeks until the elections and Horovitz wonders: Why hasn't the Gadi Eisenkot campaign moved into high gear?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Son of Israel’s US envoy, a soldier, seriously hurt in car-ramming attack in West Bank; assailant shot dead

Election panel disqualifies all Arab parties, in move likely to be overturned; Balad leader also barred

Eisenkot does not have this election sewn up. So why is he barely campaigning?

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After Bezalel Smotrich's far-right Religious Zionism party published a campaign platform calling for further, radical constraints on the judicial system, Sharon discusses the history and aspects of the finance minister's plans and his use of an AI-generated video to advertise the overhaul plan, depicting Supreme Court justices and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara getting dragged away from a protest rally.

Following the approval of the purchase of Channel 13 by a philanthropic group, funded by a group of entrepreneurs headed by anti-government tech titan Assaf Rapaport, Sharon reports on Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's reaction, after months of attempting to circumvent the sale that he deemed "unlawful," given Rapaport’s outspoken criticism of the government.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Religious Zionism launches plans for more radical judicial overhaul after election

Coalition scored successes in judicial overhaul, but High Court, elections, will decide its fate

Sale of Channel 13 to government critic approved; minister calls decision ‘unlawful’

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

IMAGE: Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

News editor Ben Sales joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today’s episode.

On Sunday afternoon, a terrorist opened fire near Neve Tzuf in the West Bank, resulting in the death of Netanel Shukrun, father of six, who was buried on Monday night. On the other side of the globe, an assailant opened fire outside an Ontario synagogue during prayers on Yom Kippur eve, leaving a police officer in critical condition. Sales updates us on these two recent attacks.

The fallout from the cancellation of the pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s tour continues. Sales highlights that the amplification of Macklemore’s message following his removal exemplifies a puzzle that advocates for Israel are still struggling to figure out: how to quash anti-Israel invective without drawing even more attention to their opponents.

Finally, what’s on the minds of Israeli voters and politicians? Sales notes that, though a recent poll put economics and the cost of living at the top of voters’ priorities, a cursory look at the candidates’ heated rhetoric makes it seem like the economy barely exists. We discuss why economic issues are rarely at the forefront of the political agenda in Israel and what politicians are doing to address them away from the political spotlight.

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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As we at The Times of Israel prepared for the Jewish Day of Repentance, we were reminded of an episode that aired last year on Israel Story, our partner podcast. The outfit kindly allowed us to run the Yom Kippur episode in full.

Here's how Israel Story described the episode last year:

Exactly two years ago, in September 2023, we were in the final stages of working on an episode that we planned to release for Yom Kippur. A bunch of production hiccups made us decide to postpone publication by a week or two. Then came October 7th.

Fast forward to today. Yom Kippur is, once again, upon us, and we decided to dust off that never-aired 2023 episode. Since we bring it to you as it was, the episode feels a bit like a fossil -- like a relic of a distant, saner time. But because it was recorded and edited in an entirely different reality, hearing it now somehow only accentuates the craziness of our times.

First up: It's the season to reflect and repent, forgive and forget. As part of that, millions of Jews all around the world send and receive conciliatory messages. These humble pleas are usually an intimate exchange, something that happens between two people and them alone. However, one former high-school teacher from Jerusalem chose a completely different path in pursuit of forgiveness. Adina Karpuj brings us the tale of Channa Pinchasi's unusual search for absolution.

In act two, we revisit the weeks leading up to Yom Kippur of 2023, when we converted two old train cars in Jerusalem’s First Station into confession booths. One was labeled “Sorry,” and the other “Not Sorry.” Hundreds of passersby stepped into one, or both, of these booths and anonymously shared their regrets and secrets. Zev Levi created a mashup of the confessions we collected.

To close the episode, we explore Etgar Keret's story about his not-yet-four-year-old son Lev getting on an easily-irritable taxi driver's wrong side. Lev learned an important and difficult lesson: that saying you're sorry is a very hard thing to do. The short story, voice acted by Ofer Carmel, first appeared in Etgar's award-winning nonfiction collection, 'The Seven Good Years.'

Our end song is Lu Yehi ("Let It Be") performed by HaGashash HaHiver.

Produced in partnership with The Times of Israel.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The Israeli military said on Friday that it was ramping up its forces on all fronts ahead of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, which starts on Sunday evening and ends on Monday night. Fabian explains what this means in practice.

A Hamas commander who invaded Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip last week, the Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday, as Palestinian media reported several people killed in separate Israeli strikes across the enclave. We learn of additional targeted killings and reports of civilian fatalities alongside these strikes.

Southern Lebanon saw renewed tensions over the weekend, with two IDF soldiers wounded by a Hezbollah roadside bomb and Israeli and Lebanese troops facing off near the military’s buffer zone. Fabian compares the activity in Lebanon and Gaza.

Iran is rapidly advancing the reconstruction of a nuclear facility that was previously bombed by Israel, according to satellite images cited in a report Thursday by the Institute for Science and International Security. We hear Fabian's assessment of the likelihood of a third Israeli strike on the site.

A senior intelligence officer who is believed to have played a key role in the failures that led to the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught was formally dismissed from the military on Thursday, following months of deliberations over the matter. We hear why this still isn't exactly the end of the saga that includes pooh-poohing intel that could have prevented the massacre.

