The Promised Podcast

Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review co-host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Press, under Stress and Duress We discuss the controversy over public broadcasting that just almost toppled the government. A Settlement for the New Millennium We mull over the cabinet's decision to build the first new settlement of this millennium, hot on the heels of the Arab League's affirmation of a two-state solution and U.S. President Trump's dictate to refrain from building in the territories. Still Leaving Egypt, After All these Years We ask what might Passover, the most political of all holidays, tell us about how to seek our own modern-day redemption? Music by Songs of Freedom by various and sundry, in celebration of Passover, the holiday of freedom!: Karizmo and Berko, "Hofesh" Doron Madali, "Hofesh" Ido B & Zooki & Franklin, "Daver Iti Hofesh" Shlomo Gronich, "Hofesh ad ha-Katzeh"

Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. BDS and the Rat Bastard Conundrum We discuss how the right uses the left's defense of the free-speech rights of BDS'ers as a cudgel and what, if anything, can be done about this. Secrets of Israel's High-Tech Boom, Revealed! We mull over Minister of Education Naftali Bennett's explanation in the Wall Street Journal of Israel's high tech success: Why are we so damn good at start-ups? What's Wrong with Kiryat Gat? Why Do Sephardim Vote for the Right? We ask why Mizrahim/Sephardim keep voting for the right. Music by Nahum Silverman who just dropped a new record and put the 33 albums he's recorded over the past 19 years on sale in a digital boxed set on Bandcamp!: UlLe-Ehovai Achshav Ani Motek Heart of Gold Lech ad ha-sof

Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. The Primacy of Primaries As elections are in the air, we ask: Should parties like liberal leftist Meretz chose their candidates through "open primaries," or will that just rouse the rabble? Does Feminism have Room for Zionism?: Reflections on l'Affaire de'Sarsou We discuss whether or not there's anything to the claim that, in 2017, feminism and Zionism don't fit together as easily as we might hope. The People of the Book, Those Elitist F*cks! We mull over the proud admission of a right-wing MK that he hasn't read a book in ten years, mofos, and whether anti-intellectualism is the new black. Music by Katrix and Doron Biton: Ulai Chofshiah Ohevet Lirkod Davka Ito (with Sagi Beatbox)

Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Right and Wrong We discuss the debate over whether Israel should forge ties with far right leaders in Europe, now that they are growing in power and (mostly) denouncing antisemitism. You Gotta Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, E-Lim-inate the Negative! We mull over an expensive new project led by a former Minister of Education and two former IDF Chiefs of Staff, aiming to overcome the divisions in Israeli society. God is a Feminist Issue! We deliberate about mind-blowing new research finding that the more religious a Jewish woman is, the better her body image is likely to be. Music by Mo'adon ha-Ketzev shel Avihu Pinhasov: Yamin Yafim Dvash Malchut Matzilah Oti Neshama, Kapara, Mammi

Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Shriveling Settlements? We discuss the shocking, but seemingly true, suggestion that the settlements are shrinking, not growing and failing, not succeeding. The Shunning! We mull over the Supreme Court's sanction of the literally medieval punishment of "shunning" scumbags who refuse to grant their wives divorces. Picturing a Jewish State We ask what made David Rubinger's famous photograph of paratroopers at the newly captured Wailing Wall "iconic"? Could there be such iconic photos today, or have we lost the social unity needed to all be moved by a single image? Music by Eric Berman, mostly off his newest, Ahava ve-Elohim Acherim: Aesthetica subyektivit be-re'i ha-meyah ha-21 Simla tabaat vemaher At lo maspik yafah Lama Ata Lemata

Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Courting Change We discuss the four new Supreme Court Justices, and whether together they add up to a "conservative Judicial revolution." Peace in Just Ten Easy Steps! We mull over Opposition Leader Yitzhak Herzog's new "Ten Point Peace Plan," that calls for a decade-long cooling off period before negotiations begin. From Tots to Patriots We deliberate about the continuing efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality to turn city kindergarten tots into flag-waving patriots. Music Amir ve-Ben, in gratitude for rocking the Tel Aviv Marathon! Avodah Ba-Eynayim Bar be-Yaffo Hibbuk (with Avigail Koevary) Halamti

Allison, Noah and Don discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Eighteen Months We discuss the sentence meted out to Alor Azaria, the combat medic who shot knife-assailant Adel Fattah al-Sharif dead while he lay prone; some are outraged he's going to prison, others are outraged he's going to prison for only a year and a half. The Least Anti-Semitic Person You've Ever Seen & the Jewish Question We mull over PM Netanyahu's award of a "Jew Housekeeping Seal of Approval" to Pres. Trump, certifying him as antisemitism-free; was he just doing his job or was he derelicting his duty? Wind-Down Nation? A new report finding that Israel's vaunted scientific talents are fading before our eyes. We ask, what can be done? Music by Noa Eder: Beseder Flowers Nemalim Bo Iti

Allison, Noah 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. Two States, One State, Whatever We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu's meetings in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, and what the hell they mean for Israelis, Palestinians, American Jews and other living things. Bitcoins, the Holocaust & Psoriasis: Israel's New Lobbyists We mull over the the 64% increase in the number of lobbyists in the Knesset in just the last year, and their impact on Israeli democracy. Ultra-Ortholopolis The City of Tomorrow, Today! A long-term policy of building new Ultra-Orthodox cities to solve the Haredi housing crisis has reversed; from now on, its neighborhoods in cities already on the map. We ask, is this good news? Music by Ron and the Red Beans, in honor of their show on Saturday at The Container in Jaffa: C'est Si Bon Mardi Gras Mambo Me, Myself and I I Want to Be Like You

Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review Host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. This Land Is Your Land, This Land is My Land (An Expropriation Meditation) We discuss the bill approved by the Knesset this week that allows the expropriation of privately-owned land in the occupied territories, and the end-of-days public debate that ensued. Playing with Fire We mull over the firing of a rocket from Gaza towards a Jewish town and the pounding IDF response that was meant to be a warning but might nudge us to a war that nobody seems to want. The Pious Floozies of the IDF A viral cartoon aimed at persuading religious women to opt out of army service to avoid boredom, ennui and sexual harassment. Practically everyone attacked the cartoon's producers. But we ask, do they sorta have a point kinda maybe? Music by Static and Ben-El Tavori: Zahav Kvish ha-Hof Silsulim Stahm

Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week. Alt-Zionism We discuss White-Supremacist claims that their dreams of an "ethno-state" is "very similar to the idea of Zionism," and why lots of folks on the right and the left seem to agree, leading us to wonder if it is time to slit our wrists. Schools, Cool & Uncool: An Education Rumination We mull over what should be done when parents band together to build their own school, with its own ideology, and then ask the taxpayers to foot the bill. The curious incident of the weed vaped in the night-time We ask whether the weird political coalition that supports decriminalization of pot hints that maybe we don't really understand Israeli politics after all. Music by Yair Levi, who just crowdfunded his first album, and these are the very first fruit! Ten Li (with Anat Malamud) Menagen (with Arcady Duchin) Emunah Shuv Linshom