The Israel Conversation

How can a government coalition work if its members are so different? How did they handle their first week in power? What signs are there for the future? If you are pro-Israel, a Zionist or just a civics nerd, there are all sorts of questions on your mind. Mike, Benji and Matt came together in the good old teachers lounge to share their perspectives on this new experiment in Israeli democracy. Join...

Blake Flayton helped form the New Zionist Congress in response to growing antisemitism on college campuses. What are his goals? What is really happening on campus? Why is there a rise in antisemitism on the left? What does all of this mean for the future? Mike and Benji invited him to the podcast to find out what he's doing and what his goals are. Join us! Blake Flayton on Tablet Blake on Twitter...

After four elections in two years, a new coalition agreement has been formed! But will it actually work? Who are the very different parties that have agreed to join? What are they getting out of it? Is this good for Israeli culture and democracy? Alan returns as a guest to hash it all out with Mike and Benji. Join us! (recorded at 3:30 Israel time on Thursday) Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a wee...

Before the current crisis and today's ceasefire, the conversation about Israel was already hard for us to grasp. Why is there so much focus on, and misunderstanding about, Israel and Zionism? How do we deal with it all? We invited journalist, writer and translator, Eylon Levy, to speak to a group of Rimon students. The past couple of weeks have been hard to deal with for all of us. We are sharing...

Why the rockets from Gaza? Why are there race riots in Israeli cities? Why does social media and journalism distort the story? What should we do to maintain our equilibrium? Mike recorded his class at Midreshet HaRova unpacking these questions. Listen to the first half hour as Mike gives his personal understanding and perspective. Then listen in for the Q&A as long as you like. If you're a cur...

Alan Goldman visited Mike and Matt in the teachers lounge to discuss current events. What caused the Lag Ba'Omer tragedy in Meron? What do we know a week later and what are people saying? Why are there evictions and protests in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah? These are troubling and difficult issues and Alan helps us understand them. Join us! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a wee...

Wondering why there's still no Israeli government? What's the holdup? Will Netanyahu pull it off? Or has he gone a magic trick too far? Can the anti-Netanyahu bloc outmaneuver him and form their own coalition government? Political experts (and friends of the podcast) Calev Ben-Dor & Rajel Leghziel joined Mike and Matt to explain it all. Join us! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast...

What just happened in Jordan? Was it an attempted coup or wasn't it? How should we understand Israel's warm/cold relationship with Jordan? What are its internal dynamics? Mike and Matt invited returning guest Dr. Eran Lerman to give us a Jordan primer and explain current events. Join us! Eran Lerman Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unt...

What is the ICC? Why are they investigating alleged war crimes among Israelis and Palestinians? Why does it anger so many Israelis? Dr. Shany Mor returns to the podcast to explain. Join us! Shany Mor ICC Investigation - Wikipedia Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg. Facebook page Please subscribe, listen to more episodes, and le...

It's an extra long episode. We invited friend of the podcast Haviv Rettig Gur to explain Israeli elections to a group of Rimon students. (see links below about the Rimon Movement. As usual, Haviv wove data and anecdotes into an explanatory narrative that made so much sense out of Israel's unique system of government. We just had to share it! The first hour is Haviv explaining his thesis, in his us...

What is the RIMON Student-Led Movement? What do they mean by "reimagining Israel education"? How are they trying to improve Jewish life and identity on college campuses? What's the current state of Jewish life on campus, in both the real and virtual versions? Mike and Benji interview the leaders of the movement, Jordana Schiff and Elie Codron. Join us! Rimon Movement Makom Israel Teachers Lounge i...

Why has the topic of conversion become such a big topic of controversy this week? Also, this is Alan's last episode as co-host. Join Mike and Matt in wishing him the best. Episode 115 - Interview with Educational Director at Nativ Haviv Rettig Gur on the Controversy Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg. Facebook page Please subsc...

Happy Purim! It's been a weird week in pop culture casual antisemitism. There was Michael Che's ignorant (and also bad) joke on SNL, and also impossibly racist Hasidim on a Canadian NBC tv show. (did you know there was Canadian NBC?) Its as if the news wanted to set us up for a Purim episode! What actually happened? Does this mean the world is heading into an antisemitic apocalypse? Does it mean n...

The fourth Knesset elections in two years are scheduled for March 23rd. What's different this time around? What are the new parties and coalitions? How might the outcome differ from the previous three times? Our panel of Mike, Matt and Benji discuss. Join us! Opinion polling for the 2021 Israeli legislative election Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and host...

How can we discuss the tensions building over Israel's Haredi community in the age of Covid in a positive constructive way? With angry protests and burning buses, how can we add light but lower the heat? How can we find an honest yet positive take on this social conflict? Alan and Mike invited friend of the podcast Haviv Rettig Gur to reflect on his article on the subject. As always, Haviv brought...

Israel is rolling out Covid vaccinations faster than any other nation. Why are people blaming the Jewish State for the much slower roll out for West Bank Palestinians? Is Israel treating Jewish and Arab citizens differently? Why are Arabs in the West Bank a different situation? What are the agreements between Israel and the Palestinian authority regarding healthcare? Can Israel reach herd immunity...

Returning guest expert Miri Eisin (Col. Ret.) joined us to explain the Israeli security concerns over Iran. What role does Iran play in the Middle East? How will the new American administration approach this problem? What are the different perspectives on how do deal with the Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons? As always, Miri explains complicated issues in ways that are easy to understand. Join u...

Alan and Mike invited Jacob Magid to discus his Times of Israel Article about the passing of Sheldon Adelson. They discuss his life, philanthropy, and controversial political activism. Jacob's Article Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Makom Website Facebook page Please subscribe, listen to more episodes, and...

How can a bunch American expats discuss the chaos in the US with their gap year students? Can they avoid it? What does it mean to Americans, Jews and Israelis? Has anything similar ever happened in Israel? How should teachers process these weighty issues with each other? Alan, Mike and Benji work on these and other issues. Join us! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt...

What were the major Israeli news stories that will continue to impact 2021? What are the major take aways from a difficult and challenging year? Alan, Mike and Matt make their year-in-review observations and predictions. Join us! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Makom Website Facebook page Please subscribe,...

How did it come to this? Fourth elections in two years! Why did the current government collapse? Who are the major players in this story? What will happen next? Alan, Mike and Matt explain the headlines and all that you'll need to know to follow current events. Join us! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Makom...

According to the Talmud, Jews must love converts, and never mistreat them. Then why is David Ben Moshe, a Jew whose conversion was recognized by the Israeli Rabbinate, not being given Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return? Is it because of the criminal record in his pre-conversion life? Is it because he is a Jew of color? This episode is longer than usual for our podcast, and the Israel issu...

Why would Israel have assassinated Iran's leading nuclear weapon's expert? What could happen if Iran creates nuclear weapons? How will shifting American administrations change the dynamics in the region? Alan and Mike turned once again to expert Eran Lerman to help us understand this complex issue. Join us! Eran Lerman Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and h...

With massacres in Northern Ethiopia on the rise, resolving the status of the last Jews there has become a matter of urgency. To explain the issue, Alan and Mike invited Uri Perednik, the founder and CEO of The Struggle for Aliyah for Ethiopian Jewry, an NGO that works with Jews in both Ghondar and Addis Ababa. Why are there Jews still left in Ethiopia? What is life like for them there? What more c...

Why are Israelis so focused on the NBA draft? Why does this sports news matter? What stories are being ignored? And what do we want to follow up on with Aaron David Miller? Join Alan, Mike and Benji for this news roundup! Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Makom Website Facebook page Please subscribe, listen t...