The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Political correspondent Sam Sokol joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
With a growing number of new splinter parties on the right and center-right, some of them founded by former Netanyahu allies, Sokol reviews the latest additions, noting that most of these third-bloc parties, not part of the coalition or opposition blocs, are polling below the electoral threshold as all jockey for position.
Sokol reports on the campaign of former IDF general Ofer Winter, who has placed himself firmly in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp even as he criticizes the Netanyahu government, but whose People of Israel party appears to be thriving at the cost of the Religious Zionism party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Sokol also reports on a new Haredi party, The Charedi Public, founded by Beit Shemesh deputy mayor Moti Leitner, to challenge the preeminent ideologies in the ultra-Orthodox community and be more responsive to the needs and demands of the Haredi public.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
With only days left to submit slates, small parties are still jockeying for position
Netanyahu warns Winter’s party could ‘bring down’ his coalition, urges meeting
With debutant Winter poised to cannibalize his bloc, Netanyahu has reason to sweat
Winter launches nationalist ‘People of Israel’ party; Netanyahu warns it could doom the right
No slate, no HQ: Sharren Haskel wages an uphill fight to return to the Knesset
Launching campaign, new Haredi party slams ‘detachment, stupidity’ of existing factions
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.
IMAGE: Political correspondent Sam Sokol appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Health reporter Diana Bletter joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode.
Following a recent reporting visit to Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, Bletter discusses the significant uptick in Druze applications for Israeli citizenship instead of permanent residency, a change due to the recent regime change in Syria.
Bletter turns to health issues, including the scientific risks of UV tanning. Bletter reports that the UV index has gone viral on social media in Israel and around the world, used as a guide for when people can achieve the best bronzing.
A new study conducted by scientists at Weizmann Institute of Science shows that the active ingredient in Viagra disrupts cancer cells' metastasis, notes Bletter.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and edited by Ari Schlacht.
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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
Taking a break from pulling classics out of the vaults, this week's film, "Don't Say Good Luck," just dropped on Netflix.
Sunny Sandler stars as a 16-year-old theater kid, backed up by a cast including Melanie Lynskey, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Bebe Neuwirth, and Steve Buscemi.
Within minutes, it's clear that what could have been a superficial teen flick produced by Adam and Jackie Sandler is a relatable look at "the show going on" while a family member fights cancer. Notes Hoffman, that depth may be due in part to the involvement of director Julia Hart and co-producer/writer Jordan Horowitz -- both veteran filmmakers with proven hits.
However, it is Sunny Sandler who is the glowing glue of the movie, providing singing and acting chops rare in a 16-year-old.
Hoffman gives a bit of the backstory behind the movie's production and insight into the choice of "The Waitress" as the play within the film. Labeling it a "weeper," he qualifies that it's not really a downer, rather realistically portrays the family's dilemmas.
Borschel-Dan, who watched with two of her teenagers, realizes they are 100% the target audience for this intergenerational, Jewish-coded tale that is all too familiar.
Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author Yossi Klein Halevi.
The Hartman Institute senior fellow, writer and thinker joins us in our Jerusalem studio for a probing conversation about Jewish extremism.
Klein Halevi is the author of the 1995 "Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist," based on his time spent as a disciple of far-right racist firebrand Meir Kahane. He is uniquely poised to delve into the psyche of the violent fringe terrorizing West Bank Palestinian and shaking members of the settler movement.
We discuss the throughline between the era that spawned Kahane and his followers and today's national traumas that are spurring extremists to believe Kahane was right all along.
Through Kahane's vanities and human frailties, Klein Halevi realized that the cult of personality was dangerous and unhealthy. We ask, what happens if adherents believe their racist violence is actually in the service of God?
Klein Halevi, optimistic that these youth can be awoken, sets out conditions that could, slowly, allow for their transformation.
And so this week, we ask Yossi Klein Halevi, what matters now.
What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
After Israel struck a military base in Syria, where Turkey was apparently ready to deploy forces, Horovitz reviews the ensuing diplomatic ruckus between Israel, Turkey and Syria, with a US envoy castigating Israel but the White House silent.
Following this week's meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump aide Jared Kushner regarding the Board of Peace plan for Gaza, Horovitz explains the shared goal but differing approaches of the US and Israel, and highlights the need to not only disarm Hamas but also drain its coffers.
Horovitz examines the results of Monday's Likud primary and the options still available for Netanyahu to parachute a few of his own selected candidates to high slots on the party's final Knesset slate. He also updates us on the emergence of yet another small party, and a renewed alliance between three established ones.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
‘Don’t’: Netanyahu says he warned Turkey before Israel struck Syrian base
PM, Kushner clashed over continued Israeli strikes on Oct. 7 terrorists — officials
Hamas must be drained of its money as well as its weapons
Arab-majority Hadash, Ta’al and Balad parties agree on joint run after striking deal
Hawkish ex-general Ofer Winter expected to launch new party next week, shaking up the right
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz appears on Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.