For Heaven's Sake

Voters were aghast, world leaders were outraged, and Netanyahu seemed jubilant, when President Trump recently doubled down on a plan that seems totally detached from reality: a U.S. take-over, clean-out, and transformation of Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Though the White House has since clarified that Palestinian relocation would only be temporary, the shockwaves it caused in the region, and the reaction of the Israeli public, are telling.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi talk messianism, morality, and this strange new chapter of U.S. relations, as they assess Israeli attitudes towards the proposal and the precarious fate of the hostage deal.   This episode is sponsored by Nancy Cahners.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Many Israelis are grateful to the Trump administration for pushing forward the hostage deal, but an unsettling reality seems to be taking hold. Has Netanyahu become subservient to the returning US President, even at the expense of his own coalition? As newspapers across Israel are abuzz with the “Trump Plan” for Palestinians in Gaza, some question whether Israel has relinquished its sovereignty and moral fortitude to the whims of America's new leader.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi react to the President Trump's call to purportedly “empty out Gaza” and discuss the moral and political discourse in Israel—or lack thereof—that has allowed him to call the shots.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Three hostages have been safely returned to Israel, with more to be returned each week. But while Israelis share the relief of this long-awaited moment, Hamas is emerging from the shadows with victory cheers and a deep ambivalence over the ceasefire deal is brewing in Israel. Who has won this war, and can Israelis come to terms with the price they must pay to bring all the hostages home? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the divide in Israeli opinion, the country's unmet military goals, and whether a return to war could be on the horizon.   This episode is sponsored by Nancy Cahners.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

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.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Israelis often speak proudly about their army's rigorous moral standards. But after falling prey to the barbaric massacre by Hamas on October 7, national security has become top of mind for many Israelis while topics like Gazan civilian casualties are avoided. Are these two values—morality and survival—mutually exclusive? This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi tackle the state of moral discourse in Israel, international criticism of the war, and the troubling relationship between victimhood and brutality. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Most Israelis want a comprehensive hostage deal but seem unwilling to call out actions by Netanyahu which have sabotaged negotiation efforts with Hamas. Have Israel's citizens become complacent?   This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi diagnose Israelis' passivity in the face of deeply unpopular government decisions and their reluctance to consider the future of Gazans or of Palestinians in general.   This episode is sponsored by Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Thoughtful debate elevates us all. Partner with us to continue these important conversations. Make a gift now.

What is Hanukkah? A military victory by Maccabean heroes? A miracle of light in the darkest of times? This year it's something more complicated.   In this episode Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider how Hanukkah's classical Zionist narrative of power and sovereignty was challenged by October 7th, and how the Festival of Lights has changed again after Israel's recent war victories.   This episode is sponsored by Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Thoughtful debate elevates us all. Partner with us to continue these important conversations. Make a gift now.

Now that Israel has succeeded in defeating the Iranian axis on its borders, Netanyahu—and Hamas—seem earnest about a ceasefire deal. Can all the hostages and the remains of those deceased be returned? And how will Israelis heal from the lingering trauma of October 7th? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider the harsh likelihood of a partial hostage deal and analyze how Ben Gvir and Netanyahu are jockeying for the hearts of Israelis as the war winds down. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Less than two weeks after Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire deal, the Assad regime in Syria was overthrown by rebel militias and Hamas is showing more openness to a hostage deal than ever before. As Iran's siege along the borders of Israel unravels, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi ask in this episode: are Israelis ready for the war to wrap up? They discuss the new geopolitical reality in the region, the success of the judicial system in bringing Netanyahu to trial, and the fate of Gaza post-war in the minds of Israelis who are deeply divided. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

What is motivating Netanyahu's coalition government to undermine Israel's democratic checks and balances, even as a ceasefire with Hamas becomes a serious possibility?   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine how the Jewish State's early decades under Labor Party rule influenced the current government's actions, and explore how Israel can heal from deepening partisan rifts.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

