For Heaven's Sake

For 60 years, Israel has counted on the United States. Is the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Israel now in jeopardy—not from the left, but from the MAGA right? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Vice President J...

For 60 years, Israel has counted on the United States. Is the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Israel now in jeopardy—not from the left, but from the MAGA right?  In this episode,  Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi  unpack Vice President J.D. Vance's recent troubling statements, the rise of "America First" isolationism, why Israel may need to rethink its dependence on American aid,...

What does the horrific attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach mean for the future of Diaspora Jewish life? Australian Jews have built one of the most vibrant, cohesive, creative Jewish communities in the world. Shaped by Holocaust survivors and a deep sense of...

What does the horrific attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach mean for the future of Diaspora Jewish life? Australian Jews have built one of the most vibrant, cohesive, creative Jewish communities in the world. Shaped by Holocaust survivors and a deep sense of Zionism, it has become a model for Jewish life in the Diaspora. In this episode, Donniel Hartman  and Yossi Klein Halevi  explore whether small Dia...

With elections less than a year away, Israel's political center faces an existential test. What does it stand for—and can it beat Netanyahu? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze the state of Israel's center and center-left. T...

With elections less than a year away, Israel's political center faces an existential test. What does it stand for—and can it beat Netanyahu? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze the state of Israel's center and center-left. They trace the historical collapse of the left, the rise of centrist politics under Ariel Sharon, and the post-October 7 reality where moral discours...

Can Israel's right-wing reclaim its principles? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the mainstream Israeli right's evolution from Jabotinsky's ideals of security and dignity to today's personality-driven politics. They explore the critical d...

Can Israel's right-wing reclaim its principles? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the mainstream Israeli right's evolution from Jabotinsky's ideals of security and dignity to today's personality-driven politics.   They explore the critical divide between Prime Minister Netanyahu’s loyalists and principled conservatives, identifying three challenges facing the next right-wing governmen...

With Israeli politics deadlocked, could Arab parties provide the path to a new coalition? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the extraordinary political journey of Mansour Abbas, the complexities of Palestinian-Israeli identity, and the fut...

With Israeli politics deadlocked, could Arab parties provide the path to a new coalition? Donniel Hartman  and Yossi Klein Halevi  discuss the extraordinary political journey of Mansour Abbas, the complexities of Palestinian-Israeli identity, and the future of Israeli democracy.  Listen to the Shalom Hartman Institute's new Thoughts and Prayers podcast: https://go.hartman.org.il/Thoughts-and-Praye...

Who's afraid of a Palestinian state? According to Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, the answer is: almost every Israeli. In this urgent conversation recorded after the UN Security Council backed President Trump's Gaza peace plan, Donniel and Yoss...

Who's afraid of a Palestinian state? According to Donniel Hartman  and Yossi Klein Halevi , the answer is: almost every Israeli.  In this urgent conversation recorded after the UN Security Council backed President Trump's Gaza peace plan, Donniel and Yossi explore why an entire generation of Israelis has stopped talking about Palestinian statehood—and why their silence may be unsustainable. Listen...

What happens when 30% of NYC Jews vote for a candidate others see as antisemitic? In this week’s episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider issues of betrayal, tolerance, red lines, and unity in a conversation about whether some positions...

What happens when 30% of NYC Jews vote for a candidate others see as antisemitic?  In this week’s episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider issues of betrayal, tolerance, red lines, and unity in a conversation about whether some positions cross from legitimate dissent into existential threat. From the episode: Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record” Identity/Crisis with Howard Wolfson...

What happens when everything becomes instantly politicized and no institution is safe from attack? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect how October 7 has transformed Israel's moral landscape, as the Netanyahu government shifts focus from defe...

What happens when everything becomes instantly politicized and no institution is safe from attack? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect how October 7 has transformed Israel's moral landscape, as the Netanyahu government shifts focus from defeating external enemies to waging war against internal opponents. Through the lens of the explosive scandal involving Israel's former top military la...

What does the possible election of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jewish identity, Diaspora-Israel relations, and the boundaries of Jewish community? As New Yorkers head to the polls in the coming week to elect their next mayor, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klei...

What does the possible election of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jewish identity, Diaspora-Israel relations, and the boundaries of Jewish community? As New Yorkers head to the polls in the coming week to elect their next mayor, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the return of 'conditional acceptance' for Jews in progressive spaces, compare this moment to Jeremy Corbyn's impact on Britis...

How are Israelis processing the transition from 760+ days of war to a fragile peace? Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire with Gaza, Israeli society is grappling with hope, trauma, and unsettling questions about who actually won. In this episode, Donnie...

How are Israelis processing the transition from 760+ days of war to a fragile peace? Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire with Gaza, Israeli society is grappling with hope, trauma, and unsettling questions about who actually won. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Hamas’ ceasefire violations, Trump's bear hug diplomacy, and why 48% of Israelis believe nobody emerged vict...

Will this moment of national unity in Israel transcend politics and open new possibilities for transformation after the celebration? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the profound emotional impact of Israel's recent hostage return - a d...

Will this moment of national unity in Israel transcend politics and open new possibilities for transformation after the celebration? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the profound emotional impact of Israel's recent hostage return - a day that united the nation in tears and joy. They explore what this spiritual turning point means for Israeli society's future, the strategic debates...

Two years and two days after October 7, Israel celebrates a breakthrough. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the game-changing deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages. From Trump's surprising humanity to Netanyah...

Two years and two days after October 7, Israel celebrates a breakthrough. In this  episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the game-changing deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages. From Trump's surprising humanity to Netanyahu's strategic pivot, from the hostage families' brilliant campaign to the far-right's defeat – they explore how Israel has arrived at this transfor...

Can a society traumatized by October 7 learn to hope again? As Trump unveils his Arab supported Gaza peace plan, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine why Israelis struggle to embrace hope after October 7. They discuss the plan's moral dimensi...