Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas

Епізоди

• When the Left Left the Jews - with Batya Ungar-Sargon 01.07.2026 22хв

  For generations, American Jews were among the Democratic Party's most loyal supporters, seeing liberal politics as a natural extension of Jewish values. Today, that relationship is under increasing strain. Host Aviva Klompas sits down with columnist, television host, and author Batya Ungar-Sargon to discuss her new book, The Jews and the Left. Together, they examine how a century-long political alliance evolved—and why so many Jews now feel politically and culturally homeless. They explore ...
• Suicidal Empathy – with Gad Saad 24.06.2026 37хв

  Empathy is usually considered one of humanity's greatest virtues. But what happens when empathy becomes untethered from reality? In this episode, host Aviva Klompas sits down with Dr. Gad Saad to discuss his new book, Suicidal Empathy. Drawing on evolutionary psychology, cultural analysis, and his own experiences growing up Jewish in Lebanon before fleeing civil war, Saad argues that many Western societies have become reluctant to judge ideas, behaviors, and ideologies on their merits—even w...
• From Medieval Myths to Modern Jew-Hatred - with Flora Cassen 22.06.2026 43хв

  What does a 14th-century stained glass window in a Brussels cathedral have to do with a "Jew hunt" in the streets of Amsterdam in 2024 or the slogans appearing on American campuses after October 7? Professor Flora Cassen joins Dr. Rachel Fish to discuss her new book, Stained Glass: A Reflective History of Antisemitism, and to explore how antisemitism has taken shape across different places and historical periods. Drawing on both her scholarly work on European Jewish history and her pers...
• Qatar Buys America – with Jonathan Schanzer 17.06.2026 24хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Qatar is one of the smallest countries in the world. Yet according to a new report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, it has invested more than $400 billion in the United States over the past fifteen years. Where has that money gone? And what does Qatar hope to gain in return? In this episode, Aviva Klompas speaks with Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Direct...
• The Iran Deal – with Jonathan Schanzer 15.06.2026 21хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. One year after the United States and Israel launched a war that devastated Iran's military leadership and nuclear infrastructure, Washington and Tehran say they have reached an agreement to formally end the conflict. But what exactly is in the deal? In this episode, Aviva Klompas speaks with Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democ...
• Much Ado About Iran – with Andrew Fox 08.06.2026 21хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. For weeks, President Trump has insisted that Washington and Tehran are on the verge of a deal. But events over the last 24 hours tell a different story. Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel. Israel struck targets inside Iran. The Houthis launched a missile from Yemen. And once again, the region finds itself balancing between diplomacy and escalation. In this episod...
• Israel’s Red Line – with Dr. Michael Oren 03.06.2026 21хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. As the Trump administration weighs its next move on Iran, Israel faces a familiar but uncomfortable question: What happens if Washington reaches a deal that Jerusalem believes leaves the Iranian threat unresolved? In this episode, Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Michael Oren about the lessons of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, how Israel should navigate disagreements w...
• Hope – with Rachel Goldberg-Polin 27.05.2026 42хв

  After fighting publicly for the return of her son Hersh from Gaza, Rachel Goldberg-Polin joins the podcast to reflect on grief, uncertainty, love, and the challenge of continuing to live after profound loss. Drawing from her new book When We See You Again, Rachel speaks with her characteristic honesty about the experience of mourning, the pressure people feel to “get better,” and why she believes grief is not something to overcome, but an expression of enduring love. She reflects on the stor...
• Antisemitism Has a Big Future – with Hussein Abubakr Mansour 20.05.2026 56хв

  Hussain Abubakr Mansour joins Dr. Rachel Fish to examine antisemitism, antizionism, and the ideological currents shaping American public life after October 7. Mansour reflects on growing up in a society where Jews were largely absent but antisemitic ideas were culturally omnipresent, and how his study of Jewish history, Zionism, and Hebrew led him to radically different conclusions. The conversation explores how antisemitism became central to modern Arab political identity, the challenge of e...
• Heroes And Symbols – with Matti Friedman 13.05.2026 25хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Hannah Senesh is one of the most iconic figures of Israel’s pre-state history - a young poet and parachutist whose story has become part of national memory. But who was she beyond the symbol, and what can her story still teach us today? Host Aviva Klompas speaks with Matti Friedman about his new book Out of the Sky, which revisits the story of Senesh and the Jewish para...
• Gazology – with Matti Friedman 06.05.2026 25хв

