For Heaven's Sake

The Battle Over the Word Zionism

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

When a word carries history, burden, and identity all at once, can the Jewish people afford to let it go?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the internal Jewish debate over the term Zionism, examining its classical promises of empowerment, the push to abandon it in the face of progressive critique, and why the term means something different in Israel and the Diaspora. Ultimately, they ask what it would take for Zionism to become not only defensible but inspiring again for world Jewry.

Read Nadine Epstein's article cited in the show, “The Word Zionism Is Dead” here.

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Passover Under the Shadow of War: The Challenge of Hope

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

How do you celebrate the holiday of liberation when the reality of war, grief, and political division feels heavier than ever?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront the growing exhaustion in Israel with the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon, the profound grief interrupting daily life, and the internal fractures exposed by new government legislation. As they navigate these challenges, they reflect on what liberation means today, and grapple with the moral and spiritual questions of how to hold onto hope when the Jewish state is tested from both within and without.

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The War in Iran: The End?

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Is Israel destined to have its wars stopped by its closest ally just before the finish line?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the rumors of a potential negotiation to end the current conflict with Iran and ask whether this moment reflects a recurring pattern in the U.S.-Israel relationship. They explore America’s role in pressing for de-escalation at pivotal moments in Israeli military campaigns and what that pressure means for Israel’s long-term security.

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Watch Masua Sagiv on Get Your Phil exploring the bonds between Israel and American Jewry.

The Impact of the Iran War on Israel and the Jewish People

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

What is the hidden cost of Israeli resilience?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi move beyond strategic analysis to examine how the war is reshaping daily life in Israel, why the polls haven't budged despite a popular and militarily successful war, and what the Lebanon ground operation reveals about Israel's most stubborn patterns. They also confront the growing divide in American Jewry over Israel's place in Jewish identity — a rift that goes far deeper than policy disagreement.

You can watch the remarks by Israel's Consul General to the Midwest Elad Stromhayer to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan here.

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Israel: Winning the Iran War, Losing the American Jews?

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

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If this war with Iran is self-evident to Israelis, why does it feel so different to North American Jews?

Starting with that blunt question, in this special live episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi assess endgames, regime change, public legitimacy, and the possibility that military success could come with growing political isolation -- the deep fear that Israel could win this war with Iran and still lose something essential in its relationship with North American Jewry.

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The Case for War

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Thu, 5 Mar 2026 23:44:16 +0000

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Why do 93% of Israelis support a war that much of the West condemns as a violation of international law?

In this special episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the profound disconnect between Israeli moral instincts and Western liberal sensibilities. They analyze the "unconscious pacifism" of the West, the reality of a 45-year ongoing conflict with the Iranian regime, and the challenge of separating leadership motives from national survival.

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Watch Donniel Hartman and Abby Pogrebin’s conversation on the war with Iran.

Apply or refer a teen you know to the Hartman Teen Fellowship.

Register for our virtual day of learning,In the Face of Cruelty: Jewish Responsibilities to Neighbors and Strangers on March 12.

Join Donniel for the Florida Leadership Conference, a meaningful day of learning and conversation to process the fear and confusion of this moment and think together about what lies ahead for Israel and the Middle East.

Thoughts from the Shelter

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Sun, 1 Mar 2026 22:33:07 +0000

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Why does this experience of war with Iran feel entirely new and eerily familiar in the arc of Israeli life? In this emergency episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the strange, exhausting routines of life spent rushing in and out of shelters and the realization that these rituals have become a recurring feature of Israeli life.

Together, they explore what this moment reveals about Israeli vulnerability and resilience: the way decades of conflict have blurred the boundary between home front and front line, the existential anxiety stirred by Iran’s ideology, and the moral and spiritual questions that surface when war unfolds during the week of Purim.

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Waiting

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

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How do you go about daily life — bar mitzvahs, trips, work — when every two hours the news cycle shifts, every Israeli with a cousin in the Air Force has a take, and even seasoned analysts can't say what comes next?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take us inside the strange collective experience of Israeli life: suspended in waiting, saturated with rumors, and bracing for a military confrontation that could reshape the entire Middle East — before anything has happened yet.

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Israel's Sovereignty Crisis

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Can a country survive when tribal loyalty overwhelms collective responsibility?

This week on For Heaven's Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine something unprecedented: while Israel defends its borders from external threats, it's losing the ability to govern within them. From ultra-Orthodox attacks on IDF soldiers to epidemic crime within and against Arab communities to ministers contradicting national policy—Israel faces a sovereignty crisis from within.

- 01:35: Not Iran — Israel’s Internal Sovereignty Collapse

- 04:15: Bnei Brak: When the IDF Can’t Enter an Israeli City

- 06:00: Murder, Mayhem, and Government Retreat

- 08:20: The Draft Revolt Goes Mainstream

- 16:00: Governing vs. Surviving: The Coalition Choice

- 22:00: From “Who’s Sovereign?” to Sovereignty Lost

- 27:30: Tribes, Territory, and the Fracturing State

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Listen to “America Betrays the Stranger” on Identity/Crisis.

The Hidden Challenges of Antisemitism

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Antisemitism is everywhere in Jewish conversation. But what are we missing?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi zoom out to examine the assault on the Jewish story, the cost-benefit calculus of Jews around their identity, and the abuse of antisemitism discourse within Israel. An exploration of what antisemitism is doing to us—beyond the fear.

02:00 – A New Era of Antisemitism? Old Threat or New Reality

06:00 – Anti-Zionism and the Assault on the Jewish Story

13:00 – Jewish Identity as Choice: Will Antisemitism Push Jews Away?

19:00 – Defiance or Drift? Lessons from Soviet Jewry

22:30 – Are We Letting Antisemitism Define Jewish Identity?

26:00 – The Internal Danger: “Weaponizing” Antisemitism in Israel

34:00 – What Does Persistent Hatred Say About the Jewish People?

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Election Currents

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 4 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Israel is headed toward elections again, but can either side form a stable government?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take a step back to examine the current political climate: the politics of exclusion, the historic unification of Arab parties around domestic issues, and the stalemate that could leave Israel stuck in another cycle of deadlocked elections. They offer a clear-eyed look at where Israeli politics stands—and where it might be headed.

00:00 - Elections in the Shadow of War

05:00 - The New Fault Line: Ultra-Orthodox vs. Arab Parties

14:30 - Arab Politics Recentered on Personal Security

18:45 - A Jewish–Arab Civic Moment in Tel Aviv

26:30 - Israel’s Returning Political Stalemate

30:00 - Interim Governments and Uncertain Endgames

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843 Days, 12 Hours, 6 Minutes

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

The hostage clock stopped at 843 days, 12 hours, and 6 minutes. But did the healing begin?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the return of the body of Ran Gvili—the last hostage from October 7th—and what this moment reveals about Israel's wounds, its divisions, and its desperate need for goodness. A meditation on trauma, ritual, and the human need for moments of grace—even when the underlying problems remain.

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Trump's World

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

What can Israel do when unpredictability becomes U.S. policy?

In this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reckon with what it means for Israel to live in “Trump’s world”—where unpredictability isn’t just a style, it’s a strategy that can have life-and-death consequences. They explore how Israel’s political drift and Netanyahu’s lack of a “day after” plan have left a political vacuum the U.S. is now filling, and what it would take for Israel to reclaim a measure of self-determination in an unsteady new order.

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Listen to young Israeli changemakers from our Hazon program on the Canadian Jewish News's North Star podcast.

Iran: When the Story Changes

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:41:01 +0000

Iran's regime is under pressure—and so are the assumptions that have shaped Western policy for decades.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the "conceptia" behind the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Jewish theology of power, and the strange silence from progressives as Iran's uprising escalates. For Israelis, this isn't abstract: it's about once again stocking shelters and praying, this time for the Iranian people.

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Bennett 2026

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 7 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Is former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett a right-wing ideologue or Israel's great national healer?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi grapple with this paradox as they examine the only candidate currently ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in national polling. They explore Bennett's extraordinary transformation from an ideological conservative to national unifier, discuss his brief but transformative year as Prime Minister, and consider what his return might mean for Israel's future.

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Mar-a-Lago

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Did we learn anything useful about the future of Israel from the Trump-Netanyahu Mar-a-Lago summit?

In this episode, recorded just hours after the summit concluded, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the disconnect between Trump's optimistic assurances—"everything's going to be fine"—and the hard realities facing Israel in 2026. They debate whether Iranian regime change is achievable, if Gaza represents an existential or spiritual threat, and what it means when the second stage of victory—the political solution—remains elusive.

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Vance

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

For 60 years, Israel has counted on the United States. Is the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Israel now in jeopardy—not from the left, but from the MAGA right?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Vice President J.D. Vance's recent troubling statements, the rise of "America First" isolationism, why Israel may need to rethink its dependence on American aid, and what this means for Jews on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Bondi Beach

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

What does the horrific attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach mean for the future of Diaspora Jewish life?

Australian Jews have built one of the most vibrant, cohesive, creative Jewish communities in the world. Shaped by Holocaust survivors and a deep sense of Zionism, it has become a model for Jewish life in the Diaspora. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore whether small Diaspora communities can thrive in the current environment, and if the post-Holocaust era of Jewish immunity has definitively ended.

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The State of the Israeli Center

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

With elections less than a year away, Israel's political center faces an existential test. What does it stand for—and can it beat Netanyahu?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze the state of Israel's center and center-left. They trace the historical collapse of the left, the rise of centrist politics under Ariel Sharon, and the post-October 7 reality where moral discourse about Palestinians has disappeared from mainstream Israeli conversation.

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The State of the Israeli Right

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 3 Dec 2025 05:05:00 +0000

Can Israel's right-wing reclaim its principles? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the mainstream Israeli right's evolution from Jabotinsky's ideals of security and dignity to today's personality-driven politics.

They explore the critical divide between Prime Minister Netanyahu’s loyalists and principled conservatives, identifying three challenges facing the next right-wing government: articulating affirmative policies, healing internal divisions, and rejecting the false choice between security and morality.

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Arabs in the Coalition?

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:05:00 +0000

With Israeli politics deadlocked, could Arab parties provide the path to a new coalition? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the extraordinary political journey of Mansour Abbas, the complexities of Palestinian-Israeli identity, and the future of Israeli democracy.

Listen to the Shalom Hartman Institute's new Thoughts and Prayers podcast: https://go.hartman.org.il/Thoughts-and-Prayers-FHS-202

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Who's Afraid of a Palestinian State?

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:05:00 +0000

Who's afraid of a Palestinian state? According to Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, the answer is: almost every Israeli.

In this urgent conversation recorded after the UN Security Council backed President Trump's Gaza peace plan, Donniel and Yossi explore why an entire generation of Israelis has stopped talking about Palestinian statehood—and why their silence may be unsustainable.

Listen to the Shalom Hartman Institute's new Thoughts and Prayers podcast: https://go.hartman.org.il/Thoughts-and-Prayers-FHS-202

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Coming Apart

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 05:05:00 +0000

What happens when 30% of NYC Jews vote for a candidate others see as antisemitic?

In this week’s episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider issues of betrayal, tolerance, red lines, and unity in a conversation about whether some positions cross from legitimate dissent into existential threat.

From the episode:

Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record”

Identity/Crisis with Howard Wolfson

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The Latest Scandal

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 5 Nov 2025 05:05:00 +0000

What happens when everything becomes instantly politicized and no institution is safe from attack? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect how October 7 has transformed Israel's moral landscape, as the Netanyahu government shifts focus from defeating external enemies to waging war against internal opponents.

Through the lens of the explosive scandal involving Israel's former top military lawyer, they examine whether Israeli society can survive when accountability becomes partisan, institutions lose legitimacy, and the pursuit of political ends justifies any means.

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Mamdani

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:05:00 +0000

What does the possible election of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jewish identity, Diaspora-Israel relations, and the boundaries of Jewish community?

