Unpacking Israeli History

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Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: Noam Weissman talks with journalist and author Yardena Schwartz about her book Ghosts of a Holy War and how the 1929 Hebron massacre helped...

This week, we’re revisiting one of the most overlooked yet consequential chapters in the Arab–Israeli conflict: the 1929 Hebron Massacre. In just two days, 67 Jews were murdered and an ancient community was...

In this Israel Open Mic episode, Noam answers two listener questions: What is the Green Line, really? And why does Israel have a President if the Prime Minister holds the power? He breaks down the history behind...

Thirty years after Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, Noam Weissman sits with Journalist Haviv Rettig Gur to unpack what changed on November 4, 1995—and what didn’t. Was Oslo doomed, or did Rabin’s murder briefly revive it?...

Thirty years after Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated at a peace rally in Tel Aviv, we revisit one of the most defining moments in Israeli history. Originally released in Season 1, this episode now features...

In one of the most powerful episodes of Unpacking Israeli History, host Noam Weissman sits down with Eli Sharabi, survivor of 491 days as a Hamas hostage, to share his story of faith, endurance, and unimaginable loss...

So much of what we read about Israel is politics and war. But this episode explores a different angle: what does it feel like to live through this moment? Noam sits down with writer and Times of Israel editor Sarah...

Two years after October 7, 2023, host Noam Weissman reflects on how Israel—and he himself—have been haunted by absence and by loss. Now the last living hostages are home and a ceasefire begins. Noam shares the story of...

It's been two years since October 7, 2023—the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. To commemorate, Noam revisits a powerful conversation (originally aired on Wondering Jews) with award-winning journalist Amir...

Gaza-born activist Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib joins Noam Weissman for the series finale and a fierce, heartfelt debate on Palestinian statehood. While they grapple with the meaning and limits of Palestinian statehood, Ahmed...

Noam Weissman sits down with Dr. Einat Wilf — former Knesset member, public intellectual, and one of Israel’s sharpest voices — for a provocative conversation about Palestinian statehood. Once a passionate believer in...

In our two-part series on Palestinian statehood, we traced the history and politics behind decades of failed attempts. But for Palestinian activist and political leader Samer Sinijlawi, the real story isn’t just about...

In this bonus episode, Noam talks with Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at the Israel Policy Forum. Michael traces the history of Palestinian statehood efforts, explains why each one failed, and shares why he doubts...

In Part 2 in a series on Palestinian statehood, Noam Weissman picks up in 1967, showing how the Six Day War reset borders and assumptions—sparking debates over land, security, and sovereignty. From Oslo to the Second...

Why did Israel become a state but Palestine didn’t? Now that a rising number of nations, including Britain and France, have announced that they plan to recognize Palestinian Statehood at the United Nations General...

BOOK NOW FOR OUR LA SHOW - Nov 12 at Sinai Temple with special guest Ronen Bergman. Last stop for 2025! Use the coupon code UIH20 to get a discount on your tickets: ⁠ Host Noam Weissman sits down with Call Me Back host...

Noam Weissman reflects on the Charlie Kirk assassination and what Israeli history—from Rabin to Gaza—teaches about polarization, sacred listening, and building a culture of principled, nonviolent disagreement. Please...

Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza? Host Noam Weissman and historian Gil Troy dive into the explosive debate in an important and difficult conversation. They break down the legal definition of genocide, the role of...

Who are the Neturei Karta? A recent Humans of New York article brought the fringe sect of ultra-Orthodox, anti-Zionist Jews into the spotlight. Now Noam Weissman explains the history of this tiny movement, which rejects...

What wins hearts and minds — facts, or feelings? This week, Noam Weissman sits down with Toba Hellerstein, author of American Perceptions of Jews and Israel and a leading expert on antisemitism, diplomacy, and narrative...

In Part 2 of a series on settler violence, Noam Weissman talks with Yirmiyahu Danzig (@that_semite) about the Hilltop Youth, Palestinian life in Area C, and the narratives behind the headlines. From Gaza disengagement...

Noam Weissman sits down with journalist Haviv Rettig Gur to tackle one of the most heated topics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: settler violence. Who are the “Hilltop Youth,” the fringe group accused of a kind of...

In the explosive finale of our 3-part series on the Suez Crisis, Noam Weissman unpacks the hidden aftershocks of Israel’s most underrated war. This episode reveals how the 1956 Sinai Campaign reshaped global alliances...

This week, Part 2 of our Suez Crisis trilogy dives into the explosive events of 1956: Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, enraging Britain and France. Behind closed doors, the three powers—Israel, Britain, and...