Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing: Your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz and United States correspondent Jacob Magid, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

With ministers having approved the reopening of many businesses, the return of more citizens from abroad and the resumption of studies for grades 7-10, we open the show by asking if the virus is really "behind us," as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said.

We then look at a pair of interviews conducted by Horovitz with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Blue and White chair Benny Ganz. What is each of their criticisms of the current government, and how are they proposing to remedy the problems?

Last week's High Court ruling on non-Orthodox conversions for purposes of citizenship continues to send shockwaves across Israel. We look at the continued disparaging of Reform and Conservative Jews and ask what will it take for the Jews in the Jewish state to fully recognize them.

And finally, we hear Pope Francis's message to President Rivlin as he entered Israeli airspace on the way to Abraham's birthplace in Iraq.

Discussed articles include:

Restaurants, event venues, other sites reopen after last-minute cabinet approval

Lapid: My ambitions can wait; if Netanyahu wins, Israel will enter dark times

Gantz: What does Israel want in its leaders? Integrity or lies and manipulation?

Sephardi chief rabbi disparages Reform Jews: ‘They have nothing’

Sa’ar says Netanyahu being ‘extorted’ by ultra-Orthodox on Reform conversions

In ancient Ur, birthplace of Abraham, pope urges peace among monotheistic faiths

Pope sends ‘warm greetings’ to Rivlin during flight over Israel to Iraq

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.

PHOTO: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after visiting a restaurant in Jerusalem on March 7, 2021. (Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.