As New Yorkers head to the polls in the coming week to elect their next mayor, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the return of 'conditional acceptance' for Jews in progressive spaces, compare this moment to Jeremy Corbyn's impact on British Jewry, and grapple with the painful reality of Jewish division in the face of perceived threats.

From the episode:

Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record”

Identity/Crisis with Howard Wolfson

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Day 13

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:05:00 +0000

How are Israelis processing the transition from 760+ days of war to a fragile peace?

Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire with Gaza, Israeli society is grappling with hope, trauma, and unsettling questions about who actually won. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Hamas’ ceasefire violations, Trump's bear hug diplomacy, and why 48% of Israelis believe nobody emerged victorious from this conflict.

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After the Joy

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:25:07 +0000

Will this moment of national unity in Israel transcend politics and open new possibilities for transformation after the celebration?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the profound emotional impact of Israel's recent hostage return - a day that united the nation in tears and joy. They explore what this spiritual turning point means for Israeli society's future, the strategic debates around prioritizing lives over military goals, and whether peace can re-enter Israeli discourse after 25 years.

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Breathing Again

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 04:05:00 +0000

Two years and two days after October 7, Israel celebrates a breakthrough. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the game-changing deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages. From Trump's surprising humanity to Netanyahu's strategic pivot, from the hostage families' brilliant campaign to the far-right's defeat – they explore how Israel has arrived at this transformative moment and what it means for the Middle East's future. Can Israel finally exhale?

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A New Era?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 Oct 2025 04:05:00 +0000

Can a society traumatized by October 7 learn to hope again?

As Trump unveils his Arab supported Gaza peace plan, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine why Israelis struggle to embrace hope after October 7. They discuss the plan's moral dimensions, its focus on defeating Hamas while offering Palestinians a future, and what it means to believe in change when your world feels broken.

A timely conversation about transformation, just before Yom Kippur.

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The Season of Reckoning

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Can we maintain the highest ethical standards without betraying national solidarity?

As the war in Gaza surpasses 700 days and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with the challenges of moral responsibility during time of war. They discuss maintaining ethical credibility while under attack and advocate making space for the "troubled committed"—Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics—concluding that the hardest questions often come from the place of deepest love.

From the episode:

“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel

“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine

“Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed” by Donniel Hartman, Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, Fall 2021

As the Gaza war reaches day 703 and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the challenge of moral reflection in wartime after a painful week. How do you maintain ethical standards without betraying solidarity?

They address soldiers’ sacrifices, the fate of hostages, Gazan civilians, and the stakes of a potential ceasefire decision, exploring what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with difficult moral questions. They discuss the "troubled committed" - Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics, and why making space for their voices strengthens rather than weakens support for Israel.

A raw, honest conversation about maintaining ethical credibility while under attack, and why the hardest questions often come from the deepest love.

From the episode:

“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel

“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine

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Yossi’s article: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/our-season-of-reckoning-israels-moral-crossroads-in-gaza/
Tablet Article: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/uja-gaza-donation-troubled-committed-liel-leibovitz

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Sparta Nation

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In a headline-grabbing speech, Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israelis to embrace life as a “super-Sparta,” cut off from a hostile world— which begs the question: who do Israelis want to be after October 7?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the implications of embracing an isolationist strategy: was this merely a pep talk, or the burial of Start-Up Nation for Sparta Nation? What does Sparta really symbolize, and why are even right-wing voters feeling uneasy? With new polls showing 78% of Israelis prefer diplomacy over permanent siege, could a new Israeli identity movement be rising in response?

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Doha

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In striking Hamas leaders in Qatar, Israel is invoking a decades-old principle: enemies of the Jewish people have no sovereign immunity. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine how the 1961 Eichmann Trial, which established the doctrine of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and crimes against the Jewish people, continues to shape modern Israeli thinking and military operations.

As day 704 of the war in Gaza unfolds, they grapple with hard questions: is Israel a nation that excels at precise military strikes but struggles with long-term strategic solutions? What does this action mean for hostage negotiations? And how do democracies fight evil without losing their moral standing?

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Gaza City

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 3 Sep 2025 10:53:12 +0000

Is pushing into Gaza City a necessary step—or a purposeless escalation that jeopardizes hostages, multiplies civilian suffering, and splinters national unity?

As Israel weighs an assault on Gaza City, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the IDF chief’s four-part warning—military efficacy, the fate of the hostages, a spiraling humanitarian crisis, and global isolation—and whether this phase risks tearing Israel apart.

They revisit lessons from Lebanon 1982 and Yom Kippur 1973, consider if the war’s military purpose lapsed months ago, and ask whether public outrage can still halt an escalation that could endanger the hostages Israel seeks to save.

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Coming Home (Re-release)

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on January 16, 2025.

A ceasefire deal has just been reached.

In the past, Israelis have been united in elation and relief about the return of hostages, even at a high cost to national security. But not this time. Far-right MKs and ultranationalists had vigorously decried the deal, protesting any concession that would allow Hamas to hold on to power, no matter how small. What is behind their bitter dissent, and will this deepen rifts in Israeli society?

In this episode, recorded as the deal was still being finalized, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider closure, family loyalty, and the basic value of derech eretz (common decency) in negotiating the return of the hostages, and why the lens for ultranationalists in Israel is so starkly different.

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Between Trauma and Torah: Jewish Leadership after October 7

Yehuda Kurtzer, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to lead Jewish communities through crisis? And how can North American Jews navigate complex relationships with Israel during wartime?

In a raw and honest conversation recorded live at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on July 14, 2025, Institute presidents Donniel Hartman and Yehuda Kurtzer tackle difficult questions about Jewish leadership, trauma, and the responsibility to stay "okay" when the world feels broken.

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Power Meets Prejudice: The End of Jewish Innocence

Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

What if October 7 didn't only traumatize Israel and Jews worldwide—but actually changed the course of Jewish history?

On this special episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Yossi Klein Halevi and Shalom Hartman Institute of North America CEO Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield explore his bold thesis that October 7 marked the end of the post-Holocaust era of increased Jewish security and acceptance. Their wide-ranging conversation tackles antisemitism, Jewish power, generational divides, and the urgent need for a new Jewish story.

This conversation was recorded live at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Jerusalem campus on July 16, 2025.

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Judea and Samaria: The Conversation Israel Isn't Having

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 6 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In this conversation recorded live in Jerusalem on July 2, 2025, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront the explosive question: What future awaits Judea and Samaria, referred to by some as the West Bank and others as the Occupied Territories?

In a conversation moderated by Ronit Heyd, Vice President and Director of the Center for Israeli & Jewish identity at the Shalom Hartman Institute, they argue that as Israel emerges from war with Iran and Hamas, this long-frozen conflict is the next moral and political time bomb. They dissect settler violence, the failure of Israeli leadership, and why "it's complicated" no longer excuses inaction as they challenge us to move beyond tribalism toward potential solutions.

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Amos Oz, “Land of Israel” (1967 Davar essay)

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Famine

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The war with Hamas has now come at a devastating cost. Hunger is penetrating Gaza, and Israelis are now witnessing the humanitarian disaster unfolding on their border, which their government—and the world—have so far failed to properly address.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask, how did it get to this point? Where—between Israel, Hamas, and the international community—does responsibility for this famine lie, and how can Israel do teshuva for its role?

Articles referenced in this episode:

Matti Friedman's piece in The Free Press "Is Gaza Starving?"

Bret Stephens NYT Op-Ed: "No, Israel Is Not Committing Genocide in Gaza"

Ross Douthat’s NYT Op-Ed: “How Israel’s War Became Unjust”

Omer Bartov's NYT Op-Ed "I'm a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It."

Toba Hellerstein's article in Sapir: "Actually, Feelings Don't Care About Your Facts"

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The Outsiders Among Us

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A recent clash between Druze and Bedouins in the Syrian region of Sweida evolved into chaos as Syrian troops, Israeli Druze, and the IDF all entered the fray. For Israelis, the incident is prompting renewed awareness—and fresh questions— about the unusual status of Druze in the Jewish State.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss loyalty, kinship, and “Israeli-ness” as they unpack the nation’s unique relationship with certain minorities and touch on the complicated dilemma that its Palestinian/Arab citizens face as conditions worsen in Gaza.

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Waiting

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

For the second time in two months, Israel’s government is at risk of collapsing, as Haredi parties threaten to withdraw from the coalition over the conscription of Yeshiva students. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is discussing a “60 day ceasefire” that would return more hostages without a clear end to the war.

This week, as Israelis wait and anxiety builds, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi share their perspectives on the many factors that could change the country—and the war in Gaza—in the coming weeks.

Listen to the first episode of TEXTing: IRL, Allyship at the Edge HERE.

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Pariah Nation

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Wed, 9 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Around the world, Israelis are being harassed, attacked, and condemned for their country’s actions in Gaza, with even Israel’s staunchest allies beginning to reject claims of self-defense.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack why the war with Hamas has brought about such international backlash, and whether Israel can restore its moral credibility.

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Gaza: The End?

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Wed, 2 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has inserted himself into the core of Israeli politics. He now wants an imminent end to the Gaza war, and Netanyahu seems ready to capitulate, even at risk to his coalition.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the moral dilemma that an end to the war in Gaza—under these circumstances—would create. Would Hamas continue to control the Strip? Will all the hostages be returned? And if Trump is setting the agenda, is Israel even making a conscious decision to pursue peace?

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What Do We Know?

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The U.S. strikes Iran’s Fordo facility. Trump announces a ceasefire. Netanyahu and Khamenei both claim victory. But beneath all the bluster, it remains unclear if Israel’s 12-day campaign succeeded in neutralizing a nuclear threat.

This week Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi try to separate facts from hearsay and speculate on the political future of both Iran and Israel.

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A New Era?

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 21:07:52 +0000

How many times in Israel’s short and fraught history have we marked the start of a new era, and how does this affect the Israeli psyche over time? In this special episode of For Heaven’s Sake following America’s monumental entry into the war with Iran, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze this not-quite-celebratory moment and weigh their conflicting feelings: exhilaration and exhaustion, triumph and trauma, gratitude and concern.

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The War is Real

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 22:02:05 +0000

Four days into the war with Iran, the feeling in Israel has gone from surreal to painfully real, with initial sighs of existential relief giving way to anxiety, grief, and uncertainty.

On this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the parallels between this war and past operations, the difference in Israelis’ experiences across the country, and their hopes – and fears – for the days and weeks ahead.

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WAR WITH IRAN

Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:31:07 +0000

Today is day 616 of Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, and day 1 of a new era for Israel. For Israelis who were jolted out of bed by sirens and Jews around the world who have been glued to the headlines, the first 24 hours of the war with Iran have been surreal, and leave us asking – what happens now?

In this emergency episode of For Heaven’s Sake recorded today, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack how we got here, the experience in Israel over the last 24 hours, and the ways Israel and the region will be changed forever by the events of June 13, 2025.

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Israel at War – The Clocks Are Ticking

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

As the war in Gaza drags on, Netanyahu has dramatically lost popular support yet until now he has managed to retain his government coalition. But with the Ultra-Orthodox, the IDF, world Jewry, and foreign leaders all pulling in different directions, the Prime Minister may be facing defeat in the imminent emergency election.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the widening cracks in Israel’s unity and the moral abyss opening below, as Netanyahu races against many clocks to retain his seat of power.

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Israel at War – The War Against the Jews

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 4 Jun 2025 04:02:00 +0000

After violent attacks in Washington, D.C. and Boulder, CO, America’s Jewish community is on edge. Public displays of Jewishness or Zionism now seem to carry a risk in liberal bastions of the country, as a frightening wave of antisemitism emerges not from the far-right, but from the left.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the evolution of left-wing discourse since October 7 and discern where and how anti-Zionism crosses the threshold to antisemitism.

