After Rosh HaShana, Israeli media focused on several stories. These included a domestic murder, Arab Israeli protests and several fluid scenarios in the Middle East. What does the murder of Michal Sela tell us about Israeli society? What do Arab protests over insufficient policing tell us about minorities in Israel? What do the shifting diplomatic sands in the region mean for Iran and Israel? How do these stories connect? Alan, Mike and Matt discuss these weighty matters. Join us! This episode w...
Oct 10, 2019•Season 4Ep. 145
If coalition building wasn't consuming the headlines, the possible torture of an alleged terrorist ringleader would be getting more attention. Alan, Mike and Benji discuss the case of Samer Arbid, the man accused of being responsible for the murder of 17 year old Rina Shnerb last August. What happened in this case? What is a "ticking time-bomb" case, and why is it treated differently by Israeli security forces? Does torture raise the same questions as the security barrier? What are the ethical a...
Oct 03, 2019•Season 4Ep. 144
Dr. Steve Klein joins us to help explain the fascinating but complicated role that Arab parties play in Israel politics. Often minorities get overlooked, but in this unusual week, Israelis are talking about an ever evolving demographic. What about this past week was so unusual? Why don't Arab parties usually want to join government coalitions? How do social and cultural issues complicate the politics? Are there political parallels to this situation in other countries? Are there other similar com...
Sep 26, 2019•Season 4Ep. 143
Welcome new team member Rajel Leghziel to help us figure out what just happened. The results are (mostly) in, so what will happen now? What do we find our students asking the most? Why shouldn't we ask "who won"? Also, did Liberman just win? What might happen in the next several weeks? Was this a good outcome for Israeli democracy? Rajel is a great new addition to the podcast, with a new voice and perspective and this is her inaugural episode. Join us! For Makom's full package of election materi...
Sep 19, 2019•Season 4Ep. 142
Knesset elections are this coming Tuesday! Alan and Mike gained wisdom and insight from Haviv Rettig Gur, Senior Political Analyst at Times of Israel. After explaining what that job is, and why he does it, we challenged him to make sense out of the pre-election chaos. Why has politics become all about shenanigans, instead of policy discussions? How is that shaping our culture? What are the parties really arguing about? What are they agreeing on? How will the next coalition process work, and what...
Sep 12, 2019•Season 4Ep. 141
After debating Israel's new tactic of faking out Hizbullah with staged casualties, Alan, Mike and Benji weight the value of gap year Israel study. What role should it play in Israel education? Why are the number of gap year students so small outside of the Orthodox community? Are the Orthodox using the experience wisely? How has the experience changed over the last 30 years? What can we expect in the future? Interested in security on the northern border and Israel education? Join us! [This is th...
Sep 05, 2019•Season 4Ep. 140
Israeli's are hardly focusing on the upcoming elections, but are watching the news from the Northern front very carefully. What was the Israeli attack in Syria about? Why are the public statements from Lebanon so belligerent? Why is Iran always at the center of this, and why is Bibi so focused on them? What role does religion play in this conflict? Alan and Mike lay out the facts and share their perspectives. Join us! Hezbollah on Wikipedia We are so thrilled to be back recording at the amazing ...
Aug 29, 2019•Season 4Ep. 139
Are you as exhausted as we are? Between Omar and Tlaib's bad faith Israel trip, Israel barring congressional representatives and Trump questioning Jewish loyalty, its been a pretty crazy week. Alan, Mike and Matt try to find the teachable moments in the current political bruhaha. Welcome back, Matt! Thanks for bringing us a load of news from the States. Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, li...
Aug 22, 2019•Season 4Ep. 138
After this summer's protests, the Ethiopian Israeli community was a major topic of discussion. How did those clashes with police come to be?How far has the Israeli Ethiopian community come in their decades of aliya? How are they treated by their fellow Israelis? What is it like to be a minority among other Jews? What is yet to be accomplished? Pnina Agenyahu sat with Alan and Mike to discuss police profiling and the complexity of being Jew of color in Israel. She shared her views on the accompli...
