The Promised Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The "Blatt, Blatter & Blattest" Edition Jun 04, 2015

Show notes

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

FIFA = “Frankly, Israel Foments Apartheid”?

We discuss the brouhaha over a Palestinian proposal to expel Israel from the international football association, FIFA, and the suggestion of some leftists that Israel deserves to be expelled. Do they have a point or are they just spoiled sports?

IDF = “Impeding Democracy Fulsomely”?

We discuss two recent trials of IDF soldiers, one charged with mouthing off against the occupation on German TV, and the other charged with - wait for it - eating a ham sandwich. Is the army enforcing the ideological agenda of the new government?

BFF = “(You) Better F*cking Fail”?

We discuss an intriguing essay by Ari Shavit, pointing out that when Cleveland Cavaliers coach, American-Israeli David Blatt, coached in Israel, we couldn’t have been meaner to the guy. Are we Israelis unable to appreciate each other’s achievements?

Playlist:

All songs by Labrador Laboratories, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7:

Dance All Night In The RainLonely TribesWhat A MessGoing underground

The "Labor's Loser?!?" Edition May 28, 2015

Show notes

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

The anti-social network

We discuss the tragedy of a government bureaucrat who, accused on Facebook of racism against an African-American woman seeking his help, shot himself in the head this week. Is the power of social network rage something we need to tamp?

The legacy of leaving Lebanon

On the 15th anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from its self-declared “security zone” in southern Lebanon, we ask what imprint the occupation and withdrawal left on today's world. Was the withdrawal a heroic turning point in Israeli political history?

Labor’s Loser?!?

We discuss the documentary, “Herzog,” which aired this week and led journalists and politicians to pile onto Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog. What do we learn from the film about the leader of opposition, who still hopes to one day be Prime Minister?

Playlist:

All songs by Igor Krutogolov's Karate Band & Toy Orchestra - it’s punk klezmer performed on toy instruments, people!

Skeleton DanceSevenMad MedowLast Supper Souffle

The "Short Trip from Cradle to Grave" Edition May 21, 2015

Show notes

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

Netanyahu’s Ministry of Magic?

We discuss the odd new ministerial alchemy that produced a “Minister of Space” and other strange concatenations. Did PM Netanyahu create bullshit ministries for bullshit reasons, destined to produce bullshit results - all to silence critics and reward friends?

Religious fanatics or Godless heathens?

A world-wide poll recently carried out by the WIN/Gallup Organization found that Israel is one of the least religious countries in the world. This conflicts with other findings - that in Israel religion is very important to most, growing more important by the day.

Short trip from cradle to grave

We discuss the ultra-Orthodox woman from Bnei Brak, who through the first 46 years of marriage was unable to conceive, and who achieved the positively biblical feat of giving birth to her first child at the age of 65. Is Israel a little too baby crazy?

Playlist:

All songs by Shelly & Rotem, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7. Their EP, Between Shores, is on Bandcamp.

East BerlinMaps (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs Cover)Streaming LowBells In My Head

Jews (not?) welcome: The campus, the Negev, and Jerusalem May 14, 2015

Show notes

Allison, Don, and Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

BDS bummer on campus

We discuss the spread of the BDS movement on American college campuses, feeding off last summer’s Gaza War. Student councils and minority activist groups are demanding divestment from Israel while telling Jewish students they are privileged whites.

Will Negev Bedouins have to make way for the Jews?

A high court ruling allows plans to go forward to demolish a 60-year-old Bedouin village in the Negev in order to establish a new Jewish town in its place. We’ll ask what these rulings portend for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel and the direction of the High Court.

An Ode to Jerusalem, unified and disunited on Jerusalem Day

As Jerusalem Day arrives, celebrating the reunification of the city during the Six-Day War, our panel tries to look past the violence that rocked the city less than a year ago, and we consider our own evolving relationship to Israel’s capital.

Playlist:

All songs by Ehud Banai (the most gifted musical Banai of all)

Ani HolechHayomMaaseh B’arbaahCmo Tzippor V’Shira

The 'Days of Rage & Race' Edition May 07, 2015

Show notes

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

Days of rage and race

We discuss the video of police officers assaulting a kid of Ethiopian descent in IDF uniform. It unleashed a wave of angry protests about police brutality against Ethiopian Israelis, and more broadly about a racism few of us here have looked squarely in the face.

A government of Rabbis, Rightists, and a Reformer

We discuss just what we might expect from the new coalition of 61 that Prime Minister Netanyahu cobbled together at the last minute. What kinds of policies are on the horizon?

Breaking ranks

We discuss a new report by leftist NGO Breaking the Silence, containing excerpts of interviews with 60 soldiers who fought in the Gaza War last summer. What, if anything, can we learn from its troubling conclusions?

Playlist:

All songs by young Ethiopian-Israeli hip hop singers because, well, you know.

