Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

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UNRWA ShmUNRWA Should the very job description of the UN agency that provides aid to Palestinians be revisited and changed?

Pascal’s Meteorology Last week the Israeli minister of agriculture organized a huge vigil at the Western Wall to pray for rain. Was there something untoward and inappropriate about a minister initiating and taking part in a public prayer?

Rachael Ray’s Rapine Recipes Celebrity chef Rachael Ray sparked controversy with a picture of an "Israeli nite" feast. Is there something to the claims that the popularity of Israeli cuisine is, among other things, an erasure of Palestinian cuisine? If there is anything to these claims, how ought we feel about them and react to them?

Music: Efrat Ben Zur, in honor of her brand new single, “Al Derekh Ha-Teva”, lyrics by Dahlia Rabikovitch

Al Derekh ha-Teva

Storm (Lyrics by Emily Dickinson)

Mifletzet

Be-Mo Yadai