The Promised Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The "Gaga for the GA!" Edition Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Allison, Don and Noah gather agog among the movers and the shakers at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America to discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

It's Not Over 'til the Yellow Bird Sings

The "Canary Mission" is a website clearinghouse of information about American students, professors and organizations who are critical of Israel. What impact does its "this-will-go-on-your-permanent-record" trolling of Jewish American (and other) critics of Israel have on all of us?

Marks and Surplus Values

If "Jewish values" are used to justify both right-wing and left-wing positions, there is any value to them at all? Is it time to stick a fork in "Jewish Values"?

Schools of De-Zion

There's an amazing resurrection in America of hip Yiddishism and Bundism and all sorts of spectacular Jewish cultural creativity, the roots of which reach back to sources that have little to do with Israel and Zionism. Should we celebrate or mourn this creative de-Zionising?

Music

The soulfulness of Naama Cooper and Natan Kamen

The "Salts of the Earth" Edition Oct 18, 2018

Show notes

Subscribe to our WhyWhyWhy! True Stories from Israel podcast

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What's Good for the Goose

Polls show that former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz may soon be one of Israel's most powerful politicians, even though no one knows what he thinks about anything. Why do we keep falling in love with strong, silent types in uniforms?

So You Couldn't Find a Nice Jewish News Anchorwoman?

The winningest wedding of Israel's social season is between a Muslim anchorwoman and a Jewish actor. Is it racist to have misgivings about "mixed marriages"?

"If I Creative-Class Thee, O' Jerusalem"

Do we want Jerusalem 2.0, a shangrila for creative class types, tap-tap-tapping their screenplay into their laptop at the hip neighborhood café?

Extra Segment: Israel's "Fame Drain"

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss Israel's "Fame Drain." Should we care that so many on Israel's A list are heading for Hollywood?

Music

Roei Freilich, who just rocked the IndieNegev Festival!

HaLayla He Tirkod
Hatzlacha
Af Paam Lo Eheyeh Rakdan
Rotzeh Lehishaer Raev (with Rafi Adar)

The "Jewesses Packing Heat" Edition Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

In this partially archival yet still very fresh edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast two segments from prior episodes, followed by a brand new third segment for your aural pleasure. Starring in this episode, in no particular order, are Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman, Bradley Burston, Miriam Herschlag, Gilad Halpern, and Noah Efron.

Aging Alone

A report prepared by the Government Research Institute unveiled that 32% of elderly people aged 65-74 in Israel report frequent or occasional feelings of loneliness.

Jewesses Packing Heat

There is something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women and, especially, Jewish women with guns. This is proved all too true today with a Girls-of-the IDF pinup calendar, and the icky charge guys get from Jewesses with Guns.

Eurovision Indecision

Is it really so great a thing, after all, for Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be hosting the expensive, disruptive Eurovision next May?

Music

The great Tamar Aphek, who just announced a new show, her first in a while, at Kuli Alma in Tel Aviv, on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 9 pm. Put it on your calendars!

Where Were You?
Dream Inside a Dream
Taking Over
It's For Us

The "Being Mayor is Tough!" Edition Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Book Learnin'

The Palestinian Authority publishes its first new schoolbooks in 18 years, and they contain scorched-earth rejection of Jewish presence in Palestine, so much so that the European Union cut Palestinian aid by 15 million Euros. How understanding ought we be of this pedagogy of rage?

Barak, Bezalel and Bennett and the Red Bellheifer

A former Prime Minister, a present Minister of Education and an MK argue about whether Israel's modern orthodox Jews are quickly becoming more moderate or quickly becoming more fanatical. Who is right?

"Being Mayor is Tough!"

13.5% of city council members in Israel are women. 2% of mayors are. Why is it so damn hard for women to advance in local politics?

Extra Segment: Ignore or Fight NGO Monitor's Trolling?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss what one should do about being trolled by ideological detractors: Turn the other cheek? Fight until the last drop of blood is spilled? Haters gonna hate, and Trolls gonna troll, but is there anything we can do to preserve our honor?

