For Heaven's Sake

This episode originally aired on June 19th, 2024.      Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today.     In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst.       ----    JO...

Over the course of the 10-month war with Hamas, anti-Zionist sentiment has been brought to the forefront around the world and also closer to home, within the ranks of North American Jewry. In this session recorded at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Rabbinic Torah Seminar in Jerusalem on July 11, Yossi Klein Halevi outlines the connections and distinctions between anti-Zionism and classical antisemi...

Amidst a war with Hamas, hostages in Gaza, and internal unrest , Donniel Hartman spoke with Yair Lapid , former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader in the Knesset, on July 3rd at our annual Community Leadership Program in Jerusalem. They discussed the numerous threats facing Israeli society and how Israeli leadership might guide the country through this turbulent moment.   Listen to this special...

Hours after Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut on Tuesday, July 31, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.   Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the impact of these events on the progress towards a hostage deal and how Israelis understand the purpose of retaliation.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS S...

The day after a rocket attack from Lebanon killed 12 Druze children and teens in the Golan Heights, far-right activists broke into the Sde Teiman IDF army base. Israel’s overworked military is now also being threatened by its own citizens. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the protesters attempts to undermine the IDF’s investigation of prisoners' abuse and discuss the...

U. S. politics are in turmoil. In the span of just 8 days, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, Joe Biden dropped his bid for a second term, and Kamala Harris now appears destined to become the Democratic presidential nominee. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the likely U.S. presidential candidates through an Israeli lens, and question Netanyahu’s commitme...

To an outside observer, there are many places where an eerie sense of normalcy has settled over Israeli society, but the reality is anything but normal. On this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein-Halevi discuss the very real needs of Israelis who have been immersed in war and loss for so many months, and why we must resist falling entirely back into the status quo.     J...

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Tuesday, July 9, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze Netanyahu’s impact on the hostage negotiations and how persistent fighting in Gaza exposes deep-seated misconceptions about Israel’s military power.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click h...

On Sunday, June 30, Israel's Labor and Meretz parties made the astonishing decision to merge into a single entity representing the Israeli Left. In this episode , Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi identify the shift in attitudes and priorities across Israeli politics since October 7 and speculate on who may replace Netanyahu as Israel’s next Prime Minister. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMA...

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Wednesday, June 26, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss enforcement of the recent Haredi draft law, the need for new elections, and a path toward resolving the Palestinian conflict after the war with Hamas ends. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake....

Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of F...

As Israelis celebrate the return of four hostages rescued on Saturday, June 8, the rest of the world decries the number of Gazan civilians killed in the operation. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the disparity between Israeli and global perspectives, the moral contours of the IDF’s rescue mission, and whether the safety of one’s own people should come at the expense of others. This...

On the week of June 4th, war fatigue is beginning to weigh on Israelis. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the achievability of the IDF’s remaining goals in Gaza, Hezbollah’s increasing threat from the north, and Netanyahu’s political survival as pressure mounts for the latest hostage deal. This episode is sponsored by Dan Rubin in honor of the birth of his granddaught...

This episode was originally aired on April 4th, 2024. 180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to bereturned, Israel’s allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel’s failures, its critics...

Amid intense and ongoing international scrutiny, Jews are facing an unprecedented challenge to shape a different story of Zionism and combat the rising anti-Zionist narrative. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the forces reshaping Zionism, the lasting impact on Israel, and internal divisions within Israel and the Jewish Diaspora that complicate the response to these c...

On Tuesday, May 7th, President Biden paused a shipment of 3,500 bombs to Israel moments after the IDF mobilized into Rafah, drawing the ire of many Israelis and Zionists worldwide. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the consequences of this decision, the impact on the war, and whether Biden’s support for Israel may be wavering. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEA...

Is the sovereignty of the Jewish State at risk? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the dilemmas of this coming Israeli Independence Day (May 14, 2024), which will be celebrated under the shadow of an existential war with Hamas and Israel’s strained international relationships. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to lea...

Since mid-April, protests against the Israel-Hamas war on North American college campuses have hit a fever pitch, with some critics leveling the charge of antisemitism against the wave of demonstrations. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider how this story gets framed in the global marketplace of ideas when antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and critique of Israel, lose their d...

Before dawn on Sunday, April 14th, with the help of its allies, Israel staved off its first ever direct attack by Iran. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss this new reality for Israel and its neighbors, and what it would mean to trade blows openly with a regional superpower that has, until now, hid its aggression behind proxy militant groups. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MOR...

Hostage negotiations remain deadlocked as their families continue to pressure Israel’s government to reach a deal, while rightwing MPs are threatening to dissolve Netanyahu’s coalition if the IDF does not move into Rafah. In this landscape of stark public discord, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi clash on their own priorities for victory in this war.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN ID...

180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to be returned, Israel’s allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel’s failures, its critics, and its unsung heroes, as this long and complex w...

Israelis are engaged in multiple layers of conflict, both external and internal. As the Israel-Hamas war continues into its 6th month, Israelis are simultaneously fighting a battle against their own government. This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Netanyahu’s leadership, and what the Israeli public can – and should – do to demand better from him.   ----  This episode is sponso...

From badmouthing the military to fumbling humanitarian aid in Gaza, punting on the Haredi draft, and taking a hard line on a hostage deal, Netanyahu’s coalition government seems more out-of-touch with the Israeli public than ever before. Could forthcoming elections bring a sea change to Israel’s leadership? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi share their hopes and visions for t...

From the Oval Office to the Oscars, the week of March 11, 2024, has seen more vocal public criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza than at any other time during the Israel-Hamas war. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze, and respond to, recent rebukes leveled by Israel’s closest allies and by fellow Jews. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episo...

On Thursday February 29, a tragedy unfolded in Gaza City during a food aid delivery. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss more than just the food crisis unfolding in Gaza as they consider Israel’s responsibility to Gazan civilians. They examine the struggle in Israeli society to engage in moral discourse and the growing chasm between the Israeli and Jewish diaspora’s res...