Holy Blossom Advocacy Committee Presents: Twenty Timely Podcasts

Since October 7th, the Jewish landscape in Israel, and throughout the diaspora, has changed dramatically with significant events happening daily. It can be challenging to keep up and appreciate all that is happening. Podcasts, including many born since the beginning of the war, allow us to dig deeper into issues and events, uncover historical background and hear different perspectives – all while driving, doing household chores, or walking the dog. Here is a list of 20 Podcasts, in alphabetical order, providing a variety of sophisticated political, cultural, and historical views to listen to and learn from:

Call Me Back
Journalist and foreign policy expert Dan Senor interviews guests about current developments in Israel, the Middle East, the US, and beyond. He is joined weekly by the Times of Israel’s Haviv Rettig Gur.

Decision Points
A Washington Institute Podcast hosted by David Makosky presents both a history lesson and an exploration of contemporary policy decisions impacting Israel, the US, and the world.  Season 5 is current.

Ezra Klein Show
Produced by the New York Times, The Ezra Klein show is not usually about Israel/Palestine, but since October 7, it has covered the war in several episodes with a liberal, progressive viewpoint.

For Heaven’s Sake
Hosted by the Hartman Institute scholars and Jerusalem residents Rabbi Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, this podcast goes deep on all dimensions of the war and how the week’s news can be seen as a mirror of existing tensions and trends within Israeli society.

Groundwork
Hosts Sally Abed and Dina Kraft focus on Palestinians and Israelis refusing to accept the status quo and working to change it. A joint production of New Israel Fund and the Alliance for Middle East Peace.

Haaretz Weekly
Host Allison Kaplan Sommer discusses current events in Israel. Hosted by Israel’s oldest newspaper—Haaretz.

Identity Crisis
From the Shalom Hartman Institute, Host Yehuda Kurtzer invites “leading thinkers to unpack current events affecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter to you.”

Inside Israel
Comedian Joel Chasnoff hosts serious conversations about Israel and current events. Each episode is recorded in front of a live audience.

The Israel Conversation
Formerly known as the Makom Israel Teacher’s Lounge, features discussions and debates on contemporary issues related to Israel and the Jewish world and provides educators with tools to discuss them

Israel Policy Pod
Experts from the Israel Policy Forum including Shanie Reichman and Neri Zilber discuss current events and analysis with various policymakers, activists, and academics.

Israel State of a Nation
Host Eylon Levy brings his idiosyncratic blend of “eloquence and ability to transmit outrage” (The Times) and “rhetorical tour de force” (The Guardian) to explore the most pressing questions facing the Jewish and inviting listeners into insider conversations with thinkers, policymakers, and media personalities.

Israel Story
Since October 7, Israel Story has presented short-form interviews capturing snapshots of lived experiences called “Wartime Diaries.” These include a CEO leading the Jerusalem volunteer centre, a woman with young children whose husband is serving, an evacuee from Sderot, and a gay man who fought to have his relationship recognized after his partner died fighting.

JPPI – The Jewish People’s Podcast
Explores the most pressing issues facing the global Jewish community. Hosted by Yaakov Katz in conversation with leading experts, politicians and thought leaders.

The Promised Podcast
TLV1 Journalists Allison Kaplan Sommer, Miriam Herschlag, and Linda Gradstein discuss the latest in Israeli politics, culture, and society with Professor Noah Efron.

The Tikvah Podcast 
Features conversations from Tikvah Fund fellows on a wide range of topics relevant to the Jewish world, the US, the West, Israel, and the Middle East, “bringing Jewish thinking and leaders into conversation with Western political, moral, and economic thought.”

The Times of Israel – The Daily Briefing
A 20-minute daily audio update hosted by Amanda Borschel-Dan, providing insight into current events through conversations with Times of Israel writers and editors. The episodes often delve deeper into material covered in Times of Israel articles.

Unpacking Israel History
Host Noam Weissman provides insights into “some of the most controversial and interesting events in the country’s history.” The most recent episodes focus on current events in Israel and abroad.

Unholy: Two Jews on the News
Israeli TV anchor Yonit Levi and London-based Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland, host this weekly conversation unpacking how the news affects them as Israeli and Diaspora Jews and interviewing weekly guests.

Unorthodox -Tablet Studios
Tablet Magazine hosts Stephanie Butnick, Liel Leibovitz, and Joshua Malina discuss “stories recorded on the ground from a country mourning, healing, and coming together.”

What Matters Now – The Times of Israel
A weekly exploration of one key issue shaping Israel and the Jewish World, hosted by deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan.