State of Tel Aviv, Israel Podcast

By midafternoon on Sunday in Israel we were hit with whiplash, again. Every day seems to bring a dramatic new scenario. Just a few days earlier a ceasefire went into effect between the United States and Iran, with hopes pinned on direct talks between the parties, hosted by the President of Pakistan in Islamabad. The opening negotiating session was a marathon 21 hours and ended with no agreement. United States Vice President J.D. Vance pinned responsibility for the failed initiative on Iran, which was intransigent on two key issues: abandoning its ambition to develop nuclear weapons; and their coyness about de-mining the Strait of Hormuz so that the flow of oil and gas to global markets could resume. In response, President Trump unleashed a torrent of social media messages, reinforced with a long phone-in appearance on Fox News explaining the U.S. position and response. “We’re blockading the Strait of Hormuz,” the President said, and then some. I was fortunate to catch up with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond regular guest, Lt. Col. (Res.) Jonathan Conricus, former IDF spokesperson and senior fellow at FDD, to discuss these developments on Sunday night, Israel time. As you will hear, Conricus believes that the Iranian regime has egregiously miscalculated the resolve of President Trump to end their unilateral bullying and control of the vital shipping route. Iranian leadership has become too accustomed to western governments that are inclined to appease and pander rather than stick to principle. Conricus likens Iran’s conduct to an organized crime syndicate - brazenly resorting to extortion and bullying. We also discuss the peculiar coverage of this ongoing war by much of the western media. And we touch on the situation in Lebanon, which is very much linked to Iran’s power. So much is in flux and uncertain and the stakes are, as always, very high. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Early on Wednesday morning, as a ceasefire was announced between America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Israelis were stuck in their safe rooms and bomb shelters for hours. Iran teed up missiles to target Israel through the night on a staggered schedule, to make a point, I guess. What that meant in reality is that no one in Israel slept and the government instructed that beginning on Thursday, today, life would go back to “normal.” Schools, universities and workplaces would be open. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continues to hammer northern Israel with rockets, while most Israelis are somewhat shell-shocked. What, exactly, just happened? What gains did America make? Israel? Based on our experience since October 7, and the constant claims of victory, people here are confused. Exhausted. And certainly not clicking their heels. On top of the constant war and dubious outcomes, on the eve of the recent Passover holiday, the Netanyahu government slipped an enormous sum of money to the ultra-orthodox for religious education - in addition to what they have already been allocated. Soldiers? Struggling families? Wounded IDF veterans? Zero for them. And the extreme violence that has continued, unabated, in the West Bank for years now? This government does not seem to be terribly concerned with what can only be described as Jewish terrorism. During the last week, the patience of Israelis was sorely tested. Our regular guest, Ya’akov Katz, is angry, and he does not mince words or thoughts. There is a palpable urgency in Israel to wake up and deal with reality, while it is still possible. Podcast Notes: Op-Ed by Ya’akov Katz, published in The Jerusalem Post, April 3, 2026. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column. He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.” Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs. In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children. Find Yaakov Katz on X. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

On January 4, 2024, a horrific accident befell an IDF unit inside the Gaza Strip. The IDF elite search and rescue unit - 669 - was on the scene almost immediately. Dr. Tuvia Book was among the personnel on the ground and describes the impossible task they faced - to triage and treat dying and severely wounded men as quickly as possible. On the battlefield, lives are saved and lost within seconds. Among the gravely injured soldiers was a man with no identity, about 27 years of age. His dog tag had been blown off. His pulse was very weak. But this extraordinary unit of physicians, medics and other highly-trained medical professionals, equipped with super-sophisticated medical technology, set to work. The following day they learned that the young, nameless man was 37-year-old Israeli actor and rock star - Idan Amedi. He is among the main characters in the international TV hit “Fauda” and is also a super-accomplished singer/performer/songwriter. Most importantly, Idan Amedi is a husband and father of young children. Everything about this story is mind-blowing. That it happened. How it happened. And the beyond happy ending. Dr. Tuvia Book also wrote a book about this crazy turn of events. He spoke with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond recently about this experience and we thought it was time for an uplifting podcast. This episode contains some incredible video footage - of Amedi and Tuvia meeting last summer at a Jerusalem concert…….as well as live footage of unit 669 at work in the Gaza Strip. Extraordinary. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes Tuvia Book has a doctorate in education and is the author and illustrator of the internationally acclaimed Israel education curriculum; “For the Sake of Zion; A Curriculum of Israel Studies,” “Jewish Journeys, The First Temple Period, 1000 -586 BCE,” and, “Jewish Journeys, The Second Temple Period to the Bar Kokhba Revolt, 536 BCE-136 CE,” all published by Koren. Most recently, his memoir detailing his first-hand experiences in Gaza, “Heroes of PALMAR: How one IDF unit in Gaza Revolutionised Combat Medicine,” Was published by Gefen. Dr. Book was born in London and raised in both the UK and South Africa. After making Aliya at the age of 17 he volunteered for the IDF, where he served in an elite combat unit. Upon his discharge he completed his undergraduate degree in Jewish history and literature, as well as a certification in graphic design. He then served as the Information Officer and deputy head of security at the Israeli Consulate of Philadelphia, while earning a graduate degree in Jewish Studies. Upon his return to Israel, Dr. Book graduated from a course of study with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and is a licensed tour guide. Tuvia has been working in the field of Jewish education, both formal and informal, for many years. He has guided and taught Jewish students and educators from around the English-speaking world for some of Israel’s premier educational institutions and programs. Tuvia has lectured throughout North America, Australia, Europe, and South Africa. In addition, his artwork has been commissioned on every continent (except Antarctica). Tuvia served as a Shaliach (emissary) for the Jewish Agency for Israel as the Director of Israel and Zionist Education at the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (Jewish Education Project). He was a lecturer/educational guide at the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) in Israel. Tuvia has lectured at both Bar Ilan University and Hebrew University. He is a Teaching Fellow at the Tikvah Fund. He is a research associate at the Hudson Institute. In addition, Dr Book has served in reserves (Milluim) in the IDF as a combat medic in the current “Swords of Iron” war since October 2023 in a medical combat search and rescue unit (Palmar) and is the recipient of a prestigious IDF battalion award for his outstanding contribution to the unit. He has been featured on “Call me Back”...

I caught up with Ya’akov Katz on Thursday afternoon, and we got into some very sticky issues that are being talked about in Israel. We are one month into this war with Iran and it is not exactly going as we’d thought it might. Then again, political leadership has been anything but clear in communicating with the Israeli people about war goals, how things are going and where they are going. There’s a lot of talk about numbers. Numbers of missile launchers hit, missiles intercepted, targets hit. But the weird part is - the numbers don’t add up. And we had a very similar experience with the war on Hamas. Israelis are famously resilient, yes, but they are also worn out after almost three years of constant war. And there is no letup in sight. The population overwhelmingly supports war with Iran if it will degrade the country militarily and, ideally, lead to regime change. But people are beginning to wonder if we will be “back at it” in another six months or a year. Following the June attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, we were led to believe that we had diminished the nuclear and general military threat substantially. Now? There are many questions. This past week there has been a lot of buzz about the U.S. negotiating with Iran…..President Trump says the talks are going very well. Iran denies that there are any talks. The missiles keep coming at us from Iran. The sirens keep wailing. The intercept rate is high but there are always cluster bombs that break up and score direct hits. And we have a terrible shortage of troops in the IDF - but we don’t get into that today. I do write about it in the Weekend Wrap - which we drop tomorrow. In this podcast, we just try to sort out what’s real and what’s, well, not. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column. He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.” Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs. In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children. Find Yaakov Katz on X. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

For more than 40 years, Michael Rothman has made a career out of data-driven analysis of the global oil market. He has attended every meeting of OPEC since 1986. His clients are a roster of major industry players and governments. State of Tel Aviv and Beyond spoke with Rothman almost one week ago….just as the tensions over the Iranian chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz flared into a full-blown global crisis. Overnight, it seemed, everyone knew about the Strait of Hormuz and Kharg Island - the Iranian island about 400 miles (660 km) north of the shipping choke point controlled by Iran in the Persian Gulf. Virtually all critical infrastructure supporting the Iranian oil and gas industries are based on Kharg Island, making it a potential target for a U.S. military operation. Occupying Kharg - would be a highly complex adventure (which was discussed in our recent podcast with military analyst, Andrew Fox). Rothman, however, dismisses any talk of occupying Kharg as “fantasy.” Michael Rothman takes us through a series of slides and explains the fundamentals of the global oil market and why it is almost impossible to predict