The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporter Sam Sokol joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After a 14-year-old ultra-Orthodox teenager was killed and three others were injured by a bus ramming into protestors following a mass Haredi rally against IDF conscription, Sokol discusses the chaotic street scene and fires set in the middle of the busy road by young men and teens roaming around Jerusalem's Romema neighborhood on Tuesday night.

The rally, which was the initiative of a group of leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, and connected to the Jerusalem Faction, an extremist ultra-Orthodox group, opened with fiery speeches, reports Sokol, as leading rabbis railed against the government’s draft exemption bill and the Haredi Shas party, which supports it.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Police set to charge bus driver who ran over Haredi protester with aggravated murder

Teenager killed, others injured after bus runs over Haredi protesters in Jerusalem

Senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi: Those enforcing Haredi draft are fighting against God

Thousands of Haredim protest against conscription in Jerusalem

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: Ultra-Orthodox protest against IDF recruitment in Jerusalem, January 6, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's January 1 inauguration, Tress reviews his rocky start with Jewish groups, after Mamdani revoked the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which had been a significant protection against antisemitic acts.

While Mamdani committed to keeping an office to combat anti-Semitism, a step applauded by the Jewish groups, says Tress, there is concern about the mayor's decision to revoke the IHRA antisemitism definition and anti-BDS measure

Tress also discusses Mamdani's appointment of prominent lawyer Ramzi Kassem, who has supported anti-Israel protest groups as well as trained and provided legal guidance to a long list of anti-Zionist protesters.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Leading Jewish groups issue warning as Mamdani cuts antisemitism protections on first day

Mamdani revokes IHRA antisemitism definition on day 1, amid broad rejection of Adams orders

Mamdani nods to Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers in inaugural speech

Mamdani appoints lawyer who coached anti-Israel protesters as NYC’s chief counsel

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves.

 

IMAGE: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signs executive orders during a press conference in the neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporter Ariela Karmel and religion and archaeology correspondent Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As the Prime Minister's Office comes under fire for releasing official photos in which images of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, have been heavily retouched, Karmel discusses the distortion of the historical record and possible breach of important ethical guidelines, and the involvement of the Government Press Office, which is seeking to resolve the issue.

A new version of a bill whose purpose is to extend Israeli authority over antiquities and heritage sites in the West Bank, and aims to include Areas A and B — where the Palestinian Authority has civilian control — has the local archaeology world in an uproar, reports Tercatin. The bill aims to extend the powers of the Israel Antiquities Authority, while some archaeologists say the bill would politicize archaeology and create professional problems for them globally.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Sara Netanyahu touches up official photos of herself, distorting archival record

New West Bank antiquity bill seeks to extend Israeli authority over Areas A and B

Archaeologists dig in against antiquities bill aiming to deepen Israel’s hold on West Bank

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: An image distributed by the Prime Minister's Office and apparently manipulated by Sara Netanyahu, showing her, center, and Benjamin Netanyahu at the Shul of Bal Harbour, Florida, on December 31, 2025. (Amos Ben-Gershom / GPO / Sara Netanyahu)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diaspora affairs reporter Zev Stub and reporter Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Spain implements the largest state-level boycott of Israel, Stub reviews elements of the embargo and whether it could set a precedent of similar gestures from other countries.

Bletter reports on a recent visit to the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, badly damaged during the year of Hezbollah strikes, and still struggling to revitalize itself.

A look at Israel's population numbers shows that more people exited the country in 2024 than entered it, reports Stub. This came even as statistics paint a nuanced picture of rising immigration to the country amid skyrocketing antisemitism globally.

Finally, Bletter reports on the resilience and diversity of Israeli science and medical research, including research on coral reefs, and how cancer can help heal ailing hearts.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

With new trade restrictions, Spain looks to trigger EU cascade against Israel

Spanish Jews warn map of local Jewish and ‘Zionist’ businesses will lead to violence

Half-empty and scarred by war, Kiryat Shmona sees protests – and grassroots rejuvenation

More than 69,000 Israelis left Israel in 2025, as population reached 10.18 million

In surprising breakthrough, scientists in Israel find cancer may help heal the failing heart

Israeli scientists say tiny organisms can revamp their own RNA to survive extreme heat

New Israeli research shows coral reefs shape the ebb and flow of local microbial life

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: A pro-Palestinian demonstrator holds a banner reading: 'Boycott Israeli apartheid' during a protest in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (Bernat Armangue/AP Photo)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

The "Schmoovie" of the week is "Marty Supreme," starring Timothée Chalamet (who also co-produced), Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher. It was produced and directed by Josh Safdie, who also co-wrote the script, alongside Ronald Bronstein. 

Like the very Jewish film it is, it arrived to the world on December 25 and so Borschel-Dan had to make a rare outing into a Jerusalem cinema. She brings back the unique impressions from an Israeli crowd watching this utterly Yiddishe story set in 1950s Lower East Side New York -- especially how they reacted to Holocaust references.

Hoffman, who recently interviewed director Safdie about the film for Vanity Fair, gives us the inside scoop on the crazy cast of characters that flesh out the "junkyard Jews" at the heart of the tale.

The pair keeps the conversation very general -- no spoilers! -- for the first half of the episode, but then get Talmudically into the weeds for the second.

Hear about our very first unreserved top-marking "not bad" from both hosts on this week's The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

IMAGE: Timothée Chalamet attends the premiere of 'Marty Supreme' at Regal Times Square on December 16, 2025, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

This week, while Berman was in Florida to cover the summit between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan invited senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur to sit in the hot seat and prepare five scenarios for Israel for 2026.

