The Times of Israel
Who wore it better: Bradley Cooper or Maestro Leonard Bernstein?
- Title
- Who wore it better: Bradley Cooper or Maestro Leonard Bernstein?
- Runtime
- 54:58
- Date posted
- 23 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
This week, we dive straight into our two films for this week, the 2021 documentary "Bernstein's Wall" and Bradley Cooper's 2023 "Maestro."
Our two classical music fans begin with the documentary, highlighting the parts of conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein's life that were previously unknown to them. We hear how the movie employs Bernstein himself as its narrator by weaving together clips from dozens of revealing interviews the celebrity gave over his life.
Shifting over to the Hollywood treatment, we zero in on the Maestro's relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. We learn where Cooper stayed true to the contours of the musician's life -- and where he missed the mark.
Stick around to see if "Bernstein's Wall" and "Maestro" got an "oy,...
- Title
- Golders Green terror shows rising threat to world Jews
- Runtime
- 23:19
- Date posted
- 23 days ago
- Description
- 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.
ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As the US and Iran continue talks regarding a permanent deal, Horovitz says the regime feels it has established control over the Strait of Hormuz and views the US as vulnerable.
Horovitz discusses the deal-making tendencies of Trump, a way of thinking that ultimately worked in favor of the Hamas hostage deal, but is harder to achieve with the dilemmas in Iran, with Hezbollah in Lebanon and with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Following Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's recent comment that former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s decision to include the Islamist Ra’am party in his 2021-2022 government was far worse than the governmental failures tied to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, Horovitz comments o...
- Title
- The IDF confirms killing the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 23 days ago
- Description
- The IDF confirms killing the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, Ahmed Ghaleb Balout, in an airstrike in Beirut last night.
Balout was targeted in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. The IDF publishes footage showing the strike.
The military says that for years, Balout held several roles in the Radwan Force, including previously serving as its chief of operations.
During the war and recently, Balout directed “dozens” of attacks against IDF troops in southern Lebanon, including anti-tank guided missile fire and explosives, the IDF says.
The IDF says Balout had also “advanced efforts to restore the capabilities of the Radwan Force unit, particularly the implementation of the ‘Conquer the Galilee’ plan,” referring to the terror group’s plans to invade Israel.
The strike marked the first in the Lebanese capital in almost a month, with the last having been on April 8 — after US Pr...
- Title
- Israel’s Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan celebrates after rehearsing ‘Michelle.’
- Runtime
- 0:24
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- Yoav Tzafir, the director of the Israeli performance, says it is a “pleasure working with a professional like Noam, who is stepping onto the Eurovision stage for the first time and doing it like a king!”
- Title
- Protesters bearing Hezbollah flag scuffle with NYPD while marching on synagogue.
- Runtime
- 0:37
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- Demonstration against Israel real estate event draws hundreds, who chant ‘Death to the IDF’ and ‘End the settler Zionist state’; counter-demonstrators warn ‘Antizionism is a hate movement’
Stay up to date with The Times of Israel
- Title
- Pay-to-slay is here to stay?
- Runtime
- 34:40
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- 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.
US President Donald Trump says the US will be pausing the operation Project Freedom that it launched on Monday to assist vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz due to progress made in talks toward a permanent ceasefire with Iran. Magid parses Trump's Truth Social post announcement and updates us on statements made earlier in the day by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The US-led Board of Peace, the newly formed body tasked with overseeing the postwar management of Gaza, does not intend to hold Israel to the terms of the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire if Hamas does not accept the international panel’s framework for the terror group’s disarmament, a document obtained by Magid shows. We hear...
- Title
- What Matters Now: The wild conspiracy about Gaza's rat infestation
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- Title
- Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: Israel has re-embraced Hamas rule in Gaza
- Runtime
- 45:38
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to 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 Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign for Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse.
This week, the Board of Peace’s top Gaza envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, is in Israel in an attempt to kick-start the Trump peace plan. He has previously urged the international community to pressure the Hamas Palestinian terror group to disarm and prevent another cycle of violence in the Gaza Strip.
This week, we hear why Alkhatib believes the current stalemate in Gaza is being embraced by both Hamas and official Israel.
But first, Alkhatib paints a dismal picture of life in the Strip -- rat infestations, sewage in the streets and a strong Hamas presence on the ground.
We learn about the recent elections for H...
- Title
- Why Trump still doesn't want to go back to war
- Runtime
- 23:46
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- 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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Iran fired over a dozen missiles and several drones at the United Arab Emirates on Monday, renewing attacks on the Gulf state for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold last month. Berman explains how US President Donald Trump really doesn't want to go back to war. But, at the same time, he might.
Lebanon’s parliament speaker said on Monday there could be no negotiations with Israel without a halt to the war that has raged on in southern Lebanon in spite of a ceasefire. Since the Iran negotiations are so intrinsically tied to the conflict in Lebanon, Berman speaks about Israel's difficult position.
In the final half of the program, we turn to the concept of "strategic independence." We he...
- Title
- Israeli Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan celebrates first onstage rehearsal
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- Israeli Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan celebrated his first onstage rehearsal at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna ahead of the Eurovision song competition.
Bettan will have another rehearsal on Wednesday before he takes the stage next Tuesday night during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest, aiming to qualify for the grand final on May 16.
Stay up to date on Israel's Eurovision journey with The Times of Israel.
- Title
- 'One big failure': An IDF official on the Iran war -- so far
- Runtime
- 29:39
- Date posted
- 26 days ago
- Description
- 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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war with the US and Israel, calling it unacceptable. Meanwhile, Trump said the United States would on Monday morning begin an effort to “guide” stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, which he is branding "Operation Freedom." Fabian fills us in on an IDF briefing he attended on Friday, which assessed the Iran war's achievements so far.
Amid constant tit-for-tat explosive conflict between Hezbollah and the IDF, the ceasefire doesn't exist in southern Lebanon, states Fabian. We delve into the Iranian-backed terror group's use of relatively cheap drones that are guided by fiber optic cables, making them effectively immune to elect...
- Title
- Scared and angry London Jews feel UK isn't fighting antisemitism
- Runtime
- 25:50
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Jewish world and real estate correspondent Zev Stub joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
With London Jews feeling scared and angry about last week's stabbing attack of two men in Golders Green, Stub discusses the community sentiment that the government isn't doing enough to fight antisemitism, and similarities to events in Canada and Australia.
Stub reports on his trip to the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, noting that the local economy, weakened by more than two years of war, has only 60% of residents who have returned after being evacuated.
There is a need for more ultra-Orthodox housing, Stub discusses, reviewing possible government plans to create three Haredi hubs in the south and raising questions about economic viability and the various social service issues inherent in...
- Title
- Different slices of Jewish American pie
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- This week, before diving into our two films for this week, we revisit the 1960 film "Exodus" with a few reflections based on listeners' responses -- and Hoffman's musing while sweeping.
We then hear about the movie maven's night out enjoying the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, and the E-Street Band's longtime Jewish musicians.
The first film we chew over in this week's episode is a short, 13-minute indie production called "How to Make Challah" by Sarah Rosen. The intergenerational look at New York Jewry is framed within footage filmed by Rosen's aunt of her grandmother making challah in 1975.
Now #1 on Netflix in Israel, Sadie Sandler's new "Roommates" left the team almost speechless, but they valiantly rallied at the sight of Jewish acting greats Natasha Lyonne, Nick Kroll and Carol Kane. Chloe East stars as Celeste, joined by Sadie Sandler as Devon. Does her apple fall far from the Adam Sandler tree?
Stick around to see if "How to Make Ch...
