Return of the Jewish whisper - with Yossi Klein Halevi
The girls use their guest Yossi Klein Halevi, senior fellow at the Hartman Institute, as a free therapist.
Warning: This episode gets funny and lighthearted at times, some might even say optimistic.
Israeli music is so….Israeli.
Why is Yossi doing a bit better?
Hamas really messed up by making us stop hating each other.
Our leaders don’t deserve us
What the hell does Hashem want from us??
Even the orthodox are becoming Zionists (and why that’s weird)
Mental health help is not the answer to antisemitism.
The privilege of the progressive Jew.
Why there can never be a two-state solution and yet there HAS to be a two-state solution.
There are more people of good will on the other side than the right thinks, but less than the left thinks.
Bonus: Who did this??
Show notes:
Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor
I am new to your substack and podcast and am enjoying listening to the current episode. I am not too far in, but I wanted to share something small and moving about the power of Israeli music. A friend of mine who lives in a kibbutz near the Gaza border has been telling me about everything she has gone through, sharing heartbreaking stories about her friends who were murdered or kidnapped. And other friends and family still alive who are dispersed through the country and cannot return home. Her life right now is going to funeral after funeral. Her grandchildren cannot go to school and cannot live on the kibbutz anymore.
It's such a dark time for her and other Israelis, but the lovely piece I wanted to share is that famous Israeli musicians are donating their time to singing at these funerals, when they find out they were the favorite artist of the deceased. People weep when they hear the music, awakened from the numb and shock into grief which must be felt. I am a musician and songwriter, and I know how powerful and healing music can be.
This was an absolutely fantastic podcast. I really appreciate how you three discussed the issues. I am old enough to remember the Jewish “whisper.” Later, When I was in college during the mid 70’s in California, I was made uncomfortable by anti-Zionist, pro Palestinian points of view rampant on my campus. A open discourse was not what was happening. Now here we are so many years later and nothing has changed for the better; it has gotten bolder.
But, I am encouraged by this conversation! So thank you and keep doing your amazing work. It is truly a gift