The Jewish People's Podcast

Hezbollah has joined the war, firing rockets into Israel and widening the conflict with Iran. On day three of the campaign, what are the objectives, what has been achieved, and how deep is US–Israel coordination? LTC (Ret.) Or Horvitz, a former senior intelligence officer, joins Yaakov to break it down.

Elliott Abrams joins the podcast to discuss the joint Israeli-American operation aimed at weakening the Iranian regime, degrading its military capabilities, and creating an opening for the Iranian people to seize the reins of power and topple the ayatollahs.

As tensions with Iran rise and the region watches Donald Trump’s next move, Israel faces a parallel crisis at home. The Haredi draft battle and the near-lynching of two female soldiers in Bnei Brak highlight growing internal strains. Yaakov Katz speaks with Shmuel Rosner and Shuki Friedman about how Israel confronts mounting pressure from Tehran while grappling with deep divisions within its own s...

On October 7, Noam Tibon drove into the Gaza border communities to rescue his son and family as the state faltered. Now, the former major general has entered politics with Yair Lapid. We discuss leadership failure, accountability, and why he believes Israel must change course from within the system.

Since October 7, Israeli politics has entered uncharted territory. Public trust, electoral dynamics, the future of the war, and the state of Israeli democracy are all in flux. Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin - political strategist, public opinion expert, and author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel - joins the podcast to unpack what Israelis really think, where the data is pointing, and what it a...

As the US and Iran explore renewed talks, questions about diplomacy, pressure, and the possibility of real change are back on the table. In this episode, Yaakov speaks with Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, founder and director of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities, about what negotiations mean beyond nuclear headlines – for Iran’s minorities, civil society, and those still fighting for basic free...

With the return of Ran Gvili, Israel closes its longest and most painful hostage chapter. In this episode, Yaakov talks to Gil Troy and Sara Hirschhorn about what this means for Israeli society, the country’s core ethos of never leaving anyone behind, and how the end of the hostage crisis paves the way for Phase 2 of the Trump plan for Gaza.

In Zaidy’s Band, Aron Heller retraces his grandfather Mickey’s hidden wartime past, uncovering the forgotten story of a Jewish Canadian band of brothers who fought Nazism and helped shape Israel. It’s a personal journey that reveals heroism, loss, and enduring questions of faith, identity, and sacrifice that still resonate today.

Samer Sinjaliwi, a Palestinian activist and former Fatah member, joins Yaakov to talk about post-Gaza planning, the new technocratic government led by Ali Shaath, and what it will actually take for Israelis and Palestinians to believe that peace is possible.

Iran is boiling, Gaza is entering a new phase, and Syria is re-emerging as a hub for radical Islamist threats. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli joins Yaakov to explain how these fronts connect - and why uniting the world against radical Islam is critical to defeating antisemitism.

Iran is boiling, Maduro has fallen, and Washington suddenly looks willing to move decisively again. Elliott Abrams, who ran U.S. policy on both Iran and Venezuela in Trump’s first term, explains what’s happening behind the scenes, what Trump’s options really are, and how these crises could reshape the global order.

Three weeks after the Bondi Beach attack, Yaakov speaks with Arsen Ostrovsky - not as an analyst, but as a survivor. Shot during the attack, Arsen recounts the moments after he was hit and reflects on what Bondi means for Jewish security in the Diaspora, and for the failure of governments to confront antisemitism before it turns deadly. This is a conversation we cannot allow to be forgotten.

As the year ends, Israel remains caught between war and uncertainty. With fighting still ongoing and the return of living hostages only weeks behind us, Yaakov sits down with  Prof. Yedidia Stern for a hard look at what was achieved, what remains unresolved, and what the coming year may hold – elections, continued conflict, or real change.

In this episode, Yaakov speaks with Mitchell A. Silk, the first Hasidic Jew to serve in a Senate-confirmed U.S. government role and a key architect of Trump-era global economic policy. They discuss his new book A Seat at the Table, his work on the U.S.–China trade deal, the $94B airline rescue during COVID, and how faith, diplomacy, and duty shaped his journey through some of the most consequentia...

A terror attack at Bondi Beach shattered the belief that Australian Jews were safe. In this Hanukkah episode, Yaakov speaks with Yair Miller,  CEO of Keren Hayesod-UIA Australia, about a government that ignored antisemitism, turned on Israel, and left its Jewish community exposed.

As President Herzog weighs whether to pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel stands at a juncture between justice and stability. Shmuel Rosner and Gil Troy join Yaakov to explore why the question matters to Washington, President Trump’s role in the debate, and what a pardon could mean for Israel’s democracy and political future.

A personal and unflinching conversation with Gaza-born analyst Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib on war, governance, disarmament, and whether a real path to peace still exists.

A year into the ceasefire on Israel’s northern border, tensions with Hezbollah have intensified. This week’s elimination of a top commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, marks a new and dangerous chapter. Former intelligence officer and Alma founder Sarit Zehavi joins Yaakov to break down the escalation and what might come next.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch joins Yaakov for a clear-eyed look at what Mamdani’s win signals for liberal Judaism, the surge of anti-Zionism on the left, and the urgent need for clear Jewish leadership.

Rabbi David Eliezrie joins Yaakov to discuss his new book on Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn — the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe — whose courage and leadership under Stalin’s persecution laid the foundation for Chabad’s global revival. Together, they explore how his defiance in Soviet Russia shaped the movement that would later transform world Jewry.

Yaakov speaks with Aaron Magid, author of The Most American King, about how King Abdullah balances cooperation with Israel and pressure from his own street. The real politics behind the cold peace.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel & Atlantic Council Fellow Dan Shapiro joins Yaakov to discuss the fragile Gaza ceasefire, what a real “phase two” could mean for Israel and the region, and whether the path to normalization - with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and others - can be revived.

Evangelical support for Israel is fading among younger generations. Yaakov Katz speaks with Bishop Robert Stearns about why it’s happening and how to rebuild this vital bond.

Peace activist and negotiator Gershon Baskin joins Yaakov to talk about the dramatic hostage release, the behind-the-scenes diplomacy that made it possible, and what comes next for Israel and Gaza.

When Israel’s north emptied after October 8, Nissan Zeevi of Kfar Giladi stayed behind. Now he’s leading a movement to bring families and life back to the border. A story of fear, resilience, and the fight to rebuild the Galilee.