Rettig Gur came prepared -- plus one -- and the two spend the first half discussing the three main fronts of the war, Lebanon, Gaza and Iran.

In the second half, we learn about more domestic/political issues, including Rettig Gur's projection that Israel will begin to wean itself from US aid as the political winds shift in the States.

Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: A man walks down to the Western Wall as the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound appears in the background in the Old City of Jerusalem on December 4, 2025. (JOHN WESSELS / AFP)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporters Ariela Karmel and Sam Sokol join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the High Court's Wednesday ruling temporarily halting a transfer of funds to ultra-Orthodox schools, Sokol and Karmel discuss the implications of the petition against the transfer, reactions from ultra-Orthodox leadership, and the broader context of judicial reform amid budget tensions and coalition politics.

After Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened High Court President Isaac Amit over a ruling regarding Army Radio, Karmel reports on the ostensible incitement and the willingness expressed by some members of the government to defy court rulings against the backdrop of the coalition's attempts to neuter the power of the courts.

As several Haredi parties battle over appointments to the Jerusalem rabbinate, the argument has spilled over into national politics, says Sokol, highlighting divisions in ultra-Orthodox politics.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

High Court halts transfer of NIS 1 billion to Haredi schools as it reviews case

Lapid petitions High Court to halt billion-shekel transfer to ultra-Orthodox schools

Supreme Court chief says Smotrich crossed ‘red line’ by pledging to ‘trample’ him

Smotrich vows to ‘trample’ Supreme Court president in blistering attack

Shas, Degel HaTorah trade barbs in fight for control of Jerusalem religious council

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting at the Knesset on December 29, 2025 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

NY correspondent Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to become the city's leader at midnight as the apple falls in Times Square. According to a report from the Anti-Defamation League, at least 20 percent of Mamdani’s 400 administrative appointees are connected to anti-Zionist US activist groups, such as Students for Justice in Palestine. Tress zooms into the case of Catherine Almonte Da Costa, who was initially named as his administration’s director of appointments.

Tress delves into which of Mamdani’s policies are particularly worrisome for NY Jews, including security, schools and the annual Israel parade.

In the second half, we focus on the new Movement Against Antizionism (MAAZ) and how it sees itself as a new way of framing hatred against Jews. Scholar Adam Louis-Klein and MAAZ are part of a network of academics and activists pushing the Jewish community to focus on anti-Zionism as a distinct hatred, with its own ideology and tactics, moving on from the antisemitism paradigm as a framework for understanding discrimination against Jews. We debate whether this is needed even as it grows in traction in the US.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

What are Mamdani’s policy proposals that could directly impact Jewish New Yorkers?

At least 20% of Mamdani appointees have ties to anti-Zionist groups, ADL says

High-level Mamdani appointee resigns after old antisemitic comments surface

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on December 17, 2025 in New York. (ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump held a meeting yesterday in Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. We start with the collegial atmosphere of the press conference and how it belied fears of US frustration with Israel.

Berman takes us through the stances expressed by the two leaders, starting with the possibility of a strike on Iran. Trump, standing next to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says yes when asked whether he’d support an Israeli attack if Iran resumes production of its missile and nuclear programs. Berman then takes us to the Lebanon front and discusses a looming disarmament deadline there, before discussing the interesting comments made about Turkey and Syria during the meetup.

Much focus was naturally on the Gaza war and, asked twice whether he would allow for the commencement of the second phase of the ceasefire plan before the return of the final hostage from Gaza, slain Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, Trump declined to answer directly. Trump did say he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “talked about Hamas and we talked about disarmament.” However, we learn that there is no timeline for the disarmament.

Asked whether the Palestinian Authority should be allowed to play a role in the postwar management of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the PA would have to implement “real reforms.” Borschel-Dan wonders why the premier did not dismiss it out of hand, and indeed, whether Fatah could be a threat to Hamas in Gaza. Berman answers.

The press conference launched a mini media storm in Israel after Trump claimed that President Isaac Herzog had recently told him that a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “on its way.” We learn what the response was in Florida.

And finally, we also hear how, during his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump took a phone call from Education Minister Yoav Kisch, who told him he had been awarded the Israel Prize. Israel’s top civilian honor has never been bestowed on a foreign leader. Trump will receive the Israel Prize for special contribution to the Jewish people. But will Trump take the bait and visit Israel on Independence Day?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Meeting PM, Trump warns of ‘hell to pay’ if Hamas doesn’t disarm in ‘very short’ time

Trump claims Herzog told him Netanyahu pardon ‘on its way’; Israeli president denies it

Trump to be awarded Israel Prize next year, the country’s top honor

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Finally, some good news on The Daily Briefing: Former hostage Matan Zangauker and his girlfriend, former hostage Ilana Gritzewsky, have become engaged, according to a photo posted by Matan’s mother Einav.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Florida, where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump for an unprecedented sixth time in less than a year. We hear what’s on the schedule for today, who else may be in the room and what's on the table.

Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own money, passports and army. But it has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence. On Friday, Netanyahu made headlines by announcing Israel's recognition of the country. Why has Israel basically put Somaliland on the map now and what has been the backlash so far?

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Former hostages Matan Zangauker and Ilana Gritzewsky become engaged

In the US, Netanyahu aims to convince Trump that only threat of war can bring peace

Hezbollah leader says Lebanese efforts to disarm group ‘not in country’s interest’

Iran’s president says country in midst of ‘total war’ with US, Israel and Europe

UN Security Council to convene emergency meeting on Israel’s Somaliland recognition

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate, July 26, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.