18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers (18Forty)
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| 18 Jun 2024 | Coming Soon: 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers | 00:01:34 | |
18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers is a new podcast by 18Forty interviewing Israel's leading voices to explore critical questions on Zionism, the Israel-Hamas War, democracy, morality, Judaism, peace, Israel’s future, and so much more. Every Monday, we introduce you to fresh perspectives and challenging ideas about Israel that you won’t find anywhere. Join us on our journey as we pose 18 pressing questions to the 40 Israeli thinkers you need to hear from today. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. To suggest questions or guests, shoot us an email at info@18forty.org. For all things big Jewish questions, be sure to visit 18forty.org. | |||
| 24 Jun 2024 | Benny Morris: 'We should have taken Rafah at the start' | 00:35:05 | |
If you want to understand Israel, then you need to know Benny Morris. Prof. Benny Morris is a leading Israeli historian who revolutionized the field of Israeli history by digging into the government’s declassified archives in the ‘80s, ushering in the era of “New Historians” who challenged traditional views of Israel’s history. After peace talks failed and the Second Intifada began in the early 2000s, his views drastically shifted regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict—specifically its prospects for resolution. Praised and criticized across the political divide, Benny Morris’ work lies at the bedrock of Israeli history today. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including what should happen with Gaza after the war, Palestinian-Israeli peace prospects, whether the IDF is the world’s most moral army, and so much more. This interview was held on June 10. Here are some of our 18 questions:
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| 01 Jul 2024 | Yakov Nagen: 'Jewish Messianism is a vision for all of humanity' | 01:02:02 | |
To Rabbi Yakov Nagen, the Jewish-Muslim fraternity will be the major breakthrough of the 21st century. This Religious Zionist rabbi is at the forefront of interfaith dialogue and peace work in Israel between Judaism, Islam, and Eastern Religions. The director of Ohr Torah Stone’s Blickle Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and its Beit Midrash for Judaism and Humanity, he is a passionate voice for universalist Jewish Messianism, which he says is a “vision for all of humanity.” Rav Nagen teaches Talmud, Kabbalah, and Jewish philosophy as a senior educator at Yeshiva Otniel. He is an extensive writer with four books and hundreds of articles. His latest book on peace and universalism in Jewish Messianic thought, U-Shmo Echad (God Shall Be One), will be released in English this summer. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Israeli democracy, non-Jewish citizens in a Jewish state, whether Messianism is helpful or harmful, and so much more. This interview was held on June 20. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 08 Jul 2024 | Sivan Rahav-Meir: 'When it comes to terrorism, you can't compromise' | 00:45:25 | |
Israel's fight against Hamas, Sivan Rahav-Meir says, is preventing another Oct. 7—and another Sept. 11. The Israeli religious journalist — voted Israel’s most popular media personality — grew up secular and part of the Israel left’s “Peace Now” movement, but she’s not quite there anymore. Now a journalist for Israel TV news, a columnist for Yediot Aharonot newspaper, and host of a weekly radio show on the Army Radio, Sivan is a leading figure in Israeli society more broadly — and the religious society specifically. A 2017 Forward profile described her as “a female sort of Hasidic grand rabbi” because of the thousands flocking to her Torah lectures. She sends a Jewish insight each day to tens of thousands of WhatsApp subscribers The Daily Thought. Now, she sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Israel’s battle against terrorism, living in Messianic times, that time she interviewed Yitzchak Rabin, and so much more. This interview was held on July 4. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 15 Jul 2024 | David Horovitz: 'We need this state to survive' | 00:48:22 | |
No news outlet is utterly reliable these days, David Horovitz says. You always need one eyebrow raised. The founding editor of Time of Israel — with tens of millions of monthly readers, and ranked as the world’s fastest-growing news site in October and November — has worked in journalism for over 40 years, previously editing The Jerusalem Post and The Jerusalem Report. His days and nights are consumed by Israel (and he has the bags to prove it) since Hamas’ October 7 attack. David is also the author of several books, including Still Life with Bombers: Israel in the Age of Terrorism (2004) and the award-winning Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin (1996). Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including if Western media covers the Israel-Hamas War fairly, what should happen with Gaza after the war, which outlets he reads on Israel, and so much more. This interview was held on July 1. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 22 Jul 2024 | Anita Shapira: 'You cannot wipe out Hamas' | 00:45:13 | |