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Israel at War — A Nation that Dwells Alone

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 28 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

One of the goals of Zionism is to reintegrate the Jewish people into the “community of nations,” recognizing Israel’s sovereignty and forging global partnerships built on mutual respect and shared values. But as the war in Gaza takes a new turn, France, the UK, and even Germany have amplified their criticism, and President Trump is considering ending continued military support. Israel may soon find itself, politically and economically, “a nation that dwells alone”.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore this theological axis in Judaism that is too often abused by the Israeli far-right. Is it a blessing? A curse? Or is it a call to action for Israelis and Jews around the world to rise to this moment?

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Israel at War — Red Lines

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 22 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to fight a just war justly—and who decides when we’ve crossed a moral red line?

What began as a just war of self-defense has evolved into something more morally ambiguous, raising questions about Israel's tactics, humanitarian concerns, and international standing. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront their differing "red lines" regarding Israel's conduct in Gaza and examine public discourse on this issue, including Yair Golan’s recent controversial statements about the war.

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Israel at War – The New Plan

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 7 May 2025 04:01:00 +0000

As Israel enters a perilous new stage of the Gaza war—authorizing indefinite occupation of captured territory—Netanyahu’s pledge of “complete victory” over Hamas is deepening societal rifts and threatening to further fracture Israeli unity, pitting nationalist agendas against calls for restraint.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the cascading consequences of occupation tactics, from escalating Gazan casualties to the erosion of soldiers’ morale, and as the conflict enters its 577th day, ask: Can a nation survive when its leaders weaponize survival itself?

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Israel at War — Independence Day: Gratitude and Hope

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 1 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

This Yom Ha’atzmut carries an apt but concerning metaphor for the State of Israel: as a brushfire burns along Route 1, the annual Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony has been canceled and the connection between Israel’s cultural and ideological poles, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is literally blocked.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi test the limits of their gratitude to the Israeli government and look for avenues of hope in a deeply broken country this Independence Day.

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Israel at War — Holocaust Memorial Day

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In the wake of the Holocaust, the Jewish people defied history. We restored sovereignty in our homeland and established the State of Israel, vowing that such victimization would never befall us again.

Then came the massacre on October 7. Though Israel has successfully fought back against Hamas and its allies, the war is still being waged, hostages remain in captivity, and the evil that motivated the attack grows.

As we approach Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on what this moment of remembrance means to them this year in an Israel still shaken and hardened by tragedy.

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Israel at War — The State of our Freedom

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

A shadow lingers over Passover this year: 59 hostages still languish in Hamas captivity, Netanyahu continues his efforts to mold Israel into an authoritarian state, and Gazans once again live with the dangers of war. How can we celebrate freedom when so many in and around Israel are figuratively—and literally—not free?

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the Pesach seder as they explore how our oldest holiday can liberate us from despair and inspire us in this precarious moment.

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Israel at War – Believe it or Not

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 2 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

The Shin Bet, IDF, and Israel’s judiciary should serve the nation regardless of the government’s political leanings. But Prime Minister Netanyahu seems determined to bend these institutions to serve his will and that of his right-wing coalition. Despite his visibly corrupt behavior, he may already be succeeding at instilling autocracy into Israel’s highest public institutions.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the unbelievable recent absurdities and tragedies—from Netanyahu’s whiplash dismissal of his new Shin Bet chief and his response to Qatargate, to IDF arrests in the West Bank village of Jinba—and the choice Israelis face in allowing the current leadership to remain in power.

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Israel at War — “We Will Die and Not Enlist”

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

With the return to war in Gaza, a wave of fresh recruits would relieve the intense pressure on Israel’s fatigued fighting force and struggling economy. But those potential new recruits—Ultra-Orthodox young men—are refusing or ignoring their conscription orders, often at the behest of their rabbis and leaders.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi untangle the enigma of Haredi draft refusal. Why has this community—whose livelihoods rely so heavily on Israel’s taxpayer funds—acculturated such disdain against national service amidst a war of survival, and what can the country do about it?

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Israel at War – War and Corruption

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In the early hours of Tuesday, March 18, the IDF resumed airstrikes on Gaza, breaking the two-month ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel’s decision to return to war can be debated, but what is harder to understand is why Netanyahu, after promising to fire the chief of the Shin Bet—Israel’s counter-terrorism agency—and with a new Haredi draft exemption in the works, has chosen this moment to thrust Israel back into the fray.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Hamas’s resurgence, the impasse in ceasefire negotiations, and the fate of the hostages as the Prime Minister continues to erode Israel’s democratic institutions and divide the Israeli people.

This episode is sponsored by Wayne Robbins in honor of his grandson, Charlie Jacob Robbins’ first birthday.

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Israel in Ceasefire – The Domestic Front

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

As pressure mounts to move forward with further ceasefire negotiations, Israel finds itself beset with national scandals and crises, including a new Haredi draft exemption bill, threats to fire the Attorney General and Shin Bet Chief, and allegations that Netanyahu’s office took money from Qatar, while a looming budget deadline threatens to topple the government.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the growing set of threats on Israel’s domestic front and ask how Israelis can heal their divisions under a government that thrives off schism.

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Israel in Ceasefire – Zelenskyy

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 6 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Over the past year, Israel has shared a certain kinship with Ukraine; both countries are locked in existential wars started by their neighbors and backed by the U.S. administration. But in a shocking foreign policy turnaround, the Trump administration is stonewalling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, demanding mineral wealth from his country in exchange for further military support. In a world where Trump wields the weight of American power as he sees fit, what does this mean for Israel, a nation even more dependent on the support and protection of the United States?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask what sort of relationship their country is prepared to have with the U.S. to ensure its own survival.

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Israel in Ceasefire – The Wars of Gaza

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Hamas has released each round of hostages amid increasingly cruel and theatrical public displays, going as far as returning a stranger’s body in place of Shiri Bibas, who was abducted with her two young children and killed in captivity. With stage two of ceasefire negotiations due to begin, Netanyahu, and many Israelis, are instead gearing up for a return to war. Is this the response Hamas is aiming to provoke?

In this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Israel’s power to deter Hamas, the “cultural threat” that is radicalizing Gazans, and what kind of war Israelis are ready to wage next in Gaza.

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Israel in Ceasefire – Agony and Uncertainty

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Today, Thursday, February 20, Hamas is returning to Israel the bodies of Oded Lifshitz, Shiri Bibas, and her young children Kfir and Ariel, all slain in captivity. A fresh outcry of rage is expected from the Israeli public, not just over Hamas’s brutality, but against the government’s failure to gain release of these and other hostages sooner.

In a conversation recorded yesterday, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their nation’s deep anguish, and ask what a second stage of the ceasefire deal might look like when Netanyahu’s two stated goals—full hostage return and removal of Hamas—stand directly at odds.

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Israel in Ceasefire – Faces of the Hostages

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

It seems that every country around the world has condemned Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, and understandably so. The permanent relocation of Gazans would amount to an act of ethnic cleansing. Why, then, is Israel the only nation other than the U.S. to take Trump’s morally questionable proposal seriously?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider the fact that eight in ten Israelis are polling in favor of the Trump plan and how the Holocaust, the promise of Zionism, and the images of the three recently released hostages, have shaped current Israeli public opinion.

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Israel in Ceasefire – Trump’s Dystopia

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 6 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Voters were aghast, world leaders were outraged, and Netanyahu seemed jubilant, when President Trump recently doubled down on a plan that seems totally detached from reality:

a U.S. take-over, clean-out, and transformation of Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Though the White House has since clarified that Palestinian relocation would only be temporary, the shockwaves it caused in the region, and the reaction of the Israeli public, are telling.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi talk messianism, morality, and this

strange new chapter of U.S. relations, as they assess Israeli attitudes towards the proposal and the precarious fate of the hostage deal.

This episode is sponsored by Nancy Cahners.

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Israel in Ceasefire – Prime Minister Trump

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Many Israelis are grateful to the Trump administration for pushing forward the hostage deal, but an unsettling reality seems to be taking hold. Has Netanyahu become subservient to the returning US President, even at the expense of his own coalition? As newspapers across Israel are abuzz with the “Trump Plan” for Palestinians in Gaza, some question whether Israel has relinquished its sovereignty and moral fortitude to the whims of America’s new leader.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the President Trump’s call

to purportedly “empty out Gaza” and discuss the moral and political discourse in Israel—or lack thereof—that has allowed him to call the shots.

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Israel in Ceasefire — They’re Returning, Where Are We Going?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Three hostages have been safely returned to Israel, with more to be returned each week. But while Israelis share the relief of this long-awaited moment, Hamas is emerging from the shadows with victory cheers and a deep ambivalence over the ceasefire deal is brewing in Israel. Who has won this war, and can Israelis come to terms with the price they must pay to bring all the hostages home?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the divide in Israeli opinion,

the country’s unmet military goals, and whether a return to war could be on the horizon.

This episode is sponsored by Nancy Cahners.

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Israel at War – Coming Home

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A ceasefire deal has just been reached.

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Israel at War — Morality and Survival

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 8 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Israelis often speak proudly about their army’s rigorous moral standards. But after falling prey to the barbaric massacre by Hamas on October 7, national security has become top of mind for many Israelis while topics like Gazan civilian casualties are avoided. Are these two values—morality and survival—mutually exclusive?

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi tackle the state of moral discourse in Israel, international criticism of the war, and the troubling relationship between victimhood and brutality.

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Israel at War – The New Israeli Silence

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Most Israelis want a comprehensive hostage deal but seem unwilling to call out actions by Netanyahu which have sabotaged negotiation efforts with Hamas. Have Israel’s citizens become complacent?

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi diagnose Israelis’ passivity in the face of deeply unpopular government decisions and their reluctance to consider the future of Gazans or of Palestinians in general.

This episode is sponsored by Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar.

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Israel at War – Hanukkah: Redefined

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 14:34:00 +0000

What is Hanukkah? A military victory by Maccabean heroes? A miracle of light in the darkest of times? This year it’s something more complicated.

In this episode Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider how Hanukkah’s classical Zionist narrative of power and sovereignty was challenged by October 7th, and how the Festival of Lights has changed again after Israel’s recent war victories.

This episode is sponsored by Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar.

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Israel at War – Looking Forward

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Now that Israel has succeeded in defeating the Iranian axis on its borders, Netanyahu—and Hamas—seem earnest about a ceasefire deal. Can all the hostages and the remains of those deceased be returned? And how will Israelis heal from the lingering trauma of October 7th?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider the harsh likelihood of a partial hostage deal and analyze how Ben Gvir and Netanyahu are jockeying for the hearts of Israelis as the war winds down.

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Israel at War – Crossroads

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Less than two weeks after Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire deal, the Assad regime in Syria was overthrown by rebel militias and Hamas is showing more openness to a hostage deal than ever before. As Iran’s siege along the borders of Israel unravels, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask in this episode: are Israelis ready for the war to wrap up? They discuss the new geopolitical reality in the region, the success of the judicial system in bringing Netanyahu to trial, and the fate of Gaza post-war in the minds of Israelis who are deeply divided.

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Israel at War...with Itself

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 4 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What is motivating Netanyahu’s coalition government to undermine Israel’s democratic checks and balances, even as a ceasefire with Hamas becomes a serious possibility?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine how the Jewish State’s early decades under Labor Party rule influenced the current government’s actions, and explore how Israel can heal from deepening partisan rifts.

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Israel at War – A Big Deal?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, November 26, Netanyahu signed a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. Why, after all this time stalling on a deal with Hamas—with hostages on the line—has the Prime Minister pursued this separate arrangement in Lebanon?

In this episode recorded hours before the agreement was reached, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debated Netanyahu’s motives for the deal, and what it will mean for the fate of Gaza, the unretrieved hostages, and the psyche of Israelis who have endured over a year of war.

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Israel at War – They are Dying

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Dozens of hostages are still struggling to survive in captivity under terrible conditions, 410 days after the war in Gaza began. On this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the ways that the hostages have been neglected and used as political pawns as they advocate for the prioritization of their return.

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Israel at War – Amsterdam

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, November 7, Israeli soccer fans were beaten and harassed by hordes of masked assailants on the streets of Amsterdam, followed by calls for a “Jew hunt” on social media.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the shockwave this sent to Israelis about traveling abroad, Jewish vulnerability, and how a reemergence of violent antisemitism in post-Holocaust Europe could have occurred.

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Israel at War – Upheaval

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 6 Nov 2024 21:16:00 +0000

On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the morning after Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and spurred a public outcry, Americans and Israelis woke to the news that Donald Trump had been reelected President of the United States.

With intense political upheaval in both nations, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi speculate on how a second Trump administration could impact Netanyahu and his far-right

coalition, and what Gallant’s replacement by Israel Katz might mean for the war.

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Israel at War – Netanyahu’s Moment

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

According to a poll released on Monday, October 28, Netanyahu is now the preferred candidate for prime minister for the first time since his return to office two years ago. Has his reputation truly been salvaged simply by the success of the Saturday strike on Iran?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dig into Netanyahu’s methods of leadership and the psyche of Israelis to understand why public opinion has suddenly rebounded in his favor.

This episode is sponsored by Eileen and Howard Dubner.

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Israel at War – What I Knew, Know, and Don’t Know

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this special episode, Donniel Hartman reflects on the past year of war in Gaza and now in Lebanon; whether Israel has achieved victory in these wars, what Zionists must do to ensure Israel’s moral standing, and how the politicization of the October 7th tragedy has deepened divisions in Israel and among world Jewry.

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Israel at War – Victory?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Almost one month after Israel began its ground invasion into Lebanon with no clear objective, the path to victory remains uncertain.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss what it would take to declare an end to the war against Hezbollah, how Israel can grow its allyship with its Sunni neighbors, and whether defeat of the Iranian axis of power in the Middle East is even possible.

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Israel at War – We are Not the Same

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 9 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

After a year of grief, pain, and war on multiple fronts, the Israeli psyche has been fundamentally transformed.

In this special episode recorded live on October 7, 2024, for members of the Shalom Hartman Institute Giving Society, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the fragility of the nation, Netanyahu’s rising poll numbers, and a resurgence of existential crisis not seen in Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Stay tuned after the episode to hear Donniel and Yossi answer questions from the live audience.

Learn more about our Giving Society, which recognizes the generosity of individuals and families who annually support the mission and growth of the Shalom Hartman Institute.

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Israel at War – After Nasrallah

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 2 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

After Nasrallah, where are we now?

Following the killing of Hezbollah’s long-time leader, the situation on Israel’s northern border is more uncertain than ever. In this special episode hosted by UJIA and recorded live at JW3, London’s Jewish Community Centre, Yossi Klein Halevi and Donniel Hartman discuss the delicate balance between the deterrence of despair and the arrogance of power.

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Israel at War – From Gaza to Lebanon

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

As the conflict on the northern front escalates, the path to peace seems to be getting longer and more complex. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the recent surge in action along Israel’s northern border and reflect on the differences between fighting Hezbollah and fighting Hamas.

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Israel in Turmoil – And Now Lebanon

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:14:00 +0000

On Tuesday, September 17, Mossad-planted explosives were detonated in hundreds of beepers carried by Hezbollah operatives, killing at least a dozen and injuring thousands more.

While new details come to light, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the efficacy of this surprise attack, the public reaction to it, and whether Israel is ready for another major military operation now that further engagement in the north seems inevitable.

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Israel in Turmoil – The End of the Status Quo

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Israeli Knesset members Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have been advancing “total victory,” and they don’t just mean defeating Hamas or returning the hostages.

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the small but powerful far-right messianic movement in Israel that these MKs represent, and how the current war has emboldened their agenda in the West Bank, on the Temple Mount, and across the region.

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Israel at War – The Six Hostages

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 2 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On Saturday, August 31, the bodies of six hostages were discovered by the IDF in a tunnel under Rafah. Murdered by Hamas shortly before they were found, they include Hersh Goldberg-Polin z"l, beloved cousin of our Hartman colleague Eliot Goldstein and a friend to many in the Hartman community, as well as Carmel Gat z"l, Ori Danino z"l, Eden Yerushalmi z"l, Alex Lobanov z"l, and Almog Sarusi z"l.

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their grief and rage over this tragedy and assess the choice Israel must make between disabling its enemies and bringing the remaining hostages home when trust in the government has eroded.

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Israel at War – The Paradox of Religious Zionism (Re-release)

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on June 19th, 2024.

Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood—subsets of Israeli society today.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst.

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Israel at War – Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, and Anti-Zionist Jews

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Over the course of the 10-month war with Hamas, anti-Zionist sentiment has been brought to the forefront around the world and also closer to home, within the ranks of North American Jewry.

In this session recorded at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Rabbinic Torah Seminar in Jerusalem on July 11, Yossi Klein Halevi outlines the connections and distinctions between anti-Zionism and classical antisemitism, and how this war is testing the morality of modern

Jewish power.

For more information about our Rabbinic Torah Seminar, visit shalomhartman.org/rts.

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Israel at War – A Conversation with Yair Lapid

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Amidst a war with Hamas, hostages in Gaza, and internal unrest, Donniel Hartman spoke with Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader in the Knesset, on July 3rd at our annual Community Leadership Program in Jerusalem. They discussed the numerous threats facing Israeli society and how Israeli leadership might guide the country through this turbulent moment.

Listen to this special episode while Donniel and Yossi take a break from recording this week.

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Learn more about our Community Leadership Program here.

Israel at War – War by Retaliation

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 7 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Hours after Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut on Tuesday, July 31, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the impact of these events on the progress towards a hostage deal and how Israelis understand the purpose of retaliation.

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Israel at War – Under the Volcanoes

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The day after a rocket attack from Lebanon killed 12 Druze children and teens in the Golan Heights, far-right activists broke into the Sde Teiman IDF army base. Israel’s overworked military is now also being threatened by its own citizens.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the protesters attempts to undermine the IDF’s investigation of prisoners' abuse and discuss the Israeli army's ability to retaliate in the north.

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Israel at War – Worrying about America

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

U. S. politics

are in turmoil. In the span of just 8 days, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, Joe Biden dropped his bid for a second term, and Kamala Harris now appears destined to become the Democratic presidential nominee.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the likely U.S. presidential candidates through an Israeli lens, and question Netanyahu’s commitment to address Congress in Washington, D.C. despite the recent election campaign upheaval.

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Israel at War – Israeli Normalcy

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

To an outside observer, there are many places where an eerie sense of normalcy has settled over Israeli society, but the reality is anything but normal. On this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein-Halevi discuss the very real needs of Israelis who have been immersed in war and loss for so many months, and why we must resist falling entirely back into the status quo.

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Israel at War – Nine Months

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:12:00 +0000

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Tuesday, July 9, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze Netanyahu’s impact on the hostage negotiations and how persistent fighting in Gaza exposes deep-seated misconceptions about Israel’s military power.

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Israel at War – Political Realignment

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 3 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On Sunday, June 30, Israel's Labor and Meretz parties made the astonishing decision to merge into a single entity representing the Israeli Left.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi identify the shift in attitudes and priorities across Israeli politics since October 7 and speculate on who may replace Netanyahu as Israel’s next Prime Minister.

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Israel at War – Israel Tomorrow

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Wednesday, June 26, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss enforcement of the recent Haredi draft law, the need for new elections, and a path toward resolving the Palestinian conflict after the war with Hamas ends.

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Learn more about the Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership Program here.

Israel at War – The Paradox of Religious Zionism

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood—subsets of Israeli society today.

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Israel at War – 4 are Free

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

As Israelis celebrate the return of four hostages rescued on Saturday, June 8, the rest of the world decries the number of Gazan civilians killed in the operation.

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the disparity between Israeli and global perspectives, the moral contours of the IDF’s rescue mission, and whether the safety of one’s own people should come at the expense of others.

This episode is sponsored by Amy and Ted Kahan.

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Israel at War – A Turning Point

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 5 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On the week of June 4th, war fatigue is beginning to weigh on Israelis.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the achievability of the IDF’s remaining goals in Gaza, Hezbollah’s increasing threat from the north, and Netanyahu’s political survival as pressure mounts for the latest hostage deal.

This episode is sponsored by Dan Rubin in honor of the birth of his granddaughter, Catharine Barbara Lambe.

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Israel at War – The Six-Month War (Re-Release)

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 29 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

This episode was originally aired on April 4th, 2024.

180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to bereturned, Israel’s allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel’s failures, its critics, and its unsung heroes, as this long and complex war hits the six-month mark.

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Israel at War – Can Zionism Win?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 22 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Amid intense and ongoing international scrutiny, Jews are facing an unprecedented challenge to shape a different story of Zionism and combat the rising anti-Zionist narrative. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the forces reshaping Zionism, the lasting impact on Israel, and internal divisions within Israel and the Jewish Diaspora that complicate the response to these challenges.

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Israel at War – America

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 15 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, May 7th, President Biden paused a shipment of 3,500 bombs to Israel moments after the IDF mobilized into Rafah, drawing the ire of many Israelis and Zionists worldwide.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the consequences of this decision, the impact on the war, and whether Biden’s support for Israel may be wavering.

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Israel at War – Independence

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 8 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Is the sovereignty of the Jewish State at risk?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the dilemmas of this coming Israeli Independence Day (May 14, 2024), which will be celebrated under the shadow of an existential war with Hamas and Israel’s strained international relationships.

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Israel at War – The Third Front

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 May 2024 20:53:00 +0000

Since mid-April, protests against the Israel-Hamas war on North American college campuses have hit a fever pitch, with some critics leveling the charge of antisemitism against the wave of demonstrations.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider how this story gets framed in the global marketplace of ideas when antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and critique of Israel, lose their distinction.

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Israel at War – Iran

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Before dawn on Sunday, April 14th, with the help of its allies, Israel staved off its first ever direct attack by Iran.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss this new reality for Israel and its neighbors, and what it would mean to trade blows openly with a regional superpower that has, until now, hid its aggression behind proxy militant groups.

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Israel at War – The Victory Debate

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:08:00 +0000

Hostage negotiations remain deadlocked as their families continue to pressure Israel’s government to reach a deal, while rightwing MPs are threatening to dissolve Netanyahu’s coalition if the IDF does not move into Rafah. In this landscape of stark public discord, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi clash on their own priorities for victory in this war.

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Israel at War – The Six-Month War

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 4 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to be returned, Israel’s allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel’s failures, its critics, and its unsung heroes, as this long and complex war hits the 6 month mark.

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Israel at War – Netanyahu

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Israelis are engaged in multiple layers of conflict, both external and internal. As the Israel-Hamas war continues into its 6th month, Israelis are simultaneously fighting a battle against their own government. This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Netanyahu’s leadership, and what the Israeli public can – and should – do to demand better from him.

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This episode is sponsored by Wayne Robbins.

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Israel at War – Hope

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

From badmouthing the military to fumbling humanitarian aid in Gaza, punting on the Haredi draft, and taking a hard line on a hostage deal, Netanyahu’s coalition government seems more out-of-touch with the Israeli public than ever before. Could forthcoming elections bring a sea change to Israel’s leadership?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi share their hopes

and visions for the future of the Jewish State.

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Israel at War – The Critics

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:17:00 +0000

From the Oval Office to the Oscars, the week of March 11, 2024, has seen more vocal public criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza than at any other time during the Israel-Hamas war. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze, and respond to, recent rebukes leveled by Israel’s closest allies and by fellow Jews.

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Israel at War – The Food Crisis

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 6 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Thursday February 29, a tragedy unfolded in Gaza City during a food aid delivery.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss more than just the food crisis unfolding in Gaza as they consider Israel’s responsibility to Gazan civilians. They examine the struggle in Israeli society to engage in moral discourse and the growing chasm between the Israeli and Jewish diaspora’s responses to the war.

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Israel at War – Rafah

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The city of Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas’ power in the Gaza Strip and final stand for the IDF’s military campaign. But Israel’s closest allies have implored it not to invade, warning that this would only exacerbate the growing humanitarian crisis for Gazan civilians.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi balance the moral responsibilities, psychological needs, and geopolitical strategies at play in Israel’s decision to move in to Rafah, and whether a ceasefire now might be the solution.

