18 Questions, 40 Mystics

Join Rabbi Benji Levy as he asks 18 existential questions to 40 mystics from around the world.

Series launches Monday, Dec. 8.

Visit 40mystics.com to learn more.

A partnership between Share and 18Forty.

Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 5 answers from:

5. Gadi Taub
4. Shani Taragin
3. Rachelle Fraenkel
2. Yossi Klein Halevi
1.  Anshel Pfeffer

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 5 answers from:

6. Yakov Nagen
5. Netta Barak Corren
4. Mikhael Manekin
3. Nechumi Yaffe
2. Rula Daood
1. Yoav Heller

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

What is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 5 answers from:

5. Benny Morris
4. Uri Zaki
3. Einat Wilf
2. Yishai Fleisher
1. Michael Oren

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

What has been Israel's greatest success, and greatest mistake, in its war against Hamas?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 6 answers from:

6. Fleur Hasan-Nahoum
5. Haviv Rettig-Gur
4. Yaakov Katz
3. Michael Melchior
2. Micah Goodman
1. Mosheh Lichtenstein

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history?
We asked this question to 40 Israeli Thinkers over the last year. For the first time, come behind the scenes to Sruli Fruchter's favorite answers and the secret behind the question.
Here are our top 5 answers from:

5. Natan Sharansky
4. Netta Barrak Corren
3. Yossi Klein Halevi
2. Rachelle Fraenkel
1. Khitam Abu Bader

18Forty launched its new website! This is your address for today’s biggest Jewish questions. Please enjoy rummaging through our trove of podcasts, essays, videos, and more. Happy searching!

Israel is a heroic country, Michael Oren believes—but he concedes that it is a flawed heroic country.
Michael Oren—our 40th Israeli thinker—served as Israeli ambassador to the U.S. from 2009-2013 under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while former U.S. President Barack Obama was in office. A diplomat, writer, historian, veteran, and political thinker, Michael worked extensively in all fields of defending the Jewish state. 
He is the bestselling and award-winning author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide and Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East. Michael is working on a book on October 7. 
Now, this unapologetic Israel advocate joins us to answer 18 questions on the war in Gaza, the IDF's morality, and satanic accusations against Jews.
This interview was recorded on July 10.

Micah Goodman doesn't think Palestinian-Israeli peace will happen within his lifetime. But he's still a hopeful person.
Named by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews, Micah is a public intellectual, writer, and author whose voice is central to the moral, political, and religious debates raging within Israel.
He is the author of several best-selling books — including The Wondering Jew, Catch 67, The Dream of the Kuzari, and The Last Words of Moses — and co-host of the popular Israeli podcast Mifleget Hamachshavot.
Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on criticizing Israel, resettling Gaza, and Jewish democracy.
This interview was recorded on July 6.

Talking about the "Haredi community" is a misnomer, Jonathan Rosenblum says, and simplifies its diversity of thought and perspectives.
A Yale-trained lawyer turned journalist, Jonathan has been a prolific Haredi columnist for the last few decades. He helped found the English-language Haredi publication Yated Ne’eman, wrote extensively for The Jewish Observer, and writes weekly for Mispacha magazine.
Jonathan is also the author of over 10 biographies of Orthodox rabbinic leaders and was the first Haredi columnist to write regularly for the Jerusalem Post.
Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on the Haredi draft, Zionism, and Israel as a religious state.
This interview was held on June 23.

Two weeks ago, Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities, military sites, and leaders. Iran launched a barrage of missiles into Israel. Now, the war has only intensified.
Today's episode features eight Israeli thinkers discussing the Iranian threat from weeks and months ago. We hear from:

• Efraim Inbar
• Lahav Harkov
• Yossi Klein Halevi
• Gadi Taub
• Uri Zaki
• Einat Wilf
• Haviv Rettig-Gur
• Moshe Koppel

Who got it right? Who got it wrong? And who do you think is onto something?