The Promised Podcast

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? Black & Blue & White The Blue & White party are facing a dilemma: Should they attack the ultra-Orthodox, whom they may want as coalition partners after the election? What should Blue & White say about the men in black? Huddled Masses Yearning for GDP? The Trump administration unveils its long awaited plan to enrich the Palestinian economy. Is it a Marshall Plan for our generation, or a Marie Antoinette-ish bit of Let-them-eat-cake-ism? Last Picture Show? Tel Aviv will soon have only one movie theater, down from more than 50. Why are pictures leaving the city and what, if anything, can be done about it? "Concentration Camps" For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment American congressional Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's description of the dismal places where the Trump administration is warehousing undocumented immigrant kids under lock and key as "concentration camps", and the angry and anguished responses it provoked (and the angry and anguished responses that the angry and anguished responses provoked, and so on and so forth, ad infinitum). All this and the hip hop electronica of Ido Maimon and his many talented friends! Music Ido Maimon: Litfos Otah, featuring Guy Mazzig Moreh Mahlif, featuring Tuna Shivilim Hadashim, featuring Eden Derso Seratim, featuring Alon Eder

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? The Center Will Hold? Avigdor Lieberman – head of the secular, right-wing Yisraeli Beiteinu Party – made a bombshell announcement that, after our do-over elections, he will force the Likud and Blue-and-White parties to form a centrist, secular "National Unity Government." Has Israel's next government just been formed? Hard Night for Sara Sara Netanyahu pleads guilty to ordering expensive take-out food to the Prime Minister's residence, ending an ugly four year investigation and trial. What should we make of this whole pathetic affair? A Contrarian Century Ha'aretz celebrates a century of cheesing people off. What impact does this indispensable, infuriating newspaper have on Israeli politics? The Mainstreaming of the LGBTQ Movement in Israel For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment the quick spread of LGBTQ parades, events and public presence from Israel's big cities to, well, most everywhere. What accounts for mainstreaming of the LGBTQ movement, and what does it augur? All this and the newlywed poppiness of Ben Zini ve-Taylor. Music Ben Zini ve-Taylor: Hey Tay (היי טיי) Tay (טיי) Minimor (מיינימור) Nisikhah Sheli (נסיכה שלי)

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and journalist and educator Ittay Flescher discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Labor Savers Young Turks, Old Guard, and Stern Generals battle for control of Israel's Labor Party. Who has the best chance of saving from extinction the party of David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin? Good Checkpoints Make Good Neighbors? New tricked-out hi-tech checkpoints that dramatically reduce the time it takes for Palestinians laborers to enter Israel, and make the process less frustrating and degrading: This sounds like good news, but it is? Nothing to be Proud Of? Israel's first openly gay minister is jeered and hounded from Jerusalem's Gay Pride parade, because of his poor record on LGBTQ issues, and his support of the Occupation. But should anyone be Queer-Non-Grata at the Pride Parade? Why All the Fuss Around David Friedman's Times Interview? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment discuss American Ambassador to Israel David Friedman's assertion to the Times that, among other things, "Under certain circumstances, I think Israel has the right to retain some, but unlikely all, of the West Bank." Surely it was an interview full of sound and fury. Was it also an interview signifying nothing? All this and the indie, new wave pleasures of Yesh Lah Haver! Music Yesh Lah Haver: Adon ha-Selihot (אדון הסליחות) Hey (היי) Sippur Aher (סיפור אחר) Mizmor Ga'agu'im (מזמור געגועים)

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-special, special extra segment? The Small Matter of the Bill New elections may cost Israel as much as 5 billion shekels. Should politicians take into account the small matter of the bill? Friedman is the New Jabotinsky The "First Conference on Israeli Conservatism" fills a huge conference center, mostly with kippah-capped men. What accounts for the new affinity between Reagan-Thatcher politics and economics and Israeli Modern Orthodoxy? Heschel is the New Herzl Should Reform, conservative and reconstructionist Jews in Israel take to the streets to fight for political causes that have nothing to do with religious pluralism like, say, social and economic justice? Why Has TAU Declined to Denude the University of All Its Sackleriana? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment the urgent request sent by Physicians for Human Rights, Israel, to Tel Aviv University, asking to remove the name "Sackler" from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, on the grounds that the famous family of Jewish philanthropists' own Purdue Pharma, the makers of Oxycontin, a drug that has ravaged so much of the US (which request the university refused because, you know, money is useful to buy things). Music New singles by Adiel Tiri: Halas (חלאס) Behiat Iyuni (בחייאת עיוני) Zeh Mesubah (זה מסובך) La-Hatzot Yabeshet (לחצות יבשת)

Don Futterman, Noah Efron, and Times of Israel Ops-&-Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Over Again What just happened? Why is Israel going to new elections, just a month and a half after the last elections? Center-Left 2.0 Israel's Center-Left just staged one of the most successful and powerful demonstrations in recent memory. Did it set the anti-Netanyahu forces on a new path? If so, where will that path lead? Skin in the Game Woman in Jerusalem take off their tops to send ultra-Orthodox protesters scurrying away. Is that a good thing? Their Fears, Our Problem? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment the recent poll showing that three in four American Jews feels less safe than they did two years ago. What, if anything, should Israel do about this? Music Daniel Sun Krief, off her much-anticipate, soon-to-be-released album "Tori Lomar": Yodaat et Hakol Tori Lomar Henech le-Atzmekh Ani Zeh Beiti

