For Heaven's Sake

Can American Jews define themselves through love of both Israel and America? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack a parade transformed by October 7, Mamdani's boycott, and how a historically innocuous parade has transformed into a profound act of defiance and vulnerability. They explore America as a "nation of nationalities" and its special place in Jewish identity, and Israel's obligation to celebrate world Jewry rather than simply demand its support. Ultimately, they challenge the Jewish community to reclaim an unmediated sense of pride, refusing to let enemies dictate the terms of their joy and connection. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Join the Hartman Beit Midrash for America at 250. Learn more about and register for Hartman's summer programs in Jerusalem.

Can a country recover its sense of agency when every front — external and internal — refuses to stay resolved?  In this episode, recorded just as Prime Minister Netanyahu issued another emergency call-up of exhausted reservists, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the deepening Israeli loss of control. They dissect the gap between the Prime Minister's promise of "absolute victory" and the reality of an enemy that has emerged stronger since its recent conflicts, and trace how the trauma of October 7 still haunts a society that thought it had moved past helplessness.   Looking ahead to the coming election, they explore why "who's in charge?" may once again become the defining slogan — and why the answer this time will determine far more than a coalition.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Learn more about and register for Hartman's summer programs in Jerusalem.

Is it possible to win every battle and still lose where it matters?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront what may be the most dangerous front Israel faces today — the narrative. They lay bare the forces converging against Israel’s legitimacy: the collapse of Western institutions and the global spread of antisemitism amplified by social media and a systematic anti-Zionist campaign decades in the making. They reflect on the way this has reframed every chapter of Israel's story — from founding to present — as settler colonialism, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and genocide — and the psychological toll of this multi-front narrative war.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Watch the full Guidelines for Jewish-Democratic Policy Conference featuring Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan.  Learn more about the Hartman Institute’s Center for Shared Society.

What do you say when defending yourself only makes things worse?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi respond in real time to Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column accusing Israel of systemic sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees — an article that dropped on the same day Israel's Civil Commission released its report on Hamas's use of mass rape on October 7. They assess the latest barrage of allegations leveled against Israel, examine the deep disconnect between the mainstream Jewish story and international media narratives, and confront the troubling realities of prisoner abuse in an environment lacking moral guardrails.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Read the Kogod Research Center’s new White Paper, Building Communities of Belonging: Jewish Identity, Conversion, Intermarriage, and Adjacency.

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Can an army of the people maintain its ethical compass when a faction of the public it protects and consists of embraces ideological lawlessness?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the IDF Chief of Staff's urgent warning regarding military discipline, examine the ideological evolution of the Hilltop Youth and the government and public responses to it. Together, they confront the dangerous "Torah of dominance" taking root and ask what it will take to reclaim the soul of Zionism for future generations.  From the episode:  IDF chief said to order investigation into claims of widespread looting by troops in south Lebanon, Times of Israel, April 24, 2026  Entire Villages Razed – Report Reveals Scale of Destruction Israel Unleashed on South Lebanon, Haaretz, May 5, 2026  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Learn how Hartman is building the pipeline of young Jewish leadership.

In light of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid recently announcing the launch of a unified party for the Knesset elections, we are re-releasing our episode Bennett 2026, recorded on January 6, 2026. Donniel and Yossi will be back with a new episode next week.  Is former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett a right-wing ideologue or Israel's great national healer?   Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi grapple with this paradox as they examine the only candidate currently ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in national polling. They explore Bennett's extraordinary transformation from an ideological conservative to national unifier, discuss his brief but transformative year as Prime Minister, and consider what his return might mean for Israel's future.   Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  If you read our journal Sources, complete our reader survey by January 15.  Learn more about the Kogod Research Center, whose scholars develop the ideas of the Hartman Institute.

What do you wish for a country you love that is still learning to love itself?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi mark Israel's 78th Independence Day with a meditation on eulogies, blessings, and the distance between the two. They dissect the growing divide in world Jewry over Israel's future and the stranglehold of an "October 7 consciousness" on Israeli political imagination. Between the grief of Memorial Day and the joy of Independence Day, they articulate their wishes for a society desperate to heal, demanding a return to hope and the courage to envision a thriving Jewish future.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:   Register to join Yossi Klein Halevi in Vancouver, Detroit, and Palo Alto and Yehuda Kurtzer in Toronto!

How do we observe national days of mourning when the nightmares of the past feel like the realities of the present?   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect Israel’s "10 Days of Awe," the intense period between Holocaust Memorial Day and Israel’s Independence Day, and how this year it demands a spiritual and moral readjustment for Jews everywhere. They consider the impact of October 7 on Jewish consciousness, confront the resurgence of modern blood libels, and contemplate the tension between mourning powerlessness and responsibly celebrating sovereignty. This episode is sponsored by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. Learn more and support their work at idfwo.org. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

When a word carries history, burden, and identity all at once, can the Jewish people afford to let it go?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the internal Jewish debate over the term Zionism, examining its classical promises of empowerment, the push to abandon it in the face of progressive critique, and why the term means something different in Israel and the Diaspora. Ultimately, they ask what it would take for Zionism to become not only defensible but inspiring again for world Jewry.  Read Nadine Epstein's article cited in the show, “The Word Zionism Is Dead” here.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

How do you celebrate the holiday of liberation when the reality of war, grief, and political division feels heavier than ever?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront the growing exhaustion in Israel with the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon, the profound grief interrupting daily life, and the internal fractures exposed by new government legislation. As they navigate these challenges, they reflect on what liberation means today, and grapple with the moral and spiritual questions of how to hold onto hope when the Jewish state is tested from both within and without.   Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Read the newest issue of Sources and subscribe to the print edition.

Is Israel destined to have its wars stopped by its closest ally just before the finish line?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the rumors of a potential negotiation to end the current conflict with Iran and ask whether this moment reflects a recurring pattern in the U.S.-Israel relationship. They explore America’s role in pressing for de-escalation at pivotal moments in Israeli military campaigns and what that pressure means for Israel’s long-term security.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Register for our summer programs for lay leaders, rabbis, and educators! Watch Masua Sagiv on Get Your Phil exploring the bonds between Israel and American Jewry.

What is the hidden cost of Israeli resilience?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi move beyond strategic analysis to examine how the war is reshaping daily life in Israel, why the polls haven't budged despite a popular and militarily successful war, and what the Lebanon ground operation reveals about Israel's most stubborn patterns. They also confront the growing divide in American Jewry over Israel's place in Jewish identity — a rift that goes far deeper than policy disagreement.  You can watch the remarks by Israel's Consul General to the Midwest Elad Stromhayer to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan here. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Register for our summer programs for lay leaders, rabbis, and educators!  Secure your spot at the Florida Leadership Conference this Sunday!

Please take 5 minutes to fill out For Heaven's Sake’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ If this war with Iran is self-evident to Israelis, why does it feel so different to North American Jews?  Starting with that blunt question, in this special live episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi assess endgames, regime change, public legitimacy, and the possibility that military success could come with growing political isolation -- the deep fear that Israel could win this war with Iran and still lose something essential in its relationship with North American Jewry. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Learn more about our Giving Society and Wellspring Family Circle.

Please take 5 minutes to fill out For Heaven's Sake’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ Why do 93% of Israelis support a war that much of the West condemns as a violation of international law?  In this special episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect the profound disconnect between Israeli moral instincts and Western liberal sensibilities. They analyze the "unconscious pacifism" of the West, the reality of a 45-year ongoing conflict with the Iranian regime, and the challenge of separating leadership motives from national survival.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Watch Donniel Hartman and Abby Pogrebin’s conversation on the war with Iran.  Apply or refer a teen you know to the Hartman Teen Fellowship.  Register for our virtual day of learning,In the Face of Cruelty: Jewish Responsibilities to Neighbors and Strangers on March 12.  Join Donniel for the Florida Leadership Conference, a meaningful day of learning and conversation to process the fear and confusion of this moment and think together about what lies ahead for Israel and the Middle East.

Please take 5 minutes to fill out For Heaven's Sake’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ Why does this experience of war with Iran feel entirely new and eerily familiar in the arc of Israeli life? In this emergency episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the strange, exhausting routines of life spent rushing in and out of shelters and the realization that these rituals have become a recurring feature of Israeli life.  Together, they explore what this moment reveals about Israeli vulnerability and resilience: the way decades of conflict have blurred the boundary between home front and front line, the existential anxiety stirred by Iran’s ideology, and the moral and spiritual questions that surface when war unfolds during the week of Purim. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Please take 5 minutes to fill out For Heaven's Sake’s LISTENER SURVEY ____ How do you go about daily life — bar mitzvahs, trips, work — when every two hours the news cycle shifts, every Israeli with a cousin in the Air Force has a take, and even seasoned analysts can't say what comes next?  In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take us inside the strange collective experience of Israeli life: suspended in waiting, saturated with rumors, and bracing for a military confrontation that could reshape the entire Middle East — before anything has happened yet. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.   Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.  For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:  Register for this summer’s Community Leadership Program or Rabbinic Torah Seminar.  Educators, apply now to the Wellspring Summit for Educators!

