The Promised Podcast

In this Passover potpourri of propitious, panegyric perspicacity, Don, Allison, and Noah update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons. Then they serve up a primo pastiche of past "Vatacountry!" pieces, in which the panel (and guests) describe stuff that delights, enchants, surprises, and amuses them about this crazy country we live in and love. Four Sons for a New Generation We update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons - one wise, one evil, one simple, and one who does not know how to ask - by discussing who would be the modern versions of these ancient archetypes. The Joys of Family The Promised Podcast panel and guests discuss some of their most touching family moments in Israel, including birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries. The Unbearable Lightness of Being Israeli The Promised Podcast panel and guests recall some of their more poignant moments in special places in Israel, whether it be the Hula Valley, the Jerusalem Hills, on the street or around the dinner table. Sometimes Israel Inspires The Promised Podcast panel members tell stories about inspiring things they've witnessed in Israel: The kindness of strangers to a blind man; thought-provoking teaching in the army; and political activism among the younger generation. Songs of slavery and freedom by some of Israel’s greatest: Yehudah Poliker – Hatchalah ChadashaAviv Geffen – OnotBerry Sakharov – AvadimShlomo Artzi - Shir Baboker Baboker

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. What makes Bibi tick? A new essay challenges the leftist article-of-faith that PM Benjamin Netanyahu tacks back and forth out of opportunism and naked ambition. It argues that at the base of everything he does is a bedrock of principle consisting mostly of weird-ass eschatology. School’s out, completely The Tel Aviv Municipality plans to turn a park in a troubled southern neighborhood of the city into a school for refugee kids. Many activists are saying, "Over our dead bodies!" - are they right? Yids online! A new survey of the habits of commerce and recreation of Israeli Modern Orthodox (or "National Religious") Jews finds that they use the internet a good deal more than everyone else. Are Modern Orthodox more "Modern" than Secular Israelis? All songs by the groovy Gili Yalo: HylogaCity LifeSab SamAshkeru

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. Israel’s Supreme Court: Democracy’s BFF or Frenemy? We discuss a spate of Supreme Court decisions that leave right-wing politicians sputtering about judicial overreach, which in turn leaves left-wing politicians sputtering about right-wing court bashing, and leaves everyone accusing everyone else of breaking Israeli democracy. Peace Now, Still? The decline of venerable anti-occupation activist group Peace Now, as its leader for the past 14 years resigns in a huff. This is Your Brain on Shoah! One high school’s decision to quit making trips to concentration camps in Poland, because of the lousy lessons kids get from them. All songs by David Peretz, in honor of his pretty lovely new album, Eretz she-lo Sham, that judy dropped on Bandcamp.Ashan Ha-ZmanEretz she-lo ShamMakom be-TochiTfillah Le-Nos'im be-Sheloshah Metosim

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. Killer and Hero We discuss the twist of logic and emotion that leads some Israelis to regard the combat medic who shoots a motionless injured Palestinian terrorist in the head, a hero. $653,868.35 A new law that limits the salaries of bank presidents to just 44 times minimum wage, or a mere $653,868.35 a year; is this populist pitchfork polishing, or good legislating? Shallow, Selfish, Egocentric, Childish, Stunted, & Lazy: How Israel’s Gen Y-ers are Destroying the Country Two middle aged sociologists find Israeli Gen Y-ers (aged 21 to 34) shiftless and selfish, and a threat to the very existence of the state; are they full of shit? All songs by Sivan Talmor, in honor of her new album, Fire, now available for download at Bandcamp:Chalonot (Start at 0:25)FireI'll be17

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. Quo Vadis, Bibi? We discuss the weird state of the Israeli government, which seems to be, at once, on the verge of collapse and surprisingly stable: What gives? The Curious Case of the Rabbi Excommunicated for Exercising Free Speech The moral and political dilemma arising from the Minister of Defense’s decision to excommunicate a rabbi for advising soldiers to ignore orders to evacuate settlements; we may hate the rabbis politics, but don’t we still need to defend his right to free expression. A Tale of Two Censors Whether it’s better for democracy to have an army censor who’s in our face, or one who expects that we censor ourselves (or maybe option C, no censor at all!.) All songs composed by the great Ahuva Ozari (a “Founding Mother” of Mizrahi Music), in honor the last 17 immigrants secreted this week from Yemen to Jerusalem: Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Tzilzulei Pa'amonim”Yehudit Ravitz and Ahuvah Ozari, “Ha-Ish Ha-Hu”Ahuva Ozari, “Ha-Or Ha-Ganuz”Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Kol Koreh”

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. Expulsion! We discuss this wrenching finding of the Pew Research Center: 48 percent of Israeli Jews report that, under certain undefined circumstances, Palestinians ought to be expelled from Israel. The poll is problematic, but it says something too important to ignore. Not feeling the Bern? Why are we Israelis, who usually love it when Jews become luminaries and celebrities in the wide world, strangely unmoved by the success of that most Jewy of US Presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders. What is it about the Sanders campaign that has silenced our normally robust tribalism? Americans are from Mars, Israelis are from Venus The Pew poll findings also suggest that Israeli and American Jews may be two peoples separated by the same religion, and the rift seems to be growing wider by the moment. Are Israeli Jews and American Jews speciating, and is the day growing near when we will no longer be able to reproduce with one another? All songs by Kfar Saba's favourite son, hip-hop artist E-Z:Lo Mafseek LachlomKeSheHaOlam Yaatzor (with Shira Gavriellov)Mi Muchan? (with Nechi Nech)Marior

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. Death by Facebook? We discuss the emergent popular wisdom that Facebook bears some responsibility for the continuing epidemic of stabbings, by bringing persuasive, murderous messages to the mobile phones of Palestinian teens, and the demand of Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan that the social network censure dangerous posts. Rattling Skeletons in Knesset Closets A new project by journalist-activist Tomer Avital, called “100 Days of Transparency,” uses drones and private investigators to uncover putative politician scumbaggery. Is this the sort of transparency we want and need? The Sexist Skewering of Stav Shaffir: Salacious Satire or Simple Scumbaggery A dumb-ass satire of MK Stav Shaffir on the right-wing Jewish Heritage TV channel strikes some on the left as sexual harassment, leading some on the right to cry “double-standard.” Is it o.k. to suggest that Member of Knesset masturbates on her bicycle? Great songs of feminist rage, in honor of International Women’s Day:Korine Alal, MotekSarit Hadad, Telekh Kappara AlaiPoliana Frank, Gibor Tzavah HahaganahDana International, Ani Nitzahti

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. Our grief and theirs Pundits, politicians, and plain folks are enraged at those who express sympathy for the parents of slain terrorists; on one side, they claim, are those who love life, and on the other those who glorify death. Why did empathy become a zero-sum affair? Now it’s our turn We discuss a new political movement that seeks to undo what it sees as 135 years of Ashkenazi hegemony, and to reestablish Zionism on a new, more open, more friendly, more humane, and more Mizrahi basis. Trump ♥ Israel? Donald Trump recently made the very un-Republican assertion that the US President needs to be neutral about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Cruz and Rubio attacked him, but is it possible that they love Israel a little too much for our own good? All songs by Raphy Cohen: Leaving Tel AvivAsteroidAnd There You GoDigging In

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. Girls with scissors We discuss the anger over IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s statement that "I would not want a soldier to unload an entire clip into a girl who is holding scissors." What the hell is wrong with that? There’s something about Miri We discuss the revelation that Israel's Minister of Culture & Sport, Miri Regev, just eight years ago considered joining the Labor Party. Is the populist right the only lane open to ambitious Mizrahi politicians? Cyber fodder A new school program is tracking Israeli nine-year-olds towards careers in the army’s cyber intelligence units. Has cyber replaced Shakespeare in the smithy of our children’s souls? All songs by Nomke (the nom de guitar of Noam Sadan), just back from her triumphant tour of Italy: Yam HaAhavaWalk Of ShameAhava AchzaritOne Of A Kind

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. Peace 2.0? We discuss opposition leader Isaac Herzog’s proposal to build a massive fence – “They over there and we over here” – and disengage unilaterally from Palestinians. We ask, “Is unilateralism the new black?” Litigating the Silence A secret lawsuit has been brought by the army against NGO “Breaking the Silence,” to compel the group to share information it has gathered in the form of soldiers' testimonies. If BtS can hide the sources, shouldn't it share the information? Too much of a good book? A report has emerged showing that fewer high-schoolers are studying “humanities,” while more are studying Bible. Is scripture replacing Shakespeare in the smithy of our children's soul? All songs by Yishai Kiczales: Ata VeHaShtuyot ShelkhaMingle And SchmoozeAsiti Ta’utHaYafim VeHaAyefim