Unpacking Israeli History
Unpacked
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Join self-confessed history nerd Dr. Noam Weissman on a journey through the fascinating and sometimes controversial events and personalities that have shaped Israel’s past and present. Each week, Noam explores the layers of Israeli history, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the cultural forces at play—drawing on a variety of sources and perspectives. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking to better understand this complex region, you’ll find a nuanced, authentic, and thought-provoking take on Israel—free from oversimplification and political spin.
Episódios
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The Scandal That Changed Israel Forever: The Rotten Business (Part 2) 02.06.2026 42minIn 1954, a group of young Jewish idealists in Egypt were recruited by Israeli intelligence to plant bombs in Western institutions, only to be betrayed by their own double agent handler before the mission even began. Arrests, torture, a show trial, two executions, and a suicide followed. Back in Israel, the fallout was just as devastating: forged documents, cover-ups, and a bitter vendetta between Defense Minister Pinhas Lavon and Prime Minister David Ben Gurion that tore the ruling party apart. This is part two of our series on Israel's most embarrassing intelligence blunder. It reads like fiction. It wasn't. Here are links to Unpacking Israeli History's 3 Part Series on the Suez Canal Crisis. Israel's Forgotten War: The Suez Crisis (Part 1) Combustion: The secret pact that ignited the Suez War (Part 2) Fallout: How the Suez Crisis rewired the Middle East forever (Part 3) This episode is sponsored by Tony Felzen in honor of Connor, and by Andrea & Larry Gill. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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The Scandal That Changed Israel Forever: The Lavon Affair (Part 1) 26.05.2026 31minThe scandal that changed Israel forever began with a failed secret operation in Egypt in 1954. Young Egyptian Jews, recruited by Israeli intelligence, were sent on a mission meant to protect the Jewish state. But the operation collapsed in betrayal, arrests, torture, and cover-ups. The fallout shattered public trust, ripped apart Israel’s leadership, and transformed the country’s politics for decades to come. Part 1 sets the stage: the fragile world of Egyptian Jewry, the fear gripping six-year-old Israel, and the catastrophic decisions that doomed a group of young idealists. Here are links to past episodes about the Mossad: The Mossad: Three Tales of Assassination Intelligence Operations That Shaped Israel’s Story with Ronen Bergman, LIVE in Los Angeles This episode is sponsored by Tony Felzen in honor of Connor, and by Andrea & Larry Gill. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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How to Kill Israeli Self-Criticism 21.05.2026 39minIsrael is no stranger to self-examination. In 1948, Ben-Gurion distributed a poem accusing Israeli soldiers of murder. In 1982, hundreds of thousands demanded accountability after Sabra and Shatila. In 2016, the IDF convicted Elor Azaria. But in a post-October 7 world of delegitimization and libels leveled at the Jewish state, that tradition is under strain. Noam unpacks the controversy around Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times column, explores Israel’s long, remarkable history of holding itself morally accountable, and examines why, in the face of fierce global condemnation, the country has suddenly become ultra-defensive. This episode is in memory of Leo M. Bernstein. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Real abuse, Reckless Reporting: Haviv Rettig Gur Dissects Kristof's Israel Prison Story 19.05.2026 56minJournalist Haviv Rettig Gur joins Noam to respond to Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column alleging sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces. They examine the sourcing, the suspicious timing relative to a major Hamas sexual violence report, and ask the hardest question: how do Jews stay morally serious about real problems within Israeli society when the world holds them to a standard applied to no one else? Listener note: this episode contains strong language. Read and listen to Haviv Rettig Gur's response here: The Paper Trail of Nicholas Kristof’s Smear Is Nicholas Kristof Right? The Civil Commission’s Report on Oct 7th Sexual Violence - Silenced NO More This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously sponsored by Andrea and Larry Gill and Jody and Ari Storch. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Masada: The Making of a Myth (Part 2) 12.05.2026 50minHow did an ancient story of mass suicide become the cornerstone of Israeli national identity? In Part 2, Noam traces Masada's unlikely revival, from forgotten footnote to rallying cry in the shadow of the Holocaust. But the story rests on a single source: Josephus, a man who surrendered to Rome and wrote under Roman patronage. That's the power of myth. And Noam explores: should Masada remain a national icon?" Masada – In the Light of Halakhah by Dov I. Frimer Ari Shavit, My Promised Land Yael Zerubavel, Recovered Roots: Collective Memory and the Making of Israeli National Tradition This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously sponsored by the Zalik Foundation Junior Board. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Masada: The Siege That Became a Legend (Part 1) 05.05.2026 45minA mountaintop. A siege. A mass death that became legend. But what if the story of Masada isn’t what we think it is? In this episode, we go back 2,000 years to the final days of the Jewish revolt against Rome, where a group of rebels made a choice that would echo through history. Along the way, we unpack the factions, the violence, and the devastating collapse of Judean society, and we ask a simple but unsettling question: How much of this story is history, how much is myth, and what does it mean to us, today, as we think about the development of Israeli history? For more about Josephus, see this episode of Jewish History Nerds. Herod the Great: Jewish King in a Roman World by By Martin Goodman This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously dedicated by Avi and Debra Naider in loving memory of Ari Deshe . To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Live with Rachel Goldberg-Polin: Grief, Faith and Hersh 29.04.2026 1h 8minWhen Rachel Goldberg-Polin buried her son Hersh, she heard part of herself go into the ground with him. Recorded live before nearly 1,000 people at Temple Judea in Miami, Rachel joins host Noam Weissman to discuss her new memoir, sharing how writing became a way to survive unbearable grief and asking what it means to keep going when the person who was your whole world is gone. Drawing on Jewish theology, Viktor Frankl, and a prophetic journal entry Hersh wrote as a teenager, Rachel wrestles with how hope and despair can coexist. When We See You Again, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Jon Polin https://whenweseeyouagainbook.com/ Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Franklhttps://www.beacon.org/Mans-Search-for-Meaning-P602.aspx A Fine Line Searching for Balance Among Mountains by Graham Zimmerman https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/a-fine-line-searching-for-balance-among-mountains This episode was sponsored by Neil and Pam Weissman. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Live from London with Scott Galloway: Why the Jewish People Need Better Storytellers 28.04.2026 1h 11minScott Galloway is one of the most influential voices in the world. He's a professor, bestselling author, and podcaster with millions of followers. What most people don't know: he's also proudly Jewish. Recorded live in London, Noam sits down with Galloway for a rare, unfiltered conversation about his Jewish awakening after October 7th, why Israel keeps losing the story war, and why he's no longer staying quiet. Notes on Being a Man by Scott Galloway: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Notes-on-Being-a-Man/Scott-Galloway/9781668084359 No Mercy/No Malice Newsletter, May 2023 https://www.profgalloway.com/storytelling/ How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks https://www.amazon.com/How-Know-Person-Seeing-Others/dp/059323006X This episode was sponsored by Carol and Adam Reich. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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What Hasan Piker Got Wrong About Einstein and Zionism 23.04.2026 35minHasan Piker weaponized Albert Einstein on Pod Save America to condemn Zionism. But he left out most of the story. Noam addresses Piker's troubling statements about Einstein by tracing his full relationship with Zionism, exposing how a confident but incomplete portrait collapses under the weight of the full historical record. The Problem with Hasan Piker's Einstein Story, by Yair Rosenberg: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/deep-shtetl/ Check out our past episodes of Unpacking Israeli History on topics including Deir Yassin, Hamas, Sabra and Shatila and the Right of Return. https://unpacked.media/podcast-series/unpacking-israeli-history/ For more on the topic, listen to Jewish History Nerds' recent episode Albert Einstein: Was he a Zionist? https://unpacked.media/albert-einstein-was-he-a-zionist-part-2/ This episode was sponsored by Travis Terry and Cathy and Barbara Malamut. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Israel's Greatest Paradox with Micah Goodman 21.04.2026 1h 13minWhy did Israel's enemies, Sinwar, Khamenei and Nasrallah, all believe Israel was on the verge of collapse? Israeli philosopher Micah Goodman joins Noam to reveal the deep misreading of Israeli society at the heart of that miscalculation. They unpack why Israel's hybrid of radical individualism and fierce collectivism is its greatest strategic asset, and why the world keeps getting it wrong. Here is a link to Micah Goodman's work: https://micahgoodman.com/en/books/ Note: This episode was recorded on April 7, 2026, one day before the region reached a fragile ceasefire. This episode was sponsored by Barbara Sommer & Alan Fisher and Andrea & Larry Gill. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Is Israeli-Palestinian Peace Still Possible? Ittay Flescher Says Yes 14.04.2026 58minHost Noam Weissman sits down with Ittay Flescher, educator and education director at Seeds of Peace in Jerusalem, for an honest conversation about whether Israeli Palestinian peace is still possible after October 7th. Ittay, author of The Holy and the Broken, walks Noam through the major frameworks for resolving the conflict, from the two state solution to his preferred model, a confederation. Noam presses on trust, polling trends, and the enormous risks any peace proposal carries. Ultimately, this is a conversation that grapples with whether hope, in the face of devastating loss on both sides, is naive or necessary. Resources for readers of The Holy and the Broken, including where to purchase the book, how to read news from multiple sources, and build communities of dialogue and empathy, are available on Ittay's website at:https://www.ittay.au/what-can-i-do This episode is dedicated in memory of Armand Lindenbaum, the grandson of Rav Avigdor Amiel, by his wife, Jean, and children, Felice, Amiel, and Ariel Lindenbaum-Sebag. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Revisiting Osirak: The Airstrike That Shocked the World 07.04.2026 38minWe're revisiting one of our most important episodes: the story of Operation Opera, Israel's 1981 surprise airstrike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor, because the questions it raises feel more urgent than ever. As Israel confronts Iran, what do you do about a threat that isn't fully here yet but you believe is coming? Begin faced that exact dilemma, defied the entire world, and established the Begin Doctrine in the process. With Passover approaching, a holiday about the courage to act before it's too late, this one hits differently right now. Ronen Bergman's Rise and Kill First Israel’s 2007 submission to the Eurovision competition: Push the Button Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Holy Wars and Sacred Ground: Live from Atlanta with Yardena Schwartz 31.03.2026 1h 6minIn this special live episode from Atlanta, Noam Weissman sits down with journalist and author Yardena Schwartz to explore two of the most contested places on earth: Al-Aqsa and Hebron. Drawing on Yardena's book Ghosts of a Holy War, they unpack six pivotal but underknown moments in the conflict's history, from the 1903 Kishinev pogrom to the 1977 Mahapach. Along the way, they trace how disinformation, religious identity, and competing claims to sacred ground shaped the crisis we see today. Please follow Yardena Schwartz's website and learn more about Ghosts of a Holy War. https://www.yardenaschwartz.com/ https://www.instagram.com/yardenas Filmed live at The Dupree: www.thedupree.org Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Israel Open Mic: What Does the Shekel Reveal About Israel? 24.03.2026 38minA listener question about Israel's currency sends Noam on a fascinating journey through Jewish history. From secretly printing Israel's first bills in New York to battling hyperinflation to the surprising decision to put poets on today's shekel. Four currencies, 78 years, and one remarkable story about what a country's money says about its soul. Here is a link to Jewish History Nerds: The Roman Coins that Celebrated the Fall of Judea https://unpacked.media/juda-capta-the-roman-coins-that-celebrated-the-fall-of-judea/ Here is a link to the sources used in this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fNCJv2670mWNDgHz5JbLEbgT1MqH4v9yr_CgEH2SxDQ/edit?usp=sharing This episode was generously sponsored by the Zalik Foundation Junior Board. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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The Kibbutz Movement : From Frontier Defense to Modern Israel (Part 2) 17.03.2026 36minIn Part 2 of our series on the history of the kibbutz, Noam Weissman explores how these communal villages helped shape Israel’s borders, identity, and culture. From frontier defense and the battles of 1948 to privatization and change, the kibbutz movement evolved dramatically, yet its core ethos of community and collective responsibility still endures. Here is the link to learn more about Kibbutzim: https://kibbutzvolunteers.org.il/program Here is a link to sources used in the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iROxgkVz-65IRT_DVfmBNEfmxaZLh4V4EbDLXHlPeOg/edit?usp=sharing This episode was generously sponsored by Friedkin Philanthropies and the Koret Foundation, and is inspired by ISRAEL 21c. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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The Iran War Explained with Haviv Rettig Gur 12.03.2026 55minAs war between Israel and Iran intensifies, Noam Weissman sits down with journalist Haviv Rettig Gur to unpack what’s really driving the conflict. Is this about stopping Iran’s nuclear program, American strategy, or Israeli politics? Using a “Pick Your Theory” framework, they examine the biggest explanations, and what this historic moment means for Israel and the Middle East. This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously sponsored in memory of Leo Bernstein and also by Andrea and Larry Gill. If you want to sponsor an episode of Unpacking Israeli History or just say hey, be in touch at noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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The Kibbutz Movement: Israel’s Radical Social Experiment (Part 1) 10.03.2026 35minWhat is a kibbutz, and why did it play such an outsized role in Israeli history? In Part 1 of this two-part series, Noam Weissman traces the origins of the kibbutz movement back to Degania, the first kibbutz, founded in 1910 by young Jewish pioneers of the Second Aliyah. He explores the ideals that shaped early kibbutz life—socialism, egalitarianism, collective labor, and a deep connection to the land—along with radical experiments in communal living. This episode examines how the kibbutz helped forge the Zionist “New Jew” and why its legacy still resonates today. This episode was generously sponsored by Friedkin Philanthropies and the Koret Foundation, and is inspired by ISRAEL 21c. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Here is a link to sources used in the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iROxgkVz-65IRT_DVfmBNEfmxaZLh4V4EbDLXHlPeOg/edit?usp=sharing Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Special Episode: For Such a Time as This: Purim, Persia, and the Iran War 03.03.2026 25minMissiles in the sky. Purim on the calendar. As Israel confronts Iran, Noam steps back from the headlines and turns to the Book of Esther, a story of genocide threatened, courage summoned, and history reversed at just the right moment. From ancient Persia to October 7th, Jewish history has followed a pattern: catastrophe, response, rebuilding. This episode is not a news update. It is a reflection on timing, resilience, unity, and what it means to live through history. Do we respond with sackcloth, or with action? For such a time as this. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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What Became of Zionism?: The History of Israel (Part 5 of 5) 03.03.2026 51minIn the finale of our five-part series on the Jewish people’s ancient relationship to the Land of Israel, we move into the modern era, when Israel’s deepest challenges emerged not only from its borders but from within its own society. Noam traces the political, social, and moral upheavals that reshaped the country, carrying the story into the tensions of recent decades and the trauma and solidarity of October 7th. Noam reflects on Zionism as an unfinished project; one that calls for renewed purpose, shared responsibility, and the courage to begin again. Note: This episode was created before the start of the current conflict with Iran. This episode of Unpacking Israeli History is generously sponsored by Debra and Avi Naider and Jody and Ari Storch. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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Emergency Episode: Inside the Attack on Iran with Avi Melamed 01.03.2026 50minIn this special episode, Noam Weissman sits down with Middle East expert and former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed to unpack the forces driving the Israel–Iran–U.S. confrontation. From the Sunni–Shiite split to Iran’s 1979 Islamic takeover, Avi explains how theology, grievance, and ideology shaped the Islamic Republic. He explores how Tehran’s proxy network, from Hezbollah to the Houthis, turned the Israeli–Palestinian conflict into a driver of regional escalation. They also confront the urgent question: What happens next? The New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/02/25/opinion/iran-protests-doctors.html Inside the Middle East: https://insidethemiddle-east.com/intelligence-experiences-meet-avi-melamed/ This episode is dedicated in memory of Armand Lindenbaum, the grandson of Rav Avigdor Amiel, by his wife, Jean, and children, Felice, Amiel, and Ariel Lindenbaum-Sebag Visit jewishlives.org to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. Check out this episode on Youtube. This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- Visit jewishlives.org/ to explore and buy books from the Jewish Lives book series. Use the discount code JLIFE to get a discount. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews
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