State of Tel Aviv, Israel Podcast

Iraqi Lebanese American, journalist and foreign policy specialist at DC-based think tank Federation for Defense of Democracies, Hussain spent his first 20+ years living in Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Lebanon. He explains the different "camps" in the very diverse Arab world and exposes Hamas. Hizballah. Iran. For the death cults they are. We discuss this war on the west, on Israel, on Jews and the dangerously uninformed activists demonstrating in support of Hamas in western countries. We need unity. Clarity. And fortitude. These extremists neither fear death nor do they value life. Not even Palestinian life. Or hostages. Hussain is one of the most reasonable, principled, informed and authoritative voices out there. He must be heard. Now. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work during this time of crisis, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Ruben is a 25 year-old-university student who woke up on Saturday, October 7 and by late afternoon had reported to a makeshift base set up in a school in southern Israel. Since then, this reservist serving in the IDF Home Front Command, has been providing civilian relief and rescue after missiles strike, assisting people trapped in rubble, ensuring funerals may proceed safely. He also talks about his friend, Noa Argamani, who was abducted and taken hostage by Hamas terrorists as she screamed. Ruben talks about her and his support of her family. The story of another quiet hero.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work during this time of crisis, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

In today's episode of State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, our guest is Dr. Michael Halbertal, the CEO of Rambam Hospital in Haifa. We discuss the challenging circumstances in Israel over the past 11 days, marked by a surge in casualties and horrific incidents, including the injuries and death of infants and children. Dr. Halbert reflects on the emotional toll and the close-knit community in Israel that makes these events deeply personal. He describes the remarkable and innovative transformation of Rambam Hospital into a fortified underground facility, highlighting the hospital’s commitment to providing medical care to citizens in any scenario. We touch on the rapid preparations for potential conflict and the hospital's ability to withstand unconventional warfare, ensuring self-sufficiency for days in various aspects, including electricity, water, food, and medical resources. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work in this crucial time for Israel, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

War in Israel, Day 9, Sunday, October 15th, 2023. We speak today with Hadar Green, 25 years old, woke up on Saturday, October 7th, early in the morning to a massive attack and bombardment of Israeli civilians. Hadar was to be married the following day. Listen to his harrowing story of that day and the week that has followed.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

We’re doing our best to deliver timely reports and with a candor that you will not hear on MSM. We are also scrambling as our team is working under very trying circumstances. So please excuse any editing that isn’t up to our usual studio standard. This is war.We have Ya’akov Katz back today to brief us on the military situation on the ground in Israel and fill us in as to how civilians there are managing. Most touching moment was when he shared with me that his daughter – who serves in a combat unit and is currently in the south – is okay. They facetimed briefly so that Ya’akov could bless her with the weekly shabbat prayer that fathers do for all children. Please, please, he wept quietly as he blessed her, let our children be safe.No paywall today. Please share widely and sign up if you value what we’re delivering. Shabbat Shalom. Weird to write that. Impossible to understand that it has been a week, tomorrow,, since the Gates of Hell opened up on Israeli babies, children, mothers, elderly, fathers.As French President Emmanuel Macron so aptly stated: “There are no ‘buts’ anymore...”State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

