Third Opinion Podcast

Mike and Laureen break down the major U.S. and international stories shaping the week, examining the arson attack on a 160-year-old synagogue in Mississippi, where Torah scrolls were burned, but a Holocaust Torah survived. The hosts also discuss a pro-Hamas protest held outside a Queens, New York synagogue during Shabbat and controversy surrounding an event for preschoolers in New York City co-hos...

Show recorded on 1/5/26: This week's show opens with a look at NYC Mayor Mamdani's first week in office and actions taken that make it a less safe place for Jews. Mike and Laureen examine the growing push for Christian Nationalism and its implications for Jewish communities, featuring Wall Street Journal reporter Aaron Zitner's interview with Pastor Doug Wilson of Christ Church, a leading advocate...

A powerful clip from Beginning Within's Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein examines a revealing exchange between Penn State University's Sam Richards and his students during a lecture asserting that "Palestine did not exist 200 years ago," a claim that stunned students who view it as their ancestral homeland. Rabbi Weinstein unpacks why historical literacy matters and how emotional narratives often replace fac...

Recorded on December 22: Mike and Laureen reflect on the eight days of Chanukah and what it means for the Jewish community to be a light in a darkening world. From 18,000 people gathering at Brooklyn's Barclays Center to massive Chanukah solidarity events in Amsterdam and controversy in London as the city's mayor attempted to halt a vigil for the Bondi victims — the week underscored both resilienc...

Recorded December 15, 2025: Mike and Laureen dedicate this episode to the violent antisemitic attack targeting Australia's Jewish community during a Chanukah gathering at Bondi Beach. The show includes excerpts from Australian television coverage and firsthand witness accounts as events unfolded. They discuss statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cited earlier warnings to...

This week, Mike and Laureen remember beloved Rabbi Gary Klein (z"l) and examine Hamas' refusal to honor a disarmament agreement. They unpack George Clooney's offhand comments about Amal Clooney's involvement in drafting the Muslim Brotherhood's constitution, an organization recently designated as a terrorist group in Florida and Texas. They cover major cultural flashpoints, including mainstream ma...

Week of 12/1/25: This week on the show features an in-depth conversation with "The Economist's" Middle East reporter Gregg Carlstrom and correspondent Rosie Blau, who explain why Gaza is unlikely to be rebuilt any time soon and explore various plans for overcoming barriers. The hosts discuss JTV's Ollie Ansfeld report on reasons why some Jews supported Hitler during the 1930s in hopes of their own...

Week of 11/24/25: Mike and Laureen break down the recent high-profile Oval Office meeting between NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Trump, focusing not just on what was discussed, but what was  left unsaid . The episode features a compelling clip from political commentator Ken LaCorte, who explains why Palestinians continue their struggle despite overwhelming losses. The hosts discuss a...

This week, Mike and Laureen dive deep into the recent election of Zohran Mamdani and the immediate, alarming warnings that followed, suggesting this political shift could place New York's Jewish community in danger and on high alert. A special interview with Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, the former Consul General of Israel to Florida, Puerto Rico, Kansas, and Missouri, offers a powerful and sobering persp...

This week, the hosts tackle the fallout from Zohran Mamdani's election in NYC and the controversy over CAIR's support. Jewish leaders including Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch and Amb. Michael Oren and  voices including Sen. Ted Cruz and commentator Ben Shapiro warn of growing threats, as the ADL and AJC closely monitor Mamdani's activities. In the Middle East, a fragile Gaza ceasefire leaves Hamas fighters t...

This week, the hosts dive into the New York mayoral race and what's driving voters in the city. Laureen speaks with Jerusalem Post editor Yaakov Katz, who doesn't pull any punches about what Netanyahu's legacy will be because of October 7.  They also discuss British podcaster Tommy Robinson's visit to an Arab business district in Israel and asks how they feel about their county. Mike and Laureen u...

Recorded 10/27/2025: This episode unpacks a tense moment in world and local affairs. We begin with the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Gaza and what it means for regional stability. Then, the hosts turn to New York City, where early voting in the mayoral race is underway and the frontrunner's record has sparked considerable concerns about anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Finally, we sit down wi...