Aug 15, 2019•Season 4Ep. 137
What's happening with the American Peace plan? Why is UNRWA losing money? Why is Israel permitting building 700 Arab homes in the West Bank but demolishing others in Jerusalem? Alan and Mike join guest contributor Calev Ben Dor of the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre to get you up to date. Join us! Calev Ben Dor at BICOM Makom Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, listen to more epi...
Aug 08, 2019•Season 4Ep. 136
Ready or not, the September Knesset elections are coming! Alan and Mike are here to catch you up on the new parties that have formed, how things look in the polls, and what to expect this time around. Join us! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on Apple. Rec...
Aug 01, 2019•Season 3Ep. 135
Sometimes, feedback to our podcast takes us by surprise. Several listeners couldn't understand why we listed problems with Israel's schools as something that troubled voters. Well, People of the Book have waited a long time to get our state back, and we need to get our national school system working right. So we decided to devote an episode to explaining the evolution, successes and challenges of our educational infrastructure. To do that, we invited an expert in the field of education and schoo...
Jul 25, 2019•Season 3Ep. 134
Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and Bashar al-Assad oversee a toxic brew in the country that used to be called Syria. What does that mean for Israel? How did it become this mess? Why is it keeping Israeli generals up at night? What has Israel been doing about it? What will Israel do about it? What does the Israeli military slang, "Mabam" mean? How does citizen morale on the homefront affect the strategy? Alan, Mike and Matt go evaluate the messy status quo, and discuss what this means going forward. Joi...
Jul 18, 2019•Season 3Ep. 133
In response to a listener request, Alan and Mike review the basics regarding the Palestinian refugee problem. Why is this an issue that's entering its eight decade? How did the problem begin, what has been done to address it? his episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think!...
Jul 11, 2019•Season 3Ep. 132
Israel is a major exporter of military resources, including weapons and training. But should countries have to reach at least a basic level of ethical policy before Israel sells them implements of destruction? Rabbi Avidan Freedman thinks so, and he explains why to Alan and Mike. They discuss the issue with him, and what can possibly be done about it. Join us! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by...
Jul 04, 2019•Season 3Ep. 131
Was the Bahrain peace conference a meaningful attempt to break the status quo of the Israeli Palestinian conflict? Or a cynical attempt to bribe Middle Easterners into acquiescence? Alan and Mike debate the pros and cons of the initiative, and what a sensible response should be from the Palestinian leadership. Join us! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterb...
Jun 27, 2019•Season 3Ep. 130
Is there a culture war brewing in Israel over religion in the public sphere? If so, is it being driven by politicians and the media? Or is it much ado about nothing? Join Alan and Mike as they separate reality from hype. This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We ...
Jun 21, 2019•Season 3Ep. 129
The New York Times tried to make a big story out of a passing statement by US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. Alan and Mike make sense out of it, and explain what is (and isn't) going on in the West Bank. Join us! Saeb Erekat explains why he gives up . This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by Michael Unterberg and Alan Goldman. Please subscribe, listen to more episode...
Jun 13, 2019•Season 3Ep. 128
It caused quite a hubbub around Israel when MK Bezalel Smotrich claimed that he wanted the Israeli legal system to go back to Torah law, like in the days of King David. Alan, Mike and Matt sort out the backlash, backtrack and vitriol. What sort of legal system should Israel follow? What are the options? Join us! Time of Israel Article Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a we...
Jun 06, 2019•Season 3Ep. 127
Two Knesset elections in 2019?! What is going on? Clearly, this is a mess. We put the main actors in this bizarre and unprecedented Israeli political event "on trial." Liberman, Bibi and Litzman each get prosecuted and defended by Alan, Mike and Matt. Are there good guys and bad guys? Is this messiness part of global governmental dysfunction? Join us as we decipher the bizarre aftermath of the failed 21st Knesset! Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the...
May 30, 2019•Season 3Ep. 126
Its coming down to a nail biting finish! Will Israel have a government by Wednesday? Or will the coalition talks collapse bringing us to new elections? This 10 minute update will fill you in on the situation, and we'll bring you up to date on what happened on the regular Thursday episode. Yikes! Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! These episodes are usually recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt ...
May 27, 2019
We have all noticed the increasing number of Anti-Semitic incidents over the past few years? But has a qualitative change occurred as well? What data would help us decide? Are discussions of Jews and Israel in foreign governments an indication of some change? Alan, Mike and Matt discuss matters of existential importance to Jews everywhere. Join us! Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers ...
May 23, 2019•Season 3Ep. 125
After summarising Israel's 70th year, Alan and Mike discuss how Israel has measured up to its founders' dreams. What would the Labor Zionists think of Israel in 2019? What about the Cultural and Political Zionists think? What would surprise them for exceeding their wildest dreams? What would disappoint them as failures? Join us! P.S. Let us know if you want a bonus episode about Revisionists and Arabs. Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben...
May 16, 2019•Season 3Ep. 124
The Gaza battles this past weekend were, to some, just another round in the ongoing conflict. But for the people who live in the communities on the border, it was dangerous, painful and stressful to say the least. Alan and Mike headed down to Kibbutz Alumim to hear what it is like. Please listen to this important episode, and stay tuned for upcoming episodes analysing this round of the conflict, and reflecting on the state of the State as it turns 71. Kibbutz Alumim Website Let us know what you ...
May 06, 2019•Season 3Ep. 123
How is the Holocaust taught differently to Israeli and Diaspora students? How is the Holocaust relevant to this generation? Alan and Mike sat down with Mesorati High School educator, David Behrman, and talked about the role the Shoah plays in Jewish identity today and in the future. Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is a weekly podcast produced by Matt Lipman, and hosted by M...
May 02, 2019•Season 3Ep. 122
Passover celebrates the Jews becoming a nation. What does that nation stand for? Join us for a discussion with Professor Benjamin Ish-Shalom. First, he makes his case that our values must define our national identity. Then he goes through actual case studies of military ethical dilemmas that he and his staff have dealt with at Beit Morasha. Patient and curious listeners will be rewarded ad inspired. If Passover is the festival of freedom, Professor Ish-Shalom reminds us that we are free to becom...
Apr 24, 2019•Season 3Ep. 121
Alan and Mike sit down with Benji on the day that President Rivlin begins the process of assembling a Government out of the newly elected Knesset. What is the role of the President? How meaningful is it? Why is he choosing to begin the negotiations on a public broadcast for the first time? Can Israel maintain a sense of national unity in such a divisive political atmosphere? If so, how do we do it? For answers to these questions and more, join us! Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ...
Apr 16, 2019•Season 3Ep. 120
The results are in! (Well, at least 97% of them as of Wednesday, April 10th in the afternoon) Alan, Mike and Matt sit down on the morning after to sort out the surprises, the non-surprises, and what these results mean for the future. Who's in? Who's out? Who's in control? Want to try to make order out of the hubbub? Join us? Google Election Result Chart Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teac...
Apr 10, 2019•Season 3Ep. 119
Oh boy!!! Elections are next week, and we are all on the edge of our seats! Alan, Mike and Matt catch up on what has changed since our last election episode, (Zehut crossed the threshold, last minute Likud and Labor surges) and then turn to the issues that confront Israeli voters. What concerns will Israelis bring to the polls? How will those concerns be prioritised? What concerns do our intrepid teacher's bring with them to the lounge as well as the ballot box? Join us to find out! Our Election...
Apr 03, 2019•Season 3Ep. 118
Why has Hamas been launching rockets into central Israel? Why now? How is Israel responding? Why did President Trump change the US policy toward the Golan Heights? Why now? What will all of this mean for the upcoming elections? Alan, Mike and Benji address all of these questions and more. Trying to understand these current events? Join us! Let us know what you think on our Facebook Page ! This episode was recorded at the amazing Ben Wallick Studios . Ben is the best! JU Israel Teachers Lounge is...
Mar 26, 2019•Season 3Ep. 117
