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.

Today's podcast guests are Times of Israel editor David Horovitz and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman, hosted by Jessica Steinberg.

Berman fills us in on the recent visit by a Bahraini mission in Israel, including their unusual and unexpected visit to the Western Wall and reactions to the visitors on the street.

Horovitz discusses the recent blackout in Lebanon, the ongoing efforts to find new information on the whereabouts of missing Israeli airman Ron Arad and the alleged attack in Cyprus, and the increasing journalistic difficulty of disseminating what is true and what is not in these ongoing news stories.

Berman fills us in on the Chiune Sugihara saga, and his story about a bureaucratic snafu that was keeping the son of this World War Two Japanese envoy who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis from traveling to Israel this week for a ceremony in his father's memory.

Finally, Horovitz talks about Israel's late game defeat in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Glasgow, shattering its hopes of qualifying for next year’s tournament in Qatar.

Discussed articles include:

From Western Wall to Old City alleys, curious Israelis embrace Bahraini visitors

Lebanon left without power for days after state-run grid collapses

Report: Israel seized jogging Iran general in Damascus, freed him in S. Africa

Interior Minister Shaked: Sugihara a hero to Jews; I intervened after ToI story

Scotland defeats Israel 3-2 in crucial World Cup qualifier

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IMAGE: Haredi students pose wih Bahraini education official Mohammed Saleh in the Old City of Jerusalem, October 6, 2021 (Lazar Berman, Times of Israel)

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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.

Today's podcast guests are Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz and Ops and Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, hosted by Jessica Steinberg.

Horovitz discusses the decline in the latest coronavirus wave, along with comments made by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the UN regarding COVID-19 policies in Israel.

Herschlag speaks about one of the site’s top op-eds, with a strong take on what Israel’s position should be regarding the US strategy on Iran.

She also points out two other blogs leading the site, one by a Jerusalem mohel and another by a rabbi educator writing about loving one's children who leave religion.

Horovitz also speaks about the ceremony in Kyiv commemorating the victims of the Babi Yar massacre.

Finally, Steinberg, Horovitz and Herschlag discuss the Ophir Awards, and the kerfuffle regarding politics and the winning film, Eran Kolirin's "Let It Be Morning."

Discussed articles include:

Top health official says fourth COVID wave on the wane, could end soon

Israel must actively oppose US return to the JCPOA

At Babi Yar massacre site, Herzog decries years of silence, ongoing denial

The New Yorker’s botched circumcision article

Thou shalt love your child who leaves religion

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IMAGE: Eran Kolirin, director of the 2021 Ophir Award-winning film (Courtesy Tomer Neuberg/ 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.

Today's podcast guests are Startup Israel editor Ricky Ben-David and Arab Affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman, hosted by Jessica Steinberg.

Ben-David discusses her investigative report about the astronomical housing prices in Israel, which have nearly doubled in the last decade, delving into declining housing affordability, a weakened middle class, investors and a weakened middle class.

Boxerman offers a deep-dive into the Arab-Israeli community as mayors and leaders spoke to him at length about the government decision to step up Shin Bet involvement in fighting rising organized crime in Arab communities.

Discussed articles include:

Israeli housing prices have nearly doubled in a decade, with no signs of slowing

Government move to enlist Shin Bet to fight rising crime splits Arab Israelis

IDF, Shin Bet will aid illegal weapons crackdown in Arab towns, ministers decide

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IMAGE: View of the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, on August 4, 2021 (Photo by Nati Shohat/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.

Today's podcast guests are environmental reporter Sue Surkes and breaking news editor Emanuel Fabian, covering the military beat this week, with Jessica Steinberg hosting.

Fabian explains the recent government decision to involve the military and Shin Bet security service in a crackdown on illegal weapons, in order to fight rising organized crime in Arab communities. It's a plan that is dividing the local Arab Israeli community and was contradicted by Public Security Minister Barlev. 

Meanwhile, Surkes unpacks the bizarre case of Jewish lawyer Steven Donziger who has been fighting the Chevron oil company for 28 years and was recently sentenced to six months in jail.

She also offers a preview of a new article about the questionable plans to prospect for oil in the Arava desert.

Discussed articles include:

Government move to enlist Shin Bet to fight rising crime splits Arab Israelis

IDF, Shin Bet will aid illegal weapons crackdown in Arab towns, ministers decide

Police minister says IDF will play no role in fighting Arab community violence

Lawyer who fought Chevron gets 6-month sentence for contempt

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IMAGE: Jewish and Arab Israelis protest in Tel Aviv against police inaction, the surging crime and violence in Arab communities on March 13, 2021. (Photo by 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.

Political writer Tal Schneider and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman are today's guests with Jessica Steinberg hosting.

Berman discusses foreign minister Lapid's day-long trip to Bahrain late last week, when he inaugurated the Israeli embassy.

He also analyzes the deeper meaning behind Lapid's visit to the US Fifth Fleet, which operates in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, where Iran has been stepping up operations and covert attacks.

Schneider follows with a conversation about the opening session of the Knesset, where the opposition is back in power and the plenum discussions are expected to be intensive.

Berman and Schneider also take a look at the recent headlines about the 'Pandora Papers,' which may implicate financial misdeeds by Jordan’s King Abdullah and Likud lawmaker Nir Barkat.

Discussed articles include:

Lapid inaugurates Israeli embassy in Bahrain

On Lapid’s Bahrain visit, a photo op at a US Navy base meant for Iranian eyes

Former justice minister, billionaire among Israelis named in ‘Pandora Papers’

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IMAGE: Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, center left, is met by his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, center right, for the first high-level visit in Manama, Bahrain, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 (Shlomi Amshalem/GPO via AP)

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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.

Today's guests are science and health writer Nathan Jeffay and senior analyst Haviv Rettig-Gur with Jessica Steinberg hosting.

Israel's Green Pass system is down nationwide with too many people trying to access the online system, wreaking havoc for Israelis.

Jeffay explains how the system is supposed to work, and he and Rettig-Gur discuss whether the system has helped Israel regain its footing during the pandemic.

Rettig-Gur also spoke about Benjamin Netanyahu's new book that he's currently writing, and whether the former prime minister's authorship means that he's done with politics.

Discussed articles include:

Green Pass update delayed as Health Ministry system crashes, causing chaos

Nearly 2 million Israelis lose Green Pass as new rules enter effect

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IMAGE: Children are eligible for a Green Pass due to testing negative for coronavirus (PCR swab test) in the last 24 hours, they will be included in their parents' Green Pass. (Courtesy Olivier Fitoussi/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.

ToI editor David Horovitz and health and science correspondent Nathan Jeffay join host Raoul Wootliff on today's podcast.

On today's show, we start with a look at the return to school after the Jewish festivals and the new regulations being implemented for teachers and students.

Next week the Green Pass allowing Israelis into certain public spaces will be revamped to include the third vaccine shot. What does that mean for the million Israelis who haven't received the booster yet?

And, we assess the recent friction between government ministers and health ministry officials over the implementation of new coronavirus restrictions and the role of medical professionals in shaping government policy.

Discussed articles include:

As Israeli kids go back to school (again), will COVID cause chaos?

Students return to schools after holidays, with new COVID measures at forefront

Israelis who haven’t gotten booster to lose quarantine exemption — TV

Over 1 million Israelis who haven’t had 3rd dose to lose Green Pass on Sunday

Bennett jabs at experts over COVID approach: ‘They don’t see the full picture’

Bennett says he ‘respects’ health officials, yet opposes nationwide restrictions

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PHOTO: Shaare Zedek hospital staff wearing safety gear as they work in the coronavirus in Jerusalem on September 23, 2021. (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.

ToI US correspondent Jacob Magid and political correspondent Tal Schneider, both in New York, join host Raoul Wootliff on today's podcast.

We start the show with a look at Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's first speech to the United Nations General Assembly on his second official visit to the US as premier.

What did he say and what did he miss out on? And how did he differentiate himself from his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu?

We then look at the rest of Bennett's time in the US and ask whether his meeting with Jewish leaders represented, as he called it, "a new spirit" in Israel's relationship with the American diaspora.

Finally, we hear an account of how the prime minister spent the Jewish festival of Shemini Atzeret walking 25 blocks across Manhatten.

Discussed articles include:

At UN, Bennett hints at action on Iran: ‘Words don’t stop centrifuges spinning’

Neglecting Palestinians at UN, Bennett hopes that those who matter don’t mind

Speaking to a world demanding global action, a tepid Bennett misses opportunity

Bennett focuses on Jewish, Israeli unity in address to US Jewish leaders

For Bennett, Sukkot in NYC is a time to stroll down memory lane, and 5th Ave.

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PHOTO: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett addresses the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 27, 2021, at UN headquarters in New York. (John Minchillo/Pool/AFP)

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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 joins host Jessica Steinberg on today's podcast.

Jessica Steinberg talks about the end of Sukkot in Israel and local observance of shmitta, the seventh year sabbatical of the land that began on Rosh Hashanah.

Magid then discusses Thursday's vote in the US House, in which the Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act was passed 420-9 after the Dem Squad had voted it down Tuesday.

Magid wasn't surprised by the final vote, remarking that support for Israel is still high in the US government.

He also speaks about Prime Minister Naftali's Bennett's speeches scheduled for today in New York, to the UN General Assembly and with the Jewish Federations of North America.

Magid spoke with Jewish Federations CEO Eric Fingerhut prior to the Monday meeting.

Discussed articles include:

‘Yes, I wept’: AOC assails ‘unjust, reckless process’ on bill to fund Iron Dome

AOC seen visibly shaken after casting vote to abstain on Iron Dome funding bill

US lawmakers who opposed or abstained on Iron Dome funding explain their vote

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IMAGE: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., listens as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington. In a letter Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021

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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.

ToI founding editor David Horovitz and Arab affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman join Jessica Steinberg on today's podcast.

Horovitz starts off with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, his second official visit to the US as PM and what's expected from this speech and visit.

Boxerman fills in some information about Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas' speech at the UN, in which he gave Israel a one-year ultimatum to go back to the 1967 borders.

He also brought up the unexpected plea by over 300 prominent Iraqis who called for their country to normalize ties with Israel.

Horovitz speaks about Germany's election day on Sunday, as Angela Merkel ends 16 years in power, finishing an unprecedented period in German leadership and politics.

Finally, Boxerman speaks about an article he's working on, regarding violence in the Arab community and Israeli efforts to help stem that trajectory.

Discussed articles include:

Leaving for NY, Bennett dismisses ‘failed’ anti-Israel minority in US House

Bennett on Iraqis’ call for normalization: ‘Israel extends its hand in peace’

Gantz: Abbas’s 1967 lines ultimatum ‘will be hard to climb down from’

Hundreds of Iraqi notables call to join Abraham Accords, make peace with Israel

Germany votes in pivotal election ushering in post-Merkel era

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PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett leads a cabinet meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on September12, 2021. Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90

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