Music

Eden Derso who, at the tender age of 20, is already Israel's queen of rap, soul and reggae!

Bam Bam באם באם
Yehiye Mah She-Yehiye יהיה מה שיהיה
Shevilim Hadashim שבילים חדשים
Hipus Atzmi חיפוש עצמי

The "Israel, Encapsulated" Edition Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

In this very special, collectors' edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast a conversation with one of our favorite writers, the brilliant and enchanting magical-realist writer Etgar Keret, soon after the publication of his 2015 memoir, The Seven Good Years. The interview was done by the wonderful Ilene Prusher, long-time fill-in Promised Podcast panelist, and one-time TLV1 program director.

We also speculate, with Allison, Noah, and The Tel Aviv Review's Gilad Halpern, about what six items we would each send up in a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time capsule, to teach eager aliens everything they need to know about Earth's only Jewish State.

Etgar Keret, on life, literature and low expectations

Etgar Keret on life, literature, longing and lowering expectations.

Israel, Encapsulated

What six items should we pack into a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time-capsule, to teach eager aliens all they need to know about Earth's only Jewish State. (And, no, BDS has not yet reached the outer atmosphere.)

Music

Shahar Saul, the 24 year old Tel Aviv rapper who says that his goal is to conquer Israel with his music, then America, then the world: He just might succeed!

"Bachur Shechunah" by Shahar Saul, along with Tzagai Boy and Avi Hailu
"Instagram", by Shahar Saul with Tzukush
"Mesiba Shehora" by Shahar Saul, with Tzukush

The "Oslo at 25" Edition Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

"A New Chapter in the Sad Book of Our Lives": The Oslo Accords at 25

25 years ago this week, Yitzhak Rabin, Yassir Arafat and Bill Clinton gathered on the White House Lawn and made us believe that maybe a century of Palestinian-Jewish enmity was ending. What do we make of that unfulfilled hope, a quarter of a century later?

Let them play X-Box!, or, The End of the People's Army?

The IDF plans to draft some for eight years, others for one year, others not at all: Is it finally really time to stick a fork in the notion of a "People's Army"?

The Hebrew Innoversity

The Hebrew University makes all students – physicists, poets and philosophers – take a course on "entrepreneurship and innovation," so students will find their way in a gig-economy in a high-tech nation. Is the notion of learning-for-its-own-sake dying before our eyes?

Extra Segment: Does the Israeli Left Need to Fight for Its Own Truth?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay in Haaretz called, "Israel's Opposition Needs Sincere Leaders", by one-time Labor-lion Uzi Baram, a minister throughout Rabin's second run as Prime Minister, who argues that "the great mistake of the camp opposing the right is that it hasn't clearly demarcated the 'good' and 'bad' players, and hasn't fought for its own truth." Does he have a point?

Music

Orphaned Land, whose video "Like Orpheus" just won the 2018 Progressive Music Award for Video of the Year, at the world-famous Globe Theatre in London, and whom an online petition nominates for a Nobel Peace Prize!

The Cave
Yedidi
A'Salk
El Meyod Na'ala

The "Yesterday and Today" Edition Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

In an inspiring demonstration of environmental consciousness, this week the Promised Podcast mixes new discussions with gently repurposed discussions from our archives, producing an episode with the vintage grace of a fine wine and the bracing freshness of just-squeezed orange juice.

The G Word

A while back, in honor of the High Holidays, Haaretz polled all 120 Members of the Knesset, asking each of them whether or not they believe in God, and found, as one journalist later put it, mostly sycophancy and cowardice. But do we want and need to know whether or not our politicians believe in god, and what can we learn from the answers they gave us when asked if they did?

You Can't Go Home Again

The brilliant novelist, non-fiction impresario Ayelet Waldman returns to Israel (where she was born, and where she once considered spending her life) after many years away, and this inspires each of us to try to see the country afresh through her eyes, and ask how have things changed as we have been raising families, pursuing careers and made our different ways in the world.

