Unholy: Two Jews on the News

Five months after 7 October, and with talk of an imminent hostage deal receding thanks to deadly events on the ground in Gaza, Yonit and Jonathan take stock of what the war has done to life in Israel - and to Jews in the diaspora. They’re joined by writer and comedian David Baddiel as his landmark book, Jews Don’t Count, is published in Hebrew and ask if the attitudes he laid bare when the book was first published have changed - or only hardened. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Not a brand new episode this week - instead, another chance to hear one of the most impactful episodes we’ve ever aired. Back in November, as tensions emerged between Israeli and diaspora views of the war, Yonit and Jonathan had a frank, heartfelt conversation about they saw things, one month after 7 October. We'll be back with a new episode next week. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's become rare to hear Israelis and Palestinians in conversation with each other during these last, painful months. Yonit and Jonathan bring together Israeli former intelligence analyst Dr Michael Milshtein and the Palestinian activist and commentator Samer Sinijlawi for a candid discussion of what happens to Gaza and Israel 'the day after' - and ask if that day is ever coming. Plus: Benjamin Netanyahu resists pressure from inside and out to agree a hostage deal - while his son Yair picks up a coveted award. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As talks aimed at a release of hostages and a pause in fighting grind on, Yonit and Jonathan look at what both Israel and Hamas stand to gain - and lose - from any deal. And they take a fresh round of listener questions that have come in from all over the world - on Gaza the day after, new leadership in Israel and how Jews and Israelis who disagree can keep talking. Plus: Australian chutzpah and a French mensch. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As hopes rise and fall of a breakthrough that would bring the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and a pause in fighting in Gaza, Yonit and Jonathan speak to Zohar Palti, former head of the Mossad intelligence directorate about how the key decisions are being made - and whether those in charge are getting it right. Plus: UNRWA, the meaning of the ICJ’s decision and is the Israeli far right serious about resettling Gaza? To record a question for our next episode go to: www.speakpipe.com/unholy *Zohar Palti is an Andrew Viterbi fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More grim landmarks in the war between Israel and Hamas - as all eyes turn to The Hague for the first pronouncement of the International Court of Justice on Israel’s conduct of its operations in Gaza. Plus: Yonit and Jonathan discuss the increasing tension between Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden - and a Holocaust Memorial Day like no other. Finally, stiff competition for this week’s chutzpah and mensch awards - and we discover a new name for at least one of our co-hosts. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The war between Israel and Hamas is not fought out only through bombs and rockets - it’s also waged in the media, on campus, online, and even in the corporate world. Few have a better grasp of where those worlds meet than Profesor Scott Galloway. Yonit and Jonathan ask him if we’re witnessing a permanent shift in the perception of brand Israel - and hear how his own stand has cost him dear. Plus: the battle to bring Israel’s hostages home gets ever more political - and Jonathan braves the snows of New Hampshire. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the war reaches an important milestone, Israel faces a legal challenge in the International Court of Justice in the Hague: Yonit and Jonathan go into that full throttle, and are then joined by the world's leading authority on the morality of war, philosopher Michael Walzer. Plus: why Israel's politicians chose to announce the war had "shifted a stage" in English rather than Hebrew, and a serial winner of Unholy's chutzpah award comes back to claim yet another trophy. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new year began ominously, with rockets in Israel, an assassination in Beirut and talk of a widening of the war. Yonit and Jonathan discuss all that - along with this year's US presidential election and the changing face of the Democratic party - with former White House press secretary and MSNBC host Jen Psaki. Plus: the results of an exclusive Unholy/Morning Consult poll of US attitudes to Israel and Hamas; Israel's Supreme Court makes a landmark decision; and the new film that wins coveted Unholy awards in both the mensch and chutzpah categories. UPDATE: Since this episode was recorded, Warner Bros has amended its online synopsis of the movie One Life so that it now refers to the "predominantly Jewish children" rescued by Sir Nicholas Winton. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Yonit and Jonathan look back on a turbulent year - which shook Israel and the Jewish world - catch up on an eventful week, and speak with the woman who has become one of the most prominent faces and voices of the hostage families: Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the US-born mother of 23 year old Hersh, captured by Hamas at the Nova music festival on 7 October and held in Gaza ever since. Jonathan Freedland's Latest Guardian Column: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/22/jonathan-freedland-hope-2024. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pressure on the Israeli government is mounting from within and without. As the international community debates exactly what kind of ceasefire it demands of Israel, many of the hostage families urge an immediate pause to bring their loved ones home - a plea that gained new intensity after the mistaken killing by the IDF of three fleeing hostages in Gaza. Yonit and Jonathan discuss all that, together with a new poll which suggests Israeli public opinion is hardening on a range of issues - including disenchantment with Benjamin Netanyahu. Plus: a nod to actor, writer and polymath Stephen Fry, who this week took a stand that caught many by surprise. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With American pressure on Israel mounting, Yonit speaks exclusively to US national security adviser Jake Sullivan about just how long Washington will give Israel in its fight against Hamas. Plus: Jonathan and Yonit talk to the leading political scientist Yascha Mounk about the trap of identity politics - and what exactly is going on in America’s universities. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two months on from the 7 October massacre, Yonit and Jonathan assess the state of the nation with one of Israel’s sagest voices: the longtime investigative TV journalist Ilana Dayan. Also: the politics that never stop and the three Ivy League college heads who flunked their big test. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a week of intense emotion - a rollercoaster road combining relief, joy, anxiety, and dread for the families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas - Yonit and Jonathan discuss where this leaves a war that threatens to restart at any moment. Plus a conversation with Michael Milshtein, Israel’s foremost expert on Hamas - with a series of shocking insights into Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the 7 October massacre and the man they call “the Butcher”. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the clock ticked down to an expected release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Yonit and Jonathan sat down face to face in Tel Aviv, to discuss the background to the move - and what the consequences might be. Plus, Jonathan describes his week traveling around Israel, from the stricken kibbutzim in the south to the new, temporary homes for displaced residents by the Dead Sea, finding a country where the trauma of 7 October is ongoing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An update on the war from the doyen of Israel’s military correspondents, Amos Harel – and, in the week of perhaps the largest pro-Israel demonstration in US history, Yonit and Jonathan talk to Dan Senor, the former Pentagon official who was the first to describe Israel as the “start-up nation” and whose new book, The Genius of Israel, argues that the country is almost uniquely resilient. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas enters its fifth week, there’s an increasing focus on a radically new front: the information war fought out on social media. Yonit and Jonathan talk to Kara Swisher, widely regarded as the most influential tech journalist in the world. What role is TikTok playing – and is it the algorithm or the likes of Tehran, Moscow and Beijing that is shaping what hundreds of millions see? Plus: does international pressure mean the clock is ticking on Israel’s military operation to eradicate Hamas as a fighting force? -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The war has been a period of grief and anxiety, but also of strain and stress felt around every Jewish table, inside Israel and out. For this special episode, exactly one month after the 7 October attacks, Yonit and Jonathan decided they should talk through some of the tensions that have surfaced in their own conversations, teasing out some of the differences between them and bringing those differences into the open. The aim was a conversation between two people - one in Israel, one in the Jewish diaspora - that would be raw and candid, true and heartfelt... but also, perhaps, a little cathartic. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The war intensifies with Israel’s ground incursion into Gaza, a Palestinian death toll now estimated to be above 8,000 and still no word on the 240 Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Yonit and Jonathan discuss Benjamin Netanyahu’s tweeted – and then deleted - attempt to divert the blame for Israel’s vulnerability on 7 October to others, the increasing US pressure on Israel over its conduct of the war and the phenomenal volunteer movement that has reshaped Israeli civil society in a matter of weeks. Plus: they talk to Muli Segev, the man behind Eretz Nehederet, the acclaimed TV satire show which has become essential viewing for Israelis, even at a time of war – and to award-winning historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, on why “decolonisation” theory gets the Israel-Palestine conflict so badly wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Three weeks into Israel's war against Hamas, Yonit and Jonathan talk to Shimrit Meir, a former adviser to Naftali Bennett, about the next steps in the conflict - and the international players making crucial moves behind the scenes, starting with Hamas's patron, Qatar. They ask her how Benjamin Netanyahu will respond to mounting global pressure to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza - and rising domestic pressure to free the hostages held by Hamas. Plus: with antisemitism surging across the world, is anywhere truly safe for Jewish life? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joe Biden becomes the first US president to visit Israel at a time of war, the world’s media blame Israel for a deadly Gaza hospital blast that, most experts now agree, was most likely caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket - and Yonit and Jonathan hear the moving, probing comments and questions sent in by you, Unholy’s listeners. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: Unholy podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After perhaps the hardest week in Israel’s history, Yonit and Jonathan discuss the mood inside the country, in the wider Jewish world and beyond. They talk through the implications of the new unity government and its planned response to last weekend’s Hamas massacres of 1200 Israeli civilians; the shoulder-to-shoulder solidarity of US President Joe Biden; and the first arguments about who is to blame for what was a catastrophic failure by Israel’s intelligence and political leadership. For our special episode next week, Yonit and Jonathan want to hear your questions and comments: CLICK HERE to share a voice note with thoughts, questions or comments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is an emergency episode to cover the event that’s already being described as Israel’s 9/11 - with others drawing comparisons with Pearl Harbor or the surprise attack that led to the Yom Kippur War exactly 50 years ago. Early on Saturday morning, Israel was infiltrated by Hamas forces who entered Israel from Gaza - murdering Israeli civilians and soldiers in their hundreds, wounding thousands and seizing many as hostages. As the IDF launches an intensive operation within Gaza, Yonit and Jonathan assess what’s known from the first 36 hours - and where things might go next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An incident of ultra Orthodox Jews spitting at Christian worshippers in Jerusalem drew widespread backlash this week, both from Israeli officials and foreign countries. Yonit and Jonathan discuss the event - which is not the first of its kind - and the varying comments that followed, including those who claimed spitting at Christians is a “Jewish tradition”. And - as the calendar marks 50 years since the Yom Kippur War, Yonit and Jonathan are joined by Professor Yuval Neria, decorated fighter turned psychology researcher, to discuss the impact of the traumatic event on the Israeli psyche - and his own experiences from battle. Plus, the mensch-winning matzo ball soup found in an unexpected location in Europe. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a new documentary probes the dark side of rock star Roger Waters, Yonit and Jonathan - who, in an Unholy first, are this week both in London - talk to the longtime investigative reporter behind the film: John Ware. Plus: the fallout from the Yom Kippur skirmishes, which saw tension between religious and secular Israelis spill over onto the streets; a jaw-dropping moment in the Canadian parliament - and a tale of two dogs that will melt even the hardest heart. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week brought the strongest signal yet that a breakthrough in Saudi-Israeli relations is coming - with heavy hints from Benjamin Netanyahu, Mohammed bin Salman and Joe Biden. Yonit and Jonathan break it all down - and point to the man who’s likely to be the big winner. Plus: a conversation with American TV royalty, veteran CBS News correspondent, Lesley Stahl on covering Israel, the challenge of social media and the rise of the octogenarian in US media - and politics. And in this new year season, two very different styles of festive greeting win our chutzpah and mensch awards. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the Jewish New Year -- and Yonit and Jonathan are joined by New Yorker editor and longtime friend of the podcast, David Remnick, to reflect on the year just gone and look forward to the year ahead. They discuss the Israeli Supreme Court's marathon session debating the first step in Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul, the looming possibility of a second Donald Trump presidency - and the day David met the most Jewish artist of the last century. Plus some special awards, including for the biggest act of chutzpah of the entire year. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Yonit and Jonathan are back from the summer break - and there is A LOT to talk about. Word of a possible climbdown by Benjamin Netanyahu on the judicial overhaul, an attempt to force out the head of Israel’s Holocaust museum - and a massive scientific breakthrough from Israel's Weizmann Institute: senior researcher Prof Jacob (Yaqub) Hanna tells us how it happened and what it could mean for the human future. Plus: jaw dropping winners of our chutzpah and mensch awards and - of course - You’re So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzva. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Only a week until Unholy returns to regular broadcasting - which means one more edition of Conversations We Love, a series in which we return to some of our prized talks. And what better way to end summer vacation than with pioneering radio host Ira Glass, creator of the 800-episode "This American Life". In this special interview, Glass reflects on his career - from a Pulitzer, through being dubbed 'the godfather of podcasting' and to the disappointment of his Jewish parents when he let them know he wasn't going to be a doctor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It won't be long until we return to our regular broadcasting, but while we take advantage of the last days of summer break (as we hope you've been able to do, preferably with something refreshing in hand) - we've chosen to air one of our most special interviews to date. This July, we were lucky enough to sit down with non other than Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren, who visited Israel to promote her new film, Golda, in which she portrays the female Israeli prime minister during the Yom Kippur War. Listen to learn how Mirren got in character, how she deals with ageism in Hollywood, plus - why she'd join the protestors against the judicial overhaul. “Golda” opens in theaters on August 25.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're still away on vacation mode, but that doesn't mean we can't serve up our weekly cocktail of Jews and news. That's why we've compiled a list of some of our favorite episodes, to listen to on a long ride up north or through earphones while taking off somewhere. This week our guest is also one of our hosts, who doubles as a celebrated author! Since this episode was first uploaded, "The Escape Artist" by Jonathan Freedland has peaked bestseller lists and sold numerous copies. Catch up on Yonit interviewing him on the fascinating story of the man who escaped Auschwitz to tell the horrors to the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether you choose to survive the heatwave on the beach or in the comfort of the AC, we're here to serve something refreshing! While we're on summer break, we've compiled some of our most prized conversations for those who haven't had a chance to listen to them yet - or want to recall their memory! And what better way to spend a blistering summer Friday by pouring yourself something cold, and listening to the intriguing takeaways of acclaimmed "Uvda" anchor Ilana Dayan, on the judicial revolution that has already become a piece of Israeli history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Pittsburgh jury has passed a death sentence on the perpetrator of the most lethal antisemitic attack in US history: the murder of 11 Jews while at prayer at the Tree of Life synagogue in October 2018. Yonit and Jonathan asks how that fits with a Jewish tradition that harbours deep ambivalence about the legitimacy of capital punishment. In Israel, all eyes turn towards a court case that’s just over a month away — as the Supreme Court decides whether the first step in Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul is allowed under Israel’s unwritten and unsettled constitution. Protests continue, some Likud backbenchers rebel - but could a breakthrough with Saudi Arabia change everything? And - it's a Barbie world, we're just living in it: a special guest tells us about the movie sensation of the summer: Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz reflects on being an Israeli in a US boardroom - and whether Barbie’s Jewish inventor was creating a role model whose driving ambition was assimilation. Plus: chutzpah and mensch nominees that stretch from Tokyo to Mar-a-Lago -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A tempestuous week in Israel, as the fallout from Monday’s first move in what critics call the “judicial coup” continues. What will Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers do, now that the Supreme Court has less power to restrain them? The first signs suggest the prime minister and his coalition allies have big ambitions - and plan to move fast. Yonit and Jonathan dive into it all, joined by Channel 12 diplomatic and political analyst Dana Weiss. Plus there’s chutzpah on display at Fox News (not a first) and a mensch to be found in the world’s oldest rock group. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Israel's judicial overhaul has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle: one key measure is now the law of the land. Where does that leave the protesters who have filled the streets, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's relationship with a watching world? Yonit and Jonathan unpack an incendiary 24 hours. Follow on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The moment of truth has come: protesters on the streets and in the upper reaches of the Israeli military press their case against what they call Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial coup, days before a key legislation is set. Meanwhile, Joe Biden uses an interview with award-winning New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman to send a message to Netanyahu: stop. In a candid, sometimes emotional conversation, Tom tells Yonit and Jonathan why he believes the stakes could not be higher. Plus: a chutzpah award to the scion of America's most famous political dynasty, and a mensch to that of a journalism dynasty. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Protests on the streets, disruption at the airport: it’s crunch time in the showdown between Benjamin Netanyahu and opponents of what they call his “judicial coup.” Yonit and Jonathan ask if Israel’s PM is so determined to strip the court of one of its key powers before a July 31 deadline, he’s ready to risk a revolt among the Israeli military elite. Meanwhile the rift between Israel and its most powerful ally is widening — as Washington signals its alarm at the right wing thrust of the Netanyahu government. How serious is the latest wave of US-Israeli tension? Plus: an in-depth conversation with a true star of stage and screen. Dame Helen Mirren tells Jonathan and Yonit about the secret trials of Golda Meir, the challenge of playing an Israeli icon, why she stands with Israel - and with those protesting in the streets of Tel Aviv. *The interview was conducted before the start of the strike by the Screen Actors Guild.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two decades after the Battle of Jenin, this week saw a fresh – and very different – military offensive in the city, one that lasted just 48 hours and won much praise in Israel but a mixed response from the watching world. Yonit and Jonathan discuss all that, plus a kidnapping in Iraq and another eruption of spontaneous street protests – sparked by the sacking of a police chief – as the government of Benjamin Netanyahu presses ahead with its overhaul of the judicial system, denounced by its critics as a coup. And - we're joined by one of America’s most admired journalists, Face The Nation anchor and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent, Margaret Brennan, to talk Biden and Netanyahu, the US and China, Israel and Saudi Arabia – and the one interview that left Netanyahu speechless. Plus: a Haredi win for mensch, and a chutzpah worth millions. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens in Israel rarely stays in Israel. Settler violence in the West Bank spreads, bringing a dramatic condemnation from Israel's top military brass - and from a leading barometer of international opinion. Meanwhile, the courtroom drama of Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial comes to a new stage in Brighton, England - whilst the PM vows to continue his plan for an overhaul of the Israeli judiciary, even as he sends mixed signals via a US newspaper. Yonit and Jonathan unpack the week’s political drama -- and discuss a disturbing regional election result from eastern Germany, where the far-right AFD party won big, sending shivers old and new down the collective spine of Jews the world over. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: Unholy Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A daytime gunfight in Jenin, a deadly terror attack that left four dead and an outbreak of settler violence - this week has put the spotlight back on the West Bank. As Israel considers further action to bring calm, domestic politics are never far away - including the government’s plan to transform the judiciary. Yonit and Jonathan discuss the security situation and Benjamin Netanyahu’s renewed pledge to move ahead with the reform. Plus: a special conversation with theater legend Sir Nicholas Hytner, the award-winning director behind some of the most successful shows in stage history. The Tony Award winner shares insights from a decades-long career - and explains why the Broadway musical is an intensely Jewish art form. And we have a chutzpah award to make the jaw drop - along with a mensch award to a university that took its time. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A conversation with a seasoned watcher of Netanyahu - not of the prime minister of Israel, but of his son Yair: Yonit and Jonathan talk to Chaim Levinson of Haaretz, about the young prince with the ear of the king. Plus the latest on the judicial overhaul causing drama in Knesset, notes on the populist trio of Trump, Johnson and Berlusconi, and our traditional mensch and chutzpah awards - being shipped this week to both London and Christian County, Missouri. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A conversation with Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer prize winning journalist and one of the world's sagest voices on Ukraine, Eastern Europe and the twilight of democracy: are there lessons for Israel from Poland and Hungary? Plus: how the Israeli military sits at the centre of the country's culture wars, after Israeli far right commentators suggested the deaths of three IDF soldiers are to be blamed on mixed-sex combat units. And there's chutzpah in cable news and a mensch (or 11) on the football pitch. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Unfavorable polls, Biden administration woes and continued public protest are only a hint of the issues piled on the desk of the coalition. But with the deadline for forming the Judicial Selection Committee approaching, Netanyahu and his partners will really be put to the test on their intentions for Levin’s overhaul. Suleiman Maswadeh, diplomatic and political correspondent for the Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan News, weighs in with his thoughts on the government’s status, and the ongoing negotiations with the Saudis. Plus, Maswadeh shares his experiences as Palestinian journalist covering his childhood home of Eastern Jerusalem and discusses being targeted by both right-wing Jews and fellow Arabs. And - impressions from a very special Shabbat dinner, the Israeli-Italian spy ordeal that’s been making headlines and a farewell from a beloved Jewish show. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Happy yearly celebration of dairy - for those celebrating! While we mark the harvest holiday of Shavuot on the Jewish calendar, we're reminding you listeners of one of our favorite and most intriguing interviews as of late - with Israeli literary genius Etgar Keret. Listen back as Etgar talks about defending democracy, gives a sneak peak into his world of storytelling and shares heartening tales of his late mother. So grab your cheese-centered dish (or cheese substitute, we accept both) and tune in - we'll be back next week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A week into the ceasefire in Gaza, nationalist activists march on the streets of Jerusalem in the controversial Flag Day annual parade, sparking conflict with Arab residents of the city. Yonit and Jonathan discuss that and all the latest political turmoil. And - an interview with leading investor Michael Eisenberg on why the best way to integrate ultra-orthodox Jews into Israeli society is to hand them less public money. Plus: the rare marine animal that’s been driving Israelis wild, and a Marvel-ous act of chutzpah. -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142 Subscribe to our blog: https://unholypodcast.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Shield and Arrow” - that’s the name of the operation initiated this week by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, beginning with airstrikes on Islamic Jihad generals, and developing into extensive missile attacks on Israel. Yonit and Jonathan give an update on the current violence and negotiations for a ceasefire. Plus, we are joined by Axios scoop machine Barak Ravid, to discuss the prospects of a Saudi-Israeli peace accord, the departing of the US ambassador to Israel and his new book, “Trump’s Peace”: an insider account of the making of the Abraham Accords. Order Barak Ravid's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47WPZT1 -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142 Subscribe to our blog: https://unholypodcast.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gold coaches, historic royal attire and controversial crown jewels - preparations for the coronation of King Charles have Londoners exhilarated, including our British co-host, a notable monarchy fan (just kidding, of course). As the ceremony approaches, a discussion on the King's unique relationship with Jews. And, speaking of British Jews, Yonit and Jonathan are lucky to be joined by arguably the most valued novelist of the lot - Howard Jacobson. The acclaimed author talks about his new bestseller, plus how he defends Israel's image and why he can't escape the use of Judaism in his works. Lastly, what way of celebrating May the Fourth is more acceptable than bestowing an award upon a robot?-- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142 Subscribe to our blog: https://unholypodcast.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With barbecues, the annual Air Force flybys and other festivities - Israel celebrated its 75th birthday, but not without a noticeable rift in the nation, as well. Yonit and Jonathan talk recent updates as the status of the judicial overhaul remains unclear, and revisit Netanyahu's foreign press campaign. And, we are joined by Semafor and BuzzFeed co-founder, Ben Smith, to discuss the seismic sacking of Fox News' controversial host Tucker Carlson, and whether the abrupt dismissal indicates even Murdoch’s network felt its biggest star was becoming a liability. Plus, a homage to the 17-year-old who moved Israelis to tears at the annual torch lighting ceremony. Pre-order Ben Smith's book, Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678592/traffic-by-ben-smith/ -- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unholypodcast/and X: https://x.com/2jewsonthenewsJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150578065793142 Subscribe to our blog: https://unholypodcast.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In truly Israeli fashion, much has happened in the two weeks of Passover - and we've returned to try and make sense of it all! Following the holidays, Israel is deep into its season of commemoration - after this week’s Holocaust Remembrance, next week sees Memorial Day and Independence Day marking the 75th anniversary of the birth of the state. Yonit and Jonathan assess the outlook of these two occasions under the shadow of the protests - and bid farewell to two creative giants who greatly contributed to Israeli culture, with a post-mortem mensch award. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Only a week until we resume our regular programming - and trust us, there's a LOT to talk about. But in the meantime - to conclude Passover break - we're airing yet another of our favorite talks from this season. This Friday - we're sending listeners back to Yonit and Jonathan's talk with the greatly influential literary giant, Malcolm Gladwell, to discuss how he popularized non-fiction, why social media damages the way we interpret reality, and that time a wedding toast ruined a friendship of his. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.