IsraelCast

Host Steven Shalowitz speaks with veteran Israeli diplomat Shahar Azani in a special  IsraelCast  episode recorded on October 13, 2025—just hours after the final 20 hostages were released from Hamas captivity. Framing the moment as a "miracle" and the start of a long national healing, Azani underscores the medical, emotional, and spiritual recovery ahead for the freed hostages and for Israelis sti...

Host Steven Shalowitz speaks with former hostage Tal Shoham, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 and held in Gaza for 505 days. Tal recalls the terrifying moments of barricading with his family and ultimately surrendering to prevent a deadly attack—an instinct he later learned likely saved their lives. After an initial period of solitary confinement and transfers between apartments,...

Episode: 234 - Host Steven Shalowitz welcomes multi-hyphenate entertainer and podcaster Jonah Platt for a candid conversation about Jewish representation, advocacy, and dialogue in a polarized era. Platt argues that contemporary Jews are often flattened on screen—either as Holocaust victims, ultra-Orthodox stereotypes, or casual cultural references. He points to  Shtisel  and  Fauda as refreshing...

Episode 233: In this eye-opening episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz welcomes Shabbos Kestenbaum—student activist, writer, and lead plaintiff in a landmark lawsuit against Harvard University over pervasive antisemitism. Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family and having studied at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, Shabbos entered Harvard Divinity School expecting intellectual exchange but instead en...

Episode 232:  In this insightful episode of  IsraelCast , host Steven Shalowitz welcomes  Dr. Asaf Romirowsky , Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, to explore the challenging landscape of university campuses today. Dr. Romirowsky sheds light on how "cancel culture" has begun to restrict open debate—particularly around Israel—making it increasingly difficult for students an...

In this high-octane episode of IsraelCast , host Steven Shalowitz welcomes Alon Day , Israel's trailblazing professional race car driver and four-time NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion. Speaking from North Carolina, Day shares his dramatic journey from Israel to the American racetrack—literally sailing from Ashdod to Cyprus to escape closed airspace following Iranian attacks on Israel, all in pur...

In this inspiring episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz welcomes back Dr. Tsvi Sheleg, Deputy Director of the Galilee Medical Center (GMC), to discuss the groundbreaking innovations and unwavering resilience of Israel's northernmost hospital. Broadcasting from just five miles south of the Lebanese border, Dr. Sheleg reveals how GMC transformed wartime challenges into opportunities for techn...

In this episode of IsraelCast , host Steven Shalowitz welcomes Amotz Eyal, founder and CEO of TPS-IL recounts how his early life under fire in the Israeli town of Psagot—and even his time as an entrepreneurial pizza delivery man—shaped his resolve to bring a new, innovative approach to how global media outlets cover Israel.

In this gripping episode of IsraelCast , host Steven Shalowitz is joined by Gregg Roman, Executive Director of the Middle East Forum, for an unflinching look at Israel's operations against the Iranian regime. Roman, a seasoned geopolitical strategist and former adviser in Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense, offers an insider's breakdown of Israel's military campaign against Iran's nu...

In this gripping episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz welcomes Jonathan Harounoff, Israel's international spokesperson to the UN and acclaimed journalist. Harounoff reflected on the challenges Israel faces in the hostile halls of the United Nations, where his mission is to be a "light in a den of darkness." He shared how first-hand testimonies from former hostages and their families have t...

In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, Ambassador Ofir Akunis, Israel's dynamic Consul General to New York, reflects on his first year in the role and the unprecedented challenges facing Israel and the global Jewish community post-October 7. Akunis discussed the vital importance of sharing Israel's truth amid waves of misinformation, especially on college campuses and in the media. He als...

Award-winning journalist Yardena Schwartz joins host Steven Shalowitz to discuss her groundbreaking book,  Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict . In this gripping conversation, Schwartz unveils the forgotten story of the Hebron Massacre—where 67 Jews were brutally murdered by their neighbors—and traces how disinformation, denial, and extremism...

Episode 224 - Are U.S. tax dollars funding terrorism? Olga Deutsch, Vice President of NGO Monitor, returns to IsraelCast to join host Steven Shalowitz in an eye-opening conversation that connects the dots between human rights NGOs, international aid, and terror networks. From the halls of Brussels to the streets of Gaza, Deutsch breaks down how anti-Israel organizations exploit Western funding to...

In this uplifting episode of IsraelCast, host Steven Shalowitz sits down with professional basketball player Jared Armstrong, whose inspiring journey has taken him from Philadelphia to the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Jared shares how his love for basketball and deep sense of purpose led him to Israel, where he plays professionally and runs JAB Camp—an initiative that brings together youth from...

Where are the Jewish people truly from? On this thought-provoking episode of IsraelCast, join host Steven Shalowitz as he welcomes back celebrated author, Holocaust scholar, and pioneering voice of the Modern Jewish Pride Movement, Ben M. Freeman. Ben introduces his groundbreaking new book, The Jews: An Indigenous People, unpacking the powerful and historically undeniable truth of Jewish indigenei...

While Jew hatred in America and Europe has been at the forefront recently, the reality is Jews everywhere are under siege. This is especially true in Australia, where attacks on Jews have ranged from doxxing and vandalism to arson, including the horrific firebombing of Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Alex Ryvchin, Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive...

From Mel Brooks to Jerry Seinfeld, there is a proud lineage of Jewish comedians who use their experience and wit to make the world laugh. However, since October 7, those laughs can feel hollow, knowing how many of our brethren are suffering. Others, though, view comedy as a coping mechanism to deal with the pain and trauma. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Author and Comedian Joel Chasnoff to...

IsraelCast , host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Simon Newton-Smith, Senior Vice President of the Americas for EL AL Israel Airlines, to discuss the airline's extraordinary role in keeping Israel connected amid unprecedented challenges. Simon shares insights into EL AL's resilience and operational strategies following October 7, detailing how the airline has continued flying at record levels desp...

As one of the most recognizable and outspoken advocates for Israel, particularly in the wake of October 7, Michael Rapaport has given a voice to millions of Zionists worldwide. Known for his unfiltered commentary, Rapaport delves into his Jewish identity, the challenges facing Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, and the vital role of humor during difficult times. He also discusses the current...

Even before the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks exacerbated life for Jewish students, universities were already hostile to anything related to Israel. Six months prior, when Dr. Ronen Shoval, head of the Israeli Argaman Institute, was lecturing at Princeton University, he required a police escort due to threats from protesters. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Dr. Shoval to fighting b...

From his time on the ground in the Israeli special forces to his bridge-building efforts as the National Public Diplomacy Unit Director, Gadi Ezra has dedicated his life to serving his country. From his time in Gaza in 2008 to his recent engagement after being called up from the reserves, Ezra is intimately familiar with war and how Hamas operates. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Ezra to disc...

The history of relations between black and Jewish Americans has always been complicated, often oscillating between solidarity and distance. While the communities have historically been close, there is now a much more rampant pro-Palestinian sentiment in black populations, in addition to accusations of antisemitism. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Dana W. White, the Managing Director at Juno C...

Currently on display at the Herbert & Eileen Bernard Museum at New York's Temple Emanu-El, the All About Herzl Exhibition showcases a wide array of original Herzl documents, ephemera, and artifacts. The exhibition includes materials drawn from the collections of the Theodor Herzl Archive at the Central Zionist Archives in Israel, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, and from David Matlow – holder o...

How does the Israel Defense Forces conduct war? Despite the rhetoric from the United Nations and college protesters, the IDF has a clear track record of valuing and protecting life while still efficiently combatting terrorists in the region. Colonel Richard Kemp returns to IsraelCast to discuss his observations from his time spent in Israel and Gaza, from the efforts they have undergone to bring h...

What does it mean to be an activist today? For Columbia professor Shai Davidai, it means being on the front lines speaking out against the rampant Jew hatred he saw on his campus. Despite the antisemitism he has faced, including a suspension from the university, Davidai continues to spread awareness of the plight Jews on campus face. Host Steven Shalowitz once again sits down with Davidai to discu...