Two Nice Jewish Boys

This episode is sponsored by Naor's Youtube channel 'The Italy Guy'! Check it out here and don't forget to hit the subscribe button! https://www.youtube.com/c/ItalyGuy *** Last week something happened in Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, who already broke the record as Israel’s longest sitting Prime Minister - did it again. After Naftali Bennet and Yair Lapid overthrew him a year and a half ago, he made an historic comeback which left everyone speechless. Netanyahu took the country by a landslide, in an outcome that none of the pollsters saw coming. But in the morning after the elections, as Netanyahu and his million voters celebrated - in the small courtroom of the Jerusalem District court, things were as usual. The humongous trial of cases 1000, 2000 and 4000, kept going. Witnesses were examined by the defense and then by the prosecution. ‘The State of Israel vs. Benjamin Netanyahu’. Charges of fraud and bribery. The trial will continue for years before a verdict will be heard, and that’s even before the appeals. Very few people in Israel truly understand the complexity of the charges and the cases against Netanyahu, and case 4000 is undoubtedly the most complicated of them all. It is also the most severe, the only one where Netanyahu faces charges of bribery - and many of his supporters believe wholeheartedly that this entire case is bogus. That is why a bunch of civilians, supporters of Bibi, decided to take it upon themselves to deep dive into the case and its 315 charges, to prove that they are absurd and invalid. They call themselves ‘Project 315’. Today we have with us one of the initiators of this endeavor, Moshik Kovarski, to talk about case 4000 and take a deep dive inside. So buckle up! Moshik on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mk1956

It’s never easy to be different, to be the other. As Jews and Israelis, we know this just as well as anyone else. To be “the other” can often be devastating, even lethal. That’s why it’s important to be tolerant, to recognize others, to acknowledge them and sometimes even to fight on their behalf. One such group are those who identify as LGBTQ. Historically, religious persecution, social outcasting, violence or other abuses have plagued LGBTQ people. In the harsh reality of the Middle East, Israel is the only country where members of the LGBTQ community enjoy full rights… well, except for marriage. Then again, Israel just held elections and from the looks of it, the most solidly right wing government in over a decade is on its way to power. Itamar Ben Gvir is even a likely candidate for Minister of Public Security, overseeing the police. Should this be cause for concern? To talk about all this, we’re excited to be joined by Yuval David, an actor and activist who’s an ardent advocate for the LGBTQ community. Inspired by his Jewish and Israeli-American roots, Yuval advocates for marginalized communities through organizations including the National LGBTQ Task Force, GLAAD, HRC and many many more. As an actor, Yuval’s played major roles in short and feature films, television and theatre, including ABC’s “What Would You Do”, CBS’s “Madam Secretary”, and much much more. Yuval also produces, directs, and writes. We are thrilled to be joined by Yuval today to discuss the LGBTQ community. www.YuvalDavid.com www.YouTube.com/YuvalDavid www.Instagram.com/Yuval_David_ www.Facebook.com/YuvalDavid www.Twitter.com/YuvalDavid www.IMDB.me/YuvalDavid www.Linkedin.com/in/yuval-david

Eternalizing the memory of the holocaust is a sanctified deed. We must never forget. That’s why every new initiative that strives to further enrich the plethora of documented memories - is a blessed one. Today, we gather to celebrate an especially special initiative. one that breathes life into a topic that is so saturated in death. A beautiful new book called “Honey Cake and Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors”, by Dr. Maria Zalewska and 120 survivors who share their favorite recipes. Today we are joined by Maria, the author of the book, and Tova, a Survivor who took part in the initiative. Maria is the Executive Director of the Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial Foundation. Tova Friedman was born in Poland. When she was 5 years old she was forced to endure the horrors of the Nazis, at Auschwitz Birkenau. She and her mother managed to survive, and were liberated by the Soviets in 1945. We are honored to have them on the show today to talk about the new book, and about Tova’s amazing life story. Buy "Honey Cake & Latkes: Recipes from the Old World by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors": https://www.amazon.com/Honey-Cake-Latkes-Auschwitz-Birkenau-Survivors/dp/1595911235 Buy "The Daughter of Auschwitz": https://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Auschwitz-Tova-Friedman-ebook/dp/B09Q639RW7 (Photo by SashaW)

Naor and Eytan are BACK after the Holidays hiatus to discuss everything that's taking place in our crumbling reality. *** Support us at https://www.patreon.com/2njb

“You make me feel like a natural woman.” “This is a man's world but it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl.” Ladies and gentlemen, what does it mean to be a woman? Or a man? Are these even inherently different or are these labels slapped on us by society, dictating how we're expected to behave, how we should talk and walk and how much we should earn. Dr. Sarai Aharoni is a senior lecturer and researcher in the gender studies program at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Her research deals with gender, feminism and international relations with a focus on the effects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the status of women and the participation of Israeli women in peace talks, non-governmental organizations and civil activity for peace. We're thrilled to be joined today by Dr. Sarai Aharoni to discuss women, men and everything in between.

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/2njb *** (*Please note: this episode may contain disturbing descriptions of battle*) What makes a hero? Today, when we think "hero", we can might think of a Marvel or a DC superhero, the kind that wears a cape or a mask and saves the day. But here, in Israel, real-life heroes are made every day. Only last week, two cops noticed a suspicious guy walking around in Jaffa. They arrested him, and discovered he was a Palestinian terrorist, armed with bombs and a machine gun, ready to kill civillians. That’s only one story out of many, about real-world heros. Today, we have the honor of hosting a real-world hero. His name is Ziv Shilon. Ziv was a commander in the Givati brigade in 2012, when, as he was out on a mission with his platoon, a bomb exploded in his face, literally. What happened thereafter would shape and re-define his entire life. Ziv underwent intense rehabilitation, started lecturing around the world about his inspiring story, created a beautiful family and in 2019 received a medal of honor from the IDF chief, for his service and his achievements. We are deeply honored to have Ziv Shilon on the show with us today. Ziv's website: https://zivshilon.com/en/home/ Brothers for Life - NGO https://www.brothersforlife.com/ Tikvot - NGO https://www.tikvot.org.il/ (Photo by Ohad Romano)

Since the Russian invasion into Ukraine, one thing that's been on a lot of people's minds (especially Europeans) is energy. Back in 2010, Israel had somewhat of an energy revolution. From a country that relied almost exclusively on imported energy, Israel suddenly became energy rich, along with certain corporations - some might even say they became filthy rich. The discovery of the Tamar, Leviathan, Karish and Tanin gas fields under the Mediterranean sea was no less than striking flammable gold. And it indeed sparked a fiery debate across Israel. Delek, Noble and a relatively small Israeli company called Ratio were the main ones responsible for finding and extracting the gas - but should they retain the rights to profit from it? Today, we’re joined by one of the key figures in this debate, Professor David Gilo, former Director-General of the Israeli Antitrust Authority. Prof. Gilo received his doctoral degree from Harvard Law, he taught at Tel Aviv University for many years and he’s won countless awards. We are thrilled to be joined by Professor David Gilo today to talk about Israel’s natural resources and monopoly power. (Photo by Gadi Ohad)

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/2njb *** Never a dull day in the Middle East. As Israel is entering another round of elections, Iran is on the brink of getting a new deal which will allow it to become stronger than ever. And as if that’s not enough, the entire global economy is threatened by inflation. It is in these delightful circumstances that we invited, once again, our seasoned guest Ofir Dayan, to talk about recent events and much more. Ofir recently came back from five years in the United States, where she was getting a Bachelor’s and Masters degree in at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Ofir is a fierce advocate for the Jewish right to visit the Temple Mount, as part of the ‘Beyadenu’ NGO. We’re super excited to have Ofir with us again on the show today! Beyadenu NGO: https://www.templeheritage.com/en

This Episode is sponsored by Unpacked’s new podcast, ‘Homeland: Ten Stories, One Israel‘ https://jewishunpacked.com/podcast-series/homeland-ten-stories-one-israel/ *** What would you do if you had 2.5 million dollars to invest in scientific research? Would you search for a cure for Altzheimer’s? Cancer? MS? Would you try to send the first man to Mars? Or would you attempt to create the perfect tiktok video? These are the questions that faced Professor Ido Kaminer from the Technion. Well, maybe not the last one. Professor Kaminer applied for the prestigious Polymath award, given each year by Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google. The rules are simple: submit a research proposal in a field that you’ve never explored. In other words, the applicants are requested to leave their comfort zones, think outside of the box and come up with an innovative idea that’s worth the money - 2.5 million dollars. Professor Kaminer was recently notified that he was awarded the prize. Now, he faces probably THE greatest challenges of his career - trying to explain to us simpletons what in the world his research is about. Prof. Ido Kaminer is a physics professor, he studies quantum mechanics and he’s the first Israeli to have gotten the Adolph Lomb medal, awarded since 1940 to a person who has made a noteworthy contribution to optics at an early age. It’s an honor to have him on the show today. (Photo: BAYS Israel Chem Laureate)

This Episode is sponsored by Unpacked's new podcast, 'Homeland: Ten Stories, One Israel' https://jewishunpacked.com/podcast-series/homeland-ten-stories-one-israel/ *** Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/2njb *** “The Next-To-Last time I Was Shot Out of A Cannon”, “The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God”, “Suddenly, A Knock On The Door”. Just the titles of these short stories are enough to make your literary mouth water. Etgar Keret certainly has a knack for doing just that. With a long career of award winning short stories, books, comics, graphic novels, children’s books and even short and feature films, all under his belt, Etgar Keret finally decided to tackle the hardest challenge of all - substack. Keret has been posting to his new substack, Alphabet Soup, once a week for the last year. As Keret puts it, “Super- short weird stories, poems, thoughts about writing, ideas for screenplays – they all swirl around in my Alphabet Soup pot.” Keret has won many awards, among which the Knight Medallion for Literature in France. His debut feature film, Jellyfish, which he co-created with his wife Shira Geffen, was awarded the coveted Camera d’Or prize at the Cannes film festival. Today we are super thrilled to be joined for the SECOND TIME by the endlessly talented Etgar Keret. Etgar's newsletter and website: https://www.etgarkeret.com (Photo by Lielle Sand)