Best Michael Unterberg Podcasts (2024)

1
National Security and Arab Israelis 25:21

9h ago25:21

25:21

407 National Security and Arab Israelis In the context of the Gaza war, many Jewish Israelis argue that their fellow citizens of Arab ethnicity present a security threat. Employment, access and movement must be monitored and perhaps restricted, according to this view. Is that concern reasonable? And even if it hypothetically is, can a democracy fun…

1
Can Hamas be Contained? 27:35

18d ago27:35

27:35

406 Can Hamas be Contained? Until October 6th, the shared Israeli conception was that Hamas could be contained in the Gaza strip. Sure, the IDF would occasionally have to knock out their rocket launchers. But overall, that is something we could live with. Now since October 7th, is it possible to go back to that plan? Or has the reality changed leav…

1
American Abstention 28:54

21d ago28:54

28:54

405 American Abstention The routine is that if Israel doesn’t approve of a United Nation Security Council resolution, the United States vetoes it. But in March, America abstained on UNSC resolution 2728. Israeli leaders (and many Israelis) were furious. Is this a big deal and a sign of things to come? Is the allyship between these two democratic na…

1
How will this war be seen by history? 23:17

27d ago23:17

23:17

404 - How will this war be seen by history? Israel has fought Hamas in Gaza over and over again. There was Operation Cast Lead in 2008, Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and Operation Protective Edge in 2014 just to name a few. Thousands of rockets have been launched at civilian areas of Israel and Israel has counter attacked over and over again…

1
Should Freeing Hostages Be the Priority? 23:39

1M ago23:39

23:39

403 Should Freeing Hostages Be the Priority? The Gaza war has challenged Israel with countless moral dilemmas. One of the most painful relates to the efforts to free the hostages. Inevitably, missions to destroy Hamas will put the lives of Israeli hostages at risk. Conversely, delays for negotiations and deals to release hostages give Hamas time to…

1
When can we critique the government? 25:54

1M ago25:54

25:54

402 When can we critique the government? “Don’t swap horses in the middle of the stream” - associated with Abraham Lincoln’s re-election campaign. Israelis, and Zionists worldwide, consistently complain about whatever government is in power. But in the middle of a war, what are the rules? Can we openly critique, complain or even demand change of a …

1
Proportionality and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) 31:21

2M ago31:21

31:21

401 - Proportionality and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) After defining proportionality (enjoy the audio clip from the West Wing) there is so much to debate about the ethical conduct of the current war. While it is difficult for citizens to debate these issues with limited information, it is arguably their duty to do so. Is Israel correctly p…

1
Framing the Conflict Post October 7 31:08

4M ago31:08

31:08

308 Framing the Conflict Post October 7 Israelis and Zionists all had to have some understanding of the conflict with Palestinian Arabs. This was as true before October 7th as afterwards. In what ways do we need to reframe those understandings after the massacres? What discomforting truths did we avoid? What misconceptions have been disproven? Cale…

1
Israel Citizens Filling the Breach When Government Fails 28:40

4M ago28:40

28:40

Israel Citizens Filling the Breach When Government Fails This is an era when citizens around the world don’t have a tremendous amount of trust in government. Israelis and Jews around the world are still shaken by the intelligence and operational failures that led to the October 7th massacres. In the weeks and months since, many are still complainin…

1
Are Shoah Analogies Appropriate? 25:35

4M ago25:35

25:35

Are Shoah Analogies Appropriate? We are all living with the trauma of the post October 7th world. It is often referred to as the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. But do comparisons to the Shoah help us contextualize and understand the world we live in? Or are any such comparisons not at best unhelpful, and at worst inappropriate? Can tho…

1
Who should be hired to do the labor in Israel? 31:04

5M ago31:04

31:04

Who should be hired to do the labor in Israel? Evidence has been uncovered that Arab laborers from the Gaza strip provided Hamas with intel on the Israeli towns where they worked. In the wake of this shocking news, Israelis are debating who to hire for many basic jobs. How should we balance insecurity with inclusivity? Should Israeli Arabs return t…

1
Should Israel Fight Hezbollah? 27:35

5M ago27:35

27:35

Should Israel Fight Hezbollah? While most of our attention is on the war in Gaza, there has been constant combat on our northern border. Will the battle with Hezbollah heat up to a full scale war? Should it? While war is always horrible, should Israel extend the conflict and eliminate Hezbollah as it has pledged to do to Hamas? Benji hosts this epi…

