Makom Israel Teachers Lounge

Israel Citizens Filling the Breach When Government FailsThis is an era when citizens around the world don’t have a tremendous amount of trust in government. Israelis and Jews around the world are still shaken by the intelligence and operational failures that led to the October 7th massacres. In the weeks and months since, many are still complaining that the work still isn’t being taken care of. We never know what’s really happening in “the room where it happens”, and there are concerns that the decisions aren’t being made well. Israelis from all parts of society jumped in to fill the breach. A tremendous amount of civic pride arose from those who rushed to bring food and materiel to the soldiers on the front. But is that a good or bad sign about Israeli life? Is it a positive, or a negative, that grassroots support is required for the success of vital national missions? Mike hosts this episode’s debate, where Matt takes the position that citizens should never expect the government to get the job done, and Lie

Are Shoah Analogies Appropriate?We are all living with the trauma of the post October 7th world. It is often referred to as the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. But do comparisons to the Shoah help us contextualize and understand the world we live in? Or are any such comparisons not at best unhelpful, and at worst inappropriate? Can those analogies help us understand the victims? The perpetrators? Calev hosts this episode’s debate, where Matt takes the position that Shoah analogies are helpful, and Alan argues that it isn’t, and never was, a good idea they are not. Am Yisrael Chai!

Who should be hired to do the labor in Israel?Evidence has been uncovered that Arab laborers from the Gaza strip provided Hamas with intel on the Israeli towns where they worked. In the wake of this shocking news, Israelis are debating who to hire for many basic jobs. How should we balance insecurity with inclusivity? Should Israeli Arabs return to work in Israeli Jewish businesses? What about West Bank Arabs? Should Israel return to an old Zionist idea, “Avoda Ivrit” - “Jewish Labor”?Mike hosts this episode’s debate, where Liel takes the position that Israelis should take this opportunity to reexamine the Avoda Ivrit principle, and Alan argues that it isn’t, and never was, a good idea. Am Yisrael Chai!

Should Israel Fight Hezbollah?While most of our attention is on the war in Gaza, there has been constant combat on our northern border. Will the battle with Hezbollah heat up to a full scale war? Should it? While war is always horrible, should Israel extend the conflict and eliminate Hezbollah as it has pledged to do to Hamas? Benji hosts this episode’s debate, where Calev takes the position that Israel should resist preemptive attacks, and Mike argues that Israel must do just that. Am Yisrael Chai!

What will happen after the war?When the dust settles, what will Gaza look like? What would be success for Israelis? What could make a better future for Gazans? While the war is far from over, the question is already relevant. Many are speaking about this issue in Israel and around the world. While we aren’t privy to the discussions behind the scenes where people in power are working the plans out, we can still try to figure out what the possibilities are. This is a difficult debate. All of the possibilities seem difficult and problematic. So which of the options are the best, or perhaps the least bad?Liel hosts this episode’s debate, where Matt takes the position that Israel must retain control, and Mike argues for handing it over to foreign powers. Am Yisrael Chai!

What will winning the war look like?This episode was recorded before the deal to recover hostages was announced. Has Israel set realistic goals in its war with Hamas? What would victory look like? Is it possible to eliminate Hamas as an organization? As an idea? Can the hostages be rescued? Can Israel win the public relations battle? Should it? Join us as we dissect these complex events, aiming to provide insight and understanding. Our goal is to help listeners process these challenging moments, fostering resilience and guiding us towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Together, we navigate the intricacies of history, seeking a deeper comprehension of the path ahead. Am Yisrael Chai!

How did we get here?In this gripping podcast episode, Calev, Alan, and Matt delve into the intricate factors that led to the October 7 massacre. Was it a result of tactical errors, intelligence failures, or misinterpretations of Hamas' intentions? Or does the root cause trace back to Israel's strategic decision to disengage from Gaza in 2005? Join us as we dissect these complex events, aiming to provide insight and understanding. Our goal is to help listeners process these challenging moments, fostering resilience and guiding us towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Together, we navigate the intricacies of history, seeking a deeper comprehension of the path ahead. Am Yisrael Chai!

Special: Israel at War - Episode 3Crisis on CampusIn this third special current event episode, Calev, Liel and Mike, discuss what is happening outside of Israel in college campuses during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. How should students understand the anti-Israel protests? What should they do? We hope these special episodes help our listeners understand and process these difficult events in order to build up our own resilience. Together we will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Am Yisrael Chai!

Special: Israel at War - Episode 2What happens next? In this second of two special current event episodes, Mike, Alan, Mordechai and Jordana discuss what may come next in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. They share their feelings and observations in this difficult time. We hope these special episodes help our listeners understand and process these difficult events in order to build up our own resilience. Together we will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Am Yisrael Chai!

Special Israel at War - Episode 1Where are we now? In this first of two special current event episodes, Calev, Liel and Matt discuss where we are on day 4 of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. They share their feelings and observations in this difficult time. We hope these special episodes help our listeners understand and process these difficult events in order to build up our own resilience. Together we will find the light at the end of the tunnel. Am Yisrael Chai!

Are there boundaries to Jewish caricatures? We didn’t even know that Ben was recording. But he was! He recorded our discussion of a political cartoon. (you can look at it on this link) It made Matt particularly uncomfortable and we debate its appropriateness. The issue was that the government was defunding existing programs to transfer more money to Haredi causes and institutions. And so the cartoon showed Orthodox Jews running away with bags of money. Isn’t that an antisemitic trope? But even if so, how else can an Israeli political cartoonist show Haredi party leaders taking money away from other parties? It’s an interesting but niche topic. So while we didn’t record a full episode about it, we’re releasing it as a bonus while we prepare to record the next batch. Enjoy and Shana Tova!Here is a link to the Guardian cartoon that Calev mentions. Let us know what you think about the issue, and who you agree with. Enjoy! Please let us know what you think! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben W

Should Israel Do More to Support Ukraine?Israel faces a complex dilemma when it comes to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. On one hand, Israel maintains strong historical ties with Russia, particularly regarding the Russian-speaking Jewish community. Russia has also been a key player in regional stability, particularly in Syria, where Israel has concerns about Iranian influence. Israel has generally tried to maintain a delicate balancing act between the United States and Russia, its two major allies, to safeguard its security interests.On the other hand, Israel has historically supported the principle of territorial integrity and the right to self-determination, which are central issues in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Israel itself has faced challenges related to territorial disputes and self-determination, making it sensitive to these issues. Furthermore, Israel's relationship with the United States, which is a strong supporter of Ukraine in this conflict, can put pressure on Israel to take a c

Haredi DraftThe debate over drafting the Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel, has been a contentious issue in the country for several decades. At its core, the debate revolves around the question of whether or not Haredi men should be subject to compulsory military service like the rest of the Israeli population. This issue stems from a historical exemption granted to the Haredi community, dating back to the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. The exemption was intended to encourage Haredi religious study, which is a central pillar of their way of life. However, over the years, this has sparked significant debate, with proponents arguing that it is necessary for a more equitable distribution of the burden of military service in Israel, while opponents claim that mandatory military service would undermine Haredi religious traditions and values.This debate is complex and multifaceted, touching on issues of religion, state, and citizenship. It reflects the broader tension in Israeli societ

Can Israel Have a Constitution? Israel’s Declaration of Independence calls for a “Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948...". It doesn’t look like we’re going to make the deadline. The current judicial reform crisis exists because of that. So too the current crisis over the role of the Attorney General. There simply aren’t agreed upon rules of the road for how governance and legislation should take place. Of course, not all countries have constitutions. Should Israel have one? Could Israel successfully create one even if we wanted to?Matt hosts this debate between Calev that an Israeli constitution is unnecessary and unlikely, and Mike who argues that it is both needed and likely. Let us know what you think about the issue, and who you agree with. Enjoy! Please let us know what you think! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome!Theme music by Akiva Y. Unterberg.Masa WebsitePlease rate, review,

ApartheidType the word “apartheid” into a google search bar and the second search that pops up is “apartheid Israel”. We’ve all heard the accusation. It is also a demonstrably false descriptor for the State of Israel. This ridiculous calumny may make a nasty sound-bite sized accusation. But for anyone genuinely trying to understand the conflict, it clearly fails to explain anything in an honest way. But this podcast has a debate format! So after explaining why the above paragraph is true, our team still finds something for Zionists to argue about. Is the term “apartheid” useful at all to describe life in the West Bank? After all, the approximately half a million Jews who live there as Israeli citizens under Israeli law, lead very different lives from the approximately two and half million Arabs who are citizens of nothing and live under the Palestinian Authority and Israeli military law. Liel hosts this debate between Calev who argues that in certain narrow contexts the term isn’t entirely unhelpful, and Mike

Is There a Future for the Jewish Diaspora? Jews have been living outside of the land of Israel for thousands of years. It is a historical truth that this process started by enemies driving them into exile. But these diaspora communities settled in, expanded, and continued to migrate around the globe for over two millennia. In the 20th century, Jews chose two strategies for building a thriving Jewish future. One approach was to create and live in a Jewish State. The State of Israel was founded by people who believed that ultimately there would be no future for Jews in the Diaspora. The changes of modernity, they argued, meant that the exile must end for the Jews to survive into the future. Only by creating a State of Jews, by Jews and for Jews, could thriving Jewish life and communities be sustained. The other approach was to build Jewish communities in tolerant Western Democracies. This approach assumes that Diaspora Jewish life will be safe as long as minority rights and freedom of religion continue to funct

Herzl vs. Ahad Ha’amThere is an old saying that “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” We deeply believe that knowing the history of Zionist debate brings a richness of perspective and understanding to the issues that we face today. So we submit for your approval one of the first deep debates that divided the Zionist world. In past episodes when we’ve mentioned Ahad Ha’am in passing, listeners have contacted us to know who he was. But before Herzl, he was arguably the intellectual leader of the Zionist movement. Then Herzl published “The Jewish State” and began the Zionist Congress, becoming the undisputed center of all Zionist energy. Ahad Ha’am wasn’t shy about explaining what he considered to be Herzl’s wrongheadedness. What was the disagreement? How has history proven their positions to be right or wrong? How and why are they still so relevant to today’s Israel? Matt explains the Herzl position, and Mike presents Ahad Ha’am. Our special guest host this week is the young scholar Avigayil Un

Does Israel Need America? Everyone knows that Israel and America have a strong relationship. As allies their economic, political, military, and cultural ties are deeply rooted. It remains so across multiple administrations in each of the countries. But is America a necessary ally for Israel? What would happen if that relationship changed? Could Israel survive and thrive if for some reason it lost America as an ally? Matt hosts and frames the discussion, and Mike and Calev debate the issue. Calev argues that America is an indispensable ally, and Mike argues that it isn’t. Let us know what you think about the issue, and who you agree with. Enjoy! Please let us know what you think! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome!Theme music by Akiva Y. Unterberg.Masa WebsitePlease rate, review, share and recommend our podcast.

Note: This is the beginning of season 9, which is season 2 of our new debate format! We decided to get this episode published in a timely fashion. Normally, our debates are meant to be “evergreen” educational discussions about Israel and Zionism. But we’re breaking the format because so many people are asking how to process the Knesset vote this week. What does the removal of the unreasonableness grounds mean for the Supreme Court? For Israeli law, Democracy and society? How should we understand where we are now? What should we expect for the future?Calev hosts and frames the discussion, and Mike and Liel debate whether to be optimistic or pessimistic in this difficult time of division. Let us know what you think about the issue, and who you agree with. Enjoy! Please let us know what you think! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome!Theme music by Akiva Y. Unterberg.Masa WebsitePlease rate, review, share and recommend our podcast.

We are excited to announce the upcoming second season of our new debate format! This episode was recorded and edited by the amazing Ben Wallick Studios. Ben is awesome!Theme music by Akiva Y. Unterberg.Masa WebsiteFacebook pagePlease rate, review, share and recommend our podcast.