The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren and religions reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

Yesterday, 32-year-old Meir Tamari was fatally shot while driving near the settlement of Hermesh in the northern West Bank. Goren gives us more information about this terrorist attack.

Hundreds of thousands of Haredi Israelis attended the funeral of Gershon Edelstein, an influential Ashkenazi Haredi who died in Bnei Brak earlier in the day at the age of 100. Lidor was there.

Goren explains how his death has left a sort of a vacuum. What do we know about who may fill it?

On Sunday, a tour boat capsized on an Italian lake, killing four people, including an Israeli man. But ever since, the facts are increasingly mysterious. Goren fills us in.

Also on Sunday, Christian worshipers who prayed at an archeological park bordering the Western Wall, were met by hundreds of Jewish protesters, including Jerusalem’s deputy mayor, shouting at them to leave over claims of proselytization. Lidor gives background.

And finally, after 96 minutes without a goal for either side, Israel’s national Under-20 soccer team scored a 97th-minute goal to upend Uzbekistan 1-0 in the World Cup tournament in Argentina last night.

Discussed articles include:

Israeli father of two killed in northern West Bank terror shooting

Followers of Rabbi Gershon Edelstein honor late Haredi leader’s pragmatic devoutness

‘Like Moses’: Hundreds of thousands attend funeral for Rabbi Gershon Edelstein

Report: Israeli, Italian secret agents were on ill-fated party boat to swap intel

Near the Western Wall, Jewish radicals shout at Christian Evangelicals to ‘go home’

97th-minute stunner over Uzbekistan sends Israel to U-20 World Cup quarterfinal

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IMAGE: Thousands attend the funeral of Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, head of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, and spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party in Israel, in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish city of Bnei Brak, on May 30, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller Lynn join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

There are initial reports of threats against Thursday’s gay pride parade in Jerusalem. Fabian fills us in on what we know now.

The judicial overhaul package is still officially frozen, but according to leaked statements yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Likud party that it is “not dead.” Keller Lynn explains what else is going on -- including with else did he say?

Yesterday, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana set the vote on the two Knesset representatives to the panel for June 14. Keller Lynn drills down into why this is so controversial.

Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale two-week-long drill across the country, simulating a potential multi-front war, which the IDF has dubbed “Firm Hand.” What makes this drill unique?

Last week Keller Lynn spoke with one of the main anti-judicial overhaul organizers, Weizmann Prof. Shimka Bressler. What were some of her thoughts on the massive sums being collected through grassroots fundraising -- and why is the protest not proposing its own platform?

And finally, Fabian tells us about a unique ceremony yesterday near the coastal southern city of Ashdod that marked the Israeli Air Force’s first operation. We hear how immigrants were involved in its success.

Discussed articles include:

‘Deadly Thursday’: Far-right activists threaten violence at Jerusalem Pride Parade

PM tells Likud overhaul is ‘not dead’; Gantz says any deal must cancel current bills

IDF launches major drill focused on preparing for all-out multi-front war

Protest leader says ‘grassroots’ initiative raised NIS 50m to fight judicial overhaul

Successful but scrappy: Air Force marks 75 years since its 1st-ever strike mission

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ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Leader of the far-right Israeli group Lehava, Benzi Gopstein (R), seen at a press conference with his lawyer Itamar Ben Gvir, in Jerusalem on August 11, 2015. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Editor David Horovitz and diplomatic correspondent Lazer Berman join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

A new building for a yeshiva at the illegal West Bank outpost of Homesh was constructed overnight at a new location on state-owned land. Horovitz talks to us about the symbolic nature of this overnight construction.

Among other leaders, Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent his congratulations to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his runoff win. Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also released statements, with Hamas saying it hoped for a new era of “strengthening Islamic-Arab ties and support for the Palestinian issue.” Could Turkey become a player in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

All eyes are on the judicial overhaul again and most especially the Judicial Selection Committee. However, senior Likud member David Bitan said yesterday that much of the frozen legislation will probably stay that way. Horovitz weighs in on that, as well as Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s reported statements from the cabinet yesterday about the reasons behind the need for Jewish Israelis to sit on the Judicial Selection Committee.

President Isaac Herzog is meant to visit Baku on Tuesday. What is he meant to accomplish there and who else may soon be flying out on strategic visits?

Discussed articles include:

Yeshiva gets new home in north West Bank outpost as legalization efforts gather steam

World leaders congratulate Erdogan on reelection victory in historic runoff

Likud MK says Netanyahu won’t bring back overhaul since he knows he ‘made a mistake’

Overhaul talks return to fore as opposition sets ultimatum on judge selection panel

Levin said to call for judges who ‘understand’ why Jews don’t want to live near Arabs

Herzog to meet Azerbaijan’s President Aliyev in Baku as ties expand

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IMAGE: Illustrative: Visitors walk by the water tower on the ruins of the evacuated settlement of Homesh on August 27, 2019. (Hillel Maeir/Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid and environment reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

On Thursday, the White House published a 60-page document outlining its plan to fight American antisemitism, including more than 100 recommendations. We hear about the plan's genesis, some highlights and, the inevitable backlash.

