Israel
Life in Israel, Israeli society, culture, and domestic affairs
#1661: What It Takes To Be An Israeli Sapper
From cluster munitions to suspicious bags on buses, meet the specialists who disarm unexploded ordnance in Israel.
#1552: Targeted Prevention: Inside Israel’s Assassination Policy
Explore the history, legality, and tactical execution of Israel’s "Sikkul Memukad" policy, from early parcel bombs to modern drone strikes.
#1489: Why an IKEA Shelf Costs More in Israel Than Sweden
From the "Billy Paradox" to electric delivery fleets, we dissect how IKEA balances global scale with local costs and sustainability.
#1458: Digital Defense and Sacred Silence: Wartime Readiness
Master the digital perimeter and learn how to maintain situational awareness during Shabbat with this guide to modern wartime readiness.
#1453: The Vertical Gallery: Jerusalem’s Creative Underground
Explore how Jenna Romano is mapping Jerusalem’s art scene, from industrial warehouses to accessible art book fairs.
#1408: Israel Wartime Readiness Field Guide — Audiobook
The complete Israel Wartime Readiness Field Guide read by Corn and Herman — 90 minutes of practical civilian preparedness guidance based on Home Front Command protocols.
#1389: The Architect of a Nation: Ben-Gurion’s Radical Statism
Explore how David Ben-Gurion used radical austerity and the philosophy of Mamlachtiyut to forge a unified nation from the desert sand.
#1388: The High-Tech Shield: Israel’s Quest for Autonomy
Explore the tension between Israel's goal of military independence and the reality of complex global supply chains.
#1362: Is the IDF Israel's Real Ministry of Education?
Israel leads the world in defense tech, yet its school scores are trailing. Is the military a bridge or a filter for the next generation?
#1344: The Israeli Drone Model: From Secret Tech to Global Power
Explore how the Israeli drone program evolved from a state secret into a global superpower of AI-driven aerial warfare.
#1342: Why Israel’s Youth are Defying Global Political Trends
While Western youth lean left, Israeli Gen Z is moving right. Discover the historical shifts and traumas driving this unique political divergence.
#1336: Faith vs. Freedom: The Cracks in Israel's Status Quo
Can a democracy survive with theocratic features? We explore Israel’s legislative shifts and the battle over religious control at the Western Wall.
#1334: The Price of Patriotism: Israel’s Protectionism Trap
Why is pasta cheaper to ship from Europe than to buy locally? Explore the hidden regulations and "Blue and White" taxes keeping Israel expensive.
#1333: The Cottage Cheese Index: Israel’s Dairy Price Crisis
Why is a basic staple like cottage cheese so expensive in Israel? We explore the oligopolies and government quotas keeping dairy prices sky-high.
#1306: Beyond the Map: Israel’s Hidden Micro-Geographies
Think you’ve seen all of Israel? Explore the "blind spots" of the map and the hidden micro-geographies that tourists and locals overlook.
#1290: The Irish Lion Hunter Who Built the Israeli Army
Discover the surreal story of John Henry Patterson, the Irish soldier who founded the first Jewish fighting force in 2,000 years.
#1288: Who Owns the Holy City? Jerusalem’s Tax War on Churches
From ancient ladders to modern tax freezes, explore why Jerusalem’s historic Christian institutions are facing an existential crisis.
#1287: The Siege of Cows’ Garden: Jerusalem’s Armenian Crisis
A 1,600-year-old community faces an existential threat from a secret land deal and a luxury hotel project in the heart of Jerusalem.
#1286: Can You Lose Your Home for Leaving the City?
Explore the "residency trap" and the pragmatic survival of 330,000 people living in the complex legal heart of East Jerusalem.
#1260: The 20 Percent: Navigating Arab Identity in Israel
Explore the complex reality of the two million Arab citizens in Israel and the tug-of-war between their national and civic identities.
#1259: The Druze: Survival, Secrecy, and the Blood Brother Pact
Exploring the secretive Druze community as they navigate a collapsing Syria and a complex "blood brother" alliance with Israel.
#1258: Jerusalem at One Million: The Great Secular Flight
Jerusalem hits one million residents as a demographic shift takes hold. Why is the secular middle leaving and what does it mean for the future?
#1257: Can Israel Survive When 1 in 4 Refuse to Fight?
As the Haredi population grows, Israel faces a breaking point over military service and economic sustainability. Can the social contract hold?
#1247: Why is Israel Losing More People Than it Gains?
Despite rising global antisemitism, immigration to Israel is falling as a brain drain of skilled professionals creates a demographic crisis.
#1245: The Fraying Bond: Israel and the Global Diaspora
Explore the shifting dynamics between Israel and the global Jewish community as political tensions and migration patterns redefine the homeland.