In this episode of The Actual, I am delighted to be joined again by pharmacist, proud Zionist, community volunteer and Operation Golda founder Shoshana Eisner. Guided by what she believes should begin every conversation - "How can I help?” - Shoshana has become a constant point of connection for a community still carrying the impact of the Bondi massacre.

Since the morning after the attack, she has served as Head of Bondi Crisis, Community and Volunteers at Sydney’s Jewish House, connecting survivors, bereaved families and deeply affected community members with practical and emotional support.

Shoshana and I speak about the current reality for survivors, the trauma and hypervigilance many continue to live with, and why support cannot end when the immediate crisis or public attention moves on. Shoshana reminds us that recovery is ongoing and that help must be continuous.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

In this episode of The Actual, I speak with Idan Goldberger, CEO of the Australian Friends of Sheba Medical Centre, about the extraordinary power of healthcare to reach beyond borders.

Idan’s relationship with Sheba is deeply personal. More than two decades ago, he was critically injured during his military service and treated at the hospital that would later become central to his life’s work.

Our conversation moves through Sheba’s response to the events of October 7, its preparation for the return of the hostages and the trauma support it later provided to Sydney’s Jewish community following December's Bondi massacre. The Sheba delegation brought wisdom, skills, and experience from Israel to Sydney, and became a psychological anchor during an unimaginably difficult time.

Idan also shares how Sheba is transforming healthcare through medical innovation and why hope must be more than something we feel. It must be something we choose and act upon.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

Following the massacre on October 7 2023 in Israel, many young Australian Jews question what kind of future they have here - could they remain at university? Have a career? Stay true to their identity?

On this episode of The Actual, Ariel Eisner shares his experiences at university, the hostility he faced on campus, and how his trust was broken by the institution that was supposed to keep him safe. Following university, he also faced difficulty entering the workforce with escalating antisemitism.

Those experiences led Ariel and his co-founder Dean Cohen to create Reshet - a community built to bring young Jewish professionals together and offer guidance mentorship connection and career opportunities. We discuss the fears young Jewish adults face, and how older community members have a huge amount of wisdom, support and guidance to offer them as they navigate today's rapidly changing landscape.  

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

What does it really mean to be strong? In this episode of The Actual, my guest is Sammy Yahood. He is the founder of Peace Through Strength, a movement dedicated to restoring Jewish values and empowering Jews through resilience and community.

Sammy reveals why we need to embrace discomfort to become mentally and physically strong to be prepared for the world we now live in. He adds that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward and take action despite it.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

In this fascinating episode of The Actual, my guest is Darya Rubenstein, Executive Director of Australian Friends of United Hatzalah of Israel. Darya reveals the groundbreaking life saving work and their role in Australia post-Bondi.

United Hatzalah is Israel’s largest fully volunteer emergency medical service with thousands of trained volunteers responding to medical emergencies across the country, often arriving in 3 minutes or less.

Following the Bondi attack, Darya helped co-ordinate the deployment of United Hatzalah’s Trauma and Crisis Response Unit to Sydney, where trauma specialists supported survivors, families, first responders, and members of the wider community.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

In this episode of The Actual, my phenomenal guest is Australian social and political commentator Calista Clements. Her fearless online commentary has earned her a rapidly growing audience across the country. At just 25 years old, Calista calls cuts through the the maddening noise to discuss rising crime rates, political and leadership issues, social fragmentation, antisemitism, and radicalisation.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

In this episode of The Actual, my guest is Will Nemesh, Mayor of Waverley, home to Bondi Beach, and member of Sydney’s Jewish community. Will shares how he found himself leading Waverley Council through one of the most devastating periods in recent Australian history.

Will describes how the events at the Bondi massacre challenged him personally and as a leader. He reveals what his council has done so far, from supporting local businesses to strengthening social cohesion and combating antisemitism, as well as what the Jewish community should know about the ongoing council work to support Bondi and more.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

In this moving episode of The Actual, my guest is Rabbi Yossi Friedman of Rabbi On Demand. Following the terrorist attack in Bondi on December 14 2025, Yossi became a leading grassroots figure helping Jews, Australians from all walks of life, and tourists process the enormity of the attacks through his memorial prayer services at Bondi Pavillion.

What emerged in the weeks and months through these services was a spiritual place to grieve who and what was lost, to remember the victims and heroes, to connect with each other, and to remember that unity over division is crucial. Beyond the tragedy itself was the extraordinary humanity that emerged afterwards in response to unimaginable violence.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

Four times as a guest on The Actual, Australian Iranian patriot Ali had his social media platform taken down before and after the recording of this episode. Ali shares the realities of the dark forces of terrorism and how we live alongside it, many unaware of the proximity to us. Ali and I continue the broader discussion on the propaganda war unfolding across social media and the continuous silencing of Iranian and Jewish voices. Ali gives insights as to why this is a long war militarily and also psychologically, socially, and digitally. Above all, this episode is about truth and why the duty to keep speaking still matters even in a world increasingly trying to silence those who do.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.

My guest on this episode of The Actual is Jessica Chapnik Kahn, an Argentinian–Australian writer, artist, and fellow Bondi survivor. Jessica and I met in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre on 14 December 2025. Jessica and I return to that day reflecting on our different experiences. This discussion is personal and moving as we both explored uncharted territory together, revealing aspects of ourselves we never knew existed. This conversation is deeply connected to the individual experiences, the collective, and how each person holds a part of the greater picture.

Original music in this episode Kama At Yafa (כמה את יפה) performed by CHUTNEY, from the album Ajar (2024). Courtesy of CHUTNEY/Ben Adler. Used with permission.