What happens when everything becomes instantly politicized and no institution is safe from attack? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect how October 7 has transformed Israel's moral landscape, as the Netanyahu government shifts focus from defeating external enemies to waging war against internal opponents.

Through the lens of the explosive scandal involving Israel's former top military lawyer, they examine whether Israeli society can survive when accountability becomes partisan, institutions lose legitimacy, and the pursuit of political ends justifies any means.

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Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

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What does the possible election of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jewish identity, Diaspora-Israel relations, and the boundaries of Jewish community?

As New Yorkers head to the polls in the coming week to elect their next mayor, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the return of 'conditional acceptance' for Jews in progressive spaces, compare this moment to Jeremy Corbyn's impact on British Jewry, and grapple with the painful reality of Jewish division in the face of perceived threats.

From the episode:

Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record”

Identity/Crisis with Howard Wolfson

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

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How are Israelis processing the transition from 760+ days of war to a fragile peace?

Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire with Gaza, Israeli society is grappling with hope, trauma, and unsettling questions about who actually won. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Hamas’ ceasefire violations, Trump's bear hug diplomacy, and why 48% of Israelis believe nobody emerged victorious from this conflict.  

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Will this moment of national unity in Israel transcend politics and open new possibilities for transformation after the celebration?

Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the profound emotional impact of Israel's recent hostage return - a day that united the nation in tears and joy. They explore what this spiritual turning point means for Israeli society's future, the strategic debates around prioritizing lives over military goals, and whether peace can re-enter Israeli discourse after 25 years.

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

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Two years and two days after October 7, Israel celebrates a breakthrough. In this  episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the game-changing deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages. From Trump's surprising humanity to Netanyahu's strategic pivot, from the hostage families' brilliant campaign to the far-right's defeat – they explore how Israel has arrived at this transformative moment and what it means for the Middle East's future. Can Israel finally exhale?

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Can a society traumatized by October 7 learn to hope again?

As Trump unveils his Arab supported Gaza peace plan, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine why Israelis struggle to embrace hope after October 7. They discuss the plan's moral dimensions, its focus on defeating Hamas while offering Palestinians a future, and what it means to believe in change when your world feels broken.

A timely conversation about transformation, just before Yom Kippur.

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Can we maintain the highest ethical standards without betraying national solidarity? 

As the war in Gaza surpasses 700 days and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with the challenges of moral responsibility during time of war. They discuss maintaining ethical credibility while under attack and advocate making space for the "troubled committed"—Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics—concluding that the hardest questions often come from the place of deepest love.

From the episode:

“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel

“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine

“Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed” by Donniel Hartman, Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, Fall 2021

As the Gaza war reaches day 703 and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the challenge of moral reflection in wartime after a painful week. How do you maintain ethical standards without betraying solidarity?

They address soldiers’ sacrifices, the fate of hostages, Gazan civilians, and the stakes of a potential ceasefire decision, exploring what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with difficult moral questions. They discuss the "troubled committed" - Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics, and why making space for their voices strengthens rather than weakens support for Israel.

A raw, honest conversation about maintaining ethical credibility while under attack, and why the hardest questions often come from the deepest love.

From the episode:

“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel

“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine

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• Yossi’s article: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/our-season-of-reckoning-israels-moral-crossroads-in-gaza/
• Tablet Article: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/uja-gaza-donation-troubled-committed-liel-leibovitz

Watch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

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In a headline-grabbing speech, Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israelis to embrace life as a “super-Sparta,” cut off from a hostile world— which begs the question: who do Israelis want to be after October 7?

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the implications of embracing an isolationist strategy: was this merely a pep talk, or the burial of Start-Up Nation for Sparta Nation? What does Sparta really symbolize, and why are even right-wing voters feeling uneasy? With new polls showing 78% of Israelis prefer diplomacy over permanent siege, could a new Israeli identity movement be rising in response? 

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

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In striking Hamas leaders in Qatar, Israel is invoking a decades-old principle: enemies of the Jewish people have no sovereign immunity. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine how the 1961 Eichmann Trial, which established the doctrine of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and crimes against the Jewish people, continues to shape modern Israeli thinking and military operations. 

As day 704 of the war in Gaza unfolds, they grapple with hard questions: is Israel a nation that excels at precise military strikes but struggles with long-term strategic solutions? What does this action mean for hostage negotiations? And how do democracies fight evil without losing their moral standing?

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Is pushing into Gaza City a necessary step—or a purposeless escalation that jeopardizes hostages, multiplies civilian suffering, and splinters national unity?

As Israel weighs an assault on Gaza City, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the IDF chief’s four-part warning—military efficacy, the fate of the hostages, a spiraling humanitarian crisis, and global isolation—and whether this phase risks tearing Israel apart.

They revisit lessons from Lebanon 1982 and Yom Kippur 1973, consider if the war’s military purpose lapsed months ago, and ask whether public outrage can still halt an escalation that could endanger the hostages Israel seeks to save.

Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. 

Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.

For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.

Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. 

Click here to learn more.