  In the two and a half years since the Gaza war began, a new body of writing has taken hold, one that claims to explain not just the conflict, but the world itself. In this episode, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Matti Friedman about his essay Introduction to Gazology. He argues that this emerging genre isn’t really about Gaza as a place, but uses it as a framework to interpret global politics, morality, and power. They discuss why this narrative has gained traction after October 7, the ...
• Peace with Lebanon? – with Ambassador Yechiel Leiter 30.04.2026 21хв

  After months of tension along Israel’s northern border, a fragile ceasefire has opened the door to renewed diplomacy between Israel and Lebanon. But with Hezbollah rejecting the agreement and the Lebanese government constrained in its ability to act, the path forward is anything but clear. Aviva Klompas speaks with Ambassador Yechiel Leiter about the latest round of U.S.-brokered talks in Washington and what they are actually trying to achieve. They discuss whether talk of peace is realistic,...
• Lighten Up – with Michael Rapaport 27.04.2026 24хв

  After weeks of heavy headlines - from multiple conflicts to rising antisemitism and political tension - we’re switching things up. Host Aviva Klompas is joined by actor and comedian Michael Rapaport to talk about everything from Jewish holidays to pop culture, life hacks, random obsessions, the unexpected things bringing joy right now, and the kind of advice that sticks. They also check in on Rapaport’s campaign to be New York City’s next mayor – if you have ideas for slogans, theme mus...
• The State of the State at 78 – with Dr. Einat Wilf 22.04.2026 26хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. On Israel’s 78th Independence Day, we reflect on what the Jewish state means today, and why it still matters. Aviva Klompas sits down with Dr. Einat Wilf to explore the enduring idea of Zionism - how it is being challenged, misunderstood, and defended in a rapidly shifting global conversation. They discuss Israel’s central role in Jewish life, the widening gap between I...
• Remembering Daniel – with Rabbi Doron Perez 20.04.2026 34хв

  As Israel marks Yom HaZikaron - the country’s day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terror - this year carries added weight, unfolding in the shadow of an ongoing war and fresh loss still felt across the country. In this episode, Aviva Klompas speaks with Rabbi Doron Perez, whose son, Captain Daniel Perez, was killed on October 7 while defending Israel’s border. Taken hostage after his tank was overrun, Daniel’s remains were returned months later as part of a ceasefire agreeme...
• A War Without a Winner? – with Jonathan Schanzer 16.04.2026 26хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. After the collapse of U.S.–Iran talks, Washington has turned to a new approach - imposing a naval blockade aimed at cutting off Iran’s ability to leverage the Strait of Hormuz. The goal is to apply economic pressure without escalating into a broader military campaign. But whether that pressure changes Tehran’s behavior remains an open question. In this episode, host Avi...
• No Deal - with Dr. Michael Oren 13.04.2026 26хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad ended without a deal, leaving the ceasefire on shaky ground and major questions unanswered. In this episode, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Michael Oren about what the breakdown means and where things may be headed. They examine whether the damage inflicted on Iran translates into lasting strategic gains, or if the regime retains enough ...
• Who Won the War? – with Eli Lake 10.04.2026 22хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. After five weeks of fighting, the United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, halting strikes and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But while the immediate crisis may be paused, the bigger questions are far from resolved. In this episode, host Aviva Klompas speaks with journalist Eli Lake about what this moment represents. Has the war ended and if so, who ...
• Settler Violence – with Yossi Klein Halevi 06.04.2026 27хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Global attention is focused on the war with Iran, but another issue is unfolding that raises urgent moral and political questions – the spike in attacks by Jewish extremists against Palestinians in the West Bank, or Judea and Samaria. In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Yossi Klein Halevi about settler violence - how widespread it is an...
• Is the Iran War Ramping Up or Winding Down – with Dan Shapiro 31.03.2026 25хв

  We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas. Iran has taken significant hits to its leadership and infrastructure, yet the regime remains in place, continues to project power across the region, and retains the ability to disrupt global energy markets. So where does that leave us? In this episode, host Aviva Klompas sits down with Ambassador Daniel Shapiro to examine what this campaign has achieved, whether the Uni...