On Thursday, November 7, Israeli soccer fans were beaten and harassed by hordes of masked assailants on the streets of Amsterdam, followed by calls for a “Jew hunt” on social media.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the shockwave this sent to Israelis about traveling abroad, Jewish vulnerability, and how a reemergence of violent antisemitism in post-Holocaust Europe could have occurred. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of...

On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the morning after Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and spurred a public outcry, Americans and Israelis woke to the news that Donald Trump had been reelected President of the United States. With intense political upheaval in both nations, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi speculate on how a second Trump administration could impact Netanyahu and his far-right coalition, and what Gallant’s replacement by Israel Katz might mean for the...

According to a poll released on Monday, October 28, Netanyahu is now the preferred candidate for prime minister for the first time since his return to office two years ago. Has his reputation truly been salvaged simply by the success of the Saturday strike on Iran?   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dig into Netanyahu’s methods of leadership and the psyche of Israelis to understand why public opinion has suddenly rebounded in his favor.   This episode is sponsored by...

In this special episode, Donniel Hartman reflects on the past year of war in Gaza and now in Lebanon; whether Israel has achieved victory in these wars, what Zionists must do to ensure Israel’s moral standing, and how the politicization of the October 7th tragedy has deepened divisions in Israel and among world Jewry. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Almost one month after Israel began its ground invasion into Lebanon with no clear objective, the path to victory remains uncertain.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss what it would take to declare an end to the war against Hezbollah, how Israel can grow its allyship with its Sunni neighbors, and whether defeat of the Iranian axis of power in the Middle East is even possible.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For...

After a year of grief, pain, and war on multiple fronts, the Israeli psyche has been fundamentally transformed.   In this special episode recorded live on October 7, 2024, for members of the Shalom Hartman Institute Giving Society, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the fragility of the nation, Netanyahu’s rising poll numbers, and a resurgence of existential crisis not seen in Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.   Stay tuned after the episode to hear Donniel and Yossi answer...

After Nasrallah, where are we now? Following the killing of Hezbollah’s long-time leader, the situation on Israel’s northern border is more uncertain than ever. In this special episode hosted by UJIA and recorded live at JW3, London’s Jewish Community Centre, Yossi Klein Halevi and Donniel Hartman discuss the delicate balance between the deterrence of despair and the arrogance of power.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here...

As the conflict on the northern front escalates, the path to peace seems to be getting longer and more complex. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the recent surge in action along Israel’s northern border and reflect on the differences between fighting Hezbollah and fighting Hamas.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Tuesday, September 17, Mossad-planted explosives were detonated in hundreds of beepers carried by Hezbollah operatives, killing at least a dozen and injuring thousands more.   While new details come to light, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the efficacy of this surprise attack, the public reaction to it, and whether Israel is ready for another major military operation now that further engagement in the north seems inevitable.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN...

Israeli Knesset members Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have been advancing “total victory,” and they don’t just mean defeating Hamas or returning the hostages.   This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the small but powerful far-right messianic movement in Israel that these MKs represent, and how the current war has emboldened their agenda in the West Bank, on the Temple Mount, and across the region.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming...

On Saturday, August 31, the bodies of six hostages were discovered by the IDF in a tunnel under Rafah. Murdered by Hamas shortly before they were found, they include Hersh Goldberg-Polin z"l, beloved cousin of our Hartman colleague Eliot Goldstein and a friend to many in the Hartman community, as well as Carmel Gat z"l, Ori Danino z"l, Eden Yerushalmi z"l, Alex Lobanov z"l, and Almog Sarusi z"l.     Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their grief and rage over this tragedy and...

This episode originally aired on June 19th, 2024.     Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today.     In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst.       ----    JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click...

Over the course of the 10-month war with Hamas, anti-Zionist sentiment has been brought to the forefront around the world and also closer to home, within the ranks of North American Jewry. In this session recorded at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Rabbinic Torah Seminar in Jerusalem on July 11, Yossi Klein Halevi outlines the connections and distinctions between anti-Zionism and classical antisemitism, and how this war is testing the morality of modern Jewish power. For more information...

Amidst a war with Hamas, hostages in Gaza, and internal unrest, Donniel Hartman spoke with Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader in the Knesset, on July 3rd at our annual Community Leadership Program in Jerusalem. They discussed the numerous threats facing Israeli society and how Israeli leadership might guide the country through this turbulent moment.   Listen to this special episode while Donniel and Yossi take a break from recording this week.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR...

Hours after Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut on Tuesday, July 31, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.   Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the impact of these events on the progress towards a hostage deal and how Israelis understand the purpose of retaliation.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

The day after a rocket attack from Lebanon killed 12 Druze children and teens in the Golan Heights, far-right activists broke into the Sde Teiman IDF army base. Israel’s overworked military is now also being threatened by its own citizens. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the protesters attempts to undermine the IDF’s investigation of prisoners' abuse and discuss the Israeli army's ability to retaliate in the north.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN...

U. S. politics are in turmoil. In the span of just 8 days, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, Joe Biden dropped his bid for a second term, and Kamala Harris now appears destined to become the Democratic presidential nominee. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the likely U.S. presidential candidates through an Israeli lens, and question Netanyahu’s commitment to address Congress in Washington, D.C. despite the recent election campaign upheaval. JOIN...

To an outside observer, there are many places where an eerie sense of normalcy has settled over Israeli society, but the reality is anything but normal. On this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein-Halevi discuss the very real needs of Israelis who have been immersed in war and loss for so many months, and why we must resist falling entirely back into the status quo.     JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake....

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Tuesday, July 9, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze Netanyahu’s impact on the hostage negotiations and how persistent fighting in Gaza exposes deep-seated misconceptions about Israel’s military power.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Sunday, June 30, Israel's Labor and Meretz parties made the astonishing decision to merge into a single entity representing the Israeli Left. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi identify the shift in attitudes and priorities across Israeli politics since October 7 and speculate on who may replace Netanyahu as Israel’s next Prime Minister. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Wednesday, June 26, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss enforcement of the recent Haredi draft law, the need for new elections, and a path toward resolving the Palestinian conflict after the war with Hamas ends. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Learn more about the Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership...

Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

As Israelis celebrate the return of four hostages rescued on Saturday, June 8, the rest of the world decries the number of Gazan civilians killed in the operation. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the disparity between Israeli and global perspectives, the moral contours of the IDF’s rescue mission, and whether the safety of one’s own people should come at the expense of others. This episode is sponsored by Amy and Ted Kahan. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor...

On the week of June 4th, war fatigue is beginning to weigh on Israelis. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the achievability of the IDF’s remaining goals in Gaza, Hezbollah’s increasing threat from the north, and Netanyahu’s political survival as pressure mounts for the latest hostage deal. This episode is sponsored by Dan Rubin in honor of the birth of his granddaughter, Catharine Barbara Lambe. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to...