President Isaac Herzog said Saturday evening that he had granted a pardon to Elor Azaria, a former IDF soldier convicted of killing an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2016, after the military opposed giving the pardon. Fabian reminds us of the controversial case and explains how the IDF opposes the presidential pardon that expunges Azaria's criminal record.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Ahead of Yom Kippur, IDF bolsters forces on all fronts; Gaza crossing to close Sun-Mon

IDF says Oct. 7 invader killed in Gaza; strikes across Strip reportedly leave 5 dead

IDF says it struck Hezbollah sites after terror group’s bomb wounded 2 troops

Satellite images show Iran rapidly working to rebuild nuclear site bombed by Israel

Gaza Division intel officer on October 7 formally dismissed from the IDF

Herzog pardons soldier who killed incapacitated Palestinian stabber in 2016, against IDF position

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week, we chew on the new documentary now in theaters, "You Had To Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (In a Canadian Kind of Way)."

As depicted in the delightful film, if you ever wondered how a whole parcel of comedy greats got their starts, it was in a Canadian production of "Godspell" in 1972 that was a resounding success at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.

All stars aligned to bring together the constellation of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin and Jayne Eastwood, with musical director Paul Shaffer. Ironically, the musical depicting Jesus and his disciples was heavily Jewish -- sometimes with comical results.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign for Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse.

Before Alkhatib gives us an overview of the conditions on the ground right now in the Gaza Strip, he speaks to social media allegations that he is a "Zionist" or "pro-Israel stooge" because of his staunch anti-Hamas stance and willingness to engage with Israelis and Jews.

He speaks to how the "pro-Palestine industrial complex" marches in lockstep to condemn and blame Israel, giving two examples: the recent Haaretz report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned about the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel and the unreserved acceptance of the narrative portrayed in the new film "NAZA."

Alkhatib goes through the recent claims made against Netanyahu and explains how, in his assessment, there are other agendas at work by a variety of actors. Something doesn't add up, he says.

Turning to "NAZA" and its unprecedented 25-minute standing ovation, Alkhatib again turns the spotlight on the double standard the world employs when discussing Hamas versus Israel.

"Ironically, Israelis are believed when they criticize their government and their military and their people and their army, but Palestinians against Hamas in Gaza... they're not believed. They're called traitors, or they're silenced or they're viewed as inconvenient, by the same people that gave that long standing ovation," he says.

"It's enraging to me that Hamas is afforded the benefit of the doubt," he says, adding that residents of Gaza are likewise enraged that they remain held captive by a terrorist regime that is given a "pass" by the international community and pro-Palestine activists.

Finally, Alkhatib announces that his new short book, "Hamas and its Two Million Hostages" -- part memoir, part an attempt to explain how Hamas's stranglehold on the people in the Gaza Strip is only tightening -- will soon be translated into Hebrew. (Arabic is also in the plans.)

And so this week, we ask Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, what matters now?

What Matters Nowpodcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Benny Gantz was in the headlines in Israel and often across the globe for the better part of two decades. He was the 20th IDF chief of staff during two major operations against Hamas, was opposition leader, served as defense minister, and for the eight months after October 7, was a senior member in the war cabinet.

His fortunes have changed, however, His party is polling well below the electoral threshold, and there are no signs that is about to change. Opposition figures are calling for Gantz to drop out, warning he will waste tens of thousands of votes that could prove decisive in replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But Gantz insists he is in the race for the long run. Gantz said that he doesn't owe anything to anyone except his own voters. He acknowledges that he won't be prime minister, but says that he can be the bridge between the camps in a broad Zionist unity government.

Everything is possible for Israel with a unity government, he said, while no problem can be addressed without one.

Netanyahu, he said, needs to be replaced. October 7 was his responsibility, said Gantz, and Netanyahu has also divided Israeli society.

He was fairly optimistic about Israel's operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, saying that Israel cannot allow radical forces to build up capabilities that could be used to attack Israel. Gantz stressed that Israel is not taking revenge in Gaza, but is securing its own future by working to defeat Hamas. Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms.

This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following headlines worldwide and widespread anger in Israel over the allegations made in documentary film ‘NAZA’ about Israel's policies on civilian fatalities in the Gaza war, Magid reports that the Foreign Ministry has recommended to diplomats to dial down attacks on the Israeli filmmakers, assessing that ongoing furious Israeli denials are harming rather than helping.

While the next official round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is delayed to next month, Magid notes that a small meeting between the Israeli ambassador to the US and the Lebanese ambassador took place in Washington, with each party reporting that there hasn't been enough progress on either side, in terms of the Lebanese army disarming Hezbollah and Israel withdrawing from some parts of southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese official spoke with Magid -- although interviews with Israeli press are forbidden --  relaying the message that Lebanon does want to disarm Hezbollah and that Israel’s strikes in southern Lebanon have become too indiscriminate.

Magid also reports on the recent talks between the Houthis and the US regarding its seizure of a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast, noting that engagement with the Iran-backed militia risks normalizing its status as an address for negotiation rather than an illegitimate actor.

After Vice President JD Vance stated in a podcast interview that US Mideast policy can't be subservient to Israel's needs, Magid discusses other aspects of the interview, including that Vance called Israel an important partner and that relationships with all US allies are based on US interests.

Finally, Magid reviews details from a leaked Board of Peace committee document summarizing 71 intended construction projects in Gaza, noting that it's all on hold because Israel hasn't agreed to the current disarmament plan.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israeli government sends diplomats talking points to respond to ‘NAZA’ — report

Israeli, Lebanese envoys hold ‘positive’ meeting in Washington

Lebanese official to ToI: ‘Indiscriminate’ IDF strikes hinder Hezbollah disarmament

Vance: US cannot let its Mideast foreign policy be ‘subservient to Israel’

Houthis met US officials in Oman, promised not to hit American, Israeli ships — sources

Gaza-bound technocrats draw up 71 rebuilding projects, which hinge on Israeli approval

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis accused the rebels on Wednesday of targeting Islam’s holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The rebels immediately denied the accusation but did announce later in the day that they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet.

At the same time, the Houthis have captured more strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, strengthening their control of the major maritime shipping route Bab el-Mandeb, and putting more of an economic squeeze on the Saudis.

We learn how the military chiefs of Israel, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt held a meeting in Germany last week about the war with Iran and regional tensions, according to the Axios news site. And we hear about how the recent Mecca Accords between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are not bearing military fruit.

As the conflict deepens across the region, Berman weighs in on Saudi Arabia's requests for help from its allies and neighbors, and why, specifically, the United States appears to hope to stay out of it -- for now.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘Red line’: Houthis accused of targeting Mecca for first time in current flare-up

IDF chief met army heads of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, other Arab states to discuss Iran – report

What the closure of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline could mean for oil flows

Houthis seize more key islands in Red Sea, launch attacks into Saudi Arabia

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel’s upcoming election officially took shape last week, as the last of 38 parties submitted their candidate slates for the October 27 vote. We learn about the last-minute drama and surprises.

Yesterday, the left-wing Democrat Party petitioned the Central Elections Committee to bar National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit slate from running. The party, led by Yair Golan, accused the right-wingers of undermining democracy, denying “the existence of the State of Israel as a democratic state,” and inciting racism. Karmel explains how this is expected political theater -- used by both sides of the aisle.

Karmel writes in a recent analysis that, "Reflecting a broad rightward shift among the Israeli electorate, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is winning voters on the right and leading in the polls by presenting a party that in many ways resembles the Likud of yesteryear." She speaks about Likud's attempts to brand  the Yashar head as a "leftist" -- and what this means in Israeli society.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israel’s election takes shape as 38 parties submit slates, in battle between pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs

Finalizing slate, Netanyahu fills reserved Likud slots with allies, ideologues

Democrats seek to bar Otzma Yehudit from election as polls show continued deadlock

As parties lock in, Eisenkot plots path to power through heart of old Likud

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Israeli politicians assail the Israeli filmmakers behind documentary “NAZA,” about Israel’s alleged AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza, Fabian discusses the IDF's immediate response, accusing the filmmakers of making false and unverified claims.

Fabian reports on recent IDF strikes in Gaza that killed several well-known, senior Hamas commanders, and notes that these strikes receive less attention than they did in the past.

Fabian discusses two incidents in the West Bank over the weekend -- concerning an off-duty soldier who fired at Palestinians he said were throwing stones, and a soldier who shot and injured a Palestinian during a settler clash.

After the IDF blew up Hezbollah's underground facility beneath Lebanon's Ali Taher Ridge, Fabian details aspects of the complex, and explains why it took so long to carry out the operation.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Culture minister urges revoking citizenship of ‘NAZA’ film creators for ‘treason’

IDF says it killed two Hamas engineers in Gaza strike; 13 others reported injured

IDF kills commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade in southern Gaza airstrike

IDF soldier shoots, injures Palestinian who posed no apparent threat amid settler clash

Off-duty soldier suspended for firing at Palestinians in West Bank, says they threw stones

IDF blows up Hezbollah’s ‘strategic’ complex beneath south Lebanon’s Ali Taher Ridge

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Today, we're taking a break from the news and getting a sneak peek into Schneider's new Hebrew-language book, "Milchama Mishelahen" ("Israel's Women Warriors").

Recently published by Yediot Aharonoth, the book charts Israel's female fighters -- from the pre-state underground resistance movements to the landmark court case of Alice Miller, to today's combat soldiers.

Schneider describes how, immediately on October 7, 2023, she knew it was imperative to chronicle the s valor committed by groups of female soldiers -- often in the face of certain death. We hear how their sacrifice saved innumerable Israelis and turned the tide of a wave of Hamas terrorists in several locations.

However, there are still immense challenges to the integration of women into the combat forces. Schneider gives humorous -- and devastating -- examples of the cultural bias women face.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Check out the first chapter of Tal Schneider's new book (Hebrew)

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with the head of the Israel Democracy Institute, Yohanan Plesner.

As millions of Israeli voters will cast a fateful ballot on October 27, what are the top three issues driving them to the polls -- and why?

Plesner, a former member of Knesset for the now-defunct Kadima party, begins the program by explaining the purpose and goals of the IDI, which he calls a "think-and-do-tank."

We learn about the overabundance of parties that officially registered this week, the use of joint party "lists" to reduce wasted votes and how a politician's word may be somewhat flexible, leading to broken promises.

