The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Goldberg-Polin, who has become a well-known voice in the Jewish and Israeli world since October 7, 2023, when Hersh was taken captive by Hamas terrorists, speaks about the challenge of being active, present, and even thankful in the aftermath of Hersh's death.

She speaks about the public nature of the family's mourning, as she and her husband, Jon Polin, remain active advocates for the remaining hostages, but grapple with their deep mourning in the public eye.

Goldberg-Polin shares anecdotes about her life, including her extended Jerusalem community during the high holiday period, and her desperate hope to grow from the challenges she's faced during the last two years.

She speaks about the need to help repair herself and the world around her and the need for some relief from the pain and suffering of this time period.

And so this week, we ask Rachel Goldberg-Polin, what matters now.

What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: People walk next to a mural of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin in central Jerusalem, August 18, 2025. (Photo by 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.

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

The New York City mayoral race pits candidate Andrew Cuomo against Zohran Mamdani as Mayor Eric Adams drops out of the race, discusses Tress, but while Cuomo will gain some of Adams' votes, Mamdani is still the frontrunner.

Tress discusses how close Adams has been to the New York City Jewish community and some of the distance that exists between Cuomo and the Haredi population of New York, especially after he instituted COVID restrictions on gatherings while serving as governor during the pandemic.

Tress mentions a complaint filed this month to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands by an Israeli resident of New York State, whose family was killed by Hamas terrorists. The complaint charges Iran with genocide and other crimes for its involvement in the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel.

Following the various protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the United Nations last week, Tress notes that while all the protests were against the Israeli leader, their politics don't allow them to align with one another.

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

For further reading:

NYC Mayor Eric Adams drops reelection bid, boosting pro-Israel Cuomo against Mamdani

After Adams drops out, Brooklyn Jewish group endorses Cuomo for NYC mayor

NYC mayor thanks Netanyahu for defending the West as Mamdani accuses him of genocide

Complaint to International Criminal Court seeks Oct. 7 genocide charges against Iran

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

IMAGE: Mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, left, shakes hands with Zohran Mamdani, center, as Whitney Tilson reacts after participating in a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)

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.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Two people were killed and three seriously injured when a man drove a car into people outside a packed Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, northern England, on Thursday and then began stabbing them, in a terror attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. The rabbi leading Yom Kippur services at the Manchester synagogue targeted in a deadly terror attack was hailed as a hero, with eyewitnesses describing how he helped protect congregants.

Fabian begins the program with some updates from Gaza where an IDF officer was seriously wounded and two other troops, including a reservist, were lightly injured by gunfire during fighting in the central Strip earlier today. He reports on the five rockets that were launched by Hamas from northern Gaza toward Ashdod last night, with four intercepted by air defenses and one hitting an open area.

Israel’s navy intercepted what remained of the 47-boat Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to break its maritime blockade on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. We will hear about this Yom Kippur operation that ended around 2 pm today. 

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

For further reading:

2 killed, 4 seriously injured in Yom Kippur attack at UK synagogue; terrorist shot dead

Israel intercepts Gaza flotilla, says blockade not breached; Thunberg, others detained

Hamas fires 5 rockets from Gaza on Yom Kippur, triggering sirens in Ashdod; no injuries

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: Activists in orange life jackets sit aboard a Gaza-bound Sumud flotilla boat as Israeli navy soldiers sail it into the port of Ashdod, Israel, October 2, 2025, after it was intercepted while approaching the Gaza coast. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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.

Editor David Horovitz and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The 47-boat Global Sumud Flotilla is set to reach the Strip this week, potentially over the Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, which starts tonight. It is carrying over 500 activists, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, as well as parliamentarians and lawyers. Fabian tells what he can us about the IDF’s plans for interception, within the confines of the military censor.

On Tuesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that Hamas documents recovered by Israeli troops in Gaza allegedly reveal the terror group’s “direct involvement” in the flotilla, through the group’s foreign arm, the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians, or PCPA. We hear more about the PCPA and how Israel links Hamas to it.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC this morning that the terror group will likely reject US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, telling the British network that it “serves Israel’s interests” and “ignores those of the Palestinian people.” Horovitz delves into the Hamas terror group's points of opposition.

