Calev Ben David and Ruth Marks Eglash record remotely from their homes as Operation Roaring Lion enters its first days. The Jerusalem Post journalists break down what Israel and the US have achieved so far in their strikes on Iran, from the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei to the dismantling of Iran's missile defenses.

They discuss daily life under ballistic missile fire, including the deadly strike in Beit Shemesh that killed nine, and why Israel's air defenses are effective but not foolproof. The conversation also covers Iran's surprise attacks on Gulf states, Cyprus, and the regional fallout reshaping alliances across the Middle East.

Ruth shares insights from her interview with Israel's First Lady, Michal Herzog, on the ongoing denial of October 7th sexual violence, while Calev examines Trump's political challenges, including a looming War Powers Act vote in Congress.

Recorded between active sirens, this episode captures a historic and uncertain moment in the region.

In the latest episode of The Jerusalem Dispatch, hosts Ruth Marks Eglash, editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Report, and journalist and news anchor Calev Ben-David, discuss the ongoing geopolitical dynamics surrounding Israel, Iran, and the United States.

Their conversation revolves around the recent diplomatic discussions between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump, focusing on Iran's nuclear program and regional influence.

The latest episode of The Jerusalem Dispatch podcast, hosted by Ruth Marks Eglash and Calev Ben-David, delves into the rising tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The hosts discuss the looming possibility of a US attack on Iran and the defensive preparations in Tehran, including missile threats directed at Israel.

In this week's episode, Elliot and Calev discuss the horrific terror attack that took place in Sydney Australia. They also cover some crucial Hanukah history, the Board of Deputies for British Jews, and Mansour Abbas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked President Isaac Herzog for a pardon, a move that could reshape the legal and political landscape ahead of an election year.

In this episode of The Jerusalem Dispatch, Calev Ben David and Elliot Jager break down what the request means, why it happened now, and how the White House’s involvement fits into the picture. The conversation also covers Thanksgiving, exploring why many American Israelis still mark the holiday, its themes of religious freedom and coexistence, and how those ideas resonate in today’s Israel.

From May 26, 2025

On the eve of Jerusalem Day, Elliot delivers a state-of-the-city report: a young, divided, and surprisingly poor capital where Haredi and Arab students now outnumber Zionist-curriculum pupils. The hosts react to the terror attack on a DC synagogue and the leak of US plans to strike Iran. The episode closes with a birthday tribute to Bob Dylan, exploring his Jewish journey from "Neighborhood Bully" to "Forever Young"—with insights from Dylan's childhood friend Louis Kemp, now living in Jerusalem.

From May 12, 2025

A new pope is elected—and Elliot examines the troubling antisemitic legacy of his namesake, Leo XIII. The hosts then turn to the Pulitzer Prize awarded to Gazan poet Mosab Abu Toha, whose social media posts denied Emily Damari's status as a hostage. They also credit Columbia University's new president for finally calling in police on masked protesters and debate whether Trump administration pressure deserves credit for the shift.

From April 15, 2025

Recording during Passover, Elliot and Kalev reflect on seders shadowed by the hostage crisis and mark the 82nd anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. They explore Passover's historical roots and examine historian Richard Elliott Friedman's theory of Levite origins in the Exodus. The episode also tackles the Joe Rogan-Dave Smith interview on Israel, defends historian Tom Segev against accusations of anti-Zionism, and asks: has Zionism delivered on its promise of Jewish security?

From March 31, 2025

The hosts unpack the bombshell Signal chat leak that exposed divisions within the Trump administration between isolationists and interventionists—and what it means for Israel. They examine the heated debate over Haredi military exemptions following a Supreme Court ruling, break down Israel's controversial new budget with its patronage spending and tax hikes, and pay tribute to industrialist and Zionist visionary Stef Wertheimer.