Unpacking Israeli History

Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, predates the establishment of the Jewish state by decades. Zionist leader Theodor Herzl hated it and many of Israel’s citizens refuse to sing it. So, how did this unlikely song take the national anthem top spot? What were the alternatives? And are there any plans to change it? Join Noam Weissman as he deconstructs the music, melody and meaning behind Hatikvah.  ~~~~ The Unpacking Israeli History Podcast series is sponsored by Andrea and Larry GillThis episode is sponsored by Jack and Ellen Kahan Zager in honor of Ala and Yoske (z”l) Brosh ~~~~ Learn more about Unpacked: https://jewishunpacked.com/about/ Visit Unpacked on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/unpacked  Teaching about this topic? Check out our relevant educator resources here: https://unpacked.education/video/history-of-israels-national-anthem-does-hatikvah-mean-hope-for-all/ ~~~~ Sources: Song "Hatikva" version by Daniel Saadon - Instagram @daniel_saadon1995 https://israelforever.org/interact/blog/hatikvah_song_of_hope_time_of_despair/ https://www.neaman.org.il/EN/Files/Hatikva-The%20Real%20Story%20behind%20Israels%20anthem.pdf https://www.songfacts.com/facts/traditional/hatikvah https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/2405/jewish-tunes-similar-to-non-jewish-ones https://www.timesofisrael.com/rivlin-said-to-vow-he-will-sign-nation-state-law-in-arabic/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/hatikvah/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-an-unwieldy-romantic-poem-and-a-romanian-folk-song-combined-to-produce-hatikva/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-an-unwieldy-romantic-poem-and-a-romanian-folk-song-combined-to-produce-hatikva/ https://www.haaretz.com/1.5028325 https://www.haaretz.com/1.4817521 http://www.jewishledger.com/2013/04/hatikvah-in-the-holocaust/ https://www.jta.org/1944/11/28/archive/jewish-flyer-who-fled-german-prison-camp-tells-of-mistreatment-of-jews http://www.thetower.org/article/hatikva-keeps-its-edge-despite-everything/ https://www.thetorah.com/article/tikvatenu-the-poem-that-inspired-israels-national-anthem-hatikva https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywq1wXU_HZs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtMhYQoEgCs https://www.timesofisrael.com/expert-confirms-jews-and-arabs-nearing-population-parity/ http://www.thetower.org/article/hatikva-keeps-its-edge-despite-everything/ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israels-anthem-and-a-row-about-harmony-7576841.html https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4397079,00.html https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/arabs-should-not-have-to-sing-hatikvah-say-israelis/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-blasts-hebrew-u-over-report-it-nixed-hatikvah-to-avoid-offending-arab-students/ ~~~~ Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media

Just a month after its establishment, the State of Israel was on the brink of civil war, with two of its greatest leaders — David Ben Gurion and Menachem Begin — facing off in the ultimate power struggle. Noam Weissman unpacks an event that continues to reverberate through Israeli society to this day. Join him as he asks how the Zionist dream nearly imploded and who deserves the credit for ending one of the biggest crises in Israeli history. ~~~~ The Unpacking Israeli History Podcast series is sponsored by Andrea and Larry GillThis episode is sponsored by Jack and Ellen Kahan Zager in honor of Ala and Yoske (z”l) Brosh ~~~~ Learn more about Unpacked: https://jewishunpacked.com/about/ Visit Unpacked on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/unpacked  Teaching about this topic? Check out our relevant educator resources here: https://unpacked.education/video/the-ship-that-almost-sank-israel/ ~~~~ Sources: Daniel Gordis, Menachem Begin, The Battle For Israel’s Soul Anita Shapira, Israel: A History Itamar Rabinovitch, Yitzchak Rabin Dan Ephron, Killing a King ~~~~ Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media

No incident in Israeli history has been more hotly contested than that of April 9, 1948, in the small Arab village of Deir Yassin. Noam Weissman tries to uncover what really happened on that fateful day and asks why, with so many battles, so much war and so many disputes, this event will haunt Israel forever. ~~~~ The Unpacking Israeli History Podcast series is sponsored by Andrea and Larry GillThis episode is sponsored by Maytal and David Shainberg~~~~Learn more about Unpacked: https://jewishunpacked.com/about/Visit Unpacked on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/unpacked Teaching about this topic? Check out our relevant educator resources here: https://unpacked.education/video/what-is-deir-yassin/~~~~Source Links https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/history/pages/israels%20war%20of%20independence%20-%201947%20-%201949.aspx https://erenow.net/modern/israel-concise-history-nation-reborn/8.php https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-capture-of-deir-yassin https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/MAGAZINE-testimonies-from-the-censored-massacre-at-deir-yassin-1.5494094 https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/04/201249125656342960.html https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/deir-yassin-nakba-war-crimes/ https://erenow.net/modern/israel-concise-history-nation-reborn/8.php Nihad Zeitawi, edited by: Sharif Kana’a, Destroyed Palestinian villages, Series No. (4): Deir Yassin, Bir Zeit University – Documents and Research center, 1987, p.57 ~~~~Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media

If you’ve learned anything about the spread of Modern Hebrew, you probably heard that it’s all thanks to one man - Eliezer Ben Yehuda - that Israel’s national language is Hebrew and not Yiddish (or even German!). Not to spoil a good story with fact, but that’s not exactly how the rebirth of Hebrew went down. Far from being a crusade of one, it took an entire nation to revive a language that had been close to death for millennia. ~~~~ The Unpacking Israeli History Podcast series is sponsored by Andrea and Larry GillThis episode is sponsored by Jack and Ellen Kahan Zager in honor of Ala and Yoske (z”l) Brosh. ~~~~ Learn more about Unpacked: https://jewishunpacked.com/about/ Visit Unpacked on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/unpacked  Teaching about this topic? Check out our relevant educator resources here: https://unpacked.education/video/the-hebrew-language-revival/ ~~~~ Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media

The podcast discusses the unexpected connection between chestnuts and the creation of Israel. It dives into the intrigue behind the Balfour Declaration and its lasting controversy. The episode explores the role of Chaim Weizmann and the impact of the declaration on Jewish identity.

Delve into the contentious Uganda Plan, a proposal for a Jewish homeland in East Africa during the early days of Zionism. Discover Theodor Herzl's transformative journey from proposing mass conversion to advocating for Jewish self-determination. Explore the urgency for a Jewish state spurred by anti-Semitism and the tragic Kishinev pogrom, which profoundly shaped Jewish identity and ignited calls for a homeland. The contrasting views within the Zionist movement reveal a deep-rooted desire to return to Israel, the ultimate symbol of hope and identity.

Noam Weissman delves into the Dreyfus Affair, highlighting its role in the rebirth of Israel. He explores the injustice faced by Alfred Dreyfus, the rise of Zionism, and the lasting impact on Jewish identity and anti-Semitism. A captivating unraveling of a pivotal moment in history.

Explore the controversial, fascinating and confusing moments of Israeli history with host Noam Weissman. Join him each week as he unpacks another captivating story that you may have missed in history class. The Unpacking Israeli History Podcast series is sponsored by Andrea & Larry Gill Learn more about Unpacked: https://jewishunpacked.com/about/ Visit Unpacked on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/unpacked Unpacked is a division of OpenDor Media