One of Israel’s darkest days since October 7th, as four hostages return home in coffins—two of them children. Yonit and Jonathan reflect on the profound impact of this moment on the nation and what it means for the fragile negotiations over a second stage of the hostage deal. Meanwhile, as Germany heads to the polls this Sunday, the far-right AfD party is on the rise. With the help of Israeli-German social scientist Meron Mendel, we examine what this surge means for Germany, for Europe, and for Jewish communities watching with unease. 

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Meron Mendel is an Israeli-German historian, educator, and social scientist specializing in contemporary antisemitism, Jewish history, and Israeli-German relations. Born in Israel, he moved to Germany in 2001 and has served as the director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt since 2010. A professor of social work at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Mendel is a leading voice in Germany’s discourse on antisemitism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Holocaust remembrance. Mendel frequently engages in public debates on Jewish identity, historical responsibility, and the challenges of integration in multicultural societies.