Unholy: Two Jews on the News Books special: conversations with Daniel Taub and Yardena Schwartz
Apr 7, 2026
Yardena Schwartz, award-winning journalist and Emmy-nominated producer who uncovered the forgotten 1929 Hebron massacre. Daniel Taub, former Israeli ambassador to the UK and writer on constructive disagreement. They discuss the forgotten history of Hebron and how it shaped the conflict. They explore Jewish argument culture, story-driven negotiation, and practical ways families and negotiators can reopen conversation.
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Stories Break Through Talking Points
- Stories can bypass talking-point defences and change hearts in ways statistics cannot.
- Daniel Taub cites a friend's autobiographical novel about growing up in East Jerusalem as the moment that shifted his view more than reports did.
Musa's Hook As A Negotiation Parable
- Musa's hook was used by Palestinian negotiators to show how a small security toehold can feel like permanent intrusion.
- The tale: Musa sells his house but keeps using a hook there, driving the buyer out, illustrating perceived endless incursions.
Argument As A Jewish Collaborative Tool
- The Jewish argument tradition reframed disagreement as constructive collaboration rather than destructive division.
- Taub traces this to post-Temple crisis where rabbis created Talmudic forms mixing law and story to preserve community amid exile.