Can a country survive when tribal loyalty overwhelms collective responsibility? This week on For Heaven's Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine something unprecedented: while Israel defends its borders from external threats, it's losing the ability to govern within them. From ultra-Orthodox attacks on IDF soldiers to epidemic crime within and against Arab communities to ministers contradicting national policy—Israel faces a sovereignty crisis from within. - 01:35: Not Iran — Israel’s Internal Sovereignty Collapse- 04:15: Bnei Brak: When the IDF Can’t Enter an Israeli City- 06:00: Murder, Mayhem, and Government Retreat- 08:20: The Draft Revolt Goes Mainstream- 16:00: Governing vs. Surviving: The Coalition Choice- 22:00: From “Who’s Sovereign?” to Sovereignty Lost- 27:30: Tribes, Territory, and the Fracturing StateWatch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Listen to “America Betrays the Stranger” on Identity/Crisis.

Antisemitism is everywhere in Jewish conversation. But what are we missing? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi zoom out to examine the assault on the Jewish story, the cost-benefit calculus of Jews around their identity, and the abuse of antisemitism discourse within Israel. An exploration of what antisemitism is doing to us—beyond the fear. 02:00 – A New Era of Antisemitism? Old Threat or New Reality06:00 – Anti-Zionism and the Assault on the Jewish Story13:00 – Jewish Identity as Choice: Will Antisemitism Push Jews Away?19:00 – Defiance or Drift? Lessons from Soviet Jewry22:30 – Are We Letting Antisemitism Define Jewish Identity?26:00 – The Internal Danger: “Weaponizing” Antisemitism in Israel34:00 – What Does Persistent Hatred Say About the Jewish People? Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.  Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Register for this summer’s Community Leadership Program or Rabbinic Torah Seminar. Educators, apply now to the Wellspring Summit for Educators!

Israel is headed toward elections again, but can either side form a stable government? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take a step back to examine the current political climate: the politics of exclusion, the historic unification of Arab parties around domestic issues, and the stalemate that could leave Israel stuck in another cycle of deadlocked elections. They offer a clear-eyed look at where Israeli politics stands—and where it might be headed. 00:00 - Elections in the Shadow of War05:00 - The New Fault Line: Ultra-Orthodox vs. Arab Parties14:30 - Arab Politics Recentered on Personal Security18:45 - A Jewish–Arab Civic Moment in Tel Aviv26:30 - Israel’s Returning Political Stalemate30:00 - Interim Governments and Uncertain EndgamesWatch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

The hostage clock stopped at 843 days, 12 hours, and 6 minutes. But did the healing begin?Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the return of the body of Ran Gvili—the last hostage from October 7th—and what this moment reveals about Israel's wounds, its divisions, and its desperate need for goodness. A meditation on trauma, ritual, and the human need for moments of grace—even when the underlying problems remain.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:Learn more about Rabbanut North America, our three-year rabbinic ordination program, and the newest cohort!

What can Israel do when unpredictability becomes U.S. policy?In this episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reckon with what it means for Israel to live in “Trump’s world”—where unpredictability isn’t just a style, it’s a strategy that can have life-and-death consequences. They explore how Israel’s political drift and Netanyahu’s lack of a “day after” plan have left a political vacuum the U.S. is now filling, and what it would take for Israel to reclaim a measure of self-determination in an unsteady new order.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Listen to young Israeli changemakers from our Hazon program on the Canadian Jewish News's North Star podcast.

Iran's regime is under pressure—and so are the assumptions that have shaped Western policy for decades. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the "conceptia" behind the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Jewish theology of power, and the strange silence from progressives as Iran's uprising escalates. For Israelis, this isn't abstract: it's about once again stocking shelters and praying, this time for the Iranian people.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Listen to young Israeli changemakers from our Hazon program on the Canadian Jewish News's North Star podcast.

Is former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett a right-wing ideologue or Israel's great national healer? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi grapple with this paradox as they examine the only candidate currently ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in national polling. They explore Bennett's extraordinary transformation from an ideological conservative to national unifier, discuss his brief but transformative year as Prime Minister, and consider what his return might mean for Israel's future. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Did we learn anything useful about the future of Israel from the Trump-Netanyahu Mar-a-Lago summit?  In this episode, recorded just hours after the summit concluded, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the disconnect between Trump's optimistic assurances—"everything's going to be fine"—and the hard realities facing Israel in 2026. They debate whether Iranian regime change is achievable, if Gaza represents an existential or spiritual threat, and what it means when the second stage of victory—the political solution—remains elusive. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Learn more about and apply to the Hevruta Gap-Year Program.Learn more about and register for our 2026 Rabbinic Torah Seminar.

For 60 years, Israel has counted on the United States. Is the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Israel now in jeopardy—not from the left, but from the MAGA right? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Vice President J.D. Vance's recent troubling statements, the rise of "America First" isolationism, why Israel may need to rethink its dependence on American aid, and what this means for Jews on both sides of the Atlantic. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Learn more about and register for our Community Leadership Program.

What does the horrific attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach mean for the future of Diaspora Jewish life?Australian Jews have built one of the most vibrant, cohesive, creative Jewish communities in the world. Shaped by Holocaust survivors and a deep sense of Zionism, it has become a model for Jewish life in the Diaspora. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore whether small Diaspora communities can thrive in the current environment, and if the post-Holocaust era of Jewish immunity has definitively ended.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:Learn more about and register for our Community Leadership Program.

With elections less than a year away, Israel's political center faces an existential test. What does it stand for—and can it beat Netanyahu?In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze the state of Israel's center and center-left. They trace the historical collapse of the left, the rise of centrist politics under Ariel Sharon, and the post-October 7 reality where moral discourse about Palestinians has disappeared from mainstream Israeli conversation.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week:Read the newest issue of Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas and subscribe to our print edition.

Can Israel's right-wing reclaim its principles? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the mainstream Israeli right's evolution from Jabotinsky's ideals of security and dignity to today's personality-driven politics.  They explore the critical divide between Prime Minister Netanyahu’s loyalists and principled conservatives, identifying three challenges facing the next right-wing government: articulating affirmative policies, healing internal divisions, and rejecting the false choice between security and morality. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.  Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org. For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more. Here’s more from the Shalom Hartman Institute this week: Join Pathways to Hope and meet young Israeli changemakers.Learn more about positions available at Hartman North America.If you read Sources, complete a brief reader survey.

With Israeli politics deadlocked, could Arab parties provide the path to a new coalition? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the extraordinary political journey of Mansour Abbas, the complexities of Palestinian-Israeli identity, and the future of Israeli democracy. Listen to the Shalom Hartman Institute's new Thoughts and Prayers podcast: https://go.hartman.org.il/Thoughts-and-Prayers-FHS-202Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Who's afraid of a Palestinian state? According to Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, the answer is: almost every Israeli. In this urgent conversation recorded after the UN Security Council backed President Trump's Gaza peace plan, Donniel and Yossi explore why an entire generation of Israelis has stopped talking about Palestinian statehood—and why their silence may be unsustainable.Listen to the Shalom Hartman Institute's new Thoughts and Prayers podcast: https://go.hartman.org.il/Thoughts-and-Prayers-FHS-202Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

What happens when 30% of NYC Jews vote for a candidate others see as antisemitic? In this week’s episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider issues of betrayal, tolerance, red lines, and unity in a conversation about whether some positions cross from legitimate dissent into existential threat.From the episode:Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record”Identity/Crisis with Howard WolfsonWatch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

What happens when everything becomes instantly politicized and no institution is safe from attack? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dissect how October 7 has transformed Israel's moral landscape, as the Netanyahu government shifts focus from defeating external enemies to waging war against internal opponents.Through the lens of the explosive scandal involving Israel's former top military lawyer, they examine whether Israeli society can survive when accountability becomes partisan, institutions lose legitimacy, and the pursuit of political ends justifies any means.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

What does the possible election of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jewish identity, Diaspora-Israel relations, and the boundaries of Jewish community?As New Yorkers head to the polls in the coming week to elect their next mayor, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the return of 'conditional acceptance' for Jews in progressive spaces, compare this moment to Jeremy Corbyn's impact on British Jewry, and grapple with the painful reality of Jewish division in the face of perceived threats.From the episode:Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, “On the Record”Identity/Crisis with Howard WolfsonWatch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

How are Israelis processing the transition from 760+ days of war to a fragile peace?Nearly two weeks into the ceasefire with Gaza, Israeli society is grappling with hope, trauma, and unsettling questions about who actually won. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack Hamas’ ceasefire violations, Trump's bear hug diplomacy, and why 48% of Israelis believe nobody emerged victorious from this conflict.  Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Will this moment of national unity in Israel transcend politics and open new possibilities for transformation after the celebration?Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the profound emotional impact of Israel's recent hostage return - a day that united the nation in tears and joy. They explore what this spiritual turning point means for Israeli society's future, the strategic debates around prioritizing lives over military goals, and whether peace can re-enter Israeli discourse after 25 years.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Two years and two days after October 7, Israel celebrates a breakthrough. In this  episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the game-changing deal securing the release of all Israeli hostages. From Trump's surprising humanity to Netanyahu's strategic pivot, from the hostage families' brilliant campaign to the far-right's defeat – they explore how Israel has arrived at this transformative moment and what it means for the Middle East's future. Can Israel finally exhale?Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Can a society traumatized by October 7 learn to hope again?As Trump unveils his Arab supported Gaza peace plan, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine why Israelis struggle to embrace hope after October 7. They discuss the plan's moral dimensions, its focus on defeating Hamas while offering Palestinians a future, and what it means to believe in change when your world feels broken.A timely conversation about transformation, just before Yom Kippur.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel.Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Can we maintain the highest ethical standards without betraying national solidarity? As the war in Gaza surpasses 700 days and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with the challenges of moral responsibility during time of war. They discuss maintaining ethical credibility while under attack and advocate making space for the "troubled committed"—Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics—concluding that the hardest questions often come from the place of deepest love.From the episode:“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine“Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed” by Donniel Hartman, Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, Fall 2021As the Gaza war reaches day 703 and the High Holidays approach, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi wrestle with the challenge of moral reflection in wartime after a painful week. How do you maintain ethical standards without betraying solidarity?They address soldiers’ sacrifices, the fate of hostages, Gazan civilians, and the stakes of a potential ceasefire decision, exploring what it means to love Israel unconditionally while grappling with difficult moral questions. They discuss the "troubled committed" - Jews who refuse to choose between loyalty and ethics, and why making space for their voices strengthens rather than weakens support for Israel.A raw, honest conversation about maintaining ethical credibility while under attack, and why the hardest questions often come from the deepest love.From the episode:“Our season of reckoning: Israel’s moral crossroads in Gaza” by Yossi Klein Halevi, Times of Israel“The Troubled and the Committed” by Liel Leibovitz, Tablet Magazine----Yossi’s article: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/our-season-of-reckoning-israels-moral-crossroads-in-gaza/Tablet Article: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/uja-gaza-donation-troubled-committed-liel-leibovitzWatch the video

In a headline-grabbing speech, Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israelis to embrace life as a “super-Sparta,” cut off from a hostile world— which begs the question: who do Israelis want to be after October 7?In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the implications of embracing an isolationist strategy: was this merely a pep talk, or the burial of Start-Up Nation for Sparta Nation? What does Sparta really symbolize, and why are even right-wing voters feeling uneasy? With new polls showing 78% of Israelis prefer diplomacy over permanent siege, could a new Israeli identity movement be rising in response? Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

In striking Hamas leaders in Qatar, Israel is invoking a decades-old principle: enemies of the Jewish people have no sovereign immunity. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine how the 1961 Eichmann Trial, which established the doctrine of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and crimes against the Jewish people, continues to shape modern Israeli thinking and military operations. As day 704 of the war in Gaza unfolds, they grapple with hard questions: is Israel a nation that excels at precise military strikes but struggles with long-term strategic solutions? What does this action mean for hostage negotiations? And how do democracies fight evil without losing their moral standing?Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Is pushing into Gaza City a necessary step—or a purposeless escalation that jeopardizes hostages, multiplies civilian suffering, and splinters national unity?As Israel weighs an assault on Gaza City, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the IDF chief’s four-part warning—military efficacy, the fate of the hostages, a spiraling humanitarian crisis, and global isolation—and whether this phase risks tearing Israel apart.They revisit lessons from Lebanon 1982 and Yom Kippur 1973, consider if the war’s military purpose lapsed months ago, and ask whether public outrage can still halt an escalation that could endanger the hostages Israel seeks to save.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

This episode originally aired on January 16, 2025.A ceasefire deal has just been reached. In the past, Israelis have been united in elation and relief about the return of hostages, even at a high cost to national security. But not this time. Far-right MKs and ultranationalists had vigorously decried the deal, protesting any concession that would allow Hamas to hold on to power, no matter how small. What is behind their bitter dissent, and will this deepen rifts in Israeli society?In this episode, recorded as the deal was still being finalized, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider closure, family loyalty, and the basic value of derech eretz (common decency) in negotiating the return of the hostages, and why the lens for ultranationalists in Israel is so starkly different.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

What does it mean to lead Jewish communities through crisis? And how can North American Jews navigate complex relationships with Israel during wartime? In a raw and honest conversation recorded live at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on July 14, 2025, Institute presidents Donniel Hartman and Yehuda Kurtzer tackle difficult questions about Jewish leadership, trauma, and the responsibility to stay "okay" when the world feels broken.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

What if October 7 didn't only traumatize Israel and Jews worldwide—but actually changed the course of Jewish history? On this special episode of For Heaven’s Sake, Yossi Klein Halevi and Shalom Hartman Institute of North America CEO Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield explore his bold thesis that October 7 marked the end of the post-Holocaust era of increased Jewish security and acceptance. Their wide-ranging conversation tackles antisemitism, Jewish power, generational divides, and the urgent need for a new Jewish story.This conversation was recorded live at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Jerusalem campus on July 16, 2025.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

In this conversation recorded live in Jerusalem on July 2, 2025, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi confront the explosive question: What future awaits Judea and Samaria, referred to by some as the West Bank and others as the Occupied Territories? In a conversation moderated by Ronit Heyd, Vice President and Director of the Center for Israeli & Jewish identity at the Shalom Hartman Institute, they argue that as Israel emerges from war with Iran and Hamas, this long-frozen conflict is the next moral and political time bomb. They dissect settler violence, the failure of Israeli leadership, and why "it's complicated" no longer excuses inaction as they challenge us to move beyond tribalism toward potential solutions.----Recommended reading from this episode:Constitution Committee approves for final readings bill to eliminate use of "West Bank" as official termAmos Oz, “Land of Israel” (1967 Davar essay)Watch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

The war with Hamas has now come at a devastating cost. Hunger is penetrating Gaza, and Israelis are now witnessing the humanitarian disaster unfolding on their border, which their government—and the world—have so far failed to properly address.In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask, how did it get to this point? Where—between Israel, Hamas, and the international community—does responsibility for this famine lie, and how can Israel do teshuva for its role?Articles referenced in this episode:Matti Friedman's piece in The Free Press "Is Gaza Starving?"Bret Stephens NYT Op-Ed: "No, Israel Is Not Committing Genocide in Gaza"Ross Douthat’s NYT Op-Ed: “How Israel’s War Became Unjust”Omer Bartov's NYT Op-Ed "I'm a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It."Toba Hellerstein's article in Sapir: "Actually, Feelings Don't Care About Your Facts"Watch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

A recent clash between Druze and Bedouins in the Syrian region of Sweida evolved into chaos as Syrian troops, Israeli Druze, and the IDF all entered the fray. For Israelis, the incident is prompting renewed awareness—and fresh questions— about the unusual status of Druze in the Jewish State.This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss loyalty, kinship, and “Israeli-ness” as they unpack the nation’s unique relationship with certain minorities and touch on the complicated dilemma that its Palestinian/Arab citizens face as conditions worsen in Gaza.Watch the video version of our podcast on our YouTube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

For the second time in two months, Israel’s government is at risk of collapsing, as Haredi parties threaten to withdraw from the coalition over the conscription of Yeshiva students. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is discussing a “60 day ceasefire” that would return more hostages without a clear end to the war.This week, as Israelis wait and anxiety builds, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi share their perspectives on the many factors that could change the country—and the war in Gaza—in the coming weeks.Listen to the first episode of TEXTing: IRL, Allyship at the Edge HERE.Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.

Around the world, Israelis are being harassed, attacked, and condemned for their country’s actions in Gaza, with even Israel’s staunchest allies beginning to reject claims of self-defense. This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack why the war with Hamas has brought about such international backlash, and whether Israel can restore its moral credibility. Watch the video version of our podcast on our Youtube channel. Past episodes of this show, and other podcasts from Ark Media can be found at arkmedia.org.For more ideas from the Shalom Hartman Institute, visit shalomhartman.org, or JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST.Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven’s Sake. Click here to learn more.