“There’s a feeling in the air that the country is on the line.”Today we speak with Ya’akov Katz, military affairs and political expert, author, and former editor of The Jerusalem Post. He is brilliant and distills the last day and a half of indescribable horror in Israel for us: morale, terror, intelligence and military failures and the incomprehensible savagery of Hamas terrorists. This first pod is without a paywall. Going forward the podcast – which will be very frequent as this complex and ongoing situation develops – will be accessible to paying subscribers only. We’re not sleeping and like to think we are doing worthwhile work. It takes resources. Please support us.Huge thanks to my awesome editor and general tech wiz – Amir White, graphics, marketing and so many other things guru – Ioan Szabo, and the amazing Blake Flayton – social media guy and then some. For those of you in Israel – I hope you and your loved ones are safe. Horrific beyond belief.Sorry for the not awesome sound quality today – it’s all my fault. Boomer Luddite. But Amir will whip me into shape in no time.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Ziv Koren Is a peerless photojournalist in Israel and a global brand and name. Over the past 30-plus years he has cultivated unparalleled access into the private lives of prime ministers and been allowed to photograph some of Israel’s most highly trained and secretive counter-terrorism units in training. He covers global events – most recently the early Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians in that brutal and ongoing war. Koren has a brilliant eye as well as a detective’s instinct – sensing where that special angle may be – metaphorically and literally. In this episode we discuss some of his more memorable photos and moments in the field: with Bibi and Benzion Netanyahu at home playing chess, at an art gallery with Ariel Sharon, and an early and particularly brutal suicide bombing of a civilian bus in 1994 in central Tel Aviv, which shook him to his core and still does today. His photos from the scene also catapulted him from a talented young photojournalist to a global star, overnight. Koren is a master storyteller in words and images and we are fortunate to have a two-part podcast series exploring his oeuvre and the thoughts and stories behind the work. Each podcast will be followed by a photo essay of the images discussed in the episode. In Part I we focus on how he fell into his career by chance, covering terrorism, the West Bank and Gaza, Israeli leaders – up close and personal – and key world events. And then there are just the beautiful snaps. Cuz. Enjoy the audio and visual…..coming soon.Ziv Koren has been a professional photojournalist for over 30 years.His photojournalism and documentary projects focus mainly on humanitarian issues in Israel and around the world. Koren has covered some of the most dramatic events in the world and is considered to be one of the leading documentary photographers in our time. His award-winning photographs have been included in many solo and group exhibitions worldwide and have been featured in Time Magazine, Newsweek, the New York Times Magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine, Stern, Der Spiegel, Paris Match, Le Figaro, Corriere Della Sera Magazine and others. In 1995, Koren’s 1994 photograph of an exploded Israeli bus was selected as one of 200 most important images in the last 45 years by World Press Photo. He is also the frequent recipient of prestigious prizes such as the "Photo District News Award" (4 times), "Yann Geffroy Award", "International Colour Award" (twice) and "Picture of the Year" – POYi (twice). Koren was the subject of the documentary film "More Than 1000 Words" which was widely screened at film festivals around the world, garnering a dozen awards. He regularly lectures at workshops and universi- ties worldwide. He has published 22 photography books to date. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

In the summer of 1978, Bracha Goetz – a Harvard graduate who had just completed her first year of medical school – flew to Israel for a six week working stint at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. After two weeks, she had left medicine and was studying orthodox Judaism full-time in a women’s seminary. I met Bracha in the summer of ’85,  living in a trailer in a West Bank settlement, managing four young children and already a prolific author of children’s books. Having had no contact for close to 40 years, we spoke recently; about her views on spirituality, Judaism, the ethics of West Bank settlements and the particularly challenging period in Israel today. And no, she did not return to Medical School. One of the most moving – and entertaining – parts of our conversation is when she relives that phone call; when she told her mother and father that she was changing her life course. Very dramatically. And not returning to America. Bracha’s wild ride in life – especially with spirituality and Judaism – is particularly interesting to hear and contemplate in these days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of 41 Jewish children's books and a candid memoir for adults, Nourish the Soul, about her journey to becoming Torah observant.  You can meet her books at www.goetzbookshop.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Tomorrow morning, the Israeli Supreme Court will convene to hear what may be its most important case ever. The coalition government led by PM Benjamin Netanyahu passed a law on July 24 that eviscerates the power of the Court to review a broad class of government decisions. Many Israelis believe that this unprecedented government action will erode democracy, as there are no other checks or balances on the actions of the Knesset. The government takes the position that it can act as it sees appropriate in light of the fact that it controls a majority of the Knesset. This constitutional crisis – in a country with no formal constitution, paradoxically – has wreaked havoc in Israel since January and is likely to escalate following this momentous hearing. Speaking with State of Tel Aviv to explain the layers of complexity – and why the coalition government is so determined to prevail – is Professor Yaniv Roznai, a constitutional law expert at Reichman University who has been deeply involved in these issues throughout. This podcast gets into the guts of the legal issues and what may lie ahead. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe