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 panel includes health and science correspondent Nathan Jeffay and Paralympics 2021 reporter Amy Spiro, along with host Jessica Steinberg.

Jeffay helps us make sense of the race taking place between soaring COVID-19 infections and the vaccination drive. Israelis are wondering how it will all pan out, particularly ahead of the September 1 school year and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year starting September 6;

Jeffay also discusses the coronavirus statistics inundating the news, which can be confusing and misleading. He breaks down the numbers, helping us understand what the vaccines and boosters are doing for us.

Ahead of the Tuesday, August 24 start of the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, Spiro previews the Israeli athletes at the Games, letting us know who to watch. It's a far larger Israeli delegation at the Paralympics than at the recent Olympics Games, and with greater diversity as well, something Spiro investigates in her piece (see below).

Finally, Jeffay gives us a brief look into his upcoming feature on coronavirus czar Salman Zarka, an in-depth interview with the Druze doctor who's doing everything he can to bring the pandemic under control.

Discussed articles include:

Health chief says Israel may limit family gatherings on Rosh Hashanah 

Rapid virus test stations boosted amid complaints of slow service 

Rowing, shooting, wheelchair tennis: Israel sets its sights on the Paralympics 

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IMAGE: Israelis present their vaccination certificates at the entrance of the Rimon Cafe on August 18, 2021 (Photo by 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.

Today’s panel includes diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and US correspondent Jacob Magid, along with host Jessica Steinberg.

Berman reflects on the ongoing Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, an event unfolding almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) from Israel, but which will have important ramifications for Israel, the US ally in the region, in the coming months.

Magid updates his Times of Israel report last week revealing allegations of child sexual abuse spanning decades by a leader in the US Conservative movement’s United Synagogue Youth branch. The ToI article prompted eight more individuals to reach out to share allegations of abuse at the hands of former USY Nassau County divisional director Ed Ward.

Back on the diplomatic front, further developments in the crisis between Poland and Israel following last week's Polish legislation that severely restricts World War II-era restitution claims.

And finally, a look ahead at Prime Minister Naftali's very brief upcoming trip to the US, amid rising COVID numbers.

Discussed articles include:

With US credibility gashed by Kabul fiasco, Israel may be bruised by association

More victims, lawsuits and mounting anger at USY after ToI report alleging abuse

Warsaw threatens to end ‘anti-Polish’ Israeli youth Holocaust memorial trips

Bennett and Biden meeting in Washington set for August 26

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IMAGE: Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) await a flight to Kabul Afghanistan, at Al Udeied Air Base, Qatar Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 (1st Lt. Mark Andries/U.S. Marine Corps 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 panel comprises environmental reporter Sue Surkes and Palestinian affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman, along with host Jessica Steinberg.

Surkes assesses the extent of ecological damage wreaked by the massive fires that ripped through the Jerusalem Hills since Sunday, turning some 25,000 dunams (6,200 acres) of woodlands into scorched earth, harming complex ecosystems.

The Palestinian Authority sent four firefighting teams to assist in putting out the fires in the Jerusalem hills, prompting public thanks from Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Back on the environmental front, a look at a $1 million prize kickstarted by Canadian philanthropist Jeff Hart aimed at bringing Israeli-based innovation technology to fight climate change worldwide.

And finally, while several rockets were shot into Israel from Gaza this week, Israel isn't responding, in an effort to allow talks to proceed between Gaza and Israel, three months after Operation Guardian of the Walls.

Discussed articles include:

Ecologists worry over ecosystem’s recovery after huge Jerusalem-area blaze

Palestinian firefighters help Israel battle Jerusalem-area blazes

With $1m annual prize, donor hopes Israeli ideas will help solve climate crisis

TV: Israel not responding to Gaza rocket due to progress in talks with Hamas

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IMAGE: Smoke and red fire retardant sprayed by Israeli firefighting aircraft mingles on a hillside on the third day of wildfires in the Jerusalem mountains, August 17, 2021. (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.

Today’s panel comprises editor David Horovitz and Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Firefighters entered their third day of battling a massive blaze in the Jerusalem and Judean Hills on Tuesday morning. We discuss Israel's calls for international aid and compare this large-scale destruction with the 2010 Carmel Forest fire.

Some 1 million Israelis aged 50 and over have received their third vaccination against COVID. As Israel leads the world in this campaign, ahead of the September 1 school year, politicians debate whether to take vaccinations to pupils. Zman Yisrael checks into what educational psychologists have to say.

And finally, part of the new budget includes a new tax on sugary and fizzy drinks. Hear why diet drinks are included in this, and which politician vehemently disagreed.

Discussed articles include:

Firefighters in race to put out dozens of hotspots near Jerusalem ahead of winds

Fire chief: Massive blaze near Jerusalem hopefully contained but may surge again

A million Israelis get third dose, with early data showing heightened protection

Israel records over 8,500 daily COVID infections as serious cases climb to 559

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IMAGE: Firefighters try to extinguish a fire near moshav Givat Ye'arim, near Jerusalem, August 16, 2021. (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.

Today’s panel comprises political correspondent Tal Schneider and senior analyst, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

On today's show, we start with a look at the recent comments making headlines by Likud MK Miri Regev.

The opposition lawmaker, who has previously spoken of her hopes to be prime minister one day, slammed the fact that many senior roles in Israel have never been held by a Mizrahi (or “Eastern”) Jew, despite the majority of Likud party members belonging to the community. Is it a fair criticism?

With coronavirus cases continuing to rise, we assess Naftali Bennett's pre-premiership view of how to beat the pandemic versus his current outlook from the prime minister's office. What has he learned and what has he failed to learn?

And, viewing the collapse of Afghanistan from afar, we ponder how Israelis see the US failure in the country and what lessons they, and the West, are taking from the saga.

Discussed articles include:

Likud’s Miri Regev faces backlash over claims ‘white DNA’ rules the party

Serious COVID cases pass 500 for 1st time since March as outbreak surges

Bennett says ‘tough days’ ahead as Tel Aviv hospitals send patients to Jerusalem

Taliban sweep into Kabul presidential palace, capping shock Afghanistan takeover

Chaos in Kabul as Westerners, Afghans attempt to flee Taliban rout

As Afghan army routed, officials say Pentagon vastly overestimated its power

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PHOTO: Likud lawmaker Miri Regev tours Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market on February 28, 2020. (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.

Today’s panel comprises diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and military reporter Judah Ari Gross, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Poland’s president approved a law on Saturday that will effectively prevent future restitution to the heirs of property seized by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The backlash has been fierce out of the Israeli government, which includes several ministers who are children of Holocaust survivors. Can the two "allies" weather this crisis?

The IDF has been conscripted to help fight the battle against COVID. Gross explains what is new in the increased call-up and what are some lessons learned from the past 18 months of the coronavirus pandemic?

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spent part of last week in Morocco, a year to the announcement of the Abraham Accords. What is the significance of the trip and how was the food?

Finally, Gross dissects the increased use of reconnaissance drones coming out of both Gaza and Lebanon. And as Lebanon burns, why the international community is watching from the sidelines.

Discussed articles include:

Polish president approves WWII restitution law, defying Israel and US

Major crisis as Israel recalls envoy to Poland after WWII restitution law okayed

Israel expands nighttime vaccinations, as hundreds of reservists to join effort

With government facing growing trials, Lapid shines spotlight on Morocco ties

Lapid: Israel, Morocco to upgrade to full diplomatic relations within two months

IDF says troops downed Hamas drone from Gaza two days ago

IDF says it downed Hezbollah drone that entered Israeli airspace

‘Nothing left’: Crisis-hit Lebanon faces growing bread shortages

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FILE PHOTO: Holocaust survivor Edward Mossberg with Polish President Andrzej Duda at a ceremony in the March of the Living at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp site in Poland, as Israel marks annual Holocaust Memorial Day, on April 12, 2018. (Yossi Zeliger/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 panel comprises military reporter Judah Ari Gross and Palestinian affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Yesterday it was announced that some 2,000 new building permits would be given to Israeli Jews in the West Bank, along with some 1,000 to Palestinians. Why now? And how is this being received in the Palestinian Authority?

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett inaugurated a new police unit to fight crime in Arab Israeli communities yesterday. Boxerman weighs in on the new initiative and whether it is enough.

A year to the Abraham Accords, we recently reported that a senior Bahraini official openly met with the IDF commander over Iran. What else has changed in defense cooperation over the past year?

While the Delta variant is surging throughout Israel, PM Bennett this week called on Arab Israelis in particular to step up their vaccination efforts. Is this targeting fair?

And finally, the IDF is changing its decades-long conscription procedures. We hear about how big data is influencing in which unites Israeli soldiers will serve.

Discussed articles include:

Israel set to approve new Palestinian and Jewish building in West Bank

With new policing division, Bennett unveils plan to tackle crime among Arabs

Senior Bahraini official openly meets IDF commander who handles Iran

As Delta variant surges, a third of eligible Arab Israelis remain unvaccinated

In recruiting revamp, IDF turns to data science, ends ‘one-dimensional’ scoring

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IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Public Security Minister Omer Barlev and Chief of Police Kobi Shabtai during an inauguration ceremony marking the opening of a new police station in the Northern Israeli city of Kiryat Ata, August 11, 2021. (Roni Ofer/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 panel comprises environment reporter Sue Surkes and senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

This week the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its first scientific assessment since 2013. Surkes delves into the key takeaways, including how much is irrevocable and is this really unprecedented?

We hear what tiny Israel can do to combat the climate crisis, including a five-step program on the country level, as well as what the IDF needs to do. Finally, Surkes offers a few suggestions for how we, the little people, can do our part.

Next, we hear highlights of Rettig Gur's new deep-dive essay, this time into the contentious property dispute in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem.

Discussed articles include:

Humanity almost entirely to blame for hotter Earth: The key UN report findings

‘Code red for humanity’: UN report warns of unprecedented global warming

Pace of global warming ‘quicker than we thought’ says only Israeli on UN panel

What can Israel do to fight the climate crisis? An expert names the top 5 steps

IDF tentatively facing up to Israel’s next major threat — climate change

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Illustrative image: Israelis take part in a protest demanding immediate action on climate change in Tel Aviv on April 27, 2018. (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 panel comprises United States correspondent Jacob Magid and political correspondent Tal Schneider, along with host Raoul Wootliff.

On today's show, we hear how Israel is asking the US for assistance on the Sheikh Jarrah situation. How can the Biden administration help? And should it?

We follow up on the appointment of Michael Herzog as Israel's new ambassador to the US. Can he help reset relations?

Did the Abraham Accords help in the recent Gaza war. A year after their signing, do they create a new diplomatic reality for the Jewish State?

We check in with the race to lead the Jewish Agency now that its former head Isaac Herzog has moved to the president's office.

And finally, who is Idit Silman, the coalition's chief whip tasked with pushing the new government's agenda through the Knesset?

Discussed articles include:

Israel asking US to push Palestinians toward compromise on Sheikh Jarrah

Mike Herzog, president’s brother and Brig. Gen. (Ret), named as ambassador to US

Bahrain envoy: Abraham Accords helped keep lid on Gaza war in May

Will a PM choice for Jewish Agency head be nixed by nominating committee, again?

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PHOTOS: Protesters demonstrate against Israel's plan to demolish homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah on July 30, 2021. (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.

Today’s panel comprises editor David Horovitz and health reporter Natahn Jeffay, alongside host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai vowed in his first days of office that he would strengthen Diaspora-Israel relations. Horovitz met with him last week and reports on steps taken, those on the horizon, and those that are sadly not planned at all.

Israel is facing an increasing surge of serious COVID cases. Could another lockdown be on the horizon? At the same time, there is increased scrutiny over which politicians are -- or are not -- participating in the Knesset's COVID cabinet.

Jeffay expounds on two new studies -- one regarding a precision medication for COVID and the other dispelling myths regarding fertility and the COVID vaccine.

Discussed articles include:

Minister: Reviving Western Wall compromise is on cabinet agenda, backed by PM

Enough of the legal gymnastics: Why Israel should let its gold medalist marry

Uncertainty and confusion as 250,000 ultra-Orthodox kids return to school

Like Lapid, Liberman also not attending coronavirus cabinet meetings

Lapid vows he’ll now attend coronavirus cabinet meetings ‘as often as possible’

88 patients, 0 intubated: Israeli ‘precision’ COVID drug wrapping up early trial

Israeli MD analyzes billions of sperm, finds COVID vaccines don’t harm fertility

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FILE IMAGE: Minister Naftali Bennett unveils a temporary platform built for pluralistic prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in August 2013. (Ezra Landau/Flash90)

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