The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to What Matters Now, a new weekly podcast exploration into one key issue shaping Israel and the Jewish World — right now.

On Monday, tens of thousands of Israelis took a day off work to protest outside the Knesset against the proposed judicial overhaul that was -- at the very same time -- being discussed at a stormy session of the Constitutional Committee inside.

The crowd was a sea of blue and white Israeli flags. Mostly secular, they sang, shouted, laughed and cried together against the bills that were, despite all their raucous energy, indeed passed for preliminary readings.

Many in Israel who support the judicial overhaul say that by adopting practices from other countries’ judicial systems, they are bringing the country in line with the standards of the international community. Many who oppose the legislation do agree to a need for reform, but say they are frightened that in cherry-picking from around the globe -- an override clause from Canada, a law from Norway and elements from the United States -- we will be headed toward a “Frankenstate.”

In 2013, Princeton University Prof. Kim Lane Scheppele coined the visceral term in her article, "Not Your Father’s Authoritarianism: The Creation of the "Frankenstate.'" In that essay, she writes, “A Frankenstate is an abusive form of rule, created by combining the bits and pieces of perfectly reasonable democratic institutions in monstrous ways, much as Frankenstein’s monster was created from bits and pieces of other living things. No one part is objectionable; the horror emerges from the combinations.”

This week, I made my way to the heart of old Jerusalem to the Israel Democracy Institute where I asked IDI vice president Suzie Navot, professor of Constitutional Law, what could happen if other legal systems are grafted on Israel’s judiciary.

Born in Uruguay, Navot made aliya to Israel at age 14. A polyglot, she has taught at the Sorbonne as a visiting professor as well as on the faculties of the Striks Faculty of Law at the College of Management and the National Security College in Israel.

Navot specializes in constitutional law, law of institutions, parliamentary law and comparative constitutional law, which gives her unique insight into what could happen if indeed this global mosaic of legislation does pass.

After this tempestuous week, we hear What Matters Now to leading Israeli legal expert, Prof. Suzie Navot.

What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on iTunes, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, PlayerFM or wherever you get your podcasts.

IMAGE: Vice president of the Israel Democracy Institute Prof. Suzie Navot at the IDI, December 2022. (Michal Fattal/IDI)

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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 correspondent Jacob Magid and real estate writer Danielle Nagler join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast, with a brief update from political correspondent Tal Schneider currently in Kyiv with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

Magid discusses how the right-wing nature of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition partners has perhaps scuttled the chance of any invites for the prime minister to the US and UAE, while the second Negev Forum for ministers, initially planned for Morocco in March, is on the back burner.

Magid also looks at the Palestinian Authority is pushing forward a vote in the United Nations Security Council to support a resolution to halt settlement activity, following the recent approval in the Knesset of several new outposts.

Nagler explains the Tama 38 building development plan in Israel, created to upgrade existing housing and make buildings earthquake-safe, but so far only carried out in larger cities, and not yet in the areas that are more vulnerable, but less attractive from a real estate perspective.

Magid talks about the emotional statement made by Channel 12 journalist Yair Cherki on Tuesday, when the Orthodox 30-year-old came out of the closet publicly and was greeted with widespread support from a range of followers and politicians.

Nagler speaks about the new, dramatic Bezalel School of Art and Design building in downtown Jerusalem, designed to join the avant garde art created by the students and the mixed population of the city.

Discussed articles include:

Palestinians readying Security Council resolution slamming Israeli settlement plans

Prominent Orthodox Israeli journalist Yair Cherki comes out as gay

Knesset committee fails to update earthquake construction framework

Israeli buildings face major earthquake risk, despite efforts to upgrade them

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IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to a vote in the Knesset on February 15, 2023 (Courtesy 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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and health and science writer Nathan Jeffay join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Rettig Gur discusses why the architects of the judicial reform, head of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, MK Simcha Rothman Simcha Rothman and Justice Minister Yariv Levin are in such a rush to push through their proposed legislation, and what role President Isaac Herzog can play during the tense discussions taking place and whether he can succeed.

