In this special episode of Unpacking Israeli History, Noam Weissman and producer Rivky Stern switch things up by engaging in an in-depth conversation about the podcast's creation, philosophy, and approach to telling the story of Israeli history.By Unpacked

The 1967 War happened more than 50 years ago. And yet, the legacy of the Six Day War still reverberates throughout the world. Israelis were convinced they were facing another Holocaust. Instead, they achieved one of the most unlikely – and legendary – military victories in history. This miniseries explores the lead-up and legacy of the 6 Day War. ~…

The 1967 War happened more than 50 years ago. And yet, the legacy of the Six Day War still reverberates throughout the world. Israelis were convinced they were facing another Holocaust. Instead, they achieved one of the most unlikely – and legendary – military victories in history. This miniseries explores the lead-up and legacy of the 6 Day War. ~…

The 1967 War happened more than 50 years ago. And yet, the legacy of the Six Day War still reverberates throughout the world. Israelis were convinced they were facing another Holocaust. Instead, they achieved one of the most unlikely – and legendary – military victories in history. This miniseries explores the lead-up and legacy of the 6 Day War. ~…

Less than 48 hours ago, Iran launched an unprecedented military attack on Israel, its first direct attack on Israel after a decades-long “shadow” war. Iran sent hundreds of drones and missiles towards the Jewish state. So, why did Iran attack Israel, and what does all of this mean? ~~~~ Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jawT_GTJtdmIxtA3F…

Got questions about the current situation in Israel/Palestine? Almost all the answers lie in the Great Arab Revolt of 1936. How is that possible, when the modern state of Israel wasn’t even established until 1948?! This three-part series explores the roots of a seemingly intractable conflict, highlighting unknown figures and outlining what might ha…

Got questions about the current situation in Israel/Palestine? Almost all the answers lie in the Great Arab Revolt of 1936. How is that possible, when the modern state of Israel wasn’t even established until 1948?! This three-part series explores the roots of a seemingly intractable conflict, highlighting unknown figures and outlining what might ha…

Got questions about the current situation in Israel/Palestine? Almost all the answers lie in the Great Arab Revolt of 1936. How is that possible, when the modern state of Israel wasn’t even established until 1948?! This three-part series explores the roots of a seemingly intractable conflict, highlighting unknown figures and outlining what might ha…

Welcome to the second part of our two-parter about the four seemingly-impossible obstacles that confounded Israeli and Palestinian leaders alike. Why have Israelis and Palestinians never made peace? Despite multiple peace accords, the two peoples are still at war. In this two part episode, we’ll explore the four major obstacles preventing peace: Je…

Why have Israelis and Palestinians never made peace? Despite multiple peace accords, the two peoples are still at war. In this two part episode, we’ll explore the four major obstacles preventing peace: Jerusalem, borders, security, and the refugees. You’ve heard about the “right of return”? East and West Jerusalem? Security fences/walls? Then this …

The Druze are a tiny minority in the Jewish state, and the only community to share a so-called “Blood Covenant” with Israel’s Jews. But in 2018, the Israeli government passed a controversial Basic Law, known as the Nation-State Law, that threatened to upend this status quo. So who are the Druze? What is the Nation State Law? And what responsibility…

This is the story of Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, which has been causing trouble for Israel since its founding in 1982. As Israel’s northern border heats up and the two sides draw closer to a showdown, we investigate: who is Hezbollah, and what do they want? ~~~~ Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d68bkgIiKIwWRCn75DGaiWry9N3Oi_rPh6-X1fn_i8Q/e…

We're back for season 6! Get ready to join Noam for a deep dive into Israeli history, shedding light on the events of today. Have thoughts, questions, or stories to share? Drop us a line at noam@jewishunpacked.com. Your email might even become part of the conversation on the show. So, what are you waiting for? Yalla, let's do this.…

When we first released an episode on captured soldiers, back in August 2023, we had no idea that we were mere months away from the worst hostage crisis Israel had ever experienced. On October 7, 2023, Hamas murdered 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and dragged another 240 to Gaza, plunging Israel into a nightmare. Hamas did not discriminate. They …

Noam reflects on his meetings with survivors, evacuees, and Jewish leaders in the wake of 10/7. (Or 7/10, for the Israelis and Europeans out there.) ~~~~ Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GVNSsNxr23fIzzW7TnU3p6kGC-OxoTYkDSlAXmsd34w/edit?usp=drive_linkBy Unpacked