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Israel at War – The End of Victimhood?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

As the IDF moves into a ground invasion in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and the toll on Palestinian lives continues to grow, Israel’s military actions are garnering greater criticism from world leaders.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on how this war is being judged on the global stage, and whether Israel’s initial public position as victims of the October 7th attacks is best serving its cause today.

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Israel at War – The Haredi Dilemma

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, February 13, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid demanded that Ultra-Orthodox Jews be drafted into the army, a long-debated move that if enacted would formally end the de-facto blanket exemption for roughly 15% of the country’s population.

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dive into the Haredi ideology behind their separatism and avoidance of military duty at a time when Israel needs them most.

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/footage-shows-hostages-being-rescued-from-hamas-captivity-in-daring-rafah-operation/

This episode is sponsored by Marshall Zola.

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Israel at War – The Hostage Dilemma

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 8 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, Hamas countered Israel’s ceasefire proposal with a sweeping offer to return all remaining captives from October 7 and beyond–those alive and the remains of those who perished–for what amounts to a near-total dismantling of the IDF’s military effort in Gaza. Could the country accept a hostage deal that would essentially forfeit the goal of eliminating Hamas’ military power?

This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi grapple with the impossible position faced by Israel: choosing between the Zionist imperative of self-defense and the Jewish imperative of pidyon shvuyim (redemption of captives).

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more.

Go deeper on this subject with scholars from the Hartman Institute:

Read Mikhael Manekin’s essay in Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas On Redeeming Captives

Watch Elana Stein Hain’s session on The Mitzvah of Redeeming Captives

Israel at War – The Politics of Fantasy

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 1 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A staggering 38% of Israelis support post-war Jewish resettlement in the Gaza Strip, exemplified by a discordantly jubilant conference on Sunday, January 28 led by right-wing activists, ministers, and lawmakers including Itamar Ben Gvir and Betzalel Smotrich. Why do so many Israelis want to undo the 2005 Gaza disengagement, and why are some of them celebrating this moment?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the layers of motivation driving this sentiment, the consequences it could have to Israel’s unity, the peace process, and the genocide case at the Hague, and what the Israeli political center can do in response.

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Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/38-of-israelis-back-reestablishment-of-gaza-settlements-poll/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/12-ministers-call-to-resettle-gaza-encourage-gazans-to-leave-at-jubilant-conference/

Israel at War – The Hague: Victory or Defeat?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Friday, January 26, the International Court of Justice stopped short of calling for an immediate, unilateral ceasefire, and instead ordered Israel to take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and prevent and punish incitements to genocide. Is this a vindication or a setback for Israel as the world awaits a final verdict in the Hague? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the trial and the shift in behavior by Israel’s government since this ruling.

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Israel at War – The Grand Bargain

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A month ago, the prospect of Palestinian statehood was a distant fantasy for most Israelis. Now, as hostages continue to languish in Hamas captivity and the IDF’s progress in Gaza tapers, the war-weary public has polled in favor of a regional deal, brokered by the U.S., that would ensure a two-state solution in the near future. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their reactions, reservations, and predictions regarding this so-called “grand bargain” between Israel, the Palestinians, and their Sunni Arab neighbors, and imagine what this transformative peace would mean for a nation deeply scarred by the atrocities of October 7th.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The poll of Israelis in favor of a deal to tie release of hostages to Palestinian statehood

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Israel at War – The Next Phase

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

After months of an intensive ground invasion, the IDF is entering “phase three” of the war with Hamas. Yet the original goal of eliminating the Hamas regime in Gaza remains distant and security for Israel seems elusive. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss whether the goal posts have shifted and if the Israeli public can endure a protracted war to achieve lasting security.

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Israel at War – The Hague

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This week, shortly after the IDF suffered one of its heaviest losses of life in Gaza, the International Court of Justice in The Hague will hold hearings brought by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide. Is this antisemitic handwaving or will this serve as a legitimate arena to judge Israel’s methods in this war?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the shock of these hearings on the nation’s psyche, what is at stake in this trial, and how statements by Netanyahu and his coalition government may implicate Israel in this damning charge.

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Israel at War – Back to October 6th?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 3 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

On Monday, the Israeli Supreme Court struck down the reasonableness clause, a key element in the highly disputed judicial overhaul by Netanyahu’s right-wing government. Will this landmark decision reignite pre-October 7th disputes in a country that was on the verge of a constitutional crisis? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the ongoing fight for Israel’s democracy, how the trauma and tragedy of the war have become politicized, and whether the current feeling of national unity can be maintained amid the resurging political discourse.

In this episode:

Talmud Yevamot on the rabbinic prohibition against the Jewish people splitting into factions.

Other resources:

The Reasonableness Clause - For Heaven's Sake | Podcast on Spotify

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Israel at War – Ceasefire?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 17:56:00 +0000

Israel’s domestic support for the war remains strong despite growing global calls for a ceasefire. With mounting international pressure to end defensive action, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore why this conflicts with what many Israelis feel is the moral, political, and military reality given that the threat from Hamas extends beyond the borders of Gaza.

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It’s Time for the U.S. to Give Israel Some Tough Love Thomas L. Friedman

Israel at War – When the Guns are Silenced

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

After the war is over and the guns are silenced, what kind of moral and political accounting will be needed? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the national discourse shaping and dividing Israeli civil society, their hopes for the future of Gaza, and their vision for a new Middle East.

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Israel at War – My Heart is Broken

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:40:00 +0000

On Friday, December 15 the IDF shot and killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza while they were raising their arms in surrender and waving white flags. The soldiers misidentified these Israelis as terrorists. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their sadness and heartbreak as they consider how this grave incident underscores the internal debate about saving the hostages or winning the war. They also examine what this tragic error says about IDF tactics as well as the combat strategy and terror ploys the IDF are facing.

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Israel at War – The Northern Front

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

With missiles being fired at Israel daily from Lebanon, Israelis are grappling with how to respond to the threat of Hezbollah in the North. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the threat of Hezbollah, the possibility and risks of fighting a war on a second front, and the extent and limits of Israeli power.

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Israel at War – Gazan Civilians

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:07:00 +0000

As we enter the ninth week and a new, post-ceasefire phase of the Israel-Hamas War, the gap between Israeli and North American Jewish perspectives continue to widen. While Israelis count and mourn each Israeli casualty, North American Jews are increasingly demanding greater consideration for civilian casualties in Gaza as well as the humanitarian crisis there. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the experiences shaping these divergent perspectives and how Israelis might approach concern over civilian life and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as they fight for the existence of Israel.

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Correction: When Donniel Hartman references the testimony of the three university presidents (min 2:38), he mistakenly lists Yale University instead of University of Pennsylvania.

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Israel at War – Genocide?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 7 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

For Jews around the world, the nightmare of October 7th is compounded by the harsh and deafening condemnation of Israel’s military action. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the dynamics of Jewish power and vulnerability, the ramifications of labeling Israel’s actions as genocidal, and the question of whether antisemitism is at play.

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Israel at War – An Enemy Within

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 4 Dec 2023 20:00:00 +0000

How does a country engaged in war grapple with moral issues? On Thursday, November 30, Yuval Kestelman, an Israeli civilian and good Samaritan, was shot and killed by an IDF soldier after shooting a terrorist at a Jerusalem bus stop. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the ethical implications of labeling this incident either an accident or a crime, the influence of the government’s right-wing agenda and Hilltop Youth roots, and the parallels with the 2017 case of Elor Azaria, a soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian terrorist.

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Major funding for For Heaven’s Sake is provided by the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation of Los Angeles. This special episode of the War edition is sponsored by Nancy Cahners.

Israel at War – Unity Until Victory?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We are six days into a ceasefire, and the first wave of hostages have returned home. The national unity that emerged from the attack on October 7 and subsequent war is beginning to fray. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the unrelenting emotional toll of this crisis and the strains on Israel’s togetherness, including mounting international pressure, pre-existing political divides, and the leadership vacuum.

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Israel at War – Hostage Nation

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

By the third day of the ceasefire, Hamas had released 58 hostages, 40 of them Israeli, in exchange for 78 Palestinian prisoners. While Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi celebrate the captives’ return to their families, they take note of the ways that this hostage situation is different from any the nation has faced in its history. They also consider how this moment challenges the Zionist ethos and explore the dilemmas the country will face as this 4-day truce agreement reaches an end. Will Israel risk the chance to redeem the rest of its captives safely if it returns to fighting against Hamas?

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Israel at War – Burying Soldiers, Freeing Hostages

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to have resilience in the face of tremendous loss?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss how soldiers are processing their trauma from combat in Gaza and bear witness to Israel’s staggering civilian presence at the funerals of fallen soldiers. They explore the imminent ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchange, and the ramifications of this deal on Israel’s security and the nation’s psyche.

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Israel at War – The Mood

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What does Gaza look like after this war is over? A recent poll showed thirty percent of Israelis favoring a renewal of Jewish settlements in the Gaza strip. While considering the popularity of this sentiment surprising and troubling, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss why some Israelis have developed this view. They ask: what it will take for Israelis to feel safe living alongside a Palestinian state after the devastation and violation of October 7?

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Israel at War – Shifa

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:57:00 +0000

As the IDF takes control of Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital, the controversy around this hospital serves as a paradigm for the conflicting views about the broader war. For many Jews, Israelis, and allies of Israel, Shifa represents the evil nature of our enemy; for critics, the operation at Shifa reflects everything that is wrong with Israel. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the struggles, risks, and consequences of adhering to moral principles while fighting against an immoral enemy.

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Israel at War – A State of All Its Citizens

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As the Israel-Hamas war continues into its sixth week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss how Israel’s Arab-Palestinian minority have become scrutinized and even punished for mourning their kin in Gaza and how Jewish Israelis might have sympathy for the complicated dual loyalty their fellow citizens need to hold.

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Israel at War – The Morning After

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 9 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

As the Israeli military response to Hamas continues to escalate, Israelis have struggled to envision how Israel will rebuild and heal once the war is over and consider what an end to Hamas would mean for Palestinians.Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi begin this important work by imagining what the dawning of a new day will look like for the future of Israel and Gaza.

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Israel at War – "From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free"

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 6 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

“From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free” can be heard at many Palestinian solidarity demonstrations today, and while it seems at face value to be a rallying cry for justice, its connotation is uncompromisingly hostile to the existence of Israel and to Jewish sovereignty in the region. Why, then, do activists abroad, including some Jews, chant it in protest of Israel’s current actions in Gaza?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the meaning of this slogan and how the October 7 massacre sheds a sobering light on its implications. They ask if they, as Israelis, can listen to this hateful rhetoric from critics and consider an almost impossible question – what can we learn from it?

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Israel at War — The Sword of Damocles

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 2 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

As Israel’s war with Hamas rages on, and the anxiety in Israel continues to grow, the Sword of Damocles hangs over the head of every Israeli. Each day brings the threat of losing another friend, relative, or community member to the violence. Israelis are struggling to reconcile divergent goals: the desire to eliminate Hamas versus a need to safely return the hostages to their families and keep our soldiers safe. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the impact of this ever-present dread and the ways we steel ourselves for, and deal with, the massive onslaught of grief we are experiencing, which will only continue to increase.

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Israel at War — Our Leadership Void

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000

In the middle of the night on Saturday, Benjamin Netanyahu posted a tweet blaming the heads of Israel’s military intelligence and Shin Bet security service for failing to anticipate the October 7th attack by Hamas. Though he later apologized, the post reflected the Prime Minister’s continued avoidance of taking responsibility, prioritizing his own political advancement over the needs of the people.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership failure, the role of criticizing one’s society and leadership even during a moment of crisis, why leaders must take responsibility for what they didn’t prevent, and the power of Israeli civil society taking up the slack in this leadership vacuum.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Eglah Arufah (ritual for an unsolved murder): Deuteronomy 21:1-4.
Reference to this ritual in the Kahan Report, 1985.