Jeffay looks at scientific research carried out in three very different areas; he explains the work done by a startup lab that has taught rats to detect lung cancer by sniffing urine, and how that process could allay the first stages of cancer detection.

He also talks about certain hair straightening chemicals found to cause kidney failure, now banned in Israel.

Finally, Jeffay looks at high number of nearsightedness cases in Haredi men, presumably due to Talmud study, as those who learn full time pour over columns of small text for hours each day.

Discussed articles include:

The judiciary fight is fueled by deep distrust; that makes compromise elusive

Lab claims it teaches rats to detect lung cancer with 93% accuracy by sniffing urine

Some hair-straightening products can cause kidney failure – pioneering Israeli study

Haredi men three times as likely to be nearsighted, probably due to Talmud study

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IMAGE: From L-R President Isaac Herzog, MK Simcha Rothman, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, National Unity leader Benny Gantz (Flash 90)

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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.

Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller-Lynn and legal reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Amanda Borschel-Dan to report on what happened yesterday at the Knesset -- inside and out.

We begin with a sense of the magnitude of Monday's protest as Keller Lynn describes her commute by train from Tel Aviv and the scene that awaited her in Jerusalem.

At the same time, Sharon was inside the Knesset stormy Constitutional Committee meeting, which is headed by MK Simcha Rothman, who was the subject of this weekend's What Matters Now podcast. Sharon sets the scene inside the Knesset.

Police sources estimated that about 90,000 people attended the protest, while organizers put the number at some 130,000, and a high-tech group affiliated with the demonstrators even went as high as 300,000. Keller-Lynn compares Monday's protest with those she's covered for The Times of Israel on Saturday nights in Tel Aviv and discusses just who is organizing them.

We hear where we now stand on the legislation that was heard yesterday and that will be presented in the Knesset this week.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog took to prime-time television on Sunday night and proposed five steps toward compromise. Last night, the architects of the judicial overhaul, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Rothman, appeared to agree to compromise talks at the president’s residence. Are these statements sincere?

Discussed articles include:

Tens of thousands rally at Knesset against overhaul: ‘Worried for Israel’s future’

90,000 or 300,000? Why estimates of crowd size at Jerusalem protest vary so widely

Lapid: Justice overhaul ‘tearing Israel apart’; PM: Opposition leading us to anarchy

Israeli flags as far as the eye can see, as protesters plead for an overhaul rethink

First judicial overhaul legislation approved in committee amid ferocious opposition

Judicial overhaul bill likely to come up for first plenum vote next Monday

Justice minister offers talks on overhaul; Opposition: Legislation must stop first

What Matters Now… to MK Simcha Rothman? ‘The people should appoint the judges’

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IMAGE: Protest against the judicial overhaul, outside the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, February 13, 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.

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz and religion and diaspora affairs reporter Judah Ari Gross join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Horovitz discusses the scenes taking place Monday afternoon in Jerusalem, as thousands gather outside the Knesset to protest the judicial reform while inside, the Knesset committee moves forward with the tremendously contentious bill amid a stormy session.

Horovitz explains the judicial compromise laid out by President Isaac Herzog in a televised speech Sunday night, and wonders whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ready to listen.

Gross talks about the scenes in Marash, Turkey, where he spent much of last week reporting on Israeli and local rescue teams working to retrieve survivors from Monday's earthquake, and the impossible decisions rescuers had to make in the midst of herculean efforts.

He also speaks about the female protester at the Western Wall on Sunday who stripped down to a bathing suit in protest of the contentious bill that would criminalize immodest dress at the holy site.

Discussed articles include:

Opposition MKs ejected from stormy Knesset panel session on judicial overhaul bills

Worried Herzog sets out sensible ideas for reform, but is Netanyahu ready to listen?

In devastated Turkey, rescuers battle cold, concrete to save those trapped by quake

‘She helped us, told us when to do what’: Israeli doc describes rescuing Turkish girl

Israeli rescuer who helped in ’99 earthquakes returns to Turkey to save lives

Woman strips down to swimsuit at Western Wall in apparent protest of modesty bill

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IMAGE: Thousands protest against the judicial overhaul outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on February 12, 2023 (Courtesy Arie Leib Abrams/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.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

We begin with an update from last night’s protests against the proposed judicial overhaul. For those who are interested in hearing from the architect of the proposed bills that are getting a first reading on Monday, please check out our most recent episode of What Matters Now with MK Simcha Rothman. What Matters Now is our new weekly podcast focusing on one issue that is shaping Israel and the Jewish World, right now.

Fabian updates on a car-ramming that occurred just before Shabbat on Friday, in which a terrorist plowed his car into a group of people in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood, killing three. We hear about the victims and what sanctions are being placed on the family of the perpetrator.

The death toll from a massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria will “double or more” from its current level of around 28,000, according to UN relief chief Martin Griffiths. An Israeli military field hospital established near the Turkish quake epicenter has so far treated around 200 people, including Syrian refugees living in the country. We hear some anecdotes.

Berman weighs in on President Recep Erdogan’s performance so far in dealing with the disaster and how it may affect his political future.

A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Saturday. The Israeli army said it was aware of the case and said soldiers were not involved in the fatal shooting. Fabian explains what we know so far -- and what we don't.

And finally, it’s Super Bowl Sunday. Berman gives us a rundown of every potential Jangle (Jewish angle).

Discussed articles include:

Tens of thousands rally against judicial overhaul; organizers claim over 200,000

What Matters Now… to MK Simcha Rothman? ‘The people should appoint the judges’

Police seal family home of terrorist who rammed Ramot bus stop

IDF field hospital in Turkey treats 180 wounded in quake, including Syrian refugees

Palestinian man said shot dead by settlers in West Bank

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IMAGE: Medics and police officers at the scene of a deadly car-ramming terror attack near Ramot Junction in Jerusalem on February 10, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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Hi Daily Briefing listeners, welcome to our second episode of What Matters Now, a new weekly podcast exploration into one key issue shaping Israel and the Jewish World — right now.

In a rare moment of agreement, Israeli media from all sides of the political spectrum is closely following the proposed legislation for judicial overhauls — some of which will have their first preliminary votes early next week.

And while almost everyone seems to agree that there is a need for a judicial overhaul, many ask, why so extreme and why so fast?

For weeks we've reported on protests in the street, sharp rebukes from legal experts, and businessmen threatening to take their money elsewhere. The President of Israel Isaac Herzog waded in and asked legislators for a pause for reconsideration and potential compromise.

But one who doesn't think the overhaul is all that radical is the Member of Knesset who wrote the bills that are being determinedly pushed through, Simcha Rothman from the Religious Zionism party.

For the past decade, Rothman, a lawyer by training, has worked towards this legislation through his advocacy work at Meshilut, the Movement for Governability and Democracy. A fixture in the halls of the Knesset, Rothman has written books and lobbied for what he terms a stronger democracy -- through a rebalancing of power from the Supreme Court to the Knesset.

A member of Knesset since 2021, Rothman is clearly one of the most driven lawmakers in the new coalition. As the chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, he is fast-tracking these first points of reform, which include judicial appointments, curbing the Supreme Court’s test of reasonability, a slim override clause and severely limiting the High Court of Justice’s ability to strike down Basic Laws.

This week, days before a first vote on Monday for two proposals, I made my way through the labyrinth of the Knesset to speak with Rothman and hear why these reforms, and why so quickly.

What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on iTunes, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, PlayerFM or wherever you get your podcasts.

IMAGE: MK Simcha Rothman gives his first remarks at the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem, August 3, 2021, as current Justice Minister Yariv Levin looks on. (Noam Moskovitch/Knesset Spokesman)

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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 reporter Jacob Magid and New York reporter Luke Tress join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast, with a report from Judah Ari Gross at the earthquake site in Turkey.

Gross speaks with a Hadassah doctor serving with the Hatzolah team in Turkey, helping extract earthquake survivors from the devastating wreckage.

Magid discusses the across-the-board US push for calm in the region, following the visits of several senior Biden administration officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA director Bill Burns. 

Tress speaks about a recent closed meeting of US congress members with Jewish leaders in New York, and their show of support for Israel and its recent actions. 

Magid talks about the start of the Malka Leifer trial in Melbourne, Australia, expected to last six weeks as it uncovers the sexual abuse reportedly committed by Leifer against her students while she served as principal of an ultra-Orthodox girls school in the early 2000s.

Discussed articles include:

CIA director: Current Israeli-Palestinian tensions resemble Second Intifada

Coalition party vows settlement building will continue, despite US request for pause

After international pressure, PM delays East Jerusalem razing sought by Ben Gvir

US pushing Abbas on plan to boost PA security presence in northern West Bank

In now annual tradition, US urges Israel to keep friction in check ahead of Ramadan

Skirting concerns over new government, NY lawmakers vow firm support for Israel

13 years after bolting, 6 since arrest, Malka Leifer extradited to Australia

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IMAGE: A rescuer walks on a destroyed building in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

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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 reporter Emanuel Fabian, Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller-Lynn and legal reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's packed episode.

The death toll is mounting in Turkey and Syria even as rescuers are continuing to pull survivors out of the rubble. What do we currently know about the work that the Israeli delegations are doing on the ground?

Our reporter Judah Ari Gross arrived in Turkey yesterday evening and sent in a report late last night. We hear his first impressions of the quake zone.

Yesterday the High Court of Justice issued a sharp rebuke of the government’s recent request for another delay in the court’s order to evacuate the illegal Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin encampment in the West Bank. We hear from Sharon why this is so counterintuitive in light of the right-wing government.

Keller-Lynn updates us on all the various legislative balls that are in the air at the Knesset. We also hear about how an unhappy leading Likud member was appeased with a new ministerial position -- in a ministry that already has a minister.

Discussed articles include:

Minor earthquake hits Israel, West Bank

IDF to set up field hospital in Turkey; Israel’s search and rescue team starts work

Another Israeli aid delegation takes off for southern Turkey after deadly quakes

Court rebukes government for seeking to again put off Khan al-Ahmar demolition

Supreme Court critic Amsalem to join Justice Ministry as 2nd minister

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IMAGE: Israeli army and rescue forces seen near the city of Kahramanmaras, Turkey, to assist in rescue efforts after the earthquake on February 8, 2023. (Erik Marmor/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 news editor Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

In the wake of the deadly earthquake yesterday in Turkey and Syria, the IDF has sent already two teams of military rescue experts to Turkey. What kind of expertise is included in the teams making up operation Olive Branches?

Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel also plans to send aid to Syria, including tents, medication, and blankets. Who is meant to carry it out?

Out of the 31 ministries in the current government sworn in at the end of December, not one minister has appointed a woman to serve as director general. Twenty-three of the positions have been filled by men. This is regrettable, but is it so unusual?

Several Palestinian gunmen were killed in a military raid near Jericho, as part of an operation to apprehend suspects involved in a shooting attack on a restaurant located about 20 minutes from the Dead Sea, close to Jericho. Fabian explains the historic nature of the operation.

Finally, based on her recent in-depth feature on the Hapoel Jerusalem women's soccer team, Spiro describes the factors that have contributed to the relatively equal opportunities afforded to the team.

Discussed articles include:

‘Great privilege to reach out to our neighbor’: IDF aid delegation heads to Turkey

‘Request was received’: Israel to send earthquake relief to Syria as well as Turkey

New government has so far appointed zero women as ministry directors general

At least 5 gunmen killed as IDF targets West Bank terror attack cell, officials say

End goals: The Jerusalem team trying to shake up how Israel treats women’s soccer

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ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Emergency teams search for people in the rubble of a destroyed building in Adana, southern Turkey, February 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

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