The Promised Podcast

TLV1 Studios

An inside view of how Israel can warm your heart and make your blood boil. It's a show hosted by folks who live in and love Israel even though it drives them crazy, and who each week discuss the latest in Israeli politics, culture, and society.

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20 episodes
Updated Thursday
Explicit

Episodes20

Newest first

Thursday · 1 hr 18 min
The "The Other Guys" Edition
Linda and Noah talk about (1) What has become of the "Religious Zionism Party," after its sort-of primaries made it a settler-only affair?, and (2) What are the ties that bind the different sorts of people who hope to give Benjamin Netanyahu four more years in office? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Challenger for the premiership Gadi Eisenkot buys campaign billboards in Cyprus, and lots of people cry foul. Can the election be won by persuading ex-pats to fly to what was once their home to cast a vote? Also, why is the adjective "Cypriot" so very appealing? Plus: Expecting a baby grandchild that they never expected when they were hostages in Gaza, a millennia-old edition of the Book of Isaiah, and young girls praying under trees in a park in Tel Aviv. Plus, an astonishing new record of heartbreak and loss by Netta Barzilai.
July 23 · 2 hr
The "Picking Sides" Edition
On Tisha B'Av, Allison Kaplan Sommer, Judah Ari Gross, and Noah Efron talk about (1) this week's primaries in the "Democrats Party" and what they say about Israel's only leftist Zionist party going forward, and (2) whether or not (on this day when we commemorate the laying waste of ancient Israel on account of all the "baseless hatred" people had one for the other back then) our contemporary politics are infected by the same sort of ugly and gratuitous enmity. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shares on all the sites a campaign video maybe suggesting that his challenger General Gadi Eisenkot cares more about Palestinians than he does about his own son, who died fighting in Gaza. In this election, is everything permissible? Plus: Marking 400 years since the birth of Shabbetai Tzevi, enjoying unity at Anu and in a yard watching the World Cup Finals. Plus, music of these odd days.
July 16 · 1 hr 38 min
The "Blitzed!" Edition
Star teacher and activist Rotem Ur-Soco, Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron talk about what to make of 1) The "blitz" of legislation passed by the government in the fading days of the 25th Knesset and 2) A hauntingly beautiful essay in The Atlantic by former Prime Minister and head of the opposition Yair Lapid, which he calls "a love letter to America", and what it maybe says about how many of us Israelis regard the 250 year old democracy across the sea. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: It may be that one of every twenty residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo was born in an English speaking land, and the city today is lousy with young "Anglos". What is this strange hyphenate: American-Israeli? Plus: Books and papers representing a man's life's work dumped onto Dizengoff, collected by rubbish trucks and taken to landfill, plus a bunch of things that made our lives worth living over the last little while. And, of course, some new music of our unsettled times.
July 9 · 1 hr 36 min
The "Basketball Courts & the Other Kind" Edition
Geneva Initiative Deputy Director Tehila Wenger, Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron talk about: 1) The Cabinet's dramatic statement implying that the government may not comply with a Supreme Court ruling, and whether it signal a constitutional crisis, and 2) The meaning of the Maccabiah, the "Jewish Olympics" underway now, with more than 8,000 competitors from around the world: What should we make today of this remnant from centuries past? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: It may be that one of every twenty residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo was born in an English speaking land, and the city today is lousy with young "Anglos". What is this strange hyphenate: American-Israeli? Plus: Laying to rest Supreme Court Justice Edna Arbel, Palestinian-Jewish dialogue today, the storied streets of Tel Aviv, and a new Israeli Poker champ.
July 2 · 1 hr 47 min
The "One Thousand Days" Edition
Linda, Judah and Noah talk about: 1) The grim milestone marking one thousand awful days since October 7, and what these one thousand days have been for us, and 2) The emergence of a new joint Jewish-Arab political party, A Place for Us All, that unapologetically puts peace at the center of their agenda, along with increasing wages, lowering prices, equality for women and everyone else, and all sorts of other things that people like us admire. The new party gets a harsh reception on the left, especially on the pages of Haaretz, and we try to puzzle out why. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Shani Gabbai, who was killed at the Nova festival on October 7, returns via AI to speak movingly at her kid sister's wedding. What do we learn, if anything, about the states of our souls from that sad, fragile, strange thing? Plus: Fifty years since the Entebbe rescue mission, the start of the Maccabiah "Jewish Olympics", some great music and lots more.
June 25 · 1 hr 37 min
The "Winners & Losers" Edition
Linda and Noah talk about: 1) a Hebrew University poll finding that eleven out of twelve Israelis think that Iran "won the war", and 2) the eviscerating new movie, "Yes", by Israeli director-in-self-imposed-exile Nadav Lapid, who despite his criticism of Israel and Israelis was BDSedly hounded out of next week's Marseille International Film Festival (for which discussion we were joined by novelist and Jerusalem Post film critic Hannah Brown!). For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: New York City's next delegation to Congress will be the most anti-Israel ever. What can you say to that? Plus: Fifty years of the Reshet Gimel pop radio station, meeting Landsmen in Milan, Yakov Agam and more than you probably ever wanted to know about the Tel Aviv-Yafo city council! Plus, songs from the stunningly beautiful and moving forthcoming record by Ayalah Asherov and Yehoshua Sobol, Ha-Zman ha-Zeh.
June 18 · 1 hr 46 min
The "Great Things" Edition
Miriam and Noah talk about: 1) The "great deal" that US President Donald Trump struck with Iran, being a Memorandum of Understanding that does what now?, and (2) The resurgence of "communal singing" in Israel, and what it says about the state of our souls, and how nostalgia ain't what it used to be. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Have we exaggerated how divided we Jews are? Plus: Old books, young love and memories on the highest rooftop in Tel Aviv!
June 11 · 1 hr 23 min
The "Linkages" Edition
Allison and Noah talk about: 1) Our strange, short, truncated warlet with Iran this week, and 2) New findings that point to a weird entanglement between Israeli attitudes towards climate change and our attitudes towards Netanyahu, the courts, the ultra-orthodox and most everything else we argue about here. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Sam Harris makes waves by saying there's no point in even debating enemies of Israel. Might he have a point? Plus: An old-new life for Kibbutz Manara and hip new music by the graduates of a not-known-for-being-hip youth movement, Noam.
June 4 · 1 hr 14 min
The "Saw It on YouTube!" Edition
Allison and Noah talk about President Yitzhak Herzog's alarmed warning that we are turning into animals, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's very viral election ad, about how leftist-wing sorts make right-wing sorts feel like less. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: I.D.O.5., or Israel Day on Fifth (a.k.a, the Israel Soliidarity Parade) in Manhattan used to be about unity. Now it's about controversy. Plus: Remembering our friend, the ain't-no-one-like-her, poet-painter-peace-activist-therapist-story-teller Lisa Fliegel. Plus the good karma of Yonatan Razel as he convalesces in Shaarei Tzedek hospital.
May 28 · 1 hr 28 min
The "Fronts" Edition
Linda, Noah and Judah Ari Gross talk about the war with Iran and the peace with Gaza, and how US President Donald Trump's diplomatic ADD makes it close to impossible for anything good to come of our miserable wars. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: The last time our dollars bought so few shekels (and our shekels bought so many dollars), it was before we could dial up the internet, and around the time Mario first got his Kart. What's it mean (hint: diminished retirements for some, and boarded-up NGOs). Plus: Drawing hope from frogs, philanthropists and hotel buffet breakfasts. And some great new music.
May 20 · 1 hr 51 min
The "Can the Center Hold?" Edition
Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron try to make sense of why long-time allies and fellow-travelers of former Alternate Prime Minister and former IDF Chief-of-Staff Benny Gantz have lately left the Blue & White Party, wondering if it is the man or what he stands for. Then they are joined by special guest star Rabbi Joe Wolfson of JLIC-TLV to try and make sense of the many secular and egalitarian Tikkunei Leil Shavuot, all night sessions of study, song, discussion and meditation that have become so popular over the past years asking, what exactly are those things about? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Everyone said no one would ever vote for Noam Bettan, the Israeli singing in the Eurovision Song Contest, yet he finished in second place. How? Why? Plus the changing face of Shavuot over the years and a few things that moved us over the week. And some great new music.
May 14 · 1 hr 40 min
The "Paths to Perdition" Edition
Miriam, Noah, and Deputy Director of the Geneva Initiative Tehila Wenger talk about: 1) The controversial opinion piece in the Times suggesting that Israeli guards and soldiers sexually assault Palestinian prisoners, and 2) Why Jerusalem Day has become an almost sectarian holiday for religious Zionists. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Tehila Wenger's Geneva Initiative has been arguing for a Two-State Solution for 23 years. How has working for peace changed over this time? Plus remembering Marie Nahmias and a few things that moved us over the week.
May 7 · 1 hr 46 min
The "School Daze" Edition
Allison, Noah and (for some of the time) special star-ringer Professor Gordon Lafer talk about: 1) How the war with Iran seems to have quickened a surprisingly close strategic relationship between Israel and the UAE, and 2) How Israel is these days seen on college campuses, from the quad to the student union to the seminar room to the faculty lounge. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Is it still possible to be a "liberal Zionist" outside of Israel? Plus an ambivalent tribute to artist Yair Garbuz and a few things that moved us over the week.
April 30 · 1 hr 21 min
The "This Feeling is Called Hope" Edition
Linda and Noah talk about 1) President Yitzhak Herzog's split-the-baby reply to Prime Minister Netanyahu's request for a pardon, saying he will host and mediate plea bargain negotiations: Is this clever or craven? 2) The announcement that former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid will run together in the upcoming elections, with Bennett atop the list, and whether the whole they make is bigger or smaller than the sum of its parts. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: After Bennett and Lapid ring the opening bell of the election campaign, we ask ourselves what we expect from the next six months of politicians politicking politically. Plus new songs with words by lately fallen soldiers, a kid in Beirut who asks the IDF to blow up her school, and talking peace in Area C.
April 23 · 1 hr 34 min
The "Men & Gods" Edition
Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron talk about 1) The imposed cease-fires, and whether Israelis ought to worry we're becoming a vassal state, and 2) What explains why an IDF soldier thought it was right, or maybe just amusing, to take a sledgehammer to a statue of Jesus in a yard in a village in Lebanon. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Peace activist, negotiator, and friend of the podcast Gershon Baskin writes that, "Donald Trump is the best chance Israelis, Palestinians have for peace since 1993". That so? Plus the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony, an out of control bus-driver, and the lovely debut record of rising-star Noa Carsenti.
April 16 · 1 hr 33 min
The "Bombs and Balms" Edition
Allison and Noah talk about 1) Whether or not, as an essay in the New York Times suggests, war has become "not a strategy but the norm" for Israel, (2) The World Happiness Reports finding that Israelis remain among the happiest people on earth, including after October 7th: Why is this? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: A bunch of writers send a confusing open-letter to the Jewish Book Council saying (we think) that the JBC needs to de-Zionize. What should we make of that? Plus Yom Hashoah, Yom Ha-Atzmaut and Noga Erez rocking Coachella!
April 9 · 1 hr 35 min
The "War is Over! (If You Ignore a Thing or Two)" Edition
Linda and Noah talk about: 1) The abrupt, maybe fleeting, end to the war with Iran, and what it means, and 2) The "Death Penalty for Terrorists" law recently passed by the Knesset (and destined to be struck down by the Supreme Court), and what it means. For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Polls showed support for the war among Israelis steadily slipping with each passing day. Why did people's faith that something good might come of bombing Iran fade even as the airforces of Israel and the United States did most everything they set out to do? Plus a wedding that changed a culture, a boy gone missing, and life underground.
April 1 · 1 hr 29 min
The "Egypt Within Us" Edition
Linda, Noah and journalist Judah Ari Gross discuss: 1) the Jewish thugs attacking, hurting and terrorizing Palestinians on the West Bank and, relatedly, 2) what our exodus story needs to be this year. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: With the missiles and all the rest, we struggle to answer Joey Tribiani's all-important question: "How you doin'?" Plus making Passover at this odd moment (an audio collage by Miriam) and music of our season of freedom.
March 26 · 32 min
The "Radio Days" Edition
Ninety years ago this week, Hebrew was heard on airwaves as the Voice of Jerusalem had its first broadcast. The feint echoes of the thing are worth listening for today.
March 19 · 1 hr 43 min
The "Confounded, Unbounded & Undergrounded" Edition
In this gala return of the Podcast, Miriam and Noah talk about (A) What this thing with Iran is, (1) Whether these days we're seeing a new, more Strangelovian Prime Minister Netanyahu, and (2) What life underground in the homefront tells us about Israeli society at this strange moment. Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Miriam and Noah talk about their lives during wartime. Is it really true that it ain't no disco, it ain't no party, it ain't no fooling around? Plus some really good music that sounds more or less how we feel these days.

The Promised Podcast

The "The Other Guys" Edition

The "Picking Sides" Edition

The "Blitzed!" Edition

The "Basketball Courts & the Other Kind" Edition

The "One Thousand Days" Edition

The "Winners & Losers" Edition

The "Great Things" Edition

The "Linkages" Edition

The "Saw It on YouTube!" Edition

The "Fronts" Edition

The "Can the Center Hold?" Edition

The "Paths to Perdition" Edition

The "School Daze" Edition

The "This Feeling is Called Hope" Edition

The "Men & Gods" Edition

The "Bombs and Balms" Edition

The "War is Over! (If You Ignore a Thing or Two)" Edition

The "Egypt Within Us" Edition

The "Radio Days" Edition

The "Confounded, Unbounded & Undergrounded" Edition