Can a provocative film transform into an unshakeable weapon in the global battle over Israel's moral legitimacy?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the intense cultural and political fallout surrounding "Naza," the award-winning Venice Film Festival documentary that accuses Israel of systematically embracing disproportionate civilian deaths in Gaza. From the surreal spectacle of the film's record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation in Europe to sweeping indictments and unverifiable soldier testimony, they confront how the film alienates Israeli society rather than fosters genuine moral self-reflection during the High Holiday season of teshuvah. In the process, they discuss how the total erasure of Hamas's battlefield presence distorts Western understanding of asymmetric urban warfare.  Mentioned in the show:  <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-icjs-pernicious-plan-to-redefine-genocide-6a207ccc">"The ICJ's Pernicious Plan to Redefine Genocide,"</a> by Orde F. Kittrie and Andrés B. Muñoz-Mosquera, September 13, 2026, WSJ Opinion  <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/full-speech-ed-miliband-lays-out-uks-new-approach-to-support-two-state-solution/">“Full speech: Ed Miliband says entire occupation unlawful, slams ‘settler terrorists’ and Israeli government that indulges them,”</a> by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, September 8, 2026, Times of Israel

Can a provocative film transform into an unshakeable weapon in the global battle over Israel's moral legitimacy? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the intense cultural and political fallout surrounding "Naza," the award-winning Venice Film Festival documentary that accuses Israel of systematically embracing disproportionate civilian deaths in Gaza. From the surreal spectacle of the film's record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation in Europe to sweeping indictments and unverifiable soldier testimony, they confront how the film alienates Israeli society rather than fosters genuine moral self-reflection during the High Holiday season of teshuvah. In the process, they discuss how the total erasure of Hamas's battlefield presence distorts Western understanding of asymmetric urban warfare. Mentioned in the show: "The ICJ's Pernicious Plan to Redefine Genocide," by Orde F. Kittrie and Andrés B. Muñoz-Mosquera, September 13, 2026, WSJ Opinion “Full speech: Ed Miliband says entire occupation unlawful, slams ‘settler terrorists’ and Israeli government that indulges them,” by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, September 8, 2026, Times of Israel

Can a provocative film transform into an unshakeable weapon in the global battle over Israel's moral legitimacy?&nbsp; In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the intense cultural and political fallout surrounding "Naza," the award-winning Venice Film Festival documentary that accuses Israel of systematically embracing disproportionate civilian deaths in Gaza. From the surreal spectacle of the film's record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation in Europe to sweeping indictments and unverifiable soldier testimony, they confront how the film alienates Israeli society rather than fosters genuine moral self-reflection during the High Holiday season of teshuvah. In the process,&nbsp;they discuss how the total erasure of Hamas's battlefield presence distorts Western understanding of asymmetric urban warfare.&nbsp; Mentioned in the show:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-icjs-pernicious-plan-to-redefine-genocide-6a207ccc" rel="noopener noreferrer">"The ICJ's Pernicious Plan to Redefine Genocide,"</a> by Orde F. Kittrie and Andrés B. Muñoz-Mosquera, September 13, 2026, WSJ Opinion&nbsp; <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/full-speech-ed-miliband-lays-out-uks-new-approach-to-support-two-state-solution/" rel="noopener noreferrer">“Full speech: Ed Miliband says entire occupation unlawful, slams ‘settler terrorists’ and Israeli government that indulges them,”</a> by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband,&nbsp;September 8, 2026,&nbsp;Times of Israel&nbsp;

Naza: When a Film is the News

How can a society deeply divided by electoral deadlock find the collective moral courage to choose democratic renewal over perpetual crisis?  In this Rosh Hashanah episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi set aside the reactive mode of recent years to name their realistic hopes for Israel: the return of truth to public life, a moral reckoning with settler violence in the West Bank, and the quiet shifts stirring in the Haredi and Arab sectors. Grounded in the High Holiday belief that what once was isn't necessarily what must be, this is a hopeful yet clear-eyed look at the year ahead. Shana Tova.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast">YouTube channel</a>.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/">arkmedia.org</a>.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134">Click here</a> to learn more.

How can a society deeply divided by electoral deadlock find the collective moral courage to choose democratic renewal over perpetual crisis? In this Rosh Hashanah episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi set aside the reactive mode of recent years to name their realistic hopes for Israel: the return of truth to public life, a moral reckoning with settler violence in the West Bank, and the quiet shifts stirring in the Haredi and Arab sectors. Grounded in the High Holiday belief that what once was isn't necessarily what must be, this is a hopeful yet clear-eyed look at the year ahead. Shana Tova. 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.

How can a society deeply divided by electoral deadlock find the collective moral courage to choose democratic renewal over perpetual crisis?&nbsp; In this Rosh Hashanah episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi set aside the reactive mode of recent years to name their realistic hopes for Israel: the return of truth to public life, a moral reckoning with settler violence in the West Bank, and the quiet shifts stirring in the Haredi and Arab sectors. Grounded in the High Holiday belief that what once was isn't necessarily what must be, this is a hopeful yet clear-eyed look at the year ahead. Shana Tova.&nbsp; Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">arkmedia.org</a>.&nbsp; For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951" rel="noopener noreferrer">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.&nbsp; Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here</a>&nbsp;to learn more.&nbsp;

Israel Votes: New Year, New Hopes

Why does Israeli political life appear hopelessly frozen at the top even as tectonic shifts stir beneath the surface?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the looming Israeli elections, the persistent mathematical stalemate between major political blocs, and the tired defensive tactics driving Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign. They investigate the fragmentation of the right wing following Ofer Winter’s entry into the race, the demise of small vanity parties failing to clear the threshold, and the emerging revolutions within both the Haredi and Arab-Israeli sectors.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast">YouTube channel</a>.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/">arkmedia.org</a>.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134">Click here</a> to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  <a href="https://www.hartman.org.il/event/the-road-to-the-israeli-elections/">Register</a> for The Road to the Israeli Elections on September 8.

Why does Israeli political life appear hopelessly frozen at the top even as tectonic shifts stir beneath the surface? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the looming Israeli elections, the persistent mathematical stalemate between major political blocs, and the tired defensive tactics driving Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign. They investigate the fragmentation of the right wing following Ofer Winter’s entry into the race, the demise of small vanity parties failing to clear the threshold, and the emerging revolutions within both the Haredi and Arab-Israeli sectors. 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. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Register for The Road to the Israeli Elections on September 8.

Why does Israeli political life appear hopelessly frozen at the top even as tectonic shifts stir beneath the surface?&nbsp; In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the looming Israeli elections, the persistent mathematical stalemate between major political blocs, and the tired defensive tactics driving Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign. They investigate the fragmentation of the right wing following Ofer Winter’s entry into the race, the demise of small vanity parties failing to clear the threshold, and the emerging revolutions within both the Haredi and Arab-Israeli sectors.&nbsp; Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">arkmedia.org</a>.&nbsp; For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951" rel="noopener noreferrer">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.&nbsp; Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here</a>&nbsp;to learn more.&nbsp; Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.hartman.org.il/event/the-road-to-the-israeli-elections/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Register</a> for The Road to the Israeli Elections on September 8.&nbsp;

Israel's Election: What Do Israelis Really Want?

Can the Jewish people hold on to moral tradition in the era of Jewish power?  In this special episode—recorded live in the courtyard of the Shalom Hartman Institute's Jerusalem campus on July 14, 2026, at the Institute's Wellspring Summit for Educators—Yossi Klein Halevi joins Sara Labaton, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America for a candid conversation on Jewish anti-Zionism, the Israel–American Jewish divide, and the crisis of Jewish memory. Together, they reflect on power, victimhood, and what we owe the next generation of Jewish learners.   Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast">YouTube channel</a>.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/">arkmedia.org</a>.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134">Click here</a> to learn more.

Can the Jewish people hold on to moral tradition in the era of Jewish power? In this special episode—recorded live in the courtyard of the Shalom Hartman Institute's Jerusalem campus on July 14, 2026, at the Institute's Wellspring Summit for Educators—Yossi Klein Halevi joins Sara Labaton, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America for a candid conversation on Jewish anti-Zionism, the Israel–American Jewish divide, and the crisis of Jewish memory. Together, they reflect on power, victimhood, and what we owe the next generation of Jewish learners. 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 the Jewish people hold on to moral tradition in the era of Jewish power?&nbsp; In this special episode—recorded live in the courtyard of the Shalom Hartman Institute's Jerusalem campus on July 14, 2026, at the Institute's Wellspring Summit for Educators—Yossi Klein Halevi joins Sara Labaton, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America for a candid conversation on Jewish anti-Zionism, the Israel–American Jewish divide, and the crisis of Jewish memory. Together, they reflect on power, victimhood, and what we owe the next generation of Jewish learners.&nbsp;&nbsp; Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">arkmedia.org</a>.&nbsp; For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951" rel="noopener noreferrer">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.&nbsp; Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here</a> to learn more.&nbsp;

Why are Young Jews Turning Against Israel? - with Yossi Klein Halevi and Sara Labaton

What do four political earthquakes in a single week – as the Knesset is on the brink of dissolving – reveal about the election that will define Israel's future?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi open Israel's election season by mapping the upheaval: the sudden formation of new parties, Gadi Eisenkot's rise to rival Likud as Naftali Bennett fades, a blitz of contentious legislation, and a government openly declaring it will defy the Supreme Court. Together they ask what Israelis actually want and whether this moment marks the true end of the Netanyahu era. A clear-eyed guide to the opening shot of the most consequential election in years.  This episode originally aired on July 8, 2026.  ----  Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast">YouTube channel</a>.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/">arkmedia.org</a>.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134">Click here</a> to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  College students, <a href="https://www.hartman.org.il/program/winter-student-seminar/">apply now</a> for the 2026 Edward Fein Winter Student Seminar!

What do four political earthquakes in a single week – as the Knesset is on the brink of dissolving – reveal about the election that will define Israel's future? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi open Israel's election season by mapping the upheaval: the sudden formation of new parties, Gadi Eisenkot's rise to rival Likud as Naftali Bennett fades, a blitz of contentious legislation, and a government openly declaring it will defy the Supreme Court. Together they ask what Israelis actually want and whether this moment marks the true end of the Netanyahu era. A clear-eyed guide to the opening shot of the most consequential election in years. This episode originally aired on July 8, 2026. ---- 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. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: College students, apply now for the 2026 Edward Fein Winter Student Seminar!

What do four political earthquakes in a single week –&nbsp;as the Knesset is on the brink of dissolving – reveal about the election that will define Israel's future?&nbsp; In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi open Israel's election season by mapping the upheaval: the sudden formation of new parties, Gadi Eisenkot's rise to rival Likud as Naftali Bennett fades, a blitz of contentious legislation, and a government openly declaring it will defy the Supreme Court. Together they ask what Israelis actually want and whether this moment marks the true end of the Netanyahu era. A clear-eyed guide to the opening shot of the most consequential election in years.&nbsp; This episode originally aired on July 8, 2026.&nbsp; ----&nbsp; Watch the video version of our podcast on our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@the.fhs.podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at <a href="http://arkmedia.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">arkmedia.org</a>.&nbsp; For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit <a href="http://shalomhartman.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">shalomhartman.org</a>, or <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4718951" rel="noopener noreferrer">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST</a>.&nbsp; Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. <a href="https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4719134" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here</a> to learn more.&nbsp; Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:&nbsp; College students,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hartman.org.il/program/winter-student-seminar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">apply now</a>&nbsp;for the 2026 Edward Fein Winter Student Seminar!&nbsp;

Israel’s Election Season: The Opening Shot (Re-release)

Sources for this episode: https://static.hartman.org.il/dev/uploads/2020/07/Elana-Stein-Hain_For-Heavens-Sake-Ep-1_Summer-2020.pdf

Sources for this episode: https://static.hartman.org.il/dev/uploads/2020/07/Elana-Stein-Hain_For-Heavens-Sake-Ep-1_Summer-2020.pdf

#1: Tolerating the Intolerable

For Heaven’s Sake is a weekly podcast presented by Ark Media and the Shalom Hartman Institute, hosted by Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi. The podcast draws its name from the Jewish concept of machloket l’shem shemayim, “disagreeing for the sake of heaven,” which is exactly what takes place each week as Donniel and Yossi discuss the moral aspects of topics affecting Israel, world Jewry, and the future of Zionism.

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