  Show recorded on October 20, 2025. Retired U.S. Army Colonel John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare at West Point's Modern War Institute, joins the show after returning from Gaza City. He discusses Hamas's recruitment tactics, inflated casualty reports and the vast tunnel networks hidden beneath hospitals and schools. Bill Maher calls for educating young Americans on the Middle East, reaffirming I...

This week, Mike and Laureen dive into the complex aftermath of the hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas — celebrating lives saved while questioning the cost of freeing convicted murderers. They examine the troubling rise of anti-Israel sentiment and the disturbing glorification of and outpouring of support for Hamas in America, Canada, England and elsewhere. With insights from Rabbi Pincu...

This week, hosts Mike and Laureen dive into the proposed deal to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas and explore the historic reasons why a Palestinian state has never emerged. They share powerful clips, including Australian commentator Julie Hartley-Brewer calling out British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his stance on recognizing Palestine following the Manchester synagogue attack, and N...

Mike and Laureen break down the week's most pressing developments in the Middle East — where narratives and realities collide on the world stage. The hosts tackle and debunk false genocide accusations leveled against Israel, while the dramatic walkout of world leaders during Prime Minister Netanyahu's UN address underscores the deep divisions at the international level. They track the controversia...

In this powerful episode, Mike and Laureen break down a heated debate where Ben Shapiro confronts Mohammad Hijab and Piers Morgan on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Citing the reality of hostages in Gaza, Hamas' stranglehold on the region and repeated Palestinian rejections of statehood, Shapiro defends Israel's right to exist and dismantles the narrative blaming Israel for the suffering in Gaza. T...

Mike and Laureen dig into the controversy around Charlie Kirk: was he standing up for the Jewish community or crossing a dangerous line? Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appears on Sky TV, an Australian network, and clarifies the truth about the terrorist organization that is Hamas.  And the hosts unravel a troubling story about a child's death blamed on the IDF — a blood libel claim...

YouTuber Oren Cahanovitc of Traveling Israel highlights the surge of new sweet shops and restaurants opening in Gaza — challenging claims that Israel is causing a famine in the region. Rabbi Pesach Wolicki unpacks the newly released Dynah Project report, which documents the rape, torture and humiliation of Israeli hostages, supported by eyewitness testimony and Hamas's own video evidence. Hosts Mi...

This week, Mike and Laureen confront the dangerous spread of misinformation about famine in Gaza, including interviews with Sky News contributors Danica DiGorgio and Will Kingston, who highlight the urgent need to fact-check false United Nations claims made through the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The hosts reveal how such narratives echo age-old blood libels, fueling moder...

This week's show features Shabbos Kestenbaum, a former Harvard Divinity student sued the university over its failure to address rampant antisemitism on campus. Justin Hilton of The Israel Guys challenges the international narrative about famine in Gaza, pointing to the massive amounts of aid Israel has facilitated despite global accusations. Hosts Mike and Laureen unpack the week's headlines: an I...

This week, Mike and Laureen break down the latest headlines shaping the conversation around Israel and the Middle East. They examine the Democratic Socialists of America's 2025 national convention and the passing of a resolution on the Palestinian "right of return." The hosts explore whether Western journalists should be allowed into Gaza to report freely and uncover the real story behind Anas Al-...

This week, Mike and Laureen examine global reactions to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to take over Gaza City, including U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio's forceful rebuttal of antisemitic "blood libel" claims circulating in Europe. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee discusses the humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza through Israel, condemns the UK, Ireland and Netherlands for not s...

This week, Mike is flying solo and tackling a packed slate of topics. He addresses the controversial claim that Israel is starving Gazans — debunking viral misinformation, including a widely shared photo of a child that turns out to be false. As France moves toward recognizing a Palestinian state, Mike scrutinizes the spread of propaganda and acknowledges the real suffering while challenging the n...

Allegations that Israel is causing a famine in Gaza have spread rapidly - but the facts tell a very different story. In this episode, Mike and Laureen confront the latest blood libel: claims that IDF soldiers are shooting Palestinians trying to get food. Featuring Oliver "Ollie" Anisfeld, founder and executive producer of J-TV, on combating the demonization of Israel in Western media and the urgen...