Sasha & Shrulik - Summer TimeNaor Asresay - Nilham Beshvil AtzmiCafé Shahor Hazak - Rak La’AlotTazazo & Tzemer - Eema

Girls just wanna have guns! Apr 30, 2015

Show notes

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

The wages of boycott

We discuss the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold a law that will make Israelis who advocate boycotts against Israeli businesses or institutions liable for any damages that result. Have the courts just criminalized free speech?

Girls just wanna have guns!

We analyze new findings that Israeli women are more hawkish than Israeli men. For instance, they are less favorably inclined to a Palestinian State, and more favorably inclined to spending more on the army. But they're also more likely to support social programs.

Will Judaism survive Israel?

We discuss Tomer Persico's much-discussed Haaretz essay, in which he claims that the growing dichotomy between Judaism and democracy in Israel is “one disaster that Judaism will not survive.” Yikes. Does he have a point?

Playlist:

All songs off the great new Israeli homage to David Bowie, “Bowie from Here”

HaMasach HaLavan - Tembel, TembelDeer John - Wild is the WindNomke - Life on MarsStay - Munch

The Shabby Shenanigan of Shimon Shilling Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

Don, Noah, and special guest Debra Kamin discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pillorying Peres for pilfering

We discuss whether former PM and President Shimon Peres deserves to be pilloried for shilling for Israel’s richest and most rapacious bank, Bank HaPoalim, in exchange for $30,000 a month. “Say it ain't so! Tell us we're dreamin', Shimon!”

The Culture Wars: "Burn, baby, burn!"

We discuss an essay by brilliant journalist, writer, cultural critic, screenwriter, and documentary film maker Nissan Shor, arguing that Israel is in flames, but the best thing to do is bring a bag of marshmallows and develop our appetite for destruction.

Celebrating Israel in the Age of Ambivalence

We ask how Independence Day should be celebrated in 2015, an age when ponderous ceremonies and jets-flying-overhead-in-formation may not be the sources of inspiration they once were, and when ambivalence saturates the land.

Playlist:

All songs by Arik Einstein, in honor of Yom Haatzmaut!

Sa Le’atHabalada Shel Yoel Moshe SolomonAni ve-AtaYesh Bi Ahavah

The "Coalition Proposition Disquisition" Edition Apr 16, 2015

Show notes

Allison, Ilene, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Coalition proposition disquisition

We discuss the dilemma facing opposition leader Isaac Herzog: Is opposition a form of perdition? Is joining the coalition electoral sedition demanding contrition? In short, should the center-left consider joining a coalition led by PM Netanyahu?

The bio-matrix

We discuss whether Israel ought to require all citizens to swap our old-fashioned identify cards and passports for new “biometric” ones that may enhance our security at the cost of our privacy.

Relearning to remember

We discuss how we ought to remember the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish people, as it recedes into history and the presence of survivors grows less with each passing year.

Playlist:

All songs courtesy of the unpolished sweetness of Yotam Perel

Shara Bamiklahat (Yup, the Yoni Bloch song)Aeroplane Over The Sea (That’s right, the Neutral Milk Hotel song)Toasty, the Yotam Perel songSaddest Hug

The "Fission Indecision" Edition Apr 09, 2015

Show notes

The Times of Israel's Miriam Herschlag, Activist Professor Alon Tal and Noah discuss:

Fission Indecision

How Leftist Israelis ought to react to the framework agreement limiting Iran's military nuclear program, but leaving the country (which, as we speak, is hosting a Holocaust denial cartoon contest) with lots of uranium and lots of centrifuges to process it at a future date.

Trailing off

Is Israel's culture of hiking the land is imperiled as the Zionist ethos that gave birth to it is itself waning.

So much to protest, so little protest music?

Whether, as one music critic has just written, Israeli pop music is hopelessly and cluelessly apolitical and navel-gazing.

Playlist:

All songs by OSOG – On the Shoulders of Giants – in honor of their Headstart campaign to fund their new album!

Sweet MelodySymphony Of TreesWake Up In A JacuzziUnder My Ukelele

How do you solve a problem like Ted Cruz? Apr 02, 2015

Show notes

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

How do you solve a problem like Ted Cruz?

The love bomb Ted Cruz tossed in Israel’s direction as he declared his candidacy for the US Presidency at Liberty College. How does “Support Israel!” fit with “Ban Abortion!,” “Guns for All!,” and “Abolish the IRS!”?

Keeping the Generals in their Barracks?

A recent petition saying that ex-generals are politicizing the army when they try to use their positions to influence Israeli politics.

Why is this Podcast different from all other podcasts?

What should we tell our kids about the meaning of the Exodus story now, in Israel of 2015?

Playlist:

Habanot Nechama-So Far/LehiyotYaFlowersLies