🇮🇱 Israel Episodes

This is an amazing story about a new mother in the class, who did everything and even reached the Minister of Education to achieve her goal: to be elected to the class parents' committee. Soon she will become Israel's ambassador to Greece - a political appointment by Minister Gideon Sa'ar from Likud. And she is not the only one - in recent years we have witnessed appointments of senior officials in the public service, even when they lack the skills, sensitivity, and experience required for the position. So why exactly are they there? This time we are with Tomer Lotan, former Director-General of the Ministry of Public Security during Minister Omer Bar-Lev's tenure, and head of the "Magen Israel" program during the COVID-19 pandemic, for a conversation about the direction the public service is heading: the enormous enterprise on which the welfare of Israeli citizens depends in almost all areas of life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great news, the Minister of Finance has decided that from now on, it's possible to buy from foreign websites for up to $150 without paying VAT, and this is going to save all of us a lot of money. Is this a populist move as part of an election economy? Undoubtedly. But is it necessarily bad? That's already a much more complex question. Presenter: Shaul Amsterdamski; Editor: Yonatan Kitain; Associate Editor: Lihie Zadok; Producer: Adi Efrat; Sound Editor: Tal Vanig  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Galei Tzahal, a station that has accompanied the State of Israel for 75 years, is facing closure. This is a military radio station that from its inception held dual purposes: to serve as a security instrument, but also to be an educational and values-promoting instrument. Over time, the station became a cultural asset, nurtured Israel's leading journalists, but also served as a focal point for controversy. This time, we are with our political correspondent Yaron Avraham and with Prof. Adam Shinar, a lecturer in constitutional law at Reichman University, and together we will try to understand why the decision was made to close Galei Tzahal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not long after the October 7 massacre, the police began collecting evidence against its perpetrators - the thousands who crossed the fence that day, were captured, and have been imprisoned in Israel ever since. Mountains of evidence accumulated against them, but no one had any idea how, or who, would handle it. This time we are with Adv. Yuval Kaplinsky from Dr. Gideon Fisher & Co. Law Firm, formerly head of the International Department in the State Attorney's Office - discussing the first draft bill on the matter and whether it will shorten the process - or simply create a host of new problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since Trump was elected president, he has stated his intention to bring peace to the world and end conflicts - and in some ways, he is indeed acting in that direction, even here in Israel. But at the same time, it seems that in a completely different arena, he is actually preparing for a confrontation. In recent months, through a series of escalating steps and statements, Trump has hardened his approach towards Venezuela: he accused it of stealing American oil and smuggling drugs into the United States, and did not even rule out the possibility of a real war against the South American country. So this time, we are in conversation with Prof. Leo Corry, President of the Open University, about the confrontation between Trump and Venezuela. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is it about gel polish that made it a regular monthly expense for many women in Israel, even during wartime? How did it become a multi-million dollar market? And is it a passing trend or a new, stable industry? In memory of Liel Susi z"l Presenters: Shaul Amsterdamski and Lihie Zadok, Editor: Tomer Michalson, Producer: Lihie Zadok, Sound Editor: Rotem Deutscher Photo: shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu approved a deal under which Israeli natural gas will be sold to Egypt for tens of billions of dollars. This is a complex deal because, on the one hand, it involves a lot of money entering Israel, and on the other hand, there are those who warn that it also jeopardizes our energy security. But the story here is broader than our economy and even than the relations between Jerusalem and Cairo, because behind this deal are also American, Qatari, European, and even Russian interests. So this time we are with our economics reporter Amalia Duek and with Dr. Guy Laron, Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the Hebrew University, on the gas deal between Israel and Egypt.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From simple cognitive techniques, through specially written books, and up to an innovative therapeutic application currently undergoing clinical trials. Dr. Elad Zlotnik, an expert clinical psychologist and Head of Innovation at the Trauma Recovery Center, explains the practical steps for self-coping with trauma. In collaboration with the Trauma Recovery Center, Hebrew University, supported by JFNA | Episode 7 in the series on Trauma and Recovery To join the PTSD treatment trial for treatment using the application, click on the following link: https://beyond.sheba.co.il/267255 See https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the mid-19th century, the California "Gold Rush" caused a mass abandonment of workplaces and created a severe shortage of labor. In Israel of 2025, there is no gold, but the crisis is the same: empty garages, buses that don't arrive, and restaurants closing entire sections. This time, we are with Maayan Parthey and Prof. Gil Epstein, a lecturer in economics at Bar-Ilan University and a senior researcher at the Taub Center, trying to understand where the workers have disappeared to?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ra'am party was founded in the 1990s as the political arm of the Islamic Movement, and its activities were guided by the religious Shura Council. But last weekend, Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas announced that Ra'am would become a civil party and separate from the Islamic Movement. So this time we are in conversation with Muhammad Majadleh about the split between the party and the religious figures, about Mansour Abbas's great ambitions, and about the new path of the Ra'am party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the service we all loved to love become more expensive, poorer, more outdated, and much less fun and worthwhile? And how might all of this become even worse if Netflix completes the huge deal to acquire Warner Bros.? Presenters: Tzlil Avraham and Alon Amitzi; Editor: Yonatan Kita'in; Associate Editor: Lihie Zadok; Producer: Adi Efrat; Sound Editor: Tal Vanig, Image: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another episode of "The Spaceship Hagit", a space adventure series that sometimes takes over this podcast, in which the elite crew of the spaceship encounters a mysterious entity that insists on explaining what they are doing. Featuring Rodia Kozlovsky and Yuval Binder from the "Hayah AI" podcast.

Every year, the leading science magazine Nature publishes its list of the ten people who influenced science, and this year, Professor Yifat Merbl is also on the prestigious list. The recognition came following a groundbreaking study whose purpose was to look precisely where no one thought to check – the "trash can" of proteins. The research revealed that during the natural breakdown process of proteins, substances are created that could potentially serve in the future as an alternative to antibiotics, against which bacteria are developing increasing resistance. This time, we are with Professor Yifat Merbl from the Weizmann Institute of Science, for a conversation about the immune mechanism she discovered – and how it may, one day, change the treatment of diseases that until now were considered incurable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, during the celebrations of lighting the first Hanukkah candle on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, two armed terrorists, a father and son, arrived and opened fire into the crowd. This is a shocking and unusual attack, but with a broader look at the last two years in Australia, one can identify a series of events that preceded it, and perhaps even paved the way for it. This time we are with Jessie Amsalem from Sydney, and with the struggle of the Jewish community in Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warner Bros., the company that started with four Jewish brothers and from a fund became a Hollywood empire. And yet - today's Warner Bros. struggles to compete, is up for sale, and is now at the center of a battle of giants. On one side, Netflix, and on the other - Paramount. A battle for hundreds of billions, the future of cinema and television, and also for the heart of Donald Trump. This time we are with Effi Lifshitz, content consultant and writer on cinema and culture, with the question: who will buy Warner Bros.? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grief treatment in adults requires an understanding of the complex human process that arises following the loss of a loved one. Dr. Avital Gershfeld-Litvin, a medical psychologist specializing in the field of loss and grief, explains what a normal grief response is, when it might become prolonged or pathological, and what therapeutic tools are currently in use. In collaboration with the Hebrew University Center for Trauma Recovery, with the support of JFNA | Episode 6 in the series on Trauma and RecoverySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Families Headquarters for the Return of the Hostages and Missing has accompanied us for the past two years and was an inseparable part of the war. The Headquarters ran campaigns, sent delegations all over the world, organized rallies every Saturday, and demanded one thing - everyone. But in recent weeks, activity has decreased: fewer people attended, money started to run out, and the Headquarters had to act accordingly. This time, Daniel Shahar brings the story of the struggle headquarters at moments when it is changing its face, and the story of the people who are still there and are now only busy with one - Ran Guili, the last hostage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What led dairy farmers to dump tens of thousands of liters of milk into the sewage system? How did ritual slaughterers become so sought after that they look down on high-tech salaries? And how does all this affect the prices we pay at the supermarket? The second episode in a series examining the connection between kashrut and the cost of living. Presenter: Alon Amitzi; Editor: Yonatan Kitain; Associate Editor: Lihie Zadok; Producer: Adi Efrat; Sound Editor: Tal Vanig See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ritualistic abuse - child abuse by a group of participants that also includes ritualistic elements - this is a concept we've heard before, but didn't know whether to believe. Following the special discussion that took place last week in the Knesset's Committee for the Advancement of Women and the testimonies heard there, this time we will speak with Naama Goldberg, CEO of the "Lo Omdot Meneged" (Not Standing By) organization, Haim Rivlin, a journalist for the "Shomrim" media body, and Tess Meir, an actress and creator who will share her first-person account of the ritualistic abuse she experienced.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major General Roman Gofman has a long military history, but is that enough to be the head of the Mossad? The Prime Minister, who announced the appointment five days ago, thinks so, but there are also quite a few people who think otherwise. This time we are with intelligence and security analyst Yossi Melman, author of the book "Imperfect Spies" and creator of the film "Rabin's Assassination: Averting Gaze" - and he will tell us about the battle currently taking place over the appointment of the next head of the Mossad. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.