As of Tuesday, November 26, Netanyahu is on the cusp of signing a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. Why, after all this time stalling on a deal with Hamas—with hostages on the line—is the Prime Minister considering this separate arrangement in Lebanon?   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate Netanyahu's motives for the deal, and what it will mean for the fate of Gaza, the unretrieved hostages, and the psyche of Israelis who have endured over a year of war.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Dozens of hostages are still struggling to survive in captivity under terrible conditions, 410 days after the war in Gaza began. On this episode of For Heaven's Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the ways that the hostages have been neglected and used as political pawns as they advocate for the prioritization of their return.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Thursday, November 7, Israeli soccer fans were beaten and harassed by hordes of masked assailants on the streets of Amsterdam, followed by calls for a “Jew hunt” on social media.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the shockwave this sent to Israelis about traveling abroad, Jewish vulnerability, and how a reemergence of violent antisemitism in post-Holocaust Europe could have occurred. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the morning after Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and spurred a public outcry, Americans and Israelis woke to the news that Donald Trump had been reelected President of the United States. With intense political upheaval in both nations, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi speculate on how a second Trump administration could impact Netanyahu and his far-right coalition, and what Gallant's replacement by Israel Katz might mean for the war. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

According to a poll released on Monday, October 28, Netanyahu is now the preferred candidate for prime minister for the first time since his return to office two years ago. Has his reputation truly been salvaged simply by the success of the Saturday strike on Iran?   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi dig into Netanyahu's methods of leadership and the psyche of Israelis to understand why public opinion has suddenly rebounded in his favor.   This episode is sponsored by Eileen and Howard Dubner.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

In this special episode, Donniel Hartman reflects on the past year of war in Gaza and now in Lebanon; whether Israel has achieved victory in these wars, what Zionists must do to ensure Israel's moral standing, and how the politicization of the October 7th tragedy has deepened divisions in Israel and among world Jewry. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Almost one month after Israel began its ground invasion into Lebanon with no clear objective, the path to victory remains uncertain.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss what it would take to declare an end to the war against Hezbollah, how Israel can grow its allyship with its Sunni neighbors, and whether defeat of the Iranian axis of power in the Middle East is even possible.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

After a year of grief, pain, and war on multiple fronts, the Israeli psyche has been fundamentally transformed.   In this special episode recorded live on October 7, 2024, for members of the Shalom Hartman Institute Giving Society, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on the fragility of the nation, Netanyahu's rising poll numbers, and a resurgence of existential crisis not seen in Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.   Stay tuned after the episode to hear Donniel and Yossi answer questions from the live audience.   Learn more about our Giving Society, which recognizes the generosity of individuals and families who annually support the mission and growth of the Shalom Hartman Institute. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

After Nasrallah, where are we now? Following the killing of Hezbollah's long-time leader, the situation on Israel's northern border is more uncertain than ever. In this special episode hosted by UJIA and recorded live at JW3, London's Jewish Community Centre, Yossi Klein Halevi and Donniel Hartman discuss the delicate balance between the deterrence of despair and the arrogance of power.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

As the conflict on the northern front escalates, the path to peace seems to be getting longer and more complex. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the recent surge in action along Israel's northern border and reflect on the differences between fighting Hezbollah and fighting Hamas.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Tuesday, September 17, Mossad-planted explosives were detonated in hundreds of beepers carried by Hezbollah operatives, killing at least a dozen and injuring thousands more.   While new details come to light, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi debate the efficacy of this surprise attack, the public reaction to it, and whether Israel is ready for another major military operation now that further engagement in the north seems inevitable.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Israeli Knesset members Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have been advancing “total victory,” and they don't just mean defeating Hamas or returning the hostages.   This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the small but powerful far-right messianic movement in Israel that these MKs represent, and how the current war has emboldened their agenda in the West Bank, on the Temple Mount, and across the region.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Saturday, August 31, the bodies of six hostages were discovered by the IDF in a tunnel under Rafah. Murdered by Hamas shortly before they were found, they include Hersh Goldberg-Polin z"l, beloved cousin of our Hartman colleague Eliot Goldstein and a friend to many in the Hartman community, as well as Carmel Gat z"l, Ori Danino z"l, Eden Yerushalmi z"l, Alex Lobanov z"l, and Almog Sarusi z"l.     Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi express their grief and rage over this tragedy and assess the choice Israel must make between disabling its enemies and bringing the remaining hostages home when trust in the government has eroded.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

This episode originally aired on June 19th, 2024.     Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today.     In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst.       ----    JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS  Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more. 

Over the course of the 10-month war with Hamas, anti-Zionist sentiment has been brought to the forefront around the world and also closer to home, within the ranks of North American Jewry. In this session recorded at the Shalom Hartman Institute's Rabbinic Torah Seminar in Jerusalem on July 11, Yossi Klein Halevi outlines the connections and distinctions between anti-Zionism and classical antisemitism, and how this war is testing the morality of modern Jewish power. For more information about our Rabbinic Torah Seminar, visit shalomhartman.org/rts.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Amidst a war with Hamas, hostages in Gaza, and internal unrest, Donniel Hartman spoke with Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader in the Knesset, on July 3rd at our annual Community Leadership Program in Jerusalem. They discussed the numerous threats facing Israeli society and how Israeli leadership might guide the country through this turbulent moment.   Listen to this special episode while Donniel and Yossi take a break from recording this week.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.   Learn more about our Community Leadership Program here.

Hours after Israel killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut on Tuesday, July 31, Hamas' senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.   Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the impact of these events on the progress towards a hostage deal and the transformation of Israelis' attitudes as a pattern of retaliation emerges.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

The day after a rocket attack from Lebanon killed 12 Druze children and teens in the Golan Heights, far-right activists broke into the Sde Teiman IDF army base. Israel's overworked military is now also being threatened by its own citizens. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi unpack the protesters attempts to undermine the IDF's investigation of prisoners' abuse and discuss the Israeli army's ability to retaliate in the north.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

U. S. politics are in turmoil. In the span of just 8 days, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, Joe Biden dropped his bid for a second term, and Kamala Harris now appears destined to become the Democratic presidential nominee. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the likely U.S. presidential candidates through an Israeli lens, and question Netanyahu's commitment to address Congress in Washington, D.C. despite the recent election campaign upheaval. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

To an outside observer, there are many places where an eerie sense of normalcy has settled over Israeli society, but the reality is anything but normal. On this episode of For Heaven's Sake, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein-Halevi discuss the very real needs of Israelis who have been immersed in war and loss for so many months, and why we must resist falling entirely back into the status quo.     JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Tuesday, July 9, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze Netanyahu's impact on the hostage negotiations and how persistent fighting in Gaza exposes deep-seated misconceptions about Israel's military power.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Sunday, June 30, Israel's Labor and Meretz parties made the astonishing decision to merge into a single entity representing the Israeli Left. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi identify the shift in attitudes and priorities across Israeli politics since October 7, and speculate on who may replace Netanyahu as Israel's next Prime Minister. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem on Wednesday, June 26, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss enforcement of the recent Haredi draft law, the need for new elections, and a path toward resolving the Palestinian conflict after the war with Hamas ends. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more. Learn more about the Hartman Institute's Community Leadership Program here.

Religious Zionists are one of the most multifaceted—and misunderstood­—subsets of Israeli society today. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi detail the strengths and weaknesses of this diverse[SW1]  community; champions of Jewish Peoplehood at their best, but a host for fundamentalist ideology at their worst. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

As Israelis celebrate the return of four hostages rescued on Saturday, June 8, the rest of the world decries the number of Gazan civilians killed in the operation. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the disparity between Israeli and global perspectives, the moral contours of the IDF's rescue mission, and whether the safety of one's own people should come at the expense of others. This episode is sponsored by Amy and Ted Kahan. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On the week of June 4th, war fatigue is beginning to weigh on Israelis. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the achievability of the IDF's remaining goals in Gaza, Hezbollah's increasing threat from the north, and Netanyahu's political survival as pressure mounts for the latest hostage deal. This episode is sponsored by Dan Rubin in honor of the birth of his granddaughter, Catharine Barbara Lambe, as well as by Amy and Ted Kahan. Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS

This episode was originally aired on April 4th, 2024. 180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to bereturned, Israel's allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel's failures, its critics, and its unsung heroes, as this long and complex war hits the six-month mark. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Amid intense and ongoing international scrutiny, Jews are facing an unprecedented challenge to shape a different story of Zionism and combat the rising anti-Zionist narrative. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi explore the forces reshaping Zionism, the lasting impact on Israel, and internal divisions within Israel and the Jewish Diaspora that complicate the response to these challenges. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Tuesday, May 7th, President Biden paused a shipment of 3,500 bombs to Israel moments after the IDF mobilized into Rafah, drawing the ire of many Israelis and Zionists worldwide. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss the consequences of this decision, the impact on the war, and whether Biden's support for Israel may be wavering. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Is the sovereignty of the Jewish State at risk? Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi examine the dilemmas of this coming Israeli Independence Day (May 14, 2024), which will be celebrated under the shadow of an existential war with Hamas and Israel's strained international relationships. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Since mid-April, protests against the Israel-Hamas war on North American college campuses have hit a fever pitch, with some critics leveling the charge of antisemitism against the wave of demonstrations. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi consider how this story gets framed in the global marketplace of ideas when antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and critique of Israel, lose their distinction. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Before dawn on Sunday, April 14th, with the help of its allies, Israel staved off its first ever direct attack by Iran. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss this new reality for Israel and its neighbors, and what it would mean to trade blows openly with a regional superpower that has, until now, hid its aggression behind proxy militant groups. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Hostage negotiations remain deadlocked as their families continue to pressure Israel's government to reach a deal, while rightwing MPs are threatening to dissolve Netanyahu's coalition if the IDF does not move into Rafah. In this landscape of stark public discord, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi clash on their own priorities for victory in this war.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

180 days since the tragedy of October 7th, war still wages in Gaza, hostages have yet to be returned, Israel's allies are now pushing for a ceasefire, and the accidental bombing of seven aid workers on April 1st marks the latest IDF fumble.   In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi take moral stock of Israel's failures, its critics, and its unsung heroes, as this long and complex war hits the 6 month mark.   JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

Israelis are engaged in multiple layers of conflict, both external and internal. As the Israel-Hamas war continues into its 6th month, Israelis are simultaneously fighting a battle against their own government. This week, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss Netanyahu's leadership, and what the Israeli public can – and should – do to demand better from him.   ----  This episode is sponsored by Wayne Robbins.    JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS    Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more. 

From badmouthing the military to fumbling humanitarian aid in Gaza, punting on the Haredi draft, and taking a hard line on a hostage deal, Netanyahu's coalition government seems more out-of-touch with the Israeli public than ever before. Could forthcoming elections bring a sea change to Israel's leadership? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi share their hopes and visions for the future of the Jewish State. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

From the Oval Office to the Oscars, the week of March 11, 2024, has seen more vocal public criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza than at any other time during the Israel-Hamas war. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze, and respond to, recent rebukes leveled by Israel's closest allies and by fellow Jews. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

On Thursday February 29, a tragedy unfolded in Gaza City during a food aid delivery. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi discuss more than just the food crisis unfolding in Gaza as they consider Israel's responsibility to Gazan civilians. They examine the struggle in Israeli society to engage in moral discourse and the growing chasm between the Israeli and Jewish diaspora's responses to the war. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

The city of Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas' power in the Gaza Strip and final stand for the IDF's military campaign. But Israel's closest allies have implored it not to invade, warning that this would only exacerbate the growing humanitarian crisis for Gazan civilians. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi balance the moral responsibilities, psychological needs, and geopolitical strategies at play in Israel's decision to move in to Rafah, and whether a ceasefire now might be the solution. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.

As the IDF moves into a ground invasion in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and the toll on Palestinian lives continues to grow, Israel's military actions are garnering greater criticism from world leaders. In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi reflect on how this war is being judged on the global stage, and whether Israel's initial public position as victims of the October 7th attacks is best serving its cause today. JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR MORE HARTMAN IDEAS Sponsor an upcoming episode of For Heaven's Sake. Click here to learn more.