Iyun Podcast

“Daas Torah.” These two words are among the most loaded in modern hashkafic - and political - discourse. But what, in fact, does it mean, and how might it apply to the current crisis over chareidi conscription, whatever one’s view of the matter?  It would be presumptuous to attempt to treat the topic of Daas Torah comprehensively on one episode of a conversational podcast. One is referred to...

On May 26th, 2024, the Iyun Institute co-presented a special symposium with The Israel Law and Liberty Forum, titled "Chareidim, the Draft & the Law: Where Do We Go Now?" The panel, moderated by ILLF Executive Director Mrs. Aylana Meisel-Diament, also featured Iyun's own Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, as well as Prof. Ron Shapira (Bar Ilan University) and Prof. Barak Medina (Hebrew University). As a...

Rabbi Eliyahu Chait , the youngest child of famed rabbi, author and singer-songwriter Rabbi Baruch Chait, is making a mark of his own. An IDF alumnus of Netzach, R' Eliyahu recognized a need for a post-army framework servicing young men from chareidi backgrounds with serious Torah learning and options for "re-entry" into civilian life. Kochot, his nascent organization, is offering authentic Torah-...

On this episode, two wonderful, "regular" yungermen - each a talmid chochom of stature who has thought and written considerably about this subject - join us for an "Oxford-Style Debate" (sans the audience). Today's proposition: "The time has arrived for many more chareidim to begin to draft to the army." R' Chaim Goldberg is an educator, clinical psychologist and author. Jewish Press Article: http...

Rabbi Aviad Goldwicht is a business professional and Torah teacher who also serves as a rabbinic chaplain in the Israel Defense Forces. Since October 7th he has been servicing soldiers and engaging in extremely taxing and holy work.

Rabbi Karmi Gross, son of legendary Miami day school founder Rabbi Alexander (Sender) Gross, is a pioneering educator and Jewish leader. A founding rebbe at Yeshivat Maarava, then a principal at day schools in Vancouver, Detroit, and Los Angeles, he finally returned to Israel to found the first Chareidi Hesder yeshiva: Derech Chaim. On Episode 5 of The Iyun Podcast - and Pt. 4 of our mini-series o...

Chareidim & the Army (Pt. 3): What is Nachal Chareidi/Netzach? In Episode 4 of the Iyun Podcast - and Pt. 3 of our mini-series on Chareidim and Army Service - we begin exploring various frameworks that currently exist to absorb those chareidim seeking to draft into military service. We begin with what is known as Nachal Chareidi, or Netzach Yehuda (now Netzach). These two are often conflated,...

In Episode 3 of the Iyun Podcast - and Pt. 2 of our mini-series on Chareidim and Army Service - we interrogate the "moral claim" leveled by Israeli society, broadly writ, against those Jewish brothers who elect not to serve in the IDF. With Moshe's rhetorical repudiation of, "Shall your brothers go to war and you will stay back?" (Bamidbar 32:6) as a backdrop, we evaluate whether this intuitive, v...

EPISODE SUMMARY On this pilot episode of the Iyun Podcast, we begin our in-depth exploration into Chareidi society, focusing on its integration into modern Israeli society and the implications for the Jewish community at large. Featuring Iyun Institute founder and director Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, we delve into the various factions within Chareidi society, including Litvish, Hasidic, and Sephardi g...

EPISODE SUMMARY This episode of the Iyun Podcast begins our discussion of the complex relationship between Chareidi society and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Featuring insights from Iyun Institute founder Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer and guest Rabbi Yosef Chaim Simchon, the conversation explores the historical, moral, and societal aspects of Charedi participation in the army. From Rabbi Simchon's per...