Even after a vote is cast, the challenges in setting up a stable coalition are immense. It is not at all clear that we're not about to head to another series of inconclusive elections, warns Plesner.

And so this week, we ask Yohanan Plesner what matters now.

What Matters Nowpodcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week, we abandon all pretense of intellectuality and hunker down to watch the new Gal Gadot vehicle, "The Runner," now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The film is a fast-paced sprint through London, during which Gadot must arrive at a certain location to save her son, who is in an induced diabetic coma.

The plot seems simple, but the end carries a twist that got Borschel-Dan's husband thinking the whole week.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel's relationship with the West, especially Europe, took an unhappy turn this week, as UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that his country would be imposing widespread sanctions on Israel's settlements.

France and Canada said they would impose similar penalties, while other European countries called for EU measures against Israeli settlements.

The European Leadership Network, or ELNET, works to improve ties between Israel and Europe. Yossi Abravanel, ELNET Israel's deputy director, joined Lazar Focus to explain why countries are announcing sanctions now, and how Israel should respond.

According to Abravanel, domestic politics is the main driver of the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements. He said that countries are willing to harm their own interests to appease anti-Israel voters, and that an advisor to the previous British prime minister Keir Starmer told him as much.

He said that Israel should not "go too far" in its response to the sanctions. Europe is Israel's largest trade partner, he stressed.

Israel must keep lines of communication with European countries open, and stress that Israel is a democracy fighting for shared values.

Encouragingly, Abravanel noted that opposition parties in many countries considered hostile to Israel, including in Spain, pledge that they will overturn anti-Israel moves by sitting left-wing governments.

He emphasized that Germany, which opposed the sanctions, works to protect Israel in the EU every day, and Israelis should recognize the lengths to which Germany goes for the Jewish state.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following this week's MEAD conference in Washington, DC, Magid reports on a conversation with a Board of Peace official who says that cooperation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Gaza was mostly positive, until the Israeli leader entered campaign mode and wants to avoid any notion that he is acquiescing to Hamas.

On the topic of Gaza, Magid discusses another Board of Peace matter: the stalled training of 283,000 Palestinian police, as Israel currently won't allow the vetted applicants to leave Gaza to train in Egypt.

Magid reports on a conversation at MEAD with the president of Somaliland, the self-declared republic that broke from Somalia in 1991 and which Israel recognized in December 2025, and the president's discussion about sending troops to Gaza.

On the topic of Gaza, Magid discusses another Board of Peace matter: the stalled training of 283,000 Palestinian police, as Israel currently won’t allow the vetted applicants to leave Gaza to train in Egypt.

Magid also reports on a conversation at MEAD with the president of Somaliland — the self-declared republic that broke from Somalia in 1991 and that Israel recognized in December 2025 — about sending troops to Gaza.

Following US President Donald Trump’s recent messaging regarding the United Kingdom’s far-reaching sanctions on the West Bank, Magid notes that the US leader said mildly that he wanted to discuss the matter further with Israel. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio notably did not condemn the British move, and said the US wants to see more stability in the West Bank.

Magid also discusses efforts in the Palestinian Authority to try and obtain a travel visa for President Mahmoud Abbas to speak at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, after the US said it is planning to bar him due to its ongoing frustration with the PA.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Board of Peace official: We won’t have leverage over Netanyahu until after election

Israel barring recruits it vetted for Gaza police from leaving Strip for training

Trump, briefed in advance, didn’t ask UK to wait with settlement sanctions — official

PA submits US entry applications, testing plan to ban Abbas from UN confab — officials

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Courtesy)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Bermanjoins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Tuesday announced a ban on all dealings with West Bank settlements, as well as sweeping sanctions and a range of other punitive measures. His speech in the House of Commons featured Britain’s strongest-ever criticism of the settlement enterprise and Israel’s “unlawful occupation.” We delve into the various allegations leveled at Israel and how Miliband leverages his Jewish background to make them.

Some 10 days before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was personally warned by the leader of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a major offensive move against Israel, but he did not update Israeli security leaders and did nothing with the information, according to a report on Tuesday that was verified by our US bureau chief Jacob Magid. Why are these charges being made now?

Many in Israel heard booms last night as Iranian missiles were shot down over Jordan. This comes after the US military on Tuesday said it destroyed five oil tankers in Iran’s so-called shadow fleet following a pair of attempted Iranian ballistic missile attacks targeting an American warship the previous day. Berman updates us on the current status of the US-Iran war and speaks about how it is influencing Israel's neighborhood.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Denouncing ‘ethnic cleansing’ in West Bank, UK announces ban on all dealings with settlements

Full speech: Ed Miliband says entire occupation unlawful, slams ‘settler terrorists’ and Israeli government that indulges them

Trump, briefed in advance, didn’t ask UK to wait with settlement sanctions — official

Days before Oct. 7, UAE leader warned Netanyahu Hamas was planning war, but PM did nothing with info – report

US hits Iranian oil tankers after attempted missile attacks on American Navy

Touting improved ballistic missile, Iran vows preemptive action against threats

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US reporter Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

For the past several years, Tress has noted an uptick in hateful rhetoric and flyers that are attributing housing disputes in New York City to Israel or “Zionists.” The rhetoric appears to mark a growing new front in anti-Zionist activism in the city. We delve into a history of disputes between Jews and their neighbors, including about housing, and what makes this new iteration different.

Security spending for US Jewish communities has surpassed an estimated $1.05 billion per year, a new record, the Jewish Federations of North America said on Thursday. The 2025 average annual security expenditure for a Jewish institution was around $225,000, the federations said, adding that the total cost could be used to provide Jewish day school tuition to around 44,000 children. Tress explains what legislation Jewish leaders are now pushing US lawmakers to pass.

Tress reports on a group of non-Jewish Ukrainian university students who are studying Yiddish in a class at The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, part of a new program between the university and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York City. What brings these young adults to this wacky extracurricular?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

In protests and politics, ‘Zionists’ are being blamed for NYC housing woes

US Jewish community security costs surpass $1 billion per year — study

War-weary Ukrainian students learn Yiddish to reclaim a Jewish past nearly erased at home

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Environmental reporter Sue Surkesjoins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.

We open by diving into the unprecedented shutdown of five of Israel’s six desalination plants last week. Surkes reports that the closures have exposed a growing strategic vulnerability: the country’s near-total dependence on large coastal facilities for drinking water.

Surkes explains that the plants, all along the southern Mediterranean coast, were forced offline by microalgae swept north by waves from the Nile Delta. While the majority of plants are back online, reduced output continues as of publication.

We pivot to focus on the pollution clogging up the Hebron Stream.  She explains how raw sewage, construction byproducts, and illegal dumping are contaminating the waterway and threatening one of the region’s important natural water sources. She also speaks about why efforts to address the issue have stalled thus far.

We close the episode with a brief survey of Israeli-led sustainable food science initiatives that have progressed over the summer, including Weizmann scientists on the path to creating food from air and Hebrew University researchers extracting milk proteins from safflower plants.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

News editor Ben Sales joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After US Ambassador Mike Huckabee met with Palestinians on Saturday and called for severe consequences for violent settlers, Sales notes the American diplomat is trying to say two things, continuing his longtime support of the settlement enterprise in the West Bank alongside the need to deal with Jewish terrorists.

Sales then turns to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, questioning whether the upcoming election will be the first time the longtime leader will possibly lose, given that he has enemies among some of the new centrist parties who say they don't want to sit with him in any government.

Finally, Sales looks at the commonalities between Michigan's Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and his friendship with anti-Israel podcaster Hasan Piker, and US Vice President JD Vance and his friendship with right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, discussing the antisemitic similarities on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Huckabee, in West Bank, urges severe consequences for settler violence: ‘Terror is terror’

One-hit wonders keep saving Netanyahu. This time, he might be played out

El-Sayed and Vance call each other ‘evil,’ while both handling antisemitism the same way

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: News editor Ben Sales appears on the Daily Briefing with podcast host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This month marks the 60th anniversary of the pioneering sci-fi series, Star Trek. Expert in all things Trekky, Hoffman, when he's not schmoozing with Borschel-Dan, also hosts the STARLOG podcast and co-wrote The Star Trek Book of Friendship.

So this week, the duo nerd out on all things Jewish behind the beloved franchise -- Spock's famous hand gesture is adapted from the Priestly Blessing, in one notable example. Eventually, we laser in on two episodes that illustrate the show's ethos.

From the original Star Trek television series, Hoffman chose "The City on the Edge of Forever." We hear about how, when time-traveling to 1930s New York, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock faced a tough decision to stave off a potential global Nazi takeover.

And in Deep Space Nine's "In the Hands of the Prophets," we see how the program deals with themes of religious extremism versus science.

Let’s hear who gave this series an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt.

As antisemitism surges worldwide by some 900% over the past decade, Greenblatt explores how the 113-year-old organization's mission to protect Jews has -- and has not -- evolved to meet the new challenge.

In light of the drastic uptick in hate, Borschel-Dan jokes that the ADL commands more money than a very small sovereign state (she erroneously names Nauru) and asks if the organization has failed in its mission.

Greenblatt assures her that a $100 million annual budget is a drop in the bucket against well-oiled hate machines funded by petrol states and says the ADL, like all other Jewish organizations, is working to regain its footing in a post-October 7 world.

We learn how the foundational anti-hate body has had to make some tough choices and how it is increasingly leaning on AI to reinforce its human staff.

And so this week, we ask Jonathan Greenblatt what matters now.

What Matters Nowpodcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Amid the resumed US-Iran fighting, US President Donald Trump is playing down the potential for escalation, reports Magid, and telling Israel not to worry.

Additionally, Magid discusses the administration's attempts to pressure Iran with economic sanctions, a lengthy process that will impact pricing for Americans at the gas pump, and will also require cooperation from a range of countries with diverse interests, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and China.

The US issued slightly stronger condemnation than usual of West Bank settler violence, denouncing criminal violence and calling for investigations, arrests and prosecutions, but didn’t specifically mention settlers, or Israel, in its statement, notes Magid.

The US-backed Board of Peace called out Israel's continued strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, Magid also reports, as the Israeli government appears to be waiting until after the October 27 elections to make any substantive policy shifts.

