The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

The conversations around Israel and Zionism have become increasingly fraught, often resulting in heated arguments and a flurry of talking points. For many, finding space for context and nuance in such a charged and confusing landscape can be difficult.
To address this void, the Jewish Federations of North America produced a series titled Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism. They want to bring this sponsored episode to our Daily Briefing listeners to help you move away from slogans and explore the history, ideas, and tensions shaping today’s discourse.
Today, we are sharing Episode 6 from that series, titled "The Debate: Simple Labels Don't Work." This episode examines why common terminology often fails to capture reality and encourages listeners to examine their own assumptions.
Whether you are looking for a refresher on the historical context or trying to navigate the current social media environment, this episode offers a look at the intellectual and political framework of the region. You can find the full series, along with additional educational resources and videos, at understandingisrael.org or by searching for the show on your preferred podcast platform.
Here is Episode 6 of Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism, brought to you by the Jewish Federations of North America.
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
The next round of talks between the United States and Iran is scheduled for Thursday in Geneva. Even as US military pressure mounts, Tehran expressed hope that a nuclear agreement could be reached that would avert a looming attack. Berman updates on where things stand ahead of US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tomorrow.
We then turn back the clock to last week's inaugural Board of Peace meeting in DC. Washington secured some $7 billion in pledges toward Gaza’s recovery from key Mideast allies; five countries agreed to contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force tasked with phasing the IDF out of Gaza; and plans are advancing to deploy thousands of Palestinian police in Gaza within two months. What about Hamas demilitarization? Berman weighs in.
In a program released Friday following his brief visit to Israel, right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson claimed the Israeli government targeted his family, called the Jewish state “probably the most violent country on earth” and aired numerous antisemitic tropes. We hear why the media personality is latching on to them -- and who is listening.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
US, Iran to hold talks Thursday as Tehran claims ‘good chance’ of diplomatic solution
Witkoff says Trump ‘curious’ why Iran hasn’t ‘capitulated’ under US pressure
Waving off the skeptics, US feeling bullish after Board of Peace inaugural confab
Tucker Carlson claims Israel targeted his family, Netanyahu ‘believes in blood guilt’; questions Israel’s right to exist
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.
IMAGE: A hand-drawn swastika is seen on the front of Union Station near the Capitol in Washington, January 28, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Iranian officers briefed Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, Fabian discusses assessments regarding the Iranian proxy in Lebanon attacking Israel if the US strikes Iran and Iran strikes Israel, and the concurrent uptick in IDF attacks against Hezbollah in recent weeks.
Fabian reports that the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is about to reach the region, offering another stage of readiness for a possible US strike against Iran.
After dozens of settler activists entered the closed military zone of the Gaza border on Thursday night, Fabian notes that the political action diverted the army’s attention away from defending against potential attacks.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Report: IRGC running Hezbollah, preparing it for war with Israel if US strikes Iran
Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 12, including senior Hezbollah official
Israeli officials believe US, Iran at unbridgeable impasse as they near open conflict
Dozens of settler activists, including far-right MK, illegally cross into Gaza
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Hezbollah supporters chant slogans during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes, at Nasrallah's grave in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse.
We begin the conversation with a bleak update on how Gazans are faring on the ground and hear anecdotes of poor hygiene and price gouging in the Strip. As the festive holy month of Ramadan begins, the lack of basic necessities becomes more stark for those who must fast all day but cannot feast at night.
We then turn to the sudden announcement this week from Doctors Without Borders that it has suspended non-critical medical activities at Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis due to the presence of armed men at the medical facility and “a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons.”
Alkhatib brings multiple examples of prior knowledge of the "armed men" in the hospital since Hamas's October 7, 2023, onslaught on southern Israel. He accuses the NGO of looking the other way as the terror organization took over hospital wings and turned them into prisons and torture chambers. So why did the international humanitarian group in Gaza decide to take notice now?
And so this week, we ask Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Palestinians hang decorations beside the rubble of destroyed homes as they prepare for the holy month of Ramadan in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
Movie maven Hoffman begins with a tribute to master documentarian Frederick Wiseman, who died this week, aged 96.
We then hear about the Israeli film “Children No More: Were and Are Gone,” directed by Hila Medalia, which is nominated for Best Documentary Short Film. The film documents a vigil that began in March 2025 in Tel Aviv, as a handful of left-wing protesters held photos of children killed in Gaza.
And in the final segment, the pair rewind the 50-year-old masterpiece, "All the President's Men." In addition to appreciating the film's 1976 fashions and antiquated good manners, they note parallels to today's deep exploration into the trove of documents connected with the Epstein case.
Check out the "oy," the "meh" and "not bad" marks given to films in this week's The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
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