We hear how Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have urged Hamas to give a positive response to US President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal. Horovitz speculates on whose best interests these countries are representing, even as they have signed on to helping rebuild and fill the security vacuum in Gaza as Israel pulls out in the day after the war.

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

For further reading:

Gaza flotilla rebuffs calls to stop, as Israel readies for complex interception

Documents from Gaza show Hamas’s ‘direct involvement’ with aid flotilla, Israel claims

Italian navy frigate to quit shepherding Gaza aid flotilla as it approaches coast

Qatar, Egypt and Turkey said to urge Hamas to accept Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal

Arab, Muslim nations pledge to realize Trump’s Gaza plan; Hamas examining it ‘responsibly’

Trump says Hamas has ‘three or four days’ to respond to Gaza plan or ‘pay in hell’

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 boat that is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla departs to Gaza to deliver aid amidst Israel's blockade on the Palestinian territory, in the Tunisian port of Bizerte, September 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)

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

In a dramatic joint press conference at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out some of the 20 points of the Trump plan for “eternal” peace in the Middle East with the US president as head of the “Board of Peace.”

Before we get into the content of the Trump peace plan and how it diverges from the draft we spoke about earlier in the week, we discuss the atmosphere inside the White House — especially during the seemingly very long wait for the two leaders to appear.

We also learn about an unprecedented apology delivered by the prime minister to Qatar and a plan for a vague trilateral security mechanism between Qatar, the US and Israel.

The pair assesses the chances for success for the peace plan and gives insight into some of the potential complications. 

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

For further reading:

Trump unveils Gaza peace plan, hailing backing from Israel, Arab and Muslim states

Netanyahu secures key edits to Trump plan to slow and limit Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza

Trump’s unique diplomacy offers Netanyahu a path to goals in Gaza and beyond

‘The closest we’ve ever come’: Full text of Trump, Netanyahu statements on deal to end Gaza war

Full text: Trump’s 20-point ‘comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict’

Arab, Muslim nations pledge to realize Trump’s Gaza plan; Hamas examining it ‘responsibly’

Netanyahu apologizes to Qatar for violating its territory with strike on Hamas chiefs

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: President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the West Wing of the White House, September 29, 2025, in Washington. (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.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

We begin the program with an update on the car-ramming attack on Sunday in the West Bank that took the life of Staff Sgt. Inbar Avraham Kav, 20, of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 890th Battalion.

Turning to Gaza, we speak about how the IDF is operating in the Strip by land, air and sea: The Israeli Air Force struck some 140 targets in the Gaza Strip in the past day, the Navy shelled a weapons depot and other buildings Hamas operatives were using in the Strip’s north, and ground troops from three IDF divisions continue to push into Gaza City.

Hamas claimed Sunday that it had lost contact with two hostages during Israeli operations in a pair of Gaza City neighborhoods. Fabian weighs the claims and gives more background information.

A ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen at Israel overnight Sunday was intercepted by air defenses. This comes after what Fabian calls the most intensive strike in Yemen yet.

Thousands of Hezbollah supporters gathered Saturday at the tomb of slain leader Hassan Nasrallah to commemorate one year since his assassination by an Israeli airstrike. Fabian assesses the changes in Israel's operations in Lebanon over the past year.

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

For further reading:

IDF soldier killed by gunfire during car-ramming in northern West Bank

IDF says 780,000 have fled Gaza City; Hamas says dozens killed in unrelenting strikes

Hamas says it has lost contact with two hostages amid IDF push into Gaza City

IDF intercepts Yemen ballistic missile; Houthis say it had cluster bomb warhead

Drones circle overhead as thousands in Beirut mark anniversary of Hezbollah’s chief’s death

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: IDF's Givati Brigade operates in Gaza City in this September 29, 2025, handout photo. (IDF)

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.