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Israel at War — There is No Justification. But..?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

On October 24th, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres delivered remarks on the war between Israel and Hamas. While he condemned the terror attacks, demanded immediate release of all hostages, and called for a ceasefire, he also contextualized the war within the broader history of the occupation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This prompted Israel’s ambassador to call on Guterres to resign and signaled to many the all-too-familiar waning embrace of global support for Israel. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the nuances of context and justification, morality and war, and how language can engage or isolate allies.

Why Is Israel Being Blamed for the Hamas Massacre? By Yossi Klein Halevi

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Israel at War — Into the Unknown

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

On day 16 of the war with Hamas, the IDF is poised for a ground invasion into Gaza, marching into the unknown. What awaits the troops when they enter? Will this embroil Hezbollah, Iran, and perhaps the US, into a broader regional clash? Most importantly: what price are Israelis willing to pay to win this war?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss their anxieties about this moment and consider the unspoken and unprecedented willingness of the Israeli public to do whatever it takes in order to defeat the existential threat of Hamas to the State of Israel.

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Israel at War — The Hospital

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

On October 17, a blast at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza killed many Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians were quick to blame each other for the blast, which has now been confirmed as a misfired rocket from the Islamic Jihad.

Recorded on October 18, as conflicting reports continue to spread across both social media and international media outlets, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the ramifications and ethics of warfare, consider how this incident brought the tragedy in Gaza into our consciousness, and grapple with the role of journalists in a time when reporting happens too quickly before facts are confirmed.

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Israel at War — Moral Red Lines

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

As we enter into week two of this horrifying war, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi struggle with the question of if there are moral red lines when responding to absolute evil and if there are, how do we define them. Noting that Israelis are entering this discussion wounded, grieving, enraged, and scared, they acknowledge our need to fight the war fully while grappling with who we want to be not just who we are at this moment.

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Israel at War — Day Five — Evil

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The number of fatalities continues to rise. As Israel's new reality of unfathomable horror begins to set in, many took comfort in the latest speech by US President Biden, in which he called the Hamas attack "pure evil". From Jerusalem, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore what it means to confront evil. What happens when the behavior of others descends from wrongful to outright evil, and how do we cope with it?

This is day five of Israel at War.

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Israel at War — Day Three — How Did This Happen?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 9 Oct 2023 20:39:00 +0000

Israel is at War. This past Shabbat, Saturday morning, October 7, Israel faced an unprecedented, ruthless, and devastating attack by Hamas. Hundreds of Israelis have been killed, thousands injured, and many are in captivity. Israelis are fighting for their country, and Jews around the world are supporting these efforts from afar with prayers, messages, and resources. In an effort to keep our listeners connected and updated during this painful and difficult time, For Heaven's Sake will be releasing episodes every few days to address what's happening in Israel and unpack the complex and distressing events of this war. This is For Heaven's Sake: Israel at War.

Recorded on October 9, in this first episode of this series on our For Heaven's Sake feed, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss their emotional response of sadness and outrage to the attack and to Israel's nascent war. They reflect on the burning question of how did this attack and the IDF's delayed response even happen given Israelis' confidence in their army.

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Could the Saudis be the Gamechangers?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Historically the Arab world, and Saudi Arabia in particular, has acted as a force in encouraging Palestinian rejection of Israel. With recent and unprecedented shifts in the geopolitical landscape, could a formal alliance with Saudi Arabia be a reality for Israel? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the security implications of a deal with Saudi Arabia, how the Israeli public might respond, and whether Prime Minister Netanyahu, for whom peace with Arab neighbors was always a strategic goal, will consider forming a new coalition.

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Farewell, 5783

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The High Holidays are a time for reviewing our successes and failures, individually and collectively, but also a time for looking forward to future possibilities. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on what they describe as one of the most traumatic years in Israeli history, the "pathologies" of Jewish theology and psyche that brought us here, and what it might take for 5784 to be a turning point in restoring a sense of cohesiveness and shared purpose to Israeli society.

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The IDF's Crisis of Unity

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

For many Israelis, the IDF has long been considered the people's army, a beloved and trusted institution that represents the nation's Zionist ethos and serves as an expression of Jewish solidarity. Now, in the midst of one of Israel's most violent period's since the second Intifada, and with significant opposition by thousands of voluntary reservists to the government's judicial overhaul plans, that trust threatens to dissolve and leaves in its wake a security threat. Complicating matters further is a pending bill that would grant Haredi Jews an exemption from military service. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore what this moment means for Israel's solidarity, its ability to defend itself, and where to begin to repair this fracturing.

Under the Shadow of Unreasonableness

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:58:00 +0000

Following major protests for the past 29 consecutive weeks and despite opposition from President Herzog, Defense Minister Gallant, the international community, and President Biden, this week the Knesset passed a bill ending the Supreme Court's ability to nullify government officials' decisions on the basis of their reasonability just three days before Tisha B'Av. In this episode Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the significance of this moment, the importance and challenge of resisting zealotry, and the long-term vision for Israeli democracy.

The Reasonableness Clause

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

For the 28th week in a row, protests against the proposed judicial overhaul continue in Israel. Saturday night's rallies drew tens of thousands of supporters, including our hosts, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain, who participated in Jerusalem. In this episode, they discuss the reasonableness standard, a judicial doctrine that, if amended, will have far-reaching implications for the future of Israeli democracy. Should any attempts at reform by the current government be treated as illegitimate? And how should protesters know when to put their foot down over the government's actions?

Who are Israel's Settlers?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 5 Jul 2023 14:28:00 +0000

Settlers in the West Bank now play a major role in both domestic and international Israeli affairs, and they are a powerful force in Israeli politics. In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk about the various reasons that people live in the West Bank, explore in depth the commitments and values of those who live over the green line for ideological reasons, consider why some settlers have recently become more violent, and discuss how the various motivations for living there have shifted over time.

The No-Longer Silent Majority

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

After nearly six months of weekly demonstrations in Israel, the inevitable protest fatigue is starting to set in. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore how to capitalize on the energy and commitment of the pro-democracy movement and ask: Has liberal Israel finally awakened, and is it ready for the long, hard work of transforming Israeli society?

The Rise of Haredi Power

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 7 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Over the past few decades, Israel's Haredi community has transitioned from the political periphery to a position of power and influence. Now at the center of Israeli public debate, longstanding resentments around the community's promotion of its own interests as well as its self-proclaimed role as "guardian of Jewishness" are resurfacing. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain ask: are there any compromises that will contain Haredi power or will the rise of the Haredim necessarily come at the expense of mainstream Israel? Will the Haredi community's surging population mean the inevitable end of liberal Israel?

Can Zionists Speak about the Nakba?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:15:00 +0000

The Nakba (catastrophe) and Israel's legitimacy are often seem as a zero-sum game: you can acknowledge one or the other, but not both. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's recent speech at the United Nations during the first ever formal commemoration of this day (May 15th) did little to assuage this polarization. But many who live in Israel encounter fellow Israeli citizens for whom the Nakba is a central part of their identity. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore these tensions and complexities as Zionists. They ask: can we acknowledge Palestinian suffering, especially in relationship to Palestinians who are citizens of Israel? Can we hear their stories without endorsing their political conclusions, and is there room for a cautious Zionist exploration of the Palestinian narrative of Nakba?

Religious Zionism and Judicial Reform

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The religious Zionist demographic makes up about 10% of the Israeli population, yet it has emerged as one of the most influential segments of society, both within the government and in the country at large. This demographic is undergoing significant change, from being primarily focused on issues of security, territory and settlement, to being at the forefront of the government's judicial revolution. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain dive into the complexities of the religious Zionist community's evolution and its relationship to Netanyahu's governing coalition.

Elana Stein Hain new book, Circumventing the Law, is available for pre-order: https://www.pennpress.org/9781512824407/circumventing-the-law/

Netta Barak-Corren's English paper on the Judicial Reform:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_r-5u_lT6TIc27SjireMrlNux1roM72C/view

Reflections on Israel at 75

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

A large segment of Israeli society is approaching the country's 75th anniversary with a sense of anxiety. Will a democratic Israel withstand judicial reform and be changed forever? Will defending the vision of Israel as both a Jewish and a democratic state help unify a largely divided Jewish population in Israel? In this Yom Ha'atzmaut episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, reflect on the resilience that the ruling coalition's recent attacks on Israeli democracy have exposed and evoked across many groups within Israeli society, as well as their own evolution and commitments to Jewish and pluralistic values.

Funding an Israel We Disagree With?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Is funding from Jews in the Diaspora problematic? If so, when and in what context? Should there be limits on financial support and what they should be? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi talk through the role of money and the culture of support in Israel-Diaspora relations.

What Happens Next?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:58:19 +0000

This week, the largest protests in Israeli history forced Netanyahu's governing coalition to put a pause on its judicial reform. Can the government that brought the country to the brink of civil war be trusted to advance a needed judicial reform process? What needs to happen to build a civil society and create a coalition that could lead Israel through the next phase? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss the internal mechanics that are motivating Netanyahu's coalition government, the key aspects of this reform that make it so problematic, and the constraints of politics on the human conscience.

On the Verge of a Constitutional Crisis

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:50:00 +0000

Last week, President Herzog publicly called for the Netanyahu-led government to rescind its current judicial overhaul plan and resume talks with the opposition. Unheeded, the government's legislative blitz continued as protests against the government gather momentum. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the complexity of the coalition government, the line between civil disobedience and conscientious objection, and how much longer Israel can continue to defy the odds as a fractured society.

Avi Sagi Article (in Hebrew) https://heb.hartman.org.il/resisting-commands-civil-disobedience/

A Pogrom in Huwara

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 2 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

This week a gunman shot and killed two Israeli brothers driving through the West Bank town of Huwara, which was later rampaged by Jewish settlers who burned cars and buildings overnight and into the day. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk through the grief, shame and devastation that marks this week's events as well as this broader breakdown of justice in Israeli society.

"Israel Is Too Important to Leave to Israelis"

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Should Israelis be inviting Diaspora Jews to intervene in Israel’s internal debates? In a recent open letter, Yossi Klein Halevi, Matti Friedman, and Daniel Gordis argue that they must. In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk though the letter and explore the tensions between Jewish Peoplehood and national identity, and the responsibility of all Jews to protest policies in the Jewish state that may be antithetical to Jewish values.

How Can We Talk About the Conflict Now?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

The recent spike in violence including the terrorist attack last Friday in Neve Yaakov, which was the worst terrorist attack in over a decade, left seven dead at a neighborhood synagogue. This happened against the political backdrop of Netanyahu's government openly opposing a two-state solution, with parts of the coalition pushing for massive settlement expansion and eventual annexation. Meanwhile the Palestinian Authority has suspended security cooperation with Israel, which has been crucial in preventing terror attacks against Israel from Hamas – as well as protecting the Palestinian Authority itself from Hamas. How do we speak realistically about our aspirations for a path forward for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore why mainstream Israeli society has become disinterested in discussing the conflict and the importance of maintaining hope.

Between Civil Disobedience and Civil War

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

For those who oppose Netanyahu's far-reaching plans to weaken the independence of the judiciary, this is an essential moment that has the potential to fracture the Israeli public beyond repair. But what will that fracturing look like, and will it turn into something more violent than we've seen in the past? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss what motivated hundreds of thousands to protest in Tel Aviv (including our co-hosts), the growing schism in Israeli society, and what a civil war would mean for Israel.

Lovers of Israel, Take a Stand!

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 5 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

North American Jews have maintained a balancing act between their commitment to Israel and their commitment to liberal values. Members of the new Israeli government have been making provocative, anti-democratic statements as well as taking positions that aren’t just complicated – they’re simply wrong. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore keeping one's love of Israel at the forefront, whether Jewish Israeli or part of the Jewish Diaspora, while responding to the new government's problematic policies.

Responding to Israel's New Reality

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:00:00 +0000

How can Israelis respond constructively to the threat to democracy posed by Netanyahu's new government including ultra-orthodox and ultra-nationalist coalition partners? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain ask how Liberal Zionists can reorient themselves, their political alliances, and their conversations to protect Israel as a Jewish and Democratic state.

We hope that Hartman has become an intellectual and spiritual home for you to make sense of the present moment. Help us put Jewish ideas into action. Every dollar you contribute will be matched 100%, up to $100,000 this December.

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The Fight of Return

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

The Law of Return stipulates that any Jew can return to the Jewish homeland and claim immediate Israeli citizenship. Who qualifies as a Jew, under that law, has been a source of contention throughout the history of the state. Netanyahu's newly-formed coalition government may seek to change major aspects of the law, bringing the debate back into the public conversation. On this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain maneuver through thought-provoking questions about belonging to the Jewish people. Is Israel the state of the Jewish people or is it the state of Judaism? Who should be defined as Jews? Is Jewishness an ethnicity, a set of religious observances, or both?

What's Next for Liberalism in Israel?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In the fallout of Israel's election, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain navigate the strangeness of this moment for many in the liberal Jewish camp who are experiencing it as a moment of mourning. In this episode they ask: How do Jews who oppose the values of the coming governing Israeli coalition make themselves heard right now? Can Israel learn from Americans' experience under Trump? Is it possible to build bridges with extremists, and is it possible to separate peoples' ideologies from the candidates they support?

Israeli Election: The Aftermath

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 2 Nov 2022 15:21:00 +0000

This is a recording of a live event held on November 1, 2022. In the minutes before the election results come in, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the campaign and then reflect on the right's electoral victory and what it portends for the State of Israel, the future of Zionism, and the Jewish people.

Ben Gvir: Nightmare for Netanyahu or the Left?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Only two years ago, Netanyahu declared that Itamar Ben Gvir, the most popular leader on the far-right with deep roots in the racist Kahanist movement, wasn’t fit to be a minister. Now, Netanyahu affirms that he would be a part of any future government. Will a coalition with Ben Gvir unravel the social fabric of Israel? Is the threat he represents exaggerated? How should Israeli liberals and moderates respond? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Israel's upcoming fateful and potentially dangerous election.

What are Israelis Saying with Their Votes?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 6 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Israeli voters have been stalwart in their political party loyalties and no amount of campaigning seems able to sway them. When voters define themselves by their party, what values are they actually expressing? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain ask what are the meaningful divisions that we can discern within the parties themselves and is the political divide an expression of ideological, tribal, or cultural divides?

#57: "Jewish Calendar = Israeli Calendar?"

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

What can public and private observances of Rosh Hashana teach us about the relationship between Jewishness and Israeliness today? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain explore how the High Holidays are experienced in Israel, what this tells us about the state of Judaism and Jewish identity in the country, and how Israeli observance is different from that of American Jews.

#56: Kahane, Ben-Gvir, and the Religious Right

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

With Israeli elections less than two months away, polls are showing that the Religious Zionist party, a coalition of religious ultra-nationalists and followers of the late, racist Rabbi Meir Kahane, could win as many as 13 seats, making it an indomitable political force. After a summer hiatus, For Heaven's Sake is back with Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain to ask about the causes of this unprecedented rise in religious fanaticism in Israel?

#55 Why Isn’t Tisha B’Av Working?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av (Tisha B'Av) commemorates the destruction of the two Temples and the exile from the land of Israel. It is a day of national reckoning with our collective sins and failures asking us to mourn as a means of preventing future tragedy. How realistic is that expectation? And if Tisha B’Av isn’t working, how do we encourage a culture of collective introspection in our increasingly polarized society? Join Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi as they explore whether national sovereignty is a condition for collective penitence and spiritual renewal.

#54: The Antisemitism We Tolerate

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

When Haredi men recently attacked American Jews celebrating a Bar Mitzvah at the egalitarian section of the Western Wall, there was little outrage in Israel. When Jews are attacked anywhere in the world, we respond. Why does Israeli society tolerate this kind of antisemitism? Listen to Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain's live recording from Jerusalem as they discuss the roots of Haredi aggression against fellow Jews and the seeming indifference of the Israeli mainstream.

#53: The Role of Truth in Israeli Politics

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:00:00 +0000

This week, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett dissolved the one-year-old government that he formed (in his words) “l’shem shamayim,” for the sake of heaven, to affirm the unity of the people of Israel. Bennett’s opponents on the right have insisted that they, too, were acting for the sake of Heaven by affirming their deeply held truths. Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain in an episode recorded live from Jerusalem as they discuss the balance between truth and love of the Jewish people and ask: when is one required to affirm his or her truth and when is compromise necessary?

Catastrophe or Salvation? Israel’s Coalition Government

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 9 Jun 2022 09:50:00 +0000

Israel may have the most diverse government – not only in its history but anywhere in the democratic world. For its supporters, this government is a model of pluralism and dedication to the common good but that is not the feeling among a majority of the public. Why is there such a vast gap between those who see this coalition as a government of national salvation and those who see it as a government of national catastrophe? Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain as they discuss why this government is failing to win the hearts of Israelis.

#51: Yom Yerushalayim: Israel’s Most Polarizing Holiday

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 25 May 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Yom Yerushalayim, the final holiday of the “Israeli high holidays,” was intended to celebrate the Jewish people’s transition from destruction to rebirth, yet this holiday is deeply polarizing for many Israelis. Why has it failed to unify Israelis around the vision of a united Jerusalem? What does the rise of ultra-nationalism portend for the future of Jerusalem and of Israel? How might it be restored as a day of hope and blessing for Israel and our neighbors? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain seek the answers.

#50: Does Israel Still Matter?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Just past Israel's 74th birthday, many North American Jews are increasingly questioning why they should have a relationship to Israel. On this 50th episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask: Does Israel’s existence make American ambivalence irrelevant? Is the content, meaning and inspiration that Israel once provided to American Jews no longer important? Though answers are not guaranteed, a lively discussion that leads to more questions is inevitable.

#49: Israel's National High Holidays

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Israel’s National Holidays, Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Ha’atmaut, commemorate the last century’s major upheavals of Jewish history. While these days are meant to unite Israelis around a proud, shared story, they also highlight divisions in Israeli society. Arab Israelis and Haredim generally don’t participate in the commemorations, excluding over a quarter of the country’s population. Tal Becker joins Donniel Hartman, and Elana Stein Hain to better understand the intent, complexity, and evolution of Israel’s national holidays, and share their favorite ways to celebrate.

#48: Pesach: The Memories That Shape Us

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Memory is at the core of the Jewish experience. At the Passover seder, there's one memory that we are individually obligated to embody-- the memory of having been freed from slavery in Egypt. What are the personal and collective memories that shape our lives? What significant moral challenges and opportunities face us on an ongoing basis? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain share some of their personal memories and explore the ways in which we carry the memories that shape us.

#47: Is the Violence in Israel Different This Time?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 6 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Once again, Israelis are struggling with the agonizing personal and political dilemmas of living with terrorism. How will this latest wave impact the delicate relationship between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens? Though fear and suspicion are contagious, so too are coexistence and hope. Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain as they struggle to make sense of this latest violence.

#46: Ukrainian Refugees and Holocaust Comparisons

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

The crisis in Ukraine is impacting the way we think about the place of Israel in the world. There remain nagging questions at the heart of the state founded to protect the Jewish people. Is our only mission protecting the Jews? What are our responsibilities to the rest of humanity? Beyond providing safe refuge to Jews, do we have a moral responsibility to extend our energies and resources to others? Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain as they discuss the crisis in Ukraine and Israel’s place in the world.

#45: Ukraine's Aliyah of Despair

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 9 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Why has the conflict and unfolding tragedy in Ukraine touched Jews so deeply? Is it because Ukraine's new national hero is Jewish? Perhaps it’s because of the many Ukraine Jews who have made aliyah and call Israel home? Yossi Klein Halevi, Donniel Hartman, and Elana Stein Hain explore the Jewish, moral and historical dimension of the war in Ukraine and how our personal and collective memories of the Holocaust impact our present perspective.

#44: Crisis in Ukraine: The Israeli Response

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 1 Mar 2022 05:30:00 +0000

What does the War in Ukraine mean for Israel? While thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in support of Ukraine, the Israeli government's reaction has been muted and measured. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the Israeli government's response to the invasion, the fact that a proud self-identified Jew is leading one of the most heroic struggles in history, and the implications of this crisis on a possible Israeli attack on Iran. Tune into this special episode of the For Heaven’s Sake podcast.

#43: Sheikh Jarrah: Analysis of a Tragedy

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Sheikh Jarah, the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, has become the focal point for the conflict over Jewish sovereignty of Jerusalem. What is it about Sheikh Jarah that elicits such strong emotions on all sides? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain wrestle to answer some unanswerable questions.

#42: Responding to Amnesty's Apartheid Report

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 9 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the appropriate response to the recent Amnesty International report declaring Israel an Apartheid state. What are the “right” responses after being likened to a Nazi state? Is this the time for a nuanced argument or a time to fight back? Can we acknowledge some legitimacy in the report without accepting the entire denouncement? Who will have to deal with the lingering effects and fallout from this report? Elana Stein Hain joins the discussion to contextualize this challenging moment through the lens and history of Torah, looking at the difference between rebuke and defamation.

#41: The Two ‘A’ Words: Apartheid and Antisemitism

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 10:41:00 +0000

Apartheid. The word at the far end of critique of Israel. And when similar accusations of antisemitism are lodged at Israel’s critics, it too can shut down dialogue. Can meaningful discussion exist when the most extreme positions on each side increasingly define the conversation about Israel? This week, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk about polarization around Israel, the diminishing of the Jewish conversation, and their hope for creating a new space for dialogue.

#40: What Does Liberal Zionism Mean in 2022?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:00:00 +0000

What is liberal Zionism? Is there a language and vision that we can offer Israeli society that the political system seems incapable of delivering? And why is there such reticence, in both Israel and North America, to talk about values and Zionism?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss some fundamental questions about Zionism in 2022.

#39: You Asked, We Answered. Q&A with Donniel, Yossi, and Elana

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

In a special end-of-year episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain respond to listener questions, covering topics from the one-state solution, wokeness, and Israel’s obligation to non-Jewish visitors during COVID to extreme rhetoric against Israeli-Arab coalition members. Tune into this roundtable episode and let us know if you think this discussion elevates us all a little higher.

#38: Christmas in a Jewish Majority State

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

What is the role of interfaith relations in modern Judaism and Jewish statehood? Are Jews ready for a new kind of relationship with Christians and Muslims, one rooted in psychological self-confidence and spiritual curiosity rather than historical trauma? What are the responsibilities that come with being the majority in a Jewish homeland with Christian and Muslim minorities?

Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain for a thoughtful conversation about bridging divides toward a more whole, pluralistic world.

#37: Hanukkah, Interfaith, and the Israeli Psyche

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000

What happens when an ancient holiday is rebranded for modern audiences?

For Israelis, Hanukkah was reinvented as a celebration of Jewish heroism, of our ability to persevere against overwhelming threats, with the Maccabean warrior as the precursor to the IDF. In contrast, in North America Hanukkah has been rebranded as a universal battle against religious suppression, with the Hanukah lights as beacons for interfaith ecumenism and religious tolerance. What does this dichotomy say about the two largest Jewish communities in the world?

#36: The Blessing of Stability

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

As Israel passes its first state budget in 3½ years, we celebrate the stability brought about by its unusual and wondrous coalition. What can we learn from this moment about Jewish notions of normalcy, gratitude, and a collective psyche steeped in historic anxiety?

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain examine the Jewish mindset around stability, what it says about our place in the world, and how it affects the Israel-Diaspora relationship.

#35: An Israeli Pre-Emptive Strike on Iran?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:55:00 +0000

As Iran approaches the nuclear threshold, Israeli leaders are explicitly warning of an imminent preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. The IDF has begun training for precisely that possibility. The consequences of an Iranian-Israeli war would be devastating. Is a preemptive strike worth the price? Or is stopping what many Israelis perceive as a potential existential threat worth any risk? How does Jewish tradition define a legitimate act of self-defense? And as we approach the point of no return, how should Israelis and Diaspora Jews speak about this increasingly realistic scenario?

