#israel
436 episodes
#4411: Who Decides What's Kosher? The Tzohar Fight
Why Israel just reversed recognition of Tzohar's kosher certification — and how we got to a world of competing hechshers.
#4410: Flights vs Feelings: Israel-UAE 5 Years After the Accords
60+ weekly flights but declining warmth — what the Israel-UAE relationship actually looks like 5 years in.
#4406: Israel's Secret Elephant-Flying Cargo Airline
The story of CAL Cargo Air Lines, Israel's dedicated freighter that moves tanks, elephants, and COVID vaccines.
#4405: How a Tiny Country Runs a Global Shipping Line
How ZIM became Israel's maritime lifeline — and why a German shipping giant is now trying to buy it.
#4402: From One Flatbed to Jerusalem: The Poppleberry Story
How a Connecticut moving company went from hauling dairy equipment to apartment moves in Jerusalem.
#4397: Finding the Perfect Bolt: Israel’s Hidden Hardware Gems
How to find and share Israel’s best hardware stores using praise-only lists and firgun culture.
#4394: How to Buy a Reliable Used Car in Israel
Avoid French cars, stick to Toyota or Mazda, and always get a compression test before buying.
#4384: When the Military Blocks the Knesset
How four laws passed in rapid succession led to a standoff at a Gaza checkpoint.
#4381: How a Nuclear Strike Became an Oil War
How did a joint US-Israel nuclear operation become a solo US campaign against Iranian infrastructure?
#4377: The Club Card That's Actually a Credit Trap
Why a hardware store "membership" in Israel often means a 30% APR credit card — and why regulators haven't stopped it.
#4372: When Patriotism Meets Criticism: Israel's Hasbara Dilemma
Can you love your country and still call out its flaws? One patriot's struggle with the line between critique and betrayal.
#4368: Israel's Four Laws: A Democratic Crisis Unfolds
Four laws passed in rapid succession before the Knesset dissolved itself. Can the High Court stop them?
#4366: Popcorn at the Protest: Meta-Trolling Shabbat Clashes
Can eating popcorn between two opposing protests be a form of protest itself?
#4364: The Physics of Garbage Chutes and Reusable Liners
Why most reusable bin liner alternatives fail against the physics of a 20-floor garbage chute drop.
#4359: King Bibi vs. King David: A Biblical Reckoning
Is Netanyahu’s government modeled on King David — or a radical betrayal of biblical kingship?
#4352: What If Banks Just Handled the Plumbing?
What if banks stopped trying to be good at customer experience and just handled the settlement infrastructure?
#4350: Why Your DHL Package Gets Lost in Tel Aviv
When a single franchisee controls an entire country's brand presence, quality collapses. Here's why.
#4349: The Hidden Tax in Israel’s Plug
Why Israel’s unique SI-32 plug costs consumers millions—and what it reveals about regulatory friction.
#4348: Beating Israel's Banking Oligopoly: Real Options
Israeli banks charge 5% per transaction. Here's how to get a US dollar card, better rates, and real customer service.
#4305: How the Cascade Spiral Turns Crisis into Chain Reaction
When one disaster erodes your ability to handle the next, you're not in a crisis — you're in a spiral.
#4303: How Land Became a Commodity — Israel’s Rental Paradox
A family moves to Israel expecting social protections — and finds a rental market with almost none. How did we get here?
#4279: The Senator Who Became Israel's Backchannel
How one senator built a unique role as Israel's most trusted American ally — and why his death leaves a gap no one can fill.
#4272: Why Are Light Switches Banished to Industrial Wastelands?
How a 1926 Supreme Court case about a "pig in the parlor" still determines where you can buy a pipe fitting.
#4269: Who Are the Haredim? Inside Israel's Fastest-Growing Community
How a temporary 1947 exemption for 400 yeshiva students became a crisis for 66,000 — and what it means for Israel's future.