- Title
- 214 robots take the field at US national competition for Jewish schools
- Runtime
- 0:40
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- The students crowded around the rink, shouting encouragement at the robots racing to scoop up red- and blue-colored balls. As the scoreboard showed the clock winding down, the robots scooted to park in a designated spot for bonus points at the end of the round.
The event was an annual robotics competition for Jewish students held by the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE), a nonprofit that boosts science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs in Jewish day schools, as the field becomes more of a priority — and faces challenges — in the expanding Jewish school system.
Read more on The Times of Israel.
- Title
- How will young Israel voters shape the upcoming elections?
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Title
- First orangutan born at Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- Title
- Police arrest man for attacking French nun at Jerusalem biblical site
- Runtime
- 0:26
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Police said Wednesday they had arrested a Jewish man suspected of assaulting a French nun in Jerusalem the previous day, saying they had a zero-tolerance policy on attacks against religious figures.
Read more on The Times of Israel.
- Title
- Mediterranean meltdown: Energy policy in hot water
- Runtime
- 22:03
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Environmental reporter Sue Surkes joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.
We open the episode with a recent annual national monitoring report, carried out on behalf of the Energy and Environmental Protection ministries, on the state of the Mediterranean Sea. Surkes describes how the sea is growing saltier, warmer and more polluted, and why it has become a home to invasive tropical fish. We discuss what that means for beachgoers and fish eaters as we head into the summer season.
We then move on to the latest updates in an unusual court case: The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday ordered the Interior Ministry to grant temporary Israeli status to a Syrian-born woman, the wife of a disabled IDF veteran, who converted to Judaism. The Syrian Alawite woman and her husband have faced a series of legal...
- Title
- Gaza flotilla
- Runtime
- 0:17
- Date posted
- 29 days ago
- Description
- Stay up to date with The Times of Israel
- Title
- 'Roommates' and 'How to Make Challah': Different slices of Jewish American pie
- Runtime
- 44:27
- Date posted
- 30 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
This week, before diving into our two films for this week, we revisit the 1960 film "Exodus" with a few reflections based on listeners' responses -- and Hoffman's musing while sweeping.
We then hear about the movie maven's night out enjoying the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, and the E-Street Band's longtime Jewish musicians.
The first film we chew over in this week's episode is a short, 13-minute indie production called "How to Make Challah" by Sarah Rosen. The intergenerational look at New York Jewry is framed within footage filmed by Rosen's aunt of her grandmother making challah in 1975.
Now #1 on Netflix in Israel, Sadie Sandler's new "Roommates" left the team almost speechless, but they valiantly rallied at the sight of Jewish acting greats Natasha Lyonne, Nick K...
- Title
- Siege warfare? Who'll blink first in tense Iran blockade
- Runtime
- 24:35
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
It's no more Mr. Nice Guy for US President Donald Trump on Iran. At the same time, Trump said on Wednesday that talks with Iran have been taking place over the phone in recent days, after he canceled a trip over the weekend for US negotiators to travel to Pakistan to speak with Iranian officials. Berman brings us up to date on where things -- including the US military assets -- stand as Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade of Iran continue.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said during a visit to troops posted in southern Lebanon on Wednesday that there “is no ceasefire,” as Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire despite a truce that’s been in place for almost two weeks. W...
- Title
- Haviv Rettig Gur: Political footballs and politicians' fumbles
- Runtime
- 49:40
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.
On Sunday, former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announced a joint run for this year's Israeli elections.
Immediately, polling showed that the combined electoral slate, dubbed “Together,” would win a total of 26 seats if elections were held Monday, placing them ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud as the Knesset’s largest party, according to Channel 12.
Later in the week, Opposition Leader Lapid told Bennett that he was willing to take third place, rather than second, on their joint electoral slate if it would help secure a broader merger with Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot.
On this week's episode, in the spirit of the newly completed NFL draft, we play fantasy football and ...
