Unpacking Israeli History

Latest Episodes:

P3: War Ends, Scars Remain - Yom Kippur War Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. The final episode of our series explores wider geopolitical implications of the war and reflects on the war’s legacy.

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1okcCstf6CJAouiWPPUjSUHA0Pmq3SbxZ-I8gnz7A2pA/edit?usp=sharing

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This Yom Kippur War mini-series is generously sponsored by Risa and Simcha Dauer.

P2: Israel Turns the Tide - Yom Kippur War Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. This episode takes you onto the battlefield, exploring the tragic losses and miraculous victories of two key battles.

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1okcCstf6CJAouiWPPUjSUHA0Pmq3SbxZ-I8gnz7A2pA/edit?usp=sharing

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This Yom Kippur War mini-series is generously sponsored by Risa and Simcha Dauer.

P1: Israel's Military Power Breakdown - Yom Kippur War Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. This episode explores why the war began, and describes Israel’s shock and fear on the first day of the assault.

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1okcCstf6CJAouiWPPUjSUHA0Pmq3SbxZ-I8gnz7A2pA/edit?usp=sharing

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This Yom Kippur War mini-series is generously sponsored by Risa and Simcha Dauer.

Yom Kippur War: An Overview (Replay) Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

After the victory of the Six-Day War in 1967, it seemed like Israel was invincible. Less than a decade later, the country was taken by surprise by the outbreak of war on Yom Kippur 1973. Noam Weissman explores why — despite warnings — Israel’s leadership seemed so unprepared, why America urged Israel not to attack first and why this national catastrophe ultimately led to a strengthening of relationships with both the U.S. and Egypt.

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This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is sponsored by Andrea and Larry Gill.

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Teaching about this topic? Check out our relevant educator resources here: https://unpacked.education/video/the-yom-kippur-war-when-israel-almost-fell/ https://unpacked.education/video/the-yom-kippur-war-how-israel-turned-the-tide/

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Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media

Prisoners of Zion: Refuseniks and the Soviet Aliyah Aug 23, 2023

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*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th ***

Between 1989 and 2000, over a million Jews from the former Soviet Union arrived in Israel, fundamentally changing the nature of the country. But the road from the USSR to the Middle East was long, winding, and painful. This is the story of how a group of American students and Soviet dissidents wrenched back the Iron Curtain, guaranteeing the religious freedom of over one million Jews.

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VSbxCEDWZv3bs8Sm8elQELJpDysL0p4hch3SWo_gaWI/edit

Should Israel Ransom Captured Citizens? Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th ***

Maybe you’ve heard of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held for five years by the terrorist group Hamas. And maybe you’ve heard about the lengths that Israel went to to get him back, like swapping over a thousand prisoners for one missing man. But Shalit isn’t the first Israeli POW to be redeemed at a high price. In this episode, Noam asks Why does Israel pay such a high price to return captured soldiers? And, even more poignantly, Is doing so good for the Jewish state?

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HbAQrIlyEX8ivxrX0CkP_CPzgVd3U1_W_UCTkBt6n-4/edit

The Battle for Sheikh Jarrah Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th ***

It’s the world’s most famous property dispute. And among the most deadly. The residents of this sleepy East Jerusalem neighborhood have spent the past four decades in court. And their battle has set Israel on fire – literally. So who, if anyone, is right? And what’s the story of Sheikh Jarrah?

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16E0WhmIy70n3Pb35_dlZUZm0wvScmyCmtiEGSDQ7Psc/edit

Shadows of Justice: The Demjanjuk Trial Aug 02, 2023

Show notes

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th ***

John Demjanjuk seemed like any other middle-aged immigrant living the American dream in the Ohio suburbs. Until the US Department of Justice accused him of being an SS guard, stripped him of his citizenship, and extradited him to Israel to stand trial for war crimes. In Israel, he stood accused of ghastly abuse. And still, doubt persisted: could this stereotypical guy-next-door really have been the infamously sadistic SS guard at Treblinka? Was this a case of mistaken identity? And what is the line between justice, vengeance, and the law?

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19U0j4G961PuGuFchjagiCuhrjgCWPeytkvNkcbBQfW4/edit?usp=sharing

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This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously sponsored by Dorit Naftalin & Harry Nelson, and Barbara Sommer & Alan Fisher.

Season 5 Coming! Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

We’re back! Get ready...for Season 5, for more twists, turns, triumphs, and tragedies that define Israeli history. Are you ready? Yalla, let’s do this!

P3: The Hope, Finally, Independence - Israel@75 Apr 26, 2023

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It was the spring of 1948, and in just a few short weeks, the British were scheduled to ship out, leaving Palestine to the Arabs and Jews who had been waging war against each other for six months. But beyond the bombs and the bullets, another war raged behind the scenes. One that continues to this day. The war for the soul of the Jewish state.

This is the story of Israel’s declaration of independence – and of its ongoing evolution as a modern state.

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Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10VpS6Bh1JQ-4HTxatuSJHq4y9P1HyT9KhGSiFk-TqFk/edit?usp=sharing

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This Israel@75 mini-series is generously sponsored by the Jewish Agency for Israel - North American Council, and Ari and Jody Storch.