In the year since October 7th, an unprecedented wave of trauma has deeply affected the Israeli psyche. One year later, I am honored to welcome an extraordinary guest, Oded Arbel—a leading psychiatrist who has intensified his efforts to help soldiers and citizens heal from trauma since that fateful day. Oded manages the 'Gevim' day care unit at the Be'er Sheva Mental Health Center, where he treats complex cases of trauma, including sexual trauma. He is also the head psychiatrist for the...

In this episode of RAW, we sit down with Polly Bronstein, a dynamic figure in Israeli politics and the CEO and founder of the One-Hundred initiative. Polly is also the author of the book “How I Became a Moderate - A Journey from Left to Center,” where she documents her personal and political evolution. In our conversation, Polly opens up about her experience as a young political activist, including a hunger strike she led in her early years, and shares the profound identity crisis she faced...

In a world irrevocably altered by the events of October 7 and the ongoing war, the need for effective trauma response has never been more urgent. Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, a leading trauma expert and psychologist, has dedicated his career to understanding and addressing the impacts of trauma on individuals and communities. Recognizing the critical need for immediate mental health support after October 7, Dr. Rubinstein helped pioneer a program designed to equip students with the skills to be...

On October 6th of last year, Yonathan Zeigen was busy living his life as a social worker and father of two in Tel Aviv. He had resigned himself to leaving political activism to his mother, Vivian Silver—a petite but mighty peace activist known for her warm smile and for founding the initiative Women Wage Peace. However, on October 7, Vivian was tragically murdered by Hamas in her Kibbutz on the Gaza border, having spent her final hours on the phone with her son. This devastating event stirred...

On October 5th, Hamze Awawde, a Palestinian peace activist born in Hebron, had just returned to the West Bank after several months of leading peace camps for teenagers in the United States. While driving with his seven-year-old son, soldiers suddenly appeared and pointed guns at his head, perhaps mistaking him for someone else. He was still grappling with the fear from that incident when October 7th struck. Recognizing the potential impact on the region, Hamze and his family decided to leave...

In this episode, I have an insightful conversation with Tomer Persico, an Israeli intellectual and activist for religious freedom in Israel. Tomer is renowned for his writings on religion and modern Jewish identity. We delve into what Tomer defines as the "new antisemitism," exploring its confounding distortions. We also discuss our sometimes secret desire to abandon Israel, and the reasons that keep us anchored and we share thoughts on what gives us strength in these unprecedented...

In this episode of 'RAW,' we sit down with esteemed spiritual leader Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum to explore the human, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of the current war. Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, founder of ZION: An Eretz Israeli Congregation in Jerusalem, shares her profound insights on Jewish spiritual and ethical renaissance. Named by the Forward as one of the five most influential female religious leaders in Israel, Tamar's work promotes pluralism and religious freedom. Her words of...

Join us on this enlightening episode as we delve into the unique journey of Rabbi and Meditator James Jacobsen Maisels. Rabbi James is the founder of Or Halev, an organization launched with the goal of giving people access to a deep meditation practice through a cross-denominational approach to Judaism. We will talk about why James sends his children to a joint Arabic-Hebrew school; why, as an Orthodox Jew, he sought refuge in meditation to heal his anxiety and depression; how the same tools...

Today, we speak with Rabbi Sharon Brous, the visionary founder and senior rabbi of Ikar, a dynamic Jewish community based in Los Angeles. Rabbi Brous is also the author of "The Amen Effect." Since establishing Ikar in 2004, she has been a transformative figure in the Jewish world, earning recognition as one of the nation's top rabbis by Newsweek and The Forward. Her spiritual leadership reached a national audience in 2013 when she delivered the prayer service at the inaugural national prayer...

In this emotionally resonant episode, we sit down with Einat Natan, Israel's renowned parenting expert, bestselling author, and devoted mother of five. Einat shares her profound insights on how parents can navigate the turbulent waters of raising children in times of war. She discusses the crucial need for acknowledging and addressing the spectrum of emotions that both children and parents experience during such challenging times. Einat, who has graced multiple media platforms with her...

Join us for a profound and powerful conversation with Ali Abu Awwad, a distinguished Palestinian peace activist and founder of Taghyeer, a movement advocating nonviolence for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Born in 1972 in Halhoul, his journey from a politically active family, through imprisonment in an Israeli jail for four years, to a peace advocate, reflects a profound transformation. Initially involved in the First Intifada, Awwad's perspectives shifted during his...

Join me in conversation with renowned psychoanalyst Merav Roth, who speaks about her experience driving down to the Dead Sea on October 8 to be with the survivors of Kibbutz Beeri; families who were going through the worst horrors imaginable, and the guidelines she created for therapists dealing with the ongoing trauma. She ended up staying there for weeks and has since been working to help bereaved families and children, hostage families, and hostages who have returned from Gaza. She also...

Join us in a stirring narrative as Gidon Lev, a Czechoslovakian-born, former Israeli dairy farmer, and Holocaust survivor, opens up about his harrowing childhood in the Theresienstadt ghetto and his path to becoming an inspiring figure on social media. Gidon reflects on the pain of losing 26 family members during the Holocaust, his journey to Israel, service in the Six Day War, and finding the strength to foster tolerance and hope in a war-torn region. Discover how Gidon's legacy transcends...

Join us in a stirring narrative as Gidon Lev, a Czechoslovakian-born, former Israeli dairy farmer, and Holocaust survivor, opens up about his harrowing childhood in the Theresienstadt ghetto and his path to becoming an inspiring figure on social media. Gidon reflects on the pain of losing 26 family members during the Holocaust, his journey to Israel, service in the Six Day War, and finding the strength to foster tolerance and hope in a war-torn region. Discover how Gidon's legacy transcends...

Join us for an intimate and eye-opening conversation with Prof. Anat Brunstein Klomek, Dean of Reichman University’s School of Psychology. Dive into the heart of resilience amidst the Israel-Gaza war, the pervasive impact of trauma and PTSD, the challenges of social media toxicity, and learn how to communicate with children about the complexities of our reality. We also hear about Anat’s personal journey of navigating through a profound tragedy six months prior to October 7, and her...

Amidst the horrors of war, meditation guru Stephen Fulder finds redemption in being present with both joy and sorrow; in dancing with his dog during his walks in the beautiful village he helped found; in the close communal life with his Arab neighbors; and in his unwavering devotion to compassion and humanity. Join us for a profound conversation with Stephen as he reminds us of what truly matters in this world. Stephen Fulder is the founder and senior teacher of Tovana, the largest...