The Promised Podcast

Recording live at the spectacular Z3 Conference in Palo Alto (home of Theranos Technologies), Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman and Noah Efron explore the theme of the conference, One People, Two Centers, Three Opinions. --One People?-- Some of our smartest cogitators – Rabbis, scholars, writers, organizers and activists – draft a "Declaration of Our Common Destiny": a sort of constitution of the Jewish People, by the Jewish People, and for the Jewish People. Is this a good thing? --Two Centers?-- For long generations, American Jews have tried to leave their mark on the Jews of Israel, and the Jews of Israel have tried to leave their mark on American Jewry. What's all that effort add up to? Have we, in fact, influenced one another much at all and, if so, how? --Three Opinions?-- The divide between Jewish Zionists and Jewish anti-Zionists pits children against their folks, students against their teachers. What should we make of it? --Music-- 16 Poly Hollywood (Featuring Rony Alter) Tangerine Girl (Featuring Rony Alter) For Killing My Nightmares (Featuring Rony Alter) Banana Nights

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. Z3 Conference Tickets to Live TPP Show (use promo code TLV1xZ3) --Gantz is the New Rabin?-- Is Benny Gantz the new Yitzhak Rabin? --Workers of the World, Privatize!-- A union head pushing to privatize the government-owned company he works for? Should labor be clamoring for their shops to be bought by capitalists who grease the sprockets of their profit-making machines with the blood of the workers? --The Letter-- A letter by a kid murdered in Auschwitz goes up for auction in Israel, and anguish ensues. Who, if anyone, has the right to own (and sell) Holocaustiana? --l'Affaire Kedar-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss l'Affaire Kedar, after Bar Ilan professor Mordechai Kedar fulminated at a demonstration in support of PM Netanyahu that Yitzhak Rabin was not assassinated by the guy we think assassinated him, Yigal Amir, but was instead assassinated by a security thug working for the Elders of Israeli Leftism. Should Kedar be sanctioned by his university? --Music-- Ofek Adanek Hey Gyal, featuring Shanty Osim ta-Balagan Tzumi Lo Kmo Klum, featuring Zalalo G.

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. Z3 Conference Tickets to Live TPP Show (use promo code TLV1xZ3) --There's No Government Like No Government-- In Israel, could it be that not having a government is better than having one? --The Opposite of What We Think?-- A leftist, civil rights activist says that no Prime Minister in Israel's history has ever done as much as Benjamin Netanyahu has to improve the practical circumstances of Palestinian Israelis --The Awful Awesomeness of Tel Aviv-- Does Tel Aviv suck the oxygen away from other Israeli cities that could be great? --You Get a Free College Degree, and You Get a Free College Degree-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a modest proposal by Liel Leibovitz in Tablet magazine, that Jewish philanthropists, as the next Birthright program, should cover the tab of American Jewish kids who want to go to college in Israel. But only, we assume, if they'll share their drugs with our kids. --Music-- Amit Sagie T'ni li od (תני לי עוד), featuring Axum, Ayallew and Likkle Nate) Cheap Talk, with EZ and Sarai Givaty You My Life, featuring Ofek Adanek Rum & Hennessey, featuring Shasha

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. Z3 Conference Tickets to Live TPP Show (use promo code TLV1xZ3) --All About the Benjamins-- Benny Gantz promised voters he'd never serve with Benjamin Netanyahu, if the Prime Minister is indicted. To keep from having to go to the polls again, should Gantz break his promise? --Jewmanities-- What are humanities for, in a Jewish state? --Gene Blues-- Rabbis are sending folks to do DNA tests to see if they're Jewish. Really? I mean, really? --Fighting Anti-Semitism With a Little Jewish Joy-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an essay in The Forward by uber-historian Deborah Lipstadt called, "The Best Way to Fight Anti-Semitism? Jewish Joy." Lipstadt worries that fear of violent persecution has captured the American Jewish soul, but are things really as bad as all that? All this and the music of Mika Hary, just before the release of her first album. --Music-- Mika Hary, who you can expect to hear a lot of soon Ahava Zeh ha-Helek ha-Kal Dami Lach Sunny Came Home When Morning Comes

Writer and activist Ohad Zeltzer-Zubida, roving journalist Naomi Zeveloff and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Z3 Conference Tickets to Live TPP Show (use promo code TLV1xZ3) --Earth-- Haaretz calls on Israelis to boycott streams, forests, and ancient ruins on the West Bank. But should places of religious and historical meaning for Jews be off-limits? --Water-- An ambitious and controversial plan would build massive desalination plants in Israel and the West Bank, and gigantic solar arrays in Jordan, and swap water for electricity, all improve our lots and promote peace. But opponents say the project wreaks of "normalization." --Between Heaven and Earth-- If we could invite anyone to our Sukkah, who would we have? --Israel's Political Mythology-- For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an essay in First Things by Ari Lamm (called Israel's Political Mythology) suggesting that Israeli politics only really makes sense in light of Jewish texts and traditions. We respectfully disagree. --Music-- Poems of Zelda, set to music (All songs of the spectacular new album: אי המערבולת: שרות זלדה) Shenai Yesodot (שני יסודות), Ester Rada Lo Arahef ba-Hallal (לא ארחף בחלל), Ruhama Ben Yosef Tzel ha-Har ha-Lavan (צל ההר הלבן), Mika Hary Be-Nahal Achzav (בנחל אכזב), Yehudit Ravitz & Tamar Eisenman

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and activist, intellectual and educator Jeremy Benstein, author of the new book, Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World, discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Looking for the extra segment? --Triaphobia-- Will a third Knesset election be the disaster everyone says it will be, or should we just chill out and repeat to ourselves, "Third time's a charm!", "Third time's a charm!," "Third time's a charm!"? --The Language of a Common Dream-- The Hebrew language once brought Jews around the world together. Is it now tearing them apart? --The "Oy" in "Joyocaust"-- A "Joy-o-caust"?!? What's Transparent telling us about how to be Jewish? --Political Preach-- For our most generous Patreon patrons, in our extra-special, special extra segment, following a little brouhaha in the papers and on social media about whether Rabbis ought to preach politics on Yom Kippur, we'll talk about the sermons that we've heard, this year and in the past, that moved us, and why. All this and the wonderful Yuval Mendelson (sometimes with The Lobsters, sometimes not so much). --Music-- Chipushit Kechula (חיפושית כחולה), with the Lobsters Sippur Pashut (סיפור פשוט) Retzah Rabin (רצח רבין) Krav Me'assef (קרב מאסף), with Or Edry

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. --The President-- Has Israeli President Reuven Rivlin finally solved the ancient riddle: When is a Prime Minister not a Prime Minister? --The Prime Minister-- Why o' why won't anyone negotiate with poor Prime Minister Netanyahu? --The General-- Lt. General Benny Gantz got more votes than anyone else in last month's elections. So why is he playing rope-a-dope, instead of coming out punching? --Can Benny Gantz Heal the Rift Between U.S. Jews and Israel?-- For our most generous Patreon patrons, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a recent essay in the NY Times by Daniel Gordis, headlined: "Benny Gantz Can't Heal the Rift between US Jews and Israel." Its thesis is that American Jews are from progressive Mars and Israeli Jews are from rough-and-tumble, ethno-nationalist Venus. Does he have a point? All this and music of Renewal and Repentance, for the Days of Awe. --Music-- El Nora 'Alila by Netta Alkayam Adon ha-Selihot by Yesh La Chaver Keter Melucha by Yoni Genut, with Yishai Rivo, Ilan Damari, and Roey Adari Seder ha-'Avodah by Yishai Ribo

Wracked with anxiety and anticipation about what new government will take shape after the elections, Noah seeks solace with the boys of Liquid Plumr, the youthful Shuafat-refugee-camp garage band that was his transition from youth to an adult life in Israel. The boys discuss Zionism, Israel in the 80s, relations between Israeli and American Jews, and how the lives of their youngsters on both sides of the ocean differ from their own. And, they sing a bit. Check out the extra segment. --Six American Kids Move to Jerusalem to Form a Band-- What happened when six American kids on the cusp of adulthood rent a big house on the edge of the Shuafat refugee camp and formed a band? --The Lives We Did and Did Not Live-- Six guys were inseparable as kids; half lived their life out in Israel, half in America. Now they compare notes about how the place they chose for home, affected their lives. --What Was Young Benny Gantz Really Like?-- For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we talk with Prof. Alon Tal, the founder of Israel's environmental movement and a Blue-and-White Knesset candidate, about what a young Benny Gantz was like as his paratroop commander. All this and the music of Liquid Plumr. --Music-- Liquid Plumr! Sentimental Journey Secret Agent Man A Little Hard to See

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. Looking for the extra segment? --What Just Happened?-- Tuesday's elections feel like they changed everything and nothing at all. What can we make of their odd, inconclusive results? --What Next?-- Building Israel's new coalition will be like one of those old puzzlers about missionaries taking cannibals and goats on boats across the Amazon. Is there any way forward? --What Will History Say?-- How will history remember the September, 2019 elections? --How We Spent Elections Day-- For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we talk about how we spent election day, an odd mix of a laid-back, beach-holiday day, and an anxiety filled freak-out about our country and our future, our daughters and our ducats. All this and the future of Israeli hip hop, Nenzo! --Music-- Nenzo! Politickin' ft. Shiroto, Hasan Mc Halon ha-Mahshavot 'im 900 Grams Melody, featuring Shira Knopp Catch the Moment

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. --Smile!-- Some Israelis think that PM Netanyahu's plan to have cameras in polling places will destroy democracy, while others think it will save it. Why the Rashamon? --What, Me Vote?-- Seven in ten Israelis vote. What's with the other three? --Politics of Pieties and Pieties of Politics-- Angry ultra-Orthodox feminists say that progressive, secular do-gooders fighting for their rights are messing up their game and setting back their cause. Do they have a point? --Is Trauma a Key to Understanding Israeli Politics?-- For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss journalist Matti Friedman's socko, controversial pre-election column in the Times, The One Thing No Israeli Wants to Discuss. Is trauma a key to understanding Israeli politics? All this and the happy hipness of Beatnik! --Music-- Beatnik (ביטניק), in celebration of their new record, Seret Ahavah Mitz (מיץ) Ahuvati (אהובתי) LeSapper Lach Emet (לספר לך אמת) Seret Ahavah (סרט אהבה)