The Promised Podcast

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Wunderkind critic Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Want to hear the extra segment? --Lax Americana?-- A former US Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, argues it's time for America to throw in the towel on peace to the Mid-East. As the towel-throwees, what should Israelis think? --It's the Class Struggle, Stupid!-- The editor-in-chief of Ha'aretz runs the numbers and discovers that, for all the talk about identity politics, all you need to understand how Israelis vote and why is your old tattered, dog-eared copy of Das Kapital. Does he have a point? --Pulpitical is the New Political-- A rabbi of towering reputation writes that its time to get religion out of politics. Does he have a point? --Should Israel Reschedule Its Holocaust Day?-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a plea in Haaretz to move our own Holocaust Day from the week before Independence Day, to January 27, to coincide with world-wide holocaust day. Would it be better to observe this awesome and hallowed day shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else on the planet? All this and hip-hoppy reggae of Tomer Yosef! --Music-- Tomer Yosef (yes, that Tomer Yosef, from Balkan Beat Box), in honor of his lovely new single, Dvash u-Tapuah Al Tatusi Af Ehad At Ahuvati Dvash u-Tapuah

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --United and It Feels So Good-- 47 years ago, the founders of Meretz split from the Labor Party because that party was too soft on the Rabbis, too shaky on settlements, and too feeble on human rights. Labor said good riddance, because Meretz was a bunch of condescending, elitist Ashkenazim. Now the two parties have reunited for the upcoming elections. Can it work? --Déjà Whew!-- The right-of-the-Likud parties just joined together, save the very-far-right, neo-Kahanist "Jewish Might" party. What's going on out there, beyond the far reaches of the Likud? --Watching Big Brother-- Is reality television just political activism by other means? --Has The Green Party Gone Up In Smoke?-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss what happened to the Green Party, which was elected to the Knesset in September, but now – just a few months later -- finds itself not even running in the March elections. It was Kermit the Frog who said, "It's not easy being green," and we delve to the murky depths of that amphibian wisdom. All this and the enchanting Daniel Rubin! --Music-- Daniel Rubin, in honor of her socko show this week at Levontin Hergashti Yafah (הרגשתי יפה) Ba-Dimayon Sheli (בדמיון שלי) Ha-Sippur be-Gadol (הסיפור בגדול) Ha-Laila (הלילה)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Wunderkind critic Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Listen to this week's extra segment --What's the Matter with Kiryat Malachi?-- A sociologist says Israeli "liberals" are the least tolerant group in the country, and folks call for his head on a pike. --Write Makes Right?-- Do we need more (or less) "activist journalism" that doesn't just describe the world, but tries to change it? --There Will Be Blood-- In Israel, your HMO will check whether you are "ritually pure" if you want it. --Israelis' Very Real Fears Following the Killing of Qasem Soleimani-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss how we were affected here by the news of the killing of Qasem Soleimani. It was weird to have this huge thing happen in our neighborhood, that could vastly affect our lives (in ways we cannot possibly foresee), and yet it's sort of not about us, at all. All this and the lovely sounds of Gahliliot, Fireflies! --Music-- Gahliliot, Fireflies Dlatot August Yaldat Ananim Tov Li

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Wunderkind critic Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --Hang Together or Hang Separately?-- Must all the parties on Israel's left merge before the next election? --A Different Solidarity-- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's decides to republish a memoir that made him cry, by an Iraqi-Israeli author about being forced out of Iraq and coming to Israel. This fragile, odd act raises the question: Is there another sort of politics that might lead to peace that we haven't let ourselves see. --Pipe Dreams-- Environmental activists say the government is a bunch of lying liars who lie to serve rich corporate overlords. Isn't this just Trumpism, by another name? --Why Aren't Israeli Leaders Talking About America's Anti-Semitism Crisis?-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss, after Allison wrote about it profoundly in Haaretz, why Israeli leaders aren't talking about America's anti-semitism crisis? All this and Mizrahi, Kabbalistic world music of Yakir Hillel, on the banjo! --Music-- Yakir Hillel Eder shel Shevarim (עדר של שוורים), featuring Sivan Talmor Leil Ellul (ליל אלול) Kach lo nir'et ahavah (כך לא נראית אהבה) Ha-Mezah she-Ra'ah ha-kol (המזח שראה הכל)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --(Jewish) Might Makes Right?-- A once-mild religious Zionist party joins forces with a far-far-right religious party. What's this say about the soul and politics of religious Zionism today? --The Reparation, Palliation and Adjuration Rumination-- For decades, once hapless immigrants to Israel from Yemen, Iraq and other Mid-eastern countries have said that, 70 years ago, their babies were taken and never returned. Some say that, until there is hard-and-fast evidence, these claims must be treated with suspicion. But shouldn't we switch the default to trusting the victims? --The Decade Surveyed-- What were the most important people, events and trends of Israel's momentous, trying, eventful past decade? --"They're Not After Me, They're After You!"-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a meme pressed into service recently by PM Netanyahu, before that by US President Donald Trump and before that Indian PM Narendra Modi, saying, in each case, "They're not after me, they're after you! I'm just standing in the way." What makes this sad bit of populism so easily transferable between three such different societies, in this sad epoch of populism? All this and the music of Noa Shapira! --Music-- Noa Shapira Seratim (סרטים), featuring Almot ha-Hen 'Im (אם) Oy, He Yafah (אוי היא יפה) Ke-she-At Holekhet (כשאת הולכת)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --Primary Importance?-- Netanyahu is almost sure to win next week's Likud leadership primary, and yet it still feels like maybe end of one era and the beginning of another. What's happening in the Likud? --Dour of Pisa-- Israeli 15 year olds do third-worldishly lousy on an huge international standardized test. What accounts for the mediocrity in math, science and reading? Is Israel destined to become the "Dumbed Down Nation"? --Boys, Girls and Boys-and-Girls-- Tel Aviv parents go ballistic when they learn their high-school kids are gender-segregated for a one-off meeting with visiting religious kids. Are they right to be so upset? --The Rise of Holocaust-Themed Swag-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss recent revelations that you can buy an Auschwitz-themed dish towel or Christmas tree ornament on Amazon. What are we to make of that? All this and the Emo rap of "Damsel is Depressed"! --Music-- Damsel is Depressed Repeat (featuring Nir Perlman) B'Shmoneh Nipagesh 90210 Stranded

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Wunderkind critic Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Looking to support the podcast and hear the extra segment? --Déjà Vu All Over Again?-- What are Israel's third-time-this-year Knesset elections about, anyway? Did we learn anything from our failed first two elections? --Rashamon of Rashomons-- Is the love-him-or-hate-him acrimony over Prime Minister Netanyahu really a struggle between "First Israel" (well-heeled, secular Ashkenazim) and "Second Israel" (pretty much everyone else)? --Fearless-- Do native born Israelis just not "get" anti-semitism? --Donald Trump's Very Strange Jewish Week-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss Donald Trump's very strange Jewish week, during which he gave a speech to a Jewish group saying that, caring about money as Jews do, they could never vote for a candidate who will raise their taxes, and during which he issued a decree seeking to redefine Judaism as a protected class, which led many Jews to argue, with confused consternation, that only Jews get to define Jews, buster! All this and the big band funk of Rosh Groove! --Music-- Rosh Groove Ham (חם) Ani Zokher (אני זוכר) Yom Yafeh (יום יפה) Zeh ha-Rega (זה הרגע)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --Mano a Mano?-- Is the solution to Israel's electoral crisis, a winner-take-all, Mano-a-Mano personal run-off between PM Netanyahu and Lt. General Gantz? --Teacher, Is the Prime Minister a Crook?-- A kindergarten teacher posts a viral video of her taking down a classroom photo of PM Netanyahu because in her classroom, men charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust are not honored. How are teachers and principals supposed to deal with the sad spectacle of a you-love-him-or-hate-him Prime Minister under multiple indictments? --Next Station-Stop Is…-- What's in a name (of a train stop)? --1 Ultra-Orthodox Man + 2 Ultra-Orthodox Men = 6 Ultra Orthodox Men?-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss revelations that the IDF inflated, by a factor of two or more, the figures it reported on the number of ultra-Orthodox men who have served in the army for the past seven years. Mistake? Scandal? What should we make of it? All this and the new wave blues of Zozo Ginzburg! --Music-- Zozo (Zohar) Ginzburg, AKA Trust a Lady, in eager anticipation of her upcoming show at Levontin 7, next Tuesday, December 10th at 22:30: Single Clean B.B. Cream Blue Mountains

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman, and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --Et Tu, Gideon?-- "The Likud is a family, and you do not betray your family." So tweets the party spokesperson to a member who dared to say that Prime Minister Netanyahu should resign. Loyalty is a personal virtue; but is it also a political virtue? --Quid Pro Squat?-- Alan Dershowitz and other legal scholars say the Israeli Attorney General is wrong to criminalize the complicated relationships between politicians and journalists, and should not indict Prime Minister Netanyahu for trying to charm and cajole journalists into giving him better coverage (and also, to make-it-worth-their-while). Might they have a point? --Gobble Gobble-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we talk about what we're thankful for (as we record on American Thanksgiving, with our turkeys stuffed and waiting to go into our ovens). All this and the music of Tohar Shefi! --Music-- Tohar Shefi Tzhokim (צחוקים), with Yasmin Moallem, Oscar and Yuval Ma'ayan Sira shel bahurim tovim (סירה של בחורים טובים) Hipasti ba-Kokhavim (חיפשתי בכוכבים)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and Wunderkind writer, critic & activist Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. --Going, Going, Gantz!-- Blue-and-White head Benny Gantz failed to form the "secular, Liberal, national-unity government" he sought. Did we dodge a bullet? --Politics by Other Means-- We hate to even ask, but: Is it possible that Israel's recent skirmish with the rocket-firing Islamic Jihad in Gaza was timed for PM Netanyahu's political purposes? --Fear and Firer-- Controversy ignites over a benefit concert for an ultra-Orthodox-run NGO that helps people navigate Israel's health care system. What should we make of it? --Are Settlements More a Moral Problem Rather Than a Legal One?-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay in the Forward by Peter Beinart headlined, "Settlements Is Not That They Are Illegal. It's That They Are Immoral." This apropos the sound-and-fury-and-signifying-nothing statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that, following Ronald Reagan, the Trump administration does not hold that civilian settlements in the occupied territories contravene international law. --Music-- Jasmin Moallem Leftovers Yoter Mi-Dai Call Me Noetzet Mabat, with Ari Brinker