Magid also updates us on a Palestinian banking crisis, which was averted at the eleventh hour, with Israeli banks Discount and Hapoalim agreeing to continue providing correspondent banking services until January 1.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party is attempting to reconcile internal feuds ahead of planned Palestinian legislative elections at the end of November.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump: ‘Israel should not worry’ about latest Iran clashes, war will wind down soon

US issues harsher censure of ‘West Bank violence,’ without explicitly blaming Israel

Board of Peace envoy knocks Israel’s ‘unacceptable’ Gaza policy as disarmament plan stalls

Palestinian banking crisis averted, as Israeli bank delays plan to halt collaboration

Feuding Fatah officials meet as internal rifts risk poor showing in November election

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Times of Israel Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

“Special forces” of the Shin Bet captured the commander of Hamas’s internal security apparatus in a “bold operation” in Gaza City on Tuesday morning, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the military, and the domestic security agency. It is the first time since the ceasefire that Israel is publicizing a raid deep inside the Gaza Strip. Fabian takes us through what we know.

The IDF on Tuesday dismissed a reservist commander who, along with his troops, was filmed in early August praying with settlers besieging the Palestinian village of Qusra, rather than removing them from their illegal outpost. Fabian reviews the timeline of the siege on the village and how the IDF is -- or is not -- dealing with the extremist settlers conducting it.

The commander of the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion on Sunday sentenced 16 of his troops to prison after they refused to enter an armored personnel carrier in the Gaza Strip for operational activity last week because a female paramedic was attached to the force. We discuss the evolving roles of women in the military and whether it could even function without female soldiers.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israel confirms capturing Hamas internal security chief in Gaza City raid

IDF ousts reservist who prayed with besieging settlers; still no arrests for Qusra attack

16 Givati soldiers sent to prison for refusing to enter APC with female paramedic

Bar Kalifa tapped as top IDF West Bank officer, weeks after Katz announced move on TV

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Ruling out a nuclear option, US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed a response to Iran’s overnight strikes on US forces in Jordan, as tensions again ramped up between the sides after a monthlong lull in fighting. Horovitz brings us up to speed with what is happening -- and not -- with the war right now.

Some 2.6 million students and preschoolers returned to school Tuesday morning at some 28,000 institutions around the country, as Israel marked the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. Horovitz delves into some of the challenges the system faces and how critical it is to overhaul it.

Ra’am party head Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovitz — a Jewish, Zionist former police official, lawmaker and deputy minister — announced Monday evening that Segalovitz will run with Ra’am, an Arab party, in the October 27 election. We hear about the reasons for the merger as well as its immediate blowback.

Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insinuated without evidence in an interview aired Monday that left-wing politician Yair Golan had advance notice of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught. Of course, this drew a furious response from Golan's Democrats Party, but could the Israeli public believe this conspiracy theory?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Trump vows response to Iranian strike on US troops in Jordan as tensions ratchet up

‘What a stupid question’: Trump rules out idea of nuking Iran amid renewed tensions

2.6 million students return to school amid teacher shortages, systemic challenges

In unprecedented move, Abbas and Segalovitz announce joint run, bringing Jewish lawmaker to Arab party’s slate

Full speech: Yoav Segalovitz joins Arab party Ra’am with hopes for ‘a shared future’

Breaking silence, Netanyahu decries ‘criminal violence’ after settlers again raid besieged village

Sara Netanyahu pushes conspiracy theory that left-wing leader Golan had advance knowledge of Oct. 7

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Sam Sokoljoins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

With a growing number of new splinter parties on the right and center-right, some of them founded by former Netanyahu allies, Sokol reviews the latest additions, noting that most of these third-bloc parties, not part of the coalition or opposition blocs, are polling below the electoral threshold as all jockey for position.

Sokol reports on the campaign of former IDF general Ofer Winter, who has placed himself firmly in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp even as he criticizes the Netanyahu government, but whose People of Israel party appears to be thriving at the cost of the Religious Zionism party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Sokol also reports on a new Haredi party, The Charedi Public, founded by Beit Shemesh deputy mayor Moti Leitner, to challenge the preeminent ideologies in the ultra-Orthodox community and be more responsive to the needs and demands of the Haredi public.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

With only days left to submit slates, small parties are still jockeying for position

Netanyahu warns Winter’s party could ‘bring down’ his coalition, urges meeting

With debutant Winter poised to cannibalize his bloc, Netanyahu has reason to sweat

Winter launches nationalist ‘People of Israel’ party; Netanyahu warns it could doom the right

No slate, no HQ: Sharren Haskel wages an uphill fight to return to the Knesset

Launching campaign, new Haredi party slams ‘detachment, stupidity’ of existing factions

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

IMAGE: Political correspondent Sam Sokol appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Health reporter Diana Bletter joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.

Following a recent reporting visit to Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, Bletter discusses the significant uptick in Druze applications for Israeli citizenship instead of permanent residency, a change due to the recent regime change in Syria.

Bletter turns to health issues, including the scientific risks of UV tanning. Bletter reports that the UV index has gone viral on social media in Israel and around the world, used as a guide for when people can achieve the best bronzing.

A new study conducted by scientists at Weizmann Institute of Science shows that the active ingredient in Viagra disrupts cancer cells' metastasis, notes Bletter.

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and edited by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

Taking a break from pulling classics out of the vaults, this week's film, "Don't Say Good Luck," just dropped on Netflix.

Sunny Sandler stars as a 16-year-old theater kid, backed up by a cast including Melanie Lynskey, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Bebe Neuwirth, and Steve Buscemi.

Within minutes, it's clear that what could have been a superficial teen flick produced by Adam and Jackie Sandler is a relatable look at "the show going on" while a family member fights cancer. Notes Hoffman, that depth may be due in part to the involvement of director Julia Hart and co-producer/writer Jordan Horowitz -- both veteran filmmakers with proven hits.

However, it is Sunny Sandler who is the glowing glue of the movie, providing singing and acting chops rare in a 16-year-old.

Hoffman gives a bit of the backstory behind the movie's production and insight into the choice of "The Waitress" as the play within the film. Labeling it a "weeper," he qualifies that it's not really a downer, rather realistically portrays the family's dilemmas.

Borschel-Dan, who watched with two of her teenagers, realizes they are 100% the target audience for this intergenerational, Jewish-coded tale that is all too familiar.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author Yossi Klein Halevi.

The Hartman Institute senior fellow, writer and thinker joins us in our Jerusalem studio for a probing conversation about Jewish extremism.

Klein Halevi is the author of the 1995 "Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist," based on his time spent as a disciple of far-right racist firebrand Meir Kahane. He is uniquely poised to delve into the psyche of the violent fringe terrorizing West Bank Palestinian and shaking members of the settler movement.

We discuss the throughline between the era that spawned Kahane and his followers and today's national traumas that are spurring extremists to believe Kahane was right all along.

Through Kahane's vanities and human frailties, Klein Halevi realized that the cult of personality was dangerous and unhealthy. We ask, what happens if adherents believe their racist violence is actually in the service of God?

Klein Halevi, optimistic that these youth can be awoken, sets out conditions that could, slowly, allow for their transformation.

And so this week, we ask Yossi Klein Halevi, what matters now.

What Matters Nowpodcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After Israel struck a military base in Syria, where Turkey was apparently ready to deploy forces, Horovitz reviews the ensuing diplomatic ruckus between Israel, Turkey and Syria, with a US envoy castigating Israel but the White House silent.

Following this week's meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump aide Jared Kushner regarding the Board of Peace plan for Gaza, Horovitz explains the shared goal but differing approaches of the US and Israel, and highlights the need to not only disarm Hamas but also drain its coffers.

Horovitz examines the results of Monday's Likud primary and the options still available for Netanyahu to parachute a few of his own selected candidates to high slots on the party's final Knesset slate. He also updates us on the emergence of yet another small party, and a renewed alliance between three established ones.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘Don’t’: Netanyahu says he warned Turkey before Israel struck Syrian base

PM, Kushner clashed over continued Israeli strikes on Oct. 7 terrorists — officials

Hamas must be drained of its money as well as its weapons

Arab-majority Hadash, Ta’al and Balad parties agree on joint run after striking deal

Hawkish ex-general Ofer Winter expected to launch new party next week, shaking up the right

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz appears on Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Culture editor Jessica Steinberg joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen took to the stage last week to sing nine songs he composed in his head during 498 days of Hamas captivity in Gaza. Steinberg was there and sets the scene ahead of a broader discussion on what other creative efforts are produced by former hostages, now thrust into a strange celebrity status.

Director Avi Nesher’s latest film, “Our Loves,” will be screened at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival, featured in the Centrepiece program that highlights feature films from established directors. This piece of news, once unsurprising, is noteworthy during a de facto boycott of most Israeli artists around the world. Steinberg takes us into how some filmmakers and musicians, including Noga Erez, are handling this boycott.

To close the program, we hear about other new films on the horizon that cover the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel -- and its aftermath -- from several different angles.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen returns home to perform songs he composed in Hamas captivity

Avi Nesher’s Oct. 7 retelling, ‘Our Loves,’ to screen at Toronto Film Festival

Noga Erez and Ori Rousso share intimate details in new documentary ‘Noga’

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner met with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein on Sunday before meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem yesterday. We discuss the normalization of the US conducting direct talks with Hamas and a potential new way forward being floated by the Board of Peace.

As the 60-day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has run out, in a wide-ranging phone interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump said he had “no time schedule” for the conflict. Magid also delves into the visible mixed messaging between the president and Vice President J.D. Vance over the war's goals.

And finally, we turn to the ongoing saga taking place at the Palestinian village of Qusra, near Nablus. International media attention has been spotlighting the location for over a week after settlers began surrounding several new houses built on its outskirts, trapping residents inside in an apparent effort to force them out. The IDF’s actions — and inactions — have generated condemnation around the world.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Kushner meets Hamas chief in Egypt in push for Gaza disarmament; IDF continues strikes

Meeting with Kushner, PM doubles down on IDF remaining in Gaza until Hamas disarmed

Amid Israeli pushback, source reveals Board of Peace weighing new disarmament framework

Trump threatens to bomb Oman over its deal with Iran on Hormuz, as 60-day MOU expires

Palestinian-American raises US flag upon return to Qusra home besieged by settlers

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US reporter Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

A man disrupted Shabbat services and attacked a guard and a congregant at Central Synagogue in Manhattan on Friday night. The violent disturbance comes days after rabbis from a swath of Jewish denominations met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, warning him that his repeated broadsides against the Jewish state were harmful to the Jewish community. Tress weighs in, explaining that Jews were targeted in 70% of all hate crimes in New York City in July.

On Thursday, Tress attended part of a course that Israeli first responders from Magen David Adom (MDA) taught to members of the US-based volunteer synagogue security group, the Community Security Service (CSS) to train them how to respond in mass casualty events. He reports back about this new, too-realistic threat.

In the second half of the program, we learn about an in-depth report Tress wrote about three recent federal US terrorism cases that investigated humanitarian crowdfunding campaigns out of, or relating to, Gaza. The cases highlight potential abuse of the loosely regulated platforms and the intersection of terror financing, social media and cryptocurrency.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Assailant disrupts Shabbat service at NYC synagogue, attacks congregant and guard

Jews targeted in 70% of all NYC hate crimes last month, NYPD data shows

Gazan sham charities’ crowdfunding funneled cash to alleged terrorists, US probes show

Subscribe to The Timesof Israel Daily Briefing onApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.

After three IDF soldiers were struck and severely wounded by a Hezbollah drone in Lebanon on Friday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the unusual move of announcing the incident in English during Shabbat, Schneider says, to ensure the US administration understood the seriousness of the ceasefire violation.

Schneider looks ahead to Monday’s Likud feverishly contested primary, in which members of Netanyahu’s party will choose some, but not all, of Likud's Knesset slate.

The latest Zman Yisrael poll showed Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party opening a four-seat lead over Likud ahead of the October 27 general election, but the anti-Netanyahu Zionist bloc still not quite able to muster a Knesset majority. Eisenkot, she notes, might nonetheless aim to form a minority government.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Eisenkot opens up a lead on Netanyahu in new ToI poll, but both blocs shy of majority

Eisenkot vows ‘no compromise’ on IDF draft law, including for Haredim, if elected PM

MK Elazar Stern announces Yesh Atid exit ahead of likely run with Eisenkot

Report: Barkat co-led Likud effort to oust and replace Netanyahu after Oct. 7

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week, we spend the entire episode on Haifa-born iconic animator Ralph Bakshi's 1977 sci-fi adventure, "Wizards."

Distributed by 20th Century-Fox, the loose premise sets the film about 5,000 years in the future, following a World War III that left Earth so full of radiation to split humanity into fairy-type creatures and mutants.

The majority of the raunchy ride builds up to a battle between twin brothers -- two wizards who represent magic or technology.

Definitely not a kids' flick, the animation is violent and emphasizes several female fairies' -- ahem -- assets.

Hoffman delves deeply into why this is a foundational film and explains the ongoing resonance of Bakshi's work. Borschel-Dan is much less impressed.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with CEO of Community Security Service Richard Priem.

While guarding his Dutch synagogue as a 17-year-old, Priem knew there were two places where Jews wouldn't experience antisemitism: Israel and the United States. Whereas in Europe, where Jews regularly must go through security checks and metal detectors before entering community events, he was sure the Jewish State and the Goldene Medina were different.

That "age of security" for US Jewry changed around the time of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting, he said.

This is where his NGO steps in: Founded in 2007, the not-for-profit aims to empower Jewish volunteers and strengthen their communal security toolboxes to prevent attacks and de-escalate situations as they arise.

As Priem, a former paratrooper in the IDF puts it, who better to preemptively ascertain something is amiss than the community regulars themselves?

In this episode, we hear real-life examples of how CSS volunteers saved lives. Later, Priem lays out a hypothetical plan to secure Borschel-Dan's upcoming speaking gig in Chicago.

We learn about the need for "digital hygiene" and how a force of thousands of volunteers -- and growing -- are allowing Jews to be loud and proud again.

And so this week, we ask Richard Priem, what matters now.

What Matters Nowpodcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

The US-Israeli war against Iran was initially about military capabilities -- Iran's nuclear program, its ballistic missiles, its armed proxies -- but very quickly became a war about energy.

It was Iran's ability to choke global energy supplies that forced US President Donald Trump to effectively stop the war.

We also saw how central the flow of natural gas has been to the Ukraine war, as European countries scrambled to replace Russian gas to heat their homes and power their economies.

These complex challenges take place as the world tries to come up with a coherent climate policy, something it has struggled to do for decades.

Danish political scientist Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, is one of the world's most original thinkers on these issues.

"Energy is prosperity," he stressed.

Affordable, available energy has led to humanity's flourishing over the past two decades. Prosperity means you get less sick, you live longer, there is less child mortality, education is better, and you have more personal opportunities.

Global warming, he said, is a problem and will have mostly negative impacts. But we must ask ourselves whether we are pushing solutions that will end up doing more harm than the problem we are trying to solve.

The conversation, he stressed, must be based on what the UN climate panel actually says. It does not predict the demise of the human race. It does say it can cost 2-3% of global GDP by 2100, meaning it is a problem that needs addressing. But if your solution brings down GDP by 15%, then that is not the correct solution.

Climate innovation is the key, which is a low-cost way of getting green energy to be cheaper than fossil fuels.

For the foreseeable future, however, we are going to keep relying on fossil fuels. If current trends from 1971 remain the same, we are on track to get off fossil fuels in 1,000 years.

The point of public policy, he stressed, "is to leave the world better off in the future.

Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.