We start with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech on Friday at the UN General Assembly. Magid describes the atmosphere in the room and points out that since Netanyahu was the first speaker of the session, in order to stage a dramatic emptying of the hall, the nations' delegates needed to be punctual -- just to walk out. We learn about what Netanyahu said and hear about the gimmicks used in his delivery.

In the second half of the program, we discuss the 21-point US proposal for ending the war in Gaza, which encourages Palestinians to remain in the Strip and provides for the creation of a pathway to a future Palestinian state, according to a verified copy of the plan obtained by Magid.

We delve into the plan, point by point, and Magid provides commentary on some of the more confusing or vague statements.

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

For further reading:

Revealed: US 21-point plan for ending Gaza war, creating pathway to Palestinian state

Full text of Netanyahu’s speech: We won’t let the world shove a terror state down our throat

In defiant UN speech, PM rips world leaders for turning backs on Israel, recognizing Palestine

IDF ordered to broadcast Netanyahu’s UN speech to residents of Gaza Strip

Hamas hails walkout during Netanyahu’s UN speech, says it shows Israel’s ‘isolation’

Trump vows ‘intense’ talks to continue until deal reached to free hostages, end Gaza war

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: IDF forces operate in the Gaza Strip in this September 28, 2025, handout. (IDF)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Yossi Klein Halevi.

This week, we speak with Hartman Institute senior fellow, author and thinker Yossi Klein Halevi from his Jerusalem home overlooking the back of the Mount Herzl National Military Cemetery. 

With that backdrop, we delve into a recently published Klein Halevi essay, "Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza," which he said was the hardest piece he's ever written -- and the one that has received the most response.

We learn why Klein Halevi felt it important to chart this moment of ethical dimension, as it is unlike any other the IDF and the nation has faced. 

 While Klein Halevi may not have the answers to the multitude of questions facing the world's most moral army, he believes the struggle and questioning are imperative for both Israelis and Diaspora Jews.

And so this week, we ask Yossi Klein Halevi, what matters now?

What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Yossi Klein Halevi (courtesy) / People take part in a protest demanding the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and calling for the end of the war in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem, September 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

On Sunday, the tally of the 193 UN members who recognize a State of Palestine grew to at least 145 as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal formally joined their ranks.

Several other countries, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta, followed suit during a summit on the future of the two-state solution chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday at United Nations headquarters in New York.

We discuss why these states believe that this recognition is an anti-Hamas gesture and may kick off negotiations to end the war in Gaza.

Israel, for its part, thinks that the recognition is a prize for terror: On this, Hamas appeared to agree, thanking the UK and Canada and calling their action a “victory.”

This week, Berman delves into the knotty issue of Palestinian statehood and potentially unforeseen ripple effects.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy) / A sticker on a desk reads 'State of Palestine' at the Palestinian mission to France, one day after France recognized Palestinian statehood, September 23, 2025, in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following US President Donald Trump’s must-anticipated meeting at the United Nations with leaders of eight Arab countries, Magid discusses aspects of Trump’s 21-point plan, based on the proposal worked on by former UK prime minister Tony Blair. Magid points out that Trump assured the participating leaders that the US will not allow Israel to annex parts of the West Bank, after being quiet on their position.

Magid also discusses the French plan to stabilize the region, with five Arab countries named as likely sponsors and with a two-page proposal that specifically discusses disarming Hamas as part of the plan.

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

For further reading:

Trump presented comprehensive plan to end Gaza war in UN meeting with Muslim leaders

French proposal envisions multinational Gaza force tasked with gradually disarming Hamas

Heading to UN, Netanyahu dismisses Palestine recognition as ‘shameful capitulation’

Qatar, Jordan denounce Netanyahu as warmonger, regional threat; Indonesia says ‘Shalom’

US envoy Witkoff ‘confident’ of Gaza breakthrough in coming days as peace plan floated

France, Saudi Arabia in warning to Israel: ‘Any form of annexation is a red line’

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: US President Donald Trump attends a multilateral meeting with leaders of Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, in New York. (Reuters)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.