Shoulder to Shoulder

Pesach and Doug sit down with Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder and director of Israel365, to discuss how he started working in Jewish Christian relations as a rabbi of a synagogue in Columbus, Ohio. This led him to launch Israel365, an organization that focuses on what God focuses on every day: the Land of Israel. Learn about Israel365's newest initiatives for both Jews and Christians, and the way that it is helping to create the bonds that bring Bible believing Christians and Jews together.

Doug and Pesach discuss the complex and controversial ceasefire-hostage deal recently signed between Israel and Hamas. Is the release of 1700 Hamas terrorists going to cost more Israeli lives in the future than those being released in this deal? Do the terms of the deal tie Israel's hands, making the goal of destroying Hamas unreachable? Will Netanyahu's governing coalition survive if the deal falls apart (or if it succeeds)? And what can we expect from the Trump administration going forward if the deal falls apart? All these questions hang over this tense situation even as we rejoice for those who are being rescued.

Pesach and Doug dive into a gut-wrenching conversation with Christian Post opinion writer and social commentator Brandon Showalter regarding his latest article, "No, gender doctors, kids don't have 'autonomy' to self-sterilize." Make no mistake, the fight is on for the next generation, and there is lots of money and a whole system determined to take our children away from us. Whether we realize it or not, this problem is widespread in western cultures. When this system is at its strength, it encourages kids as young as 12 and 13 to have their genitals or breasts removed and to take hormone drugs, thereby confusing a whole generation.

The rapid acceptance of this new cultural reality is affecting thousands of families directly, as well as millions of people who have begun to question things that they assumed were true. This episode is mandatory listening for anyone who sees the danger and wants to fight back.

Pesach and Doug sit down with David Lange of Isreally Cool to discuss a crazy year of antisemitism. They spend a good deal of time discussing Candace Owens's antisemitism, and then a few more lesser known people on the political right who exposed themselves this year as antisemites, from an MMA fighter to others.

Everyone has seen the destructive powers of wokeness on the left, but does a parallel and dangerous brand of wokeness exist on the right, as well? Karys Rhea, editor of Epoch Times, argues that it does in her important article, "'America First' Divided: Why Trump and his men must guard against woke Right that mimics woke Left." Pesach and Doug sit down with Karys in order to look at the Trump movement's big tent that, while including new faces and names, has invited some factions into their midst that have brought fringe ideas into the mix. Strict isolations like Tucker Carlson and antisemites like Candace Owens have joined the Trump movement, and seem to have the ear of the president. What should we do?

In this episode, Pesach and Doug dive into a thought-provoking article from The Free Press written by an atheist mother who now regrets stripping her family's holiday celebrations of their religious roots. Can a holiday still hold deep meaning when its spiritual essence is removed? The discussion explores whether it's possible to celebrate religious holidays without religion, while still experiencing their transformative power. As Doug and Pesach navigate themes of obligation, obedience, and tradition, the conversation takes a fascinating turn: have modern, secular interpretations of holidays like Christmas caused us to lose sight of God? And even among those who emphasize the divine core of religion, do we sometimes make religion serve its people rather than helping people serve God? Join Pesach and Doug as they wrestle with how faith—or the lack of it—shapes the way we find meaning in celebration.

Pesach and Doug speak to Andrew Fox, the lead researcher on a groundbreaking report released by the Henry Jackson Society, that highlights the casualty numbers coming out of Gaza since October 7, 2023. The report separates facts from fiction, and is particularly powerful in that it uses Hamas's own data, thus avoiding random speculation. Listen and see for yourself, as the numbers don't lie.

Pesach and Doug try to make sense of the chaos in Syria. After Pesach interviews mideast expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Elliot Chodoff weighs in with his usual in-depth and wide-ranging analysis of the complex situation caused by the greatest geopolitical crisis the Middle East has seen in decades.

Pesach flies solo (with Doug unavailable due to a massive snowstorm) and has a conversation with Jonathan Benhamou, a commander in the IDF combat engineer corps who lost his leg in Gaza. Jonathan's story of courage and perseverance is a reminder that there are thousands of injured heroes who need our support. Also, DON'T MISS, Pesach's deep dive explanation of the current state of play between Israel, the US, Hezbollah, and Iran.

While Israel is at war with the Iranian axis, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, the Biden administration insists that a peaceful Middle East requires Israel to engage with a reformed Palestinian Authority. But how different is the PA from other terrorist organizations? Is there a realistic chance that it can serve as a viable peace partner, or is this nothing but extreme wishful thinking? Why does Prime Minister Netanyahu distrust the PA, and are his concerns based in fact? Palestinian Media Watch Founder and Director Itamar Marcus, whom the Algemeiner Journal called one of the "top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life or the State of Israel" (and who was called "the Goebbels of the 21st Century" by PA legislator Jibril Rajoub), joins Pesach and Doug to answer questions about the real character of the Palestinian Authority, and what is needed to ensure a peaceful future for Jews and Palestinians alike.