- Title
- Two Jewish men badly wounded in terrorist stabbing attack in London’s Golders Green
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Title
- The case of the 'stolen' Ukrainian wheat
- Runtime
- 27:47
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
With the lack of progress in the negotiations between the United States and Iran, US intelligence agencies are studying how Iran would respond if US President Donald Trump were to declare a unilateral victory in the two-month-old war, according to a Reuters report. Magid weighs in on any potential schism within the Trump administration as Iran's newest proposal appears to shelve the issue of a nuclear program -- the very reason the war was launched.
Amid a growing diplomatic incident, Israel said Tuesday it had yet to receive evidence that a shipment of Russian grain had been “stolen” from occupied Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv said it was preparing sanctions against those involved in the transaction. Magid unravels th...
- Title
- Untangling the Iran-Russia-Hezbollah web
- Runtime
- 32:51
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
Mideast and Russia expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Former MK Svetlova is the executive director of ROPES (Regional Organization for Peace, Economics & Security) and a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.
We open the program with an exploration of Iran's historic and current ties with Russia, after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met yesterday with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
Svetlova explores Russia's influence in the region -- specifically its direct ties to Hezbollah -- and assesses how much leverage Moscow may have in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States.
In the second half of the program, we focus on Israel's relations with Arab Gulf states in the wake of the war in Iran....
- Title
- Hailstones blanket hills in southern Israel as weather volatility continues
- Runtime
- 0:18
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Take a look at the hailstones blanketing the hills of southern Israel as weather volatility continues.
The weather over the past few weeks has seen dust storms, rain, and heatwaves in different areas of the country.
Stay up to date with The Times of Israel.
- Title
- Success of Bennett-Lapid merger hinges on Eisenkot role in race
- Runtime
- 26:07
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Political correspondents Sam Sokol and Ariela Karmal join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Sokol reports on the Sunday announcement of a joint campaign and list for former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid ahead of the 2026 elections, under Bennett's stewardship.
Karmel and Sokol discuss that Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is not part of the campaign and list, given his own entry into the 2026 race, that his decisions will test the fortunes of the Bennett-Lapid bloc.
Members of the Likud party and government coalition reacted to the announcement, reports Sokol, and he and Karmel discuss the possible Likud B breakaway party that would offer an alternative right-wing option.
Karmel and Sokol also discuss that the government coalition is dismissive of the Bennett-Lapid merger, reviewing the comments and memes immediately circulated about the two politicians and their announcement.
Subscr...
- Title
- As both sides keep striking, is there still a Lebanon ceasefire?
- Runtime
- 18:40
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
WATCH the full episode here:
Fabian notes that the Iranian ceasefire still stands, although the IDF and air force are ready to return to fighting if necessary.
With a Lebanese ceasefire still in place, Fabian reports that Israel continues to demolish Hezbollah sites while the terrorist group carries out attacks on Israeli troops stationed in Lebanon.
Fabian discusses the latest disclosure of two Israel Air Force technicians who spied for Iran, trading information about their base and imagery for small sums of money.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.<...
- Title
- The Reel Schmooze: The real story of the Exodus ship VS. Hollywood.
- Runtime
- 1:17
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- The Reel Schmooze: The real story of the Exodus ship VS. Hollywood.
Join ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan for this week's episode of The Reel Schmooze, where we dive into the iconic 1960 epic Hollywood adventure.
Did you know the real boat, the Exodus 1947, never weighed anchor in Cyprus, where the first third of the film takes place?
Find out more in the full episode, now streaming on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcasts.
- Title
- ‘Creativity is the basis of Judaism’: Yaacov Agam, father of kinetic art, receives Israel Prize
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- On Monday morning, two days before Independence Day, artist Yaacov Agam — a pioneer of kinetic art who is known for his vibrant, abstract geometric shapes — entered the museum that bears his name.
Small, bearded, and wearing a colorful, graphic crocheted beanie that echoed the vivid artworks in the room, Agam had arrived together with his family to receive the 2026 Israel Prize for Visual Arts.
The award is usually presented at the national Independence Day ceremony, which will take place on Wednesday. However, the renowned artist will turn 98 in three weeks and is confined to a wheelchair. Unable to travel to Jerusalem to receive the award, a personalized ceremony was held in the Agam Museum in Rishon Lezion.
Read more on The Times of Israel.
- Title
- 2.5 Billions Reasons Why Jewish Christian Relations Matter
- Runtime
- 0:48
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Lazar Focus: Lazar Berman explores why Jewish–Christian relations matter more than ever.
Featuring David Rosen — a leading figure in Jewish–Christian relations with decades of experience, including meetings with popes and work with the Catholic Church — on the moral, historic, and strategic importance of strengthening these ties, and why Israel can’t afford to get it wrong.
Stream now on Youtube and anywhere you get your podcasts.
- Title
- David Rosen: Israel doesn't adequately understand Christian relations
- Runtime
- 40:54
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
The world, and most Israelis, were horrified this week as a photo of an IDF soldier smashing a statue of Jesus in Lebanon spread across social media. The act was roundly condemned by the army and by Israel's leaders.
Yet, it happened.
And it wasn't the first time Israeli soldiers had disrespected Christian sites in Lebanon, nor was it the only instance of Israel drawing the ire of Christians around the world.
Rabbi David Rosen is a leader in Israeli and Jewish ties with Christians, especially the Catholic Church.
Drawing on decades of experience, including numerous meetings with popes, he lays out the moral reasons for investing in ties with the Christian world, and why it is in Israel's national interest to get these relations right.
He calls th...
- Title
- Docu Nation: Ben Gurion, Epilogue
- Runtime
- 0:33
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- He was 82 years old, living in the quiet of the desert, looking back at the nation he helped build. But for decades, his most introspective interview remained lost.
To mark this period of reflection in Israel, we’re bringing you an extraordinary cinematic discovery: ‘Ben-Gurion, Epilogue.’
Presented through a special collaboration with @docu.nation this award-winning 2016 documentary brings to life a "lost" interview with one of modern history’s greatest leaders. As Israel faces complex challenges today, Ben-Gurion’s surprising vision and soul-searching provide a hauntingly relevant perspective on leadership and the future of the state.
‘Ben-Gurion, Epilogue’ is available exclusively for members of the reader support group, The Times of Israel Community, to stream until April 30.
- Title
- Netanyahu's campaign enters high gear at state ceremonies
- Runtime
- 30:23
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Lebanese and Israeli representatives are set to meet in Washington, DC, today. It was reported yesterday that Lebanon was hoping to extend the shaky ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel by a month. At the same time, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar openly considered the notion of peace between the two nations at an Independence Day speech on Wednesday. Horovitz weighs in.
Has the Iran conflict become a shipping war? According to reports on Wednesday, the US military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. At the same time, Iranian forces seized two container ships on Wednesday, according to global security ...
- Title
- Independence Day at the beach
- Runtime
- 0:28
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Here's a glimpse into how Israelis are celebrating Independence Day this year in Tel Aviv.
- Title
- Trump's muddled messaging complicates talks with Iran
- Runtime
- 22:49
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
US President Donald Trump unexpectedly announces an extension of the truce with Iran hours before the April 22 deadline, reports Magid, adding that the president's recent spate of muddled messaging hasn't helped matters. Magid notes that a divide within the Iranian leadership is slowing decision-making, as it continues to play hardball.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee heads to the US for a second round of Israel-Lebanon talks that appear to have some momentum, says Magid, but will require the ability of the Lebanese government to crack down on Hezbollah if any real progress is to be made.
Magid notes that the April 11 deadline set by the Board of Peace for Hamas to respond to the disarmament deal has passed...
- Title
- 'Exodus': When Hollywood still loved the Jewish state
- Runtime
- 43:04
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
This week, before diving into the nuts and bolts of the iconic epic Hollywood adventure, we learn how the 1960 film "Exodus" is part of Hoffman's genesis story.
Hoffman lays out the film's plot, which is based on a 1958 Leon Uris novel. We learn about director Otto Preminger, who was a very big deal in Tinsel Town during his era, which is how he managed to capture an all-star cast including a dashing Paul Newman, high-heeled Eva Marie Saint, Sal Mineo's fury and the "good Arab" John Derek, whom we recently saw in "The Ten Commandments."
We give a big shoutout to Ernest Gold's soundtrack -- as well as the many covers of it.
We then hear a sharp criticism from Borschel-Dan on the poor historical accuracy of the film: The real boat, the Exodus 1947, never weighed an...
- Title
- 90 Seconds with Rachel Goldberg-Polin
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Rachel Goldberg-Polin began writing her new book, "When We See You Again," as a way of finding some relief from her pain after she buried her son, 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was executed by his Hamas captors in August 2024, after being held captive for 330 days in a Gaza tunnel.
In this week's episode of What Matters Now, host Jessica Steinberg speaks with author Rachel Goldberg-Polin about the process of writing her book and how it became a kind of answer to people asking her how she was.
Watch on YouTube and stream everywhere you get your podcasts.
- Title
- Rachel Goldberg-Polin: Mother of murdered hostage Hersh 'parcels out her pain' in book
- Runtime
- 51:45
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with author Rachel Goldberg-Polin.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin began writing her new book, "When We See You Again," as a way of finding some relief from her pain after she buried her son, 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was executed by his Hamas captors in August 2024, after being held captive for 330 days in a Gaza tunnel.
Goldberg-Polin speaks about the process of writing the book, urged by her husband, Jon Polin, and how the book became a kind of answer to people asking her how she was.
The bulk of the book takes place after the Goldberg-Polins buried Hersh on August 31, 2024, and is an accounting of their lives in what Goldberg-Polin terms the Before and After.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts...
- Title
- Rachel Goldberg-Polin
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Rachel Goldberg-Polin: Mother of murdered hostage Hersh ‘parcels out her pain’ in book
- Title
- Shekel shows remarkable resilience after Iran war
- Runtime
- 21:43
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As the shekel crossed the below-3-to-the-dollar threshold, its strongest level in 30 years, Wrobel notes that the shekel's strength against the dollar shows its resilience and the market's belief in the currency following the war with Iran, although it does create problems for Israeli exporters.
With Israeli airspace reopened following the ceasefire with Iran, Wrobel reports on how Israeli airlines are responding to passengers as they work at getting back to full speed.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Tech editor Sharon Wrobel joins host Jessica Steinberg on today's ...
- Title
- New round of Israel-Lebanon talks set for Thursday as US said trying to extend truce
- Runtime
- 0:26
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- A second round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place on Thursday, an Israeli and a US official tell The Times of Israel on Monday.
The meeting, the official said, will take place at the State Department in Washington, and will include staffers from the Israeli, Lebanese, and US sides. Israel will be represented by its envoy to the US, and Lebanon by its former ambassador to Washington, Simon Karam.
Thursday’s talks will take place days before a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah is set to expire. But Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said on Monday, following a meeting with US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, that the US was making an effort to extend the truce, according to the Asharq al-Awsat outlet.
A lawmaker for Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and is sworn to Israel’s destruction, castigated the direct talks and vowed to continue “resistance” against Israeli troops...
- Title
- ToI reports from new Lebanon 'forward defense area'
- Runtime
- 22:44
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
On Sunday, for the first time since hostilities with Hezbollah escalated last month during the Iran war — when the terror group resumed rocket and drone attacks on Israel — Israeli reporters were allowed by the Israel Defense Forces to enter southern Lebanon, in an escorted visit to the newly established security zone. Fabian was there and reports back on the experience of entering Lebanon and the new road infrastructure that has been laid there.
