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

—Why Does a Knitted Kippah Mean Keep-on Fighting?—

Religious-Zionists oppose the hostage and prisoner release and ceasefire agreement more than any other sector of society (more than secular Zionists, more than Haredim). Why?

—War Games—

There’s a strange and profound simpatico between sports clubs, athletes and fans, on the one hand, and the hostages and their families on the other.

—What We Knew and When Did We Know It—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Bringing home the bodies of the Bibases (and Oded Lifshitz).

All that and the 40th anniversary of the most popular protest song in Israel’s history. Plus, more music of our troubled times.

Sara Yael Hirschhorn, Gilad Halpern 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

—Rite of Return—

How and why did the images of the gaunt, shrunken, clearly-tortured hostages change something and cast into doubt the future of the present ceasefire agreement?

—Our Side, Their Side, Genocide—

What should we make of Historian Benny Morris’s warning that, if Palestinians and Israelis do not find to see in each other humans deserving of life, liberty and dignity, a genocide is inevitable (though just who kills whom is still up in the air)?

—Arguing With Celebs on Twitter—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: When you find yourself arguing with TV stars on Twitter.

All that and an appreciation of Liri Albag. Plus, a new war record by Maor Ashkenazi.

Allison Kaplan Sommer 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

—Nobody Expects the Pax Trumpiana!—

What’s behind US President Donald Trump’s plan to move Gazans to Jordan and Egypt and turn Gaza into a place where maybe they’ll film the next season of White Lotus?

—Suitable for Framing?—

Why do Hamas men in black balaclavas and semi-automatic rifles give gift bags and souvenir swag to hostages they let go?

—Peter Beinart Questions Israel’s Right to Exist—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: When Peter Beinart writes in the times that “States Don’t Have a Right to Exist. People Do,” he ain’t talking about Mississippi!

All that and an appreciation for Yisroel Rutnitsky, may his memory be for a blessing, and tales of returning hostages. Plus, a sad and soulful new album by Ravid Plotkik.

Allison Kaplan Sommer 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

—A New Crisis, and this Time, It’s Constitutional—

What does it augur when the Justice Minister refuses to “recognize” the newly selected chief justice of the Supreme Court?

—Survivors—

Why did this year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day become a referendum on October 7th?

—The Trump-Netanyahu Tete-A-Tete—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What should we think, ahead of the Trump-Netanyahu tete-a-tete next week?

All that and how living-and-dead have stopped being a simple binary. Plus, the music of Aviv Shriki.

Miriam Herschlag, Linda Gradstein 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

—You Be the Judge—

Is the new “compromise” proposal for judicial reform any good, and is now the time to debates such matters?

—Word—

How have the hostages become the aperture through which we understand most everything that has happened here since October 7?

—What A Week—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: None of us have ever had a week like this last week.

All that a stab at making sense of this weird, wonderful, unnerving week of great joy and high anxiety.

Songs

• Yakir Hillel — Laila
• Bar Tzabari — Chan Yunis, Live
• Esther Shamir — Od Neshama Ehat

Miriam Herschlag, Sara Hirshhorn 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

—Ending this F*#!ing War—

What should we make of the hostage release and “permanent cessation of hostilities” agreement with Hamas, and why is the agreement only signed now (and not eight months ago or eight months from now) and does what it means politically?

—A Utopic Future, Right Before Our Eyes—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: You may say I’m a dreamer, but I am not the only one.

Plus, a new record by Idan Amedi that started in a hospital bed, recovering from an explosion in Gaza that almost took Amedi’s life. And an appreciation of Avraham Luria, proprietor of Israel’s oldest and best costume emporium and a beloved figure in the world of Tel Aviv theater.

Songs

• Lidfo ta’rosh 
• Latet la-Hayyim lirkod 
• Shum Davar Aher

Linda Gradstein, Don Futterman 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

—Thinkin’ Blinken—

What are we to make of Antony Blinken’s interview with the times, in which he said it was Hamas, not Prime Minister Netanyahu, who have scuttled the hostage negotiations until now?

—Making an Offense of Defense—

What are we to think about the Palestinian campaign to have low-level IDF soldiers arrested abroad for war crimes, as part of an effort to criminalize fighting in Israel’s army?

—The American Historical Association Censures Israel for “Scholasticide”—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What is “scholasticide,” and why has the American Historical Association censured Israel for doing it?

Plus, a kind word for Haredim and Jean Shepherd, with music by Bekka.

Linda Gradstein 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

—Standard Deviation—

An expose in the New York Times shows that on October 7th the IDF took an extraordinary decision to double the number of civilians whose lives it was willing to risk in order to attack Hamas leaders and rank-and-file fighters. What should we make of that?

—Again, This Time With Less Feeling—

Anthropologist Amalia Sa’ar asserts that Israeli political discourse is filled-to-the-gills with a “narrative of trauma” that keeps us from being able to have rational political discourse and make rational political and military decisions. Is she right?

—New Year’s Resolutions—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: It’s January.  What are our political political “resolutions” for the new year?

Plus, Yehudit Ravitz with a new record at 68.

Miriam Herschlag and Noah Efron are live from the astonishing, brilliant, taste-of-the-world-to-come Limmud Festival in Birmingham, England.

—What’s Changed, Here?—

How we in Israel, and the lives we lead, have changed since, and because of, October 7th.

—What’s Changed, Everywhere Else?—

How Jews around the world, and the lives they lead, have changed since, and because of, October 7th.

Plus, how a 56 year old Soviet song came to express our longing and fears today. Plus, International Dalek Remembrance Day.

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron and scholar-extraordinaire Sara Hirschhorn 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

—(Un)settling—

Why do Israeli Jews who think it might be a good idea to set up Jewish towns in Gaza, think what they think?

—Hostage (Dis)agreement—

Would an agreement that brings home some of the hostages might, in the end, be worse than no agreement at all?

—Safe, Save for the Bombs and Bullets—

For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: Why do most Israelis think the safest place in the world for Jews is Israel when, statistically, that’s not even close to being true?

Plus, a remembrance of Corinne Allal, may her memory be for a blessing.