Amid unusual seasonal weather, Israel experienced yesterday over 170 fires. Surkes sets the stage.

A bill that would limit Israeli nonprofits’ ability to take donations from foreign governments will apparently be at least temporarily shelved after mountains of criticisms from Israeli allies — including the US, Germany and France. What essentially is their criticism and will this bill affect private foreign funding as well?

There is a current mass die-off of black sea urchins in the Red Sea, which one scientist compares to the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. What does he mean by that?

Finally, for a change, we’ll hear some good news about the environment: The Gaza Wetlands are coming back to life. How did this come about?

Discussed articles include:

Biden plan to combat antisemitism calls for online reforms, more security funding

White House plan to fight antisemitism takes on centuries of hatred in America

White House raps Republican who said its antisemitism strategy targets conservatives

Homes and hikers evacuated as firefighters battle over 170 blazes amid heatwave

Likud bill targeting NGOs’ foreign funding set to be shelved amid uproar

Epidemic wipes out all Eilat Bay urchins; coral reefs face suffocation by algae

UN breathes life into once-polluted Gaza wetland

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IMAGE: President Joe Biden talks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, May 26, 2023, as he heads to Camp David for the weekend. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

Just after 6 am this morning, MKs voted to approve the final parts of the two-year budget. We hear about the events of the night.

Yesterday at the Herzliya Conference, IDF head Herzi Halevi warned of potential “negative developments” regarding Iran’s nuclear program that would cause Israel to react. Fabian explains the context of this and further statements Halevi and others made at the conference regarding Iran.

There are a lot of rumors lately that the White House will broker a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia and Israel, but in return, Israel must halt its judicial overhaul and restart peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. Schneider weighs in on how true these rumors may be.

Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were filmed practicing at a firing range last week while stark naked. Each was sentenced to 21 days in jail on Sunday, as well as the officer who filmed them. Fabian fills in some gaps. 

Discussed articles include:

Knesset approves 2023-2024 budget in all-night vote, patching coalition rift

Thousands in Jerusalem rally against budget, deals for ultra-Orthodox

IDF chief on Iran nuke program: ‘Negative developments’ could prompt Israeli response

Iran’s latest subterranean nuclear site likely impenetrable to US bunker busters

US wants Israel to shelve judicial overhaul in return for Saudi normalization — TV

IDF soldiers jailed for naked firing range practice

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IMAGE: FILE - This photo released November 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran shows centrifuge machines in Natanz uranium enrichment facility near Natanz, Iran (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and religion reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog received an invite from the United Arab Emirates yesterday. But Berman explains why it’s not exactly the invite Bibi was looking for.

The annual Herzliya Conference took place yesterday. We hear why it’s so newsworthy and some of the major headlines that came out of it.

Lidor wrote a troubling piece about how the lack of a 10-second circumcision inspection is holding up the conversion of dozens of men in Israel. What is going on here?

We hear about nonprofit ITIM's annual conversion report, which shows that the number of conversions is decreasing even as the number of "without religion" grows -- along with the conversion authority's budget. How does this add up?

Israeli media is filled with rumors of direct flights from Israel to Jeddah. Is this -- or a larger agreement -- really on the offing?

And finally, we hear from Lidor about the grim state of several smaller European communities. While leaders are hanging on, he has found that their children are increasingly making aliya to Israel and there is a question about these communities' continuation.

Discussed articles include:

After months of delays, Netanyahu receives invitation to visit UAE for world summit

Defense Ministry to invest heavily in AI in bid to improve intel on Iran

Judicial fight is ‘source of pride for the country,’ says Herzog

A single absentee mohel is thwarting dozens of converts at very end of their journey

Israel reportedly in ‘advanced’ talks for direct flights to Hajj in Saudi Arabia

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IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) receives an invitation to the COP28 climate summit in November in Dubai from Mohamed Al Khaja, the UAE ambassador to Israel, May 25, 2023 (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Editor David Horovitz and senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

Following a visit by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the Temple Mount yesterday, the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US is “concerned by today’s provocative visit to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem and the accompanying inflammatory rhetoric,” adding that, “This holy space should not be used for political purposes, and we call on all parties to respect its sanctity.” Why are Israeli MKs and ministers increasingly ascending the mount?

Rettig Gur drills down into the failure of Israeli and ultra-Orthodox to create a self-sustaining haredi culture. He explains how, by caving into haredi leadership's demands in the budget, the coalition is creating an increasingly fractured Israeli society.