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman 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-special, special extra segment? Sa'ar in a Storm What does once-and-future Likud leader, Gideon Sa'ar, PM Netanyahu's nemesis on the premises, promise for Israeli politics? Pains in the Glass An ultra-Orthodox boycott threatens to close down a glass factory that keeps its furnaces glowing on Shabbat. Politics in the marketplace ain't a bad thing in general, but what about when lots of jobs are on the line? A (2nd Century) Star is Born! Bar Kokhba led a tragic and disastrous revolution against the Romans in the 2nd century. Why is he a Zionist hero today? Trumpville? Trumptown? Trump City? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment the Golan settlement slated to be named after Donald Trump – Trumpville? Trumptown? Trump City? Trump Valley? Trump Heights? Trumpboro? Trumpopolis? – and what we make of having a town renamed after the American president. Music Jonamoon, after their triumphant appearance at the Jacob's Ladder Folk Festival: Valentines Friends Magic Eyes Symphony

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman 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? "Natural Partners" How are pork-loving former Soviets and God-fearing ultra-Orthodox Jews "natural partners" in a Netanyahu government? Credit where Credit is Due Starting now, every Israeli will have an official credit rating. Is this a way to catch deadbeats or a way for the rich to f*ck the poor? Raising the Aufruf? Shtisel is coming back for a third season! Why do we love those zany ultra-Orthodox so damn much? And will Keeva ever find true love?!? Ixnay Ethay Elf-Hatingsay For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment a much-maligned Eurovision promotion video produced by the national broadcast corporation that includes the line, "most of us are Jews, but only some of us are greedy / and you might notice people here are very very needy." Are we doing the work of the anti-Semites for them? Music Israeli Eurovision Classics, Performed Unclassically: Natati la hayaii, performed by Elad Koren (lead singer, Onoma); Kobi Farhi, (lead singer Orphaned Land), Alex Zevulun, (Guitar, The Fading); Erez Yohanan, (Drums, Amaseffer) "Abanibi," performed by Netta Barzilai "HaLaila," performed by Daniel Rubin "Toy," performed by Aveva

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman 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? Your Services are No Longer Needed More than 40% of Knesset representatives are new to the job, and turnover among legislators is at an all-time high. Why? What does this augur for Israeli politics? For a Song New regulations will prevent Israeli mayors from paying more than 20,000 bucks to pop stars to perform at gala Independence Day celebrations. A blessed return to sanity, or government sticking its nose where it doesn't belong? What's a Good Book Good For? Secular Israelis used to love the Independence Day Bible Contest, and religious ones hated it. Now religious Israelis dominate the Bible Contest, and secular ones ignore it. What does the odd career of the Annual Bible Contest tell us about the changing nature of the Israeli soul? This War Stuff Takes a Real Toll on Us For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment what the hell just happened between us and Hamas in Gaza, and why it leaves us dazed, confused and sad. Music All this and the IsraEthiopian genius of Ground Heights: Yehiyot Nuro Hiola Sun is High Aynoche

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman 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? The Holocaust Will Not Be Tweeted Dramatizing the Holocaust on Instagram so phone-addicted kids will pay attention? Seriously? Sins of the Fathers' Grocer When a supermarket chain uses a made-up story about Ashkenazi wholesalers exploiting and insulting Mizrahi shoppers four decades ago, is that a bigger insult to Ashkenazim or Mizrahim? Lights Unto the Nation What do the people chosen to light torches at the national Independence Day say about the state of our national soul? Really NYTimes? Really? For our most extravagantly generous Patreon patrons, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss the caricature in the New York Times of a big-nosed dachshund Netanyahu with a Jewish star on his collar, leading a blind, yarmulka-ed Trump. Wha?!? Music Songs of Remembrance, for Yom Ha-Shoah: Halom, by Ohad Kostki (with lyrics by Abramek Koplowitz, who perished at 14 in Auschwitz) Beautiful that way, by Achinoam Nini (Noa) Mi ba-Esh, by Shanty Kadar Afar ve-Avak, by Yehuda Poliker

Noah Efron, Don Futterman and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag 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? The Solidarity Singularity Has the time come for Israel's Jewish (and Zionist) left to join forces with Israel's Arab (and anti-Zionist) left? If so, how? Scholars' Dolour The Association for Israel Studies is in a tizzy about an academic journal issue that some think crosses the line from scholarship to propaganda. Is "pro-Israel scholarship" an oxymoron? What, We Worry? Israelis worry less about global threats – from climate change to cyberattack and beyond – than anyone else in the world. How come? Left Wing or Right Wing? For our most extremely generous Patreon supporters, we discuss in our extra-special, special extra segment a new web series about the differences between left-wingers and right-wingers. It's all in good fun, but is it also saying something serious about the state of our politics and our collective soul? Music All this and the impressive, transgressive, expressive hip-hop collective, Hulon Imperia: From Here to There / Mipo Lesham Bahur Ragish Ze Loop Hulon is Atlanta