Call Me Back - with Dan Senor

Join Dan Senor live on Israel’s election night. On Tuesday, October 27th, at 4 p.m. ET, just as the polls close in Israel and the exit polls come out, Dan and experts from Israel and the U.S. will break down the results as they come in. 

The conversation takes place in The Fold, Ark Media’s private online community where listeners of Call Me Back and our other shows meet, ask questions, and go deeper on what they hear. The event is open to members of The Fold. 

To become a member and save your spot, join here: https://arkmedia.org/fold 

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Today’s episode:

Israel’s election is days away, but the country’s political future is anything but clear. Is Netanyahu the problem—or is something deeper changing in Israeli society? And when it comes to Israel’s standing in the world, security, and the relationship with the United States, do the country’s leaders and voters even agree on what matters most?

Dan Senor is joined by a three-guest live panel from the Streicker Center at Temple Emanuel in New York City: (1) former U.S. ambassador Dan Shapiro, now with the Atlantic Council, (2) Israeli pollster and Haaretz columnist, Dahlia Scheindlin–and (3) New York Times columnist and editor-in-chief of the journal Sapir, Bret Stephens.

Their conversation addresses the big electoral choices facing Israel—and the divides that may outlast the election.

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe

Credits: Beth Pearlman, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Karina Logiohio, and Ignacio Herbojo.

French unrest reveals a society fraying at the edges, leading its citizens toward both political extremes. France’s inability to address its economy, immigration issues, and rising antisemitism aren’t going away anytime soon—and similar issues could be seen throughout Europe soon. 

Dan Senor speaks with Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, joining from Paris, and journalist Michael Moynihan, about the forces converging on France, the difficult choices facing French Jews, and the rise of political movements on both the left and right. Beneath the immediate crisis lies a bigger question: can Europe sustain the social and economic model it built after World War II, or is it reaching a breaking point?

In this episode:

Read Simone Rodan-Benzaquen’s article, The French Republic is Under Attack.

https://www.thefp.com/p/the-french-republic-is-under-attack-democracy-tyranny-unrest

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Join Dan Senor live on Israel’s election night. On Tuesday, October 27th, at 4 p.m. ET, just as the polls close in Israel and the exit polls come out, Dan, Michael Koplow from the Israel Policy Forum and Lahav Harkov, Senior Political Correspondent at Jewish Insider, will break down the results as they come in. 

The conversation takes place in The Fold, Ark Media’s private online community where listeners of Call Me Back and our other shows meet, ask questions, and go deeper on what they hear. The event is open to members of The Fold. 

To become a member and save your spot, join here: https://arkmedia.org/subscribe 

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Leonardo Erhardt, and Yuval Semo.

The conventional wisdom is that the outcome comes down to two possibilities: Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power, or Gadi Eisenkot replaces him. But what if neither scenario happens? 

On this episode of Call Me Back, Dan Senor speaks with political analyst Gil Hoffman about three under-the-radar scenarios that could reshape Israel’s next government.

In this episode:

Read Gil’s book The Blood Libel Machine: Exposing the Anti-Israel Hate Network, and How to Fight Back.

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This episode is sponsored by American Friends of Magen David Adom. You can support their important work at afmda.org/callmeback.  

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Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

https://streicker.nyc/event/cmb_f2026/ 

The Fold Open House
Curious about The Fold? Come see it for yourself at our Open House on Thursday, October 22nd at 8 AM ET. Meet some of the people behind the community, see what’s happening inside, and ask any questions you have. RSVP at arkmedia.org/fold or Airtable. 

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

Is this a turning point for Jews in America, and what happens if the country fails the test?

Recorded live at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Dan Senor brings together New York Times columnist Bret Stephens and Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Hillary Scholten for a candid conversation about the rising tide of antisemitism, the political forces reshaping American life, and the choices facing Jews and their allies. 

In this live conversation:

The conversation closes with a challenge to stand together, defend Jewish life, and decide what kind of country America wants to be.

𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/early-in-person-voting

𝗧𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/

𝗧𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

https://beaconcoalition.org/volunteer-reg/

Image credit: John Hardwick.

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Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

https://streicker.nyc/event/cmb_f2026/

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

The US seems to have won the Battle of Hormuz; what would it take to win the Iran War?

Seven months into the war, the US and Iran are locked in a high-stakes test of endurance, with the Strait of Hormuz, the global economy, and the future of the Middle East hanging in the balance. Dan Senor brings together two leading Iran experts, Mark Dubowitz and Suzanne Maloney, who sharply disagree on whether America is gaining the upper hand–or paying too steep of a strategic price. Their debate gets to the hardest question of all: Can the US win the war militarily and still lose strategically?

In this episode:

Listen to Mark Dubowitz’ podcast, The Iran Breakdown:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-iran-breakdown-with-mark-dubowitz/id1798788194 

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Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

https://streicker.nyc/event/cmb_f2026/ 

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This episode was sponsored by Birthright. Invest in the Jewish future today at https://onetripchangeseverything.com.  

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

Dan Senor is joined by Yael Bar tur and ChayaLeah Sufrin, hosts of the new Ark Media podcast Chosen People Problems, for a wide-ranging Ask Me Anything. They tackle questions about the state of Jewish education, the appeal of anti-Zionism among young Americans, why Fauda is shaping perceptions of Israel globally, and what the rise of the European right means for Israel and Jews abroad.

In this episode:

Read the article discussed in the episode.
https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-afd-election-far-right-immigration-merkel

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Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

What does it mean for diaspora Jews to move forward from October 7th without becoming complacent or consumed by fear?

Three years after October 7th, Dan Senor sits down with Rabbis David Ingber and David Wolpe to discuss what the aftermath has revealed about Jewish life in America. They discuss the growing sense of uncertainty among diaspora Jews, the tension between Jewish values and liberal democracy, the debate over Zionism, and how Jewish communities can respond with both moral clarity and openness.

In this episode:

Watch Rabbi Angela Buchdahl’s Yom Kippur speech about reclaiming Zionism here.

This episode is sponsored by American Friends of Israel Navy SEALs (AFINS). For a brief video on Buddy Line and to support the program, visit https://AFINS.us/warriorcare.

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Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.
https://streicker.nyc/event/cmb_f2026/

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Sign up to Ark+ to get access to exclusive episodes and ad-free listening to Call Me Back and every show in the Ark Media Network.

Sign up at arkmedia.org/subscribe

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Continue the conversation on THE FOLD, our private moderated community for Ark Media listeners. The Fold is where you can dig into all of the issues Jews around the world are facing. There you can ask questions, hear other takes, keep talking about it with people who care as much as you do. Learn more and join us at arkmedia.org/subscribe 

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Andrej Todorovski, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, Karina Logiohio, Leonardo Erhardt, Ignacio Herbojo, and Yuval Semo

Dan Senor and Ark Media CEO Ilan Benatar announce Ark+, our expanded membership; The Fold, our new private community; and the network's newest show, Chosen People Problems.

Join Ark+ and The Fold: arkmedia.org/subscribe

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What really happened inside the negotiations to free the October 7th hostages?

For 15 months, the Biden administration, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and Hamas negotiated over one impossible question: how do you bring the hostages home while also fighting a war? Brett McGurk, who was at the center of those talks, joins Dan Senor to take listeners inside the negotiating rooms—from the first backchannel with Qatar to the deals that repeatedly came within reach and fell apart. He explains what he believes Washington got wrong, why public pressure sometimes made negotiations harder, and how an unlikely Biden-Trump transition partnership helped finally get a deal over the line.

Purchase Brett's book Brink - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/843630/brink-by-brett-mcgurk/

RSVP to our October 5th Virtual Announcement Event: https://arkmedia.org/rsvp/

Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

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Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going.

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In this episode:

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Brittany Cohen, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

How do you turn October 7th into fiction when it still feels like the present?

For more than a decade, Fauda has turned the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a global television phenomenon. But Season 5 takes on something different: two episodes that put its fictional characters inside the events of October 7th, while the trauma is still very much alive. Dan sits down with Fauda creators Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff to discuss the responsibility of dramatizing a real catastrophe, what they chose to show—and leave unseen—and what happens when fiction begins to shape how the world remembers history.

Read John Aziz’s Atlantic piece on Fauda here.

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RSVP to our October 5th Virtual Announcement Event: https://arkmedia.org/rsvp/

Get your tickets to a live taping of Call Me Back at the Streicker Center in NYC on October 22.

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This episode is sponsored by The Israel Democracy Institute: For resources on Israel's upcoming election and to learn more about IDI, visit https://en.idi.org.il/ 

Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going.

Become a subscriber -  Inside Call me Back

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In this episode: 

- How Fauda reconstructed the events of October 7th

- How the co-creators determined the level of violence they could portray

- Why the creators saw Season 5 as more than just another season of TV

- Why Fauda is drawing a huge audience across the Arab world

- Can a television show become part of the historical record that’s still being written?

- In an era of misinformation and anti-semitism, why it’s important to tell this story during a still-living trauma

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More Ark Media:

Credits: Ilan Benatar, Devan Schwartz, Brittany Cohen, Mindy Schaper, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo