What a week! As we conclude our IsraelCast Abraham Accord series, second-time guest Arsen Ostrovsky continues an ongoing theme of the week: that it is up to everyday people to make the relationships across the Middle East flourish. Tune in as host, Steven Shalowitz, speaks with Arsen about his role on the board of Sharaka, an organization that helps strengthen the bond between the people of the Gulf & Israel, as well as the love of coffee and food shared between the two cultures.

How do you bring peace and solidarity between countries? Easy…chess! Twenty years ago, Lior Aizenberg found Chess4All for Israelis of all ages to play chess. However, now that we live in an internet world with no “boundaries”, Aizerberg has started to host tournaments with other countries, including Iran, Syria, Iraq, Morocco, and many more. Lior joins host, Steven Shalowitz, for a conversation on the important lessons chess teaches children and the rapid growth of chess around the world.

It all started with the swap of a basket of dates and a homemade challah, which turned out to be the perfect symbolic cultural exchange for May Al Badi & Elli Kriel. May & Elli are developing a set of 50 recipes to join Jewish & Emirati traditions that they plan to publish in a cookbook: Kosherati. For this episode of our IsraelCast Abraham Accords series, May joins Steven Shalowitz to discuss the similarities of Israeli & UAE cuisines, her favorite Jewish foods, & her emotional experience at her first Shabbat.

When author, speaker, & researcher Dan Feferman, first visited Dubai, he felt that he had stepped 20 years into the future. Tune in as Steven Shalowitz welcomes Dan onto IsraelCast for our Abraham Accord series. Listen to their conversation on the differences of Israeli business culture vs. the UAE, the warm welcome both countries had for one another, and the doors that this peace agreement opens for the rest of the Middle East.

Known for the photo that became the face of the historic Abraham Accords peace agreement, Norah Alawadhi is an Emirati pro-peace activist. On this episode of our IsraelCast Abraham Accords series, Norah talks to host Steven Shalowitz about her excitement meeting Israelis for the first time, the misconceptions of women in the UAE, and her desire to try Israeli coffee.

"Our system of government is based on our religion and this is what our people want. Should they seek alternatives, we are ready to listen to them. We are all in the same boat, and they are both captain and crew."

The founding father of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed, encouraged the involvement of people of all ages, nationalities, faiths, and backgrounds - which has helped Rabbi Levi Duchman establish a strong Jewish community in the UAE. Listen to Steven Shalowitz speak with Rabbi Duchman on the coexistence of different religions in the region and the process of practicing Judaism.

What do the Dallas Cowboys & the Abraham Accords have in common? The both provide a wealth of excitement and promise for United Arab Emirates businessman, Thani Al-Shirawi. For the second episode in our Abraham Accords IsraelCast series, host Steven Shalowitz sits down with Thani to discuss the misconceptions of Emiratis, why Israelis & Emiratis need to “talk the talk” instead of “walk the walk”, and where he wants to visit when he travels to Israel for the first time.

Wow! 100 episodes already? From chefs to political figures, we have enjoyed telling a positively Israel message from a unique perspective through the eyes of our incredible guests. To celebrate our 100th episode and kick-off our Abraham Accords IsraelCast series, host Steven Shalowitz welcomes The Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief, Yaakov Katz for a fascinating discussion of the new media landscape of the Middle East and all the different factors that can affect what is reported in journalism.

Jews across America have different views, different politics, and different levels of religious observance, but there is one organization that strives to act on the consensus of the Jewish people everywhere, and that organization is the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Whether you know about this organization already or it’s new to you, you’ll be fascinated by its work. Through addressing anti-Semitism to building relationships in the Middle East, the CoP is the unifier who brings the Jewish community together. Named by The Jerusalem Post as being among the fifty most influential Jews worldwide, William Daroff started off his political journey handing out pamphlets door to door; now, he is the CEO of the CoP. Daroff sits down with IsraelCast host Steven Shalowitz to discuss the importance of elected officials, combatting “Jew Hatred” on social media, and the journey of becoming a vegan.

Is Israel the new Silicon Valley? According to Elie Wurtman, yes it is. Coined The Man with the Golden Touch, Elie stays busy maintaining roles as an entrepreneur, wine maker, and devoted Zionist. Listen to his conversation with Steven Shalowitz as they discuss the venture capitalist landscape of Israel, the future of entrepreneurship in the younger generation, and building new relationships with the Gulf countries of the Middle East.