1
What will happen after the war? 24:45

5M ago24:45

24:45

What will happen after the war? When the dust settles, what will Gaza look like? What would be success for Israelis? What could make a better future for Gazans? While the war is far from over, the question is already relevant. Many are speaking about this issue in Israel and around the world. While we aren’t privy to the discussions behind the scen…

1
What will winning the war look like? 31:34

5M ago31:34

31:34

What will winning the war look like? This episode was recorded before the deal to recover hostages was announced. Has Israel set realistic goals in its war with Hamas? What would victory look like? Is it possible to eliminate Hamas as an organization? As an idea? Can the hostages be rescued? Can Israel win the public relations battle? Should it? Jo…

1
How did we get here? 28:42

6M ago28:42

28:42

How did we get here? In this gripping podcast episode, Calev, Alan, and Matt delve into the intricate factors that led to the October 7 massacre. Was it a result of tactical errors, intelligence failures, or misinterpretations of Hamas' intentions? Or does the root cause trace back to Israel's strategic decision to disengage from Gaza in 2005? Join…

1
Crisis on Campus 35:04

6M ago35:04

35:04

Special: Israel at War - Episode 3 Crisis on Campus In this third special current event episode, Calev, Liel and Mike, discuss what is happening outside of Israel in college campuses during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. How should students understand the anti-Israel protests? What should they do? We hope these special episodes help our listeners…

1
Special: Israel at War - Episode 2 33:23

7M ago33:23

33:23

Special: Israel at War - Episode 2 What happens next? In this second of two special current event episodes, Mike, Alan, Mordechai and Jordana discuss what may come next in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. They share their feelings and observations in this difficult time. We hope these special episodes help our listeners understand and process these…

1
Special Israel at War - Episode 1 28:10

7M ago28:10

28:10

Special Israel at War - Episode 1 Where are we now? In this first of two special current event episodes, Calev, Liel and Matt discuss where we are on day 4 of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. They share their feelings and observations in this difficult time. We hope these special episodes help our listeners understand and process these difficult ev…

1
Are there boundaries to Jewish caricatures? 13:54

7M ago13:54

13:54

Are there boundaries to Jewish caricatures? We didn’t even know that Ben was recording. But he was! He recorded our discussion of a political cartoon. (you can look at it on this link) It made Matt particularly uncomfortable and we debate its appropriateness. The issue was that the government was defunding existing programs to transfer more money t…

1
Should Israel Do More to Support Ukraine? 32:25

8M ago32:25

32:25

Should Israel Do More to Support Ukraine? Israel faces a complex dilemma when it comes to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. On one hand, Israel maintains strong historical ties with Russia, particularly regarding the Russian-speaking Jewish community. Russia has also been a key player in regional stability, particularly in Syria, wher…

1
Drafting Haredim into the IDF 23:51

8M ago23:51

23:51

Haredi Draft The debate over drafting the Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel, has been a contentious issue in the country for several decades. At its core, the debate revolves around the question of whether or not Haredi men should be subject to compulsory military service like the rest of the Israeli population. This issue stems…

1
Can Israel Have a Constitution? 26:51

8M ago26:51

26:51

Can Israel Have a Constitution? Israel’s Declaration of Independence calls for a “Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948...". It doesn’t look like we’re going to make the deadline. The current judicial reform crisis exists because of that. So too the current crisis over the role o…

1
The Apartheid Accusation 29:28

8M ago29:28

29:28

Apartheid Type the word “apartheid” into a google search bar and the second search that pops up is “apartheid Israel”. We’ve all heard the accusation. It is also a demonstrably false descriptor for the State of Israel. This ridiculous calumny may make a nasty sound-bite sized accusation. But for anyone genuinely trying to understand the conflict, i…

1
Is There a Future for the Jewish Diaspora? 43:32

8M ago43:32

43:32

Is There a Future for the Jewish Diaspora? Jews have been living outside of the land of Israel for thousands of years. It is a historical truth that this process started by enemies driving them into exile. But these diaspora communities settled in, expanded, and continued to migrate around the globe for over two millennia. In the 20th century, Jews…

1
Herzl vs. Ahad Ha’am 28:16

9M ago28:16

28:16

Herzl vs. Ahad Ha’am There is an old saying that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” We deeply believe that knowing the history of Zionist debate brings a richness of perspective and understanding to the issues that we face today. So we submit for your approval one of the first deep debates that divided the Zionist world. In past…

1
Does Israel Need America? 27:45

9M ago27:45

27:45

Does Israel Need America? Everyone knows that Israel and America have a strong relationship. As allies their economic, political, military, and cultural ties are deeply rooted. It remains so across multiple administrations in each of the countries. But is America a necessary ally for Israel? What would happen if that relationship changed? Could Isr…

1
Where are we now, after the "Reasonableness" vote? 43:27

9M ago43:27

43:27

Note: This is the beginning of season 9, which is season 2 of our new debate format! We decided to get this episode published in a timely fashion. Normally, our debates are meant to be “evergreen” educational discussions about Israel and Zionism. But we’re breaking the format because so many people are asking how to process the Knesset vote this we…

1
Season 2 is Coming! 1:06

9M ago1:06

1:06

We are excited to announce the upcoming second season of our new debate format! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome! Theme music by Akiva Y. Unterberg. Masa Website Facebook page Please rate, review, share and recommend our podcast.By Masa Israel Journey

1
How Should Diaspora Jews Express their Ideas About Israeli Politics? 28:05

1y ago28:05

28:05

How Should Diaspora Jews Express their Ideas About Israeli Politics? Note: This is the end of the season and our podcast will be on a brief hiatus. Keep subscribed for season 9! There are several factors that can make it complicated for diaspora Jews to express their opinions on Israeli politics. Here are a few: Lack of firsthand experience: Diaspo…

1
Should Israeli Reserve Soldiers Refuse to Serve, as a Form of Protest? 23:01

1y ago23:01

23:01

Should Israeli Reserve Soldiers Refuse to Serve as Protests? The protests against Judicial Reform have continued on a smaller scale over the past weeks. With Passover behind us, and the national holiday season underway, Israelis are gearing up for whatever is coming next. One aspect of the protests in particular has been hotly debated. Should reser…

1
Israel's Nation State Law 21:32

1y ago21:32

21:32

Nation State Law Israel's Nation-State Law, also known as the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People, was passed by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, in July 2018. The law enshrines Israel as a Jewish state and makes Hebrew the country's official language, while downgrading Arabic from an official language to one with "specia…

1
Is Israeli Democracy in Existential Danger? 32:44

1y ago32:44

32:44

Is Israeli Democracy in Existential Danger? Once again, we turned to Chat GPT and asked a simple question. “Does the current judicial reform crisis mean that Israeli democracy is coming to an end?” Here’s the essential parts of it's answer: As an AI language model, I strive to remain impartial and avoid making predictions about political developmen…

1
Do we wish for an Exceptional or a Normal state? 32:37

1y ago32:37

32:37

Do we wish for an Exceptional or Normal state? What do we hope for when we consider the Jewish State? Let’s consider our National Anthem: “As long as deep in the heart, The soul of a Jew yearns, And forward to the East To Zion, an eye looks Our hope will not be lost, The hope of two thousand years, To be a free nation in our land, The land of Zion …

1
Should the IDF End the Draft? 21:59

1y ago21:59

21:59

Should the IDF end the draft? Polling over the last few years shows growing support among Israelis for a professional, rather than a conscripted army. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has had a mandatory conscription policy since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. All Israeli citizens, with few exceptions, are required to serve in the…

1
Is there still a chance for a two-state solution? 26:31

1y ago26:31

26:31

Is there still a chance for a two-state solution? For the last nine decades, whenever outsiders looked at the conflict between Jews and Arabs between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea, they have come up with the same idea. Since both people have claims to the land, it will need to be split. A two-state solution refers to the idea of establ…

1
Are Jews Indigenous to Israel? 27:17

1y ago27:17

27:17

Are Jews Indigenous to Israel? There are still some things you can Google, but now we also have Chat GPT. When we looked on google to define indigenous peoplehood, it said it means “inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists.” Does this concept apply to Jews in Israel? There are two ways to addr…

1
The Judicial Reform Debate 25:04

1y ago25:04

25:04

The Israeli Judicial Reform Debate This is certainly the most divisive topic in current Israeli politics. While many thousands protest every week, supporters call those protesters anarchists. We recorded this episode before all of the plan’s specifics were announced, we certainly called the issues correctly. This debate has been ongoing for several…

1
Trailer: We're coming back with a new format! 1:07

1y ago1:07

1:07

New episodes on the way! Our new season is coming before you know it. We've reformatted in light of a different podcast landscape then when we started, back in 2016. (There are more options now for Israeli headlines in english) As educators, we decided that working out various issues that affect Israeli life, culture and politics is our strength. W…

1
266 Conversion in Modern Israel (Re-release)

2y ago

—

There are thousands of Israelis who do not meet the definition of "Jew" by the standards of Orthodox Judaism. Imagine going to Jewish schools, serving in the IDF, and then being told that you can't marry a Jew! How should the Jewish State resolve this disturbing problem for so many of its citizens? Rabbi Chashi Freedman is the Educational Director …

1
265 Hillel Halkin on Herzl vs. Ahad Ha'am (re-release)

2y ago

—

Always get as much Hillel Halkin content as you possibly can. If you want to know why, listen to our current episode. Alan rejoined Mike for this one. They discussed Ahad Ha'am's arguments with Herzl, but it's really about why the history of Zionism is so relevant to us today. Normally we discuss current events, but a scholar like Hillel reminds us…

1
264 - The New Israeli Jews (Re-release)

2y ago

—

If you missed this classic episode, you'll want to catch it. And if you heard it back in the day, it's worth a refresher. Enjoy! Zionism's founders wanted to change Jewish character and culture. In 2019, the data is in, and we can now see that they succeeded. (although not necessarily in the ways they intended) In this important episode, Alan and M…

1
263 Government Collapse and New Elections 41:47

2y ago41:47

41:47

Well, there goes the government. It looks like we're headed to the 5th elections in under 4 years. How did this happen? Why did this happen? What happens next? Mike is joined by Calev Ben-Dor and new team member Mordechai Cohen. Join us! This episode was edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome! Masa Website Facebook page Please ra…

1
262 Changing the West Bank Legal Status 40:31

2y ago40:31

40:31

Ummm... WHAT?! What the heck is happening? Is the Israeli government about to change the status of West Bank settlements in a political fight? What does that mean for the almost half a million Jews who live there? Why are right wing parties endangering the settlement movement? Will this receive international attention? What is the plan here? How wi…

1
261 The Israel Conversation on Social Media 51:51

2y ago51:51

51:51

Why are posts about Israel on social media so distorted and strange? What can we do about it? How should Israel educators discuss these issues with their students? Social media and PR expert Emily Schrader joined Liel and Mike for a discussion filled with thought provoking insights and perspective. This episode is a must listen! Join us! Emily Schr…

1
260 Coalition Chaos 37:17

2y ago37:17

37:17

Why is the current government coalition in constant chaos? What does that mean for Israel's present and future? How do we follow these stories? Rajel Leghziel joined Matt and Mike to explain. Join us! This episode was edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome! Masa Website Facebook page Please rate, review, share and recommend our p…

1
259 Civility in Israeli Politics - Can the Coalition Last? 36:37

2y ago36:37

36:37

With all the challenges facing the current coalition, can the government possibly last? What does it represent in terms of civility in politics? Why does civility matter so much to the health of democracy? Calev joined Mike and Matt to discuss. Join us! This episode was edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome! Masa Website Faceboo…

1
258 Days of Remembrance and Celebration 39:47

2y ago39:47

39:47

What does it mean that member of Knesset Amichai Chikli has been declared a renegade? What does that show us about Israeli democracy? And what do the "Yoms" (HaShoah, HaZikaron and HaAtzmaut) mean to us? What do they tell us about Israel and our people? Calev discussed these topics with Liel and Mike. Join us! This episode was edited by the amazing…

1
257 Chametz in Israeli Institutions 38:39

2y ago38:39

38:39

When Idit Silman left the government coalition, she gave a strange reason. She said it was the implementing of the Supreme Court's ruling on Chametz in Israeli hospitals. What was that ruling? What are the rules on Chametz in Israeli institutions? What role does that Rabbinate play? How should Israel resolve the tension between its Jewish and Democ…

1
256 Current Wave of Terrorism 35:11

2y ago35:11

35:11

How is the current wave of terrorism different from past ones? Is this another intifada? What is Israel doing about it? What exactly makes terrorism different from "freedom fighting"? To address these questions, and more, Mike and Matt invited Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian to the podcast. Mannie is the Times of Israel's military correspondent, and he bro…

1
255 The Coalition Earthquake 36:58

2y ago36:58

36:58

Israelis woke up on Wednesday morning to discover that the Government coalition dropped down to 60. Why did that happen? Why is it happening now? What does it mean for the future? Rajel Leghziel joined Liel and Mike on Thursday morning to explain the situation. It may seem confusing at first, but we help make sense of it all. Join us! TOI News and …

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