After Auschwitz, Anita Shapira says, Jews understood the necessity of power—and the necessity of statehood. A leading Israeli historian and author, she is professor emerita of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University and founder of the Yitzhak Rabin Center. When Anita Shapira speaks, her words are informed by acute expertise of Israeli and Jewish history—as evidenced by her many accolades and awards, including the Israel Prize for research on Jewish history in 2008. Having published groundbreaking studies on the history of Zionism, Jewish-Arab relations, and the state of Israel, Anita Shapira is a vital voice for all things Israel—past, present, and future. Now, she sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including wiping out Hamas, Israel’s catastrophe up North, her sense of Israel’s future, and so much more. This interview was held on June 19. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 29 Jul 2024 | Yehoshua Pfeffer: 'The army is not ready for real Haredi participation' | 00:55:11 | |
The Israeli government’s draft of Haredi men is no simple matter—but Yehoshua Pfeffer has some ideas for moving forward. Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer is a Haredi social thinker and activist intimately involved in Haredi affairs. He heads the Iyun Institute—which operates programs and publications in the Haredi space—is the founding editor of Tzarich Iyun journal, and serves on the executive board of Netzah Yehuda, which serves Haredi soldiers in the IDF. While also teaching as a professor at Hebrew University’s law school, he is the rabbi of Ohr Chadash in Ramot Bet, Jerusalem. Yehoshua’s life is guided by his convictions. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the Haredi draft, Israel as a religious state, Messianism, and so much more. This interview was held on July 2. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 05 Aug 2024 | Ronit Heyd: 'If Israel becomes less democratic, it will become less Jewish' | 00:56:22 | |
You cannot separate Israel’s democratic and Jewish identity, Ronit says. The two are interdependent in the Jewish state. Ronit Heyd is an Israeli social leader and activist who spent over 20 years leading initiatives dealing with Israel’s intimate and domestic issues—those outsiders often overlook because of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict’s large shadow. Previously leading the New Israel Fund’s social justice initiative, religious freedom project, and capacity-building arm Shatil, Ronit is now the vice president and director of Shalom Hartman Institute’s Center for Israeli and Jewish Identity. She holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School as a Wexner Fellow and an MA in social psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Now, she sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including democracy, religion, and the country’s future. This interview was held on June 18. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 12 Aug 2024 | Efraim Inbar: 'Israel doesn't use enough force' | 00:44:40 | |
Bullying isn't always a bad thing, Efraim Inbar says. In a tough neighborhood like the Middle East, sometimes it's necessary. President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and head of Shalem College’s program on Strategy, Diplomacy, and National Security, he speaks as a veteran Israeli political scientist and national security. In his view, Israel must be tough to stay alive—and it hasn't been tough enough. Efraim authored five books on Israeli national security and politics, and edited 14 collections of scholarly articles, and as such, he is considered an expert on Israeli strategic doctrine, public opinion on national security issues, American policy in the Middle East, Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy, and Israel-Turkey relations. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the Iranian threat, Gaza's future, and why Israel needs to act even stronger. This interview was held on August 6. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 19 Aug 2024 | Gadi Taub: 'We should annex the north third of the Gaza Strip' | 01:07:29 | |
In Gadi Taub's eyes, Israel is hardly a democracy — "it's a juristocracy." The historian, activist, and public intellectual believes that there are many forces at play that threaten the Jewish state: progressivism, elitism, and Western ideals. Formerly on the left himself, Gadi is one of Israel's most popular conservative thinkers. Gadi co-hosts Tablet's Israel Update podcast and his own Hebrew podcast, Gatekeeper. Outside of those roles, he is a senior lecturer at the Federmann School of Public Policy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Previously a columnist for Haaretz, he now writes for Tablet and JNS. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including judicial reform, Gaza's future, and the Palestinian Authority. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 26 Aug 2024 | Rachelle Fraenkel: 'I had expectations from humanity' | 01:01:17 | |
Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel has expectations from humanity. It made October 7's horror all the more terrifying. The religious figure and educator has been a voice of faith, hope, and strength for Israel and the Jewish People since her own teenaged son, Naftali, Hashem yikkom damo, was abducted and killed with Eyal Yifrach and Gilad Shaer by Hamas terrorists in 2014. Rachelle has lived, grappled, taught, and faced some of life's most haunting questions. She is a co-founder of The Jerusalem Unity Prize and Unity Day project, in honor of Naftali. Director of Matan’s Advanced Halacha Program and an educator at Nishmat, Rachelle is immersed in the world of Jewish thought and Jewish law. She previously studied at Bar Ilan University, Midreshet Lindenbaum, and Nishmat’s Keren Ariel Yoatzot Halacha Training Program, and was in the first graduating class of Matan’s Talmudic Institute. Now, she sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including her religious views, religiosity in Israel, and Messianism. This interview was held on Aug. 22. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 02 Sep 2024 | Yossi Klein Halevi: 'Anti-Zionism is an existential threat to the Jewish People' | 01:19:09 | |
What began on Oct. 7, Yossi Klein Halevi says, is not the Israel-Hamas War but the Israel-Iran War. A senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, the journalist and author has been intimately invested in Israel since he was a boy. Two of his books in particular—Like Dreamers and Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor—capture the tensions he embraces in Israel, and his own dedication to the Zionist dream. At Hartman, Yossi co-directs the Institute’s Muslim Leadership Initiative and is a long-time teacher, writer, and thinker on Israel, Zionism, and Judaism. Now, he sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including whether anti-Zionism is antisemitism, how Western media covers the Israel-Hamas War, the threat of Iran, and so much more. This interview was held on Aug. 28. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 16 Sep 2024 | Haviv Rettig Gur: 'Hamas is upset that the death toll in Gaza isn't higher' | 01:21:59 | |
Until Hamas is gone, Haviv Rettig Gur says, Gaza will be unable to recover after the war. The Times of Israel journalist and political analyst has emerged as a leading voice for the Israeli public and the Jewish world for deeper understandings of the war's developments. Haviv has covered Israeli politics — domestic and foreign — for nearly two decades and speaks internationally about Zionism, the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, and Israel's future. Haviv was previously the director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, and currently teaches history and politics at Israeli premilitary academies. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the country's leadership, Western media, and the Palestinian future. This interview was recorded on Sept. 9. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 23 Sep 2024 | David Stav: 'Israel as a state should not be a religious state' | 00:55:59 | |
Israel should not be a religious state, Rabbi David Stav says, and then its citizens could more freely welcome religion into their lives. The Chief Rabbi of Shoham, an Israeli town with a large secular populace, Rabbi Stav has long dedicated his life to bridging the social divides between religious and secular life. After the Rabin assassination, he and other rabbis founded Tzohar—an organization that "makes Jewish life accessible to secular Israelis—which received the 2009 Presidential Award for Volunteers. Rabbi Stav was previously a candidate for Israel's Chief Rabbinate and sought to revolutionize the relationship between religion and state. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including democracy, IDF drafts, and Messianism. This interview was held on Sept. 11. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 30 Sep 2024 | Rivka Ravitz: 'Being separated is at the core of being Haredi' | 00:49:30 | |
Rivka Ravitz may be a long-time Haredi political thinker, but that doesn't mean she thinks politics is always the answer. Since her father-in-law first employed her in the Knesset at age 18, Rivka has spend decades working in Israeli politics. She was chief of staff to President Reuven Rivlin and a senior fellow at the Jewish Public Policy Institute; now she is chief of staff to the mayor of Bet Shemesh. Rivka is intimately involved in the personal and political sphere of Haredi life—a focus of her PhD, which she is pursuing at Haifa University. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Israeli politics, the Haredi draft, and Israel as a religious state. This interview was held on Sept. 24. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 07 Oct 2024 | Despondent, Unmoored, Hopeful: How Israeli Thinkers Feel After October 7 | 00:34:41 | |
How do Israeli thinkers feel after October 7? Israelis have lived in a new reality over the last year—one haunted by the horrors of the day Hamas terrorists massacred 1,200 Israelis, kidnapped 251 others, and dragged the country into an existential war. To feel October 7 one year later, we bring voices and perspectives from the Israeli thinkers we interviewed thus far to connect to their pain and their hope. | |||
| 14 Oct 2024 | Netta Barak-Corren: 'I hope that Gaza will see a day when it is no longer ruled by Hamas' | 01:09:38 | |