For the Sins

As every year on Yom Kippur, Jews chant the "Al Heyt" prayer, for me one of the most affecting and beautiful of all that days very affecting and meaningful prayers. It is a list of sins that we have committed over the previous year, categorized in various ways, together mapping a rich ontology of iniquity. We search our souls and ask ourselves what our greatest political sins have been over the past year, on the Left, maybe in the country, maybe as individuals.

Music

Shuli Rand, off his brand-new record, Ratzoh va-Shov.

HaHaklaim
Avadim
Etz va-Pri (beginning at 00:00:34)
Da' B'ni Ahuvi

The "Another Year" Edition Sep 06, 2018

Show notes

Don Futterman, Noah Efron, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Send These, the Homeless, Tempest-Tost, the Bill!

Trump says to the UN that America won't pay anymore for food, medicine, schools or homes for Palestinian refugees. PM Netanyahu says, yahoo, but most every other Israeli responds with quiet anxiety.

Home is Where the Homework Is

The number of homeschooled Israeli kids increases 1,150% in ten years. What the hell is going on?

5778

As a new year begins, we ask, What were the most important people and events of the tired, waning year limping to a close?

Extra Segment: What Can American Rabbis Say About Israel This Rosh Hashanah

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz called, "What on Earth Can American Rabbis Say about Israel this Rosh Hashana?", by the singular Rav. Eric Yoffie , onetime President of the Union for Reform Judaism in America. With him we wonder, well, what on earth can a rabbi tell his flock about this stiff-necked people in this beautiful and troubled land?

Music

Galatz Songs of the year, 5774-5777 (As we impatiently await the song of the year for 5778!)

5774: Shlomi Shaban and Chava Alberstein - Targil be-Hit'orrerut
5775: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy
5776: Hanan Ben Ari - Tutim
5777: Nechi Nech - Kol ha-Zman ha-Zeh

The "Symbolic Justice" Edition Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Just the Vax

Should it be illegal for kids in Israel to go to school, if they haven't gotten their vaccines?

The Great, Digital Sort

Rich Israelis surf real estate sites, poor ones gamble on-line – Is the internet tearing Israeli society apart?

Symbolic Justice

Is it weird to pardon 70 convicts in honor of Israel's 70th year?

Extra Segment: Bursting Bibi-Haters' Bubble

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz arguing that we're all thinking all wrong about Prime Minister Netanyahu's opulent ways while travelling. Should give the guy a break when he orders the best wine to his room to wind down after a long day of diplomacizing?

Music

Mayonesa, off their debut album, Everything, that came out just this week.

Beer
Had I Walked
Home, Again
Suddenly Something

The "Cautionary Conversations" Edition Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

Chair of Tel Aviv University's Dept. of Public Policy Alon Tal, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Avoidably Detained

The Shabak holds up journalist Peter Beinart at Ben Gurion Airport for a "cautionary conversation" about the perils of anti-Occupation activism. Are we sliding swiftly down a slippery slope?

Unsettled

Haaretz says all we need to do to implement a Two-State solution is to resettle 9,800 Jewish families. Have we overestimated how much Settlements are a barrier to peace?

Faded Green?

Is it time to stick a fork in Israel's Green Parties?

Extra Segment: Prank Call for Democracy

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a recent bit of dada political prankerism by political activist Boaz Cohen, who published on social media the private phone numbers of all 120 members of Knesset, creating for MKs days of havoc, trolling, pranks, and perhaps too-direct-democracy. Did Cohen cross a line, we'll ask, or is this 21st century Abbie-Hoffmanism just the sort of shaking up that our politicians need?

Music

Ori Mark, 'cause this is journalism!

Wolfgang
Sigalit Landau
Adom (live, with Iggy Waxman)
Henei Mutalot Gufoteinu

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