The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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 Nava Freiberg joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode. Arab capitals are assessing whether the 26th Knesset could usher in a new chapter in Israeli leadership and policy or keep in place those currently in power, and what either outcome will mean for Israel and the wider region. Freiberg explains that while many Arab states may find new Israeli leadership easier to work with, few expect any plausible successor government to fundamentally redirect Israel’s foreign policy. Where Arab capitals do see real room for change is in policies considered less central to the post-October 7 security doctrine. Freiberg delves in and gives examples. We close the episode by reviewing the latest updates on the Board of Peace and the Gaza peace plan. Freiberg reports that US-led training on the International Stabilization Force began in August, with some…

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. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to carry out strikes against Iran earlier this month, but President Donald Trump opposed reigniting the fighting before the US midterms, the Financial Times reports. This comes as Israel Air Force planes reportedly have been conducting drills in preparation for a renewed attack. What could be in the offing? Britain will fly Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets on defensive missions to help protect Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from Houthi aerial attacks, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. As the UK joins Egypt in coming to Saudi Arabia's aid, is there increased pressure on the United States? In a searing piece, Berman writes, "Attacks by Jewish extremists and a mealy-mouthed response from Prime Minister…

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. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly held a secret meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday night. Horovitz speculates about what may have been on the table. Hegseth's lightning visit comes a day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu as his choice for Israel's next prime minister. Is that such a gift to Bibi? Jonatan Urich, a current senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a key suspect in the Qatargate scandal, has admitted to investigators that he received “hundreds of thousands of shekels” from Qatar, and that he had no moral qualms working for Doha both before and after the Hamas-led October 7 attack. These revelations were reported by Channel 12 on Monday, citing police interrogation transcripts.…

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. Israel announced the arrest of 10 suspected settler extremists on Monday morning, after days of international pressure to take action following weekend attacks on Palestinians, foreign diplomats and Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine in the West Bank. Fabian explains what is the responsibility of the police versus the IDF and Shin Bet is in preventing these attacks. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday warned of a possible security escalation “across all fronts” ahead of the October 27 elections, saying, "The IDF is at a high level of readiness to launch extensive offensive operations against anyone who attempts to harm Israeli civilians.” What does this heightened alert mean in practice? Israel’s military is set to begin early voting for soldiers,…

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. News editor Ben Sales joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With the final barrage of election polls before the October 27 election, Sales notes that the canvassing can't accurately predict who will win, and explains why, including the issue of the smaller parties on both sides of the political spectrum that are hovering around the 3.25% electoral threshold. Sales also discusses rising tensions among members of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political base and New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as they call for her to be fired after police officers clashed with protesters following the shooting of a man in the Bronx by ICE agents. The shooting, and the NYPD’s response to it, had no direct connection to Israel or antisemitism in the city. But the protest against pro-Israel Tisch relates to her role as a pro-Israel presence in City Hall and the…

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people. For this fourth episode in the new series, we speak with Prof. Nechumi Yaffe, an ultra-Orthodox woman running for Knesset for the Charedi Public Party (HaTzibur HaCharedi). A faculty member at Tel Aviv University since 2019, Yaffe is currently a tenured senior lecturer at the School of Public Policy and co-director of the Haredi Research Group at UCLA. Among other fields of interest, Yaffe delves into the issues of poverty and identity in Haredi society. We hear how the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel made Yaffe rethink the ideas of civil obligations and rights. While she believes that youths who are not fit for yeshiva can -- and should -- be conscripted into the IDF, she is deeply concerned with allowing the ultra-Orthodox community to remain strictly observant. How can a delicate balance between religious…

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's featured Schmooze film is "The Apartment," a 1960 iconic work of dark comedy by famed filmmaker Billy Wilder. Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray, the film takes us to the massive offices of an insurance conglomerate where Lemmon is attempting to climb the corporate ladder. A bit of a "shnook," he finds himself lending out his Upper West Side apartment to a group of four adulterous bosses for their flings. At the same time, a quiet, amiable connection is made between Lemmon and MacLaine, an elevator girl, who, it turns out, is also one of the bosses' girls. The movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five Oscars. Its resonance lingers and comedian Chris Rock recently gave it a nod in a lengthy The New York Times interview. Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad”…

We recorded a live Daily Briefing podcast in Jerusalem on Wednesday, October 14, joined by an exclusive ToI Community audience. Deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan hosted military correspondent Emanuel Fabian, diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman, and political correspondent Ariela Karmel for a night of interactive polls and audience questions, followed by light refreshments. This event was exclusively for members of The Times of Israel Community, our reader support group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Israel is doing well on the battlefield since October 7, but has lost significant ground in the information war. Much of that discourse is rooted in legal language -- war crimes, arrest warrants, illegal settlements, charges of genocide. International law and the conversation around international law is a central battlefield for Israel. Natasha Hausdorff is one of Israel's most prominent advocates, especially around questions of international law. Hausdorff is a barrister in London with law degrees from Oxford and Tel Aviv University. She is the legal director of UK Lawyers for Israel Charitable Trust, and is the founder of the Center for International Rule of Law. She argues that there is an ecosystem of international organizations, NGOs, and foreign governments "promoting a particular agenda against Western civilization" and using the…

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. Amidst rising inflammatory rhetoric from the United States and Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Wednesday that he is against a US or Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, ahead of the Israeli election on October 27. We hear what is being said on all sides and why, yet again, actions speak louder than words. Turning to the apparent war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, Berman discusses how technology does not a warrior make. He delves into the Saudi military and how it is attempting to fight its battle through Yemeni proxies. We turn to the increasing number of allegations against Netanyahu, regarding what he did and did not know leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught. In an explosive television interview last week, former military…

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. As the government approves an "urgent" NIS 1 billion shekel deal to purchase 12 Apache helicopters, Fabian discusses the need for a larger fleet to defend Israel’s borders. With the ongoing investigation by the IDF, police and the Education Ministry about who is responsible for allowing a school trip near the Lebanese border in which a 14-year-old high school student was killed by a Hezbollah ordnance, Fabian notes that there could be hundreds more of them around the country following three years of war, and discusses whose job it is to clear unexploded munitions to prevent future tragedies. After an unidentified flying object set off aerial intrusion warnings in a northern Arab village, Fabian reports that the incident is still being investigated by the Israeli Air Force. Check…

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 reporter Luke Tress joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode. Last Wednesday at an Israeli-led coexistence event commemorating the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, anti-Zionist protesters railed at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him a "traitor." Meanwhile, Jewish leaders broadly condemned a statement the mayor made earlier in the day accusing Israel of genocide. Tress explains how the backlash from both the far left and from the Jewish community to Mamdani's actions on the anniversary is emblematic of his broader predicament: He is caught between the demands of his far-left constituency, while also seeking to placate some of his more moderate voters. Fast forward to Friday, when the New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America took aim at NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a Jewish moderate, placing…

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 expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yemen’s Houthis attacked Riyadh’s international airport with a missile on Saturday, in an attack that Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said killed at least 12 people and injured over 300, with some in critical condition. Saturday’s attack, the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, was a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Riyadh backs the internationally recognized government against the Iran-backed Houthis, who captured swaths of Red Sea coastline in a lightning offensive last month. Svetlova delves into the Houthis' multi-pronged strategy and how Saudi Arabia is forced to go it alone as its friends and allies appear hesitant to join the fight. This week marks a year to the ceasefire in Gaza. Svetlova assesses Hamas's continued hold on the Strip, even as the…

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 Ariela Karmel joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As Ofer Winter and his People of Israel party simultaneously criticize the Netanyahu government while declaring they will only serve in a right-wing government led by the current prime minister, Karmel discusses how Winter's party was created to sustain Netanyahu and his allies, creating an address for right-wing voters angry with the country's leadership after October 7. Following a declaration by the mainly Arab Joint List that it is prepared to provide an electoral "safety net" for any anti-Netanyahu coalition, Karmel notes that this appears to be a message to opposition front-runner Gadi Eisenkot, who is adamant that he does not seek the support of Arab parties, but may need backing from Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party, and the Joint List too, if he is to unseat Netanyahu. Check…

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's featured Schmooze film is a rollicking Holocaust-themed documentary called "The Stamp Thief." “Seinfeld” producer Gary Gilbert leads a gang of curious individuals on the trail of a trove of stamps stolen from Jews in the Holocaust and reportedly buried in a small town in Poland. Gilbert's neighbor, documentary film director Dan Sturman first serves as the voice of reason, but is soon caught up in the saga and begins plotting alongside his neighbor. Eventually, the team hatches a surreal plan to make a fake movie to get into the basement that they believe the stamp stash is stored in. Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze. The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people. For this third episode in the new series, we speak with The New York Times columnist Bret Stephens -- also the editor of the SAPIR Journal -- who was in the country for a lightning reporting trip ahead of the Israeli election on October 27. Stephens, who both supports and criticizes Israel, is increasingly the minority voice at the Gray Lady, where the Jewish state has decidedly lost the battle for public opinion. But he thinks Israel shouldn't really care what others think about it. "Let me put it this way: Would you rather have won the battle for public opinion and lost the war -- or vice versa? If that's the choice, I would say that Israel was better off losing the battle for public opinion," Stephens says. Find out why he believes Israel couldn't have won both wars. We discuss why the United States, until now, has been judged on…

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. Israel and Jews around the world marked three years since the October 7 attacks this week. It was a time to remember the fallen and the survivors. It was also an opportunity to take stock of Israel's conflicts and what Israel should do next. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a PhD student at Princeton and Middle East scholar, says that Israel's approach to Syria and Lebanon needs to be recalibrated. Israel thinks it has a "panacea" in its buffer zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, she argues. But it's not clear how that solves Israel's challenges, and at least in Syria, it is making Israel less safe. She notes that Hezbollah is a badly weakened force and has lost a lot of legitimacy inside Lebanon. But the Joseph Aoun government is not about to risk domestic tension and even civil war by actually trying to disarm Hezbollah. Israel remaining in Lebanon…

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. News editor Ben Sales joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following the various memorial ceremonies held this week to mark the third anniversary of October 7, Sales and Steinberg discuss the ongoing polarization in Israeli society, extending to the different days on which the Hamas massacre is commemorated. Looking ahead to the October 27 election, Sales talks about the democratic expectation of having a mandate once the votes are in, yet knowing it will only be the day after the election when the political maneuvering will start. As details about the lack of monitoring of foreign pilots continue to build after the flydubai attack, Sales reviews how the political opposition is using the opportunity to attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the election. Finally, Sales briefly discusses some of the unexpected reactions to New York City Mayor…

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. The country is marking the passage of three years since the onset of the multifront war on October 7, 2023. We speak about the concept of memorializing what one is living through and why this third anniversary is different. Moving from border to border, Berman speaks about the military's operations on all fronts and whether the status on the ground is a stalemate or a new normal. We discuss Israel's geopolitical status, comparing what we thought we knew on October 6, 2023, to what we believe is true today. Next, we turn to the unresolved Iran arena and hear about recent Saudi alliance efforts to push back the Iran-backed Houthis from strategic ports in Yemen. And finally, we learn about Cpt. Amir Zur, who fell in battle at Kibbutz Kfar Aza three years ago today. Check out The…

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. The copilot who attempted to carry out a terror attack on a flydubai flight on Wednesday intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, according to reports on Sunday. This is just one of the many details surfacing after the miraculous thwarting of the near-disaster that Horovitz unveils during today's program. However, alongside the saga of in-flight heroism, we have also learned of systemic failures which have exposed travelers flying in and out of Israel for years. Alongside the ministerial buck-passing, we hear sharp criticism from leading security figures, including the former head of Israel’s National Security Council, Eyal Hulata. The entrenched failure to protect Israelis has occurred as the nation is still mourning those who fell on October 7, 2023, and in the ensuing wars, and…

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. An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City overnight Friday-Saturday targeted Ali al-Amoudi, the terror group’s de facto leader in the enclave, according to the military, with Palestinian media reporting five people killed, including a number of women. This morning, a Hamas official claimed that al-Amoudi has survived the strike. Fabian fills us in. The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday said it determined that 170 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who were identified as journalists following their deaths were actually members of terror groups. We delve into the ways in which the IDF has determined these so-called journalists were linked to terror organizations and the problematic nature of reporting from the Gaza Strip. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened senior officers on…

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. Following the fierce Shabbat protests in Bnei Brak in early September, Stub discusses the real estate market in the largest ultra-Orthodox city, and developments in the poor, dense city, including better public transport that draws businesses that pay higher tax rates and unusual residential requirements. After Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, an influential thinker of liberal Orthodox Judaism, updated decades-old essays about Israel and American Jewry, Stub reports on his interview with the 93-year-old rabbinic leader and his views that God's role in history changes over time. Stub also reviews two recent archaeological findings: the ritual baths discovered south of the Temple Mount, used by pilgrims arriving in Jerusalem for the pilgrimage holidays and an exploration of how…

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. Last week, Borschel-Dan threw down a challenge: Can anyone suggest a Sukkot-themed film? Dozens of loyal listeners wrote in with 2004's "Ushpizin," directed by Gidi Dar. The unforgettable Israeli film -- which both of our Schmoozers had actually seen decades ago and blanked on -- explores the life of an unlucky ultra-Orthodox couple about to celebrate the Sukkot holiday. The couple, played by Shuly Rand (who also wrote the script) and his then-wife Michal Bat Sheva Rand, is fairly new to religion, but extremely devout. And so when their last shekel is spent, they pray fervently for a miracle. As they say, God works in mysterious ways, and so when their prayers are answered, a pair of reprobates made sure to stir the pot. Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze. The Reel…

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people. For this second episode in the new series, who better to ask the big questions than a philosopher? We turn to author and public intellectual Micah Goodman for an in-depth conversation on the one burning issue that unites America's radical right and left. Spoiler: They hate Israel. But the reasons why the far left and the far right despise the Jewish state come from very different narratives, explains Goodman. Likewise, their "final solutions" for Israel would result in divergent conclusions. In the second half of the program, we turn the tables and ask: Are Israelis aware that the fate of the Jewish state is an election issue in the US? Why is this fissure in the essential US-Israel relationship trumpeted as a main existential issue on Israeli politicians' campaign trails? Israelis, says Goodman, need to wake up. But will they? A…

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. It was a stormy week politically in Ireland. It wasn't over an attempted terrorist attack like we had here in Israel this week. It wasn't over the rising cost of energy or immigration, like elsewhere in Europe. It was a soccer match against Israel. That was enough to dominate the country's headlines. How did Ireland become so focused on Israel, and so hostile to the Jewish state? Alan Shatter, a leading Jewish figure in the country and former justice and defense minister, says a pro-Palestine 'cult' has taken over the country's politics. The country has always had a checkered past with its Jews, he said. The Provisional IRA had deep ties with Palestinian terrorists, and their political movement Sinn Fein 'contaminated' Irish politics by putting the Palestinian cause front and center. That obsessive focus has spread from politics across…

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 Ariela Karmel joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As details trickled in regarding the attempted attack on the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, Karmel discusses how the event became a political flashpoint, with less than a month before the October 27 election and the fast-approaching third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. She reviews the political rhetoric from the government allies and the opposition, which created a split-screen reality. With the High Court of Justice holding hearings on the disqualification of Arab parties and candidates from the October 27 election, Karmel reviews the case of Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, which is expected to be upheld by the court in a rare occasion of consensus, in large part because of an article he wrote after October 7 in which he expressed support for Hamas.…

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. Just ahead of recording today's episode, headlines began surfacing about the flydubai plane that signaled an emergency during its flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and safely landed in Saudi Arabia. IAF fighter jets were scrambled and top Israeli leadership was given emergency briefings. Horovitz discusses what is known and still unknown this morning. (As this is a developing story, please check our live blog for real-time updates.) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday condemned the massive overnight attack and riot by Jewish extremists in the West Bank the previous night. His call to prosecute the perpetrators “to the fullest extent of the law,” was joined by similar condemnations from Defense Minister Israel Katz and head of the Yesha settlement umbrella council Yisrael Ganz. All…

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. A Board of Peace official notes to Magid at the United Nations General Assembly that the organization envisions a de-radicalized Gaza as part of a broader end to war, suggesting that a similar transformation needs to happen in Israel as well, given talk amongst politicians of different stripes encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, a euphemism for forced displacement. As the Board of Peace unveils a six-month, $2.45 billion reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, Magid says that BOP's discussions with Israel have been complex given the upcoming election and work won't begin until well after the October 27 election, although they will exert pressure to begin implementing the plans. With the Norwegian government advancing legislation to outlaw trade with Israeli settlements, Magid reports…

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. A Board of Peace official notes to Magid at the United Nations General Assembly that the organization envisions a de-radicalized Gaza as part of a broader end to war, suggesting that a similar transformation needs to happen in Israel as well, given talk amongst politicians of different stripes encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, a euphemism for forced displacement. As the Board of Peace unveils a six-month, $2.45 billion reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, Magid says that BOP's discussions with Israel have been complex given the upcoming election and work won't begin until well after the October 27 election, although they will exert pressure to begin implementing the plans. With the Norwegian government advancing legislation to outlaw trade with Israeli settlements, Magid reports…

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. A Palestinian terrorist who took part in abducting Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or during the October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, the military and Shin Bet announced Sunday. Fabian fills us in on the strike, which was conducted by a special police unit. We discuss the renewed Hamas efforts to build up its forces and how it is using young children as weapons mules and human shields for operatives. Two years to the targeted killing of the former Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah, the terrorist group launched an explosive drone at Israeli troops operating in the southern Lebanon buffer zone Saturday night. We hear that the IDF keeps a list of targets to strike in response to Hezbollah drones during this ongoing fragile ceasefire. On Thursday,…

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. Berman, just back in Israel from the United Nations General Assembly, discusses how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 15th address to the hall on Thursday was in some ways a classic Bibi presentation -- and in many ways not. We hear what was said and unsaid during the 40-minute speech. A flurry of reports has come out in the past several weeks surrounding what the prime minister was briefed on ahead of the October 7, 2023, onslaught by Hamas on southern Israel, including a statement from former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this morning. Berman unravels which seem credible and why. Finally, Iran stood firm Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump rejected its proposal. While the Iranian offer had created some optimism…

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. Hoffman starts off with two quick Jangles -- news with a Jewish angle- before we devote the program to the original 1927 "The Jazz Singer" and a technicolor 1991 The Simpsons parody episode, "Like Father, Like Clown." Now in the public domain, a pristine digitally remastered version of the 99-year-old film can be viewed freely on YouTube. Although still primarily a silent film -- complete with hammy acting and text cards -- it features the world's first lines of synched dialogue and half a dozen songs. Hoffman recounts how the story was written especially for its star, Al Jolson, who was born to a rabbinical family in Lithuania that moved to the United States when he was five. The plot unfolds on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, and pits a fifth-generation cantor father against his entertainer son. The film is…

Welcome to "A Mandatory Listen," a new weekly podcast in which The Times of Israel deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan asks the big questions facing Israel and the Jewish people. For this inaugural episode, who better to ask "Is the IDF justified in picking off Hamas terrorists?" than The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. Last week, as headlines roiled world media condemning the IDF following the screening of "NAZA," which alleges Israel is using AI to commit genocide in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s determination to eliminate Hamas terrorists in the Strip. In the past several months, the IDF has conducted a series of strikes targeting Hamas operatives in Gaza. Since the October 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry claims 1,400 Gazans -- without differentiating between Hamas operatives and civilians -- have been killed by the IDF. Rejecting the notion that “Hamas is protected” within the area it controls in Gaza, Netanyahu asserted that “we are…

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 NY correspondent Luke Tress join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's combative speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday included expected themes, such as the threat Iran poses to the world and the Jewish people’s determination to stand up to antisemitism as well as attempts to annihilate them. Magid was inside the room where it happened. We delve into which props were employed this year and the surprising amount of time devoted to the prime minister's brother, Yoni Netanyahu. A few hours before Netanyahu's speech, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered recorded remarks in which he railed against the United States' decision not to issue visas for the Palestinian delegation. We learn the reasons behind this and the thrust of Abbas's…

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. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter's son, Neria, is hospitalized in serious condition after a car-ramming attack mowed down the reservist soldier at a checkpoint in the central West Bank yesterday. This morning, Leiter updated reporters that doctors have stabilized Neria’s condition overnight. Horovitz tells us about the groundswell of support for the ambassador, who suffered the death of his son Moshe during the war in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the United Nations General Assembly today at 9 pm Israel time. Horovitz describes the secrecy surrounding the premier's travel arrangements and what he is likely to focus on during his address. We also hear a sampling of the anti-Israel rhetoric and allegations from world leaders this week so far. The Central…

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 joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. After Bezalel Smotrich's far-right Religious Zionism party published a campaign platform calling for further, radical constraints on the judicial system, Sharon discusses the history and aspects of the finance minister's plans and his use of an AI-generated video to advertise the overhaul plan, depicting Supreme Court justices and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara getting dragged away from a protest rally. Following the approval of the purchase of Channel 13 by a philanthropic group, funded by a group of entrepreneurs headed by anti-government tech titan Assaf Rapaport, Sharon reports on Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's reaction, after months of attempting to circumvent the sale that he deemed "unlawful," given Rapaport’s outspoken criticism of the government. Check out The…

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. News editor Ben Sales joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today’s episode. On Sunday afternoon, a terrorist opened fire near Neve Tzuf in the West Bank, resulting in the death of Netanel Shukrun, father of six, who was buried on Monday night. On the other side of the globe, an assailant opened fire outside an Ontario synagogue during prayers on Yom Kippur eve, leaving a police officer in critical condition. Sales updates us on these two recent attacks. The fallout from the cancellation of the pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s tour continues. Sales highlights that the amplification of Macklemore’s message following his removal exemplifies a puzzle that advocates for Israel are still struggling to figure out: how to quash anti-Israel invective without drawing even more attention to their opponents. Finally, what’s on the minds of Israeli voters and…

As we at The Times of Israel prepared for the Jewish Day of Repentance, we were reminded of an episode that aired last year on Israel Story, our partner podcast. The outfit kindly allowed us to run the Yom Kippur episode in full. Here's how Israel Story described the episode last year: Exactly two years ago, in September 2023, we were in the final stages of working on an episode that we planned to release for Yom Kippur. A bunch of production hiccups made us decide to postpone publication by a week or two. Then came October 7th. Fast forward to today. Yom Kippur is, once again, upon us, and we decided to dust off that never-aired 2023 episode. Since we bring it to you as it was, the episode feels a bit like a fossil -- like a relic of a distant, saner time. But because it was recorded and edited in an entirely different reality, hearing it now somehow only accentuates the craziness of our times. First up: It's the season to reflect and repent, forgive and forget. As part of that, millions of Jews all around…

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. The Israeli military said on Friday that it was ramping up its forces on all fronts ahead of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, which starts on Sunday evening and ends on Monday night. Fabian explains what this means in practice. A Hamas commander who invaded Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip last week, the Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday, as Palestinian media reported several people killed in separate Israeli strikes across the enclave. We learn of additional targeted killings and reports of civilian fatalities alongside these strikes. Southern Lebanon saw renewed tensions over the weekend, with two IDF soldiers wounded by a Hezbollah roadside bomb and Israeli and Lebanese…

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 chew on the new documentary now in theaters, "You Had To Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (In a Canadian Kind of Way)." As depicted in the delightful film, if you ever wondered how a whole parcel of comedy greats got their starts, it was in a Canadian production of "Godspell" in 1972 that was a resounding success at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre. All stars aligned to bring together the constellation of Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin and Jayne Eastwood, with musical director Paul Shaffer. Ironically, the musical depicting Jesus and his disciples was heavily Jewish -- sometimes with comical results. Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad”…

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. Before Alkhatib gives us an overview of the conditions on the ground right now in the Gaza Strip, he speaks to social media allegations that he is a "Zionist" or "pro-Israel stooge" because of his staunch anti-Hamas stance and willingness to engage with Israelis and Jews. He speaks to how the "pro-Palestine industrial complex" marches in lockstep to condemn and blame Israel, giving two examples: the recent Haaretz report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned about the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel and the unreserved acceptance of the narrative portrayed in the new film "NAZA." Alkhatib goes through the recent claims made against Netanyahu and…

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. Benny Gantz was in the headlines in Israel and often across the globe for the better part of two decades. He was the 20th IDF chief of staff during two major operations against Hamas, was opposition leader, served as defense minister, and for the eight months after October 7, was a senior member in the war cabinet. His fortunes have changed, however, His party is polling well below the electoral threshold, and there are no signs that is about to change. Opposition figures are calling for Gantz to drop out, warning he will waste tens of thousands of votes that could prove decisive in replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Gantz insists he is in the race for the long run. Gantz said that he doesn't owe anything to anyone except his own voters. He acknowledges that he won't be prime minister, but says that he can be the bridge…

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. Following headlines worldwide and widespread anger in Israel over the allegations made in documentary film ‘NAZA’ about Israel's policies on civilian fatalities in the Gaza war, Magid reports that the Foreign Ministry has recommended to diplomats to dial down attacks on the Israeli filmmakers, assessing that ongoing furious Israeli denials are harming rather than helping. While the next official round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is delayed to next month, Magid notes that a small meeting between the Israeli ambassador to the US and the Lebanese ambassador took place in Washington, with each party reporting that there hasn't been enough progress on either side, in terms of the Lebanese army disarming Hezbollah and Israel withdrawing from some parts of southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, a…

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. The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis accused the rebels on Wednesday of targeting Islam’s holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The rebels immediately denied the accusation but did announce later in the day that they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet. At the same time, the Houthis have captured more strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, strengthening their control of the major maritime shipping route Bab el-Mandeb, and putting more of an economic squeeze on the Saudis. We learn how the military chiefs of Israel, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt held a meeting in Germany last week about the war with Iran and regional tensions, according to the Axios news site. And we hear about how the…

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 Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Israel’s upcoming election officially took shape last week, as the last of 38 parties submitted their candidate slates for the October 27 vote. We learn about the last-minute drama and surprises. Yesterday, the left-wing Democrat Party petitioned the Central Elections Committee to bar National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit slate from running. The party, led by Yair Golan, accused the right-wingers of undermining democracy, denying “the existence of the State of Israel as a democratic state,” and inciting racism. Karmel explains how this is expected political theater -- used by both sides of the aisle. Karmel writes in a recent analysis that, "Reflecting a broad rightward shift among the Israeli electorate, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is winning…

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. As Israeli politicians assail the Israeli filmmakers behind documentary “NAZA,” about Israel’s alleged AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza, Fabian discusses the IDF's immediate response, accusing the filmmakers of making false and unverified claims. Fabian reports on recent IDF strikes in Gaza that killed several well-known, senior Hamas commanders, and notes that these strikes receive less attention than they did in the past. Fabian discusses two incidents in the West Bank over the weekend -- concerning an off-duty soldier who fired at Palestinians he said were throwing stones, and a soldier who shot and injured a Palestinian during a settler clash. After the IDF blew up Hezbollah's underground facility beneath Lebanon's Ali Taher Ridge, Fabian details aspects of the…

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 Tal Schneider joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Today, we're taking a break from the news and getting a sneak peek into Schneider's new Hebrew-language book, "Milchama Mishelahen" ("Israel's Women Warriors"). Recently published by Yediot Aharonoth, the book charts Israel's female fighters -- from the pre-state underground resistance movements to the landmark court case of Alice Miller, to today's combat soldiers. Schneider describes how, immediately on October 7, 2023, she knew it was imperative to chronicle the s valor committed by groups of female soldiers -- often in the face of certain death. We hear how their sacrifice saved innumerable Israelis and turned the tide of a wave of Hamas terrorists in several locations. However, there are still immense challenges to the integration of women into the combat forces.…

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 head of the Israel Democracy Institute, Yohanan Plesner. As millions of Israeli voters will cast a fateful ballot on October 27, what are the top three issues driving them to the polls -- and why? Plesner, a former member of Knesset for the now-defunct Kadima party, begins the program by explaining the purpose and goals of the IDI, which he calls a "think-and-do-tank." We learn about the overabundance of parties that officially registered this week, the use of joint party "lists" to reduce wasted votes and how a politician's word may be somewhat flexible, leading to broken promises. Even after a vote is cast, the challenges in setting up a stable coalition are immense. It is not at all clear that we're not about to head to another series of inconclusive elections, warns Plesner. And so this week, we ask Yohanan Plesner what matters now. What Matters…

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 abandon all pretense of intellectuality and hunker down to watch the new Gal Gadot vehicle, "The Runner," now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film is a fast-paced sprint through London, during which Gadot must arrive at a certain location to save her son, who is in an induced diabetic coma. The plot seems simple, but the end carries a twist that got Borschel-Dan's husband thinking the whole week. Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze. The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Israel's relationship with the West, especially Europe, took an unhappy turn this week, as UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that his country would be imposing widespread sanctions on Israel's settlements. France and Canada said they would impose similar penalties, while other European countries called for EU measures against Israeli settlements. The European Leadership Network, or ELNET, works to improve ties between Israel and Europe. Yossi Abravanel, ELNET Israel's deputy director, joined Lazar Focus to explain why countries are announcing sanctions now, and how Israel should respond. According to Abravanel, domestic politics is the main driver of the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements. He said that countries are willing to harm their own interests to appease anti-Israel voters, and that an advisor to the…