Israel is facing several existential crises—at least three, by Netta Barak-Corren's account. The legal scholar and law professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is intimately concerned with Israel's future and current threats. During the judicial reform, Netta authored a 45-page document (later translated into English) breaking down the problems and proper courses of action as she saw them, and most recently, she co-wrote a 28-page recommendation for the Israeli government's plan for Gaza after the war. An award-winning researcher and visiting teacher and fellow at elite universities, Netta is also a cognitive scientist and seeks empirical and pragmatic resolutions in law. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including anti-Israel bias among international law experts, Israel's existential crises, and Gaza's "day after the war." This interview was held on Sept. 29. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 28 Oct 2024 | Lahav Harkov: 'We are winning' | 01:01:22 | |
Israel's multi-front war changes by the day—but Lahav Harkov thinks Israel is winning. A long-time journalist covering Israel's domestic and international affairs, Lahav speaks with an insider's investigation and knowledge about Israel's issues today: military strategy, hostage negotiations, international relations, and more. Previously the Senior Contributing Editor, Diplomatic Reporter and Knesset Reporter for The Jerusalem Post, Lahav is now the Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency previously named her the 5th-most influential person on “Jewish Twitter.” Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the state of Israel's war, Western media, and the fight to free the hostages. This interview was held on Oct. 8. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 04 Nov 2024 | Nechumi Yaffe: 'I hate the idea that we are being killed and need to kill' | 01:00:18 | |
As a Haredi woman of the Israeli left, Nechumi Yaffe lives between a few different worlds—and she feels at home in Israel's new "Religious Left" movement. A professor of public policy at Tel Aviv University, Nechumi is a political and social psychologist focused on the Haredi communities in America and Israel (of which she is a part). She is a leading expert guiding the Israeli government on Haredi affairs—from COVID-19 to the education system. Since Oct. 7, Nechumi has coordinated over 100,000 Haredi emergency volunteers as part of the "Unity Command Center" and has risen as a social leader of the Religious Left ("Smol Ha-Emuni"). Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the Haredi draft, Israel's hostage negotiations, and religion since October 7. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 11 Nov 2024 | Uri Zaki: 'The war has to end in Gaza' | 01:18:07 | |
Uri Zaki supported Israel's war against Hamas from the getgo—but the killing of six hostages and Sinwar's assassination were a turning point. Now, he thinks it needs to end. Uri Zaki is a left-wing political thinker and activist. He founded the New Israel Fund’s The Front for the Protection of Democracy and was previously the chairperson of the Meretz (Israel’s left-wing party) executive board and has worked at and with several Zionist and human rights organizations. In 2010, he was the founding director B'Tselem USA, the American chapter of Israel's most prominent and controversial Israeli human rights organization. A proud Zionist and left-winger, Uri has fiercely defended Israel's war against Hamas since October 7. But over one year later, he thinks things need to change. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including West Bank settlements, Israeli leadership, and ending the war in Gaza. This interview was held on Oct. 30. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 18 Nov 2024 | Yaakov Katz: 'The Israeli military has fought in probably the most humane way possible' | 01:15:22 | |
If you asked Yaakov Katz, the world should be lining the streets to applaud the IDF's military campaign in Gaza. The decades-long journalist and political thinker is emphatic that the IDF fights in the most humane and moral way possible. A senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute and former editor in chief of the Jerusalem Post, Katz has his pulse on many sectors of Israeli society today—from the government to civil society. Katz authored three books on Israel's military prowess and regional affairs, and his fourth book on Oct. 7 is set to release next year. He also writes a regular column for Newsweek, the Jewish Chronicle, and the Jerusalem Post, and is the host of the JPPI weekly podcast. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Israeli media's coverage of the war, the IDF's military ethics, and the "day-after" plan in Gaza. This interview was held on Nov. 13. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 25 Nov 2024 | Sivan Rahav-Meir: 'When it comes to terrorism, you can't compromise' (Re-Run) | 00:45:25 | |
