How is it that Jewish Israelis are surrounded by Arabic, but can’t really speak it? What role did the military play in influencing civilian Arabic instruction? And how is the military-civilian interplay affecting relations between Israel’s Hebrew and Arabic speaking citizens? Carrie and Aliza speak with Dr. Yonatan (Yoni) Mendel, who researches the interplay between Arabic language and Israeli society, to understand how academic treatment of Arabic in Israel has made the language a barrier, rather than a bridge, between Israel’s Arabic and Hebrew speaking populations.