how high energy prices may go, when and for how long. This podcast is different from our usual work and will be of interest to those of you who have a business background, and a thing for numbers, graphs, economics, and uncertainty. Please note that all slides presented in this podcast are the proprietary work of Cornerstone Analytics and are reproduced in this podcast with permission from Cornerstone. These slides may not be reproduced and/or distributed without the permission of Cornerstone Analytics. Mike Rothman has researched the global energy markets for more than 40 years. He founded Cornerstone Analytics in 2009, serves as a consultant to government agencies, and has attended Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meetings since 1986. In 1984, Mike joined Merrill Lynch and became Chief Energy Strategist and Co-Head of the Global Energy Equity Team, which was ranked #1 in the Global Research Survey by Institutional Investor Magazine. Mike was responsible for formulating the company’s outlooks for the petroleum and natural gas markets, which were integrated into the firm’s commodity, equity, debt, strategy, economic and emerging markets research. In 2005, Mike joined ISI and built the firm’s energy research platform. He was a Senior Managing Director, Head of Integrated Oil Research, and ranked #1 for Independent Energy Research by Institutional Investor Magazine. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Business Economics, and a Master of Science in Applied Economics/Econometrics, both from Rutgers University. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Andrew Fox, combat veteran and one of the most prolific writers these days on the war with Iran, returns to State of Tel Aviv and Beyond to share his assessment of what has gone well in this war so far…..and what has gone less well. Having been on the battlefield and someone who is very familiar with the Middle East, Fox offers sharp insights as to how the Iranian chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz - through which much of the global supply of oil and natural gas passes - can be alleviated. We discuss several scenarios as well as the risks associated with each. We then move geographically to the United Kingdom, Fox’s home. Early Monday morning, there was a serious arson incident in a Jewish suburb of London. Four community ambulances were torched and in the middle of the night the neighborhood was rocked with explosions and massive fires. The IRGC took responsibility for the attack, but Fox doesn’t buy that. As always, time spent with Andrew is enlightening and challenging. He also wrote a great piece on the London arson attack, which you can read here Andrew Fox is a former British Army Major and frontline conflict researcher specialising in modern warfare. A former senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he is now a senior associate fellow at several international think tanks and a regular media commentator on global conflicts. He writes the Fox on War Substack and co-hosts The Brink podcast, bringing field reporting and strategic analysis from conflicts including Gaza and Ukraine. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Melissa Lantsman is the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and a Member of Parliament for the riding of Thornhill, just north of the city of Toronto. She is a fierce and tireless activist for her constituents, many of whom are Jewish as well as Iranian Canadians. I spoke with her days after multiple Toronto area synagogues were attacked with gunfire. One of the synagogues was in her riding. She is outraged by the apparent disinterest of Prime Minister Mark Carney and his government regarding the extreme and worsening threats in Canada targeting Jews and Iranians in particular. As we discuss in this podcast, Canada has become a haven for IRGC operatives who are very active in their new country. And then there is the thriving and growing population of Islamists who target Jewish institutions, neighborhoods, schools and business with violence and harassment. This has been unceasing since October 7. Many police forces (like Toronto’s) do nothing meaningful to deal with this threat. In fact - they tend to encourage the violence through inaction. Same for the federal government and most - but not all - municipal and provincial governments. Lantsman is always sharp and articulate. In this podcast - she let her fury out. And it’s high time that PM Carney paid attention to this madness proliferating on his watch. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes Melissa Lantsman is the Member of Parliament for Thornhill and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Elected in 2021, she previously served as the Shadow Minister for Transport and as a Senior Advisor to leading Canadian political figures. Melissa believes in breaking the mold and in bringing new ideas and energy to Ottawa. She represents the next generation in Canadian politics. Born and raised in the community she now serves, Melissa was taught by her immigrant parents to work hard and to stand up for what’s right. Those are values that have guided her in all points of her life and career. Melissa is an award-winning communicator and was amongst Canada’s most sought-after public affairs executives. She has served on various boards of directors, was a regular TV commentator and hosted her own radio show. Her writing has been featured in Canada’s largest circulation publications. Melissa is not afraid to speak out for the things that matter, and she doesn’t back down from holding the government to account. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Canadian Conservative Party and the Official Parliamentary Opposition, popped into Austin, Texas and had the Joe Rogan experience. I cannot wait to hear that episode and reliable sources say that it will be out before the weekend. In the meantime, I thought I’d whet your appetite with this classic Poilievre moment - when he spoke with State of Tel Aviv and Beyond on Thursday March 12, just days after three Toronto area synagogues had been shot up with gunfire in middle-of-the-night attacks. The day before Pierre and I spoke, the U.S. Consulate in Toronto was also shot up. Again, in the middle of the night. Canada has become a lawless country, generally. But for Jews? It’s surreal. Antisemitism is violent and rampant and neither the federal, provincial, or municipal governments seem terribly concerned about it - with very few exceptions. Law enforcement? Nowhere to be seen. They do nothing. This has been going on since October 7. And it is getting worse by the day. Pierre Poilievre has always been clear, consistent and fearless in articulating his strong support for Israel and he has stood by the Jewish community in Canada unfailingly. In this conversation he does what he does best: speaks the truth and calls out those in power for forsaking the Canadian Jewish community. We discuss these issues and more - including the surreal fact that IRGC operatives live and conduct “business” in Canada openly. As I often post on my “X” account, Canada has become an Islamist’s paradise. Meaning - it has also become somewhat hellish for Jews. Pierre and I had a really informative and meaningful discussion. And if you watch to the end I serve up a real treat……the famous “apple video” that went viral in October 2023. Remember? When Pierre was asked questions by a very befuddled reporter. And as he casually munched on his apple in the orchard, well, it’s classic Pierre Poilievre. Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes: Pierre Poilievre grew up in Alberta as the adopted son of two schoolteachers. He lives in Ottawa with his wife Anaida and their children, Valentina and Cruz. As a Member of Parliament and former Minister, he helped the previous Conservative government cut taxes, balance budgets, deliver affordable homes and crack down on crime and corruption. He shepherded the Accountability Act through the House of Commons to protect taxpayers from waste, fraud and corruption. When he was Housing Minister, the average home cost $450,000 and the average one-bedroom rent was just $970. People could afford homes in safe neighbourhoods and good food on their table. As Vice-Chair of the Commons Finance Committee, he was the first major voice in Parliament to warn that massive money-printing deficits would lead to inflation, while Mark Carney wrongly predicted prices would go down. Pierre also led the charge against the carbon tax, toughening laws to fight crime, banning drugs and unlocking resources. Liberals who demonized him for these principled stands have now all agreed he was right and claim to agree with him. In the most recent election, he got more votes than any Conservative leader in our history, the largest share of votes since 1988, adding 2.5 million more votes and 25 more seats than the prior election, all with major gains among youth and working people. But he has only begun. After Liberals doubled housing costs, inflated food prices and unleashed crime on our streets, Pierre is fighting back. His purpose is a Canada with strong take-home pay, safe streets and secure borders in a self-reliant country. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

On Sunday March 8, State of Tel Aviv and Beyond interviewed “Major G”, a 25-year veteran of the Israeli Air Force who has been working around the clock since Operation Roaring Lion was launched on February 28. Major G commands drone crews operating over Iran. Their mission is to identify the location of missile launchers and neutralize or destroy them. Working in very tight co-ordination with the U.S. Air Force, Israel has severely hindered Iranian launch capabilities and missile supply. I was unable to photograph Major G for security reasons, but we do show some videos and photographs in this podcast - some with audio and some are silent and playing during relevant parts of our conversation. Just a “head’s up” for those of you listening…..you may wish to have a peek at the video later. Please consider supporting our work. We are independent and rely on you, our viewers and listeners, to keep the lights on. In this very challenging period we have increased our content production in order to ensure that reliable and interesting information is being disseminated. If you can, please subscribe on our substack site or make a contribution - whatever you can or would like - at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Thanks to all of you for stopping by. how your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Perhaps the biggest surprise of this war with Iran is how viciously the country is attacking its Arab neighbors. The UAE has been hammered, actually targeted with more missiles than were directed at Israel. Senior FDD fellow and regular State of Tel Aviv and Beyond guest, Lt. Col. (Res.) Jonathan Conricus gets into this bizarre development that no one anticipated. Initially, some pundits were assuming there was a brilliant Iranian plan behind these attacks. But as we discuss in this episode, it is now clear that Iran lashing out at its neighbors is the result of chaos in the government and military. We also zoom out to look at the broad waves of attacks on Iran by America and Israel and what they have accomplished; what remains to be done. If the murderous regime in Iran falls the geopolitical fallout will be huge; the most extensive and far reaching since WWII. We also take a hard look at the conduct of unprincipled western leadership - like that of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Great video clips in this episode and some awesome retro photos from the 70s. Who remembers the OPEC oil embargo after the 1973 Arab Israeli war, also known as the Yom Kippur War? And, of course - we discuss the very real possibility of boots on the ground in Iran. Whose boots? Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes: * Link to FDD report on Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program, referred to in the podcast by Jonathan Conricus. * IDF video released on International Women’s Day highlighting the extraordinary contribution of women in the Israeli Air Force, referred to in the podcast by Jonathan Conricus. Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

On Thursday I spoke with Andrew Fox, military veteran, scholar, man of diverse and deep expertise. I wanted to zoom out a bit from the focus on the Israel-Iran aspect of the war and place it in a larger context, where it rightly belongs. America is leading this war effort for many reasons. One is to put an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Also - America is seizing an opportunity to quell China’s long-term planning towards global economic dominance. Andrew and I get into it all and at the end, just for kicks, we discuss the astonishingly vapid leadership prevailing in this critical moment in certain western countries. Guess which ones? Yup! PM Sir Keir Starmer of the U.K. and Canada’s feckless Prime Minister, Mark Carney. It has become impossible to keep up with their rudderless principles and statements. Shocking, really. We include great video clips and I’m so proud of my team. We’re closing out the first week of the war and managed to put out a full AV podcast. This is it - until today it was just audio. So much quicker and easier. We have really gone flat out this week - in spite of sirens and missiles - to bring you current information about the real, in-the-moment experience in Israel. Please consider supporting our work with a paid subscription here or, perhaps, a contribution to Buy Me a Coffee. Podcast Notes Andrew Fox is a former British Army Major and frontline conflict researcher specialising in modern warfare. A former senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he is now a senior associate fellow at several international think tanks and a regular media commentator on global conflicts. He writes the Fox on War Substack and co-hosts The Brink podcast, bringing field reporting and strategic analysis from conflicts including Gaza and Ukraine. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

We had hoped to drop this yesterday but wartime exigencies got in the way. The message is just as relevant today - the holiday of Purim was on Tuesday, March 3. It commemorates a miracle - when the Jews in ancient Persia were ordered by a King’s decree to be murdered. Every last one. And yet, by a series of coincidences, they were spared. That was thousands of years ago. Since that time Jews have faced many tyrants who were determined to end their existence. The most recent and current one was Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He led a regime obsessed with destroying Israel and Jews. The historical arc is fascinating. And real. The decree in ancient Persia was real. Hitler was real. And Khamenei - until a few days ago - was real. I thought we’d take a breather from missiles and bomb shelters and reflect on the historical arc into which this wild war fits. Neatly. I spoke with two fabulous rabbis: my old friend from London, Ontario, Ephraim Shore.....and a new friend from Boston, Mass., Rabbi Bill Hamilton. An interesting and very pertinent podcast. Tomorrow we will be back with more hardcore straight up war-talk. We are going flat out. If you have not done so already please consider supporting us with a paid subscription - either on our website or at Buy me a Coffee. It makes a huge difference….allowing us to continue our work and, even more so, knowing that you appreciate what we do. State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Our guests today: Rabbi Ephraim Shore/Tour Guide Extraordinaire: Insta: @ephraimshore Rabbi William G. Hamilton has led Kehillath Israel since 1995. He strives to activate Torah in the service of meaningful living – nourishing growth, solacing grief, and deepening joy. Empowering learners is at the heart of his leadership approach. Lay-leaders, Jews-by-choice, and rabbinic interns, all take responsibility for creating community and celebrating Judaism. A commitment to inclusion is also central to Rabbi Hamilton. His deep involvement with the Ruderman Foundation’s work for disability inclusion alongside his Board leadership with New England Yachad, complements a principled commitment to gender, ideological, and diversified practice inclusion at KI. Rabbi Hamilton’s vision for partnership practice now shapes a new century at Kehillath Israel. Establishing a campus that hosts five prayer-communities and several other agencies under his leadership has made KI the subject of a Harvard Business School Case-Study. His impact and influence are strengthened by exceptionally strong engagement with Israel. As a founder of The David Project (Campus advocacy) and the New England Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces, Rabbi Hamilton regularly brings groups on specialized tours of Israel. He sees resourcing Israel as essential to deepening Jewish commitments and furnishing richer inner-lives. His leadership in civic settings also distinguishes his voice throughout our region. For twenty years he has served as Chaplain of the Massachusetts State Police, on the Board of ADL, and on Harvard University’s Board of Ministry. He enjoys playing sports and rooting for local teams. His wife, Debbie Block, an accomplished historian and educator, gathered, produced and edited Kehillath Israel: The First 100 Years . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Map showing one of many waves of missile attacks overnight in Israel: I’m back today with the amazing Ya’akov Katz, a regular commentator on State of Tel Aviv and Beyond. We get into life in wartime, and then cover the key events of the last 24 hours: Hezballah attacks Israel and opens the northern front; Iran continues to slam Israel hard with waves of ballistic missiles; Iran also attacks most countries in the region - which has many scratching their heads. Iranian missile slams into a shelter in Israel; the first mass casualty event. Are our shelters adequate? How long will this go on? Give it a listen. We are making every effort to put out an audio only pod every day during this period. The focus is on getting the information out. Not quality of production. Adn for that reason we are also not doing AV. For one thing, we’re all looking a little haggard. But it just takes more time to edit AV and time, in my view, is of the essence. Please consider supporting our work. State of Tel Aviv and Beyond is independent and we rely on you, our subscribers, to put gas in our tank. Especially at a time like this. We are going flat out. We will be publishing longer dispatches which will be available in full to premium subscribers only. You can either subscribe on our site - www.stateoftelaviv.com……just follow the prompts from the SUBSCRIBE tab. Or - make a contribution to Buy Me a Coffee…… Yaakov Katz is an Israeli-American author and journalist. Between 2016 and 2023, Yaakov was editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post where he continues to write a popular weekly column. He is the author of three books: “Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power”, “Weapon Wizards—How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and “Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.” Prior to taking up the role of editor-in-chief, Yaakov served for two years as a senior policy adviser to Naftali Bennett during his tenure as Israel’s Minister of Economy and Minister of Diaspora Affairs. In 2013, Yaakov was one of 12 international fellows to spend a year at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Originally from Chicago, Yaakov has a law degree from Bar Ilan University. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Chaya and their four children. Find Yaakov Katz on X. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Lightly edited video recording from an hour ago with Jonathan Conricus on developments in Israel and the Middle East. Have a listen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com Today’s episode begins with an extraordinary interview that was aired recently on Iran International television. Vancouver-based journalist, Negar Mojtahedi, speaks with the father of a 17-year-old youth who was badly injured by the regime and then taken from his hospital bed to be executed. The story is surreal but is one of tens of thousands. Many Ira…

I’d like to begin by thanking Andrea Marcus, a dear friend and long-time supporter of State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, for sponsoring this episode. Andrea is a Toronto resident, proud Jewish woman and spectacularly talented artist. She is deeply troubled by what has been happening in Toronto and Canada since October 7, 2023. This episode was to have been published on Sunday December 14, 2025. And then the Bondi Beach Chanukah massacre happened. Hours later, a Chanukah candle lighting began in Toronto, Canada. What ensued was appalling. As Toronto police watched..... Part I of this mini-series dropped in early December and focused on the violent attack on an IDF reserve soldier on November 5 in downtown Toronto. Jonathan Karten. Nothing about that attack was surprising. Since October 7, Toronto has become one of the most hostile cities in the western world for Jewish life. All things Jewish are targeted regularly. And the response of the police? Well, that’s what we take a hard look at in today’s podcast. Why is Toronto such a cesspit of antisemitic violence? Incitement. Hatred. Why is it tolerated? I have lived and studied this disturbing situation since October 7, carefully, and the reality of Toronto - Canada - and beyond - must be seen. And seen clearly. I have sifted through many hours of video, photographs and media coverage in order to document the broad and specific observations made. Toronto Chief of Police Myron Demkiw declined an opportunity to be interviewed to discuss these rather pressing issues. And the political leadership in Canada? With very few exceptions, they are complicit. Municipally. Provincially. Federally. This episode has shifted shape since December 14. We do address aspects of the Karten assault on November 5, in particular the arrest of six individuals connected with that incident. But we spend more time zooming out to look at the bigger picture, to try to understand why Toronto has become such fertile ground for Jew hatred. Many of the incidents we discuss took place after the assault on Jonathan Karten on November 5. And after Bondi. In the podcast notes we include links to Episode I of this series, as well as two-part series on antisemitism in Toronto that I put out a year ago. Extreme antisemitism in Toronto? It’s neither new nor going to miraculously resolve. In th podcast notes, we set out other podcasts we have produced that are directly relevant to the issues raised in this episode, including Part 1 of this 2-part series. Certain archive material may be available to premium subcribers only. No time like the present to join the State of Tel Aviv and Beyond club! If you would like to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact me directly. vivian@stateoftelaviv.com Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscrib This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com Update: In the hours since we began final production of this podcast, Iran has initiated at least two military provocations targeting American forces in the Strait of Hormuz. The regime has also backpedaled on its commitment to negotiate with America and other nations in Ankara on Friday. Now Iran says that it will meet only with America and that it mus…

In this special podcast we go deep into the darkness that has descended upon the Kurdish ethnic minority in northern Syria. The massacre of civilians and brutality is reminiscent of ISIS. In fact, the Syrian state army is comprised of many former jihadists - some still openly wearing ISIS patches on their uniforms. The Kurds, of course, led the military force that led the assault on ISIS and its eventual retreat and defeat. But with the anointment of former al Qaeda man, Ahmed al Sharaa, as President of Syria…..violent Islamism has enjoyed something of a resurgence. Absolute hell has been visited upon the Syrian Kurds while the west and the world are distracted by chaos in the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the massacre of Syrian Kurds has barely been noticed. We feature interviews with four experts on the Syrian Kurds. (Their photos and bios are set out below in the Podcast Notes.) Each one brings a very deep understanding of the complexity of this situation. In order to assist as you work your way through this we have provided time stamps so that you may skip to particular bits that interest you more. In addition to the experts featured here we spoke to many others. I am grateful to all for their time and generosity in sharing their expertise and insight. I would like to draw particular attention to Noor Dahri, a devout Muslim living in the UK and originally from Pakistan. I learned so much from Noor and hope to share part of our interview in the near future. Editing such rich material is not easy. So thanks, Noor, for helping me to better understand the forces that are driving fanatical Islamism in the Middle East and the west. And to our loyal listeners, this episode is being made available to all subscribers in full. Consider it our contribution to doing whatever is possible to amplify awareness of the Kurdish plight. There are some graphic videos included in this podcast. If you prefer not to view them we provide advance notice so that you may skip over them. Timestamps: Introduction with video clips: 00:00 Interview with Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed: 05:53 Al Jazeera report on the release of ISIS prisoners in Al Hol Detention Camp in northern Syria: 36:41 Interview with Ateret Shmuel: 39:22 Interview with Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan: 51:54 Interview with Ahmad Sharawi: 01:02:15Conclusion: 1:19:08 Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelaviv Podcast Notes: * Maps referred to and shown in the podcast introduction: * X post of U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, on January 20, 2026: Full text of this post: The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation— long denied under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, where many Kurds faced statelessness, language restrictions, and systemic discrimination.Historically, the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-ISIS partnership. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and family members in prisons and camps like al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state to partner with—the Assad regime was weakened, contested, and not a viable partner against ISIS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia.Today, the situation has fundamentally changed. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th member in late 2025), signaling a westward pivot and cooperation with the US on counterterrorism. This shifts the rationale for the US-SDF partnership: the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com We were fortunate to speak yesterday with Lt. Col. (Res.), senior fellow at FDD and regular on State of Tel Aviv and Beyond, Jonathan Conricus- who is catching his breath between speaking tours and consulting abroad. On Monday afternoon, moments after the news came that the remains of Ran Gvili had been identified in the Gaza Strip and were being return…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com Ambassador Michael Oren brings decades of deep experience as an historian, diplomat, and politician to bear on this critical moment in Mid-East volatility. Asked at the outset of our discussion what’s at stake, he did not hesitate for a second. “Everything.” We discuss the always wobbly status quo in the region and the sweeping change that has gone down…