We return next week with a new episode of 18 Questions, 40 Israeli Thinkers. In the meantime, enjoy an earlier interview with Sivan Rahav-Meir. Israel's fight against Hamas, Sivan Rahav-Meir says, is preventing another Oct. 7—and another Sept. 11. The Israeli religious journalist — voted Israel’s most popular media personality — grew up secular and part of the Israel left’s “Peace Now” movement, but she’s not quite there anymore. Now a journalist for Israel TV news, a columnist for Yediot Aharonot newspaper, and host of a weekly radio show on the Army Radio, Sivan is a leading figure in Israeli society more broadly — and the religious society specifically. A 2017 Forward profile described her as “a female sort of Hasidic grand rabbi” because of the thousands flocking to her Torah lectures. She sends a Jewish insight each day to tens of thousands of WhatsApp subscribers The Daily Thought. Now, she sits down with us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Israel’s battle against terrorism, living in Messianic times, that time she interviewed Yitzchak Rabin, and so much more. This interview was held on July 4. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 02 Dec 2024 | Einat Wilf: 'Jews are never allowed to win, and Arabs are never allowed to lose' | 01:22:51 | |
The true enemy in Israel's current war, Einat Wilf says, is what she calls "Palestinianism." Once part of the Israeli left, Einat Wilf is a popular political thinker on Israel, Zionism, and foreign policy. Her 2020 co-authored book, "The War of Return," outlines what she believes lies at the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: the Palestinian people's "Right of Return" is what makes this conflict unresolvable. Einat served in Israel's Knesset from 2010 to 2013 and now lectures and writes widely on contemporary issues. She is the author of seven books and hosts the "We Should All Be Zionists" podcast. She has a BA from Harvard, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. Now, Einat joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including what Palestinianism is, why Israel's war aims are flawed, and the future of Gaza. This interview was held on Nov. 25. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 09 Dec 2024 | Moshe Koppel: 'We won the war in Gaza' | 01:00:35 | |
Israel has pretty much destroyed its enemies, Moshe Koppel says. That's (partly) why he believes Israel has won the war in Gaza. Founding chairman of the Kohelet Policy Forum—called “the most successful initiative of the right in the past decade" by Haaretz—Moshe is a political thinker and computer scientist deeply involved in Israel's political affairs. He and his think tank propelled the Knesset's 2018 Nation-State Law and the push for judicial reform. Also a professor emeritus of computer science at Bar-Ilan University, Moshe is the founding director of Dicta, a research institute devoted to developing tools for computational analysis of Hebrew texts, and the author of three books on Jewish thought. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including religion & state, the war in Gaza, and Israel's greatest threats. This interview was held on Nov. 27. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 16 Dec 2024 | Khitam Abu Bader: 'Violence is never the answer' | 01:01:16 | |
Violence is never the answer for Khitam Abu Bader. That's why she tries to fight for peace. Khitam is helping to build Ma'oz Darom South by promoting regional development in the Negev, collaborating with local leaders, and empowering communities. She has extensive experience in leadership and youth development, previously directing the Raidat Leadership Program for Women at Desert Stars and the Arab sector activities of Krembo Wings for youth with and without disabilities. The Bedouin social activist finds herself in a complicated position with Israel's military campaign in Gaza: As a person dedicated to creating a shared society in Israel, and as a Palestinian and Arab woman, Khitam mourns Jews, Israelis, and Palestinians. She constantly tries to emphasize our "shared humanity" in the hopes for coexistence. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including what Zionism is for her, how October 7 affected her, and whether peace is possible. This interview was held on Dec. 11. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 23 Dec 2024 | Daniel Gordis: ‘The great failure of the hostages is enormous’ | 01:30:51 | |
With over 100 hostages still trapped in Gaza, Daniel Gordis says, that is Israel's greatest failure to date—even if it's unclear that any deals would have gotten them back. An acclaimed writer and author, Daniel Gordis is a Koret Distinguished Fellow at the Israeli liberal arts institution Shalem College and writes for his 41,000 subscribers on his Substack, Israel From the Inside. From Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn to Impossible Takes Longer, Daniel's award-winning books probe the inner logic and history of Israel, Zionism, and the Jewish People—and are considered must-haves on bookshelves around the globe. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the IDF's morality, the hostage crisis, the Iranian threat, and so much more. This interview was held on Dec. 15. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 30 Dec 2024 | Michael Melchior: 'We can make peace with the whole of the Arab and Muslim world' | 01:17:03 | |
There is a time to wage wars, Rabbi Michael Melchior says, and there is a time to make peace. An internationally renowned Jewish leader, thinker, and activist, he has long dedicated his life to fighting for human rights and peace—whether for Soviet Jews in the 1960s or Palestinians and Israelis in 2024. In the past, he was a representative of the Meimad Knesset Party, International Director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, and founder with the late Sheikh Abdullah Nimer Darwish of the Religious Peace Initiative, where he is still active today. The list of his accolades and accomplishments are long. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the Israel-Hamas War, prayer after October 7, and why peace is still possible. This interview was held on Dec. 25. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 06 Jan 2025 | Jonathan Gribetz: Teaching the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict (18Forty Podcast Re-Release) | 01:18:11 | |
We don't have a new episode this week, but we invite you to revisit David Bashevkin's conversation with Jonathan Gribetz teaching about Israel in the Ivy League, originally aired Jan. 12, 2024. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Jonathan Gribetz, a Princeton professor and scholar of Near Eastern and Judaic studies, about the history of Israel and Palestine. At a time in which we can feel as if we’re all at war, it may be helpful to take a step back and look at the full history between Arabs and Israelis, to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges we face in 2024. Jonathan Gribetz helps us do this. In this episode we discuss:
Interview begins at 5:02. Jonathan Marc Gribetz is Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Judaic Studies at Princeton University, where he teaches about the history of Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, and Jewish and Arab nationalisms. He is the author of Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter. References: Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter by Jonathan Marc Gribetz “‘A Question That Outweighs All Others’: Yitzhak Epstein and Zionist Recognition of the Arab Issue” by Alan Dowty The Zionist Idea by Arthur Hertzberg Zionism: An Emotional State by Derek J. Penslar 1929: Year Zero of the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Hillel Cohen Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East by Abdel Monem Said Aly, Shai Feldman, and Khalil Shikaki Clima Twins Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism by Sarit Kattan Gribetz Genesis 15:15 | |||
| 13 Jan 2025 | Shayna Goldberg: Inside Israel’s Religious Zionist Community (18Forty Podcast Re-Release) | 01:58:55 | |
We don't have a new episode this week, but we invite you to revisit David Bashevkin's conversation with Shayna Goldberg about the unique features of Israel’s Religious Zionist community, originally aired Nov. 26, 2024. This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at info@edenbeitshemesh.com for more details. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Shayna Goldberg—a teacher, mashgicha ruchanit, yoetzet halacha, and author—about the unique features of Israel’s Religious Zionist community. Jews in America are proud of the institutions and culture built over the past century, but we tend to forget that Israel’s Dati Leumi community has developed its own parallel—and vastly different—culture. In this episode we discuss:
Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg teaches Israeli and American post-high school students and is the mashgicha ruchanit in the Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz, an affiliate of Yeshivat Har Etzion. She is a yoetzet halacha, a contributing editor for Deracheha: Women and Mitzvot, and the author of the book, What Do You Really Want? Trust and Fear in Decision Making at Life’s Crossroads and in Everyday Living (2021). References: “Rabbi Soloveitchik Meets Rav Kook” by Jeffrey Saks Orot HaTeshuvah by Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook Prepare My Prayer by Rabbi Dov Singer Works of Rav Shagar Sus Anochi by Rabbi Jacob Sasson Zeved Tov by Rabbi Zevulun Charlop | |||
| 20 Jan 2025 | Natan Sharansky: 'If you don't have faith or Zionism, your grandchildren will not be Jewish' | 01:08:17 | |
Antisemitism and assimilation are threatening the Jewish People, says Natan Sharansky, but to both Israel offers a solution. Born in the Soviet Union and imprisoned by the authorities when trying to immigrate to Israel, Sharansky experienced brutal interrogations, forced feedings, and torture — sparking international campaigns to fight for his freedom in 1986. Today, Natan is Chairman for the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy and has an extensive record as a human rights activist, Israeli politician, and advocate for the Jewish People. He is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1986 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including anti-Zionism, hostage negotiations, and the threats of antisemitism and assimilation. This interview was held on Jan. 13. Take our annual survery: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WZKXNWR Join Share in supporting victims of terror on Jan. 25 while learning Torah and connecting to your soul. Sign up for Jerusalem here and Modiin (with David Bashevkin) here. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 27 Jan 2025 | Rula Daood: 'We are closest to peace at times of war' | 01:12:49 | |
Take our annual survey. Until the Israeli government sets a plan for Gaza after the war, Rula Daood says, they are choosing to end up with Hamas. A speech pathologist by trade, Rula Daood is now the national co-director of Standing Together, a progressive grassroots movement of Israeli Jews and Palestinians fighting for "full equality for everyone in this land." A Christian Palestinian who is also an Israeli citizen, Rula grew to become a political activist organizing Jewish-Arab partnerships in Israel's mixed cities. Since joining Standing Together in the late 2010s, Raood has propelled the movement's dramatic growth. Alongside her co-director Alon-Lee Green, who is Jewish, Rula was named as one of TIME magazine's 100 emerging global leaders of 2024. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the ceasefire deal, Gaza's future, and how peace is still possible. This interview was held on Jan. 21. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 03 Feb 2025 | Chuck Freilich: 'Netanyahu needs to step down or be voted out' | 01:03:57 | |
Hamas is already beginning to rebuild, Chuck Freilich says, because Israel lacks a post-war vision for Gaza. An Israeli national security expert, Chuck is a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies and has taught at elite American universities like Harvard, NYU, and Columbia. He has spent extensive time in Israel's national security establishment. The author of three books on Israel—Zion’s Dilemmas: How Israel Makes National Security Policy, Israeli National Security: A New Strategy for an Era of Change, and Israel and the Cyber Threat: How the Startup Nation Became a Global Cyber Power—Chuck specializes in Mideast policymaking, US-Israel relations, and national security. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the ceasefire deal, hostage negotiations, and Hamas' rule in Gaza. This interview was held on Jan. 27. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 10 Feb 2025 | Shani Taragin: 'The ideal is for the Jewish People to live in the Land of Israel' | 01:25:08 | |
Israel is opening a Pandora's box by releasing Palestinian prisoners and terrorists, Shani Taragin says — but she still has not given up hope. A prominent religious leader and educator in Israel, Rabbanit Shani Taragin is impassioned by the State of Israel's future as the homeland for the Jewish People, despite what she sees as its pitfalls. She is sought out for her convictions, faith, and inspired guidance. Shani directs and teaches in Israel and worldwide, and currently serves on the advisory committee for the Mizrachi Olami Shalhevet program; as Rosh Beit Medrash for the women in Yeshiva University’s new academic program in Israel; and together with her husband, Reuven, as Educational Director for Mizrachi Olami. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including the hostage deal, messianism, and the prophetic lessons for the Jewish state. This interview was held on Jan. 31. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 17 Feb 2025 | Nitsana Darshan-Leitner: 'Before Trump, I believed that Gaza had to be controlled by Israel' | 01:07:59 | |
Gaza can be leveled down or built up, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner says, and she wants Trump's plan to do the latter. An Israeli international lawyer and activist who has represented hundreds of terror victims in legal actions against terror organizations and their supporters, Nitsana is the head of Shurat HaDin—Israel Law Center, which combats terrorism, promotes civil rights, and actively pursues pro-Israel lawfare. Nitsana was ranked among the 50 most influential Jews in the world by the Jerusalem Post, and one of the 50 most influential Israeli women by the Israeli Forbes magazine. Now, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including international law, Gaza's future, and Trump's plan. This interview was held on Feb. 10. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 24 Feb 2025 | Yishai Fleisher: ‘Israel is not meant to be equal for all — it’s a nation-state’ | 01:27:08 | |
Israel should prioritize its Jewish citizens, Yishai Fleisher says, because that's what a nation-state does. Yishai is the international spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron, a flashpoint in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and a councilman for the Efrat community. His words reach audiences across the world via CNN, Piers Morgan's Uncensored, the New York Times, his own YouTube and podcasts, and more. A lawyer and rabbi, Yishai served as a paratrooper in the IDF and served in reservist duty during the Israel-Hamas War. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Jewish rights, the Land of Israel, and whether Israel should be a democracy. This interview was held on Feb. 17. Here are our 18 questions:
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| 03 Mar 2025 | Yossi Klein Halevi: What’s Next: The Future of Liberal Zionism (18Forty Podcast Re-Release) | 01:16:37 | |
We don't have a new episode this week, but we invite you to revisit our 18Forty Podcast conversation with Yossi Klein Halevi, originally aired on Dec. 26, 2023. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Yossi Klein Halevi, a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, about what it means to be a Zionist and a Jew post-October 7. Since Simchas Torah, we’ve spent lots of time airing our political differences with others. What might be harder, though, is asking the uncomfortable questions about our own beliefs. Our guest today has decades of experience with this kind of soul-searching. In this episode we discuss:
Interview begins at 6:54. Yossi Klein Halevi is a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Together with Imam Abdullah Antepli of Duke University, he co-directs the Institute's Muslim Leadership Initiative (MLI), which teaches emerging young Muslim American leaders about Judaism, Jewish identity and Israel. Halevi’s 2013 book, Like Dreamers, won the Jewish Book Council's Everett Book of the Year Award. His latest book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, is a New York Times bestseller. He writes for leading op-ed pages in the US, including the Times and the Wall Street Journal, and is a former contributing editor to the New Republic. References: “What Israelis Fear the World Does Not Understand” with Ezra Klein and Yossi Klein Halevi Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor by Yossi Klein Halevi Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation by Yossi Klein Halevi Arab Strategies and Israel's Response by Yehoshafat Harkabi | |||
| 17 Mar 2025 | Jonathan Dekel-Chen: My Son was a Hostage in Gaza for 43 Million Seconds. He Felt Every One. | 01:06:56 | |
Sagui Dekel-Chen was held hostage in Gaza for 498 days—or 43 million seconds. He came home on Feb. 15. An American-Israeli citizen who was living in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Sagui left behind a pregnant wife and two daughters when Hamas took him captive in Gaza. Sagui had no idea of their fate—until two days before his release. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, Sagui's father, joins us to speak about his tireless advocacy to bring Sagui home, his family's experiences over the last 500 days, and where they go from here. This interview was held on March 10. For more 18Forty: NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join CALL: (212) 582-1840 EMAIL: info@18forty.org WEBSITE: 18forty.org IG: @18forty X: @18_forty | |||
| 24 Mar 2025 | Ruby Chen: My Son is Likely a Deceased Hostage. Don't Forget Him in Gaza. | 00:44:14 | |
Sgt. Itay Chen was taken captive by Hamas on October 7. The IDF believes he is dead—but his family is still holding out hope. Ever since Itay was declared Missing in Action, Ruby and Chagit Chen—and the Chen family—have tirelessly fought to bring him home. Ruby and Itay are American citizens, so they hoped that would play to their advantage. In March of 2024, the IDF declared that Itay was killed on Oct. 7 and his body is being held by Hamas. Itay’s family has chosen not to sit shiva until his body is returned from the Strip for burial. They are still holding out hope—however slim, or grim—that Itay’s fate is different than the army believes. That he will return home alive. Ruby joins us to speak about his family’s reality over the last 500-plus days—fighting for Itay while continuing their lives, working with US administrations, and ensuring he is not forgotten. This interview was held on March 12. #BringItayHome on Social MediaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itaychen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bring_itay_home Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561269004170 For more 18Forty: NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join CALL: (212) 582-1840 EMAIL: info@18forty.org WEBSITE: 18forty.org IG: @18forty X: @18_forty | |||
| 31 Mar 2025 | Mosheh Lichtenstein: 'Jewish values don't celebrate might' | 01:12:49 | |
Judaism does not value power and might, Rav Mosheh Lichtenstein says—in fact, it abhors it. Co-rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, Rav Mosheh is a venerated leader in Israel's Religious Zionist world who is unafraid to call out his community's shortfalls. His statements on Israel's religious-political affairs draw ire and praise—a fact-of-life that does not discourage him. Rav Mosheh has been a raam in yeshiva since 1992, and teaches on an array of subjects within Talmud and Jewish thought in Gush Etzion. He is also the eldest son of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including Religious Zionism, moral failures, and US President Donald Trump. This interview was held on March 11. | |||
| 07 Apr 2025 | Anshel Pfeffer: 'The idea that you'll obliterate Hamas is as realistic as wanting to obliterate Chabad' | 01:10:39 | |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not surprise Anshel Pfeffer over the last 17 months of war—and that's the most disappointing part. A British-born Israeli journalist, Anshel Pfeffer is the Israel correspondent for The Economist and was a longtime senior correspondent and columnist for Haaretz. Pfeffer's 2018 book, Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, earned widespread and acclaim and praise. He is a central voice for understanding Israel's political and social climate, bringing decades of coverage on the country. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Israel, including war crimes, Hamas' future, and the World Zionist Organization. This interview was held on March 17. | |||
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