Last week, the United Nations General Assembly marked Nakba Day for the first time, including a keynote address by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Horovitz explains what was remarkable about Abu Mazen’s speech.

Discussed articles include:

US flogs Ben Gvir for ‘provocative, inflammatory’ tour on tense Temple Mount

On the way up to the Temple Mount, Likud is becoming Otzma Yehudit

Ad-libbed at the General Assembly, Mahmoud Abbas’s full-blown rejectionism

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IMAGE: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks at a UN event commemorating the Palestinian 'Nakba,' in New York, May 15, 2023. (Screenshot: UN; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

This morning National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ascended the Temple Mount. What were his message while up there and how do they relate to the looming budget vote?

We hear about what actually went down during Thursday's Flag March through the Jerusalem Old City from Keller Lynn, who was onsite.

Noa Kirel garnered a third-place win at last week’s Eurovision. However, some remarks she made after being awarded full marks from Poland are causing diplomatic reverberations. Spiro weighs in.

Spiro explains how New York Times reporter Isabel Kershner's new book, “The Land of Hope and Fear: Israel’s Battle for Its Inner Soul," which she wrote prior to the judicial overhaul struggles, was incredibly prescient.

Finally, we hear about a new SHOWTIME miniseries, “Ghosts of Beirut,” created by international team, including the originators of the hit series, "Fauda."

Discussed articles include:

Ben Gvir visits Temple Mount, says it proves Israel ‘in charge’ at holy site

At Jerusalem Flag March, chants of ‘Death to Arabs’ and assaults on Palestinians

‘It’s painful for us’: Poland invites Noa Kirel for visit after Eurovision remarks

Coalition tensions escalate amid Haredi demands for more funds ahead of budget vote

A house divided: New book explores roots of the rifts between Israel’s many ‘tribes’

Hunting for a ghost: New show depicts CIA-Mossad pursuit of most-wanted terrorist

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IMAGE: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, center, visits the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, May 21, 2023. (Courtesy: Minhelet Har Habayit)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and health reporter Renee Ghert-Zand join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

The Flag March commemorating the unification of Jerusalem in 1967 is set to take place this afternoon, with tens of thousands of mostly far-right youth parading through Jerusalem’s Old City. Rettig Gur gives background and perspective to the flashpoint march.

We speak about new ultra-Orthodox demands regarding the budget ahead of the May 29 deadline, as well as blowback from secular Israel.

Ghert-Zand brings us news that Proton therapy for cancer treatment has arrived in Israel. What is this therapy and what are its advantages?

She discusses new Israeli research that combines molecular and computational neuroscience has uncovered a molecular basis for why women living with Alzheimer’s disease experience more rapid cognitive deterioration than men.

We close the program by hearing about American-Israeli filmmaker Laura Bialis's new film “Vishniac,” which explores photographer Roman Vishniac's life from the perspective of his daughter Mara Vishniac Kohn.

Discussed articles include:

Tensions ahead of contentious Flag March through Jerusalem Old City’s Muslim Quarter

Haredi faction threatens to oppose state budget if NIS 600 million demand not met

Thousands march through Bnei Brak against Haredi ‘pillaging of the public coffers’

Proton therapy, touted as cancer killer without side effects, set for Israel debut

Israeli study reveals molecular basis for female Alzheimer’s patients’ rapid decline

Daughter helps turn lens on pioneering photographer father Roman Vishniac in new film

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IMAGE: FILE: With the Dome of the Rock on the right, an Israeli man covered in a flag watches Israelis wave the national flag as they march in the Jerusalem Day parade in Jerusalem Old City, June 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

The Flag March commemorating the unification of Jerusalem in 1967 is set to take place Thursday afternoon, with tens of thousands of mostly far-right wing youth parading through Jerusalem’s Old City. Jeremy explains how National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is preparing the police forces. We hear about sex-segregated routes and how the youth generally behave during the parade.

We hear an update from Keller Lynn about what is happening in the Knesset with the now pressing battle over the budget.

Yesterday, Hadash head Ayman Odeh, the longtime leader of the country’s main Arab political bloc, said he will not run for office again. There are some rumors he may run for Haifa mayor. Keller Lynn sheds light.

After two months of judicial overhaul negotiations at the president’s residence, it appears President Isaac Herzog is losing his patience. What happened yesterday?

Borschel-Dan ends the program with a 2,000-year-old inscription discovered in Jerusalem's City of David. While mundane in content, it offers potentially deep insight.

Discussed articles include:

Police brace for all possibilities at Jerusalem Flag March as Hamas issues threats

Arab political leader Ayman Odeh says he won’t run for office again

Herzog urges progress at overhaul talks as sources indicate little movement

2,000-year-old ledger found in City of David points to widespread 2nd Temple literacy

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IMAGE: MK Ayman Odeh arrives to the Israeli parliament for the opening session of the Knesset, November 15, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

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