Allison Kaplan Sommer, Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron discuss two topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Hear the Extra-Special, Special Extra Segment on Patreon

—Days of Awe—

What do Yom Ha-Zikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom Ha-Atzmaut (Independence Day) mean in this annus horribilis? How can we celebrate, now?

—School Daze—

What should we make of the enraged protests raging on university campuses? Kids these days, am I right?

—Al Jazeera on the Chopping Block—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Israel blocks Al Jazeera for 45 days, on the grounds that the network is neither fair nor balanced. Dumb move?

Plus, a look back fifty years, a vegetable vending machine, and more music of these troubled times.