The world changed on 10/7. It's too soon to know exactly how this war will play out. But in this episode, Noam offers some thoughts on how and why people choose “sides” in a conflict like this – and how to respond to the misinformation, denialism, hatred, and extremism that poisons the discourse. ~~~~ Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sf…

This episode is a re-release, with the understanding that everything has changed. You’ve heard their name. Watched their propaganda videos. Seen their bloody handiwork up close and personal. But how well do you really know the story of Hamas? This episode delves into the surprising history of Israel’s charming next door neighbor. It’s a deep dive i…

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. The final episode of our series explores wider …

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. This episode takes you onto the battlefield, ex…

October 6, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first day of the Yom Kippur War – perhaps Israel’s most traumatic war. This miniseries unpacks that trauma, guiding our listeners through the lead-up to the war, the battles, the behind-the-scenes geopolitical maneuvering, and the painful aftermath. This episode explores why the war began, and de…

After the victory of the Six-Day War in 1967, it seemed like Israel was invincible. Less than a decade later, the country was taken by surprise by the outbreak of war on Yom Kippur 1973. Noam Weissman explores why — despite warnings — Israel’s leadership seemed so unprepared, why America urged Israel not to attack first and why this national catast…

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th *** Between 1989 and 2000, over a million Jews from the former Soviet Union arrived in Israel, fundamentally changing the nature of the country. But the road from the USSR to the Middle East was long, winding, and painful. This is the story of how a group of American student…

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th *** Maybe you’ve heard of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held for five years by the terrorist group Hamas. And maybe you’ve heard about the lengths that Israel went to to get him back, like swapping over a thousand prisoners for one missing man. But Shalit isn’t the first…

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th *** It’s the world’s most famous property dispute. And among the most deadly. The residents of this sleepy East Jerusalem neighborhood have spent the past four decades in court. And their battle has set Israel on fire – literally. So who, if anyone, is right? And what’s the …

*** Don’t miss the 3-part miniseries on the YK war, starting September 6th *** John Demjanjuk seemed like any other middle-aged immigrant living the American dream in the Ohio suburbs. Until the US Department of Justice accused him of being an SS guard, stripped him of his citizenship, and extradited him to Israel to stand trial for war crimes. In …

We’re back! Get ready...for Season 5, for more twists, turns, triumphs, and tragedies that define Israeli history. Are you ready? Yalla, let’s do this!By Unpacked

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey It was the spring of 1948, and in just a few short weeks, the British were scheduled to ship out, leaving Palestine to the Arabs and Jews who had been waging war against each other for six months. But beyond the bombs and the bullets, another war raged behind the scenes. One that continues …

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey Today, the Etzion bloc is home to more than 20,000 Jews. But back in 1948, roughly 500 Jews lived in the tiny parcel of land nestled between Hebron and Jerusalem. The four isolated, vulnerable kibbutzim of the bloc were an easy target for Arab attacks. But the Jews of Etzion weren’t going d…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey You probably know the story of Israeli independence: Ben Gurion declared a Jewish state on May 14, 1948. The next day, multiple Arab armies invaded. And though the war was long and brutal, the Jewish state emerged victorious. That story is true. But it’s incomplete. Because the war for Isra…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey The modern state of Israel is only 75 years old. But the Israeli identity was forged long before the partition vote of 1947 or the War of Liberation in 1948, in the earliest decades of the 20th century. The three figures we’ll talk about today were not Israelis. They died before they ever s…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey November 19, 1977. It was perhaps the most unusual Shabbat in Israel’s history. Because after the havdala service, Israeli families glued themselves to their TVs or radios, waiting anxiously for a visitor they never dreamed would arrive. Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, had come to Jerusale…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey You’ve heard their name. Watched their propaganda videos. Seen their bloody handiwork up close and personal. But how well do you really know the story of Hamas? This episode delves into the surprising history of Israel’s charming next door neighbor. It’s a deep dive into their history, thei…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey Kfar Qassem is a small bucolic city northeast of Petach Tikva. It is also the little-known site of the first salvo of the Suez Canal Crisis. On October 29, 1956 – as Israel prepared for war with Egypt – an IDF commander made a decision that would permanently scar Israel’s Arab community. To…

Take the survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey It was supposed to be a fun field trip. A little celebration in honor of Israel’s 26th birthday. Over a hundred religious high school students, exploring northern Israel and sleeping under the stars. But the three Palestinian terrorists who sneaked in from Lebanon had other plans. This is t…

We’re back! By popular demand, Unpacking Israeli History is back for another season. Get ready for the twists, turns, triumphs, and tragedies that define Israeli history. So strap in. Because for the next 8 weeks, we’re going to shine a light on some of the wildest stories you can imagine. Are you ready? Yalla, let’s do this!…

Unpacking Israeli History introduces another podcast from Unpacked: Jewish History Unpacked. Whoever said history was boring clearly never heard these stories Join hosts Yael and Schwab each week as they take a dive into some deep cuts of Jewish history. From the Jewish Da Vinci Code to mass suicide pacts, explore true stories that feel larger than…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ On the night before Shavuot, 1981, Prime Minister Menachem Begin shocked his cabinet by announcing they would be launching a surprise attack on a nuclear reactor in Iraq, known as Osirak. It was a gamble, one that the outside world, not to mention in Israel itself, most people didn't approv…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ Who should serve in the Israeli military? It doesn’t sound like a particularly spicy question, does it? Because the obvious answer is… “Israelis.” Like, duh. Case closed, next question. But in this episode, Noam breaks down why Haredim, a massive force in Israel, don't serve. He goes throug…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ The relationship between Jews and their host countries, for the past several thousand years, is complicated. And Iraq is no exception. While Jews have lived there for thousands of years, today, virtually no Jews are left in the country. This week's episode tells that story, through the lens…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ You may have heard about the first Gulf War - basically the entire world vs. Saddam Hussein. But though 34 countries - 34! - entered the alliance against Iraq, Israel didn't. So why on earth did missiles begin to rain down on Israel? In this episode, Noam breaks down how the 1991 Gulf War a…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ Qibya is one of the saddest and most difficult events in Israeli history. A military unit enters a village, and when the raid is over, 43 homes had been demolished, and 69 civilians – mostly women and children – had been killed. This week, Noam asks, what happened here, and how does it impa…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ It’s 1916 and World War I is raging. Countries are fighting for resources, land and power and the Ottoman Empire is on its deathbed. With all eyes on the Empire’s Middle Eastern territory, who will decide who gets control over what will become Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, and parts…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ How much do you know about the Mossad, Israel’s legendary intelligence agency? In this episode, Noam regales three wild stories about the Mossad that seem like they're straight out of a movie. Welcome to the world of international espionage. Our deepest gratitude to Israeli journalist Ronen…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ Prior to the Holocaust, the 1903 pogrom in Kishinev (now Moldova) was the most infamous occurrence of Jewish suffering in the Diaspora. In this episode, Noam explores the many myths that surround the massacre and how it inspired Theodor Herzl to propose the controversial Uganda Plan. ~~~~ T…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ Welcome to Season 3 of Unpacking Israeli History! In the summer of 1929, Jews and Arabs alike found themselves caught in an unbearably bloody battle. The aftermath of a deadly riot showed the Jews of British Mandatory Palestine that the British couldn’t protect them, leading them to unite u…

UIH survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/uihsurvey ~~~~ It’s January of 1954 and the Attorney General v. Gruenwald case, AKA the Kastner trial, has begun. This was seemingly an open and shut libel case between an elderly Hungarian Jew and Israeli government official, Israel Rudolph Kastner. Yet somehow the trial caused a government fallout, brou…

We are deep in the weeds prepping Season 3 of Unpacking Israeli History, and, dear listeners, you’re going to love it. As in past seasons, we’ll be exploring exciting, intense, and complicated topics. Stay tuned, and brush up on past episodes. Yalla, let’s do this.By Unpacked

This is the story of the men and women who brought us our state. Who ran guns, defended settlements, defied the Mandatory Powers that Be, smuggled shell-shocked refugees into their homeland… and who disagreed with each other mightily about the best way to wrench their homeland back from a dying empire. In this episode, the last of Season 2, Noam te…

By January 1993, the Israelis and the Palestinians had opened secret negotiations, culminating in the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements between Israel and the PLO, as the representatives of the Palestinians. So, what was Oslo? What is its legacy? How did the Israeli public, including the settlement leadership, view Oslo? What about the Palestini…

The story of Sabra and Shatila is a horrifying one. A paramilitary Lebanese group massacres between 800 and 2,000 refugees, many in horrifying ways. And oddly...Israel is blamed for this awful, awful crime? This week, Noam will break down the confusing and upsetting story of Sabra and Shatila, and in doing so, will ask, how does a nation deal with …