What does the War in Ukraine mean for Israel? While thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in support of Ukraine, the Israeli government's reaction has been muted and measured. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the Israeli government's response to the invasion, the fact that a proud self-identified Jew is leading one of the most heroic struggles in history, and the implications of this crisis on a possible Israeli attack on Iran. Tune into this special episode of the For Heaven’s Sake podcast.

Sheikh Jarah, the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, has become the focal point for the conflict over Jewish sovereignty of Jerusalem. What is it about Sheikh Jarah that elicits such strong emotions on all sides? In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain wrestle to answer some unanswerable questions.

In this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the appropriate response to the recent Amnesty International report declaring Israel an Apartheid state. What are the “right” responses after being likened to a Nazi state? Is this the time for a nuanced argument or a time to fight back? Can we acknowledge some legitimacy in the report without accepting the entire denouncement? Who will have to deal with the lingering effects and fallout from this report? Elana Stein Hain joins the discussion to contextualize this challenging moment through the lens and history of Torah, looking at the difference between rebuke and defamation.

Apartheid. The word at the far end of critique of Israel. And when similar accusations of antisemitism are lodged at Israel’s critics, it too can shut down dialogue. Can meaningful discussion exist when the most extreme positions on each side increasingly define the conversation about Israel? This week, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk about polarization around Israel, the diminishing of the Jewish conversation, and their hope for creating a new space for dialogue.

What is liberal Zionism? Is there a language and vision that we can offer Israeli society that the political system seems incapable of delivering? And why is there such reticence, in both Israel and North America, to talk about values and Zionism? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss some fundamental questions about Zionism in 2022.

In a special end-of-year episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain respond to listener questions, covering topics from the one-state solution, wokeness, and Israel’s obligation to non-Jewish visitors during COVID to extreme rhetoric against Israeli-Arab coalition members. Tune into this roundtable episode and let us know if you think this discussion elevates us all a little higher.

What is the role of interfaith relations in modern Judaism and Jewish statehood? Are Jews ready for a new kind of relationship with Christians and Muslims, one rooted in psychological self-confidence and spiritual curiosity rather than historical trauma? What are the responsibilities that come with being the majority in a Jewish homeland with Christian and Muslim minorities?Join Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain for a thoughtful conversation about bridging divides toward a more whole, pluralistic world.

What happens when an ancient holiday is rebranded for modern audiences? For Israelis, Hanukkah was reinvented as a celebration of Jewish heroism, of our ability to persevere against overwhelming threats, with the Maccabean warrior as the precursor to the IDF. In contrast, in North America Hanukkah has been rebranded as a universal battle against religious suppression, with the Hanukah lights as beacons for interfaith ecumenism and religious tolerance. What does this dichotomy say about the two largest Jewish communities in the world?

As Israel passes its first state budget in 3½ years, we celebrate the stability brought about by its unusual and wondrous coalition. What can we learn from this moment about Jewish notions of normalcy, gratitude, and a collective psyche steeped in historic anxiety? Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi and Elana Stein Hain examine the Jewish mindset around stability, what it says about our place in the world, and how it affects the Israel-Diaspora relationship.  

As Iran approaches the nuclear threshold, Israeli leaders are explicitly warning of an imminent preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. The IDF has begun training for precisely that possibility. The consequences of an Iranian-Israeli war would be devastating. Is a preemptive strike worth the price? Or is stopping what many Israelis perceive as a potential existential threat worth any risk? How does Jewish tradition define a legitimate act of self-defense? And as we approach the point of no return, how should Israelis and Diaspora Jews speak about this increasingly realistic scenario?   This week, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain begin the conversation many North American Jews have preferred to avoid.