We discuss how the Israeli military is, in essence, reestablishing a security zone that it left some 26 years ago. Fabian explains why commanders say that this time around, it will not carry with it the same dangers that troops faced during the 18-year occupation of so...
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- Hostage Bench dedication
- Runtime
- 0:35
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Several hundred Jewish New Yorkers and allies gathered at Central Park on Sunday morning to dedicate a bench to the Israeli hostages taken by Gaza terrorists, in an emotional last event for a community that came together each week for the captives for more than two years.
"We always said we wanted one last time to gather, one last time when they're all back, and now it's finally here, so we wanted to mark this event together," said Dana Cwaigrach, the New York director for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum US.
The hostage advocates began gathering on Sundays in Central Park, on the Upper West Side, shortly after the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel.
The meetings often drew hostages' family members and released captives for emotional meetings with the New Yorkers, and local officials came to express support.
A community coalesced around the gatherings, with attendees getting to know other like-minded participants over the...
- Title
- Stav Levaton in Arad and Dimona
- Runtime
- 1:08
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- "I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south."
When the news broke of the highest casualty incident since the war began, military reporter Stav Levaton went straight to tbe ballistic missile impact sites in Arad and Dimona.
From the rubble of a youth center to stories of community resilience, our mission is to bring you the truth from the ground. But we can’t do it alone.
If you value reporting like this, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community at timesofisrael.com/join or by visiting the link in our bio.
- Title
- 5 points of apparent failure in the Iran war
- Runtime
- 23:58
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
A damning Wall Street Journal report depicts US President Donald Trump as making key decisions about the war in Iran in a slapdash manner without input from his advisers, stating he was eager for a ceasefire to address rising fuel prices.
As the ostensible end of the two-week ceasefire with Iran looms, Berman assesses five points of apparent failure on the part of the joint US and Israel conflict with Iran, including the focus on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's new position there; the percentage of missiles still available to Iran; the current strength of Iran's proxies; the uptick of Iranian-linked terror abroad and the status of the Iranian nuclear program.
We then turn our gaze to the Lebanon front,...
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- The surreal moment when Spider-Man defended Israelis
- Runtime
- 1:17
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Join ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan for this week's Jewish angle on entertainment news — the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man who defended Israelis in Times Square.
Then we turn to our main feature this week, Israeli director Nadav Lapid's newest film, "Yes!" Find out why the film is raising eyebrows and ire in Israel.
Stream now on YouTube and anywhere you get your podcasts.
- Title
- Trump-imposed truce between Israel and Hezbollah takes effect; 2 hurt by rocket fire hours before
- Runtime
- 0:40
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to take effect at midnight Thursday-Friday after being declared hours earlier by US President Donald Trump, who also announced that he was inviting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Lebanese president for peace talks at the White House.
Read more on The Times of Israel.
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- Moran Zaga: The Gulf states react to humiliation by Iran
- Runtime
- 0:59
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Wealthy countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar sought stability by diplomacy with Tehran. But they were hit hard by Iran, forcing them to reassess how they face their biggest threat
Find out more on Lazar Focus, available wherever you listen to podcasts.
- Title
- Moran Zaga: The Gulf states react to humiliation by Iran
- Runtime
- 36:50
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
The shorthand term "Gulf states" doesn't describe a monolith. The Arab states along the Persian Gulf -- Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain -- all have unique internal dynamics, and approach their relationships with both Israel and Iran in different ways.
Yet they do share a common threat -- the Shiite regional heavyweight just across the water, Iran.
Placing a priority on stability and prosperity, the Gulf states have sought to prevent a war between the US and Iran. And if that war did break out, they hoped to secure immunity from Iranian attacks by maintaining diplomatic channels with the Islamic Republic and by showing that they were working for a ceasefire.
That effort failed spectacularly. All the Gulf states were targeted by Iran, and the ...
