Unpacking Israeli History

Host Noam Weissman explores the intricate, often misunderstood story of Arab citizens of Israel in the first episode of a two-part series. Noam delves into their journey from the Ottoman Empire to 1967 with honesty and nuance, grappling with themes of identity, nationality, and integration. Please tune in next week for Part 2, focusing on 1967 to today. The series invites listeners to consider the compromises and efforts needed to build a truly inclusive and equitable society. Click here for the sources used in this episode. This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. UNPACKED is growing and we need your help! From now through December 31 you can make history with us by contributing to our podcast expansion project. Join us in raising $150,000 to transform Unpacking Israeli History into a multi-platform experience, providing more episodes in both audio and video formats, more interesting guests, live events and more! If you've already contributed, thank you! If you haven't yet, now's your chance to be a part of something amazing. Please click here to donate today. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews

This week, we continue our two-part series on one of the most the challenging questions about Israel today: Is Israel an Apartheid state? In the second-part of the series, we’ll dig deeper into East Jerusalem and address the broader historical, political, and social context of this fraught and heated topic. Click here for the sources we used in this episode. UNPACKED is growing and we need your help! From now through December 31 you can make history with us by contributing to our podcast expansion project. Join us in raising $150,000 to transform Unpacking Israeli History into a multi-platform experience, providing more episodes in both audio and video formats, more interesting guests, live events and more! If you've already contributed, thank you! If you haven't yet, now's your chance to be a part of something amazing. Please click here to donate today. ------------------- This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Soulful Jewish Living Stars of David with Elon Gold Wondering Jews

This week, we’re diving into one of the most heated and challenging questions about Israel today: Is it an apartheid state? Yeah, it’s uncomfortable—and complicated. In this first part of a two-part series, Noam Weissman unpacks the history of apartheid, walks us through the situation in the West Bank, and lays out the daily realities for both Israelis and Palestinians. No slogans, no “talking points,” just an honest look at the facts—and the feelings—that shape this conversation. Whether you’re yelling “of course not!” or “absolutely yes!” (or somewhere in between), this episode will challenge what you think you know. Stick around for Part 2 next week, where we’ll dig even deeper into East Jerusalem and what this debate means for Israelis, Palestinians, and the rest of us. Click here for the sources we used in this episode. UNPACKED is growing and we need your help! From now through December 31 you can make history with us by contributing to our podcast expansion project. Join us in raising $150,000 to transform Unpacking Israeli History into a multi-platform experience, providing more episodes in both audio and video formats, more interesting guests, live events and more! If you've already contributed, thank you! If you haven't yet, now's your chance to be a part of something amazing. Please click here to donate today. ------------------- This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Stars of David with Elon Gold Soulful Jewish Living Wondering Jews Soulful Jewish Living

In this special crossover episode, Noam Weissman shares an insightful conversation from his other podcast, Wondering Jews With Mijal and Noam, co-hosted with Dr. Mijal Bitton. Together, they tackle one of the toughest questions Jewish parents face today: how to approach the complex topic of Israel and antisemitism with children. Noam and Mijal dive into the nuances of Israel education, offering reflections on how their perspectives have evolved over the past year and practical ways to discuss difficult subjects. Whether you're a parent, educator, or someone deeply engaged with Jewish issues, this episode offers thoughtful guidance for fostering understanding and resilience in the next generation. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam for more thought-provoking conversations! ------------------- This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: Jewish History Nerds Stars of David with Elon Gold Soulful Jewish Living Wondering Jews