This week, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain begin the conversation many North American Jews have preferred to avoid.

#34: Is “Shrinking” the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict the Right Strategy?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 14:14:00 +0000

Proposed by Hartman senior fellow Micah Goodman, the idea of “shrinking the conflict” is a new strategy for moving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict forward. What does it mean and what does it entail? Is it a step forward or a step backwards? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain discuss the moral benefits and the moral pitfalls of this new strategy, and whether it is a permanent solution or a temporary one.

#33: Is Funding the Iron Dome Really An Israeli Victory?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:21:00 +0000

Last week, Congress voted overwhelmingly to approve a billion-dollar restock of Israel’s Iron Dome missile system. Is this dependency on American aid healthy for Israel? If not, is there an alternative? Is this the type of relationship Israel and American Jews want with one another? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore these questions and the costs of such relationships.

Yom Kippur, 9/11, and the Mistakes of the Past

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000

As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 during the Days of Awe, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain take stock of how American and Israeli reality has been shaped by the tragedy and the wars that followed. Yom Kippur is a summons to examine our mistakes and begin anew. What were the missteps after 9/11 that all of us, regardless of our politics, need to examine together?

#31: Can Nations Repent?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 1 Sep 2021 09:59:00 +0000

As we head into Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our minds turn to thoughts of atonement and self-improvement, but usually only with regard to ourselves, our families, and our friends. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss what it might mean for a nation to repent and how it might consider its internal divisions and past behavior.

#30: Are Jews Abandoning Their Own Story?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 4 Aug 2021 16:01:00 +0000

Disagreement is a cornerstone of the Jewish experience. But across the political spectrum, Jewish discourse around Israel has moved beyond the realm of disagreement into something much more toxic.

In the second half of this two-part episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain share their hopes and fears for the future of Jewish peoplehood as they continue to confront the urgent challenge of a moral, nuanced, and diverse Israel conversation, within and between Israel and North America.

#29: Is “Apartheid” the New Normal?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:30:00 +0000

The criminalization of Israel is becoming a mainstay for growing parts of the progressive American Jewish discourse. Many liberal American Jews accuse Israel of apartheid, even ethnic cleansing and genocide, against Palestinians. For Jews on the right, there is an ever-growing sentiment that Israel has lost the democratic liberal camp and with it the next generation of American Jews. In the first of two episodes on this topic, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore why the discourse has become so toxic and confront the urgent challenge of a moral, nuanced, and diverse Israel conversation, within and between Israel and North America.

#28: Land of Contradictions: Navigating the Arab-Israeli/Jewish-Israeli Divide

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:09:00 +0000

What are we to make of Israel, a country that one moment finds itself caught in a war with Hamas and then just a week later forms a governing coalition with an Arab Islamist party? And what are we to make of Israel's law against Palestinian family reunification within the state of Israel—is this an act of discrimination, or a necessary self-protection against the Palestinian demand of a "right of return?" In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss what it means to live in a country that contains these contradictions and the ways in which religion can help heal the wounds between Muslims and Jews.

#27: The Prime Minister’s Kippah

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:10:00 +0000

Almost overlooked in the dramatic political changes of the last two weeks is an historic moment in Israeli history: Naftali Bennett is the first Orthodox prime minister of Israel.

Not everyone in the religious Zionist community is thrilled. Some accuse Bennett of betraying religious Zionism through his preference for political pluralism over an exclusively right-wing coalition. In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore how Bennett's so-called betrayal opens up tantalizing questions about the direction of religious Zionism and for Israeli Jewish society as a whole.

#26: And Now... A Time of Hope

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 05:36:00 +0000

Unexpectedly, after one of the most traumatic periods in recent Israeli history, many Israelis are feeling hopeful. But beyond replacing a longstanding prime minister, what, exactly, can this strange and unwieldy "government of change" really change? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss whether and how the new coalition can begin healing Israel's political and religious divisions, and they share their hopes for a new era of dialogue within Israel and between Israeli and Diaspora Jews.

#25: The Return of American Jewish Vulnerability

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 4 Jun 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Of all the concerns about the Jewish future, many of us took at least one aspect of Jewish life for granted: the safety and well-being of American Jewry. But now antisemitism is back at the center of the American Jewish agenda. The recent conflict in Gaza has been the pretext for physical assaults against Jews in New York and Los Angeles and elsewhere around the country. Synagogues have been vandalized. Some American Jews are afraid to display Jewish symbols publicly.
In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss a responsible Jewish approach toward contending with vulnerability and power.

#24: Special Episode: This War is Different

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 20 May 2021 03:02:00 +0000

This is not Israel’s first war with Gaza, but this time it feels different. World opinion and American opinion have been more vocal in its criticism of Israel and support for Palestinians, and many Americans, especially on the left, have lost patience with Israel. In today’s special episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk about where we go from here, and whether it’s possible for Israel to be a moral voice while it continues to fight asymmetrical wars.

#23: Special Episode: Welcome to the Israeli Rollercoaster

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 13 May 2021 09:49:00 +0000

Gaza, going for another round. Riots by Arab Israelis, the burning of synagogues, Jewish and Arab lynch mobs roaming the streets, and the seeming end of hope for a new era of coexistence between Israel's citizens. How did we get here? Where do we go next?

In this special episode of the podcast, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain check in with each other and talk about how one can respond to a moment like this.

#22: We Can Have a Better Jewish Conversation About Iran

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:16:00 +0000

The debate around the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was one of the most acrimonious in recent American Jewish history. Since then, much has changed in both America and the Middle East. The Trump administration suspended the deal and reinstituted massive sanctions against Iran; now, the Biden administration seems intent on returning to the deal.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss how the Jewish community can reopen the debate with greater civility and mutual respect, and explore what Jewish tradition teaches us about navigating our most intractable disagreements.

#21: Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut, and the Space in Between

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:10:00 +0000

What is the connection between Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Ha'atzmaut? Why do we mark these Israeli holidays in this order, and what does it feel like to move between them?

In this very personal episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss their own experiences of Israel’s “high holidays” and the annual national experience of moving, in the space of a few hours, from a day of mourning to a night of celebration.

#20: Post-Election Update: Center vs. Right

Shalom Hartman Institute — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 09:29:00 +0000

As the dust settles from Israel's fourth election in two years, the direction of the country's political movements has evolved and changed in ways worthy of reflection and evaluation.

In the first part of this special, two-part election series, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi define and discuss Israel's political center and its right wing as two 'tribes' shaping the national discourse.

#19: Is Israel's Orthodox Monopoly Ending?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000

The decision by Israel’s Supreme Court recognizing Reform and Conservative conversions performed in Israel has reignited attention around issues of state and religion, especially in the eve of what has become a bi-annual national election.

In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain analyze this landmark decision - discussed in the Supreme court for over a decade - which recognizes that perpetuating Orthodox authority over issues of personal status violates Israel's legal commitment to human freedom and dignity for all of its citizens, regardless of nationality, religion, ethnic, or sexual identities.

#18: Can a Joke Be Dangerous?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 09:00:00 +0000

When does a joke stop being funny and become offensive and even dangerous? Many in the Jewish community are asking this question after Saturday Night Live comedian Michael Che chided Israel's claim to 50% vaccination success saying, “I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half.” In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain discuss whether Jews are being overly sensitive, or whether we need to recognize that with attention will come criticism, and possibly jokes.

#17: Israeli Society and the Haredim: A Turning Point?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 09:47:00 +0000

Anger is growing among Israelis across the political spectrum over Haredi or ultra-Orthodox behavior in response to Corona, with massive disobedience to government health regulations despite soaring Haredi infection rates.

But why has Haredi society failed so badly to meet the Corona challenge? What are the conflicting values at the heart of the Haredi dilemma? And what does it mean for the coming elections and, more profoundly, for the future of Israel?

In the latest episode of “For Heaven’s Sake,” Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain unpack one of the most vexing challenges facing Israel.

#16: Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs: A New Contract?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 03:02:00 +0000

The complex relations between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis are at a turning point. A convergence of events – Corona, the Abraham Accords and Israeli political gridlock – has created an unprecedented opportunity for opening the Israeli mainstream to 20 percent of Israeli citizens on the periphery.

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the possibility of a new social compact between Israeli Jews and Arabs and what that means for Israel's future.

#15: The Two Israels

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Israel is on track to become one of the first immunized countries, and its public health system is among the best in the world. It has also entered its third lockdown amidst skyrocketing Covid rates. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore how the pandemic is bringing out the best and worst of Israel and discuss the cultural shifts required to establish a sustainable social contract.

#14: The Return of the Crisis Narrative

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 09:07:00 +0000

For millennia, the threat of antisemitic persecution has made an acute sense of vulnerability one of the defining features of the Jewish experience. More recently, the stability and belonging--the "at homeness"--that the American Jewish community enjoys has largely supplanted this crisis narrative. Today, rising antisemitism in the United States has North American Jews increasingly defining their existence through a lens of crisis. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss the impetus and ramifications of this perceptual shift on Jewish identity and Zionism in North America.

#13: The Future of Holocaust Memory

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:20:00 +0000

Why and how do we, as Jews, remember the Holocaust today? Is "never again" a universal rallying cry against dehumanization, or is it an affirmation of Israel's Jewish sovereignty? In this week's episode, Netanyahu's controversial nomination of Brigadier General Effi Eitam as chairman of Yad Vashem sparks a passionate discussion between Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain about the core lessons of the Holocaust and Judaism's ancient emphasis on remembering evil.

#12: Israel and American Jewry Post-Election: An Intractable Divide?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 2 Dec 2020 09:08:00 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain examine the political divisions between American and Israeli Jews and discuss whether and how we can move beyond our respective ideological echo chambers towards productive dialogue.

#11: Healing a Divided Nation

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

How does one begin to heal a deeply divided society, and is it even possible? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore bridging political polarization as a civic and Jewish value.

#10: What Makes a Politician "Pro-Israel?"

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 2 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain compare and discuss their understandings of pro-Israel political leadership.

#9: The Israeli-Gulf States Peace: What About the Palestinians?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore what Israel's recent peace treaties with the UAE and Bahrain could mean for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

#8: What the Pandemic Tells Us About Haredim and Jewish Peoplehood

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 8 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain examine the Haredi response to rising Covid-19 cases in Israel and what it reveals about the nature of, and dynamics between, community and peoplehood.

#7: How Does a Nation Repent?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the meaning of national atonement and discuss how they would like to see Israel approach collective repentance on this special Yom Kippur episode.

#6: The Israel We Imagine

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 18:36:25 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss the necessity of yearning for peace and and the courage to imagine the Israel we want to see in the world on this special Rosh Hashanah episode.

#5: Should Israel Accept Diaspora Students During a Pandemic?

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:49:41 +0000

In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss the thousands of gap-year students who are this week travelling to Israel to learn, at a time when many American schools have cancelled all in-person classes.

#4: Making Peace with Ourselves

Shalom Hartman Institute — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 20:15:21 +0000

Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain discuss the normalization of Israel's relationship to the United Arab Emirates and how it informs Bibi's legacy and the ways in which peace can be achieved.

#3: Israel and its Critics

Shalom Hartman Institute — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 03:59:52 +0000

#2: The Paradox of Power

Shalom Hartman Institute — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 06:26:16 +0000

Sources for this episode: https://static.hartman.org.il/dev/uploads/2020/07/Elana-Stein-Hain_For-Heavens-Sake-Ep-1_Summer-2020.pdf

#1: Tolerating the Intolerable

Shalom Hartman Institute — Thu, 9 Jul 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Sources for this episode: https://static.hartman.org.il/dev/uploads/2020/07/Elana-Stein-Hain_For-Heavens-Sake-Ep-1_Summer-2020.pdf