Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode on Israel's Independence Day. Today, we will step back in time and attempt to get into prime minister David Ben-Gurion’s state of mind as the Jewish state is declared in 1948. We speak about the divided nation -- even as it was fighting for its mere survival against enem...
May 01, 2025•31 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode on Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror. Since February, the IDF has begun releasing a series of probes into the disasters on and leading up to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre of some 1,200 and 250 hostages taken to Gaza...
Apr 30, 2025•17 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid and political correspondent Sam Sokol join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As an Israeli official states that Qatar isn't being helpful in the hostage talks and an Arab official tells The Times of Israel that reports are being manufactured by Israeli officials looking to harm the negotiations, Magid offers a deep...
Apr 29, 2025•27 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian and culture editor Jessica Steinberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Fabian was in the Gaza Strip last week at the Morag Corridor. He compares this trip to previous IDF embeds and describes what he saw. We learn about the very intense fighting in the Strip and hear about the incidents in which three s...
Apr 28, 2025•25 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following Israel's procedural victory at the International Criminal Court, in which the Jewish state argued it could challenge the court's jurisdiction to try Israeli citizens for war crimes, Sharon examines the basis for the jurisdi...
Apr 27, 2025•28 min
Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Prof. Manuela Consonni, director of Hebrew University's Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism. Consonni, a leading scholar of Holocaust memory, gender, and post-war European culture, decided to mark Yom Hashoah, Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day, with an exhibition at the Mount Scopus campus called, "Faces of Wom...
Apr 26, 2025•31 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus . Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Over the Passover holiday, some 6,315 Jews visited the Temple Mount, a 37% rise over last year. Among them, Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot, where he participated in a prayer service and prostrated himself on the ground in worship — activities that are nominally prohib...
Apr 25, 2025•32 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode. To commemorate Yom Hashoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, October 7 survivors, released hostages and hostage family members toured Auschwitz yesterday ahead of the start of the March of the Living today. Likewise, we hear what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pre...
Apr 24, 2025•22 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke via phone on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump. Following the conversation, the American leader said that the pair “are on the same side of every issue.” So what were the issues discussed? Hamas is expected to soon propose a...
Apr 23, 2025•25 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Political correspondent Sam Sokol and archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Sokol delves into comments made by leaders of the Knesset’s opposition parties, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of placing Israel in existential danger, after Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar alleged that the premier demanded...
Apr 22, 2025•27 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces announced the dismissal of the deputy commander of the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit over the March 23 incident in which 15 medics were killed after his forces opened fire on a convoy of ambulances and emergency vehicles in s...
Apr 21, 2025•21 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement Saturday night detailing his refusal to negotiate a deal that ends the war to free the hostages, Horovitz discusses the anguish of the hostage families and their growing concern over the government's p...
Apr 20, 2025•21 min
Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Mitch Ginsburg, a producer at the Israel Story podcast. Ginsburg, a former military reporter for The Times of Israel, brings us a special episode from Israel's flagship podcast series, called The Hebrew Hobbit: A Passover Special. In it, Ginsburg charts the tale of a number of Israeli POWs who took upon themselves the unlikely task of trans...
Apr 19, 2025•1 hr 32 min
Welcome to a bonus episode of The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus . Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. In today's episode, environment reporter Sue Surkes makes a guest appearance, stepping in for Berman. This is a week of spring holidays, and so we are dedicating the program to some of the biblical flora of the Land of Israel. In honor of Easter, whi...
Apr 18, 2025•22 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following a phone meeting of the security cabinet, Berman discusses that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was involved in the conversation that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite efforts to fire the Shin Bet chief. Hamas officials have said they will not ac...
Apr 17, 2025•18 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. On Saturday, US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi “briefly spoke” together in Oman to kick off nuclear talks in what marks the first time the two nations have spoken directly to each other since the Obama administration. We learn about ...
Apr 16, 2025•24 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Tech editor Sharon Wrobel and archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. The setting of a 17% tariff on Israel by the US appears to be paused for the moment, as Wrobel discusses. Israel thought it could receive a reduction on the tariff, the main worry is the indirect impact and talk of a recession in Israel...
Apr 15, 2025•22 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, the family of Edan Alexander approved the publication of a Hamas propaganda video released Saturday, which showed signs of life from the US-Israeli hostage soldier who has been held by the terror group since he was kidnapped on October 7, 2023. Born in Tel A...
Apr 14, 2025•25 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Culture editor Jessica Steinberg joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. We begin today's program by discussing Israeli art in a post-October 7 world. Steinberg brings us several examples, starting with Design Museum Holon latest exhibit, “Heroines.” Steinberg explains how this show examines how fashion design provided a sense of hope durin...
Apr 13, 2025•25 min
Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host arts and culture editor Jessica Steinberg speaking with Idit Ohel, mother of hostage Alon Ohel. Ohel talks about her son, who was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, from the Nova music festival. Ohel discusses what she knows about the injuries sustained by Alon on October 7, including shrapnel in his eye, and she firmly demands that he receive medical att...
Apr 12, 2025•27 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus . Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. In today's episode, military reporter Emanuel Fabian makes a guest appearance, stepping in for Berman. We take a deep look into the IDF probes into the failures leading up to and on October 7 by first taking a step back and discussing the goals of the investigations an...
Apr 11, 2025•41 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With nuclear talks between the US and Iran planned for Saturday, Horovitz discusses the implications of the upcoming talks and how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be surprised by Trump's announcement of the diplomatic approach. He reviews past...
Apr 10, 2025•23 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The High Court of Justice issued an interim injunction on Tuesday stating that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar must remain in office until further notice and giving the government and the attorney general until April 20 to reach a compromise over the legal dispute surrounding the...
Apr 09, 2025•21 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Berman discusses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to Hungary, followed by his unexpected stop in the US. Netanyahu was welcomed warmly by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. A call between Orban, Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump during the visit le...
Apr 08, 2025•12 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump at 1 p.m. local time at the White House. The two leaders are expected to discuss the new tariffs Trump imposed on Israel, efforts to roll back Iran and its proxy network and hostage talks with Hamas. Taki...
Apr 07, 2025•23 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reports that the US has transferred a second THAAD battery to Israel amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. The battery was apparently delivered yesterday. We hear what the THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, is ...
Apr 06, 2025•23 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Today we bring you an episode of What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan , speaking with author and scholar Dara Horn. Horn is the author of novels and non-fiction, including “People Love Dead Jews,” “Eternal Life,” “A Guide for the Perplexed,” an...
Apr 05, 2025•49 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's Daily Briefing, which is followed a full installment of The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, the Friday Focus . Qatar on Thursday denied funding a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Egypt’s role in negotiations to free Israelis held hostage in Gaza, amid a sw...
Apr 04, 2025•39 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The provincial government in southern Syria’s Daraa says nine civilians were killed and several were injured in Israeli bombardment following an “Israeli incursion.” Soldiers operated on the ground in what is possibly the deepest into Syria that Israeli forces have adv...
Apr 03, 2025•25 min
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Released hostage Amit Soussana is honored by the US State Department as a Woman of Courage and is the only one of eight women honored to speak at the event. Magid notes that she uses the platform to speak about the remaining hostages and the need to return to negotiations, so...
Apr 02, 2025•16 min
