Makom Israel Teachers Lounge

This week, Alan took Matt and Mike on a stroll through a very contentious piece of real estate, the city of Hebron. It's a city that is almost a microcosm for the Arab/Israeli conflict. Join us as we explain our thoughts and feelings about the past, present and future of one of the oldest Jewish cities in the world. And don't forget to check out our podcast page to see the photos that we mention in the episode. http://juisrael.jerusalemu.org/podcasts JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Five young people walked off a Birthright trip in Israel to join an If Not Now (INN) tour of Hebron. What do Alan, Mike and Benji think about this controversy du-jour? How do they understand the INN and its mission? They explain their Zionist take on these issues in this back from vacation episode. Join us! Benji's TOI Blog Post JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Conversations about politics are social landmines. So how do teachers discuss current events with students in a productive way? Are there take away ideas for others to use? Benji joins Alan and Mike to share insights and ideas. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

The Iron Dome saves lives in Southern Israel. But there is real damage being done by rocket attacks on southern Israel. In this episode, you'll hear some insider perspective on the real situation. Judith Spanglet is one of the heroes trying to heal the trauma. Alan, Mike and Matt traveled to Ashkelon to hear her perspective and insight. They were moved and inspired. She explains how the organisation that she created, "Connections and Links ~ From Trauma to Resilience", is making a difference. Join us. You'll be glad that you did. Click here to contribute to her not-profit organisation. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Deja vu on the southern border a rocket barrage from Gaza, Abba leaves the hospital, and a Russian oligarch makes aliyah. Even for Israel, this has been a strange and stressful week. Join Alan, Mike and Matt as they give insight behind the headlines, and put these stories into context. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Students want to know why Israel is so often misjudged. When will people understand what's really happening here? Are we the crazy ones? Alan and Mike try to explain why so many people don't get it, and what we can do about it. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

When images in the media are making people angry at Israel, how do we explain things to them? How do we understand it ourselves? Join Alan, Mike and Matt as they try to sort through this week's news and its aftermath. (Sorry if the sound quality isn't up to par, we are learning to use new equipment. Please bear with us) JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Alan and Mike record outside of the new US Embassy compound in Jerusalem. They analyse the history of the Iran Deal, and where things might go from here. And don't forget the "Freedom March" in Gaza, next week's embassy move, the status of Jerusalem, the beginning of Ramadan and more. Basically, a discussion within the eye of the storm. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

It turns out that diplomats can be really nice guys. Listen in to our interview of former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. He tells us about his life and career. Then he helps us unpack Bibi's Iran speech, the moving of the US embassy to Jerusalem, and the Palestinian peace perspective. Listen for his clarity of thought and analysis, and hear how a mensch discusses complicated issues with nuance. Don't miss it! (and stay tuned for a brief JerusalemU announcement) Bio at the INSS Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Our 75th episode is an important one. During the controversial student election campaign by Barnard students to support BDS, many pro-Israel activists rose to the challenge. Alan and Mike discuss the entire affair with student heroes Orit Gugenheim and Sylvie Sanders who fought the good fight. They weigh the successes and failures, and talk about what is to come. To see the letter from the Barnard President discussed in the episode, check out our Our Website! JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

After answering our question of the week, (from Lily Shams at Amit) about JStreet, Alan and Mike give Israel a check up. They use Israel's Declaration of Independence and evaluate his far the State has come to realising its goals, and where it still needs work. (spoiler alert, we've accomplished a lot) An honest and inspirational appreciation of the Jewish State at 70!!! Enjoy! Viewing link for When the Smoke Clears JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Nothing is ever boring here in Israel. With violence on both the northern and southern borders, Israel has its hands full. Was that Israel striking Syrian bases? What can we do about bad press from the Gaza "protests"? Alan and Mike try to make sense of it all, and show what these events have in common. We end with some thoughts for Yom HaShoah. JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

Its a pre-Passover news potpourri this week, as Alan & Mike analyse the headlines. Here's what's up: Bibi was hospitalised without a clear successor, pressure mounts on the Gaza border, Israel won't sanction Russia and the status of the asylum seekers remains in limbo. And Alan reminds us to keep our eye on the US embassy move. Here are the stories: Bibi Hospitalised Gaza Problems Russia Sanctions Asylum Seekers JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

How is Pesach different in Israel? What are the different foods that various Jews associate with the festival? How are food choices for Passover changing in our time? Why was that only three questions, or does this one make it four? Matt and Mike discuss these and other Paschal topics with the Pardes Institute's Catering Manager, David Berman. Pardes JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

It looks like the Israeli government won't dissolve after all. Phew, I guess? But its still worth understanding how the Israeli government works, what a coalition crisis is, and what the fight is over the haredi draft law. Good thing Alan, Mike and Matt are here to explain it all. (at least after they figure it out) Enjoy this look behind the headlines in our 70th episode! (and we'll soon have 12,000 downloads) Also, we've begun our new question of the week segment! Thanks MTVA! JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us on iTunes and stitcher. Check out our Our Website! Join our Facebook page! Contact us with questions and comments!

While the AIPAC Policy Conference meets in the USA, Alan and Mike discuss what it means to them. What is AIPAC? How does it impact United States Policy? How does it impact American Jewish life and culture? What would happen without it? Our American expats share thoughts on the current state of the US/Israel relationship, and why AIPAC really matters. Alan is bothered by Women's March Movement founder Tamika Mallory's refusal to withdraw her support from the openly antisemitic Louis Farrakhan. She can't use the "anti-Zionism isn't antisemitism" excuse for Farrakhan's classic Jew hatred. So why can't she just condemn his racism? Is there anything new here, or is this just history coming back to haunt us? The guys weigh in. Somehow, Mike ties it all together in the end. AIPAC Farrakhan Tamika Mallory JerusalemU's The Israel Teachers Lounge Podcast is produced by Matt Lipman. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests and questions. And please rate and review us o

What is this new wrinkle in the Netanyahu scandal? What was just announced about the US embassy? And how will that play out? Alan, Mike and Matt bring you up to date. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests. Our Website Facebook page Contact us

What just happened on the Gaza border? How should we read the news with a critical eye? Alan and Mike share their insight, and even recommend some reading. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests. Our Website Facebook page Contact us

Want to understand the latest in the Bibi scandal? Want to understand what is happening with Iran on the northern border? Want to understand why these are really the same story? Alan and Mike are here to unpack these timely issues, and even make some predictions. Raoul Wootliff explains the Netanyahu cases in depth. (begins at minute 24) Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests. Our Website Facebook page Contact us

Alan plays two roles (cohost and expert on Polish Jewish history) as Mike interviews him about the odd new Polish law limiting educator's speech. And of course, the controversy that it has stirred up in Israel. Listen to more episodes, and let us know what you think! We are happy to take topic requests. Our Website Facebook page Contact us