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Today’s Episode: 

Israel was founded on a common story and a shared ethos. But what happens when the country can no longer agree on which story should shape its future? In part one of this conversation, Yossi Klein Halevi and Rabbi Donniel Hartman, hosts of For Heaven’s Sake, join Dan from across the Ark Media universe to discuss the competing narratives that tear Israel apart. From liberal democracy to theocratic Messianism. Can a new consensus emerge?

Also: stay tuned for part two of this conversation, where the three ask whether some American Jews are giving up on Israel.

(00:00) Introduction

(09:03) From labor zionism to religious zionism

(12:55) The stories that define Israel’s social camps 

(17:50) Why Israel has little margin for error

(19:32) The Israeli mainstream and the Likud

(28:03) How Israelis think about a Palestinian state

(31:14) The relationship between the Jewish and Israeli identities

(37:30) Can Naftali Bennett unite Israeli society?

(41:27) Israel’s next big story

(45:24) The strength of Israeli society

CREDITS:

ILAN BENATAR - Producer & Editor

ADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive Producer

MARTIN HUERGO - Sound Editor

MARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional Editing

MAYA RACKOFF - Operations Director

GABE SILVERSTEIN - Research

YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer